By Garba Isah, Ph.D An Open Appeal To Our Elected Representatives And Leaders From Kogi East KOGI East is bleeding, and our roads have become its arteries of fear. What should be pathways of trade, social interaction, and economic growth have degenerated into terrifying corridors where kidnappers lurk in the shadows of unchecked vegetation. The once vibrant highways that connect our people are now highways of horror. I write not from hearsay, not from statistics, but from lived experience. I, too, have been a victim of kidnapping on these very roads. I have looked into the faces of armed men…
Author: National Update
*** Insurgents kill Muslims and Christians in fresh Borno attacks The Senator representing Borno South in the national Assembly Ali Ndume has cautioned against giving religious colouration to Boko Haram attacks, insisting the insurgents’ violence spares no faith or tribe. He issued the warning after fresh assaults at the weekend claimed eight lives in two local government areas of the state. Five Muslim farmers were killed in Ngoshe, Gwoza LGA on Saturday, while three Christians were murdered in Mussa, Askira-Uba LGA on Sunday. Dozens of homes were also set ablaze. Ndume faulted a media report which claimed only Christians were…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Rector of Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Prof. Salisu Ogbo Usman, says effective security remains the backbone of quality education in tertiary institutions. Speaking at the NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel Stewardship Forum in Lokoja, Usman said the polytechnic had tightened campus security through CCTV surveillance, improved lighting, training of security operatives and a ban on unruly “signing-out” parades. He explained that the measures had forced cultism and related activities to “vacate” the Lokoja and Osara campuses. “There can be no learning or character moulding in an atmosphere of insecurity,” he said. The rector added that the polytechnic has…
By Fred Itua The Nigerian Constitution is clear and unambiguous about the position of a governor. Section 176(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that “the Governor of a State shall be the Chief Executive of that State.” By implication, a governor is not the leader of one senatorial district, ethnic group, or political faction. He is entrusted with the sacred responsibility of governing the entire state and safeguarding the collective welfare of all its citizens, irrespective of origin or affiliation. Governor Monday Okpebholo has, from the outset of his administration, embraced this constitutional mandate with clarity and consistency.…
Former Labour Party vice-presidential candidate, Datti Baba-Ahmed, has urged security agencies to interrogate ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over his recent claim that the Federal Government was paying bandits. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Baba-Ahmed dismissed the response issued by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, describing it as inadequate. “If the office of the NSA would take this statement with levity, then Nuhu Ribadu was never a policeman; he is not a qualified lawyer; he should not be in that office,” he said. He argued that El-Rufai should be made to write statements to the…
By Umar Muhammed, Lafia Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Tuesday disbursed ₦50,000 each to 500 women in Nasarawa State to support small businesses and improve livelihoods. The beneficiaries, drawn from all 13 local government areas of the state, received the funds under the Women Economic Empowerment Programme of the Renewed Hope Initiative, in partnership with the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Represented by Mrs. Tosin Akabe, wife of the state deputy governor, Mrs. Tinubu said the scheme was designed to reduce hardship among vulnerable women and strengthen their businesses. “This is not a loan. It is a grant and a…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has praised Dr. Akinwumi Adesina for what he described as a decade of transformative leadership at the African Development Bank (AfDB). At a farewell and book launch held at the AfDB headquarters in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, Tinubu—represented by Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite—said Adesina’s “High 5” agenda drove economic growth, boosted food security and strengthened regional integration across Africa. Adesina, who took office in 2015, is completing his second and final term as president of the continental lender. The event, themed “Akinwumi A. Adesina: The Man, His Mandate, Mission and Message,” reviewed his…
By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse A coalition of All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters in Jigawa State has asked the party’s national leadership to address alleged cases of indiscipline and anti-party activities among members in the state. Chairman of the coalition, Engr. Saidu Ibrahim Uba, made the call on Monday in Dutse while reacting to the crisis that broke out on Sunday during a political gathering in Kafin-Hausa, the home local government of Governor Umar Namadi. The event, organised to honour APC chieftain, Hon. Zakari Sidi Kafin-Hausa, coincided with a pro-President Bola Tinubu rally but ended in violence, leaving several people injured…
The Northern Senators Forum (NSF) has joined Nigerians across the country in celebrating Vice President Kashim Shettima, GCON, on his 59th birthday, describing him as a leader whose vision and courage continue to shape the nation’s future. In a goodwill message, Chairman of the Forum, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’adua, saluted Shettima’s steadfast devotion to public service, applauding his journey from the private sector into politics as “a remarkable story of resilience, versatility, and patriotic commitment.” “Vice President Shettima has always brought integrity, humility, and wisdom to leadership. His transition from banking into politics was not just a career shift, but a…
The National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, has dismissed what he described as “fresh waves of propaganda” targeted at Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, insisting that Nigerians are too enlightened to be swayed by falsehoods. In a statement titled “Facts vs Lies”, Tanko accused Obi’s political opponents of “sponsoring deception through paid agents” and recycling old narratives in an attempt to tarnish his image. He specifically addressed claims that Obi once “begged” elder statesman Afe Babalola in connection with a defamation case involving activist Dele Farotimi. Tanko maintained that the matter was resolved through the…