A human rights group, the Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), has called on the National Assembly to conclude the remaining legislative processes on state police without delay. The group made the call after the Kogi State House of Assembly passed the constitutional alteration on the establishment of state police. In a statement on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, its Executive Director, Idris Miliki Abdul, said the development had advanced the debate on state policing in Nigeria. He noted that the reported passage of the proposal by the required number of state assemblies was encouraging for efforts to decentralise…
Author: National Update
The Federal Government has approved the establishment of the 169 Motorcycle Battalion in Esin-Ele, Oriire Local Government Area of Ogbomoso, Oyo State. The approval came days after a closed-door meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Senator Buhari AbdulFatai, who represents Oyo North Senatorial District. It follows the kidnap of pupils and teachers in the Esin-Ele and Yawota communities of Oriire, which sparked national outrage. In response, Tinubu sent a high-powered delegation led by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila. It included the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, the Inspector-General of Police…
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly have thrown their weight behind the proposed establishment of State Police, saying decentralised policing will bring security closer to the grassroots, but insisting that strong accountability measures must come with it. The lawmakers spoke during deliberations on the Sixth Alteration Bill, 2026. They argued that state policing would complement the existing Federal Police structure, improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to threats across communities. In their view, it would also put local security in the hands of personnel who understand the language, culture, geography and peculiarities of…
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, has called on the National Assembly to hold off on President Bola Tinubu’s request to borrow $20.52 billion and €1.045 billion until the government shows exactly where the money will go. In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku argued that the sheer size of the request, paired with the absence of detail, raises the question of whether the funds are meant for development or for politics. He suggested the loans could end up bankrolling campaign activity and rewarding…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed December 2 for judgment in a ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed the date on Wednesday after lawyers representing the respondents adopted their court processes and urged the court to dismiss the suit. El-Rufai is seeking ₦1 billion in damages over the search of his Abuja residence in February, which he alleges violated his rights to privacy, personal liberty, dignity…
Dangote Cement Plc used its 2026 Drivers Safety Retreat at the Obajana Plant in Kogi State, themed “Think Safety, Act Safely,” to tell drivers across Africa that safety comes before speed, deadlines and delivery targets. Group Managing Director Arvind Pathak said, “We can replace a truck; we cannot replace a human being.” He reminded drivers that they represent the Dangote brand on the highways and are responsible for their own lives, their passengers and other road users. He warned specifically against speeding, fatigue and risky driving, and urged drivers to stop and rest when tired and to judge professionalism by…
Five people, including four students of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, died on Monday in a head-on collision involving a Niger State Government House vehicle and a car conveying the students. The crash occurred around Gidan Mangoro in Minna and involved a Toyota Hilux carrying Dauda Chikuba, Director-General of the Government House, and a vehicle carrying the five students. Four students reportedly died at the scene alongside the driver of the government vehicle. The fate of the fifth student was not immediately clear from the available account. The government vehicle was part of the convoy of Governor Mohammed Bago,…
The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed Nollywood actor Emeka Ike’s N10 billion suit against Lere Olayinka, an aide to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the alleged publication of his voter registration details on social media. Justice Salim Ibrahim ruled that the suit was incompetent, improperly constituted and unsupported by sufficient proof. Ike had accused Olayinka of violating his privacy by posting details of his voter registration transfer from Imo State to Abuja on X in May. He sought N10 billion in damages, a retraction and a written apology. INEC argued that…
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has demanded an independent investigation into suspected artificial intelligence-generated photographs in the preliminary voters’ register, warning that unresolved irregularities could undermine confidence in the 2027 general elections. In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the group challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain how the photographs entered the database, who was responsible for the disputed registrations and whether the individuals involved collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs). HURIWA urged INEC to trace the records, establish whether the anomalies resulted from technical…
The new President-General of the Auchi Polytechnic Alumni Association (APAA), Comrade Sanni Onogu, has pledged ₦500,000 in scholarship grants to support 10 indigent students, promising to make education support and alumni-driven development key priorities of his administration. Onogu announced the initiative during his acceptance speech at the association’s 18th Biennial Convention and Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Auchi, Edo State, on October 24, 2026. He said the scholarship would form part of a broader effort to mobilise alumni resources to improve students’ welfare and strengthen the institution’s academic and infrastructural development. According to him, a committee will work out…