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  • Joint patrol team neutralises notorious kidnapper in Nasarawa

    Joint patrol team neutralises notorious kidnapper in Nasarawa

    The Police Command in Nasarawa State says it has neutralized a notorious kidnapper in Akwanga Local Government Area.

    SP Ramhan Nansel, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, disclosed this in a statement to journalists on Saturday in Lafia.

    He said the feat was achieved through a joint patrol team of its personnel, the army, and local vigilantes, who neutralized the leader of a kidnapping and robbery gang operating in the area.

    “This achievement occurred on Friday, March 14, at about 10:00 pm when security operatives tracked down the suspect, known as Honour.

    “He is a well-known armed robber and kidnapper who had been on the command’s wanted list for multiple offenses.

    “He was intercepted near the Akwanga Central Mosque while riding a motorcycle and was fatally shot while attempting to evade arrest,” Nansel said.

    According to the police spokesman, items recovered during a search operation included one Beretta pistol without a bridge number and 12 rounds of 9mm live ammunition.

    The PPRO added that one of his accomplices managed to escape with gunshot wounds, while a manhunt is currently underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect.

    He said that the deceased had been evacuated to the Akwanga General Hospital Mortuary for post-mortem examination.

    Nansel said that Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, Commissioner of Police commended the operatives for their professional conduct and effective collaboration.

    He urged them to maintain the momentum in the ongoing fight against criminal elements in the state.

    The spokesman therefore, reiterated the command’s commitment to maintaining law and order and warned all criminals to desist from their nefarious activities or face decisive action. (NAN).

  • Hamas says ‘ball is in Israel’s court’ after hostage offer

    Hamas says ‘ball is in Israel’s court’ after hostage offer

    Hamas said Saturday that “the ball is in Israel’s court” after offering to release an Israeli-US hostage and return the bodies of four others as part of Gaza truce talks.

    Following the offer on Friday, Israel said the Palestinian militants had “not budged a millimetre” after a proposal from US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy.

    The first phase of the truce, which began in January, ended on March 1 without agreement on next steps. A Hamas official said negotiations began in Doha on Tuesday.

    “The ball is in Israel’s court,” a Hamas spokesman said.

    “We want to solidify the ceasefire agreement and force (Israel) to implement its terms,” Abdul Latif al-Qanou told AFP, accusing Israel of “delaying” its enforcement.

    He pointed to the ongoing blockage of humanitarian aid entering Gaza since March 2.

    A Hamas political bureau member, speaking anonymously, told AFP the proposal to release 21-year-old soldier Edan Alexander — abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack — and return the bodies of four other Israeli-American hostages was part of a “unique agreement”.

    In exchange, Israel would free Palestinian prisoners, with the number still under negotiation, the official said.

    The official said the proposed exchange was conditioned with simultaneously starting negotiations for the implementation of the truce’s second phase, with the talks ending within a 50-day period, he said.

    The proposal also called for the immediate opening of all border crossings to allow the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza and the withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Philadelphi corridor, he added.

    The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday accused Hamas of resorting to “manipulation and psychological warfare”.

    Netanyahu’s office said he would meet late Saturday with several ministers “to receive a detailed report from the negotiation team and decide next steps towards freeing the hostages”.

    The White House on Friday accused Hamas of making “entirely impractical” demands and “making a very bad bet that time is on its side”.

    During the truce’s initial six-week phase which came into effect on January 19, militants released 33 hostages, including eight who were deceased, in exchange for about 1,800 Palestinian detainees held in Israeli prisons.

    There are still 58 hostages held in Gaza, 34 of whom the Israeli army has declared dead.

  • US Congress knocked for ‘aiding Boko Haram propaganda’

    US Congress knocked for ‘aiding Boko Haram propaganda’

    The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has accused the United States Congress of aiding Boko Haram propaganda through its decision to impose sanctions on Nigeria over alleged Christian persecution.

    PeacePro, in a statement by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat to journalists in Ilorin, described the move by US Congress as reckless and misleading, warning that it could embolden terrorist groups like Boko Haram by reinforcing their false narrative that the Nigerian government is waging a war on Christians.

    In a strongly worded statement, Abdulrazaq Hamzat argued that Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations had long exploited religious tensions to justify their attacks and recruit followers.

    By framing Nigeria’s security challenges as a religious conflict, PeacePro said the US Congress is effectively lending credibility to Boko Haram’s divisive messaging.

    “The US Congress’s decision to impose sanctions on Nigeria over misleading claims of Christian persecution plays directly into Boko Haram’s propaganda strategy,” PeacePro stated, noting that this false narrative fuels recruitment and deepens divisions within Nigerian society. The US Congress’s actions are now reinforcing this dangerous lie.”the statement stressed

    PeacePro also highlighted that over 216,506 people were killed in the United States through homicide and gun violence between 2020 and 2022, more than 400% higher than the 55,910 deaths reported in Nigeria between October 2019 and September 2023.

    Despite this alarming figure, the US Congress has chosen to impose sanctions on Nigeria while ignoring its own domestic crisis of violence and mass shootings.

    “This double standard exposes the political nature of the US Congress’s decision,” PeacePro said.

    “If the goal is to address human rights violations and violence, the US Congress should first confront the epidemic of gun violence within its own borders.”the statement said

    “The Nigerian government is fighting a complex battle against terrorism and organized crime,” PeacePro asserted. , adding that “external interference rooted in false religious narratives only undermines Nigeria’s efforts and strengthens the hand of terrorist groups.”

    PeacePro also called on the Nigerian government to reject the sanctions and engage with international partners based on mutual respect and a balanced understanding of Nigeria’s security landscape.

    The organization further urged Nigerian religious and political leaders to resist divisive narratives and maintain national unity in the face of external pressure.

  • Nigerian nurses facing examination fraud probe asked to leave UK

    Nigerian nurses facing examination fraud probe asked to leave UK

    The United Kingdom’s Home Office has revoked the visas of several Nigerian nurses under investigation for alleged examination fraud, ordering them to leave the country.

    According to Nursing Times, the affected nurses are still awaiting the outcomes of their appeals. However, they have received official letters from the Home Office instructing them to leave the UK starting next week.

    The deportation order follows an ongoing probe by the UK’s Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) into suspected malpractice at Yunnik Technologies Test Centre in Ibadan, Nigeria. The investigation, which began in 2023, was triggered after the NMC detected “anomalous data” in the computer-based test (CBT) for foreign nurses seeking UK registration.

    The CBT is a crucial part of the UK’s nursing qualification process and is typically taken in applicants’ home countries. After reviewing the data, the NMC determined that 48 registered nurses and 669 applicants might have obtained their test results fraudulently. As a result, the NMC declared all test results from the Yunnik centre invalid.

    The affected individuals were set to have their cases assessed by an independent panel to determine whether fraud was committed. However, in February 2025, around 50 of them issued a pre-action protocol letter to the NMC, alleging that their hearings were being “deliberately” delayed.

    They also urged the NMC to collaborate with the Home Office to allow them to remain in the UK while their appeals were under review. Despite these requests, the Home Office has now taken steps to enforce their departure.

  • A’Court didn’t set aside judgment recognising Sanusi as Emir – Kano gov’t

    A’Court didn’t set aside judgment recognising Sanusi as Emir – Kano gov’t

    KANO — Kano State Government on Saturday said the Court of Appeal did not set aside its earlier judgment recognizing Muhammadu Sanusi as the 16th Emir of Kano.

    The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, stated this while reacting to speculations in some quarters over the recent stay of execution granted by the Court of Appeal.

    Dederi, while setting the record straight, said a party in the matter, Aminu Babba Dan’Agundi, dissatisfied with the Appeal Court judgment, had applied for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the outcome of the Supreme Court in which the lower court granted it.

    The Commissioner said the Appeal Court only ordered that the status quo be maintained but not setting aside the judgment.

    According to him, “This has become necessary to correct the gross misrepresentations and speculative reports emanating from some quarters intended to create disharmony amongst the citizens in Kano.

    “It will be recalled that on the 10th of January, 2025, the Court of Appeal delivered a Judgment which upheld the repeal of the Kano Emirate Council Law, 2019 and also set aside the ruling of the Federal High Court, Kano, which nullified the steps taken by the Kano State Government under the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law 2024.

    “Being dissatisfied with this judgment of the Court of Appeal, Alh. Aminu Babba Dan’agundi filed an Appeal against the said decision at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. In the normal course of the judicial process, Alh. Aminu Babba Dan’agundi then applied for a stay of the execution of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal.

    “The respected Panel of Justices heard and granted the application for stay pending the hearing and determination of the subsisting Appeal before the Supreme Court. This is the normal routine application for the maintenance of the status quo pending the determination of substantive appeal.

    “It is, however, worrisome seeing the various captions and headlines deliberately intended to mislead the general public by misrepresenting the facts.

    “We hereby use this medium to call upon those involved in these negative and destructive misrepresentations to desist from interfering in judicial processes. The judiciary as a sacred institution must be jealously respected and guarded for the preservation of peace and orderliness in society.

    “For the avoidance of any doubt, the Court of Appeal that entertained the application of Alh. Aminu Babba Dan’agundi did not set aside the judgment the same court delivered on the 10th of January, 2025. That judgment is still valid and subsisting until the determination of the appeal before the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

    “We call on the general public to resist any provocation and continue to be law-abiding. The Kano State Government has already instructed its lawyers to closely study the outcome for the determination of the next line of action following our extant laws,” Dederi stated.

  • CAIRO: Jinxed city for Amaju Pinnick

    CAIRO: Jinxed city for Amaju Pinnick

    When it comes to seeking a place in CAF and FIFA, Nigeria’s Amaju Pinnick should avoid anything to do with Cairo, the Egyptian capital and home of the Nile.

    Indeed, this Cairo he should strive to see no more.

    I recall vividly how he looked like L’Etranger and how only a handful of us tried to console and comfort him after losing the first vice Presidency of CAF in the dispensation of the Island boy Ahmad.

    It was a low moment for the one who could easily have become CAF President when the then incumbent Ahmad was briefly arrested in Paris.

    It was difficult that day at the Marriott Hotel to have a drink as we were all touched by the way our colleague Osasu weaved the story of Amaju’s lonesome displacement by Ahmad.

    Today, in the same Cairo, just by one vote, he lost the opportunity to have a repeat representation in the FIFA Council of Africa’s most populous and passionate nation. Winning and losing are marks for sportsmen, but when victory in an election is lost by a vote it compares to the pain of missing a sudden death shootout.

    Only time would tell whether Cairo would one day provide a healing balm for the former czar of Nigerian football.

    Sadly, the anglophone voice will be missing in the FIFA Council and it is left to imagine what his staunch friends, Gianni Infantino and Patrice Motsepe would be whispering to him.

    Sometimes to play the game, you must only be useful as they think you are useful. Just like he worked extremely hard and wide to get Ahmad elected and then got betrayed, so also today we are counting on a president whom he virtually nominated, sold and canvassed to us all for his acclamation.

    Motsepe does not like to stay in Cairo, but he must find a befitting role for a friend indeed and in need.

    Can we see a co-opted member of the CAF Exco from Nigeria…Don’t need to go to the pyramids to give good comfort to a true Gunner for life!

  • ‘Drop merger talks’ – El-Rufai tells Atiku, Obi, Aregbesola to join SDP

    ‘Drop merger talks’ – El-Rufai tells Atiku, Obi, Aregbesola to join SDP

    Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    In a recent interview with BBC Hausa which went viral on Saturday, El-Rufai dismissed the idea of a merger, instead urging key opposition figures—including former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi—to join the SDP to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

    “My wishes and prayers are Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf, all opposition leaders to come and join SDP, not to do a merger or to register a new political party,” he said.

    El-Rufai explained that he initially supported Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election because of the former Lagos governor’s accomplishments, hoping he would replicate similar success nationwide.

    “What pains me is that the government we supported and had confidence in would do well because we saw what Tinubu did in Lagos despite his challenges,” he said.

    “We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos for Nigeria, let’s support him. However, he failed.”

    Addressing speculation about his presidential ambition in 2027, El-Rufai stated that the decision was not his to make but would depend on the party and the will of the people.

    “It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was people that met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me and asked me to contest,” he said.

    El-Rufai resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 10, citing a misalignment of values with the ruling party.

  • Meet Nigeria’s ImeIme Umana, first black female president of Harvard Law Review

    Meet Nigeria’s ImeIme Umana, first black female president of Harvard Law Review

    It took 27 years after Barack Obama became the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review for another milestone to be reached, this time, with a Black woman at the helm.

    In 2017, ImeIme Umana made history as the first Black female president of the prestigious 130-year-old journal, a role regarded as one of the highest student positions at Harvard Law School.

    Born to Nigerian parents in Pennsylvania, USA, Umana grew up as the third of four daughters in a family that valued education and resilience. Her late father worked as a statistician, and her upbringing instilled in her a strong sense of purpose.

    Graduating from Harvard College in 2014 with a degree in Government and African-American Studies, she pursued her passion for law at Harvard Law School. But her journey to the top of the Law Review was no small feat, it required immense dedication, intellectual rigor, and a commitment to justice.

    Making history in a male-dominated space
    The Harvard Law Review is one of the most influential legal journals in the world, often shaping discussions on critical legal issues. It has served as a launching pad for many prominent figures in the legal field, including Supreme Court justices. However, for over a century, it was predominantly led by white men.

    Umana’s election as the 131st president was groundbreaking. She was chosen by a vote of the Review’s 92 student editors after a rigorous selection process.

    Championing diversity and justice
    Umana’s legal philosophy is deeply rooted in her identity as a Black woman. She has been vocal about the systemic inequalities in the legal system, particularly how it disproportionately affects Black women. Reflecting on cases like those of Sandra Bland and Natasha McKenna, she expressed a strong commitment to fighting for justice.

    Unlike many of her peers who opt for high-paying corporate law firms, Umana set her sights on public service. Her internship at the Bronx Public Defender’s office was a defining moment, reinforcing her desire to advocate for marginalized communities.

    “A lot of the clients I worked with that summer and since have looked a lot like me,” she said. “They are disproportionately represented on the unfortunate end of the legal system, so it struck a little closer to home.

    After graduating, Umana secured a prestigious clerkship with Judge Robert L. Wilkins of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She has remained steadfast in her goal to become a public defender, using her legal expertise to champion the rights of underprivileged individuals.

    Her mentor, Ruth Okediji, a Harvard Law graduate and professor, praised her for her selflessness. “ImeIme was not just looking out for herself. I always tell my mentees; ‘You are not successful until you have brought the next woman up.’ And ImeIme has done just that.”

    As a trailblazer, Umana’s story is one of perseverance, intellect, and a relentless pursuit of justice. She continues to inspire a new generation of Black women in law, proving that barriers can be broken and that representation matters.

  • Niger Delta youths give Wike 48 hours to retract remarks against PANDEF, Edwin Clark

    Niger Delta youths give Wike 48 hours to retract remarks against PANDEF, Edwin Clark

    The Niger Delta youth chapter of the apex socio-political body for the South-South geopolitical zone, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), to retract his publicly disparaging remarks against the Ijaw nation and the leaders of this socio-political body.

    According to the youths, it was embarrassing that Wike insulted the late former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark, even in death without respecting him.

    Addressing journalists on Saturday, the National Youth President of the Youth Wing, Doben Donyegha, who gave the ultimatum, said that it was annoying that Wike abused the leaders of the South-South geopolitical zone less than 24 hours after its delegation met with the President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

    Recall that the FCT minister had, on Thursday, during a media chat, described PANDEF as “the worst organisation anybody can rely on”, while also calling the board of trustee members of the body “political merchants”.

    Donyegha, who also urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately sack the minister from his cabinet, said that the youth wing no longer had confidence in him and that keeping Wike in his cabinet may affect the president’s re-election chances in the Niger Delta come 2027.

    The President of the PANDEF youths also asked the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate the minister, alleging land-grabbing activities in the FCT.

    Details later…

  • FG vows to complete Sokoto-Zaria road project

    FG vows to complete Sokoto-Zaria road project

    The Minister of State for Works, Mr Bello Goronyo, has reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to timely completion of the reconstruction of the 750-kilometre Sokoto-Gusau-Funtua-Zaria road project.

    Goronyo stated this during an inspection tour of the ongoing road project along Dange-Shuni, Tureta in Sokoto state to Talata Mafara in Zamfara State on Saturday.

    He said the inspection was part of President Bola Tinubu’s marching orders given to the ministry to ensure that the ongoing projects were executed as scheduled to make them motorable for users.

    The minister said: “I am leading a team comprising the Permanent Secretary and other ministry’s officials on the inspection tour to projects from Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna and Kano States to ensure quality and seamless projects.”

    He reminded the contractors and officials handling the project of the need to comply with all contractual agreements and ensure speedy and quality jobs.

    According to him, President Tinubu deserves support of the people ahead of the 2027 General Elections “in view of his commitment to executing legacy projects that are impactful to the lives of generality.”

    He added that Tunibu was executing a 47-year-old dream of former President Shehu Shagari, a 1,068-kilometre Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway project which had already commenced.

    Goronyo described the super highway project as a commercial booster and life-saving for the citizens, adding that the road project would surely enhance security and social development.

    ”Tinubu is passionate about ensuring massive infrastructural development in all parts of Nigeria.

    “The essence of leadership is to bring development to the people, Mr President has brought uncountable development not only to the region but also to all levels,” Goronyo said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that during the tour, the minister interacted with contractors, and officials handling the projects along with some community members and assured payment of compensation to the deserving property owners. (NAN)