The recent dust raised by the disqualification of seven aspirants from contesting for the governorship primary of the All Progressives Congress for the 2026 governorship election in Osun State is not likely to settle soon. Apart from the bad blood it has generated within the party and the sour taste it has unexpectedly left in the mouths of the supporters of the aspirants, there are also wider implications for the party as build-up to the election continues. Raheem Akingbolu reports.

The Furore the Morning After…

In what looked like a political tsunami, seven governorship aspirants, who were warming up to take part in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries slated for Saturday, December 13, got their hope dashed last week. In a unanimous decision, the party’s seven-member screening committee, led by ObinnaUzor, disqualified seven of the nine contestants that already signified intention, from contesting for the position of Osun State governor under the party. One week after, the decision is still generating furore within and outside the party because of the history of political complexity Osun enjoys and perhaps the profile paraded by those disqualified.

Even a political rookie in Osun State knows that a few of those eased out are not political light-weights. Those disqualified are IyiolaOmisore, BabatundeHaketerOralusi, OyedotunBabayemi and Akin Ogunbiyi. Others are Benedict Alabi, Rasheed Adegoke and BabajideOmoworare.

However, two aspirants, MulikatAbiolaJimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, popularly known as AMBO, were cleared to contest the primary. Oyebamiji was GboyegaOyetola’s Commissioner for Finance when he was Osun state governor and immediate past Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

Omoworare, a lawyer, was a former senator who once represented Osun East (Ife/Ijesa) Senatorial District in the national assembly.

Omisore was a former deputy governor of the state from 1999 to 2002. Apart from this, he was also the National Secretary of the party and one time Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District.

Like Omisore, Alabi was also a former Deputy Governor, who was in office from 2018 to 2022 under Governor Oyetola.

Another strong contender who was eased out is Adegoke, a constitutional lawyer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who once slugged it out with former governor Oyetola during the build up to the 2017 primaries. Two others, Babayemi and Ogunbiyi are Nigeria’s leading technocrats and business executives who have made indelible marks in Osun political landscapes.

Esau’s Hand, Jacob’s Voice?

Over the weekend, one of the disqualified contestants, Omisore met the APC screening appeal panel and after the meeting, the former party scribe claimed the chairman of the panel reportedly told them he received a call instructing him to “disqualify those who were barred”. He added that his disqualification was the “jokest report” of the year.

“We’re in December, abi? That’s the jokest report of this year. It’s so unfortunate that people are taking partisanship beyond politics,” Omisore said. He explained that they had not been officially communicated as per the reason for their disqualification.

“We haven’t been written to. So, what are the bases of the disqualification? You said we didn’t have nominators, five per local government. But the law says, he who alleges must prove. They should have used another method to disqualify us.”

Omisore and the other disqualified aspirants have claimed that a former governor of the state and current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, GboyegaOyetola, is behind the whole drama. They claimed that the chairman of the screening panel told them he was “under pressure” to bar them from contesting for the ticket. This was apart from the fact that about three reports from the screening exercise and the one taken to the national secretariat of the party was not the original one.

 “We are aware that the panel members have two, three reports. The one taken to the secretariat wasn’t the original report. As we speak today, none of us has seen their report or why we were disqualified,” Omisore said.

He added that they were not pushovers in the politics of the state and that their disqualification only meant the party was preparing for failure.

“You can see for yourself that when you disqualify people like us in any contest, where do we go from there? The party is pointing at failure.”

Omisore further claimed that the screening committee chairman confessed that it was Oyetola that told him to disqualify the other aspirants so as to pave way for easy emergence of Oyebamiji; who Omisore described as Oyetola’s ‘poster boy’.

“He told us that Minister GboyegaOyetola called him that they must disqualify all of us because he wants his lackey, his poster boy, Oyebamiji,” Omisore said.

Omisore Effect of 2018…

Ismail Omipidan, the former Chief Press Secretary to Oyetola argued in a recent post on his facebook that “the Aregbesola camp may argue that the APC did not need Omisore to win the 2018 governorship re-run election, the facts say otherwise. If what happened did not happen, the party leaders who championed the negotiations at the time would not have run to Omisore.”

He added that this was despite the fact that some of those who served as negotiators with Omisore had also been the ones that created the problem the party was trying to wriggle out of from then. He argued that they funded and supported MoshoodAdeoti in the ADP which led to the party staring defeat on the face and which led to INEC dubiously declaring the election as being inconclusive and fraudulently ordering a rerun in Ile-Ife, Omisore’s stronghold.

It could also be recalled that former President MohammaduBuhari, while speaking to party leaders in 2019 ahead of that year’s general elections said the party won the 2018 election in Osun State via “remote control”. Perhaps, if a whole President could say that publicly, he surely knew what he was talking about. As admitted by Omipidan, the person that made the ‘remote control’ victory possible was Omisore.

And Compensation Followed…

Going by the mercantile nature of Nigerian politics, Omisore could not have readily stuck out his troubled but effective political neck out if he did not extract some commitments from those who approached him for help. Omipidan claimed that the only position negotiated and agreed with Omisore and which was not implemented was the ministerial position. He said every other commitment was fulfilled.

“Apart from the ministerial position, every other item that was negotiated was implemented to the letter by Oyetola. He gave out commissionership and SA slots and he consistently deferred to Omisore on several sensitive matters, often to the displeasure of some of his closest aides. It even got to a point where Aregbesola began referring to Omisore as Oyetola’s new leader,” Omipidan wrote.

He added that if Oyetola cannot be credited for anything else, he should at least be acknowledged for saving Omisore from political oblivion. He added that the former governor was also responsible for the emergence of Omisore as the National Secretary of the ruling party.

“If not for Oyetola’s efforts and insistence, there was no way Omisore would have emerged as the APC National Secretary at the time he did. And that single event revived and preserved Omisore’s political career. Till today, some APC elders in the South-West have not forgiven Oyetola for the role he played in Omisore’s emergence.”

It must, however, be noted that former Governor KayodeFayemi of Ekiti State and late RotimiAkeredolu of Ondo State also played important roles in the emergence of Omisore as the National Secretary of the party. But Omipidan insisted that if Omisore did not get the needed home support then, it would have been difficult.

“I know some people may argue that Omisore could still have secured the position without Oyetola’s backing, given the support he enjoyed from the late Akeredolu, Dr. KayodeFayemi and some of Buhari’s men. But the prestige and political weight of home support accorded him would certainly not be there without Oyetola. I was at the convention ground. I saw and knew all that transpired. I was always with Oyetola, in the days leading to that convention, going back and forth to Asiwaju, our now President and Baba Akande’s residences. In fact, there are days that we (would) go there more than thrice in one day and remain sometimes till 2 am.”

Osun APC: One Team, One Dream…

Considering the influence of those that have been edged out of the Saturday primary, political watchers have recommended a far-reaching reconciliation to enable the party go to next year election as one big family.

Some analysts have, however, cautioned the six aspirants not to spill the beans because the tide didn’t favour them. 

A politician and convener, Occupy Iwoland for AMBO, Sulayman O. Nafiu, admitted that the aspirants who did not scale through the screening exercise would have a sour taste after their hopes of taking part in the primaries failed to materialize but urged them to respect and regard the supremacy of the party on such matter. 

“What is scary and should not be taken lightly is the solidarity now created by the strange bedfellows who are now united with an arrowhead and spokesperson on their behalf to ridicule the decision of the party. From the days of our respected late leader and father of Progressives in the South-West, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, our in-house culture of party supremacy has remained our strength. To this end, we should rally our support, allow reconciliation, and work for the party’s victory.” Nafiu stated.

Misplaced Sense of Invincibility…

Giving the profile of those disqualified and their influences, those who understand the dynamic of Osun politics have expressed their worries that the decision might become an albatross for the party if not well managed.

For instance, while Omisore may have his political baggages, he remains a political force in the state. Also, in Ife and its environ, Omoworare enjoys a resounding popularity. For Adegoke, Babayemi and Ogunbiyi, who had contested before and have structures across the state, it may be difficult to push them aside without some understanding.

As things stand, the fact that APC is at the centrenot withstanding, the party must approach the current issue in Osun with caution and humility to appease those disqualified.

The Wider Implications…

Many watchers of Osun’s political developments still believe the person to beat in the election proper is the incumbent, Senator AdemolaAdeleke. While that might look so on paper, Adeleke has his own headache to deal with it. He has resigned from the PDP on which platform he rose to power in 2022. As of now, no one is sure on which platform he plans to contest. Some are saying the Accord Party and others claim he is negotiating with the African Democratic Congress.

Whichever party they join, all Omisore and his co-travellers need to create problems for the APC is to align with former Governor Aregbesola, currently the National Secretary of the ADC and Adeleke.

If this will happen, is a wild conjecture but as it stands, the dust from the camps of those disqualified are still blowing, and no one knows its final direction.

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American rapper Azealia Banks has stirred fresh controversy after sharing strong views about Afrobeats and Nigerian culture during an appearance on the Cheapy’s Two Cents podcast.

Her comments have triggered intense debate across social media, with many Nigerians calling her remarks insensitive and provocative.

During the podcast, Banks boldly stated, “I don’t want to listen to someone singing in pidgin, I would even prefer patois.” She went on to claim that the word “Nigerian” sounded like “nigga’ria,” a description that immediately sparked outrage among listeners.

She also added that she “can’t love Nigerians as they want to be loved,” insisting that the country lacks deep cultural foundations.

Harsh words for Rema, praise for Tiwa Savage

Banks criticised Afrobeats star Rema, describing him as a “skinny little boy” and declaring that she is not interested in “such boys’ music.”

Her comments drew swift backlash from fans who felt she crossed a line by attacking the singer personally.

Despite her harsh tone, Banks offered praise for Tiwa Savage, calling the singer “exceptional” and the only Nigerian artist she enjoys.

This selective admiration has led to further debate online, with many questioning why she singled out one artist while dismissing the rest.

Banks calls for IPOB freedom

In a surprising twist, the rapper also expressed support for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), arguing that the group deserves freedom.

Her statement added more heat to an already tense conversation, with many Nigerians accusing her of interfering in internal matters she barely understands.

Widespread backlash online

Her remarks have triggered anger across X and other platforms, with fans defending Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage.

Many argue that Afrobeats has become a global force, and accuse Banks of using inflammatory statements to stay relevant. Others claim her praise for Tiwa Savage feels inconsistent with her sweeping criticism of the industry.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Heirs Energies on Tuesday signed a Gas Flare Commercialization Agreements in a significant move to advance Nigeria’s gas commercialisation efforts.

The event, which was part of the Nigerian Gas Flare Commercialization Programme (NGFCP) and approved non-NGFCP frameworks, represents a crucial step towards Nigeria’s energy transition goals.

The signing ceremony, held at Heirs Energies headquarters in Lagos, symbolized the transition from regulatory approvals to tangible commercial execution.

Through this initiative, flare gas volumes from OML 17 will be captured and deployed for various productive uses such as power generation, industrial applications, and the production of LPG and CNG.

The agreement is expected to significantly reduce routine gas flaring and convert previously wasted resources into valuable energy for the Nigerian economy.

At the ceremony, Engr. Seyi Omotowa, Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NUIMS, representing NNPC Limited, emphasized that flare gas commercialisation was not merely a compliance measure, but a strategic pathway to enhancing energy availability, fostering gas-based industrialisation, and reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a responsible energy producer.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), represented by Mr. Ojo Olalekan Ezekiel, Senior Manager at NUPRC, also reiterated the regulatory body’s commitment to supporting flare gas commercialisation initiatives.

Ezekiel acknowledged the partnership’s role in achieving national energy and emission reduction goals and noted that the collaboration with offtakers such as AUT Gas, Twems Energies, GPID, PCCD, and AGTC would be instrumental in advancing the project.

Heirs Energies’ CEO, Osa Igiehon, highlighted the company’s gas-led strategy, which focuses on creating long-term value for Nigeria.

“Gas sits at the heart of Nigeria’s development journey,” Igiehon said, highlighting the company’s efforts to strengthen domestic energy supply while ensuring responsible and sustainable operations.

Key highlights of the agreement: 

• Increased gas deliverability: The successful completion of the flare gas commercialization agreements allows for the strategic deployment of flare gas for power generation, industrial applications, LPG, and CNG.
• Commitment to environmental stewardship: This initiative is in line with Nigeria’s energy transition objectives, which focus on reducing emissions while enhancing energy availability.
• Enhanced Partnerships: The agreement brings together NNPC, Heirs Energies, and various private sector offtakers to ensure that Nigeria’s gas resources are utilized responsibly and profitably.
• Strategic impact: The OML 17 project plays a pivotal role in advancing Nigeria’s gas-to-power initiatives, contributing to enhanced power generation across the country.

The signing ceremony reflects Nigeria’s continued commitment to improving its energy landscape and its ambition to become a leading hub for gas commercialization in Africa.

As the flare gas offtakers move into the next phase of the project, full-scale implementation is expected to begin soon, delivering economic, environmental, and social benefits for Nigeria.

Backstory

OML 17, operated by Heirs Energies, has long been a focal point for Nigeria’s gas development agenda.

Since Heirs Energies took over the joint venture in 2021, the company has made significant strides in revitalizing the asset.

Through a series of brownfield excellence interventions, Heirs Energies has turned OML 17 into a key source of both oil and gas production, with gas now being positioned as a core value stream.

The successful rigless recompletion of a key non-associated gas well in 2025 doubled the JV’s gas output, significantly improving Nigeria’s gas availability for domestic power generation and industrial use.

What you need to know 

Heirs Energies Limited is a leading indigenous energy company focused on responsible oil and gas production, gas commercialization, and long-term value creation aligned with Nigeria’s development priorities.

As operator of the OML 17 Joint Venture, Heirs Energies has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s gas development strategy through brownfield excellence and strong host-community partnerships.

• In 2025, the company reached a gas production peak of 135 million standard cubic feet per day (MMscf/d) from OML 17, following the restoration of the Agbada-67 well and deployment of rigless through-tubing technology.
• This breakthrough with NNPC Limited now supplies 45 MMscf/d of gas to Nigeria’s national grid.

Heirs Energies plays a pivotal role in Nigeria’s energy security and industrial growth, with gas supply to the Eastern Domestic Gas Market more than doubling to 135 MMscf/d.

• Power generation from plants in the eastern region has surged, with TransAfam Power Plant output increasing from 50 MW to over 180 MW, and aggregate power generation rising from 100 MW to 325 MW, peaking at 455 MW.

The company is also committed to social impact, supporting host communities with healthcare, education, and skills development initiatives. These efforts align with Nigeria’s Decade of Gas initiative and long-term energy transition goals.

The successful execution of the NGFCP and Non-NGFCP flare gas commercialization agreements marks a key milestone in turning waste into opportunity.

By converting flare gas into energy, Heirs Energies supports emission reduction, strengthens energy security, and enhances industrial growth, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a leading energy producer in Africa.

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Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has stated that Nigeria’s armed forces lack the capacity to eliminate bandit groups through military force, arguing that dialogue remains the only practical route to ending the worsening insecurity across the northwest and other affected regions.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Gumi asserted that modern militaries everywhere struggle against guerrilla-style fighters, and that Nigeria is facing the same challenge.

Sheikh Gumi

He said …

“But even the military says that in dealing with this civil unrest and criminality, only 25% is kinetic action; the rest depends on the government, politics, and local communities. The military cannot do everything.

“Where have you ever seen the military defeat guerrilla fighters? Nowhere.”

His comments come at a time when President Bola Tinubu’s administration is introducing sweeping security measures, including a shake-up in military leadership and a nationwide security emergency targeting the criminal networks behind widespread kidnappings, extortion, and violent rural attacks.

Addressing longstanding allegations that he maintains ties with bandit commanders, Gumi denied having any contact with them since 2021, the year the federal government officially designated the groups as terrorist organisations.

“I never went there alone

“It was in 2021 when I was trying to see how we could bring them together. But unfortunately, the government at the time, the federal government, was not interested. They declared them terrorists, and since that time we have completely disengaged from all contact with them,” he said.

Although he has faced criticism for allegedly emboldening armed groups and weakening governmental authority, Gumi maintains that engaging non-state actors in dialogue is a globally recognised conflict-resolution strategy.

“When they say we don’t negotiate with terrorists, I don’t know where they got that from,” Gumi said. “It is not in the Bible, it is not in the Quran. America had an office negotiating with the Taliban in Qatar. Everyone negotiates with outlaws if it will stop bloodshed.”

Gumi characterised the armed groups wreaking havoc across the northwest, and now spreading to other parts of the country, as predominantly Fulani herders who, in his view, are involved in what he described as an “existential war” driven by pressures and disruptions to their long-standing cattle-rearing way of life.

“They want to exist. That is their life. They know where to graze and how to care for their cattle,” he said, while emphasizing that the unrest has transformed from local farmer–herder tensions into widespread criminality.

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The House of Representatives on Tuesday accused commercial banks of perpetrating illegality by deducting inexplicable monies from customers without remittances.

The House Ad-hoc Committee Chairman, investigating the deduction of taxes from civil and public servants’ earnings and bank charges on customers’ accounts, Rep. Kelechi Nwogu, said this during an investigative panel in Abuja.

Nwogu reiterated the panel’s mandate to ensure that all deductions or charges by banks on accounts of customers must be deducted rightly, fined rightly and used rightly.

“Commercial banks are perpetrating illegality by deducting inexplicable charges from civil servants, public servants and other customers’ bank accounts without remittances,” he said.

The Ad-hoc Committee chairman, who affirmed their commitment to protecting Nigerians from illegal charges, said the House Committee had extended an invitation to the Ministry of Finance.

He also said that they would partner with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the EFCC and commercial banks operating in Nigeria on the investigation.

The House Committee Chairman, who rejected representation of the CEOs of GT Bank, Zenith Bank, Access Bank and others, insisted that the CEOs must appear before the panel unfailingly.

He said, “You cannot appear here without an identity. We are not here on our own. We are here on the mandate of the people that elected us into parliament.

“We have resolved to meet next week Wednesday. You must submit all requested documents on or before Monday.

“We will go through all the documents, and we will put you on oath.”

The Committee, however, gave a four-day ultimatum for all the banks involved to submit all the required documents necessary for the probe.

According to the House Committee Chairman, they have given a deadline that any bank that fails to submit the requested documents on Monday will be sanctioned.

Nwogu said that the House panel was not leaving any stone unturned to unravel why the commercial banks engaged in spurious deduction of charges on their customers’ accounts. (NAN)

The post Reps accuse commercial banks of perpetrating illegal charges, deductions appeared first on Vanguard News.

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Indigenous Tiv communities of Ikyaior and Jandeikyula in Wukari Local Council of Taraba have filed a N100 billion suit against the state government, Governor Agbu Kefas, Attorney-General of the state, Taraba State Geographic Information Service (TSGIS), and the Nigerian Army over the alleged forceful seizure and destruction of their ancestral lands and farmlands.

Represented by a legal team led by constitutional lawyer Professor Sebastine T. Hon (SAN), the communities claimed that soldiers and state authorities unlawfully took over an estimated eight-by-six-kilometre expanse of land without issuing any notice of acquisition, conducting an assessment, or paying compensation as required by law.

According to the suit, the disputed land includes ancestral homes, farmlands, and other property that have been passed down through generations of Tiv families.

The applicants argue that the government and the Army violated their constitutionally protected rights under Sections 43 and 44 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee the right to own immovable property and prohibit compulsory acquisition without due process.

The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that the respondents’ actions constitute a breach of their fundamental rights, alongside a perpetual injunction stopping further occupation or development of the land.

They are also demanding N50 billion in general damages and another N50 billion in exemplary damages for alleged trespass and rights violations.

When the case came up for hearing at the Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, the presiding judge directed all respondents to appear and show cause why the reliefs sought should not be granted. Consequently, the court declined to grant the applicants’ exparte motion pending further proceedings.

The matter has been adjourned to January 19, 2026, after the court’s holiday recess.

Community members allege that shortly afterwards, soldiers occupying the land began excavating the area despite unharvested crops still standing. Women who approached the site to plead for a delay in the excavation were allegedly beaten and injured.

The case, at press time, had drawn renewed attention to long-standing conflicts over land ownership, military occupation, and the rights of indigenous communities in Taraba State.

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Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Hajiya Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, has said Nigeria can only unlock its estimated $700 billion mineral wealth if it builds a strong and credible mining finance system.

Speaking at the launch of the Ore Reserve Development Forum (ORDF) in Abuja, Shinkafi, who was represented by Dr Martina Ananaba, head of minerals and project development, said the sector is gaining momentum under reforms by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, with mining’s contribution to GDP rising from less than 1% to 4.6%.

But she warned that despite Nigeria’s vast resources, many mining operations remain unbankable due to poor geological data, weak reporting standards, and artisanal practices.

“The real challenge is not lack of capital. The challenge is a lack of bankable projects,” she said.

Shinkafi explained that ORDF was created after industry experts agreed in 2024 that Nigeria needs consistent ore reserve reporting, stronger technical capacity, and clear financing pathways to attract investors.

She said SMDF is already derisking early-stage projects, enforcing strict due diligence, and working with capital-market institutions to prepare credible mining companies for investment.

Highlighting recent progress, she noted that 867 mining licences issued in Q1 2025 generated ₦7 billion, signalling renewed investor confidence.

She urged stakeholders to use the workshop to design a practical Mining Finance Framework that will set standards, guide miners, and help financiers properly assess risks.

“If we build the right financing system, mining can become a true pillar of economic diversification,” Shinkafi concluded.

Chairman of the Geological Society of Nigeria, Uba Saidu Malami, said Nigeria’s mineral wealth will only translate into national wealth when the country scientifically qualifies its resources to global standards

He added that mining financing largely comes from capital markets, not banks, making internationally certified reports critical for junior mining companies.

Malami also highlighted links between natural resources and insecurity, stressing the need to mitigate risks while ensuring Nigeria assigns real value to its gold, diamonds, and transition minerals through reliable exploration and reserve reporting.

Also speaking, Mining investment expert and Mont Capital executive, Jon O’Callaghan, said Nigeria could build a mining industry bigger than oil and gas within 25 years, but only if the country attracts risk capital into exploration, not just mining.

O’Callaghan said Nigeria already has the right policies in place and the Federal Government has “done its job” by creating an enabling environment.

According to him, the missing link is investor willingness to fund exploration, which is the foundation of every successful mining industry.

“It’s not about government anymore. Without exploration, there is no mining. And without risk capital, there is no exploration,” he said.

“There’s a lot of money to be made in exploration, and investors need to understand that.”

He noted that the sector’s biggest financing challenge is building a system that allows investors to participate confidently.

“To address this, he revealed that stakeholders are now working with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to replicate global mining investment models”

He said the aim is to mirror the operational standards of the world’s top mining exchanges, the Australian Stock Exchange, Toronto Stock Exchange, and London’s AIM, to attract exploration funding into Nigeria.

“All we are doing is creating the same environment that works elsewhere in the world, to enable investors to invest,” O’Callaghan said.

He appreciated the organisers of the ORDF event and reaffirmed that with proper funding at the exploration stage, Nigeria’s mineral sector could surpass oil and gas within a generation.

The Technical Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund, SMDF, Mr Abdulmajeed Amussah, said the partnership between the Fund and the Ore Reserve Development Forum, ORDF, is designed to de-risk mining assets and move Nigeria’s mineral sector from informal operations to bankable, investment-ready projects.

He explained that although Nigeria is richly endowed with shallow deposits that artisans can easily mine, most of the assets are not developed to a level where they can attract formal financing.

Amussah noted that through its mandate, the SMDF is working to provide strategic funding and technical support that converts mineral potential into shared prosperity.

According to Amussah, a recent funding window for early-stage exploration revealed major capacity gaps, as fewer than ten applications met the required standards, despite the thousands of licenses held across the country.

ALSO READ TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

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Vice President Kashim Shettima says President Bola Tinubu has remained steadfast in tackling security challenges across the country.

Mr Shettima stated this on Tuesday when participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 18 of the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) visited him at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The participants, led by the NISS commandant, Joseph Odama and representatives of the 78 participants, were at the Presidential Villa to present the executive brief of their end-of-course report to the vice-president.

Mr Shettima, who received the report on behalf of Mr Tinubu, said the president is acting quickly and decisively to frontally address the concerns.

According to him, the Tinubu administration is determined to support the security establishment in Nigeria and beyond to discharge its responsibilities to the nation.

Regarding the programme’s significance, the vice-president said he was impressed by the composition of EIMC 18.

Shettima stated, “The security of Africa is a collective responsibility of all stakeholders, given the peculiarity of the situation.

”President Tinubu is working round the clock to address concerns in the security sector. It is absolutely essential that we fuse as one to address these issues and all hands must be on deck to salvage the situation.”

Earlier, Mr Odama told the vice-president that the 18th edition of the flagship programme, EMIC 18, commenced on February 19.

He pointed out that it had been a ten-month journey of intense intellectual discovery, strategic broadening and unparalleled professional fellowship.

He added that this year’s team comprised 78 distinguished participants, including deputy directors and above.

Mr Odama said they were meticulously drawn from the military, paramilitary, law enforcement agencies and strategic ministries, departments and agencies of both federal and state governments.

He added, ”In significant testament to our pan-African mandate, we were privileged to host five African countries, which had earlier been mentioned.

”With the graduation of the AIMC 18, the institute has proudly graduated 1,130 strategic leaders.

”These are men and women who have been rigorously equipped to think critically and act decisively, as well as proffer innovative solutions to the most complex security and developmental challenges facing our nation and the continent at large.”

The commandant expressed the institute’s deepest appreciation to Mr Tinubu and the vice-president for their visionary and pragmatic leadership.

He said that the Renewed Hope Agenda under the president’s stewardship was already manifesting in tangible progress across Africa.

Among the recommendations made by the participants was the formal harmonisation and integration of a country-based security initiative.

It is part of a broad strategy to strengthen the existing legal framework for peace and conflict resolution across Nigeria and Africa.

The high point of the occasion was the presentation of the report titled “Non-state Actors in Security Management in Africa: Issues, Challenges and Prospects for Peace and Development” by representatives of the EIMC 18 participants.

(NAN)

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An 18-year-old boy in Adamawa State has confessed to stealing soft drinks to mark his birthday.

The boy, Aminu Abdulazeez of Bazza community in Michika LGA, said he carted away half crates of nutri milk and Dudu mineral brand respectively to celebrate his birthday with his friends.

He landed in jail after he was trailed and apprehended while he was making further preparation for the event.

Aminu made his confession to the Adamawa State Jail Delivery Committee which was on a review visit to where he was being held at the Mubi Correctional Centre.

The Area Court I Bazza had sent him to the centre after finding him guilty and sentencing him to three months with option of a N40,000 fine.

He had gone to the centre last month after failing to pay the fine.

Reviewing his case, the Jail Delivery Committee, headed by the state Chief Judge, Justice Hafsat Abdulrahman, reduced his three months of confinement to three months of community service.

The committee ordered that he be taken back to Bazza to sweep public facility, a health centre or police station, for three months.

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The Government of Adamawa State has taken action to support victims of the communal clash in the Lamurde Local Government Area by settling the medical bills of 11 persons currently receiving treatment at the specialist hospital for various degrees of injury.

​Deputy Governor Professor Kaletapwa Farauta visited the hospital to identify with the victims and urged the warring factions to set aside their grievances, reminding them that development cannot take place without peace.

​The Chief Medical Director of the Specialist Hospital, Dr. Dauda Wadinga, appreciated the state government’s prompt response to the situation.

​Group Demands Probe Into Alleged Killing Of 12 Women

​Meanwhile, a Bachama group, the Pene Da Bwatiye Development Association (PDBDA) Worldwide, has escalated the crisis by demanding a probe into the alleged killing of 12 women during a protest in the Rigangun and Waduku areas of Lamurde on July 24, 2025.

​In a statement issued on Tuesday by its General Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Pwakavi Bapatu, the association expressed grief and outrage over the incident.

​The group alleged that the women, who were reportedly carrying leaves and singing peace songs, were shot by soldiers deployed to the community to maintain order. The protest was over the delayed arrival of military personnel to quell earlier violence.

​The PDBDA described the incident as a “massacre,” stressing that the women were unarmed, posed no threat, and were not engaged in any violence.

​The association condemned the alleged gross violation of human rights and rules of engagement and called for decisive action against the soldiers involved.

​The incident is linked to earlier communal attacks that erupted on July 7 and July 17, 2025, highlighting the continued deterioration of the security situation in the area.

​IGP Deploys Deputy Inspector-General to Restore Normalcy

​In a separate move to address the escalating situation, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, DIG Bzigu Yakubu Kwazhi Dali, to the Lamurde Local Government Area.

​DIG Dali appealed to the youths, who he described as the vanguard of either peace or violence, to actively and sincerely engage in dialogue and reconciliation efforts to address the root causes of the crisis.

He emphasized that the solution lies in the hands of the people, stating that security forces alone cannot resolve the situation.

​The IGP called on community, religious, and traditional rulers, as well as youth drivers, to embrace peace, imploring the people of Lamurde to “eschew animosity and embrace understanding and partnership immediately.”

​Deputy Governor Farauta thanked the IGP for the prompt deployment and reiterated the state government’s commitment to ensuring peace, unity, and the safety and security of its citizens.

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