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- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 29 views
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED
In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Yusuf Mamman, has described Kaduna State under Governor Uba Sani as a model for peacebuilding and inclusive governance, particularly hailing the governor’s transformative impact in Southern Kaduna, a region historically plagued by ethno-religious tension and violence. Speaking through a public statement on Monday, Mamman, a respected journalist and founder of JKD 360 Television and Multimedia Services, stated that while Governor Sani has delivered impressive results in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, his most remarkable legacy is the restoration of peace and unity in one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions. “Governor Uba Sani inherited a fractured state—split along dangerous ethno-religious lines. Today, those divisions are fading. Kaduna is once again a united people,” Mamman declared. Southern Kaduna has long symbolized the deep-seated religious and ethnic fault lines that threaten Nigeria’s federal unity. Periodic violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property have kept the region on edge for decades, with successive administrations struggling to find a lasting solution. Under Governor Sani, however, the narrative is changing. Since taking office, he has prioritized dialogue, engagement, and balanced development, earning the trust of communities across both Christian and Muslim populations. His administration has supported peace-building initiatives, rebuilt trust between herder and farming communities, and established local platforms for conflict resolution, where traditional and faith leaders play an active role.
“There’s a new tone in Southern Kaduna. It’s not just about ending violence—it’s about healing,” Mamman remarked. “Governor Sani’s deliberate and sustained efforts have defused longstanding tensions.” A key factor in Sani’s peace strategy has been his policy of inclusion and fairness, especially in appointments, project allocation, and security presence. By treating every part of the state—north, central, and south—as equal stakeholders, the administration has sent a strong message: Kaduna belongs to everyone. From reactivating abandoned schools and health facilities in the region to implementing rural infrastructure projects that connect neglected communities, the administration has pursued a development-first peace agenda. According to Mamman, this balanced approach mirrors the golden years of the Second Republic under Balarabe Musa, when governance was ideologically driven and focused on public welfare. “Kaduna now mirrors the harmony we witnessed during Balarabe Musa’s administration. There’s a sense of collective purpose that was absent for years,” Mamman noted. The fruits of Governor Sani’s peace efforts are tangible, not just symbolic. In Southern Kaduna, inter-communal clashes have declined significantly. Local peace committees established under the Ministry of Internal Security have helped communities resolve disputes before they escalate. The governor has also consistently met with community leaders, youth groups, and faith-based organizations—reaffirming his commitment to grassroots peace architecture.
At the same time, the administration is delivering key developmental projects that create jobs and improve livelihoods: Upgraded Primary Healthcare Centres across Southern Kaduna to Level two, ensuring access to quality care in rural communities; construction of new schools and deployment of trained teachers to areas once deemed unsafe; Rehabilitation and construction of rural roads, improving mobility and access to markets. “This is not just peace for peace’s sake,” Mamman said. “It is peace with dignity, backed by tangible development.” Mamman praised Uba Sani’s leadership as a blueprint for other governors navigating similar ethno-religious complexities. “Inclusion is not a buzzword; it is a strategy,” he said. “Governor Sani has shown how investing in justice and development is the surest path to peace.” Observers note that the governor’s ability to bring together traditional rulers, religious leaders, and political stakeholders from across divides has had a stabilizing effect on Kaduna State’s broader security situation. Rather than applying top-down security crackdowns, Sani has empowered local solutions—an approach increasingly cited as best practice in conflict-prone regions. While focusing on peace, Governor Sani has not neglected fiscal discipline. Mamman highlighted the administration’s efficient use of limited resources, emphasizing that despite inheriting a significant debt burden, Sani has avoided borrowing and yet achieved remarkable infrastructure and social service gains.
Among the milestones include 62 new schools built state-wide; 25 roads commissioned, including those linking Southern Kaduna communities to economic hubs and healthcare and education access expanded, with visible impacts on local living standards. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Across the state, communities once skeptical of the government’s intentions now speak of hope and renewed confidence. “Governor Sani is not just building infrastructure—he’s rebuilding trust,” Mamman reiterated. Political watchers believe the peace in Southern Kaduna has contributed to broader political stability in the state. Unlike previous administrations plagued by protests, polarization, or widespread skepticism, Sani’s leadership has thus far enjoyed support from across ethnic, religious, and political divides. Mamman urged residents, particularly those in historically marginalized communities—to continue backing the governor’s initiatives. “Leadership thrives when citizens support what’s right. Governor Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress. These are values we must protect,” he concluded. From Jema’a to Kauru, from Zangon Kataf to Sanga, the winds of peace blowing through Southern Kaduna are not accidental—they are the result of deliberate, sustained leadership. Governor Uba Sani’s approach to governance goes beyond political rhetoric. It is a strategic, people-first model where peace and progress are two sides of the same coin.
His ability to address the root causes of Southern Kaduna’s conflict—mistrust, underdevelopment, and marginalization—while empowering communities through inclusion and equity, has fundamentally changed the state’s trajectory. For a region long seen as Nigeria’s barometer for sectarian tensions, Southern Kaduna is fast becoming a beacon of what is possible when peace is prioritized and pursued with integrity. If Kaduna continues on this path, it will not only rewrite its own story but also offer hope to other divided regions across Nigeria. And at the heart of that transformation stands Governor Uba Sani—a leader proving that healing a fractured state begins with listening, inclusion, and the courage to govern differently.
Muhammed writes from Kaduna State
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy
- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 17 views
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED
In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Yusuf Mamman, has described Kaduna State under Governor Uba Sani as a model for peacebuilding and inclusive governance, particularly hailing the governor’s transformative impact in Southern Kaduna, a region historically plagued by ethno-religious tension and violence. Speaking through a public statement on Monday, Mamman, a respected journalist and founder of JKD 360 Television and Multimedia Services, stated that while Governor Sani has delivered impressive results in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, his most remarkable legacy is the restoration of peace and unity in one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions. “Governor Uba Sani inherited a fractured state—split along dangerous ethno-religious lines. Today, those divisions are fading. Kaduna is once again a united people,” Mamman declared. Southern Kaduna has long symbolized the deep-seated religious and ethnic fault lines that threaten Nigeria’s federal unity. Periodic violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property have kept the region on edge for decades, with successive administrations struggling to find a lasting solution. Under Governor Sani, however, the narrative is changing. Since taking office, he has prioritized dialogue, engagement, and balanced development, earning the trust of communities across both Christian and Muslim populations. His administration has supported peace-building initiatives, rebuilt trust between herder and farming communities, and established local platforms for conflict resolution, where traditional and faith leaders play an active role.
“There’s a new tone in Southern Kaduna. It’s not just about ending violence—it’s about healing,” Mamman remarked. “Governor Sani’s deliberate and sustained efforts have defused longstanding tensions.” A key factor in Sani’s peace strategy has been his policy of inclusion and fairness, especially in appointments, project allocation, and security presence. By treating every part of the state—north, central, and south—as equal stakeholders, the administration has sent a strong message: Kaduna belongs to everyone. From reactivating abandoned schools and health facilities in the region to implementing rural infrastructure projects that connect neglected communities, the administration has pursued a development-first peace agenda. According to Mamman, this balanced approach mirrors the golden years of the Second Republic under Balarabe Musa, when governance was ideologically driven and focused on public welfare. “Kaduna now mirrors the harmony we witnessed during Balarabe Musa’s administration. There’s a sense of collective purpose that was absent for years,” Mamman noted. The fruits of Governor Sani’s peace efforts are tangible, not just symbolic. In Southern Kaduna, inter-communal clashes have declined significantly. Local peace committees established under the Ministry of Internal Security have helped communities resolve disputes before they escalate. The governor has also consistently met with community leaders, youth groups, and faith-based organizations—reaffirming his commitment to grassroots peace architecture.
At the same time, the administration is delivering key developmental projects that create jobs and improve livelihoods: Upgraded Primary Healthcare Centres across Southern Kaduna to Level two, ensuring access to quality care in rural communities; construction of new schools and deployment of trained teachers to areas once deemed unsafe; Rehabilitation and construction of rural roads, improving mobility and access to markets. “This is not just peace for peace’s sake,” Mamman said. “It is peace with dignity, backed by tangible development.” Mamman praised Uba Sani’s leadership as a blueprint for other governors navigating similar ethno-religious complexities. “Inclusion is not a buzzword; it is a strategy,” he said. “Governor Sani has shown how investing in justice and development is the surest path to peace.” Observers note that the governor’s ability to bring together traditional rulers, religious leaders, and political stakeholders from across divides has had a stabilizing effect on Kaduna State’s broader security situation. Rather than applying top-down security crackdowns, Sani has empowered local solutions—an approach increasingly cited as best practice in conflict-prone regions. While focusing on peace, Governor Sani has not neglected fiscal discipline. Mamman highlighted the administration’s efficient use of limited resources, emphasizing that despite inheriting a significant debt burden, Sani has avoided borrowing and yet achieved remarkable infrastructure and social service gains.
Among the milestones include 62 new schools built state-wide; 25 roads commissioned, including those linking Southern Kaduna communities to economic hubs and healthcare and education access expanded, with visible impacts on local living standards. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Across the state, communities once skeptical of the government’s intentions now speak of hope and renewed confidence. “Governor Sani is not just building infrastructure—he’s rebuilding trust,” Mamman reiterated. Political watchers believe the peace in Southern Kaduna has contributed to broader political stability in the state. Unlike previous administrations plagued by protests, polarization, or widespread skepticism, Sani’s leadership has thus far enjoyed support from across ethnic, religious, and political divides. Mamman urged residents, particularly those in historically marginalized communities—to continue backing the governor’s initiatives. “Leadership thrives when citizens support what’s right. Governor Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress. These are values we must protect,” he concluded. From Jema’a to Kauru, from Zangon Kataf to Sanga, the winds of peace blowing through Southern Kaduna are not accidental—they are the result of deliberate, sustained leadership. Governor Uba Sani’s approach to governance goes beyond political rhetoric. It is a strategic, people-first model where peace and progress are two sides of the same coin.
His ability to address the root causes of Southern Kaduna’s conflict—mistrust, underdevelopment, and marginalization—while empowering communities through inclusion and equity, has fundamentally changed the state’s trajectory. For a region long seen as Nigeria’s barometer for sectarian tensions, Southern Kaduna is fast becoming a beacon of what is possible when peace is prioritized and pursued with integrity. If Kaduna continues on this path, it will not only rewrite its own story but also offer hope to other divided regions across Nigeria. And at the heart of that transformation stands Governor Uba Sani—a leader proving that healing a fractured state begins with listening, inclusion, and the courage to govern differently.
Muhammed writes from Kaduna State
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy
- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 21 views
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
HEALING A FRACTURED STATE
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED
In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Yusuf Mamman, has described Kaduna State under Governor Uba Sani as a model for peacebuilding and inclusive governance, particularly hailing the governor’s transformative impact in Southern Kaduna, a region historically plagued by ethno-religious tension and violence. Speaking through a public statement on Monday, Mamman, a respected journalist and founder of JKD 360 Television and Multimedia Services, stated that while Governor Sani has delivered impressive results in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, his most remarkable legacy is the restoration of peace and unity in one of Nigeria’s most volatile regions. “Governor Uba Sani inherited a fractured state—split along dangerous ethno-religious lines. Today, those divisions are fading. Kaduna is once again a united people,” Mamman declared. Southern Kaduna has long symbolized the deep-seated religious and ethnic fault lines that threaten Nigeria’s federal unity. Periodic violence, loss of lives, and destruction of property have kept the region on edge for decades, with successive administrations struggling to find a lasting solution. Under Governor Sani, however, the narrative is changing. Since taking office, he has prioritized dialogue, engagement, and balanced development, earning the trust of communities across both Christian and Muslim populations. His administration has supported peace-building initiatives, rebuilt trust between herder and farming communities, and established local platforms for conflict resolution, where traditional and faith leaders play an active role.
“There’s a new tone in Southern Kaduna. It’s not just about ending violence—it’s about healing,” Mamman remarked. “Governor Sani’s deliberate and sustained efforts have defused longstanding tensions.” A key factor in Sani’s peace strategy has been his policy of inclusion and fairness, especially in appointments, project allocation, and security presence. By treating every part of the state—north, central, and south—as equal stakeholders, the administration has sent a strong message: Kaduna belongs to everyone. From reactivating abandoned schools and health facilities in the region to implementing rural infrastructure projects that connect neglected communities, the administration has pursued a development-first peace agenda. According to Mamman, this balanced approach mirrors the golden years of the Second Republic under Balarabe Musa, when governance was ideologically driven and focused on public welfare. “Kaduna now mirrors the harmony we witnessed during Balarabe Musa’s administration. There’s a sense of collective purpose that was absent for years,” Mamman noted. The fruits of Governor Sani’s peace efforts are tangible, not just symbolic. In Southern Kaduna, inter-communal clashes have declined significantly. Local peace committees established under the Ministry of Internal Security have helped communities resolve disputes before they escalate. The governor has also consistently met with community leaders, youth groups, and faith-based organizations—reaffirming his commitment to grassroots peace architecture.
At the same time, the administration is delivering key developmental projects that create jobs and improve livelihoods: Upgraded Primary Healthcare Centres across Southern Kaduna to Level two, ensuring access to quality care in rural communities; construction of new schools and deployment of trained teachers to areas once deemed unsafe; Rehabilitation and construction of rural roads, improving mobility and access to markets. “This is not just peace for peace’s sake,” Mamman said. “It is peace with dignity, backed by tangible development.” Mamman praised Uba Sani’s leadership as a blueprint for other governors navigating similar ethno-religious complexities. “Inclusion is not a buzzword; it is a strategy,” he said. “Governor Sani has shown how investing in justice and development is the surest path to peace.” Observers note that the governor’s ability to bring together traditional rulers, religious leaders, and political stakeholders from across divides has had a stabilizing effect on Kaduna State’s broader security situation. Rather than applying top-down security crackdowns, Sani has empowered local solutions—an approach increasingly cited as best practice in conflict-prone regions. While focusing on peace, Governor Sani has not neglected fiscal discipline. Mamman highlighted the administration’s efficient use of limited resources, emphasizing that despite inheriting a significant debt burden, Sani has avoided borrowing and yet achieved remarkable infrastructure and social service gains.
Among the milestones include 62 new schools built state-wide; 25 roads commissioned, including those linking Southern Kaduna communities to economic hubs and healthcare and education access expanded, with visible impacts on local living standards. These efforts have not gone unnoticed. Across the state, communities once skeptical of the government’s intentions now speak of hope and renewed confidence. “Governor Sani is not just building infrastructure—he’s rebuilding trust,” Mamman reiterated. Political watchers believe the peace in Southern Kaduna has contributed to broader political stability in the state. Unlike previous administrations plagued by protests, polarization, or widespread skepticism, Sani’s leadership has thus far enjoyed support from across ethnic, religious, and political divides. Mamman urged residents, particularly those in historically marginalized communities—to continue backing the governor’s initiatives. “Leadership thrives when citizens support what’s right. Governor Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress. These are values we must protect,” he concluded. From Jema’a to Kauru, from Zangon Kataf to Sanga, the winds of peace blowing through Southern Kaduna are not accidental—they are the result of deliberate, sustained leadership. Governor Uba Sani’s approach to governance goes beyond political rhetoric. It is a strategic, people-first model where peace and progress are two sides of the same coin.
His ability to address the root causes of Southern Kaduna’s conflict—mistrust, underdevelopment, and marginalization—while empowering communities through inclusion and equity, has fundamentally changed the state’s trajectory. For a region long seen as Nigeria’s barometer for sectarian tensions, Southern Kaduna is fast becoming a beacon of what is possible when peace is prioritized and pursued with integrity. If Kaduna continues on this path, it will not only rewrite its own story but also offer hope to other divided regions across Nigeria. And at the heart of that transformation stands Governor Uba Sani—a leader proving that healing a fractured state begins with listening, inclusion, and the courage to govern differently.
Muhammed writes from Kaduna State
Governor Uba Sani has shown rare commitment to unity, peace, and progress,argues ADAMSON MUHAMMED In a strong show of commendation, former Nigerian ambassador to Spain and ex-chairman of the Alliance for Democracy
- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 21 views
PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes
TUNDE OLUSUNLE
I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, commissioning a humongous haul of 14 road projects in one day in Aba, the major commercial hub in the state. My interest was not in the ceremonial cutting of tapes and ribbons at every turn during the exercise. More than that, I was swayed by the bonding, the connectivity of Otti with regular folks, his kinsmen and women. As Otti walked the streets of the famous *Enyimba City,* his people, evidently overwhelmed by the good works of their leader, wanted to touch him, to hug him, to take photographs with him. Whenever his excited constituents tried to get close to him just to touch him, they were, expectedly restrained by the protective wall around Otti. On each such occasion, Otti overruled his aides, allowing such people reach and embrace him. There was this particular point in the video clip under review, where a woman trader wanted to gift Otti a pack of bottled water, most probably in her appreciation of Otti’s endeavours.
The security perimeter around Otti tried to kick the pack aside and block her from accessing the Governor. He read the situation, slowed down and even asked that she be allowed near him and indeed be photographed with him. He equally directed that her gift of water be thankfully received and taken to his car. The 14 roads which Otti opened up for public use on that occasion are part of a bigger plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 55 roads across Abia State. Otti is an *Aba boy* like the cerebral doyen of the national parliament, Enyinnaya Abaribe, whose book titled *Made in Aba* released in 2021, underscores how deeply the lionised city impacted his makeup. Otti knows how much a good network of roads can make life better and business easier for his distinctively industrious people. A functional Aba will accelerate productivity in the city and mitigate unemployment in a commercial nexus which prides itself a rival to Onitsha and Nnewi both in Anambra State. Both towns are renowned for commerce and manufacturing.
Not one of the 14 roads which Governor Otti recently commissioned, nor any of the 44 others which are at various stages of completion, has been renamed after him. Some of them indeed still bear their colonial designations, a constant reminder of our history and antecedents. In Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), there was pomp and pageantry, Wednesday June 10, 2025, as President Bola Tinubu “commissioned” the International Conference Centre, (ICC), built and activated by the administration of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, 34 years back, in 1991. Nigeria was bestowed, at very short notice, the hosting rights of the Summit of the Organisation of African Unity, (OAU), as it was then referred to. Abuja spontaneously became a massive construction site within the period under consideration.
As the ICC was being readied, so were accommodation facilities built across various districts in Abuja, to house delegates to the OAU Summit. Till date, several residential complexes, mostly blocks of flats across Abuja are known by the name *OAU Quarters,* even though many residents of the various mini- OAU housing estates barely know the etymology of their present abodes. Babangida “stepped aside” in August 1993. Ernest Shonekan; Sani Abacha; Abdulsalami Abubakar; Olusegun Obasanjo; Umaru Yar’Adua; Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari have all come after him as Head of Interim National Government, (ING); military Heads of State and civilian Presidents. None of them christened the ICC or any other national asset for that matter, after himself. A standard, stately edifice, the ICC has remained the *Numero Uno* events destination in Abuja over the years. It has serially hosted world class dignitaries and functions across time and space. As serving President of the United States, the charismatic Bill Clinton was hosted to a state banquet at ICC in 2000. In similar fashion, Queen Elizabeth II of England topped the bill at the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, (CHOGM), hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo. A record 51 out of 54 Heads of State of member countries of the Commonwealth attended the four-day event. Such is how treasured, how valued this national monument is.
That Tuesday June 10, 2025, an excitable Nyesom Wike, Tinubu’s Minister of FCTA, renamed the International Conference Centre, (ICC), the *Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.* The edifice which Babangida built from the preliminary stages of earthworks for *N240 million* in 1991, was whitewashed for re-inauguration at a whopping *N39 Billion, in 2024.* Typically, there was no competitive bidding. It was a direct award to a concern preferred by the FCT Minister. The ICC, by the way is the eighth monument, known to me, thus far christened after Tinubu within his first two years in office. Before it were the: *Tinubu International Airport, Minna, Niger State; Tinubu Polytechnic, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Tinubu National Assembly Library, Abuja. There are also the Tinubu Immigrations Technology Building, Airport Road, Abuja; the Tinubu Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja; the Tinubu Way, (formerly Southern Parkway), Abuja, and also the Bola Tinubu Centre for Islamic Affairs, Kaduna, built by the Department of State Services, (DSS).*
President Tinubu seems to be lapping up blandishment, magnification and laudation as they coalesce towards his eventual deification. This is a path potentially laden with veritable landmines. We are never bound to accept and adopt every souvenir or memorabilia thrust at us. We can always ask our doctors questions about medications prescribed for us. Let’s indulge Wike that he probably doesn’t know the history of ICC. President Tinubu does. He was Senator in 1992 and functioned alongside his colleagues, from the very same ICC, in Abuja, in the absence of a purpose-built parliamentary complex. I would, if I were Tinubu, have thanked Wike for his thoughtful gesture. I would have reminisced over Nigeria’s political evolution and reminded him that Babangida in his time, it was, who conceived and erected the mega-structure which sits regally at the bosom of Abuja today. I would have enlightened Wike that just a few months ago, Babangida stepped forward to take responsibility for the annulment of the *June 12, 1993* presidential election which produced Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, (MKO), as President.
I would have drawn Wike’s attention to the fact that Babangida will be 84 on Sunday August 17, 2025. It would not be out of place to honour him with the ribbons and flowers of the ICC which was indeed his baby. Like or loathe him, Babangida has several positives against his eight year regime, from August 27, 1985 to August 26, 1993. He ensured the physical, effective relocation of Nigeria’s seat of government from Lagos to Abuja, in 1991. This was 15 years after Abuja was so proclaimed by General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in February 1976, just days before his assassination. He built the eyeful, sprawling State House, Abuja, a tourist monument in its own right. To enhance better governance and developmental coverage of the country, Babangida’s government created Akwa Ibom and Katsina States in 1987, taking the number of states in the country from 19 to 21. On the sixth anniversary of his administration August 27, 1991, Babangida established an additional nine states, including Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun and Yobe, which brought the number of states in Nigeria to 30.
Babangida established the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), to instil discipline on our highways and curb carnage, and built the ambitious *Third Mainland Bridge* in Lagos, to ease traffic in the water-constrained state. He continued Nigeria’s anti-apartheid campaign against White domination in South Africa, despite being a military leader. Under him, Nigeria had very strong foreign affairs profile in the eyes of the international community under his leadership. The Technical Aid Corps Scheme, (TACS), under which auspices Nigeria sent teachers and professionals to needy African and Caribbean countries, was initiated under Babangida. Nigeria intervened in troubled West African countries from possible dismemberment arising from civil strife, under Babangida’s watch. Nigeria initiated, led and substantially funded a multinational military peacekeeping corps under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), under him. We can go on.
Interactions between the State House and various states, ministries, departments and agencies, (MDAs) ahead of every programme to be attended by the President, must be painstaking, detailed and explicit. Pleasant “ambushes,” detours away from agreed runs of events, and surprises of any kind are totally intolerable. This is the way it was in our time between 1999 and 2007. You cannot come to a high profile public event, especially the types Wike loves to telecast real-time on the network services of various television stations, to embarrass the President with such proclamations, in the name of springing surprises. Except of course if President Tinubu himself is sucked into such ego-massaging and vainglorious labelling. Except if the President is indifferent to order and conformity, consisting with extant rules and regulations. Or indeed, the ultimate verdict of history.
President Tinubu will do well to be very circumspect about the manner he consents to every other national treasure or government facility being named or renamed after him. He needs to rein in his officials so they can guide him aright. They shouldn’t just be *follow follow* officials, to appropriate a phrase from the immutable lyrics of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. They shouldn’t be content with just floating around as members of the President’s ring of “principal officers,” without adding desired value. Once it becomes the vogue that state governments and government departments catch the bug, it will become a ridiculously unending practice, inimical to the person and office of the President. For context, a famous rubbish dump on the *Aba- Port Harcourt* expressway was named after a former Governor of the state who craved adulation at every opportunity. At the rate things are unravelling courtrooms; prison blocks; rehabilitation centres for substance indulgents; psychiatric hospitals, and similar institutions may hereafter don *Tinubu-esque* appellations. Let’s hope President Tinubu wouldn’t wake up one day only to discover that he has become the *President of the Federal Republic of Bola Tinubu!*
Not even *Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada of Uganda* pulled off such a stunt.
Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes TUNDE OLUSUNLE I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State
- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 28 views
PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes
TUNDE OLUSUNLE
I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, commissioning a humongous haul of 14 road projects in one day in Aba, the major commercial hub in the state. My interest was not in the ceremonial cutting of tapes and ribbons at every turn during the exercise. More than that, I was swayed by the bonding, the connectivity of Otti with regular folks, his kinsmen and women. As Otti walked the streets of the famous *Enyimba City,* his people, evidently overwhelmed by the good works of their leader, wanted to touch him, to hug him, to take photographs with him. Whenever his excited constituents tried to get close to him just to touch him, they were, expectedly restrained by the protective wall around Otti. On each such occasion, Otti overruled his aides, allowing such people reach and embrace him. There was this particular point in the video clip under review, where a woman trader wanted to gift Otti a pack of bottled water, most probably in her appreciation of Otti’s endeavours.
The security perimeter around Otti tried to kick the pack aside and block her from accessing the Governor. He read the situation, slowed down and even asked that she be allowed near him and indeed be photographed with him. He equally directed that her gift of water be thankfully received and taken to his car. The 14 roads which Otti opened up for public use on that occasion are part of a bigger plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 55 roads across Abia State. Otti is an *Aba boy* like the cerebral doyen of the national parliament, Enyinnaya Abaribe, whose book titled *Made in Aba* released in 2021, underscores how deeply the lionised city impacted his makeup. Otti knows how much a good network of roads can make life better and business easier for his distinctively industrious people. A functional Aba will accelerate productivity in the city and mitigate unemployment in a commercial nexus which prides itself a rival to Onitsha and Nnewi both in Anambra State. Both towns are renowned for commerce and manufacturing.
Not one of the 14 roads which Governor Otti recently commissioned, nor any of the 44 others which are at various stages of completion, has been renamed after him. Some of them indeed still bear their colonial designations, a constant reminder of our history and antecedents. In Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), there was pomp and pageantry, Wednesday June 10, 2025, as President Bola Tinubu “commissioned” the International Conference Centre, (ICC), built and activated by the administration of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, 34 years back, in 1991. Nigeria was bestowed, at very short notice, the hosting rights of the Summit of the Organisation of African Unity, (OAU), as it was then referred to. Abuja spontaneously became a massive construction site within the period under consideration.
As the ICC was being readied, so were accommodation facilities built across various districts in Abuja, to house delegates to the OAU Summit. Till date, several residential complexes, mostly blocks of flats across Abuja are known by the name *OAU Quarters,* even though many residents of the various mini- OAU housing estates barely know the etymology of their present abodes. Babangida “stepped aside” in August 1993. Ernest Shonekan; Sani Abacha; Abdulsalami Abubakar; Olusegun Obasanjo; Umaru Yar’Adua; Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari have all come after him as Head of Interim National Government, (ING); military Heads of State and civilian Presidents. None of them christened the ICC or any other national asset for that matter, after himself. A standard, stately edifice, the ICC has remained the *Numero Uno* events destination in Abuja over the years. It has serially hosted world class dignitaries and functions across time and space. As serving President of the United States, the charismatic Bill Clinton was hosted to a state banquet at ICC in 2000. In similar fashion, Queen Elizabeth II of England topped the bill at the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, (CHOGM), hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo. A record 51 out of 54 Heads of State of member countries of the Commonwealth attended the four-day event. Such is how treasured, how valued this national monument is.
That Tuesday June 10, 2025, an excitable Nyesom Wike, Tinubu’s Minister of FCTA, renamed the International Conference Centre, (ICC), the *Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.* The edifice which Babangida built from the preliminary stages of earthworks for *N240 million* in 1991, was whitewashed for re-inauguration at a whopping *N39 Billion, in 2024.* Typically, there was no competitive bidding. It was a direct award to a concern preferred by the FCT Minister. The ICC, by the way is the eighth monument, known to me, thus far christened after Tinubu within his first two years in office. Before it were the: *Tinubu International Airport, Minna, Niger State; Tinubu Polytechnic, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Tinubu National Assembly Library, Abuja. There are also the Tinubu Immigrations Technology Building, Airport Road, Abuja; the Tinubu Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja; the Tinubu Way, (formerly Southern Parkway), Abuja, and also the Bola Tinubu Centre for Islamic Affairs, Kaduna, built by the Department of State Services, (DSS).*
President Tinubu seems to be lapping up blandishment, magnification and laudation as they coalesce towards his eventual deification. This is a path potentially laden with veritable landmines. We are never bound to accept and adopt every souvenir or memorabilia thrust at us. We can always ask our doctors questions about medications prescribed for us. Let’s indulge Wike that he probably doesn’t know the history of ICC. President Tinubu does. He was Senator in 1992 and functioned alongside his colleagues, from the very same ICC, in Abuja, in the absence of a purpose-built parliamentary complex. I would, if I were Tinubu, have thanked Wike for his thoughtful gesture. I would have reminisced over Nigeria’s political evolution and reminded him that Babangida in his time, it was, who conceived and erected the mega-structure which sits regally at the bosom of Abuja today. I would have enlightened Wike that just a few months ago, Babangida stepped forward to take responsibility for the annulment of the *June 12, 1993* presidential election which produced Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, (MKO), as President.
I would have drawn Wike’s attention to the fact that Babangida will be 84 on Sunday August 17, 2025. It would not be out of place to honour him with the ribbons and flowers of the ICC which was indeed his baby. Like or loathe him, Babangida has several positives against his eight year regime, from August 27, 1985 to August 26, 1993. He ensured the physical, effective relocation of Nigeria’s seat of government from Lagos to Abuja, in 1991. This was 15 years after Abuja was so proclaimed by General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in February 1976, just days before his assassination. He built the eyeful, sprawling State House, Abuja, a tourist monument in its own right. To enhance better governance and developmental coverage of the country, Babangida’s government created Akwa Ibom and Katsina States in 1987, taking the number of states in the country from 19 to 21. On the sixth anniversary of his administration August 27, 1991, Babangida established an additional nine states, including Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun and Yobe, which brought the number of states in Nigeria to 30.
Babangida established the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), to instil discipline on our highways and curb carnage, and built the ambitious *Third Mainland Bridge* in Lagos, to ease traffic in the water-constrained state. He continued Nigeria’s anti-apartheid campaign against White domination in South Africa, despite being a military leader. Under him, Nigeria had very strong foreign affairs profile in the eyes of the international community under his leadership. The Technical Aid Corps Scheme, (TACS), under which auspices Nigeria sent teachers and professionals to needy African and Caribbean countries, was initiated under Babangida. Nigeria intervened in troubled West African countries from possible dismemberment arising from civil strife, under Babangida’s watch. Nigeria initiated, led and substantially funded a multinational military peacekeeping corps under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), under him. We can go on.
Interactions between the State House and various states, ministries, departments and agencies, (MDAs) ahead of every programme to be attended by the President, must be painstaking, detailed and explicit. Pleasant “ambushes,” detours away from agreed runs of events, and surprises of any kind are totally intolerable. This is the way it was in our time between 1999 and 2007. You cannot come to a high profile public event, especially the types Wike loves to telecast real-time on the network services of various television stations, to embarrass the President with such proclamations, in the name of springing surprises. Except of course if President Tinubu himself is sucked into such ego-massaging and vainglorious labelling. Except if the President is indifferent to order and conformity, consisting with extant rules and regulations. Or indeed, the ultimate verdict of history.
President Tinubu will do well to be very circumspect about the manner he consents to every other national treasure or government facility being named or renamed after him. He needs to rein in his officials so they can guide him aright. They shouldn’t just be *follow follow* officials, to appropriate a phrase from the immutable lyrics of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. They shouldn’t be content with just floating around as members of the President’s ring of “principal officers,” without adding desired value. Once it becomes the vogue that state governments and government departments catch the bug, it will become a ridiculously unending practice, inimical to the person and office of the President. For context, a famous rubbish dump on the *Aba- Port Harcourt* expressway was named after a former Governor of the state who craved adulation at every opportunity. At the rate things are unravelling courtrooms; prison blocks; rehabilitation centres for substance indulgents; psychiatric hospitals, and similar institutions may hereafter don *Tinubu-esque* appellations. Let’s hope President Tinubu wouldn’t wake up one day only to discover that he has become the *President of the Federal Republic of Bola Tinubu!*
Not even *Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada of Uganda* pulled off such a stunt.
Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes TUNDE OLUSUNLE I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State
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- June 17, 2025
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PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
PRESIDENT TINUBU, ICC, ET AL
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes
TUNDE OLUSUNLE
I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State Governor, commissioning a humongous haul of 14 road projects in one day in Aba, the major commercial hub in the state. My interest was not in the ceremonial cutting of tapes and ribbons at every turn during the exercise. More than that, I was swayed by the bonding, the connectivity of Otti with regular folks, his kinsmen and women. As Otti walked the streets of the famous *Enyimba City,* his people, evidently overwhelmed by the good works of their leader, wanted to touch him, to hug him, to take photographs with him. Whenever his excited constituents tried to get close to him just to touch him, they were, expectedly restrained by the protective wall around Otti. On each such occasion, Otti overruled his aides, allowing such people reach and embrace him. There was this particular point in the video clip under review, where a woman trader wanted to gift Otti a pack of bottled water, most probably in her appreciation of Otti’s endeavours.
The security perimeter around Otti tried to kick the pack aside and block her from accessing the Governor. He read the situation, slowed down and even asked that she be allowed near him and indeed be photographed with him. He equally directed that her gift of water be thankfully received and taken to his car. The 14 roads which Otti opened up for public use on that occasion are part of a bigger plan for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 55 roads across Abia State. Otti is an *Aba boy* like the cerebral doyen of the national parliament, Enyinnaya Abaribe, whose book titled *Made in Aba* released in 2021, underscores how deeply the lionised city impacted his makeup. Otti knows how much a good network of roads can make life better and business easier for his distinctively industrious people. A functional Aba will accelerate productivity in the city and mitigate unemployment in a commercial nexus which prides itself a rival to Onitsha and Nnewi both in Anambra State. Both towns are renowned for commerce and manufacturing.
Not one of the 14 roads which Governor Otti recently commissioned, nor any of the 44 others which are at various stages of completion, has been renamed after him. Some of them indeed still bear their colonial designations, a constant reminder of our history and antecedents. In Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), there was pomp and pageantry, Wednesday June 10, 2025, as President Bola Tinubu “commissioned” the International Conference Centre, (ICC), built and activated by the administration of former military President Ibrahim Babangida, 34 years back, in 1991. Nigeria was bestowed, at very short notice, the hosting rights of the Summit of the Organisation of African Unity, (OAU), as it was then referred to. Abuja spontaneously became a massive construction site within the period under consideration.
As the ICC was being readied, so were accommodation facilities built across various districts in Abuja, to house delegates to the OAU Summit. Till date, several residential complexes, mostly blocks of flats across Abuja are known by the name *OAU Quarters,* even though many residents of the various mini- OAU housing estates barely know the etymology of their present abodes. Babangida “stepped aside” in August 1993. Ernest Shonekan; Sani Abacha; Abdulsalami Abubakar; Olusegun Obasanjo; Umaru Yar’Adua; Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari have all come after him as Head of Interim National Government, (ING); military Heads of State and civilian Presidents. None of them christened the ICC or any other national asset for that matter, after himself. A standard, stately edifice, the ICC has remained the *Numero Uno* events destination in Abuja over the years. It has serially hosted world class dignitaries and functions across time and space. As serving President of the United States, the charismatic Bill Clinton was hosted to a state banquet at ICC in 2000. In similar fashion, Queen Elizabeth II of England topped the bill at the 2003 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, (CHOGM), hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo. A record 51 out of 54 Heads of State of member countries of the Commonwealth attended the four-day event. Such is how treasured, how valued this national monument is.
That Tuesday June 10, 2025, an excitable Nyesom Wike, Tinubu’s Minister of FCTA, renamed the International Conference Centre, (ICC), the *Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre.* The edifice which Babangida built from the preliminary stages of earthworks for *N240 million* in 1991, was whitewashed for re-inauguration at a whopping *N39 Billion, in 2024.* Typically, there was no competitive bidding. It was a direct award to a concern preferred by the FCT Minister. The ICC, by the way is the eighth monument, known to me, thus far christened after Tinubu within his first two years in office. Before it were the: *Tinubu International Airport, Minna, Niger State; Tinubu Polytechnic, Gwarinpa, Abuja and Tinubu National Assembly Library, Abuja. There are also the Tinubu Immigrations Technology Building, Airport Road, Abuja; the Tinubu Barracks, Asokoro, Abuja; the Tinubu Way, (formerly Southern Parkway), Abuja, and also the Bola Tinubu Centre for Islamic Affairs, Kaduna, built by the Department of State Services, (DSS).*
President Tinubu seems to be lapping up blandishment, magnification and laudation as they coalesce towards his eventual deification. This is a path potentially laden with veritable landmines. We are never bound to accept and adopt every souvenir or memorabilia thrust at us. We can always ask our doctors questions about medications prescribed for us. Let’s indulge Wike that he probably doesn’t know the history of ICC. President Tinubu does. He was Senator in 1992 and functioned alongside his colleagues, from the very same ICC, in Abuja, in the absence of a purpose-built parliamentary complex. I would, if I were Tinubu, have thanked Wike for his thoughtful gesture. I would have reminisced over Nigeria’s political evolution and reminded him that Babangida in his time, it was, who conceived and erected the mega-structure which sits regally at the bosom of Abuja today. I would have enlightened Wike that just a few months ago, Babangida stepped forward to take responsibility for the annulment of the *June 12, 1993* presidential election which produced Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, (MKO), as President.
I would have drawn Wike’s attention to the fact that Babangida will be 84 on Sunday August 17, 2025. It would not be out of place to honour him with the ribbons and flowers of the ICC which was indeed his baby. Like or loathe him, Babangida has several positives against his eight year regime, from August 27, 1985 to August 26, 1993. He ensured the physical, effective relocation of Nigeria’s seat of government from Lagos to Abuja, in 1991. This was 15 years after Abuja was so proclaimed by General Murtala Ramat Mohammed, in February 1976, just days before his assassination. He built the eyeful, sprawling State House, Abuja, a tourist monument in its own right. To enhance better governance and developmental coverage of the country, Babangida’s government created Akwa Ibom and Katsina States in 1987, taking the number of states in the country from 19 to 21. On the sixth anniversary of his administration August 27, 1991, Babangida established an additional nine states, including Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun and Yobe, which brought the number of states in Nigeria to 30.
Babangida established the Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), to instil discipline on our highways and curb carnage, and built the ambitious *Third Mainland Bridge* in Lagos, to ease traffic in the water-constrained state. He continued Nigeria’s anti-apartheid campaign against White domination in South Africa, despite being a military leader. Under him, Nigeria had very strong foreign affairs profile in the eyes of the international community under his leadership. The Technical Aid Corps Scheme, (TACS), under which auspices Nigeria sent teachers and professionals to needy African and Caribbean countries, was initiated under Babangida. Nigeria intervened in troubled West African countries from possible dismemberment arising from civil strife, under Babangida’s watch. Nigeria initiated, led and substantially funded a multinational military peacekeeping corps under the auspices of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS), under him. We can go on.
Interactions between the State House and various states, ministries, departments and agencies, (MDAs) ahead of every programme to be attended by the President, must be painstaking, detailed and explicit. Pleasant “ambushes,” detours away from agreed runs of events, and surprises of any kind are totally intolerable. This is the way it was in our time between 1999 and 2007. You cannot come to a high profile public event, especially the types Wike loves to telecast real-time on the network services of various television stations, to embarrass the President with such proclamations, in the name of springing surprises. Except of course if President Tinubu himself is sucked into such ego-massaging and vainglorious labelling. Except if the President is indifferent to order and conformity, consisting with extant rules and regulations. Or indeed, the ultimate verdict of history.
President Tinubu will do well to be very circumspect about the manner he consents to every other national treasure or government facility being named or renamed after him. He needs to rein in his officials so they can guide him aright. They shouldn’t just be *follow follow* officials, to appropriate a phrase from the immutable lyrics of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. They shouldn’t be content with just floating around as members of the President’s ring of “principal officers,” without adding desired value. Once it becomes the vogue that state governments and government departments catch the bug, it will become a ridiculously unending practice, inimical to the person and office of the President. For context, a famous rubbish dump on the *Aba- Port Harcourt* expressway was named after a former Governor of the state who craved adulation at every opportunity. At the rate things are unravelling courtrooms; prison blocks; rehabilitation centres for substance indulgents; psychiatric hospitals, and similar institutions may hereafter don *Tinubu-esque* appellations. Let’s hope President Tinubu wouldn’t wake up one day only to discover that he has become the *President of the Federal Republic of Bola Tinubu!*
Not even *Field Marshal Idi Amin Dada of Uganda* pulled off such a stunt.
Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja
The president will do well to be circumspect about national treasure named after him, writes TUNDE OLUSUNLE I’ve just watched a four-minute video clip of Alex Otti, the Abia State
- Hot News
- June 17, 2025
- 25 views
Kalu Commends Gov Lawal’s Remarkable Transformation of Zamfara
Kalu Commends Gov Lawal’s Remarkable Transformation of Zamfara
A former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, has applauded Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration “for transforming Zamfara State.
Kalu spoke on Monday when he commissioned the reconstructed Zamfara State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Social Development building as well as the renovated infrastructure at the Zamfara State College of Arts and Sciences (ZACAS).
A statement by the Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, disclosed that the Ministry hitherto operated under an unbefitting environment noting further that through visionary planning Governor Lawal transformed the infrastructure.
At the commissioning of the Ministry of Women Affairs building, Governor Lawal described the edifice as symbolizing the significance of the Ministry’s role in his administration’s rescue and development agenda.
According to the Governor, “it is with deep gratitude to Almighty Allah and a strong sense of duty and purpose that I stand before you today to at the commissioning of this constructed and furnished building for the Zamfara State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, and the foundation stone laying for the construction of a new Women centre in the premises.
“It also gives me great honour to formally welcome our Special Guest of Honour, my friend and a friend of Zamfara State, my brother, distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
“This event today is not just about unveiling a physical structure and starting off another, it is about reaffirming our administration’s sustained commitment to institutional renewal, social development and inclusive governance.
“It is about demonstrating once more that the dignity and welfare of our women, children, the physically challenged and the vulnerable are central to our governance philosophy.”
While commissioning the facilities at the ZACAS, Governor Lawal restated that the event marks a significant milestone in his government’s collective journey to reposition education as the cornerstone of development and prosperity in Zamfara State.
“The structures we commission reflect a carefully planned and well-executed intervention to transform ZACAS into a more functional, competitive and student-friendly institution.
“In the first and second phases of the project, we undertook the complete renovation of critical academic facilities that had long fallen into disrepair and were no longer conducive to effective teaching and learning. Notably, the former administrative block has been redesigned and converted into three classrooms, each with a seating capacity of 150, breathing new life into the academic experience for both students and faculty.
“The College’s temporary library has also been thoroughly renovated, providing a more conducive and resourceful space for academic research.
“One of the most significant assets of this institution, the 200-seat capacity Sardauna Hall, has equally undergone complete renovation and modernization.
“The Mass Communication studio and theatre and the computer-based Test (CBT) centre have all been completely renovated and fully equipped.
“The Yusuf Anka auditorium has been transformed to accommodate both academic and social functions. Meanwhile, the three core science laboratories, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics have been fully renovated and modernized to support high-quality science education and experimentation.
“Equally important is the renovation of student accommodation which is crucial to the welfare and retention of students. One female hostel and three male hostels have been completely renovated to improve living conditions and uphold the dignity of students.”
Earlier, Senator Kalu praised Governor Dauda Lawal’s efforts, particularly the quality of work at the Zamfara State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Zamfara State College of Arts and Sciences.
A former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzo Kalu, has applauded Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration “for transforming Zamfara State.Kalu spoke on Monday when he commissioned the reconstructed Zamfara State
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- June 17, 2025
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Germany Handover Containerized Armoury to Nigeria Police
Germany Handover Containerized Armoury to Nigeria Police
Michael Olugbode in Abuja
A newly constructed containerized armoury has been handed to the Nigeria Police Force by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther.
It was delivered at the FCT Police Command Headquarters in Abuja on Tuesday.
According to a statement by the German Embassy in Nigeria, beyond delivering a physical facility, the handover symbolised a meaningful partnership, shared responsibility, and a collective commitment to peace and security.
The statement lamented that illicit proliferation of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the West African region continues to fuel armed violence, severely impacting civilians and communities. To respond to these threats, Germany works together with the Nigerian government on collaborative and innovative initiatives that strengthen national and local capacities in arms control.
It added that one such initiative is the project being celebrated on Tuesday and implemented by The Mines Advisory
Group (MAG) in close collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and the National Centre
for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
The project is part of a broader, multi-year regional intervention funded by the German
Federal Foreign Office aimed at reducing the human cost of armed violence in the Sahel and West Africa by supporting effective weapons management, building institutional and community resilience, and encouraging regional cooperation.
The project, according to the statement, is structured around three key objectives:
- 2. 3. To help Individuals and communities affected by and exposed to the risk of armed violence be safe and secure from risks posed by SALW and their associated
ammunition; To empower security sector actors and other key state agencies to be better able to implement good practice management of SALW and ammunition;
To Increase state capacity to individually and collaboratively address risks related to
SALW and ammunition.
The statement said in Nigeria, MAG and partners have already recorded key achievements under the current
project including the following:• 1,311 SALW Risk Education sessions have been delivered, reaching over 22,660
individuals in high-risk communities.
It added that 56 security and defence forces personnel were trained in armoury storekeeping and 24 personnel were trained in armoury management; 10 personnel were trained in weapons marking; 10 personnel were trained in weapons cutting; and 1 containerized armoury to secure small arms and small arms ammunition.
It revealed that in the coming months, MAG and partners will also continue to work in vulnerable communities affected by armed violence to deliver SALW risk education.
It said MAG will also continue to work with the NCCSALW to destroy obsolete weapons and secure more weapons.
The German Ambassador,, in her remarks stated that: “The success of the project is the result of strong partnerships. The effective collaboration between MAG, Nigerian institutions, and other regional actors shows what we can achieve when we work together.”
Michael Olugbode in Abuja A newly constructed containerized armoury has been handed to the Nigeria Police Force by the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther. It was delivered at the
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- June 17, 2025
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Court Orders NRM to Serve Yakubu Mahmood Contempt Charge via Staff
Court Orders NRM to Serve Yakubu Mahmood Contempt Charge via Staff
Alex Enumah in Abuja
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted the National Rescue Movement (NRM) permission to serve its contempt charge against the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, through substituted means.
According to Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who issued the order while delivering ruling in an exparte application, the charge should be served on the INEC boss by handing same to any staff of INEC at the National Headquarters.
The applicant had specifically sought permission of the court to serve court processes (Form 48, which is a notice of the consequence of disobedience of a court order) on Mahmood through substituted means.
Moving the motion, the NRM, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Oladimeji Ekengba, alleged that INEC and its Chairman spurned an order of mandamus the court made on March 5, which directed them to accept the outcome of an Emergency Convention that produced the Chief Edozie Njoku-led Executives of the party.
Ekengba said the essence of the emergency convention which held on January 17, was to fill vacancy and correct lopsidedness in the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the NRM.
“That the Respondent is aware that the emergency convention the subject matter of the judgment was held on January 17, 2025, even by its own processes before this Honourable Court.
“Notwithstanding that the Judgment Debtor/Respondent’s Counsel by name M.A. Bawa was in Court when the Judgment was delivered, the Judgment Creditor took the pain to still serve the Judgment Debtor/Respondent with a copy of the Enrolled Order of the Judgment.
“Despite being aware, the Judgment Debtor (INEC) refused to comply with the judgment of this Honourable Court till date.
“In order not to reduce this Honourable Court to a toothless bulldog, and also to enhance the cause of justice, the Registrar of this Honourable Court on the application of the Judgment Creditor, issued FORM 48 to be served on the Chairman of the Respondent in order for him to show cause why he should not be committed to prison for failing to comply with the judgment of this Honourable Court,” the NRM added in an affidavit it filed in support of the motion.
It said the application for the processes to be served on Prof. Mahmood through substituted means was owing to the fact that it would be impossible to hand the processes to him personally.
“That I know that the Bailiff of this Court will not be able to serve the Chairman of the Respondent/Judgment Debtor the Form 48 personally as the Respondent only receive processes at the gate at a designated registry at Plot 430, Zambezi Crescent Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama Abuja.
“That the Judgment Debtor/Respondent’s Chairman placed numerous protocols and the bailiff of this Court will not be able to serve him the Form 48 issued by this Honourable Court
“From the disposition of the Judgment Debtor/Respondent, it is practically impossible to serve its Chairman with the FORM 48 personally as required by law, hence this application,” the affidavit, which was deposed to by one Mr. Adebayo Wasiu, further read.
After he had listened to the motion, Justice Egwuatu granted the application as prayed.
He, however, held that the applicant should after effecting the service, depose to an affidavit to indicate the name of the INEC official the processes were handed to.
The case was subsequently adjourned to July 15 for mention.
Alex Enumah in Abuja A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted the National Rescue Movement (NRM) permission to serve its contempt charge against the Chairman of the Independent
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- June 17, 2025
- 23 views
CREDICORP: We’ll Link Citizens’ Credit Scores to NIN For A Centralised Credit Bureau
CREDICORP: We’ll Link Citizens’ Credit Scores to NIN For A Centralised Credit Bureau
.Move aimed at combating corruption through account tracking and recovery of unpaid loans
Deji Elumoye in Abuja
The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that plans are underway to link citizens’ credit scores significantly to National Identification Number (NIN).
Through this, governnent will establish a centralised credit bureau for the whole country and build a comprehensive database of Nigeria’s credit profiles.
Addressing newsmen at the State House, Abuja, Managing Director of CREDICORP, Uzoma Nwagba, explained that linking credit scores to the NIN will have real-life benefits for Nigerians.
According to him, all lenders will be required to report loan repayments, guaranteeing that every Nigerian maintains an accurate credit score.
His words: “More importantly, there will be consequences for loan defaulters, but these will be subtle and structured rather than predatory. May be you want to renew your passport, but if something shows that you owe money somewhere, you may not be able to proceed. The same applies to renewing your driver’s license or renting a house. There is no hiding place.
“This system ensures that whether your money is in a commercial bank, FinTech, or microfinance institution, loans taken and not repaid will be tracked and recoverable.
“The essence is for everyone to have a credit score. We are gathering comprehensive financial and non-financial data to develop a structural algorithm that will score every Nigerian; there will be no hiding place for anyone again.”
Nwagba further stressed that CREDICORP’s mission include establishing credit infrastructure and pointed out its role in combating corruption and its key objective of driving industry growth by facilitating consumer credit to help Nigerians buy locally manufactured products, thereby promoting the Nigeria First policy.
He said: “The first goal is to improve the quality of life. This is not even my idea. It is what the President has always said. His second goal is to stem corruption. Again, it comes back to this idea that people who are faced with pressures to get into unsavoury practices of corruption is because they do not have the capital, the funding that they need to lead a decent life, but like that. Of course, but quite a bit of corruption, especially in the civil service, comes from the need to have a decent life and not having the upfront capital to deal with it. So you want to build a house, and you have to put in 40 million naira of effort.
“So, by people having more access to consumer credit, the pressures on their current active income reduce. So the second reason stems from corruption. The third reason is to catalyze industry, which is that if we can channel the consumer credit that we are giving to Nigerians to purchase locally manufactured goods with a more deliberate about that, then what would happen is that those industries can also grow, because you are now bringing purchasing power to them, and you create jobs, so improve lives, stem corruption, catalyze industry.”
The Managing Director tasked all financial institutions to partner with CREDICORP, disclosing that Nigeria needs about N183 trillion in credit to effectively develop the country level towards an efficient consumer credit facility.
“No government has that kind of money, so all financial institutions must commit to consumer credit. With the right infrastructure, lenders will be more relaxed and willing to provide loans, making credit more accessible.”
Nwagba also talked about government’s forthcoming consumer credit program targeting 400,000 Nigerian youths, noting that CREDICORP has already begun providing loans to National Youth Service Corps members through its YouthCred scheme.
He stressed that the initiative is designed to enhance the living standards of young Nigerians while equipping them with responsible credit management skills for the future.
Nwagba also revealed that all is now set for the official launch of the program, with all platforms, systems, and processes fully established.
“On the President’s announcement on youth cred, Youth cred is now, it is for the NYSC members and youth in general, the target is 400,000 Nigerians. All its platforms, systems, and processes have been set up. We are just essentially tightening up some sort of launch process. It has started, quite frankly”, he further stated.
.Move aimed at combating corruption through account tracking and recovery of unpaid loans Deji Elumoye in Abuja The Federal Government on Tuesday disclosed that plans are underway to link citizens’
