Author: user user

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Kwara South senatorial district, Hon. Prince Saheed Olamilekan Popoolaha, and the leader of Orisun Igbomina, Chief Gbenga Awoyale, have approached the Federal High Court in Ilorin over alleged unlawful arrest, detention and threats of further detention.

The duo filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Commissioner of Police in Kwara State and the All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking judicial intervention over the circumstances surrounding their arrest and subsequent interactions with the police.

According to court documents, Popoolaha and Awoyale alleged that they were arrested and detained at the Nigeria Police Force’s ‘D’ Division in Adewole, Ilorin, on October 15, 2026, following a petition reportedly filed by the APC.

The petition allegedly accused the two political figures of inciting members of the public against the government through comments about the security situation in the state.

However, the applicants maintained that their remarks were intended to criticise the security challenges facing the state rather than incite the public. They also alleged that some video clips shown to them by the police differed from the materials described in the petition.

The court documents indicated that the applicants were released on bail after making statements to the police.

Popoolaha and Awoyale further alleged that on October 22, 2026, they were informed that the petition had been forwarded to the Commissioner of Police, who directed that it be sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

They claimed that they were subsequently asked to report to the police authorities on October 23, 2026, prompting concerns about possible re-arrest and further detention. They said these concerns led them to seek the court’s protection.

Applicants seek ?50m in damages

In their application, the applicants are asking the Federal High Court to declare that their alleged arrest and detention violated their fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty and freedom of movement, as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

They are also seeking an order restraining the respondents from taking further action in connection with the matter in a manner that would unlawfully infringe on their constitutionally protected rights.

Additionally, Popoolaha and Awoyale are demanding ?50 million in damages over the alleged violation of their fundamental rights.

The applicants have asked the court to examine the circumstances surrounding their arrest and detention and determine whether their constitutional rights were violated.

The Sokoto State House of Assembly has passed the State Police Bill, joining other state legislatures in the ongoing effort to decentralise Nigeria’s policing system amid persistent security challenges.

The bill was passed unanimously during plenary on Tuesday, presided over by the Speaker, Tukur Bala Bodinga.

Confirming the development, Bodinga told our correspondent that the lawmakers had approved the bill, adding that an official statement would be released shortly.

‘Yes, we have passed the bill today. You will see the statement any moment from now,’ the Speaker said.

The development comes amid growing calls for the restructuring of Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly in the North-West, where banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes continue to threaten lives and property.

Proponents of state police argue that decentralising police operations would enable security agencies to respond more quickly to threats, improve intelligence gathering and strengthen collaboration with local communities.

They also contend that police officers operating within their respective states would be better positioned to understand the local terrain, identify emerging security threats and prevent criminal activities.

However, the proposed policing system has raised concerns over potential political interference, funding, operational independence and the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights.

Experts have stressed that effective implementation would require adequate funding, professional training, independent oversight and robust accountability mechanisms to prevent abuse of power and ensure respect for the rule of law.

The passage of the bill by the Sokoto Assembly marks a step in the ongoing efforts to establish state police through the constitutional amendment process.

The National Assembly had earlier forwarded the proposed state police framework to state legislatures for consideration as part of the process of amending the Constitution to permit the establishment of state police.

The Sokoto Assembly is expected to issue an official statement providing further details on the bill’s passage.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Kalu, on Monday flagged off the Renewed Hope Light Up Project in Bende Federal Constituency of Abia State, targeting 42,000 households across the 13 electoral wards of the constituency with solar lights.

He also distributed 26 power transformers to the wards to connect communities to the national electricity grid.

Commissioning the solar lights, which marked the second phase of the project, the Deputy Speaker, who represents the constituency at the National Assembly, described access to power as the pressing need of the people uncovered during a constituency-wide needs assessment.

He said: ‘In representation, one of the key expectations of the office of a representative is to do needs analysis, and in the course of doing needs analysis, we discovered that one of our greatest problems in this federal constituency is darkness, lack of access to power and that has affected our economic life, the security life of the community, the human capacity development and job creation, all of which fall under the proposition of the Renewed Hope Agenda, the eight agenda of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who from the start intended to improve the economic life of our nation, starting from the communities; create more jobs; improve the security of our communities, human capacity development, agriculture and food security and the list goes on’

The Deputy Speaker said the project had two components: connecting communities to the national grid through transformer distribution and providing alternative energy through solar for all homes in the constituency.

He said the intervention aligned with the eight-point Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to improve the economic life of Nigerians, starting from the communities.

‘What we are doing today has a multiple effect, a ripple effect that trickles down to different aspects of this Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. Today, we stand as the partners of the Renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President. We call ourselves Renewed Hope Partners. We are members of APC, Bende constituents who believe in the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his agenda to improve the lives of the people of Nigeria starting from Bende federal constituency.

‘What we are here to do is to drive that vision home, by making it a mission that our people can feel, touch and experience. Light before now to many homes in Bende seemed to be luxury. That has been demystified,’ he said.

The Deputy Speaker further disclosed that he received approval of the plan from President Tinubu when he presented the figure of 42,000 households with a request to ensure that children could read at night without kerosene lanterns and that families could power their fans and charge phones.

He expressed profound gratitude to the President for his interventions in Bende in particular and in the entire South-East in general, noting that the Light Up Project was aimed at making its impact felt directly by rural households in Bende.

‘Let me thank the President for initiating Renewed Hope Agenda which has been the roadmap towards the achievements we have made in the last few years.

‘There is nothing we are doing in Bende, in Igboland as members of this government that has not been approved by the President. He is a President that loves the south Easterners and he is making sure that most of the landmark initiatives commence from this area of the country. Today, we are saying bye bye to darkness in Bende Federal Constituency’, Kalu said.

Explaining that the rollout was in batches of 10,000 households, Hon. Kalu said 1,000 solar units had already been distributed to beneficiaries from all electoral wards in the constituency who were present at the ceremony to testify.

He said each solar unit would serve for 10 years, revealing that it came with a maintenance agreement.

‘The people who are handling this have said that this particular solar will serve our people for 10 good years which means you are not going to look for kerosene to power your lanterns in 10 good years, where to charge your phone, power fan. The arrangement we have made with them is that if anything goes bad, we will invite them to come back and fix it as far as you didn’t break it’, he said.

The Deputy Speaker also assured that the first 10,000 of the solar lights distributed on Monday would be completed in the next two weeks before the next batch began.

‘In the next two weeks, I am sure this 10,000 will be done with and another 10,000 will come in and that is how we will follow it until we finish’, he said.

To ensure accountability and prevent diversion of the solar lights, Kalu said all installations were geo-located and programmed through an app, adding that it was the first time 42,000 homes in a single federal constituency would receive solar power in Nigeria.

‘All the installations will be geo-located through the App. Let me warn. Don’t take your own meant for Item to Ozuitem, it will not work. They are all programmed. This is the first of its kind in the Federal Republic of Nigeria that 42,000 homes will receive light in a federal constituency,’ he said.

Also distributing the brand-new transformers, Hon. Kalu explained that each of the 13 wards in Bende would receive two transformers to gain access to the national grid and help boost their small and medium enterprises.

‘Just like we promised that the light in Bende is in two phases, we have the one for national grid and then, we have places that have not experienced the effect of national grid. Based on that, we requested for alternative source of energy that is environmentally friendly and we chose solar. But we also know that while solar handles the home, the small and medium scale enterprises across Bende need support to power fridges, welding machines, small scale industries, you need a transformer to pick up power from the national grid. So, we have made provisions for all the Wards. Every Ward in Bende Federal Constituency wil receive two transformers.

‘The decision on where they will be located will not be based on sentiment and will not be political. It will be needs- influenced decision. It will be decision based on lack of access to electricity. Thereafter, all parts will follow. So, my advise to the leaders when you go back is that these should not be packed in anybody’s home. They should be placed around the place it will be easier to be hooked to the national grid to be begin to serve greater number of the people.

‘We must choose a location where wider number of our constituents will enjoy access to electricity. We are doing all this because of the ripple effect power brings. If you see us distributing solar fans, it is to prevent the heat waves so that Bende people will not be badly impacted by the heat wave that is coming from the global warming. We also believe that these transformers will add values that will protect us from global warming.

‘I want to thank Bende people for sending me to Abuja. I want to thank them for making that decision. The decision is what is fetching what is happening here today and many more that we have done as well as much more that we will do in the coming days.

‘Secure these transformers when it gets to your place. It will be economic sabotage if you tamper with them. They should be protected by the youths, the Presidents-General and the traditional rulers because it is meant to serve Bende communities and everyone in Bende both those in APC and those not in APC. These transformers do not know the colour of political parties. It will serve everyone that I am representing,’ Hon. Kalu said.

The Deputy Speaker also signed a ?100 million contract with the electricity company that installed the transformers for the restoration of light to Item and Alayi wards, which have been disconnected for years.

Some constituents representing the 13 electoral wards and the Presidents-General of different town unions, who testified to the effective representation of the Deputy Speaker at the commissioning, pledged to vote massively for both President Tinubu and Kalu in the 2027 general elections to continue their people-oriented projects.

The black plastic overhead water tank is a permanent feature in many homes. Because municipal public tap water is practically non-existent in most cities, households rely heavily on private boreholes or well water pumped into these high-rise tanks to serve daily domestic needs.

We use this stored water for bathing, washing cooking utensils, brushing our teeth, and sometimes even for drinking after basic filtering. However, because these tanks are usually perched high up on tank stands or roof slabs, out of sight truly becomes out of mind for many tenants and landlords.

Over time, dust, fallen leaves, bird droppings, and tiny insects creep inside through loose lids or broken pipe fittings. When raw borehole water sits trapped inside a warm plastic container under intense sunshine, it creates a perfect breeding ground for disease-causing germs.

According to water quality monitoring reports by health organizations like UNICEF Nigeria, consuming or washing with water contaminated by fecal bacteria such as E. coli remains a primary trigger for recurrent typhoid, severe diarrhea, and stubborn skin infections across urban communities.

In this article, Tribune Online examines four distinct physical signs that indicate your apartment’s water storage tank has been colonized by harmful bacteria, along with the step-by-step actions required to restore safe water flow.

Foul smell coming from your kitchen and bathroom taps

When you open your tap in the morning and immediately catch an earthy, musty, or rotten-egg odor, your water tank is sending an urgent distress signal.

Clean domestic water is naturally odorless. A strong, pungent smell usually means that organic matter such as dead lizards, trapped insects, or thick sludge at the bottom of the tank has begun to decay. Anaerobic bacteria feed on this rotting organic waste, releasing foul gases that mix directly into the water flowing down to your taps.

Ignoring this bad odor means your family is routinely washing with water heavily populated by bacterial colonies. The smell alone is proof that the natural microbial balance inside the storage container has broken down completely.

Murky, yellowish, or brownish discoloration in buckets

When you fetch water into a white bucket or washbasin and notice a cloudy, yellow, or muddy tint, the storage environment is seriously compromised.

Over months of pumping water, fine silt, iron rust, and mud particles carried up from the borehole gradually settle at the floor of the tank. As the layer of mud grows thicker, it creates a nutrient-rich environment where bacteria multiply rapidly.

Every time fresh water is pumped into the tank, the incoming pressure violently stirs up this toxic bottom mud, turning your tap water murky brown. Using discolored water to cook or wash dishes exposes your entire household to immediate gastrointestinal risks.

Slippery or slimy layer inside taps and bucket walls

If you run your fingers along the inner walls of your plastic water buckets or around the mouth of your bathroom tap and feel a slippery, greasy film, you are touching a living bacterial biofilm.

Biofilm is a glue-like layer created when microscopic bacteria adhere to wet surfaces and construct a protective shield around themselves. This layer allows colonies of bacteria and green algae to attach firmly to the plastic walls of your overhead tank and inside the delivery pipes.

Once a biofilm forms inside your water system, normal water flow cannot wash it away. It continuously releases fresh bacteria into every drop of water passing through the system, rendering ordinary washing soaps ineffective against contamination.

Unexplained recurrent typhoid and skin irritations at home

Sometimes the clearest proof of water tank contamination does not appear in the water glass, but on the body of family members living in the building.

If multiple tenants or family members continually suffer from unexplained stomach cramps, frequent bouts of typhoid, or persistent skin rashes and body itching shortly after bathing, your water supply is likely heavily infected.

Pathogens like Salmonella and harmful coliform bacteria thrive inside unwashed tanks, easily entering human bodies through small skin abrasions, accidental ingestion during showers, or contaminated eating plates. When sickness becomes a recurring monthly routine in an apartment block, the overhead tank is usually the hidden culprit.

Step-by-step: how to safely clean and disinfect your water tank

Restoring safety to your domestic water supply requires a systematic cleaning process rather than a quick surface rinse.

First, turn off the main water pump power switch and isolate the tank outlet valve so dirty water does not flow down into house piping. Open the drain valve at the base of the tank or use a bucket to bail out the remaining water until only a few inches of water remain over the bottom mud layer.

Second, physically scrub the inner walls, floor, and corners of the tank using a clean, stiff-bristled brush to break off all slippery biofilm, algae, and stubborn mud crusts. Scoop out all the loosened dirty sludge completely using a small container and mop up remaining residues until the plastic surface is clean to the touch.

Third, disinfect the system thoroughly before refilling. Mix household liquid bleach (chlorine solution) with clean water at a standard ratio typically about one liter of regular household bleach for every thousand liters of tank capacity and brush it over the inner walls, allowing it to sit for at least two hours to kill remaining bacterial spores.

Finally, rinse the tank thoroughly with clean borehole water, flush the drain line completely, and refill the tank with fresh water. Ensure that the top lid is fitted with a tight lock or secure rubber seal to prevent sunlight, mosquitoes, dust, and wild birds from entering the tank ever again.

Nigeria is working to establish a framework to attract climate finance for smallholder farmers, with experts advocating targeted investments, digital accountability and stronger financial systems to address the effects of climate change on agriculture.

The initiative aims to improve access to financing for farmers affected by drought, flooding and other climate-related challenges.

Chairman of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Technology Transfer (PICTT), Dr Dahiru Muhammed, disclosed this at a Taxonomy Validation Workshop on Adaptation and Resilience Solutions organised by PICTT, in collaboration with YAPU Solutions.

Muhammed said the workshop was designed to develop an implementation framework for national taxonomy, which defines activities eligible for climate finance.

He explained that the Federal Ministry of Finance and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were working on the national taxonomy, while PICTT and its partners were focusing on making the framework operational and accessible to rural communities.

‘Having a national taxonomy is good, but without defining which activity qualifies as adaptive or resilient to climate change, there is no way you can access the financing,’ he said.

Muhammed clarified that the financing had not yet been assessed, noting that stakeholders were still developing the framework and identifying the partners required to implement it.

He said governments at the federal, state and local levels should work together to address climate-related challenges, particularly flooding, through improved infrastructure and effective mitigation measures.

On PICTT’s achievements, he highlighted its work in technology transfer, agricultural development and helping entrepreneurs transform research into commercially viable products.

Country Representative of WorldFish in Nigeria, Dr Charles Nyangbe, said Nigeria needed financial instruments tailored to the different climate challenges confronting farmers.

He noted that northern Nigeria faced drought, while southern communities experienced flooding and waterlogging, requiring different adaptation strategies and financing arrangements.

Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir, Yusuf has warned political appointees and All Progressives Congress (APC) officials against selling empowerment items distributed to constituents, threatening to sack anyone found diverting the items from their intended beneficiaries.

The programme featured the distribution of 16 vehicles, 400 motorcycles and 200 sewing machines to beneficiaries to promote economic empowerment and improve livelihoods across the district.

The governor, represented by the APC State Chairman, Umar Haruna Doguwa, issued the warning on Monday night during the 12th empowerment programme organised by Senator Abdurrahman Kawu Sumaila, representing Kano South Senatorial District.

‘Whoever sold this intervention will go with his position; I will personally sack him. It is meant for your welfare, not selling, especially party leaders,’ Yusuf warned.

He urged beneficiaries to make proper use of the items for the purposes for which they were provided, stressing that the initiative was designed to improve their welfare, strengthen small businesses and create economic opportunities.

The governor also expressed confidence in the APC’s prospects in the 2027 general elections, urging party members to intensify their mobilisation and work towards securing victory.

‘We are hopeful that victory is ours come 2027 general elections, God willing. Let’s continue to work assiduously,’ he said.

At the event, 16 vehicles were presented to APC local government chairmen, while 400 motorcycles were distributed to party executives across Kano South Senatorial District.

In the tailoring sector, 200 beneficiaries received empowerment packages comprising two standard sewing machines and one industrial sewing machine each, aimed at expanding their businesses, creating employment opportunities and enabling them to train others.

Speaking at the occasion, Senator Sumaila said the programme reflected his commitment to translating the confidence reposed in him by his constituents into tangible development, economic independence and sustainable livelihoods.

He acknowledged the economic and developmental challenges confronting the people over the past three years but maintained that his commitment to delivering democratic dividends to the people of Kano South remained unwavering.

The senator highlighted interventions in security, road infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare and water supply as some of the achievements recorded during his tenure.

On security, Sumaila reaffirmed his commitment to supporting efforts to protect lives and property across the district. He also commended local vigilante members, popularly known as Yan Sa-kai, for their efforts in securing Falgore Forest in Doguwa Local Government Area.

On infrastructure, he said several roads had been constructed, bridges built, drainage systems installed and damaged roads rehabilitated to improve transportation and facilitate commercial activities.

In agriculture, the lawmaker said farmers had benefited from the distribution of machinery, farming implements, improved seeds and thousands of bags of fertiliser to support both wet-season and dry-season farming.

He added that motorised, solar-powered and hand-pump boreholes had been provided in various communities to improve access to clean water.

On education, Sumaila said schools had been constructed and rehabilitated and learning materials supplied, while more than 1,000 students in secondary and tertiary institutions had received educational support.

He further disclosed that healthcare facilities across the district had been renovated and equipped with modern medical tools to improve access to quality medical services.

The senator thanked Almighty Allah for the opportunity to serve, noting that the achievements recorded during his first term demonstrated what dedicated leadership could accomplish despite prevailing challenges.

He appealed to his constituents to remain understanding and supportive, acknowledging that it was impossible for one individual to meet every personal request.

Sumaila assured the people that he would continue working to ensure that the benefits of his mandate reached all parts of Kano South, with particular emphasis on human capital development, economic empowerment and improved living standards.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called on the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to urgently investigate a viral video allegedly showing a young man leading a group of boys in chants threatening attacks on Christians in Enugu and Jos during Sunday worship.

The association condemned the video, calling the threats alarming and unacceptable, and urged authorities to identify those involved and establish the circumstances surrounding the recording.

CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, made the call in a statement issued on Tuesday, warning that threats of religious violence must not be dismissed as harmless chants or youthful exuberance.

The association said the apparent involvement of children and young people in chants calling for the use of AK-47 rifles against Christian worshippers raised serious concerns about the promotion of religious hatred among the younger generation.

‘No Nigerian should have to fear for their life because of their faith or face the prospect of violence simply for gathering to worship God,’ the statement said.

CAN urged security agencies to establish when and where the video was recorded, identify those featured in it and determine the individuals or groups that may have organised or facilitated the activity.

It also called on the authorities to assess credible security threats arising from the video and take appropriate measures to protect Christian communities and places of worship in Enugu, Jos and other parts of the country.

The association stressed that Nigerians must be able to attend religious services without fear of attacks or intimidation.

While acknowledging the leadership of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS) ‘s reported disavowal of the video, CAN said an independent investigation remained necessary to establish the facts.

According to the association, the denial of responsibility by any organisation should not prevent investigators from determining the identities of those involved, the origin of the video and the circumstances surrounding the chants.