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Senator representing Anambra Central Senatorial District, Victor Umeh, has expressed confidence that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, Rabi’u Kwankwaso, cannot be defeated in Kano in the 2027 presidential election if the poll is credible.

Umeh stated this on Friday while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke on the NDC’s preparedness for the 2027 general elections.

The senator said the popularity of Kwankwaso in Kano would give the NDC a strong advantage in the state, regardless of the political opposition against him.

‘No matter the noise they make in Kano, nobody can beat Kwankwaso there once the election is credible, transparent, free, and fair. I can bet it.

‘I’m working with him and other leaders of the party very closely. The party is well more prepared to be an opposition party that will contest this election with very credible candidates.

‘Look at what our Rivers State governorship candidate, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, did in Port Harcourt in his first outing. Port Harcourt was shut down.

‘Those people following them in Port Harcourt last week are Nigerians that will vote. Why were they following our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, like Jesus was crossing, and people were marching around him? Something must be motivating and driving the people, the voting population,’ he said.

The Chairman of Etsako East Local Government Council Area of Edo State, Sunny Ekpetika Ekpeson, has dismissed as false the video making the rounds in which he was alleged to have sworn in the councillors for the local government in Benin City, the state capital, rather than at Agenebode, the headquarters of the council.

Ekpeson, who doubles as the Edo State Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), described the allegation that he performed the swearing-in of the councillors at a hotel in Benin City, hours after Governor Monday Okpebholo swore in the 18 local government chairmen, as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public.

Ekpeson, while reacting to the video circulated by an online platform, said the footage had been taken out of context and distorted to create a false narrative about the inauguration of the newly elected councillors and other council officials.

According to him, he was in Benin City in the discharge of his responsibilities as Edo State ALGON Chairman when he invited the newly inaugurated councillors to meet with him for an address.

‘I simply called my councillors to address them,’ he explained.

The chairman noted that unlike some of his colleagues who had returned to their respective local government secretariats to commence official duties, his responsibilities as ALGON chairman required him to remain in Benin City for engagements at the state and national levels.

Ekpeson explained that the existence of a vice chairman within the local government administration provides for the delegation of responsibilities when the chairman is unavailable.

‘I am in Benin to perform my duty as ALGON Chairman, and I believe that is why we have vice chairmen at the local government. Where you cannot perform, you delegate power,’ he said.

He disclosed that he consequently delegated the vice chairman of the local government area, Charles Aloaye Dagana, to swear in the Secretary to the Local Government (SLG) and the 10 elected ward councillors.

Ekpeson said the swearing-in was duly conducted, adding that photographic and video evidence of the exercise was available for verification.

He therefore challenged those behind the viral report to verify their facts before publishing, accusing some online content creators of deliberately circulating unverified information in pursuit of traffic and engagement.

‘Whatever fake peddlers are pushing out is just a way for their survival because if they don’t push those things, they won’t have traffic. My focus is how to give Etsako East people who entrusted me with their mandate to feel the dividend of democracy,’ Ekpeson declared.

The Etsako East chairman also appealed to online publishers and content creators to exercise responsibility in the use of their platforms, particularly when reporting matters concerning public officials and government activities.

He warned against deliberately misleading the public merely to generate clicks, engagement and online traffic.

‘If online peddlers think posting my name would put food on their table without verification, they should carry on. At least, my name has helped a life. Glory be to God,’ he added.

It took only a few minutes of Pete Edochie speaking about his place in the Nigerian acting profession for an old debate to resurface.

During a recent appearance on comedian Isbae U’s Curiosity Made Me Ask, the veteran actor was asked to name his favourite actor. Rather than choose one of his contemporaries, Edochie declared that he was bigger than his colleagues.

He also addressed seniority in the profession, challenging anyone who believed they were on the same level as him to say so publicly.

The remarks prompted Nigerians to compare Edochie with other veteran actors, bringing old performances and familiar arguments back into focus. One name, in particular, quickly entered the conversation: Olu Jacobs.

The two men are not known as bitter rivals, nor has their relationship been defined by an open contest for supremacy. Yet whenever Nigerians discuss the highest echelon of Nigerian acting, Edochie and Jacobs often find themselves on opposite sides of the comparison.

For years, Nigerian movie lovers have had one seemingly simple question that has produced anything but simple answers: Who is the greater actor between Pete Edochie and Olu Jacobs?

Is it the ability to command a scene with a voice and a look? Is it versatility-the capacity to become an entirely different person from one film to another? Or should greatness be measured by longevity, cultural impact, awards, international recognition and memorable performances?

Depending on the answer, the preferred actor changes.

Two giants, two different styles

Pete Edochie and Olu Jacobs belong to the same generation of veteran actors, but they developed contrasting identities on screen.

Edochie is known for his deep, commanding voice, deliberate delivery and powerful portrayal of kings, chiefs, fathers, elders and community leaders. His performance as Okonkwo in the television adaptation of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart remains one of his defining roles, showcasing the intensity, pride and authority that became his trademarks.

His use of proverbs and ability to give weight to every line have also made him a favourite among audiences drawn to the cultural richness of Nigerian storytelling. For his supporters, Edochie does not merely play authority; he embodies it.

Jacobs, by contrast, built his reputation on versatility. His career began in theatre and television and extended to international productions before he became one of the most respected faces of Nigerian cinema.

He could convincingly play a wealthy businessman, traditional ruler, strict father, politician, villain, comic elder or vulnerable husband without appearing trapped in one screen identity. For his admirers, that range is the strongest argument for placing him among Nigeria’s greatest actors.

The two men therefore represent different schools of Nigerian acting: Edochie, the commanding embodiment of authority and cultural identity; Jacobs, the refined performer celebrated for transformation and range.

The debate is older than social media

It may seem as though social media created the Pete Edochie versus Olu Jacobs argument, but that is far from the truth.

Long before X became a place where Nigerians debated everything from politics to football and entertainment, movie lovers were already having conversations about the two actors.

Old online discussions show that fans have been comparing their acting abilities for years.

The arguments have also remained surprisingly consistent.

Those supporting Edochie point to his screen presence, voice, cultural depth, longevity and ability to command a scene. His supporters often argue that there are certain roles that simply feel incomplete without his presence.

Those backing Jacobs usually highlight his versatility, experience across different forms of acting and ability to convincingly interpret a wide variety of characters.

In many ways, the disagreement is not really about whether either man can act. Both have already proved that.

It is about what audiences believe acting greatness should mean.

Before Nollywood became Nollywood

One thing that makes the comparison particularly interesting is the fact that both men belong to an era when the Nigerian entertainment industry was very different from what it is today.

There was no social media to build an audience. There were no streaming platforms giving actors global visibility overnight. The Nigerian film industry was not yet the international brand that it has become.

Actors had to establish themselves through theatre, television, radio and the limited film opportunities available at the time.

Edochie has said his acting journey dates back to 1962, when he was 15 years old and performed The Merchant of Venice on stage.

That history matters when considering his recent comments about seniority.

His career did not begin with Nollywood because Nollywood itself did not yet exist as the industry Nigerians know today.

The same broader tradition shaped Jacobs, whose career also developed through theatre and television before the rise of Nigerian home videos transformed the entertainment landscape.

Their generation therefore helped create the foundation upon which today’s Nigerian film industry stands.

What does it mean to be a senior actor?

The latest controversy has also reopened the question of how seniority should be measured in the Nigerian acting industry.

Is it the year an actor first appeared on stage? The number of years spent professionally? The number of films? Awards? International recognition? Influence on younger actors?

Or should it simply be the ability to remain relevant to audiences over several decades?

There is no single answer.

An actor may have started earlier but worked mainly in one area. Another may have entered the industry later but demonstrated a wider range. One may have become a household name through traditional roles, while another gained recognition through theatre, television and international productions.

This is where comparisons such as Edochie versus Jacobs become difficult.

There is no objective scorecard for measuring screen presence or the emotional effect an actor has on an audience.

More than kings and chiefs

One of the criticisms sometimes made about Edochie’s acting is that audiences have become so accustomed to seeing him as a king, elder or traditional authority figure that his screen image is closely tied to those roles.

But that familiarity can also be seen as evidence of the strength of his acting identity.

Actors are often remembered for the kinds of roles they make their own.

For Edochie, the traditional ruler and authoritative elder became almost a signature.

Jacobs’ reputation developed around a different kind of flexibility. He could be authoritative without always being the traditional king. He could be gentle in one production and intimidating in another.

That difference is important because it explains why two people can watch the same films and reach completely different conclusions about who is better.

One viewer may value the actor who owns a particular kind of role. Another may prefer the actor who can transform repeatedly.

Are they really rivals?

Social media often presents the debate as though Edochie and Jacobs have spent their careers competing against each other.

The reality is more complicated.

The two actors have been colleagues and have shared the same industry for decades. Edochie has, at different times, pushed back against attempts to create rivalry between them, describing Jacobs as a long-time friend.

Their careers can be compared without turning their professional legacies into a personal feud.

That distinction is important, especially in the age of social media, where an innocent comparison can quickly become a fan war.

The actors themselves do not need to be fighting for audiences to debate their work.

The legacy question

Perhaps the most interesting part of the current conversation is that both actors have already achieved something that cannot easily be taken away by an online argument: legacy.

Edochie’s name is firmly attached to some of the most recognisable portrayals of authority and traditional African characters in Nigerian screen history.

His voice, expressions, delivery and use of language have become instantly recognisable to generations of viewers.

Jacobs, meanwhile, represents another important side of Nigerian acting. His long career across theatre, television, international productions and Nollywood established him as one of the country’s most versatile performers.

Both have influenced younger actors, whether directly through mentorship and professional relationships or indirectly through the performances audiences watched while growing up.

That influence is perhaps a more meaningful measure of greatness than the number of people who vote for an actor during a social-media argument.

So, who is the greater actor?

After all the arguments, there may be no answer that satisfies everyone.

If greatness is measured by commanding screen presence, cultural identity, distinctive voice and memorable portrayals of authority, Edochie has a powerful case.

If it is measured by versatility, range and the ability to move between vastly different characters, Jacobs has an equally compelling claim.

If it is measured by longevity, both men stand tall.

If it is measured by influence, both have left marks on Nigerian acting that younger generations continue to encounter.

Perhaps the problem is that Nigerians keep trying to answer a question that does not have to produce only one winner.

Pete Edochie and Olu Jacobs represent different strengths within the same acting tradition. One became particularly associated with power, tradition and commanding presence; the other with range, refinement and transformation.

The social-media debate may eventually disappear, only to return the next time one of the actors’ old performances resurfaces or a new interview sparks another conversation.

But that may actually be the clearest evidence of their impact.

Decades after they began their careers, Nigerians are still watching their work, remembering their characters and arguing about who did it better.

In an industry where fame can be fleeting and new stars emerge almost every week, that kind of staying power itself is a form of greatness.

The traditional ruler of Igbesi community in the Isin local government area of Kwara, Oba Moses Oyinloye Iwedunmoye I, who was recently rescued from abductors, has died.

Tribune Online gathered that the monarch died early Saturday morning after a brief illness in a private hospital following his release on August 27.

The death of the traditional ruler of Igbesi-land was announced on Saturday by the National President of Omo Ibile Igbomina, Bisi Fakayode.

Fakayode, who expressed sadness over the development, prayed for the repose of the monarch’s soul.

The monarch’s son, Prince Olasunkanmi, also confirmed the death.

‘Yes, the news is true. He died after a brief illness following his release. We took him to the hospital, hoping he would survive, but he died there very early this morning.’

Also, the coordinator of the Kwara South Joint Security Watch, Elder Olaitan Oyin Zubair, in a tribute, said, ‘With deep sorrow, we received the news of the passing of Oba Onigbesi of Igbesi.

‘We have lost a committed son of Igbesi and a revered monarch.

‘On behalf of myself, my family, and all members of Joint Security Watch Kwara South, including all security operatives who participated in the rescue of the late Oba Oyinloye, we commiserate with his immediate family, the entire Igbesi people, and the Isin LGA over this monumental loss.

‘It is indeed saddening that despite our efforts to save his life, it ended in futility’.

‘We strongly suspect that the late Oba Oyinloye died from the trauma he suffered during his abduction.

‘As a matter of fact, he looked too feeble after the rescue. We had wished and prayed that he would be alive.

‘Our only solace is that he was rescued, and that he passed on in the hands of his loved ones’.

Also, the Igbomina Elders Council, under the leadership of Chief Solo Olaoye, has commiserated with the family, Igbesi Community, Isin Traditional Council, and the people of Isin LG on the death of Oba Oyinloye.

In a statement signed by the secretary of the group, Chief Layi Ogundele, the people said that the death was an aftermath of the monarch’s recent abduction, ‘by the evil men and subsequent rescue by security operatives.

‘This is another avoidable death, too many in Igbomina land. While we commend our security personnel’s efforts, we urge the governments at all levels to continue to confront this hydraheaded moster, i.e. kidnapping and banditry in Igbomina land until sanity returns to our land’.

They have been outlawed, but they have not disappeared. Across Lagos, scavengers still roam streets and communities at almost all hours, combing neighbourhoods for scraps, even as allegations of theft and vandalism increasingly trail their activities. Worried residents say their continued presence is giving them sleepless nights, while communities are resorting to their own security measures to keep them out. Dayo Ayeyemi and Francis Iwuchukwu report on the growing concerns over scavengers in Lagos and the apparent difficulty in enforcing the government’s ban.

In January 2025, members of the Lagos State House of Assembly resolved to curb manhole theft and the illegal activities of scavengers in the state.

The lawmakers made the resolution while debating a motion titled, ‘Motion to Curb the Activities of Scavengers and Manhole Theft in Lagos’, moved by Hon. Gbolahon Yishawu (Eti-Osa 2).

According to the lawmakers, if the menace of scavenging and manhole theft is not checked in the state, it could lead to an increase in accidents and blockage of drainage systems.

The House, therefore, called on the state governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, to sanction scavengers and cart pushers in order to curb their nefarious activities.

The lawmakers also called on the state government to enforce all relevant environmental laws, stating that there were sufficient laws to curtail such illegal acts in the state.

Interestingly, events and developments within the city in the past few months regarding the activities of scavengers are making it increasingly imperative for the state government to act on the lawmakers’ resolution and save residents and public infrastructure from what some have described as a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.

Investigations by Saturday Tribune, for instance, revealed that scavengers have, of late, become increasingly daring. A common sight in the city, they parade and stroll through virtually every nook and cranny, looking for empty cans, disused iron rods and used PET bottles. It is generally believed that they collect these items for sale as scrap to those in the recycling business as a means of earning a livelihood.

But, of late, residents have become wary that the ranks of these seemingly ‘innocent’ scavengers are being infiltrated by criminal elements. Reports regarding the activities of some of them in the past few years show that they are increasingly taking advantage of unsuspecting residents and even compromising public infrastructure under the guise of scavenging.

Their searches have, of late, gone beyond empty cans, disused iron rods and PET bottles. Some allegedly steal residents’ belongings, especially when residents let down their guard, and also vandalise public facilities.

And tales of such incidents abound. For instance, no fewer than 1,800 manhole covers have reportedly been stolen along the Lagos section of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway between January and August 2026, while over 4,000 manholes were said to have been vandalised across various local government and local council development areas in the state.

Residents are not spared either.

‘There was a time one of the slabs, made of heavy steel, which we used to cover our culvert to enable us to drive into the compound, was picked by these guys,’ Hakeem, a resident of Olorunto in Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of the state, complained to Saturday Tribune.

According to him, residents only discovered that the item was missing long after it had been stolen since it was not the only slab there. He expressed shock that a slab that heavy could be stolen without anybody noticing.

For Segun Odunewu, the Public Relations Officer of Abesan Estate, residents of the estate are conscious of the nefarious activities of some of these people and have deployed strategies to check them.

According to him, while the estate authorities could not restrict anybody from entering the estate, the movement of such individuals could, however, be restricted within it.

‘Those people steal a lot. And what we have done is to divide the estate into sectors. That means while anybody, including the scavengers, can walk on the major roads within the estate, they are, however, not allowed to move into the zones, that is, go near the buildings where people reside. Such steps have become imperative because those people are capable of doing anything.

‘We’ve heard different reports about them, and we believe if they could damage government bridges all in the name of extracting iron rods, that means they are capable of doing anything,’ he stated.

Besides, he added, the estate had also put up banners at strategic locations, warning scavengers that they were unwanted guests within the estate.

The Chairman of Olorunto Landlords Association, Mr Matthew Ajala, also expressed concerns over the activities of the scavengers. According to him, the community had also placed banners outlawing the activities of such people on its streets.

‘They no longer come to our street and the entire community because every street has such a banner at its entrance and exit, and they have no choice but to obey. Sometimes, they make the mistake of entering the street and once we draw their attention to the banner, they take to their heels,’ he added.

While Mr Rasheed Okoya threw his weight behind the steps taken by the various communities to secure their domains from scavengers, he, however, expressed regret that the situation had degenerated to that level.

Rasheed, an electronics technician, stated that scavengers used to be his major means of disposing of unused items in his shop in the past.

‘Before things suddenly took this negative turn, they used to come to my place and help me clear the shop of disused radios, TV sets and other electronic accessories, and even pay a token to me for doing that. Unfortunately, the thieves among them have succeeded in shutting society’s door against the innocent ones,’ he added.

Disaster waiting to happen

Decrying the activities of scavengers and the vandalisation of bridge components, an expert in the nation’s built environment, Kunle Awobodu, urged the state government to be more proactive in preventing the destruction of public facilities by scavengers operating across the city.

He pointed out that bridge underpasses in Lagos were gradually being converted into rooms, with people living and paying rent there, citing the Opebi, Ikoyi and Yaba bridges.

He said: ‘For instance, we have a flurry of activities going on daily below the Opebi Link Bridge. People have turned the bridge underpass into rooms, and these rooms are controlled by street urchins.

‘Government has not been paying attention to those activities. During the regime of Fashola, he ensured every bridge underpass was beautified so as to prevent it from becoming a den of criminals because, then, most of those places were criminals’ hideouts. They were renting the bridge underpasses to people to sleep under the control of area boys.

‘Vandalism by scavengers is all over the place. Most of the aluminium rails on the Third Mainland Bridge have been stolen. They sold them as scraps. It’s a criminal issue that the police should be involved in,’ he added.

According to him, many of those bridge underpasses are being managed by ‘baales’. He, therefore, urged the government to factor the baales into the security architecture to enable them to monitor and guard the bridges against the activities of vandals.

Also speaking to Saturday Tribune on the issue, another expert, Engineer Oyenuga, noted that besides the financial loss, it was painful to see infrastructure on which Nigerians depend being vandalised.

He described the vandalisation of bridge support systems as a ‘disaster waiting to happen’.

‘If one of the pillars fails, it will transfer more loads to other pillars, which may be too heavy for them to carry, leading to total collapse,’ he said.

Apart from this, he said the collapse of a bridge would be a huge loss to the country, estimating that it could cost more than N6 billion to build a new structure if a bridge failed.

He called on the government to make public declarations about the health of bridges and other public infrastructure in the country so as to determine the extent to which some of those facilities had been compromised.

Existing laws sufficient to handle criminal acts – SAN

Giving a legal perspective to the issue, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Solo Akuma, argued that Nigeria does not require new legislation to address criminal activities allegedly perpetrated by some persons under the guise of scavenging.

According to the legal expert, existing criminal laws are sufficient to deal with offenders.

Speaking on how best to address the growing concerns surrounding scavenging, Chief Akuma noted that although many scavengers legitimately depend on the activity for their livelihood, a fraction of persons involved in the trade allegedly engage in theft, vandalism and the destruction of government and private property.

The senior lawyer declared that it was important to distinguish between legitimate scavengers who search dump sites for recyclable or valuable materials and criminal elements who allegedly exploit scavenging as a cover for unlawful activities.

Akuma said: ‘Some people have found scavenging as a means of livelihood, and there are those who are not criminals among them, who go to dump sites to search for anything valuable they can sell to make a living.’

However, the SAN expressed concern over what he described as a fraction of persons who allegedly abandon legitimate scavenging and instead break into people’s premises, damage public facilities and steal government or private property for resale.

Chief Akuma explained that existing provisions under the Criminal Code and Penal Code already provide legal mechanisms for prosecuting offences such as theft, burglary and destruction of property.

He contended that the major challenge was not the absence of adequate laws but the need for security agencies to be more proactive in preventing and responding to criminal activities.

The senior legal luminary maintained that effective intelligence gathering, surveillance and policing could help security agencies identify and arrest persons allegedly involved in criminal acts linked to scavenging before such activities become widespread.

According to Akuma: ‘If the security agencies are proactive, they’ll be able to arrest the criminals and then deal with them according to law.’

According to the SAN, failure by relevant authorities to act promptly could allow criminal elements operating under the guise of scavenging to continue their activities unchecked.

However, the senior lawyer called for improved monitoring and protection of government facilities and other public assets rather than the enactment of fresh legislation specifically targeted at scavengers.

‘The proper thing to do is not to crave new legislation but to call for proper monitoring of government and policing of government assets so that people will not interfere with them,’ he said.

Akuma maintained that anyone found destroying or damaging government property or the belongings of private citizens in the name of scavenging should be arrested, investigated and prosecuted in accordance with existing laws.

The lawyer stressed that while legitimate scavengers should not be automatically criminalised, those who engage in theft, vandalism or other criminal conduct must be held accountable.

When contacted, Director of Public Affairs of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Kunle Adeshina, disclosed that the activities of scavengers and cart pushers remained outlawed in the state.

The response followed a query by Saturday Tribune on the position of the ministry on scavengers and the number of culprits arrested so far following the recent vandalisation of the Festac-Alakija Bridge in Lagos.

He added that the decision to outlaw their activities in the state stemmed from concerns expressed by residents and the danger their activities pose to public infrastructure.

Soothing as the ministry’s assurance to the public may be, residents of the state are still concerned that the government’s directive in this regard is not being obeyed.

‘The development is giving us sleepless nights. We still see these people at any time of the day, even till the unholy hours of the night, despite their activities being outlawed. We are wary of the security implications of their actions for our well-being, and that is why we want the government to act decisively now,’ said a resident of Agbelekale, a community in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of the state, who did not want his name in print for security reasons.

Osun State Government has defended the extension of the tenure of the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), challenging the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to point to any law breached by the decision.

The government maintained that the extension was carried out in accordance with the law establishing the institution, stressing that UNIOSUN, as a state-owned university, is governed by the Osun State University Establishment Law.

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the Osun government also highlighted its implementation of the 2025 Federal Government-ASUU agreement at the university.

It said UNIOSUN began implementing the agreement before the Federal Government, with payment of the applicable arrears also ongoing.

According to the government, Governor Ademola Adeleke became the second governor, after his Ekiti State counterpart, to approve implementation of the salary component of the agreement.

It described ASUU’s failure to acknowledge the development as surprising, insisting that the state’s record on staff welfare did not support allegations that the government had neglected university lecturers.

On the VC’s tenure, the government rejected ASUU’s description of the extension as arbitrary, saying the process followed the appropriate executive and legislative procedures.

It particularly faulted the union’s reliance on the Federal Universities (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, arguing that the law applies to federal universities and cannot be used as the governing framework for UNIOSUN.

The government said UNIOSUN derives its legal existence and governance structure from the Osun State University Establishment Law.

It further stated that after the Visitor exercised his powers regarding the Vice-Chancellor’s tenure, the Osun State House of Assembly amended relevant provisions of the university’s establishment law.

The state government therefore argued that the tenure extension was not a unilateral decision by the governor but one backed by the applicable legal framework.

ASUU had earlier opposed the extension and the subsequent amendment of the university’s establishment law, warning that the move could set a precedent for governors to interfere in succession arrangements in state-owned universities.

The union also expressed concern that such interventions could undermine institutional autonomy and create avoidable leadership crises in state universities.

The Osun government, however, maintained that the controversy should be examined within the specific law establishing UNIOSUN, rather than legislation governing federal universities.

Jigawa Governor, Mallam Umar Namadi, has honoured the Chairman of Birniwa Local Government Area, Alhaji Shehu Baba Birniwa, for voluntarily undergoing a one-week special training alongside 2,449 Hisbah guards in the state.

The award was presented to the council chairman by the Deputy Governor, Engr. Aminu Usman, who represented the governor at the passing-out ceremony held at the Yakubu Gowon NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Fanisau, Dutse.

Namadi commended Birniwa for demonstrating what he described as exemplary leadership by participating in the training alongside the Hisbah personnel.

He said the chairman’s decision to identify with the personnel during the exercise demonstrated that leaders should not only issue directives but also work alongside those operating at the grassroots.

Speaking after the training, Birniwa said he voluntarily participated in the programme to contribute to efforts to curb social vices and promote peaceful coexistence across the state.

He added that his presence was also aimed at motivating the Hisbah personnel and encouraging other community leaders and residents to support initiatives that promote safer and more peaceful communities.

The chairman acknowledged the role of Hisbah personnel in promoting moral values, discouraging misconduct and supporting peaceful coexistence at the grassroots.

He also commended the Namadi administration for its efforts to strengthen the Hisbah Commission through training, improved welfare, equipment and institutional reforms.

The one-week exercise was organised by the state government for Hisbah personnel drawn from the 27 local government areas of Jigawa.

The training focused on improving the knowledge, discipline, skills and operational capacity of the personnel in tackling social vices and promoting peace and harmony across the state.

Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Governor Usman reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to continuous training, improved welfare and the provision of operational equipment for Hisbah personnel.

He said the exercise formed part of the government’s broader reform programme aimed at making the Hisbah institution more effective and responsive to communities.

Usman disclosed that the government had upgraded the Hisbah Commission to a board to strengthen its institutional capacity.

He also said the monthly minimum allowance for Hisbah personnel had been increased from ?6,000 to ?25,000, while 27 Toyota Hilux vehicles had been provided, one for each local government area, to enhance patrol operations and mobility.

The deputy governor urged the trained personnel to apply the knowledge acquired responsibly and work closely with communities to prevent social vices and promote peace.

He assured them of the government’s continued support towards strengthening the institution and improving its ability to carry out its responsibilities.

The Commander-General of the Jigawa State Hisbah Commission, Dr Muhammad Fa’iz Bashir Haruna, commended the state government for its support, particularly in the areas of welfare, training and provision of operational vehicles.

Haruna said the measures had improved the morale of personnel and enhanced their capacity to carry out their duties.

He urged the trained personnel to justify the confidence placed in them by maintaining discipline, professionalism and commitment in their respective communities.

A batch of fifty-four offshore post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has departed Nigeria for the United Kingdom to resume studies in various universities.

The students took off from Abuja and arrived in London on Friday. They are among the150 beneficiaries that underwent a pre-departure orientation in August following their deployment by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Brutu Otuaro.

The figure brings to 243 the total number of offshore post-graduate scholarships deployed this year by Dr Otuaro.

The scholars will major in programmes such as software engineering, cyber security, global public health, oil and gas engineering, law, fintech analytics, construction engineering management, forensic audit, data science analytics, among others.

Dr Otuaro had advised the students to take their studies seriously and be good ambassadors of Nigeria and the Niger Delta.

He also urged them to respect the laws of the country and also obey the rules and regulations of their respective institutions.

He stressed that they were expected to come back home after their programmes to add value to their communities and nation-building in the spirit of patriotism.

‘Education is the vehicle for the socio-economic advancement and sustainable peace and stability of the Niger Delta.

‘Investing in the education of the youths of the region is a sure way of guaranteeing a greater and better tomorrow for the region’, the PAP boss said.

He attributed the large-scale deployments to the unprecedented support of President Bola Tinubu for the programme under his Renewed hope Agenda.

He also thanked the Office of the National Security Adviser for the support and guidance.

He further praised stakeholders of the programme for their cooperation and encouragement.

Dr Otuaro said, ‘We express our profound appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his massive support for the programme. Without his strong backing, the huge deployments would not have been possible.

‘We are also very grateful to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for his efficient supervision, deep insights and professional input that have helped the programme.’

Nigerian Tribune’s Northern Bureau Chief, MUHAMMAD SABIU, engages the spokesperson of the Middle Belt Forum, Luka Binniyat, on security in the North, the coming elections, and why the forum is backing the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), over his statement on Nasir El-Rufai. He also said it is the turn of the Middle Belt to produce the president in 2031.

For someone who is reading you for the first time, can you please introduce yourself?

Yes. My name is Luka Binniyat. I am from Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna, and I am the National Spokesman of the Middle Belt Forum. I am also the Joint Spokesman of the Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum.

You are from Kaduna, not from the North Central, yet you speak for the Middle Belt Forum. How did that come to be?

Let me try to define what the Middle Belt is so that Nigerians will not confuse the Middle Belt with the six states that make up the North-Central geopolitical zone. The Middle Belt is made up of all the ethnic nationalities, over 300 of them, that are not Hausa, Fulani, or Kanuri. It doesn’t matter whether they are Muslims or Christians. So, if you are from the 19 Northern states plus Abuja, and you are not Hausa, you are not Kanuri, or you are not Fulani, it invariably means that you fall under what we call the Middle Belt.

So, the Middle Belt Forum is the socio-political body that represents the interests of all these ethnic groups. The Middle Belt Forum was formed in 1954 because we were clamouring to be out of the arrangement of the defunct Northern Protectorate. We felt that the core North and we do not share the same values, do not share the same history, and do not share the same identity.

The feudal system that the colonialists arranged, which put us under their subjugation, was unacceptable to our founding fathers. So, the Middle Belt Forum was formed around that time in 1954.

On whether I came on board – since the present EXCO came on board: Yes. I was actually elected as the Kaduna State Chapter Chairman of the Middle Belt Forum in July 2024. The National Headquarters felt that I was very vibrant and that they didn’t have a spokesman who was getting visibility, so they brought me to join them as the National Spokesman of the forum.

What I can categorically say has been an achievement is that we have been able to bring to the conscience of Nigerians that the North is not actually monolithic, that the North actually has other ethnic nationalities that do not belong to the Arewa North, and that the Middle Belt itself cannot be limited to the North-Central geopolitical zone.

We try to enlighten people that the Middle Belt includes Southern Kebbi, Southern Kaduna – I’m the National Spokesman of the Middle Belt Forum and I’m from Southern Kaduna. The President of the Middle Belt Forum himself, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, is from Southern Borno; he is from Chibok, Chibok Local Government. So, the Middle Belt is bigger than the six states that make up the North-Central geopolitical zone. We are in Taraba, Adamawa, Gombe, even parts of Southern Yobe, Southern Bauchi, and the core six states of the North-Central – which includes, of course, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, Niger, and the rest – are all part of the Middle Belt.

So, we have tried to sensitise Nigerians that the real majority in the North are not even the Hausa-Fulani and Kanuri. No, there are so-called minorities – the people that have been branded as minorities, which is an abnormality. Because when it comes to the number of human beings, that is population, and land size, the 19 Northern states plus Abuja is about 732,000 square kilometres, and the Middle Belt region has over 500,000 square kilometres of that land.

We believe that in a free and fair census exercise, there is no way you will tell us that these people who cover this area are a minority. When you aggregate our numbers, we are actually a majority. I agree that if you separate us as individuals, we are all minorities, but if you put the people of the Middle Belt together, we are actually the majority in Northern Nigeria.

That is what we have been able to bring to the conscience of the people. Then, the Middle Belt Forum has also tried to intervene in some intra-ethnic clashes – in Taraba between the Tivs and the Jukuns, in Adamawa between the Jukuns and another tribe. We have tried to see how they can cease fire.

We have also tried to expose the oppression and the killings that have been affecting our people under this very bizarre state of insecurity, both by Boko Haram and by the so-called Fulani bandits. We have raised our voices very loudly.

Then, we have also been able to speak as one voice and vote as a bloc in the 2023 presidential election. That actually showed the Middle Belt went for Peter Obi, and we believe that the results were manipulated against him. So, the Middle Belt is coming out under this EXCO as a formidable bloc, and we are going to take a position very soon on the direction to go in the presidential election of 2027.

All right. The Middle Belt Forum recently seems to be backing the Minister of Defence, retired General Christopher Musa, over his recent allegations against the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai. Don’t you think that as a Federal Minister, he shouldn’t have made such a remark or statement?

In fact, we expected him to say even more than that, because what El-Rufai is being charged with now is a very small allegation compared to the weighty things that he did against humanity. So, we were even disappointed that the Minister could not say much more than he said about El-Rufai.

So, we stand by him, and we believe that if it was another party that had won the presidential election and the gubernatorial election in Kaduna State, El-Rufai would have since been brought to justice and charged for crimes against humanity.

So, what Christopher said is true. And Christopher was talking about ‘my people’-when he said ‘my people’, he was not talking particularly about the people of Southern Kaduna; he was talking about every resident of Kaduna State, because that is his state of origin. So, I know that he is not flippant; he is not a man that will just come out and say things that he cannot substantiate.

We are very excited that if El-Rufai’s family eventually goes to court, there will be a plethora of witnesses to affirm what the Minister has said. Being part of the government, I believe he also has a lot of evidence that he can bring to defend himself.

Okay, looking at the scenario as it is now in the southern part of the state, can we say that the people of Southern Kaduna are happy?

Yes. As an indigene of Kaduna State and a son of Southern Kaduna, I want to say with all sense of responsibility that the killings in Southern Kaduna have drastically reduced. What has not stopped is kidnapping, but the invasion of communities and the burning down of houses have drastically reduced, almost by 90%.

And then, the Governor himself is very restrained in his utterances – his utterances are those that bring unity, his actions are those that bring unity. He seems to have been able to assure the people of Southern Kaduna that he is a team player. He still has a lot of shortcomings that he can work on, but the violence has drastically reduced. What we are still insisting on is that the kidnapping that is still ongoing should be stopped, and those that are in the custody of the bandits should be rescued. But it is far, far better than when El-Rufai was in power.

All right, then. I want to ask you about the relationship with other blocs, like the Arewa Consultative Forum, Afenifere, and others. What is your relationship with them? Because, you see, ordinarily, I don’t think you can exist as an island. So, do you have any collaboration or any agreement with these other blocs – your forum, the Middle Belt Forum?

Yes, yes. In 2023, Afenifere, PANDEF, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the Middle Belt Forum took a unilateral decision that the presidency of Nigeria should be rotated to the South from 2023 to 2027. We stood by our position, and as the voting went, it affirmed that a Southerner was finally chosen. We are still maintaining that the presidency should still be retained in the South in 2027. We are still standing by that position up till now.

Now, the understanding that we have with these groups is that having supported them to produce a president for those eight years, if the presidency is eventually rotated to the North in 2031, it is a Middle Belt person that will become the presidential candidate of all the political parties.

We have started another round of talks, and we are mobilising credible candidates from the Middle Belt. It doesn’t matter whether he is a Muslim or a Christian – he could be a Nupe man, he could be an Alago man, he could be an Eggon person – we don’t care whether he is a Muslim or a Christian. But the presidency in 2031 must be returned to the Middle Belt, because we have never had an elected president, apart from Gowon who came to power through a coup. We have not produced an elected president, and given the statistics that I have given you about our size and our population, we think it is just fair and appropriate that a Middle Belter should take the presidency in 2031. That’s the agreement that we have with these other groups, and that’s the relationship that is keeping us together as a group of vulnerable people.

All right. Finally, what is it that I did not ask you? What do you want to say that I did not ask? I have given you this for free. What do you want to comment on?

Well, as a final word, I want to say that our biggest worry now consists of two things: the state of insecurity in Nigeria is becoming very worrisome. We want the Federal Government to tackle it head-on, and there is a small solution: we say the government should facilitate and supervise communities to be able to defend themselves by giving them light weapons that are approved by law.

If every community, for example, is able to have four AK-47s – every community – we believe that we are going to take care of this insecurity once and for all, and it can be done in a supervised manner. Or you give us these shotguns that use cartridges, plenty of them, we will be able to take care of these wicked people.

So, that is our worry now. We have hundreds, if not thousands, of people that are still in the captivity of both Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorist groups and the so-called bandits. So, we are very unhappy that our communities are subjected to this condition – not only our communities, even in the Southeast, there are still pockets of violence there, armed groups that have become lawless, you know…

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has expressed deep sadness over the passing of former Governor of the old Gongola State, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

The former national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) died in his Abuja residence after a protracted illness at the age of 90; he was survived by many children and grandchildren.

Senator Mark in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity described the death of the elder statesman as a great loss to Nigeria, particularly at a time when the country needs the wisdom, experience and counsel of its older generation of leaders.

He said Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was a prominent figure whose contributions to Nigeria’s political, administrative and economic development spanned several decades.

According to him, Tukur’s public service record, including his tenure as Governor of the old Gongola State, his service as Minister of Industries and his later leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reflected a life devoted to the service of the nation.

Senator Mark noted that the deceased was also an accomplished businessman and international figure whose contributions extended beyond partisan politics to national development and institution-building.

‘Alhaji Bamanga Tukur belonged to a generation of Nigerians who devoted their lives to the service of the country. His journey through public service, business and politics was remarkable, and his counsel and experience will be greatly missed.

‘His death is not only a loss to his family and the people of Adamawa State, but also to Nigeria as a whole. At this difficult moment, we must remember and celebrate the values of service, patriotism and national unity that characterised his long public career.’

Senator Mark commiserated with the Tukur family, the government and people of Adamawa State, as well as the many associates and political colleagues of the deceased.

He prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, grant him eternal rest and give his family the strength to bear the loss.