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The continual refusal of hospitals in Nigeria to accept and treat gunshot victims and accident victims without a police report should be stopped as a matter of national priority. Urgent treatment should be given to victims, while the Nigerian Police Force is immediately alerted and the police report is secured. This is to save lives and avoidable life-threatening injuries of victims, which should no longer be the case in Nigeria.

The refusal of such emergency treatments by hospitals is despite the approval given two years ago, by the Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force (IGP), Mr. Kayode A. Egbetokun, in October 2023, that all accident and gunshot victims should be provided with prompt and compassionate treatments at hospitals without a Police report.

This is especially given the fact that the IGP’s approval is in line with the enforcement of the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, which stipulates that all healthcare practitioners should prioritize the immediate care and stabilization of such patients based on the criticality of the timeliness of medical intervention in saving lives.

The Need for Enforcement of the Existing Law:

However, it is worth noting that the above-mentioned Act does not cover accident victims. In addition, despite the existence of the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, which was signed into law in 2017, hospitals and medical practitioners still turn their backs not just on gunshot victims, but also on accident victims that need urgent medical attention. Interestingly, so far, there have not been any consequences of refusal of hospitals or medical practitioners to comply with the provisions of that law, which would have sent the signals that compliance is key. Also important is the fact that the majority of Nigerians are not even aware that such a law exists, so that they can take legal action against hospitals or medical practitioners that refuse to comply with the law. Because the Act is very clear with regard to non-compliance, for example:

Section 9 of the Act stipulates that, ‘A person who commits an offense under this act, which leads to or causes substantial physical, mental and emotional damage to the victim, commits an offense and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not more than 15 years and not less than 5 years without the option of fine’.

Section 11 of the Act also stipulates that; ‘Any person or authority, including any police officer, other security agent or hospital who stands by and fails to perform his duty under this act which results in the unnecessary death of any person with gunshot wounds, commits an offense and is liable to a fine of N500,000.00 or imprisonment of a term of 5 years, or both’

The above sections are germane to the consequences of non-compliance with the law, when and if not applied. Therefore, the IGP’s approvals also require follow-up actions that will ensure the sensitization of the public about the existence of this law on one hand and the enforcement of the law on the other hand; otherwise, the IGP’s directive will remain rhetoric. In the case of the bad/ wicked medical practitioners, there should be consequences for refusing to give treatment in such accident emergencies.

Therefore, I urge the IGP, Minister of Information and National Orientation, the Ministers of Health, other relevant agencies of Government, Civil Society Organizations, other critical stakeholders to embark on massive sensitization of the public all over the Country to know about the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act, 2017, its provisions and action process of ensuring that the law works for the people.

Urgent Need for Legislation on Protection of Accident Victims

There is a gap in the Act, of the non-inclusion of Accident victims or the non-enactment of a law to cover accident victims, which should also be addressed as a matter of national priority.

As it is today in Nigeria, there are no prudential guidelines or laws that guide the actions of medical practitioners and hospitals with regard to the treatment of accident victims without a Police report. Even when the Police report is presented (mostly after long and difficult processes), during which a lot of lives are lost, the hospitals are either rightly or wrongly reluctant to treat such emergencies with the dispatch and respect they deserve. In some pathetic cases, the hospitals outrightly refuse to provide such interventions to Nigerians and indeed any other person who requires urgent medical attention, which is against their professional oath and code of conduct.

It is worthy of note that there are currently no laws that assist medical practitioners to treat such critical accident emergencies without fear of negative consequences from the Police or other law enforcement/ security agencies.

Therefore, I am of the opinion that the gap can be catered for in the interim by a Presidential intervention using an Executive Order. This will place a high premium on human lives.

To the Doctors, Nurses, and Other Medical Practitioners:

The attitude of some of you should change. The majority of our medical practitioners have a high sense of empathy, compassion, duty, and professionalism. I have come across great Doctors, Nurses, and medical practitioners in Nigeria who practice with a high sense of responsibility, professionalism, humanity, and fear of God. But, sadly, there are also some horrible Doctors, Nurses, and medical practitioners, and what is worrisome is that the number of these wicked practitioners is increasing daily. I hope that the Nigerian Medical Association and other professional organizations in the health sector will deal decisively with the bad ones amongst them in order to fully restore/ sustain, and upscale the respect of this noble profession.

Full immunity and protection should be given to first responders, hospitals, doctors, and all medical practitioners who provide any form of intervention to save the lives of accident and gunshot victims. In other Countries, such people and/ or establishments are heroes, but in Nigeria, in many cases, kind and honorable people mostly end up being treated as criminals, or aiders and abettors of criminals, fugitives/ suspects, and may even face prosecution simply because they followed their basic instincts and tenets of attempting to help and save lives. The situation is so bad that people simply drive by or walk by victims of accidents or gunshot wounds, because of the fear of dire consequences. Those people who want to help but are not able to do so, out of fear of negative repercussions, are also impacted because most of them become permanently psychologically scarred by the horror of the flashes of the bodies and faces of the victims they abandoned while in need of urgent help. Most of such well-intentioned/ well-meaning people live the rest of their lives struggling with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), which manifests in so many horrible mental and physical ways. We should not allow such sordid situations to continue by acting swiftly and properly. After all, nobody knows the situation he/ she or their loved ones may someday find themselves in.

Hence, Civil Society Organizations and all well-meaning Nigerians should play key roles of sponsoring relevant bills, supporting the bills, attending public hearings and making contributions, passing laws, and ultimately signing into law the laws that will give more legal backing and effect to this critical need to save the lives of accident victims to avoid avoidable loss of lives and livelihoods.

A humble request and advocacy to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for an Executive Order:

Your Excellency, Mr. President, with profound respect, and on behalf of Nigerians, I seek that succor can come by way of an Executive Order, as a critical interim measure, pending a full process of legislation, for doctors, medical practitioners, and hospitals to accept and treat accident victims without a police report.

Provisions could be embedded in the Executive Order, such that criminals, fugitives, or suspects should be treated, while ensuring that relevant agencies of government move swiftly to ensure that justice is still done after the provision of the treatment. For example, in the case of accident victims who are not covered by the Compulsory Treatment and Care of Victims of Gunshot Act of 2017; as soon as victims are received, a prudential guideline should be activated to inform all the relevant law enforcement agencies, for example, the Nigerian Police Force so that if the patient is a suspect or crime or criminality or a wanted criminal, he/ she will be arrested and secured in the hospital, while treatment/ medical intervention is being provided, and he/she faces prosecution after discharge from the hospital or facility and continue with case of persecution. Other risk management mechanisms could be provided in the guidelines to ensure that criminals or terrorists are not given cover to escape justice.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Rapper Zlatan Ibile has proposed a boxing match between Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez to settle their ongoing feud.

In an interview with Yanga FM Lagos, Zlatan revealed he is in talks with promoters who organized the Portable vs Speed Darlington boxing match in April, with a view to hosting the match in December.

‘I want to organise a boxing match for Blaqbonez and Odumodublvck. They are both my friends. I’m already talking to the organisers of the Speed Darlington vs Portable boxing match to organise a match for Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez this December,’ he said.

Zlatan expressed concerns over the impact of the beef on the music industry, stating that despite generating traction, it is detrimental to the industry.

He emphasised his desire for his friends to resolve their issues.

‘They are my guys. I sincerely hope they resolve their issues. I don’t want that energy between them. For my purposes, I don’t know, but in real life, I don’t like the beef at all. These are my friends. I’m certain that they would definitely reconcile and collaborate in the future’, he added.

The rapper jokingly stated that a boxing match would provide an opportunity for Odumodublvck and Blaqbonez to settle their differences, and is optimistic about a future collaboration between the two artists.

‘These are my guys. I’m certain that they would definitely reconcile and collaborate in the future,’ he concluded.

To enhance guest experiences, improve operational efficiency, and boost revenue, operators in the hospitality sector have been urged to embrace digital technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud dashboards, integrated cyber security, and Internet of Things (IoT) integration.

Industry leaders and experts gave this advice at the Huawei Smart Hotel Solutions Conference of Nigeria held at Lagos Continental Hotel in Lagos, where technological innovation within the hospitality industry was the subject of discussion.

The conference offered Huawei the opportunity to showcase how its purpose-built smart hotels solutions help partners of all sizes accelerate their digital and intelligent transformation in response to today’s rapid technology advancement.

In his opening remarks, the Director, Commercial and Distribution Sales Department, Vito Zhao, said the industry has demonstrated resilience, contributing more to Africa’s hospitality market.

Zhao highlighted the need for high-density Wi-Fi environment optimisation, intent driven policy enforcement including centralized network management NCE-Campus offered by Huawei enhanced smart guest room, and predictive network operation for intelligent transformation of the country’s hospitality industry.

He said: ‘This conference is a significant event which marks a timely moment for the hospitality sector in Nigeria. Huawei is here to reshape and reposition the hospitality sector in Nigeria by implementing energy efficient IT infrastructure for sustainable hospitality.’

Zhao stressed that Nigeria has all it takes to become Africa’s hospitality and tourism leader, pointing to Huawei’s innovative solutions as tools that could make that happen.

He said: ‘The benefits of our solutions are transformative. We are focused on delivering exceptional best experiences for guests, building a smarter and safer hotel.

‘Huawei is focused on improving guest loyalty through high-speed Wi-Fi experience and digitalization, premium bandwidth optimization, and reduced operational cost with centralized MSP management platforms.

‘The adoption of Wi-Fi 7 coupled with an AI-driven network platform such as NCE-Campus is no longer luxury for hotels; it is a digital necessity that drives efficiency and operational intelligence.’

The Director-General, Hotel Managers Conference Africa, Olugbenga Sunday, in his welcome speech, described the conference as a pivotal moment in the hospitality industry.

‘Today’s hotel guests are fundamentally different from what we had five years ago. They are smartphone savvy with seamless connectivity.

‘Guests now book rooms through apps; modern travelers are not just seeking for place to sleep, they are seeking a place that meets their needs.

‘Smart hospitality isn’t about adding technology; it’s about orchestrating experiences through intelligent network infrastructure,’ Sunday said.

He stated that empowering the hospitality sector with tools and solutions is very important, hence Huawei wants to revolutionize hotel services with cutting edge technology.

He said: ‘We are talking about AI, cloud, cyber-security that protect both guests and businesses. Nigeria’s hospitality sector is experiencing remarkable growth across various states.

‘Huawei is investing in infrastructural development, especially with how technology reduces operational costs and enhances customer satisfaction.

‘We build partnership. We understand that this industry has its own challenges, but these solutions are scalable and can help in digital transformation.’

Sunday urged industry leaders to take the next step in their various digital transformation journeys because the future of hospitality is intelligence, connected and guest-centric.

Huawei representatives-Chief Technical Officer (CTO), Huawei Southern Africa Region, Matamela Aubrey Mashau, and Senior Solutions Architect, Huawei Nigeria Rep Office, Olayemi Joseph, spoke on Huawei Xinghe high-quality hotel network solution.

The solution, according to them, features Channel State Information (CSI) which senses a person’s activity in a hotel room to intelligently control the room light/TV/AC etc. This feature elevates the hotel room from traditional to a smart room.

Another feature of the solution is the newly announced anti-peeping technology which enables hoteliers to ensure the privacy of each guest, making their stay 100 per cent secure.

The event witnessed the launch of the integrated CCTV/FTTR full fiber solution for smart hotels, as well as the fully-upgraded Xinghe intelligent Network products and solutions.

There was also an exhibition from different booths with different technological solutions designed to provide reliable, secure, and high-performance network connectivity for hotels. It uses technologies like interactive boards, all scenarios Wi-Fi 7 for full wireless coverage, switches, and firewalls.

Partners in their various presentations unanimously outlined Huawei’s innovative solutions as key drivers of Nigeria’s hospitality growth aimed at improving service quality, enhancing efficiency, and generating more revenue.

The Forum of Social Democratic Party (SDP) State Chairmen has endorsed the expulsion of the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam and 10 others by the National Working Committee (NWC), describing their exit as victory of righteousness over evil.

The party’s NWC on through its National Publicity Secretary, Rufus Aiyenigba on Thursday at a press briefing in Abuja announced the expulsion of the National Chairman, National Youth Leader, Ogbonna Chukwuma Uchechukwu and nine others for an alleged misconduct, financial misappropriation, and abuse of office.

Reacting to the development, the Forum of State Chairmen of the party in a statement by its Chairman, Hon. Femi Olaniyi (Ferrari) in Abuja on Friday said their expulsion signals better days for the party.

Olaniyi, who is also the Chairman of the Lagos chapter, said the party is set for a new lease of life with the expulsion of Gabam and others.

The statement reads: ‘The departure of Shehu Gabam at this crucial moment marks a victory for the righteous over evil. History will not overlook the years he spent as national chairman.

‘Without reservation, Gabam has been a negative influence on the political development of the Social Democratic Party.

‘At this point, the forum of Social Democratic Party state chairmen would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the party’s National Working Committee for their role in removing Shehu Gabam and others. It is a relief to see the end of such a detrimental influence.

‘Congratulations to all our members across the country and to the party leadership for taking this bold step to protect the party from reckless behavior and mischief.’

The party’s National Publicity Secretary said the decision to expel Gabam and other chieftains was reached at a meeting of the party’s NWC, after adopting the findings of the party’s Disciplinary Committee and a subsequent White Paper that reviewed allegations against the affected officers.

The party said their explusion was the outcome of months of investigation and disciplinary proceedings.

On June 24, 2025, the party suspended the trio of – Gabam, Uchechukwu, and the National Auditor, Mr. Clarkson Nnadi – over a prima facie case of misconduct, financial impropriety, and gross abuse of office.

He further said that to ensure due process, ‘the party constituted an independent Disciplinary Committee on July 4, 2025, which conducted a two-week investigation and submitted its report on July 18, 2025.

The party spokesman explained further that the NWC subsequently reviewed and adopted the White Paper on August 15, 2025, paving the way for Thursday’s decision.

Those affected by the expulsion include Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam (former National Chairman) and Mr. Ogbonna Chukwuma Uchechukwu (former National Youth Leader). The National Auditor, Mr. Clarkson Nnadi was relieved of his duties following his voluntary resignation.

Others are: ‘Adamu Abubakar Modibbo, Abubakar Dogara, Nuraddeen Bisalla, Solsuema Osaro, Ambo Ekpeyong, Eluwa Ifeanyi Henry, Humphrey Unwukaeze, and Judith Israel Shuaibu, who were accused of disloyalty and unlawful entry into the party’s national secretariat on July 28, 2025.

Chairman, CITA Energies Limited, Dr. Thomas Ogungbangbe, has called on the Federal Government to urgently collaborate with the private sector players to revive the dormant 98-kilometre aviation fuel pipeline that runs from Atlas Cove through Mosimi and Ejigbo to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Speaking at the company’s Colloquium with the theme: Aviation Fuel Business in Nigeria.

The Scenario and the Metaphor, in Lagos, Dr. Ogungbangbe said the restoration of the pipeline, which was shut down in 1998 after a reported incident, could drastically reduce the cost of aviation fuel, cut logistics expenses, and ease traffic congestion caused by hundreds of fuel trucks plying Lagos roads daily.

‘The pipeline is still there underground, and I believe it can be revived with pressure testing and proper rehabilitation.

‘If government agencies like NNPC, the Navy, the Nigerian Maritime Authority, and the Ministry of Blue Economy collaborate with private operators, we can restore this line and eliminate the need for over 100 trucks on our roads every day,’ he said.

According to him, the pipeline revival would not only reduce costs but also strengthen Nigeria’s energy independence and stop the capital flight associated with routing petroleum vessels through neighbouring countries.

‘At the moment, vessels go as far as Togo to berth, and we spend millions of dollars monthly freighting products back to Nigeria. Some even go to other countries to dry dock because we haven’t developed that capacity here.

‘If we fix this single piece of infrastructure, the ripple effects will cascade across the entire downstream value chain,’ he explained.

Ogungbangbe estimated that restoring the pipeline could lower aviation fuel prices by as much as N30 to N40 per litre, translating into significant savings for airlines and passengers alike.

‘It’s not just about cost efficiency. It’s about restoring Nigeria’s operational advantage and ensuring our systems work seamlessly without enriching neighbouring economies at our expense,’ he added.

He disclosed that bringing in a single vessel of fuel currently costs an average of $500,000, a figure that eventually reflects in pump prices.

‘When you spread that across the number of litres, you realize how much these logistics costs inflate the final price. If we can bring the products closer to home through the pipeline, we can shave off these unnecessary costs,’ he said.

On the role of the new Dangote Refinery, the CITA boss said it has improved availability but not yet achieved a meaningful reduction in price.

‘Dangote has been a blessing in terms of supply stability. However, the pricing still mirrors import benchmarks, and in many cases, some importers still manage to land products cheaper than the refinery’s local rate. At the moment, Dangote’s share of total aviation fuel consumption may not exceed 50 per cent.’

Dr. Ogungbangbe expressed optimism that as local refining stabilizes and infrastructure such as the Lagos-airport pipeline is restored, Nigeria will begin to see the full economic benefits of domestic energy production and distribution.

Also speaking, former managing director of Arik Air, Chris Ndulue asked the PPPRA to extend its surveillance to the marketers and not only fuel depots, adding that the gap in monitoring should also be filled by the NCAA who is in charge of aviation.

He urged the NCAA to not only focus on licensing marketers but on the wider implications of lifting and delivering the product to aircraft and the ability of marketers to work without compromising standards.

‘There’s is a gap that the NCAA needs to fill because if the peculiarity of aviation fuel, it should begin to look at the economic abd financial health if the marketers, if they do not have enough capital want to sell fuel, they would sel ‘black market’ and contaminated products to the operators, there’s is need for better regulations to ensure quality, safety and security of the sector’, he said.

In his presentation, Richard Aisuebeogun a former Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, who delivered the Keynote address, said the leadership of the sector must ensure collaboration and unwavering support for quality product in the interest of safety.

Peter Diya of Vintage Nigeria urged stakeholders to play the game by the rule, urging marketers to be truthful about quality and work together to ensure the safety.

A Magistrate’s Court in Kuje in Abuja has granted bail to politician and online publisher, Omoyele Sowore, and 13 others arrested during Monday’s protest staged by them in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) intended to compel the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, who is undergoing terrorism trial.

They were arraigned on Friday before Magistrate Abubakar Umar Sai’id on two First Information Report (FIRs) filed by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Named along with Sowore in the FIR are:

Barrister Aloy Ejimakor ( a member of the legal team sacked by Kanu on Thursday), Prince Emmanuel Kanu (said to be Kanu’s relative), Joshua Emmanuel and Bishop Wilson Anyalewechi.

Others are: Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, Clinton Chimeneze, Gabriel Joshua, Isiaka Husseini, Onyekachi Ferdinand, Amadi Prince, Edison Ojisom, Godwill Obioma and

Chima Onuchukwu.

The 13 are charged with criminal conspiracy, disobedience of order promulgated by public officer, inciting disturbance and disturbance of public peace.

The police said the offences are contrary to sections 152, 114,and 113 of the Penal Code Law.

The FIRs read:

*That on 20 day of October, 2025, you (1). Barrister Aliyu Ejimakor, (2). Prince Emmnauel Kanu, (3). Joshua Emmanuel, (4). Bishop Wilson Anyalewechi, (5). Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, (6). Clinton Chimeneze, (7). Gabriel Joshua, (8). Isiaka Husseini, (9). Onyekachi Ferdinand. (10). Amadi Prince, (11). Edison Ojisom, and (12). Godwill Obiama, all male adults of FCT Abuja were arrested by a team of security agents in different locations within FCT while involving yourselves in inciting disturbance, and breach of public peace in disobedience to a court order, denying other citizens the freedom of movement, disrupting free flow of traffic while chanting war songs and requesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is undergoing lawful trial at the Federal High Court in a manner that threatens national security.

You thereby committed the above mentioned offences.

*That on 20th day of October, 2025, you Chima Onuchukwu male adult of Ebonyi state, was arrested by a team of police officers at gate 8, Aso Villa, FCT Abuja, while carrying placards written, ‘Free Nnamdi Kanu’ and inciting disturbance, and breach of public peace in disobedience to a court order, and denying others citizens the freedom of movement, disrupting free flow of traffic while chanting war songs and requesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is undergoing lawful trial at the Federal High Court in a manner that threatens national security. You thereby committed the above mentioned offences.

They pleaded not guilty when their alleged offences were read to them during Friday’s proceedings.

Shortly after, their lawyers argued their bail, which the court granted, but with conditions.

Each of them was granted bail at N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

They are each, required to submit their passports, present a verified National Identification Number (NIN) and a three-year tax clearance certificate as part of the conditions.

The court has adjourned further hearing till December 15.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 27 for the arraignment of Sowore and two others on a separate charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) in which he is accused of making false claim against President Bola Tinubu by calling him a criminal.

The two other defendants listed in the five-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025 are X Incorp (formerly Twitter) and Meta (Facebook) Incorp.

The charge was filed on September 16, few days after an earlier request by the DSS on Facebook and X, the platforms allegedly deployed by Sowore for the said false claim, to pull the misleading message down.

In the charge, Sowore, a serial presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), is accused of contravening the provisions of the the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Criminal Code Act.

Their arraignment was to be held before Justice Mohammed Umar on September 30, but was postponed to October 27 when a defence lawyer, Marshall Abubakar told the court that his client was not yet served with the charge sheet as required.

Abubakar, who represented Sowore noted that one of the defendants – X Incorp – was not represented by either a lawyer or an official and claimed that his client was not yet served with the charge.

The defence lawyer contented that, in a criminal case, it is mandatory that all the defendants are present in court for a proper arraignment to take place.

At that point, the judge, Justice Umar looked through the case-file and confirmed that X and Meta were served with the charge electronically, through their email addresses.

On noting that Sowore was yet to be served personally (as required), the prosecuting lawyer sought the court’s permission to serve Sowore (who was in court) during the proceedings, a request the judge granted.

Sowore’s lawyer however, prayed for an adjournment to allow his client, who was just served the charge, adequate time and opportunity to prepare for his defense as provided under Section 282(6) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.

Counts in the charge read:

*That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 25th day of August, 2025 did use your official X handle page, @Yele Sowore, to send out a message/ tweet as : ‘This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly,’ which you know the said message to be false but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals, who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and CommanderinChief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

*That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025 did use your official Facebook page, Omoyele Sowore, to send out a message/ post as : ‘This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly,’ which you know the said message/post to be false, but posted it for the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order in the country, especially among individuals who hold divergent views on the personality of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

*That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 25th day of August, 2025 using the instrumentality of X, via your official X account @Yele Sowore, did knowingly published defamatory material on your online platform viz: ‘This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly,’ against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander _inChief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

*That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025 using the instrumentatity of Facebook, via your official Facebook account Omoyele Sowore, did knowingly published defamatory material on your online platform viz: ‘This criminal @officialPBAT actually went to Brazil to state that there is no more corruption under his regime in Nigeria. What audacity to lie shamelessly,’ against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

*That you, Omoyele Sowore, adult, male on or about the 26th day of August, 2025 with intent to cause public fear and disturbance, published false information on your official X and Facebook accounts @Yele Sowore, respectively, against the personality and reputation of the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 59 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under the same Act.

Abdulrazak Gurnah, Africa’s most recent Nobel laureate in Literature, returns with another powerful work, ‘Theft’. Gurnah probes the intersections of memory and belonging in a rapidly changing world. The novel follows three principal characters -Karim, Fauzia, and Badar- and the intricate ways in which their lives intertwine amid social transformations and moral uncertainties. The story is told from the point of views of the trio.

At the beginning, each character inhabits a world defined by difference and isolation. Karim’s world is shaped by emotional estrangement. His mother leaves her marriage and returns to her father’s home and, from that moment, mother and son exchange few words. Even after she remarries, the warmth between them remains tentative, though her new husband shows Karim the affection she once withheld. Karim’s formative years, therefore, are marked by quiet resentment and the psychological residue of parental separation-a common theme in societies negotiating between tradition and individual agency.

Fauzia’s world is gentler, yet shadowed by fragility. Her mother’s love is all-encompassing, protective to the point of suffocation. Her father, a man of few words, expresses his affection in acts rather than speech. Fauzia also lives with the ‘falling sickness’, epilepsy, a condition that sets her apart and attracts both sympathy and superstition. Her best friend, Hawa, circles her with the constancy of a guardian spirit. Through Fauzia, Gurnah captures the intimate anxieties of African domestic life, where illness is both a personal struggle and a communal concern framed by cultural beliefs.

Badar, on the other hand, occupies a world of servitude and marginality. His is the life of a boy born into disadvantage, struggling against economic deprivation and the hierarchies that quietly sustain inequality. He is a symbol of the countless young men who drift along the edges of postcolonial societies-hardworking, unseen, and uncertain of tomorrow.

Karim’s return to Zanzibar after completing his university education in Dar es Salaam marks the point where these distinct worlds begin to converge. The city he comes back to is not the one he left. Zanzibar, with its layered history of slavery, trade, and colonialism, is now being remade by new forces. Tourism is reshaping its streets and its values, and technology is bridging old boundaries while deepening class divides. In this shifting landscape, Karim and Fauzia meet and fall in love. Their romance, at first a private rebellion against loneliness, soon becomes a social affair. In traditional Tanzanian culture, relationships are rarely hidden for long. Community observation and family involvement turn private desire into public expectation, and soon, talk of marriage follows.

When Badar’s world merges with theirs, Gurnah constructs a layered social tableau. The convergence of these three lives symbolises more than personal connection. It mirrors the broader collision between the old and the new, the local and the global, the privileged and the dispossessed. Each character embodies a fragment of a society negotiating modernity: Karim, the educated cosmopolitan struggling with inherited wounds; Fauzia, the vulnerable yet resilient woman navigating the constraints of gender and tradition; and Badar, the overlooked youth whose struggles reflect systemic inequities.

Through their entangled stories, ‘Theft’ becomes more than a tale of love or betrayal. It is a sociological portrait of Zanzibar and, by extension, Africa’s coastal societies, where the residues of colonialism still shape personal destinies. The novel situates individual choices within the larger machinery of economic transformation, cultural expectation, and historical memory.

Gurnah’s prose is measured and introspective. His characters are perpetually searching-for affection, for meaning, for a place in a world that is both familiar and alien.

My final take: The act of stealing is not always about possessions; it can be the theft of innocence, of opportunity, or of one’s sense of self.

Nigeria started strongly, with captain Rasheedat Ajibade striking the woodwork in the seventh minute. The Benin goalkeeper was called into action several times, producing key saves to keep Justine Madugu’s team at bay.

Chiwendu Ihezuo broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, calmly finishing after a precise through ball from Deborah Abiodun.

The Super Falcons maintained their attacking momentum, but Benin’s defense held firm for much of the half.

Esther Okoronkwo doubled Nigeria’s lead just before halftime, once again assisted by Abiodun.

Despite dominating possession after the break, the Super Falcons couldn’t add to their tally and settled for the two-goal advantage.

Both sides will meet again in the return leg at the Moshood Abiola Sports Arena in Abeokuta next Tuesday.

Ahead of the November 8 governorship election, the Anambra State Police Command has warned politicians and influential individuals who cover or remove their vehicle number plates to desist, as doing so risks arrest and prosecution.

In a statement issued yesterday, Commissioner of Police Ikioye Orutugu described the act as a serious security threat and directed all Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and Area Commanders to immediately commence intensified patrols, stop-and-search operations, and full enforcement of the directive.

The statement, signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, emphasised that covering or concealing vehicle plates constitutes a grave security risk, especially as security agencies step up efforts to ensure peace and order before, during, and after the governorship election.

According to the statement, criminals often exploit unregistered or covered vehicles to perpetrate crimes, evade arrest, or destabilise public peace.

‘Such vehicles will be impounded, and their owners prosecuted in accordance with existing laws,’ the statement warned.

The commissioner further ordered all tactical units and field commanders across the state to ensure strict compliance, stressing that the Command will not tolerate any act capable of undermining public safety.

‘Given the security situation and the forthcoming election, the Command will sustain aggressive enforcement to ensure that every vehicle on Anambra roads is properly registered and identifiable,’ Orutugu added.

The police urged residents to cooperate with security personnel and report any suspicious movement or vehicles within their communities.

Kiddwaya, son of billionaire Terry Waya has revealed that his ‘occupation’ is living off his dad’s wealth and enjoying life to the fullest.

The BBNaija star said he’s a man of leisure, not interested in work or business and prioritises having fun and travelling with friends.

In a podcast appearance on ‘Off The Record’, Kiddwaya said his idea of living life to the fullest involves waking up, deciding on a destination, and partying with friends.

According to him, he’s unapologetic about living off his dad’s wealth and says he’s giving the world ‘the truth they want to hear’, that he’s a rich man’s son living life to the fullest.

He said: ‘What I do for a living is that I wake up, I decide what destination I want to fly to, I go that destination, I’m with my boys and girls and have fun; we drink, eat, and party. And we repeat.

‘I’m a man of leisure. My view on life is live it to the fullest. I’m not interested in working. I can tell you I am into oil and trade but that is not my truth. It was my truth before, trying to figure out how to tell the world what I do. The world is not trying to hear that. So, I’m giving them my truth and also the truth they want to hear, which is I am a rich man’s son and I’m living my life January to January. I’m having fun.’

Kiddwaya also shared his views on marriage, saying he’d marry someone who shares his love for fun and doesn’t plan to change his lifestyle.

He claims to ‘work hard’ to maintain his integrity and family’s reputation by avoiding scandals, arguing that many would misuse his privileges if they were in his shoes.