Category: Daily Trust

Bandits have reportedly shot dead two persons while abducting seven people during a raid in Awon community in Kachia LGA of Kaduna State.

A source from the area who preferred anonymity confirmed the incident while speaking to our reporter through the telephone on Tuesday.

He said the incident happened on Monday, around 6.12am when the bandits in their numbers invaded the community amid sporadic shooting.

He said the bandits shot two villagers that were attempting to escape, while seven people including two women were whisked away into the bush.

A community leader from the area also told our reporter that some of the bandits who came on motorcycle broke into some shops and carted away food items and provisions.

He said the sporadic shooting forced some of the villagers to flee into the bush, even as he said three people sustained bullet injuries and were later rushed to a clinic in Kachia town.

He also disclosed that ‘When the bandits raided the community and started shooting, some villagers out of fear fled their homes. Some of them later returned back home in the evening, while three women are yet to be seen; raising the suspicion that they are either missing or were abducted,’ he said.

A security source also confirmed the incident, saying troops from Katari are combing forests around the area to track down the bandits in order to rescue the victims.

‘As I am talking to you, the troops are still in the forest around Azara community which borders Hayin -Dam in an effort to rescue the victims,’he said.

The spokesperson of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Hassan Mansur, did not pick calls or respond to text messages sent to him over the latest kidnap incident as at the time of filling the report.

A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt has granted an interim forfeiture order to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for 17 containers laden with illicit opioids worth over N33.6 billion in street value.

The containers, which were intercepted at the Port Harcourt Ports Complex in Onne, Rivers State, on 4th September; 14th August; 13th August; 29th July; 13th June; 30th May; 29th May; 28th May; 20th May; 19th May; 14th May and 29th April, all in 2025, contain a staggering haul of 19.6 million pills of Tramadol, Tafrodol, Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, as well as 2.4 million bottles of Codeine Syrup.

The combined street value of the seizures is estimated at Thirty-Three Billion, Six Hundred and Ninety-One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N33,691,200,000).

A statement by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, said the forfeiture order was issued by Justice Adamu Turaki Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, following a motion ex parte filed by the NDLEA on 10th February 2026 in suit number FHC/PH/MISC/25/2026.

Ruling on the application, Justice Adamu said ‘An order is hereby made forfeiting in the interim to the Federal Government of Nigeria seventeen (17) shipping containers containing a total, of three hundred and sixty-five thousand, six hundred and seventy-five (365,657kg) of various types of psychotropic substances, as well as other items as stated in the schedule to this application, illegally imported into Nigeria through the Onne Sea Port, Onne, Eleme, Rivers State by unknown persons.’

He further ruled that ‘An order is hereby made vesting custody and possession of the said containers and their respective contents to the Applicant/Complainant until the final determination of this suit.’

Reacting to the court’s order, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), described the forfeiture as a death knell for the financial nerves of the criminal syndicates involved.

According to him, ‘This is not just a seizure, it is a total dispossession of the resources the drug cartels intended to use in destroying the lives of our youths and funding further criminality. By stripping the criminal syndicates of assets worth over N33.6 billion, we have struck at the heart of their operations. This sends a clear message: the Nigerian state will not allow the proceeds of death to circulate to fund terrorism and other forms of criminality in our country.’

While commending the Nigerian judiciary for its steadfast support and timely intervention in granting the interim forfeiture, Marwa noted that the partnership between the temple of justice and the agency is critical to winning the war against substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.

He further lauded the officers, men and women of NDLEA, particularly those attached to the Onne Port Command, for their vigilance, professional integrity, and eagle-eyed scrutiny that led to the discovery of the concealed drugs.

The federal government is set to try seven of the detained suspects linked to an alleged plot to overthrow the President Bola Tinubu-led administration for concealment of treason, terrorism and money laundering.

The suspects are former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Sylva; Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd); a retired Navy Captain, Erasmus Ochegobia Victor and Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim. Others are Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni and Abdulkadir Sani. A 13-count charge was filed against them on Tuesday.

It was gathered that six of the alleged coup plotters, who were investigated by both the Nigerian military and the Department of State Services, were accused of terrorising the citizens, and plotting to sack a democratic government.

The charges filed against them border on treasonable felony, conspiracy to overthrow the government, conspiracy to commit terrorism and other offences related to security threats.

Daily Trust reports that the military high command, through its former Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, had on October 4, 2025, revealed that 16 officers were arrested and detained over undisclosed offences.

Gusau, a retired Brigadier-General, had simply said they were arrested and detained over issues that border on ‘indiscipline and breach of service regulations’.

The retired senior military officer also said, ‘Investigations have revealed that their grievances stemmed largely from perceived career stagnation caused by repeated failure in promotion examinations, among other issues.’

However, several weeks after the denial, reports uncovered that those detained were allegedly involved in a plot to overthrow the present government led by Tinubu.

It was also uncovered that the detainees were attached to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

Suspects charged after 6 months

Amid outcry by the family members of the detainees, the process to arraign seven of them, already charged before a Federal High Court in Abuja, has commenced.

The families of the detained officers had protested at the National Assembly on Wednesday, April 1, demanding that justice be served. The protesters, comprising children, wives and relatives of the detainees, sought a speedy trial of the accused officials.

The wife of one of the detainees, who gave her name simply as Nana, said they were calling for fairness in their trial.

‘We are here to plead with the government to please charge our husbands to court. We are not saying they should just be released like that. Necessary action should be done. But since the government said it has evidence against them, they should be charged to court. This is because they are innocent until proven guilty. If there is any evidence, let there be an open and free trial, please,’ she said.

In the suit filed on behalf of the federal government by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the seventh person, former Governor Sylva, is said to be on the run. He is being tried in absentia.

Sources confided in Daily Trust last night that the government has activated the International Police (INTERPOL) to go after the former Bayelsa governor and extradite him back to Nigeria to face the full wrath of law.

The charges read, ‘That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (Ap776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, Abdulkadir Sani, Timpre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, conspired with one another to levy war against the state to overtake the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 37(2) of the code cap 38 LFN 2004.

‘That you, Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (Rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (Ap776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, Abdulkadir Sani, Timpre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowing that Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Ma’aji (N/10668) and others intended to commit treason, did not give the information thereof with all reasonable dispatch to either the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or a Peace Officer and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40(b) of the Criminal Code Cap C38 LFN 2004’.

‘That you Major General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana (rtd), Captain (NN) Erasmus Ochegobia Victor (rtd), Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim (Ap776373), Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni Abdulkadir Sani, Timipre Sylva (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honorable court conspired with one another to commit an act of terrorism against Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

‘That you, Abdulkadir Sani, on or about the 23rd day of September, 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) only in your Jaiz Bank Account Number 0005620270 from A and A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 1 8 (3) of the same Act.

‘That you, Bukar Kashim Goni, in September, 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) only in your First Bank Account Number 3021511166 from A and A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of un unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.

Why other detainees are yet to be charged – Officials

Giving an insight into why some of the detainees are still in detention, officials within the DSS and the military told Daily Trust that joint investigations are ongoing.

They submitted that they are yet to get to the root of the matter involving other detainees, saying they would also be charged when the investigation on them is concluded.

‘Joint investigations are still ongoing. We can’t just charge the ones we have not finished investigating. We’ve concluded an investigation on those seven people we charged,’ an official within the DSS explained.

When asked when they would conclude investigations, the source said he could not say because of the complexity of the matter.

He added, ‘This is an issue that borders on national security, so thorough investigations have to be conducted. It is important that the investigators take their time.’

Identities of those charged

Sylva, a holder of the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), was born on July 7, 1964 in Brass, Bayelsa State (formerly Rivers State, from which Bayelsa was created in 1996). He had his education in Bayelsa and Lagos, the former capital of Nigeria.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, he graduated from the University of Port Harcourt in 1986. He was a member of the Old Rivers State House of Assembly in the early 1990s and became governor of Bayelsa State in 2007.

He won a fresh governorship election in the state in May 2008 after an Appeal Court nullified his victory. However, his tenure was terminated in January 2012 by the Supreme Court, with an acting governor appointed to oversee the state until another election was held in February 2012.

Sylva served as the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources of Nigeria from 2019 to 2023. He was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in November 2025 over alleged money laundering.

Retired Major-General Gana is from Niger State. He holds the traditional title; Danmagayaki of Nupe. Daily Trust gathered that his son is currently serving as a Colonel in the military and being held over his alleged involvement in the plot.

Also, Inspector Ahmed Ibrahim, who was arrested in the alleged coup plot is a serving officer of the Nigeria Police Force from Taraba State.

‘Suspects deserve fair hearing’

Reacting to the development, a human rights activist and former National Chairman of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Mr. Malachy Ugwummadu, in an interview with one of our correspondents, said it is imperative that the federal government factors in the rights of those charged.

He ‘The charge of treason or treasonable felony, including conspiracy to commit the same offence are largely very weighty charges. You can do that with the punishment ascribed to those categories of offence – essentially, they are capital punishment. That will indicate the gravity of the offence.

‘However, it is gratifying that the country has not condescended into extra-judicial activities like murder. The country has decided to subject the alleged criminal activities of the suspects to the crucible of trials, requiring that they be afforded a fair hearing, in particular.

‘In the determination of rights of every Nigerian, whether an alleged criminal or an innocent person, such a person must be given fair hearing by a competent court of law, constituted in such a way as to guarantee its independence and impartiality.

‘That is what Sections 36 and 46 are all about. So, if the government has decided to treat these people, recognising that their presumption of innocence still lies in their favour, that’s the right way to go in a civilized society.’

A notary public and former chairman of the NBA in Bauchi State, Jibrin S. Jibrin Esq, said there is nothing legally wrong with the arraignment of the coup suspects before the Federal High Court.

‘One of the reasons for holding this view is that the offences with which they are alleged to have committed goes beyond mere military disobedience. It has to do with an attempt to topple and change the system of government known to law in the country.

‘Another factor to consider as to why the Federal High Court is the most appropriate forum to try the coup suspects is the fact that the various decrees enacted under the General Babangida and Sani Abacha juntas under which persons suspected of plotting coup plot were tried have been abrogated or repealed by the extant grundnorm which is the 1999 Constitution.

‘So looking at the circumstances and the nature of allegations involved, I hold the view that the federal government is right to have filed the charges against the suspects at the Federal High Court.’

The National Universities Commission (NUC) on Monday conducted a comprehensive resource verification exercise at the University of Offa (UNIOFFA) as part of efforts to assess the institution’s readiness to expand its academic offerings, particularly in the health sciences.

The exercise, a mandatory quality assurance process for universities seeking to establish new programmes or faculties, involved expert panels evaluating facilities, manpower, and overall academic preparedness.

Separate teams of senior academics were constituted for key departments under the proposed Faculty of Health Sciences, including Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, and Community Health.

The Nursing Science panel was led by Professor Adekemi Eunice Olowokere of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, supported by Mrs. Egwumba Immaculata and Abubakar Ibrahim.

For Physiotherapy, the team was headed by Professor Bashir Kaka of Bayero University, Kano (BUK), alongside Adeyemi Adeleke.

The Community Health panel was led by Professor Oluwasogo Adewole Olalubi of Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, with Ogba Gabriel and Idris D. Ibrahim as members.

UNIOFFA’s Faculty of Health Sciences currently comprises Nursing Science, Physiotherapy, Medical Laboratory Science, and Community Health, all undergoing assessment as part of the university’s expansion drive.

Speaking during the visit, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kazeem Alagbe Gbolagade, described the exercise as a significant milestone in the institution’s growth and reaffirmed management’s commitment to quality and global best practices.

‘University of Offa commenced academic activities in 2022, following its approval by the Federal Government in 2021 as a private university, and today, we are steadily expanding our academic frontiers,’ he said.

Gbolagade noted that the university began with programmes in the Faculty of Science and Computing, including Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, Microbiology, and Physics with Electronics. He added that the Faculty of Management and Social Sciences offers courses such as Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Mass Communication, and Political Science.

The Vice-Chancellor, who assumed office on September 15, 2025, outlined a five-point agenda focused on financial sustainability, digital transformation, staff and student welfare, a conducive learning environment, and research-driven collaborations.

He disclosed that the university is strengthening its internally generated revenue while advancing towards a paperless system driven by robust Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure.

‘Our ICT capacity is one of our major strengths. We have partnered with New Horizons Computer Learning Centers, and we ensure that every student, regardless of discipline, is well-grounded in ICT,’ he said.

According to him, students are already demonstrating innovation, with some developing artificial intelligence-based applications, while aspects of the university’s digital portal were built by its students.

On student welfare, Gbolagade emphasised the institution’s focus on entrepreneurship, noting plans to register companies for students before graduation and provide startup support.

‘We want our graduates to leave this university empowered, not dependent. Our entrepreneurship model is designed to make them employers of labour,’ he added.

He also highlighted ongoing collaborations with local and international institutions, including partnerships with universities in Malaysia and the United States, as well as engagement with the Association of African Universities (AAU) and the Kwara State KU8+ Consortium.

‘We are not claiming to be perfect, but we are committed to continuous improvement. Quality is something we do not compromise,’ he said.

As part of the exercise, the NUC team inspected key infrastructure across the campus, including the library, ICT centre, health centre, administrative offices, and laboratories covering Physics, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, and Physiology, as well as nursing demonstration facilities.

Other principal officers present included the Registrar, Mr. Salahudeen Ajibola Oyewale; Director of Academic Planning and Dean, College of Science and Computing, Dr. Abdulrasaq Bello; and the Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Ade Stephen Alabi, alongside heads of departments and other senior officials.

The outcome of the verification exercise is expected to determine the approval status of the proposed programmes, as UNIOFFA continues its drive to strengthen its academic profile.

Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder, Frank Onyeka, has won the English Championship with Coventry City.

The title win was confirmed after Coventry smashed Portsmouth 5-1 at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with Onyeka lasting over an hour during which he ensured Coventry was three goals up before he was rested by Coach Frank Lampard.

The Sky Blues had confirmed their promotion and return to the English Premier League last week, ending 25 years of absence.

Coventry scored once in the first half through Haji Wright, before exploding in the second half with four goals to begin the title party with over 32,000 fans.

Ephron Mason-Clark tapped into an empty net to double the lead, Regan Poole’s own goal made it 3-0, Mason-Clark scored the fourth, substitute Kaine Kesler-Hayden rounded off the goal with a cool strike for 5-1.

They sealed a first-ever Championship title, and a second league title in the lower tiers of English football.

Onyeka, on-loan midfielder from Brentford in the EPL, wins his first title in England, and his fourth title in his career. He is the fifth Nigerian to win the Championship, following in the footsteps of Kelechi Iheanacho, Wilfred Ndidi, Nathan Tella, and Sone Aluko.

Also in the Championship, Leicester City has been relegated from the Championship into League One. The relegation comes 10 years after they lifted the EPL title in 2015/16 season.

The 2021 FA Cup winners are 23rd on the table with 42 points, seven points from safety with just two matches to the end of the season, and will play in League One 17 years after escaping the EFL.

The federal government’s approval of the 2026 Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM), with sweeping reductions in import tariffs on a range of items, has predictably generated both optimism and unease. While the policy is framed as a response to inflationary pressures and a stimulus for economic growth, it also raises fundamental questions about policy consistency, long-term planning, and the future of domestic production.

At the heart of the measures is a revised tariff regime covering 127 items, many of them central to household consumption and industrial activity. The import duty on rice, for instance, has been reduced from 70 per cent to 47.5 per cent, with broken rice now attracting 30 per cent. Tariffs on fully built vehicles have also dropped significantly, from 70 percent to 40 per cent, while refined salt, stationery items, and other goods have seen similar cuts.

On the surface, the rationale is compelling. With food inflation still biting hard and the cost of living crisis deepening, lowering import duties could ease prices, improve access, and provide immediate relief to consumers. The zero-duty policy on agricultural and industrial machinery, alongside exemptions for electric vehicles and mass transit buses under the new green tax regime, also signals an attempt to align fiscal policy with industrial growth and environmental considerations.

Yet, beneath these intentions lies a troubling policy tension.

For years, successive administrations, including the current one, have championed local production, particularly in agriculture. The push for rice self-sufficiency, backed by high import tariffs and border controls, was a cornerstone of that agenda. The sudden reduction in tariffs on rice and other essential food items now appears to contradict that position.

This raises a legitimate question: is the government responding pragmatically to economic realities, or is it conceding that its earlier policies have fallen short?

At Daily Trust, we recognise that economic management often requires flexibility. However, such flexibility must not come at the expense of coherence. Frequent shifts in policy direction risk undermining investor confidence and eroding the gains, however modest, that were recorded in local production.

The concern is particularly acute for Nigerian farmers. For years, they have operated under a protectionist regime designed to shield them from cheaper imports. With tariffs now lowered, imported rice may become more competitive, potentially undercutting local producers. Without significant improvements in productivity, access to finance, and security, many farmers could struggle to remain viable.

A similar dilemma confronts the automotive sector. Reduced tariffs on fully built vehicles may make cars more affordable in the short term, but they could also weaken incentives for local assembly and manufacturing. This is especially worrying for an industry that has yet to fully find its footing, despite years of policy support.

The broader issue, therefore, is not whether tariff reductions are desirable, but whether they are being implemented within a coherent and sustainable policy framework.

If the objective is to stimulate growth and ease inflation, then complementary measures are essential. Lower tariffs alone cannot address the structural challenges facing Nigeria’s economy. Farmers still grapple with insecurity that limits access to farmlands. Manufacturers contend with unreliable power supply, poor infrastructure, and high operating costs. Without addressing these constraints, the benefits of cheaper imports may prove short-lived, while the damage to local industries could be lasting.

Moreover, the timing of the policy invites scrutiny. Coming at a period of heightened economic strain, the tariff cuts could be interpreted as a politically expedient move aimed at easing public discontent. If so, it underscores the delicate balance between economic policy and political considerations, one that must be managed carefully to avoid unintended consequences.

Perhaps the most critical question is whether this approach is sustainable. Nigeria’s economic history is replete with policy reversals that have hindered long-term planning and development. What is needed now is not another short-term fix, but a well-articulated strategy that aligns trade policy with industrial and agricultural objectives.

Encouragingly, some elements of the FPM point in the right direction. The zero-duty policy on machinery could lower the cost of production, while the green tax framework may discourage the importation of environmentally harmful goods. However, these measures must be part of a broader, integrated plan that prioritises domestic capacity building.

Ultimately, the risk is that Nigeria may end up subsidising foreign farmers and producers while its own languish. If local farmers and manufacturers cannot compete due to structural disadvantages, then cheaper imports will merely shift dependence outward rather than build resilience at home.

We, therefore, propose that the federal government should clarify its intentions. What is the long-term vision for agriculture and manufacturing? How do these tariff adjustments fit into that vision? And what safeguards are in place to ensure that local producers are not sacrificed in the process?

These are not abstract questions. They go to the heart of Nigeria’s economic future.

Tariff reductions can provide immediate relief, and, in the current climate, that relief is not insignificant. But without policy consistency, institutional support, and a clear strategic direction, they risk becoming yet another episode in a cycle of short-lived interventions. Nigeria cannot afford that.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the case was recorded in Cross River State.

Speaking at a news conference in Calabar, on Tuesday, Dr Henry Ayuk, the state’s Commissioner for Health, said the case involved a Chinese national, who worked with Lafarge and flew into the country on March 17, before taking ill.

The commissioner stated that the Chinese’ case became worse at the medical facility of his office and had to be taken to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH).

He explained that at the UCTH, his samples were taken and all protocols followed; it was subsequently confirmed that he had symptoms of COVID-19.

‘We are, however, happy to report that he is doing well,’ the commissioner said.

Ayuk asserted that the ministry of health had, however, been repositioned by the current administration, to handle and manage any situation – diseases or epidemic outbreaks.

According to him, unfortunately, there have been silent infections and clear cases from time to time.

‘But we are determined that for every ailment, every disease or outbreak, if it is identified here in the state, there should be no alarm.

‘The state will do well in terms of surveillance or containment of an outbreak. Whatever it is, we will do our best to contain it. So, there is no alarm.

‘When this case was reported in about three or four days ago, we decided to be careful to confirm and ensure that the processes involved with identifying and confirming every case of COVID-19, are duly followed.

‘The protocols have been followed and confirmed that a 53-year-old Chinese who work in Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state has COVID-19,’ he said.

On her part, Dr Inyang Ekpenyong, State Epidemiologist, announced that in response to the case, the state emergency response unit had been activated.

She, however, noted that there was currently an ongoing contact tracing and line listing of those the Chinese may have been in contact with.

While noting the last case of confirmed case of COVID-19 in Cross River to be in 2022, the epidemiologist, however, feared that the Chinese may have contacted the virus here in Nigeria.

‘The incubation period for this virus is usually between two to 14 days, but the Chinese flew into Nigeria from China on March 17 and started developing the symptoms on April 10.

‘This is well beyond the 14 days incubation period. Like I said, we are doing the line listing of those he may have come in contact with, as part of our containment efforts.

‘We have also activated the emergency response center and deployed rapid response teams to Akamkpa, where the victim works.

‘There is no way we can stop this disease, but we can stop the disease outbreak.

‘It will be wrong not to contain or manage it by ensuring that people do not die,’ she stated.

Similarly, Dr Yewande Olatunde, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Coordinator in Cross River, stated that the disease was still around.

‘We we must explore all preventive measures to protect ourselves.’ she stressed.

There was a mild drama yesterday as supporters of the former governor and senator representing Ogun East, Otunba Gbenga Daniel clashed with the supporters of the governor, Dapo Abiodun.

Abiodun who is serving his second term as governor is interested in contesting the Senate seat currently occupied by Daniel.

Sen Daniel on arrival at the venue of the meeting was reportedly blocked from gaining access to the venue of the All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting of the zone.

The meeting held at Adeola Odutola Hall, Ijebu-Ode, on Monday.

Daily Trust reports that at the meeting, the APC leaders reportedly endorsed Governor Dapo Abiodun as a consensus candidate for the senatorial district ahead of the next election.

Our correspondent reports there has been a simmering rift and bitter rivalry between Daniel and Abiodun over the 2027 senatorial ticket of Ogun East.

Daniel had alleged that the governor’s political ambition was behind the persecution he had faced under Abiodun’s administration over the past two years, an allegation already denied by the government.

A statement from the government indicated that Abiodun was adopted by all the APC leaders present at the caucus meeting.

Speaking on behalf of stakeholders, former Ogun East senator, Lekan Mustapha, said the decision was driven by a shared conviction that Governor Abiodun possesses the capacity to represent the district effectively at the Senate.

Reacting to the endorsement, the media aide to Senator Daniel, Steve Oliyide, described it as a jamboree and self-endorsement.

Speaking with Daily Trust, Daniel’s media aide said such a meeting, held without the presence of the senator representing the district, lacked legitimacy.

He also noted that Abiodun, who was reportedly endorsed, was not on the ground to ‘receive the endorsement.’

Oliyide said: ‘When we endorsed Senator Yayi on Monday last week, Yayi was present. Do you name a child in his absence? And if you look at the gathering, this is a gathering of people on his payroll.

‘ So, are we saying that Dapo Abiodun ran away from his own endorsement ceremony? When we did that one for Yayi, was he not there to receive it? So, as far as we are concerned, it was a jamboree. We call it self-endorsement.’

Three people died on Monday following a road crash at the Polo Roundabout in Jos North local government area of Plateau State.

The truck reportedly lost control, resulting in a fatal crash that claimed the lives of the driver and two other persons.

The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Jos, the state capital.

The FRSC’s Public Education Officer in the state, Peter Longsan, explained that the crash occurred at about 2:30 am on Monday.

Longsan attributed the accident to loss of control, warning drivers against reckless driving, especially at odd hours when visibility may be poor.

He urged motorists to always ensure their vehicles are in good condition before embarking on any journey, while advising strict adherence to speed limits and traffic regulations.

He further cautioned road users to avoid overloading and dangerous driving, stressing that compliance with safety measures remains key to reducing road crashes and saving lives.

‘We satisfy our endless needs,

Justify our bloody deeds

In the name of destiny,

And in the name of God.

And you can see them there

on Sunday morning,

Stand up and sing about

What is like up there.

They call it paradise

I don’t know why

You call some place paradise

Kiss it goodbye”.

Don Henley and Glen Frey in the song ”The Last Resort’ in the 1977 Album ”Hotel California” by the Eagles.

The above lyrics are taken from a song written by two legendary American song writers who were members of the famous now defunct Rock group ”The Eagles”. The song parodies America’s claim to exceptionalism which most often had been used to justify all kinds of crimes committed against humanity over the years by successive American governments over the centuries.

Such crimes committed under the cover of the so-called America’s manifest destiny and invoking the name of God in the process had resulted in the killing and destruction of millions of lives and livelihood all over the world without any acknowledgement, remorse and reparations for the wrongs done to the victims from generations to date.

On March 6 this year, 250 years since the declaration of American independence from Britain in 1776, a motion for a vote to declare the transatlantic slavery of which the United States of America was the greatest beneficiary of this inhumanity by man to man was tabled at the United Nations by Ghana. One hundred and twenty-three countries, mainly from Africa, Caribbean, Asia and Latin America voted in favour of the motion. Fifty-two countries from Europe and joined by Canada and Australia abstained. The naysayers to the motion were the United States of America, Israel and Argentina.

It is instructive that slavery was the foundation for American economic development. From the moment the motley crew of adventurers, fortune hunters and convicts hit the American continent from Britain their first thought was on how procure people from Africa to do the back breaking work of tilling the land to grow agricultural products for export back to Europe. And this demand spawned the trade on forcibly getting African people to the Americas.

Thus, slavery functioned on two planks; trade in Africans as commodities and as chattel workers in the agricultural plantations. It was through this inhuman system that the United States of America built its economic foundation and this system was sustained from the seventeenth century up until the late nineteenth century.

Americans have sold to the world the notion that between 1863 to 1865 the two halves of the country fought a civil war on whether to keep the slavery system being practiced in the southern states or not. But even after the victory of the states that fought to abolish slavery, the system and its vestiges remained in American life in various forms to this day.

One would think that for a country that proclaims itself as vanguard of human rights, the United States of America would welcome and promote the efforts being made to acknowledge and right the wrongs of the horrendous historical experience that slavery was to its victims over the centuries, this had not been so. Yes, this is the same America that likes to lecture the world ad nauseum on the horrors of the Jewish Holocaust. We know also that the US took it upon itself to arrest and punish leading members of Nazi Germany who were found guilty of perpetrating these crimes against the Jewish people across Europe. America also had compelled Germany to pay reparations to the state of Israel ad continuum for the crime of the Holocaust.

Against this background many were surprised that included in this trio slavery denial countries is the state of Israel. This is the country that since its establishment in 1948, had existed and thrived on the victimhood of the Holocaust. Every Israeli government and leader since Ben Gurion down to Benjamin Netanyahu had waved the tragedy of the Holocaust conveniently to exact global sympathy and generous economic, military/strategic and diplomatic concessions. Indeed, many African countries despite having misgivings about Israeli policies and actions against Palestinians have however allowed Israel companies generous economic, military and commercial space to operate.

A glimpse into Israeli reveals a country stratified along racial divides. At the bottom of Israel’s racial structure are the Falasha Jews originally from Ethiopia, who are subjected to racial discrimination in many forms due to their colour. The bulk of the male Falasha are forcibly conscripted to serve in the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and deployed to the most dangerous Northern Command where Israel constantly faces existential threats from the Lebanese Hizbollah.

Generally, the Falasha are not only restricted to the most menial jobs and tasks, they are routinely subjected to humiliating medical practices to limit their population growth.

It is ironic that a country that likes to constantly remind the world of the Holocaust and makes it mandatory on governments and global institutions to recognise this historical crime meted to its people would be the one to vote against recognition of a similar grievous historical wrong perpetrated against another race of humans.

As for Argentina, many know the country through its iconic football stars like the late Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi and the other prodigious talents of the game. We also know of the popular Argentinian dance the Tango which ironically is of African origin.

But when Argentine sports team line up we do not see blacks as we do see in other Latin American countries. For a long time, the Argentine government had promoted the narrative that blacks had never existed in the country. But historical record has it that blacks really existed in the country and they were deployed in the plantations in the country.

But in the war of independence against Spain and subsequent wars against its neighbours, the Argentine government pursued a relentless and ruthless campaign of obliterating its black population and replacing them with immigrants from Europe and the Middle East. Within a couple of generations and by the turn of the twentieth century the policy of ”whitening” adopted by the Argentine government had been completed and to this day no blacks are found in the country.

It comes as no surprise that Argentines take pride in their genocidal and racist policies which they flaunt against their Latin American neighbours especially Brazil which has a mixed racial population. A case in this regard occurred during the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 when Nigeria was to meet Brazil in the semi-finals of the men football event for the privilege of meeting the Argentine team which had already qualified for the final. An Argentine newspaper put out a front-page headline thus; ‘The monkeys of Brazil against the monkeys of Nigeria”.

The bulk of the slaves that were taken to the Americas were from Nigeria and it is ironic that the US which perpetrated this greatest inhumanity is now lecturing us on morality. It is even more ironic that the political figures waxing about happenings in Nigeria, Congressman Riley Moore and Senator Ted Cruz are from the states of West Virginia and Texas respectively where slavery was practiced to the hilt. If we ever needed any proof of the US’s insincerity and hypocrisy on its policies on Nigeria this should be it. Let the US acknowledge and recompense its moral burden of slavery against Africa and its descendants as well as the genocide it committed against its indigenous Indian population before it can be counted as an honest and helpful factor in Nigerian affairs.