Category: Daily Trust

The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons was marked in member countries of the United Nations on July 30. With the theme, ‘Trapped Behind the Scam,’ this year’s observance aimed to highlight the activities of organised criminal groups involved in human trafficking.

According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), transnational organised crime groups across the world are trafficking and exploiting thousands of people, forcing them to participate in industrial-scale financial fraud operations.

Criminal groups recruit people through deceptive job advertisements and false promises of legitimate employment, only to exploit them in scam centres. They use digital technologies and artificial intelligence to expand their operations and evade detection, while victims remain largely hidden from public view and are often treated as offenders rather than victims.

The UNODC reported that, by late 2025, identified victims came from nearly 80 nationalities. While Southeast Asia remains a major hub, the model is spreading to the Middle East, Africa, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, South Asia and the Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The UN body estimated that cyber scams generated between $18 billion and $37 billion in illicit profits in 2023 in that region alone.

The story is not much different in Nigeria. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in a 2024 report, describes Nigeria as both a country of origin and a country of exploitation. Nigerians are trafficked abroad, while others are trafficked internally. Nigeria also serves as a destination for victims from neighbouring countries. Between 2017 and the first quarter of 2024, the IOM facilitated the voluntary return of 4,877 Nigerian victims of trafficking, of whom 4,261, about 87 per cent, were women and girls. These figures reveal not only the scale of the problem but also its disproportionate impact on women.

The experiences of many victims follow a familiar pattern. They are enticed with promises of lucrative jobs, scholarships or business opportunities abroad. Once they arrive in their destination countries, their passports and travel documents are confiscated, making escape almost impossible. They are then subjected to forced prostitution, forced labour, drug trafficking or other forms of exploitation through threats, violence and intimidation.

Equally troubling is the role that poverty, family pressure and the erosion of social values play in sustaining this criminal enterprise. In some instances, desperate families encourage young people to embark on dangerous journeys without verifying the claims of recruiters. What begins as the search for a better life often ends in years of abuse and the loss of personal freedom.

The economic consequences are equally severe. Human trafficking deprives Nigeria of productive citizens whose skills and labour should contribute to national development. It imposes enormous social and financial costs on the government, particularly in the rehabilitation and reintegration of returning victims. In many respects, the trade represents a modern manifestation of the exploitation that characterised the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

The establishment of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) raised hopes that Nigeria had begun a determined campaign against this ugly trade. While the agency has recorded some successes, the scale of the problem suggests that much more remains to be done. Human trafficking continues to flourish despite the existence of laws, institutions and international partnerships designed to combat it.

The response, therefore, must go beyond rescue operations. Prevention is just as important as prosecution. The Federal Ministry of Information, in collaboration with NAPTIP, state governments, traditional rulers, religious organisations and civil society groups, should intensify public enlightenment campaigns. Communities must understand the deceptive methods employed by traffickers and the devastating consequences awaiting those who fall into their hands.

Parents, community leaders and religious institutions must become more vigilant, but government agencies must also demonstrate greater commitment. There is widespread concern that traffickers operate with far too much freedom and that prosecutions remain too few to serve as an effective deterrent. Unless those who recruit, transport and exploit vulnerable Nigerians are investigated, prosecuted and punished, trafficking networks will continue to expand.

Education must also become a central pillar of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking strategy. The IOM notes that many victims possess only secondary or primary education, while a significant number have little or no formal education. This underscores the vulnerability created by limited educational opportunities. Expanding access to quality education and creating economic opportunities for young people would reduce the pool of those susceptible to the false promises made by traffickers.

Nigeria possesses the legal framework to confront this menace. What is required now is stronger enforcement. NAPTIP, the Nigeria Police Force, immigration authorities, the judiciary and other relevant agencies must work together to dismantle trafficking syndicates, secure more convictions and ensure that those responsible face the full weight of the law.

Human trafficking flourishes where poverty, ignorance and weak law enforcement intersect. Breaking that cycle demands sustained political will, stronger institutions and greater public vigilance. Nigeria cannot afford to allow thousands more of its citizens to be lured into lives of exploitation under the false promise of greener pastures. The time for a more decisive national response is now.

A 33-year-old Point of Sale operator, Mary Komi, was on Wednesday docked at the Dutse Magistrates’ Court in Abuja for allegedly misappropriating N1.29 million belonging to her employer.

Komi who lives in Zuba, Abuja is charged with theft.

She however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecution Counsel, Mr Otobha Okpa, informed the court that the defendant’s employer, Mr Bala Musa, reported the matter at the Zuba Police Headquarters on March 27, 2026.

He told the court that the defendant was employed by the complainant as his POS operator in Zuba garage in Abuja.

He said that the complainant entrusted the sum of N1.46million to the defendant to use in running the business.

He alleged that the defendant converted the money to her personal use.

The prosecutor said that during investigation and interrogation, the sum of N170,000 was recovered from the defendant, leaving the balance of N1.29 million.

He said that the offence contravened the provisions of Section 289 of the Penal Code law.

The Senior Magistrate, Mrs Evelyn Dara, admitted the defendant to bail in the sum of N500,000 and one surety in like sum.

She ordered that the surety must have a reliable means of identification and must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

Dara adjourned the matter until Sept 15 for hearing. (NAN)

Yet, 102 deaths per 1,000 is still more than four times the Sustainable Development Goal target of 25. For policymakers and stakeholders gathering to shape the next phase of maternal and child health in Nigeria, the question is less whether progress is possible and more what it takes to make it routine.

One part of the answer lies in how the country has delivered child-survival programmes at scale. More than 16 million children have now been reached through the SARMAAN (Safety and Antimicrobial Resistance of Mass Administration of Azithromycin in Children) Project across northern Nigeria, a milestone that says as much about system strength as it does about operational scale.

SARMAAN, is a child-survival initiative that delivers supervised azithromycin to children aged 1-59 months in high-mortality communities, through trained health workers and state primary health-care systems, as part of a wider child survival package that still includes immunisation, nutrition, clean water and basic care. Its experience offers practical lessons for the wider maternal, newborn and child health agenda.

The first lesson is that saving children’s lives is a systems task, not just a clinical one. The improvement in under-five mortality and service indicators is happening in a context where Nigeria’s health system remains fragmented, with federal, state and local authorities sharing overlapping responsibilities that can lead to duplicated efforts and disjointed delivery. SARMAAN’s operations show what it looks like when that fragmentation is managed rather than ignored. In the second quarter of 2026 alone, nine states successfully implemented house-to-house administration. Those rounds were only possible because procurement, logistics, financing, data systems, regulatory oversight, health-worker training and state-level coordination were aligned in advance.

The second lesson is that the ‘unseen work’ is as important as the visible outputs. Public-health success is often narrated in terms of bottles distributed or children reached. SARMAAN’s numbers are impressive on those terms, but the deeper value lies in how doses get from a central warehouse to a child’s mouth without eroding trust. Behind each round are state alignment meetings, last-mile route planning, community dialogues, information materials, safety and pharmacovigilance systems, and fast feedback loops on rumours and concerns. Those are the same ingredients required for better antenatal care, safer births and stronger newborn care, which means the systems ‘muscle’ built for one intervention can strengthen the MNCH agenda.

Finally, SARMAAN raises a constructive challenge for all of us: what happens when a child-survival intervention proves it can be delivered at scale? Does it remain a time-bound project, or does it become part of the permanent toolbox? As Nigeria’s under-five mortality continues to decline, and as national plans and guidelines for maternal and newborn health are updated, the experience from SARMAAN suggests three collaborative priorities. First, integrate proven child-survival tools into routine primary health-care and child-health strategies, so they are planned and budgeted for alongside immunisation, nutrition and WASH. Second, strengthen domestic financing so that continuity does not depend solely on external support. Third, keep investing in community trust, safety monitoring and data, so scale never outruns science or consent.

The improvements in child survival, breastfeeding, antenatal care and skilled birth attendance show that change is possible when policy, practice and partnership line up. SARMAAN’s delivery record is one piece of that picture, not the whole answer but a practical example of what coordinated, country-led effort can achieve.

As Nigeria determines its next strategies for maternal and child health, the most powerful signal we can send is that programmes that work, and the systems that support them, are not temporary successes but building blocks for a future where mothers and children survive as a matter of course, not of chance.

Telecommunications services provider Airtel Nigeria has further extended its national retail footprint with the rollout of 350 out of a planned 500 premium experience centres, which are designed to bring its service closer to millions of Nigerians.

The new retail shops, officially unveiled at a symbolic launch at City Mall, Onikan, Lagos, mark the latest phase in Airtel Nigeria’s grand retail strategy.

They significantly expand the company’s extensive network of over 9,000 exclusive shops across every local government area, more than 350 premium experience centres, and over 73,000 retailers in all top towns and cities nationwide.

Built as compact, high-efficiency touchpoints, the newly launched shops are designed to enable subscribers complete all transactions such as Home Broadband, Fiber and Outdoor Units Subscription, Postpaid Plan Subscription, Enterprise Applications Enquiry and Subscription, as well as Prepaid Product services such as SIM registration and Data Plan purchase, other enquiries and comprehensive account support.

Simultaneously, several shops commenced operations at Purple Mall, Lekki; Marina, Lagos Island; Magodo, Lagos; Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta; Trend Setter Mall, Benin; Abakaliki, Ebonyi State; Kano City Mall, Kano; Carpenters Mall, Gwarinpa, Abuja; and other parts of the country.

The rollout emphasises the company’s continued investment in customer experience and responds directly to feedback from customers seeking quicker access to everyday services without the longer waiting times that may be associated with larger retail centres.

Speaking on the company retail objectives, Joypratip Sengupta, Director, Sales and Distribution, Airtel Nigeria, explained that quality retail experience ultimately drives customer satisfaction.

‘Our goal is to demonstrate our dedication to exceptional quality of service, and these new shops, by their design, location, and equipment fit right within our goal to deliver superior service to every one of our customers,’ he said.

The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 16 suspected kidnappers, three alleged gunrunners and six suspected counterfeit currency dealers, while recovering firearms, stolen property worth millions of naira, livestock and hard drugs during operations conducted across the state in the last two weeks.

Commissioner of Police Rabiu Muhammad disclosed this during a press briefing in Kaduna, saying the command also neutralised notorious kidnappers in separate operations within the period under review.

He said police recovered 10 firearms of different calibres, 190 solar inverters valued at about N69 million, one stolen vehicle, 83 packs of hard drugs, 32 stolen mobile phones, two plasma televisions, 410 cattle and 170 counterfeit United States dollar notes.

According to him, the successes were recorded through intelligence-led operations carried out in collaboration with other security agencies and local vigilante groups.

‘Within the two weeks under review, the Kaduna State Police Command neutralised notorious kidnappers, arrested 16 suspected kidnappers, six suspects found in possession of 170 counterfeit US dollar notes, three suspected gunrunners and recovered 10 firearms of different calibres,’ he said.

Muhammad said operatives arrested a 20-year-old woman, Aisha Barau, in Ramin Kura village on July 21 while she allegedly attempted to exchange counterfeit US dollar notes for naira.

He said the suspect confessed that the fake currency was supplied by Abdullahi Muhammad and Danbala Jibrin, leading to the arrest of other members of the alleged syndicate.

The commissioner also disclosed that operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit arrested three suspected gunrunners in Jos, Plateau State, following credible intelligence.

The suspects, identified as Luka Samuel, John Paul and Musa Elisha, were allegedly found with two locally fabricated pistols and reportedly confessed to supplying arms and ammunition to bandits.

In another operation, Muhammad said security operatives arrested Abdullahi Mohammed, popularly known as ‘Aala’, during a joint operation involving police personnel from Anchau Division and members of the Yan Sa Kai in Kargi village.

He alleged that the suspect confessed to masterminding several kidnappings in Kuzuntu village in Ikara Local Government Area and parts of Kano State, as well as participating in the killing of two Yan Sa Kai members last year.

Police said an AK-47 rifle and five rounds of live ammunition were recovered during the investigation.

The commissioner further said detectives from the Anti-Car Theft Section recovered a stolen Toyota Sienna in Zaria shortly after it was stolen from the premises of a Juma’at Mosque in Ungwan Rimi.

He said the arrest of one Mohammed Shehu led to another suspect, Zakari Abubakar, who allegedly specialised in producing duplicate vehicle keys for car thieves.

The police commissioner also announced the recovery of 190 solar inverters and 10 lithium batteries from a store in Zaria, adding that investigators suspect the items were stolen from a container in transit.

A security source disclosed that the operation, one of the largest and most successful, also included officers and men of the Nigeria Police, as well as other unnamed security agencies.

The operation, the source stated, happened on the same day, leading to the rescue of the victims kidnapped victims across the states.

Of the 308 rescued, said the source, were 163 victims abducted from Woro Community in Kaiama LGA, Kwara State, and 145 from Niger State.

He added that the rescued victims are currently receiving medical attention at the Military Medical Facility, Wawa Cantonment, New Bussa LGA of Niger State.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, stated this while responding to reactions following President Bola Tinubu’s last week meeting with the leadership of CBCN, during which the bishops raised concerns over rising insecurity, economic hardship, democracy and the conduct of elections.

The Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, who was part of the delegation, said on Arise TV that the President disagreed with their assessment, insisting that his administration was making progress.

Two presidential spokespersons, Temitope Ajayi and Daniel Bwala, tackled Onaiyekan, saying it was inappropriate for the cardinal to publicly give his own account and interpretation of what transpired at the private meeting between the bishops and Tinubu.

The Adamawa State Police Command has launched an investigation into the shooting of Suleiman Abubakar, allegedly by a soldier attached to the Tactical Command, Sector 4 of Operation Hadin Kai, Mubi.

The shooting occurred at about 8:40 p.m. on August 2 when the victim was riding his electric motorcycle in Yelwa Quarters, Mubi.

He was said to have hurried home after sighting military personnel on patrol to avoid arrest over the restriction on motorcycle movement between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. in the area.

The incident sparked widespread protests and condemnation.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Suleiman Nguroje, in a statement on Wednesday, said the incident was reported to the police on August 3 by Mallam Muslim Abubakar of Yelwa Ward, Mubi North, who alleged that his younger brother sustained a gunshot injury during an encounter with military personnel.

‘Upon receipt of the report, police operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer, Mubi North Division, immediately visited the scene and ensured the victim received prompt medical attention.

‘He was initially taken to a medical facility in Mubi before being referred to a higher medical facility in Yola for further treatment,’ the statement said.

Nguroje said the Commissioner of Police, Kabiru Umar Hassan, had directed the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) to conduct a thorough, discreet and impartial investigation into the incident.

He added that the command had contacted the relevant military authorities to ensure their cooperation.

The police appealed for calm and assured residents that the investigation would be conducted professionally and transparently.

A cocoa farmer, Joseph Francis Friday, has been shot dead in Isibendeghe Community, Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State.

Friday reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen after he was allegedly shot at close range.

The Cross River State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eitokpah Sunday Akata, said in a statement that the incident occurred on Wednesday, August 5, 2026.

According to the police, the suspected attackers were Patrick Otu Debang, James Osa G, and another person popularly known as ‘Pepsi’, all from Boje Community in Boki LGA.

The police said one Madam Etta Maria Ado of Onisha Farm in Isibendeghe Community lodged a complaint at the Boki Police Station, alleging that the suspects attacked her cocoa farm, where three workers were engaged.

Ado further alleged that the suspects had persistently harassed and threatened her over activities at the farm before the incident.

She also told the police that two other workers, Clinton Abang and Amobi Igwe, escaped from the scene and later returned to inform her of the attack.

According to the police spokesperson, the complainant alleged that the suspects opened fire on Friday and the other workers at the farm.

‘Upon receipt of the report, detectives from the Boki Division visited the scene. The corpse of the deceased was recovered with multiple pellet wounds consistent with injuries inflicted by a locally made firearm, with penetrations to the chest and abdomen.

‘The body has been deposited at the mortuary for autopsy, while investigation is ongoing with a view to apprehending the fleeing suspects.’

The anti-graft agency took the action ten days to the state’s governorship election.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord party is contesting against two major candidates: Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Najeem Salaam of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Adeleke, who addressed journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, alleged that the development was part of the sustained campaign of intimidation against his administration.

He said the state government was officially notified by its banker, First Bank of Nigeria, that the EFCC had directed the bank to place a ‘Post No Debit’ (PND) restriction on the state’s statutory allocation account.

The EFCC’s correspondence, referenced 3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/PFS/TA/OSUN/VOL.17/666, identified the affected account as the Osun State Government Statutory Allocation Account, domiciled with First Bank.

The commission stated that the action followed an earlier communication dated April 15, 2026, relating to an ongoing investigation.

However, the state government said the action lacked legal backing because it was allegedly carried out without a court order.

Adeleke had, on Monday, accused the APC of planning to rig the August 15 election, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the killings in the state.

But the state chapter of the APC had, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, described the governor’s allegations as unfounded and urged him to focus on issues surrounding the forthcoming election.

Governor Adeleke yesterday said the freezing of the account was unconstitutional because no court order was obtained before the directive was issued.

‘This morning, we received a letter from our banker forwarding a letter from the EFCC instructing the bank to freeze the Osun State Government Account.

‘This action was taken without any court order. We are supposed to be in a democracy where the rule of law must always prevail,’ he said.

He cautioned that allowing federal agencies to freeze state government accounts without judicial approval would amount to an erosion of constitutional democracy.

According to him, the action represents a dangerous precedent capable of undermining Nigeria’s federal structure.

‘We will therefore not accept a situation where federal agencies trample on the constitutional rights of sub-national governments. This is a threat to our democracy. If we all keep quiet and allow this illegality, very soon whatever is left of our democracy will be fully eroded.’

The governor called on the chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, to publicly explain the reasons for freezing the state’s account and provide evidence supporting the decision.

Govt heads to court

Governor Adeleke said he had instructed the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to institute legal proceedings at the Federal High Court in Osogbo.

The governor expressed confidence that the judiciary would determine the legality of the EFCC’s decision.

He also dismissed suggestions that the freezing of government accounts would derail his administration or affect his re-election campaign.

‘As for me, we are pushing ahead with our campaign,’ he declared.

Also speaking to journalists in Osogbo yesterday, the Osun State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwole Jimi-Bada (SAN), said the EFCC lacks constitutional authority to freeze a state’s statutory allocation account.

According to him, while the state government respects the statutory responsibilities of the EFCC and other government institutions, the agency’s powers must remain within the limits prescribed by law.

‘This statement is not intended as an attack on any person, government, agency or political party. It is purely a legal position taken in the interest of constitutional order and due process,’ he said.

He said the provisions of Section 24 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act and Section 38 of the EFCC Act, 2004, which are frequently cited by the commission, do not empower it to freeze or interfere with the statutory allocation account of a state government.

He argued that such accounts contain constitutionally protected public funds meant for governance and the delivery of essential services.

‘The statutory account of Osun State contains public funds meant for governance, salaries, pension, healthcare, education, security and other essential obligations to the people.

‘Any restriction on such funds raises serious constitutional questions which, in our view, should be determined by a court of competent jurisdiction,’ he said.

On his part, the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Sola Ogungbile, alleged that police operatives stormed the main branch of First Bank in Osogbo and arrested members of staff.

He alleged that the arrest was part of the wider pressure being mounted against the state government.

Ogungbile also debunked the allegations that state resources were being diverted for political campaigns, saying Governor Adeleke was not using public funds to prosecute his re-election bid. He urged the EFCC to consider the broader implications of its action on the people of Osun State.

We acted to halt looting – EFCC

The EFCC on Wednesday explained that the state government’s account was frozen to save public funds from being looted.

The commission, in a statement by its spokesman, Dele Oyewale, said it had been investigating many government officials in the State since March.

He said some officials of the state had earlier been quizzed by investigators of the commission, saying what precipitated the freezing was unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.

He stated: ‘The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is compelled to publicly address issues pertaining to its preventive moves in freezing the bank account of the Osun State government, without prejudice to the imminent governorship election in the state.

‘The Commission has been busy investigating the Osun State government since March, 2026, regarding alleged fraudulent handling of Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee, FAAC account to the tune of N11,000,000,000 only.

‘To this end, some officials of the state government, especially the Accountant General of the State, have had interview sessions with investigators of the EFCC.’

Oyewale said the EFCC noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved.

He stated: ‘These ongoing investigations of the state government would not have warranted any placement of Post No Debit order on its account but for the precipitate and unwarranted movement of funds from the accounts to different suspicious accounts since August 2, 2026.

‘The Commission noticed huge transfers of funds into different corporate entities and had to swiftly halt the trend by freezing the accounts from which such heavy funds are being moved.

‘The EFCC’s preventive mandate is a public-inclined framework of safeguarding public funds, assets and resources. The Commission cannot watch idly while a state government’s account is being pillaged.

‘While the Commission is fully aware of the impending governorship election in Osun State, it has a responsibility to act in defence of the sanctity of the funds of the state.

‘It will be uncharitable for the Commission to allow an excuse of an upcoming election to fold its arms to perform its legally-assigned functions. It is equally needful to state that the Commission is keeping watch over the finances of other states like Osun State.

‘Many of these states are on the investigative radar of the Commission to ensure accountability and probity. The Commission has always pointed out that it is non-partisan and non-sectarian but always working in the overall interests of Nigerians.

‘The Osun State government account was frozen to save public funds from being looted. The public is enjoined to ignore false narratives and deliberate demonization of the works of the EFCC. The interests of all Nigerians are greater and will always be protected by the Commission.’

It violates principles of federalism – Lawyer

In an interview with one of our correspondents, a constitutional lawyer, Basil Kpenkpen, described the freezing of the state government’s account as an arbitrary exercise of power in a constitutional democracy ultra vires the 1999 Constitution.

He noted that the state’s account holds public funds meant for essential services like payment of salaries and projects.

‘States’ accounts hold public funds meant for the State for essential services like payment of salaries, projects etc. The said action also violates the principle of federalism,’ he argued.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, John Baiyeshea, who also spoke to Daily Trust, said the court should be allowed to handle the matter since the government has taken the case to court.

‘Since the state government has gone to court, we just wait and see how the matter will play out in court. I know the case will generate a lot of interest. The court is there to ensure that they maintain balance at all times,’ he said.

A political scientist, Prof. Sylvester Odion, warned the APC against using the state’s institution to muzzle the opposing political parties.

‘Let the people of Osun decide who becomes their next governor. It is unfair to begin to use state instrumentality to muzzle the opposition. We have over 19 political parties in the state. The federal government should create a level playing field for all political parties.

‘It will rebound to the positive image of the incumbent administration in Nigeria. It shouldn’t be that the ruling party must control every state of the federation,’ he said.

It is political terrorism – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), in its reaction, condemned the freezing of statutory allocations and bank accounts linked to the Osun State Government, describing the development as ‘political terrorism’ and an assault on democracy.

It accused the federal government of using state institutions to intimidate the Osun State Government and allegedly influence the outcome of the August 15 governorship election.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that the withholding of funds was part of a broader strategy to weaken the state government and frustrate its operations ahead of the governorship poll.

The party linked the development to what it described as President Bola Tinubu’s ‘win-at-all-cost’ approach to politics, warning that such a mentality could threaten Nigeria’s democracy and national stability.

According to the ADC, restricting the funds could affect the payment of workers’ salaries, the operation of primary healthcare centres, education, rural infrastructure and other essential public services.

‘The freezing of the statutory allocations due to the local governments of Osun State is not an administrative decision or a legal dispute. It is political terrorism by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government carried out with the instruments of the Nigerian state in order to undermine the state government ahead of the coming governorship election,’ the statement read.

The party alleged that the withholding of the allocations was only one aspect of what it described as a systematic campaign against the Osun State Government.

It also accused unelected APC loyalists of continuing to occupy local government councils in the state, alleging that their continued presence was contrary to democratic principles and the rule of law.

The ADC further alleged that opposition politicians, including members of the Accord Party, had been subjected to arbitrary arrests for political reasons.

It accused security agencies of failing to address alleged acts of violence by political thugs in the state.

The party alleged that some armed groups linked to the APC had intimidated political opponents, while accusing some elements within the Nigeria police of providing protection to the groups.

The opposition party argued that the developments pointed to what it described as a deliberate attempt by federal authorities to undermine constitutional governance and democratic institutions in Osun State.