Category: Daily Trust

With the Monday announcement by the federal government that it had cancelled the parade earlier scheduled as part of activities to celebrate the country’s 65th independence anniversary, it became glaring that this year’s Independence Day celebration was going to be different.

Since 1960 when the first ceremony held at the Race Course now Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, the military parade has become a significant aspect of the Independence Day celebration with heads of government at the various tiers of government taking the salute as the armed forces, para military outfits, school children march past.

The parade, where all the components of the armed forces, para military outfits, voluntary organisations, school children and others march past affords the president the opportunity to salute the citizens and forms the high point of activities marking the day.

Yesterday, however, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, was not at the nation’s capital Abuja, to engage in the usual activities marking the day, but was in Lagos, his home state where he commissioned the renovated National Arts Theatre, Iganmu, which has now been renamed the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts.

The celebration was low key in Abuja and was driven mainly by private concerns as most people focussed on what the president would be doing in Lagos.

Before the seat of government was moved to Abuja, all the celebrations except in the few instances it wasn’t held, were all done in Lagos, but since 1993, the venue followed the president to Abuja.

This would mark the first time a head of government would stay outside the nation’s capital on a day the nation is supposed to be celebrating independence.

Professor of Political Science, Steve Odion, in a chat with Daily Trust said marking the day is significant since Africa was colonised by the Europeans.

He said, ‘Given that many countries in Africa went through liberation struggle, there’s a basis to celebrate political freedom from the erstwhile colonial masters.’

An analyst who prefers not to be named said celebrating the day is important because it forges a sense of unity among the populace.

‘People look forward to seeing the president address them, take the salute and physically acknowledge the populace,’ he stated.

Between 1960 and 1966, October 1 became a very significant day as it serves to mark two epochs at the same time. It was celebrated as the day Nigeria attained independence from colonial rule and a day to mark the anniversary of the central government. It was also the only politically inspired public holiday making many to look forward to it.

It was highly regarded as a day that brings all parts of the country, irrespective of cultures or beliefs to stand together in unison.

Olusegun Obasanjo, who became head of state in 1976, added to the significance of the day when he chose October 1, 1979 as the day to hand over to a civilian administration. That action reinstated the day’s relevance as both a day to mark independence and the anniversary of the administration at the national and state levels giving the 19 state governors more reason to celebrate the day.

After the Nigerian civil war, the federal military government continued to celebrate October 1 as a national holiday to mark independence only as the day did not coincide with when the Yakubu Gowon regime or the subsequent regimes of Murtala Muhammad and Obasanjo that succeeded it came to power.

The civilian administration of president Shehu Shagari continued to celebrate the day as both Independence Day and the anniversary of the inauguration of his administration. The tradition continued through the various military regimes.

Then head of state, General Sani Abacha, added to the relevance of the day when he announced the creation of the six new states of Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara on October 1, 1996, a pronouncement that brought the number of states in Nigeria to the current number of 36. The six states have since then been celebrating the day as the anniversary of their creation.

Years without celebration

Though October 1 became a significant date in the nation’s history, there are instances when it could not be celebrated.

There was no Independence Day celebration in the official sense during the years the Nigerian civil war lasted, hence the 1st of October that fell in the years 1966; 1967; 1968 and 1969 were not celebrated as the country was at war over the secessionist bid by a section of the country to form Biafra.

In 1992, then military president, Ibrahim Babangida cancelled the October 1 celebration in honour of the victims of the Nigerian Air Force Lock heed C-130 Hercules plane which crashed in Ejigbo, Lagos in which 159 persons mainly military officers lost their lives.

In 2010, the celebration was nearly marred due to an explosion from two cars parked near the venue that took the lives of a dozen and injured many around the Eagle Square.

Due to that scare, there was no celebration in the following years, but in 2014 the red carpet rolled again.

Due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, the day was marked low key in subsequent years in the Villa by then president, Muhammadu Buhari.

Changes that reduced the significance

When Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar as head of state chose a different day to hand over power to a civilian administration, he inadvertently introduced another politically inspired public holiday

By handing over on May 29, the nation added another public politically influenced public holiday to its calendar.

With the pressure to accord June 12, 1993, the day presidential elections held but was annulled by a military government, a place in the national history, the Muhammadu Buhari administration succumbed and declared the day as Democracy Day, hence giving the nation three politically induced public holidays with May 29 standing as inauguration anniversary, June 12 as Democracy Day and October 1 as Independence Day,

Leaders privileged to celebrate

Of the 14 persons that ruled in Nigeria since 1960, only General Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi did not have the privilege of celebrating Independence Day as head of state as his regime which came to power in January 1966 was overthrown by July of the same year, three clear months before October.

The three other heads of government whose reign lasted less then a year, Murtala, Ernest Shonekan and Abdulsalami were lucky to have their tenure spread over the date, hence were able to celebrate it.

Obasanjo was privileged to take the independence salute a record 11 times, three times as Nigeria’s head of state and eight times as president.

The MV Sapphire, Nigeria’s first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)-powered container yesterday arrived at APM Terminals in Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.

This milestone marks a significant step forward in Nigeria’s maritime industry, as the country moves towards embracing cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.

The MV Sapphire’s arrival demonstrates the terminal’s commitment to accommodating environmentally friendly vessels and promoting sustainable shipping practices.

With a carrying capacity of 7,800 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the MV Sapphire is a state-of-the-art vessel that boasts advanced LNG propulsion technology. This eco-friendly propulsion system significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, aligning with global efforts to mitigate climate change.

The berthing of the MV Sapphire at APM Terminals Apapa underscores Nigeria’s growing importance in the global maritime industry. As the country continues to invest in its port infrastructure and embrace sustainable technologies, it is poised to become a hub for maritime trade in West Africa.

The arrival of the MV Sapphire is a testament to the country’s commitment to environmental sustainability and its determination to play a leading role in the global maritime industry.

Speaking at the event, Todd Rives, Managing Director of Lagos and Niger Shipping Agency Limited (LANSAL), which represents Gold Star Line in Nigeria, described the berthing as a historic milestone. He recalled that Gold Star Line, incorporated in 1958, remains one of the oldest shipping agencies operating in Nigeria, with a longstanding commitment to customer service.

He stressed that the arrival of the MV Sapphire was more than just a routine docking, but rather a symbol of progress and partnership, designed to reduce voyage costs, promote operational efficiency, and reinforce environmental sustainability. According to him, the vessel is the beginning of a new era in Nigerian maritime trade, and he expressed optimism that her sister ships would also call at the port in the near future.

Kayode Daniel, Commercial Manager of APM Terminals Apapa, described the moment as a significant achievement for the port and underlined the shared commitment to sustainable maritime practices.

He explained that shipping lines globally are working together to reduce emissions, in line with international sustainability targets.

He praised LANSAL for deploying LNG-powered vessels in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reaffirming that it was aligned with the global APM Terminals ESG goals, to move to cleaner sources of energy thereby reducing carbon emissions.

The Port Manager of the Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Adebowale Lawal, represented by the Chief Port Security Officer, Bukar Kaumi, commended Gold Star Line and LANSAL for their foresight.

For years, Mondays in the Southeast have been reduced to ghost towns. Streets lie empty, shops remain shut, schools are locked, and the hum of economic life is silenced. The so-called ‘sit-at-home’ order has crippled business, strangled education, and eroded confidence in government’s ability to guarantee normal life.

Yet, in public, leaders insist there is no sit-at-home. Governors say citizens are free to go about their businesses, but their own actions tell a different story. They avoid scheduling important events on Mondays, quietly conceding to the very fear they deny.

Even at the highest level of power, this contradiction is glaring. When late President Muhammadu Buhari visited Imo State in September 2022, it was on a Tuesday, not a Monday. The calculation was obvious: avoid the optics of empty streets and deserted markets that define Southeast Mondays.

By avoiding Monday, the President has, knowingly, reinforced the silent admission that sit-at-home is still real. Leaders dodge Mondays because they fear the photographs of ghostly roads, thin crowds, and absent fanfare. But what they avoid is precisely what true leadership should confront.

Imagine if President Tinubu had chosen Monday. Imagine the symbolism of a President landing in Owerri on a Monday morning, cutting ribbons in front of cheering crowds, walking confidently on streets that have for years been surrendered to silence. That single act could have gone beyond just cutting ribbons to cutting through fears that has for long griped our people, given ordinary citizens the courage to step out, to open their shops, to send their children to school, and to reclaim their Mondays. It would have been remembered as the turning point that broke the psychological chains of fear.

Instead, another opportunity has been lost. Another Monday has been conceded to emptiness. Another chance to restore dignity and courage to a people has slipped away.

Leadership is not only about commissioning flyovers, decorating cities or digital learning centers. It is also about building confidence in the hearts of citizens. If Tinubu truly wants to be remembered as a friend of ndi Igbo, he must move beyond staged ceremonies and confront the deeper realities that keep the Southeast shackled.

The empty streets our leaders avoid are not just empty, they are symbols of a shutdown. And history will not be kind to those who had the power to end it but chose convenience instead.

At least 188 public schools have been shut down due to insecurity in Northern Nigeria.

A search carried out by our reporters showed that many schools in the region had been shut due to attacks on the villages by bandits just as some of them are now serving as camps for people displaced by insecurity. Our correspondents mentioned at least 39 in Zamfara; 30 in Niger; six each in Sokoto and Kaduna in addition to the reported 52 and 55 schools in Katsina and Benue states respectively which have been shut. This figure may be higher than this as some areas cannot be accessed to get the true picture of things.

The investigation did not also include Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states that have peculiar challenges occasioned by Boko Haram attacks in the last 15 years.

In some cases, schools had been opened at IDPs camps, thereby giving some children the opportunity to learn. Also, many displaced communities have been rebuilt, a development that led to the relocation of the IDPs to their ancestral homes alongside their children.

However, sources said still there are hard -to-reach communities in the affected states.

Situation in North West

Of the 39 identified schools in Zamfara, 20 are primary schools, while 19 are secondary schools.

In Niger, 18 primary schools, one secondary school, and 11 nomadic designated schools are shut.

Three secondary schools, two technical colleges and one primary school have been shut in Sokoto State.

This is happening despite a report showing that some of the states have highest number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

The ICIR reports that Nigeria has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children in the world, with estimates ranging between 10 and 20 million, according to 2024 UNICEF report.

Specifically, the country’s education system faces an alarming crisis, with 10.2 million children of primary school age, and another 8.1 million of junior secondary school age out of school.

According to data from the National Mass Education Programme Initiative (NMPI), the number of out-of-school children stands at 1.4 million in Katsina, representing 45.9 per cent of its school aged population.

Kebbi State has 67.6 per cent of its school-age population out of school, recording over 1.06 million children outside the classroom.

Sokoto has 1.25 million out of school children. This means Katsina, Sokoto, and Kebbi lead the ranking of out of school children in Nigeria.

Zamfara, Kaduna, and Niger sit in the top 15 of the ranking.

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at a school in Gwer West LGA of Benue State

According to Statista, Katsina had 3,375 primary schools in the 2018/2019 school year.

Many public schools across Sokoto, Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kaduna, Kebbi, Benue and Kwara states have remained closed for years, others for months or weeks after they were shut down owing to attacks by Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru, Lakurawa, Mahmuda terrorists and bandits.

Findings by Daily Trust revealed that the closures have forced thousands of children out of school, with some classrooms turned into shelters for displaced persons and camps for security operatives.

While some students have been relocated to urban centres and merged into existing schools, others have dropped out.

This is just as educationists warn that prolonged closure of rural schools will deepen illiteracy and poverty.

6 identified schools shut in Sokoto

In Sokoto State, key boarding schools, including the Federal Government Technical College, Wurno; Government Girls’ Secondary School, Rabah; Government Girls’ Science Secondary School, Illela; Olusegun Obasanjo Technical College, Bafarawa (Isa LGA); and Adamu Mu’azu Science Secondary School, Goronyo remain shut years after closure by the administration of former Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

In Sabon Birni LGA, displaced villagers now occupy school buildings by night and vacate them during the day for classes. In Manawa community, Isa LGA, the only primary school has been taken over by bandits who use it as a resting point, Daily Trust gathered.

‘This is a serious blow to the future of our children. The government must take decisive and urgent action to restore security and return children to school,’ said a former Sole Administrator of Goronyo LGA, Alhaji Zakari Shinaka.

‘There are many schools in Sabon Birni that have stopped functioning because entire communities have been displaced by bandits,’ a local resident, who requested anonymity, told Daily Trust.

He added: ‘The displaced now live in the LGA headquarters, occupying school buildings at night. They vacate the premises in the morning so that classes can resume, only returning at dusk.’

The state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Ahmad Ladan Ala, was unreachable; while other government officials declined to comment.

Zamfara: 20 primary schools, 19 secondary schools abandoned

In Zamfara State, many schools have remained shut for over six years in bandits-prone LGAs such as Anka, Tsafe, and Kaura Namoda. Only a handful in Anka town remains functional under military protection.

The affected schools include: Kawaye Primary School, Dawangiye Primary School, Tubuki Primary School, Tungar Ku-da-ku Primary School, Duza Primary School, Tungar Mata Primary School, Tamani Primary School, Makakari Primary School, and Sunke Primary School.

Others are: Sabon Birni GDSS, Sabon Birni Primary School, Jar Kuka Primary School, Abare Primary School, Duhuwa Primary School, Mayanchi Primary School, Fangaltama Primary School, and Dareta Primary School.

A resident of Anka town, Malam Hassan Isa, said: ‘Many of our children have stopped going to school in this area for the past seven years. Only a few of them were transferred to other schools in the relatively peaceful towns. We are in a serious situation.’

In Tsafe, schools like GSS Danjibga, GSS Yankuzo, Makera Primary School, GSS Wanzamai and Sugawa Primary School are now occupied by troops.

Ali Yusuf Mai Goro, a resident of Tsafe, told Daily Trust that some of the affected schools were turned into accommodation for security operatives, including soldiers and mobile policemen.

‘Danjibga, Yankuzo, and Wamzamai secondary schools have been taken over by soldiers. But Makera and Sungawa were left empty for this long. Our children, especially the primary school pupils, have stopped going to school, while only a few secondary school students were able to continue with their studies in other places,’ he said.

A resident of the Dan Isa town, Muhammad Shehu Mai Taya, said the two primary schools and 12 secondary schools in the district have been closed since 2023.

He said children in the area had abandoned schools due to banditry. ‘In the whole of Dan Isa District, no single primary or secondary school is functioning at present. Our main concern is not school but peace because without it, we cannot do anything. Peace first before anything else. So, our children have stopped going to school for their safety,’ he said.

School destroyed by bandits in Kagara, Niger State

Dozens of schools closed in Katsina

Katsina State has also recorded closures. A 2024 study by Oxford Policy Management, supported by UNICEF, revealed that 52 schools were shut in Batsari, Faskari, and Kankara LGAs, with only nine reopened. Between 2020 and 2025, at least 330 students were abducted, 14 teachers kidnapped, and five killed in these LGAs.

The most infamous case was the 2020 Kankara abduction where over 200 pupils were kidnapped.

Daily Trust had reported a school at Marabar Dan Ali in Danmusa Local Government Area which was converted to a military camp, forcing pupils to either relocate to a neighbouring village school and study inside an unroofed, uncompleted mud house or abandon their studies completely.

Governor Dikko Radda recently admitted that insecurity has crippled schools, markets, and farmlands in at least eight LGAs including Jibia, Danmusa, Safana, and Sabuwa.

Speaking at the launch of an 18-month European Union-funded programme on Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response, and Resilience, the governor had said his administration was pursuing dialogue and negotiation to curb insecurity. He noted that community-led peace agreements had yielded results in Jibia, Batsari, Danmusa, and Kurfi LGAs, while discussions were ongoing in Kankara and Safana.

18 pry, 1 sec, 11 nomadic designated school deserted in Niger

In Niger State, schools like the Government Science College, Kagara-where 27 students and staff were abducted in 2021-have been shut and converted to military camps.

Other affected schools are Teacher’s Professional Development Institute, Dandaudu, Munya LGA and Mamman Kontagora Technical College, Pandogari in Rafi LGA.

Across Rafi, Shiroro, and Mariga LGAs, over 20 schools are deserted, including Central Primary School, Allawa; Gurmana Primary School; and Kwaki Primary School. In Allawa, three schools have remained empty since 2024 when soldiers withdrew.

Teachers say children sometimes spend three to five weeks at home whenever bandits are sighted in surrounding areas.

Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has promised to relocate vulnerable schools into ‘mega schools’ in Minna and other safer zones, but the plan is yet to take off.

Residents said 11 nomadic designated schools in Rafi LGA had been forced to shut down by bandits, while most of the pupils had dropped out.

In Shiroro LGA, Central Primary School, Allawa; Government Secondary School, Allawa; Model Primary School, Allawa; Gyaramiya Primary School; UBE Primary School, Samunaka; Gurmana Primary School; UBE Primary School, Plalali; Bassa Primary School; Kwaki Primary School; Chukuba Primary School and UBE Primary School, Rumace, have been abandoned.

In Mariga LGA, the schools forced to shut down due to insecurity include Central Primary, Ragada; L.E.A Primary School, Kadago-Gari; L. E. A Primary School, Faransi; Central Primary School, Mazame-Gari and L.E.A Primary School, Masawaci, among others.

‘All these schools have been shut for a long time due to the fear of bandits. Among the listed schools, only Central Primary, Ragada, and the other primary schools in Ukari have been reopened, and even in the two schools, learning has not been stable because each time there’s movement of bandits around our area, they can spend three to five weeks without attending classrooms,’ one of the teachers told Daily Trust on telephone.

When contacted, Director, Test and Measurement, Niger State Ministry of Education, Asab Abdullahi, said he needed a directive from the permanent secretary to speak on the issue.

Kaduna: Villages deserted, schools abandoned

In Kajuru LGA, villages such as Karimai and Cibiya are deserted, leaving at least six schools empty. In Chikun and Birnin Gwari LGAs, pupils from abandoned schools have been relocated to towns like Udawa, with some squeezed into overcrowded classrooms.

A youth leader, Yuhana Kufana, said there are villages like Karimai and Cibiya in Maro district of Kajuru where schooling has stopped because the residents of those communities have all fled due to insecurity.

He said, ‘Yet, all the schools there are government-owned. About six schools in that district are not functioning because the parents and families who once lived in those areas have all been displaced. Most of the residents have relocated to Mararaban Kajuru town and Kufana town to settle. In the Kujeni area, too, their school is empty because the residents have fled. This means that wherever the parents relocate to, their children cannot continue schooling.

‘However, up to now, we do not know what is happening with the teachers who were assigned to those abandoned schools. Whether the education authorities have transferred them to other schools, we do not know. It is important to note that the state government has not officially declared the closure of those schools because of insecurity.

‘But since there are no students left in the communities, the schools have been deserted by default. The government did not say it shut them down, but the reality is that with no residents left in the villages, the schools are no longer functioning. This is the situation we are facing at the moment.’

A community Leader in Udawa Town under Chikun LGA, Imam Muhammadu Udawa, said there are LEA schools in Labi, Anguwar Yako, Manini, Gwarso, Mil Biyu, Hayin Mato-all villages located under Birnin Gwari LGA-whose residents have now relocated to Udawa Town with their children to continue their education.

According to him, most of the villages have been deserted years back due to insecurity, and since then, the schools located in those communities remained empty. He said most of the students were scattered across other communities.

The Kaduna State Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Maiyaki, neither answered phone calls nor replied to text and WhatsApp messages sent to his mobile line by Daily Trust for comment.

Kebbi: Fear after Birnin Yauri abduction

In Kebbi South, particularly Danko Wasagu, schools remain closed after the abduction of 96 students from Federal Government Girls College, Birnin Yauri, in 2021.

Parents now prefer enrolling children in schools closer to towns. ‘We had to stop them from school for eight months. It’s safer than letting them fall into the hands of bandits,’ said Yahaya Abdullahi, a father of three near Rijau.

Kabiru Diri, a farmer in the Kanya community area of the state, also said many of their children had been denied access to their schools.

He said, ‘Some of them were recently relocated to schools in more secure areas of Mahuta and other communities in Zuru Emirate. Some parents had even moved their children to schools in Birnin Kebbi, the state capital.’

IDPs at Central Primary School, Gwada Shiroro LGA, Niger State

55 schools closed in Benue in 2024, turned into IDP shelters

In Benue, schooling has collapsed in 11 LGAs including Guma, Logo, Agatu, Kwande, and Gwer West. Many classrooms now host displaced families.

At RCM Primary School, Agagbe, pupils share space with IDPs, while in Logo LGA, children sit idle as classrooms remain shut.

Amnesty International reported that 55 schools were destroyed or closed in Benue in 2024 alone, alongside the killing of at least 540 people within two months.

Our correspondent reports that learning has been interrupted across many of the 23 local government areas affected by recurring invasions.

The hardest-hit LGAs include Guma, Logo, Agatu, Kwande, Gwer West, Apa, Gwer East, Ukum, Katsina-Ala, Otukpo, and Makurdi where most schools have either been closed or taken over by displaced families.

At NKST Primary School, Anyiin in Logo LGA, education has been suspended after displaced villagers occupied the classrooms, while in Gwer West and Guma, most council wards no longer have functioning schools as residents have fled and armed groups have taken over their communities.

For instance, the RCM Primary School in Agagbe remains the only surviving school in Mbaakpa district of Gwer West even as it now struggles to operate with IDPs occupying half of its facilities.

A nine-year-old Ukeryima Emmanuella, who fled Tse Adekule village in Mbachohon ward with her parents, said: ‘The government should find a place for IDPs to stay so our school can run properly.’

Similarly, 12-year-old Orhena Terkuma, displaced from Tse Kpar in Sengev ward, said he wished to continue his education but could not as his school at Mbahungwa had been closed for a long time.

While the state’s Ministry of Education has yet to comment, the State Emergency Management Agency said it was working with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the European Union (EU) and other partners to find durable solutions.

Radio lessons for Kwara students

Though less affected, Kwara State has seen disruptions in Patigi LGA where schools like Nyamikpan LGEA Primary School were shut after recent attacks. Attendance in some reopened schools has dropped. This is despite the fact that the government has not announced the closure of any school.

In Matokun, Patigi LGA, residents recounted how parents hurriedly withdrew their children from classrooms following the latest attack. Schools that had resumed after the holiday were forced to close around 11:30 am on Tuesday following information about the latest attacks.

While most schools within the town remained open, fear and uncertainty reduced turnout drastically. At Nyamikpan LGEA Primary School, located along Ilorin Road in Patigi, the gates were shut when our correspondent visited, with only a handful of children seen returning home.

A teacher said attendance across schools in the area had dropped to about 30 per cent.

‘The primary school in Matokun was the most affected. Parents have withdrawn their children and are afraid to allow them out. Even those of us who are teachers are scared. One of my students was shot during the attack and is still in the hospital. How can we go to class with this kind of fear,’ a teacher, Matthew Ahmed, told Daily Trust.

A resident, who simply identified himself as Abubakar, said ‘Our children are just sitting at home doing nothing. It is very painful because this is the time they are supposed to be learning.’

The state’s Commissioner for Tertiary Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbe, said the government was considering radio lessons for children in affected communities.

He said the government considered online learning but quickly realised that poor network connectivity in rural communities would limit its effectiveness.

‘As good and desirable as online classes would have been, many of the core areas in Kwara North and other affected communities have network issues. This brings us to the second option, which is radio classes where we just make an announcement for children to be granted access to the radio for some specific hours. The state government is working on improving this situation,’ he said.

‘Situation may lead to poverty, crime’

Michael Banda from the UNICEF’s Kano Field Office underscored the devastating impact of insecurity on education, pointing to rising out-of-school numbers, learning losses, trauma among pupils and declining community trust in the education system.

He said the crisis had left children traumatised and worsened Nigeria’s learning poverty.

‘Every year of lost schooling risks locking millions of children into a cycle of violence, poverty, and hopelessness,’ he said.

Aliyu Abdullahi, a school teacher, said unless urgent steps are taken to address the rising insecurity, a whole generation will miss out of formal education.

‘The fact is that children and youths who do not have the opportunity to go to school will be left behind by their counterparts who live in safer locations. We would only get to realise the damage in the next two decades or thereabouts,’ he said.

A security expert, Lamin Ismail Daba, said the end result of missing school is criminality.

‘Many of the children that have been denied access to their schools will take to crime. The boys, especially, would join bandit groups and other sundry crimes. On the other hand, the girls might take to prostitution or hawking while a few of them would be married off by their parents,’ he said.

He urged the government to do more to address the issue.

Several efforts made to get official reactions on Wednesday from both the army Headquarters and the Defence Headquarters were unsuccessful.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Army, Appolonia Anele, a Lieutenant-Colonel, directed one of correspondents to the Defence Headquarters.

The Director, Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a Brigadier-General told Daily Trust that official reaction would be better offered by the Defence Media Operations because it is an operational issue.

‘Honestly, I don’t have any information regarding that. Kindly reach out to General Kangye for better reaction,’ the senior military officer said in a telephone conversation with Daily Trust.

However, repeated phone calls to the Director, Defence Media Operations, Markus Kangye, a Major-General rang out unanswered.

Both WhatsApp and text messages sent to him were yet to be responded to as at the time of filing this report last night.

By Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Abubakar Auwal (Sokoto), Tijjani Ibrahim (Katsina), Abubakar Akote (Minna), Mohammed Ibrahim Yaba (Kaduna), Ismail Adebayo (Birnin Kebbi), Hope Abah (Makurdi) Mumini Abdulkareem (Ilorin) and Idowu Isamotu

FirstBank has honoured distributors in the fast-moving consumer goods sector at its annual Key Distributor Forum for the South West region.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank, Segun Alebiosu, stated that the Forum was an important avenue for the bank to recognise its customers.

The Forum rides on the back of Key Distributorship Finance, which is a FirstBank-structured finance product designed to provide financial support to distributors of FirstBank-approved FMCG principals, addressing their working capital needs.

He said, ‘It’s part of our customer experience, our relationship management initiative. They are our partners, our friends, and part of our own financial ecosystem. They support us and support our customers, and because of the wonderful job they are doing, we want to honour them. They are key to our business.’

Addressing the distributors, Alebiosu told them, ‘You are much more than a distributor. We are partners. We are friends. We are friends because we belong to the same ecosystem. We have a common principle. The people you buy from, we support them to grow, and we support you to buy from them to grow.’

The Group Head, Transaction Banking Division, First Bank, Mobolade Ojeahere said, ‘At First Bank, we believe firmly in the power of partnerships, the feedback that you give us that makes us better, and what we can offer you as well that will make the business grow and continue to grow up to greater heights. For us, we’ll continue to innovate, enhance our services and continue to proudly serve and work with you across all our entire footprints, across all our branches, where we are present, so that your own objectives can also be achieved. As we look forward to the future, we remain dedicated to continuing to support you and to fostering and building the relationship.’

The PoS Business unit at FirstBank also introduced the Firstmonie merchant wallet solution to the gathering, describing it as a robust solution, as it provides inventory services, cash management and more.

A tipper truck driver reportedly crashed near Gosa village along the Airport Road, Abuja, while attempting to evade arrest by Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) personnel.

A witness, Benjamin Moses, said the incident happened on Monday around 2:12 pm.

The tipper, which was conveying laterite, was driving against traffic (one-way) near the entrance of Fourth Royal Estate, close to Gosa Market.

Moses explained that FRSC personnel in a Hilux patrol van attempted to stop and arrest the driver for the traffic offence. ”Upon noticing the FRSC officers pursuing him, the tipper driver allegedly increased his speed and suddenly rammed into a pothole, causing the vehicle to overturn in the middle of the road,” the witness narrated.

According to Moses, the driver and his assistant narrowly escaped unhurt and immediately fled the scene, abandoning the overturned tipper.

Our reporter, who stopped at the scene, observed another truck attempting to lift the fallen tipper with the help of some motorists.

An FRSC official, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident and blamed the driver for driving against traffic.

He reiterated that the driver increased his speed upon seeing the patrol van, which led to the crash.

‘Actually, the tipper driver was plying through one-way, which he knows is a traffic offence,’ the official said. ‘Out of fear upon sighting the FRSC coming, he now accelerated further which led to the driver to run into a big pothole.’

The official confirmed that there were no casualties in the incident, adding that the truck, which had caused an obstruction, was later towed from the road.

The police command in Enugu State says it will commence the enforcement of Vehicle Tinted Glass Permit regulations from October 2, 2025, in the state. The command stated that the exercise, which is in line with existing laws and directives, would be carried out professionally and would apply to all vehicles with tinted glasses, whether factory or non-factory fitted.

This was contained in a statement issued to newsmen on Wednesday in Enugu by the command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe.

Ndukwe advised motorists yet to register their vehicles with tinted glasses to complete the process at www.possap.gov.ng. Following registration, he said, they should proceed to the State Intelligence Department (SID) at the State Command Headquarters, Enugu, for physical verification. (NAN)

He added, ‘Those who are not desirous of obtaining the Tinted Glass Permit are advised to remove such tints or replace the factory-fitted glasses with transparent ones, as legally required.

‘In addition, the command will enforce the subsisting ban on the unauthorized use of sirens, revolving lights, Police SPY and unallocated official number plates as well as the use of unregistered vehicles.’

The spokesman said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mamman Giwa, had directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of the Department of Operations to oversee the enforcement.

Labour Party presidential candidate in the last election, Peter Obi, on Wednesday used Nigeria’s Independence Day anniversary to deliver a scathing critique of the country’s current state, warning that leadership failures had left the nation deep in debt, shrinking economically, and sliding into what he described as an ‘undemocratic democracy.’

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, Obi contrasted the vision of the country’s founding fathers-who he said fought with confidence and passion to build a prosperous nation-with what he called the tragic failures of successive leaders.

He said 65 years after independence, Nigeria’s total debt stands at about N175 trillion, nearly 50 per cent of GDP, without any improvement in productive sectors.

‘Nigeria has fallen to the fourth-largest economy in Africa, behind South Africa, Egypt, and Algeria. Our democracy is now described as ‘undemocratic.’

He added that in just one year of the present administration, ‘over 15 million Nigerians have been pushed into acute poverty,’ while more than 150 million people now lack access to basic healthcare, education, water, and sanitation.

Obi accused the government of reckless borrowing and extravagant spending, citing billions spent on presidential jets, luxury cars, and a N21 billion renovation of the vice president’s residence-more than the combined capital budgets of six major federal university teaching hospitals.

‘This government taxes struggling citizens and small businesses heavily, while indulging in extravagance,’ he said.

He called on leaders to rise above personal interest, corruption, and division. ‘We must embrace a new Nigeria where leadership is defined by competence, compassion, and commitment,’ he said.

Despite his searing criticism, Obi urged Nigerians not to despair. ‘Nigeria’s potential for greatness remains. Against all odds, we will return Nigeria to the path of prosperity and justice. The mission is clear: Nigeria will rise again,’ he said.

His criticisms echoed those of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which also marked Independence Day with a blistering assessment of the administration. Addressing a press conference in Abuja, ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi said Nigeria was ‘staggering under the failures of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).’

‘At 65, our nation faces an acute convergence of crises: economic hardship, spiralling insecurity, and a growing loss of public faith in government,’ Abdullahi said. He argued that the promise of ‘renewed hope’ had given way to widespread disillusionment, with reforms compounding inflation, crushing purchasing power, and triggering ‘a wave of social pain the government has failed to cushion.’

The ADC accused the administration of failing to articulate a comprehensive security strategy, saying citizens were left to fend for themselves amid a fractured and under-resourced security system.

The party also described the APC government as elitist and disconnected from everyday realities.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) Foundation has launched the North-West phase of its Vulnerable Farmers Training Programme (VFTP) in Kano, in a bid to foster Nigeria’s agricultural empowerment drive and food security.

The flag-off ceremony brought together about 600 farmers from across the geopolitical zone who will receive three-day training on modern agricultural techniques and market access strategies.

According to the Managing Director of the foundation, Mrs. Emmanuella N. Arukwe, the initiative is part of their commitment to national development beyond energy while focusing on practical agricultural interventions that enhance productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, and expand market access.

Represented by the Executive Director, Finance of the foundation, Mrs. Euginia C. Dominion, the MD said, ‘This initiative is not just about training; it’s about transforming rural livelihoods. We are equipping vulnerable farmers, especially women and youth, with the tools to move from subsistence to sustainable income’.

I write this column with a heavy heart on the occasion of my country’s 65th Independence Day Anniversary. We must acknowledge the sacrifices it took us to come this far, from those who gave their lives and offered years of dedicated service to ensure that Nigeria is not worse than it is right now. We may not be where we want to be, but the journey has not ended yet.

Still, tragedies like the death of the journalist Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, and the thousands of avoidable tragedies unfolding across the country daily, do not only dampen days like this, when the country should be celebrating a milestone, but continue to shred the already battered optimism Nigerians have about this country.

That optimism we had from commemorating Independence Day as schoolchildren back in the day, standing along the street or in the stadiums with shiny lotioned faces, stiffly pressed uniforms, and hearts full of euphoria to wave past our governors and cheer on the impressive parades all seem so far away now. The children growing up in this generation will only vicariously experience that euphoria through our nostalgic recollection of those days. Sadly, not many Nigerians like to recall those days because it will just retraumatise you over the pains the country has inflicted on us.

Somtochukwu Maduagwu, who died at 29 on Monday morning, somehow retained her optimism for Nigeria. She studied in the UK, returned home to Nigeria, and was enthusiastic about participating in politics because she believed she could contribute to making the country better.

The fact that she died during an armed robbery invasion of her residence in Katampe, Abuja, is shocking enough. What makes it even more painful are the circumstances surrounding this death.

Crime is a universal phenomenon, and there is hardly any society in the world, no matter how wealthy or advanced, that has been able to eradicate it completely. The objective of any well-governed society has always been the mitigation of crime to the barest minimum, and crucially, prompt and effective response to distress calls when crimes happen.

Over the last 65 years of independence, we have not really improved on our crime rates or notably improved our responses to crimes commensurate with our development and population growth.

With increasing access to small arms and light weapons, coupled with increasing social, political, and economic discontent, crime rates over the last 20 years have continued to soar. For example, over the last few months, homicide rates rose by 25 per cent in Q1 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with 222 tracked cases against 177 previously, according to the Lagos-based Nigeria Risk Index. In February 2025 alone, there were 83 cases recorded. Mind you, this data is limited and often excludes incidents from hard-to-access regions of the country, of which we know there are far too many.

Over the last few months, we have also witnessed an increase in deaths from banditry and insurgency, with the data showing that at least 2,266 people were killed by bandits or insurgents in the first half of 2025, already exceeding last year’s total.

With one out of five surveyed Nigerians reporting that they were victims of crimes (violent and non-violent) in the last year, it is clear that safety is a major concern in the country and we must actively work to curb crime.

What the numbers mean is that criminals have the audacity to colonise parts of the country, as they have done in parts of the Northwest, the Northeast, and the Southeast, or raid huge apartment blocks and take their sweet time breaking in from one apartment to the other, as they did in Katampe in the early hours of Monday, resulting in the death of Somtochukwu and one of the security men protecting the building.

In all these cases, our security responses have been lamentable, sometimes deliberately slow because even our security personnel sometimes fear to confront the criminals, preferring to show up well after the goons have left with their loot. Far too often, their sacrifices for our safety are ignored, and their families left to suffer in vain.

The most heartbreaking part about Ms Maduagwu’s death is the reported decision of the Maitama General Hospital not to treat her immediately when she was eventually brought to the hospital. Reportedly, they refused to do so until identification was provided and they obtained clearance from the police.

The law has been clear about this. Section 20 of The National Health Act (NHA) 2014, for instance, stipulates that every healthcare provider or health establishment is legally prohibited from refusing any person emergency medical treatment for any reason. Failure to comply constitutes a criminal offence, punishable by a fine, imprisonment for up to six months, or both.

The fact that we needed the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Wounds Act 2017, and the Patients’ Bill of Rights 2018, both of which mandate all hospitals, public or private, to accept and treat patients needing emergency care, including those with gunshot wounds or accident victims, without waiting for police clearance or upfront payment, means there is a deeply entrenched culture that needs to be uprooted.

However, the laws notwithstanding, hospitals have continued to refuse patients urgent care over police clearance or upfront payment. For decades, law enforcement has harassed hospitals and law-abiding citizens who have offered emergency assistance or reported crimes or made distress calls on behalf of accident or crime victims. Rushing an injured person to a hospital may as well see you being harassed by law enforcement as a possible perpetrator of a crime. This doesn’t only disincentivise rendering urgent assistance but imposes a habit of wanting to avoid police drama by walking away or hesitating when urgent intervention is required.

With hospitals, the privileging of profit over saving lives, and the fear of police harassment is a violation of the Hippocratic Oath that guides medical conduct. And as we have seen with Somtochukwu’s death, the law notwithstanding, this deeply entrenched culture still persists.

It is this culture that is referred to when Nigerians talk about Nigeria not happening to you. The normalisation of this culture of unjustifiable neglect and lack of empathy or the prioritisation of profit over the sanctity of human life is the bane of our country. And it is not only the hospitals that favour payment over saving lives. Even the police have done this far too often. I have reported before how an accident victim on the Abuja-Keffi express road was allowed to bleed out by the police, who instead of getting him immediately to a hospital, preferred to wait over the offending car that amputated the young boy, to make some quick bucks off the driver.

Or how often have we witnessed or heard tales of police officers refusing to convey victims to emergency medical care because the police vehicles ‘no get fuel,’ and how the car miraculously starts moving once bribes are offered.

So, while people in countries like the US or even the relatively low-crime countries of Scandinavia may be shot in their homes, because people will always have reasons to unleash violence on each other, or suffer accidents, they are almost always assured of emergency help and care. The fact that we cannot say the same about Nigeria is the biggest tragedy of our 65 years of independence, as epitomised today by Somtochukwu’s death.

While there is nothing that can be done to bring her back, to undo the damage that this culture has done to her and her family, and thousands of Nigerian families, there is something that could be done for millions of others, who inevitably will be needing urgent interventions to save their lives. Her death could be a turning point, from which the negligence of both law enforcement and the hospital, if any is detected by the investigation, is properly sanctioned as an example for others. If any parties are found culpable, through negligent conduct or clear violations of the law and the demands of their sworn duties, they should be indicted and penalised as stipulated by the law.

At the same time, we must retrain both security and medical personnel on prioritising human lives ahead of payment or the myth of some police procedural, and commend private citizens who offer emergency assistance instead of harassing them. We must be deliberate about eliminating this detrimental culture that we have imbibed. Until we do, may Nigeria never happen to us.