Category: PM News

Over 100 women in Mgbara Community, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo, on Tuesday stormed the streets with placards, chanting songs in protest over the proposed siting of African Development Bank (AfDB) project in their community.

It was gathered that the bank, in partnership with the Imo and Federal Governments, is funding the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme that would impact the area.

But the women complained that they were not consulted before the AfDB decided to site the project in the area.

‘We, the people of Mgbara in Egbema, are protesting today to formally communicate our strong objection and rejection of any proposed project or development initiative associated with the AfDB within our community, the immediate past Youth President of the community, Mr Modrich Ajunwa told journalists.

He said the women have the backing of the entire community.

‘The project has not received the genuine and collective acceptance of the people.

‘We respectfully urge AfDB to exercise caution and suspend any engagement or implementation of the proposed project in Mgbara Egbema until concerns of the wider community have been properly addressed,’ Ajunwa said.

According to him, the women are demanding an open, transparent and inclusive consultation process.

Ajunwa further urged the bank not to rely solely on representations made by individual politicians, traditional authorities, community representatives or any other persons claiming to speak on behalf of Mgbara Egbema without verifiable evidence of broad community consent.

He said the future, ancestral heritage and common interests of an entire community cannot be decided behind closed doors by two individuals or a small group of persons.

Ajunwa said: ‘The proposed project has already become a source of serious disagreement, tension and division within the community.

‘Rather than promoting development and unity, the circumstances surrounding the project are contributing to breach of peace and growing distrust among members of the community.

‘We, therefore, believe that proceeding with the project under the present circumstances could further aggravate the situation and create consequences.’

The former youth leader said such circumstances could be contrary to the principles of sustainable development, community participation, peace building and responsible development.

He emphasised that the protesters were not against development, welcoming genuine development that respected the people, their land, their rights, their culture and their collective interests.

‘To build a project, land is needed. Almost all of us here are farmers.

‘When they take the land, they take our means of livelihood, and so must deal with members of the community directly.

‘No development project should be imposed on a community or advanced through individuals whose positions do not reflect the freely expressed will of majority of the people,’ he said.

Furthermore, he said for the project to be accepted, the bank must take their protest seriously as a formal notice of the community’s objection to the proposed project.

‘The bank must conduct proper, transparent and inclusive consultations with the wider community before considering any further action due to the growing tension and division that the proposed project is causing within the community,’ he stressed.

‘The African Development Bank should listen directly to the people of Mgbara Egbema rather than relying exclusively on representations made behind closed doors by few individuals or small group.

‘The future of Mgbara Egbema belongs to its people. It cannot be negotiated, surrendered or decided by two men on behalf of an entire community,’ he emphasised.

Ajunwa said the community remained committed to peace and lawful dialogue but stressed that they would continue to stand firmly for the protection of their communal and ancestral heritage as well as the collective interests of the people.

‘We do not want to see our sons and husbands engage in fist fights that may even result in avoidable tragedy,’ he added.

It was gathered that the bank, in partnership with the Imo and Federal Governments, is funding the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme that would impact the area.

Per Second News has strengthened its editorial team with the appointment of Joycelyn Ellakeche Adah as Digital Content Editor and Producer, Dr. Emily Howswirthz as Health and Wellness Editor, and Oluwasegun Adebayo as Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor.

The appointments are part of the publication’s efforts to expand its multimedia operations and strengthen coverage across key sectors.

Adah, a broadcast journalist and producer with more than two decades of experience, will oversee digital content development and production.

She has worked with several media organisations, including African Independent Television, Aso Television and Radio, Advocate Broadcasting Network and BenTV Europe.

She also produced and presented NNPCL Energy Today, a specialised energy programme broadcast on Channels Television.

With a background in energy and environmental journalism, Adah also serves as the producer of The Exchange, Per Second News’ flagship podcast, where she handles content development, editorial planning and production.

Her experience in broadcast journalism, public affairs and multimedia storytelling is expected to strengthen the publication’s digital content strategy.

Dr. Howswirthz, who joins the publication as Health and Wellness Editor, is a physician, humanitarian advocate and healthcare professional with more than two decades of experience in medicine.

She has worked in several hospitals in Hamburg, Germany, where she gained experience in patient care, clinical leadership and healthcare system development.

Beyond her medical career, Howswirthz has participated in humanitarian and community development initiatives, particularly in East Africa, including health outreach programmes, wellness advocacy campaigns and charitable interventions aimed at improving healthcare access for vulnerable communities.

At Per Second News, she will oversee health and wellness coverage, focusing on public health, preventive care, medical developments and healthy living.

Meanwhile, Adebayo assumed duty as Entertainment and Lifestyle Editor on August 8.

Based in Lagos, he will oversee the publication’s entertainment, lifestyle, celebrity and social coverage while developing exclusive content for its growing audience.

Adebayo brings nearly 16 years of journalism and media experience to the role.

Before joining Per Second News, he served as an Assistant Editor at Nigerian Tribune, where he handled editorial responsibilities and developed extensive contacts within Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

His experience in entertainment journalism is expected to strengthen Per Second News’ coverage of Nigeria’s growing creative sector and provide its audience with more exclusive stories and industry insights.

Commenting on the appointments, the Managing Director and Managing Editor of Per Second News, Akinsola Ayodele, said the new editorial structure would support the organisation’s focus on quality journalism, innovative content and multimedia storytelling.

The appointments further position Per Second News to expand its coverage, strengthen its digital presence and engage audiences through a broader range of news, public-interest and lifestyle content.

African Democratic Congress chieftain, Dele Momodu, has thrown his weight behind Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke for a second term, despite belonging to a rival opposition party.

Momodu, in a statement on Tuesday, called on opposition parties to put aside their differences and support Adeleke in the August 15 governorship election.

The former presidential aspirant said he remained a ‘proud member’ of the ADC, which he joined as part of efforts by opposition figures to build a coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress.

‘I joined ADC on the basis that prominent members of opposition parties in Nigeria decided to form a broad coalition of forces against the APC cankerworm that has almost destroyed our economy, social cohesion, religious tolerance and democratic institutions and separation of powers,’ he said.

Momodu said he had hoped the coalition would bring together leading opposition figures, but acknowledged that the plan failed to materialise as expected.

‘Unfortunately, it did not turn out to be so. But I still did not give up on the hope that Nigerians, not just the parties, would rise up massively against the APC menace,’ he said.

Explaining his decision to back Adeleke, Momodu said the circumstances in Osun required opposition parties to unite behind one candidate.

‘It would be foolhardy not to see that with the manner APC has turned Osun State into a theater of war, the only sensible strategy is for all opposition parties to align immediately and back the Accord Party candidate, Governor Ademola Adeleke.

‘I make this declaration without equivocation, or any fear of contradiction,’ he said.

Momodu said his endorsement was not based on personal ties, describing Adeleke as a ‘global phenomenon’ capable of defeating President Bola Tinubu in a popularity contest.

He also praised the governor’s performance in areas including infrastructure, health, education, workers’ welfare, agriculture and youth development.

‘Adeleke is primus inter pares amongst Nigerian Governors, in order of extraordinary performance in infrastructure, health, education, staff welfare, labour unions, IGR, agriculture, commerce, culture, women empowerment, youth integration, etc,’ he said.

Momodu also urged opposition parties not to create an opportunity for electoral manipulation.

‘We should never supply the APC an easy alibi to rig the Osun gubernatorial election on August 15, 2026,’ he said.

The Edo State Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mitchell Ofoyeju, has described cultivation of cannabis sativa as a catalyst for kidnapping, arms proliferation, cultism and youth exploitation.

He stated this on Tuesday at a town hall meeting held at Uromi, Edo Central Senatorial District, organised by Senator Joseph Ikpea, where he expressed worry over what he described as an escalating threat posed by cultivation of the illicit substance in the State.

Speaking at the stakeholders’ engagement, Ofoyeju presented a comprehensive assessment titled ‘Cannabis Cultivation and Rural Insecurity in Edo Central’, warning that forestlands once meant for agriculture have been converted into cannabis plantations.

According to him, ‘What started as hidden plots has grown into large-scale cannabis farms and a chain of insecurity. Where cannabis takes root, crime follows, and where cannabis grows, development dies. An effective drug control will reduce the problem of crime by fifty percent because most criminal acts are perpetrated under the influence of drugs.’

According to the Edo NDLEA Commander, cannabis cultivation has created a violent ecosystem that threatens the very fabric of rural communities.

He highlighted a troubling nexus between cannabis farms and criminal enterprises, including arms proliferation, displacing legitimate food farming, and exploiting vulnerable youths.

The commander noted that legitimate farmers in the State live in constant fear of attack, preventing them from accessing licit farmlands. The result has been a dangerous abandonment of food production in favour of cannabis cultivation, coupled with significant environmental pollution.

Equally worrisome is the devastating health impact of substance abuse, such as severe damage to major organ systems, including the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. He further connected drug use to the rise of cultism and violent criminality in the state.

‘Drugs make cult members bold and reckless. They stop caring about human life or rules. Substances like tramadol, codeine, cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine are fuelling brutal rival clashes and organised gang groups, including kidnapping, extortion, cultism and gun running,’ Mitchell added.

In response to the growing threat, the NDLEA unveiled a multi-pronged strategy centred on community ownership and engagement.

The approach includes the establishment of confidential intelligence networks within communities, quarterly stakeholder forums involving traditional rulers, youth leaders, and women’s groups, joint operations to destroy cannabis farms, skill acquisition and start-up grants with toolkits for those ready to embrace alternative livelihoods.

While calling on stakeholders to own the fight against drug trafficking, the NDLEA Commander said that his vision is a drug-free, safe, and prosperous Edo State, adding that NDLEA Edo State Command is committed to protecting forests from cannabis plantations and securing the future of the youths.

In his remark, Senator Joseph Ikpea, who is the Senate Committee chairman on Drugs and Narcotics, thanked Commander Ofoyeju for the insightful presentation.

He said: ‘I am delighted with this presentation on a topical issue affecting all segments of society. While my committee is working hard to address the drug problem in the country, I will ensure that my constituency is free from the ravaging effects of drugs.’

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a fundamental rethink of the democratic model practised across Africa, arguing that the Western liberal system inherited by many countries has failed to adequately reflect the continent’s history, culture and social realities.

Obasanjo said the current model had fostered a winner-takes-all political culture, in which victory by a narrow margin often gives the winner control of virtually everything while leaving those who lose with little influence in governance.

The former president spoke on Tuesday at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue in Bauchi, where he questioned the suitability of transplanting Western political structures into African societies without adapting them to local circumstances.

He likened the situation to wearing a garment that was not tailored to fit.

‘The democracy we practice has no African context, no African content,’ Obasanjo said, arguing that a political system designed elsewhere could become ineffective when applied without considering the peculiarities of African societies.

According to him, the political meaning attached to opposition in many African societies also differs significantly from the concept of a ‘loyal opposition’ associated with Western liberal democracy.

He said the result was often a hostile political environment in which opponents were treated as enemies to be defeated and eliminated from political relevance.

‘In practice, we have winner takes all, first past the post. If you beat me by one vote then you take it all and whatever I have does not matter,’ he said.

Obasanjo also warned that Nigeria and other African countries must learn to manage diversity more deliberately, stressing that pluralism was an essential part of the continent’s political and social identity.

He said Nigeria’s diversity was fundamental to the country’s existence and should be protected rather than treated as a source of division.

‘That diversity must be nourished and be taken care of,’ he said.

The former president also expressed concern over the growing influence of money and inducements in African politics, saying the trend had increased dramatically and continued to undermine democratic values.

He linked the challenge to broader socioeconomic conditions, noting that widespread poverty and illiteracy could weaken democratic institutions and make voters more vulnerable to manipulation.

Obasanjo further criticised the limited representation of women in Nigerian politics, noting that the country had not elected a female governor since the beginning of the Fourth Republic more than two decades ago.

He questioned the quality and character of some political leaders who have emerged through the existing system, arguing that leadership should be measured by values and character as much as electoral victory.

For Obasanjo, the solution lies not merely in importing political institutions but in developing a democratic system rooted in African realities.

He argued that democracy should be viewed as an evolving process rather than a finished product.

‘Call it what you like, just make sure it has history, culture and values that are African,’ he said, adding that the system could be called ‘African democracy’ if necessary.

The dialogue, chaired by Obasanjo, was attended by former President Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice President Namadi Sambo, constitutional experts and civil society representatives, while Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed hosted the gathering.

The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has warned politicians in Osun State against violence ahead of Saturday’s governorship election, declaring that they cannot kill the same people they are seeking to govern.

IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, raised the alarm over increasing incidents of electoral violence across the state ahead of the August 15 poll.

Several local government areas have been identified as potential hotspots as political tension rises in the final days before the election.

Dantalle, speaking during an interview with Arise News, condemned the destruction of lives and property as well as protests and counter-protests linked to political activities in the state.

‘It is unacceptable to harm the people you intend to govern,’ he said.

The IPAC chairman said the council had repeatedly called the attention of political actors, the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and traditional rulers to the need to protect the people and preserve the integrity of the election.

‘We have continued to condemn these actions and also alert various stakeholders, including political actors, INEC as the electoral umpire, security agencies and traditional leaders, on the need to prioritise the interests of the people of Osun,’ Dantalle said.

He warned that violence and intimidation were contrary to the basic principles of democracy, which require citizens to freely choose their leaders.

‘We want to advise all stakeholders involved in the Osun election that this is a deviation from the principles and ethics of democracy, which is fundamentally about allowing the people to freely and fairly choose their leaders, with the outcome respected and accepted by all,’ he said.

Dantalle also warned against the use of state institutions to intimidate political opponents.

‘Those who use state institutions to intimidate or harass political opponents must desist and allow the people to make their own choices,’ he said.

He expressed concern that events surrounding the Osun election could provide an indication of what Nigerians might face during the 2027 general elections if political violence and intimidation are allowed to continue.

‘If we allow such actions to continue, we must consider their implications for the general elections just a few months away. It could be a foreshadowing of what we may encounter in the 2027 elections,’ Dantalle warned.

He urged all stakeholders to exercise extreme caution and avoid actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s democratic progress.

The Department of State Services ( DSS) has freed a carpenter, Mustapha Marwana, after an investigation found no evidence linking him to the abduction and killing of pupils and teachers in Oriire, Oyo State.

Marwana, a Katsina-born artisan, was arrested in connection with the May 15 attack on three schools in the area, where 39 pupils and seven teachers were abducted. Two victims were later killed, while the others regained their freedom on July 10 following a military operation.

According a report by The PUNCH, a security source familiar with the case said a DSS panel conducted a detailed investigation before clearing Marwana of any involvement in the attack or links to the Ansaru terrorist group.

‘Following the review, investigators found no evidence linking the carpenter to membership, financing, logistics or operational activities of the terrorist group.

‘Consequently, the DSS DG ordered his immediate release and approved the payment of initial N3 million as compensation to assist him in meeting his immediate needs and restarting livelihood.

‘Mustapha was subsequently released to his lawyer, Oghene Forgive, who received him following his discharge from custody,’ the source said according to the report.

The source said Marwana expressed gratitude to DSS Director-General Tosin Ajayi for the intervention, while his lawyer also thanked the agency chief for ensuring his client’s release, the report said.

The report quoted the source as saying the compensation formed part of measures introduced by the current DSS leadership to support individuals cleared after investigations and help them return to normal life.

The source, the report said, added that Ajayi had approved compensation for other people previously cleared by the service, with more than N300m reportedly paid since his appointment.

‘Since his appointment as DSS DG, Ajayi has been balancing national security responsibilities with respect for the rights and dignity of citizens, resulting in the payment of over N300m as compensation.

‘There are many more instances where DSS investigations have established innocence and have been followed by efforts to facilitate reintegration. These are the kind of measures through which the Service is strengthening public confidence and building trust,’ the source reportedly added.

The APC governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, has rejected attempts to blame him for the controversial half-salary policy under former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, saying the practice had started nearly two years before he became Commissioner for Finance.

Oyebamiji made the clarification during the ARISE News governorship debate in Osogbo ahead of Saturday’s election.

Responding to questions over his role in the Aregbesola administration, Oyebamiji said he inherited the salary crisis when he assumed office as finance commissioner in 2017 and immediately began working to restore full payment to civil servants.

He said one of the major steps taken under his watch was the push for the release of Osun’s share of the Paris Club refund.

According to him, the effort eventually resulted in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari approving about N16 billion for the state, providing funds that helped Osun resume payment of full salaries.

The half-salary arrangement had begun in June 2015, almost two years before Oyebamiji was appointed Commissioner for Finance in May 2017.

Under the arrangement, senior civil servants received half of their salaries while some categories of workers received 75 per cent as the state battled a severe financial crisis.

By September 2018, the Osun government announced that it had received N16.6 billion as Paris Club refund.

The Aregbesola administration subsequently released N19.8 billion for the payment of workers’ salaries, arrears, pensions and leave bonuses, with the Paris Club refund accounting for most of the funds.

Oyebamiji, who was finance commissioner at the time, announced that the state had resumed full salary payments.

‘For the second month, we have now paid full salaries to all our workers,’ he said at the time.

The controversial salary policy has resurfaced as a campaign issue ahead of the August 15 governorship election, with Oyebamiji’s opponents seeking to associate him with the hardship suffered by workers during the Aregbesola administration.

The APC candidate, however, maintains that rather than introducing the policy, he was part of the administration that eventually brought it to an end.

Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, has sparked fresh controversy after telling a crowd that members of the Accord Party should be killed if encountered ahead of Saturday’s Osun governorship election.

In a video reviewed by P.M. NEWS, Fadahunsi, a member of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was seen addressing supporters in Yoruba while speaking about the Accord Party and the approaching poll.

‘What kind of life is that? If we hear anything about Accord in Ilesa here, record me and go and tell them,’ Fadahunsi said, according to a translation of his remarks.

‘When we tell them, the cap they are putting on is a bad one, yellow one.

‘So, we have come to tell you now, from now till the election day, if we see them, kill them o,’ the senator said.

The remarks come just days before voters in Osun State head to the polls on August 15 to elect a governor.

Governor Ademola Adeleke is contesting the election on the platform of the Accord Party.

Fadahunsi’s comments are likely to heighten concerns over political violence and intimidation in the closing days of campaigns, following a series of allegations and counter-allegations by rival political camps in the state.

The senator currently represents Osun East in the National Assembly and is a member of the APC.

His remarks also come amid repeated appeals by security agencies, political leaders and election stakeholders for parties and their supporters to avoid violence before, during and after the election.

As of the time of filing this report, Fadahunsi had not publicly withdrawn or clarified the remarks.

KudiWave Technologies Limited has raised questions over the transfer of N750,369,439.04 from its account with PalmPay Limited, seeking clarification on the timing, destination and circumstances surrounding the transaction.

In a statement sent to PM News on Tuesday, KudiWave said the disputed debit was recorded on July 15, 2026, under the narration ‘Judicial Adjustment’.

The company said it was not notified of, or did not authorise, the transaction.

According to KudiWave, it had already approached the Federal High Court in Lagos to challenge an earlier order affecting its account.

The company said its application, filed on July 3, sought to set aside the June 29 order and stay its execution.

‘The motion was heard on July 13 and adjourned for ruling. Two days later, the N750.37 million was transferred out of the account,’ the company said.

KudiWave further stated that PalmPay had been served with the application before the July 15 transaction and did not file a counter-affidavit opposing the application.

The company also raised questions about an earlier movement of funds on July 11, which it said became apparent after access to the account was restored.

According to KudiWave, its account records showed that the funds were moved on July 11 and returned the same day before another transfer was recorded on July 15.

‘PalmPay moved the money on July 11 and sent it back that same day. They then took it out again on July 15. When the account was opened, we saw how the money had been moved around while the account was frozen and we were not aware of it,’ the company said.

The dispute followed an ex parte order obtained by the Inspector General of Police through officers of the Police Special Fraud Unit in Ikoyi, which placed restrictions on accounts belonging to several parties, including KudiWave, pending investigation.

The restriction was subsequently implemented on KudiWave’s account with PalmPay.

Further proceedings were filed under Suit No. FHC/L/CS/795/2026 before Justice Ibrahim Ahmad Kala of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, in relation to funds standing to KudiWave’s credit.

KudiWave said the court granted an application on June 29.

The company subsequently challenged the order, arguing that it had not been properly served with the processes leading to the decision and had not been effectively brought before the court when the application was heard.

According to KudiWave, Justice Kala considered the company’s subsequent application on July 22 and set aside, vacated and discharged the June 29 order.

The company said the court also directed that the restrictions placed on its account be removed.

KudiWave further stated that the court examined the circumstances surrounding the purported service of the processes and raised questions about whether leaving documents at a gate, without sufficient indication of the company’s specific address, amounted to effective service.

The company quoted the court as describing the circumstances surrounding the service as ‘very curious’.

KudiWave also said the ruling recognised the court’s inherent power to set aside its own decision where circumstances justify such intervention.

The July 22 ruling came after the July 15 transfer. KudiWave, however, said the transaction should be considered in the context of the fact that the June 29 order was already being challenged and that its application had been argued before the court two days earlier.

The company has also questioned the destination of the funds.

According to KudiWave, its understanding of the June 29 order was that the identified funds were to be transferred to a designated Police Recovery Account associated with the Police Special Fraud Unit.

The company said its account records instead indicated that the N750,369,439.04 was transferred to an Access Bank business account.

KudiWave said it wants clarification on the identity of the beneficiary, the instruction that authorised the transfer and the basis for the July 11 movement of funds.

‘The issue for us is simple. If the order identified a particular account for the funds, there must be a clear explanation of why our records show the money going elsewhere and who ultimately received it,’ the company said.

KudiWave said it was seeking a reconciliation of transactions carried out on its account during the restriction period and was considering further legal and regulatory steps in relation to the disputed transactions.

The company also said that, during earlier efforts to resolve the restriction, its Company Secretary, Barrister Prince Oko, met with officers of the Police Special Fraud Unit.

KudiWave alleged that a request for N50 million was made in connection with efforts to remove the restriction and said the company rejected the request.

The allegation has not been independently established and has not been determined by a court.

KudiWave maintained that its concerns do not relate to compliance with lawful court orders but to whether the transactions involving its funds were carried out in accordance with the terms of the relevant judicial directive.

The company said it wants clarification on the July 11 transactions, the subsequent N750,369,439.04 transfer on July 15, the destination of the funds and the circumstances surrounding the transactions.

PM News has contacted PalmPay for its response to the issues raised by KudiWave and will publish the company’s position if received.