Category: PM News

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and a coalition of over 75 civil society organisations under the aegis of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what they described as a bold and long-overdue decision to remove the underperforming Service Chiefs.

In a joint statement signed by Comrade James Ezema, Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the CNPP, and Alhaji Ali Abacha, National Secretary of the CNCSOs, the groups said the persistent insecurity across Nigeria under the former Service Chiefs was evidence of policy failure and incompetence.

They lamented that from the forests of Zamfara to the highways of AbujaKaduna and the creeks of the Niger Delta, insecurity thrived unchecked.

ccording to the coalition, the nation witnessed a surge in kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, and piracy, leading to widespread displacement and economic losses.

“Their removal was not just necessary, it was inevitable,” the statement read.

While commending President Tinubu’s decision, the CNPP and CNCSOs urged the newly appointed Service Chiefs to deliver measurable results and restore public confidence.

“The President’s action rekindles hope that political will is finally being matched with decisive leadership. Nigerians will no longer celebrate mere appointments but expect visible improvements in safety across the country,” they stated.

The coalition, however, demanded an immediate probe into the tenure of the sacked Service Chiefs, alleging mismanagement of defence funds and poor accountability.

They called on President Tinubu to set up an independent panel to investigate defence procurements and command decisions, adding that Nigerians deserve to know how trillions of naira allocated for security were spent as violence escalated nationwide.

“There can be no meaningful reform without accountability. Those who failed the nation must explain why Nigerians remained unsafe despite huge investments in the defence sector,” the statement noted.

The groups also urged a complete overhaul of the nation’s internal security framework, emphasising the need to reposition the Nigeria Police Force as the primary institution for maintaining internal security.

They advocated the strengthening of community policing through constitutional amendments to make security more people-driven and intelligence-based.

Reaffirming their commitment to supporting government reforms, the CNPP and CNCSOs said Nigerians had suffered too long under insecurity.

“President Tinubu has taken the right step by removing those who failed. The next step is to probe their stewardship, rebuild the police, and empower the new security leadership to restore peace and unity across the nation,” they said..

Nigerian politician and businessman, Senator Ned Nwoko, has once again stirred social media controversy after openly defending polygamy and expressing sympathy for men who choose to marry only one wife.

Speaking in a recent interview on Channels Television, the husband of Nollywood actress Regina Daniels described having just one wife as “standing on one leg,” claiming it is neither comfortable nor balanced.

Standing on one leg is very difficult, but standing on two, three or more is balanced. I feel sorry for those who marry one wife because it is difficult to stand on one leg,” Nwoko said.

Former Labour Party chieftain, Kenneth Okonkwo, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using intimidation to stop opposition parties from organizing ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, Okonkwo said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suffered several attacks during its meetings in different states. “ADC is under attack.

The APC is using all kinds of tactics to intimidate and scatter the plans of opposition parties,” he said. Okonkwo mentioned incidents in Kaduna, Lagos, and Ekiti States where ADC gatherings were reportedly disrupted by thugs working with security officers.

He accused the APC of using security agencies to weaken other parties, which he said goes against the Electoral Act that guarantees equal protection for all political groups.

Despite the challenges, Okonkwo expressed optimism that the ADC would win the 2027 elections, saying the APC is already collapsing from within.

“ADC will form the next government of Nigeria. We are working hard and will defeat the APC.

The party is already falling apart; those endorsements they boast about are just from sycophants,” he said.

DC will form the next government of Nigeria. We are working hard and will defeat the APC.

By Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan has has pledged to work the National Assembly to deliver a “credible, fair, and free” electoral process for Nigeria.

Thus, the new INEC Chairman said he will participate actively in the ongoing process of amendment of the Electoral Act to ensure that the country has electoral process and laws that every Nigerian can be proud of.

mupitan spoke at after he was honoured with a plaque for his “dedication, hard work, and inspiration to many” by the Federal University of Lokoja, during the 56th Annual National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Law Teachers (NALT).

The new INEC boss committed to active participation in the legislative process. “I will start waiting to participate in the National Assembly to be sure that we have a learning electoral process and laws that you and I and Nigerians should be proud of,” Amuptan said according to a statement the social media platforms of INEC.

He said a key goal of this reform, he noted, is to reduce electoral litigations. “Let us not see electoral petitions in court,” Amupitan urged, stressing the aim to establish a fair process that inspires public confidence.

ddressing the conference, which he described as a “momentous occasion,” the INEC Chairman reflected on the foundational role of law in society.

“Law is not merely a set of rules but a foundation upon which societies build their progress,” he stated, emphasizing that the electoral process is fundamentally driven by legal frameworks.

The presentation of the plaque from the Federal University of Lokoja served as a recognition of his ongoing contributions to public service and legal education, concluding an address where he also called for the support of the academic community in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has opened a new examination centre in London, United Kingdom, PM News has learnt.

Findings show that the move is part of NECO’s plan to expand its global presence.

The Council now has centres in eight countries, with new ones expected soon in Burkina Faso and Egypt.

NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, officially launched the London centre in partnership with Barnfield Education Ltd (BEP Education).

He said the new centre will make it easier for Nigerians living abroad to access quality education and take NECO exams.

In a statement from Minna, Niger State, NECO’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, said Professor Wushishi gave a keynote speech at the Education Matters Conference UK 2025.

The event was aimed at informing education stakeholders about NECO’s presence in the UK.

The new centre will give Nigerian students and adults living in the UK a chance to complete their secondary education or gain equivalent certificates, even if they could not do so before.

The Police command in Lagos State has dismissed reports claiming armed officers attacked residents during a demolition exercise in Oworonshoki, Lagos.

Police spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, in a statement on Sunday, described the reports as false and maliciously intended to mislead the public.

Adebisi clarified that police officers were deployed solely to maintain order during the Lagos State Government’s demolition with its Environmental and Special Offences Task Force.

She said police presence was strictly to prevent lawlessness, not to intimidate or assault residents, contrary to social media claims.

‘At no time did any officer engage in violence, harassment or collaborate with hoodlums as falsely alleged,’ she stated.

Adebisi added that the exercise followed due process, including months of notices to occupants and compensation payments to those affected.

She stressed that officers were instructed to act professionally, exercise restraint, and uphold respect for human rights and dignity.

‘All allegations in the report are baseless, unfounded and false,’ Adebisi emphasised, urging the public to disregard them completely.

The spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting lives, supporting lawful state actions, and promoting peace under Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh.

She urged residents to verify information before sharing and cooperate with security agencies to sustain peace and progress in Lagos.

The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, has granted bail and ordered the discharge of 86 inmates from Enugu prison.

Among those discharged included an 86-year-old man (name withheld) from Okpanku in Aninri Local Government Area, who was granted bail on health and humanitarian grounds.

Speaking during the flag-off of the 2025 Jail Delivery on Saturday in Enugu, Justice Ozoemena said that jail delivery was ‘a sacred judicial responsibility’ aimed at upholding the rule of law.

The chief judge noted that the exercise was meant to protect the fundamental human rights of persons awaiting trial.

He noted that the exercise allowed the judiciary to review cases of inmates whose trials had been delayed or stalled, ‘ensuring that no one is unjustly deprived of liberty.

‘This is a statutory duty imposed on the chief judge of every state to ensure that inmates at custodial centres are afforded the opportunity to have their cases reviewed where the wheel of justice has been slow.

‘I consider this a sacred obligation to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen and to ensure that justice is both fair and timely,’ he said.

The chief judge commended his predecessors for sustaining the tradition of jail delivery, adding that it remained an essential mechanism for maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

He appreciated the judges of the state, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, and the management of Enugu Custodial Centre for their continued collaboration and commitment to justice delivery.

The chief judge thanked Gov. Peter Mbah for his administration’s unwavering support to the judiciary, particularly the financial assistance provided to facilitate the 2025 Jail Delivery.

He reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that justice remained accessible, fair, and humane, especially for the underprivileged and vulnerable members of the society.

Criminals have once again struck along the Ilorin-Egbe highway, attacking a commercial bus travelling between Eruku and Egbe, a border area between Kwara and Kogi states. It was not clear how many people were abducted.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the bus was ambushed by heavily armed assailants who emerged from the bush without warming and opened fire on the vehicle.

In a trending video online, bullet holes are visible across the bus with bloodstains on the driver’s side, indicating that he may have been hit by a bullet during the assault.

It was gathered that the injured driver hails from Isanlu, while among the passengers were a man from Egbe and another yet-to-be-identified Hausa trader.

Residents of the area have called on the Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Area to urgently collaborate with his counterpart in Yagba West to take decisive action against the rising banditry along the Kwara-Kogi border.

The highway, a major route connecting communities in both states, has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months, leaving travellers in constant fear.

Officials of the Kogi State Ministry of Works are putting finishing touches to the drawing and other technical details for a permanent solution to the deterioration of the access roads to Takete Ide, MopAmuro Local Government Area.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who made this known, however, said he has directed the Kogi Road Management Agency, KOGROMA, to carry out a comprehensive palliative on the roads, pending its reconstruction.

The governor disclosed this on weekend when he was represented by his deputy Joel Salifu Oyibo at the annual Takete Ide Day festival. The event incorporated 200 million Naira fundraisers for development projects.

‘I am aware of some of the challenges confronting this community, particularly the state of your road, which links many communities and at least three Local Government Areas. Our administration is already working to address this. The engineers from the Kogi State Ministry of Works have completed all the necessary assessments, and I can assure you that work is in progress to ensure a lasting solution.

‘However, before the major construction begins, I have directed the Kogi State Road Maintenance Agency (KOGROMA) to make the Takete Ide-Amuro-Ayede Amuro road motorable through grading and filling of critical portions with laterite.’

Ododo also promised to engage the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the state’s development partners, to explore how the State Government can support the construction of a befitting palace of the Olude of Takete Ide.

The governor commended the people of Takete Ide for their remarkable communal efforts in providing basic infrastructure in their community.

‘Government cannot do it alone. We appreciate communities like yours that complement government’s developmental strides through self-help initiatives and unity of purpose.

‘In Takete Ide, we have remodelled the Government Day Secondary School, making it beautiful and conducive for learning. I have also approved the provision of befitting furniture for the school. In addition, the GYB Health Centre in Takete Ide is one of over 200 Primary Healthcare Centres being remodelled across the State. Work is ongoing there, and we will continue to do more for Takete Ide and its people.’

Previous speakers notably chairman of the Central Planning Committee and the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kingsley Fanwo and the Ptesident of the Takete Ide Progressive Union, TIPU, Richard Fiki, in separate remarks had appreciated the governor for his attendance and appealed for his urgent intervention in the reconstruction of the access roads.

The carnival-like ceremony featured the decoration of eight individuals as the community’s cultural ambassadors and presentation of awards to deserving sons and daughters in recognition of their commitment.

Different groups like the Takete Ide Students Union, TISU, women, Egungun, Imole dancers, and hunters also made presentations.

The festival was attended by Royal fathers led by the Elulu of Mopa and Cjairmam MopAmuro Tradotional Council, Oba Muyiwa Ibeun, businessmen, religious leaders and politicians.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Sunday said that its Tower T347 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330 Kilo Volt transmission line was vandalised on Friday, at about 5:46 pm.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’S General Manager, Public Affairs, made this known in Abuja.

Mbah said that TCN team that carried out routine inspection along the line route discovered that the tower’s legs had been cut off, causing it to buckle to one side.

According to her, this act had resulted in the partial disruption of the bulk power supply to Maiduguri, Borno and Damaturu, Yobe and its environs.

She said that the company however, noted that in spite of these challenges, the bulk supply was being maintained through the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP), which currently feeds the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) For onward distribution to consumers through major 33kV feeders, including Beneshiek, Damasak, Bama, University, Campus, Maiduguri Town, Monguno, and others.

‘Additionally, Damaturu and its environs will be supplied from the Potiskum Substation for the time being,’ she said.

Mbah also said that TCN Engineers were already on site, working to replace the damaged tower and restore normal transmission.

She said that the company strongly condemned the act of vandalism and appealed to the public to protect national assets and report any suspicious activities to the security agencies or the nearest TCN office.