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My father recently wrote nostalgically about his return to the University of Ibadan Senior Staff Club, a place that had been part of his life since the 1980s. Reading his account brought back a very different memory of the Staff Club for me.

For him, it was a place of tennis, friendships, pepper soup, intellectual conversations and camaraderie.

For me, one evening many years ago, it became a place of refuge.

I was in primary school at the time, at the University of Ibadan Staff School, preparing for Common Entrance Examinations.

Like many students of that era, I was enrolled in the famous Mrs Ukonye’s lessons.

After school, a few friends and I would walk from Staff School to Mrs Ukonye’s house, a few streets away, for our lessons.

My mother, who was then a senior lecturer at the University of Ibadan, would usually pick me up afterwards and we would head home.

One particular evening, however, she was late.

One by one, the other students left until eventually only one girl and I remained. She lived nearby and, as it approached 7 p.m., she too had to go home.

Suddenly, I was alone.

There were no mobile phones to send a quick ‘Mummy, where are you?’ message. I knew my mother’s office was at the Faculty of Law, so I made what seemed to my teenage mind the most sensible decision: I would walk there and find her.

Anyone familiar with the University of Ibadan campus will know that this was no small undertaking for a schoolgirl, particularly as evening was setting in.

I had been walking for perhaps fifteen minutes when, suddenly, I saw my mother’s car drive past. I shouted.

I screamed the driver’s name.

I called my mother. But the car continued on its way.

They hadn’t seen or heard me.

I immediately guessed what had happened: my mother had finally come looking for me and, not finding me where I was supposed to be, was now searching elsewhere.

So I turned around and began walking back towards Mrs Ukonye’s house, hoping I could intercept her there.

I missed her again.

By now it was getting dark, I was frightened, and I had no idea what to do. Should I remain at the lesson house in case she returned? Should I attempt the long walk back to her office? Where exactly was she looking for me?

Then I remembered something.

The Staff Club.

My parents knew people there.

Surely, I thought, somebody there will know me.

So I made my way to the University of Ibadan Staff Club.

There, in the middle of a game, I spotted one of my father’s friends, Pastor Steve Shaba.

I must have looked a sorry sight-a frightened schoolgirl, close to tears, appearing unexpectedly at the Staff Club in the evening.

I approached him and explained what had happened.

My mother was supposed to pick me up. She had been late. I had left the lesson to look for her. I had seen her car. She hadn’t seen me. I had gone back. Now I didn’t know where she was.

And, perhaps most importantly to my 10 year old mind, I was convinced:

‘She’s going to be so mad at me!’

Dr Shaba reassured me immediately.

He stopped his game halfway.

There was no lengthy discussion about whose responsibility I was or whether someone else should deal with the situation. His friend’s daughter was stranded and frightened. That was enough.

He would take me home.

Even in my panic, however, I had one request.

‘Please, can we go back to my lesson first and tell them you’ve picked me? In case my mummy comes back looking for me.’

So we did.

At Mrs Ukonye’s house, we met her husband and explained what had happened. Pastor Shaba gave him his name, which was carefully written down so that if my mother returned, she would know exactly who had taken me and where I had gone.

Then he drove me home.

Meanwhile, my poor mother was frantic.

She had gone from place to place searching for me-school, the lesson house and elsewhere-and, as I later learnt, was reaching the point where the police station was becoming the next stop.

Eventually she returned to Mrs Ukonye’s house and received the message:

Pastor Steve Shaba had found Seun and taken her home.

The relief must have been enormous.

By the time she arrived home, there I was-safe and sound.

Looking back now, what stays with me is not simply that one kind man interrupted his evening to help a frightened girl. It is what made it possible for that frightened girl to walk into the Staff Club in the first place.

I knew I would find someone who knew my parents.

I knew I could ask for help.

And I knew, instinctively, that I was among people who would not leave me stranded.

My father’s recent article describes the Staff Club as a place of recreation, relaxation, friendship, networking and community.

All of that is true. But for those of us who grew up around the University of Ibadan community, places like the Staff Club sometimes represented something even more profound.

They were part of the village that raised us.

Long before mobile phones, location sharing and instant messaging, there was a different kind of network: people who knew one another, knew one another’s spouses, knew one another’s children and understood that looking out for those children was simply what a community did.

That evening, I wasn’t a member of the University of Ibadan Senior Staff Club.

I wasn’t a lecturer, professor, tennis player or distinguished academic.

I was simply somebody’s daughter.

And that was enough.

So when my father writes fondly about returning to the Club decades later, I have my own reason to remember it fondly.

The University of Ibadan Staff Club once got a frightened little girl safely home.

And that little girl was me.

The succession crisis over the vacant stool of the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland has taken a legal turn as the Fusengbuwa Ruling House has dragged the Ogun State Government and nine kingmakers to court.

The ruling house is asking the Ogun State High Court to order the kingmakers to resume and complete the process of selecting the next Awujale.

The suit was filed by Otunba AbduLateef Adebayo Owoyemi, Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba and Prof. Fassy Yusuf on behalf of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House of Ijebu-Ode.

The defendants include the Ogun State Governor, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Chairman and other officials of Ijebu-Ode Local Government, as well as the nine Awujale kingmakers.

The case, marked HCJ/149/2026, was filed at the High Court of Justice, Ijebu-Ode Judicial Division, and sworn to on August 21, 2026.

The ruling house is challenging the alleged closure of the Awujale Palace by the police, which it said was carried out on the instructions of the Ogun State Government.

It is also asking the court to declare that the government had no legal power to stop the selection process.

The Awujale stool became vacant following the death of the former monarch, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91. He had ruled Ijebuland for 65 years.

According to the plaintiffs, Ijebu-Ode Local Government informed the Fusengbuwa Ruling House on December 2, 2025, that it was its turn to produce a candidate for the vacant stool under the rotational system provided by the Ogun State Obas and Chiefs’ Law 2021.

The ruling house said it began its nomination process and held a meeting on January 12, 2026, within the 14-day period required by law.

A total of 95 princes and princesses were nominated, and the list was sent to the nine-member Awujale Afobaje Kingmakers Council on January 19 for the next stage of the process.

The council is chaired by Olorogun Sonny Kuku, the Ogbeni Oja of Ijebuland and co-owner of Eko Hospital.

Other members include Chief Rasheed Adesanya, Chief Oluwaranti Lekan Osifeso, Chief Jimi Lawal, Chief Abimbola Okenla, Chief Kunle Ogunade, Chief Agboola Alausa, Chief Adebisi Adaran and Chief Ayotunde Ola Odulaja.

The ruling house alleged that less than 24 hours after the list was submitted, police officers entered the Awujale Palace after midnight on January 20 and prevented the kingmakers from meeting to choose a preferred candidate from the 95 nominees.

The state government later suspended the process, citing security concerns and allegations of bribery and financial inducement.

The plaintiffs, however, said no evidence or formal petition supporting the allegations was presented.

They also claimed that investigations by the police and the Department of State Services did not establish any wrongdoing.

The ruling house is asking the court to declare that its nomination process was properly completed and that the kingmakers are legally required to select a candidate from the list submitted to them.

It is also asking the court to direct the kingmakers to reconvene within seven days of the judgment and complete the selection process.

In addition, the plaintiffs want an injunction stopping the state government and security agencies from further interfering with the process.

They argued that the Ogun State chieftaincy law provides a clear process for nomination, selection and approval of a new monarch and that the process should be allowed to continue once it has been properly started.

The ruling house is also asking the court to determine whether the state government and other officials had the legal authority to order the police to enter and lock the Awujale Palace and stop the selection process.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, led by Otunba Olusegun Otayemi, also relied on previous court decisions in support of their arguments on statutory duties and fair hearing.

The case has not yet been heard, while responses from the defendants have not been made public.

Nigerian Army has listed rescue of six kidnapped victims and arrest of two suspected terrorists among the achievements of its troops during separate operations in Katsina and Zamfara States.

The operations were conducted as part of ongoing efforts under Operation FANSAN YAMMA to degrade terrorist networks and protect communities across the North-West.

According to an operational report made available on Tuesday, troops rescued the six victims after responding to a terrorist attack on a vehicle.

The report said troops of 1 Brigade at Forward Operating Base (FOB) Anka responded to CCTV footage of the attack along the Anka-Gummi road in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara.

It said troops mobilised to the scene and engaged the terrorists, forcing them to abandon the six victims and flee.

According to the report, the rescued victims include three who sustained minor injuries and were evacuated to General Hospital, Anka, for medical attention.

The report also said that in Katsina, troops of 17 Brigade at FOB FUDMA, acting on credible intelligence from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), arrested two suspected terrorists.

‘The suspects were apprehended along the Turare-Yantumaki road in Dutsinma Local Government Area.

‘Troops recovered a vehicle, ?213,770 and a mobile phone from the suspects, who were subsequently handed over to the ONSA team for further action,’ it said.

The report further said that troops also intercepted materials procured by a notorious terrorist leader, Shehu Bagewaye, for the construction of three canoes.

It said troops of 1 Brigade at FOB Dogon Kade acted on intelligence concerning the procurement and intercepted the dismembered wooden components meant for assembling the canoes.

According to the report, the transporters reportedly abandoned the materials and escaped into a river after sighting the troops.

The report further said that troops conducting a stop-and-search operation around Yantumaki Village in Danmusa Local Government Area of Katsina forced two suspected terrorists to abandon a motorcycle and flee.

It added that troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE in Plateau recovered a motorcycle abandoned by two suspicious persons during a night patrol along the Federe road in Jos East Local Government Area.

‘In Bassa Local Government Area, troops raided a suspected drug peddlers’ hideout at Mista Ali, arresting three suspects and recovering substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

‘The suspects and recovered items were handed over to the Nigeria Police for further action.

‘Similarly, troops apprehended a suspected criminal riding a motorcycle along the Ungwan Boka-Forest road in Riyom Local Government Area.

‘Preliminary investigation indicates that the suspect had previously been arrested over suspected gunrunning activities before resurfacing in the area.

‘The latest operations underscore the military’s continued efforts to disrupt terrorist activities, rescue abducted citizens and deny criminal elements freedom of action across the North-West and North-Central regions,’ the report said.

Terrorist groups are increasingly exploiting crowdfunding platforms, social media and informal financial networks to raise and move money for their operations in Nigeria, according to the 2026 Annual Nigeria Financial Intelligence Report.

The report by the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) said foreign-based facilitators were disguising fundraising campaigns as humanitarian or educational appeals before transferring the proceeds to terrorist operatives in Nigeria.

It said contributors were often encouraged to donate between $50 and $500 through PayPal pages and conventional bank accounts, with the relatively small amounts designed to avoid triggering automated anti-money laundering alerts.

The NFIU said the facilitators promoted the campaigns on social media and used encrypted messaging applications to circulate payment links and bank account details.

Funds raised through the campaigns were reportedly consolidated in master accounts controlled by senior members of the groups based abroad before being transferred to Nigeria through several channels.

‘When the pool reaches a threshold, that account becomes the hub for onward movement. The funds would subsequently be fragmented into dozens of smaller payments and transferred through International Money Transfer Operators and remittance applications to a network of money mules in Nigeria,’ the report stated.

The NFIU said students, small-business owners and relatives were among those allegedly used as money mules.

It said the money was subsequently converted into cash or used to purchase items including motorcycles, fertilisers and satellite internet equipment before being transferred through mobile banking channels to logistics managers and field operatives.

The report also revealed that terrorist financiers were opening bank accounts in women’s names while male commanders and logistics managers secretly controlled the accounts.

According to the NFIU, wives, sisters and female associates were sometimes used as fronts to distance illicit funds from the actual operatives.

The agency said the tactic exploited social and cultural assumptions that women were less likely to attract suspicion from authorities.

‘This tactic functions as identity laundering: women’s accounts are managed by men who hold ATM cards, mobile-banking credentials and PINs, while the women often remain unaware of the transactions and volumes,’ the report stated.

The NFIU also identified the use of telephone numbers that were not registered to account holders or actual beneficiaries for mobile banking and transaction alerts.

It said facilitators used pre-registered SIM cards, SIMs registered to deceased persons or SIMs linked to other individuals to weaken the connection between bank accounts, SIM cards and Bank Verification Numbers.

‘This severs the audit trail: when a transaction is flagged, investigators trace the phone to an unrelated person, letting the real facilitator stay anonymous and continue operations,’ it stated.

The report further said terrorist cells, particularly those linked to the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), used detailed transaction descriptions as part of an internal accounting system.

According to the NFIU, the groups operated with structured financial controls, requiring detailed descriptions to enable field commanders to account for expenditures to central financial controllers.

It said analysts had observed high-frequency, logistics-related payments from a single source to multiple recipients.

However, some facilitators reportedly used seemingly harmless words, secret codes and alphanumeric strings in transaction descriptions to conceal the purpose of transfers.

The agency said the coded language was sometimes combined with different languages to evade automated banking filters designed to detect terms associated with terrorism financing.

The NFIU also said its analysis showed an increasingly interconnected threat involving financial crime, technology and cross-border activities.

It identified rising cases of Ponzi schemes, fraudulent crowdfunding arrangements, cryptocurrency-enabled investment scams and hacking-related fraud, including the compromise of social media and messaging accounts.

The report said financial fraud remained a dominant predicate offence, with criminals increasingly exploiting weaknesses in fintech onboarding systems, including tiered accounts with minimal identification requirements.

It added that digital platforms were being used to rapidly recruit victims and move illicit funds.

On corruption and misappropriation of public funds, the NFIU said the diversion of state and local government funds through accounts belonging to finance officers and associated third parties remained a concern.

It also identified procurement processes as a significant risk area, while the continued use of cash transactions was making it more difficult to establish audit trails and trace assets.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that President Bola Tinubu has surpassed the performance of every democratically elected Nigerian president during their first terms in office.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, made the assertion on Monday during an interview with Channels Television, where he defended the administration’s economic reforms and overall record.

Morka said the evidence of Tinubu’s achievements could be seen in the country’s economic indicators, despite the difficult conditions he claimed the president inherited.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outperformed any president in his first term. He has outperformed any democratically elected president in this country in their terms,’ he said.

Asked to identify the specific indicators behind the claim, Morka pointed to the broader state of the economy.

‘The indicators are res ipsa loquitur as we say in law; they speak for themselves. This president inherited an economy that was completely in a mess,’ he said.

The APC spokesman attributed Nigeria’s economic difficulties to what he described as years of poor governance under previous administrations, particularly the 16-year rule of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before the APC took power in 2015.

He described former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as a transition that prevented the country from sliding further into crisis and prepared the ground for Tinubu’s presidency.

‘Buhari was a stopgap president that really came to keep the country from tipping over the precipice from 16 years of horrific maladministration of the PDP government,’ Morka said.

‘President Buhari served his term, did his job to hold the country still for President Tinubu to enter.’

Morka also defended Tinubu’s economic policies, arguing that the reforms had begun to stabilise the economy and produce improvements at the macroeconomic level.

He maintained that the results of the administration’s policies were becoming increasingly noticeable, including among some Nigerians who had initially criticised the government’s approach.

More than 150 terrorists, including commanders, fighters and affiliates, have surrendered to troops of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, within the past week, according to the military.

The latest figure marks a sharp rise from the more than 50 terrorists who surrendered during the preceding week, highlighting increased pressure on terrorist networks operating in the North-East.

Acting Military Information Officer, Capt. Mohammed Goni, said the development followed sustained intelligence-driven operations, intensified military action and a combination of kinetic and non-kinetic measures designed to weaken terrorist groups and persuade their members to abandon the insurgency.

‘The significant increase reflects the cumulative impact of sustained intelligence-led operations, intensified military pressure and coordinated kinetic and non-kinetic efforts aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities and encouraging voluntary disengagement from terrorism,’ he said.

Goni said the pressure was increasingly affecting terrorist formations, restricting their movement and disrupting their logistics, supply routes and ability to retain fighters within their enclaves.

He added that some of those who surrendered handed over weapons and ammunition, which he said provided further evidence of the impact of military operations on the groups.

According to him, Operation Hadin Kai’s strategy combines intelligence-led action with strategic communication, civil-military engagement and other non-kinetic measures to disrupt terrorist activities and weaken their support structures.

Goni said the approach was also helping to counter terrorist narratives and persuade more members to abandon the groups.

He described strategic communication as a key component of the military’s campaign, particularly in reaching individuals prepared to renounce terrorism and informing them of the consequences of remaining with terrorist organisations.

He said all those who surrendered had been profiled and documented and were being handled in line with established procedures and applicable laws.

The theatre command, he added, would build on the current momentum to encourage further defections while undermining terrorist recruitment and sustainment networks.

The Military High Command commended the troops for their resilience, discipline and operational effectiveness, urging them to maintain pressure on terrorist elements and restrict their freedom of action across the theatre.

‘Operation Hadin Kai remains resolute in its mission to sustain pressure on terrorist networks, disrupt their capabilities and support structures, protect civilians and create the conditions necessary for the restoration of lasting peace, security and normalcy across the North-East region,’ he said.

Former North-West National Vice Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, Mallam Jafar Ibrahim Sani, has questioned the loyalty of some Northern political leaders over what he described as their limited support for former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, amid his current ordeal.

Sani said the situation had exposed what he described as an increasingly transactional political culture in which relationships thrive when benefits are available but weaken when adversity sets in.

He made the remarks in a statement titled, ‘El-Rufai, The North, Our Elders and the Test of Loyalty.’

According to the ADC chieftain, political differences should not prevent Northern elders and leaders from demanding fairness, justice and due process in matters involving the former governor.

While acknowledging that opinions about El-Rufai differ, Sani argued that his influence on Nigeria’s public and political life could not be ignored.

‘It is therefore concerning to see limited support from some who once stood closest to him. Adversity is precisely when loyalty matters most,’ he said.

Sani maintained that the controversy surrounding El-Rufai should force political leaders to reflect on the kind of relationships and political culture being passed to future generations.

He urged Northern elders, political stakeholders and other influential figures to rise above personal and partisan disagreements and insist that the law be allowed to take its course.

‘If justice is done, it should lead to whatever outcome the law and courts determine, including the lawful release of Mallam El-Rufai where appropriate,’ he said.

The former ADC official stressed that his appeal was not for preferential treatment for the former Kaduna governor, but for adherence to due process irrespective of political affiliations or personal relationships.

Sani also addressed remarks previously attributed to El-Rufai concerning Northern elders, saying the former governor was not suggesting that the region lacked respected elders, scholars, traditional rulers or experienced leaders.

He argued instead that the North must confront deeper questions about development, leadership and the quality of life available to its people.

According to him, the region deserves greater prosperity for its children and a stronger place in the world, but achieving that would require honest reflection, fairness and collective action from its leaders.

Cross River Governor, Bassey Otu, has threatened to withdraw the certificates of recognition of traditional rulers if peace breaks down in their communities.

Otu issued the warning on Monday during the 21st Leboku International New Yam Festival in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area, following recent communal violence in the area.

The governor condemned the Ugep-Idomi communal clash, which reportedly claimed lives, describing the violence as a ‘show of shame’ and unacceptable.

Represented by his Deputy, Peter Odey, Otu said the government had considered cancelling the 2026 Leboku Festival because of the crisis but decided to retain it.

He said the festival was preserved to promote peace, unity and brotherhood among the people of Yakurr and neighbouring communities.

Otu warned traditional rulers to maintain peace or risk losing their certificates of recognition from the state government.

He also said the government would not recognise rival factions involved in the Agoi Ibami leadership dispute until they resolved their differences.

According to him, the government would only deal with one recognised traditional leader after reconciliation among the contending parties.

The governor pledged N50 million for the renovation of the Ugep Peace Stadium to improve sporting and community facilities.

Yakurr Council Chairman, Yibala Inyang, described Leboku as a celebration of gratitude, culture, unity and economic opportunity, rooted in the first yam harvest.

Inyang said the festival had grown into an international cultural event promoting tourism, agriculture and economic development across Cross River.

He added that Leboku attracted Yakurr indigenes and visitors from across Nigeria and the diaspora every year.

Inyang commended the state government and other stakeholders for sustaining the festival as a platform for showcasing Cross River’s cultural heritage.

He said preserving Yakurr traditions also created opportunities for investment, tourism and broader community development.

Obol Lopon Advisory Council spokesman, Azikiwe Williams, praised Otu for ongoing infrastructural projects across Yakurr communities.

Williams appealed for the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Ugep Peace Stadium, including the provision of a standby generating set.

He also urged the government to extend the Cross River Broadcasting Corporation’s signal to Yakurr to improve residents’ access to official information.

‘Improved infrastructure, communication and peace would strengthen Yakurr’s capacity to attract tourists, investors and development opportunities,’ Williams said.

Tourism Commissioner, Obi Offor, said the government remained committed to making Leboku a major tourism attraction and economic asset.

Offor said the ministry was improving tourist sites, including cleaning up the Yakurr waterfall, while encouraging visitors to explore the area beyond the festival.

He identified waterfalls, landscapes, heritage sites, music, dance, arts and traditions as key tourism assets that required peace and hospitality for sustainable growth.

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ogun says it has dismantled drug black spots in the state.This is contained in a statement in Abeokuta on Monday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Haris Musa.

According to the statement, the command has continued to intensify operations to dismantle identified drug black spots across the state.

Musa explained that the operation, code-named ‘Operation Restore Order’, is a nationwide coordinated exercise launched by the NDLEA Chairman, Brig.-Gen. Mohammed Marwa (Rtd).

He said the operation had led operatives to conduct targeted raids on several identified drug black spots in Abeokuta, including Mayas, Miami in Panseke, Onion Market in Eleweran, MKO Stadium, and Kuto Park.

‘Other locations targeted include WAPCO in Lafenwa, where the command conducted coordinated operations aimed at disrupting illicit drug activities and dismantling drug networks. The coordinated operations are aimed at reclaiming public spaces being used for drug trafficking and abuse,’ he said.

The NDLEA spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to its statutory mandate of protecting communities and denying illicit drug activities a foothold across Ogun state.

All Progressives Congress National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has declared that President Bola Tinubu has outperformed every democratically elected president Nigeria has produced.

Morka made the claim during an interview on Channels Television while defending the Tinubu administration’s economic record and the reforms introduced since it assumed office.

‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outperformed any president in his first term. He has outperformed any democratically elected president in this country in their terms,’ Morka said.

Asked to identify the indicators supporting his assessment, the APC spokesman argued that the evidence was already visible in the economy.

‘The indicators are res ipsa loquitur, as we say in law; they speak for themselves. This president inherited an economy that was completely in a mess,’ he said.

Morka maintained that Tinubu inherited deep economic problems accumulated over successive administrations and had taken difficult decisions aimed at restoring stability.

He particularly blamed the 16 years of Peoples Democratic Party rule for many of the structural problems confronting the country before the APC took power in 2015.

The APC spokesman also offered an assessment of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years in office, describing him as a leader who prevented the country from sliding further before Tinubu took over.

‘Buhari was a stopgap president that really came to keep the country from tipping over the precipice – from 16 years of horrific maladministration of the PDP government,’ Morka said.

‘President Buhari served his term, did his job to hold the country still for President Tinubu to enter.’

According to him, the reforms undertaken by the current administration have begun to pull Nigeria away from severe macroeconomic difficulties.

Morka said improvements in key indicators were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, adding that even some critics of the administration had begun acknowledging progress in parts of the economy.

He maintained that Nigeria had ‘come out of the woods’ at the macroeconomic level, attributing the development to policies implemented by the Tinubu government.

The APC has continued to make the administration’s economic record a central part of its argument for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, insisting that the impact of the reforms will become increasingly evident to Nigerians.