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A medical practitioner, Dr. Abib Olamitoye, has urged operators of medical facilities in Nigeria to always attend to victims of gunshots and robbery before demanding a police report.

Speaking during an interview with newsmen in Ibadan on Tuesday, Olamitoye noted that prioritizing treatment would save many victims from preventable deaths that often occur while waiting for clearance from the police.

Olamitoye, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ibadan Central Hospital, suggested that all medical facilities should establish a good working relationship and have the contact phone numbers of police divisions within their jurisdictions for such emergencies.

‘We need to start attending to the victims first, then demand a police report. If a victim or a relative cannot provide a police report in the process of treatment, then hospitals can call the attention of the police, since the victim is under their care and cannot escape in such a condition.

‘The patient must be kept alive first; then we can now talk about the police report, price, hospital card, and other necessary things,’ he said.

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.

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

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 FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has commiserated with the management of Arise TV and the family of the late anchor/presenter, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who died during a robbery attack at her Katampe residence in Abuja.

Secretary of the FCT NUJ, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, called for a thorough forensic investigation into the circumstances that led to the journalist’s demise.

He said the FCT Council of the NUJ is deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely death of the Arise Television news anchor, who passed away on Monday, September 29, 2025, as a result of a violent armed robbery attack at her residence.

He described Maduagwu’s passing as a devastating loss not only to her immediate family and Arise News but to the entire Nigerian media industry.

‘Somtochukwu was a brilliant, passionate, and dedicated broadcaster whose professionalism and poise endeared her to colleagues and viewers alike. She represented the best of a new generation of Nigerian journalists-bold, ethical, and committed to the truth,’ he said.

According to him, the sudden death of the late journalist is a painful reminder of the increasing security challenges in the country and the urgent need for accountability.

Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are investigating three youths residing in the Gwagwa community of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over a robbery attack that recently took place in the area.

Many residents, who spoke to our reporter yesterday, lamented how a gang of youths went on a rampage from house to house in the Unguwar Kiriya area of the community, robbing them of their valuables.

The village head of Kiriya, Muhammad Sani, while speaking on the incident said some of the attacked residents were injured by the gang, including one who sustained a gun injury.

Sani explained that the attackers used various tools, including heavy hammers and saws, to destroy the gates and burglary proofs of some residences, robbing the owners of valuables such as cash, phones, and one motorcycle.

‘Fortunately, one of the attackers was identified and assisted in locating about three of his accomplices so far, who were handed over to the police,’ Sani said.

He added that members of the vigilante group were able to trace and locate two suspects initially on the following day, with residents insisting the suspects be handed over to them.

‘So, the police in Gwagwa division were informed about the development, and they used their wisdom to be able to take the suspects to their office,’ Sani concluded.

When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Gwagwa, CSP Muktar Adamu, confirmed the incident, adding that three suspects were handed over to the FCT Police Command for further investigation.

As Nigeria marks 65 years of nationhood, this moment calls not merely for celebration, but for deep and sober reflection.

Sixty-five years in the life of a nation is both long enough to learn vital lessons and short enough to still dream of greater possibilities.

Our journey since independence in 1960 has been mixed experiences. We have celebrated moments of triumph, endured seasons of crisis, and watched countless opportunities slip through our hands.

From the optimism of self-rule to the turbulence of military coups, from the tragedy of civil war to the eventual return of democracy, the Nigerian story has been marked by resilience, sacrifice, and unfinished potential.

The dreams of our people have been pursued through several attempts, though too often without lasting fruition.

Successive development blueprints – Vision 2010, Vision 20:2020, the Seven-Point Agenda, and more recently the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) carried promises of transformation.

Many of these documents ended up as footnotes in history, gathering dust while poverty deepened, unemployment soared, and infrastructure continued to decay.

Leadership, the golden key to progress, has too often fallen short of expectation.

Corruption and self-interest weakened institutions that should serve the people. Electoral malpractice eroded trust in democracy.

Citizens who went to the polls in hope have at times felt betrayed by the very process meant to empower them.

Governance, in many instances, failed to reflect the aspirations of the people.

Yet history reminds us that great nations are not judged only by the weight of their problems, but by the courage with which they confront them.

Posterity will not dwell on our failures, but on our determination to overcome them.

The destiny of Nigeria does not rest in government alone; it rests in the hands of every citizen. Though our tribes and tongues may differ, in brotherhood we must stand.

Nation-building is not about the scramble for office or the pursuit of personal gain, but about collective responsibility.

It requires both leaders and citizens to embrace sacrifice, discipline, and innovation.

A nation is not built by promises spoken, but by sacrifices made. True independence is more than political sovereignty.

Our flag and anthem may have declared liberty in 1960, but only morality, justice, and accountability can sustain it.

Leadership is a sacred trust, and integrity must remain its foundation.

If Nigeria must experience a rebirth, then we must confront the lessons of our past and chart a new path forward.

Inclusive leadership must be at the heart of governance. The diversity of our federation demands inclusivity, ensuring that no community feels excluded from the national project.

Marginalisation breeds resentment; inclusivity breeds trust and unity.

Credible elections must anchor our democracy. Votes must count, and the ballot must be stronger than the bullet or the bribe.

The independence of the electoral commission must be safeguarded, while the use of technology to transmit and protect results must be fully embraced.

Without electoral credibility, democracy becomes a hollow ritual.

Investing in leadership education is vital. Civic education, mentorship, and ethical training must be central to our schools and communities.

If we do not prepare the next generation of leaders, we risk repeating the mistakes of the past.

Nigeria’s future rests on young people who are disciplined, innovative, and committed to service, as economic transformation must go beyond oil.

Our greatness will not come from dependence on crude exports but from science, technology, agriculture, manufacturing, and innovation that uplift humanity.

The creativity of our youths in fintech, entertainment, and digital entrepreneurship is proof that Nigeria’s economic future lies in innovation, not extraction.

Strengthening national values is essential. Unity, discipline, and service must become lived realities, not empty slogans. If integrity does not become the measure of success, corruption will continue to undermine progress.

Back on October 1, 1960, when the green-white-green flag was hoisted before the world, it symbolised liberty, self-determination, and hope.

Despite their ideological differences, our founding fathers viz. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Sir Ahmadu Bello, and Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa shared a common vision to build a prosperous nation.

That spirit of unity is what we must rediscover today. For no nation divided against itself can prosper, but a people united in purpose can never be defeated.

At 65, Nigeria cannot live only for the present. The future belongs to generations yet unborn.

To build a secure tomorrow, we must act decisively today by strengthening institutions, promoting justice, diversifying the economy, and ensuring accountability in governance.

The ballot may elect leaders, but only character can sustain them.

This is why ethical education and civic leadership training must begin early. If we fail to prepare our young people, we will mortgage their future to the mistakes of the past.

Nigeria’s rebirth is not just a possibility, it is a necessity. It will not come by chance, but by deliberate choice:

The choice to act with integrity. The choice to defend our democracy.

The choice to place nation above self. History is watching.

The world is watching. And posterity will judge us, not by the weight of our problems, but by the courage of our response.

At 65, the question is not whether Nigeria will rise, but whether we will choose to rise together.

I believe we will. I believe we must. And by the grace of Almighty God, I believe we shall.

God bless the people of Nigeria.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A 2025 Transparency and Integrity Index report has revealed that only six out of 517 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) passed the minimum benchmark, leaving 511 trapped in the red zone.

The report, revealed in Abuja by the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI), painted a troubling picture of how critical agencies from finance to defence, agriculture to education, continue to lag behind in accountability.

CeFTPI’s Executive Director, Dr Umar Yakubu, said the assessment, conducted in partnership with government oversight bodies, exposed deep gaps in disclosure, ethics, and service delivery.

‘The figures speak for themselves. Citizens rely on these agencies every day, yet the institutions meant to manage trillions in revenue and services lack the transparency expected of them,’ he explained.

Yakubu noted that the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) came first for the second consecutive year with a score of 78.84 percent, followed by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) with 78.21 per cent, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) with 78.13 percent.

He added that three institutions were in the yellow zone with borderline scores: the Development Bank of Nigeria (62.60 per cent), the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (54.12 percent), and the Bank of Industry (51.29 percent). ‘The rest of the 511 MDAs all fall in the red category, which means they failed the integrity test,’ he said.

Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dasuki Arabi, noted that the poor showing was not only about corruption but also weak compliance.

‘This is about systems that are supposed to work for Nigerians but often don’t. Our job is to close those gaps and make transparency the norm,’ he said.

Agencies on red zone

The report showed that even agencies at the heart of Nigeria’s economy fell short. These include the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Debt Management Office (DMO), the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation all performed poorly. Analysts say the implications are dire. ‘When the institutions that manage our money cannot fully account for their processes, then trust in the economy suffers,’ Yakubu added.

Other agencies like the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) also failed to inspire confidence as well as The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Despite being Nigeria’s main revenue source, transparency remains elusive in the oil and power sectors.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) all scored below expectations.

Similarly, the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) failed the transparency test.

Yakubu said the failure of such agencies raised red flags because of their centrality to the country’s finances.

The Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigerian Shippers Council were all among the 511 agencies that scored poorly.

The aviation sector was not spared either, with the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) both performing below standards.

On land, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) equally fared badly, raising concerns about transparency in major infrastructure projects.

Despite consuming a huge chunk of the federal budget, the Ministry of Defence, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, Navy, and Air Force all recorded dismal performances.

The Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) also failed to meet transparency standards. Yakubu said the results were particularly worrying given ongoing security challenges.

Commenting, Arabi said, ‘Defence and security institutions cannot continue to operate like black boxes. Nigerians deserve to know how their resources are being deployed.’

He added that even agencies created to check corruption and abuse of office performed poorly. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), and the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) were all listed among those that failed the test.

Arabi said this contradiction was a wake-up call. ‘If anti-corruption institutions themselves cannot fully comply with disclosure, then it undermines the fight against corruption,’ he added.

The Federal Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court of Appeal, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and the Federal Judicial Service Commission also recorded poor results. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Assembly Service Commission were not left out.

The Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) were all in the red zone. Agencies like NAFDAC, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and several Federal Medical Centres and Teaching Hospitals also failed to pass the test. Health watchers say this could undermine service delivery.

‘When hospitals and health regulators are not transparent, citizens lose faith in the system, especially in times of crisis,’ Arabi said.

The Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), and the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) all ranked poorly. Major examination bodies such as JAMB, WAEC (Nigeria), and NECO also scored low.

Yakubu noted that lack of openness in the education sector was hurting young Nigerians. ‘Students and parents deserve accountability in how resources are used,’ he said.

Agencies critical to Nigeria’s food security were also implicated. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS), the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC), and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) all failed the test. Others included the Nigeria Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), the Bank of Agriculture, and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). Observers said the result was worrying given rising hunger. ‘Agricultural agencies are supposed to support farmers and boost food production. Their failure reflects directly on food prices,’ one analyst noted.

In the technology and media sector, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and Galaxy Backbone all failed.

The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) also performed poorly.

Agencies entrusted with pensions and welfare also fared badly. The National Pension Commission (PENCOM), the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), and the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) were all in the red zone. The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the Family Homes Fund Ltd also recorded weak compliance.

‘Index not to shame institutions’

Despite the poor numbers, CeFTPI said the index was not meant to shame institutions but to guide reforms.

‘We want to see improvement. Transparency is not a luxury, it is a necessity for national development,’ Yakubu stressed.

Arabi added that reforms would be pushed harder. ‘We will continue to work with agencies to mainstream openness and accountability. Nigerians deserve no less,’ he said.

The 2025 Index is expected to form part of broader governance reforms, but for many citizens, the revelations only confirm what they already know, that too many of the country’s most important agencies operate in secrecy, while service delivery suffers.

The Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ajao Adewale, on Wednesday, confirmed that Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a news anchor with Arise TV, jumped from the third floor of her apartment during an armed robbery at her residence.

Somtochukwu, popularly known as Sommie, died on Monday following the attack at her home in Katampe, Abuja. She and a private security guard attached to the residence lost their lives in the incident.

Residents described the attack as part of a growing wave of robberies in the area. According to them, the robbers stormed the building around 3am, overpowered security personnel with superior firepower, and went from flat to flat, dispossessing occupants of their valuables.

Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show, Adewale explained that the gunmen first shot a security guard, which triggered widespread panic among residents.

He said Sommie, who lived on the third floor, ‘out of fear and panic,’ jumped from her apartment.

Police officers deployed to the scene later found her unconscious on the ground, the commissioner added.

Adewale said, ‘Two private security guards were on duty and one of them, who had the courage to challenge them, sustained a gunshot injury.

‘Under this condition, you know the panic that would have resulted from this kind of environment.

‘Sommie actually occupied an apartment on the topmost floor of the building, out of fear, she jumped down from the third floor.

‘A distress call was raised to the control room. Policemen moved to the scene, and all they could see was the unconscious body of Sommie on the floor.’

He said Sommie was rushed to Maitama General Hospital, where doctors attempted to resuscitate her but were unsuccessful despite administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

The police commissioner emphasised that the incident was a clear case of armed robbery, citing evidence recovered from the scene.

He further clarified that Sommie was not shot during the attack but tragically died after jumping from the third floor in fear and panic.

‘It is obvious that it is a clear case of robbery. Sommie was not shot, out of fear and panic, it is normal and reasonable for everyone, she jumped down.

‘They took her to Maitama General Hospital, where the doctor on duty tried as much as possible to see whether they could resuscitate her using CPR. It is unfortunate that she did not make it,’ he said.

The Middle East is once again on edge as signs point to a possible second round of military confrontation between the United States and Iran. From intelligence leaks to military mobilisation, the groundwork for escalation appears to be actively unfolding.

According to Mossad Commentary, a verified Israeli intelligence-linked account, ‘in the last 24 hours, dozens of American fighter jets and refuelling tankers have been shifted eastward, many landing at Al-Udeid Airbase,’ the largest US military installation in the region, located in Qatar.

The movement, posted Wednesday, is far from routine. It suggests a strategic pivot, possibly in anticipation of Iranian retaliation or a pre-emptive strike.

Also, flight tracking systems reported on September 28, about 12 tankers headed to the British RAF Mildenhall airbase, and on September 30, dozens of refuelling tankers, along with fighter jets, flew to the Middle East. As the Clash Report notes, some of them landed at the Al Udeid base in Qatar.

Three anonymous sources in the British Defence Ministry told the Daily Mail that such a deployment could have ‘sinister’ overtones. And Behnam Taleblu, senior director of the Iran program at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, reminded the publication that the last time similar moves ended in attacks in the Middle East.

He emphasised that during Operation Midnight Hammer, the Donald Trump administration used disinformation to cover up the deployment of B-2 bombers to Iranian facilities. Taleblu also pointed out that Trump remains the only US president in the past two decades to use military force against Iranian nuclear facilities.

The US Central Command (USCENTCOM), which oversees operations across the Middle East, has long considered Iran its primary adversary. In 2025, USCENTCOM received $143.2 billion, with nearly 40% allocated to Iran-related operations. This includes intelligence gathering, forward base maintenance, and war-gaming scenarios ranging from limited strikes to full-scale regime change.

USCENTCOM’s Iran desk, staffed by Farsi-speaking analysts, has spent years studying Tehran’s military doctrine. These specialists shaped contingency plans that are now being activated. The command’s origins trace back to the 1979 hostage crisis, giving it unmatched institutional knowledge of Iranian warfare.

Behind the military muscle lies a vast intelligence architecture. The CIA maintains assets within Iran’s government, military, and business elite-some dating back to the Shah’s era. These relationships proved pivotal in 2025, when secret negotiations began between Washington and Tehran. US intelligence had advanced knowledge of Iran’s positions, thanks to intercepted communications revealing internal debates among the Iranian leadership.

This intelligence enabled the precision strikes of Operation Midnight Hammer, which followed the collapse of talks. Years of surveillance had mapped Iran’s air defence systems, and electronic warfare tools blinded radars before American bombers arrived.

Diplomacy, alliances, and Qatar shield

It could be that while the Pentagon prepared for escalation in June, the Trump administration pursued a high-stakes diplomatic strategy. Talks began on April 12, 2025, in Muscat, Oman, and later moved to Rome, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. Iran was given a 60-day deadline: halt uranium enrichment and cooperate with inspectors, or face military consequences.

According to Middle East Eye, the talks nearly succeeded. But after a phone call between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, the US raised its demands-insisting on a complete shutdown of Iran’s nuclear enrichment program, a red line for Tehran. The talks collapsed, triggering Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, followed by US strikes under Operation Midnight Hammer.

The administration framed the escalation as ‘Peace Through Strength’, blaming Iran for refusing a deal. Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that any Iranian retaliation would ‘put the regime at risk,’ making regime survival a bargaining chip.

Israel’s influence was unmistakable. Its intelligence and military operations systematically weakened Iran’s defences in the lead-up to US strikes. The Group of Seven (G7) reaffirmed that ‘Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,’ while France and Germany privately urged restraint, even as bombs fell.

Amid rising tensions, on Tuesday, President Trump signed an executive order declaring that any attack on Qatar would be treated as a direct threat to the United States. This move is significant not only because of the strategic importance of Al-Udeid Airbase, but also because it sends a clear message to Iran and its proxies: Qatar is off-limits.

This assurance came shortly after Netanyahu reportedly made an apology call to the Emir of Qatar, following Israeli airstrikes that inadvertently endangered Qatari interests. The call, described by insiders as ‘tense but conciliatory,’ underscores the delicate balance of alliances in the Gulf.

Meanwhile, the United Nations Security Council has reimposed sweeping sanctions on Iran. On September 27, 2025, the Council rejected a resolution by Russia and China to delay the sanctions, triggering the snapback mechanism under the 2015 nuclear deal. The reinstated sanctions include: a comprehensive arms embargo, a ban on uranium enrichment, a global freeze on assets linked to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic programs, travel bans on key Iranian officials and restrictions on Iranian crude oil exports and financial institutions.

Western powers accused Iran of serious breaches, notably enriching uranium far beyond civilian levels. Iran responded by recalling ambassadors from the E3 nations and threatening to terminate cooperation with the IAEA.

The US strategy also hinges on managing a complex web of alliances. Israel offers unmatched intelligence and cyber capabilities, while Gulf Arab states provide bases and financial support, but tread carefully to avoid becoming direct targets. During the crisis, Saudi Arabia and the UAE allowed US access to airspace while publicly calling for restraint.

To mitigate risks, the US relied on its Forward Shield, a network of bases and infrastructure built over decades. During crisis periods, the US maintains 40,000 troops in the region. But the real strength lies in pre-positioned equipment, fuel depots, and ammunition bunkers that enable rapid reinforcement.