Man accused of sexually assaulting woman in Ekiti

The police in Ekiti State have arraigned a 42-year-old man, Ajayi Oluwatosin, at the Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti over an alleged sexual assault of a woman.

The prosecutor, Inspector Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant, on or about September 18 at Iworoko-Ekiti, within the Igbemo-Ekiti Magisterial District, did assault one Okuwoga Ibukun without her consent.

Inspector Oriyomi noted that the defendant committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 269(1) of the Criminal Law of Ekiti State 2021.

Counsel to the defendant, Barrister O. G. Abiola, urged the court to grant his client bail on liberal terms, stating he would not jump bail.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr. Abayomi Adeosun, granted him bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned until October 23, for hearing.

Hoodlums kill cyclist, dump corpse at river bank

Suspected hoodlums have reportedly stabbed a commercial cyclist identified as Yahuza to death and dumped his corpse at a river bank in Bako village, Kwali Area Council of the FCT, before escaping with his motorcycle.

A resident of Bako village, Yasmin Abdullahi, said the incident happened on Saturday around 9:43 pm.

The cyclist had picked up two young men from Dagiri, who asked to be taken to the Bako forest area.

Abdullahi said the suspects lured the cyclist by offering him a sum of N4,000 and claiming they were security guards protecting a government building near the forest.

The cyclist’s corpse was discovered by vigilantes who had gone to the forest to dislodge hoodlums who frequently use the location to smoke Indian hemp (cannabis).

‘And you know there is this big bush which links from Gwagwalada to Bako forest where most of these youngsters including hoodlums always go to smoke hemp,’ Abdullahi explained.

He added, ‘So, it was when the vigilantes went to the forest in order to dislodge people that always hang around the forest when the cyclist’s corpse was found close to the river.’

Abdullahi added that the vigilantes alerted security operatives who visited the scene and recovered the body.

The cyclist was later identified as a resident of Unguwar Dodo in Gwagwalada, and his colleagues came to evacuate the corpse to the morgue at Kwali hospital.

A member of the vigilante group, Dantani Ismaila, also confirmed the incident, stating that the hoodlums escaped with the deceased’s motorcycle after stabbing him.

A police source at the Kwali division, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed the incident, saying the police are investigating the matter.

He also lamented the activities of hoodlums who go to the forest to smoke cannabis, adding that the police have consistently raided the place and made arrests.

2 brothers abducted in Kwara as troops raid bandits’ hideout

Gunmen have reportedly abducted two brothers from their cassava farm in the Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The attack, it was gathered, took place on Wednesday at the Bokungi Zambufu community in Lafiagi Emirate.

A vigilante commander, Gina Gana, confirmed the incident on Wednesday night.

He said the assailants, numbering about four, were heavily armed.

According to him, they invaded the farm, shooting sporadically before whisking the brothers away.

‘No contact has been made to demand any ransom, but we later saw the military with two suspects, but we don’t know if they were part of the bandits,’ he said.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has urged residents, especially in Ekiti, Ifelodun, Isin, Oke Ero, and Irepodun local government areas, to be vigilant and restrict outdoor activities as security forces intensify operations against kidnappers in border towns between Kwara and Kogi states.

The areas have come under a series of attacks lately.

‘The kidnappers are fleeing their hideouts and we don’t want law-abiding citizens to be affected,’ Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju, said in a statement.

She said the government regrets any inconveniences the restrictions may cause but praised security forces for their renewed efforts to rout the criminals.

He urged them to continue until the gangs are neutralised and flushed out of the forests.

Stop speaking ill of Nigeria, Tinubu tells citizens

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on Nigerians at home and in the diaspora to stop speaking negatively about the country, insisting that Nigeria remains a proud nation with enormous potential.

Speaking on Tuesday evening in Lagos at the official unveiling of the renovated National Theatre, the president stressed the need for citizens to believe in the country and work together towards its progress.

‘Let me take this opportunity to say one thing that is very, very important to me, to you, and my government. Stop talking about Nigeria in a negative tone. This is a country of very proud people, a nation of brave people, confident and dedicated people. Let’s build this together. Let’s recreate it,’ Tinubu said.

The president, who used the occasion to celebrate the nation’s creative and cultural heritage, said Nigeria’s talent base is one of its greatest assets.

He praised Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, whom he described as ‘one of the most talented and creative minds,’ for his contributions to national development and the arts.

Tinubu also reflected on the historical importance of the National Theatre, describing its revival as a symbol of Nigeria’s resilience.

‘This place will not grow relics again. It is not a bad thing for us to use this opportunity to create jobs, to promote maintenance, sensibility, and commitment,’ he said.

The president commended Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other stakeholders for their support, noting that the theatre would continue to serve as a hub for Africa’s creative industry.

Tinubu reiterated his administration’s optimism about the economy.

‘I am confident, if you manage it properly, prosperity will come. Believe in yourself and give everybody the hope they need. Lift the spirits of our people. This is the giant of Africa. It won’t disintegrate in my hands, in my presence,’ he said.

Edo generates N79bn IGR in 9 months

The Executive Chairman, Edo State Internal Revenue Service (EIRS), Mr. Oladele Bankole-Balogun, has disclosed that the agency has generated N79billion in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in nine months.

Bankole-Balogun disclosed this in Benin during a meeting with Ministries, Departments and Agencies, permanent secretaries and directors.

He noted that leakages by MDAs are challenges to sustainable growth and called for an end to it.

‘EIRS has generated N52.6 billion in the first half of 2025, representing a 46 per cent increase over previous periods. The year has not ended and we have generated N79 billion’ he said.

Bankole-Balogun who described revenue as the ‘lifeline of development, noted that Edo must position itself as a frontrunner in implementing the Treasury Single Account (TSA), and align with the Nigerian Tax Reform Acts set to take effect Jan. 1, 2026..

He said the TSA ensures that all government receipts flow through a transparent, centralized account-eliminating cash handling, reducing leakages, and improving accountability.

He said the state must align internal processes, adopt e-receipting and digital reporting, and leverage its informal and digital economy for sustainable growth.

He warned against MDAs operating different accounts in taxes and levies collection, as all IGR funds are to be deposited at the agency’s account in line with the law.

Meanwhile, Mr. Jackson Eribo, Executive Director of MDA Services, listed issues include illegal opening of revenue accounts, cash collections against the state’s cashless policy, and partial remittances as challenges hindering revenue optimisation.

He added that order problems include, fragmentation of systems outside the Edo Revenue Administration System (ERAS), and non-compliance with Tax Clearance Certificate (TCC) requirements.

He described the continued violation of the state’s cashless policy through cash collections and partial remittances as a serious challenge.

UPPC, Bul secure wins

Match-day two of the Uganda Premier League kicked off on Wednesday evening as Bul and UPPC picked their first wins of the season.

Bul who have finished in the top three over the last two seasons were 1-0 winners over Maroons at the Fufa Technical Centre in Njeru.

Ibrahim Mugulusi scored what turned out to be the winner on 36 minutes.

The result lifted Bul to four points having drawn goalless in their opening game against URA.

In Entebbe, UPPC also earned their first ever win in the topflight coming from a goal down to secure a 2-1 over Lugazi.

Freedom Mungudit gave Lugazi a 24th minute after capitalising on a loose pass by forward Muhammad Kyeyune.

But UPPC got a second half equaliser their dominance deserved when midfielder Isa Bugembe powered home a header from a corner on 63 minutes.

Some fast thinking then got UPPC the winner seven minutes from time when a quickly taken freekick ended with substitute Fazil Tumwine towering home another header to the relief of a technical bench that includes Abdallah Mubiru, Livingstone Mbabazi, Godfrey Walusimbi and Henry Kisekka all stars of previous player generations.

NUP vetting: A blend of falsehoods and good progress

The National Unity Platform (NUP) and its electoral body, the Election Management Committee (EMC), are embroiled in a series of controversies surrounding the party’s vetting process for the 2026 general elections. A number of party members who were denied endorsement to become NUP flagbearers have expressed dissatisfaction, accusing the party of unfairness in endorsing candidates they claim are unpopular and have not demonstrated sufficient loyalty or sacrifice for the party.

Some of the aggrieved allege that they were coerced into paying substantial sums of money to party officials in exchange for endorsements, only to be denied in the end. These allegations have sparked concerns that the vetting process may be marred by corruption and favouritism. Many pundits believe that this controversy could significantly affect NUP’s performance in the upcoming elections and potentially weaken its position as the leading Opposition party.

A closer examination of the complaints lodged by the aggrieved reveals that none of them have been able to provide justifiable reasons for their exclusion from the list of endorsed candidates. Moreover, it appears that the criteria used by NUP in its vetting process give significant discretion to the party’s top leadership in selecting candidates. The emphasis seems to be on loyalty to the party leadership and perceived credibility, rather than on the candidate’s popularity or grassroots support.

This approach to vetting has raised concerns that the process may not always result in the selection of the most suitable candidates. In some cases, the party may overlook more qualified or popular candidates in favour of those who are more loyal to the leadership but incompetent. However, given NUP’s stronghold in Buganda, for example, it is unlikely that the party’s electoral fortunes will be severely impacted by the selection of less popular candidates.

At least for what happened during the vetting of local government leaders by NUP, many ‘foot soldiers’ deemed to be close to the echelons of power within the party were unsuccessful. Those who chose to stay, are the true emblems of political change, while those who defected remind me of 1 John 2:19 – ‘They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us.’

Uganda’s political landscape is dominated by mass political parties that focus on building broad electoral support rather than ideological conviction.

The National Resistance Movement (NRM), which came to power through a revolutionary struggle, is a notable exception because it disguises as a Constitutional political party, yet not. NRM maintained it’s status as a revolutionary party. Revolutionary political parties are known to be anti-system or anti-constitutional.

When the NRM overthrew the former constitutional structure to establish a new constitutional order, it actually did not change its guerilla modus operandi; it invariably became a ‘regime party’, suppressing Opposition political parties, and establishing a permanent relationship with the state machinery.

In this context, parties like NUP face significant challenges in building a strong electoral base and competing with the ruling party because their efforts to build foundations and structures of the party around the country are always frustrated.

Therefore, had NUP staged party primaries like the NRM, it would have failed irreparably.

It is essential for the party to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of its internal processes. A legitimate democratic process requires three key elements: consent, conciliation, and redress. NUP members must adhere to its rules and respect the decisions of its leadership. In so doing, NUP shall be able to consolidate the party’s strong grassroots support and will help it navigate the challenges mentioned above and maintain its position as a key player in Ugandan politics.

Open letter to the minister of State for Internal Affairs

Honourable minister, it was reported that on February 13, 2025, on the floor of Parliament, that you withdrew the Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024. The reason you gave for taking this action was that after extensive consultations it had become obvious that some aspects of the Bill needed to be reviewed and refined. You are reported to have told the House that the Bill was not dead but had only been withdrawn to make improvements.

On May 16, 2025 your ministry published The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025 in the Uganda Gazette. This is understood to be the revised version of the Forensic Evidence Bill, 2024. The Parliamentary Committee on Defence and Internal Affairs of the Parliament of Uganda has since then invited various stakeholders to present their reviews on the revised Bill. It was reported by the Parliamentary Watch that on September 24 2025, you asked Parliament, during a harmonisation meeting with the Committee, not to reject this Bill.

I have had time to scrutinise this Bill and these are some of my observations and comments: Forensic services are crucial in justice delivery and are provided by, among others, the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Health and the Government Analytical Laboratory. These sectors technically play distinct roles. No single law can harmonise their roles and responsibilities. The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill 2025 is basically about the services provided by the government analytical laboratory, to the exclusion of the services offered by other stakeholders. However, the Bill negatively impacts on the services provided by the Uganda Police Force, whose constitutional mandate it is to investigate crime and also the forensic services provided by the Ministry of Health.

The framers of the Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill, 2025 did not improve on the Forensic Evidence Bill 2024; they did not address any of the major concerns that the stakeholders raised in regard to the preceding Bill. An important recommendation was the creation of an independent regulatory body, as is in other countries. Uganda’s most urgent need is of an independent body, by law established, to regulate and oversee the forensic services offered by the key stakeholders.

Such a body will provide regulatory oversight to the forensic services of the police, the Ministry of Health and the Government Analytical Laboratory. The major issues in forensic service delivery in Uganda today include credibility of our results, capacity building, logistical challenges and coordination of the services. The Forensic and Scientific Analytical Services Bill 2025 has not and will not address these endemic challenges. The root causes of these poor services have been interrogated even before such a Bill was drafted. Much as a hungry man needs food, poisoned food will drive him faster to his grave. The Bill will be a disservice to forensic services in the country. It is bound to be a redundant law if passed.

ERA probes UEDCL’s operational challenges

The Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) has launched a nationwide inspection of electricity infrastructure, with officials recently visiting the Entebbe substation as part of the exercise.

The inspections aim to assess the viability and challenges faced by Uganda Electricity Distribution Company Limited (UEDCL), which took over operations from Umeme.

According to Julius Wandera, ERA’s Director of Consumer Affairs, the inspections will help understand UEDCL’s operational challenges on the ground.

“We are doing this to try to understand the extent to which our colleagues at UEDCL have moved from the time they took over the network not from a desk report point of view, but from a field point of view,” he explained.

Wandera noted that there were “teething problems” when UEDCL took over, partly because Umeme had reduced maintenance for about four months before the transition in April. “We expect that they should be handling the remedial challenges if there are any,” he added.

During the visit to Entebbe substation, Wandera observed that the substation has an unused capacity of 80 MVA, positioning it to accommodate additional electrical load in the areas it serves.

“This substation here has got the capacity to feed the areas it’s supposed to and it retains a capacity of 80 MVA to be precise right now. That means that it is not consumed totally at all,” he said.

He added that the available capacity implies the substation can support more infrastructure development and added load without strain. “So we can still add on load. We can have more infrastructure coming on board and the load is added and the substation will still handle it,” he noted.

Eng Judith Sengendo Nayiga, ERA’s Director of Technical Regulation, highlighted efforts toward smarter grids and systems for real-time monitoring and feedback.

“Through having systems that are intelligent, we’ll be able to get to where we want,” she said, noting progression from Umeme’s established base.

The ERA officials urged the public to report issues and refrain from celebrating network vandalism.

“Do not celebrate a vandal,” Wandera stressed, emphasizing citizens’ responsibility to curb such acts causing outages. Teams are distributed across Uganda, covering Kampala, West, East, and North, to ensure a comprehensive assessment of electricity infrastructure.

Govt seeks law to ban unlicensed journalists

The government is seeking a new law that will require all journalists to obtain official certificates and be registered to work.

The State Minister for ICT and National Guidance, Mr Godfrey Kabyanga, said the proposed press and journalism law will make it compulsory for all journalists to register with a regulatory body before they can be allowed to practice.

He explained that the goal of the proposed law is to bring order to the media industry and remove unqualified people who call themselves journalists without proper training.

Right now, the law already says journalists should register with the Media Council, but very few have done so. Mr Kabyanga warned that the new law will make it a must to have a license to work as a journalist in Uganda. ‘The government wants to replace the current media law. This new law will set up a regulatory body to oversee and guide journalism,’ he said.

Speaking to media owners, journalists, security officials, and members of the Uganda Communications Commission at Bomah Hotel in Gulu City on September 26, Mr Kabyanga said journalism, like other professions such as medicine and engineering, needs to be regulated.

He compared it to a recent move to create a body that oversees human resource officers. ‘Right now, anyone can wake up and say they’re a journalist. That needs to change,’ he added.

Despite Uganda having 280 radio stations and 31 TV stations, fewer than 500 journalists are officially accredited. The Nwoya Resident District Commissioner, Mr Christopher Omara, also raised concerns, saying many media houses are hiring people without the right qualifications.

He accused some of these unqualified reporters, especially at private radio stations, of spreading false or misleading information.

‘Many of these so-called journalists don’t understand the issues they report on. That’s why the quality of journalism is so poor. Media houses need to hire skilled and competent people if they want to improve,’ Mr Omara said.