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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reportedly arrested a man said to be in possession of a firearm in a church in Bokkos LGA, Plateau state, on Sunday.
According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the incident occurred at about 8:30 am when operatives of the NSCDC, acting on intelligence, apprehended the suspect during a routine security patrol around the church compound.
“The suspect was found in possession of a gun and could not provide any satisfactory explanation or legal documentation for it. The swift action of our operatives helped prevent what could have escalated into a serious security breach,” a source told Zagazola.
Photos said to be that of the suspect holding a firearm have been circulating online.
Afolabi Babawale, the NSCDC spokesperson, has not yet responded to TheCable’s request for confirmation of the incident.
The publication said authorities have not released the suspect’s identity as they continue their preliminary investigations.
On April 4, the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC) reported that suspected bandits killed over 10 people in the area, with the death toll later rising to 52.
The attack came seven days after some gunmen attacked the Ruwi community, in Bokkos LGA of the state.
Speaking about rising attacks in Plateau, Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau, said bandits have taken over 64 communities in his state.
He added that the latest killings in Bokkos LGA are “sponsored and genocidal”.
[TheCable]
‘We’ll find you’ – US orders Nigerian, other international students with cancelled visas to leave
AFOLABI
Hundreds of international students are being forced to leave the United States after the Trump administration began aggressively revoking student visas.
“Do not attempt to remain in the United States. The federal government will find you,” read an email reportedly from the Department of Homeland Security, shared by immigration lawyer Nicole Micheroni.
With some students reportedly arrested without prior notice, many students say they were not given clear reasons.
Some of the students targeted never were protesters and or charged with a crime, said lawyer Dustin Baxter, who’s suing the government on behalf of more than 100 affected students.
“Not only would they revoke the person’s student visa – even if there was no conviction, if there was just an arrest, and sometimes there wasn’t even an arrest, there was just an encounter and maybe a ticket – they would revoke the student visa,” Baxter said as quoted by CNN.
Some foreign students say the first notice they received about their visa revocation was not from ICE but their school.
Meanwhile, many universities got no formal notice of their students’ visa revocations and found out only by seeing a student’s name in government records, school officials say.
After four students and two recent graduates of Stanford University in California had their student visas rescinded, the “University learned of the revocations during a routine check of the SEVIS database,” it said in a statement on April 4.
That marks a major change from the way that system historically has been used, an immigration attorney told CNN.
“Up until Trump took office, it was really up to the designated school officers to initiate that revocation in SEVIS,” said Jeff Joseph, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “What we’re seeing now is that ICE is doing it themselves.”
In one widely circulated case, Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk was handcuffed by agents days after her visa was revoked without notice.
She “shrieked in fear and confusion,” according to surveillance footage cited in court.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed visa cancellations under a clause that targets individuals whose presence poses “serious foreign policy consequences.”
The State Department has stated it has “broad authority” to revoke visas at any time and warned that monitoring continues even after issuance.
“We continuously check visa holders… and we will revoke their visas and deport them if they don’t [follow the rules].”
A Nigerian based in the United States of America, Princess Adenubi Olagbegi-Apampa, whose father has 39 wives and 147 children, has said she feels proud to have come from such a large family.
She said this while speaking with newsmen at the dedication and commissioning of multi-million naira Princess Nubi Plaza Seliat Hall, Lagelu Estate, Ibadan.
According to her, if she has any chance to come over again, she will be glad to belong to the same family.
Contrary to the popular notion that that type of family will be chaotic, she explained that all the children easily blend in and relate very well with one another.
She urged Nigerians in the diaspora not to capitalize on insecurity and to stay away from their country.
Noting that prevalent social vices like insecurity and corruption are not peculiar to Nigeria alone, she emphasized that many Nigerians don’t know that the US as a country is also grappling with all these problems.
“You know how important my father was. He had 39 wives and 147 children. We blend and eat together. We do everything together. Even, where I live in New Jersey, I did one drawing, it was one of my brothers who did it for me and another who is an engineer supervised the construction for me.”
“So, if they ask me is it good for a man to have two or more wives, I can’t say no. If I have the chance to come over again, I will to still come from where I come from. From my mother’s side who comes from the popular Adetula. He had 25 wives, 71 children. So, if you ask me is it good to come from a multi-family, I will say yes.”
She passionately asked Nigerians living in the diaspora to reconsider coming back home to help rebuild the country.
She said, “I’ve been appealing to all Nigerians abroad. Staying abroad is not the best. There is no place like home. Nigerians should come back home and do something tangible.
She stressed that insecurity in Nigeria shouldn’t be an excuse for Nigerians not to return home, adding that insecurity is not only limited to Nigeria alone but an issue that cuts across the world.
“We have triple what is happening in Nigeria in the US. Do you even know we have more beggars in the United States than here? Anytime I’m going to my offices, I’ll see 20 or 30 on the streets; they’re begging for money.”
“So it’s not only here, it’s everywhere. So we just have to learn. The only thing I can tell you, even when we talk of the most corrupted nations, it’s in the US, but they don’t do it openly the way we’re doing it openly here in Nigeria.”
“I think what we should do is to just encourage one another to come back home and do something. We need to know that fingers are not equal, because that’s one thing I’ve seen in Nigeria.”
“We should all wait for our time, and I’ve been telling everybody that when God gives you money if you cannot share it with your neighbor if you cannot share it for community work, then it’s of no use.
“And I tell people, if I have to give you my track record, you can Google it, in the state of New Jersey, I’ve trained thousands of people. You can imagine, if I’m here, in my own father’s land, how many would I be able to train. If I’m in a foreign country, and God granted me what I was able to do, and now I’m here, I believe I will do better. So, that’s one thing Nigerians need to encourage themselves,” she noted.
As part of her contribution to the country’s development, she said there’s a pharmacy at the back of the hall where drugs will be distributed free to people without particular attention to any ethnic group.
For travelers, especially Nigerians who want to travel to some countries, not having to deal with the hassle of a visa can be a huge relief.
For Nigerian passport holders, the Caribbean region—renowned for its magnificent beaches, lively culture, and kind people—offers a number of visa-free travel options.
These Caribbean nations welcome Nigerian visitors with open arms, requiring only a valid passport and a passion for adventure, whether you’re looking for a short-term getaway, a leisurely vacation, or cultural immersion.
This article will discuss 5 stunning Caribbean countries that Nigerians can go to without a visa, emphasizing their attractions and things to consider before traveling:
1. Barbados
Barbados is a vibrant Caribbean island known for its beautiful beaches, British colonial history, and warm hospitality. It boasts a mix of Afro-Caribbean culture and modern tourism.
2. Dominica
Dominica, known as the “Nature Island of the Caribbean,” is famous for its lush rainforests, waterfalls, and volcanic landscapes. It’s a paradise for eco-tourists and adventurers.
3. Haiti
Haiti shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic and has a rich blend of French, African, and Caribbean influences. It’s known for its art, culture, and historical significance
4. Montserrat
Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory, known for its volcanic history and untouched natural beauty. It has a small population and is ideal for quiet, scenic getaways.
5. St. Kitts and Nevis
This twin-island nation offers scenic beaches, luxury resorts, and a quiet atmosphere. It’s also popular for its citizenship-by-investment program.
A man identified as Akinyele tragically slumped and died on Saturday during his wife’s 60th birthday celebration at an event centre in the Egbeda area of Lagos State.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on Sunday captured the heartbreaking moment.
In the footage, Akinyele was speaking on stage when he suddenly collapsed.
Moments before the incident, he called his wife over and whispered a request for water.
When she didn’t respond immediately, he gestured again, signalling his need for water. Seconds later, he slumped.
He was said to have been quickly rushed to a nearby hospital after attempts to revive him at the venue failed.
He was reportedly pronounced dead upon arrival.
There is tension in Ogwashi-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State as four children were reportedly abducted on Sunday allegedly by child traffickers.
PUNCH Metro gathered that two of the children, identified as Ebube and Miracle, are of the same parents.
The incident, it was gathered, occurred at the Umuokwe quarters of the community, with residents pointing accusing fingers at three women who had secured an emergency accommodation in the neighborhood.
Community sources alleged that the women lured the children from their homes on the pretence of buying biscuits for them from a shop in the area.
“It was when the children could not be seen around the compound that neighbours expressed concern.
“By the time the neighbours visited the ladies’ apartment, the room was empty as neither the occupants nor the children could be found,” sources stated.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the State Command, SP Bright Edafe on Sunday confirmed the incident, adding that landlady of the compound has been arrested and in detention.
He said, “The children were abducted three days after the women rented the apartment.
“It is true; the problem is that there is no link. They just came and said they wanted to rent an apartment and the landlady gave it to them with no details, no name, no phone number, no agreement and after three days they carried four children.
“The landlady has been arrested because her actions are suspicious.”
Seven passengers travelling in a Toyota Sienna bus were abducted by gunmen on Saturday evening along the Obbo-Aiyegunle/Osi Road in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The victims were en route from Abuja to Offa when they were ambushed by the armed attackers between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Sources confirmed that the abductors, suspected to be kidnappers, spared three children who were travelling with their parents.
The eldest of the children later reported the incident to the management of Olumoh Express, the transport company the victims boarded in Offa.
The secretary of the company, Mr. Mukaila Ogunlade, confirmed the abduction, noting that the vehicle initially left the park with five passengers.
“The oldest of the children told us that two more people joined the bus along the way. Presently, we are looking for seven people,” he stated.
The Kwara State Police Command also confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Sunday by its spokesperson, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi.
“Armed hoodlums numbering about eight reportedly intercepted a Sienna bus with registration number FFA 50XD and forcefully abducted seven occupants, including the driver,” the statement read.
Police operatives, in collaboration with local vigilantes, responded swiftly and recovered the vehicle at the nearest police post.
During a search of the surrounding bush area, three children aged between two and twelve years were found and safely rescued.
“One of the children was able to provide the police with detailed information about her guardian. The children have since been reunited with their relatives,” the statement added.
The command said it has intensified efforts through discreet investigation, intelligence gathering, and continuous bush combing operations to locate the kidnappers and ensure the safe rescue of the remaining victims.
Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, reassured residents of the command’s commitment to public safety and urged anyone with useful information to contact the police through the established channels.
Nigerian chess master and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has officially set a new Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon, achieving an impressive 64 hours of non-stop play.
Naija News reports that Onakoya, alongside his chess partner, Shawn Martinez from Puerto Rico, surpassed the previous record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds.
The previous record was held by Norwegian players Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, who set it in June 2024.
The remarkable chess marathon began on April 17, 2025, and concluded on April 20, 2025, in the heart of New York’s Times Square. They were originally aiming for a 70-hour session.
Celebrating the achievement, Onakoya shared photos of the historic moment on social media. “We did the impossible and gave the world something new to believe in,” he wrote in the post. “Official record holders of the Longest Chess Marathon for 64 hours. We did it.”
The GWR certificate, which officially recognised their accomplishment, wrote, “The longest chess marathon was achieved by Tunde Onakoya (Nigeria) and Shawn Martinez (Puerto Rico) in Times Square, New York, USA, from 17 to 20 April 2025.”
This marks not Onakoya’s first attempt at the title; he had previously completed a 60-hour chess marathon in April 2024, surpassing the previous 56-hour record set by the same Norwegian players in 2018.
Says North Will Decide On 2027 Candidate
The immediate-past Special Adviser on Political Matters to President Bola Tinubu, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has declared that the North will soon determine its political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections, emphasizing that no presidential candidate can succeed without the region’s backing.
In a video interview that gained traction on social media Sunday, Baba-Ahmed appeared alongside Professor Usman Yusuf, former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, and delivered a strong message regarding the political awakening in Northern Nigeria.
“We want a government that understands our problems and can address them,” he said, citing the devastating toll of Boko Haram insurgency and other crises affecting the North across ethnic and religious lines.
Baba-Ahmed, a known advocate for northern interests and former spokesperson of the Arewa Elders Forum, criticized the current state of the country and urged northern voters to reject leaders who use division and deception as political tools.
“If they plan to rig the election, they should be careful. It won’t be good for Nigeria,” he warned, pointing to growing dissatisfaction with marginalisation in the region.
Baba-Ahmed stated that he resigned from his position in the Presidency to “rejoin the struggle for northern emancipation,” adding that the North will publicly announce its political stance in the coming months.
“The injustice and sidelining must stop,” he declared. “The North is watching, and soon, our elders, our masses, and our interest groups will say ‘enough is enough.’”
He concluded with a clear warning to presidential hopefuls: “No candidate can win the presidency of Nigeria without the support of the North.”
‘Mr. President, Nigerians are bleeding, bring us down from this cross’ – Kukah’s passionate Easter message to Tinubu
AFOLABI
In a powerful and moving Easter message delivered on Holy Saturday, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Matthew Hassan Kukah, issued a passionate plea to President Bola Tinubu to rescue Nigerians from the deepening crises plaguing the country. Drawing on the Christian metaphor of the cross, Kukah painted a sobering picture of a nation bleeding under the weight of insecurity, poverty, and disillusionment.
Titled “Mr. President: Please Bring Us Down from This Cross,” the message likened the suffering of Nigerians to the crucifixion of Christ, asserting that while Tinubu did not create the crises, he now bears the moral responsibility to end them.
“Nigerians have been dangling and bleeding on this cross of pain and mindless suffering for too long,” Kukah said. “Now, Mr. President, Nigeria is reaching a breaking point. The nation is gradually becoming a huge national morgue.”
He described the present state of the nation as one marked by a “culture of brutality and savagery,” with rampant kidnappings, insecurity, hunger, and hopelessness affecting nearly every community across the country.
Kukah did not spare the political class, referring to past admissions by officials who brought in violent actors as tools of political advantage, only to now find those forces spiraling out of control.
“This cancer threatens the very foundation of our common humanity,” Kukah warned. “Kidnapping is now a dog whistle for undermining the very structure and foundation of our country.”
Despite the gravity of his message, the Bishop offered a glimmer of hope, invoking Pope Francis’ declaration of 2025 as the Year of Hope. He called on Nigerians to remain anchored in faith, even in the face of despair, and urged the President to channel national resources and goodwill toward genuine security, food access, and human dignity.
He emphasized that while the removal of fuel subsidies may have been a necessary economic step, it cannot be followed by mere palliatives. Kukah called instead for long-term structural solutions to food insecurity and poverty.
“Mr. President, hunger, sickness and desolation stalk the land. Make food security a fundamental human right to all citizens.”
In a final challenge, the Bishop questioned whether the prolonged insecurity signaled a lack of military capacity or, more disturbingly, the profiteering of those who benefit from chaos.
“Are Nigerians lambs being sacrificed to an unknown god?” he asked.
Kukah’s Easter message, rich in scriptural references and moral urgency, concluded on a note of resilience, reminding Nigerians that the resurrection of Christ is a call to face adversity with courage and conviction.
“We are the light of the world, a city set on a hill… Let us collectively renew our commitment and hope for building a society after the mind of our creator.”
As the nation marks Easter, Kukah’s words stand as both a lament and a rallying cry—an appeal for decisive leadership and a collective return to the values of justice, dignity, and peace.
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Popular actor turned politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has declared support for the planned opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Okonkwo declared that Nigerians are tired of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and anybody against the coalition is an agent of President Tinubu.
Naija News reports that the former Labour Party (LP) chieftain made the submission in a post on Sunday via his ? account.
He added that President Tinubu supported politicians who already had corruption cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to be the leaders of the National Assembly, so the possibility of having substantial checks from such leaders is absent.
Okonkwo, who added that both the ruling party and those in opposition must be blamed for the current state of the country, added that the opposition must, however, present a common front against the APC to be able to take over power in 2027.
“Nigeria is going bad today because we are witnessing the worst ruling party and the worst opposition parties in history. It will not be fair to blame only the ruling party for the degree of malaise in society.
“In Nigeria, Tinubu ensured that he supported politicians who already had corruption cases with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to be the leaders of the National Assembly, so the possibility of having substantial checks from such leaders is absent.
“However, Tinubu may have power over his own party members, but doesn’t have power over the opposition party members. Unfortunately, in all matters in the National Assembly, the opposition parties still tow the line of the ruling party.
“The failure of the opposition parties, however, does not translate to the failure of the opposition to government. Opposition to government comes from the people from whom the government derives its powers and authority. The only thing the people understand is good governance. Whenever they don’t have it, the people will oppose the government.
“In all honesty, Nigerians are tired of the ruling party, but their only obstacle is a disunited opposition. If the opposition parties come together today against APC, this will mark the end of APC and probably the dawn of a new era. Whoever is against a coalition in 2027 is an agent to Tinubu,” he said.
- Says operations underway to hunt down attackers
The General Officer Commanding 3 Division of Nigerian army and Commander of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH) Major General Folusho Oyinlola has attributed the renewed killings in Plateau State to a tragedy fueled by long-standing grievances, mistrust, and failed leadership.
Gen Oyinlola disclosed this during a high-level stakeholders meeting conveyed by the GOC to review the activities of the recent killing of over 100 residents in Plateau communities.
While addressing stakeholders during the meeting, Gen Oyinlola said, “We are gathered today at the headquarters of OPSH, 3 Division Nigerian Army, in an urgent effort to de-escalate tensions and prevent further bloodshed in communities rocked by ongoing attacks.
“The high-level engagement followed nearly two weeks of deadly violence in Bokkos and Bassa local government areas, where over 100 people have reportedly been killed and more than 2,000 displaced, according to emergency responders.
“This meeting brought together top government officers, local government chairmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community representatives, and security agencies to brainstorm and find solutions.
“No doubt, the current wave of attacks is a tragedy fueled by long-standing grievances, mistrust, and failed leadership. We are at a critical point where silence has become complicity, and inaction, dangerous. No grievance, no matter how deep, justifies murder,” he stated,
Oyinlola, who assured that military operations were already underway to hunt down those behind the attacks, criticised the failure of some leaders to rein in their followers and called for renewed commitment to dialogue and reconciliation.
“This stakeholders’ meeting is not a formality—it is a call to action. Let us talk to one another, not take up arms. Peace is not a favour; it is a necessity for survival.”
Also speaking at the event, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North-Central), Abiodun Essiet, expressed deep sympathy for affected families and emphasised the federal government’s commitment to peace building efforts.
“Lives have been lost, homes destroyed, and livelihoods shattered,” she said. “But I am hopeful because today’s gathering signals a shared determination to break the cycle of violence.”
Essiet highlighted past reconciliation efforts and urged stakeholders to tap into traditional dispute resolution mechanisms and inclusive dialogue. She announced plans by the presidency to launch a Community Peace Initiative and an Inter-Religious and Inter-Tribal Town Hall Meeting in Plateau and other North Central states later this month.
[TheNation]
… As Tompolo, Eradiri, Lokpobiri seek alternative tactic
UNTIL the Ibe-Ebidouwei of the Ijaw nation and Chairman of the Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited (TSSNL), High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, spoke, last week, it was inexplicit that prominent Ijaw leaders had a disagreement on how the Ijaw nation handled the political crisis between the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, and his estranged godfather, Nyesom Wike.
Fubara, an Ijaw from the Opobo area of Rivers State, squared up to his former boss and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, before and immediately after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state and put him on the back burner on March 18.
Wike is from the Ikwerre ethnic group in Rivers State.
Ijaw leaders, who took up the battle as an Ijaw fight, advised him not to kowtow before Wike. They said he was governor, and there was nothing Wike would do about it until 2027.
They held a series of meetings within and outside the Government House, Port Harcourt, with Fubara, while some youths, supposedly militants, threatened to bomb oil installations in the oil-rich region and ground the nation’s economy should the lawmakers, who had initiated the impeachment process against Fubara, succeed in impeaching him as designed.
Since Fubara exited the seat of power, the chorus leaders urging him to fight on, saying that nobody could remove him as governor of Rivers State have cocooned themselves.
And with its hard-hitting position on Wike, leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the umbrella body of traditional rulers, leaders, and stakeholders of the coastal states of the Niger Delta, could not summon the FCT Minister, who does not see them as an impartial arbiter.
There is no commanding body of South-South leaders that Wike is willing to listen to regarding Fubara, and he has vowed lately that he would not reconcile with the governor.
Could there have been any difference if the late elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, from Kiagbodo, Delta State, were alive?
It might not have been because Wike had already fallen out with Clark before his death for taking sides with Fubara.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan from the Otuoke community in Bayelsa State reportedly threw his weight behind Fubara.
Despite the criticism, many believe that the current Chairman of the Ijaw National Council (INC), Prof. Benjamin Okaba, put in his best to stave off the suspension of Fubara, but President Bola Tinubu, Wike, and the federal forces they amassed were stronger than the governor, himself (Okaba), and other Ijaw leaders who opposed them.
Tompolo’s stand
Speaking on his 54th birthday, last week, at the Aziza Temple in Gbaramatu Clan, Delta State, Tompolo, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the now-defunct Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), for the first time, implied that some individuals handled the conflict between Wike and Fubara in an indelicate manner.
Tompolo, whom Ijaw leaders and stakeholders accused of betraying the Ijaw nation in the dispute between his friend, Wike, and Fubara, stated that Fubara would return to his position as governor of Rivers State and said talks with Wike were still in progress.
His words: “On the issue in Rivers State, because I have not spoken, they say I have betrayed the Ijaw nation, but I cannot betray the Ijaw nation.
“I have spent all my life fighting for the Ijaw, but we have passed the stage of responding to Wike’s kind of statement; we are no longer at that level.
“I assure you that Governor Fubara will return as governor; we are already discussing it. Both he and Wike are like father and son.
“Before he became governor, many Ijaws were against him, yet Wike was instrumental to his emergence, just as we also supported Wike.
“And just like I will not accept rebellion from my son, I will also not cause more problems. “Wike is angry, but he has to bring his temper down for the good of all. We will dialogue and resolve all lingering issues, and again, Fubara will return to his seat.
Wike on forgiveness
Responding to Tompolo’s subtlety, Wike said that Fubara had not asked for forgiveness, so there was no basis for forgiving him. His media aide, Lere Olayinka, quoted the Minister as saying that forgiveness requires an acknowledgment of wrongdoing and a direct plea for pardon, neither of which Fubara had made.
The statement read in part, “There is no offense. It is when somebody has offended you personally that you are talking about the person seeking forgiveness or whatever.
“As Christians, let’s now assume that Fubara has offended the minister. Do you forgive someone who has not come to you to seek forgiveness?
“The person who has wronged you must first agree that he has wronged you. Let’s assume that Fubara has offended the minister. Has he come to seek forgiveness? I’m not saying there is an offense and there should be forgiveness, but he has not even come for forgiveness.
“The minister has never said that Fubara offended him personally. He only said that Fubara should govern by the rule of law and that Fubara should not throw away those who risked their lives and resources—and that is not too much to ask.
“Those who worked to make you governor, don’t throw them away like that. So, that is not about forgiveness. If there is one person Fubara would say he has offended, it should be the president.
“He is the one to go for soul-searching because throughout the time he was working with this same Wike, throughout the time Wike faced the bullet for him, Wike was not a bad person then.
“So, at what point did Wike become a bad person to him? He should ask himself. When did Wike become somebody that Fubara would be that bold as to tell him that he would deal with him? At what point?”
“It’s like asking a doctor to prescribe medicine for a sick person, but the person was not convinced to take it. What’s the result?”
Eradiri tackles Fubara, INC
Before Tompolo opened up, a former President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) and former Labour Party governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Udengs Eradiri, had censured Fubara for mishandling the row between him and his alienated political godfather.
Eradiri said, “As for Governor Fubara, he is incompetent which has brought all this negative energy. He should not involve the Ijaw people in his political disputes. Let him tell us how he has supported Ijaw activities or empowered Ijaw people.
“I advise Fubara to go and kneel before Wike and beg for forgiveness. Those who are deceiving him have no courage. They go cap in hand to Wike, beg for forgiveness, and then come out pretending to be Ijaw lions.
”How many Ijaws from Rivers State did he empower during his tenure? How many IYC comrades in the Eastern Zone were appointed as local government area chairmen, commissioners, or other significant roles?”
The former IYC President also pooh-poohed the Ijaw National Congress (INC), accusing the group of undermining its credibility by becoming involved in the political infighting in Rivers.
He cautioned that partisan politics were harming the Ijaw people’s reputation and urged the INC to stay away from them.
”INC should not be romancing the governor’s egos. The institution is bigger than any individual, and when you diminish it before incompetent governors, it becomes open to ridicule,” he added.
IYC President kick-starts attack on Ijaw leaders
The first to criticize the Ijaw nation’s leadership over purported poor handling of the Fubara/Wike crisis was Jonathan Lokpobiri, the President of the IYC.
Jonathan said, “Permit me to reflect on the state we are in as the Ijaw nation regarding the state of emergency in Rivers State. I can, with all sense of responsibility and conviction, state that if we had applied wisdom in the management of this crisis in Rivers, we would not be where we are today.
”Instead of using wisdom in matters we can nip in the bud, we chose to threaten war, and we were not prepared for a state of emergency in Rivers.
“I can, with all sense of responsibility and conviction, state that if we had applied wisdom in the management of this crisis in Rivers, we would not be where we are today.
“Instead of using wisdom in matters we can nip in the bud, we chose to threaten war that we were not prepared for.
“People, in the name of struggle, even in the matters we can nip in the bud and caution ourselves internally, rush to the media and threaten war and allow the enemies to fortify themselves for it, and when the war comes, we no longer speak.
”People speak carelessly in an attempt to put an ethnic group into an avoidable war. For those who threatened fire and brimstone, the war came, but I didn’t hear their voices anymore.
“We must be wise in prosecuting the struggles of the Niger Delta.
“If this was how our leaders went about their struggle, I am not sure anybody would have respected the Ijaw nation.
“Most of those making unguarded statements are people we clap for without cautioning them.
“There is no war between Ijaw and Ikwerre and any other ethnic group. If the Ikwerre ethnic group had responded to our unguarded statements, there would be war already in Rivers.
”Sometimes wisdom is stronger than the arms we think we have gathered. If we had solved this problem internally as we advised earlier, we wouldn’t have gotten to this embarrassing moment of a state of emergency.
“I expected missiles to flow when this state of emergency was declared, but those who threatened the war never said anything anymore”.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission has started investigating some universities and banks for allegedly engaging in fraudulent activities that prevented students from receiving payments allocated to them under the Federal Government’s student loan scheme.
This is just as the House of Representatives declared its intention to investigate allegations against some banks and tertiary institutions withholding disbursed funds from students.
This development follows an investigation by the National Orientation Agency, which uncovered widespread unethical practices in the administration of the initiative.
According to findings from the NOA’s Community Orientation and Mobilisation Officers, some universities, in collusion with certain financial institutions, deliberately withhold the disbursement of approved loans. This has left many students stranded despite having secured funding through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
The loan scheme, which was inaugurated last year as part of President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to fulfil his campaign promise of improving access to higher education, began with a N35bn take-off grant approved by the Federal Government.
The programme, operated by NELFUND, was designed to provide financial support to qualified Nigerian students for tuition, mandatory fees, and living expenses in recognised higher education and vocational institutions across the country.
Under the scheme, NELFUND credits the institution directly for the tuition and fees, while a monthly upkeep allowance of N20,000 is paid into students’ accounts.
However, NOA alleged that some tertiary institutions, in collaboration with certain banks, were sabotaging the process and depriving students of their entitlements.
In a statement, the NOA’s Deputy Director of Communications and Media, Paul Odenyi, confirmed that several institutions and banks had been implicated in fraudulent activities that prevented students from accessing the funds meant for them.
The issue came to light during a high-level meeting between the NOA Director General, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, and the Managing Director of NELFUND, Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, last weekend in Abuja.
Issa-Onilu disclosed that preliminary findings showed that some institutions, in collusion with banks, intentionally delayed payments to students for dubious financial gain.
He further revealed that some universities failed to acknowledge loan disbursements made by NELFUND, while demanding fees directly from students.
On his part, Sawyerr warned that NELFUND was prepared to pursue legal action against any institution or individual found culpable.
However, the ICPC confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that it had commenced a full-scale probe into universities accused of withholding or diverting loan funds.
The spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Demola Bakare, disclosed that the ICPC had received a petition from the NOA for the investigation of universities involved in the fraudulent act.
“We are working on the allegations. The following day after the allegations were disclosed by NOA, a formal report was brought to the commission by NELFUND.
“The ICPC chairman ordered an investigation into the matter, and I know we have started work on it and the NOA is assisting too,” Bakare said.
He added that another round of investigation to expose more schools had started.
NOA also said it would turn its searchlight on more tertiary institutions in a bid to uncover their involvement in the malfeasance.
The spokesman for the agency, Odenyi, told Sunday PUNCH that the revelation by the agency was the first phase of the probe.
He said, “This is just a pilot phase. We have asked our officers to do it across the country so that we will be sure where these things are happening.”
Confirming the intention of the House of Representatives to probe universities short-changing students, the National President of the National Association of Nigerian Students, Olusola Oladoja, said the Chairman of the House Committee on NELFUND, Ifeoluwa Ehindero, pledged the committee’s commitment to involve the ICPC in the process of funds disbursement and implementation.
He disclosed that the leadership of NANS met with the committee on NELFUND on Thursday and discussed ways of resolving the issue.
He said, “Following our agitations about the allegations against some banks and institutions withholding disbursed funds from students under the NELFUND scheme, the NANS leadership, led by its National President, Olusola Oladoja, had a deliberation with the House of Representatives Committee on NELFUND.
“During the deliberation, we presented the concerns of Nigerian students over the issue, and we reiterated that if such action persists, it would undermine the welfare of our students and affect their ability to access affordable education.”
Students lament
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, some of the affected students lamented that the situation had not only caused them emotional distress, but also put their academics on the line.
Some said they were unable to complete registration or sit examinations due to the non-reflection of the loan disbursements in their school accounts.
A student of the Kwara State Polytechnic, Rahmon Kehinde, said he applied for both the upkeep and school fees.
While the upkeep funds were credited to him, the school fee of N96,000 remained unresolved.
“According to NELFUND, the money was disbursed to the school, but the school has not given any reasonable explanation,” he said.
Kehinde lamented that he had to source money elsewhere to pay his school fees so that he could sit his exams.
He said, “I have written several letters and visited different offices, but no one has told me where the money is. Before my exams, the bursary told me to pay the fee myself and sort the issue out later. I had to look for the money. Now I’m stuck, who will refund me?
“The situation is becoming frustrating because I don’t know who is going to pay me back. This has been going on since January. Either the school should refund NELFUND, or NELFUND should pay me back because the money is hanging in the air.
“Nobody is telling us what is going on; the money is hanging between the school and NELFUND, and according to NELFUND, the money has been disbursed.”
A student from the Kebbi State University, who spoke on condition of anonymity, shared a similar concern.
He noted that NELFUND had informed students that their school fees had been paid, but the university withheld the funds.
“The school told us to go and borrow money to pay our school fees. If we had that kind of money, we wouldn’t have applied for the loan. Our exams begin on Tuesday, and many of us haven’t completed registration,” he added.
He described the situation as “frustrating and humiliating,” noting that students were already threatening to protest.
“We are starting exams by Tuesday, and a lot of us have not even done registration because of the delay in paying the school fees. This is challenging as we depend on NELFUND for the funds. NELFUND has released our money since last year, but the school has not done anything.
“The school insists that we must find the money and pay our school fees before we are allowed to sit our exams. Where do we start running to now? We want NELFUND to look into this issue so that students who don’t have the means to pay can be allowed to sit their exams.
“What is the essence of NELFUND releasing the fund since last year, and why are our school fees still not cleared? This money is a gift to us, but it is a loan that we will still have to repay. Students are already threatening to protest,” he said.
But reacting, the Public Relations Officer of the Kebbi State University, Mustapha Monsur, denied any wrongdoing on the part of the institution.
He stated that the university had not withheld any funds.
“What you need to ask those complaining is whether they were cleared by NELFUND when they applied for the loan, and how much is their allocation by NELFUND? They should come out with evidence that NELFUND has disbursed money to the school.
“Many of the students complaining were either not cleared by NELFUND, maybe because of one discrepancy or the other, and this is probably the reason why NELFUND is not paying them,” he said.
When asked to confirm if NELFUND had disbursed money to the school, Monsur said, “Honestly, I cannot tell you that now because anything that has to do with finance, I have to get the directive of the vice chancellor to disclose any financial information regarding the university.”