Candidly, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done very well with June 12 by taking the narrative from where President Muhammadu Buahri left off, and choosing to give that date, the history and the symbolism of it, form, style and substance. President Buhari, despite the somnambulism of his administration, it would be recalled, suddenly woke up and decided that June 12, not May 29, should be the appropriate date, the remembrance date of Nigeria’s democratic transition from military rule to civilian rule in 1999. It was a wise, even if a political decision, one of those few things for which Buhsri’s sleepy administration deserves to be remembered for. 

On June 12, 1993, Nigeria had a general, Presidential election that spoke to the potentials of a nation as a united country. The ticket: Abiola-Kingibe was Muslim Muslim, and yet Nigerians voted freely.  It was peaceful, well organized, voter turn-out was impressive.   On that day, I even trekked from Alakuko, a border town between Ogun and Lagos States to Alhaji D. A. Babalola’s house in Ogba, Lagos State and I trekked all the way back. I didn’t feel anything. Nigerians wanted change. The military had brutalized us so much, we wanted them out of the way. It was a vote for change and democracy. It was a vote against the people who did not want the June 12 Presidential election and their stomach-driven supporters in civil society, including traditional rulers who collected MKO’s money and goodwill and betrayed him. The entire county was in a mood of euphoria. But Babangida and his cohorts ruined everything. 

They annulled the election and imposed in due course, an Interim National Government (ING), a kangaroo, fidihe, one lap on the seat, one lap out, precariously seated contraption that never survived. The contraption was led by Chief Ernest Adegunle Shonekan who had made his name as a United African Company (UAC) Chieftain, in those days when UAC was UAC. In less than 100 days, November 17, 1993 to be precise, the ING was sent adrift by General Sani Abacha who imposed himself on the Nigerian people as Head of State. Abacha was cunning, devilish, dictatorial. His widow, Maryam Abacha says something otherwise. No. She is wrong. She is not in a position to speak against her husband. She does not even know what she is talking about! Abacha not only stole this country blind, he inflicted such hurt (1993 – 1998) that will remain hurting, painful and discomforting for generations to come. When he died unceremoniously, suddenly and ignominiously, on June 8, 1998, there was dancing in the streets! He was in the class of General Idi Amin Dada of Uganda (1971–1979), Hastings Kamuzu Banda of Malawi (1966 – 1994), Siad Barre of Somalia (1969 -1991), Omar al-Bashir of Sudan (1993 – 2012), Mobutu Sese Seko of the Democratic Republic of Congo (1965 – 1997), and Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (1987 -2013. These were African leaders who died and their people rejoiced: a lesson in Africa’s democratic process, sit-tightism, and the link between leaders and their people. 

But African leaders don’t ever learn, they are just tone-deaf, completely incapable of learning, as we see in Cameroon where President Paul Biya is determined to expire in office (President since 1975!, he is still there), in Equatorial Guinea where Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mbasogo thinks that without him (since 1979), there would be no country; in Rwanda, where Paul Kagame (President of Rwanda since 2000) imagines himself to be a modern day messiah, and in Togo where Faure Gnassingbe seems to think he has a divine, hereditary claim to power (President since 2005 after his father’s death and he has no plan to vacate office)  General Sani Abacha wanted to be like these characters having blackmailed and schemed his way into office. He stole Nigeria blind and left a legacy as the ancestor that is always giving as successive Nigerian governments trailed his loots and repatriated a percentage of same from Switzerland, Island of New Jersey, the UK and United States. His widow says her husband was keeping the loot for Nigeria, for the people’s benefit. Even the dumbest man on the street knows that Nigeria has a Central Bank. Nigeria’s money could not be kept in Nigeria’s bank, Abacha had to go and hide our money elsewhere in safe havens that remained unknown to the Nigerian government and the people, and the records were known only to his own agents and family members. And now Mrs. Abacha moans! Madam, please!, please!!, and please!!!. 

However, we were talking about how President Tinubu has tried to address part of the mess that General Abacha created, and how well he has reinvented the story beyond General Buhari and for which we commend him. On June 12 this year, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decided to avoid the pomp and pageantry of old, and used the occasion to speak from the National Assembly which had organized a joint sitting to mark the occasion. Baba Seyi, Oko Mummy Remi spoke with flair and confidence. He read the teleprompter very well. His swag was in place. He was well dressed. Lagos City Boy did not disappoint. Very good optics. But the more important part was that Tinubu’s speech was devoted to the remembrance of June 12 heroes, the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice for Nigeria’s democracy. He was a member of that struggle. In his early days, before he became Governor, and made money, he was out there at the barricades, with the persons who resisted Abacha and the military junta. He joined others to shout: “Never Again To military rule.” The Bola Tinubu that many first knew was the anti-military, pro-democracy protester, who moved from the comfort of the oil and gas sector to fight for the ordinary Nigerian on the streets of Lagos and London.  He was in exile. He returned and he joined the struggle as a politician. It has taken him more than two decades to remain in the struggle and find his way to the very top as Nigeria’s President. 

On June 12, he remembered. He remembered his own past. He remembered his own comrades. He chose to honour them. It was not in any way an exhaustive list, and there have been complaints. Aare Dele Momodu, who played a frontline role in Radio Kudirat, says he would have been embarrassed if his name was added to the list. He was Saliu Elenu Gboro Eni Olorun O pa of Radio Kudirat.  Omoyele Sowore, the activist, says if they had mentioned his name, he would have rejected the award, but give him his flowers, Sowore was at the centre of the June 12 struggle fighting on behalf of the ordinary Nigerian. I did not see Olisa Agbakoba’s name - terrible omission. I did not see Babafemi Ojudu’s name. Why? Kayode Fayemi also deserves recognition. He was at the centre of the Radio Kudirat operation in London: he has told the story himself in a book titled Out of the Shadows: Exile and The Struggle for Freedom and Democracy in Nigeria (CDD, Bookcraft: 2005, 436 pp.). Fayemi holds the national honour, CON for his work as a two-time Governor in Ekiti State and as a Federal Minister. He should have been included in that list and promoted to the CFR rank. Dapo Olorunyomi too. When Abacha’s goons came for Olorunyomi in June 1995, and they could not find him, they arrested his wife and one-week old baby! That child must be fully grown now, born at the time into Abacha’s land of agony.  Dapo fled. They detained his wife for 68 days! There were also careless oversights. Professor Bolaji Akinyemi got a CFR in 2011. In 2025, they gave him another CFR. He deserves the award but he also deserves promotion instead of turning him into a Yoruba version of Jay Jay Okocha, the legendary footballer, whose parents were so happy at his birth they named him twice!. The organizers were so sloppy, they declared two of the recipients dead: Dr. Edwin Madunagu, and Pa Reuben Fasoranti, the two distinguished citizens are still alive and well, the Nigerian government has no right to declare them dead officially, even if Mr. Bayo Onanuga has apologized accordingly. Don’t they keep records in the Federal Government? What happened to the digitalization that was done and perfected under the Jonathan administration?  Is this a case of lazy civil servants or incompetent political appointees who make their boss look bad because they are not paying enough attention to details?

The matter is worse. Emeka Ugwu-Oju, friend and activist, member of NADECO, in a statement dated June 12, 2025, has done an even more comprehensive job of listing all the important names that should have been on President Tinubu’s list. In his list of names that President Tinubu should not have overlooked, he mentioned late Pa Michael Adekunle Ajasin, late Chief Anthony Enahoro, late Senator Abraham Adesanya, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu, Senator Cornelius Adebayo, Professor Pat Utomi, Bobo Nwosisi, Ralph Obioha, Bagauda Kaltho, Rev. Tunji Adebiyi, Pa Ayo Adebanjo; Frank Kokori, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Chief Olanihun Ajayi, Chief Ayo Opadokun, Senator Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Chief Benson Lulu Briggs. Col Dangiwa Umar (rtd), Guy Ikokwu, Arthur Nwankwo, etc. Thank you, Emeka. But it seems to me that we should give some credit to President Bola Tinubu for even making the effort. Memory is one of the biggest problems we have had to deal with in this country. Nigerians are so present-minded, they toy routinely with history. Everyone likes to talk, and we all write history from our own side of the coin, but unfortunately those who get a chance to talk are so ignorant, and privileged. President Tinubu has a chance to correct whatever mistakes that may have been made. Those who may have been overlooked in the June 12 Honours list can be added to another list this year. No one can take away from Tinubu his bold, wise, and strategic decision to go back to June 12 and remind Nigerians of that significant moment in our lives, and particularly, the heroism of Chief MKO Abiola. Since his ascension to the Nigerian throne in 2023, he has been hands-on and visible, providing us with a different breath of fresh air, whatever the problems may be. 

However, he needs to be reminded that the spirt of June 12 and the symbolism of MKO Abiola that he celebrates is all about “farewell to poverty”. This was MKO Abiola’s mantra. He wanted to re-organize Nigeria in such a way that Nigerians would not sleep and wake up poor and they could enjoy the dignity of the human person. It is well, right and proper that MKO Abiola preached the gospel of prosperity and welfare for all Nigerians. The best possible way to keep that dream alive and active, is for President Tinubu, a proclaimed progressive, to live up to that ideal. The standard test among Nigerians, as it was in traditional societies, is to measure a king’s tenure by the scope of prosperity among the people, certainly not the elite, during his reign. Tinubu must be reminded that no matter how long this lasts, the people will remember, and they will talk and busybodies like this writer will report what they saw in a fair and balanced manner. President Tinubu has only one primary assignment: to make Nigeria a better place than he met it. 

Professor Wole Soyinka extended that list of demands, when after the June 12 celebrations, the Nobel Laureate asked that President Tinubu, must do something about the conflict in the Benue, and the unresolved killings of Dele Giwa (October 19, 1986), and Bola Ige (December 23, 2003).  Soyinka means well. Tinubu should listen to him. Nigeria has a long list of unresolved murders. Nobody should die because they are Nigerian just because they are from Benue or Odupani or Umukwata. Every one living within this territory called Nigeria deserves to live, and enjoy basic rights under the laws of the land. Other unresolved murders would include the killing of Toyin Onagoruwa, Marshall Harry, Funsho Williams, Alhaja Suliat Adedeji, Iyalode Bisoye Tejuosho, Aminoasari Dikibo, Alfred Rewane, Bagauda Kaltho… In the Abacha days, many died. Others disappeared. In the spirit of June 12, President Tinubu has the time and the opportunity to re-open many of these cases. He only needs to muster the will. Far away at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV spoke about “security, peace and justice in Nigeria”. He spoke the truth – that is exactly what we need in this country, not just in Benue-Plateau, but in every part of Nigeria. 

The people of Yelewata, a quiet farming settlement tucked along the tail end of Benue State on the Abuja-Makurdi highway, will forever remember June 13-14, 2025, not as just another date on the calendar, but as the darkest chapter in their history.

On that harrowing Friday night/Saturday morning, residents of the town woke to the deafening crackle of gunfire, the glow of burning homes/stores and the horrifying cries of children being hacked, shot or burnt alive by suspected armed herdsmen.

By the break of dawn on Saturday, June 14, over 300 lives had been cut short, hundreds of homes reduced to ashes and the town’s once-thriving heartbeat silenced by grief.

More than 300 lives were lost that night, in what survivors and residents now describe as the single deadliest massacre in Benue’s recent history.

And for a community known for nothing but quiet labour on their ancestral farmlands, this carnage was not just shocking, it was soul-shattering.

“It was like a war. In my 57 years on earth, I’ve never witnessed this. I escaped with my third son. My wife and other children were not so lucky. My world ended that Friday night,” said Elder Amos, his voice trembling as he spoke with our correspondent.

The attack, which many survivors believed was a planned and coordinated onslaught, came amid rising tension between local Benue farmers and herders operating within the region.

Just weeks earlier, traditional rulers across Tiv and Idoma lands had issued a directive asking all herders to vacate their lands by the end of May due to recurring violence and destruction of farmlands.

That ultimatum was never enforced and the consequences became painfully clear in Yelewata.

Before the Yelewata incident, there were similar attacks on other communities like Edikwu-Ankpali in Apa as well as the Tyoshin community in Naka, Gwer East LGA, where scores of persons were hacked to death.

The figures are not just numbers; each name carries a story, a family, a legacy cut short.

Prominent among the victims of the Yelewata attack was Pharmacist Matthew Iormba, a brilliant young man who had once dreamt of becoming a medical doctor.

Denied admission to study medicine twice despite his academic excellence, he settled for Pharmacy and graduated with distinction.

He had just returned home the previous night to his family to inform them that he had graduated after his housemanship in Kano, only to be burnt alive during the attack.

Then there was Tsegba Lucy, a young girl whose house was set ablaze by the assailants. She lost her mother and five siblings.

Struggling to find the words, she mourned, “My beloved mum and beautiful sisters. Go well till we meet again. I love you, but God loves you more. I can’t stop crying. Kai, God, you do me strong thing.”

Another survivor, a local footballer who gave his name as Agande, had travelled to Makurdi for a match. By the time he returned, both his parents, 10 family members had been burnt beyond recognition.

“They gave me everything. And now they’re gone, killed by people they never offended,” he lamented while speaking with our reporter.

Homes were razed to the ground. Farm produce was burnt to ashes. Family photographs, children’s school books, cooking pots, all turned to soot.

Even now, days after the attack, charred remains of bodies lie unburied. Smoke still rises from crumbled rooftops.

If there is anyone who is yet to recover from the shock of the deadly attack, it is Franc Utoo, a lawyer-cum-politician and native of Yelewata, who lost over 33 members of his extended family and more than 50 of his political supporters.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Utoo gave a chilling and shocking account of what really happened.

According to him, residents of the community were already aware of the planned attack and decided to relocate from their homes at night to camp at various places such as schools, market square and churches within Yelewata town.

According to him, “This thing is straightforward. Those guys have started plotting the attack before that day.

“We were aware of the plot that they might invade our town from Obi, Doma or Keana LGAs in Nasarawa State through Giza or Kadarko. So we got intelligence about what was going to happen.

“We were able to tell the law enforcement agents. But of course, nothing happened. So when they came that day, they came at night around 10pm. That’s on June 13.

“It was raining that day. So they were targeting the RCM Primary School Yelewata, because the school housed about a thousand of our people.

“You know why the number is high? Every evening, the people leave their homes to come and sleep in the primary school and the church.

“And then others from the neighboring villages, adjoining villages, come to sleep in the stores and in the market.

“That’s why, if you see the visuals of the burnt stores, you see a lot of skulls. Because some people may be wondering why a lot of people were in a store?

“That is because people leave their homes in the evening for fear of this attack. To sleep in the store so they can go back in the morning.

“Nobody is safe in that town. That is why if your house is just 20 or 30 meters away from the road, you dare not sleep in the house. Not to talk of those who are like 500 meters or one kilometer away from the road.

“So, when those guys came that day, they concentrated on areas where the population was high, that is, the primary school, the church and the market.

“But at that point, they were repelled by our boys and the security agents. So in the course of this, we didn’t know that these guys had divided themselves into groups.

“They diverted our attention to the primary school and the church. The other groups went to the Yelewata New Market.”

The figures, the lies and the fury

Official accounts of the tragedy have added insult to the community’s wounds. While Governor Hyacinth Alia announced, following a panel report, that only 59 people died, local sources rejected this.

Many said his narrative is false and dangerous, accusing the state government of deliberately underreporting the attack.

“We lost over 300 people. Children were burnt to ashes. In some places, entire families were wiped out.

“If anyone tells you it’s 59, they’re lying. A family here lost over 40 members alone,” Samson, a youth leader in Daudu said.

“That’s where we recorded the majority of casualties. In my family alone, they killed over 33 people.

“So different families, this family with about 20-something, that family with 30, so right now, even the government is underreporting the number grossly.

“I have names of about, at the last count, about 132 or so that were killed.

“That is the ones we know. The ones we don’t know are also equal to that number. This is because a lot of people come from about 10 other villages to sleep in those stores. Others came as permanent IDPs and others as temporary IDPs,” he added.

In a statement, President Bola Tinubu through his media adviser, Bayo Onanuga, described the killings as “reprisal attacks”, a comment that shocked many, including residents and activists.

Governor Alia, speaking to Channels Television, echoed the President’s sentiments.

He acknowledged that the attackers had used known routes, suggesting that the attack may have been retaliation for previous clashes elsewhere.

Also speaking, Utoo also faulted a claim by the presidential spokesman that the attack was a reprisal.

He said, “I read a statement by President Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga on the attack, and that was the most unfortunate presidential comment I’ve ever seen in history.

“From the beginning of that statement to the end, there was nowhere he mentioned the two most important things: arresting the perpetrators and bringing them to justice. Nowhere. He was concentrating on reconciliation. He was addressing us as warring parties. Which war are we fighting?

“Between who and who? Where is the center of the war? So it’s very unfortunate that a president could say something like this.

“He never even talked about providing relief to those who survived or assisting those who are grieving. So that statement is the most unfortunate statement I’ve ever seen.”

On the contrary, the Federal Government, through the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, admitted that over 200 people had died. Yet even that figure does not fully capture the scale of destruction.

Silence, delays and  Governor’s absence

For the people of Yelewata, the greatest betrayal may not be the attack itself, but the government’s slow and cold response.

Governor Alia reportedly waited over 48 hours to comment on the killings, a development that has sparked public outrage.

“We expected him to come here. To mourn with us. Even if he had nothing to offer, he could at least show sympathy. But he stayed silent and then downplayed our pain,” Tever Japhet, a community leader lamented.

The Benue Police Commissioner and Deputy Governor were said to have visited briefly, but community members claimed they left hurriedly, without engaging survivors or offering aid.

Adding to the heartbreak, security operatives were swift to disperse protests held in Makurdi by angry youths, including activist, Vincent Otse, also known as VeryDarkMan, demanding justice.

Tear gas, arrests of 14 persons and intimidation greeted demonstrators who had simply asked: Why are we being killed with impunity?

A cry that echoed beyond borders

The horror in Yelewata has continued to spark national and international outrage, with reactions pouring in from across Nigeria and the globe.

From religious leaders, entertainers and politicians to activists and socio-cultural organisations, voices of anger, grief and condemnation have risen in response to what many now describe as Benue’s darkest hour.

In a Sunday address from Rome, Pope Leo XIV, described the attack as a “terrible massacre,” calling for justice, protection and peace for rural Christian communities in Benue and across Nigeria.

“I am praying for security and peace in Nigeria, especially for those affected by violence in Benue,” the Pope said.

List of some of the murdered victims as provided by Franc Utoo.

1. Fanen Chii

2. Doom Chii

3. Terzungwe Chii

4. Edeember Uke

5. Aondodoo Uke

6. Adohi Dooga

7. Mbanyiar Dooga

8. Ikyoche Dooga

9. Awanboi Dooga

10. Regina Dooga

11. Adoo Dooga

12. Aondofa Dooga

13. Mathew Iormba

14. Apam Iormba

15. Philomena Iormba

16. Akama Iormba

17. Ngodoo Iormba

18. Kumawues Iormba

19. Nensha Iormba

20. Victoria Tsegba

21. Ngodoo Tsegba

22. Mimidoo Tsegba

23. Dorathy Tsegba

24. Msendoo Tsegba

25. Iorgyer Kyule

26. Ute Dooga

27. Shaadye Koornam

28. Sewuese Iorember

29. Dooshima Aondoana

30. Agbogo Aondoana

31. Erdoo Aondoana

32. Orsoja Ikpakyaa

33. Injinia Ikpakyaa

34. Chia Orshio

35. Uyina Orshio

36. Katie Orshio

37. Myuega Orshio

38. Usha Orshio

39. Philomena Orshio

40. Alia Orshio

41. Lydia Ajah

42. Terdoo Ajah

43. Iwuese Ajah

44. Orbuter Anya

45. Terzungwe Akpen

46. Aondohemba Akpen

47. Ushana Akpen

48. Shater Akpen

49. Mercy Akpen

50. Isaac Akpen

51. Doowuese Ugbah

52. Ngodoo Ugba

53. Manta Simon

54. Manta Laadi

55. Manta Iwuese

56. Doose Asoo

57. Aondosoo Asoo

58. Terlumun Fidelis

59. Yakov Shagwa

60. Margaret Shagwa

61. Erdoo Shagwa

62. Dooauur Shagwa

63. Sewuese Shagwa

64. Logo Ukô

65. Eunice Tyokuwa

66. Jude Aza

67. Kwaghhar Ordue

68. Doosuur Ordue

69. Terngu Nongotse

70. Msugh Nongotse

71. Dooshima Nongotse

72. Orlogbo Lamaaondo

73. Laadi Lamaaondo

74. Awan Shiôr

75. Aondohemba Ucha

76. Bonashe Uzer

77. Amaki Dende

78. Angbiandoo Dende

79. Festus Amaki

80. Mbaufe Ubi

81. Matthew Uto

82. Doopinen Uto

83. Kumater Uto

84. Terhile Uto

85. Versuwe Zerkohol

86. Mbakeren Aondovihi

87. Monday Aondovihi

88. Erdoo Aondovihi

89. Joe Aondovihi

90. Mwarga Aondovihi

91. Felicia Gwabo

92. Mary Gwabo

93. Terhemba Gwabo

94. Jirgema Gwabo

95. Mercy Dende

96. Lubem Dende

97. Uwundu Iorhemen

98. Gabriel Fide

99. Aondoana Fide

100. Ukese Fide

101. Averter Fide

102. Mwaraorga Fide

103. Terkimbir Solomon

104. Amina Kongo

105. Terkula Kongo

106. Doose Asoo

107. Aboi Asoo

108. Shater Amaki

109. Lumunga Gbem

110. Doose Ayom

111. Mama Mfanyi

112. Samson Uke

113. Aboi Korna

114. Aondoawase Lamaaondo

115. Ormbagba Utim

116. Mermber Lamaaondo

117. Doose Ordue

118. Torsaar Adam

119. Doose Adam

120.  Nguyilan Adam

121. Terver Ucha

122. Agon Ucha

123. Aondohemba Ucha

124. Atuur Asom

125. Uvershigh Asom

126. Nongo Ulam

127. Aondoaver Ulam.

What’s next for Yelewata?

Right now, Yelewata is a graveyard of grief and questions. Survivors are still burying the dead. Some are still searching for missing family members. However, the question on the lips of many is: Will Yelewata ever recover from this carnage?

This is the question begging for an answer, one that even time may struggle to provide.

Indeed, it was one attack, too many.

[DAILYPOST]

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olabode George, has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of abandoning governance for political theatrics, warning that Nigeria is drifting dangerously toward authoritarianism.

Speaking to journalists in Lagos on Monday, George stated that the country was at a “critical juncture,” where the very essence of democratic governance was under threat.

“Nigeria currently finds itself at a critical juncture, where the actions of the current political administration threaten to erode the very foundations of our hard-won democracy,” George said.

“Twenty-six years after the restoration of civilian governance, a growing number of Nigerians are left questioning the authenticity of a government that claims to be of, by, and for the people. 

“It is time for us to confront these challenges head-on and demand a democracy that truly serves its citizens,” he said.

Citing the political crisis in Rivers State, George condemned Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency on March 18, 2025, which he said led to the unconstitutional suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other elected officials.

“Recent events in Rivers State are indications that the administration of our democracy remains problematic. 

“It is noteworthy that before and even after the emergency declaration, Rivers State witnessed no significant incidents of violence—not even a chicken was killed,” he said.

He referenced a letter recently sent by the President to the National Assembly, seeking confirmation of appointments into several key offices in Rivers State, including the Independent Electoral Commission and Civil Service Commission, under the emergency rule.

“The President’s insistence on these appointments reveals a troubling disregard for democratic principles,” George said, adding that it raised “serious concerns about the concentration of power and suggests a calculated effort to bypass accountability and manipulate state functions.”

Describing the development as a threat to Nigeria’s democracy, George warned that the country was “staggering dangerously on the path of self-destruction.

“Those in charge have refused to learn lessons from the past. It is disheartening that Nigeria is globally on the radar for all the wrong reasons.”

He also criticised the Senate’s role in endorsing the emergency rule by voice vote, without securing the constitutionally required two-thirds majority from both chambers of the National Assembly.

“The law is clear: two-thirds of members—74 senators and 240 representatives—must approve a state of emergency. What is the meaning of a voice vote? Did they get the numbers?” George asked.

He reminded Tinubu of a public statement he made in 2013, where he (Tinubu) condemned Jonathan’s emergency declaration and warned against its misuse.

“Tinubu, if your advisers won’t tell you the truth, Nigerians have spoken with one voice: your despotic tendencies—disguised as emergency measures—cannot stand,” George declared.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the immediate withdrawal of the criminal case filed against suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District.

In a post shared Monday on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, SERAP stated that “following his expressed commitment on June 12, we call on President Tinubu to promptly direct Nigeria’s Attorney General to immediately discontinue the case(s) against Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is targeted simply for the peaceful exercise of her human rights.”

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan is currently facing prosecution by the Nigerian government in a case believed to have been initiated on behalf of Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello. 

On Monday, the Federal High Court in Abuja rejected a request by government prosecutors to issue a bench warrant for Akpoti-Uduaghan’s arrest.

During the proceedings, prosecution counsel Mr. D.D. Kasue informed the court that although the matter was set for arraignment, the defendant failed to appear.

Kasue argued that the charge had been duly served on the senator’s counsel, implying she was aware of the court date. The court, however, declined to issue the warrant.

The ongoing legal battle follows an altercation between Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Akpabio on February 20, 2025, which led to disciplinary attempts by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions.

Last week, the Court of Appeal in Abuja struck out two motions filed by Akpabio seeking to challenge a Federal High Court judgment that had restrained the Senate Committee from proceeding with disciplinary action against the senator.

The motions, dated March 20 and March 25, 2025, sought leave to appeal the March 10 decision of Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who granted an injunction in favor of Akpoti-Uduaghan.

The court struck out the motions after Akpabio’s legal team filed notices of withdrawal.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, known for her outspoken stance on legislative matters, has described the charges and disciplinary efforts against her as politically motivated.

National Vice Chairman (North-East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mustapha Salihu, has said that it was unconstitutional to endorse a presidential aspirant and their deputy when the party’s primary election has not been conducted.

He said this while providing clarification as to why he publicly  endorsed President Bola Tinubu and did not include Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The clarification, according to him, becomes necessary amid growing rumours of internal friction within the ruling party. 

Salihu told Channels Television on Monday that his decision to omit the Vice president from the endorsement at the APC North-East summit in Gombe was deliberate and in line with the party’s convention and constitutional provisions.

According to him, he acknowledged and  eulogised the VP in his full speech and even declared their support for him.

“In party politics, we have only one ticket at the primary stage— for the executive chairman, local government chairman, governors, and president. There is no provision in our constitution that allows for the endorsement of a joint ticket at that level,” he said.

“It is only after the primaries, when a candidate emerges, that he chooses a running mate,” he added.

He said that it was only the presidential candidate who has the sole decision to make on who becomes his Vice presidential candidate.

He pointed out that governors such as Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe had earlier endorsed  Tinubu without mentioning  Shettima.

The APC leader played down rumours of a rift between Tinubu and Shettima.

“These kinds of rumours are inevitable in every administration,” he said.

A 25-year-old Nigerian woman, Ifeoluwa Akinwunmi, risks up to 20 years jail in India after she was allegedly caught in possession of drugs worth over N1.8bn.

Akinwunmi, reportedly a hairstylist and nail artist, was arrested last Tuesday by operatives of the Anti-Narcotics Wing of the Central Crime Branch in Bengaluru.

She was apprehended at the Tarahunase village, along Rajanukunte Main Road, after arriving from Delhi with a suspicious bag.

According to The New Indian Express, which was cited in a report by PUNCH Metro on Monday, the bag contained 5.325 kilograms of MDMA crystals, a banned party drug.

The contraband was concealed among 11 new churidars — traditional Indian outfits.

“She is a courier. She had come to hand over the drugs to a group of African peddlers.

“We noticed four men on two scooters in the area, but they did not collect the parcel. Akinwunmi was arrested while standing with the bag,” a police officer involved in the operation was quoted as saying.

The suspect, who claimed she travelled to India to establish a beauty salon, is now facing charges under India’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Foreigners Act, 1946.

Section 23 of the NDPS Act stipulates severe penalties for those caught importing, exporting, or transhipping narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

According to the Indian legal code reviewed by PUNCH Metro, offenders found with a commercial quantity, such as the MDMA seized from Akinwunmi, face a minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years in prison, in addition to heavy fines.

The section reads in part, “Where the contravention involves commercial quantity, [the offender shall be punished] with rigorous imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than ten years but which may extend to twenty years and shall also be liable to a fine which shall not be less than one lakh rupees but which may extend to two lakh rupees.”

Under the Foreigners Act of 1946, the Indian government also has the authority to prosecute and deport foreigners involved in criminal activities.

Akinwunmi’s arrest comes just two days after another Nigerian national, Emmanuel Bediako, also known as Maxwell, was apprehended by the Telangana Anti-Narcotics Bureau for alleged drug trafficking.

Al Hilal are showing no signs of retreat or surrender in their pursuit of Victor Osimhen, as the Saudi Arabian giants prepare a jaw-dropping new salary offer worth  €50m per year for the Nigerian striker, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

The Middle Eastern powerhouses are refusing to give up on their ambitious bid to lure the Napoli star to the Saudi Pro League, despite the 26-year-old rejecting their previous approach just 11 days ago.

According to Goal, Al Hilal will make one final effort to prise Osimhen away from Napoli with an astronomical salary offer, which could see the forward pocket up to €50m (£42.6m) per year in Saudi Arabia.

Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano wrote on Monday, “Al Hilal are not giving up on Victor Osimhen as they want to submit new proposal to the player.

“Osimhen rejected 10 days ago but Al Hilal insist… race open as Galatasaray and Premier League clubs are still there, while Juventus called again.”

Osimhen is understood to have turned down a contract proposal worth a reported €30m (£25.5m) per season with Al Hilal, who were hoping to strike a deal before the first summer window closed on June 10 in order to have him in their ranks for the start of the Club World Cup.

While that mission ended in failure, the Middle Eastern powerhouses remain interested in a blockbuster deal and have already informed Napoli of their intentions to pay his €75m (£63.9m) release clause. 

The Saudi giants’ refusal to abandon their pursuit comes as Manchester United’s chase for the Nigerian striker has apparently taken a fresh twist. United have reopened talks to sign Osimhen in the current summer window after being rejected by Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres.

Osimhen is due to return to Naples following a successful loan spell with Galatasaray, but an exit appears inevitable after he was frozen out of Antonio Conte’s squad last year. The Nigeria international seemingly feels that he still has plenty to offer in Europe, which initially led to his rejection of the lucrative move to the Middle East.

However, Al Hilal appeared to be at the head of the queue to sign the former Lille man, and their persistence suggests they believe the life-changing sum on offer could yet tempt the striker away from European football.

The Red Devils would supposedly be willing to pay the Napoli striker €12m (£10.2m) per year, and they are also prepared to fork out a sum of €75m (£63.8m) to the Serie A champions, including bonuses. However, United still have a few hurdles to clear in the race for Osimhen.

Turkish champions Galatasaray are reportedly optimistic about completing one of the boldest transfers in their history, as they push to permanently sign the Nigerian striker. According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Istanbul giants remain hopeful despite renewed interest from several top Premier League clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester United.

“Galatasaray remain optimistic about securing the permanent signing of Victor Osimhen, despite top English clubs having re-entered the race over the past three to four days,” Plettenberg posted on X.

Galatasaray have tabled a highly competitive contract offer to Osimhen, worth between €15m to €20m per year in net salary. The major hurdle in the negotiations, however, lies in the payment structure of Osimhen’s €75m release clause, with Napoli demanding the fewest instalments possible.

“Gala are offering a net annual salary of €15–20m. The biggest issue remains the payment structure for the €75m release clause. Napoli want as few instalments as possible,” Plettenberg added.

Osimhen is only under contract at Napoli for another year and is set to depart the Serie A champions with a record of 76 goals and 18 assists from 133 matches since joining from Lille in 2020.

The 26-year-old’s short stint with Galatasaray saw him amass a terrific 37 goals and eight assists from 41 appearances. Osimhen struck an unrivalled 26 goals in 32 Serie A games during Napoli’s 2022/23 title-winning season, but he was frozen out of Conte’s squad last summer after the relationship between him and the club’s hierarchy went south.

The Turkish giants are unlikely to sign him permanently due to the cost of the operation, despite their optimism about securing a deal.

However, Manchester United will almost certainly have to sell before they can buy in this instance, having already spent £62.5m to bring Matheus Cunha to the club from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Should any of the Champions League-competing teams – Liverpool, Arsenal or Chelsea – make a serious play for Osimhen, Manchester United will be at an immediate disadvantage, especially as the Nigerian can also expect to be first choice at Anfield or the Emirates.

If none of those clubs enters the race, United would still need an incredibly strong sales pitch after their disastrous 2024/25 campaign, but the pull of Old Trafford remains strong regardless.

An explosion at a fireworks factory in central China killed nine people and injured 26 others, state media said on Tuesday, as challenging on-site rescue work continued a day after the incident.

The blast occurred shortly before 8:30 am Monday at a factory in a village outside Changde, a city in Hunan province, state-run China National Radio said.

As of 9 am on Tuesday, nine people were dead and 26 injured, CNR said, citing a rescue command centre.

Rescue work at the scene was ongoing, CNR reported, noting a “complicated” situation and the risk of additional explosions hampering response efforts.

Adding to the challenge, the site was in a “mountainous area with no large water source”, it added.

“During more than 20 hours of uninterrupted and continuous rescue, the rescue team used remote-controlled water cannons to extinguish the fire,” the report said.

State news agency Xinhua also said Tuesday that the Ministry of Emergency Management had sent a working team to Hunan to oversee the rescue.

“Efforts must be made to ascertain the cause of the explosion as soon as possible and to hold those responsible accountable,” the ministry said, according to Xinhua.

Industrial accidents are fairly common in China due to vague regulations and lax safety standards.

Last month, an explosion at a chemical plant in the eastern province of Shandong killed at least five people.

In 2015, blasts at warehouses containing flammable chemicals in the port city of Tianjin killed more than 170 people and injured 700 others.

AFP/PUNCH NG

Footage has emerged showing the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), in Tehran, on Monday, June 16, 2025.

The video, circulating widely on social media, shows the IRIB building engulfed in flames, with thick smoke billowing into the sky.

A visibly injured person is seen in the footage, with blood on his hands, speaking to the camera as emergency sirens wail in the background.

The strike, part of an escalating military confrontation between Israel and Iran, momentarily disrupted live transmissions, prompting chaos inside the station.

In dramatic scenes aired before the feed went dark, a news anchor was seen abandoning the studio mid-broadcast as alarms sounded and tremors shook the facility.

Despite the damage, IRIB resumed live broadcasting hours later and defiantly vowed to continue operations.

“The Zionist regime, the enemy of the Iranian nation, minutes ago conducted a military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran news network.

“The regime [Israel] was unaware of the fact that the voice of the Islamic revolution and the great Iran will not be silenced with a military operation,” said Hassan Abedini, a senior IRIB official.

Mustapha Salihu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) national vice-chairman (north-east), says his endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term without mentioning Vice-President Kashim Shettima complies with the party’s constitution. 

Salihu spoke during an interview with Seun Okinbaloye on Channel TV’s Politics Today on Monday. 

On Sunday, an APC stakeholders’ summit in Gombe descended into chaos after some speakers endorsed Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election while omitting Shettima’s name from the ticket.

Salihu was among the top party officials who spoke, and his failure to acknowledge Shettima sparked immediate outrage from participants at the summit.

Delegates, visibly angered by the omission, began shouting and disrupting the meeting, with some issuing threats of violence.

Salihu was escorted out of the venue by security operatives as tensions flared.

Speaking about the omission, Salihu said, “no party constitution allows a candidate to go into the primary with a running mate.”

He said the APC has “only one ticket that is for the president”, adding that it is the “prerogative” of the candidate to pick his running mate after the primary.

“In party politics, we have only one ticket for the executive [arms of government]: for the local government chairman, the governor and the president,” the APC chieftain said.

“No party constitution allows a candidate to go into the primary with a running mate. Only one ticket that is for the president. It is only after the president becomes a candidate that he will pick a running mate, which will be his prerogative.”

Meanwhile, after Salihu was escorted out of the summit, Ali Bukar, the deputy national chairman, addressed the crowd and endorsed both Tinubu and Shettima for a second term.