An ex-chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, and Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, Sam Amadi, has lamented what he described as the growing pattern of unwarranted attacks on former Labour Party LP presidential candidate, Peter Obi, by senior government officials.

This was as he noted that while Nigerian politicians talk about him, Obi talks only about Nigeria’s undeserving condition.

Amadi, in a commentary he shared on his official X account, observed that it has become a troubling trend for members of the present administration to frequently target Obi, despite his consistent focus on Nigeria’s dire socio-economic realities, rather than on personalities. 

The former NERC chairman cited the recent criticisms from the Presidency, the Governor of Lagos State, and Senate President, Godswill Akpabio as examples of this misplaced focus.

DAILY POST reports that Obi had recently stated that the “labour of our heroes past has gone in vain”-a sobering reflection on the country’s current state of affairs.

The observation was met with a sharp rebuke from Senator Akpabio, who accused the former governor of Anambra State of being disrespectful and dishonouring the legacy of Nigeria’s founding fathers.

Lagos State Governor had also lashed out at Obi, reacting to comments he made during a recent foreign engagement, where he critiqued the country’s economic trajectory.

In the same vein, the Presidency had earlier dismissed Obi’s ideas and proposals on governance and economic reform. Amadi, however, offered a counter-narrative, arguing that while the political elite expend significant energy attacking Obi, the man himself remains resolutely focused on Nigeria’s structural challenges and the urgent need for reform.

“If elections were a purely rational exercise, Peter Obi is so far the only candidate who ought to be elected”, Amadi stated.

He bemoaned what he called the disproportionate attention paid to Obi by high-ranking government figures, asserting that Obi has steered clear of personal attacks and has, instead, consistently advanced a vision for national renewal rooted in prudence, accountability, and economic revitalisation.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the implementation of a Group Life Assurance Scheme for government workers, paramilitary personnel, and other uniformed services.

This move, according to the Head of Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, underscores the administration’s commitment to the welfare of federal employees.

While briefing State House correspondents on Monday after the sixth FEC meeting of the year, Walson-Jack explained that the insurance scheme aims to provide a life policy for every public servant.

In the unfortunate event of a worker’s death, the next-of-kin would receive benefits to help cushion the financial impact on the family.

“This scheme underscores the importance that President Bola Tinubu’s administration has placed on the welfare of federal workers.

“This year, the group life assurance scheme covers key government officials, including the President, the Vice-President, the Chief of Staff, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation,” Walson-Jack stated.

The scheme will also extend to other senior government officials, such as ministers, permanent secretaries, and staff of federal government ministries and treasury-funded agencies.

Additionally, personnel in paramilitary agencies such as the Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Correctional Service, Federal Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the Office of the National Security Adviser will benefit from the coverage.

Walson-Jack further revealed that the Group Life Assurance Scheme would be an annual policy, with the 2025/2026 policy year being the first to be implemented.

The policy will take effect from the date of premium payment to the underwriters in line with the “no premium, no cover” policy. The approval by the FEC was granted for the appointment of 17 insurance underwriters for the scheme.

“The premium will be paid to the insurance companies for 12 months. Therefore, this policy will expire in 2026,” she said.

Nigeria’s former Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, has stated that Africa is currently experiencing its most severe debt crisis in 80 years, highlighting that this economic turmoil is coupled with a concerning rise in insecurity.
Osinbajo made this remark on Monday, May 12, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, where he noted that since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 55 million additional Africans have fallen into poverty, with 39 million experiencing extreme poverty.

Osinbajo pointed out that youth unemployment is alarmingly high, with nearly a quarter of young Africans not engaged in education, employment, or training.

He emphasised that 20 out of the 39 African nations eligible for concessional borrowing are either at high risk of or already facing debt distress.

Furthermore, Osinbajo remarked that elections alone do not equate to democracy, asserting that ‘True democracy provides dignity – ensuring food security, access to education for children, safety in our communities, and a hopeful future.’

The former Nigerian Vice President delivered these remarks as the keynote speaker at a colloquium celebrating the 61st birthday of President Julius Maada Bio, addressing the theme: ‘From Vision to Impact: The People-Centred Leadership Model.’

Osinbajo urged African leaders to embrace a governance approach that prioritises the needs and voices of the majority, especially those at the lowest socio-economic levels, in the policymaking process.

This, he said, “is a call to reimagine leadership – not as the power to rule, but as the duty to serve.”

Across Africa, Osinbajo said, countries were striving for structural transformation while grappling with growing poverty, unemployment, and debt.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 55 million more Africans have slipped into poverty, with 39 million falling into extreme poverty. Youth unemployment is staggering, with up to a quarter of young Africans neither in education, employment, nor training.

“Simultaneously, 20 of the 39 African countries eligible for concessional borrowing are at high risk of, or already in debt distress. Africa is in the throes of the worst debt crisis in 80 years. This economic distress is accompanied by an alarming surge in insecurity,” Osinbajo said.

The Sahel, Osinbajo lamented, “has become home to the world’s fastest growing and deadliest terrorist groups, accounting for nearly half of deaths from global terrorism. West Africa alone is reeling from waves of insurgencies, armed banditry, and kidnappings. Add to this the democratic backsliding we are witnessing—coup d’états in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea, and Niger.”

These reversals, Osinbajo argued, “threaten the democratic progress we made in the early 2000s. And disturbingly, segments of society are becoming more accepting of unconstitutional changes because they feel democracy has failed to improve their lives.

“The reality is stark: a growing number of Africans, especially young people, feel alienated, angry, and unseen. From the #EndSARS and #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria to the 15 Gen Z uprising in Kenya, there is a mounting frustration with governance.

“Voter turnout is declining. Extremist groups exploit the despair of the jobless. And across the continent, people question whether government exists for them at all.”

But it is not all gloom and doom, according to Osinbajo.

Majority Of Africans Do Not Like Military Rule – Osinbajo Claims

Speaking further, Osinbajo asserted that the majority of Africans do not cherish military rule.

“The good news is that the vast majority of our people do not want military rule. In 2023, the UNDP conducted a Perception Survey of 8,000 African citizens in order to better understand how citizens felt about military coups. A key question they asked was what their preferred option for governance was.

“Most citizens said that democracy remained their preferred style of government. In fact, only 11% of the citizens in countries that had experienced unconstitutional changes of government preferred non-democratic forms of government.

“So, the issue is not democracy, it is how the political practitioners of democracy can ensure that the government of the people by the people for the people does not forget the aches and pains of the people.

“To make people-centred governance work we must move decisively from top-down elite focused strategies to bottom-up, inclusive development. But the first requirement is political will. Is government at the highest level committed to governance that ensures that the bottom of the pyramid will be the first consideration in policy and planning?

“Indeed, the distinguishing feature of states that have grown successfully and nurtured democracy is leadership that has a vision for society and that can effectively demonstrate its commitment to growth, social development and the provision of public services. So, the leadership class must reframe the national discourse and come up with a mobilising idea for society such as an ideology of democratic development,” Osinbajo reiterated.

During his address at the event attended by government officials, diplomats, civil society leaders, and politicians, President Bio emphasised his key leadership objectives, which include enhancing human capital development, advancing gender equality, and fortifying democratic institutions.

He assured that the colloquium would become an annual event aimed at stimulating discussions on leadership rooted in good governance and the rule of law, not only in Sierra Leone but throughout the African continent.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given the green light for the creation of MediPool, a national group purchasing organisation aimed at reducing the cost of critical medicines and healthcare supplies across Nigeria.

According to Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, this move is designed to make quality medicines more accessible to Nigerians while also supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Speaking after the FEC meeting, Pate explained that the initiative will function as a public-private partnership, using the federal government’s purchasing strength to negotiate lower prices from suppliers.

“So it’s using the monopsony power of government as a large buyer of those commodities to negotiate lower prices and then channel those commodities,” he said.

The scope of the initiative, according to Pate, includes procurement planning, supply chain logistics, distribution oversight, regulatory compliance, and quality control. In addition, the program will support domestic pharmaceutical production by promoting import substitution and encouraging investment in local manufacturing.

“It also covers import substitution, financial management and payment systems, capacity building and training, and contingency planning to ensure steady availability of essential drugs through public-private partnership,” thd Minister stated.

He noted that MediPool has already undergone scrutiny from the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission and has been benchmarked against similar purchasing models in countries like Kenya, South Africa, Singapore, and Saudi Arabia.

“We believe that this is a major intervention that will shape the domestic market, so that the demand for quality pharmaceuticals can be channelled in a way that lowers cost and also improves quality and stimulates local manufacturing,” he added.

According to Pate, the administration has been working for more than a year to find strategies to ease the burden of rising drug prices on Nigerians.

“It’s not limited to Nigeria. As you may be aware, even countries as far as the United States are placing executive orders to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals,” he said.

On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to sign an executive order aimed at slashing the cost of prescription drugs by as much as 30 to 80 percent.

Health experts warn that if pharmaceutical companies react to such price controls by adjusting supply chains or increasing prices elsewhere, countries like Nigeria may face challenges in accessing certain branded or specialised medicines.

In a separate development, the FEC also approved a ₦2.3 billion contract for the procurement and installation of a cardiac catheterisation lab at the Usman Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital in Sokoto.

Pate said the new equipment would strengthen the facility’s ability to detect and treat complex cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks and arrhythmias.

Despite being convicted and sentenced to three years in prison for electoral fraud, Professor Peter Ogban, a former returning officer in the 2019 senatorial election in Akwa Ibom State, has not served his full jail term.

Ogban, a professor of soil science at the University of Calabar, was found guilty by a State High Court in Uyo on March 25, 2021, for announcing falsified results in favour of then-Senate candidate and current Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The court sentenced him to three years in prison the same day.

The Court of Appeal in Calabar upheld the conviction and sentence on April 30, 2025, affirming that Ogban’s actions violated electoral laws. However, PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation reveals that Ogban is currently not in custody.

Short Stay in Prison, Bail on Health Grounds

Ogban was initially remanded at the Ikot Ekpene Correctional Facility after his 2021 conviction but was granted bail on July 12, 2021, by Justice Pius Idiong of the State High Court in Ikot Ekpene, pending his appeal. This was despite opposition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which prosecuted him.

Court documents show that Ogban’s legal team, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kanu Agabi, argued that he suffered from high blood pressure and tuberculosis, and might suffer injustice if the appellate court later reduced his sentence or overturned the conviction. Justice Idiong agreed, granting the professor a temporary reprieve.

“The court agrees… that it is a possibility that the appeal may be allowed and the applicant discharged and acquitted,” the ruling stated. “Although the applicant’s so-called health conditions… cannot constitute such an exceptional circumstance, he has nonetheless made out a case to warrant being granted a temporary reprieve.”

Appeal Court Upholds Conviction, Ogban Missing

Despite the Court of Appeal’s decision affirming the original sentence, Ogban was not present at the April 30 judgment, which was delivered virtually. Legal experts say the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) should have ensured his presence and returned him to custody.

A lawyer familiar with the case told PREMIUM TIMES: “The officials of the Nigerian prisons ought to have made sure Prof Ogban was present… and they should have taken him straight to Ikot Ekpene prisons immediately after the judgement.”

A staff member of the law firm representing Ogban confirmed he should be in custody but could not confirm his whereabouts. “I don’t know his exact location at the moment,” the lawyer said.

Correctional Service Silent on Ogban’s Whereabouts

Richard Metong, spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Service in Akwa Ibom, told PREMIUM TIMES he was unsure whether Ogban was in any correctional facility in the state and requested time to verify. As of the time of filing this report, Metong had not responded to follow-up calls.

Despite the Court of Appeal ruling, Ogban’s legal team has filed a notice of appeal to the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the conviction and sentence.

According to legal precedent, a convict awaiting appeal is typically remanded in custody unless specifically ordered otherwise by a competent court. The fact that Ogban remains out of prison months after the appeal court upheld his conviction has sparked questions about selective enforcement of justice, especially given his ties to powerful political figures.

Godswill Akpabio, in whose favour the rigged election results were declared, is a key figure in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and a strong ally of President Bola Tinubu.

Another professor jailed for election fraud, but also enjoying freedom

Another professor, Ignatius Uduk, was recently jailed by a State High Court in Uyo for election fraud.

Mr Uduk, a professor of Human Kinetics in the Department of Physical and Health Education at the University of Uyo, was jailed for three years.

INEC prosecuted him on three charges: announcement of false election results, publication of false results, and perjury during the 2019 general elections in Essien Udim State Constituency, where he served as INEC’s collation and returning officer.

The professor falsified the election results to the advantage of the APC candidate, Nse Ntuen, who was then an ally of Mr Akpabio.

However, Mr Uduk was recently granted bail by a State High Court in Uyo.

The National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said the destruction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is imminent.

But Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, fired back, saying the party remains alive, just as he expressed confidence that the PDP shall rise again in 2027.

Ganduje, who said the PDP is on its way to extinction, was reacting to remarks by former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who claimed APC will soon disintegrate and that former PDP members, including Ganduje, will return to the opposition party.

The APC chairman, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, said such remarks are “baseless and illogical”.

He said: “In fact, we will soon receive Sule Lamido because soon, he won’t have a place to go. The PDP is dead.

“It is evident to any discerning observer that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the APC continues to gain momentum, with prominent political figures across the country defecting to the party in large numbers.

“With such overwhelming national support, the APC remains focused on consolidating its achievements and preparing for a resounding victory in the 2027 general elections.”

He reaffirmed his pride in leading the APC, which he described as the largest political party in Nigeria and Africa.

PDP’ll implode soon —Wike

Echoing Ganduje’s position, former Rivers State governor, Mr Nyesom Wike, said the PDP will soon implode due to insincerity of its leaders who were only fixated on fighting him because he took a job with an APC-led administration.

Wike also warned that ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the PDP is already acting with impunity and making the same mistakes that made it lose the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking during a media parley in Abuja, the FCT minister said: “First of all, I believe in sincerity. If you must achieve results, be sincere. Some people think that telling half-truths or being too smart will help you.

‘’Rather, it destroys you. If PDP does not take care, and I say it again, watch out what will happen. You know, selfish interest can kill an organisation. You have not won an election, you are excluding people.

‘’You have not won an election, you are saying you don’t want this man. You know the man can fight back. Now, let’s tell ourselves the simple truth, in 2023, we told the party, look, it is in our constitution. It is in our tradition.

“When these people take the chairmanship, you people will go for a presidential candidate. Because of selfish interest, they manipulated the system. They said no, we shouldn’t do zoning now. Hold on, we will do zoning.

‘’Before we knew it, some people had gone to buy form, we laughed. It’s okay. You don’t want to do zoning. Now, a zone took the chairman of the party. A zone took the presidential candidate. It’s okay.

‘’For peace to reign, we can have a voice. They go front and back. We say this front and back will cost you something. Of course, arrogance came in. ‘Forget, we have won the election, who are they?’ See where we are.

“I have no problem, and I have told them that where is the presidency, where are you zoning your presidential ticket now? Where are you zoning your presidential candidate now? Where will it go?

‘’Some smart ones who have an interest say no, it is not time. I said, you see? How many times can you play this game, and you think you are smart? You are going to the national convention. You want the South to come and produce the chairman, so we won’t have a presidential candidate.

“I said in Nigeria today, the South is occupying the presidency. Why not, as a party, come out openly to say our presidential candidate will also come from the South? You don’t want to do that.

“You want to play the same game you played in 2023. ’It will backfire, and when it backfires, you will say these people did this, these people did that. I told people, this smartness won’t help you. Come out now and let everybody know this is where we are heading.

“The point is that selfishness can kill a system. For example, if the president runs and wins in 2027, by 2031, APC will cede their presidential ticket to where? To the North. PDP will do what then? Then you come back again and say, no, since APC ceded it to the North, let’s keep it in the North. I mean, what kind of smartness is that?”

The former governor also predicted that it is just a matter of time for the PDP to implode, praising the sincerity of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, who recently defected to the APC.

He wondered why no one is blaming the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who he accused of campaigning for the reelection of Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, but were quick to blame him (Wike) for openly supporting Tinubu.

His words: “I have always said leadership is key. Leadership anywhere, whether in an organization or business, if you don’t show the right leadership, you suffer for it, and this is what I have been saying. I know that there will be an implosion. I do. It is a matter of time.

“What people talk about, the governor of Delta State and his predecessor and all their team moved out of the PDP to the APC. What wrong did he do? That he said he was going to support the president. Is that a crime?

“But the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, the conscience of the party, adopted Alex Otti for a second term. Why are people not commenting about that? The chairman of the BoT of the PDP adopted Alex Otti, a governor under the Labour Party, to go for a second term.
“Now, this man (Oborevwori) said, look, I am not going to do that kind of pretence. I will not be here. It is better if I support him. He is a smart politician. I’m surprised that PDP said they didn’t see it coming.

‘’I won’t call the names of the governors. I called them. I said, listen, the way things are going, I have warned you people, you said you are a governor. I have no problem. See what will happen. The only crime is that Wike is a minister in the APC government.”

Speaking on the meeting with PDP governors, Wike said several resolutions were reached and expressed optimism that they would be implemented as agreed. “We are waiting to see what will likely be implemented. We are waiting. If it is not implemented, I will not agree,” he said.

The minister, who dismissed insinuations that he was tearing the PDP apart, said: “I am building it (PDP), if you obey the constitution of the party.”

What I told Fubara when we met

He also gave an insight into a parley he had with the suspended governor of Rivers State, Mr Siminalayi Fubara, saying the latter had come to visit him, accompanied by two governors of the APC.

Wike, who did not want to reveal details of the meeting, said he told the suspended governor that he had no capacity to make peace. He said: “I told him I don’t think you really can make this peace.”

PDP’ ll rise again in 2027 —Wabara, BoT Chair

Reacting to Ganduje and Wike’s statements, the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Wabara, yesterday, declared that the party will rise again, reaffirming its unity and strength as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Wabara made the declaration during the formal inauguration of newly nominated BoT members in Abuja. 

The ceremony was held at the National Executive Committee, NEC, Hall.

Speaking at the event, the former Senate President said: “I am truly overwhelmed, and I am certain that my colleagues and friends here today share this sentiment. ‘’It is deeply moving to witness the enduring strength and quality of Nigerians within this great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. This speaks volumes about our resilience and unity. “Today, we are honoured to witness the inauguration of new members to the Board of Trustees, in line with Section 32 (1f) and (g) of our party’s Constitution, as amended in 2027.

‘’This occasion is not only a celebration of a new beginning but also a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to the values and principles that define the PDP.

“Your appointment is a call to service; a call to uphold the integrity, unity, and vision of the PDP as we strive for a more prosperous and democratic Nigeria. “As custodians of the party’s conscience, the Board of Trustees plays a critical role in offering wise counsel, fostering stability and ensuring that our decisions align with the core objectives of the PDP.

“We are privileged to have such experienced individuals join the Board of Trustees. Your wisdom will undoubtedly guide us to success in 2027 and beyond.

“We do not hold meetings frequently, but we convene when necessary, by our Constitution and in response to challenges. Some may perceive the Board of Trustees as slow, but we are deliberate and diplomatic in our approach.

“The PDP has risen and the PDP will triumph in 2027. We remain committed to producing leaders who will serve with dedication and integrity, prioritising the interests of all Nigerians.”

“As long as the Board of Trustees remains vibrant, the PDP remains alive. The PDP shall rise again, and I am confident in our collective resolve to achieve this.”

.We’ll work with Nigeria on new rules—British High Commission

Hopes of Nigerians seeking to study and work in the United Kingdom may have been dashed as the British government yesterday announced a reduction in its graduate visa route to 18 months from the initial two year period. 

This effectively brings down the number of months students are able to remain in the UK after their studies.

The government also doubled the standard qualifying period during which foreign nationals could seek indefinite leave to remain\settle in the UK to 10 years from the initial five year period.

The reform, unveiled as part of a broader immigration overhaul yesterday, is aimed at curbing what the UK government described as systemic abuse of student and work visa routes.

The Home Office said in the White Paper released yesterday that the route had strayed from its original intent and become a backdoor for unsponsored work.

Under the new rules, institutions recruiting international students must now meet enhanced compliance standards, while universities with low progression-to-work rates or found to have engaged in misleading recruitment would face sanctions, including suspension of their sponsorship license, the Home Office said.

The government stated that the immigration skills charge, paid by firms sponsoring a migrant worker, would be hiked by 32 per cent, while skilled worker visas will now require a university degree.

”For occupations below this level, access to the immigration system will be strictly time-limited and based on evidence of shortages in the supply of labour,” it stated.

According to the UK government, the long-term trend of increasing international recruitment at the expense of skills and training would be reversed.

It stated further:  “We will go further in ensuring that the very highly skilled workers have opportunities to come to the UK and access our targeted routes for the brightest and best global talent.

“This includes increasing the number of people arriving on our very high talent routes, alongside faster routes for bringing people to the UK who have the right skills and experience to supercharge UK growth in strategic industries.”

Meanwhile, British High Commission in Nigeria has reacted to the immigration white paper released yesterday.

In a statement, the commission said it would work with relevant partners in the federal government once the paper’s implementation details were provided.

“The UK enjoys strong, long-standing people-to-people links with Nigeria. We are proud that the UK is still considered a top destination for Nigerians to work, study, visit and settle – and value the contribution this brings to the UK,” a spokesperson for the commission said.

“The UK White Paper sets out reforms to legal migration, including restoring order, control and fairness to the system, bringing down net migration and promoting economic growth.

“Changes to the system will happen over a period of time, and we will engage with relevant partners in the Federal Government of Nigeria once more information about implementation details are available.”

•Call them to order, angry residents tell Oborevwori
•Delta govt takes steps to reinforce community vigilante
•Kidnappers continue abduction in Ibusa, Abavo, Issele-Uku

CITIZENS, including activists, have fingered some royal fathers in Delta State and vigilante members for entangling themselves with Fulani herdsmen-kidnappers allegedly because of lust and greed, calling on Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to bring them to order.

The residents who voluntarily engaged in measures to stop kidnapping in their communities in the past few months, said their findings showed that some Fulani herdsmen gave money and cow gifts to some traditional rulers to stay in the forests belonging to their communities. The monarchs kept the plot to themselves.

However, NDV learned that the governor, who had taken bold measures to checkmate criminals in the state, is mapping out a holistic strategy to tackle kidnapping.

The state House of Assembly held a public hearing last week to rejig the Delta State Community Security Corps Agency law to bolster community policing and validate the provision of working tools, welfare packages, and other statutory requirements for the agency.
A rights activist, Harrison Gwamnishu, however, said that the Security Corps Bill has been politicized, with elected House of Assembly members, elected local government chairmen, and community leaders authorised to nominate individuals for screening to become members of the Security Corps (Vigilante).

“If we permit them to nominate, they may exploit this authority for their selfish interests in the future. Regrettably, the bill has already been politicized.

“We like the bill, we want it passed and signed by the governor, but we do not want politicians to nominate the people who will guard our communities. Tomorrow, they will use them for their selfish interest. Let us not politicize security in our state,” he said.
Despite the discontent over their escapades, the suspected money-making kidnappers continued their operations, abducting a man in Ibusa community in Oshimili North Local Government Area, and two other victims in Iselle-Uku community and Abavo community, Ika South Local Government Area, last weekend.

Govt should deal with culpable monarchs—Residents

A source told NDV: “Sometimes, the traditional rulers divulge the arrangement with Fulani herdsmen to only loyal community leaders who would not question their actions and trusted/appointed vigilante leaders that coordinate with the Fulani herdsmen in the forest.
“We also discovered that over time, the criminally-minded herdsmen, armed with AK-47 rifles, would infiltrate the genuine herdsmen in the forests where they had built camps and use them as cover to abduct indigenes, travellers, and other inhabitants for ransom.
Even worse, some alleged vigilantes and money-hungry community youths collaborate with kidnappers as informants to kidnap their people and receive their portion of the ransom.

The Fulani herdsmen are not the only ones involved; some of our people collaborate with them, and our traditional leaders, who granted them land to live in the bush, are also contributing to the kidnapping by their actions.

To prevent surrendering the Delta Community Security Corps Agency to vigilante members and corrupt traditional rulers, the state government and the House of Assembly should exercise caution when considering their proposals to amend the legislation.

“The Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies should conduct a thorough screening process, and the government must be aware of the traditional rulers’ character before allowing them to recommend anyone or participate in the agency,” the source continued.

“Some Fulani herdsmen admitted that they provided cash and cows to the monarchs,” an activist told NDV. According to one: “If you see a Fulani stay there for three to five months without leaving; they have given the traditional ruler money.” They do not wish to depart because of this.

“We give money to your traditional leaders, but some villagers may not be aware of this, which is why they bother us. They accuse us of going about in a bush that is not ours. Look, ask your traditional rulers; we paid for it.

“Stop claiming that we stay in your bush without paying; that is incorrect. We are paying, I assure you.
“Part of the reason the accomplice-monarchs are involved is that, besides the money they collect, they ask the herdsmen to help them shepherd the cows they used to bribe them, and if the herdsmen are chased away from the community forest, they will lose the cows.

“Recently, the Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, suspended some monarchs in the state because of their involvement in kidnapping; our governor, Elder Sheriff Oborevwori, should do the same to send a message to the traditional rulers,” he added.

A villager, Modest Ejiejemba, said: “We already know that the government had set up a joint security team to comb bushes and destroy the illegal hideouts and camps of the terrorists lurking in our bushes under the guise of herdsmen, which is a good development, but no action has started yet in Aniocha North and Aniocha South local government areas, where the pact was signed.”

Because of their dishonest motives, the governor of Delta State ought to prevent the traditional rulers and community leaders from giving Fulani herdsmen access to land in our forests. And if they don’t band together and stop this act, the people will rebel against our traditional rulers.

“The mockery goes on because the state government has not punished any monarch since this revelation about traditional rulers plotting with Fulani herdsmen,” Ndubuisi Uwaje, a villager, told NDV.

Monarchs making money from Fulani herdsmen —Police boss

NDV established that the question of some traditional rulers collecting money and cow gifts from Fulani herdsmen to allow access into their communities’ forests is not in doubt.

A former Commissioner of Police, Delta State, Mr. Hafiz Inuwa, revealed in an interview five years ago that some royal fathers in the state were collecting money from Fulani herdsmen and giving them sanctuaries to build camps.

His words: “One of the traditional rulers at one time was so perplexed and ran to his counterpart concerning how he gave Fulanis sanctuaries with reckless abandon. Are they giving the land for free? We are aware they are collecting money from these Fulani herdsmen, and people are not looking at all these things.

“Let me be blunt to tell you that as we are serious about this issue, some persons are sabotaging our efforts, so the question is, who are the people giving the Fulani herdsmen sanctuaries to establish camps? People have to look at all these.

“Recently, we executed Operation Flush Out Kidnappers from Ibusa community to Okpanam community. We were amazed at what we saw in all these bushes around and behind the Asaba Airport.”

Herdsmen hijack community vigilante groups

A top traditional ruler in the state, Pere S.P. Luke, Kalanama VII, disclosed in an interview years ago that the Commissioner of Police in the state told them at a security meeting: “From their preliminary findings, they (police) discovered that most of the traditional rulers in Delta North, where the crisis is alarming, gave out land under dispute to herdsmen. Sometimes they are sold completely or given to them in exchange for something.

“He also told us that the vigilante groups set up by various committees to check the menace of kidnapping and herdsmen clashes with host communities have been successfully infiltrated by the herdsmen.

“The vigilante groups are members of the communities, but the Police commissioner said, as things are today, they have been infiltrated by Fulani herdsmen and are the ones giving out information to the herdsmen who terrorize these areas.

“The criminal elements among the herdsmen are those said to be involved in criminal activities. Since the indigenes of the communities connive with herdsmen, it is easy for the herders to carry out successful operations in the troubled communities.

“These were the observations of the Police commissioner, who called for concerted efforts by traditional rulers to rejig the security apparatus of the various communities.

Since the herdsmen have infiltrated the vigilante groups, it is necessary to examine them to distinguish between the good and the bad.
He stated that doing so would, for the most part, resolve the issue. He went further to say that most of the kidnappings in Delta North were made possible by some criminal natives who connive with Fulani herdsmen. They pass information to the herdsmen.”

Monarch debunks claims

One of the monarchs mentioned in the land deal with Fulani herdsmen denied the allegation when NDV contacted him.
He clarified that he had been falsely accused, saying: “I never gave them (herdsmen) land. If someone claims that I have given land to herdsmen in my community, let them provide evidence.

He said there were criminal elements in the community working together with dangerous herdsmen who also wanted to topple the community’s elders.

The monarch claimed that some police officers were conspiring with them and that they had given them land parcels.
“I met the Commissioner of Police (not the current commissioner) a few weeks ago, and I let him know that the Police have not been helpful to us; some of them are criminals, and they give them land,” he said. Let’s examine their personal bank accounts and ask them to explain how they acquired their incredible wealth and the modern structures acquired.

“It is impossible to separate the events and sentiment prevalent in Delta State and Nigeria from my community.”
Why I rejected N10m, cow gifts from Fulani herdsmen—Pa Ehhiahwe, Egbo-Kokori community leader

Not all community heads in the state succumbed to the enticements from the Fulani herders; some held their heads high.
Traditional head of Egbo-Kokori community in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, 95-year-old Pa Uhurhemue Erhiahwe is one of them.

He narrated to NDV how Fulani herdsmen approached him with money and cow gifts in January and his reaction.

“The Fulani people came here with their cows; they are daily destroying our crops and source of livelihood. I am a farmer, and I survive from the crops we plant. They are destroying our crops daily. They rape women in the bush and chase people with weapons; it became too much for us, and we decided that they should leave our farmlands.

“As the community leader, they approached me to bribe me with cows and N10 million, but I refused and told them that this is our home; I cannot, because of greed, destroy it. I said that even if I am given a billion naira, I won’t accept it because where you are staying is where you must repair.

“After I refused, they tried to use force, and we insisted they must leave. After they left, they returned yet again. We went to the police in Isiokolo community because we thought it was time to involve them, and they wrote an undertaking to leave in April of last year.

“However, they came to the Ughelli Police Area Command last week and petitioned us about the disappearance of their cows. They want to get back, they are lying, but it won’t work. They accused the Isiokolo police of supporting us because of the undertaking they signed there. However, we told the truth, and the police knew it.”

A 16-year-old student in SS2 class of a private secondary school in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, faked her kidnap and demanded a ransom of N2 million for her release.

The teenage girl allegedly contacted a family member, claiming she had been kidnapped.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Joshua Ukandu, disclosed to reporters on Monday that a family friend helped her plan the hoax.

Ukandu said the girl attends a privately owned school located on Watchman Street in Abakaliki.

She is a native of Izzi Local Government Area and was due to return to school for the third term on Saturday.

The girl told police she had gone to buy second-hand clothes, known locally as ‘Okirika’, when someone tapped her from behind.

She claimed to have lost consciousness and woke up the next day at Ishieke Junction in Ebonyi Local Government Area. 

She added that she often dreams of being kidnapped, and her mother regularly prays against it.

Upon regaining consciousness, she asked for directions back to Abakaliki town.

Instead of returning home, she went to the house of a family friend who had no idea she was missing.

Using the man’s phone, she messaged her brother, claiming she had been kidnapped and demanded ₦2 million ransom.

Her brother asked to speak with the kidnappers and requested their location, but she refused and blocked his number.

Later, she unblocked his number and sent an account number belonging to the family friend hosting her.

Unfortunately for her, the phone was tracked. Police raided the house and arrested everyone involved in the plot. 

The police spokesperson confirmed that the command has launched a full investigation into the incident.

The girl has since been reunited with her family, though the matter remains under police investigation due to her age.

No fewer than 50 lecturers across Nigerian public tertiary institutions have been indicted for sexual misconduct between April 2021 and April 2025, The PUNCH has found.

While some of the indicted academics, including professors, have been dismissed, others are currently facing disciplinary panels.

The cases span universities and polytechnics nationwide, highlighting the widespread nature of sexual harassment in Nigeria’s higher education system.

A 2018 survey by the World Bank Group’s Women, Business, and the Law project found that 70 percent of female graduates in Nigeria had experienced sexual harassment in school, most commonly from classmates and lecturers.

Despite the Senate passing a bill in 2021 prescribing a 21-year jail term for lecturers guilty of sexual exploitation, the legislation has yet to be signed into law.

Most recently, on April 24, 2025, the Governing Council of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, dismissed a senior lecturer, Dr. Usman Aliyu, over allegations of sexually harassing a married postgraduate student, Mrs. Kamila Aliyu.

The university acted upon the findings of its Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee, which found the lecturer guilty of misconduct.

Mrs. Aliyu had petitioned the school in 2024, accusing Dr. Aliyu of coercion and threatening her academic progress.

Just 10 days earlier, on April 14, 2025, the Lagos State University of Science and Technology dismissed three lecturers, identified as Mr. Nurudeen Hassan (Mass Communication), Mr. Kareem Arigbabu, and Mr. Olayinka Uthman (both from the Department of Arts & Design), over sexual harassment.

According to a memo titled “Dismissal of Staff Members Due to Sexual Harassment Allegations,” the decision followed deliberations by the institution’s Governing Council under Section 5.5.2(v) of the University Senior Staff Conditions of Service.

Similarly, on November 14, 2024, the Federal University, Lokoja, announced the dismissal of four unnamed lecturers for sexual misconduct.

 Earlier, on August 2, 2024, Abia State University, Uturu, suspended Dr. Udochukwu Ndukwe from the Department of Mass Communication for three months following allegations of harassing a female student.

In May 2024, FULokoja again suspended a lecturer over similar allegations. That same April, Enugu State Police arrested a suspended lecturer at the University of Nigeria, Mr. Mfonobong Udoudom, after a video emerged showing him allegedly harassing a female student in his office. The university had earlier announced his indefinite suspension.

Earlier incidents include the 2021 dismissal of three lecturers from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife—one each from the Departments of English, International Relations, and Accounting—for sexual harassment.

In June 2021, the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, suspended a lecturer in the Department of Media and Theatre Arts for misconduct, while the University of Lagos dismissed two lecturers the same month for similar offences.

In August 2021, the University of Port Harcourt dismissed a lecturer from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature. The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, in October that year, also dismissed two lecturers from the Departments of Nutrition/Dietetics and General Studies.

The Ignatius Ajuru University of Education dismissed a lecturer in 2021 for impregnating a female student, and in December, the Kwara State University, Malete, let go of a lecturer for harassing a student in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences. Rivers State’s Elechi Amadi Polytechnic took similar action in January 2022.

Obafemi Awolowo University again came under scrutiny in April 2022, launching a probe into sexual harassment allegations against a professor in the Department of Linguistics and African Studies—bringing the total number of professors affected at the institution to two.

In June 2022, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Raheed Na’allah, confirmed the dismissal of two professors for sexual misconduct.

In 2023, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Dr. Balogun Olaniran of Tai Solarin University of Education, who allegedly demanded sexual favors in exchange for altering a student’s results.

In March 2023, Kogi State Polytechnic dismissed Abutu Thompson, a Computer Science lecturer, for harassing and victimizing a female student. In May, Ambrose Alli University, Edo State, also dismissed a lecturer following a disciplinary committee’s recommendation. The lecturer, despite admitting to making advances, went as far as visiting the student’s church to plead for forgiveness, according to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Asomwan Adagbonyin.

In July 2023, UNIABUJA again announced the dismissal of two lecturers over sexual misconduct. The following month, the University of Calabar suspended its Dean of the Faculty of Law, Prof. Cyril Ndifon, after multiple allegations of harassment surfaced.

On September 7, 2023, the University of Lagos suspended lecturer Kadri Babalola, who was accused of raping a 21-year-old student.

Amid ongoing reports, a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Kogi State Polytechnic, Mr. Onoja Baba, has advocated for a “Digital Anonymous Feedback System” to enable safer reporting of such incidents.

“The existing mechanisms are often bureaucratic, and students fear repercussions, especially when it involves faculty,” he said. “Without trusted and effective channels, victims feel isolated. It’s time to rethink how we address reporting and accountability in our institutions.”