Month: July 2026

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rescued Prof. Samuel Okunsebor, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), days after he was abducted by gunmen in Nasarawa State.

Okunsebor was kidnapped on Wednesday at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area. The attack reportedly occurred around midnight when armed men invaded the area.

According to security sources, DSS operatives traced the professor’s location through intelligence-led operations and secured his rescue at about 3 p.m. on Friday.

Following the operation, the agency handed the professor over to his family in the presence of senior officials of the university, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kitso Ngbargu.

He was later taken to the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital for medical evaluation and routine checks.

A senior university official, who spoke anonymously, disclosed that two suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction.

The official commended the DSS for its swift intervention and successful operation.

> “The university is greatly indebted to the DSS for working round the clock to ensure the timely rescue of our amiable Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture,” the official said.



“We understand that the DSS have in their custody two of the persons behind the kidnap of our dear professor.



“Given how the DSS has been meticulously prosecuting suspects in courts, we have little doubt that both suspects will soon have their day in court.”



The incident comes about a month after three students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) were abducted by unidentified gunmen from their residence near the institution’s temporary campus in Akunza, Lafia.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has unveiled a statue in honour of the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe, in his hometown of Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

The monument, which stands at the Ugwunwasike Roundabout in Ogidi, was unveiled on Saturday. The event came 13 years after the celebrated novelist passed away.

Speaking at the ceremony, Soludo described Achebe as a literary giant whose influence extends far beyond Nigeria. He also pledged that his administration would continue to support efforts aimed at preserving the author’s legacy and encouraging the growth of future literary talents in the state.

> “Achebe represents excellence and remains one of the world’s greatest literary figures. We will continue to support initiatives that inspire the emergence of more Achebes in Idemili north and Anambra state,” the governor said.



Also speaking, the Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Stanley Nkwoka, said Achebe and Soludo had brought global recognition to Anambra through their outstanding achievements.

The Anambra State Government said the statue would help preserve Achebe’s legacy while promoting the cultural heritage and tourism potential of Ogidi.

Achebe, who is widely regarded as the father of modern African literature, was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi to the family of an Anglican evangelist.

He rose to international prominence after the publication of Things Fall Apart in 1958. The novel has since been translated into dozens of languages and remains one of the most widely read works of African literature.

Apart from fiction, Achebe wrote essays, poetry and short stories that examined colonialism, governance, identity and post-independence Africa. His contributions earned him several international honours during his lifetime.

Achebe died on March 21, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 82 after a brief illness. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Ogidi on May 23, 2013.

Some of his notable works include No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, and The Trouble with Nigeria.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A Prominent human rights advocate and founder of Human Rights Radio and Television, Dr. Ahmad Isah, has intervened in a legal dispute against a Kaduna-based social media personality, urging the withdrawal of a defamation and abusive language case filed on his behalf.

Dr. Isah, widely known as the “Ordinary President” of the Brekete Family, made the appeal on Monday following a viral video in which the social media influencer, Adamu Maryam Adam Maryam, allegedly made defamatory and abusive remarks against him. The remarks prompted legal proceedings initiated by a third party acting on the broadcaster’s behalf.

In his public address on the matter, Dr. Isah clarified that he did not personally instigate the legal action, noting that it was pursued by individuals who felt compelled to defend his reputation. However, he has now called on them to discontinue the case, citing his personal regard for Ms. Adam Maryam, whom he described as “one of his daughters.”

His appeal comes in the wake of three separate public apologies issued by Adam Maryam over her comments. The radio host emphasized his belief in reconciliation and forgiveness, stating that he holds no grudges against the young social media personality.

“The case was not filed by me, but by those who felt hurt on my behalf. I am now appealing to them to withdraw it because I see Adamu as my child,” Dr. Isah said. “She has apologized publicly three times, and as a father, I believe in giving people a second chance.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disbursed ₦7.61 billion in retirement benefits to 4,237 retired officers through 9 Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), as the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the welfare of its former personnel.

Adeniyi announced the payment during a dialogue with retired Customs officers. He said the funds had already been released to the PFAs for distribution into the beneficiaries’ individual accounts.

According to details presented at the meeting, Access-ARM Pension Managers received funds for 1,223 retirees, while Premium Pension accounted for 2,268 beneficiaries. Leadway Pensions covered 403 retirees, TrustFund Pensions had 156 beneficiaries, FCMB Pensions received payments for 144 retirees, Veritas Glanvills Pensions had 28 beneficiaries, Norrenberger Pensions covered 11 retirees, and Fidelity Pension Managers received funds for 4 beneficiaries, making a total of 4,237 retirees.

The Comptroller-General said the Customs Service must remain financially strong enough to meet its obligations to both serving and retired officers. He added that the well-being of officers who devoted many years to the Service remains closely linked to the institution’s future.

He also encouraged retirees to continue engaging constructively with the Service. According to him, “I acknowledged your concerns and suggestions raised, and it is in view of this we called for this dialogue to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the Service and its retired personnel.”

The meeting also had in attendance the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Tijjani Abe, alongside other members of the management team. They assured the retirees that the issues raised during the engagement would receive due consideration at the Board and management levels.

The retired officers thanked the Comptroller-General and the management team for creating an avenue for direct interaction. They also appealed to the Service to make such engagements a regular feature to strengthen ties between serving and retired personnel.

The dialogue comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to improve pension benefits. The initiative follows plans to review the legal provisions governing pensions, including Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

By Uzair Adam 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano Sector Command, has announced plans to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court in Kano that barred its personnel from operating on state and local government roads, limiting their activities to federal highways.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice M. S. Shuaibu, followed a suit instituted by Kano-based lawyer, Barrister Abba Hikima, who challenged the legality of FRSC checkpoints mounted on township roads in July 2025. 

He argued that motorists were being stopped despite committing no traffic offences.

In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu held that the FRSC acted beyond the powers granted to it by law by operating on state roads. 

He further ruled that the Corps’ actions infringed on citizens’ constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.

The court granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, including a perpetual injunction restraining the FRSC from operating on state and local government roads in Kano. 

It also ordered the Corps to publish a public apology in a national newspaper and awarded N800,000 in damages and costs.

Reacting to the judgment, the Public Education Officer of the Kano Sector Command, CRC Abdullahi Aliyu Labaran, said the Corps respects the decision of the court but believes the ruling has been widely misunderstood.

He explained that the judgment did not invalidate the FRSC Establishment Act, 2007, but only restricted the Corps’ operations in Kano to federal highways pending further legal action.

According to him, the FRSC will continue to patrol major federal roads within the state, including the Kano–Zaria Road, Kano–Katsina Road, Kano–Maiduguri Road, Kano Western Bypass, Airport Road and Murtala Mohammed Way.

Labaran expressed concern over social media posts encouraging motorists to resist FRSC officers, warning that such actions could lead to unnecessary confrontations, threaten public order and endanger lives.

He added that the Corps decided to challenge the ruling because it believes its defence was not adequately considered during the proceedings.

Pending the outcome of the appeal, the FRSC assured members of the public that it would continue to carry out its statutory responsibilities professionally and within the confines of the law on federal highways across Kano State.

The Corps also urged motorists to cooperate with its personnel and disregard what it described as misleading online interpretations of the court’s judgment.

Dear Editor,

I write to draw urgent attention to the tragic state of the Kofan Doka and Agoro Bridges—Federal Government Road projects that have become death traps for residents of Zaria Local Government due to prolonged abandonment.

Initiated by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, the Kofan Doka cloverleaf bridge, the New Jos Road, and Agoro Bridge were never completed. Today, under Governor Uba Sani, there is still no sign of progress. Even the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Abbas Tajuddeen, who once promised to ensure their continuation, has failed to follow through.

The condition of these bridges represents more than just a construction delay; it symbolises the disconnect between the government and the people.

But this is not just about broken promises. Whenever it rains, the areas become completely impassable. The flooding cuts off entire communities, endangers motorists, and puts schoolchildren and traders at serious risk of drowning or being swept away. We live in constant fear every time the clouds gather.

While our leaders trade political statements, we are left to wade through floodwaters, lose goods, and watch our children risk their lives just to get to school. This is unacceptable.

The Kofan Doka and Agoro bridges are on Trunk-A roads, yet no tier of government—federal, state, or legislative—has taken responsibility.

We are not asking for favours. We are demanding action. Complete the bridge before this rainy season claims a life.

I urge all parties involved, including the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government, and our representatives in the National Assembly, to prioritise the completion of the Kofan Doka Bridge, the Agoro Bridge, and the New Jos Road. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and deliver concrete results for the people of Zaria Local Government and for Kaduna State at large.

Sincerely,

Yazeed Salisu

salisuyazeed@yahoo.com

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government has renamed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that he conceived the project during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State nearly 3 decades ago.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the decision on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja. He said the ministry approved the new name after consultations with its leadership and staff.

“That highway is named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway,” Umahi said.

He added, “By the powers conferred on me as minister of works, in consultation with my permanent secretary, the minister of state, directors and staff of the ministry, we decided to name it after him because of his dream for it.”

The minister said Tinubu first envisioned the project about 27 years ago while serving as Lagos State governor.

“He had that dream about 27 years back as governor of Lagos state. It is one thing to dream and another thing to have the grace of God to actualise that dream. This is one man who dreams and has the grace and divine mandate to actualise that dream,” Umahi said.

He also announced that President Tinubu approved the extension of the Fourth Legacy Highway by an additional 400 kilometres. The approval increases the total length of the corridor to about 1,100 kilometres.

Umahi further disclosed that the president approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with reinforced concrete pavement. He said the approvals also cover the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge in Taraba State, the construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge and the dualisation of another 400 kilometres of the East-West Road.

The minister said work was progressing on several sections of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He explained that the first section, which stretches from Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Lagos State, serves as a model for modern highway construction.

According to him, the second section from Eleko to the Lagos-Ogun boundary is about 60 per cent complete. He said the project is expected to reach substantial completion by November. He added that construction is also underway in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo states.

Umahi expressed confidence that the approved road projects would improve transportation across the country, strengthen national unity and stimulate economic activities.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iran has claimed responsibility for missile attacks on United States military assets in Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait. The development came after the US carried out its seventh consecutive night of air strikes on targets inside Iran, according to reports by Al Jazeera.

Iran’s military said it struck US facilities in response to the latest American attacks. Iranian state media reported that the targets in Bahrain included the Sheikh Isa Air Base.

According to a statement carried by the Tasnim news agency, Iran said it targeted the “aircraft hangar and parking lot” as well as “fuel tanks” at the Sheikh Isa airbase and several communication bridges in Bahrain.

The statement added that the United States had used the base to launch “operations against regional targets, especially our country.”

“We are proud of our military duty to defend this land,” the statement concluded.

Earlier, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that it had completed its seventh straight night of military operations against Iran. The command said it used “fighter aircraft, aerial drones and warships” to strike Iran’s “surveillance sites, military logistics infrastructure, underground weapons storage, and maritime capabilities”.

Reports indicated that the attacks targeted Lar, Jask, Sirik, Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Qeshm Island, Ahvaz and the central city of Yazd.

Iranian state media said at least 3 people were killed and 8 others sustained injuries in Hormozgan Province, which borders the Strait of Hormuz.

The US military also dismissed claims by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards that two oil tankers exploded after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM described the allegation as “false”.

Meanwhile, Kuwait said its armed forces were responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks for the third time. The country’s military urged residents to “adhere to the authorities’ safety and security instructions”.

Bahrain also activated warning sirens for the fourth time within a few hours. The country’s Ministry of Interior advised residents to “remain calm and head to the nearest safe place”.

The US State Department also issued a travel advisory as tensions continued to rise across the Middle East.

In a statement posted on X, the department warned that “due to high tensions in the Middle East, the security environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation”. It also advised that “Americans should reconsider travel to/through the Middle East”.

The department urged US citizens already in the region to exercise caution, monitor developments closely and confirm flight schedules with their airlines.

By Sabiu Abdullahi l

At least 14 Palestinians were killed in a series of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Friday. Eight of the victims died after a drone strike hit mourners attending a funeral procession in the Nuseirat refugee camp, according to Palestinian civil defence authorities and hospital officials.

The incident was reported by Al Jazeera, which cited Gaza’s civil defence agency and Al-Awda Hospital. The hospital also said at least 20 people sustained injuries in the attack.

Witnesses said the drone struck mourners gathered outside the Ahmad Yassin Mosque in the Al-Balata market area as they prepared to begin the funeral procession for a Palestinian who had been killed earlier the same day in another Israeli attack.

“There is no regard for the ceasefire,” Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud said while reporting from Gaza City.

“The people who were participating in the [funeral] procession were coming out of the mosque [when] a drone strike targeted a group of people within the procession itself.”

The Israeli military confirmed that it carried out the strike. According to AFP, the army claimed it had targeted a “terrorist” cell in central Gaza. It added that it was “aware of the claims that several uninvolved individuals were harmed as a result of the strike. The results of the strike are under review.”

Hamas condemned the attack in a statement, describing it as a serious violation of the ceasefire agreement.

“This heinous crime takes place while the aggressor regime, through its systematic and continuous violation of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, continues to kill and terrorise innocent citizens in front of the eyes of mediators and the international community,” the group said.

Elsewhere in Gaza, a 52-year-old woman was killed after an Israeli drone reportedly dropped a bomb near Abu Tammam School in Beit Lahia. Another Palestinian was killed in Az-Zawayda, while another lost his life after Israeli fire struck a shelter for displaced people in al-Sawarha.

An Israeli drone strike on an apartment in Gaza City also killed one Palestinian and injured several others, including children. Another woman later died from wounds she sustained during Israeli gunfire southwest of Khan Younis.

Despite the ceasefire that took effect in October 2025, hostilities have continued across Gaza. Research group Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) reported that Israeli attacks increased in recent months, with more than 40 strikes recorded in June, the highest monthly figure since the ceasefire began.

“The skies above the Gaza Strip are filled with drones,” Mahmoud said.

“You can hear the mechanical hum of these drones everywhere … In addition to the ongoing [Israeli] destruction of remaining infrastructure,” he added.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz also reported on Friday that 274 children have been killed since the ceasefire began, stating that, on average, one child has died each day during the period.

By Uzair Adam

The Federal Government has arraigned three men before the Federal High Court in Abuja over their alleged involvement in the abduction of pupils and teachers from schools in Orire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as well as terrorism-related offences.

The defendants — Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid, Yunusa Musa (also known as Yunusa bin Musa), and Shamsu Adamu Sani (also known as Abu Itisar) — were charged on Friday in a 10-count charge filed by the Federal Government.

The charges stem from the May 15, 2026 attack in which gunmen invaded three schools in Oyo State and abducted several pupils and teachers.

One of the victims, teacher Michael Oyedokun, was killed while in captivity, while the remaining hostages regained their freedom after spending 56 days in the forest during a security operation.

According to the charge sheet, the three suspects, all residents of Suleja Local Government Area of Niger State, allegedly conspired with three other suspects — Muhammad Sani, Jibril Mohammed and Ibrahim Khabab — between January and May 2026 to carry out the kidnapping.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendants aided the abduction by supporting those responsible for the attack and deliberately withheld information about the identities and activities of the alleged masterminds despite having prior knowledge of the plot.

They were also accused of failing to alert security agencies about both the planned kidnapping and those behind it, an offence said to contravene the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In another count, the Federal Government alleged that the three men professed membership of Darul Salam, described in the charge as an affiliate of Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), a proscribed terrorist organisation in Nigeria.

The charge further singled out Abdulrazak Umar, accusing him of operating a WhatsApp group titled “The Oneness of Allah is the Foundation of Peace,” through which he allegedly provided training and instructions to terrorists and incited members to commit acts of terrorism.

Umar was also accused of engaging in illegal gold mining activities in streams located in Chaza area of Suleja Local Government Area between 2024 and 2026 without lawful authority.

The offences are said to violate provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, and the Miscellaneous Offences Act.