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By Uzair Adam

Kano State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, has stated that his political ambition is to become the governor of Kano, not to remain the party’s chairman.

He made the remark in an interview with the BBC while reacting to recent comments by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development, Yusuf Abdullahi Ata, who had threatened to leave the party.

Ata had warned that he would quit the APC if Abdullahi Abbas was re-elected as the party’s chairman for a fourth term.

The Daily Reality reports that the minister’s strong remarks, captured in a viral video circulating on social media, have further heightened political tension in Kano.

However, Abbas dismissed Ata’s stance, stating that the minister was never a party member.

“For us in the party, he was never a member. In the whole of Kano, in his local government, we came third,” he said.

“We didn’t even know when he was appointed as a minister. We even told the president that he is not our party member, that he engaged in anti-party activities.”

Abbas expressed surprise over Ata’s ministerial appointment, adding, “We are really surprised at how this happened, honestly. He is just a politician at the local government level.”

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A 400-level student of the Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA), Saidu Abdulkadir, 25, was fatally shot by a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State.

The incident occurred around 11:06 a.m. when Abdulkadir, a Department of Agricultural Extension student, and motorcycle rider Abubakar Yusuf, 40, were stopped by CJTF personnel.

After allegedly failing to comply, one operative opened fire, injuring both.

Abdulkadir later died at Orthopedic Hospital, Katsina, while Yusuf is receiving treatment.

The Katsina State Police Command has launched an investigation and reinforced security in the area.

By Uzair Adam

A 65-year-old woman, Talatu Ali, has been abducted from the Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Dawanau in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Daily Reality gathered that the incident happened while she was waiting for a medical consultation at the facility.

Talatu was brought to the hospital on February 19, 2025, by her son, Nasiru Aliyu, and her cousin, Aliyu Garba.

However, while on the queue for consultation, they suddenly realized she was no longer there.

Efforts to locate her within the hospital premises were unsuccessful, leading the family to report the matter at the Dawanau Divisional Police Headquarters.

Two days later, on February 21, at around 7:00 a.m., Aliyu received a phone call from an unknown number informing him that the woman was in their custody.

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the incident.

Although Kano has remained relatively peaceful compared to other states in the North West, cases of abductions continue to be recorded in various parts of the country despite ongoing efforts to curb the menace.

By Bashir Uba Ibrahim, PhD

Etymologically, the terms “autos”, “bios”, and “graphein” are Greek forms. While the former stands for “self”, the “bio” represents “life”, and the “graphein” which diachronically and morphologically changes over time to “graphy,” means “to write”. Thus, autobiography is a self-written narration of one’s own life. 

According to Celluni, “All men, whatever be their condition, who have done anything of merit, if so, be they men of truth and good repute, should write the tale of their life with their own hand”. Thus, the recent 420-page memoir launched by the former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, on Thursday, 20^th February 2025, is a typical instance of a self-written account of one’s own life experiences.

Babangida’s A Journey of Service: An Autobiography is highly anticipated due to the author’s role as one of Nigeria’s most controversial, if not enigmatic, military leaders. His perceptive ingenuity and cunning leadership style earned him the nickname “Maradona” or “evil genius.” Thus, his reign was marked by numerous seemingly unforgettable controversies and troubles, ranging from the mysterious death of journalist Dele Giwa, the failed coup of Mamman Vatsa and his subsequent execution, Gideon Okar’s bloody failed coup, the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), the OIC palaver, and above all, the 1993 June 12 saga. 

As noted by Lejunre (1975), the supreme value of autobiography lies in its nature as a product of the writer’s self, the private realm of his reflective self that informs the bios and graphein, with which they interact to form a text as a discourse about his existence, particularly emphasising the development of his own life and personality. Therefore, as an autobiographical text, A Journey in Service represents a personal account of its author.

In addition, Babangida, in this book, makes a striking revelation, submissions and confessions that left some of its readers in a deep shudder and bewilderment. For instance, about the June 12 saga, an election that was annulled in broad daylight by him, he writes that on June 23^rd, 1993, he left Abuja for Katsina to commiserate with the Yar’adua family over the death of their patriarch, Musa Yar’adua, the father of Major General Shehu Yar’adua and the late Nigerian president Umar Musa Yar’adua when “a report filtered to me that the June 12 elections had been annulled” (pp-275). He thus shifts blame to former Head of State General Sani Abacha, who was then his Chief of Defence Staff, the accusation which some people view as not only baseless but rather a joke and a scapegoat as succinctly captured in the book “But annulment was only a component of series of other options. But to suddenly have an announcement made without my authority was, to put it mildly, alarming. I remember saying: ‘These nefarious inside’ forces opposed to the elections have outflanked me! I would later find out that the forces led by General Sani Abacha annulled the election. There and then, I knew I was caught between a devil and deep blue sea” (pp-275).  

Therefore, Abacha served as a whipping boy or a fall guy, thus taking the blame. This is where the need for thanatography- a death writing comes up. Had Abacha been alive, the people would like to hear his side of the story on this saga, or had it been possible to write from the grave, thanatographically, his submission will help in striking a balance. Therefore, it is probable to say that Babangida’s autobiography, A Journey of Service, is just a metaphor of self that conceptually and schematically treatises his life journey from his early years, school years in Wushishi and Bida, early military career as a young officer to Nigerian civil war and NDA teaching years, mounting the saddle of leadership as the military head of state and the challenges that follow. 

In short, this autobiography is timely as it emerges in an era where one of MKO Abiola’s disciples, who fought for the cause of June 12, which led to his exile, is ruling the country. Meanwhile, the public’s eagerness to hear Babangida’s perspective after 32 years since the incident, along with numerous intricate mysteries, controversies, and decisions that characterised his regime, makes the book’s readership thought-provoking. 

However, my prediction is that the book will be subjected to various interpretations, re-readings, and misinterpretations depending on the perspective of its readers. Therefore, critics of this autobiography or memoir may approach it with the intention of deconstructing it, as the autobiographical activity (by Babangida) is also a form of deconstruction, evident through the narrative account and the self-writing upon the subject self.         

Dr Bashir Uba Ibrahim writes from the Department of English and Literary Studies, Sule Lamido University, Kafin Hausa. He can be reached via bashirubaibrahim@gmail.com.

By Ishaka Mohammed

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Kaduna State University (KASU) chapter, has suspended its indefinite strike action following an agreement with the state government.

The decision followed the congress meeting held on February 22, 2025 and the approval of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC). 

In a statement released on Sunday, the branch leadership headed by Dr Peter Adamu appreciated the Kaduna State government for demonstrating goodwill towards resolving the issues that prompted the strike. 

According to the statement, the government is releasing funds immediately to pay the 60% withheld September 2017 salaries and the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) supervision allowances for five sessions. It has also set a timeline for the payment of five months’ withheld salaries (May – September 2022), promotion arrears, Earned Academic Allowance (EAA), pension remittances from 2009 to 2019, as well as death benefits and Group Life Assurance.

The statement also featured the government’s commitment to implementing a wage award and granting full autonomy to KASU.

The Daily Reality last week reported the above issues as the causes of the strike.

The KASU chapter of ASUU praised Governor Uba Sani for deviating “from the dark days of the past where members [of ASUU] were victimized for participating in lawful strike actions”.

By Uzair Adam  

On Sunday, the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, distributed 61 cars and 1,137 motorcycles to leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.  

The distribution, held at Meena Event Centre on Lugard Road near the Kano State Government House, was attended by key party stakeholders, including the APC National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.  

The vehicles and motorcycles were allocated to party chairmen in the 44 local government areas and 484 wards of the state as part of efforts to strengthen the APC’s grassroots structure.  

Speaking at the event, the Kano State APC Chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, lauded Barau for consistently supporting the party since the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) took over the state in 2023. 

He emphasized that ahead of the 2027 elections, aspirants would be assessed based on their contributions to the party’s development.  

Similarly, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Rep. Alhassan Ado Doguwa, expressed confidence in the APC’s resurgence, predicting that the NNPP would be defeated before 1 p.m. on election day in 2027.  

In his remarks, APC National Chairman Dr Ganduje commended Barau for the initiative, describing it as a step towards consolidating the party and improving the livelihoods of its members. 

He also highlighted the increasing defections from the NNPP to the APC, suggesting that the opposition party’s influence in Kano was waning.  

Senator Barau, while addressing the gathering, described the empowerment initiative as just the beginning of a broader program targeting various sectors, including youths, students, farmers, women, traders, and clerics. 

He reaffirmed his commitment to expanding the initiative and urged continued support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.  

He noted that Tinubu’s policies were beginning to yield positive results, citing the gradual reduction in fuel prices, stabilization of the Naira, and improvements in food prices.  

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. We will empower all spheres of society. Let’s continue to support Mr. President for the success of his programs,” Barau said.

By Uzair Adam

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has taken legal action against the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) over its recent decision to increase Automated Teller Machine (ATM) transaction fees, calling it “unlawful, unfair, unreasonable, and unjust.”

The CBN recently introduced a new charge of N100 per N20,000 withdrawal from an ATM not located within a bank’s branch premises.

Additionally, withdrawals at shopping centers, airports, and standalone cash points will attract a N100 fee along with a surcharge of up to N500 per N20,000 withdrawal.

In a lawsuit filed at the Federal High Court in Lagos, SERAP is seeking a judicial review of the CBN’s decision, arguing that the policy contradicts the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act of 2018.

The organization wants the court to declare the fee hike illegal and issue an injunction preventing its enforcement.

According to SERAP, the increase disproportionately affects low-income Nigerians, creating financial barriers for those who rely on ATMs for daily transactions.

The group further claims that the move violates constitutional provisions, consumer protection laws, and international human rights obligations.

SERAP’s legal team, led by Kolawole Oluwadare and Andrew Nwankwo, asserts that the new charges should be borne by banks and their shareholders rather than being passed onto consumers.

They argue that the CBN is acting in a manner that prioritizes banks’ profits over the welfare of Nigerians, with many banks declaring substantial annual profits.

The lawsuit also challenges the CBN’s authority to unilaterally impose such fees without the consent of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC). SERAP is urging the court to nullify the CBN’s circular on the fee hike and restrain banks and financial institutions from implementing the charges.

A date for the hearing of the case has not yet been set.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Four people, including three children, were burnt to death, while 10 others sustained injuries when a commercial Hummer bus caught fire in Gwaram, Jigawa State, on February 22, 2025. The incident occurred around 4:00 p.m., near the Government Girls Unity Secondary School.

The bus, a white Hummer with registration number ZAK 382 XA, was driven by 40-year-old Dalha Saleh from Saldigal Village, Bauchi State. The vehicle was carrying 44 passengers—25 adults and 19 children—from Zaki LGA in Bauchi State to Rabadi Village when the fire broke out.

Sources indicate that the fire originated from the bus’s exhaust system after a mattress tied to the back of the vehicle caught fire due to sparks from the exhaust.

The victims, all from Saldigal Village, Bauchi State, have been identified as Ziwaira Hassan, Fatima Hassan, Iyatale Hassan, and Halima Muhammad (10 years old). Ten other passengers were rushed to Gwaram Cottage Hospital with varying degrees of burns. The remaining passengers escaped unharmed.

The charred remains of the victims will be released to their families for burial after medical examination.

In related news, the issue of reckless overloading of commercial vehicles continues to be a serious safety concern in the region. Buses and vans meant for passengers are often stuffed with goods meant for trailers, creating dangerous hazards on the roads. Despite numerous security and road safety checkpoints, many of these vehicles pass unchecked due to bribery, exacerbating the risks of road accidents.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police, and other security agencies have been criticized for their failure to effectively enforce regulations. The lack of proper oversight contributes to the deterioration of road infrastructure and increases the likelihood of deadly accidents. It also opens the door for criminal activities, such as terrorists smuggling weapons and fuel under the guise of commercial transport.

There is an urgent need for stronger enforcement of vehicle safety regulations, weight limits, and more thorough inspections at checkpoints to prevent further tragedies. The government must take decisive action to ensure that safety standards are upheld and that security personnel are empowered to carry out their duties without compromise.

By Ibraheem A. Waziri 

On February 20, 2025, Nigeria marked a pivotal moment in its historical and literary landscape by launching A Journey in Service, the autobiography of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, the nation’s former Military Head of State. Held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel’s Congress Hall in Abuja, the event drew an illustrious crowd: President Bola Tinubu, former Presidents Yakubu Gowon, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Goodluck Jonathan, alongside business magnates Aliko Dangote and Abdulsamad Rabiu. 

Beyond the fanfare and the nearly N17.5 billion raised for the IBB Legacy Centre—mistakenly dubbed a presidential library in early reports—the memoir’s release reignites a profound discussion about autobiographies. Far from being vessels of absolute truth, such works are meticulously crafted narratives designed to logically articulate an author’s perspective while justifying their actions and thoughts—past, present, and future. Babangida’s A Journey in Serviceembodies this, offering a lens to explore the constructed essence of autobiographical storytelling.

Autobiographies are, by design, subjective endeavours, distinct from impartial chronicles. They weave personal accounts from memory, intent, and selective disclosure, often prioritising coherence over unvarnished fact. Babangida, who governed Nigeria from August 27, 1985, to August 26, 1993, remains a divisive figure. Known for deft political manoeuvres—earning monikers like “Maradona” for his agility and “evil genius” for his cunningness—he oversaw a tumultuous era marked by economic upheaval and democratic setbacks. His most infamous act, the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election—widely deemed Nigeria’s freest at that time, won by Moshood Abiola—has haunted his legacy for 31 years. 

Nigerians anticipated A Journey in Service as a chance for clarity or confession, yet its launch reveals a narrative sculpted to reflect Babangida’s self-perception. He acknowledges Abiola’s victory, a move Tinubu hailed as “unusual courage,” but frames the annulment as an unauthorised act by General Sani Abacha and other officers while he was in Katsina, sidelined by circumstance. This selective disclosure suggests not a full unveiling but a justification, repositioning him as a constrained leader rather than complicit.

This subjectivity underscores a broader truth: books, especially memoirs, filter reality through hindsight, bias, and audience expectation. Babangida’s 420-page work, reviewed by former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, promises insights into his eight-year tenure—economic reforms like the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), infrastructure feats, and banking deregulation—yet sidesteps a complete reckoning. 

Critics highlight glaring omissions: no confession regarding the October 19, 1986, assassination of journalist Dele Giwa by a parcel bomb widely linked to his regime; no accounting for the $12.4 billion Gulf War oil windfall, per the 1994 Pius Okigbo report; and no remorse for the executions of coup plotters like Mamman Vatsa in 1986 and Gideon Orkar in 1990. Babangida’s claim that he feared Abiola’s assassination if he took office—a speculative justification—casts him as a reluctant actor amidst a military cabal, absolving himself of agency. As much as the revelations, these silences illustrate how A Journey in Service constructs a narrative that defends, rather than fully discloses, a deliberate choice aligning with autobiographical norms.

The memoir’s role as a legacy-building tool further amplifies its constructed nature. Launched as Babangida, now 83 (born August 17, 1941), nears life’s twilight, and Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, the event doubled as a fundraising spectacle for the IBB Legacy Centre. Billion-naira pledges from Dangote, Rabiu, and others—totalling N17.5 billion per ThisDay—underscored Babangida’s enduring clout 31 years after stepping down. 

The title A Journey in Service reframes his rule as a patriotic endeavour, softening the authoritarian edges of his “evil genius” persona. By admitting Abiola’s win while distancing himself from the annulment’s execution, he crafts a complex portrait: a transformative leader navigating chaos, appealing to admirers who credit him with modernisation while mitigating critics’ ire over economic hardship and political repression. This duality reflects a narrative engineered to reconcile his past with the statesman image he seeks today, extending its influence beyond the page into Nigeria’s political present.

The historical context of Babangida’s tenure enriches this analysis. His regime followed a series of military coups, inheriting a nation battered by oil-dependent economics and factional strife. The SAP, intended to liberalise the economy, sparked inflation and unrest, while his annulment catalysed protests and deepened ethnic divides, paving the way for Abacha’s reign. A Journey in Service likely glosses over these ripple effects, emphasising achievements—like the Third Mainland Bridge or Abuja’s development—to counterbalance failures. This selective memory mirrors how autobiographies prioritise legacy over accountability, inviting readers to weigh Babangida’s narrative against Nigeria’s collective experience.

Reactions to the memoir underscore its status as perspective, not fact. Tinubu, a June 12 activist turned president, praised its candour as setting “records properly,” perhaps reflecting political pragmatism. Afenifere, a pan-Yoruba group, rejected it as too late to mend the annulment’s “ogbonge damage,” echoing Yoruba grievances. Activists accused Babangida of exploiting Nigeria’s accountability vacuum, a sentiment rooted in decades of unresolved justice. Literary scholar Pius Adesanmi, were he alive, might have called it a “textual performance,” blending truth and theatre. These responses reveal a fragmented reception: the book’s narrative is interpreted through readers’ biases, not universally embraced as truth, highlighting the elusive nature of autobiographical authority.

However, this constructed nature does not diminish the value of A Journey in Service; rather, it enhances its complexity. It provides a window into Babangida’s mind: his rationalisations, regrets, and aspirations amid a career of calculated risks. At the launch, Goodluck Jonathan urged the preservation of such narratives to enrich Nigeria’s political archive, calling for the institutionalisation of personal histories. 

Readers, however, must approach it sceptically, recognising it as one voice in a cacophony of perspectives—those of June 12 activists, SAP victims, and silenced journalists. Its significance lies not in claiming absolute truth but in sparking reflection and debate, compelling Nigerians to confront the ambiguities of their history. For youth, as commentators suggest, it offers leadership lessons—resilience and adaptability—albeit through a self-justifying lens that demands critical parsing.

Comparatively, A Journey in Service fits a global tradition of autobiographical narrative-building. Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom blends triumph with curated humility, while Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father navigates identity with selective introspection. With its wit (per Osinbajo’s review) and strategic candour, Babangida’s work joins this lineage, tailoring Nigeria’s military past to a personal saga. Its launch timing—amid economic woes and democratic flux—amplifies its relevance, positioning Babangida as a commentator on leadership in crisis, a narrative thread justifying his past while influencing future discourse.

In conclusion, autobiographies like A Journey in Service are not absolute truths but woven narratives serving their authors’ ends. Launched on February 20, 2025, Babangida’s memoir—through selective revelations, strategic omissions, and legacy-driven intent—justifies actions like the annulment while shaping his present stature and future remembrance. 

As Nigerians grapple with its contents, it stands as a testament to storytelling’s power: not a final word, but a provocation to question, analyse, and seek broader truths it skirts. In a nation wrestling with its past—where military rule, economic policy, and democratic betrayal remain raw—such narratives are vital, not for certainty, but for the conversations they ignite, urging a deeper reckoning with history’s many voices.

Ibraheem A. Waziri wrote from Zaria.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A Nigerian Army Senior Non-Commissioned Officer (SNCO), Abdulfatai Odutola, has been killed by kidnappers after a delay in the payment of his ransom.

Odutola, who was traveling to Yola, Adamawa State, was abducted on February 15, 2025, along the Abuja-Jos highway.

The kidnappers had initially demanded a ransom of N20 million for his release.According to a military internal memo, Odutola had been en route from Ilorin and was staying in Abuja before continuing his journey when he was abducted.

The memo requested urgent assistance from the appropriate authorities to secure his release.

However, a subsequent update revealed that Odutola’s lifeless body was found by police in the Jos forest.

The kidnappers had reportedly killed him after the deadline for the ransom payment passed.

His car was also recovered at the scene.