News

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

Rumeysa Öztürk, a 30-year-old Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents on March 25 near her home in Somerville, Massachusetts. The arrest, captured on security footage, showed masked agents taking her into an unmarked vehicle without identifying themselves, leaving her screaming for help.

Öztürk, a Fulbright scholar pursuing a Ph.D. in Child Study and Human Development, had co-authored a 2024 op-ed in The Tufts Daily criticizing the university’s response to the Gaza conflict and calling for divestment from companies linked to Israel. Following the publication, her name and photo appeared on Canary Mission, a controversial website that profiles individuals accused of anti-Israel activism.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Öztürk of supporting Hamas, though no public evidence has been provided. Her student visa was revoked, and she was transferred to a detention center in Louisiana, despite a court order requiring 48 hours’ notice before moving her out of Massachusetts.

Öztürk’s detention has sparked widespread protests and condemnation. More than 2,000 students rallied at Tufts University, and demonstrations have taken place in Boston and Washington, D.C. A coalition of 27 Jewish organizations filed a legal brief in her support, arguing that her arrest threatens free speech and academic freedom.

Tufts University President Sunil Kumar stated that the university has no information supporting the allegations against Öztürk and emphasized the importance of due process. Öztürk’s legal team, including the ACLU, is seeking her immediate release, citing violations of her constitutional rights.

A federal court hearing is scheduled to determine the jurisdiction of her case. Öztürk remains in ICE custody, facing possible deportation to Turkey.

By Anwar Usman

The Nigerian Army has expressed serious concern over the scanty number of applications from Southeastern states for its 2025 recruitment exercise.

This was revealed by Brigadier-General Chima Ekeator, leading the recruitment enlightenment team on Sunday, inEnugu stating that Kaduna State has seen over 3,000 applications, while Enugu has only around a hundred, a trend observed across the region.

He urged Southeast youths to apply in greater numbers to fill their allocated quotas.Ekeator said that, “Our people are losing what rightly belongs to them. Each year, whenever a slot is being allocated to our people, we keep noticing that the number of applicants from our side is usually very poor.

“Take for example, Enugu State was given about 200 slots, but the people who made it were never up to 100 due to poor application. This has also become a recurring decimal in other states in the South East.

He further stated that “Today’s statistics on the number of applicants show that Kaduna has about 3,000 applicants, while Enugu is still battling with about a hundred; and by the time we are through with screening, you will not have enough to recruit from the state.”

He disclaimed the allegation that people of South East origin were being killed in their numbers in the Army because they were the first to be sent to the battle fronts.

He added that the region was also holding strategic positions in the Army presently.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Youths and Sports Development, Barr. Lloyd Ekweremadu regretted that the problem had persisted despite the collective efforts to reverse the trend and called for a review of modes of advertising the opportunities and the need to provide more details about the benefits of serving in the Army.

He stated that, “While seated here, I was just trying to conduct very quick research and it appears this same problem is happening worldwide and militaries across the world are deploying more cutting-edge strategies for recruitment because we are talking about the new generation that you communicate in a different way from the past”.

He stated Governor Peter Mbah’s readiness to ensuring that the state filled its quota, describing the military as a noble and highly respected profession across the world.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema has been elected president of Gabon, securing more than 90% of the vote in the country’s first election since the 2023 military coup that brought him to power.

General Oligui Nguema, who led the ousting of longtime leader Ali Bongo Ondimba in August 2023, had been serving as transitional president. His victory marks a significant milestone in Gabon’s political transition following the end of the Bongo family’s 56-year rule.

The provisional results, announced by electoral authorities, indicate overwhelming support for Oligui Nguema, though opposition figures have raised concerns about the fairness of the process.

The election is seen as a pivotal moment for the central African nation as it seeks to restore democratic governance and stability.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A fatal accident involving two DAF trucks claimed one life and left two others injured in the early hours of Sunday, April 13, 2025.

The crash occurred around 2:00 AM in Magama Gumau Town when a sand-laden truck rammed into a stationary broken-down truck.

The impact sparked a fire that engulfed both vehicles, killing 23-year-old Usman Magaji and injuring two others.

Police and emergency responders from the Toro Divisional Headquarters swiftly arrived, extinguishing the flames and rescuing the victims.

The injured were rushed to Toro General Hospital, where Magaji was pronounced dead.

The Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolari Aliyu, psc(+), mni, urged drivers to obey traffic regulations, stressing the need for proper warning signs when vehicles break down.

He also ordered a thorough investigation by the Central Motor Traffic Department (MTD).

Authorities continue to warn motorists against reckless driving to prevent further tragedies.

By Uzair Adam

A United States District Court in Washington, D.C., has directed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to release information concerning Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The decision was delivered on Tuesday by Judge Beryl Howell, who ruled in favour of Aaron Greenspan, an American activist pushing for public disclosure of documents relating to alleged investigations involving Tinubu and one Abiodun Agbele.

According to Premium Times, Judge Howell dismissed the argument by the agencies that withholding the documents was necessary, describing it as “neither logical nor plausible.”

Greenspan had filed the suit under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), arguing that the FBI and DEA violated the law by refusing to release the requested documents within the timeframe stipulated by the Act.

He alleged that the records relate to previous federal investigations into the Nigerian leader and his associate.

In 1993, Tinubu reportedly forfeited $460,000 to the U.S. government after law enforcement linked the funds to suspected proceeds of narcotics trafficking.

This issue resurfaced during the 2023 presidential election legal battle when opposition candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi questioned his eligibility.

However, the Presidential Election Petition Court upheld Tinubu’s victory.

Judge Howell ruled that the FBI and DEA’s use of ‘Glomar’ responses — which neither confirm nor deny the existence of records — was improper.

The court found that the agencies failed to justify their decision under FOIA exemptions and acknowledged that both Tinubu and Agbele had been subjects of prior investigations.

The judge added that the plaintiff successfully demonstrated that the agencies had already publicly acknowledged relevant information, thereby waiving their right to withhold it.

The ruling marks a partial victory for Greenspan, setting the stage for the possible release of sensitive documents tied to a decades-old controversy involving Nigeria’s current president.

By Uzair Adam

Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has sympathised with victims of a deadly explosion suspected to have been triggered by Boko Haram insurgents along the Maiduguri–Damboa highway.

The attack, believed to have been caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), claimed the lives of eight civilians and left 21 others injured on Saturday.

The victims were travelling in civilian vehicles when the blast occurred.Fourteen of the injured sustained serious injuries, while seven others were treated for minor wounds at the State Specialist Hospital in Maiduguri.

Speaking during a visit to the hospital, Governor Zulum described the incident as deeply regrettable, noting that Borno had not witnessed an IED-related attack in over a year.

“It is unfortunate this is happening now. We haven’t witnessed an IED attack for over a year,” the governor stated, pointing out that the highway had been closed for a month before the tragic incident.

Zulum expressed grief over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.

He reiterated his administration’s unwavering support for the Nigerian military and other security agencies, urging them to step up surveillance along the highway to avert further attacks.

He stressed that the state government would continue working closely with the federal government and security forces to address the security challenges posed by insurgents.

“I assure the people of Borno that, ‘Insha Allah’, under my leadership, we will not allow the security situation to worsen,” he added.

The governor also pledged to strengthen community-based security efforts, particularly by supporting the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) and youth volunteers involved in counter-insurgency operations.

Commenting on a recent security meeting held in Abuja with military chiefs, Zulum said the discussions were fruitful, especially concerning the resurgence of Boko Haram activities.

“We met with the service chiefs in Abuja and received assurances from them that they would do everything possible to manage the situation,” he said.

The Borno State government has called for stronger collaboration between local intelligence networks and security agencies to improve early warning systems and prevent similar attacks in the future.

By Uzair Adam

More than twenty medical personnel of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) who had direct contact with a Lassa fever patient have all tested negative for the disease.

Others who were screened through contact tracing also returned negative results, except for the patient’s husband who tested positive.

The update was made known by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of the hospital, Professor Muhammad Abba Suwaid, in a statement issued by the Chief Information Officer, Maryam Aminu Usman, on Saturday.

Prof. Suwaid said the affected staff were immediately isolated and had their blood samples taken for testing.

The results, he confirmed, indicated that none of them contracted the virus.

He attributed the outcome to the diligence and professionalism of AKTH staff in handling patients.

It was gathered that the hospital’s management acted swiftly after a confirmed case of Lassa fever involving a 22-year-old pregnant woman, who was admitted to the facility on April 5, 2025.

Prof. Suwaid said precautionary measures were taken to prevent further spread of the disease within the hospital and the surrounding community.

Meanwhile, the hospital management promptly alerted the Kano State Epidemiology Unit, which has been conducting contact tracing in Garum Malam Local Government Area, where the patient was brought from.

The patient’s husband, who tested positive for Lassa fever, is currently receiving treatment under the care of the Kano State Epidemiology Unit.

By Uzair Adam

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has described the ongoing discussions among key opposition leaders on forming a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections as a failed mission in the making.

He made this known on Friday during a press briefing after leading members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) on a Sallah visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Kaduna State.

Earlier that day, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also visited Buhari, accompanied by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, former Minister of Communications Isa Pantami, and ex-governors Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa), and Achike Udenwa (Imo).

Atiku confirmed efforts were underway to establish a formidable opposition bloc but clarified that the visit to Buhari was unrelated to those plans.

When asked about the wave of consultations among opposition figures, particularly Atiku, Ganduje expressed confidence in the ruling party’s dominance and dismissed the alliance as unworkable.

“We are not worried at all. This is just history trying to repeat itself. They went on a joint venture, which will not work because from what we have seen, there are just some particles that cannot come together.

“It is a game, and we will not reveal our technicalities on how to handle it, but we assure you, we are equal to the task,” he said.

Ganduje boasted of the APC’s control of 21 states and described the party as “still the strongest in West Africa.”

He noted that the APC remains focused on not just retaining power, but also expanding its reach ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We are eyeing other states that will come into our fold. Either the governors themselves will come, or we go for election and defeat them to increase our tally. We are comfortable, but we are not resting. We shall continue,” he stated.

By Anwar Usman

The Governor of Edo State Monday Okpebhlo, on Monday said he would contact his Kano State counterpart, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, to decide the financial compensation for the families of the hunters who were killed by members of a vigilance group in Uromi.

The governor, who spoke through his Press Secretary, Fred Itrua, on Friday, said an agreement would be reached by the governments of the two states, adding that such agreement would be made public.

Receiving the delegation on Thursday, Okpebholo disclosed that the Federal Government, in collaboration with the state government, had also set up a fact-finding committee to look into the circumstances surrounding the recent killings.

Okpebholo said President Bola Tinubu was sad over the happening in Uromi, adding that he (Tinubu) was determined to ensure the state and nation were safe for everybody to live and do business.

He further stated that, “I can’t say what the financial compensation will be. The Kano State Government delegation arrived in Benin on Thursday and submitted a report that only the Edo State governor has seen.

“What I think will happen is that the governor will contact the Kano State governor on what financial compensation would go to the family of the deceased. What is clear is that an agreement will be reached, and it will be made public.”

He said the recommendations of the Kano State Government would be looked into, adding that Governor Yusuf would be contacted on the next line of action.

By Uzair Adam

A delegation of prominent Nigerian political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, held a closed-door meeting with former President Muhammadu Buhari at his residence in Kaduna on Friday.

Among those in attendance were former Governors Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa State, and Achike Udenwa of Imo State.

While details of the meeting were not disclosed, Atiku told journalists that it was merely a post-Sallah courtesy visit to the former president.

“We came here on a courtesy and Sallah greetings visit to President Muhammadu Buhari,” he said.

When asked about the mix of political affiliations among those present, Atiku replied, “I have the right to be friends with anybody, whether political or non-political. They are all my friends.”

He also addressed speculations about the formation of a new political alliance, noting that although discussions are ongoing among opposition parties, it was not the purpose of their visit.

Atiku had earlier taken to his verified social media pages, describing the visit as a delightful one. “Today, I had the opportunity to pay a post-Sallah visit to Muhammadu Buhari… It was a wonderful time with him. As usual, he cracked me up with his peculiar humour.”

El-Rufai also briefly addressed the media, stating, “We are here to pay a Sallah visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari because I was not around during the Sallah period.”