Nigeria

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu marked the second anniversary of his administration on Wednesday with an optimistic national address highlighting the government’s achievements and reaffirming commitment to economic reform, national security, and human capital development.

Speaking from the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, President Tinubu declared that his administration had made “undeniable progress” despite the sacrifices demanded of citizens, especially following the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of foreign exchange rates.

“We are halfway through the journey that began 24 months ago. Today, I proudly affirm that our economic reforms are working,” he said, citing improvements such as easing inflation, increased foreign reserves, and higher state revenues.

According to the President, the federal government recorded over ₦6 trillion in revenue in Q1 2025 and successfully reduced the fiscal deficit from 5.4% of GDP in 2023 to 3.0% in 2024. Additionally, the country’s net external reserves rose sharply to over $23 billion by the end of 2024, a fivefold increase from the previous year.

In the energy sector, Tinubu noted a 400% increase in oil rig activity since 2021 and over $8 billion in new investments. “We have stabilised our economy and are now better positioned for growth and global shocks,” he added.

The President also highlighted reforms in taxation, infrastructure development, and the health sector. He announced the expansion of primary healthcare centres, the establishment of new cancer treatment centres, and a tax policy overhaul aimed at supporting low-income households and small businesses.

“Together, we are creating a system where prosperity is shared, and no one is left behind,” he said.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to inclusive economic growth, declaring that the country’s economic resilience is beginning to yield tangible benefits for citizens across sectors.

Addressing the nation on the second anniversary of his government, President Tinubu described 2025 as a year of fiscal turnaround and recovery, driven by bold reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Despite the bump in the cost of living, we have made undeniable progress,” he stated, noting improvements in inflation, food prices, and investor confidence.

A key highlight of the President’s remarks was the government’s aggressive tax reform agenda, which pushed the tax-to-GDP ratio from 10% to over 13.5% within a year. Tinubu explained that this success was made possible by simplifying tax policies and offering relief for low-income households and small businesses.

“We are eliminating the burden of multiple taxation and introducing a fairer tax system. Essential services like food, healthcare, and education will attract 0% VAT,” he announced.

President Tinubu also underscored the importance of sustainable national finances, stating that wasteful and opaque tax waivers had been abolished in favour of targeted incentives supporting high-impact sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, and technology.

The administration is establishing an independent Tax Ombudsman to ensure accountability. The President says this move will protect small businesses and vulnerable taxpayers.

“We are creating an economy where investment is welcome, businesses can thrive, and every Nigerian can benefit from shared prosperity,” he added.

The President noted that subnational governments had also reaped the benefits of the reforms, with an increase of over ₦6 trillion in state revenues in 2024. This has enabled them to meet debt obligations and invest more in critical infrastructure.

“Our reforms are not just fiscal adjustments. They are about restoring confidence, strengthening institutions, and building a foundation for future generations,” Tinubu concluded.

By Ibrahim Inusa

Over the years, the Almajiri system of education has served as a traditional form of Islamic education in northern Nigeria, where young boys, often aged between 7 and 14, are sent far from home to memorise the Qur’an by their parents under the supervision of a Malam (teacher). While the system’s intent was to instil religious knowledge, encourage direct engagement in Islamic activities, and provide practical moral learning, it has largely become disconnected from its original purpose.

At present, the system has turned millions of pupils into nuisances, leaving most of them without literacy or numeracy skills. Pupils divide their day between reading and wandering the streets to beg for food and money, intended to cover their living and schooling costs. This model places the pupils in highly vulnerable situations, exposing them to all forms of exploitation and manipulation, and even rendering them a threat to national security.

The Almajiri system of education has been a cornerstone of learning for many Nigerian children. However, its implementation has raised concerns about child welfare, education, and human rights. As Nigeria strives for progress, it is essential to address the challenges within the Almajiri system. One major issue is the lack of regulation and oversight, which leaves children vulnerable to all forms of abuse.

Another significant challenge is the limited access to quality education. Traditional Almajiri schools focus solely on Islamic studies, neglecting secular subjects such as mathematics, science, and English. This restricted curriculum can hinder students’ ability to compete in the modern world. By incorporating modern subjects, Almajiri schools can offer students a more comprehensive education.

The Almajiri system also raises concerns about radicalisation. Some Almajiri schools may promote extremist ideologies, which can have far-reaching consequences. To mitigate this risk, it is essential to encourage critical thinking, tolerance, and inclusivity within Almajiri schools.

To reform the Almajiri system, a decisive approach is necessary. Government agencies, NGOs, and communities must collaborate to provide support for Almajiri students, including access to healthcare, nutrition, and protection from abuse. Almajiri schools should be encouraged to adopt a modern curriculum and teaching methods.

Furthermore, teachers and caregivers in Almajiri schools require training and support to provide a quality education. Community engagement is also important, and parents, guardians, and community leaders involved in decision-making processes are encouraged to prioritise children’s welfare and education.

The current Nigerian government can play a crucial role in reforming the Almajiri system through policy initiatives, such as the Almajiri Education Programme. However, more needs to be done to ensure effective implementation and sustainability. Long-term commitment to reform requires a sustained effort to improve the lives of Nigerian children. By working together, we can create a more inclusive, equitable, and prosperous society for all.

In conclusion, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are essential for tracking progress, identifying challenges, and making adjustments to reform initiatives. Reforming the Almajiri system is a complex task that requires collaboration, commitment, and creativity. By working together, we can create a more just and equitable education system that benefits all Nigerian children.

Ibrahim Inusa writes from the Department of Mass Communication at Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi and can be reached via Ibrahiminusa216@gmail.com.

By Anwar Usman

The Federal Government has announced a monthly stipend of N45,000 for students in technical colleges across states in Nigeria.

This move was to be part of a plan to bring new life to Technical and Vocational Education and Training.

Idris Bugaje, the Executive Secretary of the National Board for Technical Education, revealed this in an interview in Abuja while speaking on the second year of President Bola Tinubu’s administration on Wednesday.

He said the plan was part of a bigger effort to improve the TVET system and make it more appealing than regular university education.

Bugaje explained that the main ai was to grow the TVET sector fast and get more students to enrol in technical colleges.

He added that the government will not only pay the monthly stipend but will also cater for other costs.

Bugaje said, “The government will pay school fees, give money to industry-based supervisors (called master class instructors), and cover the cost of skill certification.

“With this, young people will find it more attractive to come to a technical college, obtain the relevant skills and qualifications, get jobs locally and even beyond the borders of Nigeria.

“This way, the whole sector is being repositioned. We are at the moment facing what you may call either a resurrection or a rebirth of TVET.”

He noted that TVET used to be well-supported in Nigeria in the past.He further revealed that Tinubu’s government has set aside N120 billion to support students under this new TVET plan.

“This money will be given through the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).He further clarified that “The N45,000 is not a loan, but a grant. Students who enjoy this are not going to pay back. We want to encourage more people to enrol in technical education”.

To keep the programme running, Bugaje said the Minister of Education was working on a bill.The bill aims to create a National Skills Fund under the new Nigerian Skills Qualification Framework.

By Uzair Adam

The Kano State Government, in collaboration with Womanhood Africa Initiative, has commemorated this year’s World Menstrual Hygiene Day with a major outreach campaign targeting female students in secondary schools.

Speaking during the event, Abdulkarim Ibrahim Abubakar, Director of Planning, Research and Statistics at the Government House, said the initiative was designed to ease the financial burden many students face due to the rising cost of sanitary products.

“Most of our girls are struggling with managing their menstrual periods due to the current economic situation. This effort will reduce that burden and allow them to focus more on their education,” he said.

Abubakar stated that the program would be expanded to cover more schools in the state. He also revealed that plans were underway to empower students with the skills to produce reusable sanitary pads.

“This will not only help them manage their hygiene needs but could also become a source of income for them after school,” he explained.

Representing Womanhood Africa Initiative, Mr. Edidiong Etefia said the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene and equip students with practical tools.

“We believe the future is female. If young girls don’t take menstrual hygiene seriously, it could lead to long-term health issues that may affect future generations,” he said.

As part of the outreach, reusable sanitary pads certified by NAFDAC were distributed to students.

The organization also donated a fully stocked first aid box to the school clinic to help manage health emergencies.

The Principal of First Ladies College, Atine Mohammad, welcomed the initiative and described it as a critical intervention.

“Every day, we try to teach the children about hygiene, but it has a greater impact when people from outside come in to educate them. It reinforces the importance of the message,” she said.

Mohammad also appealed to the state government to sustain the effort.

“Most of our students can’t afford sanitary pads, and we often step in to provide them. This support reduces the burden on us significantly,” she noted.

Expressing her appreciation on behalf of the students, Faiza Yusuf, an SS3 student and prefect at the college, described the program as life-changing.

“We are grateful for this heartfelt support. As girls, menstrual hygiene is central to our well-being. Without it, we feel helpless. We hope to see more of such programs in the future,” she said.

The event marks the beginning of a broader campaign to promote menstrual hygiene and empower young girls in Kano State.

By Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu

They are both young boys, although one seems slightly older. From March to May 2025, they captured the attention and interests of Hausaphone social media with their radically different approaches to digital media visibility. In the process, they provided a template or script for the future of youth engagement in public culture and demonstrated the power of agency. 

Taranding in an open cesspool (Kabiru Isma’il, Kano).

The first was Kabiru Isma’il, better known as Kabeer2pac (apparently a fan of the late American rapper 2Pac Shakur).He had 1.8m followers and 15.1m likes on his TikTok account, which prominently displays his phone number (or that of his agent) for advertising purposes. His early videos clocked in millions of views. His most famous video, in which he shakes the dust off his body and jacket, has earned 51 million views. He devised two strategies to achieve this fame. 

His first videos were posted during the 2025 Ramadhan on 19 and 20th March 2025. In the videos, he was recorded immersed in a stagnant open cesspool of household wastewater (kwatami), dunking himself in it and smearing the sediments on his face. The videographer asked for his motives, and he replied he was doing so to “tarand” (trend) because he yearns for fame (ɗaukaka). He affirms he was not a lunatic. The video had 2.6 million views. He further explained that he resorted to this because his earlier attempts at trending were unsuccessful.

On 3rd April 2025, he switched from cesspool contents smearing to getting a sack of charcoal dust dumped on his head,which earned the video 14.8 million views. By then, his fame spread because the CoalDust video he posted two days later earned him 51 million views. His videos attracted Gwanki Travels and Tours International Ltd in Kaduna, who invited him and offered him a free ticket to perform the lesser Hajj, Umrah. Beaming with happiness, Kabeer2pac declared his gratitude that he had achieved the fame he had sought and had “taranded” very well. Of course, Gwanki also trended because they were riding on his coat-tail, as it were, to advertise their services.

Reactions to Kabeer2pac’s fame and fortune were varied but predictable. Most commentators were happy for him and took umbrage at any view that condemned his behaviour as unhealthy and unbecoming. Some Muslim clerics condemned him. Others were against the money spent on his Umrah, arguing that he was young and the money should be invested in either a trade or his education. His behaviour led to copycat copying. 

Quite soon after it started trending, copycats appeared in various guises, including a cesspool girl, from dousing themselves with petrol to set fire on themselves, to having cement blocks banged on their head, to immersing themselves in a stagnant pool of waste water. In one case, a young boy entered a soak away— all in their desire to “tarand” and possibly get a free Umrah ticket.

In an RFI video interview posted on 16th April 2025, Kabeer 2pac admitted that the possibility of his social media celebrity status is likely to be short-lived, as he understands that people will soon get bored with his antics and switch to something else. But for the period he was trending, he was happy with the endorsements he received and his branching out into comedies and short dancing skits in his trademark winter jacket. 

He has accurately anticipated the ephemeral nature of his antics. About two years ago, others who trended and quickly faded away were even more famous and established what I call “celebrification culture”. The first was Ale Rufa’i Bullgates, who devised his own currency, “Gangalion”. He was followed by Ale Umar Bush, whose speciality was foul-mouthing everyone around him. Each was given a social media celebrity status – private jets, fancy meals, endorsement deals by fancy local merchants. Ale Umar Bush seemed to have a Middle-Eastern “girlfriend”. People mocked their mental health and turned them into the theatre. That was probably why Kabeer2pac prefaced his first video by proclaiming that he was not mad. 

What motivates people to watch grisly events as lookie-loos, whether on screen or in physical spaces? Kabeer2pac’s audience can be called voyeuristic or spectator audiences. Odd or outlandish behaviour fascinates them because it provides novelty, entertainment, and sometimes a sense of shock or disbelief. Due to its unconventional nature, such content often triggers curiosity, amusement, or even a desire to share with others. 

Trending Young Dangote (Sadiq Usman Ahmed, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna)

In contrast to Kabeer2pac, Sadiq was a street hawker in Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, whom someone tagged Young Dangote. His nickname refers to the Hausa business mogul Aliko Dangote, the richest Black man in the world at the time. Anwar Textiles Ltd discovered him at a traffic stop in Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna, on 18th May 2025, when the young lad, who looks about 13 years old, was hawking car fresheners. 

Intrigued, the videographer asked how he started the business. Beaming an incredibly infectious smile (alone enough to make you buy his ware, even if you had no intention of doing so), he said he started with ₦300 with which he used to purchase cotton buds for ₦50 and sold for ₦70-₦100, before moving to products he bought for ₦350, selling at ₦500, happy with whatever profit he made. Gradually, his capital reached ₦5,000, then ₦1000, “har jari ya kai dubu hamsin cifi cif”/up to ₦50,000 neat. He said he prefers schooling to hawking, but poverty forced him into hawking. He relates this with a devastating, charming smile and enthusiasm for his current station in life, clearly with a business goal in mind. 

Touched by his resolve to improve his business, the video was posted on Anwar Textiles’ personal account and went viral. This impressed so many people (including the Pop Cola company in Kano) that they sent their widow’s mite to Anwar Textiles to improve the boy’s capital. Some asked for an account. In a very honourable way, Anwar Textiles traced the boy’s father. They recorded a video in which the father explained their happiness about the crowdsourcedfunding efforts made by Anwar Textiles. He emphasised that they were not begging for assistance as such (they were well off, but had a bad patch in life), but are grateful to those who contribute to the boy’s entrepreneurial ambitions. An account number was given. 

By 16th May 2025, Sadiq had over ₦300,000 capital and a larger basket to hold more products, which Anwar Textiles helped to purchase for him. The balance of the money was handed over to the father. He thanked Anwar Textiles for making it possible for people to know him. He displayed his new “mobile shop” and declared, “daga nan sai ƙasar waje, inshaa Allahu”/next, overseas, by God’s grace. He also stated his intention to go back to school soon. 

I find Anwar Textiles honourable. He located the boy, helped him, and supported his family. Importantly, he did not engage the boy in a gaudy marketing gimmick for his company, as done with Kabeer2pac. The boys’ marketing strategy was brilliant, as seen in a video posted a few days later in which he persuaded a motorist to buy more car fresheners than the customer actually intended to buy!

Both of these teenage boys demonstrate what personal resolve can achieve. Through social media, each person has attained something they wanted at the beginning of their lives. Kabeer2pac’s social media platform, which thrives on trends and viral content, where the unusual or unexpected can quickly gain traction through likes, shares, and comments, further amplifying its reach, worked perfectly well. He has the fame (ɗaukaka) he strives for. 

For Young Dangote, who has no social media presence (I even doubt if he has a phone, for he would probably plough the money into his business), we see what the power of crowdfunding and simple determination can do spontaneously. Comments from those who knew the family indicated that they were stable (as indeed even the father stated), but went through a bad patch. Instead of mourning their turbulent period, Sadiq dropped out of school, picked up a basket, got some money, bought car fresheners, and started hawking them at traffic stops. The rest, as they say, is a viral history. 

Social media can be a space for what Bala Muhammad (Adaidaita Sahu) at the DEEDS Book vs Screen May 2025 KHAIRUN Dialogue refers to as “digital iskanci”—or something else. Your judgment of each is, of course, personal.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the appointment of new governing council members for the University of Abuja (UniAbuja), the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), and Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka (NAU).

This move comes months after the dissolution of UniAbuja’s governing council and the removal of its former Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, over eligibility concerns.

The newly appointed council members for UniAbuja include Prof. Rosemary Iriowen Egonmwan (South-South), Dr. Adedeji Adefuye (South-West), Prof. Sarki Abba Abdulkadir (North-West), and Prof. Aminu Mohammed Dukku (North-East). For the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), the appointees are Rt. Hon. Barr. Ogbonna Eugene Odo (South-East) and Muhammad Inuwa Tahir, mni (North-West).

Similarly, Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) will now have Dr. Nkem Okeke (South-East), Ofoke Chukwuma Charles Ugbala (South-East), Dame Amina Patrick Yakowa (North-West), and Nojeeb Oriola Agunbiade (South-West) on its governing council.

The appointments are expected to bring renewed leadership to the institutions as they work towards academic excellence and administrative stability.

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Nigeria Police Force has taken swift action against six officers caught in a viral video engaging in extortion along the Benin bypass.

The officers, including a Chief Superintendent of Police who supervised the team, were brought before the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, at the Force Headquarters. The IGP described their conduct as “shameful, distasteful, and utterly unacceptable ” and ordered immediate disciplinary action.

According to a police statement, the officers have been queried, and orderly room trials for the Inspectors involved are underway.

The Force said this move underscores its commitment to professionalism, integrity, and accountability. The public was assured that such misconduct would not be tolerated and that appropriate sanctions would follow.

By Haroon Aremu Abiodun

April is traditionally a month of pranks and laughter. But in Nigeria, the joke was on no one except, perhaps, on a nation whose security architecture is under siege from terrorists, bandits, and kidnappers.

Far from fearing our security operatives, criminal elements across the country displayed shocking audacity, reminding us that the battle for Nigeria’s soul remains bloody and unresolved.

In a horrific display of lawlessness, notorious bandit leader Bello Turji celebrated Eid in Sokoto by executing kidnapped victims, recording and broadcasting the gruesome act without fear of consequences. Across parts of Katsina, Kaduna, and Zamfara, bandits not only continued their reign of terror but have begun levying taxes and operating parallel governments in areas still supposedly under state control.

Compounding public anxiety, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu made headlines when he advised families of kidnapped victims to “stop paying ransom.” While theoretically sound, the reality is far more brutal. Without swift and credible government intervention, desperate families have no option but to finance their tragedies. Until state forces can decisively rescue captives, this vicious cycle will continue.

In just one month, attacks escalated across Plateau, Kwara, and Benue States, leaving communities in mourning. Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents resurfaced with deadly ambushes, signalling their continued relevance in Nigeria’s security equation.

April’s bloodshed has revealed operational lapses and a deep strategic and moral crisis. The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) must urgently intensify efforts, especially by working discreetly with rescued victims to extract intelligence, boost surveillance systems, and dismantle criminal networks worldwide.

While commendable successes by security operatives, such as rescuing hostages and recovering illegal arms, were recorded, they were dwarfed by the scale of atrocities witnessed within just 30 days.

The Department of State Services (DSS), often criticised and even facing calls for disbandment, must seize this moment to redeem itself. Encouragingly, recent commendations from the Plateau State Government and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna for the DSS’s contributions to curbing insecurity suggest a glimmer of institutional reliability. Their successful arrests of gunrunners and dismantling of kidnapping syndicates are steps in the right direction.

Notably, the DSS also intercepted a British Army Major in Delta State attempting to smuggle 50 AK-47 rifles and ammunition—a major bust, and a signal that the service can perform under pressure. Their ability to withstand calls for the suspect’s release further strengthens public confidence.

Going forward, DSS and ONSA must strengthen collaboration through real-time joint operations, intelligence sharing, and visible outcomes. The Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA) also must integrate its overseas capabilities with ONSA’s domestic strategies. Today’s criminals are sophisticated—our response must be smarter.

Beyond the battlefield, Nigeria’s fight against corruption also demands attention. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) must intensify efforts with ongoing arrests of internet fraudsters and by pursuing justice in high-profile cases involving figures like Betta Edu and Sadiya Umar Farouq.

Regarding Aisha Achimugu’s case, the EFCC must adhere to due process and uphold its promise to act with diligence and integrity. Recent arrests, including that of Bauchi State Accountant General Sirajo Muhammad Jaja, show the commission is active, but visibility and transparency are critical.

Despite receiving accolades, such as the Government Spokesperson Award and the Courage in Justice and Transparency Award from the Nigerian Human Rights Community, EFCC must do more to recover funds stolen through schemes like CBEX. Collaborating with Interpol to dismantle international fraud networks and prevent future scams using forged EFCC certificates will reinforce the commission’s credibility locally and abroad.

Transparency is the only antidote to growing public cynicism about the Commission’s integrity.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), though laudably organising programs like its stakeholders’ meeting on accountability in local government, must now transition from talk to action. Corruption within Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) remains rampant. A recent ICPC report showed that over 60% of corruption cases involved diverting healthcare funds—a scandal demanding decisive intervention.

April has ended, but the wounds it inflicted are still fresh. If we’ve learned anything, it is that the fear of the Nigerian state must be restored—not with hollow rhetoric, but through coordinated, courageous, and relentless action.

The enemies of Nigeria no longer fear our uniforms, our institutions, or the name “government.”

The time to act was yesterday. Today is already a dangerous gamble. Tomorrow may be too late.

Haroon Aremu Abiodun is a PRNigeria Fellow and author. He can be reached via exponentumera@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

Nigerians’ incessant stir on social media about Nigeria’s economy and the current president’s leadership style has become common business across all the platforms available to citizens. On the other hand, there is a group of netizens employed by the government to serve as a shield from the masses’ uproar about the government’s incapacity. They vehemently respond to critics directly aimed at their paymasters.

Such people exist at all levels of government, and they are taken care of by the appointed social media aides of any administration.

My state, the liberal state or centre of learning, is currently in a situation that has turned into a noisy and confusing commotion, drawing significant attention from people everywhere. According to the masses, the state is striding in the opposite direction, unlike before, when it became a beacon of development that other states looked up to. The only development people are observing is exaggerated projects on social media.

The PR Boys, as they are called on X (formerly Twitter), or Data Boys, as they are called on Facebook, are recruited to counter any narrative against the administration. They properly utilise the “Agenda Setting Theory” concept by repeatedly posting about a single project over time to create an imaginary delusion that the administration is doing better. As directed by their paymasters, they are doing quite an impressive job.

The sad reality is that people doing such jobs are mostly educated young people who are unemployed or underemployed. If you are to have an honest conversation with them, they will lament that they are doing it for what they are being paid or because of the hollow promises made by their masters. When informed people try to talk sense into them, which they usually consider an attack directed at their masters, the masters give them morale by reminding them that they also began like them and now are in higher positions in the government. They keep enslaving their minds with promises, whereas only a few of them can be uplifted.

There was a concern regarding the state of the general hospital in Rigasa regarding human resources. The hospital, which caters for the health needs of over a million residents living in the community, is not equipped with the facilities, equipment, and staff needed by any standard health facility. Instead of these gullible propagandists considering it a call to action, as it affects them directly or indirectly, they began to call the agitators unpleasant names, all in the name of impressing their paymasters. The concern was directed to the state health ministry and addressed to the Commissioner. 

The ministry’s response on their page reiterated the governor’s effort to renovate the state’s existing health facilities. The said project was part of the Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT), which the World Bank is funding (I stand to be corrected). The project was started in 2020 and is set to end in 2030. We don’t need to mention the administration that began hosting the project in the state.

Ideally, during campaigns, everybody has their preferred candidate against their opponents. Waging support for your candidate and calling on others to support them is a right that no one should be denied. But for developmental purposes, after elections, it should be the elected leaders against the masses, not in a violent or degrading manner, but in keeping the leaders on their toes and reminding them of their primary responsibilities. These propagandists are making it look like anyone criticising the government is an enemy of the ruling class.

When concerned citizens bring up facts about the government’s inaction and lack of tangible evidence to counter them, they immediately stoop to emotional blackmail. Using words like “hypocrisy” or telling the world they are proud of being political puppets just annoys or silences those calling their paymasters to order. Many of them cannot stand an evidence-based argument due to insufficient facts. They receive orders from their superiors in their various groups to counter anything they consider mischievous about their masters online. They will flood your timeline or comment section with the duplicate content they copied from their groups as directed by their leaders.

I tweeted on X, “There is one state in Nigeria where you can only find out what the governor is doing on social media. But in reality, nothing has been on the ground since the last administration. Guess the state!” The tweet was viewed by over 12 thousand people within 10 hours and engaged by hundreds. To my greatest surprise, people kept mentioning my state in the comments and quotes. This is evidence that all the Data Boys and PR guys are doing is nothing short of mere propaganda.

Ultimately, I want to call on these propagandists to know that those they criticise for calling out the government are closer to them than those in the government. And the damage you’re covering for the ruling class will affect not only those criticising the government, but you may be the first to receive the consequences. Those sending you to criticise the former administration—most of them were part of it. They wined and dined with the then-ruling class, cleaned their mouths, and now eat with the current administration while spitting on the faces of their former masters.

May we be guided.

Abdullahi Yusuf writes from Rigasa, Kaduna. He can be reached via abdoolphd@gmail.com.