The six months suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan following her allegations against Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has drawn debates on gender, power, and political fairness in Nigeria.

Though the Senate had said her suspension was not related to her fight with Akpabio but due to her alleged incessant violation of the senate rules, many Nigerians, particularly those from the north have continued to raise concerns on the place of women in Nigerian politics.

While some view the current development as a reflection of the challenges female politicians face, others see it as a political dispute with broader implications for the Senate’s integrity.

On March 6, 2025, the Senate suspended Akpoti-Uduaghan, citing violations of legislative decorum.

The Senate’s ethics committee reported that she engaged in unruly behavior, made disrespectful remarks against Senate leadership, and defied committee summonses.

Specifically, she was accused of refusing to sit in her assigned seat, speaking without recognition, and making abusive comments. These actions were deemed violations of Sections 6.1 and 6.2 of the Senate Standing Orders 2023 (As Amended).

Akpoti-Uduaghan, prior to her suspension, submitted a petition accusing the Senate President of sexual harassment, abuse of office, and obstruction of legislative functions.

However, the Senate’s ethics committee dismissed her petition, citing procedural rule violations.

Also, Akpabio publicly denied the allegations, stating that he had never harassed Akpoti-Uduaghan or any female senator.

Shortly after this, the Senate announced Akpoti-Uduaghan’s six-month suspension, leading to speculation that it was a retaliatory move to silence her.

Reacting to the allegations of bias on Saturday, Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele issued a statement insisting that Akpoti-Uduaghan was not suspended because of her petition but for her consistent misconduct and blatant disregard for Senate rules.

He urged the public and the media to disregard false narratives suggesting that the suspension was linked to her petition against Akpabio.

He emphasized that the decision was necessary to restore order and maintain the integrity of the Senate.

The timing of her suspension, coming shortly after her sexual harassment petition, has led to widespread public skepticism.

Many Nigerians, including opposition politicians and activists, believe the action was politically motivated and aimed at silencing her.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the suspension, describing it
as suppression.

Atiku argued that the decision undermined the principles of fairness, representation, and gender inclusivity.

“Women should be empowered to fully participate in governance, not stifled,” he stated.

Also, organisations such as the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) criticised the Senate’s decision to suspend Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months, calling it an unconstitutional move that undermines democracy and legislative independence.

The criticism continued with organisation like the Coalition for Women in Governance and the Women in Management, Business, and Public Service who threatened to mobilise women for a massive protest if the decision was not reversed.

This prompted a response from the Federal Government on Friday, stating its intention to intervene in the crisis.

Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Iman Suleiman-Ibrahim, described the situation as unfortunate, emphasizing the need to protect female representation in the Senate.

“In the last Assembly, we had nine female senators. We don’t want to see a decline in that number,” she said.

“We will work towards resolving this issue peacefully by engaging all stakeholders and urging them to temper justice with mercy.”

However, harassment allegations in the Nigerian Senate are not new. One of the most controversial incidents occurred in July 2016, during a closed-door session of the Senate, when a heated exchange ensued ybetween Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

Reports indicated that Melaye, who was representing Kogi West at the time, allegedly threatened to assault and impregnate Tinubu, who was then representing Lagos Central.

According to multiple sources, Melaye was quoted as saying he would “beat up” and “impregnate” her, remarks that were widely condemned as sexist and inappropriate.

Tinubu, who is now Nigeria’s First Lady, accused Melaye of making threatening and demeaning comments toward her. She described the incident as an act of verbal assault and intimidation, claiming that Melaye even attempted to physically attack her during the altercation.

Melaye, however, denied the allegations, insisting that he never physically assaulted Tinubu.

He argued that his words were taken out of context and dismissed the controversy as a political disagreement rather than an issue of harassment.

Despite the outrage that followed the incident, no disciplinary action was taken against Melaye, and the Senate did not officially sanction him.

Women leaders react to Akpabio-Natasha controversy

Hajiya Fatima, the All Progressives Congress (APC) women leader in Kano, in an interview with DAILY POST described the controversy as unfortunate and damaging to the image of women in politics.

She acknowledged that the issue could discourage more women from joining politics, especially in Northern Nigeria, where cultural and religious factors already limit female participation.

“Allegations like this paint a negative picture of women in politics. It reinforces the wrong perception that women cannot handle leadership positions without facing harassment or intimidation,” she said.

However, Fatima noted that the APC had made efforts in the past to support women’s inclusion, particularly under the administration of former Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje.

“During Ganduje’s time, women were given more opportunities. But things have changed now, and we need more policies to encourage women,” she added.

She recalled that during Ganduje’s tenure, his wife advocated a 60-40 representation policy favoring women. Which means that women should be higher than the men in positions because women are trustworthy and even the votes come more from women.

Hajiya Fatima emphasized that when a woman is determined to accomplish something, she does it well. She noted that since women play a significant role in election campaigns and contribute to electoral victories, they should not be sidelined when political positions are being allocated. Unfortunately, she added, that is not the case today.

Also, Hajara Ado Alhaji, the NNPP women leader in Shanono Local Government Area, acknowledged that harassment and intimidation were common tactics used to sideline women in politics.

She, however, revealed to DAILY POST that having spent over 30 years in politics without significant progress, she attributed the challenges faced by female politicians to favoritism and party politics.

“I have been in politics for decades, but I still don’t know where I stand. The system favors those with connections, not those with capacity,” she lamented during an interview with DAILY POST on Wednesday.

Political analyst speaks on Akpabio-Natasha’s controversy

Hassan Ibrahim, a political analyst, in an interview with DAILY POST described the controversy between Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as a troubling development with serious implications for the integrity of the Senate and public confidence in the institution.

“This issue is not just about two individuals,” Ibrahim stated.

“It has the potential to cast a shadow over the entire Senate as an institution. The Legislature is a key arm of government, elected by the people to make laws and represent their interests. When such allegations emerge especially involving the Senate President, it raises serious concerns about the sanctity of the Senate and the democratic process.”

Regarding Senator Natasha’s allegations of sexual harassment against Akpabio, Ibrahim noted that the claims must be handled carefully to avoid undermining public trust.

“These are heavy allegations. Whether true or false, they need to be addressed urgently to clear any doubts and ensure that the institution remains credible,” he said.

“Sexual harassment allegations like this can make things even harder for women in politics. If such issues keep coming up, many women especially from the North will be discouraged from participating due to societal and family pressures,” he explained.

Despite this, he commended Senator Natasha for speaking out.

“What Natasha did by bringing this issue to light might encourage more women in politics to speak up about their experiences,” he said.

Ibrahim further highlighted the financial burden as a major obstacle for women seeking political offices.

“Politics in Nigeria is very expensive. The cost of nomination forms alone is discouraging. The major political parties, especially the ruling APC and the main opposition PDP, have set their nomination fees so high that many women cannot afford them,” he noted.

He also pointed out that even women who can afford the costs are often discouraged by party politics. “Even if a woman buys the form, there is always the fear that she won’t be nominated because of godfatherism and internal party politics,” he explained.

Beyond financial barriers, Ibrahim emphasized that women in politics face intimidation and harassment.

“A lot of women who contest elections face threats and intimidation. Some are pressured into making compromises. That is why many capable women shy away from politics,” he said.

When asked why Northern Nigeria has fewer female politicians compared to the South, Ibrahim pointed to cultural and educational barriers.

“In the North, women are traditionally expected to stay within the domestic sphere, limiting their exposure to public life. Even highly educated women often avoid politics due to societal restrictions,” he said.

He emphasized that education and economic empowerment are key to increasing women’s participation.

“Without education, women cannot play any key role in politics. The good news is that more Northern women are now attending schools, but we need to do more to encourage their involvement in governance,” he stated.

He praised the Jigawa State governor’s policy of providing free education for females from primary to tertiary levels, describing it as a positive step toward creating a level playing field for women to compete and participate in politics.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce policies that support female politicians.

“INEC should ensure that political parties reserve a certain number of positions for women. This will help increase female representation in government,” he added.

“Political parties should also consider granting waivers for female politicians. Additionally, parents should instill leadership qualities in their daughters from an early age, encouraging them to believe that they can excel and even outperform their male counterparts,” he concluded.

[DailyPost]

• Lagos directorate tops commission’s 4,111 convictions with 685

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said the over N50 billion recovered from fraudsters in 2024 was among the funds invested into the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this information is based on the EFCC’s 2024 statistical report made available to reporters yesterday in Abuja.

NAN also reports that NELFUND was established through the Students Loans (Access to Higher Education) Act, 2024, signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on April 3, last year.

The initiative is a programme established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to break financial barriers in higher education.

In its report, the anti-graft agency described its activities in 2024 as its greatest achievements, especially its largest single-year asset recovery since its establishment in 2003.

The statistics indicated that the N50 billion granted to NELFUND by the Federal Government was sourced from the monetary recoveries of the EFCC.

“Such monetary recoveries include N364.6 billion; $214.51 million; 54,319 euro; 31,265 euro; Canadian dollar (CAD) $2,990 and Australian dollar (AUD) $740.00.

“Others are: the French franc (CFA) 7,821,375, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dirham 170, Saudi Arabian 5,115 Riyals, Japanese W73,000,105 Yen, Ghana’s cedi (GH¢) 225 and South Africa’s 50,000 Rands,” it said.

According to the commission, some of the monetary recoveries have been reinvested by the Federal Government in initiatives that provide significant benefits to the Nigerian people.

The anti-graft agency attributed its success to the dedication of its officers and the enabling environment provided by management and stakeholders.

Also, the EFCC has said it secured 4,111 convictions in 2024 – its highest in its 22-year history.

These were from 15,724, petitions, 12,928 investigations, and 5,083 prosecutions.

Leading the pack is the Lagos Zonal Directorate with 685 convictions from 3,224 petitions, 2,454 cases investigated, and 786 cases filed in court.

This is followed by Enugu with 516 convictions from 545 cases prosecuted and Ibadan with 501 convictions from 786 prosecutions.

Others are Benin with 412 convictions, Ilorin with 230, Kaduna with 273, Gombe with 147, Kano with 148, Abuja with 140, Makurdi with161, Maiduguri 95, Port Harcourt 185, Sokoto 108 and Uyo with 220 convictions.

Also last year, the commission recorded its best-ever performance since its inception in 2003 with the single largest asset recovery ever, and significant money forfeitures.

An appraisal of the commission’s operations in the last 12 months shows that since January 2024, the EFCC recorded unprecedented volumes of, and breakthroughs in cases involving Advance Fee Fraud, Money Laundering, and Cybercrime, among others, across all its Zonal Directorates in the country.

The EFCC monetary recoveries for the year include N364,597,370,151.35, US$214,513,439.55, UK£54,318.64, 31,265, Euros, CAD$2,990 and AUD $740.00.

Others are CFA7,821,375, UAE DIRHAM 170, RIYALS 5,115, W73,000, 105 Yen, GH¢225 and RANDS 50.

Recovered assets in 2024 include the forfeiture to the Federal Government of over 750 duplexes and other apartments in late 2024, which is the single largest recovery by the Commission since its inception.

The assets include 173 vehicles, cash sums of N9,477,977,318.78, $2,605,858.30 and UKP1,600.

Others include cryptocurrencies of 13.37BTC worth about $572,992.86; ETHEREUM worth $13,353.06, GREEN SATOSHI token worth $6, 1,002.547631, among others.

The rest are 378 electronics, one factory, one hotel, two gold chains, 14 parcels of land, petroleum products and 70 tons of unidentified solid minerals.

According to the commission, some of the monetary recoveries have been reinvested by the Federal Government in initiatives that provide significant benefits to the Nigerian people.

An example is the N50 billion granted to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) from the recoveries.

Apart from contributing to various developmental projects, enhancing public welfare and promoting sustainable growth across the country, the initiatives also contribute to improving the quality of life for Nigerians and support the country’s long-term development goals.

[TheNation]

The Martin Amaewhule-led Rivers State House of Assembly, on Sunday, asked Governor Siminalayi Fubara to channel his invitation to the members properly and not through social media.

The reaction followed the invitation to the Assembly to a meeting with the governor at the Government House, on Monday (today).

Fubara, through the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, said the meeting, scheduled for 10 am, was expected to address key issues, including the provision of sitting space for the Assembly, payment of outstanding allowances, and the presentation of the 2025 budget.

The 27 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly loyal to the former governor, Nyesom Wike, may, however, reject the invitation except their condition is met by the governor.

One of the lawmakers, Isaiah Opuende who represents Akuku-Toru Constituency 2, blasted the governor for inviting the Assembly members via social media.

Opuende urged the governor to communicate with them appropriately, adding that it was surprising that Fubara would call them after he had told them at several fora to “dey their dey.”

He stated, “It is time for us to determine our dey. When the ‘dey your dey’ started, our principal said the time for our own ‘dey your dey’ will come. Now, our ‘dey your dey’ has come.

“Dey your dey make we dey our dey. How can you wire a letter and post it on social media and expect us to honour it? You know we are not kids. The governor should properly write to the Assembly. That’s all. Thank you.”

Similarly, some former local government chairmen who served during the tenure of Wike were also seen in a viral video, singing and mocking Fubara over the invitation extended to the Assembly members.

A former chairman of Ikwerre LG, Dr Samuel Nwanosike, with scores of other dancing and singing in a mocking manner, asked the governor not to disturb the Speaker, Amaewhule.

They sang repeatedly, “Dey your dey, make I dey my dey, dey your dey, nobody worry Amaewhule.”

Following the Supreme Court judgment affirming their legitimacy, the lawmakers, in their first sitting, urged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to present the 2025 budget. They also demanded that he submit nominees for commissioner and other appointments, insisting that those currently serving in the cabinet lacked legal backing.

Additionally, they summoned the chairman and commissioners of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission to appear before them on Monday.

However, the requests were ignored, as Commissioner for Information, Joseph Johnson, stated that the government was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment before taking action.

The CTC was eventually released on Thursday evening and widely published in national dailies on Friday.

In a bid to establish a relationship and woo the lawmakers, the SSG, Danagogo, wrote a letter addressed to the Speaker, Amaewhule, on Sunday, titled, “Meeting between the Governor of the Rivers State and the Honourable Members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.”

Danagogo stated in the letter that the meeting became necessary following the governor’s receipt of the CTC of the Supreme Court judgment.

The letter said the discussion would centre on the provision of a space for the lawmakers to be sitting, presentation of the 2025 budget, among others.

The statement read, “I hereby write in furtherance of His Excellency’s promise stated in my letter dated 5 March 2025 to notify you that His Excellency has received the Supreme Court judgment, and has, therefore, directed me to invite you and your colleagues – the honourable members of Rivers State House of Assembly, to a meeting to discuss:

“Provision of a befitting space for the Assembly’s sittings, payment of all outstanding remuneration or allowances of the Honourable members;

“Presentation of budget and sundry matters. Any other matter(s), as may be necessary, to chart the way forward in the best interest of the state.

“Sequel to the above, I hereby humbly invite the Rt. Hon. Speaker, and all the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to a meeting with the Governor as follows”

The invitation of the lawmakers by the governor came as the 72-hour ultimatum given to the RSIEC chairman to appear before the House expires today.

Amaewhule had, during plenary on Friday, said the Assembly had taken legislative notice of Fubara’s failure to forward names of his commissioner nominees to the House for screening.

Efforts to reach the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Johnson, failed as his mobile line was not connecting as of the time of filing this report.

APC hails invitation

The development was hailed by the Chief Tony Okocha-led All Progressives Congress and the Emeka Beke-led faction, loyal to former Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi.

The Okocha faction, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, described Fubara’s invitation to the lawmakers as a welcome development.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Chibuike Ikenga, disclosed this during a telephone chat with our correspondent on Sunday.

Ikenga expressed the hope that the move would lead to a resolution of the crisis between the two arms of government in the state.

He stated, “Our position as a party is to the effect that whatever will bring lasting peace to Rivers State is what we support.

“And the two sides, the executive and the legislature, should make all these overtures to engender confidence building which of course will lead to a final resolution of this crisis.

“The Supreme Court had already put a nail on it, but interpersonal relationships between the leaders of the two arms of government are encouraged. There are overtures expected from the two sides which have quarrelled for close to two years.

“That the Rivers State House of Assembly had written letters to the governor and the governor has also responded and the governor has written, inviting them as part of the follow-up of the earlier letter, we welcome all these processes and procedures that will lead to final resolution.”

Also, the Chief of Staff to the Beke-led APC, Chizi Entire, described the development as a win-win situation.

He commended the governor for keeping to his promise of implementing the Supreme Court judgment.

“The letter written by the governor to the Assembly shows that he is a man who believes in the rule of law and who can also maintain his stand and do what he says. This is the first move to ensure orderliness in the state. The governor sees that the people matter and not him.

“So making peace with the lawmakers is the best thing he can achieve for now. When it is achieved, I think the state will move forward.

“The Supreme Court has recognised the Martin Amaewhule-led House of Assembly and the governor does not have any option but to obey the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“It is a win-win. Nobody is a loser and nobody is a winner,” he said.

Ex-LG chairs

Former chairmen of Ijaw-dominated local government areas in Rivers State have condemned threats by non-state actors over the political crisis in the state.

Some groups had threatened to disrupt oil production and cause a crisis in the state if Fubara was impeached.

The former campaign coordinators for Fubara in their various local government areas called on the police, the Department of State Security and other security agencies to enforce the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interest of the people.

The former members of the Association of Local Government Nigeria said Fubara failed to take the opportunity offered to him by the presidential intervention to end the crisis.

The Ijaw leaders, who said they remained the substantive chairmen of their local government areas, following their aborted tenure extension, said they heaved a sigh of relief that the Supreme Court had ended the crisis.

“Unfortunately, our attention was drawn to both subtle and frontal threats to the government, instigated by some individuals and organisations, who ostensibly are beneficiaries of the crises.

“It’s even worse that they use the Ijaw identity to fuel the embers of violence and intimidation against the Federal Government.

“In this category are organisations such as the Ijaw National Congress and some renegades of the Ijaw Youth Council.

“These organisations stated publicly that the Ijaws will resort to violence against critical national oil infrastructure if Governor Fubara is impeached.

“This implies that these pro-Ijaw ethnic organisations have not read the Supreme Court judgment they so condemn,” the LG chairmen said.

The statement was signed by Daniel O. Daniel, Abua/Odual; Dr Rowland C. Sekibo, Akuku Toru; Dr Erastus C. Awortu, Andoni; Onengiye George, Asari Toru; Michael John Williams, Degema; Chief Vincent Nemioboka, Ogu Bolo; Akuro Tobin, Okrika; Tamunotonye Douglas, Vice-Chairman, Port Harcourt City and Ubile Jack, Vice-Chairman, Ahoada West.

They said: “We condemn those empty threats and urge the Federal Government and Nigerians to disregard such comments which project the Ijaws in a bad light.

“Moreso, it is a fact that these threats attack the sensitivity of people from other ethnic groups in Rivers State who also voted for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

“We have also seen videos and press statements of supposed stakeholders, including Prof Benjamin Okaba, Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo threatening the energy security of the Nigerian state if attempts at implementation of the judgment lead to the impeachment of the governor.”

The ex-LG chairmen queried: “Did the judgment call for Fubara’s impeachment? The simple answer is no. Where were these persons who claimed to be fighting the so-called Ijaw fight when the governor truncated the tenure and seized the allocation of the LGAs including those of us who are fellow Ijaws?

“Where were they when he stopped the salaries of the Assembly members and even made conscious attempts to use the courts to impeach them, including 10 Ijaw sons? They were all unconcerned because they were benefitting from the crisis and are not ready to stop benefitting from it.”

The ex-council bosses assured Nigerians that they would mobilise the support base to protect oil installations situated in their respective communities.

“We call on Governor Fubara to obey and ensure the full compliance with the decisions of the Supreme Court.

“As everybody is aware, impeachment is a profound constitutional prescription to penalise any erring governor or president in a presidential system of government.

“The Ijaws should at this point ensure that their beloved son does not carry out any act that will necessitate the deployment of this constitutionally approved procedure to check his excesses,” the statement read.

[Punch]

A major political milestone, the June 12, 1993 presidential election which has led to ‘Democracy Day’ in Nigeria, might not have occurred. That is if five years earlier some personnel of the Nigeria Air Force Base in Lagos had succeeded in murdering the eventual winner of that election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola.

Abiola, then regarded as the richest man in the country, was extremely powerful with personal friends like then head of the military junta, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida. But despite these and his immense international status, Abiola in the eyes of the military was no more than a ‘ bloody civilian’ as some soldiers derogatorily refer to non-military personnel.

His near-death encounter was on Monday, January 25, 1988, right inside his palatial home. That day some soldiers had gone on rampage in Lagos over a traffic accident. In the ensuring commotion, Ayodeji Abiola, Chief Abiola’s second son, had a minor traffic accident with a vehicle driven by Air Force Corporal M. Danjuma. Apparently, this issue was not properly resolved before Abiola’s son left the scene.

The Air Force personnel trailed the latter to his father’s house, and armed reinforcements were brought who opened fire. One of the bullets narrowly missed Chief Abiola. The business mogul took the matter up with the military authorities.

Air Vice Marshall Nura Imam who was the Air Officer Commanding, Logistics Command, Ikeja and a member of the then Armed Forces Ruling Council, waved off the incident as a non-issue. The media reported him as saying that Abiola should know that the Air Force personnel were “mad dogs”.

On Thursday, March 6, 2025, that is 37 years after the Abiola incidence, gallant officers and men from the same barracks, now named Sam Ethnan Barracks, were on similar operational duties in Lagos.

The enemies identified were not terrorists, bandits, kidnappers or even criminals. The targets were the management and staff of the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company. The two enemy locations were the company’s corporate headquarters in Ikeja and its Oshodi Business Unit Office.

The NAF assault team allegedly led by a woman, was conveyed in a military truck, two OP-MESA vehicles, and other vehicles.

They condoned off the roads leading to the headquarters, scaled the fence and, commenced their operation which lasted one and a half hours. One of the staff, Michael Sani, was approaching the gate when he noticed something was amiss. He ran into the police station nearby; the NAF commandos entered the station, seized and brought him into the premises.

The first group the military contingent encountered were journalists in a bus parked in the premises who were scheduled to attend a solar unveiling project in Adiyan, Ogun State. This fortuitous presence of journalists obliged the public first-hand accounts of the military operation.

Some of the journalists were swiftly captured and their ‘dangerous weapons’ such as mobile phones, tripod, memory card and power bank, were confiscated . These prisoners of war, POWs, were told they were liable to being shot if they uttered a word.

It did not matter if these were journalists on routine duty or whether some of the victims were just customers of the company. As Babangida wrote in his journey in self-service memoirs: “In the military mind-set, there are only two types of people: enemies or friends. Our political opponents were, therefore, primarily ‘enemy forces’ before they were fellow Nigerians.” To the Air Force fighters, they were on enemy territory; so, all souls found therein were enemies and had to be treated as such.

It is not for nothing that when the Nigerian military enters a town, whether it is Odi, Zaki-Biam, Ugep or Okuoma, living things in them are regarded as enemies and, therefore, legitimate targets.

In the Lagos operation, the air men destroyed property, including CCTV cameras, computers and electricity equipment.

The staff and civilians captured, who included women, said they were so badly beaten with plastic rods that they could not even stand up. Some were repeatedly trampled upon with military boots as they laid unarmed on the ground. The captured electricity staff were taken to the NAF military base in Oshodi where they were tortured in the open field under the hot sun.

The NAF team apparently had no respect for the Geneva Convention on the rights and protection of POWs from physical and mental torture. The NAF troops also ‘liberated’ the money in the pockets of their adversaries and made a cache of mobile phones which might have been ‘privatised’.

The cause of this conflict was the disconnection of the barracks from power supply for allegedly being indebted to the tune of N4.3 billion. The barracks gave the electricity company 48 hours within which to restore power which the latter failed to do.

Rather than resort to legal or constitutional means, the NAF commanders took matters into their hands leading to the invasion. It is clear that despite 25 years of civil rule, many in the military still have the mentality that they are superior to civil laws and cannot live by constitutional precepts.

It will be easy to bring the Lagos invaders to book because there are video footages. In any case, since the military is said to be a disciplined force, someone must have given the orders to turn the troops out.

If this government is serious about the rule of law and social justice, it can order the immediate detention, investigation and subsequent trial of those who took part in the lawlessness and criminality.

Also, were we in a disciplined, accountable or civilized country where the rule of law rather than impunity reigns, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Hassan Bala Abubakar, would have apologised to the country and tendered his resignation.

In the absence of the above, groups and individuals can take up the matter. For instance, the brutalised journalists, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, can ensure justice is done. The brutalised electricity staff, their trade unions can equally take up the case. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, can also back up the NUJ and unions for action that would force the hands of government and ensure that the bullies and torturers from the barracks are brought to justice.

The electricity company itself needs to recover its losses by making the Sam Ethnan Barracks pay for damages. I am sure if it picks up the courage to do so, there will be many lawyers willing to offer their services.

We cannot hope to build a nation where peace and justice reign if we do not have the courage to rein in people imbued with a sense of entitlement and immunity from criminal liability.

Eniola Bolaji has won gold medal in the women’s SL3 category of the Spanish para-badminton International 2025.

The 19-year-old defeated Ukraine’s Oksana Kozyna 2-0 in the event’s final on Sunday in Victoria, Spain.

Bolaji easily won both sets with identical 21-15 scorelines in the one-sided final, which lasted only 29 minutes.

The victory was the teenager’s second international tournament triumph in just two months.

She had also won a gold medal at the global para-badminton championship held in Cairo, Egypt, at the end of January.

Over the past two years, Bolaji has participated in 11 international championships, winning all of them.

Team Nigeria had six representatives at the Spanish para-badminton tourney level 2. The list included Okoro Chinyere Lucky, Chukwuemeka Ijeoma Gift, Eze Chukwuebuka Sunday, Nnanna Chigozie Jeremiah and Bolaji

Following their outing in Victoria, Bolaji, alongside Jeremiah and Eze, will head to Toledo, Madrid, for the more prestigious Spanish International level one para-badminton championship scheduled from March 12 to 16.

One very well reasoned appointment into a very critical government department in recent years, is bound to be the “conscription” of Sonny Togo Echono to the leadership of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, (TETFUND). The last five years of his most eventful public service career were spent as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education. On a daily basis, he engaged with Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, owned by the federal government. Added together, we are speaking here of well over 100 such institutions, with the federal government hosting this tripod of institutions, universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, in most of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT). Echono’s office distilled the needs of these citadels of knowledge and activated the bureaucracy of the ministry to tend to their operational requirements.

Following his retirement from service early 2022, Echono momentarily reclined into his couch to savour desired rest and rejuvenation after a racy and most eventful career. Before his last port of call in the Federal Ministry of Education, Echono’s career which began as an architect with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing in 1987, had taken him through several key Ministries, Departments and Agencies, (MDAs), availing him multisectoral experiential rootedness across the public service. He had served variously in the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit, (BMPIU), and the ministries of Defence; Water Resources; Environment; Agriculture and Power. He had therefore planned to shuttle between his address in Nigeria’s capital city and his countryside abode in the Idoma heartland in Benue State, which he cherishes dearly.

Duty, however, beckoned within weeks of his retirement. Echono, seasoned architect, experienced public servant, consummate patriot, was appointed Executive Secretary of TETFUND. He formally assumed office on March 18, 2022. The scheme was established by the federal government in 2011, with the primary responsibility of disbursing, managing and monitoring the deployment of education tax remitted to government-owned tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Public tertiary institutions were hitherto poorly funded. This situation, expectedly, had very negative impact on knowledge dissemination, periodically engendering unrest in the institutions. TETFUND is supervised by the Federal Ministry of Education, Echono’s last official post. This naturally has ensured smooth and seamless collaboration between the parent ministry and its parastatal, since the onset of the Echono dispensation.

Three years into his five-year stewardship, Echono continues to chalk up milestones for the organisation. It was not going to be “business as usual” under his watch so he began with desirable “housekeeping” by addressing the work ethic in TETFUND. Previously perceived as a “cash cow,” entrenched interests had constituted themselves into a cabal which determined the award of contracts to predetermined interests. There were also murmurs and talks about stealing and underhand dealings which cast the organisation in bad light in the public sphere. Steeped and stewed in the ethos of due process and public procurement, Echono moved speedily to bring his imprimatur to bear on the workings of the organisation. He has since striven, gradually and unobtrusively, to straighten the administration of TETFUND and realign its operations with its core mandate.

Such revolutionary novelties in an organisation previously steeped and stuck in its ways were not going to make new friends for Echono. Fifth columnists in the system and their external collaborators, periodically engineered phoney petitions to anti-graft agencies, notably the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, (ICPC). They equally generated submissions to the nation’s parliament contending in one particular instance, that an accumulated allocation of over N2 Trillion to TETFUND over the years, could not be accounted for! The ever calm Echono has always responded to such claims and invitations to clarify the issues with impeccable documents and records. These have serially deflated the schemes and mischief of faceless rabble rousers.

Sonny Echono’s regime has brought a fresh air of activism into the endeavours of TETFUND. The federal government has also continued to reaffirm its faith in the establishment via regular upward reviews of its budgetary allocations. TETFUND continues to renew, or open fresh, possibilities for collaboration between it and a plethora of organisations. Callers at the Abuja headquarters of the organisation over time, have included the Senate and House Committees on Tertiary Institutions. Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and his Cross River State counterpart, Bassey Otu, have also visited TETFUND seeking partnership. Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa has also been a guest of Echono’s TETFUND. Musa exercises oversight over the Nigerian army, navy and airforce. Over the years, the military has continued to reinvent its training institutions many of which are degree awarding citadels today. Musa believes there are areas of potential cooperation between the military and TETFUND, and has begun a conversation around this. The Federal Road Safety Corps, (FRSC), recently followed the precedence of the military, when its Corps Marshal, Shehu Mohammed, led a team to TETFUND. The FRSC canvassed support for its training institutions to enhance the capacity and professionalism of road safety personnel across the country.

Simultaneously, Echono is regularly on the road with his own officials, knocking on doors of MDAs whose partnership can strengthen the enterprise of TETFUND. Among several others, he has in recent months, led delegations to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), and the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, (NEITI). Echono is equally a much sought-after speaker these days at university convocation lectures and similar public engagements. These have availed him the platform to address burning issues in Nigeria’s all-important educational sector. Echono’s Convocation Lecture at the Federal University of Technology, (FUTO), Owerri, Imo State, last December, was titled *Impact of Leadership Selection on Governance in Public Universities in Nigeria.* At a similar event at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State last January, Echono spoke on *TETFUND and Educational Development in Nigeria: The History, the Treasures and the Future.*

Echono addressed the subject *University Autonomy and the Challenge of Quality Tertiary Education in Nigeria,* at the Convocation ceremony of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, in February. He has deployed these speaking opportunities to address issues of inadequate funding in tertiary institutions, and to restate the imperative of the payment of tuition fees in public universities. This, he has regularly maintained is crucial to support that critical level of the educational hierarchy. Echono has canvassed synergy between institutions in the areas of research, innovation, alumni obligations and student exchange to broaden the worldview of young scholars. He has equally admonished on the inescapability of full autonomy in public universities, if educational standards must improve and be sustained. The acquisition of quality literacy never comes cheap, he has consistently maintained.

Elsewhere, Echono has decried the penchant of many Nigerians who were sponsored abroad on public resources, but refusing to return home to contribute to national development. Many such nationals opt to stay back in foreign lands, against the spirit of their scholarships. Echono regards this as a dimension of the pervading *japa* syndrome, the abscondment abroad of Nigerians fleeing excruciating socioeconomic conditions at home. Last November, TETFUND under Echono stopped government funding for intending foreign students. This should mitigate the double-sided loss of the country’s fiscal and human resources, respectively. At an August 2024 *Conference on Digital Pedagogy and Fundable Research Writing,* Echono criticised the arbitrary upgrading of Colleges of Education into Universities of Education, by governments at various levels. His contention is that the country remains in short supply of teachers and instructors at the foundational level of education.

Sonny Echono has also criticised the continuing politicisation and corruption inherent in the appointment of Vice Chancellors in Nigerian universities. In one of his public presentations, he abhorred political interference and financial inducement in leadership selection processes in our universities. These factors he observed are combining to erode the sanctity of the hallowed university system. Echono expressed worry about the fact that competition for appointment into principal offices in universities has become a lucrative venture which has made members of governing councils prone to fiscal inducement. Echono has received several awards through the years including that of the national honour of *Officer of the Order of the Niger, (OON).* He has demonstrably distinguished himself beyond the the half line of his present assignment. He can be trusted and should be continually supported to consolidate on his legacies in the years to come.

Olusunle, PhD, Fellow of the Association of Nigerian Authors, (FANA), is an Adjunct Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Abuja

1. There was a fire outbreak early this morning in a temporary building in the premises of Geometric Power, Nigeria's foremost integrated power company, located in the Osisioma Industrial Layout, Aba, Abia State. The building was used by a defunct South African electricity firm known as Group 5 during the construction of facilities in the integrated power company and has been of little use in over 12 years.
2. Though the cause of the fire has yet to be determined, it was contained by the Geometric Power staff before the arrival of the Abia State Fire Service which responded promptly to the emergency call.
3. Geometric Power management commends its staff members for their vigilance and gallant efforts in containing the fire and the Abia State Fire Service for its swift response and professionalism.
4. The management also appreciates members of the public for their concern and support.
5. Geometric Power assures the public of their commitment to work assiduously for constant, quality and affordable electricity in the Aba Power Ring-fenced Area and elsewhere for the rapid socioeconomic progress of the Nigerian nation.

Signed
Management.

Transnational Corporation Plc (“Transcorp” or the “Group”), Nigeria’s leading listed conglomerate has announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2024.

Consistent with its results track record, the Group sustained its strong growth trajectory across its financial indicators, reinforcing its market leadership and strategic positioning.

In its audited results, Transcorp reported significant year-on-year growth, with a revenue of N408 billion as at December 31, 2024, representing a 107% increase over the revenue of N197 billion in the previous year.

Highlights of Transcorp Group Results:

• FY 2024 Revenue increased by 107%, rising to N408 billion from N197billion of 2023.
• Profit before Tax grew by 132% to N7 billion, compared to N58.8 billion in the previous year.
• Profit after Tax improved 188% year-on-year to N1 billion in 2024, from N32.6 billion in the same period last year.
• Operating Income grew by 83%, to N0 billion in 2024, up from N81.4 billion in the corresponding period in 2023.
• Operating Expenses saw an increase of 105% year on year, to N8 billion in 2024, reflecting the impact of inflation and strategic investments in operational capacity.
• Net Finance Cost decreased by 45% to N4 billion, owing to the complete repayment of foreign currency loans.
• The Group’s Gearing Ratio reduced to 21% from 32% showing positive financial leverage.
• Earnings per share of the Group were N45 compared to N0.40 in 2023.
• Total assets expanded by 42%, increasing from N9billion in December 2023 to N751.6 billion at the end of 2024.
• Shareholders’ Funds grew by 45%, from N3 billion in December 2023 to N271.7 billion by year-end, supported by profit accretion to retained earnings.
• Declared N10.1 billion full year dividend, representing N1.00 per ordinary share in 2024.

Speaking on the results, Dr. (Mrs) Owen D. Omogiafo, President/Group Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp, commented, "Our 2024 financial performance reflects the sustainable value creation strategy of Transcorp Group. We have been able to consistently record impressive growth across all indices year on year, despite the challenging macroeconomic environment. In the sectors we operate, we have delivered consistent growth by leveraging operational efficiency, strategic investments, and an uncompromising focus on value creation for our shareholders. Looking ahead, we will deepen our growth trajectory by seizing emerging opportunities, and strengthen our position across Nigeria’s power, hospitality, and energy sectors, even as we consider more sectors that take us closer to our purpose of improving lives and transforming Africa.”

Transcorp is dedicated to its transformation agenda, emphasizing sustained growth and a relentless pursuit of long-term value for shareholders.

About Transnational Corporation

Transnational Corporation Plc (“Transcorp Group”) is one of Africa’s leading, listed conglomerates, with strategic investments in the power, hospitality, and energy sectors, driven by its mission to improve lives and transform Africa.

Transcorp’s power businesses - Transcorp Power Plc. and TransAfam Power Limited – provide approximately 20% of Nigeria’s installed power capacity.

Transcorp is committed to developing Nigeria’s domestic energy value chain, through its investments in OPL28 and its renewable energy drive through Transcorp Energy Limited. The Group’s hospitality business, Transcorp Hotels Plc, owns the iconic Transcorp Hilton Abuja, Nigeria’s flagship hospitality destination.