The Nigerian Navy has announced the establishment of a special operations command in Makurdi to complement the efforts of sister agencies to improve security in the Middle Belt region.

The chief of policy and plans (navy), Rear Adm. Ibrahim Dewu, made this known during a news conference on the activities lined up to commemorate the 69th anniversary celebrations of the navy on Monday in Abuja.

He said the decision was in line with the navy’s Total Spectrum Maritime Strategy, which delineates its areas of operations from backwaters through the exclusive economic zone, up to the out-of-area and land-based operations.

Mr Dewu said the command will be on the north bank of the River Benue and encompasses many special operations personnel, like the Navy Marines, Special Boat Service (SBS) and the Blue Sea Operations.

“Now, what we need in the Nigerian Navy Marines is that the current situation has brought us to operate with our sister services on land.

“The Nigerian Navy, as it is, will need to have trained personnel that will operate side by side with the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force.

The National Senior Secondary Education Commission (NSSEC) has flagged off its 2025 Quality Assurance Monitoring and Evaluation exercise for senior secondary schools in Nigeria.

Speaking at the flag-off on Monday at the Federal Government College (FGC), Malali, Kaduna, the commission’s executive secretary, Iyela Ajayi, said the initiative aimed to assess and improve the quality of education in secondary schools nationwide.

Mr Ajayi said President Bola Tinubu’s unwavering commitment to the Nigerian people recognised the critical role of education in achieving collective aspirations.

“We are committed to ensuring that every senior secondary school in the country provides a conducive learning environment that fosters academic excellence, critical thinking, and the development of well-rounded individuals,” he said.

He noted that the commission had since developed the National Minimum Standards for Senior Secondary Education in Nigeria, which served as a benchmark for schools nationwide.

Mr Ajayi recalled that the documents were approved at the 68th National Council of Education between October 7 and October 10, 2024, and launched by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, in February.

“Copies of the minimum standards were distributed to the state delegates at the launch for implementation in the various states.

“The implementation is expected to be done within nine months, after which the commission will start the process of enforcement of the minimum standards,” he said.

The secretary said the exercise was aimed at achieving desired learning outcomes through monitoring and evaluation, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and setting clear benchmarks for accountability and improvement.

“The programme promotes best practices, empowers educators with constructive feedback and support, and enhances their skills to elevate teaching quality and learners’ outcomes,” he said.

Earlier, the state commissioner for education, Muhammad Bello, expressed delight that Kaduna State was chosen as the sole state for the flag-off of the 2025 monitoring exercise.

Mr Bello, represented by director, Kaduna State Schools Quality Assurance Authority (KSSQAA), Usman Zaria, noted that monitoring and evaluation of schools remained a missing link.

Though he emphasised that the government had continued to invest billions of naira in the state’s education sector, he said there had been a missing aspect of monitoring and evaluation of the schools.

Mr Bello assured of the state government’s support for the NSSEC’s initiatives in the state.

Women from the Nissi, Kapam, and Rido communities protested on Monday at the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) over alleged chemical pollution that has reportedly affected their health, farmland, and livelihoods.

The protesters, who gathered at the refinery as early as 6:00 a.m., accused the company of allegedly releasing a harmful chemical in August 2024, which they claim led to widespread illness, destruction of crops, and the death of livestock.

Juliana Abrak, the Nissi community women’s leader, said the chemical emission had rendered farming activities impossible and left many residents sick and hungry.

“We are suffering. There is no food, and we have to go elsewhere in search of something to eat. We have fertile land, but we are too afraid to farm,” she lamented.

She also criticised the company’s alleged failure to engage with the protesters, despite their presence at the premises since 5:00 a.m.

Kelita Yaguda, a resident of Kapam, recounted her experience with the suspected chemical exposure.

“They took some of us to the hospital but only gave us paracetamol and ulcer medication. They promised to treat us for a week but only attended to a few people for two days,” she said.

Ms Yaguda added that no medical tests were carried out, and the community has been left to manage ongoing health issues and worsening food insecurity.

“Some of our children have even resorted to stealing out of hunger. We are more than 500 people, yet fewer than 50 received any form of assistance,” she added.

Lydia Moses, the women’s leader from Kapam, said KRPC officials had repeatedly claimed authorities in Abuja would provide compensation, but no support had materialised.

“They came in December, documented the damage, and promised a response within two weeks. It’s now May, and nothing has been done. Our crops have failed, our livestock have died, and some women have even suffered miscarriages,” she said.

The women called on both KRPC and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd to take urgent action to address their health concerns and to compensate affected families.

At the time of this report, KRPC officials had yet to respond to the protesters.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya has warned intending pilgrims to the 2025 Hajj from the state against acts capable of denting the country’s image.

Mr Yahaya gave the warning while bidding farewell to the intending pilgrims on Sunday in Gombe.

The governor urged them to stay away from unscrupulous and unpatriotic fellows who engage in drug peddling.

According to him, the penalty for engaging in illicit drugs in Saudi Arabia is death, and anyone caught will not escape the penalty.

The governor also cautioned the pilgrims to beware of being used as a conduit pipe for any illicit trade without their knowledge, adding that Saudi Arabia holds strict laws against drug trafficking.

He said carrying any forms of illicit drugs would tarnish the image of the state and the country, and urged them to be good ambassadors.

“I call on you not to engage in any illegal act that would tarnish your image and that of our dear state and country.

“Anybody caught carrying prohibited items, especially narcotic drugs whose penalty in Saudi Arabia is death, should have himself or herself to blame.

“You should therefore be extra careful not to be dragged into such tragedy by unscrupulous and unpatriotic individuals”, he said.

Mr Yahaya also urged them to demonstrate a sense of patriotism by obeying constituted authorities and adhering to the laid-down procedures.

He cautioned that anyone who engages in unruly behaviour would be sanctioned appropriately.

The governor urged the officials of the state’s Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board to perform their duties with diligence and dedication and to pay “maximum” attention to the pilgrims entrusted to their care.

The executive secretary of the state Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Saadu Hassan, said 957 intending pilgrims will be performing the Hajj.

Mr Hassan said that the first batch that would be transported on Monday will be 512, and the final batch of 445 would leave on Tuesday.

The Emir of Dukku, Haruna Rashid II, the pilgrims’ board chairman in his remarks, lauded Yahaya for his support, which made the Hajj process 2025 seamless for the state’s intending pilgrims.

The police command in Anambra has recovered a shuttle bus snatched by suspected armed robbers at Nkwelle, Oyi LGA, on Saturday.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday.

The bus belongs to the Transport Company of Anambra State.

According to the statement, operatives attached to the Obosi Divisional Station on Saturday recovered a stolen shuttle bus with Registration Number: AGU 651 ZL at Nkwelle.

It explained that the operatives swung into action following a distress call by the driver to the control room of the police command in Anambra.

The command said that the suspects, a five-person armed gang, disguised themselves as passengers and dispossessed the driver of N20,000 and the shuttle bus.

“Consequently, the operatives acted swiftly and alerted the necessary security checkpoints to deny the criminals access to escape. (This) forced the hoodlums to abandon the vehicle at Slaughter Junction, in Nkwelle and fled through a nearby bush,” he said.

The command said security patrols had been intensified to enhance safety and nip the fleeing suspects of possible arrest.

How to crown an impostor
For three years, Traoré’s stock has risen amid algorithmic populism expressed in languages he neither understands nor speaks.

Azu Ishiekwene • May 19, 2025
Burkina Faso’s military ruler Ibrahim Traore
Burkina Faso’s military ruler Ibrahim Traore[Credit: Reuters]
Burkinabe leader Ibrahim Traoré is acting like a rock star. It’s not entirely his fault. He’s receiving a lot of help from dozens of social media users, especially TikTokers, who are desperate to anoint him as the best thing to come out of Burkina Faso since Thomas Sankara.
Traoré must be enjoying it, because even though he is pretending, he knows he’s not Sankara. He is an opportunist, happy to capitalise on the current frustration in his country and the Sahel for his benefit.

A recent report by The Africa Report summarised Traoré’s fictional character.

“In dozens of viral TikTok edits, Traoré leads imaginary armies, topples Western empires and is hailed as the ‘new Thomas Sankara’. The captions, bold and uncompromising, include ‘Africa’s Messiah!’ ‘The People’s Captain!’ and ‘France Must Fall’.”

Traorephytes even invent videos of Rihanna and R Kelly (imprisoned since 2021) serenading the Burkinabe leader with hit songs.

Fairytale
If he were an elected president, Traoré would have served three years of his first term. When he overthrew the government of President Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba in September 2022 due to the rise in Islamic insurgency, and announced himself as head of the new Patriotic Movement for Safeguard and Restoration (PMSR), he promised to hand over power back to civilians in two years – that was in 2024. He hasn’t said a word about any possible new date since, and if you have seen him recently, you would know why.

Apart from the adulation he has enjoyed as a social media fairytale, and dressing the part in stylish fatigues and matching neck scarves, berets, and boots, he has also talked the part.

He rallied support by giving speeches —not as many or as eloquently as he has been credited with —against Western imperialism and colonialism, vowing to create conditions at home to stem youth migration and tackle insurgency. Traoré has portrayed himself as the new face of the African Renaissance. But talk is cheap.

Traoré and the other delinquents
He has been in good company. The turmoil in West and Central Africa, which began in Chad, Mali, and Guinea, and later spread to Niger, has disrupted security and trade in the subregion, rupturing the 49-year-old Economic Community of West African States. Burkina Faso experienced two coups in a single year. After breaking out of ECOWAS, Traoré and his fellow delinquents in the Sahel have pursued a singular mission of cutting off the noses of their Sahelian francophone ties to spite the faces of French business and political interests.

To be fair, it’s a moment of reckoning for decades of brazen French insensitivity, compounded by President Emmanuel Macron’s lack of charity when he described the relationship between France and Francophone West Africa as “part of a civilising obligation.” Which was self-interested nonsense.

Trouble speaking French
France has accumulated a notoriously poor record on the continent that it can hardly be proud of. In Niger, for example, Tom Burgis writes in his book, The Looting Machine, that French state-owned atomic energy group Areva’s profit from uranium is twice Niger’s GDP. The shameful French footprint is the same in Burkina Faso and throughout the region.

Fourteen Francophone countries, including the troubled ones – Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Chad – hold 50 percent of their reserves in the French Treasury.

This arrangement has been widely criticised, but if shame is in the French dictionary, it doesn’t exist in the Macron version.

It is this background of despair and frustration, especially among the continent’s youths, that has fostered fairytale messiahs like Traoré, who have managed to replace French hegemony with a mix of fussy state control and Russian suzerainty, with the Chinese just around the corner.

If it’s not Sankara…
Traoré is not Sankara, a fact that may be lost on Burkina Faso’s predominantly young population, as well as millennials and Gen Zs across the continent, whose forlorn search for role models tempts them to canonise an impostor. Of course, both are soldiers, similar in age and rank and usurpers of constitutional rule. But that’s where the similarity ends.

Like the demagogues before him, Traoré and significant sections of the military and political elite from Maurice Yameogo to Blaise Compaore have been complicit in the misery of their citizens, feeding them instead on a diet of pseudo-ideological jingoism and Western bashing, but offering no genuine alternative. Africa —anglophone, francophone, or lusophone —shares a similar heritage of exploitation; a few of its people, especially the political elite after independence, collaborated with the colonialists to compound the problem.

Hard to beat
Where Traoré is trading French hegemony for Russian control, for example, Sankara offered something different. In Burkina Faso: A History of Power, Protest and Revolution, Ernest Harsch said of Sankara, “In a conscious effort at nation-building, the revolutionary government also promoted a new national identity…that revolutionary project succeeded in altering the contours of the state and social and political life.”

Whereas Sankara attempted to forge a proudly African identity, deepening regional integration among ECOWAS countries, Traoré and his cohorts have, by exiting, put at risk the estimated $596.42 billion in trade within the community, excluding informal trade among citizens, which constitutes 30 per cent of the transactions, not to mention the impact on regional collaboration on security.

Sankara pursued radical economic self-sufficiency, agrarian reform, and social justice by outlawing female genital mutilation and promoting women’s rights. He rejected foreign aid, regardless of its source, even if it came without strings attached, something Traoré would be happy to overlook if it came from Russia.

What matters
I get it. With jihadists controlling about 40 per cent of the country’s territory (it’s the most terrorised country), and climate shocks compounding its misery, the challenges are as different as are the times. That is why what Traoré needs now is not clout-chasing or AI propaganda by Russian-backed Wagner, but sober-minded commitment to turn around the fortunes of his country, one step at a time.

For three years, Traoré’s stock has risen amid algorithmic populism expressed in languages he neither understands nor speaks, with minimal institutional reforms, if any, and no prospects or commitment to return the country to civilian rule.

“His rhetoric,” The Africa Report said, “still falls short of real, measurable improvements in security and civic freedoms. There’s a gap between his message and the reality on the ground, something that will ultimately test his legitimacy and legacy.”

That’s not what the netizens want to hear. But in the end, that’s what matters.

Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the book Writing for Media and Monetising It.

The Sokoto government is strengthening its communication strategies and response mechanisms to better prepare for and mitigate potential flooding.

This includes improved early warning systems, proactive flood risk management, and strengthened collaboration between government agencies and local communities.

The commissioner for water resources, Aminu Abdullahi, said this on Monday in Sokoto.

Mr Abdullahi said the government was aware of the forecasts of the 2025 Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigerian Hydrological Agency.

He said a stakeholders’ meeting was convened comprising the commissioner for environment and others from other relevant agencies and security organisations on the forecast.

Mr Abdullahi added that local government authorities, traditional institutions, farmers’ groups and other stakeholders were properly briefed on the strategies for circulation to people at different levels.

Also, Abubakar Umar, the head of NIHSA in Sokoto, said the agency plans to work with the state ministry of environment, water resources and agriculture to ensure seamless coordination.

Mr Umar said that Nigeria experienced flooding in 2012 and 2018, while similar incidents were closely replicated in 2022 with high rainfall and flows from Sokoto and Bakalori rivers, which serve as a major source of flood in Sokoto state and environs.

”The 2025 predictions were disseminated with forecast of expected floods in some areas that comprised Goronyo, Tangaza, Sokoto North, Sokoto South, Rabah, Silame, Wamakko, Kebbe, Yabo and Shagari local government areas.

”In 2022, 32 states of the federation were affected by flood and no fewer than 66,622 persons, 6,136 houses and many farmlands were affected in Sokoto state,” he said.

The head of NiMET in Sokoto, Yawale Baba, said the agency ensures prompt dissemination of information on weather and associated climatic situations to the state and relevant agencies.

Mr Baba said the information was simplified in local languages and shared with relevant organisations to ensure the right attention and responses.

Fidelity Bank and CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe,
Fidelity Bank is scrambling to stave off a looming insolvency after a Supreme Court panel found the top lender liable in a years-long tort dispute with a little-known general services venture operating out of Ibadan, Peoples Gazette heard from people familiar with the situation.

The Lagos-based banking group has opened talks with lawyers representing Sagecom Concept Ltd to hammer out a repayment plan, but The Gazette understands that the urgency stipulated in the judgement could hamper the bank’s ability to spread out the N225 billion liability without going under.

“To be honest, this is the biggest crisis the bank has ever faced,” a top management official told The Gazette via video conference over the weekend. “The obligation is simply too big.”

“If the bank is miraculously spared, we would have the altruism of the small business that got this unprecedented judgement to appreciate,” the C-suite official added with precise candour under anonymity to discuss a development that has rattled the entire management.

The company’s stock closed at N20.80 per share on Friday. Overall, it’s up nearly 140 per cent this year. Whereas the bank declared N385 billion in profit before tax at the end of 2024, officials said it was largely driven by interests from loans that had since been rolled over, saying they were not uncertain about the inability of its balance sheet to absorb the massive judgement. No other institutions that could underwrite the damages have been identified as of Monday morning, the people added.

A person familiar with banking regulations said the Central Bank of Nigeria might ultimately intervene rather than oversee the collapse of a top-tier commercial lender during a fragile economic environment.

A bank spokesman declined to comment on the development. The bank’s lawyers in the matter, including senior practitioners Kanu Agabi and Onyechi Ikpeazu, did not return requests for comments.

The April 11, 2025, unanimous decision of five justices who heard the matter stemmed from a pair of loans obtained by engineering giant G. Cappa Plc from FSB International Bank in the early 2000s. The loans, recorded as $3 million and N100 million at the time, were executed before Fidelity Bank bought FSB International and its liabilities as part of the banking sector consolidation in 2005.

The cumulative facility was issued at prohibitive interest per annum, and Fidelity began seizing G. Cappa’s assets in Ikoyi and Ibadan that had been used to secure the deal when the company allegedly defaulted in 2005. G. Cappa sued at the time, and a federal judge in Lagos ordered Fidelity to desist from its aggressive depletion of G. Cappa’s assets, court documents said.

But Fidelity’s management failed to obey the court order, and instead listed the assets for sale to potential buyers, including Sagecom. Court documents said Sagecom, run by Bamidele Ogunkanmi and U.S.-based Nigerian Dakore Miriki, paid N350 million to buy some of the properties from Fidelity Bank, but the company quickly sought to recoup its payment after seeing a January 2006 disclaimer that said a court order had enjoined Fidelity from selling G. Cappa’s assets.

Lagos high court, CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe
Lagos high court, CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe
The matter was later remanded to the Lagos State High Court. After several years of litigation, during which the bank lost repeatedly, including at the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, the dispute wound up at the Supreme Court in 2018, leading to the final judgement last month.

“Apart from the mountain of evidence against it, allowing the appellant to escape liability as it so desperately seeks to do here would be tantamount to allowing it to benefit from its own wrong,” the Supreme Court said in its lead opinion by Justice Adamu Jauro. “The notorious principle of equity that a court ought not to allow a person to take advantage of his own wrong still remains part of our jurisprudence.”

The premium gist exclusively obtained the Supreme Court judgement, which had not been previously reported, after being informed that Fidelity Bank’s management was holding unusually long and frequent meetings lately.

Sagecom, represented by Muiz Banire and Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, successfully argued throughout the case that it suffered damages through Fidelity’s action because it borrowed the N350 million from FMCB to secure the troubled assets from Fidelity, enduring 19.5 per cent annual interest.

Fidelity lawyers argued that the bank was not responsible for the damages and blamed G. Cappa for collecting rents on the Lagos assets following the initial court injunction. But the Supreme Court justices said Fidelity must pay for its apparent decision to disregard a live injunctive relief from a federal court.

“At the heart of the matter lies the appellant’s somewhat egregious conduct in selling a property it knew was subject to a restraining court order,” the court said, adding that Fidelity deprived Sagecom of “the possession and the economic benefits of its purchase for many years.”

The justices were unsparing as to Fidelity management’s conduct at the early stages of the dispute, repeatedly stating throughout the judgement that the bank admitted that it received notice of the injunction that blocked it from selling G. Cappa’s assets but proceeded anyway.

“This was not mere negligence but a deliberate disregard for both the court’s authority (with the intention to undermine it) and the first respondent’s rights as an innocent purchaser,” Justice Jummai Hannatu Sankey said in her concurring opinion. “The law remains that parties to a suit must obey court orders whether or not they are correct.” The three other justices on the panel were Mohammed Lawal Garba, Moore Aseimo Ibrahim Adumein and Abubakar Saqid Umar.

The justices also said that one way Fidelity might have prevailed in its appeal was if the bank had argued that there had been a perversion or miscarriage of justice in the lower courts.

“The appellant has failed to demonstrate any perversity in the findings of the lower courts or any miscarriage of justice warranting this court’s intervention,” the court added.

Consequently, the Supreme Court upheld the damages as calculated by the Lagos high court and imposed against Fidelity in a June 20, 2011, judgement, which Fidelity appealed. The Lagos judge, whom the Supreme Court lauded for doing a good job on the case, had ordered Fidelity to pay accrued earnings for several flats over many years Sagecom was unable to take possession of the assets.

Following the Supreme Court judgement, Justice Olabisi Akinlade of the Lagos State High Court calculated damages due to Sagecom, finding that as of May 16, 2025, Fidelity Bank owed the firm $139,064,896.18. The court put the naira value at N225,285,131,812.38, using N1620 per dollar as of the close of business on May 15, 2025.

Officials said Fidelity planned to argue the calculation during a court hearing before Mrs Akinlade, scheduled for May 19 at 9:00 a.m. However, sources familiar with the matter said it was unlikely the calculation would change.

Mrs Akinlade, however, noted in a worksheet seen by The Gazette that “naira equivalent to be determined using the official exchange rate on the date of actual payment.”

Representatives for G. Cappa and Sagecom could not be reached for comments.

Fidelity Bank, led by its first female CEO Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, has consistently ranked among the biggest banks in Nigeria, often placed at number six for its massive asset base. Today’s opposition leader Peter Obi ran the bank in the early oughts, leaving as chairman to seek office as Anambra governor in 2003.

It has for years courted public dread as one of the financial institutions notorious for draconian loan practices, and a Lagos family recently blamed the bank’s management for the death of a real estate investor following a prolonged facility dispute.

The bank has maintained no wrongdoing, often blaming the central bank and other regulators for imposing virtually all loan conditions on commercial lenders nationwide. A CBN spokeswoman did not immediately return a request seeking comment.

One of the construction workers trapped under the rubble of the collapsed building at Idi Araba in the Mushin area of Lagos State has been recovered dead.

The one-storey building, which was under construction, came down around 3:30pm on Sunday.

The coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos Territorial Office, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed the development in a statement.

“So far, one person has been confirmed dead, while three others have been rescued alive.

“Search and rescue operations are ongoing continue,” he wrote.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Shakiru Amodu, also confirmed the death of the recovered victim

“Unfortunately, one adult male has been recovered dead,” he told our correspondent.

Director of the fire service agency, Margaret Adeseye, had, in a statement, explained that the building was under construction before the incident occurred.

Adeseye added that three male adults were rescued from the rubble and were receiving treatment.

The statement read, “A building under construction at the one-storey level suddenly collapsed at 96 Ishaga Road, opposite Idi Araba Central Mosque, Mushin, Lagos. The distress call was received at approximately 3:30 pm.

“Responding agencies included the Isolo Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps, the Lagos State Ambulance Service, and the Nigeria Police.

“Three adult males have been rescued alive with varying degrees of injury. They were attended to at the scene before being transferred to the hospital for further treatment by the Lagos State Ambulance Service.”

US President Donald Trump will hold a phone call with Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Monday as part of his long-running effort to end the war set off by Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Trump had vowed during the US election campaign to halt the conflict within a day of taking office, but his diplomatic efforts have so far yielded little progress.

Delegations from Russia and Ukraine held direct negotiations in Istanbul last week for the first time in almost three years, but the talks ended without a commitment to a ceasefire.

Both sides traded insults, with Ukraine accusing Moscow of sending a “dummy” delegation of low-ranking officials.

After the negotiations, Trump announced that he would speak by phone with the Russian president in a bid to end the “bloodbath” in Ukraine, which has destroyed large swathes of the country and displaced millions of people.

Trump also said he would speak to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and NATO officials, expressing hope that a “ceasefire will take place, and this very violent war… will end”.

Since taking office in January, Trump has repeatedly stressed that he wants to see an end to the conflict, and has recently backed calls for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

So far, he has mainly focused on upping the pressure on Ukraine and abstained from criticising Putin.

Both Moscow and Washington have previously stressed the need for a meeting on the conflict between Putin and Trump.

The US president has also argued that “nothing’s going to happen” on the conflict until he meets Putin face-to-face.

At the talks in Istanbul, which were also attended by US officials, Russia and Ukraine agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners each and trade ideas on a possible truce, but with no concrete commitment.

Ukraine’s top negotiator, Defence Minister Rustem Umerov, said that the “next step” would be a meeting between Putin and Zelensky.

Russia said it had taken note of the request.

“We consider it possible, but only as a result of the work and upon achieving certain results in the form of an agreement between the two sides,” the Kremlin’s spokesperson said.

Ukraine’s western allies have since accused Putin of deliberately ignoring calls for a ceasefire and pushed for fresh sanctions against Russia.

The leaders of Britain, France, Germany and Italy held a phone call with Trump on Sunday.

“Looking ahead to President Trump’s call with President Putin tomorrow, the leaders discussed the need for an unconditional ceasefire and for President Putin to take peace talks seriously,” said a spokesman for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“They also discussed the use of sanctions if Russia failed to engage seriously in a ceasefire and peace talks,” the spokesman said.

Zelensky also discussed possible sanctions with US Vice President JD Vance when they met after Pope Leo’s inaugural mass at the Vatican on Sunday.

“We discussed the talks in Istanbul, where the Russians sent a low-level delegation with no decision-making powers,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram following the meeting.

“We also touched on the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defence cooperation, the situation on the battlefield and the future exchange of prisoners.”

A senior Ukrainian official from the president’s office, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that they had also discussed preparations for Monday’s telephone conversation between Trump and Putin.

Shaudo Alku, a close associate of the notorious terrorist kingpin, Bello Turji, has been confirmed killed in a targeted airstrike.

The operation, carried out by the Air Component of Operation Fasan Yama, struck a terrorist hideout near Tunfa Primary School in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Sunday.

The Nigerian Armed Forces confirmed that Alku, a key link in cross-border terrorist logistics, was killed alongside several fighters and suspected high-ranking commanders.

According to intelligence reports, Alku had crossed into Nigeria from Niger Republic to attend a clandestine strategy meeting convened by Turji’s network.

A source from the military who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “Surveillance and actionable intelligence enabled the Nigerian military to pinpoint the gathering, prompting a swift and decisive air assault that neutralised multiple targets.

“This operation marks a significant step in dismantling the command structure of terrorist groups operating across the North West.

“Alku was not just a foot soldier. He was deeply involved in arms procurement and coordination of cross-border insurgent activity.”

The Nigerian Army, via its official communication channels, described the success as a demonstration of its resolve to rid the country of terrorism and restore peace to the embattled communities of Sokoto, Zamfara, and Katsina States.

The statement added that mop-up operations were ongoing, and efforts are being intensified to apprehend fleeing terrorists.

Bello Turji, long considered one of the most dangerous and elusive bandit leaders in the region, has maintained a brutal reign marked by mass abductions, killings, and attacks on civilian settlements.

His network stretches across state and international borders, complicating military operations.

The elimination of Alku, according to a security expert in Sokoto, is expected to disrupt the logistical and operational capabilities of Turji’s faction, though analysts caution that the battle is far from over.

“This is a big win, no doubt.

“But dismantling terrorist networks requires sustained pressure and coordination with neighbouring countries, especially Niger and Chad,” said a conflict and security analyst, Dr. Yusuf Anka.

Residents in Isa LG have expressed relief over the development.

“We heard the explosions and later saw helicopters. It gave us hope that the government has not forgotten us,” said a resident who requested anonymity for security reasons.

This strike is the latest in a series of intensified aerial offensives launched under Operation Fagge Yama, a renewed military campaign aimed at rooting out terrorists and bandits in Nigeria’s troubled North West.

As of press time, the Nigerian military has promised to release further details, including casualty figures and intelligence gains from the operation.

Artisans and small business owners in Kano State have expressed concern over the persistent power outages in the state, saying the situation is crippling their operations.

Some of the affected residents said during interviews on Sunday that the poor electricity supply was affecting productivity and increasing operational costs.

A welder at Kofar Ruwa area, Idi Ali, said he spends an average of N5,000 daily on fuel to power his generator due to the erratic electricity supply.

He said, “We hardly get power for two hours in a day. I have lost customers because I cannot meet deadlines. It is becoming unbearable.’’

Another business owner, Amina Rabiu, who runs a frozen food business in Sabon Gari area, said she incurred losses due to spoiled goods caused by power failure.

A fashion designer in Fagge area, Stella Simon, said that the power situation had become so bad that she had been unable to meet her customers’ demands for weeks.

She stated, “We have not had electricity for almost two days now. I rely on a generator. Getting fuel to power it is expensive due to the increase in the pump price of fuel. I depend on electricity to preserve my stock. Now I use generators throughout the day and still lose money. It is frustrating.’’

Similarly, a tailor in Dakata area, Abba Kabir, said that the situation forced him to reduce his workforce.

Mr Kabir stated, “I cannot continue paying workers when there is no power to run my machines. We need urgent intervention from government or the electricity distribution company.’’

The response of the Head, Corporate Communications at the Kano Electricity Development Company, Sani Bala, was not available as of the time this story was published.

A ghastly accident involving an articulated vehicle has claimed seven lives, with 16 others injured along the Agaie-Badegi Road in the Katcha Local Government Area of Niger.

The director-general of the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Abdullahi Baba-Arah, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Minna.

He attributed the accident to a bad portion of the road on the Lambata/Bida axis.

Mr Baba-Arah stated that the truck was carrying federal government grains with passengers numbering about 36, all male, heading to Kano from Lagos State.

“As of the time of filing this report, seven people were confirmed dead, 11 people with a high degree of injuries, while five people sustained minor injuries.

“Some of the injured were taken to Badeggi and Agaie health centres, and others were taken away by their fellow colleagues,” he said.

The director-general added that most of the dead have been taken away by their relatives.

He said search and rescue operations were carried out by NSEMA alongside commuters and some villagers near the scene of the incident.

Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has demanded a transparent judicial investigation into the Onitsha massacre of May 30, 2016.

The organisation made this call on Saturday, recalling how the brutal killings occurred nine years ago.

It said, “The Nigerian authorities must open a transparent and effective investigation of the Onitsha massacre of May 30, 2016, when security forces violently cracked down on peaceful Remembrance Day almost nine years ago. Nine years is too long for victims and their families to keep waiting for justice.

“The largest number of pro-Biafra activists were killed on Biafra Remembrance Day on May 30, 2016, when an estimated 1,000 IPOB members and supporters gathered for a rally in Onitsha, Anambra State. The night before the rally, the security forces raided homes and a church where IPOB members were sleeping. On Remembrance Day itself, the security forces shot people in several locations.’’

According to Amnesty International, an estimated population of 60 persons or more were killed between May 30 and 31, while about 70 sustained injuries.

“Amnesty International has not been able to verify the exact number of extrajudicial executions but estimates that at least 60 people were killed and 70 injured in these two days: May 30-31, 2016. The real number is likely to be higher,” the statement reads.

Demanding justice, Amnesty International noted that due investigation must meet international standards.

An elder statesman and chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum, Tanko Yakasai, has said that tackling the magnitude of the security challenges currently facing the country requires the commitment of all Nigerians and international collaboration.

Mr Yakasai stated this while speaking in an interview with journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

He said the government alone cannot tackle the problem, stressing that it can only be surmounted with the citizens’ active support and the international community’s collaboration.

Mr Yakasai said citizens must collaborate with security agencies in terms of intelligence gathering, while other countries should help check the sources of arms and ammunition supply and financing of terrorist groups.

“The problems of security in Nigeria have taken a universal dimension. What the government should do is to take a critical review of the problem to draw more workable plans to tackle the challenges.

“Government should know the number of security personnel, weapons and other logistics they need and even exceed the plan in order to get good results at the end of the day,” he said.

Mr Yakasai said the majority of the citizens were committed to one Nigeria, adding that if the right thing was done, the government could get the needed support to tackle the problem.

He stated that the problems of terrorism, banditry and agitation by some sections of the country had different root causes that equally needed different solutions.

”Even the United Kingdom, China and India all have their internal challenges, and what is important is patriotism on the part of the citizens,” he said.

On the performance of the 10th National Assembly, the elder statesman said the lawmakers were doing their best.

Speaking on the gale of defections by some politicians, especially at the National Assembly, Mr Yakasai described politics as a very dynamic game.

“You see how people are changing parties; it started one, two, three and now it’s gathering momentum. They are now in hundreds, leaving their parties and joining others.

“What is important now is for Nigerians to be very watchful and know where the pendulum will eventually swing. The masses should be careful about who to support,” he said.

The wife of Ebonyi governor, Mary-Maudline Nwifuru, has urged pregnant women not to treat antenatal and postnatal care issues with levity.

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Mrs Nwifuru made the call while inaugurating her Baby Shower Initiative and Maternity Day in Abakaliki, and urged women not to joke with advice from health professionals.

She said the baby shower initiative was a health-focused programme to support pregnant women and nursing mothers across the state.

The governor’s wife stated that every pregnant or nursing mother deserved to live a healthy life, saying, “So take professional medical advice seriously.”

Mrs Nwifuru said the initiative was a strategic collaboration between the state Health Ministry and her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons.

“The initiative will give mothers access to maternal care, health education and basic necessities. It is not just about gifts and celebrations.

“The initiative is our way of showing Ebonyi women that they are not alone. We shall meet with them, hear from them, and we shall support them,” she said.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Moses Ekuma, said the initiative would encourage more pregnant women to register for antenatal care at approved health facilities for professional attention.

“The aim is for pregnant women to come out, register for antenatal training, deliver their babies in health facilities, and get complete immunisation for their children,” he said.

Mr Ekuma commended the governor’s wife for her health interventions, saying no fewer than 4,000 pregnant women had enrolled in the state’s health insurance scheme.

The commissioner further stated that the initiative would significantly contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality in the state.

Some beneficiaries commended the governor’s wife for the initiative, describing it as a good omen to many families.

One of them, Ifeoma Okwuchukwu, urged Mrs Nwifuru to keep up the good work in the interest of humanity.

The price of crayfish has skyrocketed by 180 per cent in major markets in Lagos State, making many consumers resort to rationalising the popular seafood due to low purchasing power.

A paint bucket of crayfish sold for N4,000 and N5,000 in early 2024, now costs between N12,500 and N14,000.

Similarly, a measurement that once went for N40,000 now sells for N75,000 to N80,000.

A ‘Derica’ cup, formerly N1,000, now sells for N3,000 to N4,000.

Also, a basket of crayfish currently goes for between N260,000 and N350,000.

The traders and consumers who spoke to journalists in separate interviews on Sunday in Lagos expressed concerns over the price hike of the popular seafood staple.

The treasurer of Oyingbo Foodstuff Market Association, Lagos, Abigail Onu, said the high cost was because crayfish were currently out of season.

“Crayfish is scarce and expensive during the off-season, affecting both quantity and quality, with partially filled bags and reduced freshness.

“At the moment, a measurement of crayfish costs between N75,000 and N80,000, depending on the type. In contrast, when in season, that same measurement can drop to as low as N40,000.

“Dealers are struggling to meet demand. The majority of our dealers don’t even have crayfish to sell,” Ms Onu said.

She noted that the price hike began in February but was not new to the market.

“It is a trend that repeats every year; from June, the crayfish season begins, and buyers can expect better quality and significantly lower prices,” she said.

A crayfish seller at Oyingbo Market, Ugomma Maduekwe, attributed the development to the off-season and increased export demands.

“The export of crayfish is impacting local supplies, as many buyers now export in bulk to markets offering higher prices, reducing availability in domestic markets

“It means we have less for local consumers, and that’s affecting prices,” Ms Maduekwe said.

Another trader at the Alimosho Market, Idaya Mashika, highlighted poor storage conditions as a challenge for sellers.

“Crayfish spoils easily when not stored properly, especially in this kind of humid weather. If you lose a bag, that’s tens of thousands gone. We sell at higher prices to cover the risk and potential losses,” Ms Mashika said.

She added that traders were being cautious with supply because of spoilage.

“Most of us don’t stock too much anymore. We buy in smaller quantities, and that makes prices unstable,” she added.

A consumer, Adebanke Agbo, said she had to reduce the amount of crayfish she buys.

“I used to cook with crayfish in nearly every meal. Now, I measure it carefully. I still buy it because no seasoning cube can give that traditional taste that crayfish gives, but it’s getting harder to afford,” Ms Agbo said.

Another consumer, Oluyemisi Akewushola, said nothing can replace the taste you get from cooking with crayfish.

“I had to buy a derica of crayfish at the Oyingbo Market for N3,000 when I couldn’t afford to buy a small paint bucket that was going for N12,500.

“I bought it for N10,000 last month, now it’s N12,500. And I heard it might go up again. I can’t stop using it completely, so, I just buy less and make it stretch,” she said.

The Akwa Ibom government has urged journalists in the state to acquire skills and knowledge that will enable them to tap into the emerging opportunities in the maritime sector.

Ini Ememobong, the Commissioner, Ministry of Special Duties and Ibom Deep Seaport, made the call at a workshop to prepare journalists and other stakeholders for the take-off of the Ibom Deep Seaport.

Mr Ememobong said the workshop was organised by the state government to prepare stakeholders to understand their roles in the project.

He said that Governor Umo Eno was diligently working to bring the project to reality, saying, “The workshop is to position and prepare ourselves to be active players in the maritime sector.”

The commissioner said that when on stream, the deep seaport would accelerate the state’s socio-economic development.

“Currently, Lagos and Rivers States are the players in the maritime sector because of their seaports. Akwa Ibom is set to join this league with the construction of the Ibom Deep Seaport.

“While the state government is working this out, we should have a pool of highly skilled manpower for employment at the port and the industries that will be set up,” he said.

Mr Ememobong further said the workshop was to enable stakeholders to gain deeper insights into the maritime and blue economy sector.

“We need to assess the lucrative nature and viability of this sector, and see how we can be a part of this industry. Success only happens when opportunity meets with preparation,” he said.

Aniefiok Oton, the president of Brightflow Conglomerate, said the maritime sector held immense potential that would surpass that of oil if harnessed properly.

“There is a need to also maximise the benefits of maritime transport, fisheries and aquaculture, tourism and renewable energy,” he said.

Some social media users across the country have advocated for the establishment of an indigenous social networking platforms following Meta’s threat to exit Nigeria.
Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.

The users made the call in separate interviews with journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

They said establishing an indigenous social media platform would ensure easy regulation and implementation of data protection policies in the country.

Moses Atuegwu, a WhatsApp user, said the exit threat by Meta was uncalled for, given the huge number of users and patronage they had received in Nigeria.

Mr Atuegwu said it was worrisome, as citizens were at the mercy of foreign-dominated social media platforms; hence, there was a need for homegrown ones.

”We cannot continue to be controlled by these foreign platforms. We should have an alternative which is indigenous based,” he said.

Pearl Adekunle, another user of WhatsApp and Instagram, said setting up home-grown social media platforms would help the country to scrutinise the content consumed by users.

Ms Adekunle said the establishment of home-grown platforms would help promote indigenous technology and the country’s economy.

”China and Russia have their own indigenous social media platforms, and this enhances the data protection policy of their government. Nothing stops Nigeria from adopting the same to promote and advance indigenous technologies,” she said.

Esther Indiana-Obong, a Facebook subscriber, said establishing an indigenous social media platform would help encourage competition and promote innovation in the country’s information technology (IT) sector.

Ms Indiana-Obong said it would also help to reduce dependence on foreign social media brands.

Aminu Zakari, also a social media user, said the home-grown platform would help the government to effectively regulate what goes out on the social media.

Meta had warned that it may shut down operations in Nigeria following the tribunal ruling that upheld a $220 million fine imposed on them in July 2024.

Meta said that it may be forced to effectively shut down the Facebook and Instagram services in Nigeria to mitigate the risk of enforcement measures.

Responding to the threat, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) had said the threat would not exonerate the company from the fines.

The police in Ondo State say a kidnap victim, Semiu Ogunniyi, has been rescued and four suspected kidnappers arrested across the state.

Wilfred Afolabi, Commissioner of Police (CP) in the state, made this known while briefing journalists on the command’s recent achievements on Sunday in Akure.

Mr Afolabi said eight other people were arrested for armed robbery, cultism and stealing.

He also said three single rifles, one cut-to-size pistol, two Volkswagen Vento, three motorbikes, among others, were recovered from the suspects.

According to the CP, the victim was kidnapped on May 14, 2025, around Iku Quarters, Ikare-Akoko.

He said a combined tactical team of operatives and hunters rescued the victim unhurt without paying a ransom, and arrested one of the suspects.

“The joint team strategically laid an ambush in a forest area near Supare in Akoko, believed to be a rendezvous point for the suspects, who had demanded a ransom of N14 million.

“During the interception, the suspects engaged the operatives in a fierce gun duel. In the exchange, several of the suspects sustained serious gunshot injuries.

“One of them, Babuga Muhammed ‘m’, from Igana, Iseyin, Oyo State, was apprehended.

“He is currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at the state Specialist Hospital. Efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the fleeing suspects who escaped with injuries,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Afolabi said three other suspected kidnappers, who confessed to their involvement in various kidnapping cases across the state, were arrested.

According to him, 25-year-old Ibrahim Umar and 38-year-old Paul Osanyiduro were arrested at Sabo Soja and Africa Kingdom Restaurant, both in Owo.

He explained further that 30-year-old Abubakar Bamoh, an indigene of the Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State, was apprehended at one of the Fulani camps in Igbara-Oke, Ifedore Local Government Area.

The CP said Mr Bamoh was alleged to be a major logistics provider for suspected kidnapping syndicates operating across state lines.

Mr Afolabi said the suspect played a significant role in a kidnapping incident, which occurred in Osun state, while the victim was abducted and held hostage in a forest in Igbara-Oke, Ondo State.

He, therefore, reiterated the command’s commitment to continue tackling crime, ensuring public safety, and fostering peace across communities.

“We urge residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious activities, and cooperate with security agencies. Together, we can and will build a safer Ondo State,” he said.