Author

Nelson Ugwuagbo

David Mark
Headlines

Court Adjourns Judgment in David Mark ADC Leadership Dispute to April 14

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed judgment in a suit seeking to restrain David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as Chairman and Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The case was instituted by Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives representing Kogi State.

Although judgment had initially been scheduled for Monday, Justice Musa Suleiman Liman adjourned the matter to April 14, citing other pressing official engagements.

The adjournment was communicated to journalists and political stakeholders by a court registrar, as attendees had gathered at the court premises as early as 8 a.m. in anticipation of the ruling.

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USA Embassy
Headlines

U.S. Evacuates Staff, Suspends Visa Processing in Abuja

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The United States Embassy in Abuja has suspended all visa appointments, instructing applicants to check their email for information on rescheduled dates.

The announcement was made on Thursday via the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.

In the notice, the embassy stated: “U.S. Embassy Abuja is closed for visa appointments. Applicants should check their email for details on rescheduled appointments. Visa operations at U.S. Consulate General Lagos continue. American citizen services are available in emergencies and by appointment.”

The development follows a decision by the U.S. Department of State to authorize the departure of non-emergency government personnel and their families from the Abuja embassy, citing worsening security conditions in Nigeria.

In an updated travel advisory, the Department urged American citizens to reconsider travel to Nigeria due to concerns over crime, terrorism, kidnapping, and civil unrest.

Nigeria is currently designated under a “Level 3: Reconsider Travel” advisory, while some regions have been classified as “Level 4: Do Not Travel.”

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APC leadership Crisis
Headlines

Multiple Factions Emerge in Ruling APC Sparking Leadership Tussle

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Fresh turmoil has hit Nigeria’s ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to derecognise the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The move came after a court order secured by Bala Nufai, who maintained that he never resigned from his position.

In the aftermath, several individuals have publicly declared themselves the authentic national leaders of the APC and have vowed to drag the electoral umpire to court to secure official recognition. One of the most prominent voices is Alhaja Hafsatu Danladi, who took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce herself as the rightful national chairperson of the APC.

In her statement, Danladi said she would approach the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the legitimacy of the current party leadership. She described the existing structure as “illegitimate” and pledged to seek a court order to unseat it.

She further revealed plans to ask the court to compel INEC to withdraw its recognition of the National Working Committee (NWC) headed by Mr Nentawe Yilwatda.

Various Nigerians across X and other social media platforms have already declared their support and recognition of Alhaja Hafsatu as the rightful leader of the APC urging her to fight for her rightful position in court.

 

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Dangote Refinery
Headlines

Dangote Refinery Slashes Petrol Price to N1200

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Dangote Refinery has reduced the ex-gantry price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) by N75, bringing it down to N1,200 per litre, according to industry sources on Wednesday.

The latest adjustment follows a recent price increase to approximately N1,275 per litre, which the refinery attributed to volatility in the global oil market and rising production and supply costs.

The price cut is linked to a notable decline in international crude oil prices. Brent crude futures dropped to $95.05 per barrel, marking a 13 per cent decrease, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell by nearly 14 per cent to close at $97.18.

Since commencing operations in 2023, the Dangote Refinery has been expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported fuel. However, its pricing continues to reflect movements in global oil benchmarks such as Brent and WTI crude futures.

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FG and Inec
Headlines

FG Budgets N135bn For 2027 INEC Lawsuits

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Federal Government has proposed a total of N135.22 billion in the 2026 budget for electoral adjudication and post-election matters, signalling anticipated costs associated with election-related legal processes.

The provision, contained in the House of Representatives Order Paper dated March 31, 2026, is part of the 2026 Appropriation Bill. It falls under Service-Wide Votes—a centrally managed pool of funds used to cover obligations not directly assigned to specific ministries, departments, or agencies. The allocation is intended to cater for potential legal disputes, settlements, and administrative processes arising from elections.

An analysis of the budget shows that the provision is captured within the Consolidated Revenue Fund charges, which total N3.70 trillion. The electoral adjudication component represents about 3.65 per cent of that amount.

The allocation comes alongside a proposed N1.01 trillion statutory transfer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accounting for 21 per cent of total statutory transfers.

Earlier estimates by INEC put the cost of conducting the 2027 general elections at N873.78 billion, with an additional N171 billion projected for its 2026 operations—figures that mark a significant increase compared to funding for the 2023 elections.

The proposed N135.22 billion allocation has sparked reactions from opposition parties and civil society groups, who have raised concerns about its size and implications.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, criticised the provision, suggesting it reflects a lack of confidence in the electoral process.

“It means that INEC itself is anticipating that it will not do well and that people will not accept the outcome of the results. Because if INEC becomes very transparent, post-election litigation will be reduced drastically. It is the lack of transparency and the obvious opacity of INEC during elections that result in post-election litigation,” he said.

Also reacting, the Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, acknowledged the need for preparedness but questioned the scale of the allocation, citing concerns over accountability and the expected volume of litigation.

Political economist Pat Utomi argued that election-related legal expenses should not be borne directly by the Federal Government.

“It is not the Federal Government that goes to elections, it is the individual candidates, so why should the Federal Government have a budget for it? They should not,” he said.

He further added that if the provision is meant for INEC, it should be reflected within the commission’s budget rather than under federal allocations, describing Nigeria’s budget process as flawed.

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) also faulted the proposal, describing it as excessive.

“It is on the very high side. Apart from the fact that INEC has its legal department that services all its offices in the 36 states of the federation, INEC does not pay more than N3m per brief, even to a senior advocate. This is due to the fact that INEC maintains a neutral position in the majority of pre-election cases,” he said.

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Mamudawa Group, Kebbi
Headlines

New Terror Group, Mamudawa, Kills 4 in Kebbi Community

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Several communities in Shanga Local Government Area of Kebbi State have come under attack by a newly identified armed group known as Mamudawa, leaving at least four people feared dead.

The attacks, which occurred on Sunday and Monday, targeted communities in the Gebbe District of Shanga LGA. According to local sources, the assailants reportedly advanced from the Wawa Forest in Niger State before launching coordinated assaults.

During the raids, several buildings were set ablaze in Kalkami, Tungar Bori, and Kawara communities, forcing residents to flee for safety.

A source who spoke to reporters said the attackers caused significant destruction, particularly in Kawara. “The terrorists burnt down Kawara village on Monday,” the source said, noting that the area has experienced repeated security challenges in recent times.

Shanga Local Government Area has faced persistent threats from armed groups, including bandits, cattle rustlers, and kidnappers who often demand ransom payments.

While initial reports suggest that about four people were killed in the latest attacks, local authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of casualties.

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National Immigration
Headlines

Exposed: Investigation Reveals Questionable Direct Payments in Nigeria Immigration Service

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Fresh data from a document detailing contracts awarded by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) between January and December 2025 has revealed a troubling pattern of financial transactions, raising concerns over transparency and compliance with public procurement laws.

According to the records, the agency made multiple high-value direct payments to individual staff members and officers. These payments were frequently labelled as training fees, flight tickets,  estacode,  OPE expenses,  and “sensitization materials.” In many cases, the amounts ran into tens of millions of naira, bypassing established procurement procedures that mandate competitive bidding and contract awards to registered companies rather than individuals.

The data shows repeated instances where named NIS personnel received funds for activities typically handled through formal vendor contracts. Analysts say this practice undermines accountability and raises the risk of financial mismanagement.

Among the highlighted transactions, Onah Ruth received ₦10,121,000 on 24 December 2025 for “flight ticket for participating officers.” Earlier, on 14 November 2025, the same individual was paid ₦8,000,000 for a similar purpose linked to a training programme on ethics, transparency, and financial responsibility.

On that same day in November, Augustine Nyadu Peter was paid ₦7,000,000, while Abbas Sule received ₦7,100,000—both for “training fees” related to the same programme.

In October 2025, Adedeji O.I. and Abdullahi Jummai Halima were each paid ₦5,694,341 as “estacode to escort a deportee to India.” Toward the end of the year, Aboyeji Adewale Samson received ₦10,044,592 for “flight ticket for 18 officers,” while Ogedengbe Olusegun was paid ₦7,200,000 for organising resources for a senior officers’ promotion examination.

Additional payments include ₦6,900,000 to Haruna A.O. for training fees, ₦5,386,662 to Bamaiyi Jamila Laura for OPE expenses, ₦6,850,000 to Imaekhai Emmanuel Oshobugie for strategic meeting expenses, and ₦7,925,575.53 to Usman Baffa Nagado as repatriation allowance.

Experts note that Nigeria’s Financial Regulations and Treasury Circulars explicitly prohibit routing official contracts through individual staff accounts. Such practices bypass due process requirements, including competitive bidding, tax deductions like VAT and withholding tax, and standard auditing procedures.

Furthermore, anti-corruption laws enforced by agencies such as the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) criminalise abuse of office and the diversion of public funds.

By channeling payments directly to individuals for services typically provided by companies, the NIS appears to have sidestepped mandatory procurement processes. Observers warn that this pattern creates room for favouritism, weakens financial oversight, and increases the risk of corruption within the system.

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AMAC Election
Headlines

APC Wins AMAC Chairmanship Election

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Independent National Electoral Commission has declared Christopher Maikalangu of the All Progressives Congress as the duly elected chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Announcing the results, the AMAC Collation Officer, Andrew Abue, said Maikalangu secured 40,295 votes out of the 62,861 total valid votes cast in the election to emerge victorious. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent chairman of the council, was returned elected after scoring the highest number of votes.

According to the results, the African Democratic Congress came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party polled 3,398 votes.

Abue disclosed that 2,336 votes were rejected, bringing the total number of votes cast to 65,197. He added that out of 837,338 registered voters in AMAC, 65,676 voters were accredited for the exercise.

“Maikalangu of the APC, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and returned elected,” Abue stated.

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El-Rufai
Headlines

Kaduna Terror Victims Demand Accountability for Rights Abuses Under El-Rufai Administration

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

A coalition of terror victims in Kaduna State has called for accountability over human rights abuses perpetrated under the eight-year administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The victims made the call on Monday in a statement signed on their behalf by a coalition of human rights defenders including former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission ,Professor Chidi Anslem Odinkalu .

The coalition, comprising human rights defenders and victims’ families, demanded justice for the victims and an end to impunity.

“We speak today as representatives of countless individuals, families, and communities who endured eight years of profound hardship, terror, fear, and loss under the governorship of Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna State (2015–2023),” the statement read.

The coalition cited cases of arbitrary abductions, persecution of critics, and unlawful demolitions of homes, highlighting the abduction and murder of HRH Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agwam Adara, and the disappearance of Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata), a lecturer and social media commentator

The statement also condemned Bashir El-Rufai’s tweet perceived as gloating over Dadiyata’s abduction and called for thorough investigations and prosecutions.

The coalition urged law enforcement agencies and human rights institutions to take action, offering testimonies and evidence to support inquiries.

“We speak today as representatives of countless individuals, families, and communities who endured eight years of profound hardship, terror, fear, and loss under the governorship of Nasir el-Rufai in Kaduna State (2015–2023). Our coalition includes citizens from all walks of life: community and business leaders, serving and retired public servants, traditional rulers, faith leaders, academics, journalists, lawyers, and other professionals.

“Among the many victims are high-profile cases that symbolize the era’s impunity:

“HRH Dr. Maiwada Raphael Galadima, the Agwam Adara (paramount ruler of the Adara Chiefdom), abducted in October 2018 and brutally murdered despite ransom payment. His killing occurred amid efforts to restructure traditional institutions, including the controversial conversion of the chiefdom into an emirate structure, deepening ethnic and communal tensions. Till date the suspects arrested for the murder of Agwam Adara are yet to be successfully prosecuted and their whereabouts can not be ascertained.

Abubakar Idris (Dadiyata), a lecturer at the Federal University Dutsenma and social media commentator critical of governance issues, abducted from his residence in Barnawa, Kaduna, on August 2, 2019. He has remained missing, effectively disappeared for nearly seven years. August 2026 will mark the seventh anniversary of his abduction and trigger the statutory presumption of death under Nigerian law.

“Shortly after Dadiyata’s abduction, on December 23, 2019, at 10:16 hrs, Bashir el-Rufai, son of the then-Governor, posted a tweet widely perceived as gloating over the incident and dismissing calls for his safe return.

“During his tenure, Nasir el-Rufai presided over a pattern of indiscriminate actions: arbitrary abductions, persecution of critics, reprisal violence, unlawful demolitions of homes, mass dismissals of workers without due process, forced sackings by employers of perceived opponents, and the displacement of citizens into exile.

“These acts bypassed constitutional safeguards and Nigerian law, turning gubernatorial immunity into unchecked impunity.

“We are deeply troubled by recent attempts to reframe this history, portraying Nasir el-Rufai as a champion of due process and human rights, while survivors and families continue to seek truth and justice.

“On behalf of ourselves, and in solemn memory of those killed or disappeared who cannot speak, we have a moral and civic duty to bear witness. Our sole demand is accountability under the rule of law: thorough, independent investigations; prosecutions where evidence warrants; and closure for traumatized victims and families. By pursuing justice, we aim to prevent future suffering and uphold the dignity of all Nigerians.

“We stand ready to cooperate fully with all relevant law enforcement agencies, judicial bodies, and human rights institutions in Nigeria. We will provide testimonies, evidence, and any material assistance to support inquiries and ensure those responsible for crimes face due process”,the statement added

Our Correspondent reports that other human rights defenders who also signed the statement calling for accountability under former Governor Elrufai’s administration included Progressive Forum (SKIPFo) and the Atrocities Watch Africa, AWA;

Community Development & Rights Advocacy Foundation ; Resilient Aid and Dialogue Initiative;

Audu Maikori, Esq;Gloria Ballason, Esq; Steven Kefas;Luka Binniyat; Midat Joseph; Segun Onibiyo;House of Justice as well as
;Southern Kaduna Indigenously

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AMAC Dape Road
Headlines

Major Health Crisis Plagues Dape, Karmo Residents As Dust Pollution From AMAC Road Project Chokes Residents

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

Residents of Abuja’s AMAC districts, particularly in Dape and surrounding areas, are raising alarms over severe dust pollution stemming from the ongoing dualization project on the Life Camp to Karmo to Gwagwa road.

The project, which is being executed by the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) under the leadership of Hon. Christopher Zakka Maikalangu, is currently being handled by the contractor LUBRIK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED. Though the expansion was intended to ease traffic, it has instead made the axis almost unlivable due to severe dust pollution that has left a trail of respiratory illnesses in its wake.

The impact is most severe in Dape and surrounding settlements. Since the peak of the dry season, clouds of thick, white dust generated by the heavy machinery and excavated earth of LUBRIK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED have covered homes, shops, schools and churches.

Worshipers, Business owners and Residents around Kado, Angwa Cement and  Dape, located in front of the road been constructed have gone down with various respiratory illness such as catarrh, severe sneezing, asthma etc.

Medical practitioners in local clinics have reported a significant spike in patients presenting with symptoms of bronchitis, chronic asthma, and severe skin infections. Residents within complain that the dust is so pervasive that it settles on food and drinking water within minutes.

“We can no longer breathe,” said a resident in that area. “Children are coughing profusely, and our elderly are struggling for every breath. This isn’t development; it’s a slow poison. We expected the contractor to at least use water tankers to suppress the dust daily, but that has been largely ignored.”

The outcry is not limited to health concerns. Since October 2025, the construction site has become a graveyard for vehicles and passengers.

Critics point to a major failure by the AMAC administration and the construction company to provide viable alternative routes. The diversions currently in use are riddled with deep craters and sharp rocks. For over five months, car owners have seen their livelihoods drained by constant repairs to shock absorbers, tire busts, clogged air filters etc.

Commuters now take longer hours to get to their work destination often leading to stress and various economic implication like loss of jobs.

Residents have said that this cannot be allowed to continue and have called on the AMAC Chairman, Honorable Christopher Zakka, and the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike to immediately find solution to this crisis in other to avoid a worse health crisis.

Suggested Solutions include: Mandating LUBRIK CONSTRUCTION COMPANY LIMITED. to implement standard dust suppression protocols e.g regular watering of the site, urgently grade the alternative routes to prevent further economic loss to vehicle owners and provide a clear timeline for the completion of the project to end the suffering of the masses. All effort to reach the contact online prove abortive +2348036777777​​ as at the time of this publication.

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