Tinubu Mourns with Governor Ododo Over Father’s Passing at 83

Ododo

Tinubu Mourns with Governor Ododo Over Father’s Passing at 83

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended heartfelt condolences to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State following the death of his father, Alhaji Momohsani Ododo, who passed away on Monday, August 18, 2025, at the age of 83.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President commiserated with the bereaved family, their friends, and the people of Kogi State during what he described as a moment of profound loss.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the Ododo family and the people of Kogi at this painful time,” the President said, describing the late Alhaji Momohsani as “a revered community leader whose values and legacy endure through the lives of his children and the many lives he touched.”

President Tinubu encouraged Governor Ododo and his family to draw strength from the exemplary life of their patriarch, noting that he lived a life of devotion to God, guided by moral and religious values that left a lasting impact on his community.

He prayed for the peaceful repose of the late Alhaji Momohsani’s soul and for divine comfort for the Ododo family, friends, and associates as they mourn their loss.

Alhaji Momohsani was laid to rest in accordance with Islamic rites shortly after his passing on Monday.

by Haruna Yakubu Haruna
[20/08, 07:22] El Haj Abdul: Groups Push Tinubu for Independent Selection of Next INEC Chairman

As the clock winds down on Prof. Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society groups are pressing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to step aside from the appointment process and allow an independent, merit-driven panel to select his successor.

The demand was tabled yesterday in Abuja by the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) and the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD) during the public presentation of outputs from their Civic Space, Poverty and Elections (CISPEN) project.

In a keynote address, governance expert Dr. Hussaini Abdu argued that entrusting the president with sole powers of appointment undermines trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“The process is fundamentally flawed. We need a transparent and competitive method that strengthens INEC’s independence and credibility,” Abdu said.

Echoing the call, WRAPA Secretary General, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, warned that Nigeria’s shrinking civic space poses a direct threat to citizens’ participation and electoral integrity. On his part, Centre LSD’s Executive Director, Dr. Monday Osasah, described CISPEN as a platform to enhance citizens’ oversight, accountability, and transparency in governance.

Meanwhile, in Kano, a coalition of civil society election observers commended INEC for its handling of the Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa by-elections. Groups such as Women Fest for Better Life Living Initiatives and the Centre for Grassroots Development and Crime Prevention urged political parties dissatisfied with results to seek redress in court rather than overheat the polity.

Convener of the Society Rights Project, Zubaur Ladan, praised the peaceful conduct of the polls, noting that the elections were largely free of disruptions.

On its part, INEC has announced that Certificates of Return will be presented to winners of the just-concluded by-elections tomorrow, August 21, 2025.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed that senators-elect and House of Representatives-elect will receive their certificates at INEC headquarters in Abuja at 3:00 p.m., while winners of state assembly seats will be decorated by their respective Resident Electoral Commissioners on Friday, August 22, at 11:00 a.m.

Olumekun further disclosed that re-run elections in Enugu and Kano states, previously disrupted by violence, had now been concluded. However, the election in Kaura Namoda South, Zamfara State, remains inconclusive after violent incidents in five polling units.

With the search for Yakubu’s successor intensifying, the clamour for an independent appointment process may become a defining test of Tinubu’s commitment to electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna
[20/08, 07:25] El Haj Abdul: Gunmen Storm Katsina Mosque, Kill 27 Worshippers During Morning Prayers

A wave of grief has swept through Unguwan Mantau village in Katsina State, after at least 27 worshippers were gunned down by armed bandits during early morning prayers on Tuesday. Several others were left injured in the brutal attack, which residents described as “one of the darkest mornings in the community’s history.”

The attackers, said to number more than a dozen, stormed the mosque at around 4 a.m. local time (03:00 GMT), opening fire indiscriminately on worshippers who had gathered for the dawn prayer. Survivors recounted scenes of terror as gunmen surrounded the mosque, trapping many inside.

“We were deep in prayer when the shooting started. They fired at anyone they saw. People tried to run but many were cut down instantly,” said village head Alhaji Musa Danlami, whose cousin was among the dead.

The injured were rushed to the Malumfashi General Hospital, where officials confirmed receiving multiple casualties. “We have so far confirmed 27 dead. Several others are in critical condition,” a hospital official said, requesting anonymity as they were not authorised to speak publicly.

Widening Cycle of Violence

No group has claimed responsibility, but attacks of this nature have become alarmingly common across Nigeria’s northwest and north-central regions, where clashes between herders and farmers over shrinking land and water resources have escalated into armed conflict.

Just two months earlier, in June 2025, more than 100 people were killed in Yelwata, Benue State, in an assault that Amnesty International described as part of the “almost daily bloodshed” devastating rural communities.

Security analysts warn that the conflict is becoming deadlier, with more herdsmen reportedly taking up arms, leading to highly organised assaults on villages, religious centres, and markets.

“The violence is no longer random; it is coordinated. Armed groups are becoming emboldened, targeting places of worship and community gatherings where they can inflict maximum casualties,” said security expert Dr. Kabiru Hassan.

Government Response

Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed that troops and police units had been deployed to the area following the massacre.

“The attackers often hide among the crops during the rainy season to launch surprise attacks. Security has been beefed up to prevent reprisals and further bloodshed,” Mu’azu told reporters.

Despite these assurances, many locals remain fearful. Some residents have already begun fleeing to nearby towns, fearing renewed attacks.

Communities on Edge

For villagers in Unguwan Mantau, the mosque attack was not just an assault on lives but also on their sense of safety.

“They did not just kill people, they attacked our faith, our place of worship,” said resident Hajara Usman, who lost her brother in the attack. “We no longer feel safe even in the presence of God.”

As funerals began Tuesday evening under heavy security watch, families wept over freshly dug graves, mourning loved ones whose lives were cut short in an ever-deepening conflict that shows little sign of abating.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna
[20/08, 07:27] El Haj Abdul: Ilaje Women Threaten Nude Protest as Ancestral Homes Fall to Royal Bulldozers

The rain fell hard in Ikeja on Tuesday, but it was no match for the fury of the Ilaje. Drenched yet undeterred, hundreds of men and women from the Ilaje community stormed the Lagos State House of Assembly, waving placards and chanting, their voices rising above the downpour. Their grievance was clear: ancestral homes reduced to rubble, families driven out, and royal fathers—meant to protect tradition—accused of turning into land grabbers.

At the heart of the protest was a threat that shook the corridors of power: a nude demonstration.

“If they refuse to listen to us, we, the women, will bare our nakedness before the monarchs,” declared Ifagbemi, an elderly protester, her voice cracking with age but steeled with defiance. “We are the founders of Lagos. Before Ebute-Ero became Olobun, we were there. This land is ours. We will not be erased.”

The demonstrators, under the banner of Egbe Omo Ilaje Worldwide, marched on Alausa to demand urgent intervention from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Speaker Mudashiru Obasa. Their petition accused some Lagos monarchs of orchestrating unlawful demolitions while hiding under the name of President Bola Tinubu.

“These Obas claim Tinubu sent them. I assure you he did not,” thundered Rafael Irowainu, the group’s President-General. “They invoke his name to cover their greed. None of them created Lagos. Some are not even from here. How can kings who should be custodians of justice become destroyers of homes?”

For the Ilaje, the matter cuts deeper than demolished houses—it is about heritage, identity, and survival.

Prince Oluwajimusu, Lagos State Chairman of the group, spoke with quiet anger. “You cannot tell the story of Lagos without Ilaje. Yet, we are being erased bit by bit. First, they rename our streets. Now, they demolish our homes. This injustice will not stand.”

The air around the Assembly was charged with anger, grief, and an unmistakable warning. Wole Adewusi, another protester, echoed the fears of many: “When you chase people from their ancestral homes without court orders, you breed insecurity. Homelessness breeds crime. This will not end well.”

Their message was loud, raw, and unfiltered: stop the demolitions, compensate the victims, and halt what they see as a systematic erasure of their heritage—or face a naked storm of protest that no palace walls can withstand.

For the Ilaje, the battle is not just for land, but for dignity.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna
[20/08, 07:28] El Haj Abdul: NYSC Begs Kaduna Governor for Permanent Orientation Camp Amid Security Challenges

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called on Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State to provide a permanent orientation camp and strengthen welfare support for corps members serving in the state.

The state coordinator, Mrs. Efeke Murna Dadaza, made the appeal on Tuesday during the closing ceremony of the 2025 Batch B Stream I orientation course held at the temporary camp in Government College, Kaduna.

For years, Kaduna’s NYSC programme has been displaced from the popular Black Gold Orientation Camp, located along the Kaduna–Abuja highway. The once-bustling camp was converted into a security base at the height of bandit attacks, forcing the corps to relocate to less conducive facilities in the state capital.

Addressing the situation, Dadaza urged the governor to make good on the corps’ long-standing request: “We need a befitting permanent orientation camp and better welfare support for corps members during their service year.”

She further appealed for the inauguration of the NYSC Kaduna State Governing Board and the provision of utility vehicles to ease camp operations.

While commending corps members for their discipline and resilience during the three-week orientation, she encouraged them to leverage the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to build self-reliance and contribute to reducing unemployment across Nigeria.

In her words: “You have shown dedication and commitment. I urge you to be good ambassadors of the NYSC scheme in your various places of primary assignment.”

Representing Governor Uba Sani at the event, the Commissioner for Youth Development, Barrister Gloria Ibrahim, assured corps members of the state’s unwavering commitment to their safety and welfare.

She also appealed to employers within Kaduna not to reject corps members posted to them but to assist them in settling quickly into their national assignment. “Support them, guide them, and they will in turn contribute to the communities they serve,” she said.

The governor further encouraged corps members to embark on community development projects that would leave lasting legacies beyond their service year.

For now, Kaduna’s corps members continue to serve under the shadow of insecurity, hoping that a permanent camp and improved support will one day restore the full dignity of the NYSC experience in the state.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna
[20/08, 07:29] El Haj Abdul: Storm Brews in PDP: Wike Camp Holds Crunch Meeting as Convention Crisis Deepens

The uneasy calm within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading for turbulence as allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, convene today to determine their stance ahead of the party’s upcoming national convention.

Speaking on Channels Television on Monday, Wike dismissed reports that his bloc was plotting a parallel convention, insisting no valid decision had been taken by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on the much-debated venue.

“I am not aware that any convention is holding in Ibadan. As a NEC member, nobody has informed me, and no such decision has been voted on. If a few people gather to make pronouncements, that cannot pass for NEC,” Wike declared.

When pressed on whether he would attend the Ibadan gathering reportedly fixed for November, he shot back:
“NEC has not agreed on that. Until then, I don’t know about Ibadan. So, how can you say I am planning a parallel convention? Planning to do what?”

His remarks, however, come against the backdrop of whispers that his camp is uneasy with arrangements steered by the convention planning committee and may be weighing its options.

But the PDP leadership swiftly countered, describing such claims as “phantom fears.” The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, insisted that preparations for the convention were both lawful and transparent.

According to him, the Convention Planning Committee, chaired by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, had already inaugurated sub-committees with full representation from state chapters, organs of the party, and key stakeholders.

“The PDP is ready for the national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16,” Ologunagba said. “Our processes are open, INEC has been part of the meetings, and every structure of the party is on board. The talk of a parallel convention is nothing but speculation — a mirage. The PDP train has since left the station; we are already in Ibadan as we speak.”

Meanwhile, Wike also stirred the national space by defending President Bola Tinubu from recent scathing attacks. While admitting that Nigerians were facing severe economic hardship, he insisted Tinubu’s reforms were the only viable path to long-term recovery.

He faulted former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over their remarks, describing Lawal’s criticism as driven by “personal bitterness” after missing out on the vice-presidential slot in 2023.

“Criticism is welcome, but insulting the President is unacceptable,” Wike said. “Government is not about everyone meeting the President directly; that is why there are ministers and advisers. To say the government is unapproachable is false.”

As the PDP convention drama gathers steam, Wike’s words leave one question hanging in the air: Will his camp march in lockstep with the party to Ibadan — or chart its own stormy path?

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna

NCAA Bans Flight Mode, Orders Phones Switched Off During Takeoff and Landing

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has introduced a sweeping new directive on the use of mobile phones aboard domestic flights, declaring that passengers must switch off their devices completely during takeoff and landing. The long-accepted “flight mode” option, the Authority said, is no longer permissible.

The decision followed an emergency session of the National Civil Aviation Security Committee (NSASC) in Abuja on Monday, where airline operators, security agencies, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), the National Assembly, and other aviation stakeholders gathered to address mounting concerns over safety and unruly passenger behaviour.

Announcing the measure, NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, said the step was taken to “avoid ambiguity and confusion” and ensure stricter compliance with aviation safety rules.

“To avoid ambiguity, all mobile phones and electronic devices must be switched off during the critical stages of flight on all Nigerian airlines. No more flight mode,” Najomo said firmly.

He further directed all airline operators to amend their operations manuals to reflect the new policy and submit them to the NCAA for approval. Cabin crew have also been tasked with enforcing the regulation by clearly communicating it to passengers.

Captain Najomo issued a stern warning to travelers and operators alike:

“Unruly behaviour in this industry will no longer be tolerated. If you are unruly, you are unruly. Henceforth, things will not be business as usual.”

The DGCA also emphasized the need for continuous training of aviation officials to keep pace with evolving security demands in Nigeria’s airspace.

During the session, Michael Achimugu, NCAA’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, noted that recent episodes of passenger misconduct had highlighted vulnerabilities in the system.
“When you enter an airport terminal, the rules change. Aviation demands order, discipline, and respect for safety,” he said.

Similarly, Dr. Omogo Chinedu, Director of Aviation Security Regulation at the NCAA, reminded participants that the NSASC is empowered under the Civil Aviation Act to coordinate security across the industry.

Meanwhile, the regulatory body has escalated its investigation into the recent altercation involving Ibom Air cabin crew and passenger Comfort Emmanson. NCAA spokesman Achimugu revealed that Emmanson, Juliana Edward, and members of Ibom Air’s cabin crew have been summoned for further questioning.

According to him, Emmanson had already met with NCAA officials earlier on Tuesday but would reappear today alongside crew members to clarify lingering issues. He explained that although the pilot did not immediately call security operatives after landing in Lagos, the NCAA is determined to conduct a thorough probe into what transpired.

“The matter seemed resolved before departure from Uyo, but we will not leave any stone unturned. This investigation will establish the full facts,” Achimugu assured stakeholders.

With the new phone directive and a hard stance on disruptive behaviour, the NCAA has signaled that Nigeria’s aviation industry is entering a new era of zero tolerance for laxity—in the cabin, on the tarmac, and beyond.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna

Groups Push Tinubu for Independent Selection of Next INEC Chairman

In a keynote address, governance expert Dr. Hussaini Abdu argued that entrusting the president with sole powers of appointment undermines trust in Nigeria’s electoral system.

“The process is fundamentally flawed. We need a transparent and competitive method that strengthens INEC’s independence and credibility,” Abdu said.

Convener of the Society Rights Project, Zubaur Ladan, praised the peaceful conduct of the polls, noting that the elections were largely free of disruptions.

On its part, INEC has announced that Certificates of Return will be presented to winners of the just-concluded by-elections tomorrow, August 21, 2025.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna