Sunday, November 9, 2025
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Nigeria Police Clinches INTERPOL Africa Committee Seat As CP Ojajuni Wins Election

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The Nigeria Police Force has secured another major international milestone with the election of Commissioner of Police Olubode Ojajuni into the INTERPOL Africa Committee.

According to a press release signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Ojajuni emerged victorious in a keenly contested poll held during the 27th INTERPOL African Regional Conference in Cape Town, South Africa, earning Nigeria the fifth seat on the Committee for a two-year tenure.

The INTERPOL Africa Committee plays a crucial advisory role to the African Regional Conference, helping to define strategic crime priorities, facilitate sessions, strengthen cross-border police cooperation, and promote best practices for regional and continental security.

The development underscores Nigeria’s growing influence in global law enforcement, particularly in combating transnational crime, terrorism, and other emerging threats. With CP Ojajuni’s election, Nigeria is set to contribute significantly to shaping policing strategies under the INTERPOL framework.

Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, congratulated Ojajuni on the achievement, reaffirming the Force’s commitment to professionalism, integrity, and international collaboration. He pledged that the Nigeria Police will continue to engage actively with global partners in the pursuit of peace and security worldwide.

RoW Waiver: The Hidden Backbone Of Anambra’s Digital Revolution

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By Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, CFA

Across Nigeria, one of the biggest hurdles to broadband expansion has been the prohibitive cost of Right of Way charges: the fees telecom operators must pay to lay fibre-optic cables across state-owned land, which drastically slows down digital infrastructure rollout.

In 2022, one of the earliest and boldest steps taken by Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR, was the removal of the Right of Way (RoW) charges for laying broadband fibre across Anambra State.

At the time, it may have seemed like a quiet policy move, but in reality, it laid the foundation for the state’s ongoing digital transformation journey.

The logic behind this move is simple but powerful. By waiving RoW charges, the administration sent a clear message to telecom operators, broadband providers, and investors: Anambra is open for digital business.

This single decision has paved the way for fibre-to-home deployment, the expansion of 5G infrastructure, and faster, more reliable internet across communities, ultimately boosting the ease of doing business.

Perhaps one of the most visible testaments to this visionary policy is the ongoing roll-out of the “Solution Free Wi-Fi” initiative, which is democratizing internet access for students, traders, civil servants, and everyday citizens, alongside the digitization of government processes that are making service delivery faster and more transparent.

Anambra is reaping the dividends of a forward-thinking approach.

What seemed impossible a few years ago is now a lived reality: Teachers are being equipped with digital tools, enhancing lesson delivery and preparing students for a technology-driven future.

Civil servants now work with smarter systems, making the civil service more efficient, transparent, and responsive to citizens, while young innovators are finding an enabling environment to create solutions and businesses that improve lives and shape the future.

What began as a policy shift has cascaded into practical, people-centred benefits that are redefining how Anambra learns, works, and governs.

This backbone is also unlocking new opportunities in telemedicine, e-learning, smart agriculture, and more. In short, the Soludo-led administration’s decision aligns perfectly with the governor’s vision of building a liveable and prosperous megacity, anchored on technology.

More notably, Anambra’s forward-thinking move aligns it with both national and global best practices. In Nigeria, states like Lagos, Ekiti and Kaduna that reduced or eliminated RoW fees saw significant surges in broadband penetration and digital services. Internationally, countries like Kenya and Rwanda demonstrate how lowering barriers for telecom operators fuels widespread connectivity, attracts investment, and spurs innovation.

Anambra’s decision places it firmly within this league of forward-looking regions, positioning the state as not just a beneficiary of technology but a driver of digital growth in Nigeria.

This is not just about cables in the ground, it’s about creating an ecosystem where technology thrives and opportunities multiply.

Anambra is proving that the future truly belongs to states that embrace technology not as a slogan, but as a strategy.

The state’s journey toward becoming a digital hub in Nigeria is still unfolding, but the foundation has been laid, strong and unshakable, by a single, daring choice.

Police Launch Manhunt For Self-Acclaimed Activist “Wong Box” Over Assault, Threat To Life

The Delta State Police Command has declared wanted one Victor Ojie, popularly known as “Wong Box”, a self-acclaimed human rights activist, who is facing multiple criminal allegations.

According to a press release by the Delta Police Public Relations Officer, SP. Edafe Bright, Ojie was arrested on August 14, 2025, over offences bordering on assault occasioning harm, threat to life, and threatening violence in contravention of Sections 355, 86, and 249 of the Criminal Code.

He was granted bail the same day but has since refused to return to the station for further investigation.

Police sources disclosed that the case against Ojie arose from an incident on May 29, 2025, when officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) went to disconnect electricity supply from his residence on Anyameluhor Street, Asaba, over an outstanding bill of N4,870,780.

During the disconnection exercise, Ojie allegedly attacked the BEDC staff with a cutlass, threatening to kill them unless power was restored. Video evidence cited by the police reportedly captured him issuing threats such as “I go cut una” and “I go cut you and nothing go happen.” He was also said to have ordered the officials to reconnect his compound immediately.

The Command further alleged that during the confrontation, a pregnant BEDC staff member fell while being threatened by the suspect and had to be hospitalized for more than two weeks.

Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, in a statement, warned that the Command would not condone lawlessness, stressing that “nobody is above the law.” He assured that the police are determined to rearrest Ojie and ensure he faces justice.

DANGOTE: You Are A Shameless, Chronic Liar, Valueless Political Merchant And Viciously Malevolent Scoundrel With A Dint of Brazen Duplicitous Penchant – Eze Tackles Political Jobber – Chidi Wihioka

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Erstwhile National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze has described as blatant falsehood, claims by former Member of the House of Representatives, Eld. Chidi Wihioka, that the 650,000 barrels per day (bpd) Dangote Refinery in Lagos considered as world biggest single-train facility was originally billed to be cited in Rivers but was frustrated by former Minister of Transformation, Chibuike Amaechi, when he held sway as Governor of Rivers State.

Wihioka who spoke on a live-media-coverage narrated that Aliko Dangote had considered Rivers State for the multi-billion dollar business project before the plan was thwarted by Amaechi. According to him – “Dangote came to Rivers State to build this refinery in Lagos in Rivers State. He (Amaechi) kept Dangote in a waiting room for 6 hours. No respect. At the end of the day, Dangote toured the whole Eleme area and got satisfied with the area as a place to site his refinery.”

Wihioka also stated that that instead of negotiating for employment opportunities and economic benefits for Rivers people, Amaechi allegedly made a personal demand. “The man instead of saying okay, what are the employment chances for Rivers State?, what he asked Dangote was: ‘what is my own share in your company?’ Dangote was shocked. Dangote now left and went to Lagos and they gave him everything free.”

Chidi Wihioka, had also during a political rally taunted Amaechi, claiming that the former Governor and Minister only operates from Abuja and avoids engaging directly with the people at the government level.

Reacting through a statement made available to the media, Chief Eze said the cocktail of lies labelled against Amaechi by Wihioka clearly touches on the later’s level of moral depravity and calls to question his status as a church elder whose life and character ordinarily should depict virtues of truth, sincerity and godliness in all respects.

Describing Wihioka as a shameless and chronic liar, valueless political merchant and Viciously malevolent scoundrel with a dint of brazen duplicitous penchant, Eze said the former lawmaker has a finely honed sense of wild prevarication; a tool he deploys to swindle his paymasters out of their loots of the common patrimony, stressing that his personae paints him as a mere commodity displayed on wares in shops, waiting for the highest bidder.

Demonstrating his shameless attribute he stated that Dangota got all that he needed free of charge to build the Lagos Refinery, forgotten that Dangota paid millions of Naira in order to acquire the land he used in building the Lagos Refinery and for him to join the camp of the enemies of democracy that have made Rivers State a laughing stock exposes him as a misguided fellow whose belly is his ultimate goal and vision

It was Chidi Wihioka, the shameless elder, whom, after Amaechi sacrificed so much to give him a seat at the National Assembly, allowing himself to be used as a reference point to taunt Amaechi, being a lawmaker representing Ikwerre/Emohua federal constituency. This he did by severing ties with his benefactor and pitched with Magnus Abe, the new errand boy to the FCT Minister.

Straightening the records, Chief Eze said, when Dangote came to Port Harcourt, he told Amaechi he would like to build a gas plant. He was taken to a befitting site in Onne where Amaechi promised to build a bridge to ease movement of products aside from several other promises just to ensure the project comes to light. But Dangote left and never came back despite assurances of support from the state government.

The narrative peddled by Wihioka only exists in the figment of his own imagination, crafted to entice his paymasters as he was never a part of the meeting to be privy to discussions and demands made by Amaechi during their interaction. As a matter of fact, Dangote never wanted to build any refinery in Rivers State.

Rivers people are aware that during his days as Governor, Amaechi raised the economic bar of Rivers State through his strategic economic blueprint which harped on massive investments in agriculture, health, education and other capital projects which ultimately engaged the youths meaningfully and practically reduced crime and criminality in the state.

Amaechi created massive investment platforms for smart investors and through his initiatives the state turned the investment haven of Nigeria, galvanizing a pool of local and foreign investors who created jobs for the young people and contributed to Nigeria’s foreign exchange.

Eze called on the public to disregard the potpourri of falsehood peddled by Wihioka, an old betrayer whose records smack of tales of treachery and perfidy which are etched as badges of his poor character.

Eze assured Wihioka that thousands of his type can’t and will not succeed to bring down Amaechi politically no matter the effort and plots

Ojulari Will Deliver On NNPC, Oil Industry Reforms, Says Orji

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….. As NNPC, NEITI Deepen Collaboration on Transparency, Global Accountability Standards

The Executive Secretary/CEO of Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, has expressed confidence in the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd., led by Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari, to deliver on ongoing reforms in the Company and to set new benchmarks for corporate governance in Africa’s extractive industry.

Orji disclosed this during a courtesy call on the NNPC Management at the NNPC Towers in Abuja on Thursday.

He commended the vision of the new NNPC Ltd. leadership, noting that its assumption into office comes at a defining moment for Nigeria’s extractive sector, whereby reforms, renewed investor confidence, and expanded indigenous participation are reshaping the nation’s oil and gas landscape.

While urging the NNPC Ltd. to stand as a model of transparency, accountability, efficiency, and civic engagement, the NEITI head said those values remain essential elements in restoring public trust and safeguarding the company as Nigeria’s greatest national asset.

The GCEO, Engr. Bashir Bayo Ojulari said the NNPC Ltd. will sustain its collaboration with NEITI towards enhancing openness and strengthening corporate governance in line with global transparency and accountability standards.

Ojulari, who said the NNPC Ltd. remains unwavering in its commitment to deeper disclosures and transparent reporting, noted that the company has since reinstated the publication of monthly financial and operational reports and strengthened its internal reporting structures to ensure greater accountability.

“In terms of full compliance to NEITI principles and global EITI standards, you have my full commitment. We will look to your guidance as we deepen this. We are already doing a lot of internal transformation to deepen transparency in our operational reporting and performance reviews,” Ojulari said.

The GCEO also stated that NNPCL would lean on NEITI’s global experience in providing feedback on performance reviews.

On the forthcoming NEITI 2024 Oil and Gas Audit, the GCEO said NNPC Ltd. is fully prepared to provide comprehensive data for the 2024 and 2025 audits, and would leverage technology to ensure efficiency and timeliness.

Ojulari re-iterated President Bola Tinubu’s mandate to the new NNPC Ltd. Management Team to ramp up oil and gas production and expand the nation’s refining capacity.

He also stated that achieving these targets would require attracting at least $60 billion in fresh investments; a goal that can only be realised through sustained transformation, investor confidence, and strengthened partnerships with operators, government agencies, and accountability institutions such as NEITI.

CDS Calls For Youth Partnership To Tackle Security, Cybercrime At Abuja Summit

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has urged Nigerian youths to partner with the Armed Forces and other stakeholders in addressing the country’s growing security and socio-economic challenges.

Speaking at a Civil Society Summit in Abuja, the CDS — represented by Commodore Rotimi Oderemi — stressed that young Nigerians must take ownership of the fight against emerging threats, including cybercrime, terrorism, oil theft, electricity and telecom theft, piracy, illegal mining, deforestation, violent extremism, and human rights violations.

He noted that while the Armed Forces remain committed to defending the nation, lasting solutions to insecurity require the active participation of citizens, particularly the youth, whose creativity and energy represent a powerful tool for positive change.


“The fight against insecurity and social vices cannot be won by security agencies alone. It requires the active involvement of our young people, who represent the energy, creativity, and resilience of this nation,” General Musa said through his representative.

The Defence Chief emphasized that tackling unemployment and providing platforms for youth engagement are essential to reducing their vulnerability to crime and radicalization. He called for stronger partnerships between government, civil society, and local communities to foster peace, stability, and sustainable national development.

The summit brought together civil society organizations, policymakers, security agencies, and youth leaders to deliberate on collaborative strategies for addressing Nigeria’s security and developmental challenges.
Talkjudith

Sowore’s Lawyer Should Respect Judicial Process And Stop Media Trials

By Adenike Ajanlekoko

The recent remarks credited to the lawyer of activist Omoyele Sowore, alleging that the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) instituted a case against his client merely to waste the court’s time, are not only unfortunate but also deeply troubling.

Firstly, it is not within the competence of counsel to pronounce whether a case before a court is frivolous or a waste of judicial resources.

That authority rests solely with the presiding judge, who has the constitutional mandate to determine the merit or otherwise of any matter brought before the court. To preempt such a decision in the public space amounts to undermining the integrity of the judiciary.

Secondly, it must be emphasized that Sowore’s lawyer has no legal authority to call for the punishment of the IGP or any police officer when his client stands as the accused in the very matter at hand.

Such an approach is not only misplaced but distracts from the real issues the court is expected to determine.

Counsel’s duty is to defend his client within the bounds of the law, not to grandstand in the media or attempt to intimidate institutions.

The principle of sub judice remains sacrosanct in every democracy governed by the rule of law. Matters before a court of competent jurisdiction must not be reduced to topics of sensational public debate.

By discussing a case that has not even commenced substantive hearing in the media space, Sowore’s lawyer risks prejudicing the proceedings and eroding public confidence in due process.

This is therefore a call for caution. Lawyers, more than anyone else, must be guided by professional ethics and respect for judicial process.

Instead of rushing to conclusions or making pronouncements on outcomes that have not been tested in court, Sowore’s lawyer should channel his arguments and objections through the proper legal forum, the courtroom.

Justice is not served in press conferences or newspaper columns; it is served when all parties present their case before a judge and abide by the ruling of the court. The legal profession demands nothing less.

 

Adenike Ajanlekoko is the National Publicity Director of South West Youth Alliance and writes from Lagos.

Activism Is Not A License For Reckless Insults

By Adewole Kehinde

“Reckless youth makes rueful age”Benjamin Franklin

Activism is a noble calling. It is the voice of conscience that questions power, exposes injustice, and advocates for social change. But in recent times, some self-acclaimed activists in Nigeria have twisted this noble vocation into a reckless weapon for slander, blackmail, and cyber bullying.

Let it be said without equivocation: activism is not a license for reckless insults. Defamation is not courage. It is cowardice masked as advocacy, and the law will surely humble those who mistake slander for freedom of speech.

We have seen it play out with individuals like Deji Adeyanju and Omoyele Sowore, who at different points have crossed the thin line between activism and character assassination.

Their commentaries often abandon the principles of fact-based criticism and veer into reckless name-calling, unverified allegations, and personal vendettas against public officials. That is not activism — it is an abuse of free speech.

True activism thrives on truth, research, and integrity. Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Gani Fawehinmi stood tall because they spoke truth to power with evidence, not malice. They built credibility through sacrifice, not through the cheap thrill of online insults.

But what we witness today in the Nigerian space is an army of keyboard warriors who confuse social media clout with social impact, reducing activism to daily episodes of cyber bullying.

Take for example how Sowore, during one of his endless tirades, accused top security officials of plotting against him without proof. Or Deji Adeyanju, who has made a career out of attacking leaders without presenting coherent facts to back his claims.

These antics may excite their social media followers, but they erode public trust and diminish the seriousness of genuine activism. When lies are repeated loudly, some may mistake them for truth, but the law is patient, and it does not forget.

Defamation laws exist not to gag free speech, but to protect individuals and institutions from malicious falsehood. Freedom of expression is guaranteed, but it carries responsibility.

As the courts have repeatedly ruled, no one has the right to destroy another’s reputation under the guise of activism. Those who insist otherwise will soon learn that slander has consequences — in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.

Nigeria is a democracy, not a lawless space. If you have evidence of corruption, present it. If you believe a policy is flawed, critique it constructively. But to wake up daily and hurl reckless accusations at leaders and institutions without proof is not courage; it is blackmail, it is cyber bullying, and it is criminal.

The path forward is simple: let us reclaim activism from the merchants of insults. Let activism once again be a platform of integrity, built on facts, research, and genuine sacrifice.

Nigeria does not need reckless slanderers parading as activists; it needs principled voices who can speak truth to power without fear and without falsehood.

History will remember the difference. Those who mistake defamation for activism will face the full weight of the law. Those who embrace truth will earn respect that outlives them.

 

 

Adewole Kehinde is the publisher of Swift Reporters and can be reached via kennyadewole@gmail.com @adewole 08166240846

Gombe Governor Meets VON DG; Pledges Continued Support, Robust Partnership

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Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, on Wednesday met with the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace, who is in the state as part of his nationwide zonal tour of VON facilities.

The VON DG’s visit to Gombe is part of his ongoing engagement strategy aimed at assessing the state of VON’s infrastructure, interacting with staff across zonal offices and repositioning the organization for optimal performance in line with global media trends and technological advancements.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya welcomed Malam Ndace and commended his leadership and visionary approach to repositioning Voice of Nigeria as a globally competitive broadcaster and a key player in projecting Nigeria’s image and narratives to the world.

The Governor noted the important role of VON in shaping public perception, enhancing Nigeria’s global presence and promoting unity through responsible journalism.

He acknowledged the efforts of the current management under Ndace to modernize the agency, expand its reach and build a more vibrant and professional media institution.

“We in Gombe State recognize the value of strategic media partnerships, and we remain committed to supporting VON’s operations and strengthening our collaboration for mutual benefit”, the Governor stated.

He assured the DG of his administration’s willingness to explore avenues for synergy, particularly in areas of content sharing between VON and Gombe State Media Corporation, cultural promotion and public enlightenment programmes.

In his remarks, Malam Jibrin Baba Ndace thanked Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the warm reception and consistent support to VON.

He also lauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s strides in governance and infrastructural development in Gombe State, stressing the need for a more deepened institutional collaboration between the State and Voice of Nigeria, especially in the areas of information dissemination, capacity building and positive image projection.

Malam Ndace said his zonal tour is aimed at revitalizing the agency’s regional structures and motivating staff in line with VON’s renewed strategic direction.

“We are working to ensure that Voice of Nigeria delivers on its mandate as Nigeria’s external broadcaster, projecting our culture, values, and developmental strides to the global audience in a more dynamic, digital, and engaging way,” he stated.

FCT CP, Security Chiefs Hold Emergency G-7 Meeting In Abuja Over Cross-Border Crimes

The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, on Thursday convened an emergency G-7 security meeting at the Police Resource Centre, Jabi, Abuja, in response to rising cross-border crimes and related security threats.

According to a press release signed by the FCT Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, the meeting brought together the Commissioners of Police from the six states bordering the FCT, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, Benue, Nasarawa, and Plateau, alongside State Directors of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Commandants of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The G-7 security committee serves as a joint platform to harmonize intelligence and strengthen collaboration against criminal activities such as kidnapping, banditry, arms proliferation, human and drug trafficking, car theft, religious extremism, and the unchecked influx of destitute persons into the FCT.

During the session, participants reviewed the progress made in tackling cross-border crimes and examined both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to improving security responses across the region.

At the end of deliberations, the security chiefs reaffirmed their collective commitment to deploying intelligence-driven strategies and proactive measures to safeguard residents of the FCT and its neighboring states.