Author: CKN

 

A driver narrowly escaped death on Thursday after a moving train crushed a Toyota Sienna bus and a Nigerian Army Hilux van along Factory Road in Aba, Abia State.

The incident occurred a few metres from the Aba railway station as the train, reportedly coming from Port Harcourt, approached the terminal and collided with vehicles attempting to cross the rail line.

Eyewitnesses said the bus and the Army vehicle were caught on the tracks as motorists struggled to navigate the busy crossing point.

One witness, Mr. Obioha Uzoma, said the accident could have been avoided if proper safety measures and traffic control mechanisms were in place at the rail crossing.

He explained that confusion at the junction, coupled with road design challenges from recent construction work, contributed to the crash.

According to him, the driver of the Sienna bus appeared to have been trying to manoeuvre out of the rail track when the train struck, pushing the vehicle into the Army Hilux and dragging both vehicles along the track.

He added that the situation worsened due to congestion and impatience among road users approaching the area.

Efforts to speak with the bus driver were unsuccessful, as eyewitnesses alleged he left the scene shortly after the incident, reportedly to avoid arrest by railway security officials.

The Public Relations Officer of the Aba Railway Station, Mr. Israel Uwalekwu, said the accident was avoidable and blamed motorists’ impatience at the rail crossing.

He stressed that the train has right of way and urged drivers to exercise caution when approaching railway intersections.

“The level of impatience among drivers in Aba is alarming. People rush unnecessarily and ignore safety warnings,” he said.

Uwalekwu added that similar incidents had been narrowly averted in the past, calling for greater discipline and adherence to railway safety rules by motorists.

Many bacteria, viruses and other harmful microorganisms spread through contaminated hands. People can pick up germs from surfaces and unknowingly transfer them to themselves or others.

The post 5 important reasons to wash your hands regularly appeared first on Tribune Online.

 

Armed men have kidnapped four residents and killed a vigilante in an attack on the Byazhin area of Kubwa, Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory.

A resident, who identified himself as Aliyu, said the attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, noting that the assailants were heavily armed.

“The attack happened in the early hours of Thursday. The gunmen were about 28 who attacked the community. I think they might have camped in the area before they struck. Four residents were taken into the bush while one vigilante guiding the area was shot from behind and died as a result of the gunshot,” he said.

A security source, who confirmed the incident, said the slain vigilante had been buried.

He also disclosed that combined teams of security operatives had launched a search-and-rescue operation for the abducted victims.

“It is true. The vigilante had just been buried. The military, police and vigilantes came around. They are already in the bush in search of the criminals and to rescue the victims,” the source said.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, were unsuccessful, as calls to her line indicated it was not reachable at the time of filing this report.

The Byazhin area of Kubwa is a fast-growing suburb in the Federal Capital Territory known for recent security concerns.

The incident adds to a pattern of violent raids in the area, prompting renewed security operations and community vigilance.

Punch 

Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, on Thursday, inspected roads damaged by heavy rainfall in Dandi Local Government Area, with affected communities calling for urgent intervention to restore access and prevent further deterioration.

The affected roads include the Kingakwai–Fana–Dakingari Road and the Fana Township Road, which serves as a key link between Fana town and neighbouring communities.

During the inspection, the member representing the area in the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Suleiman Fana, and the Commissioner for Works, Abdullahi Umar Faruk, briefed the governor on the extent of the damage caused by the rainfall.

Officials said sections of the roads had been severely affected by erosion and flooding, disrupting movement in the area.

The Commissioner for Works recommended the construction of additional culverts and other drainage structures to facilitate repairs and reduce the risk of future damage.

Idris, accompanied by government officials, assessed the affected sites and assured residents that steps would be taken to address the situation.

The inspection comes amid concerns over the impact of seasonal rainfall on road infrastructure across parts of the state.

Meanwhile, the governor also visited Kamba town, where he paid a condolence visit to former Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Samaila Abdulmumin Kamba, following the death of his wife, Hajiya Fatima Abdulmumin.

The late Hajiya Fatima, who died at the age of 65, was buried according to Islamic rites and is survived by nine children.

Kebbi: Heavy rainfall damages roads in Dandi 

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties that any primary election conducted outside the commission’s May 30 deadline remains invalid, unless a higher court overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment on the matter.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the disclosure in a chat with The Punch.

He advised that political parties would have to continue to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 pending the determination of the commission’s appeal before the Court of Appeal.

Haruna stated: “Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment in INEC’s appeal against the ruling that the timetable breached the Electoral Act 2026 in some of its provisions.

“In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act.”

The INEC commissioner’s position follows the ongoing legal dispute over the commission’s timetable for party primaries and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general election.

A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgment, had nullified aspects of INEC’s electoral guidelines and schedule put in place for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

Justice Umar, delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Youth Party against INEC, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, held that the commission could not lawfully shorten the timelines provided under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.

The court also held that INEC could not abridge timelines already provided under the Electoral Act 2026, noting that the electoral body acted outside its statutory powers under the Electoral Act 2026.

INEC subsequently filed an appeal and sought a stay of execution of the judgment, insisting that its timetable was issued in line with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities in the electoral process.

Before the court ruling, INEC had approved April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for political parties to conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 general election.

The commission also directed parties to comply with other timelines contained in its revised election schedule.

Meanwhile, less than 24 hours after INEC appealed Justice Umar’s judgment, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the powers of the INEC to issue and alter election timetables for the conduct of elections.

Justice Omotosho, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, held that INEC was constitutionally empowered to issue election timetables and schedules of activities for elections.

The judge, however, held that while the commission possesses such powers, it must exercise them strictly within the timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act, 2026.

The development comes as the African Democratic Congress primary election appeals committee in Kaduna State ordered rerun elections in several federal and state constituencies following petitions arising from the party’s recently concluded primaries.

Chairman of the committee, Dr Muhammed Fagge, said the panel thoroughly reviewed petitions, documentary evidence and submissions by aggrieved aspirants before reaching its decisions.

According to him, the committee uncovered irregularities and fraudulent practices in some of the primary elections.

Consequently, the panel declared several primaries inconclusive and ordered reruns in constituencies where it found substantial irregularities, procedural breaches, the omission of aspirants from ballot papers and insufficient evidence that voting took place.

In the Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituency, the committee directed a fresh primary after establishing that Ibrahim Kubau, a duly screened aspirant, was omitted from the ballot papers.

Similarly, it ordered a rerun in the Kaduna South Federal Constituency after investigations allegedly revealed a lack of credible evidence that elections were conducted across all wards in the constituency.

Fagge said rerun elections would be held in affected wards and constituencies across Kaura, Soba, Ikara, Kajuru, Badarawa/Malali, Magajin Gari II, Birnin Gwari, Tudun Wada West, Igabi, Kagarko, Kawo, Zaria, Chikun/Kajuru and Kudan/Makarfi, among others.

He said the decision was aimed at safeguarding the credibility and integrity of the party’s nomination process.

The committee also ruled on the Kaduna North Senatorial District primary, declaring that any attempt to adopt a consensus or affirmation process would be invalid unless it had the consent of all parties involved.

Fagge stressed that no aspirant should be denied a fair opportunity due to procedural lapses or electoral irregularities.

Haruna’s latest clarification on the INEC deadline, however, suggested that, pending the outcome of the appeal, political parties risk having any primary election conducted outside the May 30 deadline.

Deborah Musa

Deborah Musa is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with five years of experience in journalism, including three years covering the judiciary. She focuses on producing accurate, well-researched reports that provide clarity on legal and justice-related issues. Deborah’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and editorial diligence.

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The Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) — Nigeria’s foremost consortium of writers, journalists, artists and literary enthusiasts, is officially 35 years old on Tuesday June 2, 2026, having been founded and staged its first public outing on June 2, 1991.

Though not staging any official event on the actual date, the leading advocate for the arts and culture of the nation and the continent, on Saturday June 6, 2026, at 4pm, will commemorate the milestone with the formal launch of its podcast station tentatively named “Voices from the CORAVille.” 

The station is located in its secretariat office space at the CORA Library & Resource Centre, CORAVille, Freedom Park, Lagos Island. It is manned by its Programme Directorate peopled by its cohorts of Associates and Volunteers drawn from the CORA Youth Creative Club. The new Podcast initiative, which expands the organisation’s diverse range of activities is designed to deepen conversations around the creative and cultural industries through insightful interviews, critical commentaries and engaging dialogues. 

Courtesy a donation by its long-standing patron and support, David Awam Amkpa, professor of Culture Aesthetics with the Tisch School of Art, New York University, NY, and Vice Provost, New York University, Abu Dhabi, the podcast station aims to serve as a platform for thought leadership, knowledge sharing, and advocacy, helping to catalyse transformational change within the creative ecosystem.

Toyin Akinosho, CORA’s visionary founder and Secretary-General, will be the special guest on the podcast’s maiden edition, which will take listeners back to CORA’s formative years, when the dream was crystallising, and yet take a firm grip. Right from the first Arts Stampede on June 2, 199, and other baby-step activities that took place in Akinosho’s residential courtyard in FESTAC Town, Lagos, the podcast launch will help relive memories and remember early contributors to the development of CORA. 

Indeed, there is no other individual more suitable than Akinosho, who is expected to pull these strings of nostalgia, telling such epochal stories of an NGO that has grown steadily over the years, becoming home for cultural landscapists that have been instrumental in determining and shaping the country’s cultural horizon in the past 35 years. 

Jahman Anikulapo, CORA’s Program Chair described the double-barrel event as yet another milestone in the organisation’s history.

“This double-barrel event is yet another history-making moment for CORA. It offers the opportunity to reflect deeply on CORA’s evolution in the last 35 years of active engagements in literacy campaign, cultural advocacy and the shaping and structuring of the Nigeria’s creative ecosystem. 

“We invite everyone who has followed CORA’s journey from its infancy to this remarkable period. Writers, journalists, art enthusiasts, culture advocates, activists and members of the general public are welcome to join us in commemorating CORA’s 35th anniversary and celebrating its enduring contributions to the nation’s cultural landscape.” 

The Committee for Relevant Art, CORA was founded in June 1991 as a not-for-profit advocacy organisation to advance the cause of artistic and cultural production and expression. It was created and, has been over the decades managed by dedicated culture enthusiasts with the intent of making Nigeria a prime destination for art and culture tourism. CORA was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission in Nigeria as a charity in 2007 as the CORA Art & Cultural Foundation. In 2006, the organisation was a recipient of the Prince Claus Award for Culture & Development.

CORA has been instrumental to major policy shifts in the creative industries, the most recent of which is the ongoing revamp of the 50-year old National Theatre of Nigeria; the introduction and ongoing review of the Cultural Policy of Nigeria; the sustenance of the various culture parastatals of the federal government of Nigeria; and the epochal launch of the Bring Back the Book initiative by former President Goodluck Jonathan. 

CORA organises regular art events including live performance events and plenaries such as the quarterly CORA Art Stampede; the monthly CORA BookTrek, the periodic CORA Artists’ Forum, and the annual Lagos Book & Art Festival, LABAF, organised since 1999, and widely revered as the biggest of its type in the West Africa sub-region. These events constantly draw attendance from the creme of Nigeria’s art enthusiasts, practitioners and patrons and are regularly reported in the press.

Ideas shared at CORA organised forums have influenced major interventions in the literary, film, musical, visual and performative arts of Nigeria in the past three decades. CORA has consulted in the past for major organisations seeking to evaluate and revamp their CSR initiatives for the arts and culture sector.

Signed:

CORA Program Directorate

Many serious health conditions develop gradually and may not show obvious symptoms in their early stages. As a result, people often feel healthy while underlying medical problems continue to progress unnoticed.

The post 5 health conditions that can be detected through routine medical check-ups appeared first on Tribune Online.

 

The United Kingdom (UK) has introduced new immigration rules that could see universities banned from recruiting foreign students if they fail to meet stricter compliance requirements.

The changes, announced by the Home Office on Thursday, are aimed at tackling high asylum claims linked to work, study and tourist visas, with foreign students accounting for the largest share.

Under the new rules, universities could lose their licence to recruit internationally if more than five percent of their visa applications are refused. Previously, the visa refusal benchmark was set at 10 percent.

The Home Office, which issues visas, said it can track both the proportion of student visa refusals and the universities recruiting affected applicants.

Universities will also be stripped of the right to recruit international students if too many drop out or fail to complete their studies.

Under the updated requirements, foreign students are now mandated to reach a course enrolment rate of at least 95 percent and a course completion rate of at least 90 percent. Previously, the benchmarks were 90 percent and 85 percent, respectively.

“High drop-out rates can indicate students have entered the illegal working economy rather than studied whilst high visa rejection rates or low enrolment figures suggest some institutions have not done enough due diligence on applicants,” the Home Office said.

The changes come just three months after the UK slammed an “emergency brake” on study visas for nationals from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Myanmar, and Sudan over asylum claims that were so high the Home Office called the figures an “unsustainable threat”.

Asylum claims by students have since fallen by 30 percent in the past year alone following stricter enforcement, according to the Home Office.

The ministry also said it has contacted 306,000 students whose visas are due to expire, warning that unfounded asylum claims will be swiftly rejected and those without the right to remain must leave or face removal.

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The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised concerns over the growing practice of imposing excessive and impractical bail conditions, warning that the trend is transforming bail into a tool for pre-trial detention.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Afam Osigwe, president of the NBA, said courts and law enforcement agencies are increasingly imposing conditions that many defendants could not meet despite being granted bail.

Full Statement 

BAIL CONDITIONS SHOULD NOT UNDERMINE THE ESSENCE OF BAIL

In recent times, we have observed with growing concern a disturbing trend in the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria, where courts and law enforcement agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, EFCC, ICPC, and other security agencies, increasingly impose bail conditions that are excessive, impractical, and difficult to satisfy. The frequent insistence on sureties who are senior civil servants of specified grade levels, coupled with demands for landed properties of extraordinary value, has in many cases transformed bail from a mechanism for securing attendance at trial into a tool of pretrial detention. The consequence is that many persons who are constitutionally presumed innocent and have ostensibly been granted bail remain incarcerated because the conditions attached to their release are beyond their reach. This troubling development undermines the constitutional right to personal liberty, weakens the presumption of innocence, and defeats the very essence and purpose of bail within our criminal justice system.

We consider it necessary to reiterate that bail is a constitutional safeguard designed to secure the attendance of an accused person at trial while preserving his or her liberty pending the determination of guilt or innocence. It is neither a punishment nor a mechanism for imposing pre-trial incarceration by indirect means. The law is settled that bail conditions must be reasonable, practical, and capable of being fulfilled by the accused person.

The Supreme Court, in Suleman & Anor v. Commissioner of Police, Plateau State (2008), emphasized that the object of bail pending trial is to grant pre-trial freedom to an accused person whose appearance in court can be secured through appropriate conditions. Bail is not intended to create insurmountable obstacles that make release impossible.

We are particularly concerned by the increasing tendency to impose conditions that are disconnected from prevailing economic realities and often impossible to satisfy. Conditions requiring sureties who are serving civil servants on specific salary grades, ownership of landed properties of extraordinary value, or other burdensome requirements effectively convert the grant of bail into a denial of bail.

Of particular concern is the continued insistence in some cases on sureties who must be senior civil servants, often on Grade Levels 16 or 17, and who must own properties worth hundreds of millions of naira. Such conditions have been strongly criticised by the appellate courts.

In Dasuki v. Director-General, State Security Service & Ors (2019) LPELR-49182 (CA), the Court of Appeal unequivocally condemned the practice of involving serving public officers as a mandatory category of sureties. The Court observed that such requirements are unknown to civilised legal systems and run contrary to public service regulations. The Court further noted that expecting a public servant on Grade Level 16 to own property worth N100 million would not only be unrealistic but could also conflict with public service rules and anti-corruption objectives.

The Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, is equally clear on this issue. Section 165(1) provides that while the grant and conditions of bail are within the discretion of the court, such conditions must not be excessive. Judicial discretion, though wide, must always be exercised judiciously, reasonably, and in a manner consistent with constitutional guarantees.

We therefore restate that bail conditions must be tailored solely to ensure attendance at trial. They must never serve as instruments of punishment prior to conviction. Conditions that cannot be met amount in substance to a refusal of bail and contribute directly to pre-trial detention and congestion in correctional facilities.

We are equally concerned by the restriction of acceptable sureties to a particular class of citizens, particularly senior civil servants. This practice lacks legal, empirical, or rational basis. There is no evidence that civil servants are inherently more reliable as sureties than other law-abiding citizens. Such requirements unduly narrow the pool of eligible sureties and create artificial barriers to the enjoyment of a constitutional right.

Accordingly, we call on courts at all levels to remain guided by the Constitution, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, and established judicial authorities when considering applications for bail. Bail conditions must be fair, reasonable, proportionate, and attainable. Courts must guard against imposing terms that render the grant of bail illusory or nugatory.

We also urge judicial officers to remain mindful that every accused person enjoys the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court of law. The administration of justice is best served when the rights of accused persons are protected while ensuring their attendance at trial through reasonable and lawful conditions.

As guardians of the rule of law, we must collectively ensure that the constitutional right to bail remains meaningful and effective. Bail should not become a privilege reserved only for those with extraordinary means or connections. It must remain what the law intended it to be, a mechanism for securing attendance at trial while preserving the liberty and dignity of persons who have not been convicted of any offence.

Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN

President

Nigerian Bar Association

A dramatic police pursuit unfolded near Bophelong after suspects linked to an armed robbery at Vaal Mall  Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, South Africa allegedly opened fire on officers while attempting to evade arrest.

According to reports, police identified and attempted to stop a Volkswagen Combi believed to have been used in the robbery. 

Instead of complying, the driver allegedly accelerated, triggering a high-speed chase along the R57.

As officers pursued the vehicle, the suspects reportedly fired multiple shots at police in an effort to escape. Law enforcement officers returned fire, turning the pursuit into a tense and dangerous confrontation on the roadway.

The chase continued until the suspects’ vehicle reportedly lost control and crashed into a roadside sign. However, the crash did not immediately lead to arrests.

Police say the suspects quickly abandoned the damaged Volkswagen Combi and fled on foot into nearby veld, taking advantage of the terrain to evade capture.

Despite the extensive pursuit, no arrests have yet been made.

Authorities have since launched a large-scale manhunt to locate and apprehend the suspects believed to be connected to the armed robbery. Investigators are also working to determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the identities of everyone involved.

The incident has once again highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers responding to violent crimes and armed robbery cases.

Police are appealing to members of the public who may have information about the suspects’ whereabouts to come forward and assist with the ongoing investigation.

As the search continues, residents in the area are being urged to remain vigilant and immediately report any suspicious individuals or activities to law enforcement authorities.