Author: Daily Post Nigeria

Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has declared that his mission to rescue and reposition Kebbi State is non-negotiable, vowing to press ahead with determination and unity.

Malami said there would be no retreat or surrender in the effort to transform the state, expressing confidence that Kebbi would rise through collective resolve and divine support.

He made the remarks on Thursday during his return to the state after a 123-day absence, drawing a massive crowd that disrupted activities across parts of Birnin Kebbi.

 

Supporters thronged major roads from the airport into the state capital, chanting and waving flags of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, signalling his political re-emergence ahead of the 2027 elections.

The large turnout brought movement and commercial activities to a standstill in several areas, as residents and traders struggled to navigate blocked roads.

Eyewitnesses described the reception as unprecedented. A trader, Sani Abdullahi, said he was forced to shut his shop due to the crowd, noting that he had never witnessed such a large gathering in the state.

Malami had been away from Kebbi since December 2025 following his arrest in Abuja by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations still under legal review. He was later granted bail in March 2026 after months of detention and legal proceedings.

Despite maintaining a relatively low profile since his return, supporters described the homecoming as symbolic of strong grassroots backing and renewed political momentum.

2027: ‘Our mission to rescue, reposition Kebbi non-negotiable’ — Malami

By Emmanuel Iheaka

Unidentified gunmen have killed the traditional ruler of Ochia Autonomous Community in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, Eze Paulinus Ekwueme, and five others in his entourage.

A source in the community who pleaded anonymity said the incident happened along Asaa/Awara road in the area on Friday evening.

According to the source, the gunmen set the corpses ablaze after firing shots at them.

Confirming the incident, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Henry Okoye, stated that the command had launched a manhunt for the killers.

Okoye said the Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, has paid an on-the-spot assessment of the area.

“‎The Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Audu Garba Bosso has deployed tactical units with available operational assets to go all out, in synergy with other security agencies and hunt down the hoodlums responsible for the dastardly attack on the Traditional Ruler of Ochia Autonomous Community along Asaa Awara Road, Ohaji/Egbema LGA.

“‎The deployment followed a distress report received from Ohaji Division on 10th April, 2026 at about 1630hrs, indicating that armed assailants attacked the Traditional Ruler of Ochia Autonomous Community along Asaa Awara Road. Regrettably, the attack led to the death of the monarch, HRH Eze Barrister Paulinus Ekwueme (Ochia I of Ochia Kingdom), alongside five other yet-to-be-identified victims.

“‎Upon receipt of the report, the CP immediately mobilized and dispatched tactical teams to the scene at Assa, where operatives recovered the burnt corpses of the deceased. The remains have been evacuated and deposited at the Federal University Teaching Hospital (FUTH), Owerri, for preservation and autopsy.

“‎Consequently, the Command has commenced a comprehensive investigation into the incident, while intensive operations are ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and recover any weapons in their possession.

‎”In addition, the Commissioner of Police and his Management Team have embarked on an on-the-spot assessment and confidence-building visit to the Ochia community to reassure residents of the Command’s resolve to restore calm and enhance sustained security presence in the affected area,” Okoye submitted.

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Some pensioners and staff members of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, in Enugu State have cried out as activities of alleged land grabbers threaten their life-time investment.

DAILY POST reports that this is despite a valid court order.

The workers had invested their lifetime savings in acquiring land for settlement, but that dream is now being threatened by activities of some land grabbers.

The NOA workers and their retired colleagues are now crying out to Governor Peter Mbah to come to their rescue.

It was gathered that years after they acquired the 90 plots of land and construction work commenced in most of them, certain strangers swooped on the property claiming it had been resold to them.

The land is located at Uhuagu Obeagu-Uno in Enugu South local government area of Enugu State.

The NOA staff members and pensioners, who staged a peaceful protest at the location of the land, accused one Pius Ugwu and his son Ebuka Ugwu of reselling the land to some land grabbers.

They told journalists that they bought the land from an estate agent identified as Lion of Judah, who earlier bought the land from Pius Ugwu with relevant papers.

The protesters, who carried placards with various inscriptions, accused Pius Ugwu and his son of re-selling the land to land grabbers masquerading as estate developers, who had refused to obey court orders stopping their activities.

Speaking on behalf of the others, Venerable Emeka Agana explained that the NOA staff genuinely bought the land totalling 90 plots in 2017, adding that they completed all necessary payments and documentations.

Agana, who is an Anglican priest, alleged that the said Ebuka Ugwu connived with the land grabbers to take over the land, a development which made the NOA staff to approach the court for its intervention.

He alleged that recently some land grabbers, who are claiming ownership of the land came and destroyed their fences and foundations on the land, saying despite the injunction which they got from the court, the land grabbers had continued to destroy and resell their plots of land.

“We paid development fees to Obeagu welfare which is about 250,000 naira each and we also paid to the community about 250,000 naira each, we have all the documents.

“They are not denying that they sold the land to us; we went to court and got a court injunction but they ignored the court,” he stated.

He alleged that the land grabbers have repeatedly ignored court orders and had continued to demolish structures, including fences, on the land in order to forcefully take it from them.

Agana appealed to the state government to assist them reclaim the land, noting that many of them invested their life savings, and even took loans to buy.

“We are telling the state government to come and help us and retrieve this land because the land belongs to NOA staff members; some of them are widows and pensioners, some took loans to buy the land,” he appealed.

The protesters warned those buying land at the said area to desist from such as the matter was still pending before the court.

NOA staff, pensioners cry out as alleged land grabbers defy court order, demolish structures

British border officials have seized around five tonnes of cocaine, with a street value of some £400 million ($540 million), at one of London’s main port terminals, the government said on Saturday.

The drugs were uncovered in a series of operations at London Gateway port in February and March, with the largest single haul, of almost 2,800 packets hidden in a banana shipment, weighing in at around three tonnes.

“The smugglers had gone to extreme lengths to avoid detection — trying to replicate the exact shape and weight of banana boxes to conceal the drugs inside, among fruit in a single shipping container,” the Home Office said in a statement.

Another £80 million worth of cocaine — a tonne in weight — was found last month in a shipping container carrying South American wine.

The Home Office — Britain’s interior ministry — said almost 150 tonnes of illegal drugs were seized by the Border Force in the year ending in March.

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Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has said Nigeria is more expensive to live in now than Kenya.

DAILY POST reports that President Bola Tinubu, in his remarks when he visited Bayelsa State, said fuel prices are cheaper in Nigeria than in Kenya and other African countries.

Reacting to Tinubu’s remark, Atiku, in a statement by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu on Saturday, said the comparison is ‘shallow’ and not only misleading but a grave distortion of the lived reality of Nigerians.

He wondered why the President would isolate fuel prices as a metric of economic comfort while ignoring the far more critical indicators of purchasing power, income levels, and cost of living.

According to him, when compared with the average living cost, Nigeria is more expensive than Kenya despite the cheaper fuel pump price.

“Yes, petrol prices in Nigeria may appear lower than in countries like Kenya or South Africa. But this comparison collapses instantly when placed against the backdrop of economic realities.

“Nigeria today is more expensive to live in than Kenya, with the average cost of living significantly higher, despite lower fuel prices.”

Atiku added that Kenya’s minimum wage is twice Nigeria’s N70,000.

“More alarming is the collapse in earning power. Kenya’s GDP per capita is nearly double that of Nigeria, and a minimum wage earner in Nairobi takes home the equivalent of about N170,000—more than twice Nigeria’s N70,000,” he said.

DAILY POST reports that fuel price in Nigeria is between N1,290 and N1,350 per liter, while that of Kenya is over N1,800

Fuel price: Nigeria more expensive to live in than Kenya – Atiku tells Tinubu

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has revoked the lawful permanent resident status of family members of Masoumeh Ebtekar, the Iranian official who served as spokeswoman for the militants involved in the Iran hostage crisis.

The affected individuals, Ebtekar’s son, daughter-in-law and grandson are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and are facing possible deportation.

In a statement posted on X, Rubio directly tied the decision to Ebtekar’s role during the 1979 crisis, in which 52 Americans were held hostage for 444 days after the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was seized.

“Masoumeh Ebtekar also known as ‘Screaming Mary’ was the spokeswoman for the Islamic terrorists who stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 and held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days — subjecting them to beatings, starvation, and mock executions,” Rubio wrote.

He added that the family members had entered the United States through the Diversity Immigrant Visa Programme during the administration of former President Barack Obama, receiving visas in 2014 and later obtaining permanent residency in 2016.

“This week, I terminated their lawful permanent resident status, and today, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, Maryam Tahmasebi, and their son are now in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement pending their removal from our country,” Rubio stated.

“Her family should never have been allowed to benefit from the extraordinary privilege of living in our country. America can never become home for anti-American terrorists or their families — and under the Trump Administration, it never will.”

The move is part of a broader crackdown under President Donald Trump, targeting relatives of senior Iranian figures residing in the United States. Rubio recently announced similar actions against relatives of slain Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, including his niece, Hamideh Soleimani Afshar, as well as the daughter of former Iranian official Ali Larijani. Those individuals have also been detained by ICE and are facing deportation proceedings.

Ebtekar, who later served as Iran’s vice president for women and family affairs, became internationally known for her televised defence of the hostage-takers during the crisis. Her son, Seyed Eissa Hashemi, had been living in the Los Angeles area, where he worked as a psychology lecturer.

The decision has sparked mixed reactions online, with supporters describing it as long-overdue accountability, while critics question whether relatives not directly involved in the events should face such penalties.

No immediate response has been issued by the affected family members or the Iranian government.

U.S. Revokes Green Cards Of Iranian Family is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Saturday in Maiduguri, assured that President Bola Tinubu’s administration would continue to recognise the sacrifices of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Shettima said this while condoling with the Nigerian Army and Borno government over the attack that claimed the life of Brig. -Gen. Oseni Braimah and other officers.

The vice-president also assured the military of sustained operational support and welfare.

“These men wore the uniform for all of us. They stood to protect our communities, our families, and the future of our children.

“Their courage reminds us that peace and security often come at a very heavy cost,” Shettima said. (NAN)

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The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has called for the immediate resignation of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Amupitan, over allegations of partisanship.

In a statement signed by its spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the emergence of a 2023 pro-Bola Ahmed Tinubu social media post allegedly linked to the INEC chairman raises serious concerns about the credibility of the electoral body.

According to the ADC, the development undermines public confidence in the commission and calls into question its neutrality.

The party further alleged attempts to alter digital records to conceal past political affiliations, describing the move as a threat to transparency and accountability.

It stressed that an electoral umpire must not only be independent but also be perceived as impartial at all times.

The ADC argued that the chairman’s conduct and alleged actions fall short of the standards expected of someone entrusted with overseeing elections in a democratic system.

“This is why Professor Amupitan must resign. Now. Anything less is an insult to the Nigerian people and a dangerous precedent for our democracy,” the statement said.

The party also disclosed plans to escalate its response by updating petitions to relevant institutions, including foreign governments and the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA.

It added that it would intensify civil disobedience actions until the INEC chairman steps down from office.

Don’t insult Nigerians, resign – ADC to INEC Chairman, Amupitan

Youths and residents of Imafon, Igushin, and Ilado communities in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Saturday protested the wave of abduction and killings in the area. 

The protesters, who carried branches and barricaded the busy Shoprite intersection a few meters away from the Governor’s Office, said, “The brutal attacks have continued to plunge the communities into mourning.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that on Thursday, gunmen killed a poultry farmer and her daughter while two others were rescued by the police in the Igushin community.

Also on Friday, gunmen attacked the Ilado community, where they macheted and shot a popular youth while he was trying to escape from being abducted.

Speaking with newsmen, a youth leader, who identified himself as Kunle, said gunmen had been operating unchecked across the state, especially within Akure and its environs.

“We are protesting due to the incessant killings and kidnappings day in and day out at Imafon, Igushin and Ilado.

“A mother and daughter were killed two days ago, and another guy was brutally macheted yesterday.

“We want government to rise up to its duties. We have not seen the impact of the monthly security votes in the state.

“We are tired of burying our people every week while those paid to protect us do nothing. These gunmen move freely in the state capital, and yet our leaders remain silent.

“Where exactly is the security vote going? We see no presence of security, no patrols, no results,” he said.

The youth leader said that residents would not relent until the government took concrete action to secure the lives and properties of residents. (NAN)

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Kemi Badenoch, the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party leader, has faulted the Labour Party’s government’s approach to tackling crime, noting that in Nigeria, any youth that goes against the law is made to face the consequences.

She said Britain convinced itself that crime, idleness and bad behaviour are things to be explained away rather than clamped down upon, thereby trying to be everyone’s “therapist, careers adviser or youth worker”.

According to Kemi Badenoch, “All of us were shocked by the phone footage of children smashing up shops in broad daylight, stealing, laughing, filming themselves as though it were a game.

“Some commentators immediately reached for a racial explanation, but that was to miss the point completely.

“While the majority of young looters in Clapham, south London, seemed to have Caribbean or African heritage, the fact is that children in Lagos and Nairobi do not behave that way.

“Why? Because in Nigeria and Kenya the boundaries are clear and actions have consequences. Parents, communities and authorities do not wring their hands or look the other way. It’s a lesson we’ve forgotten here.

“We didn’t get here overnight. For years, there’s been a drip, drip, drip of institutional and cultural change, not least the belief that social programmes matter more than tough enforcement in maintaining discipline. I profoundly disagree.”

Police tired

“It’s no wonder the police are at the end of their tether. Last year, almost 4,500 officers quit before they had completed their probation. Walking a beat in Croydon last month, I asked the sergeant escorting me about his main frustration.

“His reply echoed the feelings of my local officers in Essex. They are tired of arresting the same people week in week out only to see them get off scot-free, or be released just a few weeks later.

“There is a way forward, of course, and it’s called enforcement. It’s not as if there’s a shortage of rules in Britain, after all – it’s the failure to apply them that’s the problem.”

Conservatives

After mentioning the impact of illegal migration, Kemi Badenoch made reference to positive effect of Conservative Party’s deportation plan.

“We see the same lack of consequences when it comes to those who enter Britain illegally. The small boats and lorry loads keep arriving, whereupon yet more illegal migrants follow.

“This is why the Conservatives’ Rwanda plan was so critical.

“Merely the threat of deportation to central Africa was a deterrent in itself, with illegal migrants reportedly bypassing Britain and going to Ireland instead. When Keir Starmer scrapped the Rwanda scheme, small boat crossings hit new highs and asylum claims reached record levels.

“Our increasing addiction to ‘welfareism’ is another facet of the same problem. If people believe there are no consequences for not working, their behaviour changes accordingly.”

This story is an extract from an opinion piece the Conservatives leader wrote for Daily Mail UK.

Vanguard News

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