Author: Gabby

The recently released abductees from Borno State have opened up about the appalling conditions they endured while being held by armed bands for three months. Among them were men, women, and children from Ngoshe, a community in Gwoza Local Government Area, who were seized on March 4 and finally set free on June 6.

Halima Musa, one of the former captives, recalled that the hostages had to prepare their own meals. She stated, “We were given only guinea corn to eat once a day. If you ate around 2 p.m., you had to wait until the next day for the next meal. Sometimes there was no soup at all. We cooked the food ourselves. They provided the ingredients.” She added that throughout their ordeal, they slept on the bare ground in the mountains, with no mats or blankets.

Another victim, Khadijat, revealed that their release occurred without any exchange of gunfire or direct contact with security forces. She explained, “When we were freed, there were other people already there who had been kidnapped before us. Eleven of them had spent seven months there. They were abducted from a river while fishing. But all of us were released together.”

On Monday, Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum visited the freed individuals and announced a rehabilitation program for the Ngoshe community. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and the security agencies for their efforts in securing the release. Zulum mentioned that approximately 434 abducted persons had been freed in phases, with about 360 returning two days earlier. He also disclosed that the state government had allocated millions of naira to rebuild Ngoshe and was collaborating with the military to facilitate the safe return of residents willing to go back home.

The National Industrial Court in Akure has directed the Osun State Government to reassess the promotion of Mr. Olabisi Abidemi to the rank of Director on Grade Level 17. The court determined that the decision to exclude him from consideration was unjust and violated the principles of fairness in public service administration.

Justice Kiyersohot Damulak, who delivered the ruling, instructed the Osun State Governor, the Attorney General, the Head of Service, and the State Civil Service Commission to review Abidemi’s candidacy in accordance with the Osun State Public Service Rules. The judgment further specified that any promotion granted as a result of this review must take effect from the date it would have originally applied, and awarded N500,000 in costs to the claimant.

According to court documents, Abidemi began his career in the Osun State Civil Service in May 2004 and advanced to Deputy Director on Grade Level 16 by July 2021. During the proceedings, he asserted that while he was on approved leave, his name was included on the list of officers qualified for a promotion interview to Grade Level 17 in August 2025, and he participated in that interview.

After the interview, Abidemi claimed he received no update about his promotion status, leading him to file complaints and appeal letters to the Head of Service. In response, the defendants argued that his denial was not due to his leave but because he failed to meet requirements under the Public Service Rules, specifically regarding continuous supervision by a reporting officer and four years of annual performance evaluations.

They also contended that Abidemi had worked only about eight months in the previous eight years and that employees on leave are not subject to supervision. However, the claimant’s counsel, I. A. Mikaheel, countered that neither the Public Service Rules nor the leave approval allowed the leave to be used as grounds for denying promotion.

In his judgment, Justice Damulak emphasized that while promotion is not an automatic right, the discretion exercised by public authorities in statutory employment matters must be fair, transparent, consistent, and based on established rules. The court noted that the defendants failed to present any written policy requiring four years of supervision for promotion consideration, nor did they provide the promotion committee’s report or any explanation for Abidemi’s exclusion.

Justice Damulak stated, “I therefore find that the defendants acted inconsistently and unfairly in refusing to consider the claimant for promotion after listing him as eligible for promotion.” The court also pointed out that Abidemi had previously been promoted to Grade Level 16 while on leave, and his shortlisting for the 2025 interview created a legitimate expectation that his leave would not automatically disqualify him.

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, has emphasized that elevation in rank carries increased obligations. Speaking at the decoration ceremony for 956 officers who recently received promotions from the Police Service Commission, Bakori congratulated the personnel and relayed the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun’s message of continued support for welfare and career advancement.

Bakori stressed that promotion is not merely a reward but a call for higher standards of conduct and service. He urged the officers to embrace professionalism, discipline, and integrity in their duties. ‘With promotion comes greater responsibility,’ he stated, encouraging them to dedicate themselves to selfless service to the nation and the people of Kano State.

The Commissioner also noted that the Command will closely monitor performance to ensure officers justify the trust placed in them through excellence. The event was announced in a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), has sharply criticized the federal government for its inability to address the escalating security crisis. In a strongly worded statement released on Tuesday, he decried the surge in violent attacks by terrorists across multiple states, including Zamfara, Borno, Sokoto, Katsina, Kwara, and Oyo, warning that citizens can no longer feel safe.

The former Kano State governor lamented that banditry, kidnapping for ransom, armed robbery, and communal conflicts have become routine in Nigeria. He expressed particular alarm at the boldness of criminals who now broadcast live on social media to mock authorities and spread fear. “This is utterly unacceptable for a sovereign nation,” Kwankwaso stated.

Drawing on his experience as a former governor and defence minister, Kwankwaso argued that insecurity can be overcome with political will. He noted that during his tenure, decisive leadership and community engagement significantly curbed threats. “The problem today is not a lack of resources but a shortage of sincerity and determination to act,” he asserted.

Kwankwaso pointed out that despite massive security budgets, the situation worsens daily, with innocent lives lost, families displaced, and the economy suffering under instability. He called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s security architecture, including better welfare for personnel, stronger intelligence, community policing, and tackling root causes like poverty, unemployment, and poor governance through investments in education, skills training, and job creation.

He also urged the government to prioritize quality education, infrastructure, healthcare, reliable electricity, and agricultural support to boost local food production and reduce import dependence. “We cannot continue on this dangerous path,” Kwankwaso concluded.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has strongly criticized Rabiu Kwankwaso, the running mate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, for drawing parallels between himself and revered northern figures like the late Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, and Aminu Kano. Tukur Mohammed-Baba, the ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, made this known during an interview on Arise Television.

Mohammed-Baba described Kwankwaso’s remarks as inappropriate and misplaced, noting that the politician’s claim to being a ‘new Messiah’ for the North is both irrelevant and delusional. According to him, Kwankwaso cannot be compared to historical icons who operated in their own unique contexts and eras.

The ACF scribe further stated that such statements would make Kwankwaso appear irrelevant in the eyes of northerners, who hold the legacies of Sarduana and Aminu Kano in high esteem. He emphasized that comparing oneself to these figures is a grave error, as their contributions to the region’s development remain unparalleled.

Kwankwaso recently sparked controversy by likening himself to the late leaders, positioning himself as a transformative figure for the North. However, the ACF has dismissed this as a misguided attempt to gain political traction.