Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns - Newstrends
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Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

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Hakeem Baba-Ahmed

Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has resigned, Daily Trust reliably learnt.

Impeccable sources in the presidency confirmed yesterday that the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

The sources said Dr. Baba-Ahmed did not provide details of the reasons for his decision, only stating that it was on personal grounds. However, as of the time of filing this report, it was unclear whether the presidency had accepted his resignation.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima in September 2023.

Over the past 17 months, he has represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from 28th to 29th January, 2025 in Abuja.

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Clash with Matawalle over NEF

Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s role in the presidency drew criticism at certain points. A notable criticism came from the current Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle.

In April 2024, Matawalle appeared to have taken an aim at Dr. Baba-Ahmed, when he said northern appointees must not remain silent in the face of intimidation or misrepresentation of the Tinubu administration.

His remarks came after Baba-Ahmed criticised Matawalle’s dismissal of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as a “political paperweight”. That position by the minister was in reaction to the group’s statement that the North had made a mistake voting for Tinubu in 2023.

Baba-Ahmed had argued that the Tinubu administration would have been better served if Matawalle had highlighted his own achievements as a minister—along with those of other northern appointees—rather than attacking the NEF.

“Scathing criticism of NEF by the junior minister of defence, Matawalle, is ill-advised. He could have done a better job for this administration if he identified contributions of especially northern ministers and other appointees like me to improving security and reducing poverty in the North,” Baba-Ahmed wrote.

Matawalle fired back, insisting that government appointees had a duty to defend and promote the administration they served. “Dr Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is well known,” Matawalle said, adding that: “As an appointee of this administration, it is his responsibility to work for its success, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons”.

The minister stressed further that: “Every appointee of President Tinubu, including Dr. Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote, elucidate, and advance its good works and commendable efforts across all sectors.

“As appointees from the North, we must take a stand, be unequivocal, and be counted among those working for the success of this administration. This is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu”, the junior minister maintained.

Tinubu’s political adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, resigns

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Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti

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Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti

An Ekiti State High Court sitting in Ado‑Ekiti has sentenced 48‑year‑old Olatide Temitope Emmanuel to death by hanging after finding him guilty of murder and impersonation for posing as a medical doctor and causing the death of a pregnant woman during a botched procedure. The ruling serves as a stern warning against medical quackery in Nigeria.

Emmanuel was arraigned before Justice Babajide Aladejana on two counts: murder for the June 24, 2019 death of Falade Bosede at Odo Ikole Compound, Erinmope‑Ekiti, and impersonation of a medical doctor on June 9, 2019 at Ajebamidele Street, Otun Ekiti. The offences contravened Sections 316 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap. C16, Laws of Ekiti State, 2012.

The prosecution, led by Kunle‑Shina Adeyemo, called seven witnesses and tendered multiple exhibits, including the defendant’s statements, medical reports, and photographs of the deceased, proving that Emmanuel — who had no recognized medical qualification — unlawfully conducted the procedure that led to Bosede’s death.

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During his defence, Emmanuel admitted he was not a certified medical doctor, claiming only to have worked as a nursing apprentice in Lagos and later opened his own private clinic in Erinmope. He did not call any witnesses to support his case.

In delivering judgment, Justice Aladejana stated, “The prosecution has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the reckless action of the defendant caused her death on 24th June, 2019. The defendant is accordingly found guilty as charged. The judgment of this court is that you, Olatide Temitope Emmanuel, be hanged by the neck until you are dead.”

Legal analysts note that the case underscores the dangers of unlicensed medical practice, particularly in rural communities where access to certified healthcare is limited. Experts say the ruling could act as a deterrent to quacks and fraudsters who endanger lives by impersonating medical professionals.

Emmanuel retains the right to appeal the judgment, which may be taken to a higher court for review. Meanwhile, the sentence reflects the severity of practising medicine without qualifications and the legal system’s commitment to protecting public health in Nigeria.

Quack Doctor Sentenced to Death for Murder in Ekiti

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Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings

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Magistrates’ Court in Ebute Metta

Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings

A Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ebute Metta, Lagos, has ordered the remand of four police officers accused of killing traders at the Owode Onirin International Spare Parts Market in Lagos State.

The defendants — Msanu Bala (41), Jibrin Samaila (47), Ibrahim Garuba (29), and Ibrahim Kashimu (26) — were arraigned on a seven-count charge bordering on conspiracy and murder over the deadly incident that reportedly occurred at the busy market.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offence took place on August 27, 2025, at about 9:00 a.m., when the officers and others still at large allegedly opened fire on traders using AK-47 rifles during a confrontation at the market.

The prosecutor, O.W. Ologun, told the court that the accused officers allegedly conspired to carry out the attack, which resulted in the deaths of several traders and injuries to others.

The charge sheet listed six victims allegedly killed during the shooting. They include Bamidele Dare Mufutau, Adebayo Adewale Mathew, Adeoye Taiye, Abraham Idowu Temilola, Akinboye Oluwaseyi Olamilekan, and Akeem Aderemi Adeoye.

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Authorities said the alleged offences contravene Sections 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which deal with conspiracy and murder.

Following their arraignment, the presiding magistrate E. Kubeinje ordered that the suspects be remanded at the Kirikiri Custodial Centre pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The court subsequently adjourned the case until April 15, 2026, for mention.

Counsel to the defendants, Azuri Ejiofor, opposed the remand request, arguing that the accused officers had already spent more than five months in detention before being brought before the court.

However, the court granted the prosecution’s request for remand while awaiting the DPP’s legal advice to determine whether the case would proceed to full trial.

The case is linked to a violent confrontation between traders and armed security operatives during a dispute reportedly related to demolition activities and land ownership issues at the Owode Onirin market.

The incident sparked public outrage among traders and residents, who demanded justice for the victims killed during the shooting at the popular spare parts market in the Kosofe area of Lagos State.

Earlier, the Lagos State Police Command confirmed that the officers involved in the incident had been dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force following investigations into the killings.

Authorities say the prosecution of the suspects is part of efforts to ensure accountability and justice over the Owode Onirin market killings.

Lagos Court Remands Four Police Officers Over Owode Onirin Market Killings

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Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases

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Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases

Jihadi extremist groups, including Boko Haram and its faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified coordinated attacks on military bases across Nigeria’s North-East, leaving several officers and soldiers dead and raising fresh concerns about security in the region.

Over the past week, insurgents carried out multiple assaults on military formations in Borno and Yobe states, targeting troop positions in remote areas and communities around the Lake Chad region.

Security reports indicate that at least two military officers and several soldiers were killed during the latest wave of attacks, while analysts estimate that no fewer than four officers may have died within the period as militants launched simultaneous operations against different bases.

The Nigerian military confirmed the incidents, describing them as coordinated attempts by terrorists to overwhelm troop positions.

Military spokesperson Maj.-Gen. Sani Uba said the attacks, which occurred between Sunday and Monday, resulted in the loss of an unspecified number of soldiers and at least one officer.

According to him, the casualties add to the deaths of several soldiers and another officer earlier recorded during separate attacks earlier in the week.

Reports show that Islamic extremists launched at least six attacks over the weekend across Borno and Yobe states, striking several military formations and checkpoints across the wider Lake Chad basin, a region that has remained the epicentre of the insurgency for more than a decade.

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During the raids, insurgents reportedly carted away military trucks, motorcycles, weapons and ammunition from some of the bases after temporarily overrunning the facilities.

Videos circulated by ISWAP after the attacks showed militants displaying weapons, ammunition, motorcycles and vehicles which the group claimed were seized during the assaults.

Security experts say such attacks are often aimed at replenishing insurgents’ weapons stockpiles.

Taiwo Adebayo, an analyst at the Institute for Security Studies, said insurgents typically target military camps to seize arms and supplies.

“When they hit those camps, they strip the base of weapons, burn it down and retreat into the forests,” he said.

Another security researcher, Malik Samuel of Good Governance Africa, warned that the vulnerability of some military bases allows insurgents to strengthen their arsenal without spending resources on purchasing weapons.

“As long as military bases remain vulnerable to being overrun, ISWAP does not need to spend money buying arms,” he said.

The renewed attacks have triggered public anger in Nigeria, with some citizens accusing the administration of President Bola Tinubu of focusing on political developments ahead of the next presidential election rather than addressing worsening insecurity in the North-East.

Observers note that although ISWAP has increased attacks on military positions in recent months, the latest wave marks one of the few times the group has launched multiple coordinated assaults on several bases within a short period.

The attacks are occurring despite increased security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, under which more than 100 US troops have been deployed to assist the Nigerian military with training, logistics and intelligence support.

Analysts say insurgents continue to exploit limited government presence and weak security coverage in remote communities, enabling them to move quickly between forests and border areas across the Lake Chad region.

Nigeria’s Boko Haram insurgency, which began in 2009, remains one of the country’s deadliest security crises, killing thousands of people and displacing millions across the North-East and neighbouring countries.

Boko Haram, ISWAP Kill Officers, Soldiers in Fresh Attacks on North-East Military Bases

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