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Don’t negotiate with bandits, northern leaders warn Tinubu

Published

3 years ago

July 8, 2023

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Don’t negotiate with bandits, northern leaders warn Tinubu

Northern leaders have rejected a call by former governor of Zamfara State, Malam Yerima Sani, asking President Bola Tinubu to negotiate with terrorists and bandits in the country and grant them amnesty as it was done for Niger Delta militants by the late Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration.

In their separate views, they argued that such negotiations would continue to fail because the bandits do not have a central command of leadership and they never kept the agreements reached with some of them in the past by some states and communities in the North.

President General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, worldwide and Chairman of the three sociocultural/ethnic groups in Benue State, Chief Iorbee Ihagh, said, “There is no way President Bola Tinubu’s government will negotiate with bandits and terrorists.

“These were people who were brought into this country from parts of West Africa to prosecute elections for some persons in 2015.

“After they won their elections they failed to keep to the agreement they entered with the criminals and that is why they took to banditry and terrorism and tormenting the North.

“Those who brought them into the country know themselves. They should be made to go and clean up the mess they created for Nigerians.

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“I am happy that President Tinubu has brought in people who can tackle insecurity in the country unlike what we had in the last government when nepotims beclouded them.

“They had wanted to turn Nigeria into a Fulani state but God came to our rescue as a people. So, there will be no bargaining, President Tinubu should never accept that.

“He has started well and we are praising him, but if he does that, nobody will be behind him again.

“Government cannot go and beg criminals; they should come and surrender. Moreso, armed herdsmen should be made to go back to their respective places so that the millions of Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, scattered in our state and other parts can go back to their ancestral homes.”

On his part the Vice Chairman of APC Benue South District, Bishop Pinot Ogbaji, said, “When I heard of the proposal of the former governor of Zamfara State advising President Tinubu to negotiate with terrorists and bandits, I was shocked. I know that in everything there is negotiation and dialogue but negotiation means that we encourage that attitude and character.

“Then when you negotiate with a deadly group in the North, another group would probably surface in another part of the country seeking negotiation.

“Let me ask: what manner and kind of negotiation is he talking about? Is it to grant them amnesty or what? Or true repentance? We don’t even know the extent to which the negotiation will go; we do not know their demands.

“For me, negotiation is not an issue at all. Of course, there could be amnesty which is not negotiation. It entails that somebody volunteers to repent, then he is brought back to the the society of normal beings and re-orientated”.

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Also the National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu said, “Unless he is one of them and he is trying to protect them, otherwise who negotiates with terrorists. The problem we’ve had is a northern problem. People from the North took this Boko Haram and banditry as their own game.

“We have somebody there, though his election is till in dispute, it appears that this person will not tolerate a situation where people will be serving some parochial interests rather than the Nigerian nation. And that is what I believe Tinubu is trying to achieve.

“To negotiate with terrorists means to endorse criminality and encourage non state actors to have the courage to come up and start something again in the future.

“The way forward is to crush them, to take them out of existence.

“So, deal with them in such a way that henceforth somebody who will want to rise for whatever reason will think twice before he does something.

“It should even go beyond that, those who are involved in propagating this thing should be fished out and dealt with decisively because Nigerians have suffered enough and any call by such characters should be questioned and queried.

“And if you remember it is the same Yerima who started the Sharia thing under the then President Obasanjo. To me he is a suspect; any suggestion from him should not be taken seriously.”

Chairman, Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU) Ishaq Usman Kasai, in his view explained that Yerima’s call reflected the lack of understanding of the structural formation and divergent goals of the armed bandits in their forests who have been causing mass destruction, deaths, and destabilization in the country.

He said, “To successfully bring an end to armed banditry business in Nigeria, all bandits’ camps in our various forests must be dislodged as anything short of this will only be a window-dressing that will not bring lasting solution.

“Engaging in negotiations with armed bandits will never yield significant positive outcomes because past experiences have demonstrated that criminal elements such as armed bandits, often exploit negotiations as a means to buy time, regroup, and strengthen their positions.

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“They view negotiations as a sign of weakness of the government, which emboldens them to continue their violent activities. We recall that many of such negotiations were carried out with bandits by many state and local governments and individual communities in the Northwest region of the country.

“Past experiences from areas where this type of negotiation was carried out show that the bandits only exploited the opportunity to receive more money, easily trafficked illicit drugs, acquired more arms and raped women including teenagers and married ones.

“In fact, all the communities and governments that entered such negotiations with the bandits later regretted it.

“Negotiating with the bandits will also send a dangerous message to Nigerians particularly rural dwellers signalling government’s incapacity, weakness and official acknowledgement of parallel governments within the Nigerian state.”

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Mo’Afrique targets Nigeria’s mass fashion market with Modish launch in Abuja

Published

8 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Mo’Afrique targets Nigeria’s mass fashion market with Modish launch in Abuja

In a bold pivot from bespoke elegance to industrial-scale fashion, Nigerian fashion house Mo’Afrique has unveiled a multi-million-naira garment factory in Abuja.

The company also commissioned a new mass-market brand, Modish Formals—signalling strategic move to capture Nigeria’s vast, underserved apparel segment.

Specifically, Modish Formals will focus on producing professional wear, uniforms, and related apparel.

Founder and Creative Director of Mo’Afrique, Omobolanle Olawole, speaking with newsmen, said the company also used the occasion to mark 10 years of operations.

Olawole stated that the expansion from bespoke tailoring into the mass market was driven by evolving customer needs and the existence of a large, untapped segment in Nigeria’s garment industry.

“This expansion is a direct response to market demand. Over the years, our corporate clients have required more than bespoke fashion—they need structured, high-quality garments that reflect their brand identity and can be delivered at scale. Modish is our answer to that need,” she said.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Jumoke Oduwole, who commissioned the facility, commended Mo’Afrique for boosting local manufacturing capacity.

She described the anniversary and factory launch as a “double celebration” that reflects both achievement and a new phase of growth, urging the company to extend its footprint beyond Nigeria.

“We expect you to have your garments across Africa and the rest of the world using the African Continental Free Trade Area. This is a pride for the ministry and the administration. This is what generates jobs, employment, and contributes to GDP,” she said.

Oduwole also encouraged the company to leverage opportunities under AfCFTA to scale exports, noting that the government remains committed to supporting entrepreneurs in overcoming business climate challenges.

Highlighting the company’s journey, she added that Mo’Afrique’s growth from a bedroom startup a decade ago to a full-scale manufacturing operation underscores the resilience of Nigerian entrepreneurs.

According to the minister, initiatives such as the factory will drive job creation, boost employment, and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial base.

She described Modish as part of a broader solution to deepen the textile and clothing value chain, positioning Nigeria as a competitive force in global garment manufacturing.

She added that the facility represents more than a production hub, serving as a model for innovation, sustainability, and locally driven industrial growth.

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“You Lack Power To Revoke My Certificate” — Kalu Tells Legal Education Council

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu

“You Lack Power To Revoke My Certificate” — Kalu Tells Legal Education Council

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, has challenged the Council of Legal Education (CLE), insisting that the body lacks the legal authority to revoke his Nigerian Law School qualifying certificate amid an ongoing investigation into allegations surrounding his academic records and NYSC participation.

The controversy followed a petition alleging inconsistencies in Kalu’s academic timeline, particularly claims that he combined the Nigerian Law School programme with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) service. The CLE had directed him to respond to the allegations within seven days as part of its internal review process.

In a formal response through his lawyers dated April 28, 2026, and signed by Chukwuebuka S. Okeke of Olaniwun Ajayi LP Chambers, Kalu described the petition as “fundamentally deficient in law” and urged the council to dismiss it. His legal team insisted that no law prohibits simultaneous participation in the Nigerian Law School and NYSC programme.

Kalu’s lawyers also argued that the Council of Legal Education has no express statutory power to revoke or cancel a qualifying certificate once issued. They maintained that any disciplinary authority available to the council is limited and can only apply in cases involving proven criminal conduct or clear legal violations, none of which they said had been established.

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The legal team further referenced provisions of the Legal Education (Consolidation, etc.) Act, explaining that the CLE’s mandate is to oversee legal education and certify candidates who meet the requirements for admission to the Bar, but not to withdraw certificates retrospectively. They cited Section 5 of the Act, which outlines eligibility criteria for Law School graduates to be called to the Bar.

Despite Kalu’s objections, the Council of Legal Education has set up a three-member investigative panel to examine the petition and related allegations. In a letter dated April 21, 2026, the council instructed Kalu to submit a written response within seven days, citing allegations of perjury, false representation, and discrepancies in his NYSC and Law School records.

The CLE, however, has maintained silence publicly on the matter. A senior official confirmed that the petition was received and the process is being handled internally, declining to provide further details or confirm whether Kalu responded after the deadline.

Kalu’s legal team also dismissed reliance on an alleged declaration he reportedly signed during his academic period, which stated he would not participate in NYSC while in Law School. They argued that the document was unsworn and therefore carries no legal weight or enforceability.

They further maintained that no statute, regulation, or institutional guideline in force at the time prohibited simultaneous participation in the Nigerian Law School and NYSC programme. According to them, a review of the Nigerian Law School Student Handbook for the relevant academic session also revealed no such restriction.

Meanwhile, the Civil Society Groups of Good Governance (CSGGG) has filed a separate petition questioning the legality of combining Law School studies with NYSC service, arguing that law students are expected to fully dedicate themselves to professional training without parallel obligations.

The CLE’s investigative panel is expected to review all submissions before deciding on further action. For now, the dispute remains unresolved, with Kalu insisting his certificate is valid and cannot be revoked, while the council continues its internal inquiry.

“You Lack Power To Revoke My Certificate” — Kalu Tells Legal Education Council

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Nigeria Clears 33 Ambassadors as 32 Await Host Country Approval

Published

11 hours ago

April 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa

Nigeria Clears 33 Ambassadors as 32 Await Host Country Approval

Nigeria has recorded fresh progress in its diplomatic postings as 33 out of the 65 ambassadorial nominees approved by President Bola Tinubu have now received agrément from their respective host countries, while 32 others are still awaiting clearance.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the development through its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, who disclosed that the number of cleared envoys has risen to 33 following continued diplomatic engagements with foreign missions.

“Thirty-three ambassadors have now secured agréments from host countries,” Ebienfa said.

Agrément is the formal diplomatic approval granted by a receiving country after vetting and accepting a nominated ambassador, allowing them to assume official duties in that country.

Ebienfa added that the newly cleared ambassadors will proceed to their assigned foreign missions after completing an ongoing induction programme, which began on Monday in Abuja and is scheduled to end on Wednesday.

“After the induction, those who have been accepted will proceed to their Missions,” he said.

The ministry had earlier reported that over 25 nominees had secured agrément as of April 17, showing gradual progress in the clearance process across Nigeria’s diplomatic partners.

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As part of preparations, the Federal Government began a formal induction programme for career and non-career ambassadors-designate to equip them for their roles in advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.

Speaking at the opening ceremony in Abuja, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, urged the new envoys to project Nigeria positively while actively engaging the international community on issues affecting the country.

She acknowledged Nigeria’s domestic challenges, including insecurity, infrastructure gaps, and resource constraints, but stressed that diplomats must use their platforms to attract partnerships rather than obscure the realities at home.

“Locally, our nation faces genuine challenges of insecurity, resource mobilisation, and infrastructure development,” she said. “Your task is not to hide these realities but to secure international attention and partnership by amplifying the true picture that, despite these obstacles, this government’s commitment to resolving them remains unparalleled and consistent.”

Meanwhile, the list of 65 ambassadorial nominees submitted by the Presidency to the National Assembly in late 2025 marked Nigeria’s effort to fill long-standing vacancies in foreign missions worldwide.

The Senate screened the nominees in December, but delays in appointment left several embassies operating under chargés d’affaires, limiting high-level diplomatic engagement for months.

One of the nominees, Mohammed Mahmud Lele, Nigeria’s designated ambassador to Algeria, reportedly passed away on April 23, further complicating the final composition of the list.

Officials also acknowledged concerns that some nominees could face delays or rejection due to the extended gap between nomination and diplomatic processing, as some host countries require timely submission for agrément approval.

Since assuming office in 2023, President Tinubu’s administration has faced pressure to fully restore Nigeria’s ambassadorial presence abroad after a prolonged vacancy in key diplomatic postings.

The government says it is working to ensure that all remaining nominees secure approvals so that Nigeria’s foreign missions can operate at full capacity.