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Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

Published

9 months ago

March 25, 2025

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has alleged that members of the National Assembly received bribes to ratify the state of emergency imposed on Rivers State by President Bola Tinubu.

In a video clip seen by Daily Sun, Obasanjo was seen in a conversation with outspoken House of Representatives member, Ikenga Ugochinyere, who denied reports that federal lawmakers were paid $200,000 each to support the emergency rule. “Nobody gave anyone $200,000. That is just what I want to correct.”

However, the former president insisted that he had direct knowledge of the payments. “You can say anything. I heard it from the horse’s mouth. You can deny it, that is alright, but I heard it from those who got it and told me that they got it. If you didn’t get it, then maybe your case is different. Don’t tell me what I know. Most of your members who got it told me that they got it.”

This allegation follows an earlier denial by the Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mukhtar Betara, who dismissed claims that cash payments were made to lawmakers to secure support for the emergency declaration.

Investigative journalist Jaafar Jaafar alleged on X that Betara clarified the $5,000 given to each committee member was a “Sallah gesture” and not a bribe.

“The chairman of the House Committee on FCT, Mukhtar Betara, has clarified to me that he only shared $5,000 to each member of his committee as a ‘Sallah Gesture,’ not an inducement to support emergency rule in Rivers State,” Jaafar wrote.

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Meanwhile, Obasanjo has said democracy is dying in Africa because it has become a system of government by a small number of people over a large population, who are deprived of their needs.

He spoke at a Colloquium to mark the 60th birthday of former Imo State governor, Emeka Ihedioha in Abuja, yesterday.

The former president stated that democracy, which is expected to deliver services to all the people and not a section, is failing in Africa because it is not African in context and content.

According to him, from the Greek model of democracy, where all the citizens participate directly in their affairs, it is now a representative system which has not taken care of everybody.

“When we talk of democracy, we should remember that in Africa, before the colonial rule, and the colonial power, we had a form of government which attended to the needs of our people. And whatever you call it, to me it is democracy, because what is democracy about? Democracy is meant to be a system of government that delivers. And delivers to all the people, not just a section of the people. Not just a few. But what do we have today?

“Today, we have democracy which is a government of a small number of people by a small number of people over a large number of people, who are deprived of what they need to have in life. Now, that is not democracy that will endure.

“So, if you are talking of democracy failing in Africa, democracy in Africa has failed. Why has it failed? Because in context and in content, it’s not African. It does not have any aspect of our culture, our way of life, what we stand for, what we believe in. Umbutu, I am because we are.”

He added that democracy in the continent today is “I am because I can grab. What sort of democracy brings you and you grab everything and then illegally, corruptly and you say go to Court when you know that even in the Court, you cannot get justice?

“So, if democracy is failing, democracy is dying and if we are going to make democracy not to die, we have to look at democracy in the context and in the content of Africa. I hope that we will get to that stage so that democracy which will deliver will be the democracy that we will have in Africa.”

Again Obasanjo accuses federal lawmakers of bribery

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Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri

Published

5 hours ago

December 16, 2025

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Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid

Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri

The Borno State Police Command on Monday successfully defused an unexploded bomb planted beneath a network mast in Chuskon, Federal Low Cost Area, Maiduguri, averting a potential security threat to residents.

According to Police Public Relations Officer ASP Nahum Daso, the EOD-CBRN Base 13 unit responded promptly after receiving a report from the Divisional Police Officer, ITE Police Division. The explosive device, featuring two protruding wires, was rendered safe following standard bomb disposal procedures. Items including a hand plier, a T-shirt, and a pair of shoes were recovered at the scene, suggesting deliberate placement by unknown individuals.

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“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, has charged all Divisional Police Officers across the state to intensify patrols and fortify critical infrastructure, especially communication facilities, to prevent sabotage and maintain public safety,” ASP Daso stated.

Following the operation, the police held community sensitization and safety awareness sessions, urging residents to remain vigilant, report suspicious objects promptly, and collaborate with security agencies.

The command assured the public that the situation has been brought under control and that normal activities have resumed in the area. Investigations into the bomb plot are ongoing as authorities continue to strengthen measures to safeguard lives and property across Maiduguri and surrounding communities.

Borno Police Defuse Unexploded Bomb Under Network Mast in Maiduguri

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Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation

Published

5 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Trends Admin

Aisha Buhari

Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation

A new biography, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari” by Dr. Charles Omole, has unveiled the pivotal role of former First Lady Aisha Buhari in the removal of Lawal Daura, former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), amid attempts by influential Aso Rock aides to manipulate the 2023 APC presidential primaries for then Senate President Ahmad Lawan.

The book, launched yesterday at the State House Conference Hall by President Bola Tinubu, details how aides close to former President Muhammadu Buhari presented fabricated “presidential orders” to security chiefs—including the IGP, DSS DG, and DG NIA—to deploy forces in favor of Lawan as the consensus APC candidate.

According to the biography, Aisha Buhari was a major instigator in Daura’s ouster, framing it as an early test of Buhari’s commitment to institutional propriety. When then-acting President Yemi Osinbajo approved Daura’s removal, Buhari refrained from intervening, emphasizing respect for the vice president and institutional authority.

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Former IGP Usman Alkali Baba recounted a clandestine meeting ahead of the primaries, revealing how the security chiefs sought clarification from Buhari after being presented with the fake orders. The President reaffirmed his stance that Nigerians should freely choose their candidates, dismissing any attempts to manipulate the party’s process.

The biography also highlights a separate Villa incident where a family dispute escalated to gunfire involving a policeman linked to the First Lady’s office. Buhari’s Chief Security Officer Abubakar Idris arrested the officer, and the President held family members accountable, demonstrating adherence to law over personal ties.

The book launch drew high-profile attendees, including President Bola Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Nana Shettima, governors, traditional rulers, Aisha Buhari, and aides of the former president.

The revelations shed new light on Aso Rock power dynamics, the safeguarding of electoral integrity in the APC 2023 primaries, and the influence of Aisha Buhari in upholding institutional order within Nigeria’s security apparatus.

Aisha Buhari Key to DSS DG Removal, Thwarts Alleged APC Primary Manipulation

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Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout

Published

6 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Trends Admin

Four Suspected Bandits Killed, 13 Abducted in Kogi Shootout

At least four suspected bandits were killed during a violent shootout in Ayetoro Kiri, a farming community in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, on Sunday evening, while 13 individuals were abducted, the state government confirmed on Monday.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, said the attack was part of a series of incursions by criminal elements fleeing bandit attacks in neighbouring Niger and Kwara States, prompting a coordinated security response in Kogi.

Local hunters reportedly fought back bravely, engaging the bandits in a gunfire exchange, neutralizing four suspects while others fled with injuries. Security forces, including soldiers from the 12 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, the Kogi State Police Command, and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), have been deployed to the area to track the escaping criminals and rescue the kidnapped victims.

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Fanwo revealed that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is coordinating with service chiefs to secure air support from the Nigerian Air Force to complement ground operations, strengthening the state’s effort to protect lives and property.

“The Governor is steadfast in preserving lives and property throughout Kogi State. Our security network has restricted the bandits’ movements, and we are winning the battle,” Fanwo stated, praising the bravery of local hunters and the cooperation of security agencies.

The recent attack follows another deadly raid less than two weeks ago in Irunda Ile, Yagba East LGA, where suspected bandits killed four people, including two vigilantes, highlighting ongoing security challenges in the state.

The Kogi State Government has reassured residents that a robust joint security team has been established, and continuous efforts are underway to rescue abducted persons and clamp down on criminal activities across the state.