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Buba Galadima retracts harsh criticism of Jonathan, slams current security failures
Buba Galadima retracts harsh criticism of Jonathan, slams current security failures
Member of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has openly acknowledged that his years of fierce criticism against former President Goodluck Jonathan were misplaced, stating that Nigeria’s current insecurity challenges have made Jonathan appear “a saint” in retrospect.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News on Monday, Galadima said he has been humbled by the country’s deteriorating security situation.
“I was one of the greatest critics of Jonathan’s presidency. I didn’t know God would disgrace me to show me that Jonathan was even a saint and a better administrator than those that followed him,” he said.
Galadima praised Jonathan’s controversial 2015 decision to postpone elections for six weeks to allow foreign mercenaries tackle insurgency. According to him, the mercenaries produced quick results:
“He postponed the election for six weeks, brought mercenaries, and within six weeks those mercenaries stabilised Nigeria. There was no polling booth where elections did not take place.”
He argued that engaging foreign mercenaries today would cost less than 10 percent of what Nigeria currently spends on military operations, insisting that Jonathan’s approach was more efficient than current strategies.
Turning his attention to the present administration, Galadima accused the government of abandoning its constitutional duty to protect citizens.
“For me, the government has abdicated its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties and has given 99 percent of its time to politicking,” he said.
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He warned that true governance requires sacrifice, not political manoeuvring.
“You shouldn’t have more than six hours for leisure. The remaining must be hands on the wheels. But that is what we are not seeing.”
Galadima accused the APC-led government of prioritising political defections and weakening opposition parties over tackling insecurity. He cautioned that undermining the opposition threatens democracy itself:
“It is not in their interest to destroy opposition because without opposition there is no democracy. And if there is no democracy, we are sliding to fascism — dictatorship of the Mussolini type.”
Commenting on the worsening security crisis, Galadima condemned what he described as outdated and unintelligent strategies. He urged authorities to adopt technology-driven security, intelligence-led operations and modern surveillance tools.
He narrated an encounter in China where CCTV and tracking systems helped recover his stolen bag across two airports within hours, contrasting it with Nigeria’s lack of seriousness.
“We are only interested in power to make money or to show you that I have arrived,” he lamented.
Galadima also faulted security agencies for ignoring intelligence prior to the Niger school abduction, claiming bandits’ movements were tracked yet no action was taken. He condemned soldiers who allegedly fled during the attack, saying they should face strict disciplinary action.
He criticised the growing trend of school closures in northern states, describing it as “shameful,” and insisted the government must secure educational environments rather than shut them down.
Warning that terrorists now possess advanced tools — including drones and real-time mapping — Galadima cited an ISWAP commander who claimed to have full imagery of the Sambisa Forest.
He further urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to succumb to pressure from US President Donald Trump, advising him to rely only on honest and knowledgeable aides.
Despite his strong political views, Galadima said he remains “neither electable nor appointable,” noting that leadership requires long, exhausting hours which he cannot commit to.
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Buba Galadima retracts harsh criticism of Jonathan, slams current security failures
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Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam
A Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has convicted an 18-year-old man, Hassan Usman Olamilekan, for money laundering after he admitted obtaining $800 from a United States citizen through a fake $250 million lottery scheme.
Justice Dipeolu convicted Olamilekan on October 30, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to a one-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The court imposed a fine of ₦200,000 and ordered him to pay an additional ₦1 million to the Federal Government, bringing his total financial obligation to ₦1.2 million. He is to remain in a correctional centre pending payment of the fine and the ordered amount.
The judge also directed the forfeiture of two mobile phones recovered in connection with the offence: an iPhone 11 Pro and a Poco C71.
According to the EFCC, Olamilekan defrauded an American citizen, identified as Gary Brewer, through the Zangi messaging application, where he allegedly impersonated a woman named Julie Leach.
Investigators said the 18-year-old told Brewer that he had won a $250 million lottery prize but needed money to activate the winnings before he could collect the supposed prize.
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The fabricated lottery story reportedly persuaded the American to send gift cards worth $800 through the messaging platform.
The EFCC said Olamilekan admitted selling the gift cards through the Cardsonic application, converting the proceeds into naira and transferring the money into his grandmother’s OPay account. He also admitted benefiting from the $800 obtained through the transaction.
The commission said the defendant operated several social media and messaging accounts, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Zangi and iMessage, which investigators linked to his fraudulent activities.
The charge against him accused him of indirectly disguising the origin of $800 in gift cards, which represented proceeds of unlawful activity. The offence was brought under Section 18(2)(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Following his guilty plea, an EFCC operative, Ebuka Abanga, presented the facts of the case before the court. Justice Dipeolu subsequently found him guilty and convicted him.
Olamilekan was among 21 suspected internet fraudsters arrested by EFCC operatives during a sting operation at Applewood Estate, Orchid Road, Lekki, Lagos State, on October 26, 2026.
The arrest was carried out by operatives of the commission’s Lagos Zonal Directorate 1, four days before his conviction.
The EFCC disclosed the conviction in a statement issued on Monday through its Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, as part of its ongoing efforts to prosecute financial and cyber-related crimes.
Court Orders 18-Year-Old Fraudster To Pay ₦1.2m Over $800 Lottery Scam
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Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
A footballer has died in a fatal multiple-vehicle crash along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Ogun State after a trailer allegedly rammed into the car conveying him and other members of his football academy.
The accident occurred on Monday, November 2, 2026, around the Magboro axis of the expressway in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The crash reportedly involved a Mercedes-Benz C300 and a commercial bus, with officials of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE) and police officers confirming that one person died at the scene.
According to an eyewitness, the footballer and other members of his football academy were travelling in two vehicles to participate in a football match when the incident occurred.
The witness said a trailer suddenly crossed from the opposite side of the road and rammed into the Mercedes-Benz, forcing the car into a commercial bus.
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The collision reportedly killed the footballer inside the Mercedes-Benz, while other occupants of the vehicles survived.
“We were going for a match. We just saw a trailer cross from the other side and hit this Benz, then it hit the bus. Only one person died in the car while the rest of us survived. Everyone in the bus is fine, too. The trailer driver fled with his vehicle afterwards,” the eyewitness said.
The witness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further alleged that the trailer driver fled the scene with the vehicle immediately after the collision.
The Mercedes-Benz, which had registration number SMK-878KX, was badly damaged in the accident, while efforts were reportedly made to evacuate its wreckage from the expressway.
The identity of the deceased footballer had not been established as of the time of reporting.
The circumstances surrounding the crash, including the alleged escape of the trailer driver, were expected to be investigated by the relevant authorities.
The incident adds to concerns over road safety on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a major route connecting Lagos and several communities in the South-West and other parts of the country.
Footballer Dies as Trailer Rams Car Into Bus on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway
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Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja
Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja
Gunmen have abducted a woman, identified as Mrs Attah Arome, and her two children after intercepting the family’s vehicle in the Kagini area of Bwari, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
The attackers reportedly released her husband, Attah Arome, but took his wife and the two children to an undisclosed location, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of residents in the outskirts of the nation’s capital.
The incident occurred at about 11pm on Sunday, October 25, 2026, as the family was returning from an outing.
According to a report by The Whistler published on Monday, November 2, the gunmen double-crossed the family’s vehicle around Kagini, forcing it to stop before taking the woman and her children away.
A source close to the family confirmed the incident, disclosing that the abductors had contacted relatives and demanded ransom for the victims’ release.
The source, however, declined to disclose the amount demanded by the kidnappers.
“Yes, it’s true. The gunmen double-crossed their car around the Kagini area of Bwari. They released the husband and went away with the wife and two children. They have contacted the family and demanded ransom,” the source said.
The circumstances surrounding the decision to release the husband while abducting the other three family members were not immediately clear.
It was also unclear whether the abductors had given the family a deadline to meet their ransom demand or issued any threats over possible consequences of non-payment.
Efforts by The Whistler to contact the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, CSP Josephine Adeh, for comments were unsuccessful. The police had yet to issue an official statement confirming the abduction as of the time of the report.
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The latest incident comes amid continuing concerns over kidnapping in Bwari Area Council, where several communities have experienced attacks by armed groups.
In March 2026, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported a series of abductions in communities around Byazhin and Peze in Bwari. Residents described repeated attacks on homes and farm settlements, with families reportedly receiving ransom demands.
In another report published in March, Premium Times disclosed that troops of the Nigerian Army’s 7 Guards Battalion, working with police officers and local vigilantes, rescued 19 kidnapped persons during a search-and-rescue operation around Gidan Dogo in Bwari Area Council.
The rescued victims included a retired military officer, children and farm workers who had been abducted in separate attacks.
The recurring incidents have prompted residents to call for stronger security deployments, improved surveillance and a permanent security presence in vulnerable communities.
For the Arome family, however, the immediate concern remains the safe return of the abducted woman and her two children.
Relatives are reportedly facing the difficult task of negotiating with the kidnappers while seeking the intervention of security agencies to secure the victims’ release.
Gunmen Intercept Family Car, Abduct Woman, Two Children, Release Husband in Abuja
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