Kaduna Residents Storm Govt House, Demand Probe of El‑Rufai

Hundreds of Kaduna State residents on Thursday staged a peaceful protest at the Government House in Kaduna metropolis, demanding answers over the disappearance of lecturer Abubakar Idris, popularly known as Dadiyata, and calling for a public audit of former Governor Nasir El‑Rufai’s administration.

The protesters, composed of youths, women, and community members, gathered at the UTC roundabout before marching to the state’s seat of power, chanting solidarity slogans and carrying placards. Some of the messages read “We demand public scrutiny, audit now,” “Malam Nasir El‑Rufai, where is Dadiyata?” and “Publish loan agreement and spending breakdown now.” Other placards demanded justice, stating “Kaduna lived in fear, we want the truth,” and “Sponsoring protest cannot protect El‑Rufai; he must face prosecution.”

Dadiyata, a social media commentator and lecturer, was abducted from his Kaduna residence in 2019 by unknown gunmen and has not been seen since. His disappearance remains a controversial unresolved case, prompting calls for transparency and accountability from both the government and security agencies.

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Addressing journalists during the protest, protest leader Anas Yusuf emphasized that the demonstration was non-partisan, aimed solely at promoting justice and accountability. He highlighted insecurity during the previous administration, noting:

“Kaduna bled. Communities were attacked, Birnin Gwari faced isolation, banditry escalated, citizens were kidnapped, families buried loved ones, and fear became normal. Former Governor Nasir El‑Rufai must answer hard questions.”

Another protest leader, Comrade Joseph Chori, described Dadiyata’s disappearance as “an open wound” for Kaduna residents, saying:

“A family still waits. Kaduna still asks: what happened?”

The protesters also demanded an independent public security audit of the El‑Rufai administration and called for full disclosure of the $350 million World Bank loan obtained during his tenure, insisting the loan agreement and spending breakdown be made public.

“Loans are not free money. Public debt demands public accountability because citizens will repay that debt. They deserve transparency,” the group stated.

Former Governor El‑Rufai has denied involvement in Dadiyata’s disappearance, previously stating that the lecturer was a critic of another state government and not linked to his Kaduna administration.

While the protest remained largely peaceful, organizers stressed their action was intended to strengthen democracy and promote justice, not to incite division. They urged authorities to act transparently and ensure accountability for past misgovernance, while praising the relative calm under current Governor Uba Sani.

“We will not allow destabilisation to shield anyone from scrutiny. This is not revenge; this is justice and democracy. Kaduna deserves better, and Kaduna will demand it,” the protesters affirmed.

Kaduna Residents Storm Govt House, Demand Probe of El‑Rufai

INEC’s New BVAS Update Will Automatically Reject Mismatched Polling Unit Results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that its latest software update for the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will automatically detect and reject mismatched figures between what is entered on the device and what appears on physical result sheets at polling units, a move aimed at strengthening the integrity of elections in Nigeria.

INEC’s Deputy Director of Information and Publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, explained the enhancement on Sunrise Daily on Channels Television on Thursday, saying the updated BVAS can now read and cross‑check figures on official result sheets against the data entered by presiding officers before results are formally tabulated on Form EC8A.

According to Ifogah, after votes are counted and aggregated at the polling unit, the presiding officer inputs the figures into the BVAS device. The tool then compares this input against the numbers on the scanned result sheet. If the figures do not match, the BVAS will reject the entry and block the upload, ensuring that only consistent and verified results are transmitted into the electoral database.

“If the figures do not correspond with what is recorded, it will not pick it up,” Ifogah said, adding that this enhancement is a critical measure to prevent manipulation, clerical errors, and inflated results at the polling unit level before collation begins.

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BVAS Mock Trials and Readiness Ahead of Elections

INEC also disclosed that the commission conducted mock trials of the new BVAS update in 289 polling units across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) prior to the recent Area Council elections. The mock deployment was designed to stress‑test the validation feature, identify challenges, and ensure smooth functionality during live elections.
Officials say the trial showed that the enhanced BVAS technology can effectively identify discrepancies and reduce the likelihood of incorrect result uploads — an issue that has fueled suspicion and court challenges in past elections.

The upgrade forms part of INEC’s broader push to improve transparency, accuracy and trust in Nigeria’s electoral process. INEC’s BVAS system is already equipped with internal safeguards that prevent over‑voting (where total votes exceed the number of accredited voters) and flag anomalies during accreditation and result capture. The new update goes further by validating data between paper result sheets and electronic entries before results are accepted into the system.

INEC’s Rationale and Public Assurance

INEC has faced recurring concerns from political parties, observers, and civil society over result discrepancies between physical result sheets at polling units and what is later collated at state and national levels. In response, the commission has increasingly emphasised its commitment to deploying technology to promote credible elections.

Ifogah stressed that the BVAS enhancement does not replace human judgment but acts as a digital check to ensure what is entered electronically aligns with what has been physically recorded by election officials. He said the innovation provides an additional layer of accountability, helping to reduce opportunities for manipulation at the earliest stage of result transmission.

INEC has also promised continued training for presiding officers and election officials on the new BVAS functionalities to ensure they are comfortable with the processes before future nationwide elections, including the 2027 general elections.

INEC’s New BVAS Update Will Automatically Reject Mismatched Polling Unit Results

Ex‑NNPC GM Jailed for 87 Months in $2.1m Bribery Case

A United States federal court has sentenced Paulinus Okoronkwo, a Nigerian-American and former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to 87 months in prison for accepting a $2.1 million bribe from Addax Petroleum, a Switzerland-based subsidiary of the Chinese state-owned oil giant Sinopec.

The sentencing follows Okoronkwo’s conviction in August 2025 on charges of transactional money laundering, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice. The court found that he abused his position at NNPC’s upstream division to receive the illicit payment, which was disguised as consultancy fees but intended to secure favourable drilling rights in Nigeria.

According to prosecutors, the $2.1 million bribe was wired to Okoronkwo’s law firm’s trust account in Los Angeles in October 2015. Evidence presented at trial showed that Addax executives falsified records, misled auditors, and dismissed staff who questioned the transaction, all to conceal the bribery scheme.

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In addition to the prison sentence, Judge John F. Walter ordered Okoronkwo to pay $923,824 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and forfeit $1,039,997, representing proceeds from the sale of a Valencia, California property purchased using the bribe money. Court filings indicate that nearly $1 million of the illicit funds was used as a down payment on the home, which was not declared on Okoronkwo’s 2015 federal tax return.

Okoronkwo, 58, later practised immigration, family, and personal injury law in Los Angeles’ Koreatown before the State Bar of California suspended his law license in January 2026 pending disciplinary proceedings. He also obstructed justice in 2022 by lying to federal investigators about the source and use of the bribe money.

The case underscores the United States’ commitment to enforcing anti-corruption laws and targeting foreign officials who exploit the US financial system for illicit gains. It also highlights the potential legal risks for oil industry executives engaging in corrupt practices tied to international contracts.

Ex‑NNPC GM Jailed for 87 Months in $2.1m Bribery Case