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POLICE ARREST TWO FOR STEALING ELECTRIC CABLE IN YOBE   Police Arrested two suspects, Yahaya Mustapha, 28, and Bello Yakubu, 38, both residents of Takari Ward in Gashua, the Bade Local Government Area of the state for stealing electric cables. This was contained in a statement made available to PUNCH Online in Damaturu on Sunday, by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dungus Abdulkarim. Abdulkarim stated, “On April 12, 2025, at about 1:00 pm, Karasuwa Headquarters Divisional Police caught the suspects loading a large quantity of dismantled power transmission cables onto a tricycle in Waro Village, Karasuwa LGA. “The police command is investigating the suspects and working to identify the source and perpetrators of the vandalism. During a patrol, the ‘B’ Divisional Police Headquarters discovered an electricity service wire hidden in an isolated area of Maisandari ward, Damaturu, suspected to have been vandalised.” The state Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, reaffirm...

OUT CRY OVER EMIRS SUMMONS PROMPTS  U-TURN FROM NIGERIAN POLICE Nigerian police have withdrawn a summons issued to one of the country's most respected traditional leaders after it was widely condemned. The emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, is engaged in a tussle for the crown with his cousin Aminu Ado Bayero, who is said to enjoy the support of the national government. However, Sanusi chose to ride on horseback after Eid prayers, accompanied by local vigilantes. This led to clashes between rival groups which saw one man stabbed to death, prompting the police to order Sanusi to appear at the national police headquarters in the capital, Abuja. However, this prompted an outcry with many Nigerians saying it showed a lack of respect to the emirate, which is one of the oldest institutions in the country. Traditional leaders in Nigeria hold few constitutional powers but are able to exert significant influence as they are seen as custodians of both religion and tradition. In response to the ...

THREE HEADLESS BODY FOUND IN ONDO RIVERS The ondo State Police Command has confirmed that the three headless bodies discovered in a river in Odigbo Local Government Area did not originate from the state. The shocking discovery of the bodies floating between Ore and Odigbo communities has caused panic in the area. Residents found the bodies in the river on Sunday and immediately alerted security agencies. The positions of the bodies raised suspicions that they may have been killed for ritual purposes before being dumped into the river. The police spokesperson, Olayinka Alayande, confirmed the incident, saying the matter was reported at the local police station.However, no one had come forward to identify the bodies. Alayande stated, “I can confirm that three bodies were recovered from a river in Odigbo. The matter was reported to the Ore Division, and the DPO sent a detective to the scene. The DPO also summoned community leaders and other groups to help identify the bodies and directed ...

16,000 DOCTORS LEFT NiGERIA IN SEVEN YEARS The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, said over 16,000 Nigerian doctors have left the country in the last five to seven years to seek greener pastures in other countries. Pate also said the doctor-to-population ratio is now 3.9 per 10,000 in the country, while the estimated cost of training one doctor exceeds $21,000. This was as he lamented that nurses and midwives who left have also thinned the numbers healthcare workers in the country.The minister disclosed this at the seventh annual capacity building workshop of the Association of Medical Councils of Africa in Abuja on Tuesday themed, “Integrated healthcare regulation and leadership in building resilient health systems.” According to him, an increasing number of Nigeria’s talented healthcare professionals aspire to work in other countries—driven by factors such as economic opportunity, better working conditions, more advanced training, and superior res...

Vice President Kashim Shettima has said Nigeria’s federal system is not inherently faulty but has been weighed down by poor resource management and a lack of accountability across all levels of government. Speaking at the 7th edition of the Leadership Conference and Awards in Abuja on Tuesday, Shettima said the country’s challenges are less about constitutional structure and more about “a deficit of collective fiscal responsibility.” According to a statement signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Communications, Stanley Nkwocha, Shettima said the “problems attributed to the current federal system often stem from the poor management of resources rather than from any inherent flaw in the country’s constitutional architecture.” The Vice President, who was represented by his Special Adviser on General Duties, Dr Aliyu Modibbo, added, “To improve our federalism, we must not lose sight of the dysfunctions that have been allowed to fester under the current system. If we at the ...

NIGERIA POLICE AND THE RIGHT TO  PROTEST A Threat to Fundamental Human Rights The Nigeria Police Force has been accused of attempting to prevent citizens from exercising their fundamental human right to protest. This raises concerns about the government's stance on freedom of expression and assembly. The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria guarantees citizens' rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association. Specifically, Section 40 states that every person has the right to assemble freely and associate with others . However, there have been instances where the Nigeria Police Force has used excessive force to disperse peaceful protests, violating citizens' human rights. This conduct contradicts the principles of democracy and human rights . The implications of the police's actions are far-reaching Erosion of Trust Excessive force by the police erodes trust between law enforcement and the public. Stifling Dissent Suppressing protests silences dissenting voices and un...