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DAY-OLD BABY ABANDONED IN ABUJA   COMMUNITIE A day-old baby has been abandoned in Jikoko village, located in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory. The baby was said to have been found in carton, wrapped in cloth, and dumped along a bush path near a poultry farm in the village. Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, a resident of the area who identified himself as Aliyu said the discovery shocked the community. “We woke up to the sight of a day-old baby kept in a carton.When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident and said an investigation had begun to trace the mother of the abandoned child. When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed the incident and said an investigation had begun to trace the mother of the abandoned child. Investigation has commenced to locate the mother of the baby. The baby is currently with the social welfare department,” she said. This is not the ...

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OUT CRY OVER EMIRS SUMMONS PROMPTS  U-TURN FROM NIGERIAN POLICE Nigerian police have withdrawn a summons issued to one of the country's most respected traditional leaders after it was widely condemned.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...

PROPOSED EXTENSION OF NYSC TO TWO YEARS SPARKS DEBATE Rumors have been circulating about a potential extension of Nigeria's National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program from one year to two years. While this proposal has not been officially confirmed, Nigeria's Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, has indeed suggested doubling the service duration to better equip graduates with practical skills . Arguments For and Against the Extension Enhanced Skill Acquisition:A two-year program could provide more comprehensive training and skill development opportunities, making graduates more competitive in the job market. Increased Deployment Opportunities Longer service duration could lead to more extensive deployment opportunities, including rural teacher deployment and community development projects. Extended Delay in Job Market Entry A two-year program may delay graduates' entry into the workforce, potentially affecting their financial independence and career progression. Additio...

FULANI YOUTHS CLASH OVER GIRLFRIEND IN ABUJA  A violent altercation has erupted in Katampe, FCT Abuja during the ongoing Eid-El-Fitr celebrations, leading to injuries among several Fulani youths. The confrontation was reportedly sparked by a dispute over girlfriends, with the involved parties using dangerous weapons. This was made known by Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, in a post on his X handle, who disclosed that the incident resulted in the hospitalization of two individuals. The confrontation, which was sparked by a dispute over girlfriends, saw the involved parties using dangerous weapons, resulting in the hospitalization of two individuals. Makama, quoting eyewitnesses, said the fight took place at approximately 1930hrs and quickly escalated, causing a disturbance among the public. “Upon receiving the distress call, police patrol teams were swiftly deployed to the scene. The situation was brought under control, and the youths inv...

POLICE DISPERSE ABUJA PROTESTERS WITH TEAR GAS Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Monday dispersed protesters with tear gas in the Maitama area of Abuja. The protesters, who had gathered peacefully to express their grievances, were thrown into disarray as the tear gas canisters sent many scampering for safety. The protest, which is part of a nationwide demonstration spearheaded by the Take-It-Back Movement and other civil society organisations, began earlier in the day to draw attention to several national issues. Key among the concerns raised by the organisers are the alleged misuse of the Cybercrime Act, the worsening economic hardship in the country, and what they described as a “state of emergency” in Rivers State. The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “Stop the Repression” and “Let Us Breathe,” as they marched through the streets of the Federal Capital Territory. Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was also presen...

NO COUNTRY HAS DEVELOPED UNDER DEMOCRACY - BURKINA FASO PRESIDENT  President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, said the country is undergoing a “popular, progressive revolution” and not operating under a democratic system. He added that it is difficult to pinpoint a country that has developed practising democratic rule. Traore made the disclosure during a flag-raising ceremony at the Koulouba Palace last week. He said, “If we have to say it loud and clear here, we are not in a democracy, we are in a popular, progressive revolution. “We must necessarily go through a revolution, and we are indeed in a revolution. So this question of democracy or libertinism of action or expression has no place. As much as you think you are free to speak and act, the other is also free to speak and act, and there we end up with a society of disorder.” He criticised the notion that democracy is a prerequisite for development, saying it is “false” to believe any country has developed under a demo...

FUEL PRICE HIKE; SPARKS WIDESPREAD  CONCERN IN JOS NORTH,PLATEAU NIGERIA.  The recent surge in fuel prices at some stations in Plateau State, effective April 1, has sparked serious concern among the residents of jos North local government area of Plateau state.The hike, which sees petrol prices jump to between ₦930 and ₦950 per litre, is attributed to Dangote Refinery's decision to halt the sale of petroleum products in Naira . This drastic increase has far-reaching implications for the economy and citizens' livelihoods. With transportation costs expected to skyrocket, the ripple effect will be felt across various sectors, including food, healthcare, and education. The vulnerable populations, already struggling to make ends meet, will be disproportionately affected. The timing of this price hike couldn't be more inopportune, considering the country's inflation rate is already at 23.18% . The increased fuel prices will only exacerbate the economic hardship, making it eve...

NYSC ALLOWANCE HIKE:A BOOST TO CORPS MEMBERS WELFARE The recent increase in the monthly allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members in Nigeria has sparked widespread discussion. The allowance has been raised from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000, a significant boost aimed at improving the welfare of young graduates serving their country . This increase is expected to enhance the standard of living for corps members, enabling them to better meet their basic needs, including food, housing, transportation, and healthcare. With more disposable income, they can also save for future endeavors or invest in personal development, leading to increased financial stability and security . Moreover, the increased allowance may attract more talented graduates to participate in the NYSC program, enhancing the quality of service provided. It may also reduce the financial strain on families who often supplement their children's allowances during the service year . However, there are concerns that th...