Television Nigerian

Following their release from captivity, the remaining 130 students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School, Papiri, were turned over to Niger State Governor Umar Bago by National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu.

After a terrifying five-week ordeal, the pupils in Agwara and Borgu Local Government Areas of Niger State were let free on Friday.

315 individuals were kidnapped by gunmen on November 21, 2025, including 12 teachers and 303 students. One hundred students were freed on December 7, while fifty students managed to flee soon after the kidnapping.

Journalists were not allowed to talk with the youngsters during the official handover at the Government House in Minna, but the atmosphere was clearly emotional, with some of the rescued students observed crying.

President Bola Tinubu gave the command for the rescue mission, according to Ribadu, who was represented by Major General Adamu Garba Laka, National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Center.

He said that the Department of State Services (DSS) and soldiers from the Nigerian Army’s 2 Division, working under the Chief of Army Staff’s orders, made the successful rescue possible.

The Federal Government’s dedication to protecting communities and schools across was reiterated by Ribadu.

In high-risk areas, he continued, state authorities, traditional rulers, and religious leaders were implementing both short-term preventative measures and long-term, community-based security initiatives.

Hope Uzodimma, the governor of Imo State, gave the state House of Assembly a proposal worth N1.4 trillion for the 2026 fiscal year on Monday.

With a total of N1,430,573,590,405.04, the budget dubbed the “Budget of economic breakthrough” represents a 78% increase from the N807 billion budget for 2025.

Governor Uzodimma stated, “The proposal consists of 83.4% capital expenditure and 16.6% recurrent expenditure,” while presenting the budget to the legislature.

He went on to say that his goal was to eliminate “a generator-based power economy and provide world-class infrastructure to facilitate economic breakthrough,” and that the figure was based on better government allocation and internally produced revenue.

The Governor stated in the plan that “the total projected Capital Expenditure is N1,201,073,590,752.04, while the Recurrent Expenditure for the 2026 fiscal year is N238,499,999,653, covering personnel costs, overheads, and subventions.”

He characterized this as an unambiguous declaration of the direction and resolve of his administration to supply necessary infrastructure for economic growth.

According to the governor, N20.506 billion will go to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and N698.163 billion to the Ministry of Health.

He claims that the state’s Ministry of Works and Infrastructure Development receives N87.727 billion, the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Skill Acquisition receives N6.471 billion, the Ministry of Power and Electrification receives N190.451 billion, the Education Ministry receives N60.623 billion, and the Ministry of Rural Development receives N15.106 billion.

Nonetheless, he praised the state legislature for their complete support and collaboration with the executive branch of government and for being genuine partners in growth.

Earlier, Mr. Chike Olemgbe, the Speaker of the House, expressed optimism that the budget will lead to more and better power generation in the state, more infrastructure projects, better healthcare, more human capital development, and continued food security.

Olemgbe praised the governor for his efforts aimed at bolstering state security and said the governor has maintained to uphold the principles of democracy as outlined in the constitution.

Along with praising the governor’s accomplishments, he reassured him that the House will support his policies aimed at advancing the state.

During the ongoing Detty December celebrations, the Lagos State Government has issued a warning to hotels, restaurants, and event venues not to cancel confirmed reservations or raise costs without a good reason.

In an interview with TVC News on Monday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu delivered the warning, emphasizing that companies that break current contracts in search of higher-paying clients will be subject to severe penalties.

“This is intolerable and will not be permitted in Lagos.” The governor stated, “If a commitment has been made, it must be honored, especially if deposits or agreements exist.”

Sanwo-Olu cautioned that such actions erode public confidence and harm Lagos’ standing as a major travel and leisure destination.

“You are damaging our city’s reputation and name.” The government will take severe action against people who engage in this behavior in addition to naming and shaming them, he continued.

The governor disclosed that the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency, or LASCOPA, and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture have been thoroughly briefed and put on notice to take action against businesses that violate the law.

The public is urged to report instances of canceled reservations, contract violations, or unexpected price increases.

Verified complaints will be properly investigated, and those who violate the law will be held accountable.

Sanwo-Olu stated that the state has held talks to make sure that such behavior doesn’t happen again and is already aware of several locations that engage in similar tactics.

Femi Falana is a human rights attorney and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). In this interview, he discusses the Supreme Court’s decision upholding the President’s authority to take drastic steps to restore law and order in any state where an emergency has been declared in order to stop law and order from collapsing. He also discusses how, among other things, the Supreme Court has offered certain guidelines so that there won’t be any disagreement the next time the president announces a state of emergency. JOY ANIGBOGU provides the passages:

In his ruling, Justice Idris of the Supreme Court stated that as section 305 does not specify the precise form of the extraordinary measures, the President may exercise his discretion. What possible ramifications might this ruling have for Nigerian politics in the coming years?

To be fair to the Supreme Court, I believe that the Honourable Justice Muhammad Idris, who delivered the leading opinion, did issue what is known as a summary decision. Sadly, the majority of commentators have not taken the time to read the ruling. Indeed, the court unquestionably stated or confirmed the President’s authority to take exceptional steps to restore law and order in any state where a state of emergency has been declared. Before today, the President’s ability to use force or take other actions to reestablish law and order was undeniable. The scope of the President’s powers has long been debatable, and the Supreme Court noted that section 305 of the Constitution does not specify the scope of the President’s authority. However, the Honourable Justice Idris stated in the majority ruling that, in contrast to the constitutions of Pakistan and India, section 305 of the Nigerian Constitution does not specifically grant the President the authority to take over or temporarily replace a state’s legislative or executive branches. Furthermore, his lordship stated that Nigeria’s constitutional commitment to federalism and state government autonomy is reflected in this deliberate omission, which is the President’s lack of authority to dissolve democratic structures. Prior to that ruling, the court was informed that Nigeria’s three levels of government—federal, state, and local—are separate, autonomous entities and that none of them is superior to the order. To put it another way, the Supreme Court was merely upholding its previous rulings that state governors are not allowed to suspend or remove democratically elected chairmen and councilors.

Similarly, the Supreme Court has now reaffirmed its stance that elected public officials and structures cannot be disbanded, dissolved, suspended, or relocated unless the Constitution’s requirements are followed. Therefore, I would strongly advise Nigerians to thoroughly review the rulings. In reality, the Honourable Justice Obande Oguiya did not hesitate in the slightest to avoid any ambiguity in what has been considered a minority ruling. His lordship emphasized that the president does not have the authority to remove elected public officials under any clause in the Constitution. The Supreme Court did not decide on the merits of imposing an emergency rule in Rivers State, and I believe this was done on purpose. Given that the governor has since returned to his position, one could argue that it has become academic. I’m referring to Governor Fubara, but the Supreme Court’s challenge to the plaintiffs’ locus standi—that is, the eleven attorneys general who brought the case—is another perplexing aspect of the ruling. This is concerning since the locus standi of the Attorney General of the Federation was contested in the matter of Attorney General of the Federation and Attorney General of Abia State and 35 States, which was resolved in July of last year.

However, the Attorney General has locus standi to bring the case on behalf of the 774 local governments, the Supreme Court ruled. If that was the case, I believed that the court ought to have upheld the locus standi of the 11 attorneys general who filed this extremely important action. However, in contrast to 2004 and 2006, when the emergency rule was contested in Plateau State and Ekiti State, the Supreme Court went beyond its earlier stance this time by merely stating that the court lacks jurisdiction because you lack locus standi. However, the Supreme Court went farther, and only the Supreme Court has the authority to do so by issuing a policy declaration about Section 305 of the Constitution.

According to the ruling, the plaintiffs failed to prove that there was an actionable disagreement between them and the federation, which would have allowed the court to exercise its original jurisdiction. Do you want to elaborate on it and what they were attempting to convey?

Regarding the emergency rule in Rivers State and the suspension of Governor Fubara and other elected officials in that state, the court is attempting to state that the President’s action or decision on Rivers State did not cause a conflict between the plaintiffs, which are the 11 Attorney Generals and the federal government, the Attorney General of the Federation. However, the plaintiffs did assert that any Nigerian governor had a stake in the events in Rivers State and a lawsuit that can be pursued. Furthermore, a few days after the emergency was declared, the Federation’s Attorney General stated that we had only addressed Rivers State and could handle any other governor. The plaintiffs were already terrified, and properly so, because they believed that because it would be our turn, it would be preferable to stop the potential political catastrophe in our states. Therefore, with all due respect, I disagree with the Supreme Court that there was no disagreement between the federal government and the plaintiffs. Of course there was a disagreement. The governors are then free to act without having to wait. They can act quickly in court to stop what they see as constitutional heresy without waiting for their own removal or a state declaration of emergency.

How will the anomaly be fixed if that’s the case and this is the highest court?

When you lose a Supreme Court case, all you have to do is inform your client what to do if he asks. That is the end of the road, you say. The All-Powerful God is appealing. However, the Supreme Court has already offered some guidance on what we might need to do in this specific circumstance, so there shouldn’t be any issue the next time the President of Nigeria needs to declare a state of emergency. As I previously mentioned, the court’s leading ruling made it quite evident that the President is not authorized by section 305 of the Constitution to temporarily replace the state’s legislative or executive branches. And in my opinion, that is the most crucial aspect of the verdict. Whether the plaintiffs have locus standi and whether the court has jurisdiction are the additional areas where we disagree. However, even after the lawsuit was dismissed, the court continued to discuss the case’s merits in great detail. And that will serve as a roadmap for the next time the Nigerian president has a reason to proclaim a state of emergency. That’s my perspective on it.

Many people find this rather perplexing because the final arbiter claims he lacks jurisdiction. It raises a lot of questions. Could you explain how this is possible? Is there any precedence in Nigeria or anyplace else in the globe, and if so, what were the exceptional conditions that made that precedent necessary?

I believe the court’s ruling. When our rights are abused, we also need to learn how to fight back. The suspended governor did not appear in court in the Plateau State case. The suspended governor and lawmakers did not file a lawsuit in the Ekiti State case. The governor and lawmakers of Rivers State did not file a lawsuit. Therefore, if you subscribe to the antiquated locus standi doctrine, you will inevitably disagree with a government decision until it directly affects you. Because any concerned member of the public must be allowed to contest any constitutional dereliction or violation in these days of public interest litigation. It’s also in everyone’s best interests. The president and Abraham Adesanya’s case had been abandoned by the Supreme Court. It happened during the Second Republic. Even then, the late Justice Fatai Williams, who was Nigeria’s Chief Justice at the time, made a minority ruling stating that the courts should open their doors and let disgruntled residents air their grievances. And that was preferable than pushing them underground, where revolutions take place. In the cases of Fawemi Anakilu No. 1 and No. 2, the Supreme Court went one step farther. In fact, the Honourable Justice Ese stated in the Fawemi Anakilu No. 1 case that the word “brother” in England refers to your blood relative, in contrast to the United Kingdom. However, we are all our brothers’ keepers in an African environment with the extended family system. As a result, the Supreme Court has now embraced public interest lawsuits, deviating from the narrow road of locus standi.

In the Centre for Air Pollution v. NNPC case, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that stance. However, the Supreme Court recently seemed to be shifting away from public interest litigation by requiring that your injury be greater than that of other members of the public before you can petition the court. It ridicules the idea of public interest litigation. Furthermore, Nigeria is currently the only nation in the Commonwealth—almost the only one—that is returning to the extremely narrow notion of locus standi. And I sincerely hope that our courts would have granted locus standi or acknowledged the locus standi of the eleven Attorney Generals who petitioned the Supreme Court on this issue, just as they did in the case of local government autonomy last year.

In the first place, why does the Supreme Court provide rulings that allow the parties that filed the case to provide alternative interpretations? How detrimental is this to our policy?

I believe that everyone should study court rulings in order to comprehend the rationale behind the rulings. And once more, as I mentioned in this instance, as soon as word spread that the case had been dismissed. The suspension of elected legislators and governors appeared to have the support of the Supreme Court. I’ve taken my time reading the ruling several times. The president has great authority to guarantee the restoration of law and order or constitutional order if a state of emergency is declared, which is why the court acknowledges the president’s extensive powers. However, this does not provide the president the authority to remove elected lawmakers and governors. Both the majority and minority rulings of the Supreme Court made that extremely evident. Now that I’ve accepted it, we may go to the next phase. Where do we go and where do you go from here when something like this happens? It is to exploit other, comparable instances, and I am aware that the Supreme Court is currently considering a number of cases in which the issue of locus standi will be brought up once more. I mean, I’ve just filed a case. On the locus standi issue, I lost a few of my cases. The High Court stated that I might contest the diversion of cash that ought to have been transferred to the federation account using local standards. However, the appeals court remarked, “Oh, Mr. Falana, we commend your effort.” But you no longer have locus standi because of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Fawehinmi and Okonjo-Iweala. Once more, we are bringing that before the Supreme Court so that it can examine his locus standi stance in the public interest and for the benefit of all of us. Because locking up the court’s gates will force residents to take alternative actions that could jeopardize law and order and state security. For this reason, I believe the Supreme Court was involved once more in the case of A.G. A.G. and Bende. of the Federation that the floodgates should be opened in order for the courts to carry out their constitutional function of serving as arbiters in disputes between citizens and the government.

What do you think about the problem of justice being postponed or denied, and then, of course, the issue of the elected governor, deputy, and Assembly members being removed? How can such wrongs be rectified?

Once more, the Supreme Court is advising those impacted to summon the bravery to contest their removal under the constitution. President Bola Tinubu would have gone to court if it had happened in Lagos during his tenure as governor. The goal of every action the Lagos State Government filed against the federal government, as well as every litigation it initiated against the federal government, was to bolster the democratic process. In fact, I can state without fear of contradiction that in some of those cases, state governments may have even been declared bankrupt because the Lagos State Government’s victories in those cases defined Nigerian constitutionalism, whether state governments could establish local governments, whether they could approve building plans within their states, and so on. Since we are transitioning from a military junta-run unitary system of government to a civilian one, the federal government has complete authority over national matters. However, the Lagos State Government organized all the states to oppose the federal government’s efforts to prolong the terms of local government chairmen, hold local government elections, seize local government funds, regulate state physical planning, and so on. They are also redefined. In fact, I contend that litigation encourages restructuring in those circumstances. Because our constitution is unitary, we have been able to settle many conflicts brought on by the military organization. Other governments have also done the same. However, we have been able to redefine federalism and implement it from the unitary structure in Abuja thanks to cases brought by state governments and certain concerned citizens.I]K=8

According to flight tracking data and US sources quoted by Reuters, the US has been conducting intelligence-gathering flights over significant portions of Nigeria since late November, indicating increased security collaboration between the two nations.

According to the exclusive assessment released on Monday, it was impossible to independently verify the surveillance missions’ purpose.

According to Reuters, the planes came after Donald Trump threatened to militarily interfere in Nigeria in November due to what he said was the government’s inability to stop violence against Christian communities.

Additionally, a US pilot employed by a missionary organization was abducted in neighboring Niger months prior to the monitoring operations.

According to flight tracking data for December, the contractor-operated aircraft usually took off from Ghana, flew across Nigeria, and landed back in Accra.

Tenax Aerospace, a Mississippi-based company that supplies special mission planes and collaborates closely with the US military, was identified as the operator by the data, according to its website. Requests for comment were not answered by the business.

The operation seemed to be operating out of Accra, which he referred to as “a known hub for the U.S. military’s logistics network in Africa,” according to Liam Karr, the Africa team lead at the American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats Project, who examined the flight data.

According to Karr, the flights indicated that Washington was reestablishing its intelligence capabilities in the area following Niger’s request last year to withdraw US forces from a significant desert air base and turn to Russia for security support.

“We’ve seen a resumption of intelligence and surveillance flights in Nigeria in recent weeks,” he told Reuters.

The airplane, according to a former US official, was one of several assets that the Trump administration transferred to Ghana in November.

The official stated that the missions included following the kidnapped US pilot and obtaining data on extremist groups operating in Nigeria, such as Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, though it was unclear how many planes remained there.

The aircraft had been passing above Nigeria, according to a current US official, but they would not elaborate due to diplomatic concerns.

According to a different administration official, Washington and Nigeria are still collaborating to “address religious violence, anti-Christian attacks, and the destabilizing spread of terrorism.”

The Pentagon stated in a statement that the US government had “productive meetings” with Nigeria after Trump’s remarks about the nation, but it would not comment on intelligence operations.

Requests for comments were not answered by Ghana’s deputy defense minister or Nigeria’s military spokeswoman.

Nigeria has always stated that armed organizations target both Muslims and Christians, contending that US allegations of Christian persecution oversimplify a complicated security situation and ignore initiatives to defend religious freedom.

At a meeting on November 20 between US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu, a Nigerian security source informed Reuters that the US decided to use air assets for intelligence collection.

A request for comment was not answered by a Nigerian military spokesman.

On November 7, the Tenax Aerospace aircraft was visible on flight monitoring data at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. The US Special Operations Command headquarters are located on MacDill.

Days after the high-level security meeting, on November 24, the aircraft made a flight to Ghana. Since then, it has flown over Nigeria nearly every day.

The data indicates that the aircraft is a Gulfstream V, a long-range commercial jet frequently outfitted for espionage, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions.

Prof. Christopher Imumolen, a former presidential candidate for the Accord Party, claims that the party was experiencing internal strife prior to Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke joining it.

Prof. Imumolen revealed this information on Monday during a guest appearance in an interview on Channels Television’s “The Morning Brief.”

He was responding to the party’s internal political disputes.

“I’ve already been engaged in this conflict. It’s an indication of a struggle that I went to court. We went to the party Secretariat to fight our problems because we had problems there.
“We have been having these fights. If you check many publications, I have attended a lot of interviews to talk about this.

“So, whether Adeleke came or not, we are in charge of the party and we are doing what we are doing today to save the face of the party. And to make sure that whatever happens, the party remains intact,” he said.

Bello Mohammed Matawalle, a former aide to the Minister of State for Defense, has accused his former principal of working with security personnel to kill alleged adversaries, defend supporters, and enable transactions with infamous bandit commanders while he was governor of Zamfara State.

According to reports, Matawalle was governor of Zamfara until 2023. In August of that year, Bola Tinubu nominated him Minister of State for Defense.

In an interview with the Hausa-language media outlet rHi Hausa, Musa Muhammad Kamara, popularly known as Musa Kamarawa, made the accusations.

When Matawalle was the governor of Zamfara State, Kamara claimed to have served as his Senior Special Assistant.

“My name is Kamara Musa Muhammad. He stated, “I am a citizen of Zamfara State and a former SSA to Dr. Bello Matawalle, the current Minister of Defense and former governor of Zamfara.”

According to Kamara, Matawalle collaborated with law enforcement to kill people he deemed adversaries while protecting others.

Kamara asserted, “He has police officers working for him who kill whoever he commands and spare whoever he chooses.”

Kamara claims that his issues started in 2021 when security personnel invited him due to claims that the Zamfara State Government had purchased cars for criminals.

He stated the allegations came when a cleric, Mallam Murtala Asada, purportedly said that government officials purchased cars for bandit leaders including Halilu Sububu and Bello Turji.

As part of an engagement approach at the time, Kamara claimed, “I explained to them that I’m SSA to the Governor and indeed the governor bought vehicles and gave them to them.”

He added that another car was purchased when one of the autos developed a problem.

He declared, “I was the one who got them another Hilux.”

During the interview, Kamara asked Matawalle to publicly refute the accusations under oath and again affirmed his statements by citing the Holy Qur’an.

He declared, “I swear by the Holy Qur’an that I’m speaking the truth,” adding that if the assertions were untrue, Matawalle should likewise swear on the Qur’an.

Kamara further claimed that Matawalle conspired with members of the Nigeria Police Force to target him once he started speaking in public.

“He plotted with the police.” Kamara said, “They sent them on errands to kill anyone he wanted to kill and free whoever he wanted to be free.”

He claimed that the prosecution’s persistent failure to call witnesses in court amounted to “media trials” in the cases brought against him.

Kamara denied any connection to the Zamfara State Government or its current leadership in response to rumors that he still maintains ties to them.

“I have not returned to Government House since the day I left when Matawalle was governor,” he declared, adding that he has no affiliation with the current administration.

Additionally, Kamara said that Matawalle then employed federal institutions to covertly end an investigation against him.

According to him, the case was moved to the Federal High Court in Abuja, where it ultimately failed for lack of proof.

“The case was discharged because there was no evidence and no witness,” he stated.

Kamara claimed he still worries about his safety even after the case was dismissed, claiming that influential people want him to be silenced.

He declared, “They only want to kill me and keep it quiet at any time; they do not want justice.”

Matawalle has not yet addressed the accusations in public as of the time this report was filed.

3,391 recently enlisted Nigerian Army troops have been tasked by Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu with upholding the greatest standards of discipline, professionalism, courage, and patriotism as they formally begin their military careers.

Shaibu gave the command on Saturday during the Passing Out Parade of the 89 Regular Recruits Intake, which was the first group of troops to graduate from Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo since its founding, according to a statement released by Colonel Appolonia Anele, Acting Director Army Public Relations.

He called the parade a historic moment, pointing out that it was the Depot Nigerian Army’s first Passing Out Parade in Osogbo.

He reminded the recruits that they had a unique duty to protect the institution’s reputation because they were the pioneer set.

As the inaugural Passing Out Parade of the Nigerian Army Depot at Osogbo, this event is significant. You must proudly wear this badge since you are the pioneer set. Throughout your careers, act as deserving representatives of this institution,” the COAS declared.

The recruits were joining the Nigerian Army at a crucial juncture in the country’s history, characterized by changing and intricate security problems, the Army commander noted.

When faced with hardship, he exhorted them to always act with optimism for victory rather than fear of failure and to take strength from their intense training.

The Chief of Army Staff also reminded the new recruits of the enormous responsibility that came with joining the Nigerian Army, especially in terms of protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity and advancing national security.

Under his Soldier First Command Mantra, he reiterated the Army’s dedication to their well-being and career advancement and promised them ongoing material, material, and moral support.

“Our soldiers continue to be the Nigerian Army’s fundamental and enduring strength. You will have all you need to be successful, but the country will also expect a lot from you. “Maintain the Army’s core values and cultivate the will to succeed in your personal and professional lives,” he said.

Additionally, Lieutenant General Shaibu praised the Depot Nigerian Army, Osogbo Commandant, officers, instructors, and staff for their commitment to shaping the recruits into disciplined, combat-ready warriors.

In accordance with President Bola Tinubu’s direction, he said that the recently authorized Depot Nigerian Army, Abakaliki, will shortly begin training exercises to improve manpower development and operational readiness.

Minister of Works Dave Umahi has been criticized by a group of pan-Igbo self-determination campaigners for his recent assertion that the Biafra struggle is no longer required.

Speaking during a tour of ongoing government projects in the South-East, Umahi stated that since President Bola Tinubu has brought the region into Nigeria’s mainstream, the struggle for Biafra is no longer essential.

The minister does not have the authority to speak for Ndigbo, according to a joint statement released on Saturday by the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Ambassadors for Self-Determination (ASD), and Rising Sun Foundation (RSF).

Maxwell Dede of the Rising Sun Foundation, Ben Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self Determination, and Sylvester Onyia of AVID signed the statement headlined “David Umahi lacks the powers to speak for Ndigbo.”

In response to Umahi’s remarks, pan-Igbo rights organizations cautioned the minister against giving himself authority that he does not possess.

Senator David Umahi made an unguarded statement that caught our attention: “Ndigbo should forget Biafra agitation because the Federal Government had addressed all of their challenges.” Therefore, we would want to remind him that he is not authorized to represent Ndigbo. He shouldn’t give himself the authority he doesn’t possess. Biafrans do not believe in traitors like him because he stated that he does not believe in Biafra. He is not being forced to join the fight, but he is unable to stop the movement or speak for the people.

“After being exploited and abandoned by their slave masters, we have witnessed serial betrayers like him who are now living in remorse. Ndi Igbo are not represented by Dave Umahi. He does not represent Alaigbo. He doesn’t represent Biafraland. He doesn’t even speak for everyone in Ebonyi State; he only represents himself.

According to the activists, Umahi’s assertion that Ndigbo are no longer marginalized is an insult to their sensibilities.

What has Tinubu’s government or the federal government accomplished for Alaigbo?
What has Alaigbo gained since Tinubu was elected president? While the Lagos-Kano and Katsina-Niger Republic tracks are operational, why is the Umuahia-Enugu railway still inoperable? Why does one state in the South-West have four ministers but the South-East still has just five, including two junior ministers?

“Is Umahi unaware that despite our people being the nation’s top importers, the South-East lacks a seaport? Is there a cargo airport that operates on Igbo land? Are there any significant federal maritime or industry projects? These items are found in other areas. The statement said, “Alaigbo does not.”

The pan-Igbo activists further denounced the minister’s remarks, saying, “So when someone like Umahi tries to speak for Ndigbo, we must ask: what exactly is he defending?” Why is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu incarcerated for life but the actual terrorists and mass mothers are allowed to roam freely and receive lighthearted treatment?

Kanu was imprisoned, according to the campaigners, with the help of the British government “and a few Nigerian politicians like Umahi” who prioritized their own comfort over justice.

People are upset because of this. People feel deceived as a result. Anyone who supports Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration is acting against the Igbo people. Saboteurs will always be on the wrong side of history, and Umahi should understand this.

According to the statement, some Jews in Europe hid being Jewish in order to defend themselves amid persecution, but this did not end the suffering, “and it did not stop the creation of Israel in 1948.”

Therefore, Umahi’s denial of Biafra today is not new. Locals have betrayed others in the past. History has not been halted by it. Umahi is not as large as Biafra.
Umahi is not the focus of the Biafra struggle. Appointments are not the issue. The goal is not to appease Abuja. It is about self-respect, justice, and dignity. Some would attempt to undermine it. The activists emphasized that they will fail.

In a similar spirit, the Rising Sun Foundation, American Veterans of Igbo Descent, and Ambassadors for Self-Determination reiterated their call for Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate release.

Additionally, they called for Umahi to be held responsible for the violence in the Southeast.

“Umahi shouldn’t give us cause to believe he is among those who are impeding the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He was one of the creators of Ebube Agu, which caused chaos for our people. The statement continued, “Those who founded Ebube Agu should be held responsible for the atrocities in Igbo land that are sometimes mistakenly attributed to IPOB and ESN.

The 52-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharged the 2024 Batch C Stream II after completing their one-year mandatory service, making them the final of roughly 400,000 young graduates it mobilizes each year. As a result, the young graduates’ realities and doubts about what lies ahead for them have increased.

Recall that the countrywide passing out procession was held on Thursday, December 18, 2025, for the Batch C Stream II of 2024 session, who were released following a year of mandatory service.

Some of the hurdles that may impede post-NYSC career chances for some of the discharged corps members include the country’s severe economic conditions, sustainable seed capital, and the realities of academic training mismatch for a few accessible occupations.

It was demonstrated that some of the discharged corps members in the federation’s states are afraid about their employment prospects. Since the government’s N77,000 monthly allowance and corps employers’ pittance have been withheld since the end of the month, several voiced bitterly how they would proceed if the anticipated engagement is delayed.

Conversely, some of them expressed hope that they may use their lifetime careers as a source of income.

Eno Okonnah, a female corps member and University of Calabar English Language graduate, bemoaned the fact that the quantity of her colleagues assigned to the school as Place of Primary Assignment made it impossible for her to be kept at the private school where she served.

Ondo State University of Medical Sciences graduate Abigail Omotunde voiced doubt as the post-NYSC reality became apparent to her.

“The passing-out, end of service, and thoughts about what next had preoccupied my mind in the last two months,” she remarked. In addition to being a skilled hair stylist, I also promote medical equipment and design clothing.

“In the next two weeks, I will make a decision. During my time as a student, I owned a small store, and I currently operate a private practice on campus, catering to both my coworkers and local clients. “I need the seed money to keep running the business and make ends meet,” she stated.

A rise in the number of graduates

The number of eligible graduates mobilized for the country has fluctuated over time due to a number of factors, including government admission policies, backlogs from strikes or academic disruptions, university and polytechnic graduation rates, the efficiency and effectiveness of school administrators, and the school calendar.

The NYSC program regularly recruited between 350,000 and 400,000 corps members in its three yearly batches of A, B, and C. As a result, managers of the only post-Civil War organization still in existence had to make adjustments to deal with the growing number of graduates trained locally and others from the Diaspora on employment generation.

The Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program was introduced in 2012 to supplement the plan as a result of these issues.

In addition to the yearly automatic employment provided to exceptional corps members by governments and employers of labor, the SAED has complemented the various efforts of both the federal and state governments in facilitating in-camp and post-camp skills acquisition training for corps members, according to a scheme official who wished to remain anonymous.

The official stated that the NYSC/corporate partnership model continues to be a crucial pillar of Nigeria’s job creation and youth empowerment strategy, particularly for post-service employment and entrepreneurship, while discussing corporate partnerships in employment generation for the army of graduates mobilized annually for the scheme.

He revealed that the SAED/corporate partnerships strategy has provided training and start-up financing to thousands of corps members each year.

Standardized Training for Entrepreneurs

The Director General (DG) of the Scheme, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, revealed plans to modernize the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) training for Corps members by standardizing the curriculum for greater impact during the week of the 2025 second SAED stakeholders’ summit in Abuja.

With over 30,000 companies officially registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and over 3.18 million Corps Members trained in entrepreneurship and workplace preparedness since 2012, he referred to the SAED program as a cornerstone of youth empowerment in Nigeria.

The DG further disclosed that Corps members were being integrated into the Federal Government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program and international remote work opportunities via programs like the SAED SME toolkit, Outsource to Nigeria, and NYSC jobs.ng.

The founder of Ayodeji Megbope Inspires Mentoring Academy, Mrs. Ayodeji Megbope, advised discharged corps members not to let the nation’s much-discussed economic problems deter them in an interview, stating that astute minds may achieve breakthroughs.

“Your possibilities are limitless if a woman who started at 40 with N1000, with kids made fun of for stew-smelling uniforms, standing at a school gate hawking moin-moin, can rise to own a restaurant and now a Wellness Center,” the speaker stated.

All discharged corps members were urged by Mrs. Megbope to overcome their anxiety of what lay ahead, develop their abilities, gain competence, and position themselves for long-term success.