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Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman
Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman
By Mark Longyen
Plateau State has been thrown into political panic mode following a subterranean move by Plateau South senatorial zone’s constituents to recall former Gov Simon Lalong (APC-Plateau South) from the Senate.
Also penciled for recall by the aggrieved constituents are Lalong’s former Chief of Staff, John Dafaan (APC-Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang) and Vincent Venman (APC-Langtang North/South) federal constituencies.
Impeccable sources disclosed that within the past week, over 500,000 constituents had already appended their signatures to initiate the recall of the trio from the National Assembly.
It was learned that about a fortnight ago, the forms for the recall of the three lawmakers were distributed across the six local governments that constitute the senatorial zone, which have now been signed by the constituents.
People familiar with the prevailing political intrigues said that any time this week, the signed forms by constituents from all the polling units will be collated and forwarded by the petitioners’ lawyers alongside their petitions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Thereafter, INEC is expected to send a team of its officials to the senatorial zone and the two federal constituencies for verification of the signatures.
Once the signatures are verified and confirmed in the various polling units that 50 per cent, plus one, of the total registered voters actually signed the recall forms, then INEC will within a statutory time frame, arrange for a referendum to be conducted to recall the lawmakers.
The referendum simply entails a “yes or no” voting by the constituents on whether to recall the lawmakers or not, which outcome is to be determined by a simple majority to declare a lawmaker automatically recalled or to retain his seat.
The sacking of Sen. Napoleon Bali (PDP-Plateau South, June 2023 to October 2023) by the Court of Appeal had paved the way for Lalong, whom he defeated in the 2023 senatorial election with an unprecedented landslide, to subsequently resign as minister of labour and productivity, to occupy the seat.
A source, who preferred not to be named, said that Bali is championing the recall move, although Bali himself could not independently confirm the latest development.
However, it would be recalled that shortly after his sack late last year, Bali had told newsmen that although as of then, he had not gone back to the senatorial zone after the judgement, he had it on good authority that his aggrieved constituents were already collecting signatures to initiate the recall process.
He had also disclosed that his legal team was weighing various options, including going back to the court to explore any window to review or remedy the injustice done to him and other fellow lawmakers.
According to him, being the victim of the brazen judicial gymnastics, he had the constitutional option of initiating a recall process against those who were brought to office by the Appeal Court judgment, or to live with it for the next three years.
The latest move seems to align with the earlier vow of Bali to unseat Lalong and co, as impeccable sources say plans have reached advanced stage by constituents to recall the embattled lawmakers.
“What the people of Plateau South senatorial district are saying is that they will not allow them.
“I don’t know what they want to do, but I was told reliably that people are already gathering signatures that they must recall them.
“This time around we are going to test INEC and the judiciary that installed them because that is the option we are sure of.
“Like I said, our lawyers are making all efforts to see whether there is a window. I’m not a lawyer; I don’t know how they are going to do it.
“But the one I’m very sure of is that all those who the Appeal Court collected our mandates and gave to them wrongfully, as concluded by the learned justices of the Supreme Court in Gov Mutfang’s case, we are definitely going to recall them.
“When? I will not tell you because it will just come to them as a rude shock.
“For the specifics, I can tell you that in Plateau South, I know that they have gathered over 300,000 signatures to recall Lalong already.
“That is already in the public domain. He is aware, his party, the APC is aware.
“By the time we get the required number of signatures, which is 50 per cent of the total registered voters, it’ll be a done deal, we’ll do it.
“We have the INEC current register; I will not tell you more than this because we keep that one close to our chest.
“As soon as we get the 50 per cent, we are going to write a petition, and our lawyers will follow it up from there to tell INEC to verify.
“Once that is done, INEC will have no option but to conduct a referendum and we take it up from there,” Bali, a retired Air Vice Marshal and fighter pilot, had assured.
Lalong, Dafaan and Venman were roundly defeated by Bali, Rep Isaac Kwallu and Beni Lar, who won the Plateau South, Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang and Langtang North/South House of Reps seats, respectively, during the 2023 National Assembly polls.
Despite being the sitting governor of Plateau State from 2015 to 2023, and Director General of the 2023 Tinubu Presidential Campaign Organisation, Lalong was humiliated at the polls by Bali, who trounced him with an unprecedented vote margin of about 60,000.
The former governor was comprehensively defeated by Bali in all the 6 local governments that constitute his senatorial zone, including his own Shendam Local Government Area, except in Wase Local Government.
Dafaan was similarly floored by Kwallu in all the three local governments that constitute Shendam, Quaan-Pan, Mikang federal constituency, and in 31 out of the 32 federal wards in the area, including Dafaan’s Kwalla-Moeda federal ward, with an unprecedented vote margin.
Also, perennial winner and political Amazon, Rep Beni Lar (PDP-Langtang North/South was re-elected in the 2023 polls by her constituents following her landslide victory with a very wide margin against APC’s Venman, who was her closest opponent.
However, all the PDP lawmakers’ victories were controversially annulled by the Court of Appeal, on the technical ground that PDP did not have a legitimate political structure that produced them as candidates, thereby, truncating their tenures.
This was notwithstanding the fact that the case was a pre-election matter, which the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain in the first place.
Not a few observers had described the court’s curious decision as being a predetermined judicial compromise, while the Supreme Court later frowned at it and chided the Appeal Court, describing the decision as an act of judicial rascality.
Apparently miffed by the court’s decision to impose on them those who they rejected at the polls like being compelled to swallow unwanted bitter pills, the lawmakers’ constituents have now turned to the constitutionally sanctioned recall option as a last resort.
Reacting to the bid by constituents to recall Lalong and co, the Plateau State chapter of the APC described the action as a wasted effort that was informed by PDP’s “desperation and frustration to remove the lawmakers from their legitimate seats.”
Confirming the recall initiative, the state chapter of the APC in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by its acting Publicity Secretary, Shittu Bamaiyi, described the recall effort as merely a “PDP orchestrated recall campaign, a wild goose chase, and mission impossible.”
“For quite some time now the PDP in the southern part of Plateau State, has embarked on a wild goose chase, in the name of recall campaign against these members of the National Assembly.
“The party has unrelentingly and agonizingly, been cajoling unsuspecting eligible voters to append their signatures on worthless sheet of papers, as a means of recalling Senator Simon Lalong and Chief John Dafaan from the Red and Green Chambers, respectively.
“The desperation and frustration of the PDP seem to know no bounds, to the extent that the party is so blinded to the constitutional requirements of initiating, as well as embarking on such a herculean exercise,” the APC stated.
According to the party, the PDP has thrown caution and decorum to the winds by embarking on the recall process against the lawmakers.
“By using all sorts of shenanigans and deceits to cow people into appending their names on papers, under the pretext of making them enjoy some palliatives and loans from the federal government as well as the state governments.
“Though the unsuspecting electorate have been suspicious of the promises, and taking them with the pinch of salt, the hirelings assigned the responsibility of the misadventure, have unblushingly continued to move round all the nooks and cranny of the Southern zone to collect signatures for the futile exercise.
“It is unfortunate that the PDP could condescend to that level of desperation, when viewed from the prism of civility and propriety, as well as considering the fact that, the legislators in question have hardly spent one year in their respective chambers,” the APC further said.
“Unarguably, a recall exercise is an electoral and constitutional process which can be initiated against wanting or incompetent legislators as the case may be, there must always be overwhelming justification for such a cause.
“Undoubtedly, the narcissistic attitude of the PDP will certainly come to naught, sooner than later, because from all indications, the legislators are at the moment, enjoying the support of their constituents not withstanding their short stay in the National Assembly.
“In addition, the APC as a party, and other interest groups, are closely monitoring events as they unfold, with a view to checkmating the misadventure.
“Without any fear of the unknown, the campaign is surely going to be a mission impossible and a disgrace at the end of it all,” Bamaiyi added.
When contacted for comments on the development, Rep. Kwallu, one of the lawmakers sacked by the Court of Appeal and Dafaan’s predecessor, confirmed that the recall move by the constituents was true.
He explained that the recall process is provided for in the Nigerian constitution, which empowers constituents to recall their elected representative at any time, stressing that there is no cause for alarm.
Jimmy Lar, a political gladiator from the senatorial zone, while commenting on the APC’s statement describing the recall process as a desperate move by PDP, justified the ground for the initiative.
He asked rhetorically: “Who is the desperate one between someone who stole what doesn’t belong to him or her and the one who is making all lawful efforts to recover his or her stolen item?
“It’s the right of an owner to go to any length to recover his stolen property.
“When you are robbed, you tell people, approach the lawful authorities and take all necessary measures to recover your stolen items from the robber(s).
“Whether or not you are able to bring the thief to justice is not for the thief to decide, it’s for time to decide,” he said.
Simon Shindai, a lawyer, constituent, and APC member, while confirming that he was fully aware of the recall bid, alleged that some stakeholders, mostly from the state’s ruling PDP, were behind the recall move.
According to him, some PDP chieftains are strategizing, working round the clock, and leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the recall agenda is carried out seamlessly to achieve the desired result within the next six to twelve months, and warned the APC not to treat the issue with kid gloves.
“It is not a joke because it is a serious constitutional matter that is outlined in the 1999 Constitution, so once these processes are met, then INEC will definitely go ahead and conduct a referendum, which outcome could be a big shocker for the lawmakers in question,” he said.
Also commenting on the issue, Alhassan Barde, an APC supporter, said that APC as a political party that knows and has tasted power, and is still in power at the centre and elsewhere, should do more than just mere press statements.
“The party should be strategic in handling critical matters that are pending and have been left unadressed, matters that have emerged (like the one at hand), and those at the horizon with the potential to affect its present structure, and the chances that lie ahead for greater fortunes.
“Remember, your opponent in whatever contest, would employ and deploy all manner of tactics to rattle and weaken your immune system and then launch attacks on your defence mechanisms.
“All that we are doing is a clarion call to APC to wake up now, and do something about it,” he said.
Lalong, while reacting to the recall move by his constituents, through his Legislative aide, Hon. Exodus Pyennap, acknowledged being aware of it but described the initiative as an effort in futility that is baseless and dead on arrival.
He said that the first requirement for a recall process to be considered by INEC is for the constituent petitioners to have a solid ground for the recall, such as failure, misconduct, corruption, non-performance or some sort of official misdemeanor against their representative, which are all unfounded in the instant case.
“So, the entire hullabaloo is an effort that is baseless and futile, INEC will not even bother to act on it,” Lalong said.
Lar and Dafaan could not immediately be reached for comments on the issue as of the time of filing this report. Dafaan did not answer or return the several phone calls made to him.
Rumblings in Plateau over move to recall Lalong, Dafaan, Venman
COAS Calls for Joint Operations, Multi-Domain Integration as Army Expands to 12 Divisions
By Zagazola Makama
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has called for stronger joint operations, intelligence sharing and multi-domain integration among the Armed Forces and other security agencies to address Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
Shaibu made the call on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, during the graduation lecture of Army War College Nigeria (AWCN) Course 10/2026 in Abuja.
He said the increasingly complex nature of modern warfare required coordinated military capabilities, effective intelligence sharing and sustained collaboration among security agencies to achieve decisive operational outcomes.
The COAS said the ongoing expansion of the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions was a strategic repositioning aimed at addressing emerging threats, improving territorial coverage and enhancing operational responsiveness across the country.
He, however, stressed that the expansion went beyond increasing the number of formations and personnel, noting that the ultimate objective was to build a more professional, adaptable, combat-ready and resilient force.
According to him, the effectiveness of the expanded force will depend largely on the integration of trained personnel, modern technology, actionable intelligence, robust logistics and efficient command and control systems.
He emphasised that additional formations and numerical strength must translate into superior combat capability, operational flexibility and measurable improvements in the country’s security situation.
Shaibu also urged military commanders to adopt innovative approaches to warfare by integrating intelligence, technology, information operations and combat capabilities across multiple domains.
He stressed that operational success must be anchored on professionalism, discipline and respect for the rule of law to sustain public confidence and institutional credibility.
The Army Chief charged participants of Course 10/2026 to apply the strategic knowledge and leadership skills acquired during their training to improve operational effectiveness, strengthen inter-agency cooperation and support the transformation of the Nigerian Army.
Delivering the graduation lecture titled “Winning in Complex Security Environments: Reimagining the Nigerian Army Force Structure for Multi-Domain Operations,” former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), called for a fundamental review of military structures, doctrines and operational concepts to address emerging security threats.
Monguno highlighted the growing importance of integrating land, air, cyber and information capabilities in modern warfare.
He said emerging technologies, including unmanned aerial systems, artificial intelligence and digital communication platforms, were rapidly changing the character of military operations.
The retired general advocated sustained investment in technological innovation, intelligence integration, institutional reforms and continuous professional military education to equip commanders for increasingly complex and contested operational environments.
Earlier, the Commandant of the Army War College Nigeria, Maj.-Gen. Umar Alkali, expressed appreciation to the COAS for his support in strengthening the institution’s capacity to develop operational-level commanders and strategic leaders.
Alkali said participants of Course 10/2026 had undergone rigorous professional training designed to sharpen their critical thinking, operational planning and leadership capabilities for contemporary military operations.
The graduation lecture formed part of activities marking the graduation of Course 10/2026 and underscored the Nigerian Army’s emphasis on developing professionally trained, technologically adaptable and operationally proficient commanders capable of fulfilling the military’s constitutional responsibilities.
COAS Calls for Joint Operations, Multi-Domain Integration as Army Expands to 12 Divisions
NHRC Urges FG to Prioritise Mental Health, Warns Against Rights Abuses
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the Federal Government to increase funding for mental healthcare, expand health insurance coverage and enforce safeguards against the discrimination and abuse of persons living with mental health conditions, warning that existing laws and policies must translate into accessible services and tangible protection.
The commission also raised concerns over the growing mental health needs of Nigerians affected by terrorism, abductions, displacement, gender-based violence and other humanitarian emergencies, stressing that psychological trauma must be addressed as part of the country’s broader human rights response.
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu, made the call in Abuja on Monday in his statement commemorating the 2026 World Mental Health Day.
Ojukwu said mental healthcare should not be treated exclusively as a medical issue but as a fundamental human rights obligation requiring coordinated action by government institutions, healthcare providers, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.
He cited Article 16 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which recognises the right of every individual to enjoy the best attainable state of physical and mental health, noting that the government had an obligation to protect this right and ensure access to appropriate medical attention.
The NHRC boss said although Nigeria had taken legislative and policy steps, including the National Mental Health Act and the National Mental Health Policy, implementation remained critical to protecting affected persons from neglect, exclusion and degrading treatment.
The National Mental Health Act was enacted in 2021 and received presidential assent in December 2022, establishing a legal framework for mental health services and the protection of the rights of people living with mental health conditions.
However, Ojukwu maintained that legislation alone would not address the challenges confronting millions of people without adequate investment in services, trained personnel and effective accountability mechanisms.
He cited World Health Organisation estimates that nearly one in seven people globally live with a mental disorder, noting that poverty, inequality, violence and disability could further worsen the burden and limit access to treatment.
Of particular concern, he said, was the affordability of mental healthcare in Nigeria, where fewer than three per cent of people with mental health conditions were reportedly covered by health insurance.
The limited coverage, according to him, leaves affected individuals and their families to shoulder much of the financial burden of treatment and related support services, further deepening the difficulties faced by vulnerable households.
Ojukwu warned that people experiencing mental health conditions continued to face stigma, discrimination, violence and exclusion from education, employment, housing and community life. Some, he added, were denied the opportunity to make decisions about their own lives or subjected to treatment that undermined their dignity and fundamental rights.
“A mental-health condition does not reduce a person’s worth, dignity or human rights,” he said, calling for a rights-based approach that recognises affected persons as individuals entitled to respect, equality and appropriate care.
He urged the Federal Government to expand affordable, accessible and community-based mental health services, particularly through their integration into primary healthcare centres, while strengthening health insurance coverage and recruiting, training and deploying more psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors, psychiatric nurses and social workers.
The commission also called for the full implementation of the National Mental Health Act and Policy, alongside stronger mechanisms for investigating and preventing abuses in mental healthcare facilities.
Ojukwu said the needs were particularly urgent in communities affected by conflict, terrorism, abductions and displacement, where survivors of violence and serious human rights violations often experienced psychological distress that affected their relationships, daily functioning and participation in society.
He stressed that mental health and psychosocial support should form an integral part of interventions for survivors of conflict, torture, trafficking, gender-based violence and other forms of abuse.
As part of its response, the NHRC executive secretary disclosed that the commission had established a Counselling Unit at its headquarters to provide emotional support to people affected by human rights violations and traumatic experiences.
The unit, staffed by qualified counsellors, also supports commission personnel who experience emotional distress from handling difficult cases involving violence, abuse, loss and suffering.
He said the commission had further organised mental health and human rights training through its Human Rights Institute, particularly for investigation officers, to equip them with the skills to identify psychosocial concerns, respond appropriately to vulnerable complainants and recognise situations requiring professional intervention.
The establishment of the commission’s Vulnerable Group Department had also strengthened its capacity to address the rights and needs of vulnerable populations, including persons experiencing mental health challenges, he added.
Ojukwu disclosed that the NHRC was collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to integrate human rights considerations into the proposed National Mental Health Strategic Plan for 2027–2032.
He described the proposed five-year plan as an important development in the country’s mental healthcare framework, saying it was expected to provide a consolidated national direction for mental health interventions.
The commission had also participated in training organised by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime on drug prevention, treatment and care, with particular attention to the links between substance use, mental health and human rights.
He said the engagement reinforced the NHRC’s position that drug-related challenges should be addressed through appropriate treatment, rehabilitation and psychosocial support rather than approaches that expose affected persons to further abuse.
The commission, he added, had partnered with the Taipei Trade Office and civil society organisations to provide grants and free mental health sessions to some indigent women who were victims of human rights violations.
Ojukwu also recounted interventions in Kano State involving children and adults with psychosocial and psychological disabilities who had been subjected to solitary confinement before being moved to a welfare facility following the commission’s intervention.
In another case in the Federal Capital Territory, he said the commission rescued a child from a woman living in what he described as an extremely distressing and inhuman condition linked to her mental state.
The cases, he said, illustrated the need for responses grounded in professional care, family support, protection and respect for human dignity rather than punishment, abandonment or abuse.
In a goodwill message, the Founder of the Mandate Health Empowerment Initiative, Ameh Zion, called for stronger implementation of Nigeria’s mental health legislation and greater collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners.
Zion described mental health as a human rights imperative, arguing that people experiencing depression, psychosis, trauma and psychosocial disabilities should not lose their fundamental rights because of their conditions.
He expressed concern over the shortage of trained professionals, inadequate services and persistent stigma, which he said continued to prevent many Nigerians from accessing effective care.
According to him, the psychological effects of terrorism, violence, displacement and abuse often leave survivors with invisible wounds, while families and caregivers struggle with emotional and financial pressures without sufficient institutional support.
Zion urged stakeholders to move beyond public awareness campaigns and ensure that existing laws and policies were implemented across the country, with clear responsibilities, measurable targets and accessible services.
He also expressed his organisation’s readiness to collaborate with the NHRC and African mental health reform stakeholders on public awareness, institutional capacity building, psychosocial support for survivors, referral pathways and policy advocacy.
Both speakers called on schools, workplaces, families and communities to create supportive environments where people could discuss mental health concerns and seek help without fear of rejection or discrimination.
Ojukwu urged religious and traditional leaders to complement professional mental healthcare rather than replace clinical treatment where it was necessary.
He also called on the media to promote accurate and sensitive reporting of mental health issues, warning against narratives that reinforced stereotypes and stigmatised affected persons.
The NHRC executive secretary pledged that the commission would continue to investigate human rights violations, protect vulnerable persons and advocate policies that uphold the rights and dignity of all Nigerians.
He maintained that Nigeria could not effectively protect human dignity while people continued to suffer in silence or face discrimination because they required mental healthcare.
NHRC Urges FG to Prioritise Mental Health, Warns Against Rights Abuses
Kwali Council Commends Security Operatives Over Vandalism Arrests, Warns Perpetrators
By Zagazola Makama
The Kwali Area Council Administration has commended security operatives for the arrest of suspected vandals in the area and warned those involved in the destruction of public infrastructure to desist from the act.
The commendation followed the reported arrest of two suspects near the Fire Service Academy in Kwali, Federal Capital Territory, following an intelligence report.
The suspects were identified as Usman Muhammed and Mustapha Yusuf, reportedly from Yangoji and Kwaita communities, respectively.
According to the available account, a vigilante group apprehended the suspects and handed them over to the Civil Defence Anti-Vandal Unit in Kwali for further investigation.
The report also indicated that two other individuals, reportedly from Kaduna Road and Diko, had been arrested in connection with separate alleged vandalism incidents and were in police custody.
However, details of the specific infrastructure allegedly targeted in the separate incidents and the agencies responsible for the arrests were not provided.
The account also raised concerns over alleged interference in the handling of vandalism cases, including claims that some suspects had secured their release through improper means.
The allegations were not accompanied by specific names or independently verified details.
The Chief Security Officer was also reported to have urged relevant security agencies to handle vandalism cases professionally and transparently.
Kwali Area Council Chairman, Nuhu Daniel Kwali, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to protecting public assets and critical infrastructure.
He urged residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies to help identify and apprehend individuals involved in vandalism.
The council’s position underscores the importance of cooperation between residents, vigilante groups and security agencies in preventing the destruction of public infrastructure.
The suspects’ alleged involvement remains subject to investigation. No information was available on whether formal charges had been filed against them.
Kwali Council Commends Security Operatives Over Vandalism Arrests, Warns Perpetrators
COAS Calls for Joint Operations, Multi-Domain Integration as Army Expands to 12 Divisions
NHRC Urges FG to Prioritise Mental Health, Warns Against Rights Abuses
Kwali Council Commends Security Operatives Over Vandalism Arrests, Warns Perpetrators
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