Troops recover body of unidentified woman along roadside in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace have recovered the body of an unidentified woman found by the roadside in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the discovery was made at about 7:00 a.m. on June 25 after troops of Sector 6 responded to a report of a corpse lying along the Bum axis in Ganawuri.

On arrival at the scene, the troops found the lifeless body of the woman bearing multiple injuries.

Preliminary assessment by security personnel indicated that the victim was suspected to have been knocked down by a vehicle.

The body was subsequently evacuated to the General Hospital, Riyom, where it was deposited in the mortuary pending identification and further investigation.

Security sources said efforts are ongoing to ascertain the identity of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Troops recover body of unidentified woman along roadside in Plateau

U.S. Seeks New Era of Trade, Investment Partnership with Nigeria at 250th Independence Anniversary

By: Michael Mike

The United States has signalled a strategic shift in its engagement with Nigeria, declaring its intention to deepen commercial relations and treat Africa’s largest economy as a key economic partner rather than an aid recipient.

Chargé d’Affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Nigeria, Keith Heffern, made the declaration Thursday night in Abuja during a reception commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Heffern said the future of U.S.-Nigeria relations would be anchored on mutual prosperity, trade, technology and investment, reflecting a broader vision of partnership between the two countries.

According to him, Africa’s projected population of 2.5 billion people by 2050 and an estimated purchasing power exceeding $16 trillion place Nigeria at the centre of one of the world’s most significant economic transformations.

“We see that potential clearly, and we are here to help unlock it – together,” he said.

The envoy stressed that through commercial diplomacy, investments in critical sectors and transparent engagements, both countries were laying the foundations for sustainable growth, stronger supply chains and expanded economic opportunities.

He said the United States was keen to see “Nigerian ingenuity and American innovation” shape the next chapter of bilateral relations, creating jobs and fostering industrial development.

While highlighting economic cooperation, Heffern also underscored the importance of the longstanding security relationship between the two nations, particularly in combating terrorism in the North-east and the broader Lake Chad Basin.

According to him, the joint efforts of both countries have saved lives and protected vulnerable communities, demonstrating the value of sustained strategic cooperation.

“Our security partnership in the fight against terrorism has saved lives, protected communities, and demonstrated what is possible when two nations stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of their people,” he said, adding that the partnership remained “a source of immense pride” and would endure.

Reflecting on the significance of America’s 250 years of independence, Heffern described the anniversary, dubbed “Freedom 250”, as more than a national celebration, saying it symbolises the enduring power of democratic ideals.

He noted that those values resonate strongly with Nigeria, which he described as Africa’s largest democracy and one of the world’s most dynamic nations.

The U.S. envoy further said the relationship between both countries extends beyond diplomacy and government engagements, pointing to the contributions of entrepreneurs, students, artists and leaders from both nations in strengthening bilateral ties.

“As we mark 250 years of American independence, we look forward with hope, confidence and deep gratitude for the friendship of the Nigerian people,” he said.

The United States and Nigeria have maintained diplomatic relations since Nigeria’s independence in 1960 and have built extensive cooperation in security, health, education, trade and democratic governance. In recent years, however, both countries have increasingly emphasised investment and private-sector-led growth as the cornerstone of future engagement, reflecting Washington’s broader strategy of promoting economic partnerships across Africa.

U.S. Seeks New Era of Trade, Investment Partnership with Nigeria at 250th Independence Anniversary

ECOWAS Court Orders Nigeria to Pay Journalist ₦10m for Rights Violations During #EndBadGovernance Protest

By: Michael Mike

The ECOWAS Community Court of Justice has found the Federal Republic of Nigeria liable for violating the fundamental rights of journalist and President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr. Jide Oyekunle, during the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protests in Abuja and ordered the government to pay him ₦10 million in compensation.

In a landmark judgment delivered on June 22, 2026, in suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/29/25, the regional court held that Nigerian authorities violated Jide’s rights to freedom of expression, personal liberty, human dignity, protection against torture and degrading treatment, and his right to own and enjoy property following his treatment by security agents while covering the protest at Eagle Square on August 1, 2024.

The court also directed the Nigerian government to submit, within three months, a report detailing steps taken to implement the judgment and ordered it to bear the costs of the proceedings.

Jide had approached the regional court alleging that police officers assaulted him, unlawfully detained him and confiscated his professional equipment while he was performing his duties as a journalist during the protest. He claimed that security operatives fired tear gas at the protest venue, seized his mobile phone for about eight hours and damaged his Canon camera. He further alleged that he was subsequently subjected to unlawful surveillance and monitoring of his telephone communications.

The journalist sought declarations that his rights to freedom of expression, liberty, dignity, property and privacy had been breached and demanded ₦505 million in general and special damages.

The Nigerian government denied the allegations and argued that the protest had become violent, necessitating the deployment of security personnel to secure the Three Arms Zone in Abuja. It further contended that Jide’s temporary detention was lawful and resulted from his refusal to comply with directives issued by law enforcement officers.

However, the three-member panel of the court, presided over by Justice Ricardo Cláudio Monteiro Gonçalves and comprising Justices Sengu Mohamed Koroma and Edward Amoako Asante, dismissed the government’s defence, holding that the applicant was engaged in legitimate journalistic activity on a matter of significant public interest and that the state failed to provide any lawful basis for interfering with his work or confiscating his mobile phone.

The court ruled that the actions of security agents amounted to a violation of the journalist’s right to freedom of expression as guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The judges further held that Nigeria failed to produce evidence of any judicial warrant or lawful process to justify Jide’s detention and consequently declared the detention arbitrary and a breach of his right to liberty and security of person.

Relying on video and photographic evidence tendered by the applicant, the court also found that security agents physically assaulted and dragged the journalist while he was carrying out his professional duties. It ruled that such treatment amounted to degrading treatment and torture and faulted the Nigerian authorities for failing to conduct an effective investigation into the allegations.

The court equally held that there was sufficient evidence to establish that Jide’s mobile phone was unlawfully confiscated during the protest, thereby violating his right to own and enjoy property.

However, the regional court declined to award special damages relating to the alleged destruction of his camera, holding that the evidence presented was insufficient to establish state responsibility for the damage. It also dismissed his claim that his right to privacy had been violated, ruling that he failed to provide sufficient evidence linking the alleged surveillance, interception of communications and deletion of data to state security agents.

The judgment is one of the most significant pronouncements by the ECOWAS Court on the protection of journalists and press freedom in recent years and comes amid persistent concerns by media and human rights organisations over the treatment of journalists covering protests and civil unrest in Nigeria. It reinforces the principle that journalists performing their professional duties, particularly while reporting on matters of public interest, are entitled to protection under regional and international human rights instruments and that states have a legal obligation to ensure that security operations do not infringe upon fundamental freedoms guaranteed by law.

ECOWAS Court Orders Nigeria to Pay Journalist ₦10m for Rights Violations During #EndBadGovernance Protest