Abasi People Foundation Rejects Southern Traditional Rulers Council, Seeks Refress of Historical Marginalisation

By: Michael Mike

The Abasi People Foundation (APF) has forcefully rejected the proposed Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council, describing the initiative as historically insensitive, politically exclusionary, and structurally flawed.

In a detailed statement issued in Abuja at the weekend and signed by its President, Dr. Victor Udo, the Foundation not only denounced the proposed council but also declared unambiguous solidarity with Igbo traditional rulers under the leadership of Lawrence Agubuzu, Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom in Enugu State.

The APF argued that any attempt to establish a southern regional traditional body without full democratic consultation and equal representation of indigenous nationalities risks repeating historical patterns of marginalisation that have shaped Nigeria’s political evolution since colonial rule.

The Foundation anchored its opposition in what it described as the “unresolved contradictions” of Nigeria’s 1914 amalgamation, when the British colonial administration merged the Northern and Southern Protectorates into a single political entity. According to APF, the colonial arrangement prioritised administrative convenience over ethnic autonomy, laying the groundwork for structural imbalances that continue to influence governance and representation.

The group further noted that post-independence constitutional experiments — from the regional structure of the First Republic to the centralized federal system that emerged after military rule — have struggled to equitably accommodate Nigeria’s complex mosaic of ethnic nationalities.

“The architecture of amalgamation created artificial divisions and entrenched central dominance,” the statement said. “More than a century later, the same logic must not be allowed to redefine southern identity through exclusionary frameworks.”

The APF however emphasized that the Abasi people — comprising the Ibibio, Annang, Oro, Efik, Obolo, Eket, Ekoi and related communities — represent a historically rooted nationality with a shared cultural heritage and distinct identity within Nigeria’s southern corridor.

It insisted that no regional traditional council can claim legitimacy if it sidelines indigenous populations or imposes hierarchical arrangements where equality should prevail.

“Unity cannot be legislated through selective inclusion,” the Foundation declared. “Any structure that reproduces historical marginalization under the guise of regional integration undermines its own moral and civic authority.”

The group demanded the immediate suspension of any process toward establishing the Southern Nigeria Traditional Rulers Council unless it guarantees full democratic participation and equal representation for both the Abasi and Igbo nationalities.

Beyond the immediate controversy, the APF called for a renewed national dialogue on Nigeria’s political future, advocating a transition toward a confederal system in which ethnic nationalities can exercise greater autonomy while cooperating within a shared sovereign framework.

According to the Foundation, Nigeria’s long-term stability depends on recognizing all its constituent peoples — including Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Abasian, Kanuri, Ijaw, Fulani, Nupe, Jukun, Tiv, Bini and others — as co-equal stakeholders in governance.

Political analysts say the Foundation’s intervention highlights deeper conversations underway across the country about federal restructuring, regional identity, and the evolving role of traditional institutions in modern governance.

APF warned in the statement that national cohesion cannot be built on exclusion.

“Justice demands representation, peace requires equality, and development begins with dignity,” the group said, signaling that debates over regional structures are likely to intensify as broader constitutional questions resurface on the national stage.

Abasi People Foundation Rejects Southern Traditional Rulers Council, Seeks Refress of Historical Marginalisation

Fulani elders call for calm, say Plateau attack deliberate to provoke reprisal

By: Zagazola Makama

Fulani elders in Barikin Ladi of Plateau State have called for calm following the killing of a Fulani youth by unidentified attackers, describing the incident as a deliberate act intended to provoke retaliation and disrupt the fragile peace in the area.

The elders made the appeal on Saturday while reacting to the incident, which they said occurred at night without provocation, despite ongoing peace engagements between herders, farmers and other ethnic groups in the locality.

They noted that the area had recently witnessed relative peace due to sustained efforts by security agencies, particularly Army troops of Operation Enduring Peace, whose commander has been engaging communities through dialogue and confidence-building meetings.

According to them, the attack appeared calculated to trigger reprisal violence and undermine reconciliation gains.

“We believe this act was done deliberately to provoke us so that we will react, but we want the world to know that we are peace-loving people and we will not be provoked,” a community leader said.

The elders expressed concern that such incidents could reverse progress made in restoring trust among communities, stressing that restraint was necessary to prevent escalation.

They commended security agencies for their recent interventions, citing the recovery and return of rustled cattle to owners as evidence of improved response and cooperation between authorities and residents.

While acknowledging those efforts, they urged the state government and security agencies to intensify surveillance, intelligence gathering and patrols to forestall further attacks and bring perpetrators to justice.

The elders also appealed for broader international attention, including from the United States of America, toward supporting peace and stability initiatives in the region.

They stressed that ending cycles of violence required swift action against criminal elements and sustained engagement with all communities.

“We call on the government to rise to the occasion and stop these senseless killings,” they added.

Fulani elders call for calm, say Plateau attack deliberate to provoke reprisal

NDLEA Foils Fake Pregnancy Drug Plot, Nabs Alleged Real Estate Kingpin in Nationwide Crackdown

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have thwarted dramatic attempts by suspected traffickers to smuggle illicit drugs through Nigeria’s borders, intercepting a woman who faked pregnancy to conceal narcotics and an Ivorian national who excreted 82 wraps of cocaine at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport.

The arrests formed part of a sweeping nationwide crackdown that also led to the capture of a Lagos-based real estate chief executive allegedly heading a drug distribution network, a 68-year-old grandmother, and several other suspects across multiple states.

At the Seme land border in Lagos last Monday, NDLEA officers intercepted 35-year-old Kano businesswoman, Rabi Muhammad, as she attempted to cross into Cotonou, Benin Republic. Officers became suspicious of her visibly protruding abdomen during departure checks.

A comprehensive search exposed the deception: her “pregnancy” was fabricated using a pink-coloured calabash strapped to her stomach. Concealed inside were 3,200 capsules of tramadol intended for sale across the border.

On the same day, NDLEA operatives at the departure hall of Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport stopped 41-year-old Ivorian national, Michael Gohouri, during outward clearance for Ethiopian Airlines flight ET940 bound for Milan via Addis Ababa.

Body scan results confirmed ingestion of illicit substances. Under observation, the suspect excreted 82 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.49 kilograms.

Investigations revealed that Gohouri had arrived in Lagos from Milan on January 17, 2026, travelled between Lagos and Enugu for three weeks, and later moved to Kano where he ingested the cocaine in a hotel room. He was reportedly promised €5,000 upon successful delivery in Milan.

The suspect, who claims dual Nigerian and Ivorian heritage, applied for asylum in Italy in 2013 and holds a resident permit valid until May 25, 2026. He also possesses a Nigerian National Identification Number under the name Anunwa Onyinye Michael.

In Lagos, NDLEA operatives arrested the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Trans Fortress Global Resources, Mr. Kolapo Oladapo Raji, described by authorities as a suspected drug kingpin.

Raji, 57, was apprehended on Thursday, February 12, 2026, at his Safe Court Apartment residence in Ikate, Lekki, shortly after returning from the United Kingdom. He had reportedly been on the agency’s watchlist since 2025.

A search of his residence uncovered four large bags containing 89.20 kilograms of “Canadian Loud,” a potent cannabis strain. Officers also recovered a 2024 Toyota Hilux at the point of arrest.

According to NDLEA, Raji admitted financing drug consignments for overseas associates and later establishing his own distribution network after receiving hundreds of millions of naira in profits.

In separate operations: Ugwuja Kingsley was arrested in Agbara, Lagos, with 56kg of skunk, while Ekwe Arinze was caught with 76kg at a motor park in Oshodi.

At the Port Harcourt Ports Complex, Onne, Rivers State, NDLEA, working with Customs and other security agencies, intercepted 170,900 bottles of codeine-based syrup in a container following intelligence-driven inspection.

Along the Okene/Lokoja highway in Kogi State, officers recovered 7,300 tramadol 225mg pills concealed in two sound systems aboard a commercial bus. Follow-up operations in Zuba, Abuja led to the arrest of two suspects.

In Ondo State’s Iju forest, operatives arrested suspects with a combined 393kg of skunk.

In Bauchi State, 936kg of skunk was seized in Azare town, alongside additional arrests and recoveries totaling 85.8kg.

In Delta State, 37kg of skunk was seized from a female suspect in Ughelli.

In Edo State, NDLEA operatives destroyed 1,266.8475kg of skunk on three farms in Owan West LGA, recovering 23kg of processed cannabis and arresting two suspects, including a 68-year-old grandmother.

Beyond enforcement, the agency intensified its War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaign across schools and communities nationwide, delivering lectures and awareness programmes in Oyo, Yobe, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Kano, and Lagos states.

Commending officers from various state commands for the arrests and seizures, NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Buba Marwa, lauded their balanced strategy combining supply reduction with demand reduction efforts.

“The operational successes recorded across commands demonstrate our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the nation from the devastating impact of illicit drugs,” he stated.

NDLEA Foils Fake Pregnancy Drug Plot, Nabs Alleged Real Estate Kingpin in Nationwide Crackdown