National News
INEC to Prosecute 774 Election Offenders, Enters Working Arrangements with NBA
INEC to Prosecute 774 Election Offenders, Enters Working Arrangements with NBA
By: Michael Mike
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that he has a list of 774 persons arrested during the 2023 General Elections for various electoral offences, stating that an arrangement has been concluded with the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for their prosecution.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)’s monthly review forum for the 2023 elections focused on “Accountability for Electoral Crimes and Human Rights Violations in Elections”, the Director, Litigation and Prosecution, INEC, Taminu Inuwa noted that the electoral commission is empowered by the provision of Section 145 of the Electoral Act, 2022 to prosecute electoral offenders.
He said: “It is in recognition of the statutory power of INEC to prosecute electoral offences that the Inspector General of Police recently forwarded 215 case files of electoral crimes to the commission for the prosecutions 774 persons arrested during the 2023 General Elections for various shades of electoral offences including dereliction of duty, criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct at election, being in possession of offensive weapons, destruction of election materials, political thuggery, electoral violence, snatching of ballot box, stealing of sensitive election materials, etc.”
He reveled that INEC is partnering with the Nigerian Bar Association which has offered to provide pro-bono legal services fir the effective prosecution of the electoral offenders arrested in the course of the 2023 General election.
He however said: “It is worthy of note that a number of key challenges including lack of capacity of INEC in terms of power to investigate and arrest electoral offenders have been identified as militating against effective prosecution and the consequent inadequate prosecution of/conviction on electoral offences recorded over the years.”
He noted that: “The challenges necessitated the call for the creation of an independent body to handle prosecution of electoral offences with such powers as conferred on the EFCC and ICPC to arrest, investigate and prosecute electoral offenders.”
He promised that the commission shall continue to Putin its best in the discharge of its statutory power of electoral offences prosecution until the proposed body is established by law, insisting that “this is the assurexway of reducing the spate of brazen impunity with which electoral offences are committed.”
Meanwhile, the NHRC has condemned the spate of violence during the election re-run in some states, a Senior Human Rights Advisor to the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna while presenting the April Edition of NHRC 2023 Elections Human Rights Situation Dashboard said violence is assuming dangerous dimension during Nigeria’s elections.
He lamented that three voters were killed for resisting thugs in Wudil, Kano State, an APC chieftain killed in Ughelli North, Delta State, another APC ward chairman murdered in Dekina LGA Kogi state, and a
member of a proscribed vigilante group killed for ballot snatching in Kebbi State.
He decried that journalists were not spared from attacks during the last election wit 10 journalists intimidated and chased out of polling unit by thugs in Abeokuta North; three-person Arise TV crew covering the governorship and House of Assembly election injured and had their equipment seized.
He said it was disheartening that In the process of vote buying, thugs were unleashed, leading to the attack of a group of journalists in transit, and security
officials excluding a handful of journalist from covering the collation centre in Kano state
He noted that Akam James, correspondent with Daily Post was assaulted in Ebelebiri community ward 05 unit 19 and the Publisher of Upfront Magazine was also beaten up, TVC Crew was chased out of the community.
He said the NHRC was ready to take up the case of violence against any journalists, urging media practitioners to come public with cases of attack against them during the recently concluded elections.
INEC to Prosecute 774 Election Offenders, Enters Working Arrangements with NBA
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
By: Zagazola Makama
The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the sudden death of an unidentified man who collapsed and died at Government House Lodge, Minna. Zagazola learnt that the incident occurred on Friday, Aug. 2, 2025.
Sources said that the deceased had visited House No. 8, Government House Lodge, in an attempt to see Mr. Sammy, Chairman of Niger Foods. However, upon meeting his host’s absence, the man suddenly took ill.
Medical doctors were reportedly contacted from the IBB Specialist Hospital, Minna, for urgent attention. Unfortunately, by the time the doctor arrived, the man had already passed away.
Following the report, a team of police operatives from GRA Division visited the scene. The body was photographed and evacuated to the IBB Specialist Hospital Mortuary for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
Unidentified visitor dies suddenly at Niger Government House Lodge
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
By Amina Ahmed Dankawuwa
The Senator representing Bauchi South at the national assembly, Senator Shehu Buba Umar has accepted the calls by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial District to contest for Governorship come 2027.
The Director General of the campaign for the actualisation of Sen Buba’s Gubernatorial ambition, Alhaji Muhammad Sade (Usman) accepted the calls on behalf of the Senator during a town hall meeting held on Saturday by the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bauchi North Senatorial in Azare.
He appealed to members of APC to maintain peace with all other aspirants within the party.
“Let’s respect other aspirants, such that anybody who win the primary election can have will be assisted by others, so we must value and respect each other”, he reasoned.
Muhammad Sade also called on party members to commence looking for delegates for ahead of the party primaries.
“It is now that we have to look for those that have votes. I call on our esteemed supporters to start mobilizing for delegate”, he emphasized.
He also advised social media handlers (citizens journalist) to avoid creating problems for personal gain, adding that social media some times create a lot of problem within and out side the party endorsed Senator representing Bauchi South, Senator Shehu Buba Umar for Bauchi Governor come 2027.
Baushe Daily Times reports that members of the APC gathered in thousands during the meeting in Azare during which they unanimously agreed to support Senator Shehu Buba for Governor come 2027.
Earlier in a welcoming address, former majority leader in the Bauchi state house of assembly, Hon Tijjani Mohammed Aliyu, the choice to support Sen Shehu buba Umar’s Governorship ambition was due to his concern and care he has for the people of Bauchi state.
“He respects us, he values our people politically and he also call on party members to respect each other because politics shouldn’t be considered as a do or die affair”, he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Bashir Bukar Rimin Zayam charged the youth to cast their votes for the youth only and avoid voting older politicians who will always be going abroad for medical attention.
He therefore, appealed to members of APC to mobilised people to support Sen Shehu Buba for Governor.
Among those who attended the town hall meeting include state assembly member Azare/Madangala Hon Zakariyya sale maigero, comr sabo Mohammed S A to Sen Shehu Buba on media and communication, Hon kasuwa Shehu Damana, Hon Adamu Fanta Misau, Hon maiwada Misau,Hon Mohammed Hassan, Barr Muktar Umar, Alhaji Nura Adamu among others.
Bauchi Guber: Sen Buba accepts calls by Bauchi North APC members to contest in 2027
NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy
By: Michael Mike
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in strong terms the closure of Badeggi Radio in Niger State by the State Governor Mohammed Bago, discribing it as not only a suppression of press freedom but an affront to democracy.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission Dr Tony Ojukwu, condemned the action while reacting to the ugly incident. He said the governor’s decision to shut down the radio station without following due process is disappointing and a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution and Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Ojukwu noted that the consequences of suppressing press freedom are far-reaching and can lead to increased government opacity, reduced citizen participation, creat obstacles to accountability, and weakening of democratic institutions.
He said: “The arbitrary shutdown of media outlets undermines the checks and balances essential to a functioning democracy.”
He called on Governor Bago to immediately unseal the Radio Station and allow it to resume full operations, asking him to channel issues concerning any alleged unconstitutional operations of the Radio Station to the appropriate authority and not act with impunity.
He said: “This is both a moral imperative and a democratic requirement.”
Ojukwu who is also the president of the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa ( NNHRI-WA) urged the governments to protect journalists and media freedom, foster a culture of tolerance, and support independent media. “Journalists must be able to operate without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence,” He emphasized.
He lamented that the media has severally come under attack in various forms, a situation he termed as unacceptable in a civilized society.
He called on the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be firm in carrying out its Statutory mandate which must not be abused at any slight opportunity.
He used the opportunity to ask media practitioners to be professional at all times in order to prevent needless censorship by political office holders.
He also called on Nigerian Guild of Editors to provide professional guidance at regular intervals as this will curb the use of hate speech, fake news and other unprofessional conducts capable of adversely affecting the media houses.
He insisted that the Commission remains committed to promoting and protecting human rights in Nigeria and would continue to monitor the situation closely.
NHRC: Closure of Badeggi Radio, A Suppression of Press Freedom, Affront to Democracy
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