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Musings On The NIA Muhammed Dauda And Justice
Musings On The NIA Muhammed Dauda And Justice
By: Inuwa Bwala
For give years now Ambassador Muhamned Dauda, former Director General of the National Intelligence Agency. NIA and Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Chad, has been 9n the virtual run for his life.
His family members had to equally go under for their lives, as agents of a cabal that conspired to remove Dauda from office, also went for his jugular.
For the past five years, Dauda cried out for justice and petitioned the world that his removal was a witch hunt, and that some powerful people in the immediate past administration were behind it.
He petitioned the Presidency several times trying to narrate his ordeals, but each time, his cries were either suppressed or the President was deliberately prevented from taking action.
Dauda went to the courts to seek redress, for which he has been consistently threatened and intimidated.
He fled our borders and continued to pursue his cause untill Thursday when the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division ordered his reinstatement as Director General DG of the National Intelligence agency NIA.
One could describe Dauda’s pursuit for justice as one long tortoise journey.
Even to a layman like me one could see the clear destination of the matter, and no one was blind to the intrigues that played out; trying to cover up the monumental fraud that was Dauda’s sack.
That he was vilified for daring to seek justice, is a story for another day, but the eventual judgement last Thursday must have come as a big relief.
Legal pundits and even ordinary minds have described it as a sound judgement by Justice Peter Ige, which will fit a long time remain a watershed in Nigeria’s legal history.
Justice Ige said in the judgement that, the evidence leading to the dismissal of Dauda was frivolous and lacking in merit, and thereby lame and ineffective.
That Judgement had resolved all the contentious issues against the NIA and in favour of the former DG, who was the respondent in the appeal suit.
In ordering for Dauda’s reinstatement and the payment of his salaries and entitlements since the day of his purported dismissal from office, the diplomat DG could begin to pick the pieces of his life and redesign a new life.
While he may not be able to physically return to his seat: having attained the mandatory age of retirement while outside, the judgement not only vindicated him, but exposes the rot in the underbelly of the NIA.
And by ordering the payment of damages to him the appellate court also has succeeded in making an examplery statement, to the effect that, injustice carries with it a burden, that may not be punitively heavy enough but symbolically embarrassing.
Justice Ige in holding that: “Dauda should be allowed to retire in service in accordance with the stipulated laws guarding the NIA, has equally provided a solution to the seeming quagmire, as Dauda himself may not even be interested in sitting on that seat again, but has at least made the point.
Justice Ige was assertive when he said. “There is no evidence before the court that shows that the respondent has constituted any risk or breached any law”, which 8n effect corroborates Ambassador Dauda’s arguments all along, that, he has been a victim of a conspiracy, for resisting to be corrupted.
While it is being argued that, Ambassador Muhammed Dauda may have achieved justice, the cost may remain inestimable untill those behind the act are fully exposed and brought to book.
For those who might not have been familiar with this matter: Muhammed Dauda acted as the head of National Intelligence Agency, NIA from November 2017 to January 2018,when he was replaced by an aide to president Muhammadu Buhari, under very curious circumstances.
Dauda had spent just few months on the job before he was forced out, following which he challenged his removal in court, arguing that his dismissal from service did not follow the due process.
He argued that in contravention of the law, no special management staff of the disciplinary committee (SMSDC) was set up to investigate the charges against him,and he was not given any fair hearing afterwards.
The National Industrial court had in an earlier judgement delivered by Justice Olufunke Anuwe, ordered the reinstatement of Mohammed Dauda as the head of National Intelligence Agency and payment of salaries and entitlements from March 2018 till date after it found that his dismissal fell short of the NIA Act.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Olufunke Anuwe, it was held that, under the agency’s rule, the appropriate committee to investigate disciplinary cases against management staff is the management staff disciplinary committee, “not the special management staff disciplinary committee”.
The NIA appealed Justice Olufunke’s judgement which was thrown out last Thursday.
Musings On The NIA Muhammed Dauda And Justice
Nigeria, China Seek Expanded Cooperation in Tourism, Heritage, Creative Industries
By: Michael Mike
Nigeria and China have intensified efforts to strengthen bilateral cooperation in tourism, culture, and the creative economy, with both countries identifying the sectors as major drivers of economic growth, cultural diplomacy, and people-to-people relations.
This commitment was reaffirmed at the weekend during the 2026 China Tourism Day celebration hosted by the China Cultural Centre in Nigeria (CCIN) in Abuja, where government officials, diplomats, tourism stakeholders, artists, and cultural enthusiasts gathered to celebrate the growing partnership between the two nations.
Speaking at the event, Yang Jianxing said tourism remains one of the most effective instruments for fostering mutual understanding and strengthening ties among nations.
He explained that the theme of this year’s celebration, “Enjoying Quality Tourism, Exploring Beautiful Landscapes,” reflects the increasing global importance of tourism as a platform for intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence.
According to him, both China and Nigeria possess rich historical civilizations, diverse cultural identities, and globally recognised tourism assets capable of deepening cooperation between their peoples.
Yang cited iconic destinations including the Great Wall of China and Mount Tai, alongside Nigeria’s Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove and Zuma Rock, describing them as enduring cultural symbols that continue to connect civilizations across continents.
He noted that several joint cultural initiatives organised over the years by both countries, including the Happy Chinese New Year programmes and China-Nigeria Cultural and Tourism Festivals, had expanded cultural exchanges through artistic performances, traditional exhibitions, and culinary experiences.
“These activities have not only strengthened friendship between our peoples but have also promoted the spirit of harmony, mutual respect, and cultural inclusiveness,” he said.
Yang further disclosed that China was prepared to deepen collaboration with Nigeria under the framework of the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, with fresh opportunities expected in heritage preservation, tourism promotion, cultural innovation, and the creative industries.
He encouraged more Nigerians to explore educational and tourism opportunities in China while expressing optimism that more Chinese visitors would also discover Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage, artistic diversity, and tourism potential.
Also addressing participants, Abdulkarim Ibrahim described the event as another milestone in the long-standing diplomatic and cultural relationship between Nigeria and China, which he said has continued to flourish for more than five decades.
Nigeria, China Seek Expanded Cooperation in Tourism, Heritage, Creative Industries
Zulum Lauds Peaceful Conduct of APC House of Reps Primaries in Borno
By: Michael Mike
Governor of Borno State, Babagana Umara Zulum, has commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of the All Progressives Congress primary election for the House of Representatives across the state.
Zulum gave the commendation on Saturday shortly after supervising the APC primary election for the Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri Federal Constituency held in Magumeri town.
Hundreds of party supporters from the three local government areas gathered at the venue to welcome the governor and APC officials overseeing the exercise.
Speaking with journalists after the primary, Zulum said the process was conducted in line with the Electoral Act 2026 and the constitution of the APC, which allows aspirants to adopt consensus arrangements.
“We are here to witness the primary election in line with the Electoral Act 2026 and the APC constitution, which allows for consensus arrangements among aspirants,” the governor stated.
He explained that although three aspirants initially indicated interest in contesting for the party’s House of Representatives ticket, two later withdrew in support of the incumbent lawmaker, Hon. Usman Zannah.
“We have three contestants vying for the position of the House of Representatives, but fortunately, under the consensus arrangement as enshrined in the constitution of our party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), two of the aspirants stepped down for the incumbent member, Hon. Usman Zannah,” he said.
According to the governor, party members and stakeholders from the constituency affirmed their support for the consensus candidate during the exercise.
Zulum congratulated Hon. Zannah on his emergence and praised the aspirants who stepped down — Hon. Shettima Shehu and Alhaji Mohammed Sanda Ngamdu — describing their action as a demonstration of unity, sacrifice and political maturity.
“I want to extend my congratulations to the candidate and the others who stepped down for him,” he said. “I also want to express my appreciation to all APC supporters and the people of Borno State for ensuring a peaceful voting process.”
The governor stressed that the consensus arrangement adopted by the party was voluntary and not designed to deny any aspirant the opportunity to contest.
“Under the consensus arrangement, the government of Borno State and the party have never taken a decision to stop anybody from contesting,” he explained. “Consensus is a voluntary option, and anybody who does not wish to go for a consensus election has the right to participate in a direct primary.”
Chairman of the APC Primary Elections Committee for Gubio, Kaga and Magumeri Federal Constituency, Hon. Yuguda Saleh Vungas, also confirmed that party stakeholders agreed on consensus as the mode of primary election.
He commended Governor Zulum for creating an enabling environment for the smooth and peaceful conduct of the exercise.
Through a voice vote, APC members from the three local government areas unanimously affirmed Hon. Usman Zannah as the party’s consensus candidate for the House of Representatives seat.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission and APC national headquarters monitored the exercise.
Governor Zulum was accompanied by the APC consensus gubernatorial candidate, Engr. Mustapha Gubio, Secretary to the State Government Bukar Tijani, and Acting Chief of Staff, Dr. Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe.
Zulum Lauds Peaceful Conduct of APC House of Reps Primaries in Borno
U.S., Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation
By: Zagazola Makama
The United States has announced the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, described as the second-in-command of the global Islamic State terrorist network, during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted with Nigerian security forces.
In a statement issued on Friday, Donald Trump said American forces, working alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out what he described as a “meticulously planned and very complex mission” targeting the terrorist leader.
According to Trump, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki had been operating from Africa and was considered one of the most active terrorist figures globally.
“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield,” Trump said.
He stated that the operation was enabled through intelligence sources that tracked the activities and movements of the ISIS commander.
Trump added that the removal of al-Minuki would significantly weaken the global operations of the terrorist group and reduce its capability to coordinate attacks, including plots targeting American interests.
He also thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and partnership in the operation.
“With his removal, ISIS’s global operation is greatly diminished. Thank you to the Government of Nigeria for your partnership on this operation,” he said.
Neither the U.S. nor Nigerian authorities immediately disclosed the exact location or operational details surrounding the mission.
The development marks one of the most significant counterterrorism operations involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in recent years against transnational terrorist elements linked to the Islamic State network.
U.S., Nigerian Forces Eliminate ISIS Second-in-Command in Joint Operation
Nigeria, China Seek Expanded Cooperation in Tourism, Heritage, Creative Industries
Troops Arrest Suspected Gunrunner Linked to Notorious Terror Kingpins in Katsina
Zulum Lauds Peaceful Conduct of APC House of Reps Primaries in Borno
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