News
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
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
By: Michael Mike
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned that 2026 will be an extremely difficult year for human traffickers operating in the country, as the agency intensifies its crackdown on trafficking networks across Nigeria.
The Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Bello made this known in Abuja while reviewing the agency’s activities in 2025 and outlining its operational plans for 2026.
Bello disclosed that in 2025, NAPTIP secured the conviction of 93 human traffickers, describing the achievement as significant given the complexity of prosecuting trafficking cases.
She also stated that the agency intercepted over 2,500 potential victims who had been deceived and recruited for various forms of exploitation within and outside Nigeria, adding that many of them were rehabilitated and reintegrated into society.
According to her, the agency’s increased surveillance and coordination among its commands led to a rise in rescues, arrests, and successful prosecutions during the year. She noted that traffickers were effectively disrupted, with several high-profile suspects arrested and convicted.
Among those apprehended were operators of some orphanages and care homes allegedly involved in trafficking and exploitation of children. Bello said over 120 suspected trafficked children were rescued from such facilities.
She further revealed that in collaboration with international partners, NAPTIP rescued more than 370 Nigerian victims from countries including Ghana, Senegal, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Looking ahead to 2026, the NAPTIP boss said the agency would scale up its operations by strengthening partnerships with other security agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners. She also pledged closer collaboration with federal, state, and local governments, including the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), to improve grassroots monitoring and prevention.
Bello emphasized that NAPTIP would work more closely with the legislature and judiciary to ensure stronger legal backing and faster prosecution of traffickers.
She added that within the first weeks of 2026, NAPTIP had already secured three convictions and warned that more traffickers would face jail unless they abandon their criminal activities.
The Director-General reiterated the agency’s commitment to nationwide awareness campaigns, particularly in rural communities, to reduce vulnerability and protect potential victims from traffickers.
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
By: Michael Mike
The North East Development Commission (NEDC) has commenced a two-week Ophthalmology Equipment Set-Up and Training Programme at the Maiduguri Eye Hospital in Borno State, following the deployment of advanced eye-care equipment valued at over N3 billion.
The programme, which began on Monday, marks a major step in the Commission’s efforts to improve specialist healthcare delivery and address preventable blindness across the North-East region.
Activities on the first day included the installation, calibration, and coupling of cutting-edge ophthalmic equipment, alongside the start of hands-on technical and clinical training sessions. The exercise is aimed at ensuring the newly supplied equipment is fully operational and optimally configured for effective eye-care services.
The training is being led by Prof. Abdull Mohammed Mahdi, a Chief Consultant in Ophthalmology, with support from Dr. Abuh Sunday, also a Chief Consultant, and a multidisciplinary team of experts in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering.
Participants include consultant ophthalmologists, resident doctors, ophthalmic nurses, optometrists, and biomedical engineers from the Maiduguri Eye Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH). They will receive intensive practical training on the operation, maintenance, and efficient use of the equipment.
According to the NEDC, the initiative is expected to significantly enhance the hospital’s diagnostic and surgical capacity, particularly in the management of cataract and glaucoma cases. The Commission noted that the intervention aligns with its long-term objective of transforming Maiduguri Eye Hospital into a regional centre of excellence for ophthalmic care.
In addition to the equipment deployment and training, the Commission is undertaking extensive renovation and infrastructure upgrades at the hospital to support modern clinical operations and improve patient experience.
The NEDC is also extending similar ophthalmic interventions across other states in the North-East. Of note is the ongoing construction of an ultra-modern Eye Institute at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) in Bauchi, which commenced last year and is scheduled for accelerated implementation this year.
Officials of the Commission described the intervention as a strategic investment that combines modern medical infrastructure with deliberate human capacity development, noting that the ₦3 billion equipment deployment and training programme will have a lasting impact on access to quality eye-care services in the region.
NEDC Deploys ₦3bn Ophthalmic Equipment, Begins Training at Maiduguri Eye Hospital
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Yobe State have raided a notorious criminal hideout in the Saman Tudu area of Pompomari District, Damaturu, arresting a personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and 16 other suspects.
A reliable source told Zagazola Makama that the raid was carried out on Jan. 18 at about 7:20 p.m. following a coordinated, intelligence-driven operation targeting criminal elements who use the area as a haven.
The source said the enclave served as a convergence point for trafficking and consumption of illicit drugs, as well as planning and execution of various criminal activities within the community.
“During the operation, the team stormed and ransacked the hideout, leading to the arrest of 17 suspects, including one Mohammed B. Kolo, identified as an NSCDC personnel attached to the Yobe State Command,” the source said.
He added that exhibits recovered from the scene included a knife, five bicycles, dried leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa, hemp wrapping papers, a long sack used as a mat and the sum of N8,500 found inside a sack suspected to contain the drugs.
The suspects are currently in custody while investigation is ongoing to determine their level of involvement in criminal activities.
The source said those found culpable would be charged to court for prosecution after the conclusion of investigations.
Residents were urged to continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information to sustain the fight against crime in the state.
NSCDC personnel, 16 others arrested in raid of criminal hideout in Yobe
WEF 2026: VP Shettima Commissions First Ever Nigerian Pavillion In Davos
Troops arrest three suspected ISWAP recruitment agents in Banki
NAPTIP Vows Tough Crackdown on Traffickers in 2026 as 93 Convicted in 2025
Roger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
FAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
News2 years agoRoger Federer’s Shock as DNA Results Reveal Myla and Charlene Are Not His Biological Children
-
Opinions4 years ago
THE PLIGHT OF FARIDA
-
News9 months agoFAILED COUP IN BURKINA FASO: HOW TRAORÉ NARROWLY ESCAPED ASSASSINATION PLOT AMID FOREIGN INTERFERENCE CLAIMS
-
Opinions4 years agoPOLICE CHARGE ROOMS, A MINTING PRESS
-
News2 years agoEYN: Rev. Billi, Distortion of History, and The Living Tamarind Tree
-
ACADEMICS2 years agoA History of Biu” (2015) and The Lingering Bura-Pabir Question (1)
-
Columns2 years agoArmy University Biu: There is certain interest, but certainly not from Borno.
-
Opinions2 years agoTinubu,Shettima: The epidemic of economic, insecurity in Nigeria
