News
Police arrest 1,100 protesters, military threatens to intervene
The Nigerian military has said it will intervene if violence recorded in some states in the ongoing nationwide protest tagged #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria escalates.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, during a press conference in Abuja, said the military would step in to control the looting and violence being witnessed in some parts of the country.
The #EndBadGovernance protest started on Thursday with no fewer than 17 people feared killed as violence erupted in Abuja, Kano, Niger, Borno, Kaduna and Jigawa states. Businesses and banks were shut, while major roads were deserted.
The protest continued Friday as the police and protesters clashed in different parts of the country.
The CDS noted that while he was aware of the “grievances” of the protesters on the challenging economic difficulties in the country, they must show understanding.
He appealed to Nigerians to be united during “these trying times” and cautioned against looting and vandalisation of property. The defence chief decried the destruction of valuables during the nationwide protests, describing it as “crazy.”
He stressed that the military and other security agencies “will not fold” their arms and “allow this country to be destroyed.”
“The Armed Forces and the entire security agencies will not stand by and see that to continue. We want to warn those that are recalcitrant; those that don’t want to listen that we will not fold our arms and allow this country to be destroyed.
“We will take action and the action we will take, we will take it professionally. Anyone that is caught will be taken to court and will be dealt with.
“There are a bunch of people who believe that it is only through this medium that they will be able to loot, steal and destroy. And that is what they tried to do yesterday but we have arrested most of them that broke into places to steal and they will be prosecuted accordingly.
“We are also going behind to ensure that we also identify those that are involved; there are individuals who are sponsoring them, pushing them to do this, we are going after them,” he added.
Police disperse Abuja protesters, shoot hoodlums
Some Nigerians, including journalists who reconvened on Friday for the protest were injured after police made attempts to disperse them in Abuja.
Our correspondents gathered that when the demonstration began at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, protesters refused to be confined to a spot as directed by an FCT High Court order, and also ignored police warnings against holding a procession.
As tension mounted and protesters decided to stage a walk, they were ambushed near the National Hospital area, and dispersed with tear gas and live ammunition.
Five injured protesters said they jumped into the bush when the shooting started.
When other protesters heard about the police harassment, they left the national stadium to reconvene at the Berger Roundabout, but were tear-gassed.
A few minutes after being tear-gassed, the defiant protesters reconvened, vowing not to back down until their demands were met by the Federal Government.
A protester, who gave his name as Tari, criticised the police, saying the group would not be intimidated.
Another protester, Michael Zayi, said if the President had listened to Nigerians earlier, the situation would not have escalated.
He maintained that protesters were committed to demanding better lives for all citizens despite the use of force.
But the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, in a statement on Friday, directed hospitals and medical personnel to report anyone who presented with gunshot wounds to the nearest police station.
The command’s spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, noted that policemen engaged some hoodlums in “a fierce gun duel”, with many escaping with gunshot injuries.
According to him, the hoodlums took advantage of the hunger protest to embark on extortion and assault of innocent citizens along the Lugbe end of the FCT.
Adeh revealed that residents alerted the police to the development.
“Following distress calls about the activities of some hoodlums who took advantage of the ongoing protests, which began on Thursday, 1st August 2024, to block the Lugbe end of the Shehu Musa Yaradua Expressway at about 10pm, embarking on massive robbery and assault of innocent citizens, which led to an exchange of fire with police operatives in the Lugbe area of Abuja, the FCT Command hereby puts all medical personnel in and around the Federal Capital Territory on high alert to the possibility of receiving victims with gunshot wounds,” she said.
Adeh explained that the command was making the request in line with the Compulsory Treatment and Care for Victims of Gunshot Act 2017.
She said the FCT Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, warned against committing crimes under the guise of protest.
Police tear gas demonstrators, journalist in A’Ibom
In Akwa Ibom State, men of the state police command were reported to have fired tear gas canisters at a group of protesters who gathered at the Ibom Plaza to continue the hunger protest for the second day.
A journalist with the New Nigerian Newspapers in Akwa Ibom State was also tear-gassed while interviewing protesters.
One of our correspondents reported that the group was singing solidarity songs when the police opened the canisters on them and marched them to Unity Park, along Udoudoma Avenue, where they had been restricted to.
A protester, who spoke on condition of anonymity at the plaza before the police intervened, said they were protesting because life in Nigeria was becoming increasingly unbearable for the average person.
He said, “We are here to protest against the high cost of fuel. In this country, we can do better as a people. We cannot produce crude oil in Nigeria and buy fuel for N900 per litre. This is unacceptable.
“An average person can no longer feed their family because of the current state of affairs. The Federal Government claims to have increased the minimum wage, but it is worthless as it cannot even buy a bag of rice. If you earn N70,000, you need to borrow N20,000 to buy a bag of rice. We want the price of a bag of rice to be reduced to N10,000 and the price of fuel to drop to N100.”
Security operatives brutalise Bauchi PWD in wheelchair
In Bauchi State, security guards at the Government House gate wrestled with the leader of the Initiative for the Liberalisation of Physically Challenged People, Hamza Waziri.
In a trending video on social media, the security agents can be seen hitting the victim while he sits in his wheelchair.
Waziri stated that he was on the street of the government house alongside other physically challenged persons while exercising their constitutional right of peaceful demonstration when they were attacked by the guards.
He said, “I was doing a live video so one of the policemen came to me and said that I had filmed him and they were trying to grab the phone from me. As they were struggling to grab the phone from my hand, they kept brutalising me. They gave me a couple of punches as you can see from the video.
“There were not more than 10 of us, but I was the only one actually standing in front of the Government House just to raise our placards that said, ‘Employment should be for all’, ‘Everybody should be allowed to be employed’, ‘Inclusive Society’.”
Mukhtar Gidado, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, said an investigation was ongoing into the incident.
Hoodlums attack Yobe Red Cross office, burn vehicles
In Yobe, hoodlums attacked the office of the Red Cross in Gujba, Maiduguri-Potiskum Road, Damaturu, the state capital, destroying property and setting a vehicle ablaze.
Photos and videos obtained by our correspondents showed the vehicle on fire, as well as another Red Cross-branded Landcuiser and a bus damaged with their windows smashed.
When contacted on Friday, the Coordinator of Communications and Advocacy for the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Chima Nwankwo, confirmed the incident.
“The office was attacked around 1pm this afternoon (Friday). Some of our property, air conditioners, and vehicles were destroyed and they took some away, burnt our cars but there was no casualty,” he said.
He described the assailants as a “mob” with unclear motivations.
“They simply came to vandalise our property,” he said.
PUNCH
The Methodist Church Nigeria has honoured the General Manager of the Enugu State Community and Social Development Agency (CSDA), Hon. Monday Diamond Ani, with the prestigious “Apostle of Faith Award” in recognition of his outstanding humanitarian services and contributions to community development.
The award was presented by the Methodist Diocese of Akegbe, Aninri and Awgu Archdiocese (AAA) under the leadership of Rt. Rev. C. Orji, the Methodist Bishop of AAA Diocese, Enugu.
According to the Church, the honour was bestowed on Hon. Ani in acknowledgment of his selfless commitment to community development, social welfare, and humanitarian service over the years. The Church noted that his contributions have transcended political considerations and have positively impacted countless lives across communities.
His consistent humanitarian interventions have earned him the popular title “Odoziobodo”, meaning “one who builds and restores communities.”
Hon. Ani is widely regarded as a passionate advocate for community service, driven by a desire to improve living standards and promote love, unity, and a sense of
belonging among the people. His dedication reflects Christ’s teaching on the greatest commandment—love for God and love for one’s neighbour—placing service to humanity at the centre of purposeful living.
Due to his unavoidable absence, the award was received on his behalf and later presented to him at his office by Dr. Okechukwu Animba, Vice President (South-East) of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU).
Responding to the honour, Hon. Ani expressed profound gratitude to Rt. Rev. C. Orji and the entire Methodist Diocese for recognising his humanitarian efforts. He prayed for God’s continued grace and strength to serve humanity and touch more lives through his work.
He also appreciated his principal, the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, for appointing him to lead the CSDA, an agency charged with driving community interventions and sustainable development across the state.
When the Enugu State House of Assembly adopted the report of its Special Committee on Land Matters and Disputes in 2024, many observers described it as a watershed moment in the long-running controversy surrounding the Centenary City land in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
The report attracted national attention because it tackled a dispute that had generated numerous court cases, allegations of intimidation, destruction of property, community unrest, and claims involving some of the most influential figures in the state.
For many residents of Amechi and Obeagu, the Assembly’s intervention provided the first official platform where their grievances appeared to receive impartial consideration. The committee’s findings were widely commended for their detailed examination of the circumstances surrounding the acquisition and development of over 1,097 hectares of ancestral land.
At the heart of the controversy was the allegation that Private Estates International West Africa Limited (PEIWA), operating under a development agreement with the Enugu State Government, relied on questionable documents to assert rights over vast portions of land originally linked to a proposed university project initiated during the administration of former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Jim Nwobodo.
After reviewing submissions from the parties, the Assembly committee identified several inconsistencies in documents connected with the acquisition process. Among its findings were concerns regarding the authenticity of a survey plan purportedly prepared for the “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” in 1985, despite the fact that Enugu State had not yet been created at that time.
Controversial Enugu Centenary Land: A Daniel Has Come To Judgement
The committee also questioned the authenticity of signatures and official endorsements appearing on key documents, including survey records, gazette notices, and correspondences allegedly executed on behalf of traditional authorities in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
Based on these findings, the committee concluded that the host communities had established that they were not properly carried along in the acquisition process and recommended dialogue, compensation, government intervention, and a comprehensive audit of lands developed under the Centenary City project.
At the time, many hailed the report as evidence that the legislature was willing to confront powerful interests in defence of justice and accountability.
Two years later, events appear to have given fresh significance to those findings.
Today, Kingsley Eze, Chamberlin Mbachu and Private Estates International (W.A.) Limited are facing criminal charges before the Federal High Court, Enugu, in connection with the alleged forgery of a survey plan linked to the disputed acquisition of ancestral lands in Amechi and Obeagu communities.
According to the charge sheet in Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, the defendants are accused of conspiring to forge a survey plan titled “Permanent Site of Enugu State University of Science and Technology” purportedly dated 1985.
The prosecution alleges that the defendants knowingly made or uttered the survey plan as a genuine document despite its alleged falsity. The offences are said to be punishable under relevant provisions of the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
The criminal charges have drawn renewed attention to the conclusions reached by the Enugu State House of Assembly in 2024, particularly its observations regarding inconsistencies surrounding the same survey plan and related acquisition documents.
The developments have also prompted further advocacy from civil society organisations. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has called on the Inspector-General of Police to direct the Police Monitoring Unit to take over investigations and prosecutions connected with the dispute, investigate allegations of misconduct against certain police officers, and review criminal proceedings allegedly used for harassment and intimidation.
In a separate petition dated May 28, 2026, RULAAC also urged the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in two criminal cases pending before the Federal High Court, Enugu, citing repeated failures by law enforcement authorities to produce defendants for arraignment.
The cases include Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/84/2025, IGP v. Kingsley Eze & 2 Others, and Charge No. FHC/EN/CR/222/2024, IGP v. Alex Ifeadi & 2 Others.
As the criminal proceedings continue, many observers believe the matter has entered a decisive phase. The allegations that were once the subject of community petitions, legislative inquiries and public debate are now before a court of law for determination.
Whether the Assembly’s 2024 report marked the beginning of accountability or merely one chapter in a much longer struggle remains to be seen. What is clear, however, is that the issues raised by the Amechi and Obeagu communities have not faded away. Instead, they have evolved into a legal test that could shape public confidence in land administration, governance and the rule of law in Enugu State for years to come.
If the legislative findings, criminal investigations and court proceedings ultimately converge on the truth, then many residents may indeed conclude that, at long last, a Daniel has come to judgment.
Son of the late head of state and former Minister of Defence, Chief Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, in a letter of remembrance and solidarity written on behalf of the Aguiyi-Ironsi family to the Fajuyi family, marking the 60th anniversary of his death, said July 29, 2026, will be a solemn occasion to honour a soldier they described as “a war hero who offered himself as a sacrificial lamb for the unity and integrity of the nation.”
The family recalled that Lt Col Fajuyi, then Military Governor of the Western Region, made the ultimate sacrifice in 1966 when mutinous soldiers abducted him alongside Maj Gen Aguiyi-Ironsi in Ibadan during the military counter-coup.
They stated that Fajuyi, in a defining moment of conscience, chose honour over personal safety and refused to abandon his guest and superior, a decision the family said reflected the highest ideals of loyalty, integrity, and military brotherhood.
According to the statement, his action transformed him into a national martyr whose legacy continued to inspire unity, courage, and selfless service.
The Aguiyi-Ironsi family also expressed sympathy with the Fajuyi family, acknowledging the enduring pain of their loss, while praying for continued strength, comfort, and peace.
The statement further stated, “He did not run. He did not hide. He chose to stand. In that sacrificial decision lay the essence of his greatness.”
The family called on government institutions, military authorities, and custodians of national memory to ensure sustained recognition and support for the Fajuyi family, stressing that his sacrifice remained a national responsibility to remember and honour.
It urged Nigerians to draw inspiration from his life and death, noting that his legacy continues to challenge the nation to uphold unity, courage, honour, and selfless service.
Fajuyi was killed on July 29, 1966, during the military counter-coup in Ibadan alongside Aguiyi-Ironsi.
By Okey Maduforo Awka
The emergence of Chief Ikeagwuonu Ugochinyere as the Minority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives has been described as a vindication of the fact that the Action People’s Party (APP ) represents the collective interests of the Nigerian masses.
Recall that recently, Ugochinyere was elected as the Minority Leader of the party in a keenly contested election of the Federal House of Representatives.
According to a statement by the Chairman Anambra state chapter of the APP Chief Chijioke Okeke, Ugochinyere had been consistent in offering himself as the voice of the people and that of the voiceless.
“It did not come to us as a surprise that our great leader High Chief Ugochinyere became the Minority leader of the Federal House of Representatives because he has always been consistent and focus towards providing himself as the only vent for the masses at the Green Chambers”
“We know his pedegre as a politician as well as a leader and he has remained focus in ensuring that the voiceless are heard and this is also a vindication of our party’s unflinching desire to provide a veritable platform in a democratic process”
Okeke further stated that the fifth columnists who had attempted to deregister the party have been put to shame adding that the party shall continue to champion the interests of the Nigerian people.
“They made failed attempt at deregistering our great party but they lost sight of the fact that the APP is firmely rooted on ground and has all that it takes to drive the wishes and aspirations of the Nigerian populace and with this recent development our traducers have been put to shame and our party is on the path of further greatness “. Okeke noted .
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