Headlines
Killing of Greenfield Varsity Students: ‘Having Leaders Like Buhari, El-Rufai a Liability’
The pan-Northern sociopolitical organisation, the Arewa Consultative Forum, said the latest killing of the abducted students of the Greenfield University was the worse form of terrorism that befell the country.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Emmanuel Yawe, reacting on behalf of the ACF, asked how the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari(retd), and the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, felt about the latest killing of the students.
The ACF’s Spokesman said, “This is the worst form of terrorism and barbarism ever visited on Nigeria. How much was used to set up the university that the terrorists are demanding N800m as ransom? The people committing these heinous crimes are they Northerners, are they Nigerians?
“What are the federal and state governments doing to stop this human waste? Our members want to know how el Rufai the Governor of Kaduna and Muahammadu Bihari feel about these tragic turn of events. The ACF feels and shares the pains of Nigerians in these tragic developments.”
The group said having a leader such as Governor Nasir El-Rufai who could not be advised or criticised, was a liability.
The CNG’s Spokesman, AbdulAzeez Suleiman while reacting to the killing, told The Punch on Monday, that the group had resolved to intensify pressure including mass protest to force the Kaduna government to reason.
CNG’s spokesman said, “We find the killing of two more students of Greenfield University quite regrettable but avoidable if we have a listening government. Unfortunately, we have a government in place that has stubbornly refused to heed genuine advice on its handling of the deteriorating security situation in Kaduna state.
“We have all along pointed out that leaders, such as the ones we have Kaduna, who would not be advised or criticized are certainly a liability.”
Also, the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union said it was saddened by the killing of the harmless university students by the bandits.
The Rivers State Government has suspended all political office holders and appointees with immediate effect.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Chief of Staff to the Sole Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd), listed the affected officers as follows:
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG)
The Chief of Staff
All Honourable Commissioners
Chairmen and members of boards, councils of agencies, commissions, institutions, and parastatals
All Special Advisers, Special Assistants, and Senior Special Assistants
The statement further directed the suspended officials to hand over to the Permanent Secretaries in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
In cases where no Permanent Secretary is in place, the most senior Director or Head of Administration is to take over.
This directive takes effect from Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has withdrawn from the case filed by the suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the leadership of the senate.
Justice Egwuatu, recused himself from the matter on Tuesday after lawyers to the parties in the suit announced their appearances.
He said he was stepping down from the matter because of the petition written by Senate President Godswilll Akpabio, alleging he was biased.
The presiding judge said he would will return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, so the matter could be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Egwuatu had on March 4, given an an interim order that stopping the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions from going ahead with the disciplinary proceedings started against t Akpoti-Uduaghan who was alleged to have broken senate rules.
The judge gave the senate leadership 72 hours to show cause why it should not issue an order of interlocutory injunction to stop them from probing the plaintiff for alleged misconduct, without affording her the privileges stipulated in the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
But the Senate Committee still went ahead to hold its sitting where it recommended Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months suspension.
However, the judge later amended the interim order by vacating the aspect that stopped the Senate from from taking any action pending the outcome of the suit.
By Eric Elezuo
Following the pronouncement of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the winner of the 2025 Sunhak Peace Prize, President Bola Tinubu has sent his hearty congratulations.
In a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the President acknowledged Jonathan’s pro-democracy stand, and efforts across the globe to sustain democratic principles. He noted that Jonathan has been a consistent advocate for “peace, harmony, and communality, a patriotic endeavour that has earned him global recognition”.
While thanking the organizers of the Prize for recognizing the ‘efforts of those working hard to improve the world’, he recalled Jonathan’s 2015 act of single-handedly supervising the transition of power to an opposition government, stressing that “it bolstered the nation’s democratic profile”.
The statement in details:
“President Bola Tinubu congratulates former President Goodluck Jonathan on winning the 2025 Sunhak Peace Founders’ Award.
“President Tinubu applauds the former President for his consistent advocacy for peace, harmony, and communality, a patriotic endeavour that has earned him global recognition.
“The President states that Dr Jonathan’s winning the Sunhak Peace Award affirms his bold efforts in peacebuilding and promoting democracy in Africa and beyond.
“The President recalls the former President’s historic acceptance of the results of the 2015 presidential election and his peaceful handover of power to an opposition party, which bolstered the nation’s democratic profile.
“President Tinubu celebrates this landmark achievement with former President Jonathan and thanks the Sunhak Peace Prize Committee for recognising the efforts of those working hard to improve the world.”
