Headlines
Prosecute Officers Involved in Killing Nigerians During Lockdown – Reps
The House of Representatives on Tuesday directed heads of security agencies to bring to book officials indicted for human rights abuses and extrajudicial killings during the lockdown across Nigeria.
The House also condemned the spate of rights’ violations during the lockdown and mandated its relevant committees to investigate the matter and ensure that justice is done.
These resolutions followed a unanimous adoption of a motion moved by the deputy chief whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha (APC, Imo).
As one of the strategies to curb the spread of COVID-19, various state governments declared partial or total lockdown in their states. President Muhammadu Buhari also ordered a lockdown in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja and recently, Kano.
The National Human Rights Commission reported that while the lockdown lasted, incidents of human rights violations were rife.
In the first two weeks of the lockdown, the commission said no fewer than 18 Nigerians were killed extrajudicially by security operatives across the country, less than the 11 that had died from COVID-19 at the time.
A followup report by the commission released Tuesday added that another 11 persons were killed extrajudicially between April 13 and May 4 by security agencies and other non-state actors enforcing the COVID-19 lockdown.
While presenting her motion, Ms Onyejeocha condemned the grim death numbers and called for an investigation into the killings. Her motion was adopted.
“Security operatives have also physically assaulted and brutalised innocent Nigerians in the name of enforcing COVID-19 lockdown directive,” she noted.
“As evident in the case of one Ms. Tola Azeez who was physically assaulted and brutalised by Inspector Ikuesan Taiwo and Constable Abass Ibrahim in Iwo, Osun State, in early April,” she said. The police said the men have been dismissed.
The lawmaker also cited instances of some Nigerians being intimidated and money extorted from them “as in the case of Mrs Nwabuabo Obiajulu and her son, Chukwuweiki, from whom officers of the Nigeria Police extorted the sum of ₦120,000 on Friday, April 17, 2020, for flouting the lockdown directive in Delta State.”
These, Ms Onyejeocha noted, are violations of sections 34, 40, 41 and 42 of the Nigerian constitution which guarantee the right to life, the dignity of humans, and freedom from abuse.
Meanwhile, there was also a report of a citizen physically assaulting some security operatives. As shared in a viral video by the police, a woman identified as Kehinde Afolake was seen assaulting a police officer in Oyo State.
The woman claimed her action was in retaliation of an earlier assault by the policeman.
The police claimed that “the said woman also assaulted two female police officers, Inspr. Ojola Abiola and Inspr. Queen Eguaoje, and gave one of them (a) human bite,” adding that some police stations were also set ablaze in Katsina and Abia states.
Headlines
ADC Presidential Primary: Hayatu-Deen Alleges Rigging, Withdraws from Results Announcement
One of the presidential aspirants of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, says he will not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
In a statement on his X handle on Tuesday, Hayatu-Deen expressed concern over reports of electoral irregularities from across the country.
The ADC aspirant noted that he witnessed some of the incidents.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” the statement read.
The development comes amid keen competition for the ADC presidential ticket involving former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation and former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The ADC presidential primary election collation exercise will take place in Abuja. Results are expected from across the nation.
Ahead of the nationwide presidential primary held on Monday, the ADC had urged aspirants, party leaders, delegates, and members to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold party unity.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the exercise as a defining moment for both the ADC and Nigerians seeking a credible political alternative.
According to him, the party remained committed to internal democracy and a transparent leadership selection process.
“The ADC remains proud to stand today as the only truly democratic party in Nigeria because it is the only political party whose choice of presidential candidate is determined through open primaries,” Abdullahi stated.
The party also stressed that the conduct of aspirants and party members during the exercise would reflect the leadership culture the ADC seeks to promote.
Headlines
You’re Not Different from APC, INEC, Amaechi Slams ADC, Rejects Presidential Primary Results
A former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the results of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice.
Amaechi, in a statement posted on his X handle on Tuesday, described the outcome of the exercise as “concocted results.”
He said he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” he said.
Amaechi alleged that about 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from voting during the exercise.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.
The former Governor of Rivers State accused the party of engaging in practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the ADC cannot criticize vote buying, rigging and manipulation of election results by others while allegedly engaging in similar acts during its own primary.
Amaechi added that the development was unacceptable and contrary to the ideals upon which the party was founded.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking to bar former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, effectively clearing the way for him to participate in the polls if he chooses to run.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered judgment in the matter, held that the suit instituted by Johnmary Jideobi lacked merit and amounted to an abuse of court process.
The court further ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, noting that he failed to show how Jonathan’s possible participation in the election directly affected his interest.
Justice Lifu consequently awarded a total cost of N21 million against the plaintiff — N20 million in favour of Jonathan and N1 million in favour of the Attorney General of the Federation.
The judge described the suit as frivolous and a waste of judicial time, particularly after previous courts had already dismissed similar cases on the same subject.
He cited earlier judgments in Andy Solomon v. Jonathan at the Federal High Court and Cyracus Njoku v. Jonathan at the Court of Appeal, aligning with the decisions and stating that he had “nothing else to add.”
Justice Lifu also expressed dismay that the plaintiff and his counsel continued with the suit despite being aware of the earlier judgments.
The suit, filed in October 2025, sought a determination on whether Jonathan remained constitutionally eligible to contest the presidency in 2027.
The plaintiff argued that Jonathan had exhausted the constitutional two-term limit under Sections 1(1), (2), (3) and 137(3) of the 1999 Constitution, having completed the unexpired tenure of late President Umaru Yar’Adua between 2010 and 2011 before serving a full four-year term after winning the 2011 presidential election.
Jideobi had asked the court to restrain Jonathan from presenting himself as a presidential candidate and to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting or publishing his name as a candidate in the 2027 election or any future presidential contest.
The plaintiff also sought an order directing the Attorney General of the Federation to enforce the requested injunctions if granted.
During proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff maintained that Jonathan had served more than twice in office and was therefore constitutionally barred from seeking another term as president.
Jonathan, INEC and the Attorney General of the Federation were listed as defendants in the suit.
