Politics
Ex-Gov Tasks FG On #EndSARS Protest
Former Governor of Ekiti State, Chief Segun Oni, has called on the Federal Government to look beyond the surface to realise that there is more to the violence that trailed the October #EndSARS pro-test than meet the eye.
Speaking with newsmen at his country home, Ifaki-Ekiti, yesterday, Chief Oni said the violence was testimony to pent-up anger, frustration, and poverty among the people, and not limited to police brutality.
He said the charge of police brutality that signposted the violence, looting and destruction of properties was the trigger hoodlums who hijacked the protest needed to unleash terror on the society.
He enjoined government to map out strategies that would engage the youth in particular in gainful ways.
He explained that employment opportunities for the youths must be expanded and that job placements should be done on merit rather than on religion, ethnicity, political affiliation and other unprofitable criteria.
He also enjoined the Federal Government to act quickly on the reformation of the Nigeria Police Force to make its operatives operate within globally-accepted standards.
The former governor advised that part of the reformation of the police should be a re-examination of poor remunerations, inadequate training and poor working conditions and a need to improve on them.
He stressed that most cases of police brutality reported in the society were consequences of frustration in the operatives and a resultant transfer of aggression.
“If policemen do not get good salaries, they will not give good service; if you have a police force you must cater for its operatives and provide them with modern technological devices before you can demand integrity of them.
“There is also the need to recruit more people into the police to strengthen the Force numerically.
“I see too many angry faces, I see too many frustrated persons. I see too many youths walking on the streets without a hope of a better tomorrow and I am worried,’’ he said.
Chief Oni also condemned the violent protest and the vandalism that followed and argued that government’s properties that were destroyed were put in place for the common good and at huge costs, but were destroyed unjustifiably.
“Owners of private properties that were destroyed also did not do anything wrong to be visited with the resultant anguish,” he noted.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has set up a committee for the creation of local government council development areas in the state.
Fayemi said the move was “to bring government nearer to the people and ensure more rapid development in the rural areas in line with the administration’s five-pillar development agenda.”
The governor said this in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode.
The 13-member committee, which was given three months within which to deliver on its mandate, has Mr Segun Oluwole, as chairman.
Members of the committee are Mrs. Shola Gbenga-Igotun (Secretary), Dr Femi Akinola; Mr Victor Akinola, Mrs Sade Daramola, Mr Joseph Olaito, Mrs Emily Fagesi and Mr. Remi Obaparusi, among others.
Politics
Alleged Coup: Protests Rock N’Assembly As Detained Officers’ Children, Wives Demand Justice
Scores of children and wives of military officers detained over an alleged coup plot yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly, demanding a speedy trial and the release of the accused officials.
The protesters who gathered at the entrance of the National Assembly complex, moved in a slow procession while clutching placards with inscriptions such as “Don’t Kill Our Daddies,” “Detention Without Trial is Injustice,” and “Six Months of Torture: Enough Is Enough.”
Amid tears and trembling voices, the children appealed for justice and access to their detained fathers, many of whom they said they had not seen for months.
The appeal was made during a press briefing in Abuja attended by no fewer than 20 wives and several children of the detained officers, including a two-month-old baby.
The families were accompanied by human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju and activist Omoyele Sowore.
At the briefing, the families lamented that the officers had been held for over 160 days without trial or contact with their relatives, describing the situation as a violation of their fundamental rights.
Speaking on behalf of the families, Memuna Bashiru said the prolonged detention had thrown their households into uncertainty and emotional distress, noting that while allegations had been widely publicised, families remained in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.
The arrest of the indicted officers was first announced on October 4, 2025, by the then Director of Defense Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, who disclosed that 16 officers were taken into custody for alleged breaches of military regulations and acts of indiscipline.
However, an interim investigation later suggested the existence of a clandestine network of officers, allegedly coordinated by a senior Army officer, which had begun preliminary planning for a coup.
According to the report, the alleged plot involved surveillance of key national assets, including the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja, and major international airports, with October 25, 2025, cited as the planned date for the operation.
Those reportedly in custody include Brig Gen M. A. Sadiq, Col M. A. Maaji, Lt Col S. Bappah, Lt Col A. A. Hayatu, Lt Col P. Dangnap, Lt Col M. Almakura, Maj A. J. Ibrahim, Maj M. M. Jiddah, Maj M. A. Usman, Maj D. Yusuf, Capt I. Bello, Capt A. A. Yusuf, Lt S. S. Felix, Lt Cdr D. B. Abdullahi, Sqn Ldr S. B. Adamu and Maj I. Dauda.
The alleged plot, according to findings, targeted senior government officials, including President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima.
In a statement issued yesterday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, said the exercise would take place in all wards and designated centres nationwide.
He called on existing members to update their records, while encouraging new entrants to join the party through the digital platform.
“As the electronic membership registration exercise resumes in all wards and designated locations nationwide, we urge existing members to validate their membership while new members are encouraged to register and join the progressive family,” Mr Morka said.
According to him, eligibility for registration is limited to individuals aged 18 and above who possess a valid National Identification Number (NIN).
The party said the initiative is part of efforts to modernise its operations by transitioning to a digital database that would enhance record accuracy and accessibility.
Mr Morka noted that the e-registration would “digitise the party’s membership register, ensure the integrity of records, and enhance efficient access to membership data for planning and management decisions.”
He added that the move is also aimed at promoting internal democracy within the party and strengthening its commitment to democratic innovation.
The APC had previously introduced electronic registration as part of broader reforms to streamline its membership system and improve organisational efficiency.