Politics
Enugu Assembly Pledges To Pass VAPP Bill
The Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr Edward Ubosi has expressed the commitment of the assembly to pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibited (VAPP) bill.
Ubosi gave the assurance in Enugu yesterday during a Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum organised by the Women Aid Collective (WACOL).
The speaker, who was represented by the Chairman, House Committee on Judiciary, Mr Philip Nnamani said that the duties of the legislature include to make laws that would protect women and other victims of violence.
He expressed dismay at the high rate of violence against women and pledged that he would do his best to ensure that the bill was passed into law.
The sponsor of the bill, Mr Chukwuka Eneh said that the bill had scaled the first reading and promised that it would be passed in no distant time.
“I am very much interested in the bill because it is gender oriented and a lot of people especially women are vulnerable to violence,” he said.
Earlier, the Executive Director of WACOL, Prof. Joy Ezeilo said that the organisation had recorded over 700 cases of sexual violence noting that it was not just peculiar to women but men inclusive.
Ezeilo noted that the men were more traumatized because most times they died in silence while protecting their ego.
She called for greater respect for women, girls and all as well as an end on gender based violence in the society.
The executive director promised the enforcement of the bill when passed into law.
A sexual violence victim and teenager narrated how she was raped by a commercial motorcyclist at gunpoint on her way to school.
She said the man took her in his bike, got to a lonely place and pointed a gun at her and raped her.
The victim said she managed to get to a busy place where was taken to a hospital.
According to her, few days later she saw the man in his bike and alerted the police with the help of WACOL who arrested and prosecuted him.
She said that the culprit was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment.
Another victim of domestic violence and housewife, Mrs Sandra Iheji narrated how her husband beat her and impregnated her house help and threw her out of the house with nothing.
Iheji, who is a mother of three, said that the estranged husband made away with her two kids leaving her with nothing.
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.