A coalition of civil society organisations, trade unions, youth groups, community associations, social movements and faith-based groups has declared June 12 a day of nationwide protest and mass action against “worsening insecurity, escalating economic hardship and the continuous deterioration of the living conditions of millions of Nigerians.” The declaration was contained in a statement on Wednesday, jointly signed by the National Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, Femi Falana (SAN); National President of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Yinka Folarin; and Hassan Soweto of the Organising Committee of the #EndBadGovernance Movement, Lagos State. Other signatories include the Organising Secretary of the Nigeria Patriotic Front Movement, Yusha’u Yankuzo; Secretary of Initiative and Mediation, Zauren Tuntuba da Sasanci, Ali Attahiru; and rapper, singer and songwriter, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz. The statement said the nationwide protest was aimed, among other things, at demanding the immediate release of Nigerians being held captive in Oyo, Borno, Ekiti, Kwara and other states. According to the coalition, there is nothing to celebrate on June 12 as many Nigerians continue to live in fear of attacks by terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements. Various states across the country have, in recent times, witnessed a surge in incidents of abductions, killings and other forms of terrorism. The statement read, “Innocent Nigerians are being killed, abducted, displaced and traumatised while government responses have remained largely inadequate and ineffective. “For years, the people have been subjected to repeated assurances that insecurity is being defeated. Yet the killings continue. Communities are attacked, schools are threatened, farmers cannot safely access their farms, highways remain unsafe, and countless families continue to live with the pain of losing loved ones or having relatives in captivity. “The Nigerian people deserve a pro-people government that places the protection of lives and property at the core of governance.” While lamenting the state of security in the country, the coalition also decried the hardship faced by Nigerians following the policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration. The activists said the removal of fuel subsidy, repeated increases in fuel prices, currency devaluation, rising electricity tariffs and the commercialisation of essential services had pushed millions deeper into poverty. “Despite the significant increase in the monthly statutory allocations to the three tiers of government, the people are getting poorer. “Food prices have skyrocketed. Transportation costs have become unbearable. Small and medium-scale businesses are collapsing under the combined burden of expensive fuel, unstable electricity and declining purchasing power. Workers’ wages remain grossly inadequate while inflation continues to erode incomes,” the statement added. The coalition urged Nigerians to join the June 12 protest across the country to compel the government to take urgent and meaningful steps to address insecurity and reverse anti-poor economic policies that have plunged millions into misery. “This protest is about the lives of our children and teachers in captivity. It is about the collective survival of ordinary Nigerians. “As a result, the coalition calls on civil society organisations and progressive groups to unite and mobilise the collective power of the Nigerian people to demand the release of all captives and oppose the anti-people policies of the Tinubu administration, which have continued to increase poverty in the land,” the statement read. Other signatories to the statement were the Executive Director of the Moses Oisakede Leadership Foundation, Mike Igaga; President of the Precision, Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association, Rufus Olusesan; and Segun Oladunni of the Joint Action Front. The list of leaders also calling for the protest includes the General Secretary of Socialist Labour, Abiodun Olamosu; Lead of the Calabar Group of Socialists, Jonathan Ugbal; Country Director of Citizens Solution Network, Richard Inoyo; Salako Kayode of the Revolutionary Socialist Movement; Omole Ibukun of the Centre for Creative Change; and National Coordinator of the Youth Rights Campaign, Adaramoye Michael.

Senior Pastor of the Dunamis International Gospel Center, DIGC, Dr Paul Enenche has decried what her termed as irresponsibility of some Nigerians, who turn serious national issues into jokes. Speaking during the mid-week live service in Abuja on Wednesday, the clergyman wondered why a sane person could participate in an online giveaway organized by criminal elements. THENEWSCREDIT reports that some netizens stormed a social media handle operated by a suspected bandit recently and submitted their account details while soliciting giveaways. A young man in a viral video later cried out, claiming that he was offered N100,000 by the bandit, but the assailant later demanded N100 million from him. Leading the congregation on prayer for the nation on Wednesday night, Pastor Enenche said some Nigerians are irresponsible, stating that they are making a joke out of something devastating. He said, “I heard that there are people now canvassing for bandits to send them money, and you collect blood money, knowing that this money is from someone’s blood? “I believe that the country’s leadership knows that whatever happens, everything will be turned into a joke. “If the electoral commission declares anything it decides, no consequence, if the judiciary miscarries justice, nothing happens.”

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday declared that his administration inherits problems and challenges to solve them and not to abandon them. Tinubu disclosed this during the commissioning of the newly constructed Airport Expressway to Kuje road to mark his third year anniversary. Represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said the road commissioning was a fulfilment of his promise. He said: “Today we are not just commissioning a road but we are keeping a promise. Three years ago we took an oath to serve you, we pledged to end the era of abandoned projects and Today FCT Highway 105 has stand as proof that we keep our words. “Let me be very clear that the present administration does not inherit problems to abandon them. We inherit challenges to solve them. “To appreciate the significance of this moment we must recall why we started. This road was awarded in 2022 and little progress was made. “It became a symbol of frustration as gridlock for businesses, dust in the dry seasons, and muds in the rains.” Tinubu also disclosed that he appointed Nyesom Wike as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to deliver projects. “Therefore, when I appointed Wike as the FCT Minister, I did so because he delivers and while there were delays he brought political will, while there were obstructions we paid compensations, we respected the law and valued progress,” he added.

The founder of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi, has said that rumors about him passing leadership of the church to one of his sons are not true. Kumuyi made it known that the ministry is for Jesus Christ and not for his family. During a church service, Kumuyi mentioned that some people suggesting one of his sons might take over his role in the future were wrong. He emphasized that the church is not his personal property and cannot be passed down through family lines. Some people had asked if he would look for one of his kids and help them get ready to lead the ministry. He said: “Many people were wondering if he was going to give the church to his son. Won’t he look for his first son, his second son, where are they? Where do they live? “Isn’t he going to give up the church?” Kumuyi asked. The cleric refused the idea, saying the church belongs only to Jesus Christ and that its leaders should be chosen by God, not by family connections. ‎ ‎ He added: “Well, it’s not his church. And since it wasn’t his church, Jesus said, ‘Upon this rock, I will build my church.’ “It’s the church of the Lord Jesus Christ, and no one has the right to give it to his son.” Kumuyi also stated that biblical people like Peter, Paul, and John, never gave the church to their sons during their time. “Peter did not give the church to his son. Paul didn’t have a son or a wife, but he didn’t pass the church on to his son. “And John didn’t give the church to his son,” he further added.

The International Monetary Fund, has cautioned the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against proceeding with the proposed $5 billion borrowing arrangement with the First Abu Dhabi Bank of the United Arab Emirates under the Total Return Swap, financing structure. The warning was issued on Tuesday by the IMF Resident Representative for Nigeria, Christian Ebeke, during the presentation of the Fund’s 2026 Article IV Consultation Report on Nigeria. According to the IMF, the proposed financing arrangement is opaque and could expose Nigeria to significant financial risks. Ebeke explained that such structures often lack transparency and may leave participating countries vulnerable to losses if the value of underlying assets declines or exchange rates move unfavorably. “We say in the report, and our view is that the transaction and these types of structures carry risks. Usually, they are opaque. So, the terms are not always very transparent when we review these instruments across countries,” he said. He further warned that the arrangement could trigger additional liabilities under certain market conditions. “They also carry risk, as we flag in the report, the margin calls in the case that the value of the asset drops or the currency depreciates.” Ebeke added that the Fund had limited information on the specific transaction but maintained its concerns. “At this point, we don’t have any further information on the TRS. But our view is that it carries risk, and it’s important to monitor those risks very, very carefully,” he stated. Nigeria’s Senate had, in April 2026, approved the TRS agreement, placing the country among African nations such as Senegal and Angola that have adopted similar borrowing arrangements.

ABUJA, NIGERIA — The Nigerian Senate is officially preparing to consider a groundbreaking constitutional amendment bill that proposes a single six-year tenure for the President and state governors, intended to take effect after the 2027 general elections. The disclosure was made on Tuesday on the floor of the upper legislative chamber by the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, who revealed plans to sponsor the bill ahead of the transition to the 11th Senate. According to Bamidele, the core objective of the reform is to eliminate the distractions associated with the current two-term structure. Under the prevailing system, elected executives frequently spend a significant portion of their first four-year term focused on political survival and plotting re-election strategies. "If you know you are there for six years, only one tenure, you put in your best from day one. You know this is the only chance that you have."— Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele Lawmakers backing the proposal argue that an unrenewable six-year term will allow executives to focus fully on public service delivery, policy implementation, and long-term national development without political interference. The legislative push aims to reshape Nigeria’s executive landscape through several major constitutional shifts: Replaces the current four-year renewable system with a strict, non-renewable six-year single term for the President and state governors. The law is strategically designed to be deliberated and implemented following the conclusion of the 2027 general elections to prevent immediate self-succession conflicts. Proponents expect the bill to significantly lower the financial burden, national friction, and electoral costs tied to repetitive, high-stakes re-election campaigns. The concept of a single executive term is not entirely new to Nigeria`s democratic discourse. Similar attempts were explored during previous constitutional reviews, notably under former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, though prior efforts ultimately fell through due to regional anxieties and political misalignment. Prominent opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, have also recently advocated for a six-year single term tied to a rotating presidency between Nigeria`s geopolitical zones to foster equity. While the announcement marks a defining moment for electoral reform discussions, Senate Leader Bamidele emphasized that the proposal is in its formative stage. Passing the bill will require comprehensive constitutional amendment procedures. This includes:Extensive public stakeholder consultations.A two-thirds majority vote in both chambers of the National Assembly.Formal concurrence from at least 24 of the 36 State Houses of Assembly. As debate builds among political leaders, legal experts, and citizens, the proposed legislation stands to be one of the most substantial structural shifts to Nigeria’s democracy since the return to civilian rule in 1999.

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says nobody has what it takes to prevent him from visiting Oyo State or any part of Nigeria. Gumi said this on Tuesday in a post on his Facebook page, noting that his visit to Ibadan had been wrongly linked to what he described as “dirty local politics” in the South-West. The cleric has faced criticism amid allegations that his visit was part of an attempt to promote northern Islamic ideologies and Islamise Oyo State. Responding, Gumi stated that he was not invited to Ibadan by any Muslim individual or group in the South-West. According to the Islamic cleric, he attended an event in the city as a representative of northern Islamic scholars. He said, “I quite understand now how Islamophobia is shaping politics in (South-West) and why I was unnecessarily dragged into their dirty local politics. “I was in Ibadan, not by the invitation of any South-West Muslim individual or group, but as a representative of the Coalition of Northern Muslim Ulama. “Can anybody stop me from going anywhere in Nigeria?” His reaction followed controversy over claims that abductors of some victims in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State demanded the introduction of Sharia law in the state as part of the conditions for their release.

Nigeria is a nation running on the fumes of its citizens` resilience. For decades, the defining characteristic of the Nigerian populace has been an uncanny ability to "suffer and smile"—to find joy, humor, and hope in the cracks of systemic failure. But as global media veteran Akintayo Asamu Kowinrin recently pointed out in a scathing indictment of our political class, this resilience is being weaponized against us. Kowinrin’s raw, unfiltered critique forces us to confront a painful reality. Our leaders do not see citizens as stakeholders in a democratic project. Instead, they treat us like "mumu," morons, and clay dolls—mere political placeholders to be manipulated during election cycles and discarded immediately after. The Machinery of Deceit The tragedy of the Nigerian condition lies in the predictability of its leadership. We are fed a daily diet of thousands of elaborate promises, yet not a single one is backed by the political will to execute. This is not governance; it is theater. While millions of citizens weep daily under the crushing weight of economic hardship, the political elite maintain a complicit, golden silence. They look away from the hunger in our streets. They pretend nothing is wrong because their own tables are overflowing. This level of selfishness borders on the sadistic, treating the masses less like human beings and more like livestock being fattened up for the next political festival. A Deadly Double Standard Nowhere is this elite indifference more apparent than in the sector of national security. The average Nigerian steps out of their home every morning unsure if they will return alive, vulnerable to the rampant insecurity that has overtaken our highways and communities. Yet, the very politicians who shrug off this bloodshed move around in bulletproof convoys, surrounded by state-funded security apparatuses. They spare no expense to protect their own families and relatives while leaving the rest of the country to the wolves. As Kowinrin rightly asked: Why treat your own blood like royalty and the rest of the nation like expendable slaves? The Illusion of Immortality Perhaps the most baffling aspect of our political class is the sheer arrogance of our aging politicians. Watching leaders whose twilight years are clearly upon them hoard wealth and power with reckless abandon is both tragic and comical. They behave as though earth is their permanent estate and death is a myth. History is littered with the forgotten names of past rulers who thought they were gods, only to be swallowed by time. Our current leaders would do well to learn from them. Power is fleeting, youth is gone, and as Kowinrin solemnly reminded them, there is a reckoning that awaits everyone after death. A Call for Radical Change We cannot continue like this. The "suffering and smiling" dynamic is not a badge of honor; it is a symptom of a battered collective psychology. Our leaders must change and turn over a new leaf. They must fear God, respect the sanctity of human life, and begin the hard work of giving us a country we can be proud of. The pen has been dropped, the truth has been spoken, and the ball is now entirely in their court.

A new video of Mrs. Rachael Alamu, the abducted Principal of Community High School, Ahoro-Esinele, has emerged online. Speaking from captivity, Mrs. Alamu clarified that her abductors are not demanding a ₦1 billion ransom or the implementation of Sharia law, contrary to widespread social media reports. Mrs. Alamu revealed that she and other victims have spent 24 grueling days in the bush. The principal dismissed viral claims that the armed men demanded weapon trades, cash ransoms, or religious concessions, noting that the abductors themselves showed the captives the false online reports. According to her statement, the abductors have a single, non-monetary condition: the release of their detained associates. She urgently appealed to the government and the public to stop politicizing the abduction. She begged authorities to prioritize peaceful negotiation over a forceful military rescue, which she warned could result in the execution of the hostages. While Mrs. Alamu was abducted from the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, the surrounding landscape in the video has raised fresh questions among security analysts regarding the exact location where the victims are being held. Security agencies are closely analyzing the footage. Experts note that statements made by hostages under gunpoint are frequently scripted or heavily influenced by their captors to stall tactical military interventions. Mrs. Alamu was violently taken alongside multiple staff members and dozens of school children from three different academic institutions within Oyo State. As the hostages endure harsh weather and deteriorating conditions in the wilderness, pressure continues to mount on both state and federal authorities to secure their safe release. The Oyo State Police Command has officially stated that it is reviewing the hostage footage, maintaining that intensive search-and-rescue efforts remain ongoing alongside tactical forensic tracking to secure the victims. Concurrently, the Oyo State House of Assembly has formally rejected calls to negotiate with the armed captors, demanding instead that security forces step up military pressure. Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Olayinka Ayanlade confirmed the command`s awareness of the hostage videos. Tactical teams, led directly by State Commissioner of Police Abimbola Olugbenga, are actively conducting forensic analysis to pinpoint the victims` location within the forest reserves. The command revealed that investigators successfully tracked down and arrested six suspects. These individuals were allegedly communicating with the kidnappers via mobile phones, guiding them through safe routes in the National Park during the attack. The Police Command explicitly warned the public and bloggers to stop circulating fake updates. They formally denied false viral social media reports claiming the students and staff had already been rescued. Law enforcement confirmed the identities of the deceased. Assistant Headmaster Mr. Adesiyan and an unnamed commercial motorcyclist (okada rider) were shot and killed during the initial school invasion, while a teacher, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed in captivity. Meanwhile, THENEWSCREDIT reports that the Oyo State House of Assembly strictly rejected suggestions to negotiate with the terrorists. Lawmakers have instructed security operatives to rely on strategic rescue tactics rather than conceding to the group`s demands. THENEWSCREDIT Reports indicate the kidnappers opened communication channels and specifically demanded to speak directly with Governor Seyi Makinde, bypassing family members and intermediate local leaders. The executive arm has prioritized working in lockstep with federal intelligence teams.

A married woman identified as Oluchi has been found in a hotel in Delta State after she faked her abduction and demanded N50 million from her family. Children of the woman, including her daughter in Canada, had pleaded with the public to help them raise money even as the kidnappers reduced the ransom to N20m. They had told the police that their mother was kidnapped at the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. But the police investigation led its crack team to Delta State, where the supposedly kidnapped woman was found with her lover in a hotel. Mrs Oluchi. Credit: Family A source said, “Police traced the number of the man to a hotel in Ubiaroko, Delta State. They met the man and the kidnapped woman inside a hotel. They called the husband, and he was happy. It was at the station that the police broke the news to him. The wife begged the husband not to tell her children what actually transpired.” In an online video, her daughter, Anita, who is based in Canada, said her mum’s action has shattered the family. She vowed that the family would allow the law to take its course. According to her, “My mum has been released. My mum is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate. What did I do wrong? “My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course. I am sorry this is happening. I only did what any daughter would do. My family has been shattered. “We were called that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the Police from the beginning. We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m.” The Harmony Ladies Club, a social club Anita belongs to, in a statement on its WhatsApp group and forwarded to journalists, dissociated itself from the staged kidnapping. It expressed deep disappointment, shock, and embarrassment at Mrs. Oluchi’s actions. The statement read, “When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately. “Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis, carrying the heavy burden of anxiety alongside her family. “It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs. Oluchi herself.” Edo Police spokesman, Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the incident and said four persons have been arrested in connection with the incident. She added, “I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have also been arrested in connection with the incident.