PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to immediately relocate to Kebbi State.
A statement on Thursday, November 20, by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the directive was part of efforts to intensify the rescue over 20 students abducted during an early-morning attack on Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in Danko/Wasagu Local Government Area.
The ICIR reported on Monday, November 17, that the state police command confirmed that armed men invaded the school around 4 a.m., killing the school’s vice principal and abducting several students.
Police spokesperson Nafi’u Abubakar said the attackers scaled the school fence before opening fire and whisking away 25 students from their hostel.
“The police tactical units deployed in the school engaged them into a gun duel but the suspected bandits had already abducted them in their hostel,” he said.
Also confirming the incident, the Chairman of Danko/Wasagu LGA, Hussaini Bena, told The ICIR that the gunmen stormed the school while shooting sporadically.
Meanwhile, the president said he had instructed Matawalle to remain in Kebbi to coordinate security operations aimed at securing the release of the abducted schoolgirls.
Matawalle, a former governor of Zamfara State, is expected in Birnin Kebbi on Friday.
According to Onanuga, Matawalle previously handled several large-scale kidnapping crises during his tenure, including the February 26, 2021 abduction of 279 students from Government Girls Science Secondary School, Jangebe, who were released days later.
Onanuga also said Tinubu had postponed his scheduled trips to Johannesburg, South Africa, and Luanda, Angola, to receive continuous security briefings on both the Kebbi school attack and the abduction of worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State.
The ICIR reports that terrorists have been on the prowl in Nigeria. Since 2011, when the conflict, which began in the North-East, escalated, thousands of people have died and hundreds of thousands displaced across the North, especially in rural communities where security response is slow or absent.
Following his appointment in August 2023, The ICIRreported how Mattawalle’s previous role as governor was marked by heavy criticisms due to insecurity issues that plagued Zamfara State under his watch.
Mattawalle, who served as the governor of Zamfara State between May 2019 and 2023, left the state as one of the worst hit by terrorist attacks in Nigeria.
Attacks by a group of terrorists known as bandits went rampant under his watch leading to the killing of thousands of people in the state and across the North-West region of the country.
During Matawalle’s tenure, agriculture, the major source of income for the state residents, suffered devastation as terrorists imposed protection levies before allowing farmers to cultivate farmlands or harvest crops.
THE scorching heat of Niger State bears down on the Kudu Primary Health Centre (PHC) in Mokwa Local Government Area (LGA), but inside, 36-year-old Aisha Usman holds her baby close as she waits her turn for a routine antenatal checkup. For Aisha, the state government’s effort to eradicate maternal mortality through free healthcare is not just a policy but her reality.
“I am fortunate. Medical checkups, scans, and the child delivery have all been free for me and others who have enrolled,” Aisha confirms. Her experience is a good example of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF)’s potential. The fund, designed to subsidise primary healthcare, removes the immediate financial barrier that often drives rural women to unqualified traditional birth attendants (TBAs).
But Aisha Usman’s story is closer to an exception than the rule. Across Niger State, the delivery of this life-saving fund is defined by bureaucratic delays, insufficient funds, exclusionary identification requirements, and entrenched cultural resistance.
In 2019, the Nigerian government launched the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) under Section 11 of the National Health Act (NHAct) 2014 to support the Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS) and improve the overall financing of the health sector.
For a state like Niger, burdened by vast rural distances and poverty, this promise was monumental. But six years on, an investigation into the implementation of the BHCPF reveals that facilities offer zero-cost care one moment, only to turn away desperate mothers the next due to funding delays and bureaucratic identity requirements.
Niger State faces a high maternal mortality ratio, estimated at 130 per 100,000 live births. This figure significantly exceeds national averages and shows the peril faced by pregnant women who cannot access timely and adequate care.
Similarly, the under-5 child mortality rate in Niger State stands at approximately 103 deaths per 1,000 live births, meaning one in every seven children born in the state dies before their fifth birthday. The lack of consistent free antenatal care, safe delivery options, and post-natal services due to the BHCPF’s shortcomings directly impacts child survival.
Mokwa Central MHC-PHC.
Exclusion by identification
While Aisha Usman enjoys free care, just a few kilometres away in Mokwa town, Aisha Alhassan faces a different fate at the Mokwa Mother and Child Health (MCH)-PHC.
“I usually pay for every service,” Alhassan reveals. “I see other mothers being attended to for free, but they told me I must pay because I do not have a National Identity Number (NIN).”
This single requirement, the NIN, has become the gatekeeper to Niger State’s free basic healthcare. The BHCPF, the primary vehicle for federal funding channeled through the state, mandates enrollment using this National Identification Number.
This requirement keeps countless women from accessing care. Aisha Ahmed, Programme Officer of the State BHCPF, however, reassures that “OICs (Officers in Charge) of PHCs know who to call when patients need to be enrolled. They have their contacts, so I do not know why this is an issue.”
At Kudu PHC, the Officer in Charge (OIC), Jubril Isah, confirms the administrative limits. He reports that only 137 of its 7,175 residents have been successfully enrolled under the BHCPF. While this small number of patients enjoys free care including antenatal, delivery, post-natal, and child immunisation services, the cost for those outside the system is prohibitive.
Isah details the facility’s price structure for the excluded, “Pregnant mothers who are not enrolled pay ₦1,000 for the first antenatal visit and ₦500 for subsequent visits. For delivery, non-enrollees pay ₦2,000 for medications and consumables such as gloves, sanitary pads, and detergents.”
While these fees may seem small, in communities where disposable income is measured in daily subsistence, ₦2,000 can be the difference between choosing a supervised facility birth and resorting to a traditional home delivery, with its attendant risks.
The free care, where it works, has increased trust.
“The BHCPF has been very helpful,” Isah attests.
“We now have more community members visiting our facility since they have no reason to remain at home when sick.”
However, the facility’s reach is hobbled by the NIN requirement, forcing staff members to constantly sensitise residents to obtain the identifying documentation for the next enrollment window.
Mohammed A. Aliyu, Ward Development Chairman, Mokwa Central
Irregular and insufficient funds
The most significant operational challenge is rooted in cash flow. The BHCPF funding, designed to be consistent, is anything but. This irregular flow of funds starves facilities, forcing PHC staff, who are instructed never to turn a patient away, to perform a constant balancing act between service delivery and solvency.
Following a referral from the Information Officer of the Niger State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Fatima Mohammed, the reporter spoke with the State Programme Officer for the BHCPF, Aisha Ahmed. The reporter presented preliminary findings indicating that disbursements to PHCs have been inconsistent and subject to significant delays. The Programme Manager vehemently denied the claims and demanded to know the Officers-in-Charge who made them.
“Disbursement is made in four quarters and has been consistent. The only thing PHCs can complain about is some little delay in disbursement, and that’s not our fault. We disbursed for all four quarters in 2024 to the 274 health facilities in the state. For 2025, we have only released funds for Quarters 1 & 2 and are working on Quarters 3 & 4,” Ahmed said.
She also highlights an incentive structure, “There’s a 2.0 clause on the way, where high-volume PHCs will receive ₦800,000 while low-volume ones will get ₦600,000. Facilities that meet all targets receive an extra 10 per cent funding.”
Mohammed A. Aliyu, the Ward Development Chairman of Mokwa Central Ward, agrees that “Funding for the BHCPF is usually delayed. It can take two to three months. So, providing free medications for the women who visit these PHCs can be difficult.”
This delay is prevalent across the state, from Mokwa LGA in the East Senatorial District to Kontagora LGA in the far North Senatorial District. At the Tundun Wada MCH clinic in Kontagora LGA, a designated BHCPF focal facility, a young mother named Hadiza lamented that her luck had run out.
“I enjoyed free healthcare before, but now I pay for it. The facility told us they simply do not have the required funds,” she said.
Bernice Egboche, the Ward Focal Person at Tundun Wada MHC, confirmed Hadiza’s experience, stating that while the fund is helpful for medications and consumables, its sporadic nature is crippling.
“We are supposed to get ₦300,000 four times in a year. But it’s usually just once or twice in the first quarter or last quarter of a year. This year, we received just twice.”
Mairo Abdullahi, Focal Person, Kontagora Central PHC
In contrast, Mairo Abdullahi, the Focal Person at Kontagora Central PHC in the same LGA, reported a smoother experience, claiming her facility receives BHCPF funding quarterly and NiCare (Niger State Contributory Health Agency) funding monthly, and that both are regular. This suggests a disparity in logistics management or reporting across different focal facilities.
However, this investigation found out that, given the centralised nature of the federal and state disbursement channels, there is no administrative mechanism that would allow one designated BHCPF focal facility to receive consistent, scheduled payments while others in the immediate vicinity fail to receive any.
“We disburse the BHCPF to all facilities at the same time, and they all receive ₦300,000 each. There’s no way one facility will receive disbursement and another would not,” Ahmed, the State’s BHCPF Programme Officer, claims.
Another challenge is the inadequacy of the funding when it finally arrives. Victoria Abubakar, the Officer in Charge of Mokwa Central PHC, clarifies the administrative constraints: “The ₦300,000 BHCPF disbursement has made our work easier but it is not always enough. Apart from maternal and child health, it has about 10 other approved uses. And there’s the issue of delay. It used to come quarterly, but now it’s in six months.”
Maryam Shehu, Officer in Charge at Kawo PHC, cmaking a clearification notes that while NIN is required to register enrolles for both BHCPF and NiCare, BHCPF is intended to cover vulnerable populations, including all pregnant women. She reiterates that late disbursement is the major issue. Despite this, she insists, “whatever the case, no patient is turned away.”
A BHCPF Poster at Tundun Wada MCH Clinic, Kontagora LGA
Manpower, distance, and emergency
The BHCPF is designed to handle routine care. When complications arise, such as severe pre-eclampsia, haemorrhage, or obstructed labour, the PHCs must refer patients to higher-level facilities, usually General Hospitals. This is where the fragile system often crumbles entirely.
For 28-year-old Nafisat Musa from Kwanti community, the free care at Kpaki PHC had initially brought relief. “My antenatal sessions were free, and the staff were kind,” she recounts. When she went into labour with her second child, she headed to the PHC, expecting a straightforward birth like her first. But this time was different. The baby wasn’t descending. The midwife on duty, after an examination, recognised the signs of obstructed labour and fetal distress. Nafisat needed an urgent Caesarean section, a procedure far beyond the scope of the Kpaki PHC.
“They told me I had to go to the General Hospital in Mokwa, about 30 minutes away,” Nafisat remembers. “My husband had no money for the transport, let alone the surgery. We thought we would lose the baby, or even me.”
Her family had to scramble, borrowing from neighbours, before she could be rushed away in a borrowed vehicle. The surgery saved her and her baby, but the cost left her family in a financial situation, a contrast to the free care promised by the BHCPF.
Mohammed Jubril, the Ward Focal Person of Kpaki PHC, validates this fear, confirming the systemic failure that confronted Nafisat.
“One of the challenges we face is that the fund cannot cover serious pregnancy complications, and such patients may not have the finances to pay for medical care in the hospital we refer them to,” he said.
The logistical hurdles are equally serious. Abubakar, the Officer-in-Charge of Mokwa Central PHC, highlights the long distances between communities and referral centres. “The General Hospital and some referral facilities are a long distance from most people. Imagine travelling about 150 kilometres to get emergency medical care.”
Fatima Auwal, 32, a trader who delivered her fourth child at Kawo PHC, started haemorrhaging two hours after delivery. “The nurses stopped the bleeding initially, but they told me I needed a transfusion and specialist attention at Kontagora General Hospital. We had to borrow ₦15,000 just for the taxi, and when we arrived at the General Hospital, the free card meant nothing because the specialised procedures, they said, were not covered. We spent everything we owned to save my life. The free care at the PHC was a good start, but the referral nearly ruined us.”
In Kwanti, Hauwa Abdullahi’s baby was determined to be breech and she required an immediate Caesarean section at Mokwa General Hospital. “I was in serious pain, and my husband had to hire an old car,” Hauwa explains. “The car broke down twice. By the time we arrived, the baby was in severe distress. The medical team was able to save him but the distance and the fear that I would lose my baby before reaching help is something I will never forget.”
Coupled with the distance is a manpower shortage. Mohammed Aliyu Kimbokun, the Director of Primary Healthcare for Mokwa LGA, identifies personnel as a major problem.
“Until recently, we had retired midwives helping out under the Midwives Service Scheme (MSS), providing services in rural areas. But their one-year posting to PHCs has elapsed,” he explains.
To meet the needs of the local population and achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the minimum manpower standard, according to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), is that every PHC facility, regardless of location, is staffed with at least 1 medical doctor, 10 nurses, 1 pharmacist, 3 pharmacy technicians, 2 community health officers, 6 community health extension workers (CHEWS), 1 laboratory scientist, 3 laboratory technicians, 1 medical records officer, 3 medical records technicians, and 1 environmental health officer.
But, in reality, there is a manpower vacuum that leaves overburdened nurses juggling multiple roles.
At Kawo PHC in Kontagora LGA, a nurse asked, “A permanent doctor? We haven’t had one here since I joined this facility five years ago. We rely heavily on referring patients out for levels of care that our current staff and limited equipment cannot provide.”
A Community Health Extension Worker (CHEW) at Kudu PHC in Mokwa LGA also describes her daily struggle, “I often feel like I am three people in one. With only two of us here for a community of thousands, serious cases often arrive too late and we can only offer basic healthcare before advising them to go to Mokwa General Hospital.”
“Even in the Mokwa General Hospital, there’s a shortage in manpower and doctors are overwhelmed with work. So, referring patients from PHCs there is still a challenge,” Kimbokun says.
Kudu PHC, Mokwa LGA
Cultural walls and administrative gaps
The struggle to deliver healthcare free of charge is not only financial or logistical. There are also cultural and administrative challenges.
The Ward Development Chairman of Kpaki/Takuma Ward, John D. Salau, has led community advocacy about the benefits of the BHCPF but faces stiff resistance on multiple fronts. He has organised numerous sensitisation drives for NIN registration, yet many community members remain negligent.
“One major excuse has always been distance, as some women come from surrounding villages to the PHC,” Salau notes.
More troubling is the patriarchal barrier. “Also, some husbands do not allow their wives to go out to get their NIN or even visit the PHC for their healthcare needs,” Salau adds.
Aliyu the Ward Development Chairman, Mokwa Central re-echoes this, also pointing to the negligence of mothers who are predominantly farmers and traders. They, he says, often prioritise their farms and businesses over visiting PHCs for antenatal sessions, leading to complications later.
Compounding this problem is the issue of administrative capacity among those managing the funds. Hauwa Kulu Abdullahi, National Media Officer for the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), highlights a lesser-known but key systemic fault.
“There is a lack of capacity with those administering the funds at PHCs, especially in preparing business plans and retirement of expenditures. This also result in delays in fund reimbursement,” Abdullahi explains. She notes that while NIN registration can be done on a mobile phone, many rural residents lack phones or the literary skills to operate them.
FOMWAN is actively working to bridge these gaps, conducting training for health workers and advocating for more women representation in Ward Development Committees (WDCs) because, as she puts it, “primary healthcare caters to vulnerable people such as women and children.”
The stakes of delay
Niger State’s commitment to free maternal health through the BHCPF and NiCare is a necessary intervention in a nation struggling with high maternal mortality rates. Data shows that subsidised care significantly reduces financial burden and increases facility usage, leading to better outcomes.
However, the current reality across Mokwa and Kontagora LGAs reveals a system perpetually on the brink of collapse, where the promise of ‘free’ is constantly undermined by the operational costs of delay, exclusion, and distance.
From the Kudu PHC, where only 137 residents are formally protected, to the mothers forced to travel 150 kilometres during an emergency, the common issue is inconsistency. The funds may come but they come late, are inadequate (covering only a fraction of the facility’s needs), and the eligibility requirements exclude those who need it most.
“We often advise PHCs to maximise the BHCPF by purchasing medications from the Drugs Management Agency in Minna before using the funds for other purposes,” Aisha Ahmed stresses.
But without consistent funding and wider NIN access, even the best policies cannot reach those who need them most.
The solution? Halima Sanni, a Program Officer at Youths in Justice Health and Sustainable Social Inclusion (YIJHSSI) says “We need faster, more reliable disbursements, simplified NIN enrollment, and stronger emergency referral systems at this point. Until then, the promise of free healthcare may remain unfulfilled for too many mothers in Niger State.”
For now, the hopes of free maternal healthcare persist, but so do the hurdles.
SEXUAL harassment in Nigerian campuses thrives largely due to a culture of silence, intimidation, and low institutional action. Many victims are unable to speak out due to fear of retaliation, stigma, or lack of trust in school authorities. Against this backdrop enters a digital initiative known as Oga Lecturer, a platform created by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), which is seeking to change that.
Oga Lecturer (www.ogalecturer.com) allows students to report sexual abuse anonymously, track institutional accountability, and provides support.
A 2025 ICIR survey conducted across multiple Nigerian campuses revealed that “Not trusting the system; threats from harassers; and fear of stigma” were the top barriers preventing victims from reporting. The survey had 312 respondents, including 93 males.
How Oga Lecturer came to be
“The Oga Lecturer project is a media initiative aimed at exposing and combating sexual harassment by lecturers of Nigerian higher institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education,” its description reads on the ‘About us’ page.
Chukwudi Iwuoha, a programme officer for The ICIR, explains that Oga Lecturer was born out of a need to help students overcome the culture of fear. He says, “Sexual harassment in Nigerian universities is widespread, yet victims often feel powerless to act. The project was created to empower students, especially female students, to overcome intimidation and reclaim their confidence.”
He describes the problem as systemic.
“Sexual harassment has been like a pandemic in our institutions. Female students are often made to feel they cannot perform independently. Sometimes it’s suggested that a student must sleep with a lecturer to progress. We want students to know they can succeed without compromising themselves,” he states.
Chukwudi Iwuoha, ICIR Programme officer.
He adds that the platform helps students report harassment, understand their rights, and access support. “It’s not just about reporting”, he says, “it’s about empowering them to speak up and ensuring they are heard.”
On feedback about the platform’s name being male-coded “Oga”, Iwuoha responded, “Most sexual harassment incidents are perpetrated by male lecturers when compared to female-to-male harassment in universities.”
Beyond digital: the offline engagement of Oga Lecturer
Although Oga Lecturer is a digital initiative, it combines online reporting with offline engagement. The project has conducted surveys, sensitisation campaigns, campus outreach, and institutional visits across Nigeria. It is currently implementing a peer-to-peer advocacy model aimed at empowering female students to combat sexual harassment in higher education institutions.
In 2023, Oga Lecturer carried out an awareness campaign in 12 institutions, introducing students to the platform and educating them on how to use it.
Joshua Prince, from one of the sensitised institutions, says the Oga lecturer anonymous reporting platform serves two purposes. Students who are being harassed can report, and other students can also report misconduct, even if the victim does not.
Additionally, as part of the data-gathering efforts of The ICIR, field officers visited campuses to administer surveys. One of them, Itoro Udo, described mixed reactions from students.
“Getting students to fill out the survey wasn’t so difficult. Many were already fed up with the way sexual harassment was handled in their schools,” she, however, noted that some students expressed distrust. “Some were hesitant because they felt it wouldn’t make a difference. They said many cases had been overlooked, so nothing would change.”
Udo explains that ‘fear’ also played a role as “some were scared that answering the survey would implicate them,” some of them eventually did after assurances about confidentiality.
ICIR uses this data to refine and design its programming so as to get maximum mileage.
With support from the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) through its NGO Support Initiative (NSI), Oga Lecturer launched a peer-led advocacy model in 2025. The initiative ‘Empowering Female Students to Challenge Sexual Harassment in Nigerian Universities’ is designed to build student networks that support survivors and enhance reporting mechanisms.
According to Iwuoha, “we are making students aware of sexual harassment policies and reporting mechanisms in their universities. Awareness is critical because many students don’t know their rights or who to contact.”
The model includes training students who will serve as ambassadors, building bridges between students and trusted lecturers, supporting survivors through referral systems and engaging school management on policy reforms.
Participants and facilitators of the peer-led initiative Empowering Female Students to Challenge Sexual Harassment in Nigerian Universities, which aims to build survivor-support networks and improve reporting systems on campus.
“We have student ambassadors who collect reports and guide victims to support lecturers. These lecturers then communicate with the university administration when necessary. This builds trust and allows victims to speak up safely,” Iwuoha explains.
He adds that peer-led advocacy is essential as “students often face isolation. Peer support ensures they are not alone when navigating harassment cases.”
Mercy Mmesoma, another student who was sensitised during the campus tour awareness campaign in 2023, when informed about the addition of the peer-to-peer aspect, agrees that it can help build a community.
“Most victims don’t know who to trust”, she replies. “Many don’t feel comfortable opening up to government officials or elders. But with their peers and friends, they can trust and talk.”
“So yes, it can help,” she stated in response to her view of the model.
One of the student ambassadors, Miranda Hassan Danjuma, while speaking following a capacity training, describes the peer-led model as a place where she can be heard.
“I feel like it’s a safe place where my voice can be heard and something can actually be done about it,” she says.
The offline activities of the Oga Lecturer also include institutional engagement with the goal of strengthening policies.
According to Iwuoha, “Universities are starting to recognise the need to combat sexual harassment… Nearby institutions are now cooperating to create safer campuses. This is a groundbreaking achievement for us.”
Iwuoha believes it has increased student confidence significantly.
“The project empowers female students with knowledge about sexual harassment and gives them local support networks. It allows them to overcome fear and reclaim their agency,” he states.
Barriers to reporting and anonymous digital reporting of Oga Lecturer
Despite progress, persistent barriers remain. Iwuoha explains, “Fear is one of the major reasons students don’t report harassment. There is also stigma, and sometimes victims are blamed or left to deal with the situation alone.”
Hence, the anonymous digital reporting of the Oga Lecturer. The platform operates first as an anonymous reporting system that allows students to document incidents of sexual harassment without fear of exposure or retaliation.
Through the “Report Assault” form on the website, students can choose whether or not to provide their name or email. They are only required to fill in core details such as the institution involved, the category of the alleged perpetrator (lecturer, student, non-academic staff), and a description of what happened.
The Oga Lecturer anonymous reporting system allows students to document incidents of sexual harassment without fear of exposure or retaliation.
This structure ensures safety and accessibility while giving victims and witnesses a direct, confidential pathway to speak up. The aim is to break the culture of silence by offering students a secure space to come forward, says Iwuoha.
Once a report is submitted, the Oga Lecturer team reviews the information and determines the appropriate response. Cases may be escalated to relevant authorities and stakeholders outside or within the school or connected to legal and psychosocial support systems, depending on the needs of the student.
In situations where institutional action is weak or nonexistent, the platform triggers independent investigative journalism, digging deeper into allegations and exposing systemic failures that enable abuse.
This leads to the investigative and accountability reporting aspect of Oga Lecturer.
Investigative journalism as an accountability arm of Oga Lecturer
Investigative journalist Nanji Venley Nandang, who leads several Oga Lecturer investigations, including a recent one from Bayero University Kano (BUK), describes the intervention as transformative.
“Oga Lecturer is a very good initiative that will go a long way in enlightening students. It doesn’t just publish stories; it guides students on how to report cases and how their rights can be protected,” she states.
She also hosts Twitter Spaces on sexual harassment awareness for Oga Lecturer. She notes that classroom coercion, hostile verbal comments, non-verbal harassment, online blackmail, physical assault and institutional negligence are some of the breadth of abuse she has documented.
“Students tell me how lecturers demand sex for grades. Many give in because they don’t know how else to tackle the situation,” she says.
She referenced a notorious Kogi State University case, “in July, a lecturer reportedly died during sexual intercourse with his 200-level student in a hotel. Cases like this show how lecturers exploit students’ timidity,” she explains.
She adds that “some lecturers walk into the classroom and sexualise female students, saying things like, ‘Is it because you are carrying big breasts or a big bum that you think you can be rude to me?’ The girls are uncomfortable but don’t know how to report.”
A screenshot of the investigative section of Oga Lecturer website.
She noted that there is also hostile-environment harassment, “Lecturers intimidate students into agreeing to romantic relationships. Some students eventually drop out. One student told me she left the university in her 300-level because of persistent harassment.”
And increasingly, online sexual harassment, “A student told me how her boyfriend used intimate photos to blackmail her for money.”
Nandang notes that the legal framework exists, but it is poorly implemented. “Lack of implementation of our laws and policies is the reason these abuses persist. The VAPP Act, the Child Rights Act, and university sexual harassment policies are not properly enforced,” she says.
She states that even institutions that champion reforms sometimes fail to uphold their own standards, “One organisation told me they knew what was happening but didn’t want to ‘spoil their partnership’ with the school.”
She states that Oga Lecturer fills an essential gap. “Oga Lecturer engages with students through social media, Twitter Spaces, and sensitisation on campuses. The ambassadors do the footwork in schools. It doesn’t end with storytelling; there is real one-on-one engagement,” she says.
She believes that this combination of journalism, data, outreach and support positions Oga Lecturer as an accountability tool that will lead to enlightenment and have a long-term impact.
“Very soon, students will understand their rights. Policymakers will have no choice but to sit up,” she says.
Muhammad Sada, a lecturer who has done research on gender and GBV, believes digital tools like Oga Lecturer are critical. His school was one of the institutions visited during the awareness tour.
He says, “the culture of silence surrounding sexual harassment in the Nigerian higher educational system can be broken with the use of digital reporting tools like Oga Lecturer. They offer immediacy and anonymity, two essential elements that will motivate witnesses and victims to speak up without worrying about shame, victim blaming or reprisal by perpetrators or society.”
But he cautions that without strong legal backing and institutional collaboration, such platforms risk becoming symbolic rather than transformative.
He calls for proactive institutional adoption, “The university management should not see the platform as an external tool but as a partner. They should integrate it into their internal reporting system so that cases reported online are reviewed by the disciplinary committee”.
He added that they should create clear guidelines and protect whistleblowers.
Oga Lecturer website masthead.
A researcher with Health Policy Research Group (HPRG) and a doctoral student, Ifunanya Agu, notes that, “in Nigeria, many students stay silent because they fear consequences. A digital anonymous platform can break this silence.”
Agu, whose doctoral research focuses on evaluating interventions that address gender issues, explains that sustainability depends on institutional action because, “If complaints just sit without follow-up, victims will lose trust. Feedback is crucial,” she says.
She insists the platform should be universal, as “Lecturers can be victims of colleagues. Students can be victims of lecturers or fellow students. Everyone in the university system should be able to use the platform.”
This report is done for ICIR under the dRPC-NSI reporting grant.
OLUSEGUN Awolowo, a grandson of the late Yoruba statesman, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, has died. He passed away on Thursday, November 20, at the age of 62.
Awolowo, a lawyer by training, previously served two consecutive terms as the Executive Director of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC). He was the son of the late Chief Awolowo’s first son and of Madam Abah Adesanya.
The Awolowo family confirmed his death in a statement on Thursday, describing him as a devoted family man and a committed public servant.
“With extremely heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather – Olusegun Awolowo,” the statement said.
The family paid tribute to him as “the world’s most phenomenal husband, father and grandfather — steady, wise, endlessly loving, and the constant anchor of our family,” adding that he was “a painfully loyal servant to Nigeria” whose life was marked by vision, integrity, passion, and unwavering commitment.
According to the family, he lived every day with purpose, humility, and a generous spirit that touched everyone who knew him.
“We are shattered by this loss, but forever grateful for his life, his legacy, and the love he poured into all of us. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace,” the statement concluded.
According to public records, the late Awolowo was born on September 27, 1963. His father, Segun Awolowo Sr., died in a car accident on the old Ibadan–Lagos road at age 25, two months after Olusegun’s birth.
He began his early education at Mayhill Convent School. He later attended Igbobi College, Yaba, Lagos, and completed his secondary education at Government College, Ibadan. Afterward, he proceeded to Ogun State University (now Olabisi Onabanjo University), Ago Iwoye, where he earned his LLB degree.
Called to the bar in December 1989, he began his legal career at the law firm of Abayomi Sogbesan & Co., and later worked with GOK Ajayi & Co.
Awolowo joined former president Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration as Special Assistant on Traditional Institutions, Legal Due Diligence and Legal Matters.
Former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua later appointed him Special Assistant, after which he served with the Federal Capital Territory Administration as Secretary for Social Development and Secretary of Transport between 2007 and 2011.
When the administration changed in 2011, he returned to legal practice until November 2013, when President Goodluck Jonathan named him Executive Director/CEO of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council.
In July 2021, trade promotion organisations across ECOWAS unanimously elected him President of the regional body representing National Trade Promotion Organizations.
THE International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria is set to unveil its Book of Infamy at its 2025 Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting (AGM) scheduled for December 2 and 3 n Abuja.
The IPI Nigeria’s President, Musikilu Mojeed, and Legal Adviser, Tobi Soniyi, confirmed the plan in a statement issued on Wednesday, 19.
The conference, themed “Addressing Media Repression and Safeguarding Democratic Accountability in Nigeria,” will bring together more than 100 media leaders, journalists, government officials, press-freedom advocates, and academics from across the country.
The event, according to the statement, will feature the official launch of the Book of Infamy, a publication that documents cases of media repression and press-freedom violations nationwide.
The institute described the book as an accountability tool designed to expose individuals and institutions “that, through their actions or neglect, harass, arrest, intimidate, or otherwise, violate the fundamental rights of journalists and media organisations.”
It also noted that the book highlighted abuses involving public officials, security agents, private individuals, and organisations whose conduct undermined media independence.
The Institute would also induct new members during the conference, expanding its network and reinforcing its mission to defend press freedom, promote ethical journalism, and strengthen democratic values.
Mojeed emphasised the importance of the conference, describing it as “a vital platform for assessing the state of media freedom and journalists’ safety in Nigeria.
It will also discuss policy and legal reforms to strengthen independent journalism; and foster dialogue between the media and government on transparency and accountability..
Mojeed added that the gathering “ is also an opportunity to share best practices and global perspectives on protecting press freedom.”
In addition to the conference sessions, the second day will feature the Institute’s AGM, which is open only to members.
“The AGM provides a forum to receive and deliberate on reports from the Executive Committee, review the organisation’s progress and strategic direction, and develop new strategies and partnerships to strengthen press freedom and journalists’ safety,” he added.
THE Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to life sentence after finding him guilty of terrorism charges preferred against him.
The judge, James Omotosho, found Kanu guilty of all counts one to seven, including his sit-at-home order resulting in economic losses and death of innocent people in the South-East, being a member of a proscribed organisation and committing acts of terrorism, and threatening anyone who failed to obey his order.
The court also found him guilty of inciting the killings of Nigerian security personnel, and for making broadcasts to kill people.
Besides, he was found guilty of committing an act of terrorism against the Federal Republic of Nigeria by threatening that people would die and the world would be at a standstill during a live broadcast.
“The court is minded to send the convict to death given the atrocities he has committed,” he said, adding that he had not shown any remorse for his actions.
He quoted some Bibllical verses to “show mercy” on the convict, noting that death penalty was being frowned upon globally. He therefore sent Kanu to life sentence on count 1, 4, 5, 6 instead of death sentence.
With respect to count three, he was sentenced to 20 years without an option of fine. The same applied to count seven.
He said the sentences should run concurrently.
Omotosho noted that the tendency of violence had not left the convict, and he should be kept at any correctional facility in the country and must not be allowed to have access to any digital device.
The judge admitted that Kanu is a freedom fighter, who was fighting for the freedom of his people.
He, however, called the IPOB leader a terrorist who must be treated as such. According to him, Kanu did more harms to his Igbo people he was fighting for than good.
Omotosho said, “Mr Kanu knew what he was doing, he was bent on carrying out these threats without consideration to his own people.”
He said the prosecutor’s evidence was “credible, cogent, and uncontroverted,” which the accused failed to fault.
“His (Kanu’s) agitation (is) in the states of South-East, South-South and some Middle-Belt, and he is doing so using terrorism as a weapon. Terrorism has become a monster in the world today, and several groups have continued to use this as a form of weapon to form a separate government.
“Groups like Boko Haram, Lakurawa, IPOB, and in recent years troubled Nigeria with terrorism activities. These terror groups, by their activities, are denying innocent people the enjoyment of their fundamental rights.
“The action of the defendant and his terrorist organisation has led to the bloodshed of innocent citizens and security personnel who were going about their legitimate duties. His incitement through his Radio Biafra, as well as social media of the group, has led to the loss of innocent lives,” the judge reasoned.
He emphasised that the court gave the convict the opportunity to defend himself but refused.
The ICIRreported how the judge ordered Kanu out of the court shortly before the ruling over ‘unruly’ conduct.
Kanu was protesting that the judge could not rule on his case when he (the accused) had yet to file his final written address.
“‘Which law states that you can charge me on an unwritten law? Show me. Omotosho, where is the law? Any judgment declared in this Court is a complete rubbish,” the accused queried the judge.
Kanu had confronted the judge in a similar manner at the last hearing of the case, when the court admitted that he had forfeited his opportunity to file his final written address.
The ICIRreported that Kanu had sacked his lawyers and agreed to stand for himself in the court. He faced a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement.
Before he was sent out of the court today, amid heavy security, he had argued that the judge knew nothing about law and lacked the power to determine his case.
The ICIR reports that Kanu is championing the secession of the South-East region from Nigeria for the Biafra nation.
Omotosho proceeded on a recess at 2:40 pm and returned at for the sentence after 4pm to deliver a judgement that lasted less than ten minutes.
Prosecution counsel seeks death penalty for convict
Prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, informed the court that some of the counts, including one, two, three and five, carried death sentence.
Responding to the charges read by the judge, Awomolo, who represented the State Security Services (SSS), said, “Those whose relatives were brutally killed will know that they did not die in vain. Many have been rendered poor because of his inciting statements.”
He stated that justice knew that the law was greater than any individual, and justice had been done to the convict. “His acts of terrorism are against innocent Nigerians, and the honourable court has to apply strict measures.
“He demonstrated no respect for justice administration, and his acts in this temple of justice have been marked out of arrogance,” the lawyer noted.
He added, “The action of the defendant and his terrorist organisation has led to the bloodshed of innocent citizens and security personnel who were going about their legitimate duties. His incitement through his Radio Biafra, as well as the social media of the group, has led to the loss of innocent lives.
“Nothing further remains but the imposition of sentences. The punishment prescribed for the offences in counts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 is the death penalty. The only sentence that my lordship will impose on counts 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 is the death sentence. This court has the power to do so, and with respect, must do so.”
He said the court had the power to restrict further access to the digital media through which the act of terrorism was committed.
” We pray the court to order forfeiture of all the broadcasting equipment, in particular the radio transmitter and to be forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria,” he stated.
Awomolo added that “We want the court to restrict his online access to digital devices to stop broadcasting. Someone in that position ought to show some penitence and not arrogance.
“We are urging that, for his safety and security, until your sentence is executed, I plead that he be kept in the safest correctional centre in Nigeria.
“We are asking that Your Lordship keep him in the safest Custodian centre. I am not sure that Kuje, with records of several jail breaks, will be the best place for him.”
The judge also asked for allocution from Nnamdi Kanu’s consultants.
A federal House of Representatives member, Obinna Aguocha, who represents Umuahia North and South, pleaded for clemency for the convict.
“Like the prosecutor said, Nigeria is bleeding, and we must find common ground on the issue of terrorism. I therefore plead my Lord to show clemency in your judgment.
Omotosho took notice of his pleas and said that the court would return by 3:50 pm for his verdict on the matter.
Background to the report
Kanu was first arrested in 2015 on charges including treasonable felony and incitement over his activities as the leader of IPOB, which seeks the secession of Nigeria’s South-East from Nigeria. He was granted bail in 2017 but fled the country after his home in Abia State was raided by the military.
He was re-arrested in Kenya in 2021 and extradited to Nigeria under controversial circumstances that violated international law, according to the Court of Appeal. The court discharged and acquitted him of all terrorism-related charges in October 2022, but the Federal Government appealed the decision at the Supreme Court.
In December 2023, the Supreme Court ruled that the trial could continue at the Federal High Court. Since then, Kanu has remained in the custody of the SSS, despite multiple court rulings ordering his release or improved detention conditions.
The ICIR reported that the seven-count terrorism charge against Kanu includes allegations of treason, incitement, defamation of Nigerian authorities, and unlawful broadcasting. His trial has been marked by repeated adjournments, legal disputes over fair hearing, and concerns raised by his lawyers and family members about his health.
The court relied on a report by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) declaring Kanu fit to stand trial, a report the defendant dismissed as forged.
On October 23, 2025, Kanu sacked his legal representatives and announced that he would defend himself in court.
The decision came after his lead counsel and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Godwin Kanu Agabi, a senior advocate, informed the court that the defendant had decided to take back his case from him and his team.
Agabi formally withdrew his appearance and those of other senior advocates in the team.
Kanu, who was brought to court by operatives of the State Security Services (SSS), informed his counsel in open court that he no longer required their services.
The development was formally communicated to the judge, who confirmed that Kanu had chosen to conduct his own defence.
Confirming the development, Kanu told the judge that he would represent himself, although he might later reconsider the decision.
Omotosho asked whether the court should assign a lawyer to assist him, but Kanu declined, insisting on handling his own defence in the seven-count terrorism charge filed against him by the Federal Government.
The judge later ordered Kanu to open his defence on Friday, October 24.
THE judge handling the case of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu, at Federal High Court in Abuja, James Omotosho, has proceeded on recess after hours of reading the seven-count charge and conviction of the accused on all the charges.
Omotosho said at 2:40 pm on Thursday, November 20, that he would resume to sentence the accused at 3:50 pm.
The found Kanu guilty of all counts one to seven, including his sit-at-home order resulting in economic losses and death of innocent people in the South-East, being a member of a proscribed organisation and committing acts of terrorism, and threatening anyone who failed to obey his order.
The court also found guilty of inciting the killings of Nigerian security personnel, and for making broadcasts to kill people.
The judge admitted that Kanu is a freedom fighter, who was fighting for the freedom of his people.
He, however, called Kanu a terrorist who must be treated as such. According to him, Kanu did more harms to his Igbo people he was fighting for than good.
The ICIRreported how the judge ordered Kanu out of the court shortly before the ruling over ‘unruly’ conduct.
Omotosho said he could rule on the case in Kanu’s absence.
Kanu was protesting that the judge could not rule on his case when he (the accused) had yet to file his final written address.
“‘Which law states that you can charge me on an unwritten law? Show me. Omotosho, where is the law? Any judgment declared in this Court is a complete rubbish,” the accused queried the judge.
Kanu had confronted the judge in a similar manner at the last hearing of the case, when the court admitted that he had forfeited his opportunity to file his final written address.
The ICIRreported that Kanu had sacked his lawyers and agreed to stand for himself in the court. He faced a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement.
Before he was sent out of the court today, amid heavy security, he had argued that the judge knew nothing about law and lacked the power to determine his case.
The ICIR reports that Kanu is championing the secession of the South-East region from Nigeria for the Biafra nation.
Prosecution counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo, informed the court that some of the counts, including one, two, three and five, carried death sentence as he appealed that the court keeps him in one of the best prison facilities in the country.
THE Federal High Court of Abuja has found the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, guilty of terrorism charges preferred against him.
The judge, James Omotosho, found Kanu guilty of all counts one to seven, including his sit-at-home order resulting in economic losses and death of innocent people in the South-East, being a member of a proscribed organisation and committing acts of terrorism, and threatening anyone who failed to obey his order.
The court also found guilty of inciting the killings of Nigerian security personnel, and for making broadcasts to kill people.
The judge admitted that Kanu is a freedom fighter, who is fighting for the freedom of his people.
The ICIRreported how the judge ordered Kanu out of the court shortly before the ruling over ‘unruly’ conduct.
Omotosho said he could rule on the case in Kanu’s absence.
Kanu was protesting that the judge could not rule on his case when he (the accused) had yet to file his final written address.
“‘Which law states that you can charge me on an unwritten law? Show me. Omotosho, where is the law? Any judgment declared in this Court is a complete rubbish,” the accused queried the judge.
Kanu had confronted the judge in a similar manner at the last hearing of the case, when the court admitted that he had forfeited his opportunity to file his final written address.
The ICIRreported that Kanu had sacked his lawyers and agreed to stand for himself in the court. He faced a seven-count charge bordering on terrorism, treasonable felony, and incitement.
Before he was sent out of the court today, amid heavy security, he had argued that the judge knew nothing about law and lacked the power to determine his case.
The ICIR reports that Kanu is championing the secession of the South-East region from Nigeria for the Biafra nation.
The judge is expected to proceed to reading the sentence.
THE Kwara State Government has directed the closure of all schools across four local government areas following rising insecurity in parts of the state.
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Chairman, Yusuf Agboola Kwara State chapter, announced the development in a statement issued on Wednesday.
Agboola announced the closure of schools in Isin, Irepodun, Ifelodun and Ekiti LGAs, stating that the union was acting strictly on directives from the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, following the government’s warning about new security threats in Kwara South.
” This decision was occasioned by the security challenges ravaging the area and the efforts of the government to control the situation. Treat this information as important and with the urgency it deserves, as it emanated from the ministry,” he said.
He assured school heads and teachers that additional instructions would be issued as more development emerged.
The ICIRreported that on November 18, two people were confirmed dead and an unspecified number of residents abducted after terrorists attacked Eruku town, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state.
The Kwara State Police Command in a statement on Tuesday, November 18, said the attack left two men fatally shot and several others missing.
According to the Police Public Relations Officer, Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, a superintendent of police, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Eruku and his team, working alongside local vigilantes, swiftly mobilised after hearing gunshots from the outskirts of the town.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu announced the postponement of his scheduled trips to South Africa and Angola on Wednesday to receive further security briefings following the abduction of 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the deadly bandit attack on worshippers at the Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku.
The president also directed the police to go after the bandits who attacked worshippers in response to the request by the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
A wave of mixed reactions has trailed Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia’s claim that there is “no religious, ethnic, racial, or national genocide” in his state.
Alia made the claim during a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) forum on the rights of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Persons (FDPs) in Abuja on Wednesday, November 19.
The Catholic priest-turned-governor acknowledged insecurity in predominantly Christian Benue but denied any jihad or genocide.
He emphasised clashes stemmed from herder-farmer disputes over land and resources affecting both Muslims and Christians.
“In my state of Benue, we don’t have any religious, any ethnic, any racial, any national or state genocide. We don’t have that.
“Do we have a number of insecurities in the state? Yes, we do. But it is not a genocide. Someone would need to… check the United Nations definitions for this,” the governor said.
He also insisted that no jihad was taking place anywhere in Nigeria, despite the fact that the two major terror groups have been active in the North-East namely Boko Haram and ISWAP.
Both groups have openly stated ambitions to impose their version of Islamic governance, a position scholar from the Faith have widely dismissed as a distorted interpretation of the Qur’an.
While Boko Haram aims to establish an Islamic State within Nigeria, ISWAP pursues a broader vision of a West African caliphate aligned with ISIS.
“We do not have any jihad in Nigeria. I am speaking to you as a reverend father in the church. I’m speaking to you as a governor of a state. If there were any, particularly in my state or any part of Nigeria, I would have been the very number one person to make a noise,” Alia said.
His comments come at a time when Nigeria is under international scrutiny over claims of Christians persecution.
The ICIR reported that US President Donald Trump had recently designated Nigeria as “a Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide in the country.
Trump said the American military could deploy ground troops or launch air strikes in Nigeria to halt what he described as the widespread killing of Christians in the country.
The threat came days after he warned he would consider military action against Nigeria if the country failed to curb alleged killings of Christians.
Reacting to Alia’s comment, Human Rights Advocate and Lawyer, Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, expressed disappointment in the governor’s claims.
“It is shocking, disappointing and utterly irresponsible for Governor Hyacinth Alia to stand before the world and claim that “there is no ethnic or racial genocide in Benue State. Such a statement is not only false, it is an insult to the thousands of innocent men, women and children massacred across Benue over the years.
“Benue has witnessed some of the worst mass killings in Nigeria’s modern history, entire villages wiped out, communities displaced, farmlands destroyed, and families living in perpetual fear. These atrocities did not happen in the governor’s imagination; they happened on Benue soil, to Benue people,” Omirhobo wrote in a statement he released on Thursday.
He noted that for Alia, a leader who swore an oath to protect his citizens to now stand before the international community and deny their suffering showed that the governor was out of touch with reality, or deliberately choosing political convenience over truth and justice.
“Nigeria does not need leaders who sanitise atrocities to please foreign partners. Nigeria needs leaders who will stand with their people, acknowledge the truth, demand accountability, and confront the terror that has destroyed countless lives. To claim there is “no genocide” in Benue is not just a lie, it is a betrayal of the victims, a betrayal of history, and a betrayal of the Nigerian people. Governor Alia should retract this reckless statement and begin to speak the truth. Silence and denial only embolden the killers,” he added.
Some social media users have also expressed concern over the governor’s claim.
Brother Wale wrote on X “We need data, what are the numbers? As the Chief Security Officer of the state, you can’t be making bold claims like this without giving out verifiable figures to back them up. We won’t take you serious, the international press won’t take you serious. What does the stat say?”
Another user, Smartek2050 wrote, “Wearing the title “Reverend Father” doesn’t absolve you from acknowledging the religious dimension of the killings. Ignoring the religious aspect of these attacks undermines national and international efforts to address it. Denying genocide while claiming moral authority is dangerously misleading for the public.”
Queen Eve opined that “Benue needs a Governor who governs, not a priest who keeps explaining tragedy with grammar. If insecurity is not genocide, then what do we call the endless burials? A community outreach programme? Nobody cares about titles. Benue people want protection, not theological debates.”
Jerry Jacoral also shares his thought “Waiting for a Nigerian politician to defend the masses is like waiting for a goat to stop eating grass. Power changes their priorities and somehow, the people always fall to the bottom of the list.”
Meanwhile other users share opposite opinion as Fisayo Adewumagun wrote “There is no Christian genocide. We can call it insecurity, but let’s not twist things to make it seem like only Christians are being targeted by these terrorists.”
Bashir Bode on Facebook wrote “Thanks again for speaking the truth against all odds. Those wishing this country of destruction, inversion and destabilisation should live to see it in prosperity. Those calamities they are praying wouldn’t only fall on one sided they are thinking.”
“As General C.G Musa said. It’s an ethic issue, not religious, ethnic and political. Traditional leaders and the president himself can stop this in 24 hours, and whichever party transgresses shall face the consequences. Its that simple,” Shareef Badamasi wrote.
Alh Bunu Fantami his opinion on the matter thus: “Better truth…. What Peter Obi failed to say, Gov. Alia has clearly said it.”
In his comment on the debate, Salaha Musa Ayanda wrote “Thank God it is coming from a Rev father, when a Reasonable Christian speaks you will know.”
Attention intensified during the debate leading up to Nigeria’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern by the United States, a period marked by President Donald Trump’s threat to deploy troops to Nigeria to protect Christians.
The ICIR reported that the US House of Representatives Subcommittee on Africa scheduled for today, Thursday, November 20, 2025, to open its inquiry into Trump’s decision to redesignate Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern over alleged surge in Christian killings.
The invitation sent to members of the Committee on Foreign Affairs shows that the hearing will be chaired by Representative Chris Smith at 11:00 a.m. in Room 2172 of the Rayburn House Office Building, with a live webcast available.
The hearing will include two panels of witnesses, featuring senior US State Department officials as well as Nigerian religious leaders.
![[BREAKING] Judge proceeds on recess, to resume at 3:50 pm for Kanu’s sentencing](https://www.icirnigeria.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Federal-High-Court-Abuja.jpg "[BREAKING] Judge proceeds on recess, to resume at 3:50 pm for Kanu’s sentencing")
