THE Kogi State Police Command has asked the senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduagan, to cancel her planned homecoming rally.
The police disclosed this in a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, William Aya, and released to journalists on Tuesday, April 1.
According to the statement, the Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, said the rally was against the state government’s ban on political gatherings issued on Monday, March 31.
The police said its decision was based on an intelligence report indicating security threats in the state and the subsequent ban on all forms of rallies and processions by the Kogi State Government.
“The call for cancellation becomes necessary, noting that intelligence reveals that some hoodlums plan to hijack the process and cause disturbance of peace in the state.
The command cannot afford to jeopardise the existing peace the state is currently enjoying. In view of the security threat received on the planned rally, the Kogi State Police Command is therefore advising the organisers to cancel the event so as to avoid any breakdown of law and order in the state,” the police stated.
The command said it would not hesitate to apply the full wrath of law on anyone who causes disturbance of peace and order in the state.
The state government had on Monday banned all political gatherings in the state over what it called “security reports.”
The government, in a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, said the action was to avert any form of security breach that might destabilise the state.
The government claimed that intelligence reports indicated that some persons were planning to “stage some violent rallies in the guise of political and religious agitations” in the central senatorial district of the state.
The ICIR reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed the receipt of documents showing that the suspended senator’s constituents are recalling her from the National Assembly.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate due to an altercation she had with Senate President Godswill Akpabio over seating arrangement.
Following the altercation, which led to Akpabio ordering the sergeant-at-arm to eject her from the Senate Chamber, the female lawmaker accused the Senate President of sexual harassment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended from the Senate for six months because of her altercation with the Senate leadership, while the Red Chamber is currently probing her allegation of sexual harassment against its president.
Meanwhile, the female lawmaker has insisted that her visit to her district is to enable her to celebrate Eid-el-Fitri with her constituents.
ARTISANAL coal mines in Ankpa and Omalla Local Government Areas of Kogi State are sites of dangerous labour, involving both adults and children, and have resulted in fatalities. These mining operations supply coal to intermediaries and companies involved in the energy sector.
It was midday in November 2024 in one of the several artisanal coal mines in Olekwu, a rural community in Omalla LGA of Kogi State where stacks of coal in sacks were displayed on the cleared landscape within a forest.
Workers of different age groups and genders with soiled clothes were shovelling, drilling and digging coal from smothering dark pits and hauling the extracted resource up the mineshaft for easy transfer to accessible sites.
They chitchat as they dug deep into the belly of the earth.
Several feet down the surface were children, predominantly between the ages of 9 and 16, who were armed with gears and axes to hollow out soot-coated stones while wearing torchlights on their foreheads meant to illuminate the dark tunnel.
These are indigenes and child miners from villages and communities far and near. They work in artisanal mining pits across communities where coal can be found.
Among them is Josiah Moses, a 13-year-old lad who was smeared from head to toe with blackness from coal.
Moses had been working for over seven hours without a break in the coal pit at the time the reporter met him. Tired and panting, he dropped his sixty-fourth bag of coal, aiming to carry over a hundred bags to sort some bills.
Josiah Moses, a 13-year-old child miner. He was interviewed in the mine-pits linked to Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus/The ICIR.
Like other bruised labourers, he had to toil from morning till nighttime under sweltering or frigid weather to carry 100 bags of coal every day before he could earn a paltry sum of N5,000 as wages, an amount equivalent to $2.95 Dollars for over 12 hours. This sum would be put towards for his educational savings, feeding and additional costs such as transportation.
Though Moses was not compelled to work under any obligation, the cost of living crisis and the need to settle the backlog of his tuition fees pushed the minor into such a pitiable condition.
His parents were aware, but there was little they could do because they are financially handicapped. With a subsistence farmer as a father and an unemployed mother, he was forced to fend for himself at a young age.
Some of his earnings from the mines were used to keep the family going.
“I know that I am missing classes right now, but I am doing this to gather money so that I can pay my last term tuition fees and save for feeding,” he explained, noting that he will return to the classroom immediately if he raised a substantial amount.
He complained that the wage paid to labourers was significantly minimal compared to the risk undertaken and the profit margin pit owners and middlemen rake in their quest to sell for a handful of big firms who struggle to purchase coal for cheap energy. He explained that the demand for coal makes the work lucrative and easy to find.
Some days, he returned to the mining site to do back-aching work after school. His work involves bending, breaking, mining, and carrying heavy loads without Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in one of the hundreds of illegal coal mine pits where underage artisans and drop-outs work and lose their lives.
An artisanal mining pit in Olokwu linked to Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus/The ICIR.
Other residents in communities like Olokwu, Ichalla, Olufofo, and Odele face similar circumstances, driven by economic hardship.
Even though Joshua was aware of the risk of being a mine worker, the labour guarantees him the fastest way to raise money.
“Many people have died inside pits and when it collapses there is nothing that we can do than to wait for hours till their remains are dug out. This coal that we are mining is sold to Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited because it is close to us and we are not allowed to trade with another company,” Joshua said, stressing that the pits are unsafe due to rainfall, incessant collapses and landslide.
Child labour is prevalent in artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM), according to studies which poses a great danger to children’s development, safety, and health.
Tragically, a 12-year-old, Ibrahim Laginju, died in a mine collapse in November 2024. His brother, Yusuf Laginju, explained that Ibrahim was working to pay his school fees. The family reported that the pit owner fled the scene and they received no compensation.
A Coal soot spotted in Odele. This is an abandoned coal depot. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus/The ICIR.
“Ibrahim left for the mine pit to raise his tuition fees. He registered in private school to become a doctor and paid by himself,” said Ibrahim’s elder brother,
He explained that he owed the school N50,000 in backlog which he intended to pay up with wages gathered from the labour before his death.
“He was buried under the pit for more than 12 hours before he was excavated. I believe the delayed rescue also contributed to his death,” Yusuf said.
The twelve-year-old Ibrahim Laginju who died in a coal pit. Photo Credit: Yusuf Laginju.
“The sad thing is that my brother was killed, and the pit owner walks about as if nothing happened. We still see big companies buying the same coal that took the life of my brother from him,” Yusuf bemoaned.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2022 indicated a significant number of child labourers in Kogi State at 1,220,670. The survey showed 711,003 children aged 5-11 and 229,982 children aged 12-14 engaged in labour.
From daily bread to daily deaths
Lucky Danjuma, a 17-year-old who supported his widowed mother and sisters, died in a mine collapse in November 2023. His mother, Baby Danjuma, reported receiving N100,000 as compensation, part of which went to his pregnant fiancée who subsequently lost the child.
Baby Danjuma, the mother of Lucky Danjuma, one of the children who died in a coal pit due to collapse. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus / The ICIR
“They gave us N100,000 naira out of which N50,000 was given to Lucky’s pregnant fiancée. But the child was lost during delivery because it was born prematurely,” Lucky’s mother decried as a stream of tears rolled down her chin.
A scar on the leg of Baby Danjuma, the mother of Lucky Danjuma: Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus /The ICIR
Interviews across mining sites in Odele, Ichalla, Ogboyaga, olufofo, and Olokwu revealed that accidents and fatalities are common. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has documented the risks to children’s health and safety in mining. Experts emphasise the need for increased awareness, data collection, and oversight at state and federal levels to address child labour in mines.
Jakpor Philips, the Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) stressed the importance of government enforcement, community collaboration, and invoking child rights legislation.
“Oversight at state and federal level are important in addressing the impact of mining,” said Philips.
He mentioned that Kogi government should not only enforce environmental standards but collaborate with communities and relevant stakeholders to expose infractions and sanction offenders.
Noting that curbing child labour required concerted efforts between civil society organisations and community activists, he said that the involvement of local authorities and community members is necessary for successful eradication.
***
The death of Ismaila Umar, a 21-year-old young man was recorded in Olofofo village as of November 2024.
Like others, he was abandoned in a coal shaft after a pit collapse. Ismaila was a 200-level student. He had returned home to raise some funds for his upkeep in school before he met his end.
His death has left a sore in the heart of his mother, Fatima. Contrary to the reality, she ascribed Ismaila’s death to a spiritual attack.
“My son died in a mine a day before his proposed return to school.
“He only went to gather some money that he would use in school but what they brought back for me was his corpse. I believe he was attacked,” she said.
Pits, not pen: what mining does for a child
Many children in these mining communities, particularly in Odele and Ogboyaga where schools are scarce, are out of school. This is because there is neither the presence of primary nor secondary school in the two communities while Ichalla has a dilapidated primary school and no secondary school. Children who showed interest in acquiring formal education had to trek several kilometres.
Ismaila Umar, A 200-level student of Public Administration at Prince Abubakar Audu University Anyigba on his convocation gown.
Yahaya Ibrahim, an underage miner in Odele explained he is not interested in what would be learnt in school. “I don’t need to go to school, even if I wish to, there is none in Odele and I cannot travel far because of mining.”
Although many residents across the communities visited preferred to send their children off to coal mines, they are paying a heavy price because both children and adult are dying in tens.
From Agummagun to Olokwu and Olofofo, the insignia of human losses is visible on the faces of grieving mothers rendered childless and children orphaned.
Death watermarked households with grief and many residents attribute this catastrophe to spiritual attacks.
Also, their land has been warped and disfigured because coal was up for grabs.
Josiah Simon, a youth from Odele, noted that there is a high dropout rate due to mining opportunities and the lack of local schools. He mentioned that Mosra Enerji Limited purchases all the coal mined in his community.
“The only school is located in Olokwu and that is where my siblings are. They only come home during short and long vacation. If a school is built within our vicinity/community, children will go. Some people don’t train their children in school and they prefer to use them in mining so that they can make money. It is a choice for community members because there are schools in other communities,” he said.
Though Josiah had once worked as a miner, he said stopped due to the constant losses he ran into from the business.
“At some point, I borrowed some money to fund my mining, but I stopped because it is not a profitable business for me. I lost a lot of money and any money I invested in it was lost.
“The problem is that these children are exposed to earning at a tender age and do you expect a child making such amount to be serious with education? If they see N5,000 today and tomorrow, do you expect them to go to school?”
“All the coal that is mined by both adult and underage in this community is sold to Mosra Enerji Limited and they don’t bother to know who is mining it or what happens to those mining it,” Josiah added.
A truck of Dangote Group carrying coal from Olokwu Village. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus / The ICIR.
Child miners flood every community visitedand anyone who attempts to speak against it is shunned. It is a means of survival for many families who are working across all its value chain.
Some who intend to be educated, like Moses Josiah, and Ibrahim Laginju are handicapped. With nobody willing to sponsor them, they are pushed to work as labourers in a mine shaft.
“Odele is lacking substantial development and basic amenities,” said the traditional chief, Joshua Solomon, while lamenting that his community is in dire need of standard communal learning facilities as there are no primary and secondary schools despite the heavy presence of mining activities.
“If you come very early, you would see children from this community trekking to neighbouring communities to school,” he said, adding that aside from a borehole that was constructed, Odele has not benefited from the five years presence of Mosra Enerji Limited in the community.
Coal mining: A fast lane out
Plumes of dust hung in the air after every truck’s passage like sandstorm blurring sight from Ankpa town to villages where coal is mined.
During a ride from Ankpa town to Ichalla, observation showed that the untarred roads marked with potholes were laced with soot of coal and mud.
Findings also showed that numerous miners had perished while plying the precarious roads. Locals stated that falls from trucks and braking failure are among the causes.
A local resident, Habeeb Tijani, said that there have been several incidents where people fell off high trucks and died. “What happened is that in an attempt to cut costs, miners climb trucks that are loaded with coal to their location, but some fell off on the road either because of the potholes or they are not properly seated.”
The junction of Ankpa Local Government. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus/The ICIR.
A miner, Yusuf Muftua, believed that the roads had turned into death traps.
“Every time we see is big companies passing by to get coal, yet our road is in a bad state, and they do nothing about it.
“If you sit here, you will see different trucks of Dangote, Mosra Enerji and Rockbottom passing by, but they do not even care to fix our road. It is exploitative and they are cheating us.”
The World Health Organization indicated that road traffic crashes result in the deaths of approximately 1.19 million people globally: leaving between 20 and 50 million people with non-fatal injuries.
The report emphasised that nine in 10 fatalities on the roads occur in low and middle-income countries, even though these countries have around 60 per cent of the world’s vehicles.
Noting that tens of mineworkers have died in road accidents caused by heavy trucks and trailers conveying coal in the communities, Abdullahi Habib, an erstwhile miner explained that he stopped mining due to the hazard associated with all the supply chain of the mining process.
“You will see people die by falling from trailers carrying coal or crashing. Some would even be buried under the mining pit during collapse for hours,” he said.
Mining activities
Findings from the Ministry of Mine and Solid Mineral Development showed that Mosra Enerji Limited possesses a coal mining (archived here) Lease with licence number 24884 to explore and extract coal in Omala local government. The lease awarded on the June 1, 2017, will expire on May 31, 2042 . With 47 claim units, Mosra’s licence spans a total area (m2) 9952835. These areas covered by its licence are located in Omala.
A coal depot of Mosra Enerji Limited in Odele with a heavy machine. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus / The ICIR.
A similar check on the Integrated Automation and Interactive Solid Mineral Portal (IAISMP) Project, an online portal that facilitates the electronic filing of licences, permits, and other applications in the mining industry in Nigeria showed that Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited exploration lease (archived here) for coal has expired. it expired on Saturday January 18, 2020. The licence with no 24485 covers Agatu, which is in Benue State.
Any person or company planning to engage in mining operations must possess a valid mining lease, small-scale mining lease, or quarry lease, says section 43(1) of the Nigeria Minerals and Mining Act (2007).
Data accessed February 2025 shows Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited licence have expired.
Further findings shows that it is currently operating under an exploratory licence for limestone and iron, according to further findings gathered from the Mine Cadastral Office.
Rockbottom is currently operating under an exploratory licence for limestone and iron.
Section 47 of the NMMA (2007) stipulates that mineral titles must be granted expressly for the discovery of certain minerals.
A list of active approved Community Development Agreements (CDA) published by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and signed as of January 2021 showed that Rockbottom has an acknowledged agreement with its host communities – Olokwu, Iga-Ebije & Ajobe in Kogi State where it has mineral title 26529SSML for granite.
The truck of Mosra Enerji Limited in Odele going to Ichalla village to carry coal mined by artisanal miners and children. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus/The ICIR.
It was also found out that Dangote Industries Limited is running (archived here) a mining (archived here) operation in Ankpa Local government. The operation is predominantly meant to extract coal and clay.
Coal mined by child-artisans
“Many of the children in Olokwu work for Rockbottom,” said Nejiru Nasiru, who said he is worked for Rockbottom revealing that the byproduct of these minors ends in their warehouse while emphasising that he started up as a child miner.
Explaining that the company consciously avoid putting these children on their payroll, he stressed that the artisanal mines within areas covered by the lease of the company is prevented from selling to third parties except the company.
“They know that children are used in these mining pit and they are aware that purchasing coal from artisanal miners is cheap which is why they are not waging war against them,” he said, adding that he started as a child miner in one of the pits.
Corroborating Nejiru’s claim, Habib expressed that during his time their employers who were artisans were barred from trade with businesses except from Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited, Mosra Enerji Limited directly.
“They have stopped many of these small-scale miners from trading with buyers outside. They did this because they believe it is cheaper to buy from us than employ miners,” he noted.
A road laden with coal soot. This road leads to several communities like Ogboyaga, Ichalla, Odele and Others. Photo Credit: Adedokun Theophilus
That is easy to achieve for the companies because there was no accessible road across the forested mining pits.
When asked how to get land to mine, Akeem Ibrahim, who owns a coal depot in Olokwu, stated that buying a plot of land to start mining operations is best done directly from traditional rulers. However, their involvement in the entire process does not ensure that an investor would not be defrauded, stating that the risk is higher without these traditional rulers.
When asked about how a start-up company could commence operation with affordable labour, he clarified that securing coal at a low cost required the service of untrained labourers, unskilled villagers and minors.
Although Ibrahim said that there was no visible land to extract at the time, he said to visit the chiefs of Odele and Ichalla.
Investigation also revealed that aside from the companies, indigenes are converting their farmland into coal pits and leasing it to businessmen with no mining lease.
Although the traditional ruler of Ichalla, Steven Gago initially denied that children are working in mining pits in his community, he later said children who mine are not forced. “We don’t force them to mine they are doing it willingly and it is not a problem, and we value education in our community.”
“Everywhere you see mining is under the control of Mosra and children are mining in the pits. All those mining is for Mosra and I don’t know about it. It is a cooperate mining done for Mosra,” he said.
“It is a general mining and many communities in our local government are mining. It should not be a big issue. This happen in all area in Ika district.”
All our artisanal miners were certified by Mosra and even the community. It was instructed by Mosra that open the land surface to mine. We don’t sell coal to another company we work for Mosra,” he noted.
Dangote, Morsa Energy, Rockbottom Kogi government silent
Between Sunday, December 1 and Wednesday, January 8, multiple enquiries were to sent Dangote Industries Limited, Mosra Enerji Limited, and Rockbottom Mines and Power Limited to clarify the findings and verify the allegations.
The messages includes what steps were taken to guarantee that their supply chain was free of child labour and how they were being monitored to confirm adherence to national and international labour and ethical standards, but they did not respond.
Additional requests for these businesses to disclose their coal suppliers in the local government districts of Omalla and Ankpa, as well as the steps taken against non-complaint suppliers linked to child labour who provide in Ichalla, Ogboyaga, Olufofo, Olokwu, and Odele, were not answered.
Also, in order to confirm adherence to labour and ethical standards, the firms were asked how they manage and trace their supply chain and whether they have distinct policies to deal with child work.
Meanwhile, as of the time this report, the Kogi State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources had not responded to inquiries on the matter.
EDO State Governor Monday Okpebholo has confirmed that suspects arrested in connection with the brutal killing of travellers in Uromi would be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation after the Eid-el-Fitri public holiday.
Okpebholo disclosed this on Monday, March 31, during a meeting with his Kano State counterpart, Abba Yusuf, and the deceased families.
The ICIRreported that the victims were travelling in a truck when they were waylaid around 1.30 pm in the Udune Efandion community, Uromi area of Edo State by local security.
The incident sparked outrage, with political leaders, including President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi, strongly condemning the attack.
While speaking at the gathering, Okpebholo reiterated his commitment to ensuring justice for the victims.
“We have made significant progress in our investigations. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not happy about this incident and has directed security agencies to go after the culprits. I can assure you that justice will prevail.
“So far, about 14 suspects have been arrested, and after the holiday, they will be transferred to Abuja for further interrogation. More arrests will follow as investigations continue,” Okpebholo said.
On his part, Governor Yusuf commended Okpebholo for his swift intervention but insisted that those responsible for the killings must be publicly paraded to ensure transparency and accountability.
The governor stressed that the majority of the victims were from two local governments in Kano state.
“It is a known fact that our people were traveling from Port Harcourt through Edo State when they were brutally attacked. Many were maimed, burnt, and murdered in cold blood,” Yusuf said.
“Kano people trust you, and you have assured us that the perpetrators will be brought to justice. We appeal to you to ensure that they are not only arrested but also paraded publicly so that the world sees those responsible for this heinous crime.”
He further expressed his trust in the Edo government’s assurance of bringing the culprits to justice.
“We trust his assurance that the culprits will be brought to book, as justice remains our utmost priority. The people of Kano are peaceful and hospitable.
“This tragedy serves as a lesson to all, and I urge all leaders across Nigeria to ensure the safety and protection of all citizens, regardless of their location. Governor Okpebholo’s visit today is a mark of true leadership, and we appreciate his gesture,” he said.
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has approved a tenure extension for Comptroller-General (CG) of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Kemi Nanna Nandap.
This was disclosed in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, March 31.
According to the statement, under Nandap’s leadership, the NIS has witnessed significant advancements in its core mandate, with notable improvements in border management, modernisation of immigration processes and national security.
Tinubu commended the CG for her “exemplary leadership” and urged her to continue dedicating herself to the Service’s strategic priorities, which he said aligned with his administration’s agenda.
The president reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting the NIS in fulfilling its mandate to protect Nigeria’s territorial integrity and promote safe, legal, and orderly migration.
Nandap began her career in the NIS on October 9, 1989.
Tinubu appointed her as CG of the NIS on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, to serve till August 31, 2025.
Until her appointment, Nanna was the Deputy Comptroller-General (DCG) in charge of the Migration Directorate of the NIS.
She took over from Caroline Wura-Ola Adepoju, whose term in office expired on February 29.
Though the president extolled Nandang’s feats at the NIS, The ICIR, in a report, revealed that all has not been completely well with the organisation under the CG’s watch.
A major issue captured by the report is the manner the Service’s staff approach the black markets where street vendors are major producers of their identity cards.
Beyond security implications, The ICIR’s investigation shows that the trend, which has been ongoing for years, has not abated even with the recent commissioning of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Technology Innovation Centre, touted by the NIS to be a “one of a kind” data and biometric hub in Africa.
On December 10, Tinubu commissioned the NIS Technology Innovation Centre at the agency’s Abuja headquarters.
ISRAEL has proposed a prolonged truce in Gaza in exchange for the release of its remaining citizens held as hostages.
Israeli officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Monday, March 31, revealed that the proposal included the return of half of the 24 hostages still believed to be alive in Gaza, nearly 18 months after they were taken by Hamas-led gunmen.
The ICIR reported that the Israeli military, which has halted aid to Gaza, resumed operations on March 18 following a two-month truce.
During the ceasefire, 33 Israeli hostages and five Thai nationals were freed in exchange for approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Israel has said that Hamas military and governmental infrastructure must be completely dismantled and insisted that the group, which has ruled Gaza since 2007, would have no role in the enclave’s future governance.
However, Hamas has expressed willingness to step aside for another Palestinian administration but refuses to disarm and insists on having a say in selecting the next government.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, March 30, that his nation would intensify pressure on Hamas while continuing negotiations “under fire.”
He said sustained military pressure was the most effective way to secure the return of the hostages.
Netanyahu also reiterated Israel’s demand for Hamas to disarm, but the Palestinian militant group has rejected the call, calling it a “red line” it will not cross.
Netanyahu said that under a broader settlement, Hamas leaders would be permitted to leave Gaza, a plan he said would also incorporate proposals from President Donald Trump for the “voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, on Monday, March 31, the Israeli military issued new evacuation orders for Palestinians residing in areas around the southern city of Rafah and announced plans for “intense operations” in the southern part of the enclave.
“The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) is returning to intense operations to dismantle the capabilities of the terrorist organisations in these areas,” the military’s Arabic language spokesperson said in a statement.
However, Hamas said at the weekend that it had accepted proposals made by Qatari and Egyptian mediators, which security sources said would entail five hostages being released every week in exchange for a truce.
The ICIR reports that the latest proposals would leave the final agreement on ending the Israel-Hamas war unresolved. Since its onset in October 2023, the conflict has devastated large parts of Gaza, claimed tens of thousands of lives, and displaced nearly the entire population.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023.
According to Israeli reports, the attack resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and the abduction of 251 people who were taken into Gaza as hostages.
The Palestinian health authorities said the Israeli military campaign in Gaza had resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians.
NIGERIANS on social media are debating whether the 30-day rant by a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ushie Rita Uguamaye, fondly called Raye, compelled President Bola Tinubu’s government to begin paying the new N77,000 monthly allowance to corps members in the country.
The ICIR reports that corps members nationwide began confirming alerts for the N77,000 allowance on Wednesday, March 26, following a six-month delay since its approval in September 2024.
On March 16, Raye, who serves in Lagos State, expressed her frustration in a widely circulated video posted on her Instagram page. She called Tinubu a ‘terrible’ president while condemning rising inflation and the hardship Nigerians faced.
She also noted that the N33,000 monthly allowance she received as a corps member was insufficient to cover her basic needs.
Raye later claimed that the NYSC management ordered her to delete her posts, which she declined.
Her outcry subsequently elicited a huge support for her as eminent and other Nigerians stood with her and urged her to maintain her stance.
In another post on March 17, she urged Nigerian youth to start a 30-day rant challenge against poor government in the country.
The ICIRreported that the Nigerian youth promptly launched an online protest, calling out the government and speaking out against the unbearable cost of living in the country.
On March 20, the Director-General of the NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, announced that the organisation would begin paying the increased allowance by the end of March.
His promise followed failed assurances by the organisation on the payment.
While some social media users believe Raye’s outburst compelled the Nigerian government to begin the payment of the new allowances to the corps members, others think it was a coincidence.
On X, lobistars said, “That’s how a lady called Raye ended up making the N77,000 NYSC allowance effective.
Another user with the name DIVINE T believes Raye is the reason for the payment. “Thanks to her, NYSC now pays N77,000”, the user said.
Similarly, TifeChris said, “It took a brave lady to speak up before NYSC started paying corp members N77,000, funds disbursed since last year…. Oh Thank you Raye. I hope Nigerians would drop the act of cowardice and learn that there’s actual power in speaking up.”
Emeka Gift Official wrote on Facebook, “Many of NYSC members actually don’t know that someone challenged the status quo before they were able to receive their N77,000 monthly allowance. Without her boldness and zeal, which never succumbed to intimidation/bullying, many of you would have continued to receive N33,000.
“Ushie Rita Uguamaye is the source of your happiness, the reason you received N77,000 instead of N33,000. But many of you opposed her; some said she shouldn’t speak out at this time.”
However, some users opine that Raye’s outburst had nothing to do with the payment.
Zakiru Alhaji, on Facebook, is among people with such a thought, “When the Federal Government didn’t pay the N77,000 allowance, they called the government’s promise a scam. Now that the N77,000 is fulfilled, they’re saying the Lagos female corps member is the hero.”
Alhaji said Tinubu’s government was determined to effect the payment, and it made good its words.
An X user, Trending, wrote, “One week after all the Raye’s buzz, Federal Government starts paying the N77,000 that has been promised since June 2024. Excited Nigerians are saying, if not for Raye’s outburst, the Federal Government would not have paid it.
Sadly and respectfully, while her voice was successfully heard, it had no effect on NYSC allowance. The reason it tarried was because of the 2025 budget. Without Raye, NYSC would pay N77,000 this March or April.”
Social media critic Daniel Regha also argued that Raye was not the reason for the new allowance. He emphasised that discussions about the allowance payment had been underway before her viral video.
“Raye isn’t the reason the government started paying NYSC N77,000. Her outburst raised debates, but this has been an ongoing conversation for a long time,” Regha wrote.
UNITED States President, Donald Trump, said on Sunday that he was “very angry and frustrated” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, signaling a significant shift in tone as Washington pushes to end the war in Ukraine.
This was revealed by Kristen Welker of NBC news, who said that Trump had called her to express his anger over Putin questioning Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s future as a leader.
Welker, on her NBC show, “Meet The Press” on Sunday, quoted directly from an early-morning telephone conversation with the president.
“If Russia and I are unable to make a deal on stopping the bloodshed in Ukraine, and if I think it was Russia’s fault… I am going to put secondary tariffs on all oil coming out of Russia,” Trump said.
Trump told Welker that he “was very angry, pissed off” over Putin’s recent comments about Zelensky’s credibility and talking about new leadership in Ukraine.
The ICIR reported that President Trump has been advocating for a swift resolution to the over three-year war since assuming office, but his administration has yet to achieve a breakthrough despite ongoing negotiations with both sides.
Putin rejected a joint America-Ukrainian proposal for a 30-day ceasefire and, on Friday, suggested that Zelensky be removed from office as a condition for peace.
Putin, who has been in power for 25 years and repeatedly re-elected in uncontested votes, has frequently challenged Zelensky’s “legitimacy” as president since his initial five-year mandate ended in May 2024.
Trump himself has had a turbulent relationship with Zelensky, labeling him a “dictator” and publicly clashing with him on camera at the White House last month.
However, Trump told NBC that while Putin knows he is angry, he still maintains “a very good relationship with him” and added that “the anger dissipates quickly… if he does the right thing.”
Trump’s anger comes amid strengthening ties between Washington and Moscow since his return to office, along with his threats to cut support for Kyiv, which have emboldened Russia on the battlefield as it continues its faltering invasion.
According to Ukrainian officials, six strikes hit overnight from Saturday into Sunday, injuring personnel receiving treatment at a military hospital and killing at least two people in a residential building.
Moscow said on Sunday that Russian forces also captured a village just seven kilometers (four miles) from the border of Ukraine’s central Dnipropetrovsk region in their latest advance.
Since launching their attack in 2022, Kremlin troops have yet to cross the region’s boundary, but they have been steadily advancing for months in pursuit of a breakthrough.
In his Saturday evening address, Zelensky called on his country’s allies to unite against Putin.
“For too long now, America’s proposal for an unconditional ceasefire has been on the table without an adequate response from Russia,” Zelensky said.
“There could already be a ceasefire if there was real pressure on Russia,” he added, thanking those countries “who understand this” and have stepped up sanctions pressure on the Kremlin.
The ICIR reported that Moscow and Kyiv agreed in principle to a Black Sea truce after talks with United States officials earlier this week. However, Russia stated that the deal would not take effect until Ukraine’s allies lifted certain sanctions.
In response, Trump told NBC that the policy would mean, “If you buy oil from Russia, you can’t do business in the United States,” effectively issuing a threat of secondary tariffs.
“There will be a 25 per cent tariff on all oil, a 25 to 50 point tariff on all oil,” he said, without giving further details.
THE Kano State Police command has launched a probe into the alleged killing and attack on vigilante members attached to the entourage of Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi after Eid prayers on Sunday, March 30, 2025.
In a statement by its spokesperson, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the command said one Usman Sagiru, 20, of Sharifai Quarters, was arrested in connection with the incident.
The police said while dispersing from the Eid praying ground, Sagiru and others, now at large, allegedly stabbed Surajo Rabiu, a vigilante member from Sabon Titi Jaba Quarters, who later died from his injuries.
The police said another vigilante member, Aminu Suleman from Kofar Mata Quarters, sustained injuries and is currently receiving treatment at Murtala Mohammed Specialists Hospital Kano.
The police added that the vigilante members were attacked while they were providing shield for Sanusi.
“The command has commenced an investigation into the incident and extended an invitation to Shamakin Kano, Alhaji Wada Isyaku, for interrogation.
“The Kano State Police command reiterates its ban on all forms of Durbar and warns that anyone found engaging in such activities will be dealt with decisively.”
The command reiterates that all forms of thuggery activities will not be tolerated and warns that anyone engaging in any act or conduct that may likely cause a breach of peace or breakdown of law and order will be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.
The police appeal to members of the public to remain calm and cooperate with the police to ensure a peaceful and secure environment for all.
The police command had earlier announced a ban on all Durbar activities for the 2025 Eid El Fitr celebrations, citing security threats and the need to maintain public order.
The state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Bakori, disclosed this during a press briefing at the Bompai Police Headquarters on Friday, March 28.
He explained that intelligence reports indicated plans by certain people to use the event for disruptive activities.
The Durbar, a centuries-old tradition of horse processions and cultural exhibitions, always accompanies Sallah festivities in the ancient city.
However, concerns over public safety have led to its proscription this year.
The police boss, Bakori, assured residents that the command and other security agencies had put measures in place to ensure a peaceful celebration.
Kano has been embroiled in royal controversy as Sanusi and Aminu Ado Bayero have been at daggers drawn over who is the authentic Emir.
The Supreme Court is set to deliver a judgment on the matter, which has been ongoing since Sanusi’s reinstatement was validated by a recent law repealing the Kano State Emirate Council Law 2024.
THE United States has pledged $2 million in aid as the death toll from Myanmar’s earthquake hits 1,700 on Sunday.
The United States announced in a statement that it will provide aid “through Myanmar-based humanitarian assistance organisations,” and confirmed that a USAID emergency response team, despite facing significant budget cuts under the Trump administration, is being deployed to Myanmar.
“The destruction has been extensive, and humanitarian needs are growing by the hour,” the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement.
“With temperatures rising and the monsoon season approaching in just weeks, there is an urgent need to stabilise affected communities before secondary crises emerge.”
The ICIR reported that the powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake, one of Myanmar’s strongest in a century, struck the war-torn Southeast Asian nation on Friday.
According to the military government, as of Sunday, the disaster had left approximately 1,700 people dead, 3,400 injured, and over 300 missing.
Meanwhile, the United States Geological Survey’s predictive model estimates that Myanmar’s death toll could surpass 10,000, with losses potentially exceeding the country’s annual economic output.
Similarly, the junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, warned that the death toll could rise and acknowledged the challenges his administration is facing.
Myanmar has received relief materials and teams from neighboring India, China, and Thailand, as well as aid and personnel from Malaysia, Singapore, and Russia.
However, residents in the epicenter, told Reuters that government assistance was scarce, leaving people to fend for themselves.
In response, Min Aung Hlaing told officials on Saturday that, “It is necessary to restore the transportation routes as soon as possible. It is necessary to fix the railways and also reopen the airports so that rescue operations would be more effective.”
The disaster has added to Myanmar’s suffering, which is already engulfed in chaos due to a civil war that erupted following the 2021 military coup that ousted the elected government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
While the ongoing conflict continues to devastate the economy, displace over 3.5 million people, and cripple the health system, the earthquake has severely damaged bridges, highways, airports, and railways across Myanmar, a country of 55 million hampering humanitarian efforts.
Myanmar’s opposition National Unity Government, which includes members of the former administration, announced that anti-junta militias under its command would suspend all offensive military actions for two weeks starting Sunday.
The ICIR reported that the quake also shook parts of neighbouring Thailand, bringing down an under-construction skyscraper and killing 18 people across the capital, according to Thai authorities.
At least 76 people remained trapped under the debris of the collapsed Bangkok building, where rescue operations continued for a third day, using drones and sniffer dogs to hunt for survivors.
SOUTH Korean police announced on Sunday that they have booked a man suspected of igniting the country’s largest wildfire, which claimed at least 26 lives and destroyed thousands of buildings, including historic temples.
An official of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police, believes the man, who is in his 50s, started the fire in southeastern Uiseong County while performing an ancestral rite at a family grave on March 22.
“We are in the process of verifying evidence,” the official added.
The ICIR reported that the fires began on March 21, consuming approximately 48,000 hectares (119,000 acres), destroyed around 4,000 structures, and forced tens of thousands to evacuate.
The conflagrations prompted mass evacuations and led to the deployment of thousands of personnel and over 100 helicopters to contain the blazes.
By Friday, the blaze was largely contained, though firefighters continued to battle small hotspots that flared up on Saturday.
The Uiseong fire, along with separate blazes across the country last week, claimed at least 30 lives and fueled calls for national reforms to improve disaster response.
The forest service announced on Sunday that another wildfire had erupted in a southern area near Suncheon-si, prompting authorities to deploy 23 firetrucks, four helicopters, and 123 firefighters.
However, according to Yonhap News Agency, the man has denied the allegations.
The fires follow a similar incident in Los Angeles, United States, earlier in January this year.
