Fabian Apechihin

Yamada has blamed recent attacks on the children of so-called repentant bandits and armed groups that refused to embrace ongoing peace accords, warning that the violence is being driven by factions outside the agreement.

According to him, the situation exposes the shortcomings of peace deals that are neither comprehensive nor inclusive. He explained that when certain armed groups or splinter factions are excluded—or deliberately opt out—such accords fail to deliver lasting peace.

Yamada cautioned that without a mechanism to identify, include, and closely monitor all armed elements, insecurity will continue to re-emerge in different forms. He stressed that violence will persist as long as some groups operate beyond the reach of peace agreements and accountability structures.

Fabian Apechihin

The Federal Government has reacted to reports alleging that Nigerian scholarship beneficiaries have been abandoned in Morocco, dismissing the claims as misleading.

According to the government, affected students will be given the option of returning to Nigeria, where they will be seamlessly reintegrated into suitable tertiary institutions of their choice. The Federal Government, it added, will fully cover the cost of their return travel.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said the current administration is committed to reforming the scholarship system to ensure efficiency and sustainability. He explained that previous practices—such as sponsoring overseas programmes that are already available in Nigerian institutions—placed unnecessary pressure on public finances.

Alausa noted that the reforms are designed to redirect resources toward strengthening local capacity while still prioritising the welfare of Nigerian students.

The statement further emphasised that the government’s actions are guided by transparency, accountability, and prudent management of public funds. It reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to supporting students and rejected what it described as “misinformation, blackmail, or any attempt to undermine policies aimed at improving the education sector and protecting national interests.”

By: Fabian Apechihin

A pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Ìgbìnmó Májékóbájé Ilé-Yorùbá, has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of neglecting his constitutional duty as Nigeria’s chief security officer amid worsening insecurity across the country.

The group said the President has remained largely silent while terrorists and criminal groups continue to operate freely in parts of Yoruba land and other regions.

The criticism followed the recent abduction of a Kwara State monarch, Oba S. Y. Olaonipekun, and his son, Olaolu, who were kidnapped by suspected terrorists in the Ile-Ire area last Thursday.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the group described the incident as evidence that insecurity has taken deep root in the South-West. It accused the federal government of failing to safeguard lives and property as fear spreads across rural communities.

The statement was signed by the group’s Convener, Olusola Badero, and released through its Home Director, Princess Balogun.

According to the group, armed criminal elements operating in forests across Kwara State and neighbouring areas have turned the region into a haven for violent activities.

“We all know that in Yoruba land we say, ‘Oríadé kì í sùn tán’ (royalty does not sleep outside), but today terrorists have subjected our traditional rulers to public humiliation,” the group stated.

It described the abduction of traditional rulers as a disturbing departure from Yoruba history and values, noting that such incidents were once unimaginable in the region.

The group accused President Tinubu of prioritising personal comfort and political interests over public safety, while also condemning his frequent foreign trips.

“President Tinubu is enjoying the people’s taxes abroad despite widespread poverty, escalating insecurity, dilapidated schools, and collapsing hospitals at home,” the statement said.

It further criticised what it described as empty assurances from the President, arguing that his failure to replace ineffective security chiefs has worsened the crisis.

The Kwara State Government was also faulted, with the group accusing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of failing to adequately protect residents from criminal violence.

“We call on President Bola Tinubu and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to immediately secure the release of Oba S. Y. Olaonipekun, his son Olaolu, and all other abducted persons,” the group said.

Warning that continued insecurity could force villages and farmlands to be abandoned, the group urged urgent action. It also called on Yoruba people at home and in the diaspora to take proactive steps to protect their communities, cautioning that reliance on leaders who have failed could lead to further devastation.