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Bring Them To Justice says Femi Falana
Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria wrote to the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice last month that the delay in starting prosecution of the sponsors could only further erode the confidence of Nigerians in the government. He wondered why arraignment was taking so long.
The devastation caused by insurgency that has seized the country by the jugular in the past 12 years calls for concerted action by the government. All out war by the military has not stopped the carnage in the North East. One missing link that security experts have advocated is going all out to fish out the sponsors of terrorism in the region, and the North West in the form of what has been generally and officially dubbed banditry. They have called on the government to demonstrate seriousness by not only locating the financiers, but in speedily bringing them to book.
When they were expected to be brought to court on Friday, their lawyers had managed to file cases to enforce their fundamental rights that must be heard first. We hope this is not used to scuttle delivery of justice in the case, as justice delayed is justice denied.
There was optimism that the war would soon end when the Federal Government announced in April that some sponsors had been apprehended and would soon be arraigned in court. It is five months down the line and the case against them has just been filed in court, eliciting some optimism that they would be served justice after all. Before then, six Nigerians suspected to be funnelling funds to the terrorists were apprehended and unveiled in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that did not waste time in bringing up cases against them and 32 other global suspected terrorists.
Till date, all that is known of those arrested in Nigeria is that majority of them are operators of bureaux de change. Who are they and how high is their profile? Government and the security agencies are still keeping the information under wraps. Transparency is very important in combating all aspects of insecurity in the country, be it insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, communal conflicts or assaults by criminal herders. The identity of everyone who disrupts peace in the land should not be kept from the public. The excuse that investigation is ongoing is no longer tenable after five months of arrest. Four hundred is a huge number and failure to serve them justice is a disservice to the country.
We agree with Mr. Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who wrote to the Attorney- General of the Federation and Minister of Justice last month that the delay in starting prosecution of the sponsors could only further erode the confidence of Nigerians in the government. He wondered why arraignment was taking so long. Like Mr. Falana and many other Nigerians, we are bewildered that the Nigerian state is demonstrating such lack of capacity in handling basic investigation even when foreign countries such as the United States and UAE have offered to help in unravelling whatever mystery or loose ends there might be.
In recent times, it has taken the law enforcement and justice systems of other countries to help in dealing with crimes in Nigeria. Cases of corruption, cyber crimes in Nigeria have only been resolved when there is a foreign angle and those countries decide to launch into them in the interest of their own public. This is certainly not good enough. Those who are swiftly apprehended and served justice are mainly the less privileged who are either involved in minor infractions of the law, or errand boys of the main criminals.
The Federal Government should be able to successfully prosecute the sponsors of terror attacks in the country who have caused so much bloodletting, destruction of public and private property and displaced so many Nigerians, turning them to refugees in their own country.
There is an urgent need to revamp the Nigerian legal system. The legislative framework may also be tweaked to ensure that the clogs in the wheel of justice dispensation, especially in a case like terrorism, are speedily removed.
Other terrorists who have been arrested should be brought to justice. It is unacceptable that as many as have been reportedly apprehended are only being rehabilitated after they had shed so much blood of the innocent. Some of them who claimed to be repentant are even said to be receiving support of the state that is not available to their victims – being housed, paid stipends and trained to acquire skills ostensibly to turn them away from crime. All these could make crime more attractive to more Nigerians.
Committees of the two chambers of the National Assembly should swing into action in ensuring that the executive arm of government prosecutes the battle against terrorism diligently on all fronts. Unless people see that criminals are not only apprehended but prosecuted, the residents of the states where terrorism is prevalent now would be reluctant to supply credible intelligence needed to defeat the purveyors of terror. The attacks have lasted for too long. It is high time all arms of the security stepped up their acts to free the country if we are to accelerate development and exit the league of failing states.
(L-R): Founder of Tinubu Support Group, James Faleke; APC National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu; and other APC officials during the presentation of nomination and expression of interest forms to Faleke for President Bola Tinubu in Abuja on Tuesday.
The lawmaker representing Ikeja Federal Constituency, James Faleke, has picked up the All Progressives Congress Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on behalf of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The APC National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, on Tuesday in Abuja, declared the process open and presented the Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to Faleke, who also serves as the founder of the Tinubu Support Groups.
Faleke’s collection and payment for the forms, valued at N100 million on behalf of the President, formally signal the commencement of Tinubu’s bid for re-election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027.
The commission also announced that party primaries, including the resolution of related disputes, will run from April 23, 2026, to May 30, 2026.
INEC further stated that campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while those for governorship and state assembly elections will commence on September 9, 2026
The Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has assured Lagos State Deputy Governor, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, of his support in securing the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election.
Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, gave the assurance on Sunday, describing Hamzat as competent and well-suited to lead Lagos State.
He stated that the state would be in safe hands under Hamzat’s leadership.
Hamzat had visited Gbajabiamila at his Surulere residence in Lagos as part of consultations with party stakeholders over his governorship ambition.
Responding, Gbajabiamila commended Hamzat’s capacity and approach, expressing confidence in his ability to govern the state effectively.
“Dr Hamzat, you are a man of honour, and it shows in your approach to consultations. But I say this publicly—you can take my support for granted because I have full confidence in your ability and capacity. My constituency, Surulere, is for you, and Lagos is for you,” he said.
In his remarks, Musiliu Obanikoro, a member of the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), briefed the host on the extent of consultations carried out so far.
“I can confidently inform the Chief of Staff that the level of endorsement has been overwhelming,” he said.
Other members of the delegation included the Secretary of the GAC, Alhaji Muti Are, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon, Hon. Bode Oyedele, Engineer Adekunle Olayinka, Dr. Hakeem Shittu, Hon. Saheed Kekereekun, Dr. Jebe, and Hon. Rasaq Ajala, among others.
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KOGI STATE STRENGTHENS CHINA PARTNERSHIP FOR AGRO-INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND SAPZ IMPLEMENTATION
Kogi State has taken a significant step in advancing its international partnerships aimed at accelerating the implementation of its Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SAPZ) programme.
The SAPZ initiative is a strategic agro-industrial platform designed to boost food production, enhance processing capacity, create employment opportunities, attract private sector investment, and position Kogi State as a leading agricultural and industrial hub in Nigeria.
Central to the engagement is the development of a modern agricultural science and technology industrial park in Kogi State. The project aligns with the broader SAPZ framework and is expected to drive agro-processing, facilitate agricultural technology transfer, support equipment deployment, promote enterprise incubation, strengthen logistics and cold chain systems, enhance export infrastructure, and provide sustainable power solutions.
The Kogi SAPZ structure comprises the Ajaokuta Agro-Industrial Hub, alongside Agricultural Transformation Centres in Anyigba, Alape, and Osara, as well as the Zariagi Agro-Air Hub. The programme is designed to integrate existing farmer clusters with an additional 150,000 hectares of farmland per zone, creating opportunities for large-scale, tenant-driven agricultural production.
Priority value chains under the SAPZ include rice, maize, cassava, livestock and poultry, sesame, cashew, oil palm, and greenhouse farming. The programme also incorporates critical support systems such as warehousing, cold chain logistics, power solutions, compressed natural gas (CNG), agricultural technology, equipment deployment, and agro-export infrastructure.
As part of this effort, Kogi State entered into a strategic cooperation agreement with Hezheng Holdings Group and Hezheng Digital Technology (Hezheng Innovation Valley) Co., Ltd. The agreement marks a transition from conceptual planning to implementation and reflects the State’s deliberate strategy to attract credible technical partners, industrial park operators, investors, and global business platforms into the SAPZ ecosystem.
The Kogi State delegation was led by Alhaji Yakubu Okala, FCA, Auditor General of Kogi State and Project Investment Adviser, who represented His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kogi State. Other members of the delegation included the Honourable Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Ojomah Timothy; Technical Adviser to the Governor’s Office, Dr. Abdullahi Ozomata; Chief Economic Adviser to the State, Alhaji Aliyu Inda Salami; and Project Consultant/Managing Director of Pulse Engineering and Consulting Limited, Mr. David Lekan Obatolu.
During the visit, the delegation toured key Hezheng facilities, including its investment promotion centre, agricultural industry exhibition hall, global launch hall, and live-streaming incubation base. The tour provided valuable insights into Hezheng’s industrial park management model, enterprise support systems, agricultural technology integration, and cross-border market development strategies.
Deliberations between both parties focused on actionable implementation areas such as industrial park development, technology transfer, processing infrastructure, enterprise incubation, park management systems, investment mobilisation, and equipment deployment. Discussions also explored frameworks for establishing a structured and sustainable China–Kogi industrial cooperation platform.
Both sides expressed strong alignment on the project vision and implementation roadmap. In the coming months, technical and commercial workstreams will be advanced towards full project mobilisation, including preparatory activities for groundbreaking and the establishment of coordination offices in China, Kogi State, and Abuja.
This engagement underscores the commitment of the Kogi State Government to transitioning the SAPZ programme from planning to execution, while positioning the State as a competitive destination for agro-industrial investment.
Kogi State remains resolute in its vision to build a bankable and investment-ready agro-industrial ecosystem that will enhance food security, promote value addition, create jobs, strengthen farmer-market linkages, support export growth, and unlock new economic opportunities for its people.
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