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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.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu departed Lagos on Sunday, December 28, for Europe, continuing his end-of-year break and ahead of his official trip to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed AlNahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has invited President Tinubu to participate in the 2026 edition of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW 2026) Summit, which will take place in the emirate early in January.
The weeklong summit is an annual event that mobilises leaders from government, business, and society to chart the next era of sustainable development.
With the theme “The Nexus of Next: All Systems Go”, ADSW will connect ambition with action across innovation, finance, and people, showcasing how the world can move forward with confidence.’
The President will return to the country after the Summit.
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BREAKING: Fayose Alleges N45.5bn from N50bn Ibadan Explosion Fund Diverted by Makinde for Political Ambitions
Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has released what he described as documentary evidence to support his claim that Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, received N50 billion from the Federal Government as a special intervention fund following the January 2024 explosion in Ibadan.
Fayose made the documents public on Sunday in a statement accompanied by a memo from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
He said the disclosure followed a challenge by Makinde to substantiate his earlier claim that the Oyo State Government received the funds.
“Two days ago, I stated on national television that Oyo State under Governor Seyi Makinde received N50bn from the Federal Government as intervention for the Ibadan explosion. Yesterday, the governor asked me to provide evidence, and here is the evidence he requested,” Fayose said.
The former governor further alleged that only N4.5 billion was disbursed to victims of the explosion, accusing Makinde of diverting the remaining funds for personal political ambitions.
“Only N4.5bn was paid to victims of the Ibadan explosion. The rest, alongside other intervention funds, was diverted to fund his presidential ambition. This, in part, explains the crisis in the PDP and his frequent attacks on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his administration,” he alleged.
Fayose further said he was compelled to release official documents, despite his reluctance to do so, in the interest of transparency and public accountability.
“Even though it is not in my character to go public with official government documents, I had to do this so Nigerians will know who is saying the truth and who has not been sincere with the people of Oyo State,” he said.
The former governor said that Makinde’s alleged disclosure of detail from private meeting with President Tinubu made fuller public disclosure necessary.
He challenged the governor to take legal action if he believed the allegations were false, insisting that he had sufficient proof to defend his claims.
“I challenge Governor Seyi Makinde to sue me on this. There are also proofs of other intervention funds received from Tinubu’s administration by the Oyo State Government which the governor refused to disclose to the people,” he said.
He further claimed to have documentary evidence of Oyo State’s actual Internally Generated Revenue, contrary to figures publicly stated by Makinde, noting that he would release the details at a later time.
“There are documentary evidences on the actual Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of Oyo State, as against Governor Makinde’s claim, but we will keep our gunpowder dry for now.
“My name is still Ayo Fayose. I don’t say what I can’t prove,” he said.
Nigeria and the United States yesterday launched a joint military operation to flush out terrorists in the Northwest, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed last night.
The Federal Government confirmed in a statement by the ministry that it remained engaged in structured security cooperation with international partners, including the United States (U.S.), in addressing the persistent threat of terrorism and violent extremism.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed the joint operation in a tweet on his X handle.
He said the attacks were on Islamic States of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
The statement by the Foreign Affairs Ministry was signed in the early hours of today by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
It reads: “This has led to precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the Northwest. In line with established international practice and bilateral understandings, this cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence, strategic coordination, and other forms of support consistent with international law, mutual respect for sovereignty, and shared commitments to regional and global security.
“Nigeria reiterates that all counter-terrorism efforts are guided by the primacy of protecting civilian lives, safeguarding national unity, and upholding the rights
and dignity of all citizens, irrespective of faith or ethnicity.
“Terrorist violence in any form, whether directed at Christians, Muslims, or other communities, remains an affront to Nigeria’s values and to international peace and security.
“The Federal Government continues to work closely with its partners through established diplomatic and security channels to weaken terrorist networks, disrupt their financing and logistics, and prevent cross-border threats, while strengthening Nigeria’s own security institutions and intelligence capabilities.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will continue to engage relevant partners and keep the public informed through appropriate official channels.”
Confirming the operation, Trump said the military struck terrorists’ hideout in Sokoto.
The U.S. President said he had ordered the deadly strike to flush out ISIS terrorists in the Northwest.
Trump had accused the terror group of persecuting Christians in Nigeria.
In a post on social media, Trump said he had directed a “powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria,” who he said had been killing innocent people.
U.S. Africa Command said the strike killed multiple terrorists at the request of Nigerian authorities in Sokoto State, which borders Niger to the north.
The claim could not be verified as at the time of filing this report.
“I have previously warned these terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” added the president, who is spending the Christmas holiday at his estate in Palm Beach.
In a separate post on social media, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said he was “grateful for Nigerian government support & cooperation”.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu, Mr. Daniel Bwala, told CNN: “The U.S. and Nigeria are on the same page in the fight against terrorism.”
Trump has focused for the last several months on terrorist activities, including calling in November on his secretary of defence to “prepare for possible action” and warning the U.S. would enter Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” to protect the Christian population of Africa’s most populous country.
On Christmas Eve, Tinubu shared a “Christmas Goodwill Message” in which he wished Christians across his nation and the world a merry Christmas and prayed for peace among individuals of differing religious beliefs.
“I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence,” President Tinubu said in a post on X.
A delegation of senior Nigerian officials had visited the U.S. to hold talks with their counterpart.
The team, led by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had explained the government position.
The team said the terrorists have no specific target.
A delegation made manily of U.S Congressmen had also visited Nigeria.
Both countries had raised a joint committee to deepen talks
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