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Army’s Irresponsible Killings and Police Undeserved Sympathy

Published

7 years ago

August 10, 2019

Eric

The deaths of Inspector Eddie Edidale, Sergeants Usman Danzumi and Dahiru Musa in Taraba State while on official assignment by alleged trigger-happy soldiers of the 93 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, in Takum, Taraba State, took many by surprise.

The reasons for the surprise lies in the fact that the army, surprisingly unlike the counterparts in the Police Force, are not known to be trigger happy as they boast of adequate and excellent training. Again, it is said that the soldiers are so disciplined in the use of arms, shoot only when they have express command from a superior. So why did these particular soldiers snuff the life out of three promising cops even when it was said they revealed their identity.

In the army’s press statement, the it has claimed that the policemen were mistaken for kidnappers, and so fire was opened on them. But the Police have faulted the claim, saying the slain cops were well identified before being executed at close range.

The deaths have pitched public sympathy for the police against the army in a sudden turn of events. The army, hitherto, has been well respected following their no nonsense stand and risk in the territorial defence of the nation. More so as many of them are being slaughtered almost on a daily basis at various insurgency wars across the length and breadth of the country in recent times.

The army don’t just shoot and kill; the police are believed to posses such unenviable status. And of course, a lot of instance abound where the police have snuffed life out of Innocent citizens, sometimes for little or no provocation.

The situation now has therefore become suspicious. The reason is not farfetched: if the soldier has to kill in this manner, he definitely did so via instruction, and soldiers don’t joke with superior instructions. This has raised the question: who ordered the massacre of the there policemen. Who is interested in the release a notorious kidnapper, Alhaji Amisu Bala Wadume, who was successfully apprehended by the police.

As to be expected, considering the no love lost relationship of the police and army over time, the force headquarters has faulted the defence headquarters claims of mistaken identity. They have therefore posited certain queries for the army among which is the whereabouts of the kidnapper-victim whom they claimed to have rescued and the identity of the so called whistle blower who alerted them.

It is obvious that the army cannot give answers to these queries as there are in the real sense no answers to them.

Maybe for the first time, Nigerians seem to be on the side of the police, and bluntly ask the army to speak the truth in this matter, no matter whose ox is gored. It is a good thing however, that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a detailed investigation into the matter. But then, most Nigerians have lost fate in the enquires of the Buhari administration, claiming that nothing will come out of it, and the case will be swept under the carpet like many others in the past.

Howbeit, the Police is not the only the casualty here, the entire nation, even the person or persons at whose behest the gallant officers were slaughtered and Wadume escaped. This is because a criminal will always remain a criminal. Who knows who he will come after tomorrow.

The trio of Edaile, Danzumi and Musa were reported as among the stars of the force, whose discipline, proficiency and hardwork were worthy of emulation.

They had distinguished themselves in various field assignments including the arrest of notorious kidnapper Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, alias Evans, in 2017, rescue of Musa Umar Uba, an in-law of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was in captivity for two months and the arrest of Umar Abdulmalik, a Boko Haram commander, as well as 22 Boko Haram terrorists responsible for the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno.

While everyone mourns the irresponsible killing of the officers, a clarion call is made to the army to redeem its honour and unmask the bad eggs in its ranks, produce the captured or released kidnapper. That will go a long way to assuage the anger of the Nigerian populace.

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Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Felicitate with Muslim Ummah, Nigerians at Eid-el-Fitr

Published

1 hour ago

March 21, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The three frontline political leaders in Nigeria; President Bola Tinubu, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Mr Peter Obi, have in separate messages call for the strengthening of security, sustenance of the spirit of goodwill imbibed during Ramadan as well as kindness among Nigerians as the Muslim Ummah celebrate the 2026 Eid-el-Fitr.

The messages are in response to the successful completion of the 30-day fasting – a period of dedication, sacrifice, spiritual renewal and stocktaking – which end birth the Eid-el-Fitr celebration.

Leading the avalanche of messages, President Tinubu, through a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, reiterated the need to lead a pious life seasoned by empathy and unity among humankind.

He noted that though the Ramadan season is over, but the lessons of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion, which the period is known, must consistently be the watchword of every Nigerian.

The message is captured in details below:

As Muslims worldwide celebrate Eid-el-Fitr, marking the end of Ramadan, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated the Muslim faithful in Nigeria, urging renewed commitment to the nation and humanity.

President Tinubu enjoined Nigerian Muslims to rededicate themselves to the noble teachings of the holy month, which emphasize piety, empathy, and unity among humanity.

“We have a lot to draw from the noble lessons of Ramadan, especially at a time like this. We must continue to abide by the virtues of piety, selflessness, perseverance, kindness and compassion beyond this period,” he said.

President Tinubu urged all Muslim faithful to extend a hand of kindness to the needy of all faiths, to further show unity and camaraderie.

The President also tasked Muslim leaders to use the occasion to offer prayers for peace and prosperity to prevail in the country.

In the same vein, former Vice President of Nigeria and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar congratulated the Muslim faithful in Nigerian and across the world on the successful completion of the mandatory Ramadan fasting, and the celebration of the Eid-el-Fitr.

A press statement signed by the media office of the former Vice President, admonished Muslims to remain steadfast in piety by maintaining peace and in charitable causes.

According to Atiku, the completion of the obligatory fasting in the noble month of Ramadan should lead to more commitment to the injunctions of Almighty Allah.

“The completion of the Ramadan fasting is a call to duty that ensures we sustain the good deeds that the noble month requires of us.

“We must ensure that the lessons of the month are not lost on us and that the celebration of today is a reminder to the people, especially Muslims, to follow in the tradition of the noble Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in seeking closeness to God through worship and maintaining peace,” Atiku said.

He further called on the government to take it more seriously, stressing that “the protection of the lives and property of citizens is a divine decree and the sole responsibility of every government.”

Atiku similarly enjoins the privileged in the society to keep providing charity to the less privileged as this would go a long way in ensuring that the rising tide of economic downturn does not weigh too heavily on the poor.

“A greater number of people are being crushed by the economic downturn and global events in the past three weeks have further exacerbated the situation. It is incumbent on the wealthy to be more compassionate by taking up the responsibility of charity to help cushion the effect of the burden on the poor,” Atiku said.

Also lending his voice the congratulatory messages, Labour Party’s former presidential candidate, and former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, urged Nigerian Muslims to imbibe the spirit of Ramadan going forward even as the 30-day fast has officially ended.

“I join you with heartfelt joy as we celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the blessed festival that marks the successful completion of the sacred month of Ramadan.

“This occasion is a profound reminder of the power of faith, discipline, selflessness, and unwavering devotion to Almighty Allah.

“Throughout Ramadan, you have fasted, prayed, given charity, and drawn closer to God, embodying values that inspire not only the Muslim ummah but every person of goodwill. These lessons of compassion, humility, patience, and solidarity must not end with the month; may they continue to guide our hearts, our actions, and our shared life as Nigerians.”

Many other prominent Nigerians and institutions have also identified with the Muslims in celebration, drumming the lesson of service, patriotism, piety and above unity of purpose to the hearing and learning of all and sundry.

The Eid-el-Fitr is the grand finale of the Muslim 30-day fasting period, popularly known in Islam as Ramadan. It is a yearly spiritual exercise.

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TEF Entrepreneurship: Tony Elumelu Foundation Sets March 22 to Announce 2026 Cohort

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), the leading philanthropy empowering young African entrepreneurs will announce the 12th cohort of the flagship TEF Entrepreneurship Programme on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

In 2026, the Foundation will empower a total of 3,200 entrepreneurs across all its entrepreneurship programmes:
1,751 entrepreneurs through Heirs Holdings Group: Heirs Energies, Transcorp Power, Transcorp Hotels, and United Capital; 1,049 entrepreneurs in partnership with the European Commission, OACPS, BMZ and GIZ; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with Sèmè City Development Agency; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with DEG, the German Development Agency; 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF’s Generation Unlimited and the Dutch Government; and 100 entrepreneurs in partnership with UNDP and the Rwandan Ministry of Youth and Arts.

Applications to the flagship programme were received from over 265,000 young Africans, representing all 54 African countries, underscoring Africa’s vibrant entrepreneurial sector and the funding challenge for entrepreneurs. The new cohort will join the TEF Alumni community of more than 24,000 entrepreneurs.

The selection process is conducted by Ernst & Young, ensuring an independent and rigorous assessment of applicants.

Each selected Tony Elumelu Entrepreneur will receive $5,000 in non-refundable seed capital, access to world-class business management training on TEFConnect, one-on-one mentorship, and entry into a powerful network of investors, partners, and other entrepreneurs.

The Tony Elumelu Foundation has empowered over 2.5 million young Africans with access to business management training on our proprietary digital hub, TEFConnect, and disbursed over US$100 million in seed capital to more than 24,000 selected entrepreneurs. Collectively, these entrepreneurs have generated $4.2 billion in revenue and created more than 1.5 million direct and indirect jobs. Through our support for African entrepreneurs, TEF has lifted 2.1 million Africans above the poverty line, and positively impacted more than 4 million African households, with 46% of supported entrepreneurs being African women.

Ahead of the upcoming announcement, Tony O. Elumelu, C.F.R., Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, reiterates his unwavering belief in the potential of Africa’s entrepreneurs:

“The future of Africa will be built by Africans who create businesses, generate jobs and solve the challenges of our continent. At the Tony Elumelu Foundation, we believe that empowering entrepreneurs is the most sustainable path to Africa’s economic transformation.

I look forward to announcing and congratulating the 2026 cohort of Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurs and look forward to witnessing the impact they will create across our continent.”

The general public is invited to join, virtually.

Featured

Eid-El-Fitr: Glo Felicitates with Muslims, Urges National Unity, Compassion

Published

1 day ago

March 20, 2026

Eric

High premium Technology Company, Globacom, has felicitated with Muslims across Nigeria as they celebrate Eid-el-Fitr festival which marks the successful completion of the Ramadan fast.

In a goodwill message released in Lagos, the company commended the resilience and devotion shown by the faithful during the 30 days of spiritual reflection, sacrifice, and abstinence.

Globacom emphasized the importance of love, sacrifice, and community, encouraging Nigerians to embody these values.

The company explained that the end of Ramadan should serve as a springboard for continued personal growth, urging Nigerians to “use Eid-El-Fitri as a moment to reflect on their spiritual journey, promote the spirit of being one’s brother’s keeper, regardless of faith or background, and make sacrifices towards building a more prosperous and peaceful nation for all”.

Globacom enjoined its millions of subscribers to utilize the network’s innovative and affordable data and voice offerings to enhance their festive experience. It reaffirmed its commitment to providing seamless connectivity and ensuring that family and friends can stay in touch, share moments of joy, and exchange Sallah greetings throughout the holidays and beyond.