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Rate Your Leader’s Democracy App Can Reduce Nigeria’s Corruption Index

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By Eric Elezuo

The level the much touted corruption is taking root in Africa’s largest democracy, Nigeria, is becoming alarming, and from many quarters, a lot of unworkable solutions are being proffered.

Recall that recently,  a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, while reviewing a book titled: “Curbing Electoral Spending” launched by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, advised African countries to restrategise their approaches in fighting corruption.

Jega is a two term Chairman if the Nigerian electoral body, and is reputed to have supervised two elections that produced two presidents, including the one that removed a sitting president; the first of its kind in Nigeria.

In his advise, Jega remarked that in Nigeria, corruption is in the increase compared to other African countries, and suggested that “we need to take the fight seriously.”

“It is a day for sober reflection for us and for reviewing our experiences and restrategise to find better ways and means of improving the successes in the fight against corruption,” he said.

But proffering an enduring solution, a Techpreneur, Mr. Joel Popoola, pointed out that as endemic as the corruption scourge has become, it is imperative that a more stronger, more reliable, more technologically based and stress free approach be introduced to tackle headlong the hydra headed monster, which has eaten deep into the social and moral fibres of the Nigerian society. He disclosed that the use of the new Democracy App, Rate Your Leader, which has been tested and found credible will put a permanent end to the issue of corruption in Nigeria.

Popoola, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Rate Your Leader, an app that allows voters hold their elected representatives accountable for their actions, informed that with the app, every eligible voter is directly connected to public office holders, and day to day interaction is enabled.

“With this kind of relationship, which is bonded by the app, there is little or no intention by elected officers to conduct themselves inappropriately because the electors are monitoring.

“What we need is to fight corruption technologically, and from the very root, that is before it begins to be conceived and that is where Rate Your Leader, which is insult and abusive free, comes in,” he said.

The Democracy app, which is already making waves in the United Kingdom as councilors, mayors and other leaders are signed in, will be launched in Nigeria early in 2020, thereby bringing a revolution in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Popoola commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, the nation’s anti-graft agencies, the EFCC and the ICPC in the fight against corruption so far, and remarked that their jobs could be made a lot more easier with the use of the Democracy App.

 

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Military Discovers B’Haram Underground Storage, Fuel Dump

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Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have uncovered an underground Boko Haram logistics storage facility stocked with medical supplies, fuel and other critical materials after overrunning several terrorist enclaves in the Timbuktu Triangle area of Borno State.

The discovery followed a series of coordinated, intelligence-led offensives conducted on Sunday across Chilaria, Garin Faruk and Abirma, during which the troops also repelled multiple drone attacks launched by the terrorists.

The Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Uba Sani, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.

According to Sani, the operation, carried out under Operation Desert Sanity, resulted in the destruction of several terrorist camps and significantly degraded the logistical and operational capabilities of Boko Haram and ISWAP elements operating in the axis.

“Troops of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation HADIN KAI, have recorded further operational successes in the ongoing Operation DESERT SANITY, destroying multiple terrorist camps, recovering arms and equipment, and repelling coordinated attacks by the insurgents in the Timbuktu Triangle,” the statement said.

It added that on Sunday, January 18, 2026, troops advanced from their harbour areas and conducted deliberate, intelligence-driven operations against identified terrorist enclaves in Chilaria, Garin Faruk and Abirma.

Sani explained that the operation was supported by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, which provided persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance coverage throughout the advance.

“The air-ground synergy enabled real-time tracking of terrorist movements, deterred adversary reinforcement, and enhanced the precision and confidence of ground operations,” he said.

He said during the clearance operations, “troops recovered several items of military significance, including Baofeng radios, phones, five AK-47 magazines, several rounds of 7.62 × 39mm special ammunition and 7.62mm NATO belted ammunition.”

Others include “several Boko Haram/ISWAP flags, links of 12.7 × 108 mm ammunition, diesel powered grinding machines, large quantity of medical supplies, several bags of grains, pick-up truck, underground logistics storage and petroleum and oil lubricant dump, which all further degraded the operational and logistical capability of the terrorists.”

He said the “recoveries further degraded the operational and logistical capacity of the terrorists,”.

However, Sani revealed that at about midday, the advancing troops came under armed drone attacks launched by the terrorists.

“Despite this, the troops maintained momentum and continued the offensives. A second drone attack attempted in the evening was also decisively repelled, forcing the terrorists to withdraw and reaffirming the troops’ dominance of the area,” he said.

Sani added that despite sustained engagements, troop morale remains high and fighting efficiency continues to be maintained.

“The general security situation in the area is assessed as calm but unpredictable, with troops remaining vigilant and at a high state of readiness,” he stated.

He concluded that the military high command has reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining the operations, stressing that troops remain resolute in their mission to eliminate terrorist threats, protect civilians and restore lasting peace and stability to the North-East.

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Rivers High Court Temporarily Halts Fubara’s Impeachment Process

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A Rivers High Court sitting in Oyigbo Local Government Area has issued an interim injunction temporarily halting further action on the impeachment process against Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi Nma-Odu.

In a ruling delivered in Port Harcourt, the court restrained Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, alongside 32 other defendants — including the Clerk of the House and the Chief Judge of Rivers State – from taking steps aimed at advancing the impeachment process.

Specifically, the order barred the Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi, from receiving, forwarding, considering, or acting on any request, resolution, or impeachment-related document from the Assembly for the purpose of constituting an investigative panel, pending the determination of the matter. The injunction is to subsist for seven days.

The order was granted by Justice Florence Fiberesima following the hearing of a motion ex parte filed separately by Governor Fubara and his deputy. In the two suits—marked OYHC/7/CS/2026 and OYHC/6/CS/2026—the court also granted the claimants leave to serve the interim order and other originating processes on the first to the thirty-first defendants by pasting them at the gate of the Rivers State Assembly quarters.

The court also directed that the Chief Judge, listed as the thirty-second defendant, be served through any staff of the judiciary at his chambers within the court premises.

Justice Fiberesima, thereafter, adjourned the matter to January 23, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice, as the legal battle over the impeachment move shifts from the political arena to the courtroom.

On Friday, the Rivers State House of Assembly had asked the Chief Judge to set up a panel to investigate the allegations of gross misconduct against Governor Fubara and his deputy.

The assembly members, who made the call through a unanimous vote, vowed to continue with the impeachment process.

The lawmakers had earlier addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt, where they accused Fubara of allegedly using blackmail.

Addressing journalists, the Deputy Speaker, Dumle Maol, claimed Fubara lacks the trust needed to address the crisis rocking the oil-rich State.

They accused the governor of infringing on the 1999 Constitution, saying the parliament was left with no other choice but to apply their legislative power by impeaching him from office.

The lawmakers also claimed the governor and his deputy had resorted to intimidating the parliament.

They, however, thanked President Bola Tinubu for wading into the crisis.

The members also called on the Speaker, Martin Amaewhule, to reconvene the House.

Their position came weeks after they initiated an impeachment process against Fubara and Odu. The lawmakers are accusing them of gross negligence, a move that has heightened political tension in the coastal State.

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JAMB Announces Jan 26 As Commencement Date for Sale of 2026 Entry Forms

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has announced the sales of registration forms for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) and Direct Entry (DE) admissions for the 2026/2027 academic session.

JAMB stated this in a post on its X handle on Tuesday night.

“UTME is open to suitably qualified candidates for admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions for the 2026/2027 academic session,” the photo statement signed by its Registrar, Ishaq Oloyede, read.

“Registration commences January 2026 and closes March 2026 (exact dates to be announced by JAMB),” the post read, disclosing that the UTME examination is scheduled to hold in April 2026.

“The period of registration for UTME candidates, including those from foreign countries, is from Monday, 26th January, 2026 to Saturday, 28th February, 2026,” the statement read in part.`

According to JAMB, candidates must have obtained their National Identification Number (NIN) before registration.

The agency said, “Only candidates who will not be less than 16 years old by 30th September, 2026 are generally eligible to apply/be considered.”

But it clarified that, “Candidates less than 16 years old by 30th September, 2026 will have to undergo an intensive evaluation to determine their eligibility for a waiver. Such must have scored not less than 80% in each of UTME/ALEVEL, PUTME, SSCE, and in the exceptional candidate assessment.”

“The UTME results of the underage candidates will be released only at the conclusion of the complete evaluation process,” JAMB said.

For Direct Entry candidates, the “Sale of 2026 Direct Entry (DE) application documents and E-PIN vending would commence from Monday, 2nd March, 2026, and end by Saturday, 25th April, 2026, and would only be at the Board’s State and Zonal Offices.”

“The 2026 UTME will commence on Thursday, 16th April, 2026 and end on Saturday, 25th April, 2026,” JAMB wrote. “Mock-UTME (optional) shall hold on Saturday, March 28th, 2026.”

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