Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has declared three days of mourning in honour of the former governor of the state, Ibrahim Idris, who died recently.

Ododo also directed that the national flag and the Kogi State flag be flown at half-mast across government offices and designated public institutions throughout the mourning period.

The governor announced this in a condolence message to the family of the deceased in a statement issued through the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, on Sunday in Lokoja, describing his death as a profound loss to Kogi State and Nigeria.

Governor Ododo had earlier visited the residence of the late Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, where he commiserated with members of the Idris family.

Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has said he has limited control over security agencies in the state despite being constitutionally designated as the chief security officer.

Bago stated this while responding to questions on whether the Niger State Government shared responsibility for the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners and whether the incident could have been prevented.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, the governor said security agencies such as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, the police and other federal institutions do not report directly to him.

“Yes, definitely. You know, I’m just a chief security officer of the state by mouth. The NSCDC don’t report to me. The police don’t report to me. The ministry don’t report to me. They report to the centre, so we don’t have much control about federal government facilities, especially detention centres, and there are also police stations and even civil defence stations,” Bago said.

He, however, said the state government intervenes when complaints are brought before it by civil society organisations or members of the public.

“But when we have issues or complaints by civil society organisations, we step in and we try to intervene. But most of the times, nobody even knows who is arrested unless there are complaints that are brought in before Ministry of Justice or Ministry of Women Affairs on unlawful detention or otherwise, or the Court of Laws to give order,” he added.

The governor’s comments came amid concerns over the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in NSCDC custody, with questions being raised over the roles of state and federal authorities in preventing the incident and addressing security challenges surrounding mining activities in Niger State.

Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda has urged All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders and members to accommodate politicians returning to the party and avoid disputes over positions and responsibilities.

Radda made the call on Friday while receiving former Secretary to the State Government, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, and members of his political structure from the 34 local government areas at the Government House in Katsina.

The governor said political differences should not prevent stakeholders from working together for peace and development in the state.

“This gathering should teach us that good leadership and politics do not have to be about fighting. People can disagree politically and still come together in peace and work for the progress of the state,” Radda said.

He urged APC local government chairmen, members of the State Executive Council and other party stakeholders to create an environment where returning members could contribute without unnecessary tension.

“We must give them the opportunity to contribute to the progress of our party and our state,” he said.

Inuwa said the political structure he led comprised about 220 groups across the state and had maintained its grassroots connections through different political platforms over the years.

He said many members of the structure had decided to align with the Radda administration and return to the APC.

Also speaking, former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari described Inuwa’s return as an opportunity for political stakeholders to rebuild relationships and work together in the interest of Katsina State.

APC state chairman, Bishir Gambo Saulawa, welcomed Inuwa and his supporters, saying their political experience and grassroots connections would contribute to the party’s structures across the state.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has announced that it will participate in the 2027 general elections following a Court of Appeal judgment setting aside a Federal High Court ruling that ordered its deregistration.

The party’s National Leader, Henry Seriake Dickson, disclosed this in a statement reacting to the appellate court’s decision in Abuja.

Dickson said the Court of Appeal set aside the judgment delivered by Justice Isah Dashen of the Federal High Court in Lokoja a few months ago.

The statement reads in full:

“Today, the Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, has set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, delivered by Justice Isah Dashen a few months ago, which purported to order the deregistration of our party, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“In a judgment delivered by the presiding Justice, Mohammed Danjuma, and read by Justice Hassan, the Court ruled in favour of allowing our appeal, which challenged the faulty ruling of the Federal High Court, Lokoja, and accordingly, set aside Justice Dashen’s judgment.

“We want to use this opportunity once again to commend the Nigerian judiciary, and in particular, Hon. Justice Danjuma and Hon. Justice Hassan, for upholding the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary and, by their decisions, expanding the sphere of multiparty democratic participation in Nigeria.

“We have said repeatedly that the NDC was set up to expand the frontier of multiparty democracy in Nigeria. Justice Dashen’s judgment a few months ago was an unexpected assault on our constitutional right to participate and an attempt to narrow the democratic space.

“Happily, Today, by the decision of the Court of Appeal, the Nigerian democratic space has been protected, and the NDC’s right to participate in all political activities as a registered political party has been upheld.

“I congratulate all members and candidates of our great party, the NDC, and thank Nigerians for their prayers and support.

“When the unexpected judgment of the Lokoja Federal High Court was delivered, we were bombarded with several calls for sympathy, support and prayers. Today, our collective prayers have been answered.

“The NDC continues to exist. Our registration remains valid and subsisting, and we and all our candidates will participate in all elections in 2027 and beyond, by the grace of God.

“Everyone should now focus on the campaigns, prepare for the elections, and focus on the task ahead to face the APC and defeat them at the polls.

“A resort to arm-twisting, inducing or intimidating the judiciary will not work. We remain confident in the strength of our message, the commitment of our members, the viability of our candidates, and the support of Nigerians.

“With this conviction, we look forward to the forthcoming elections and are confident that the NDC will emerge victorious at the polls, by the grace of God.

“The fight for Nigeria’s multiparty democracy continues and, by the grace of God, we will emerge victorious.”