As part of the renewed onslaught on the activities of some human traffickers across the Country, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has raided a popular, highly rated Hotel (Name withheld) located around the famous 33 areas of Onitsha, Anambra State, arrested four suspected traffickers, and rescued 17 alleged victims of human trafficking.

Also, during the coordinated operations, which was carried out with the support of the Military, two suspects allegedly involved in the selling and buying of babies within the States of the South East Region, were apprehended.

Sadly, 4 of the victims were said to be infected with HIV and are currently being counselled by a Team of Caregivers from NAPTIP and volunteers from the Anambra State Aids Control Agency (ANSACA).

It would be recalled that the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, had few weeks ago read the riot act to human traffickers in the Country and promised to make the year 2026 unpleasant for them if they failed to desist from their nefarious activities.

The latest operation followed a credible intelligence by a non – State Actor based in Anambra State which indicated the presence of some underage girls within the said facility and the health status of the victims, having carried out a voluntary screening on them after proper counselling.

Investigation revealed that residents of the area have, before now expressed worried over the unwholesome activities of the operators of the Hotel which has about 45 rooms most especially the influx of men who daily throng there to cool off with the underage girls.

During the operation, while some of the victims were caught in the act with the randy lovers, other victims were seen in skimpy wears and bump shots apparently waiting for their usual customers.

During interrogation, the Victims disclosed that they were recruited from Benue, Imo, Ebonyi and Akwa Ibom States and trafficked to Onitsha for alledged prostitution.

They added that each of them remits the sum of N20, 000 to N25, 000 to their “Madam” daily by sleeping with about 5 men with multiple sex rounds.

“It was my boyfriend who said he saw a job for me here in Onitsha. When I arrived here, the Madam sent someone to pick me at the park and she introduced me to this hustling job. She said I will work for her and pay N20, 000 daily and that at the end of the year, she will buy me a box filled with assorted clothes and the sum of N500, 000 so that I can be free to go and start my own work. It is not with a good mind that I am doing this job, but it was too late for me to refuse”, one of the Victims narrated.

Another Victim whose status is compromised stated that “When the people care here to test us. They told me that I have been infested, and they advised me and my friends that we need to start treatment to flush out the infection. They gave us medicine. But, after they left, our Madam beat us seriously because we came out of the rooms to see the people who tested us. She collected the medicine they gave to us and warned us that we should never go out for any treatment again. I cried and cried for hours, and the more I cried, the more she beat me”, another victim ,narrated her ordeal with a bitter lamentation.

Speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, expressed sadness over the plights of the victims and most especially their deteriorating health status.

“I want to sincerely thank the Military in Onitsha for their support to NAPTIP during this operation, and also the Gender and Human Rights State Response Team (GHR-SRT) domiciled under the Anambra State Aids Control Agency (ANSACA) in the Office of the Governor who provided timely intervention and collaboration that led to the rescue of the underage girls.

“I am most devastated by the health status of the rescued victims and the action of their so-called Madam who not only collected the Antiretroviral medicines that were given to them by the good spirited Organization that visited the hotel, but also prevented them from assessing any further medical opportunity. This is a criminal act and NAPTIP has launched a manhunt for her.

“The Agency has also invited the Owner of the Hotel for interrogation with a view to determining the next sanction on the facility.

“As said few weeks ago, NAPTIP shall continue to double its efforts and scale up activities to ensure a good chase for the human trafficking criminal elements in the Country”, the NAPTIP Director General stated.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has urged local and international investors to invest in Lagos, saying the State is willing and ready to partner with investors.

He assured them of his administration’s commitment to providing infrastructure and a secure and safe environment for businesses in the State.

The Governor spoke at the Nigeria-UAE Investment Forum tagged “Investopia Global Africa” hosted by the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Monday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu said Lagos State in the last six and a half years of his administration has provided infrastructure across the State in different sectors and is willing to partner with investors to do more for the people.

He said: “Lagos is positioning itself, leading the Nigerian conversation, and we are getting tremendous support from the Federal Government because, at the end of the day, all of those investments sit at the sub-national.

“I want to assure all of our local and international investors that Lagos is indeed a willing and ready partner. Whatever the red tapes there are, we are removing them. We also want to step back and let the businesses run for themselves. The security environment is safe, sound, and secure.

“Lagos State made an investment in the Lekki Port, which is the biggest deep port in the country. We are also making an actual investment in the Badagry Port. It is all about partnerships and creating an enabling environment.

“Lagos State is planning, with the support of the Federal Government, to build another international airport. That is also forward-looking. Lagos State is also planning to build the largest logistics hub that will ensure that all of the markets that are in the agribusiness can sit in Lagos and work well.”

Governor Sanwo-Olu also spoke about his administration’s commitment to boosting the State and national economy through the Lagos International Financial Center (LIFC), which is a joint initiative of the Lagos State Government and EnterpriseNGR.

He said: “We have had extensive conversation around the path of the Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC). We started this journey in 2023. We still have another eight months to a year to finally unveil it. The beauty of it is the amount of global support that we are receiving.

“We are trying to learn from various regions to bring about a model that will be a true African model that will work for everyone but will also be a Nigerian model. We are actually thinking globally. We are thinking about how to remain competitive, resilient, and able to play on the same level of platforms with other big cities and other big markets in the world.

“The Lagos International Financial Centre we are talking about is not just about Lagos; it is really a conversation about Nigeria, but it has to be in a city and a place where it can also be attractive and be ready to unlock the investment.”

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC) has injected fresh uncertainty into the protracted Kano emirship crisis, raising a critical question on whether the political realignment will finally resolve the dispute, or will further complicate an already delicate situation?

For nearly two years, Kano has been gripped by an unprecedented royal standoff, with two emirs laying claim to the same revered stool.

Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II operates from the historic Gidan Rumfa Palace, while the 15th Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, remains at the Nassarawa mini-palace.

Each enjoys backing from rival political and institutional forces.

How the Crisis Began

The roots of the crisis date back to March 2020, when former governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje dethroned Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, citing alleged insubordination, and replaced him with Aminu Ado Bayero.

Many observers, however, linked the decision to political differences, particularly Sanusi’s perceived closeness to Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

In May 2024, the pendulum swung again. The NNPP-led government of Abba Kabir Yusuf repealed the 2019 emirate law, abolished the five emirates created under it, and reinstated Sanusi as Emir of Kano.

The move restored a single-emir structure but triggered a fresh round of legal battles, with Bayero challenging his removal in court.

Defection Changes the Political Equation

Governor Yusuf’s recent move to the APC has altered the political landscape.

By joining the ruling party, Yusuf is now aligned with Ganduje and Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, figures apparently regarded as supporters of Bayero.

The defection also marked a sharp break with Yusuf’s former political Godfather, Senator Kwankwaso, under whose influence Sanusi was believed to have secured his reinstatement.

This realignment immediately fuelled speculation that the emirship dispute could be revisited as part of broader reconciliation within the APC.

Government Signals Dialogue

The speculation gained traction after the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, suggested that the crisis could soon be resolved.

“Now we will sit down and resolve such problems calmly. These issues will no longer be difficult. There will be discussions; where apologies are needed, they will be offered, and where forgiveness is required, it will be granted. In some cases, someone may be asked to make sacrifices for the sake of peace,” Waiya said during a radio programme.

His comments were widely interpreted as a sign that political dialogue, rather than prolonged litigation, might be explored.

Sanusi Remains Emir – Gov Yusuf

Amid the rising speculation, Governor Yusuf moved to draw a clear line.

Speaking through his spokesman, Sanusi Bature, he insisted there was no plan to remove Emir Sanusi.

“There is no plan to replace Emir Sanusi on the throne of Kano. The appointment of the emir was done after the emirates law had been repealed, and there is no plan at the executive level for any further amendment,” the governor said.

“Emir Sanusi remains the Emir of Kano. This defection to the APC will not change the status quo.

Bayero Camp Pushes Back

Despite the governor’s assurances, the camp of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero has rejected any talk of a negotiated settlement.

Sarkin Dawakin Babba, Aminu Babban Dan Agundi, who initiated the legal challenge against the Kano State Government, said the matter is strictly for the courts.

“There is no negotiation that can lead to the removal of Emir Aminu Ado Bayero. The matter is before the courts, and no one has the authority to give judgment except the court. Everyone should wait for the Supreme Court’s decision,” he said.

Settlement Still Possible – Legal experts

Legal analysts argue that while the matter is in court, a settlement is not legally foreclosed.

Barrister Umar Usman Dan Baito, a lecturer at Northwest University, Kano, told DAILY POST that Nigerian law allows for settlement at any stage.

“Even if a case is before the Supreme Court, parties can still reach a settlement through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). Once the court adopts the agreement, the case comes to an end,” he said.

Resolution or Complication?

While Yusuf’s move to the APC could, in theory, create a platform for political consensus, it has also deepened suspicions and hardened positions among the rival camps.

With the court yet to deliver final judgments and political interests continuing to intersect with traditional authority, the emirship tussle remains finely balanced.

Whether the governor’s defection will unlock a lasting resolution or further entangle the crisis now depends on how political dialogue, legal processes, and traditional reconciliation are managed in the weeks ahead.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, rtd, says he is likely to formally become a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Speaking during an interview on ‘Sunday Politics’, a programme on Channels Television, General Musa said he is currently in political transition.

Musa said he was grateful that APC gave him the platform to present himself as Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, and now Minister of Defense, adding that he would definitely support the party.

The former CDS maintained that President Bola Tinubu needs full support, expressing full readiness to give Tinubu the support in every way he could.
“I’ve not transitioned yet. I’m in transition. I think I’ll become a politician, a member of the APC, definitely.

“Mr President needs all support, totally,” he said.

The Nigerian government, through the Federal Airport Authority, the manager of Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), has apologized to passengers and stakeholders following a power outage at Terminal 1 at the weekend in Lagos state.

The Nigerian government agency, in a statement on its official X account on Sunday, attributed the disruption to a fault in the terminal’s changeover circuit.

According to FAAN, the interruption occurred after an issue arose during a power changeover process.

FAAN explained that its technical teams were immediately deployed to bridge the gap and transfer electricity supply to the secondary grid, while interim backup measures were activated to restore services as quickly as possible.

“We acknowledge the power outage at MMIA Terminal 1 yesterday (weekend). The interruption was caused by an issue with the changeover circuit.

“We apologize to all passengers and stakeholders affected by the disruption and any discomfort it caused”, the statement reads on X.

Frontline activist, Aisha Yesufu has warned that hunger and poverty have been deliberately weaponized in Nigeria, describing them as tools used to weaken citizens and suppress critical thinking.

In a post on X, Yesufu said the widespread hunger has left many Nigerians struggling to survive, with little capacity to engage politically or hold leaders accountable.

According to her, this condition has created a society where those who are not hungry must think and act not only for themselves, but also on behalf of those who no longer have the strength or space to do so.

“Hunger that is deliberately inflicted has made many lose their capacity to think,” she said, adding that poverty has become “a cancer that has eaten up the very soul of our society.”

Yesufu accused the political leadership of entrenching poverty while offering temporary relief measures during election periods.

She argued that such interventions are short-lived and designed primarily to secure votes rather than address systemic issues.

She called on Nigerians who are economically stable to come together and serve as the “soul and conscience of the nation,” urging them to take a deliberate stand for the country’s future.

“Nigeria has everything it needs to be great,” Yesufu said, emphasizing the need to confront hunger and revive what she described as the nation’s weakened spirit.

“We must unlock the spirit that has been starved the Nigerian can-do spirit.”

Her remarks come amid growing public concern over rising food prices, deepening poverty, and economic hardship across the country.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, state chairmanship aspirant in Kaduna state, Dr Simon Nuhu Yashim, has urged Kaduna state citizens to support governor Uba Sani’s administration to continue to provide accurate and quality leadership in the state.

Yashim made the appeal while interacting with newsmen during the  book launch for Uba Sani’s two years achievements and presentation, organised by 14-14, held in Kaduna.

According to him, “Governor Uba Sani’s two-year tenure has focused on governance and tangible achievements in security, infrastructure, and human capital development all over the state.”

He pledged to adequately build a party structure that would work tirelessly to amplify and safeguard the governor’s legacy through robust grassroots support and effective communication of government programs to the electorate, when elected as state APC Chairman.

Also speaking, the member representing Zaria city constituency, Barrister Mahmud Lawal Ismail, said “the book launch is timely when the people of Kaduna are witnessing with satisfaction the commitments of governor Uba Sani’s administration to provide infrastructural development.

The Chairman house committee on education also noted that, the book launch would serve as guidelines for some of the activities for his government on health, education social investment, agriculture, security, roads and infrastructures, among others.