Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to immediately stop what it described as a growing crackdown on individuals who criticise the governments of the United States and Israel.

In a statement released on Friday, the rights organisation said it was seriously worried about the actions of the Department of State Services (DSS), particularly over how people expressing opinions on social media about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are being treated.

According to Amnesty, the situation has already led to the detention of at least two individuals in Kaduna.

“At least two people, both residents of Kaduna, have been detained, and one of them is reportedly facing what appears to be a sham trial based on questionable charges,” the organisation said.

Amnesty International also revealed that it had received reports indicating that several other Nigerians who publicly criticised the policies of the United States and Israel had been invited or summoned by the DSS for questioning.

The organisation warned that such actions could weaken respect for human rights and damage public trust in state institutions.

“These increasingly authoritarian practices undermine fundamental rights and erode confidence in the neutrality of state institutions, while also creating an atmosphere of fear,” the statement noted.

Amnesty stressed that criticising the actions or policies of any government is part of the fundamental right to freedom of expression and should never be treated as a criminal offence.

“Criticising the policies of any government or its leaders is a legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression,” the organisation said, adding that this right is protected under Nigeria’s Constitution as well as international human rights agreements.

The group specifically referred to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and international instruments such as the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which guarantee citizens the right to express opinions and share ideas without fear of punishment.

Amnesty International therefore urged Nigerian authorities to end what it described as the growing repression of individuals who are peacefully exercising their rights.

“Nigerian authorities must put an end to attacks and repression against people who are simply exercising their human rights in a peaceful manner,” the organisation said.

It further warned that targeting individuals for criticising the policies of the United States or Israel could send a dangerous signal that peaceful dissent is not tolerated in the country.

“Targeting people for criticising the governments of the United States or Israel sends a chilling message that peaceful dissent is not welcome in Nigeria,” the statement added.

The organisation concluded by calling on Nigerian authorities to ensure that everyone in the country enjoys their rights without fear.

“The authorities must respect and protect the human rights of all people in Nigeria, including the right to freedom of expression both online and offline,” Amnesty said.

They urged the government to refrain from actions that could silence critics.

Plateau State High Court has ruled in favour of local government chairmen, granting their demand for a four-year tenure.

It nullified the present two-year tenure as contained in the laws of the state.

The 17 local council chairmen had dragged the state government and the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission, PLASIEC, to court seeking an extension of their tenure from two years to four years, citing a breach of the Nigerian Constitution.

In a landmark judgement delivered on Friday by the state Chief Judge, Justice David Gwong Mannin, the court declared that the two-year tenure provided by the laws of the state and PLASIEC is inconsistent with Section 7(1) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

The judgment also affirmed that the two-year tenure of the council chairmen contradicts constitutional provisions guaranteeing a democratically elected local government system.

While delivering the ruling, Justice Maninn held that the two-year tenure contradicts sections of the Nigerian Constitution that guarantee a democratically elected local government system, noting that the shorter tenure undermines the constitutional framework for local government administration and therefore cannot stand in the face of the constitutional provision.

The judge declared that the four-year tenure granted the elected local government chairmen in the state, aligns their position with the broader constitutional expectations for democratic governance at the grassroots level.

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar’s son, Adamu Abubakar has defected to the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

DAILY POST had reported that Adamu, a former commissioner in Adamawa State resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Thursday.

A few hours after his resignation, Adamu completed his online registration with the ADC, a party where his father is aspiring to contest the 2027 election.

In an X post on Thursday night, Adamu called on “all my supporters and well wishers to join me by registering with the ADC as we work together to advance the cause of good governance and national development”.

A legal practitioner, Kenneth Okonkwo, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is now the leading opposition party in Nigeria, predicting that more politicians will soon defect to the party.

DAILY POST earlier reported that a total of nine senators have defected to the ADC, making it a leading minority in the National Assembly.

Reacting to this via Channels TV morning brief on Friday, Okonkwo stressed that the ADC does not rely on government power or resources to attract members.

According to him, the party’s growing appeal is driven by a coalition of opposition leaders seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We’re not APC; we don’t have power to give and we don’t have resources to give. It’s not even within our reach because we are not the ruling power,” he said.

He, however, insisted that despite not controlling federal power, the ADC has emerged as the most viable opposition platform in the country.

“The truth is that ADC, the African Democratic Congress, is today the leading opposition party,” Okonkwo stated.

The lawyer noted that he had earlier advised opposition leaders from parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) to unite in order to effectively challenge the ruling party.

“I said this a long time ago that PDP, LP and other parties are not viable. The opposition leaders and parties should do themselves good to form a coalition,” he said.

According to him, the coalition eventually agreed to adopt the ADC as the political platform to pursue what he described as the aspiration for a new Nigeria.

“When they coalesced, they were able to deal with the APC that has constituted itself as an enemy of democracy and certainly an enemy of the welfare of the people,” Okonkwo added.

He further claimed that more politicians would soon join the party as the political landscape continues to shift ahead of future elections.

“You will see more politicians joining us soon, and APC will soon be history by the grace of God,” he said.

Kaduna state has recorded its first rain of the year. The rain touched the soil of the state at about 10pm on Thursday.

The rain which was accompanied by heavy wind sparked jubilation among residents who had grappled with a heat wave in the past weeks.

Recall that both Christians and Muslims have had to battle with high humidity amid ongoing fasting.

Many believe the change in weather has affected how members of both religions observe their fasting obligations, largely due to increased fluid intake.

A resident, Mallam Yusuf Dan Musa, told DAILY POST that the rain has now reduced the amount of water intake.

“We saw rain coming when we noticed the heat was much. Most of the time, excess heat brings instant rain.”

The rains came one week to the end of Muslim Ramadan fasting and more than two weeks before Easter that marks the end of Christian fasting.

The lingering crisis at the Taraba State University, TSU, which forced academic staff to embark on an indefinite industrial action, may soon be resolved following a major financial intervention by the Taraba State government.

This development, as noticed by DAILY POST became evident on Thursday when the state governor, Agbu Kefas, personally visited the university campus in Jalingo, the state capital, where he announced the approval of N3 billion to address outstanding entitlements owed to staff unions.

The intervention is widely seen as a decisive step toward ending the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, chapter of the institution.

While addressing members of the university community, the governor approved the immediate release of N200 million as part of the settlement. He also authorized monthly payments of N100 million beginning in April, which, according to him, will continue until the accumulated arrears are fully cleared.

In a symbolic show of commitment to the agreement, Kefa ,who serves as the Visitor to the university, was observed to have also signed documents authorizing the disbursement of the funds in the presence of the union leaders, including the ASUU Chairman, Dr. Mbave Joshua Garba.

Members of the university community have welcomed the intervention, describing it as a positive step toward restoring normal academic activities after months of disruption caused by the industrial action.

Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the university unions has scheduled a congress meeting to deliberate on the government’s offer.

Observers expect the unions to consider suspending the strike to allow lectures and other academic activities to resume.

However, some lecturers who spoke with DAILY POST noted that the final decision will depend on the outcome of the congress.

If the strike is eventually called off, the development is expected to stabilize the academic calendar at Taraba State University and bring relief to thousands of students whose studies have been stalled by the dispute.

The Nigerian Senate has urged the Federal Government to establish a military base in Kwande Local Government Area to improve security and help displaced residents safely return to their communities.

Lawmakers also called on security agencies to increase surveillance and carry out coordinated patrols and operations across affected communities to prevent further attacks.

In particular, the Senate recommended setting up a military base along the Ikyurav–Ya–Ukusu corridor to ensure a consistent security presence in the troubled area.

The chamber further appealed to telecommunications companies to install communication masts in the locality so residents can make distress calls during emergencies.

It also directed the National Emergency Management Agency to provide relief materials and humanitarian assistance to families impacted by the attacks in Kwande and other parts of Benue State.

During the session, senators observed a one-minute silence in honour of those killed in recent attacks in Abande, Awu, Asinuba, Awapacho and neighbouring communities.

The resolutions followed a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Senator Emmanuel Udende concerning the rising attacks in communities within Kwande Local Government Area.

While presenting the motion, Udende explained that recent coordinated attacks by armed assailants in the area had resulted in the deaths of more than 20 people and forced many residents to abandon their homes.

He recalled that on February 5, 2026, gunmen stormed a settlement in the area, killing several residents, injuring others and destroying houses and other property.

According to him, about 50 people were reportedly killed during the February attacks, while a number of others are still missing.

The senator further noted that another round of violence occurred in March, worsening the humanitarian crisis in the area.

He stated that on March 10, gunmen reportedly killed about 11 people in fresh attacks, while an earlier assault on March 5 in Bachor community also caused casualties and destruction of property.

Udende told lawmakers that several of the bodies recovered after the attacks remain unidentified, while about 25 people are still unaccounted for.

He also cautioned that the arrest and harassment of local vigilantes by security operatives could weaken collaboration between community volunteers and formal security agencies.

According to him, poor road networks, limited communication infrastructure and the absence of permanent security formations continue to slow down response efforts to distress calls in the rural communities.

Seconding the motion, Senator Osita Izunaso described the security situation in Benue as a national emergency requiring swift government action.

Also speaking, Senator Ahmed Lawan emphasized the need to strengthen Nigeria’s overall security framework, stressing that security agencies must be properly funded and equipped with adequate logistics to effectively confront armed groups.

Former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has resigned his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Tambuwal, who currently represents Sokoto South in the Senate, conveyed his decision in a letter dated March 11, addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Tambuwal/Shinfiri ward.

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives cited the lingering internal crisis and divisions within the party as the reason for his exit.

He announced in the early hours of Thursday that he had official registered to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying the move came after careful consideration and wide consultations.

“The leadership disagreements and divisions within the party at various levels have made it increasingly difficult for me to continue my active participation and commitment as a member.

“The ongoing conflicts have, unfortunately, weakened the unity and direction that once defined the party,” he wrote.

Tambuwal, however, expressed appreciation to the PDP for the opportunities it gave him to serve the country in different capacities.

He added that his decision was driven by his belief that Nigeria needs “a stronger political platform built on integrity, accountability, inclusiveness, and a clear commitment to national development.”