General
Your Broadcast Came Too Late—CNPP Tells Buhari
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A group of political parties in the country under the aegis of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has said the nationwide broadcast of President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday night on the unrest in the country came rather too late.
The group, in a statement issued on Friday, disclosed that the President was warned earlier about the tragedy that could befall the nation if he was slow to react to the burning issues.
For nearly two weeks, youths in the country cried out to the federal government through protests across the nation calling for an end to the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force because of its impunity.
Though the police authorities announced the scrapping of the unit, the demonstrators said they were not convinced because it was not the first time such pronouncement was made.
Despite calls from many quarters, including from the international community for the President to speak to the nation on the matter raised by the youths, he did not oblige.
On Tuesday, things turned bloody after soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Plaza in Lagos, allegedly leading to the death of some of them.
However, the army has denied involvement in the shooting and the Lagos State government has maintained that no fatality was recorded in the unfortunate incident.
Yesterday, Mr Buhari addressed the nation in what many observers have claimed was pre-recorded and in the broadcast, he never made a specific mention on the Lekki shooting, sparking outrage on social media.
Today, CNPP reacted to the presidential broadcast, saying it came too late because the government was warned: “ahead of the ongoing carnage but never listened.”
In the statement signed by its Secretary-General, Mr Willy Ezugwu, the group noted that “if the President had made this statement last week, the ongoing carnage may have been averted.”
“While we continue to condemn acts of violence under whatever circumstances, what is the use of the charmer after the snake has bitten?” it asked.
“CNPP intelligence that led to the plea that President Buhari should address the nation to calm ruffled nerves fell on deaf ears.
“Equally, the warning that any attempt to shoot at the #EndSARS protesters would be catastrophic was also ignored. But today, it is hoped that the government is wiser and be more proactive in the future.
“It must be noted that CNPP as led by Alhaji Balarabe Musa, the National Chairman, is on the ground in all the states of the federation and in touch with the ordinary citizens. We feel their mood and clearly understand their feelings.
“It was an error on the path of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government to have ignored the CNPP’s warnings.
“If the President’s broadcast was made a week ago, the carnage may have been prevented but it is now coming too late in the day.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us. The ruling APC must stop seeing the voice of the opposition as the voice of enemies.
“Right now, Nigerians are tired of propaganda and mere promises. We, therefore, urge President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure justice is done by punishing adequately all SARS officers who extrajudicially killed citizens in the past and match words with actions by immediately reforming the Nigeria Police Force.
“The government must ensure that there is no cover-up in an investigation of the Lekki shooting and other investigation by the state governments. This is the only way to assuage the protesting youths.
“Nigeria must know that a well-funded police force will perform its internal security duties creditably. To this end, we call on the federal government to immediately begin the process of minimising the involvement of the Nigerian military in internal security operations, including the war on insurgency.
“A well trained, properly equipped, and well-motivated police force will provide first-class security for the country as the Nigerian police have proven to be among the best during foreign peacekeeping operations. A word is enough for the wise,” the CNPP said.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
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