Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has warned the Federal Government against inviting, interrogating or arresting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar over a corruption petition before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Melaye, a prominent supporter of Atiku and the African Democratic Congress, said the opposition would mobilise Nigerians if the former Vice-President was invited or arrested in connection with what he described as a “frivolous petition.”

He issued the warning in a video shared on his X account on Friday.

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Melaye said any attempt to use the petition against Atiku would be resisted, insisting that political office holders remained accountable to the Nigerian people.

“This is our note of warning. If due to this frivolous petition you invite, arrest, or interview Atiku Abubakar, we will prove to you that those in government are less than one per cent of the population of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We will prove to you that the people own government,” he said.

The warning followed a petition submitted to the EFCC by former member of the House of Representatives, Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, asking the anti-graft agency to reopen corruption allegations against Atiku dating back to his time as Vice-President.

The petition, signed on Agbonayinma’s behalf by his lawyer, Hannibal Uwaifo, SAN, reportedly referred to an earlier EFCC investigation and report concerning allegations against Atiku.

The allegations date back to 2005 and 2006 and included claims of abuse of office, money laundering and alleged diversion of funds linked to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.

Atiku denied wrongdoing at the time and described the allegations as politically motivated.

The Lagos State High Court, on December 20, 2006, reportedly set aside an EFCC administrative indictment against Atiku, ruling that the process was unconstitutional and flawed. The allegations did not result in a criminal conviction against the former Vice-President.

The renewed petition comes as Atiku prepares for the 2027 presidential election under the ADC, with opposition politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

Melaye’s warning has added a fresh political dimension to the controversy, with the former senator making it clear that the ADC would oppose any move it considers an attempt to politically target Atiku.

However, there was no confirmed indication as of the time of reporting that the EFCC had invited or arrested Atiku over the renewed petition.

The Emir of Zazzau and Chairman of the Kaduna State Council of Chiefs, Ambassador Ahmed Bamalli, has thrown his weight behind the proposed 100 per cent increase in the salaries and allowances of traditional rulers across the state.

Bamalli described the proposed adjustment as a “welcome relief”, arguing that the current remuneration of traditional rulers has become inadequate amid rising living costs and the declining value of the naira.

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The monarch made the remarks on Friday while speaking with journalists at his palace in Zaria, Kaduna State.

According to him, discussions around the proposed increase had been ongoing for about seven months, with Governor Uba Sani and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sadiq Mamman-Lagos, working towards its implementation.

Bamalli expressed optimism that the proposed increase would soon be implemented following the government’s official announcement.

He said the purchasing power of traditional rulers’ current earnings had significantly weakened, making the proposed adjustment necessary.

The Emir commended the state government for maintaining what he described as a cordial relationship with the traditional institution, saying regular consultations had enabled both sides to collaborate on issues affecting communities.

He stressed that traditional rulers were not politicians but remained important partners in governance, particularly in conflict resolution, grassroots mobilisation and peacebuilding.

Zazzau Palace Resolves Over 2,000 Civil Disputes

Bamalli also disclosed that the Zazzau Emirate had resolved more than 2,000 civil cases through its alternative dispute resolution mechanism over the past two years.

He said the initiative had helped reduce pressure on conventional courts, noting that the palace handles an average of five cases every day from Monday to Thursday.

The disputes, he explained, largely involve matrimonial issues, inheritance, land matters and other civil disagreements, while criminal cases are transferred to conventional courts.

According to the Emir, the alternative dispute resolution system has also received commendation from members of the judiciary.

Emir Speaks on 2027 Elections

On the 2027 general elections, Bamalli said the traditional institution would continue working with relevant stakeholders to maintain peace and stability across the Zazzau Emirate.

He attributed the relative peace in the emirate to an inclusive leadership approach designed to accommodate residents from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.

The monarch said the emirate had recognised major communities, including Igbo, Yoruba and Fulani communities, as well as Christian leaders, to strengthen communication and ensure that the palace received direct information from communities.

“We have tried to ensure that everybody feels that they belong,” he said, explaining that the approach had helped build trust and confidence among residents.

Giwa Remains Security Concern

Bamalli said the emirate remained largely peaceful despite security challenges in Giwa Local Government Area, which he identified as particularly vulnerable because of its proximity to parts of Niger, Katsina and Zamfara states.

He disclosed that the palace maintains regular communication with security agencies and submits weekly intelligence reports to the state government.

The Emir expressed confidence that continued cooperation among traditional institutions, the Kaduna State Government and security agencies would help sustain peace while promoting development and stability across the state.

Apple and Xiaomi have opened a new chapter in the premium foldable smartphone market, with the tech giants unveiling competing wide-screen devices aimed at redefining how consumers use foldable phones.

Apple introduced the iPhone Duo on September 9, 2026, with a starting price of $1,999, while Xiaomi launched the Xiaomi 18 Fold in China with a starting price of $1,540.

Both devices adopt a short, wide “mid-fold” design that opens into a large display similar in proportions to a sheet of paper.

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However, the companies have taken markedly different approaches to hardware, cameras, battery life and software.

Xiaomi pushes hardware advantage

The Xiaomi 18 Fold comes with a 7.58-inch LTPO AMOLED inner display, supporting up to 120Hz refresh rates and a claimed peak brightness of 4,000 nits.

It is also slightly thinner and considerably lighter than Apple’s offering, weighing 219 grammes compared with the iPhone Duo’s 254 grammes.

Photography is another major strength of the Xiaomi device. It features a 200-megapixel Leica-branded main camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom and a 50-megapixel ultrawide camera.

The device is powered by Xiaomi’s 3nm XRING O3 processor and packs a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. It supports 67W wired charging and 50W wireless charging, with a charger included in the box.

Apple focuses on software and design

Apple’s iPhone Duo features a slightly larger 7.6-inch inner OLED display with a resolution of 2670 × 1878 pixels and up to 120Hz ProMotion.

One of Apple’s major design decisions is the use of an under-display camera on the inner screen, allowing the large folding display to remain free of a camera cut-out.

The device uses a Grade 5 titanium frame and a complex hinge system containing more than 100 components.

Rather than matching Xiaomi’s camera megapixel count, Apple has focused on computational photography and features that make use of the two-screen design.

These include Duo Preview, which allows subjects to see themselves on the outer display while being photographed, as well as Smart Take, Dual Capture and Duo FaceTime.

Different approaches to multitasking

The biggest distinction between the two devices may be their software.

The iPhone Duo runs iOS 27 and introduces a fold-specific interface with side navigation, a redesigned Dynamic Island and Split View, allowing users to run two apps or two windows side by side.

Xiaomi’s HyperOS 4, based on Android 17, takes a more aggressive multitasking approach. The company says users can run up to six apps in split-screen configurations alongside a floating window.

Xiaomi has also adapted more than 200 applications for the phone’s wide display.

However, the 18 Fold is currently a China-only model and ships with the Chinese version of HyperOS, meaning Google Play, Google Maps and Gmail are not included by default.

Price and availability

Price could become one of Xiaomi’s strongest advantages.

The iPhone Duo starts at $1,999, while the Xiaomi 18 Fold starts at CNY 10,999, making Xiaomi’s entry model substantially cheaper based on the quoted prices.

Apple plans to begin selling the iPhone Duo in more than 70 countries from October 23, 2026, while Xiaomi’s 18 Fold is currently limited to China.

For international buyers, however, the two devices present different challenges. The iPhone Duo uses eSIM only, while the Xiaomi 18 Fold supports two physical nano-SIM cards but lacks eSIM support.

Two different visions for foldables

The comparison highlights two competing philosophies in the premium foldable market.

Xiaomi is putting its weight behind camera hardware, battery capacity, charging speed, display brightness and price, while Apple is relying on iOS, industrial design and software built specifically around the two-screen experience.

For consumers, the choice may ultimately come down to priorities: Xiaomi offers more aggressive hardware specifications for the money, while Apple is betting that a tightly integrated software experience will make its foldable more useful every time it is opened.