Politics
War Drums: Russian Mercenaries Arrive Mali
The drums of war that started beating since the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) signaled intention of deploying military force to restore democracy in Niger Republic has assumed another dimension with the arrival in Mali of armed soldiers from Russian mercenary group, Wagner.
Mali, herself, under military regime had declared loyalty to the coupists in Niger Republic, together with their Burkina Faso counterparts.
The berthing of the fully armed mercenaries with a cache of ammunition, just days after Leader, Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was seen in full army regalia, in a video believed to have been made somewhere in Africa, is sending jitters down the spines of the civilian population in the West African sub-region.
International media sources averred that Prigozhin had posited that the presence of his men in Mali was to help the military government of that country clamp down on terrorists and “any other interest”.
The phrase ‘any other interest’ is now subject of various interpretations across the sub-region, given that the military rulers of Mali had declared interest in backing their counterparts in Niger Republic.
Both countries had openly dissociated themselves from the positions of both the ECOWAS and the African Union (AU) following the ousting of President Mohamed Bazoum on July 26, 2023.
However, the ECOWAS’ Envoy to Niger Republic, Nigeria’s Abdulsalami Abubakar, a retired general and former head of state has expressed the opinion that the situation wasn’t likely to deteriorate.
He bared his mind to media men at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS.
It was gathered that President, ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Touray, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, also attended the meeting.
Gen. Abdulsalami, explained that he took advantage of his meeting with Bazoum and the coupists over the weekend to share ECOWAS’ position, while he had also delivered the peace terms proposed by the junta to sub-regional body.
The lines of dialogue and diplomacy having been effectively opened and alive point to his appointment as envoy bearing good fruits, the retired general highlighted.
Gen. Abudulsalami said, “The ECOWAS Heads of State and Government have made me an envoy to Niger Republic.
“We were there over the weekend to see the military people and discussed how to find a way out of the situation.
“That’s why I’m here, together with the President of the ECOWAS Commission, to report back to Mr. President on our discussions in Niger.
“I must say that our visit to Niger was very fruitful. It has opened an avenue to start talking and hopefully we’ll get somewhere.”
All these are happening while Mali and Burkina Faso, both members of ECOWAS, having pledged to support the military rulers in Niger Republic, already sent troops to Niamey as a backup to the Niger military.
On its part, ECOWAS has rejected the three-year transition plan hinted by Nigerien coup leader General Abdourahamane Tchiani, insisting on the use of force should dialogue fail.
The coupists are also not showing any signs of shifting grounds, and with international backing tending to be swelling in their favaour, the civil population in West Africa have cause to worry.
One of the voices of concern is former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, who called for caution, noting that firing of ammunition in Niger Republic would amount to a civil war within the WA sub-region.
According to E-Rufai, who made his positon on his verified X handle, @elrufai, sent clear caution signals to ECOWAS leaders against application of military force in the bid to restore constitutional governance in Niger Republic.
He cited the bloodlines flowing across the various divides of the geographical entities that constitute the WA sub-region and expressed his detesting any form of ‘brothers-in-arms’, which would have dire and unforeseen consequences.
He maintained that people of the Niger Republic were “one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria,” indeed.
El-Rufai tweeted, “As ECOWAS beats the drums of war, I recall the 1970s rock classic by Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’, because a war within our sub-region is a war between brothers.
“Indeed, the people of Niger Republic are one and the same with those living in Northern Nigeria.
“Let us bend therefore over backwards to avoid this civil war between brothers.”
What makes this new dimension extreme is insinuations at the global stage that the coupists had the support Russia from the get-go.
They had also called for help from the Wagner Group, which Prigozhin assured he would offer.
According to a former Russian official, Wagner and the Russian state conspired to facilitate the military coup in the landlocked WA country.
“The recent coup in Niger was carried out in close cooperation with Russian special services and Private Military Company (PMC) consultants,” claimed Russian military blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk, a former press officer for Russia’s defence ministry, who uses the alias “Rybar”.
However, in the midst of the dramatics on the international stage, the civil population in Niger Republic were said to be rallying round their coupists, as video footages seen online suggest.
The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, had also counselled President Tinubu and ECOWAS to explore diplomatic options for the resolution of the constitutional crisis in Niger Republic.
Similarly, the Northern Senators Forum (NSF) had also urged President Tinubu to exhaust all diplomatic options first.
Like El-Rufai, the NSF are concerned that deploying troops to Niger would not just dangerously expose, but hurt seven northern states, including, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Jigawa, Yobe and Borno, all of whom who share borders Nigeria’s northern neighbours.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has released the official fees and guidelines for aspirants contesting in the upcoming local government elections scheduled for July 12.
According to the document, jointly signed by the party’s State Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, and Secretary, Dr. Adeola Jokomba, chairmanship aspirants will be required to pay a nomination fee of N5 million, along with an administrative fee of N500,000.
In a bid to encourage female participation in the electoral process, the APC reduced the chairmanship nomination fee for women to N2.5 million, though the administrative fee remains at N500,000.
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Similarly, the party introduced incentives for young aspirants under the age of 40, offering them a 50% discount on the nomination fee while maintaining the administrative fee.
For aspirants living with disabilities, the party completely waived the nomination fee and fixed the administrative fee at N250,000.
Aspirants seeking councillorship positions will also pay fees, with male contenders expected to pay N1 million for the nomination form and N100,000 as an administrative fee.
Female aspirants will pay N250,000 for the nomination form, while the administrative fee remains the same.
The APC noted that youth aspirants applying for councillorship positions would also receive a 50% discount on their nomination fee, although they will still be expected to pay the full administrative fee.
For persons living with disabilities contesting for councillorship seats, the nomination form will be issued at no cost, but an administrative fee of N50,000 will apply.
The party also clarified that no separate fee will be charged for vice chairmanship positions.
“These fees shall be paid by way of bank draft in favour of the All Progressives Congress, Lagos State, State,” the guidelines stated.
Beyond the financial requirements, the APC outlined other conditions for eligibility. Chairmanship aspirants are expected to be at least 30 years old, while councillorship hopefuls must have attained the age of 25.
Academic qualifications require a minimum of a school certificate or its equivalent, with higher qualifications considered an added advantage.
The guidelines also set out the endorsement process for aspirants. For chairmanship hopefuls, five registered party members who are voters within the aspirant’s ward, local government or LCDA must endorse their nomination forms.
Councillorship aspirants will need the signatures of 20 registered party members from their wards.
The party emphasized the need for all aspirants to prove their loyalty to the APC and show active involvement in party activities.
Each candidate must also sign the party’s Code of Conduct.
“Only aspirants cleared by the Screening Committee shall be eligible to stand for election at the party’s primaries,” the guidelines noted.
In line with constitutional provisions, the APC further stressed that any party officeholder intending to contest must resign their position at least 30 days before the election or the party primary.
“All aspirants shall comply with constitutional provisions and requirements applicable to the public office they seek to contest for,” the party added.
The travails of Alabi Quadri, the chap who became famous by his rousing reception in front of the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi’s convoy during Nigeria’s 2023 election has been traced to a violent street fight in the Amukoko area of Lagos.
According to the Lagos State Police Command, the 18-year-old was arrested and charged to court after being linked to street violence in January.
This was disclosed in a statement on its X handle signed by the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, on Saturday.
According to Hundeyin, the incident happened on January 22 when a group of youths clashed in a violent street fight that caused panic in the community.
He added that several people were injured, while public and private property were damaged.
Hundeyin asserted that some innocent passersby were robbed during the chaos.
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He wrote, “The Lagos State Police Command is aware of public concerns surrounding the case of Alabi Quadri, an 18-year-old who was remanded to correctional service following his involvement in violent attacks, public disturbance, causing extensive damage to public and private properties, and injuries to persons standing by in the Amukoko area of Lagos State earlier this year.
“On January 22, 2025 to be precise, a serious breach of public peace and extensive damage to public and private properties occurred in Amukoko when groups of youths engaged in violent confrontations that escalated into street fights for all, causing widespread violence, panic, and chaos.
“During the chaos, a number of innocent passersby were reported to have been robbed and injured.”
These, the Police spokesman maintained made officers quickly swing into the matter, with the aid of community members who witnessed the event offering useful information.
He added that victims of the robbery also gave statements and identified some of those involved.
He explained further that based on the investigation, Quadri and four others were arrested and taken to court.
He noted that the court then ordered that they be kept in custody while the legal process continues.
“In response, police officers of the command immediately launched an investigation into the incident.
“More crucial information was provided by members of the community, some of whom witnessed the incident and recognised several individuals involved.
“Victims of the robbery also came forward to give statements and positively identified the perpetrators. Following a thorough and transparent investigation, Alabi Quadri and four others were arrested and charged to court in connection with the crime.
“The suspects were remanded by the court to a correctional facility pending the conclusion of legal proceedings in the matter.
“The Lagos State Police Command undoubtedly reiterates its commitment to upholding the rule of law to ensure justice in all matters and also ensuring the safety and security of all residents,” Hundeyin added.
The command expressed commitment to justice and safety for all residents, urging the public to remain calm and allow the courts to decide the case.
“All police actions taken in this case have been in the laid-down processes and in accordance with due process, procedures, and based on credible evidence gathered during the investigation.
“We urge the public to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course and be fully exhausted in the case.
“The command remains open to engaging with the general public, opinion groups, and community stakeholders to transparently clarify every concern and ensure justice is served fairly and transparently.
“It’s statutory procedure in the Criminal Justice System and codes that police actions terminate where matters are taken to court.
“Members of the general public in Lagos State are enjoined to stay calm and peaceful, and allow peace to reign to ensure justice for all,” it added.
Recall that Quadri was freed on Thursday by a Magistrate Court in Apapa following legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions, which found no evidence to support the armed robbery charge against him.
His lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, said Alabi’s arrest and detention were part of a “diabolical frame-up” by two local thugs known in the Amukoko area as Lege and Baba Waris.
According to Effiong, the two men allegedly kidnapped Quadri near his home and handed him over to the police, claiming he was part of a street fight.
Effiong maintained that he had been receiving threats from the same individuals since 2023 because he received donations from supporters of Obi.
The family was reportedly pressured by some community leaders to buy a cow and host a feast to make peace.
Although the case was initially said to be about a street fight, the police charged Quadri with armed robbery on January 26.
He was sent to prison along with four adults he didn’t know.
Quadri’s age was also wrongly recorded as 18, according to Effiong.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has revealed the real reason behind his opposition to Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition in the 2023 general election.
Speaking in a recent interview, Wike dismissed claims that his fallout with the former Vice President was rooted in Atiku’s failure to pick him as his running mate.
According to the former Rivers State Governor, his decision was based on principle and a deep-seated belief in power rotation.
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Wike argued that after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, it was only fair for power to shift to the South.
He described any arrangement that kept power in the North as unjust, regardless of personal political gains.
“I wanted power rotation; I could not have imagined that after eight years of Buhari, power would remain in the North. It is not about whether I was chosen as a running mate or not; it’s about principle. Atiku was simply not an option,” Wike stated.
When asked whether Atiku’s refusal to select him as running mate influenced his decision, Wike insisted the issue never arose, as he was never selected in the first place.
“He never dropped me as his running mate because he didn’t pick me,” Wike clarified.
Beyond the power rotation argument, the FCT Minister accused Atiku of lacking integrity. He recalled previous dealings with the former Vice President, particularly during the 2019 election cycle, which, according to him, shattered any trust he once had.
Wike recounted how Atiku, alongside former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, allegedly promised him the opportunity to nominate key figures for the attorney general and petroleum ministerial positions — a promise he claimed was never fulfilled.
“In 2019, Atiku, Saraki and Secondus came to see me and assured me I would nominate the Attorney General and Minister of Petroleum. But when the legal team was constituted, the person I was meant to nominate wasn’t even informed. I only saw it on television,” Wike narrated.
The former governor concluded that he has never trusted Atiku’s words since that experience.
“I know from day one that Atiku will never keep to his words and I’ve never banked on that. I won’t take his words to the bank,” he said.
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