Year: 2025

More than 10,000 people have been killed and hundreds of communities destroyed in Nigeria since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago, Amnesty International said on Thursday, warning of a “looming humanitarian crisis” and escalating insecurity across several northern states. In a damning new report released to mark the second anniversary of Tinubu’s presidency, the global human rights watchdog revealed that at least 10,217 people have been killed in armed attacks across Benue, Edo, Katsina, Kebbi, Plateau, Sokoto, and Zamfara states since May 29, 2023. Benue State recorded the highest number of deaths, with 6,896 people killed, followed by Plateau with 2,630 fatalities. Amnesty also reported that 672 villages were sacked by gunmen and bandits across these states, worsening mass displacement and threatening food security. “Today marks exactly two years since President Bola Tinubu assumed office with a promise to enhance security. Instead, things have only gotten worse, as the authorities continue to fail to protect the rights to life, physical integrity, liberty, and security of tens of thousands of people across the country,” said Isa Sanusi, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. The report highlighted the emergence of new armed groups—including Lakurawa in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and Mamuda in Kwara—while hundreds of villages in Benue, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Plateau, and Zamfara have been overrun by gunmen. In Zamfara alone, over 481 villages have been sacked, with 529 others reportedly under bandit control across 13 local government areas. The report documented daily attacks, including the massacre of over 20 miners in Gobirawar Chali, Zamfara, on April 24, 2025. It also detailed the destruction of entire communities, with boreholes, clinics, schools, grain reserves, and places of worship razed in Plateau and Benue. “These attacks deprive people of their right to life, while the survivors are deprived of their livelihoods,” Sanusi said. According to Amnesty, over 450,000 people in Benue and 65,000 in Plateau have been displaced, with many forced into begging, unable to farm or return to their communities. Amnesty concluded that the government’s failure to act decisively has fueled a “cycle of impunity” that emboldens armed groups and leaves millions of Nigerians at risk. “President Tinubu must fulfill his promises to Nigerians and urgently address the resurgence of the nation’s endemic security crisis. The recent escalation of attacks by Boko Haram and other armed groups shows that the security measures implemented by President Tinubu’s government are simply not working,” Sanusi added.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has affirmed Senator Monday Okpebholo as the duly elected Governor of Edo State, upholding the validity of the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). In a judgment delivered on Thursday, the appellate court ruled that Okpebholo was lawfully declared winner of the governorship election held on September 24, 2024. Justice Mohammed Danjuma, delivering the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, describing it as lacking merit. The court found that both the PDP and Ighodalo failed to establish any miscarriage of justice in the earlier decision of the Edo State Election Petition Tribunal, which had also dismissed their petition. The ruling was a unanimous decision of the three-man panel of justices at the Court of Appeal.

Chelsea meet Real Betis in the Conference League final on Wednesday, with Enzo Maresca coming up against mentor Manuel Pellegrini; Maresca spent two years playing under Pellegrini at Malaga before becoming his assistant at West Ham; the two coaches have been linked this season… Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca opened up about his relationship with his former manager Manuel Pellegrini before the pair face each other in the Conference League finalWhen Chelsea take on Manuel Pellegrini and his Real Betis side on Wednesday night, they will be facing a manager with a bigger influence on the Blues than some may think. Around 15 years ago, Pellegrini was managing in Malaga when he spotted one of his players, in his 30s, with an eye for the game – and told him to pursue a career in coaching. What now for Enzo Maresca and Chelsea after Champions League qualification? “You can often tell which players might go on to be good coaches – from the impression they have on others, how they absorb concepts in training,” said Pellegrini recently. “With both Enzo and Willy [Caballero, Chelsea assistant coach], I was sure they’d go on to become influential coaches on a global level.” Not only did Maresca become a coach, but Pellegrini took the Italian under his wing as an assistant at West Ham – and still mentors him to this day.

The Senate has approved the 2024 budget of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF), amounting to ₦124.2 billion. The approval was granted on Wednesday during plenary, following the presentation and adoption of the report by the Senate Committee on Police Affairs. Presenting the report, the Vice-Chairman of the committee, Senator Yunus Akintunde (APC-Oyo), noted that the budget had been thoroughly reviewed, with personnel costs pegged at ₦1.2 billion and capital expenditure at ₦98.6 billion. Akintunde stated that the funds would support the training of police officers, rehabilitation and construction of police stations, barracks, and clinics across the country. Additionally, the budget covers the procurement of compressed natural gas (CNG) and related interventions aimed at enhancing police operations. In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, expressed optimism that the expenditures would strengthen national security. He also urged the committee to conduct strict oversight to ensure proper utilization of the allocated funds. Read Full Details Here: https://news360ng.com/senate-approves-n124-2b-budget-for-nigeria-police-trust-fund/