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JUST IN: Makinde Announces Death of Soldier During Oyo Pupils Rescue Operation
Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday confirmed that a lieutenant of the Nigerian Army was killed during ongoing efforts to rescue abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of the state.
Naija News reports that Makinde disclosed this while addressing protesters who gathered in Ibadan, the state capital, to demand urgent action over the continued captivity of the victims.
The pupils and teachers were abducted during attacks on schools in Ahoro-Dada, Yawota and Esiele communities on May 15.
The governor said the Army officer was killed two days earlier during rescue operations aimed at securing the release of the victims.
“We have lost men, even soldiers, officers. I can confirm to you that a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army was killed two days ago,” Makinde told the protesters.
The governor did not give details of the circumstances surrounding the officer’s death. He, however, said the incident showed the danger faced by security operatives involved in the rescue operation.
Makinde assured residents that security agencies were still working to rescue the victims while trying to avoid further casualties.
He said the state government would not allow the abduction to become a prolonged national tragedy like the 2014 abduction of schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno State.
“Oyo State is not Chibok, and it will not be Chibok,” he said.
The governor added that authorities were committed to exhausting all available options to secure the release of the victims and prevent further loss of lives.
Makinde said security agencies were balancing the need for decisive action with the responsibility to protect both the captives and personnel involved in the operation.
He further stated, “We’re doing everything possible. We’ve lost a teacher already. If we can avoid losing more, we will avoid losing more.”
The governor said he was personally prepared to make sacrifices if necessary to secure the freedom of the abducted victims.
Makinde added, “But if we get to the point that certain people have to be sacrificed, including myself, we will do it. I’ve lived a good life. I’m almost 60. It doesn’t matter. My own father died at 76.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when gunmen attacked Community High School, Esiele; L.A. Primary School, Yawota; and another nearby school in Oriire Local Government Area.
The victims were reportedly taken into the Old Oyo National Park, one of Nigeria’s largest forest reserves.
One teacher, identified as Michael Oyedokun, was later killed, while other victims remain in captivity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
The affected parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
At Tuesday’s proceedings before a three-member panel of the appellate court, INEC’s legal team said it was surprised that Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment despite an earlier order of the Court of Appeal issued on May 22, which, according to the commission, was meant to halt the delivery of the verdict.
INEC further stated that it was not officially notified of the judgment and only became aware of the ruling through media reports. The commission told the court it was backing the notice of appeal filed by the affected political parties.
“My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgment of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5. We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgment. We only saw it as breaking news in the media. We therefore do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgment.”
Counsel to the parties argued that the Federal High Court acted in disregard of the judicial hierarchy, warning that the judgment could disrupt by-elections scheduled to hold in six states on June 20.
They urged the Court of Appeal to exercise its supervisory powers and immediately suspend the enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal.
“Sincerely, my Lords, a lot has happened to the judiciary and this profession. What the trial judge did was dare this Court of Appeal by insisting that no one could arrest his judgment, even after his attention was drawn to the stay order from this court.
“The action of the trial judge calls for swift and extraordinary measures from this court. We have come to the stage where this court should press the reset button.
“We are calling on this court to exercise disciplinary jurisdiction under Section 6 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. We urge this court to take disciplinary steps by immediately suspending that judgment.
“This court has the power to protect its own integrity. We pray this court suspends the judgment immediately without further delay.”
The suit that led to the deregistration order was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the five parties failed to satisfy the requirements of Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
According to the group, political parties must win at least one elective seat or secure a minimum of 25 per cent of votes in at least one state in a presidential election to retain registration.
GUNMEN attacked staff quarters of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, in the early hours of Tuesday, June 16, killing three security officers protecting the facility.
The Head of Public Affairs at NIPSS, Osime Samuel, confirmed the attack and death of three security officers. He did not give the details of the slain officers.
However, Daily Trust identified the officers as two soldiers and a police officer in a report.
Samuel stated that the situation had been brought under control through the swift intervention of security personnel and relevant agencies, adding that there was no immediate threat to participants, staff, residents or facilities of the institute.
“There is currently no threat to the safety of participants, staff, residents, or facilities of the Institute. Normal activities are continuing as scheduled,” he said.
“NIPSS is working closely with the appropriate authorities and will provide verified information as soon as it becomes available. We urge members of the public and the media to rely on official communications from the Institute and relevant security agencies,” he added.
He noted that the institute remained committed to the safety of its community and commended the professionalism of security personnel involved in the response.
However, sources told Daily Trust that the attackers appeared to have specifically targeted the residences of the Acting Director of Studies, Nima Salman-Mann, and another senior staff member, Haruna Dabin.
According to the sources, the two senior officials had received handwritten notes pasted on their doors on Saturday, demanding $100,000 and N15 million respectively, which were reportedly brought to the attention of the institute’s management before the attack.
The sources explained that while local vigilantes provide security during the day, soldiers and police personnel are stationed around the staff quarters at night, adding that the slain officers were killed during an exchange of gunfire with the assailants.
The attack on the nation’s premier policy and strategic think tank comes amid growing concerns over insecurity and the increasing vulnerability of public institutions and senior officials to violent attacks across the country.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday awarded a fine of one million Naira against the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its embattled National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, over the application seeking the judge’s withdrawal from the suit.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that ADC and Aregbesola had, in separate motions, asked Justice Peter Lifu to recuse himself from the suit filed by an aggrieved party member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, citing alleged bias.
Delivering a ruling on Tuesday, Justice Lifu held that the motions lacked merit and were devoid of credible evidence aimed at frustrating the order of the Supreme Court for an accelerated hearing of the case.
The judge held that the reasons advanced in the affidavits by the applicants were extraneous.
According to him, the court has painstakingly considered all three processes by parties and by affidavit evidence; there is no iota of bias found. “There is no element of bias being painted by the applicants as alleged,” he said. The judge recalled that the motions for recusal were filed even when the court had yet to assume jurisdiction on the case. “Where then is the element of bias in the motions for recusal?’ he asked.
The judge, who described the applications as “an abuse of court process”, said the motions were fundamentally defective. “The law is settled that allegations of bias are grave allegations which are not made lightly. “It becomes apparent that the applicants have failed completely to prove the allegations.
“It is a cheap attempt to blackmail and intimidate the court. “As I said, nobody can intimidate the court,” he said. Justice Lifu held that judges should be careful to “accede to such baseless allegations so that they don’t allow litigants to choose judges that suit them.”
He further described the applications as “forum shopping”.
He said the applicants made the allegations so that the case could be assigned to another judge that would do their bidding.
“Parties cannot choose which court they should be heard in.
“Matters are assigned to judges by the administrative head of the court, and no applicant can choose who to hear and determine their matters.
“A judge must be firm in doing justice and not dance to the whims and caprices of counsel.
“No court worth its salt should allow this,” the judge said.
Justice Lifu, who said the entire application was based on speculation, said if allowed, lawyers could use this as a tool against the court when they know a case would not favour them.
According to him, if this application is granted in the absence of credible evidence, it will set a dangerous precedent.
“On the whole, I found no merit in the application, and it is hereby dismissed with N500,000 cost each against the applicants and in favour of the plaintiff,” the judge ruled.
Earlier when the case was called, a lawyer, Kalu-Kalu Agu, who appeared for Nkemakolam Ukandu, the National Welfare Secretary of ADC, challenged the judge from delivering the ruling, having ordered the deregistration of ADC in his judgement on Monday.
NAN reports that Agu, on behalf of Ukandu, had filed a motion seeking to be joined in Gombe’s suit.
The lawyer reminded the judge of his previous day’s judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister ADC, having failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
“My lord, the clerk of this court did mention the matter is slated for a ruling today. “In view of your lordship’s ruling and the continuous existence of the 1st defendant (ADC) in this matter, and having been declared dead, I don’t see any reason why this ruling should continue. “In your judgment, this court ordered INEC to deregister the 1st defendant. So in the eye of the law, the 1st defendant is not existing,” Agu submitted.
“Are you a party in this suit?” Justice Lifu asked.
“Yes, I am my lord,” Agu responded. “Who joined you, or did you join yourself in your chambers?” the judge asked.
In his reaction, Gombe’s lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, disagreed with Agu’s submission that he was a party in the suit. Emukpoeruo said he was yet to read the judgement mentioned by Agu; hence, it had no relevance in the instance proceedings.
He said by Order 9 Rule 14(4) of the court, until Ukandu is joined by the judge, he is yet to be a party. When Agu attempted to respond to Emukpoeruo’s submission, the judge threatened to invoke the powers of the court on him. Realwan Okpanachi, who appeared for Aregbesola; Suleiman Usman, SAN, lawyer to Sen. David Mark; and Peter Oyewole, who represented Chief Ralph Nwosu, also made their respective submissions.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu said the instant case was distinct from Monday’s matter, where a judgement was delivered against ADC. After the ruling, the case was adjourned until June 23 for hearing of all pending applications.
NAN reports that Gombe, in the suit, is seeking an order restraining Sen. Mark, the embattled National Chairman of ADC; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary; and members of their interim National Working Committee (NWC) from parading themselves as the party’s leaders.
He had argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other NWC members as the party’s leaders breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Gombe had sued ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ralph Nwosu as the 1st to 5th defendants, respectively, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. Nwosu was the former ADC National Chairman who stepped down for David Mark’s leadership of the party. (NAN)
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