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Gumi’s Red Line: When tolerance becomes complicity

By Kachi Okezie, Esq.

For years, Nigeria has teetered on the precipice of a security abyss. From the scorched earth tactics of Boko Haram in the Northeast to the predatory kidnappings of bandit groups in the Northwest, and now the encroaching shadows of the Lakurawa and ISWAP, the Nigerian state is fighting a multi-front war for its very soul. Yet, as the nation bleeds, a discordant and dangerous note continues to ring out from the pulpits of Kaduna.

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, a man whose clerical robes once commanded respect, has increasingly transitioned from a self-appointed mediator to a sophisticated apologist for the very forces tearing the federation apart. His recent denunciation of Nigeria’s security cooperation with the United States marks a definitive crossing of the “red line.” It is no longer possible to view Gumi’s interventions as mere eccentric peacemaking.

When a prominent figure actively seeks to sabotage international alliances essential for dismantling terror networks, while simultaneously laundering the image of mass murderers, his rhetoric shifts from dissent to a form of ideological complicity. The Nigerian government’s continued silence is no longer an act of political patience; it is a dereliction of its primary duty to protect its citizens.

To understand the danger of Gumi’s current stance, one must look at the long and troubling trajectory of his involvement in global and domestic security crises. This is not a man who accidentally stumbled into controversy; his history suggests a pattern of proximity to radicalism that the Nigerian state has consistently chosen to ignore.

In 2010, the world was introduced to the darker underside of Gumi’s international connections when he was arrested and detained for over six months by the Saudi Arabian government. The arrest was not a local whim but a direct request from the United States government. American intelligence, while investigating the “underwear bomber,” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, discovered that Gumi had been exchanging emails with the young terrorist shortly before his failed attempt to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight over Detroit on Christmas Day, 2009.

The details of that case remain a chilling reminder of the stakes involved. Abdulmutallab, then only 23, was carrying a device designed to kill 289 innocent people in retaliation for what he called “US tyranny.” He was inspired by Anwar al-Awlaki, a notorious Al-Qaeda cleric. That Gumi was the one corresponding with such an individual should have been a permanent stain on his reputation and a red flag for Nigerian intelligence. Instead, Gumi was held under house arrest in Mecca until the Nigerian government, led by then-Vice President Namadi Sambo, leveraged diplomatic weight to negotiate his release.

While Gumi claimed innocence and alleged a global conspiracy against him, the fact remains that a sitting Nigerian administration expended precious diplomatic capital to bring back a man who was, at the very least, a person of interest in a global terror investigation. This was the first major instance of the Nigerian state choosing to protect a powerful clerical figure over the rigorous demands of global counter-terrorism standards. This historical shielding has seemingly emboldened him, creating a sense of untouchability that haunts our national security apparatus to this day.

Since his return and the subsequent escalation of the banditry crisis, Gumi has carved out a niche as the “bandit whisperer.” He has trekked into the deep recesses of the forests, not to demand unconditional surrender on behalf of the state, but to offer excuses for the inexcusable. In Gumi’s worldview, the “bandits”—men who raze villages, rape women, and execute schoolchildren—are merely “aggrieved” victims of neglect. He has consistently downplayed their atrocities, framing their violence as a justified reaction to socioeconomic marginalization or the loss of grazing lands. By doing so, he provides a moral shield for terrorists.

He has visited their camps, posed for photographs with men brandishing assault rifles, and returned to the cities to demand that the government pay them “compensation” and grant them amnesty. He insists they should not even be called criminals. This is not diplomacy; it is the legitimization of criminality. When a cleric of his stature treats a warlord as an equal stakeholder in a negotiation, he undermines the authority of the Nigerian state and the morale of the soldiers dying in the trenches to uphold it. He effectively tells the terrorist that their violence has earned them a seat at the table, and he tells the victim that their suffering is a secondary consideration to the “grievances” of their oppressor.

Gumi’s latest outburst targets the burgeoning security partnership between Nigeria and the United States. As the threat of the Lakurawa—a radical sect with links to Sahelian jihadists—grows, Nigeria has sought to leverage global intelligence, surveillance, and tactical support. This is a logical, sovereign decision by a nation under siege.

However, Gumi has characterized this cooperation as a submission to “imperial tendencies.” He claims that American involvement will act as a lightning rod, attracting anti-American extremist groups to Nigerian soil. This argument is not only intellectually dishonest but dangerously inflammatory. Nigeria is already the epicenter of some of the world’s deadliest terrorist organizations. Boko Haram and ISWAP did not need “American imperialists” to justify their decade-long campaign of carnage. To suggest that seeking help to stop the slaughter is what “attracts” terror is a classic exercise in victim-blaming and mirrors the very rhetoric used by Abdulmutallab to justify his failed Detroit bombing.

Furthermore, Gumi’s proposed alternatives—Turkey, Pakistan, and China—reveal a profound naivety, or perhaps a more calculated desire to pivot Nigeria away from Western democratic oversight. While every nation pursues its own interests, Gumi’s suggestion that these specific countries offer a “safer” or “cleaner” partnership is baseless. Pakistan has spent decades grappling with the blowback of its own complex relationship with non-state actors; Turkey is deeply enmeshed in the fractured politics of the Middle East and Libya; and China’s security exports are often tied to opaque debt-traps and resource extraction. To discard a strategic partnership with the world’s leading intelligence power in favour of a haphazard pivot to the East—based solely on ideological resentment—is an insult to the professional intelligence community of Nigeria. It suggests that Gumi is more interested in ideological posturing than in the practical reality of stopping the next village raid.

The most irritating aspect of the “Gumi phenomenon” is not the man himself, but the vacuum of authority that allows him to thrive. For too long, the Nigerian government has watched from the sidelines. There is a palpable sense that the state is “sleeping on its watch,” paralyzed by a fear of the political fallout that might come from confronting a member of a powerful northern clerical family. This inaction has created a culture of impunity. When a regular citizen expresses dissent, they are often met with the full weight of the law. Yet, Gumi is permitted to traverse the country, meeting with wanted men, echoing their propaganda, and casting aspersions on the nation’s defense policy without consequence. This double standard erodes the rule of law.

The government’s “wait-and-see” approach has been interpreted by the terrorists as a sign of weakness. If the state cannot even silence the tongue of a civilian apologist who has a history of questionable international correspondences, how can it hope to break the back of an armed insurgency? Gumi’s rhetoric emboldens the forest-dwellers; it gives them the impression that they have an “advocate” in the city who can tie the government’s hands through public pressure and religious sentiment.

True sovereignty is the ability of a state to protect its borders and its people. When Sheikh Gumi suggests that Nigeria should avoid certain allies because it might “offend” the sensibilities of global extremist movements, he is advocating for a surrender of that sovereignty. He is essentially suggesting that Nigeria’s foreign policy should be dictated by the fears of what terrorists might think.

The “Red Line” has been crossed because Gumi’s activities have moved beyond the realm of free speech into the territory of national security risk. Free speech does not grant one the right to coordinate with enemies of the state or to actively sabotage the military’s international support structures. In any other nation facing an existential threat, such actions would be investigated as economic or security sabotage.

The time for “dialogue” with Gumi has passed. The government must now demonstrate the political will to uphold the integrity of the Nigerian state. This does not mean a crackdown on Islam or a suppression of legitimate northern grievances; rather, it means drawing a clear distinction between religious leadership and the promotion of anarchy.

The security agencies must investigate the nature of Gumi’s “mediations” with a fresh eye, considering his past links to international radicalisation. What information is being shared? Is there a financial trail involved in the negotiations he has facilitated? The public deserves to know if these interventions have truly saved lives or if they have merely funded the purchase of more weapons for the bandits. The government must officially and forcefully distance itself from Gumi’s rhetoric. There must be a clear communication strategy that refutes his claims of “aggrieved bandits” and re-centres the conversation on the victims and the necessity of state force.

Rather than being cowed by Gumi’s “imperialist” labels, the Nigerian government should deepen its cooperation with the US and other allies.modern Modern counter-insurgency requires technology—drones, satellite imagery, and cyber-intelligence—that Nigeria currently needs to bolster. National security is too important to be sacrificed on the altar of Gumi’s outdated geopolitical biases. If Gumi’s statements continue to incite disaffection against the military or provide material support to proscribed groups, the Ministry of Justice must be prepared to act. No one, regardless of their clerical standing or family lineage, is above the law. Nigeria is a nation of resilient, hardworking people who deserve to sleep without the fear of being dragged into the forest. They deserve a government that treats security as a non-negotiable priority, not a subject for endless debate with extremist sympathizers. Sheikh Gumi’s antics have become a distraction at best and a danger at worst.

By constantly shifting the blame from the killers to the state, and from the terrorists to our international partners, he has made himself a clog in the wheel of national progress. The silence of the Presidency and the security chiefs is being interpreted as complicity. To restore the nation’s dignity, the government must prove that the state still holds the monopoly on the legitimate use of force and the direction of national policy. The red line has been crossed. It is time for the government to wake up, stand firm, and remind both the cleric and the criminal that Nigeria is not for sale, nor is it up for negotiation with those who seek its ruin.

The views expressed by contributors are strictly personal and not of Law & Society Magazine.

As Trump’s bruised hand sparks health rumors, he blames aspirin, denies napping

New bruising on Donald Trump’s left hand is reviving questions about his health nearly one year after he became the oldest president to take the oath of office.

Across a series of events last week, the 79-year-old Trump appeared with discoloration or light bruising on the back of his left hand, in addition to the more persistent bruise on his right hand that has been visible for months.

The new bruise appears to complicate the White House’s explanation that the right-handed Trump developed the bruising through constant handshaking along with a regular regimen of aspirin that can make such discoloration more common.

And while medical experts told CNN there is no fresh cause for concern, calling it a likely benign condition common in older people, they warned that Trump’s reluctance to be more transparent about his health only threatens to intensify the scrutiny that he’s struggled all year to escape.

“They’re just feeding the curiosity cycle,” said Dr. Jeffrey Linder, chief of general internal medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. “He’s in the public eye, he has a certain image he wants to portray, and even these minor things detract from that image.”

The fresh bruising on Trump’s left hand represents the latest development to fuel speculation about his health since he returned to the White House — a sensitive topic for him that he’s sought to counter by boasting frequently about his vigour.

Trump won last year in part by fanning voter concerns about former President Joe Biden’s age and mental and physical fitness for office. Trump has continued to use Biden, 83, as a rhetorical foil and rejected any comparisons with the former president despite their closeness in age, often disparaging his predecessor’s frailty and punctuating his own public events by asking, “Do you think Biden could do that?”

Yet while Trump has maintained a far more active public schedule, he’s nevertheless been hounded at times by his own set of health questions. After photos over the summer showed swelling in his legs, the White House announced in July that Trump had been diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency — a common condition frequently found in older people.

Asked this week about the bruising on Trump’s left hand, the White House declined to issue any new explanation.

“President Trump is a man of the people and he meets more Americans and shakes their hands on a daily basis than any other President in history,” press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Several medical experts who reviewed photos of Trump’s left hand told CNN that the discoloration wasn’t likely the result of handshaking — given Trump is right-handed — but that his age and aspirin regimen meant there could be some similar explanation.

“Bruising can be just simply a one-off thing when you have some trauma, you bump into something,” said Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and who was a longtime cardiologist for former Vice President Dick Cheney. “Aspirin will make you more prone to bleeding.”

Reiner, who cautioned he has not personally examined Trump, added that he frequently sees similar bruising in patients who take stronger blood-thinner medications than aspirin, raising questions about whether Trump has disclosed all of the medicines he’s on.

Such medications are common and not an indication of any bigger health concern, he said, pointing to Biden’s disclosure of his use of the blood thinner Eliquis while in office.

“The question now is less medical than it is transparency,” Reiner said.

The White House did not respond to questions about Trump’s medications and whether he has fully disclosed them all, instead criticizing the scrutiny over his health.

“Any so-called medical professionals engaging in armchair diagnosis or false speculation for political purposes are clearly breaking the Hippocratic Oath they’ve sworn to, and they should get their head examined,” communications director Steven Cheung said in a statement.

From bruising to snoozing, a year of heightened scrutiny

Trump has long had bruising on his right hand, which CNN has reported predated his return to the White House. But it drew more attention after he began trying to cover it with heavy makeup and bandages and shield it from cameras with his other hand — moves that only heightened suspicions.

The White House addressed the right-hand bruising at the same time as the announcement of his chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis. A letter released from his doctor at the time said, “President Trump remains in excellent health.”

In October, Trump returned to Walter Reed after his April physical for an abrupt second visit, which the White House labelled a “routine” checkup, before the president later revealed he received an MRI. The vague disclosure — Trump initially said it was “perfect” but also told reporters he didn’t know which part of his body was imaged — and the administration’s reluctance to offer more specifics spurred a flurry of concern over why his doctors had ordered the scan.

Weeks later, Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Barbabella, said in a memo that Trump’s medical imaging was of his cardiovascular and abdominal systems and that both showed “perfectly normal” results. It added that the “advanced imaging was performed because men in his age group benefit from a thorough evaluation of cardiovascular and abdominal health.”

Reiner told CNN at the time that Trump’s medical screening was not standard procedure. “This, obviously, was performed in response to some clinical concern,” he said. The reason for the screening is “probably not so nefarious,” he added, but suggested it’d be better for the administration to be more forthcoming to avoid that speculation.

Inside the White House, officials have bristled at the demands for more disclosure, viewing those questions primarily as politically motivated and aimed at sowing doubts about Trump’s vitality.

After the president appeared to briefly nod off during an Oval Office event last month, the White House denied that he’d fallen asleep and decried it as “a garbage narrative.” A New York Times report days later examining Trump’s health and daily schedule provoked the personal ire of the president, who called it a “hit piece” in a social media post. But during a Cabinet meeting earlier this month, Trump again spent an hour appearing to doze off. (The White House pushed back, saying that Trump had been “listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting.”)

Now, the photos of Trump’s left hand — which have already circulated for days on social media — are adding to what voters see as they watch a second-term president on the verge of entering his eighth decade.

Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian and research scholar at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, warned that while all administrations face pressure to be transparent about the president’s health, Trump’s insistence on projecting an image of unfaltering vitality means even the smallest displays of vulnerability are likely to attract intense scrutiny.

“The president is not young,” he said. “And when things are oversold and then there’s a perceived deficiency, its importance is magnified.”

CNN

Where Is Erin Brockovich Now? All about the woman that forced corporate America to reckon with environmental crimes

Attorney Ed Masry and Erin Brockovich speak before a state Senate committee hearing held at Burbank City Hall on chromium-6 in the public water supply. Boris Yaro/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

By Jessica Sager 

Erin Brockovich made history as an activist fighting for clean water, but it wasn’t until Julia Roberts starred in the eponymous movie about her life that she became a household name.

In 1993, the mom of three became a whistleblower when she noticed illnesses in Hinkley, Calif., may have been tied to a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) plant. Three years later, the case was settled, breaking the record for the largest settlement in a direct-action lawsuit. Brockovich continued working in law and four years after the settlement, her story was immortalized in the award-winning film.

Since then, Brockovich has inspired new generations of advocates — many of them mothers — to fight against water contamination in their communities.

“I remember going to watch the film by myself and listening to comments as people walked out of the theater,” she recalled to PEOPLE in 2020. “[They said,] ‘I could do that.’ ‘Well, I wonder if our water is okay.’ ‘I wonder if that would happen to us. Maybe it already is us.’ “

Read Also: The lawsuit that forced corporate America to reckon with environmental crimes

Since winning one of the biggest direct-action lawsuits and inspiring an Oscar-winning film, Brockovich hasn’t taken a break from fighting for what she believes in.

Here is everything to know about where Erin Brockovich is now.

Who is Erin Brockovich?

Brockovich is a consumer advocate and environmental activist. She was born Erin Pattee on June 22, 1960, in Lawrence, Kan., and struggled academically as a child because of her dyslexia. After studying briefly at Kansas State University and eventually getting an associate’s degree from Wade College in Dallas, she worked pageant circuits. Brockovich also married and divorced twice during this time.

Her second husband, Steven Brockovich, lived in southern California, and after their split, Brockovich and her kids moved to Los Angeles, per The Gentlewoman.

Brockovich got involved in the legal profession after hiring attorney Ed Masry to represent her in a lawsuit over a car crash. They lost the case but Masry later hired Brockovich as a file clerk for his firm at her insistence.

Brockovich then started investigating PG&E for allegedly leaking toxic levels of the chemical hexavalent chromium (also called chromium-6) into the groundwater of the small town of Hinkley, she recalled on her website. Residents reportedly suffered from ailments ranging from rashes and nosebleeds to higher rates of cancer.

Masry teamed up with Brockovich to sue the utility company on behalf of Hinkley residents impacted by the contamination, winning a historic $333 million settlement in 1996.

What did Erin Brockovich discover?

While working through files for a pro bono real estate case in 1993, Brockovich found medical records that led her to launch an investigation into the Hinkley water supply. She discovered that a PG&E natural gas compressor leaked hexavalent chromium — an additive used to prevent metal from rusting in its cooling towers — into unlined wastewater ponds in the small San Bernardino County town from 1952 until 1966.

The Center for Public Integrity also alleged that PG&E didn’t inform local water boards about the dumping until 21 years later in 1987.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, chromium-6 is a carcinogen, meaning it can cause mutations in cells, leading to cancer, especially if consumed in drinking water. In Brockovich’s findings, plaintiffs in the lawsuit also suffered from miscarriages, skin rashes and digestive issues, per The Guardian.

Why was Erin Brockovich’s story made into a movie?

The movie came about through accidental networking: Brockovich told a chiropractor friend of hers about her work, who then shared it with another friend, Carla Shamberg, who was married to producer Michael Shamberg. At the time, the filmmaker was partnered with Danny DeVito on the Jersey Films production company.

Brockovich told Vulture in 2020 that she eventually met with Carla, Michael and DeVito about the movie rights to her story, but didn’t think it would necessarily go anywhere. In fact, she said the entire process didn’t even seem real to her until she saw the finished film — in which she cameos as a waitress named “Julia R.”

Brockovich said that the film was “98% accurate” and that she was thrilled with Soderbergh and Jersey Films’ work, but that she did wish more real-life players were featured.

“I did know that how the people of Hinkley were going to feel [about the movie] was important to us,” she told Vulture. “There were a lot of other people that were involved in this case, other firms, and everybody played a role. I wish they all could have just been seen in the movie. I did worry about how they would feel.”

Roberts, whom Brockovich described as “very warm,” won the 2001 Best Actress Oscar for her performance, but the film’s fame took a toll on Brockovich’s family life.

Brockovich said in a 20/20 primetime special The Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story, that her three children struggled with her high profile.

“I mean, I had to work. I wasn’t making a fortune,” Brockovich said in 2021. “I didn’t see them as often. I think it was tough on them.”

What did Erin Brockovich get from the PG&E settlement?

Brockovich got a $2.5 million payout as a part of her fee in the PG&E settlement, per The Guardian. However, the paralegal said the money didn’t last long.

Brockovich said she paid $1 million in taxes and bought a $1 million mansion that needed extensive repairs due to toxic mold, per The New York Times. She also reportedly gave an ex a $40,000 settlement and spent $250,000 on rehabilitation services for her two older children, who struggled with substance abuse.

“My children weren’t used to this kind of home, it was like going from rags to riches overnight and I think it catapulted them into a faster lifestyle than they were used to,” she told The Guardian in 2001. “I was so guilt-ridden, having been gone and working, that I found myself going overboard and giving and giving and giving.”

Did Erin Brockovich actually get sick?

In a scene cut from the film, Brockovich was hospitalized. In reality, she did fall ill during her investigation into PG&E. Brockovich told The Hollywood Reporter in 2020 that she believes her illness was caused by the water in Hinkley.

“My white [blood cell] count was dropping dramatically. My immune system was failing,” she said, adding that she still regularly has her white blood cell counts monitored. “I still worry about it today.”

Are George and Erin Brockovich still together?

Brockovich and her then-boyfriend George (played in the film by Aaron Eckhart) split right around the time that Erin Brockovich premiered, and he’s since died.

“George had a brain tumor and there were a lot of things going on that I don’t think a lot of us understood,” Brockovich told Vulture in 2020. “George was a very unique man, and he was so great with my children.”

The activist went on, acknowledging how his help allowed her to play such a big role in the PG&E case. “I wouldn’t have really been able to, in my opinion, have given as much time as I did Hinkley — and I had become obsessed with these people in the situation of what was going on — had I not known that George was there for my kids,” Brockovich said.

Where is Erin Brockovich now?

In 2003, Brockovich hosted her own Lifetime series, Final Justice with Erin Brockovich, and has worked as a consultant on building safer communities for nearly 20 years.

The original film isn’t the only time her story has been fictionalized, either. In 2021, the ABC series Rebel, loosely inspired by Brockovich’s life, premiered with Katey Sagal in the starring role.

As a consumer health advocate, Brockovich has continued her activism for decades. She’s worked to raise awareness of water contamination (particularly in Flint, Mich.), harmful medical devices, climate change and corporations’ environmental and health impacts on communities, including the 2023 East Palestine train derailment and its aftermath.

Brockovich also told PEOPLE that becoming a grandmother in 2013 “reinvigorated” her urge to fight to leave a safer world for her grandchildren, as well as a legacy that would make them proud.

The activist’s book Superman’s Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It was published in 2020.

“I want us to understand the importance of water,” Brockovich told PEOPLE at the time. “I don’t know that we understand the tipping point that we’re at, and what we can do in our own towns to empower ourselves so we have safer water.”

She added, “The hope is when people know better, they do better and they rise up. We can turn that tide. I’m going to believe that until the day I die.”

In March 2025, Brockovich became a global ambassador for Made By Dyslexia, a charity whose mission is to teach the world about the brilliance of dyslexic thinking.

“Even at 64 years old, the stigma is still not gone. The judgment is still there,” she said on the Lessons in Dyslexic Thinking podcast as someone who was diagnosed with dyslexia as a child. “If we don’t find these people, our brightest minds are going to slide right through the cracks, and we need them.”

Culled from People

Teenagers among 40 dead as champagne sparklers ignite Swiss nightclub fire

  • Survivors face long road to recovery

Switzerland is grappling with one of its deadliest peacetime disasters after a fire ripped through a packed Alpine nightclub during New Year’s Eve celebrations, killing at least 40 people and leaving dozens critically injured.

The blaze broke out around 1:30 a.m. local time at Le Constellation in Crans-Montana, a popular ski resort destination in Europe. Early reports suggest the fire was sparked by sparklers attached to champagne bottles that were held too close to the ceiling, which was lined with soundproofing or insulation. The flames spread with terrifying speed across the basement venue, trapping revellers inside.

Eyewitnesses describe chaos as panicked partygoers surged toward the narrow stairway and small exit doors. Many smashed windows to escape, while some hid behind overturned tables to protect themselves from the fire. Video footage circulating online shows the ceiling alight as the crowd desperately tried to put out the flames.

“The smoke made it impossible to see the exits,” said Valais Chief Prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud. “Many people could not find their way out despite multiple emergency exits.”

The victims include a mix of locals and international visitors, with teenagers among the dead. Swiss law permits 16-year-olds to drink wine and beer, and many of the partygoers were young. Authorities have confirmed that injured individuals include citizens from France, Italy, Serbia, Belgium, Bosnia, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and other countries.

Hospitals in the region were quickly overwhelmed. The intensive care unit and operating rooms reached capacity, with about 50 patients transferred to specialised burn centres across Europe. Doctors warn that the severity of the burns will require prolonged treatment, and some survivors face months of rehabilitation.

Authorities have emphasised that no criminal liability has yet been determined. While investigating the incident, officials are analysing videos and inspecting the acoustic foam on the ceiling for compliance with safety regulations. Police and prosecutors continue to identify victims and assess the causes of the fire.

“This is one of the worst tragedies in recent memory for our region,” said Eric Bonvin, director of the regional hospital in Sion. “Families are desperate for information, and the care of victims remains our top priority.”

The fire has raised urgent questions about safety protocols at entertainment venues, emergency preparedness, and the accessibility of flammable materials like sparklers. Pilloud noted that sparklers are widely available and do not require special permits.

As Switzerland mourns, officials continue to investigate, and the international community has expressed solidarity with the victims and their families. Red-and-white caution tape now surrounds the site, where candles and flowers have been placed to honour those who perished in the devastating blaze.

Nigerian Educators, Mukaddas and Akinsulure make 2026 global teacher prize top 50

Two Nigerian teachers, Tijani Mukaddas and Adeola Akinsulure, have been shortlisted among the world’s top 50 educators for the GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize 2026, a prestigious Varkey Foundation initiative, organised in partnership with UNESCO. 

Mukaddas, a science teacher and founder of the Transit School Initiative in Abuja, earned recognition for tackling Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis. His flexible, skills-based learning model has helped his community to become the first in the country to record zero out-of-school children. The model, now adopted nationally, has benefited over one million vulnerable children through mobile teaching, digital lesson recordings, safe spaces for girls, house-to-house enrolment drives and an accelerated curriculum that blends academics with vocational skills.

Akinsulure, a Biology teacher at Omole Senior Grammar School, Ikeja, Lagos, was recognised for transforming students’ performance, despite overcrowded classrooms and limited technology. Through creative, low-cost teaching methods such as role-play, edutainment and short animated videos, she simplified complex science concepts, raising students’ pass rates in regional Biology examinations from 45.3 per cent in 2021 to 99 per cent in 2022. Beyond her classroom, she has trained more than 30,000 pre-service and in-service teachers nationwide, enabling wider adoption of her innovative strategies.

Congratulating the Nigerian educators, founder of the Global Teacher Prize and GEMS Education, Sunny Varkey, said that the initiative was created to spotlight teachers whose dedication, creativity and compassion deserve global recognition. 

UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Education, Stefania Giannini, also lauded the role of teachers worldwide, describing them as central to educational transformation.

The global teacher prize, the largest of its kind, will narrow the shortlist to 10 finalists. The overall winner will be announced at the World Governments Summit in Dubai between February 3 and 5, 2026.

ThisDay

The role of state consent in international law and the us strikes on Nigerian soil, by Prof M.T Ladan

Ex-Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS) and distinguished legal scholar Professor M.T. Ladan highlights that state consent is the primary determinant in whether nations comply with or violate principles of international law, as interpreted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). He also examines the potential avenues for accountability and remedial measures moving forward.

1. Context:

The December 25, 2025, U.S. airstrikes in Sokoto were officially framed by both nations as a collaborative counter-terrorism effort with Nigerian government consent, which is central to the legal analysis of territorial sovereignty The core legal debate under international law and Nigerian constitutional law revolves around whether genuine, constitutionally-compliant consent was granted and the nature of the operation itself.

●Nigerian Consent to the U.S. Operation, When, and How Granted?:

Nigerian officials, including the Foreign Minister and Director of Defence Information, stated the operation was a “joint operation” conducted with the “explicit approval” of President Bola Tinubu and “in coordination with Nigerian authorities”. The U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) corroborated this, stating the strikes were conducted “at the request of Nigerian authorities.”

●Source of Launch: The strikes were reportedly launched using Tomahawk missiles from a U.S. Navy warship in the Gulf of Guinea, rather than a fixed U.S. military base in Nigeria itself, as Nigeria has historically opposed the establishment of foreign bases on its soil.

●Constitutional Compliance: Nigeria’s constitution requires specific procedures for external military operations on its territory. The debate focuses on whether presidential “approval” is sufficient or if legislative oversight (such as National Assembly approval) was required, particularly as the action was a direct foreign military intervention. Critics argue that the government’s belated and differing public statements (compared to the U.S. President’s immediate announcement suggests a lack of full, transparent compliance with national protocols, potentially undermining Nigeria’s sovereignty.

2. Compliance Or Violation of International Law and ICJ Principles:

●The legality of the U.S. action is primarily assessed under the UN Charter and customary international law regarding the use of force, specifically the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention, and self-defense.

●Territorial Sovereignty and Non-Intervention Principles: Under Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, all states must respect the territorial integrity and political independence of other states. The core ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Nicaragua v. United States case (1986) established that any intervention by one state in the internal or external affairs of another is a violation of international law.

●Application (With Consent): Valid consent from the host state makes a foreign military operation lawful, as it is no longer an “intervention” in the prohibited sense. If Nigeria’s consent was legitimate and constitutionally valid, the U.S. action would likely be compliant with international law, provided the operations adhered to international humanitarian law (targeting only combatants and minimizing civilian harm).

●Application (Without Consent): If Nigeria’s consent was absent, invalid, or merely a diplomatic cover, the U.S. strike would constitute a direct violation of Nigeria’s territorial sovereignty and the ICJ principles outlined in the Nicaragua case.

●Self-Defense Principle: Article 51 of the UN Charter permits the use of force in collective or individual self-defense against an “armed attack.”

●Application: The U.S. framed the strikes as counter-terrorism efforts against an ISIS affiliate. For the “collective self-defense” argument to hold up, there must be an armed attack on Nigeria, and Nigeria must request assistance.

●The “pretext of protecting Christians” narrative, which some sources suggest, was a domestic U.S. political framing rather than a legal justification could complicate this if it implied a unilateral, uninvited intervention.

●International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
Principle: Even in a lawful operation, IHL (e.g., Geneva Conventions principles) requires distinction between combatants and civilians, proportionality, and precaution.

●Application: Reports of debris falling in civilian areas (Jabo and Offa, Kwara State) and questions about the precision of the strikes raised concerns about potential IHL violations, which would carry serious legal implications regardless of Nigerian consent.

●Nigerian and US military officials stated that the operation was intelligence-driven, targeted specific militant camps, and reportedly resulted in no civilian casualties, indicating an intent to comply with IHL.

●Hence, the key determinant of a violation or otherwise lies in the legal validity and scope of the Nigerian government’s consent under both domestic and international law.

3. LEGALITY BY CONSENT: Under international law, a sovereign state can consent to another state conducting military operations within its territory to address threats like terrorism. This consent negates the argument of a violation of sovereignty.

●Official Framing: Nigerian officials consistently framed the action as a “joint operation” or “precision hits on terrorist targets” to protect all Nigerians, contradicting the U.S. President’s focus on protecting only Christians.

●If the Strikes Were Unilateral (Without Consent) or had the U.S. conducted the strikes without Nigerian government consent, it would have constituted a clear violation of key international laws and principles, based on the following core ICJ rulings:

●Violation of the UN Charter: Article 2(4) of the UN Charter generally prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state. Unilateral military action in another country’s territory is a breach of this fundamental rule, unless authorized by the UN Security Council under Chapter VII or done in self-defense (neither of which was the public justification here).

●Breach of Territorial Sovereignty: The principle of state sovereignty is foundational to international law. It grants every state exclusive control over its territory, free from external interference. The ICJ, in cases like the Nicaragua v. United States (1986) case, affirmed that the unauthorized presence and military action of foreign forces on another state’s territory is a violation of its sovereignty and a breach of the principle of non-intervention.

●Violation of the Principle of Non-Intervention: This principle, a well-established rule of customary international law, prohibits states from coercively interfering in the internal or external affairs of another state. The ICJ in the Nicaragua case held that “coercion…forms the very essence of prohibited intervention”. Unilateral armed intervention, even for purported humanitarian reasons or to protect a specific group without host-state consent, is considered an illegal act of coercion in international law.

●Pretext of Protecting Christians: While the U.S. President announced the strikes were in response to the “slaughtering of Christians,” the motive does not, in itself, provide a legal justification for bypassing the requirement for state consent in international law. Intervention for the sake of protecting a specific religious group, without Security Council authorization or an invitation from the host nation, lacks a clear basis in the UN Charter framework and could be seen as selective interference.

4. ANY EVIDENCE OF HARM and Accountability Measures:

●There are conflicting reports regarding the impact of the strikes as at 30th December 2025.
Official claims: Both U.S. and Nigerian officials stated that multiple ISIS militants were killed in the targeted areas (primarily the Bauni forest axis of the Tangaza Local Government Area) and stressed that no civilian casualties or harm to civilian objects were recorded.

●Lack of independent verification: There is little publicly available evidence beyond official statements to substantiate claims of success or verify the exact number of terrorists killed or the extent of any civilian harm, which has led to calls for transparency from local groups and opposition parties.

■ACCOUNTABILITY AND REMEDIAL MEASURES:

Given the conflicting reports and the official stance of a joint operation, options for accountability and remedial measures would likely follow these paths:

●Against the Nigerian government , potential domestic legal mechanisms exist:

• Affected individuals (if any are confirmed) could potentially seek compensation through the Nigerian courts if they can prove negligence or improper targeting by the Nigerian military during the joint operation, although this can be a difficult process. On government compensation, the Nigerian Air Force has historically compensated victims of past accidental airstrikes. If civilian harm is officially acknowledged, similar ad-hoc compensation might be available. Remedial Measures could include official apologies, investigations, disciplinary action against personnel, and potentially reparations or compensation for victims and their families if harm is confirmed.

● The key area for potential accountability lies in the adherence to IHL and the verification of civilian casualties, with potential remedial measures involving compensation if harm is proven.

● Against the United States, available Diplomatic/State level measures may be explored. Any formal action against the U.S. would typically need to be pursued by the Nigerian state.

• The first step would be a joint U.S.-Nigeria investigation (or potentially an independent international body) to verify on-the-ground impacts, particularly concerning local claims of non-terrorist targets being hit or property damage.

•Remediation: If civilian harm is verified, accountability and remedial measures could include:

Apology and Official acknowledgement of harm by the U.S. and Nigerian governments.
Compensation: Financial compensation for affected civilians and for the repair of civilian objects damaged during the strikes.

Policy Review: A review of intelligence and targeting protocols to prevent future incidents.

•Why/How: Accountability would be pursued through diplomatic channels and existing bilateral agreements between the U.S. and Nigeria, rather than the ICJ, which typically only hears cases between states and requires both states to consent to its jurisdiction.

•The operation was executed as a collaborative security effort, thus avoiding a direct legal challenge to sovereignty that a unilateral U.S. attack would have entailed.

Kwara Government House Attack: Womanifesto demands arrests, answers, and action

In a shocking escalation of state-related violence, women protesting peacefully at the Kwara State Government House in Ilorin were brutally attacked, sparking outrage across Nigeria.

The protest, organised by women seeking urgent action over the worsening insecurity in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun Local Government Area, targeted the abduction of their husbands and children—some held captive for months without intervention.

Eyewitnesses and widely circulated video footage show men armed with canes emerging from the Government House premises to beat and chase the protesters. Police officers present allegedly failed to intervene, leaving women vulnerable in front of a government facility where protection should have been guaranteed.

“These women were not criminals or political agitators. They were mothers, wives, and caregivers demanding safety and justice,” said Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Co-Convener of Womanifesto, in a statement.

While Governor AbdulRazaq publicly distanced himself from the attack, Womanifesto insists that condemnation without accountability is insufficient. “If hoodlums are allowed to get away with this violence, women will become increasingly afraid to speak out,” the group warned.

The activist group has issued a 14-day ultimatum demanding:

  • A public explanation of why the women were attacked
  • Identification, arrest, and prosecution of all assailants, regardless of status
  • A detailed report from the Kwara State Police Commissioner explaining the failure to protect the protesters
  • Transparent updates on efforts to rescue abducted persons in Oke-Ode
  • Clear commitments to prevent recurrence and protect vulnerable communities

Womanifesto stressed that the trauma endured by these women is unacceptable in any democratic society. The organisation pledged to escalate advocacy if the government fails to act within the stipulated timeframe.

“The brutalisation of women seeking help is unacceptable. Silence is not an option. Accountability is non-negotiable,” Dr Akiyode-Afolabi said.

The attack has renewed scrutiny of women’s safety in Nigeria, highlighting persistent gaps in law enforcement, gender protection, and government accountability.

Nigeria’s primary health centres are dying—and communities are paying the Price

From Akwa Ibom to Sokoto, Nigeria’s health clinics are becoming death traps

Residents of Etim Ekpo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State say their only public health facility has become a danger to life rather than a place of care, underscoring a deepening crisis in Nigeria’s primary healthcare system.

The Mathew Udo Ekpo Memorial Health Centre, which serves thousands across several communities, is in an advanced state of decay, according to findings by civic technology platform MonITNG. The group says the facility has been effectively abandoned despite repeated government claims of heavy investment in the health sector.

The building is visibly dilapidated, with a leaking and partially collapsed roof, cracked walls, broken windows and no electricity. During rainfall, water reportedly pours directly into wards and corridors, exposing patients and health workers to extreme weather and the risk of falling debris.

“The risk of injury or death from structural failure is real and constant,” MonITNG warned, describing the centre as a public hazard.

The health centre’s doors are often locked, not for security reasons but because it is barely functional. There are no safe wards, no power supply and no environment suitable for treatment. As a result, residents say they have been cut off from basic healthcare.

Pregnant women in labour, sick children, accident victims and the elderly are forced to travel long distances to the local government headquarters for care. For many families, the journey is expensive, exhausting or impossible due to poor road networks and lack of transportation. In emergencies, residents say the delays often determine who lives and who dies.

Some households are forced to sell personal belongings to pay for transport and medical bills. Others resort to self-medication or unqualified local care. Many simply stay at home and hope for survival.

MonITNG said the situation in Etim Ekpo reflects a broader pattern across Akwa Ibom, where many primary health centres remain abandoned or non-functional despite billions of naira allocated annually to the state’s health sector. Necessities such as electricity, clean water, hospital beds, essential drugs and trained personnel are often missing.

The platform also questioned the real-world impact of federal interventions, including the recent release of ₦32.9 billion through the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to strengthen primary healthcare nationwide.

“While commendable in principle, this amount—shared across 36 states and the FCT—falls far short of addressing decades of neglect and systemic failure,” MonITNG said.

A similar picture has emerged in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State, where the Labsani Health Post has been abandoned since 2018, leaving an estimated 10,000 residents without access to basic healthcare.

According to a report by Orodata Science, the facility has no functional areas—no pharmacy, waiting area, toilets or power source—and lacks even basic medical supplies such as syringes, bandages and gloves. Although nine Community Health Extension Workers are officially assigned to the centre, none are on-site.

There are no immunisation services, no nurse, no midwife and no doctor. Residents must travel long distances or go without care entirely.

“It’s not just a building to us. It’s supposed to save lives,” a community member told Orodata. “Now we don’t even bring our sick here. There’s no point.”

The situation in Labsani, the report said, is emblematic of the collapse of rural healthcare in Nigeria—facilities that do not merely fail but erode trust, turning hope into scepticism and forcing communities to fend for themselves.

These local failures sit within a grim national context. Nigeria has more than 34,000 Primary Health Centres, accounting for over 85 percent of all health facilities in the country. Yet assessments suggest only about 20 percent are functional.

The World Health Organization reports that just a quarter of PHCs have even 25 percent of the minimum equipment required to operate effectively. A 2023 federal review found that only 463 of more than 25,000 assessed PHCs had skilled birth attendants—less than two percent.

The consequences are severe. Nigeria continues to record one of the world’s highest maternal mortality ratios, with many deaths occurring because women give birth in ill-equipped facilities or at home without professional care. Preventable child deaths remain widespread, while secondary and tertiary hospitals are overwhelmed by cases that should be handled at the primary level.

Chronic infrastructure decay, staff shortages, drug stock-outs, weak financing and poor governance have combined to hollow out the PHC system. Although recent federal initiatives promise refurbishment and funding, observers warn that cosmetic upgrades will not be enough without staffing, supplies and accountability.

“The state of centres like Mathew Udo Ekpo and Labsani is a stark symbol of governance failure,” MonITNG said. “Healthcare is not a privilege. It is a fundamental right.”

Here’s a polished version of your paragraph with smoother flow and tighter phrasing:

From Akwa Ibom to Sokoto and beyond, Nigeria’s health clinics are increasingly seen as death traps, even as political leaders continue to seek medical care abroad. This trend delivers a damning verdict on the nation’s healthcare system and exposes a troubling indifference to the millions who rely on underfunded facilities at home.

Despite repeated pledges by successive administrations to curb medical tourism and improve local hospitals, the practice persists. Past presidents and senior officials have spent vast public funds on overseas treatment, further eroding public trust and confidence in domestic healthcare. Meanwhile, communities on the frontlines say what they need is simple: functioning clinics, present health workers, and care that does not require a long, risky journey to survive.

Gambia names university faculty after Akinwumi Adesina in rare pan-African honour

In a rare Pan-African tribute, the University of The Gambia has renamed its School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in honour of former African Development Bank Group President Akinwumi Adesina, cementing his legacy as a continental icon.

Adesina was honoured in recognition of his contributions to agriculture and food security in Africa.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Victor Oladokun and made available to journalists on Thursday in Lagos.

The University of Gambia

President Adama Barrow unveiled a plaque on Wednesday formally designating the faculty as the Dr Akinwumi Adesina School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the honour celebrates Mr Adesina’s leadership during his tenure as AfDB President from 2015 to 2025, when the bank implemented wide-ranging reforms that advanced economic development across the continent.

Speaking at the unveiling, Mr Barrow said the renaming reflected The Gambia’s appreciation of Mr Adesina’s “visionary leadership and lasting contributions to Africa’s agricultural transformation.”

Under Mr Adesina’s leadership, the AfDB rolled out the High 5s development agenda, which includes Light Up and Power Africa, Feed Africa, Integrate Africa, Industrialise Africa and Improve the Quality of Life of Africans.

This, according to bank data, impacted more than 535 million people.

During the same period, the Bank’s capital base grew from $93 billion to $318 billion, the highest in its history, while the institution retained its AAA credit rating and won several global awards.

NAN reports that Adesina also spearheaded the Feed Africa Strategy, which provided food security for more than 104 million people and strengthened agricultural productivity across the continent.

In The Gambia, the AfDB under Mr Adesina financed the Senegambia Bridge, a landmark project that has significantly reduced travel time between The Gambia and Senegal and boosted trade and regional integration.

The decision to rename the faculty was conveyed in a letter dated 27 November 2025, by the Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Prof. Pierre Gomez.

“Your tenure as President of the African Development Bank has been transformative, driving economic growth, poverty reduction and sustainable development across Africa,” Mr Gomez said.

He added that Mr Adesina’s leadership in launching the Feed Africa Strategy and the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative had “revolutionised agricultural productivity and food security.”

The university stated that the gesture was intended to inspire students to emulate Mr Adesina’s vision, determination, and commitment to Africa’s development.

In a letter of appreciation to President Barrow, Mr Adesina described the honour as exceptional.

“It is with great humility and deep gratitude that I express my appreciation for the renaming of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences in my honour,” he said.

NAN recalls that President Barrow, in 2023, conferred on Adesina The Gambia’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic, in recognition of his contributions to the country and Africa.

NAN

Good Samaritan or Suspect? He tried to save a life. Police nearly ruined his

When Tomi Wojuola rushed a collapsing stranger to the hospital, he believed he was doing the right thing. Instead, he says, the decision nearly destroyed his life.

According to Wojuola, the man died shortly after arriving at the hospital. Acting responsibly, he asked staff to inform the police. What followed, he claims, was intimidation, extortion, and a murder accusation.

Wojuola said officers at the GRA Police Station in Asaba accused him of killing the man, despite confirmation from the family that the deceased had an underlying medical condition. He alleged that the Divisional Police Officer threatened him for “acting like Jesus” and vowed to make him regret intervening.

“It was only the grace of God,” Wojuola wrote, crediting the intervention of a senior government official for saving him from prosecution. He added that police still collected bail money, leaving him nearly penniless.

His story struck a nerve online, reinforcing why many Nigerians film emergencies rather than intervene.

Wojuola’s experience echoes a far darker case that has resurfaced on social media. Chinedu Eze, a former Abuja-based driver, says he lost 14 years of his life to wrongful imprisonment.

In a viral video interview, Eze recounted how a routine assignment turned catastrophic in 2005. Tasked with driving a client’s vehicle from Abuja to Sokoto, he was stopped at a police checkpoint in Ilela.

What began as a dispute over documents escalated into violence. Officers allegedly beat his client, then detained Eze. The next day, police reportedly misled his employer into handing over the vehicle’s logbook. Eze was taken to court without a lawyer.

He was charged with culpable homicide, armed robbery, and conspiracy.

“I cried when I heard the charges,” Eze said. “That’s when I knew my life had changed.”

He was remanded to prison. His fiancée waited, then moved on. His infant daughter grew up without him. For years, Eze said, he never saw a judge. His case passed between prosecutors. No witnesses testified. No evidence was produced.

At one point, he said officers pressured him to falsely accuse a police escort of murder. He refused.

That refusal, he believes, sealed his fate.

After 14 years in custody, Eze regained freedom through the intervention of a non-governmental organisation. His story has since become a symbol of what many Nigerians describe as a justice system that protects power while crushing the powerless.

Human rights advocates say arbitrary arrests, prolonged detentions, and fabricated charges remain widespread. For many citizens, encounters with law enforcement now inspire fear rather than trust.

As Wojuola and Eze’s stories circulate, they underscore a troubling reality: in Nigeria, trying to do the right thing can come at an unbearable cost.

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