Emerging details have revealed how a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and rights activist, Prof. Mike Ozekhome, as well as “Tali Shani”, lost out in the bid to take ownership of a London property linked to one-time Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the late General Jeremiah Useni.

House 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2, the property at the centre of a legal dispute, was purchased in 1993 by Useni under the name “Tali Shani”.

However, delivering judgment in the suit filed by one “Ms Tali Shani”, a London property tribunal last week concluded that neither Ozekhome nor the plaintiff, Ms Tali Shani, was entitled to claim ownership of the property, due to irreconcilable testimonies of witnesses called by both parties, according to TheCable online.

Mr Ewan Paton of the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), ruling in the suit filed in 2021, held that neither the applicant, “Ms Tali Shani”, nor the respondent, Ozekhome, could prove ownership of 79 Randall Avenue, London NW2.

Recall that Useni, who died earlier this year in France after a protracted illness, was a star witness for the senior lawyer, according to reports.

It was believed that the funds used by the staunch ally of the former Head of State, late General Sani Abacha, were connected to public funds laundered during his time in office.

Besides being a former FCT minister, Useni was also a one-time military administrator of former Bendel State, from where the present Edo and Delta states were carved out.

The problem, however, started when Ozekhome sought to register the transfer of the property executed in his favour in August 2021 by “Mr Tali Shani”.

According to the documents, the transfer of the property to the senior lawyer was “not for money or anything that has a monetary value” but a “gift”, and “out of gratitude”, for the “many legal services” Ozekhome had rendered to him in the past.

However, that position was countered by solicitors representing “Ms Tali Shani”, another claimant to the property, who also expressed outrage at the purported transfer of the said property to Ozekhome.

The trial unveiled a high level of mutual accusations of forgery, conspiracy, corruption, and impersonation.

Central to the case was the identity of “Ms Tali Shani”, who never showed up before the tribunal, despite multiple adjournments on her instance.

Her lawyers, who had in 2024 told the tribunal that she was hospitalised, later produced documents claiming she had died in Nigeria.

In support of her case, her lawyers had tendered some documents, which included medical reports, a Nigerian national identity slip, a mobile phone bill, a death certificate, and even an obituary notice, as well as the testimony of a witness, Anakwe Marcel Obasi, who claimed to be a cousin of the applicant.

According to Obasi, the late Ms Tali Shani and the late General Jeremiah Useni “had a very long affair; an affair that I believe lasted a decade” and “remained cordial and friendly” afterwards.

The witness further claimed that his cousin had told him that she once wanted to move to the UK but changed her mind, but then “gave money to the late General Useni to assist her in the purchase of a property in London where she was going to reside” in the “early 1990s”.

The witness admitted that he had not produced a single photograph of himself with his supposed cousin, Useni, the respondent, or even his purported nephew, Damola, because he was “not a photogenic person” and that he “never found it necessary” to take such pictures.

Regarding the alleged funeral rites and burial of his cousin (Ms Tali Shani), Obasi, who claimed that there had been an official photographer at the event, however, told the tribunal that the photographer was “killed by a bandit two days after the funeral”.

Another plaintiff witness, Ayodele Damola, alleged biological son of Ms Tali Shani, claimed that his mother had purchased the property in 1993, and added that she was in a relationship with the late Useni during that period.

“My mother, through General Useni, agreed to rent out the property rather than leaving the same fallow,” Damola stated.

Damola also alleged that the transfer of the property to Ozekhome was an attempt by Useni to repay “N54 million Naira” which he had borrowed from the senior lawyer for an election campaign.

He told the tribunal that the general had first asked his mother to transfer the property to the respondent, but when she refused, they then persuaded a “poor innocent man” (presumably Mr. Tali Shani) to apply for a passport and pose as the owner.

While Obasi had claimed Ms Tali Shani was terminally ill, resided in Lagos, and barely had any mobility, Damola, in an affidavit, said his mother died in a road accident along Jos-Abuja road.

The purported death certificate stated that she died in a “hospital,” while an affidavit sworn in Abuja on October 7, 2024 by her supposed son claimed that she had died “on October 3, 2023 by accident along Jos Plateau State and Abuja way”, TheCable said.

Further contradictions were also found on the obituary, where a “thanksgiving service” was listed for Sunday, November 30, 2024, but that date did not match the calendar as November 30, 2024 was actually a Saturday, with the Sunday falling on December 1. This mismatch was one of the factors that led the tribunal to dismiss the obituary as forgery.

Besides, there were also discrepancies in Ms Tali Shani’s date of death presented by the witnesses.

Head, Legal, Regulatory and Compliance Services at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Festus Esangbedo, said the National Identification Number (NIN) slip presented by “Tali Shani” was “fake, fraudulent and not authorised by the commission”.

Esangbedo’s inquiry revealed that although a NIN had been issued on June 23, 2024, “the picture attached to the NIN has some distinct irregularities and does not comply with ICAO standards.” As a result, the NIN was suspended.

He disclosed further that the NIN slip was forged and obtained “by irregular means,” leading to its complete removal from the system.

Among the irregularities he highlighted were that the registration was done remotely in Monaco rather than in person, no fingerprints were captured because “the unknown agents who created this NIN had fraudulently made use of the ‘amputee’ provisions of the NIMC,” and the photograph used was non-compliant with international standards.

Another witness, Ibrahim Sini, a Superintendent with the Force Intelligence Department, Nigeria Police, traced the mobile bill, supposedly in the name of Ms Tali Shani, back to its real source.

Enquiries with the telecommunications company revealed that the account was actually registered to Mohammed Edewor, the Lagos solicitor connected with the applicant’s legal team.

According to Sini, state intelligence operatives in Jos, who were dispatched to verify the address physically, confirmed “this address simply did not exist”.

The judge concluded that all the evidence to prove Ms Tali Shani’s identity were fraudulent.

The tribunal held, “I do not accept that ‘she’ was ever a real living person. I do not accept that ‘she’ therefore died, whether in hospital or in a mysterious car accident on the road to Abuja. I certainly do not accept that ‘she’ purchased this property in London in 1993 in her ‘hey days’. Nor do I accept that Mr. Ayodele Damola is ‘her’ son, or that Mr. Anukwe Obasi is ‘her’ cousin.”

The judge added that the evidence showed “forgery and deception” and struck out the case as an abuse of process.

“The case has been pursued by others in the name of a person who never existed,” the judgement declared.

On the side of the respondent, the court said the narrative advanced by Ozekhome and supported by Tali Shani’s son amounted to “a contrived story… invented in an attempt to provide a plausible reason” for the transfer.

Ozekhome, who represented himself in the latter stages of the proceedings, argued that the property was transferred to him in 2021 by “Mr Tali Shani”, who he claimed was the true registered owner — although Useni registered it in the name of “Ms” Tali Shani.

He admitted that he had never known “Mr. Tali Shani” before January 2019, and that he had no personal knowledge of the original 1993 purchase of the London property or of its management in the years that followed.

Instead, he relied on his relationship with the Useni, whom he had known for over two decades as both a client and a friend.

According to Ozekhome, his acquaintance with “Mr Shani” developed after their introduction in 2019.

He described Shani as a man from a wealthy family, involved in farming cattle, groundnuts, and mangoes, and as a “big property guy” engaged in commercial dealings. Ozekhome stated that he undertook a number of legal matters for him, winning several cases. These services, he said, ranged from advisory work to court appearances.

He insisted that the transfer was a gift from “Mr Shani,” given in gratitude for the extensive legal services he had rendered in the two years since their introduction.

Ozekhome testified that Shani felt “beholden” to him, even describing him as a father figure. He denied ever paying the £500,000 mentioned in Shani’s statement or any other sum in cash.

Instead, he argued that the property was transferred to him as recognition that the value of his legal services exceeded that amount

But the tribunal, in its findings held, “Mr. Tali Shani… did not purchase this property himself in 1993, and so had no title of his own to pass to the respondent.”

The tribunal accepted that a man named Mr Tali Shani existed and held a genuine Nigerian passport, but found his claim of buying a London property in 1993 at age 20 to be “implausible and unproven”.

Shani, who testified as Ozekhome’s witness, had claimed in his evidence that he bought the property with his own money as an investment and appointed Useni to manage it from the start.

However, the tribunal held that his account lacked detail, supporting documents, and credibility, and that his explanations —claiming wealth from cattle and mango sales — were unconvincing.

Mr Shani’s testimony also contradicted with Useni’s that they only met years later, when Shani approached him in 2010 to manage the property.

The tribunal concluded that Shani had nothing to do with the 1993 purchase.

In his own evidence in June 2024, Useni had confirmed that he — not anyone called Tali Shani — bought the property in 1993.

“I owned it… I bought the property… before I gave it to someone to run… I paid the deposit… then bit by bit…. I bought it… it is my property,” he said.

The tribunal stated that Useni’s evidence was consistent with documents showing the 1993 purchaser as “Philips Bincan”, another alias.

The tribunal concluded that the London property was purchased by Useni, who was also a Minister of Transport under President Ibrahim Babangida, and not the man claiming to be “Mr Tali Shani”.

Although, the property was registered under the name “Tali Shani”, the tribunal held that evidence from a Jersey court case showed that Useni had a practice of using false or “coded” names, such as “Tim Shani,” for bank accounts and companies.

The court had held that the similarity of names and timing strongly supported the finding that Useni deliberately used the false name “Tali Shani”, to register the property.

The tribunal ruled that since “Mr Tali Shani” had no legal title to transfer the London property to Ozekhome, the chief land registrar must cancel Ozekhome’s application to be registered as proprietor.

The evidence showed Useni, who was the real owner of the property, had directed the transfer to Ozekhome.

The tribunal rejected “shifting claims” by Ozekhome and Shani about consideration for the transfer — ranging from cash payments, to legal services worth over £500,000, to gifts of property, to a gesture of gratitude — finding them contradictory, implausible, and fabricated.

The court concluded that Shani was merely a conduit used by Useni, who had registered the property in the false name “Tali Shani” in 1993, and therefore Shani could not pass ownership to Ozekhome.

“As to precisely why General Useni chose to direct this transfer to the respondent, I do not need to (and indeed cannot) make detailed findings. I consider that it is highly possible that it was in satisfaction of some debt or favour owed,” the judge held

He added, “The final outcome of this case, therefore, is that both parties have failed. Neither ‘Tali Shani’ was who they said they were… The real owner, via a false name, was General Jeremiah Useni.”

Finally, the court held that since Useni was deceased, ownership now rested with whoever obtained probate of his English assets.

The decision will be published, leaving it to the relevant authorities to decide what further action to take.

ThisDay

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a woman, Iluyemi Bosede, for allegedly killing her elder sister, Tewogboye Omowumi, during a fight over ₦800 in Akure.

The police spokesperson in the state, DSP Ayanlade Olayinka Olushola, said in a statement on Tuesday that the incident happened on September 6 at about 8:00 p.m.

Olushola explained that the dispute began when Bosede asked her 35-year-old sister to pay for tomatoes and pepper.

The argument reportedly turned physical, and Bosede allegedly pulled her sister by the clothes, causing her to fall. Omowumi was rushed to the hospital but was confirmed dead on arrival.

The state Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, described the case as “unfortunate” and cautioned residents against letting disagreements turn violent.

“Disputes, no matter how small, should be resolved through dialogue and not violence. This case shows how avoidable quarrels can end in tragedy,” Lawal said.

He added that the suspect would face prosecution and restated the command’s commitment to protecting lives across the state.

The Joint Tax Board (JTB) has debunked reports suggesting that Nigerians without a Tax Identification Number (Tax ID) will lose access to their bank accounts or be barred from financial services from January 1, 2026.

The clarification follows the circulation of a document issued by the Presidential Fiscal Policy and Tax Reform Committee, which implied that taxable individuals without a Tax ID might be unable to operate bank accounts, insurance policies, pension funds, or investment portfolios after the stated date.

The document, titled “New Tax Acts and Tax ID – What You Need to Know”, was shared online by the committee’s chairman, Taiwo Oyedele, who explained that sanctions would apply under the new tax framework.

In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Akpe E. Adoh, the JTB assured Nigerians that their access to banking and financial services would remain unaffected, regardless of whether they possess a Tax ID.

“Nigerians are hereby assured that they will continue to have access to their bank account and also continue to carry out financial transactions even beyond January 1, 2026,” the board said.

The JTB explained that ongoing tax reforms are aimed at simplifying compliance, reducing multiple taxation, and making the system fairer and more inclusive.

Why we set up first of its kind $400m crude oil terminal in Rivers – Prof Adegbulugbe 

It stressed that vulnerable groups and small businesses will benefit from exemptions, while most Nigerians will pay less tax under the new regime.

As part of the reforms, the JTB, in collaboration with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and state revenue agencies, is working on a harmonised National Tax Identification system.

The system will integrate the National Identification Number (NIN) for individuals and the Corporate Affairs Commission registration number (RC) for businesses as unique identifiers, automatically generating Tax IDs without disrupting banking or financial transactions.

The board urged Nigerians to disregard rumours about being locked out of their accounts, reaffirming: “For the avoidance of doubt, Nigerians will continue to have access to their bank accounts and carry out financial services beyond January 1, 2026, and no one will be denied access on account of not having a Tax ID.”

Delta State Police Command has confirmed that a man identified as Taye, accused of killing and secretly burying his 13-year-old daughter, Davina, has surrendered to the authorities.

According to the Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, Taye turned himself in at the Ebrumede Division, Uvwie Local Government Area, days after his wife was arrested in connection with the incident.

“Confirmed. We can’t say he killed her for now up until after autopsy is carried out,” Edafe stated in a WhatsApp message to journalists in Warri.

The disturbing case unfolded on Sunday, 7 September, at Ugbolokposo community in Uvwie, where Davina was allegedly buried under questionable circumstances.

Reports indicate that the girl had been sent to her father’s house for a holiday at his request.

Her mother, Dorcas, who had raised Davina single-handedly for 13 years, said she was later informed of her daughter’s sudden death and burial.

Civil rights groups have urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation.

They called for Davina’s body to be exhumed and a post-mortem carried out to determine the true cause of death.

“Both the suspect and his wife must face justice if found culpable. The death of this child must not be swept under the carpet,” one activist said.

According to Dorcas, there were earlier warnings that she might never see her daughter again after handing her over to Taye.

She also recounted that Davina once pleaded with her over the phone to take her back home, a call intercepted by the father.

The suspect’s wife, who denied involvement, claimed she had travelled for over a week and that Davina was healthy when she left. However, community members insist she also has questions to answer.

The police have assured the public that investigations are ongoing. An autopsy is expected to shed light on the cause of the teenager’s death.

Tribune

Hearing in a suit seeking to stop David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) suffered a setback on Monday at the Federal High Court in Abuja following the failure to serve court papers on David Mark and others as required by law.

Justice Emeka Nwite billed to adjudicate in the party leadership dispute has however fixed September 30 as new date for hearing.

At Monday’s proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff. Michael Agber had claimed that all processes and order made by the court had been served on the five defendants involved in the legal battle.

However, Justice Nwite after searching through the court file could not find the proof of service.

In the drama that ensued, the plaintiff lawyer later claimed that he served David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu who are 2nd, 3rd and 5th defendants in the suit, through the ADC.

Justice Nwite in response faulted the mode of the service adding that the law required the plaintiff to serve court papers on Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu individually.

The Judge held that there was no proper service yet adding that for such service to be valid, an order for substituted service must first be obtained from court.

Having admitted errors in the mode of service of court papers, the plaintiff lawyer sought for adjournment to enable him put his house in order.

Justice Nwite ordered the plaintiff lawyer to serve the court papers on Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in the open court and was complied with.

The ADC represented by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN, Shuaib Eneojoh Aruwa claimed that the party had not been fully served in compliance with law by the plaintiff.

In the end, Justice Nwite fixed September 30 for hearing of the suit.

A former Deputy National Chairman of ADC,
Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, had filed an ex-parte application where he sought order of court to restrain David Mark and others from assuming the leadership of the party pending the resolution of his originating summons challenging the decision to take over the party.

Justice Nwite had in a ruling declined to issue restraining order and instead ordered the plaintiff to put David Mark and others on notice to show cause on why the request should not be granted.

Gombe, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, had sued ADC, Senator Mark, Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

In the ex-parte motion dated and filed on September. 2, the plaintiff sought three reliefs.

He had sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 4th defendant (INEC) from recognising the 2nd (Mark) and 3rd (Aregbesola) defendants as the national chairman and national secretary of the ist defendant (ADC) pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

He also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd and 3rd defendants their cohorts from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the 1st defendant, pending hearing in the motion on notice already filed and served in this matter.

Similarly, he applied for an order restraining the 4th defendant (INEC) from recognising and or dealing with the 2nd and 3rd  defendants.

Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court Abuja has declined to hear a motion filed by leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, seeking an order transferring him from the custody of the Department of State Service DSS to National Hospital in Abuja for urgent medical attention.

The Judge declined hearing on the grounds that his fiat to sit as a vacation judge ends today (Monday) and therefore lacked jurisdiction to open such a new matter for hearing.

Justice Liman instead ordered that the case file be returned to the registry for the Chief Judge to reassign it to another judge.

At Monday’s proceedings, Asiwaju Adegboyega Awomolo SAN appeared for the Federal Government while Uchenna Njoku SAN stood for the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB.

When the matter was called, Kanu’s lawyer informed the judge that the motion by Kanu was filed on September 1, while a counter affidavit of 37 paragraphs opposing the transfer request was served on him by government in the open court.

The senior lawyer said that he had not read the counter affidavit for him to respond.

He therefore applied for an adjournment to enable him respond to the counter affidavit and in view of the fact that the vacation of the judge had come to an end.

On his part, Awomolo SAN did not oppose the adjournment request and that he would be ready to be in court anytime, anyway a new date is fixed.

In a brief ruling, Justice Liman ordered that the case file be returned to the Registry for the Chief Judge to reassign the matter to another Judge.

Justice Liman said that he would make a recommendation to the Chief Judge for the speedy hearing of the motion since health of the applicant is involved.

Kanu, in the motion with charge number: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015, had sought an order of the court for the Department of the State Service DSS to move him from DSS custody to the National Hospital for urgent medical care.

Giving an 11-ground argument why their request should be granted, lead counsel the applicant, Kanu Agabi SAN said his client is presently standing trial before Justice James Omotosho in charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/2015.

He said Kanu, on May 19, filed an application praying the court to admit him to bail pending the hearing and determination of the terrorism charge.

The lawyer, however, said that the said application could not be taken before the annual vacation of the court, hence his continued detention.

According to him, while awaiting the resumption of the court activities, the applicant’s health took a worrisome decline, necessitating the invitation of doctors for the purpose of carrying out a thorough and extensive examination on the applicant.

“The examination revealed issues to his health including organs such as his pancreas and liver as well as an emerging lump underneath his armpit and dangerously low levels of potassium.

“The doctors have recommended that he be moved to the National Hospital as an interim measure to afford him medical attention and forestall further decline.

“The applicant’s health is seriously deteriorating considering the nature of his confinement thereby making more pressing, the need to bring this application and have same heard by a vacation judge,” Agabi said.

He alleged that a letter by the doctors to the Director-General of the DSS, advising the transfer of Kanu had gone without answer.

He said the urgency of the matter had, therefore, necessitated the filing of the application as a measure to arrest further decline of his health while spirited efforts are being expended to ensure his treatment.”

The senior lawyer said that the grant of the application would not occasion any injustice on the complainant (DSS).

Besides, Agabi said the court “is imbued with jurisdiction to hear and grant the prayers sought in the application.”

Emmanuel Kanu, the younger brother to Nnamdi Kanu, in the affidavit he deposed to, averred that the IPOB leader recently complained of weakness and pains in his body.

He said this “prompted the invitation of doctors led by the Eminent Emeritus Professor Austin A.C. Agaji, who on 1st September, 2025 at about 2:30pm,” told him that several tests were conducted on Kanu in August.

Emmanuel said the doctor told him, at Agabi’s law firm, that it was discovered that the IPOB leader was suffering from issues relating to his liver and kidney as well as dangerously low level of potassium.

“He was further diagnosed of a swelling around his armpit area which requires urgent attention to ascertain the cause and thereafter to seek appropriate medical treatment,” he averred.

Suspected armed bandits ambushed operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) along Yantumaki–Danmusa in Katsina State. 

The incident occurred at Dafa village at about 5 p.m. on Friday, leaving one officer, CCA Adamu Abdullah, 37, dead. 

Four other NSCDC personnel sustained injuries in the attack. They include DSC Abdullah Usman, 40, ASC Dikko Sabiu, 42, ASC Haruna Bello, 35, and CCA Kabir Dalhatu, 29.

According to security analyst, Zagazola Makama, the victims were attached to Operation Sharan Daji and were on transit when the bandits struck.

On receiving the report, security personnel from Danmusa mobilised patrol teams to the scene.

The injured officers were evacuated to General Hospital, Dutsinma, for treatment, while their Hilux vehicle was recovered.

Residents of Katsina State’s Faskari Local Government Area on Sunday hosted a peace meeting with wanted bandit kingpin Ado Alero and a group of armed herders, in a bid to address the region’s worsening insecurity.

A video obtained by SaharaReporters shows the gathering, which was attended by local traditional leaders and dozens of herders, many visibly carrying weapons and ammunition.

Alero, who represented the bandits during the dialogue, said the initiative was not the first of its kind in the area but described the turnout as unprecedented.

He recounted that tensions with security operatives began after the arrest of one of his followers, for which no explanation was given despite appeals to local and state authorities.

He further alleged that security agencies were also responsible for violence against Fulani communities, calling for justice and fairness from both federal and state governments.

When asked about the meeting, Alero noted that this was not the first peace dialogue held in the Faskari community. He explained that similar peace efforts had also taken place in other parts of Katsina State.

Speaking about the reason for the peace talks, he said, “What brought about this meeting is that one of my boys was arrested. At that time, we were not on good terms with the security operatives. I asked why they arrested him, but they did not give me any explanation.”

“I made inquiries from the Faskari Local Government up to the state government. I spoke with the Secretary to the Katsina State Governor, and I also spoke with the then Chairman of Miyetti Allah before he died.

“We followed due process at the time, but we were unable to secure his release. They never told us why he was arrested, and from there, I left the matter.”

Alero further described the latest peace initiative as unprecedented, saying, “Since we started having peace meetings, people have never gathered in such large numbers like this. This meeting gives me hope that, Insha Allah, peace will be restored—not only in Faskari and Katsina State but across the entire country.”

Also present was a Fulani herder Kwashé Garwa, who was filmed with ammunition strapped to his waist. He condemned the stereotyping of Fulani as bandits, insisting that criminality exists among all tribes.

He said there is a challenge that brought them together, and the challenges are killing, kidnapping, and destruction of properties.

He asked, “In Nigeria, whenever there is a discussion, they call Fulani herders bandits and terrorists. But tell me, which tribe in the world does not have criminals among them? You Hausas, who say we are bandits, don’t you also have bandits among you?

“There are many, in fact dozens upon dozens. Yet, no one stereotypes you with such a name, but they stereotype us as bandits. If this stereotyping does not stop, then the killings and kidnappings will also not stop.”

He added: “Until justice is served to everyone, the President should allow justice to take its course, and at the state level, leaders should also do the needful.

“My second question is: why do they publicize only what we do to the world, but never publicize what is done to us?”

“There will be no peace if security agencies do not also stop killing our people,” he added.

The peace meeting comes amid mounting insecurity in Katsina, where frequent cases of killings, kidnappings, and destruction of property have left communities on edge.

Long linked to deadly attacks across Katsina and Zamfara States, Aleru had previously gone into hiding as military operations intensified in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara.

In January, DAILY POST reported that the bandit kingpin had retreated to Asaula village amid strategic ambushes by security forces targeting his network.

His latest appearance has raised serious questions about the sincerity and effectiveness of peace-building efforts in bandit-ravaged communities.

“How are we sure he’s not doing this to buy himself time, evade justice, only to return stronger afterwards? This doesn’t make sense at all,” said Yahaya Abdulrahman, a concerned resident.

Security analysts and locals have also expressed fears that involving wanted persons in dialogue may undermine ongoing counterinsurgency efforts and embolden other criminal elements.