The much-awaited copy of the verdict delivered by Justice Binta Nyao of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in the action instituted by Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan challenging her suspension by Nigeria’s senate has finally been released, but it appears to have raised some more questions.
Part of Justice Nyako’s verdict reads:
“That to suspend a member for a period of 6 months equals to a suspension of 180 days and this is the same number of days a member is expected to sit in the House representing his people. That I find this excessive and overreaching, noting that it will prevent a member from complying with Section 63 of the 1999 Constitution.
That I am of the opinion that the Senate has the power to review the provisions of the Senate Rules and can even amend Section 14 (2) of the Legislative Houses (Powers & Privileges) Act both for being excessive and overreaching.
That the Senate has the power to and I believe should recall the plaintiff and allow her to resume representing the people who sent her there to represent them.
DAY 11 OF 14 – OH LORD, BLESS THE WORKS OF MY HANDS
Scriptures for Study & Meditation: Genesis 21:14–19, Amos 9:13–15, Acts 1:1–8, 1 Chronicles 4:10, John 2:1–11, Acts 10:38
Declare with us: (insert your name/business/career/ministry name): Blessed, Above Only, The One El-Roi Showed Mercy, Global Champion, Anointed for Exploits, The Favored, The Chosen, The Celebrated and Congratulated! That’s your new name! Let everything align. Let evidences burst out now!
July to December: My second half is filled with back to back wonders! I see 20-years-in-1 miracles arriving, mega breakthroughs on the heels of the other! My testimony shall be: El-Roi finished the work and cut it short in righteousness – It happened speedily, suddenly, hastily, without warning! (Amos 9:13 MSG, Romans 9:28)
I hear my name on higher grounds! No matter what happened in the first half, a new season begins now. I am sensitive to my change of seasons. By the help of God, I will be in the right place at the right time. Body, soul, and spirit, align! Distractions and dislocations, FIRE! (Revelations 4)
Hand of God that moves men from where they are to where they belong, rest on me. In the order of Ezekiel, this second half, my transport is in the Spirit! I rise in prayer, go deeper in the Word, and receive fresh revelation of what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. (Ezekiel 37:1-11)
Thus saith Ebenezer to me: “It is not too late. I will still do it!” Wherever I’ve been delayed in the works of my hands, Whatever age-long siege held me back, Wherever I had lost hope, by the quickening power of the Holy Ghost, July to December: my help has come! (Psalm 121:1)
I call on the same power that raised Jesus from the dead: Invade the works of my hands! Let there be a quickening! Let dead things come alive! I call forth restoration with compensation for What my God Cannot Do Does Not Exist! (Romans 8 )
I declare over my business/career/ministry: JESUS REIGNS! By this: Yokes break! Sieges scatter! Ancient altars bow! Territorial powers give way! Let God’s kingdom come here and now! (Matthew 6:10)
July to December: JOY, PEACE, and ABUNDANCE have been laid for me! The struggles of January to June have qualified me for mega breakthroughs in the second half! Like Peter, in places where I toiled in darkness, I now receive answers—pressed down, shaken together, running over! (Luke 5:1–11, Luke 6:38)
The stone that killed Stephen will not kill Paul! By the zeal of El-Roi, what stopped others will not stop me! By the verdict of the Most High, my case is different! Where others faint, fall, or fail, I rise higher! When others say there is a casting down, I declare a lifting up! (Job 22:29, Acts 7:59, 14:20)
July to December: That vacant throne is mine! By the mantle of Esther upon me, no matter who has gone ahead, until I show up, the crown will not be given to another! As it was for Solomon, any Adonijah that rises against my throne, go down by Fire! (Esther 2, 1 Kings 1)
July to December: NEW WINE, NEW BOTTLES! As the Lord fills me with new wine; new ideas, contracts, clients, and connections, Old wine skins in the form of limiting mindsets and outdated revelations, break and burn by Fire! (Matthew 9:17)
July to December: NO DESTINY BLUNTNESS! My axehead must swim again! Lord, sharpen my cutting edge! I was born for such a time as this. The earnest expectation of those You’ve sent me to is waiting, I show up new and sharp! Powers insisting that the second half will look like the first half, FIRE! (Isaiah 41:15)
I am anointed for greater results, higher evidence, and mighty exploits! Past failures and territorial limitations, break! Demonic gatekeepers contending with my manifestation, be destroyed! FIRE!
July to December, by the Mercies of El-Roi, I will not make mistakes that cost me my destiny. I have the mind of Christ! I do not second-guess the voice of God. I am led by His Spirit. Conversations with serpents that introduce sieges into businesses, I am not your candidate. FIRE!
_(insert name/business/career/ministry): BOUNCE BACK! In the same places I went down, counted losses, or was depleted from January to June, In the order of the Resurrection, I bounce back higher, better, greater! I take my seat in places of power. I am elevated and rightly positioned. I have all I need to emerge with what’s missing in my industry/nation/generation. (Ephesians 1:20)
Once has the Lord spoken, twice have I heard: 2025 is my year of El-Roi! By His zeal, July to December: I move from bottles to wells, from not enough to more than enough! My eyes will see it, my hands will carry it, my mouth will testify that “I have seen the God that sees me!” (Genesis 21)
My second half STARTED WITH JOY, PROGRESSED WITH LAUGHTER, ENDED IN PRAISE! By the be power in His name, I see: Unexpected breakthroughs, Instant answers, Joy unspeakable, Loud celebrations! My status has changed, no more decline! The Works of My hands are blessed now, today and forever, My better days are HERE AND NOW! Hallelujah!
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has officially replaced Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), appointing Senator Aniekan Bassey of Cross River State as her successor.
The announcement was made at the close of Thursday’s plenary session, marking the latest development in a series of committee leadership changes involving the Kogi Central lawmaker.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was originally appointed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content following her swearing-in as Senator in November 2023. However, on 4 February 2025, Senate President Akpabio led a reshuffle of committee leaderships, removing her from Local Content and reassigning her to chair the Committee on Diaspora and NGOs.
The February reshuffle sparked controversy because it happened soon after Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan had actively overseen oil and gas agencies. Some observers hinted that political motives may have driven her removal.
Her tenure as Chair of the Diaspora and NGOs committee was abruptly disrupted again when, on 6 March 2025, she was suspended for six months over allegations of misconduct linked to confrontations during the reshuffle process. Though the suspension temporarily halted her committee activities, she remained the official chair until Thursday’s announcement.
With Senator Bassey now at the helm of the Diaspora and NGOs Committee, the Senate has effectively closed the chapter on Akpoti-Uduaghan’s short-lived leadership of two strategic committees.
But in Nigerian politics where suspensions often mark a quiet exit—a soft political burial, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has chosen a different route: not into silence, but deeper into service.
With her six-month suspension from the Senate still under legal contention, the Kogi Central senator has taken her mandate back to the grassroots. And on Sunday, she made a bold statement—not with press conferences or legal threats, but with bricks, concrete, and a vision of economic empowerment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan flagged off the construction of two ultra-modern smart markets in Okene and Okehi local government areas—projects designed to uplift local commerce and directly impact hundreds of rural traders.
“I was elected to serve, not to sit,” she told a cheering crowd at Ihima Central Market. “My suspension cannot suspend my responsibility.”
Each market, set to be delivered by November 2025, will contain 80 trading spaces—split evenly between lock-up stores and open stalls—and come fully equipped with solar power, boreholes, public toilets, shop sockets, truck bays, and street lighting.
Beyond the infrastructure, however, lies a powerful message: that representation is not a title, but an act.
In a season when her voice was muted on the Senate floor, Akpoti-Uduaghan has amplified it in the communities that gave her their votes. Where some might have faded from view, she has made her absence from the chamber feel like a full-time presence on the ground.
“Leadership isn’t about a seat in Abuja. It’s about who you show up for, and when,” she said.
Akpoti-Uduaghan’s actions have not gone unnoticed. Her opponents see political theatre. Her supporters see proof of a rare kind of public servant—one who keeps building even when institutions attempt to break her momentum.
A trader at the market summed it up plainly:
“Even when they say she can’t talk in Abuja, she’s working here. That’s louder than any speech.”
Local chiefs, women’s cooperatives, and youth leaders were present to bless the project and commend her resilience. Many described her as a fighter—not with fists, but with follow-through.
Known for her independent streak, the senator continued to preach a message of post-partisan governance.
“Politics ends the day elections are over,” she said. “After that, what matters is delivery. And that’s not a party thing—it’s a people thing.” According to her, It’s a philosophy that has gained her respect across political lines and deepened her connection with those she represents. A political commentator in her senatoroal district, Ismail Omeza Salisu indicated that for a region long plagued by empty promises, the smart markets offer something tangible, timely, and transformational. Continuing Salisu said as courtrooms debate the legality of her suspension, and the Senate prepares for a potentially confrontational return, one thing is clear: Akpoti-Uduaghan is not waiting for institutional permission to serve.
“She may be off the roll call in Abuja, but in Kogi Central, she’s showing up—breaking ground, building trust, and reminding Nigerians that public office begins where the people are.
“And with every project she launches, the message echoes louder: true power is service that doesn’t wait for permission.”
As Osita Chidoka speaks about his journey to becoming a lawyer
A Nigerian family is basking in euphoria after welcoming a third-generation lawyer into their fold, as captured in a viral video that has melted hearts online.
The new wig Sommy Wokemba who was called to the Nigerian Bar recently proudly celebrated alongside her mother Nneoma Wokemba , a lawyer with NAPTIP Legal Unit, and her maternal grandmother, Hon. Justice Nwakamma of Abia State judiciary.
In the video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by #Oyindamola, the young lady is seen beaming with pride in her full legal regalia. She stood in line with her mother and grandmother, showcasing a remarkable legacy of legal excellence spanning three generations.
Netizens have flooded the family with congratulatory messages, praising the strong tradition of education and professional achievement.
Many described the clip as “inspiring” and a testament to the power of legacy and family support.
The trio, dressed in their wigs and gowns, stood side by side, grandmother first, then mother, and finally the newest addition, symbolising the passing of the torch in a most touching and empowering way.
A Nigerian family is basking in joy after welcoming a third-generation lawyer into their fold, as captured in a viral video that has melted hearts… pic.twitter.com/Eyq5qRBNBm
Also, Osita Benjamin Chidoka, Nigeria’s ex-Minister of Aviation and a former Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, who later studied law at Baze University in Abuja, speaks about his journey to being one of the persons newly called bar.
It was 1988 at Union Secondary School Awkunanaw, Enugu. I was Deputy Senior Prefect, one of the best Arts students in the school. English, English Literature, and Government were my playground. I proudly carried our school’s banner in quizzes and debates, earning trophies and, more importantly, the joy of wielding words — spoken, argued, written.
I was Editor-in-Chief of Union Spark, our school magazine. On stage, I was the lead actor and wore the tragic skin of Odewale in The Gods Are Not to Blame. Literature was my lifeblood.
While my mates stuck to class texts, I feasted on James Hadley Chase, Pacesetters, Sidney Sheldon. Tolstoy carried me into Russian snows, Dostoevsky made me wrestle with sin and redemption, Marx lit a fire in my belly. But Awolowo?
Awolowo made me believe in the power of a single, disciplined mind to change a nation. His My Early Life and Awo were not books to me; they were portals into a disciplined, purpose-driven mind I longed to emulate.
Awolowo’s journey from journalism to law became my blueprint. I interned at The Guardian, played with journalism, wrote furiously. His library of over 11,000 books set a personal ambition: to one day own more. I’m still on that quest.
My father, a proud Zikist, poured fuel on this passion. From SS1 through university, he gave me money daily for The Guardian, Newswatch, later Timemagazine. He wanted me to be like Zik— a philosopher and politician — but also a lawyer like Awo. Thanks to him, I grew up reading far beyond any syllabus.
So when WAEC 1988 arrived, I walked in certain of my destiny. Literature was my “safe A.” But fate had other plans. That exam hall is still a haze. My mind blanked, even Achebe’s Arrow of God seemed to mock me.
When the results came, it was scandalous. I got As in all my strong subjects and only a Pass in Literature. The best Literature student in school … reduced to a whisper. I was mortified.
Still, I brushed it aside. I’d applied for Law and Literature wasn’t required yet. I got admission for Mass Communication. But my parents insisted: Law or nothing. They sent me to Foucos Tutorial College in Ebute Metta, Lagos — an expensive and upscale JAMB tutorial lesson. I passed. My dream was alive again.
Then the rules changed. Around 1989, the Council of Legal Education or NUC made Literature compulsory for Law. By 1990, UNN began enforcing it. I didn’t know the seriousness otherwise I would have changed to Unilag which did not enforce
I arrived Enugu that year clutching my admission letter, heart pounding. I marched into the Law Faculty like a man stepping into destiny. The Secretary to the Dean took my papers, scanned them, frowned.
“Do you have GCE?”
“No.” I responded.
“You don’t have Literature. We can’t register you.”
I smiled, eager. “I’ve registered for the Nov/Dec GCE.”
I stood there, clutching my WAEC result. My throat dry. My hands cold. The Secretary to the Dean looked up and said words that shattered my world:
He shook his head gently. “It won’t help. You had to be qualified at the point of admission.”
Just like that, my dream died.
My world collapsed in that dim office. For a week I haunted the Faculty, hoping for a waiver. Finally, Prof. Ilegbune, the Dean, a family friend, put a hand on my shoulder and led me to the Business School. He secured me a spot in Business Management.
I was crushed. My father’s eyes held disappointment he tried to hide. My mother promised we’d switch after my GCE. I wrote it, scored an A2 in Literature. But by then it was too late. To read Law, I’d have to start over from year one. It made no sense.
That night I lay awake, staring at the ceiling. Maybe I was not meant to be a lawyer after all. Maybe my father’s pride was misplaced. I felt small, ashamed, like I had failed not just myself but everyone who believed in me.
I was devastated. I skipped classes, loathed my department, felt I had failed everyone. By my second year, the bitterness slowly eased. I started attending lectures, but I often stared across at the Law Faculty with envy.
I didn’t know then that life had other plans. Sometimes, the detours we curse are actually the highways to our true calling. The study of Business Management would prove providential….
FIDA Abuja Heartfelt Felicitation to all Female New Wigs On Call to the Nigerian Bar and an Invitation to a Convivial “Sip and Connect Hangout”
First things first – a massive congratulations, Learned Babes!
It’s no mean feat but you did it!
You survived Law School, crushed your Bar Finals, and now you have officially crossed the threshold into THE noble profession.
You have absolutely earned every letter of the Barrister & Solicitor title – so let it marinate wella for a moment!
And just so you know, this momentous milestone is more than the personal win you may think it is.
It is a big deal for the legal profession, for Nigerian women, and will significantly contribute to inspiring and fanning the embers for a little girl somewhere, who now dares to dream.
I embrace you into the profession with pride, and extend your flowers to you – unreservedly!
As Chairperson of FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch, it gives me immense joy to not only celebrate you but also to invite you to our prestigious fold.
This is a solemn invitation to lead with purpose, serve with integrity, and stand tall as a champion for justice — especially for indigent women, children and persons with disabilities, who desperately need it.
Now that you’ve got the wig on, let’s get to the scoop:
Character is everything – integrity is not optional. You’re stepping into a world that will test your values, your voice, and your vision. Ensure your yes remains yes, your no, no, and your ethics more unshakable than a Supreme Court ruling. Though your brilliance and hardwork may have brought you here, note that it is your character that will keep you soaring.
Be brave and confident. Yours must be the bold voice that rightly and reasonably echoes for the voiceless in any room – be it a courtroom, boardroom or ballroom. Don’t just quote the law – endeavour to exemplify its highest ideals.
Find your tribe – join FIDA. While you may not immediately realise it, worthwhile connections are a goldmine! If you’re looking for a community of powerful women lawyers who are about measurable impact, service, sisterhood and plenty of smart moves – FIDA is where it’s at. We preserve, promote and protect the rights and interests of vulnerable persons. And we do it with heart, grace, and of course, some serious legal sauce.
At the risk of sounding immodest, joining FIDA simply means:
signing on to a legacy of service and purpose-driven advocacy;
connecting with seasoned mentors who genuinely get it;
being part of a global force shaping justice for an egalitarian society;
gaining platforms to serve, speak, and shine fully;
enjoying enduring camaraderie and conviviality of sisterhood; etc.
Remember, your wig isn’t just a crown, it symbolizes a call. A call to justice, to lead and to lift others as you rise. So be a real slay queen and come make indelible impact with us.
Assuredly, we’re rooting for you – always.
For a relaxed convivial time together where we better get connected, lounge, play and learn, I invite you to the FIDA ABUJA SIP AND CONNECT HANGOUT, to hold at 10am on Saturday, 12th July 2025. (Attendance is strictly upon reservation – send a WhatsApp message to 09016469573).
While looking forward to hosting you, I heartily welcome you to the legal profession – and hopefully, into the warm, vibrant family that is FIDA Nigeria – Abuja Branch.
With pride, excitement and deep sisterly affection,
Canada has updated its Express Entry immigration requirements, raising the minimum financial threshold for applicants seeking to migrate under the Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades programs. As of 7 July 2025, single applicants must now show proof of at least CAD 15,263 (approximately ₦17 million), up from CAD 14,690.
This move comes shortly after the United States implemented its own visa restrictions, announcing that most Nigerians applying for non-immigrant visas will now receive only single-entry visas valid for three months. The U.S. says the change is part of a reciprocity adjustment in response to Nigeria’s visa policies toward Americans.
According to Canada’s Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), applicants must update their Express Entry profiles with the new proof of funds requirement by 28 July 2025 to maintain eligibility. The amount required increases based on family size, with a two-person household now needing CAD 19,001 (around ₦21.2 million).
Proof of funds is required to demonstrate that a prospective immigrant has sufficient resources to support themselves and their family during initial settlement. Acceptable documentation includes recent bank statements, official letters from financial institutions, or other formal evidence of access to funds.
The IRCC warns that applicants must prove legal access to the money and cannot use property equity or borrowed funds as part of their settlement proof. Joint accounts with spouses are permitted, but proof of access must be provided if the money is not in the applicant’s name.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it did not introduce a new visa policy that triggered the recent changes from the U.S., suggesting instead that the new U.S. rules may be responding to long-standing visa imbalances. The government says it is currently studying the situation and will issue a formal response in due course.
These changes signal tightening immigration rules from top destination countries for Nigerian migrants and could significantly impact prospective travellers, particularly younger applicants and middle-income earners.
For orchestrating the killing of Dr. Mrs. Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, a 16-year-old girl, Miss Joy Afekafe, has been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of culpable homicide and armed robbery in connection with the death.
Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of Minna High Court No. 4 delivered the verdict, stating that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Joy and her accomplices were responsible for the brutal killing of Dr. Adefolalu at her Gbaiko residence on October 28, 2023.
The Principal State Counsel from the Niger State Ministry of Justice brought two charges—culpable homicide and armed robbery—both punishable under Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code.
According to court proceedings, Joy had been employed as a housemaid by the deceased on October 2, 2023.
She was introduced to the household by Pastor Ojo Peters of the Voice of Mercy Church, Minna, which both the victim and Joy’s mother attended.
After being caught stealing money and valuables, Joy was dismissed.
In retaliation, she recruited two accomplices—identified as DJ Wallex and DJ Smart—to carry out the attack. The accomplices are currently at large.
In her confession to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Joy recounted how her friends stabbed the lecturer multiple times.
As the victim tried to fight back with a stool, they overpowered her and used the same stool to strike her head, killing her instantly.
They then made away with mobile phones, a laptop, and foreign currency from her room.
Delivering a judgement that lasted over two hours, Justice Mohammed ruled that the evidence clearly established Joy’s involvement in the crime, both as a participant and instigator.
“I hold that the prosecution proved beyond reasonable doubt that Dr. Adefolalu is dead and that her death was caused by the convict and her friends, who stabbed and later struck her fatally with a wooden stool,” the judge stated.
Although Joy is 16 years old, the court considered her age at the time of the crime—14 years—when determining her sentence.
Justice Mohammed noted that under Section 221 of the Penal Code, the death penalty cannot be applied to minors. Instead, the law mandates life imprisonment or other custodial measures.
Consequently, Joy was sentenced to life in a custodial facility for culpable homicide and an additional 10 years for armed robbery.
Sequel to the Supreme Court verdict on Thursday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Candidate in the September 2024 governorship election in Edo state, Mr Asue Ighodalo says he feels a deep sense of betrayal in the apex court’s verdict.
A five-man panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba Lawal held that the appellants – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the September 2024 election, Asue Ighodalo – could not establish their claims of election non-compliance, unlawful votes, and that Okpebholo was not duly elected.
The appeal was dismissed for lacking merit.
Ighodalo, in his reaction to the apex court verdict, on Thursday, said though he accepted the finality of the judgment, “I do not and cannot pretend that what was delivered amounts to justice.” He spoke in a statement he signed, made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
”My dear people of Edo State, today, the Supreme Court has ruled. ”What happened in the September 2024 Governorship Election was not a contest. ”It was a robbery. Coordinated. Deliberate. And now, tragically validated by the highest court in the land. ”While I will not and can not obstruct any judicial pronouncement, no matter how flawed, I must never fear to speak truth to power,” he said. According to him, like you, I feel a deep sense of betrayal. ”Not just by those who rigged the process, but by the very institutions we trusted to protect our democracy. ”You came out in hope. You voted for competence, for progress, for prosperity. ”And now, we are told that your voice does not matter. ”That your freely given mandate can be trampled without consequence. ”I feel your pain. I share your anger. And I will never forget your courage. ”To every young person who saw in this moment the birth of a new Edo. ”To every elder who longed to see our state rise again. ”To every woman and man who prayed, campaigned, and voted. ”We may not have won the office, but we won something greater. ”We found one another. We discovered our collective strength. ”Though this painful chapter closes today, our beautiful story does not end,” he said. Ighodalo, however, said that he would not relent in his effort at ensuring a better Edo. ”The struggle to reclaim the soul of our beloved state continues. ”Yes, dark days may lie ahead. The weight of this illegitimacy will, unfortunately, echo beyond the halls of the Supreme Court. ”I fear Edo will feel it in the absence of leadership, in the poverty of policy, and in the daily suffering of her people. ”But we are neither a fearful nor a broken people. We may be wounded. But all wounds heal. ”So let this be our vow. We will not retreat. We will not be silenced. And we will never forget,” he said. The PDP candidate, therefore, advised Gov. Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the winner of the election, to govern the state aright. ”To those who now hold power undeserved, lead with humility. ”Govern with conscience. History sees what the courts may not. ”And one day, it will deliver its own verdict,” he concluded.
Thursday’s verdict came about 11 months after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Okpebholo as the winner of the Edo governorship election.
The then-APC candidate got 291,667 votes, beating Ighodalo, his closest rival, who garnered 247,274 votes.
Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) took a distant third place, managing only 22,763 votes in the fiercely contested election.
However, unsatisfied with the conduct of the exercise, Ighodalo and the PDP took the matter to court, alleging that the election was fraught with irregularities. They asked the court to nullify the poll over allegations of non-compliance with the tenets of the Electoral Act 2022.
Meanwhile, Governor Okpebholo has welcomed the victory at the Supreme Court and has extended a “sincere olive branch to all his opponents and members of the opposition”.
A very angry Kenyan President, William Ruto, has ordered police officers to shoot protesters during the nationwide anti-government protest in the East African country.
Ruto, in a speech on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, said police should shoot protesters who vandalise businesses in the leg to incapacitate them.
The president’s directive came two days after 31 people were killed during nationwide anti-government demonstrations.
On Monday, police blocked off large parts of the capital Nairobi, and used tear gas, water cannon, and fired at crowds to disperse them.
Some supermarkets, businesses, and hospitals were looted, damaged, or torched.
Ruto said: “Anyone who goes to burn other people’s property, someone like that should be shot in the leg, and go to the hospital on his way to court.
“They shouldn’t kill the person, but they should hit the legs to break them.”
The death of a political blogger in police custody brought hundreds of Kenyans onto the streets last month – reigniting a protest movement fuelled by anger over the cost of living and what they say is police brutality and corruption, a year after protesters opposing proposed tax hikes stormed parliament.
The rallying cry among the protesters, mostly young adults desperate for job opportunities and organised through social media channels, is that Ruto will be a one-term leader.
He won power almost three years ago as a champion of the poor who promised to end extrajudicial killings, but his government has responded to mounting public dissatisfaction with defiance.
Kenya’s interior minister, Kipchumba Murkomen, branded last month’s protests as a “coup attempt” by what he called “criminal anarchists”, Reuters reported.
The government-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights said criminal gangs wielding whips and machetes appeared to be operating alongside police in Nairobi and the Rift Valley town of Eldoret during the protests on Monday.
Police have not commented on the commission’s observations, but have previously said they do not work with “goons”.
Ruto, in a post on X on Wednesday, stated: “Those who attack Kenyans, police officers, security installations and businesses are terrorists. Such criminal acts are a declaration of war.
“We will not allow our country to be destroyed by retrogressive elements that are seeking shortcuts to rise to power.
After Nigeria’s Federal government had bragged that Abuja was safe despite a US government travel advisory, a staff member of the Ghana High Commission in Abuja, identified as Miss Freda Arnong, died following an alleged abduction and assault in Abuja.
The assurance followed a recent travel advisory issued by the United States Embassy, restricting non-official visits by its staff to military and government facilities in the Federal Capital Territory.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said there was no cause for alarm, adding that Nigeria’s security agencies were fully engaged in keeping the FCT and the rest of the country secure.
“Abuja remains safe for citizens, residents, and visitors alike.
This, even as the National Security Adviser, NSA, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, says the efforts of the Nigerian military have enabled the country to stand strong against all manner of insecurities.
The unfortunate incident reportedly occurred on the evening of July 1, 2025, around 7 pm, when Miss Arnong boarded a commercial taxi heading toward Transcorp Junction in the Federal Capital Territory.
Unknown to Freda, the vehicle was already occupied by four unidentified men.
According to the Ghanaian High Commission, the taxi diverted from the intended route shortly after departure.
Hours later, the victim was discovered in critical condition along Airport Road by a good Samaritan, who promptly transported her to the National Hospital, Abuja.
A security source, Zagazola Makama, disclosed that a good Samaritan discovered the victim and quickly took her to the National Hospital in Abuja for emergency treatment.
However, despite medical efforts, she was pronounced dead at approximately 1:52pm on July 7 due to the severe injuries sustained during the attack.
Makama added that the remains of the deceased diplomat had been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary for autopsy and preservation.
He further stated that detectives from the FCT Command’s Criminal Investigation Department have launched an investigation into the incident, with efforts ongoing to identify and arrest those responsible.
“The diplomatic community in Abuja has expressed deep concern over the incident and is closely following the investigation. “Miss Arnong was remembered by her colleagues as a dedicated and compassionate individual.
“Her untimely death has left staff at the High Commission and her loved ones in deep mourning,” Makama added.
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