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Mindless horror on the plateau

By Lekan Sote

Concerned people are asking why so much terrorism is going on the Plateau and across the Middle Belt region of Nigeria on such a horrific scale. And the word that keeps going round is that the terrorists are aliens from the Sahel.

Gen. T.Y. Danjuma, Nigeria’s former Chief of Army Staff and Minister of Defence, who confirmed “that most of (the terrorists) are foreigners, (though) there are (local) collaborators”, lamented, “The whole country is overrun.”

The horror of the renegade’s invasion is captured in an amateur, but gory, video that shows people offloading corpses of those they claimed were casualties of recent attacks in Plateau State to the front of a massive white building that they claimed was a government state house.

If those individuals indeed dumped the corpses in front of a state government house, they would have added more numbers to the casualties if the sentries had decided to mow them down for breaching state house security.

But it must be acknowledged that it was a brilliant public relations stunt to draw attention to the helplessness of the people of the Plateau, victims of the reign of terror that has now almost become a regular ritual.

A young female poet laureate, who says she is from the North, but her blood carries many names, recited an indicting dirge on the assault on the lives and lands of the people of the Plateau, which is representational of the Middle Belt region of Nigeria that includes Plateau, Benue, Taraba and Southern Kaduna States.

She wailed, in narrative prose, rather than poetry, “Haven’t we learnt yet, oh my beloved country? Haven’t we seen enough lands dug by shaking hands in fury and fear? And haven’t we carried enough bodies, stiff and silent, wrapped in the weight of injustice?”

From the conniving government and nonchalant Nigerians outside of the Plateau killing field, she asked, “Haven’t we learnt yet, Nigeria, that silence is a co-conspirator, that when the leaders turn away, history sharpens its knife; that when justice is delayed, the earth grows fat with graves; that a country that does not punish its past will live to repeat it in different dialects?

“Haven’t we learnt that violence does not stay contained, and the machete swung today could rest on any door tomorrow? That today’s victim is yesterday’s neighbour, and tomorrow, it could be you, me, or the child who still believes that home is a safe place, that this is still our Nigeria?”

Another female poet lamented in dreadful words, “The food basket of the nation is now the blood basket of the nation. The land, once lush with green, now hush and grim, filled with sullen faces with no hope to survive the day, like arid ground in want of rain.

“Pain is plain. It’s daybreak. Folks are supposed to go on to their farms, but farms are not the safest places to be. It’s nightfall, it’s heartbreak, it’s heartache, over destroyed homes, destroyed crops, slaughtered brethren and bloodshed.

“Motherland is not the safest place to be. Once lively hoes now echo with silence; the land, loud with violence, flooding with the blood of the young and the old alike. Great sons fall like autumn leaves, dead bodies scattered like mustard seeds…

“They say tough times don’t last. Tell that to the people of Guma, who have watched herdsmen turn gunmen. Tell that to the people of Turan, who have been swept from their homes, like brooms to flies, their homes and belongings transformed to bonfires.

“Tell that to the people of Sankerra. Tell that to the people of Logo. Tell that to the people of Kwande, who have had bullets sprayed on them like rainwater, who have been changed to nothing but chickens for slaughter. Tell that to youths who this has caused them their futures.”

But enough of the poetry; the artists’ impression of the unbridled carnage happening on the Plateau of Nigeria, without anyone in government or the security agencies being able to take any tangible steps to contain it.

One real-life story of the pains caused by these invaders on the Plateau is the ridiculous story of Samuel Ortom, who, as the sitting governor of Benue State, was chased, with his security details, by terrorists from his farm.

A recent report from Benue State claims that several communities, like Tombo Mbaya, Buruku Local Government, and Mbachoughu and Mbanyagber, in Tarka Local Government, came under “coordinated assault” by armed herdsmen.

Governor Caleb Muftwang personally reported how terrorists sacked communities in Plateau State. His words: “These communities that have been recently attacked were part of the communities attacked in 2023… The Ruuri community that was first attacked lost about 17 people in 2023…Over 50 persons were killed within one week in attacks on communities that left over 300 houses burnt.”

Governor Muftwang reasons, “If these attacks have been going on for close to 10 years (most of which is under the All Progressives Congress), it tells you that there is a deliberate, conscious attempt to clean out populations.

“As I am talking to you, there are not less than 64 communities that have been taken over by the bandits on the Plateau, between Bokkos, Barkin Ladi and Riyon Local Governments. They have been taken over, renamed, and people living there (now are) conveniently on lands they pushed people away to occupy.”

Why do government and security agencies fail to repel the land grabbers and restore the rightful owners to their ancestral lands? Gen. Danjuma told a home crowd in Taraba State, “The armed forces are either not capable or unwilling to protect us.”

Following is the, albeit one-sided, report of a current victim hiding in the bushes to avoid another attack from terrorists, that Governor Muftwang, like Lai Mohammed, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Minister of Information, called bandits.

“This is reporting from Hurti, on exactly what happened on 2nd April 2025. We were living peacefully with these Fulani herdsmen… At around 3:45pm… we… just began to hear gunshots… We saw that they had surrounded the environment. They were shooting sporadically, shooting at every person…

“But they concentrated more on the men that they wanted to wipe out the community. They kept on telling us that we say we are serving a living God. Where is our God now? They kept on shooting everybody that they found around….

“After the shooting, the next thing is that they started burning houses… They looted all the foodstuffs, our house stuffs…. On Thursday… we were able to recover 32 corpses… We went searching again, and still retrieved another four…. We had a mass burial for the 32 and the four others were buried in different places.

“17 people sustained injuries, and they are currently receiving treatment. One of them, Oji Tobias, has lost his life. I am pleading that all necessary measures should be taken to make sure that this does not recur…. The government should be able to arrest these people and make sure that justice takes its course.”

To resolve this matter, maybe the government should take Gen. Danjuma’s counsel, wherein he said, “As a soldier, my training teaches me that the best defence is attack,” and enlist citizens of the Plateau in something like South-West Nigeria’s “Amotekun”.

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

“The Shameful Role of SOME Lawyers in The Decline of Public Institutions in Nigeria, A Case Study of the National Assembly: “Were lawyers not involved in the prosecution of Jesus Christ in the Sanhedrin for blasphemy? Who sentenced him to death knowing that he is innocent: LAWYERS!”-Mr Aikpokpo-Martins

By Dr. Tonye Clinton Jaja

Before I begin, a note of warning: Not every lawyer at the National Assembly is culpable.

Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly, fought for the enactment of the National Assembly Library Trust Fund Act, 2023. The said National Assembly Library building, which he championed, is today a national treasure trove of resource materials for both legislators and researchers in the field of legislative research.

Dr. Yahaya Dan-Zaria, Esq., the Clerk to the House of Representatives, National Assembly, is a skilled and experienced technocrat with a conscience.

Since the year of year of my baptism, I have been a regular reader of the Bible on a daily basis.

Yet it was only on 20th April 2025, that Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins pointed out something in the Bible that I never realised.

So as not to misquote him, below are his exact words:

“Were lawyers not involved in the prosecution of Jesus Christ in the Sanhedrin for blasphemy? Who sentenced him to death, knowing that he is innocent: LAWYERS!”

Those words hit me like a thunderbolt.

The words were 100% correct. The Sanhedrin was the Supreme Court of the Jews, it was presided over by the very best lawyers and experts in Jewish law.

Yet, it was this same institution of lawyers that laid the false charge of blasphemy upon Jesus Christ, then went the extra mile of fabricating evidence and eyewitnesses to testify against Jesus Christ.

Even when the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate made a half-hearted attempt to set Jesus Christ free, and save him from execution, by saying:”I have found nothing of guilt in him Jesus Christ”, this institution of lawyers (Sanhedrin) and the mob responded: “am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “You bear the responsibility.” 25 All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children” (Matthew 27: 24 and 25).

It appears that the majority of the lawyers who are either legislators or legal advisers at the National Assembly are direct descendants of the lawyers of the Sanhedrin that convicted Jesus Christ!!!

The current President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a lawyer.

The chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is a lawyer.

The legal adviser to the President of the Senate, Dr. Monday Ubani SAN is a lawyer.

There are two serving Senators who are Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

Senators Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Senator Ned Nwoko, Senator Seriake Dickson, Senator Simon Lalong are all lawyers (just to mention a few)!!!

Yet, on 6th March 2025, this same Senate violated the judicial Rule of Law by imposing a suspension of six months upon Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan!!!

Again on 20th March 2025 this same Senate was accused by Senator Aminu Tambuwal of non-compliance with the two-thirds majority votes required to give effect to Section 305 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 which is a condition precedent to Proclamation of State of Emergency in Rivers State!!!

The list of infractions of both judicial precepts and actual laws (including their own Senate Standing Orders) by the law-makers of the National Assembly appears to be endless!!!

It appears that they are competing with themselves about how low they can sink in violation of any know laws and get away with their infractions!!!

In the process it is not only the institution of the National Assembly that is being tarnished and destroyed, other public institutions in Nigeria are not spared!!!

For example, an online newspaper has recently reported how the President of the Senate UNJUSTLY interfered with the process of selection of the Vice-Chancellor of one of the federal universities.

The full report can be accessed online at: https://saharareporters.com/2025/03/19/exclusive-outrage-mounts-over-akpabios-alleged-role-appointment-ally-prof-omoregies

The summary is as follows: “One academic staff member, who spoke to SaharaReporters on the condition of anonymity, said, “There is nothing more painful than seeing mediocrity imposed on an academic institution. The appointment process was a sham—the worst in the university’s history. How can someone with no significant administrative experience, who was ranked at the bottom, suddenly become Vice-Chancellor?”

Further investigation by SaharaReporters revealed that Omoregie has been largely absent from the university system for over four years, reportedly working as Akpabio’s personal lawyer in Abuja. Additionally, he is said to be a legal representative of the Oba of Benin in court cases.”

In my response to Mr. Aikpokpo-Martins, I wrote the following:

“Learned Senior,

You are very 100% correct!!!

If lawyers could be culpable of concocting false evidence to justify the execution of the son of God, then there is nothing they can not do!!!

Imagine if the majority of the 200,000 lawyers in Nigeria had unanimously spoken out against the words and actions of Wike, from the get-go, there will have been no State of Emergency in the first place!!!

Here in Lesotho, the entire lawyers as represented by the Law Society of Lesotho spoke up against the Prime Minister’s appointment of a non-qualified lawyer as the Director-General of the Lesotho Economic Offences Commission (their own version of EFCC).

The Prime Minister had to withdraw the appointment!!!”

To conclude, the brief profile of Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins is reproduced:

“Mr Aikpokpo-Martins, who has made graduated from the Bendel State University, Ekpoma (now the Ambrose Alli University) in 1989, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1990. He did his National Youth Service in Rivers State and has been in private legal practice since 1992.

Mr. John Aikpokpo-Martins has served the Nigerian Bar Association in many capacities. He was the Chairman, NBA-Warri Branch, 2014 – 2016; Vice Chairman, Warri Branch, 2010 – 2012. He was elected the 1st Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association and served from 2020-2022. He was also elected and is the present Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest and Development Law (NBA-SPIDEL). He served also as a member of the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations against SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police from 2020 to 2022″.

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

Update! Pope Francis Alters Funeral Tradition: From choice of coffin to burial place and how the ceremony will be different from his predecessors

  • Vatican says Pope Francis died of stroke and heart failure

The death of Pope Francis will mark a significant break from traditional papal funerals, including how he will become the first pontiff to be buried outside of the Vatican in more than a century.

Vatican doctor Andrea Arcangeli, in a death certificate released on Monday, said the 88-year-old pontiff, Pope Francis, died of a stroke and irreversible heart failure.

The certificate, which was published by the Vatican, said the pope had fallen into a coma before his death early on Monday.

Pope Francis died of “cerebral stroke, coma, irreversible cardiocirculatory collapse”, the death certificate said. It added the religious leader died at 7:35 am local (0535 GMT) in his apartment at the Santa Marta residence in the Vatican.

Pope Francis had suffered various ailments during his 12-year papacy, with severe complications in recent weeks following a bout of double pneumonia for which he spent 38 days at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital.

The death certificate added that Francis also suffered from arterial hypertension, multiple bronchiectasis and Type 2 diabetes, ailments which had not been previously disclosed.

There will now be nine days of official mourning, but the historic process of the conclave, where cardinals will gather in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to choose who will be the next pope, will not begin for at least 15 days from today.

Although a papal funeral has traditionally been an elaborate affair, Pope Francis made the decision ahead of his death to approve plans to make it less complex.

While previous pontiffs, including the late Pope Benedict, have been buried in the traditional triple coffins made of cypress, lead and oak, Francis instead chose a simple wooden coffin lined with zinc.  

The tradition of the Pope’s body being placed on a catafalque inside St Peter’s Basilica for the world to pay its respects has also been scrapped. 

Francis’ body will instead remain inside the coffin, with the lid removed, with mourners invited to pay their respects.

The Vatican had released Pope Francis’s spiritual testament – a written statement of faith – in which he said he wished to be buried in Rome’s Basilica of Saint Mary Major and not at St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, unlike many of his predecessors.

The text specified Pope Francis wanted to be buried “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with the inscription of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.

“As I sense the approaching twilight of my earthly life, and with firm hope in eternal life, I wish to set out my final wishes solely regarding the place of my burial,” read the testament, which was dated June 29, 2022.

“May the Lord grant a fitting reward to all those who have loved me and who continue to pray for me,” it said.

See Also: How romantic rejection at 12 forged the most controversial Pope of modern times

See Also: Conclave: The Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

Francis will instead be laid to rest in the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome’s Esquilino neighbourhood, rather than in the grottoes beneath St Peter’s, which houses the tombs of around 90 popes.

The last Pope to be buried outside St Peter’s was Leo XIII (1878-1903) who was interred in the Basilica of St John Lateran, which is the church for the Bishop of Rome. 

As a result, 22 other Popes are also buried here while another four are also resting at the Basilica of St Lawrence Outside the Walls.

These include Blessed Pius IX (1846-1878), St Zosimus (417-418), St Sixtus III (432-440), St Hilary (461-468) and Damasus II (1037-1048).

Five other Popes are buried at Santa Maria Maggiore and these include Pius V (1566-1572, Sixtus V, (1585-1590), Clement XIII ( 1758-1769), Paul V (1605-1621) and Clement IX (1667-1669). 

Meanwhile, the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls houses the tombs of St Felix III (483-492) and John XIII (965-972).

Clement XIV (1769-1774) is buried in the Basilica of the Holy XII Apostles while Benedict XII (1724-1730) rests in the Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

A basilica is a church which has special significance or privileges granted by the Pope – and the Santa Maria Maggiore is one of the four major ones in Rome.

Francis has made more than a hundred visits to the fifth-century basilica, where he would pray in front of a venerated image of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus.

In his final years, the pontiff appeared to be making plans for his death, consecrating 21 new cardinals, including details for his funeral. 

When announcing plans to simplify his funeral, Francis told Mexican broadcaster N+ in 2023: ‘I’ll launch a new ritual.’

The stripping back of the papal funeral procedure is intended to ’emphasise even more that the Roman Pontiff’s funeral is that of a shepherd and disciple of Christ and not of a powerful man of this world’, according to Monsignor Diego Ravelli, the master of liturgical ceremonies. 

It will come as no surprise to those who have followed Pope Francis’ journey since the start of his papacy in March 2013, when he opted against living in the lavish Apostolic Palace and instead moved into a guest house on the Vatican grounds. 

He sought to project simplicity into the grand role and never took possession of the ornate papal apartments used by his predecessors, saying he preferred to live in a community setting for his ‘psychological health’. 

Pope Francis previously presided the funeral of his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who died in December 2022 after abdicating.

Benedict’s body lay in state in St Peter’s Basilica from January 2 to January 4 2023, with around 195,000 mourners paying their respects. His funeral was attended by around 50,000 people. 

Benedict was among the previous popes to be buried in the traditional triple coffin made of cypress wood, zinc and oak. 

It was was unprecedented in modern times for a living pope to bury his predecessor. 

Announcing Pope Francis’s death today, Camerlengo Cardinal Kevin Farrell said in a statement: ‘At 7.35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the home of the Father.

‘His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church.

‘He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with faithfulness, courage, and universal love, especially for the poorest and most marginalised.

‘With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite, merciful love of God, One and Tribune.’

The Pope emerged from his convalescence on Easter Sunday to bless the thousands of people in St Peter’s Square in Vatican City.

He had recently resumed some official duties during his recovery from pneumonia.

He made his first public appearance since his bout of double pneumonia on April 6, when he appeared in St Peter’s Square in a wheelchair during a special Jubilee Mass for the sick following his discharge from the hospital two weeks previously.

Otu Oka-Iwu (Association of Igbo Lawyers) condemns exclusion of South East from Presidential Committee on National Population and Housing Census

Press Release

EXCLUSION OF THE SOUTH EAST AND SOUTH SOUTH GEOPOLITICAL ZONES FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMITTEE ON THE NATIONAL POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS – A DELIBERATE AFFRONT TO JUSTICE, EQUITY, AND NATIONAL COHESION

Otu Oka-Iwu, the apex organization of Igbo lawyers in Nigeria, expresses utter disappointment, deep concern, and unreserved condemnation of the recent composition of the Presidential Committee on the National Population and Housing Census (2025). We are alarmed to observe that the entire South East and South South geopolitical zones/regions that are home to millions of Nigerian citizens have been totally and deliberately excluded from this critical national assignment.

This is not just an omission. This is a clear and calculated act of marginalization, one that reinforces the entrenched and widening pattern of exclusion and systemic discrimination against the Igbo people and our neighbours in the South South region. Out of seven (7) committee members, five are from the South West, and the remaining two are from the North Central and North West. No person from the South East or South South regions that have contributed immensely to the political, economic, and social fabric of this nation is found worthy of inclusion.

This action, under the watch of a government that claims to govern in the interest of all, is not only reprehensible but amounts to a brazen insult to the principles of federal character, equity, inclusion, and justice as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

Let it be stated categorically: a national census is not a technical exercise, it is political, economic, social, and cultural. It determines representation in government, allocation of resources, and the trajectory of development for decades to come. It defines who counts, and who is counted. Excluding an entire people from the committee that will shape and oversee such a process is an unmistakable declaration that we do not matter in the affairs of this country.

Otu Oka-Iwu views this development as a continuation of the subtle but persistent agenda to sideline and silence the South East and South South regions in the governance and policy architecture of Nigeria. It is a sad commentary that in 2025, we must still remind the Nigerian state that this country is not the inheritance of any one region or ethnic group. We cannot, and will not, be spectators in our own country.

We call for the immediate reconstitution of the Presidential Census Committee to reflect the true federal character of Nigeria and to include qualified and capable representatives from the South East and South South zones. Anything short of this is unacceptable, provocative, and a direct invitation to civil disobedience.

We also wish to make it abundantly clear that should this glaring injustice not be urgently addressed, we will not hesitate to mobilize our people across Igbo land and the South South to resist and reject any enumeration or census process carried out under such a flawed and exclusionary framework. We will not allow any group to reduce our people to mere statistics to be used and discarded at will.

The continued undermining of ‘ndi Igbo’ and other marginalized groups in the governance of this country must end. The unity of Nigeria cannot be built on selective inclusion and calculated injustice. There can be no peace where there is no justice.

We call on traditional institutions, political leaders, religious bodies, civil society organizations, and the international community to take notice of this travesty and to join in demanding a reversal of this grievous error.

Nigeria belongs to all of us. The Census must reflect that or it will reflect nothing at all.

Signed:

Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu
President, Otu Oka-Iwu

Chief Ben Ihesiulo
Secretary, Otu Oka-Iwu

A mother’s desperate move to provide for an ailing son

She read the bible out aloud.

In 1921, Ada Blackjack, a young Inuit mother desperate to provide for her ailing son, joined an Arctic expedition as a seamstress. She wasn’t an explorer, nor a hunter—just a woman trying to earn money.

The mission, led by Vilhjalmur Stefansson, sought to claim Wrangel Island for Canada. Ada was the only woman and the only Inuk among four white male explorers. When supplies ran low, the men set off for help across the ice… and never returned.

Ada was left behind with a dying teammate and a cat named Vic. Soon, it was just her and Vic—alone in subzero wilderness, 700 miles from help. She taught herself to shoot a rifle. She fended off polar bears with a knife. She sewed her own mittens when her fingers froze.

She trapped foxes. Ate seal. Read the Bible aloud. And through it all, Vic curled close to keep her warm.

Two years later, rescuers arrived. She was still alive. Thin. Worn. But unbroken. The world nearly forgot her. The men got the headlines.

But today, we remember Ada Blackjack for what she was: 💪 A survivor. A mother. A fighter. A legend.

18 UniZik Law graduates make 1st Class at Nigerian Law School

“The recently released results from the Nigerian Law School have once again affirmed the Faculty of Law, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, as a beacon of academic excellence in legal education in Nigeria”, a statement from the university reveals.

According to the statement, 18 graduates of the institution bagged First Class Honours at the 2025 Bar Finals Examination, the highest in the history of the Faculty, “further showcasing the university’s commitment to nurturing top-tier legal minds.”

The outstanding graduates are:

1. Ibe-Omodo Chioma – Enugu Campus

2. Ebubechi Bartholomew -Okonkwo – Bayelsa Campus

3. Julius Chukwudi – Port Harcourt Campus

4. Ebubechi Ifunanya Nnaji – Port Harcourt Campus

5. Peace Udochukwu Onuigbo – Bayelsa Campus

6. Chinecherem Maureen Anatuanya – Lagos Campus

7. Wisdom Chibuike Oguguo – Port Harcourt

8. Obiajulu Leonard Okoli – Lagos campus

9. Charles Olumba Stella Onyeka – Port Harcourt campus

10. Echefu Stellamaris Uchechukwu – Abuja campus

11. Nwokocha Annastecia Chidinma – Yola campus

12. Obasi Sochima Evangeline – Yola campus

13. Ezeanyaso Tony Chinweitito – Port Harcourt Campus

14. Nwabuzor Chioma Glory – Lagos Campus

15. Amanoh Chisom Goodness – Yola Campus

16. Alagboso Daniel Ifeanyi – Abuja Campus

17. Anene Chinaza Peace –

18. Ifechukwu Praise Mmesoma – Yenagoa Campus

“This impressive achievement reinforces the Faculty of Law’s tradition of excellence and reflects UNIZIK’s unwavering dedication to academic distinction.

“The elated Dean of the Faculty of Law, Professor Felicia Ayaogu, confirmed the news with pride, stating, “This is the true situation. Our students have made us proud, and we give all glory to God Almighty.”

“She credited the remarkable achievement to the dedication of the Faculty’s lecturers, emphasizing that the Faculty of Law has made deliberate efforts to cultivate an environment that fosters effective learning, teaching, and research. Professor Ayaogu also expressed her gratitude to the Acting Vice-Chancellor for his unwavering support to the Faculty.

“Reacting to the news, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph I. Ikechebelu, FAMedS, FNAmed, commended the Faculty of Law for its continued stellar performance. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to supporting all faculties in producing globally competitive graduates who are equipped to provide innovative solutions to global challenges, in line with his BLESSeD Vision for UNIZIK.

“Prof. Ikechebelu also extended heartfelt congratulations to the eighteen high-achieving graduates, assuring them of the university’s continued support as they progress in their professional journeys”, the press release stated.

Days ago, the Council of Legal Education (CLE) approved five new universities to commence law degree programmes, signalling a strategic expansion in access to legal education in Nigeria.

According to a statement from the CLE’s Office of Information and Protocol, the approvals were granted during the council’s second quarterly meeting held on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at the Nigerian Law School Headquarters in Bwari, Abuja, under the chairmanship of Chief Emeka Ngige (SAN).

The newly approved institutions are: Nigerian British University, Asa-Uzuaku, Abia State, Federal University Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Prime University, Kuje, Abuja, and Margaret Lawrence University, Abuja.

Each of these institutions has been cleared to admit up to 50 students into their law faculties starting from the 2024/2025 academic session.

The decision followed satisfactory verification visits conducted by the Nigerian Law School team, led by the Director General and Chairman of the Board of Studies, Prof. Isa Hayatu Chiroma, SAN.

Additionally, the council approved an upward review of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka’s law programme admission quota from 220 to 250 students.

The council also announced a high pass rate in the 2024 Bar Final Examinations.

Out of 7,134 candidates who sat for the exams, 260 earned First Class Honours, 1,193 achieved Second Class Upper, 2,638 earned Second Class Lower, 1,595 passed, 327 earned a Conditional Pass, 940 failed, while 181 were absent.

This, according to the council, reflects an overall pass rate of 84 per cent.

It reaffirmed its commitment to advancing legal education and upholding the high standards required in training future legal professionals in Nigeria. 

Domestic Violence: Special Adviser to Delta State Governor on Trade and Export reportedly beaten to death

Chief Shimite Winifred Bello, the Special Adviser to the Delta State Governor on Trade and Export, has reportedly been beaten to death in what is believed to be a case of domestic violence.

The tragic incident reportedly happened on Monday, April 21, 2025, and has since stirred emotions across Delta State and beyond.

While official details remain unclear, several individuals close to her have alleged that her husband was responsible for the attack that led to her death.

Her aide, Tameta Sunday, shared a sorrowful message on social media, blaming her husband for cutting short her life and the plans they had together.

Another social media user, Hon. Oge Okonkwo, also claimed that her husband has been arrested in connection with her death.

These allegations have not yet been confirmed by the police.

Chief Shimite was a respected figure in trade and economic circles.

She served as the Coordinator of the Delta State UNIDO Centre and led the implementation of the Federal Government’s Social Investment Programme in Delta.

Her passion for African culture and tourism was evident in her television documentary, African Pot, which showcased African cuisine and traditions.

She was involved in several international and national projects, including the USAID/NEXTT programme and the Lakaji Trade Corridor.

She also sat on the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Economic Change in Africa (FESECA) and worked as a contributing editor for publications like Daily Trust and Leadership, focusing on travel and tourism.

Her death has sparked conversations about domestic abuse, with many urging women to walk away from violent relationships rather than stay and risk their lives.

Friends, colleagues, and members of the public continue to mourn her, describing her as a woman of great vision and purpose whose life ended too soon.

Dockaysworld.com

Conclave: The Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

The next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff, who will make their way to Rome in the next few days for the conclave. The name comes from the Latin cum clave, meaning “with key”, indicating the closed process of electing a pope.

There are more than 220 cardinals from more than 70 countries, but only about 120 are cardinal electors (those over the age of 80 are excluded). Two-thirds of the cardinal electors have been chosen by Francis in the past 10 years and largely reflect his vision of a more inclusive church.

Francis stands on a Vatican balcony in 2013 with the cardinals who elected him pope. Photograph: Vatican Media/Reuters

Once the cardinals are assembled in Rome, usually 15-20 days after the pope’s death, they gather under Michelangelo’s magnificent painted ceiling in the Sistine Chapel to begin their deliberations. After the words extra omnes – everyone out – are declared, referring to all but voting cardinals and a handful of officials and doctors, the doors are locked.

The cardinals swear an oath of absolute secrecy and are permitted no contact with the outside world for the duration of the election process. Their phones are removed, and no newspapers, television, letters or messages are allowed. The chapel is also swept for listening devices before and during the conclave.

The cardinals sleep and eat in a purpose-built hostel, St Martha’s house, near the Sistine Chapel, where Pope Francis has lived for the past 12 years.

The conclave begins with a celebration of mass, after which deliberations and voting begins. Votes are taken each day, morning and afternoon, until a candidate wins a two-thirds majority. There is a day’s break for prayer and reflection after every seven ballots. If there is no conclusive result after 30 ballots, a candidate will be elected on a simple majority. The longest papal conclave in recent history was 1922, when the cardinals took five days to choose their new leader.

Any baptised male can be elected as pope, although a serving cardinal is invariably chosen. Each elector is given a ballot card with the words eligo in summum pontificem (I elect as supreme pontiff) printed at the top. They insert the name of their choice, fold the card and drop it into a chalice.

The ballot is secret, but that does not mean the process is immune from factionalising, intrigue and lobbying.

After each round of voting, the ballot cards are burned. Chemicals are added to make the smoke black or white. Black smoke emerging from the 60ft chimney indicates an inconclusive ballot; white smoke announces to the world that a new pope has been elected.

The successful candidate is asked if he accepts election and, if so, which name he chooses to take as pontiff. The cardinals pledge obedience to the new pope, who is led into the adjacent Room of Tears to be dressed in a white cassock and skull cap, and red slippers. Three sets of vestments in different sizes will have been made by Vatican tailors in advance.

The dean of the cardinals steps on to the main balcony of St Peter’s Basilica, in front of which thousands of Catholic devotees and tourists will be gathered. The dean will declare: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: Habemus papam” – “I announce to you with great joy: We have a pope.”

The Guardian

Quadri Alabi, boy who faced Peter Obi’s convoy narrates how he cleaned faeces everyday in Kirikiri prison

  • Lawyer says over ₦10m raised in 4 days to relocate him

Quadri Alabi, the boy who got attention when he stood in front of Peter Obi’s convoy in Lagos during a presidential campaign tour in the build-up to the 2023 general elections, has said he was made to clean faeces every day while detained in the Kirikiri correctional facility.

Alabi stated this during an interview on Monday on Channels TV which he attended alongside his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.

“In the place that they put me in Kirikiri they used me like a person that did not have any family. From morning to 6 o’clock, I used to pack shit because I did not have money to give marshal,” he said.

Alabi was arrested and charged in connection with a violent street fight in the Amukoko area of Lagos earlier this year. However, Magistrate Adetola Olorunfemi later freed him following legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Dr. Babajide Martins.

The 17-year-old said he was at the entrance of his house when the police arrested him after being led by hoodlums.

“At the station, I was the youngest there. I was locked up with older men. They asked me what I did, and I said nothing. Before the arrest, the area boys had already taken my phone and the money in my pocket,” he said, adding that the hoodlums had been threatening him because they wanted a share of donations he got from the public when his photo from Mr Obi’s campaign tour went viral.

His lawyer Effiong alleged the police claimed Alabi was 18 years old in court documents.

Effiong said: “The police falsely claimed he was 18 in court documents. Why? Because if they had said he was 17, the court would have treated the matter differently—possibly not even remanding him in a regular prison. The magistrate noted this during the hearing but said the only information provided showed him as 18, so she had no reason to question it.”

The lawyer also claimed the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Amukoko Division subjected Alabi to an internal police trial, along with Inspector Odigbe Samuel and other officers. He described their actions as part of an “evil, sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme” to frame a teenager for armed robbery, instigated by rogue ‘area boys.’

The rights lawyer also revealed that over N10 million has been raised in just four days for the young man.

According to Effiong: “The boy sitting next to me, Quadri Alabi, as you know, went viral in 2023 during one of Peter Obi’s campaign tours. He spontaneously jumped in front of the convoy, raised his hand, and the photo went viral. That moment changed his life. Donations were made, and he gained some popularity.

“Unfortunately, with that fame came harassment. Local area boys began extorting him, saying he hadn’t ‘settled’ them. They even told his mother to buy a cow, cook rice, and throw a feast for the community. When she refused, the threats continued.

“This is actually the second time these same individuals, with support from the Amukoko Police, targeted him. The first time, he was quietly detained. The second time, in January, he was returning home from work when he was arrested by area boys, specifically known as Leggy and Baba Waris, who accused him of ignoring them despite the money he had received from Peter Obi.

“They handed him over to the police, claiming he was involved in a street fight. His mother was told the same. She even confronted one of the area boys, who admitted it was about the money.

“Shockingly, he was detained for a full week before being taken to court on January 27. The DPO, CSP Ismaila Ulaniro, kept him in custody illegally during this period.”

Effiong continued: “They finally took him to the Magistrate Court in Apapa, alongside four adult men he had never met before. The police accused them of armed robbery, said to have occurred on January 22 at 10 p.m. No identification parade was conducted, and there was no evidence linking him to the crime.”

On the issue of age falsification, Effiong said: “The police falsely claimed he was 18 in court documents. Why? Because if they had said he was 17, the court would have treated the matter differently—possibly not even remanding him in a regular prison. The magistrate noted this during the hearing but said the only information provided showed him as 18, so she had no reason to question it.”

Alabi himself recounted the experience: “I was just at the entrance of my house when the police came and arrested me. The area boys pointed me out. At the station, I was the youngest there. I was locked up with older men. They asked me what I did, and I said nothing. Before the arrest, the area boys had already taken my phone and the money in my pocket.”

Regarding the donations, Effiong added: “I can confirm that we’ve raised over N10 million in just four days for Quadri. The goal is to relocate him from Amukoko and to secure a source of income for his mother, who is a petty trader. This shows the strength of the Nigerian spirit.”

A Father to All: A tribute to a humble servant of humanity

By Mabel Adinya Ade

In a time of deep division, noise, and struggle, the world has lost a rare light a Father who lived and served not for titles or wealth, but in total humility and unwavering commitment to the service of humanity.

He took an oath of poverty, and lived it fully not as a symbol, but as a lifestyle of sacrifice, simplicity, and solidarity. He called on all of us to seek not just forgiveness from sin, but a deeper conversion: a transformation of the heart that builds true humanity rooted in love, dignity, and justice.

He was a bridge-builder a tireless voice for peace, reconciliation, and inclusion. He reached across religions, ethnicities, and ideologies with compassion and conviction. He walked among the poor, embraced the marginalized, and kissed the feet of the forgotten. His life was a gospel lived aloud.

In his heart beat a special concern for family , single parents, for the elderly, for migrants struggling to survive harsh journeys in search of better lives. He taught the world that migration is not a crime and that every person regardless of their origin deserves a chance to thrive.

He gave the Earth a voice when few listened. Through Laudato Si’, he reminded humanity that the environment is not just a resource to be exploited, but a sacred home to be nurtured and protected. He called on governments, corporations, and citizens alike to listen to the “cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor.”

He broke boundaries that many feared to touch recognizing the value and leadership of women in the Church. He opened the doors to female clergy, included women in key positions, and consistently sought their advice and perspectives. In doing so, he began to undo centuries of exclusion, setting an example that institutions worldwide must now follow.

Even when his health declined, he remained alert to the cries of the helpless. He carried his pain quietly while carrying the burdens of others with unwavering grace.

To Catholics and non-Catholics alike, he was more than a religious leader he was a moral compass, a father to the world, and a symbol of integrity and spiritual courage.

Today, we grieve. Uncontrollably, deeply. We cry not just because we have lost a beloved shepherd, but because the world desperately needs voices like his, voices that unite, voices that listen, voices that love and advocate.

But even as we mourn, we commit to carry on his legacy: to speak for the voiceless, to embrace the stranger, to fight for the Earth, to include the excluded, and to love without limit.

May God grant him eternal rest.
May perpetual light shine upon him.
May he rest in perfect peace. Amen.