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Top U.S. Officials Storm Aso Rock over Recent Unrest Nigeria

A team from the United States raised their concern about ongoing violence in Nigeria, human rights abuses, and religious freedom. The team, according to the US Mission in Nigeria “discussed ongoing violence, the importance of allowing citizens to peacefully demonstrate, and accountability and justice for victims.”

The statement said:

“The US condemnation of the use of excessive force by military forces fired at unarmed demonstrators in Lagos was expressed by the counselor”

The delegation expressed condolences to the victims of these shootings and urged Nigeria ‘s government to comply with its commitment to hold those responsible under the law accountable.

On Friday afternoon, another message from the mission revealed that the team had met with a wide range of officials from the federal government, governors, human rights activists and representatives of civil society, religious leaders, conflict mitigators, donor partners and police.

Together, we are continuing our collaboration on our shared goals of improving civil security, promoting human rights, improving civil security and promoting human rights.

The team comprises of US Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour, Bob Destro; US Assistant Secretary, Bureau for Conflict Stabilisation Operations, Denise Natali; the Counselor of the US Department of State, Thomas Ulrich Brechbuhl; and the Charge d’Affairs, US Embassy, Kathleen FitzGibbon.

Responding, Vice President Osinbajo expressed the hope that such cooperation would create better understanding of the issues.

He assured the visiting US officials that the plan of both the federal and state governments to investigate police brutality and prosecute erring police officers, create new state-based security and human rights committees, as well as provide compensation to victims of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units would be a game-changer in ensuring an end to impunity.

A statement issued by the Vice President’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, on Friday, said Osinbajo informed the delegation that at least 13 states in the country, including Lagos, had since established judicial panels “to seek justice and to compensate those whose rights have been breached.” While responding to the concerns of the US government on instances of impunity in the country, the vice president noted that these efforts were part of the Nigerian government’s commitment to implementing extensive police reforms.

He added that the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry nationwide would further ensure that the police and other security agencies ensure the protection of human rights of citizens.

The statement quoted Osinbajo as saying: “The concerns around impunity are some of the concerns that informed the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry across states.

Each state is now required to establish judicial inquiry that will look into cases of impunity, excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings etc, especially by law enforcement agents. “Aside from two representatives of civil society groups, these judicial panels will have youth representatives and a representative from the National Human Rights Commission, among others. Each state is also required to have what is called the Special Security and Human Rights Committee to ensure that law enforcement and security agencies protect the human rights of citizens.”

“Government is paying attention. The point we are making is that protests are a means to an end, but they cannot be the end. We are very optimistic that what we have put in place would eventually yield the best possible results for us.”

Osinbajo also highlighted what he termed false narratives about Nigeria, including the herder-farmer crisis, especially in North Central states and the politics behind the allegations. According to him, the herder-farmer crisis was exacerbated mainly because of land and resources struggle rather than the misinterpreted Christians-versus-Muslim narrative.

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Gunmen abduct Kwara APC chairman’s wife, daughter in midnight raid

Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted the wife and daughter of Alhaji Muhammad Swasun, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The victims, identified as Hajiya Fatima and her daughter Amina, were seized on Sunday, September 7, at night when a five-man armed gang stormed the party chairman’s residence in Sakpefu.

Eyewitness accounts revealed that the attackers scaled the compound fence and opened fire indiscriminately to terrify residents before breaking into one of the rooms.

“They entered into one of the rooms where they found his wife and daughter and took them away, shooting into the air,” a party executive told reporters, adding that the chairman narrowly escaped being kidnapped himself.

Another APC member confirmed that the gunmen operated for several minutes before whisking the women to an undisclosed location.

“The bandits abducted his wife, Hajiya Fatima, and his daughter, Amina, and took them to an unknown destination,” the source explained, according to Vanguard.

The latest abduction has heightened anxiety in Patigi, a region already grappling with recurring cases of kidnapping.

Residents have repeatedly urged the government and security operatives in recent months to intensify efforts to curb the menace.

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Ace Comedian Ali Baba evicted from Victoria Island property over legal dispute

Veteran Nigerian comedian Atunyota Alleluya Akpobome, popularly known as Ali Baba, has been evicted from his luxurious, multi-million-naira property located in Victoria Island due to a court dispute.

The property, which was purchased for ₦220 million by Ali Baba, is the subject of an ownership dispute at the Federal High Court.

Amid the legal dispute, Ali Baba and his company, XQZMOI TV, were evicted from the property located at 324A Akin Ogunlewe Street.

The eviction was carried out by bailiffs of the Federal High Court following a writ of possession signed on August 15, 2025.

The property in question was initially sold to Ali Baba by the Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in 2021 for ₦220 million.

At the time, AMCON claimed it was recovering debts allegedly owed by Harold Expansion Industries Nigeria Limited.

But Harold Expansion disputed the debt and counterclaimed that they had already made repayments. Their lawyer, Benjamin Olayiwola Sadibo, insisted that the property was sold wrongfully.

On July 31, 2025, Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court delivered a verdict that changed everything as he dismissed AMCON’s case, ruling that the corporation had failed to provide convincing evidence of the alleged debt.

The Justice stressed that AMCON did not even present a statement of account to back its claims a fatal omission for a creditor. Worse still, AMCON did not file a defence against Harold Expansion’s counterclaim, leaving the court with no choice but to side with the company.

In addition to ordering the property to be returned to the family of its original owner, the judge also imposed ₦500 million in damages on AMCON.

Ali Baba’s culpability in the case came as a result of the timing of the purchase. Records show that he purchased the property while the case was still in court, despite an existing preservation order.

He was said to have been a tenant of the property’s original owner before AMCON evicted the family and sold it.

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Police summon El-Rufai, other Kaduna ADC chieftains over alleged criminal conspiracy

The Kaduna Command of the Nigerian Police has summoned former Governor of the state, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, and other top chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In the summons letter dated September 4, 2025, the ADC members were invited for questioning over alleged incitement of public disturbance, criminal conspiracy, mischief, and causing grievous hurt.

Signed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Uzainu Abdullahi, the letter said the invited individuals are required to come and clarify the allegations against them.

“This Department is currently investigating the above-mentioned case involving the following members of your party. You are requested to come along with them to SCID to clarify allegations reported against them by the complainants on 8th September, 2025.

“Mal. Nasir El-Rufa’i, Bashir Sa’idu, Jafaru Sani, Ubaidullah Mohammed, aka 30, Nasiru Maikano, Aminu Abita, and Ahmed Rufa’i Hussaini, aka Mikiya,” the letter reads.

Sani, one of the invited members and ADC North-West Vice Chairman, told Daily Trust that he learned of the invitation through social media.

“Yes, most of us only saw the statement on social media,” he said, declining further comments.

The development followed the heated exchanges between the Kaduna State government and El-Rufai over the violence that rocked an ADC meeting in the state last week.

The government accused the former Governor of plotting to cause destabilisation in the state through provocative actions and inflammatory statements.

In a statement signed by Dr. Suleiman Shuaibu, the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, the government said it wouldn’t sit idle and watch El-Rufai plunge the state back into violence, division, and insecurity.

“This Government will not fold its arms and allow a discredited former leader, who left the state in ruins, to ignite chaos and plunge the state into another era of ethno-religious tension, insecurity, and economic stagnation,” the statement read.