The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), established in 1975, has long been a stabilizing force in the region, fostering economic cooperation and collective security among its 15 member states. However, recent political upheavals, military coups, and internal divisions have exposed cracks in the regional bloc, weakening its ability to address security threats. At the same time, insurgency and violent extremism are spreading across West Africa, exacerbating instability. This analysis explores the deepening fractures within ECOWAS, their impact on counterinsurgency efforts, and the growing security threats posed by insurgents in the region. By Abdallah el-Kurebe The ECOWAS crisis: A…
Author: TheStories
The 2023 Nigerian elections have scarcely concluded, yet the political arena is already buzzing with fervent activity as the race for the 2027 presidential elections commences. This early mobilization is not merely a reflection of the political culture in Nigeria; it is indicative of the high stakes involved in the pursuit of the highest office in the land. Figures such as Nasir El-Rufai, Atiku Abubakar, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Bala Kauran Bauchi, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and the emerging youth movement Tafiyan Matasa are already positioning themselves in what appears to be a strategic chess game, while President Bola Tinubu fiercely defends…
A Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over allegations of trespassing on a parcel of land in the Asokoro District of Abuja. Justice Inyang Ekwo issued the order on Tuesday in response to an ex-parte motion filed by ABB Electrical Systems Limited and Chief Ambassador Yohana Y.D. Margif. The plaintiffs claim ownership of the property, located at Plot 4254, Cadastral Zone A04, measuring approximately 1.67 hectares, by a Statutory Right of Occupancy granted by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) in May 2006. The court also summoned former FCT Senator…
Human rights lawyer Hamza Nuhu Dantani, Esq., has strongly criticized the National Assembly’s approval of the Police Act, which facilitates the tenure elongation of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun. Dantani expressed concerns that the extension, following President Bola Tinubu’s request for Egbetokun to remain in office until 2027, could have severe repercussions for national security. In a petition issued on Friday, Dantani condemned the National Assembly’s decision, arguing that it disrupts the police leadership structure, undermines the Constitution, and erodes public trust in governance. The human rights activist also lamented that President Tinubu’s decision to extend Egbetokun’s tenure…
Abuja, Nigeria — The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convened for its 79th meeting on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, where critical assessments of both the state of the party and the nation were discussed. The meeting, chaired by Senator Adolphus Wabara, addressed several pressing issues within the party and the broader political landscape. A primary concern raised during the meeting was the ongoing crisis within the National Working Committee (NWC). The BoT expressed its deep concern over the unresolved disputes and divisions within the NWC and called on all members, as well as other party…
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), Professor Adenike Oladiji, has urged newly admitted undergraduate and postgraduate students to embrace the virtues of integrity, accountability, and academic excellence throughout their time at the university. She made the call during the matriculation ceremony for the 2024/2025 academic session, which took place on Monday, January 27, 2025. In her address, Professor Oladiji emphasized the importance of maintaining good character alongside academic achievement. She warned students against engaging in any form of antisocial behavior, reminding them that character and academic excellence go hand in hand. “My first appeal to…
The other day, a friend of mine wrote to me from Abuja asking for small financial assistance, complaining that he was ‘stranded’ in the office for lack of money to get his way back home. His house was several kilometers away from where he worked. He had repeatedly gone to his pension administrators to retrieve his money, since he had retired from his previous job and was over 60 years old. But the (pension) providers kept asking him to come back after one month, even after he had filled out the forms and signed all the papers that needed to…
In my primary school days, every school leaver wanted to go to the famous Barewa College Zaria, in then North Central State, now Kaduna State, or Government College Keffi, in then Plateau State, now Nasarawa State. But the only people who made it, or so it would appear, were either those who were very brilliant like Nasir El Rufa’i and AbdalLah AbdulRahman, or someone who was very well connected. Though yours sincerely wanted to go to Barewa College, I was neither brilliant nor well connected enough to be admitted to the school. Not everyone must have an Intelligence Quotient (IQ)…
I recently wrote an article suggesting the scrapping of the scrap metal business, which some people vehemently objected to because they benefit from it in one way or another. This brings us to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which may appear to have no connection with the topic under discussion. But they do. Broadly divided, there are three types of NGOs. At the opposing ends are those founded and funded by governments at federal and state levels to always do their bidding and sing their praises. On the other end is the type founded and financed by the Western world to defend…
In a country where its president was rated as the third most corrupt person in the world in 2024, it must be a very pleasing development for patriotic Nigerians, wherever they may be, to know that some of their leaders think of future generations—not themselves or the next election. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been alleged to do anything, including selling his country to its enemies, as long as doing so would earn him some money in the process. He is claimed to be an agent for some of the famous and infamous agencies in the US. He is also…