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African Union Expresses ‘Deep Regret’ Over Withdrawal Of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger From ECOWAS

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The African Union on Tuesday said it feels ”deep regret” over the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from ECOWAS.

The AU said its commission president, Moussa Faki Mahamat, “calls on regional leaders to intensify the dialogue between the ECOWAS leadership and the three aforementioned countries”, which on Sunday accused the West African bloc of posing a threat to their sovereignty.

It also indicated that the African Union Commission was willing “to provide all the assistance in its power for the success of the logic of fraternal dialogue, far from all external interference from wherever they come”.

On Sunday, the leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave the Economic Community of West African States “without delay”.

All three — founding members of the bloc in 1975 — were suspended from ECOWAS with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions as the bloc tried to push for the early return of civilian governments with elections.

The sanctions were an “irrational and unacceptable posture” at a time when the three “have decided to take their destiny in hand” — a reference to the coups that removed civilian administrations.

The three nations have hardened their positions in recent months and joined forces in an “Alliance of Sahel States”.

ECOWAS would issue its own statement saying it was yet to receive any direct formal notification from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger Republic about their intention to withdraw from the Community.

the Commission said it has been “working assiduously with these countries for the restoration of constitutional order. Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali remain important members of the Community and the Authority remains committed to finding a negotiated solution to the political impasse”.

“The ECOWAS Commission remains seized with the development and shall
make further pronouncements as the situation evolves,” the statement added.

Nigeria Open For Engagement
Nigeria also expressed sadness over the Sahel nations withdrawal from the West African bloc saying it ”remained open for engagement with the three countries.”

“For half a century, ECOWAS has worked to promote peace, prosperity, and democracy in the region. Nigeria stands with ECOWAS to emphasise due process and shared commitment to protect and strengthen the rights and welfare of all citizens of Member States,” the statement partly read.

“Nigeria has worked sincerely and in good faith to reach out to all members of the ECOWAS family to resolve the difficulties being faced. It is now clear that those seeking to quit the Community do not share that same good faith.

“Instead, unelected leaders engage in a public posturing to deny their people the sovereign right to make fundamental choices over their freedom of movement, freedom to trade, and freedom to choose their own leaders.

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Ondo female student forced into sex-for-grades by HOD — NANS

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The National Association of Nigerian Students has alleged that a female student of a tertiary institution in Ondo State was coerced into a sex-for-grades ordeal by her Head of Department after repeatedly failing a compulsory course needed for her graduation.

The President of NANS, Akinteye Babatunde, disclosed this in a statement on Friday titled, “Our Female Students Deserve Safety, Dignity, and Justice.”

According to Akinteye, the student had only one outstanding course preventing her from graduating with her colleagues and returned to the institution to retake the examination.

He said the student was informed that she had failed the course again and subsequently approached the lecturer, who also served as the Head of Department, to seek clarification on why she was unable to pass.

According to the NANS president, the student alleged that the lecturer told her she could never pass the course and, after several encounters, demanded a sexual favour in exchange for awarding her a passing grade.

“She further alleged that, after several encounters, the lecturer demanded that she perform a sexual act on him in his office in exchange for a passing grade,” the statement partly read

Akinteye said the student claimed she felt trapped and believed she had no option if she wanted to graduate.


“Feeling trapped and believing she had no other option if she wanted to graduate, she said she complied and she gave the him BLOW JOB as demanded by him,” he stated.

According to him, the student believed the incident would end there, but the lecturer allegedly continued contacting her about a week later.

He alleged that the lecturer repeatedly called the student and invited her to his residence, implying that she would have to continue the sexual relationship before she could finally be cleared.

“Disturbed and afraid, she reached out to me for help,” Akinteye said.

The NANS president explained that although he initially intended to escalate the matter publicly, the student pleaded with him not to do so because she feared further victimisation and only wanted to graduate without additional harassment.

He said he subsequently contacted relevant authorities within the institution and was informed within three hours that the student had been cleared.

“While I am relieved that she was able to complete her academic process, I am deeply saddened that she was too afraid to publicly identify herself or the lecturer involved.


“This reflects the fear, intimidation and stigma that many female students face when confronted with sexual harassment,” he said.

Akinteye described the incident as part of a wider problem of sexual exploitation in tertiary institutions, noting that many similar cases remain unreported because victims fear retaliation, embarrassment and victimisation.

“No student should ever be forced to exchange sexual favours for academic success. Our campuses must be places of learning, not environments where students are exploited by those entrusted with their education,” he added.

He urged female students experiencing sexual harassment, intimidation or exploitation to report such incidents to the National Director of Gender of NANS, assuring them that complaints would be handled professionally, confidentially and with the seriousness they deserve.

“We are committed to handling such complaints professionally, confidentially, and with the seriousness they deserve. Together, we must build campuses where every student can pursue an education free from fear, harassment, and abuse,” he said.

The NANS president, however, did not disclose the name of the institution, the lecturer or the student involved.

Efforts to obtain the reaction of the institution were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report, as NANS did not identify the school in its statement.

Credit: Punch

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Lagos queries LAGESC officer caught on camera collecting ₦20,000 bribe

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The Lagos State Government has issued a query to an officer of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps over allegations of corruption after a viral video purportedly showed him receiving a ₦20,000 bribe from a suspected environmental offender.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this in a post on X on Friday, describing the officer’s alleged conduct as unacceptable and contrary to the ethics and core values of the agency.

According to Wahab, the officer has been formally queried, while a Personnel Management Board will be constituted to investigate the incident in line with the Lagos State Civil Service Rules and Regulations.

“My attention has been drawn to a viral video allegedly showing an officer of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps receiving a bribe from a lawbreaker. Such conduct is unacceptable and runs contrary to the rules, ethics, and core values of the Agency,” Wahab wrote.

“Consequently, we have immediately issued the officer a query, and this will be followed by the constitution of a Personnel Management Board (PMB) to investigate the matter in accordance with the provisions of the Lagos State Civil Service Rules and Regulations.”

The commissioner reiterated the state’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption, warning that any officer found guilty of misconduct would face appropriate disciplinary measures.

“The Lagos State Government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption and any form of misconduct within its public service. Any officer found culpable will be subjected to the appropriate disciplinary measures as stipulated by the relevant regulations,” he said.

Wahab also warned members of the public against attempting to bribe government officials, stressing that both giving and receiving bribes are criminal offences.

“I also wish to remind Lagosians that offering a bribe is as unlawful as receiving one. We urge everyone to obey the law and refrain from attempting to compromise enforcement officers.

“Together, we can uphold integrity, strengthen public trust, and build a more accountable and responsible society,” he added.

In the query letter attached to the commissioner’s post, the officer was accused of collecting ₦20,000 from an offender, an act that was allegedly captured on video and circulated on social media.

The letter, referenced MOE/LAGESC/431/56 and dated July 10, 2026, stated that the footage was viewed by the Lagos State Governor.

“You were alleged to have collected the sum of Twenty Thousand Naira (₦20,000) from an offender. This act was recorded and posted on social media, where it was viewed by His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State,” the letter read.

It described the alleged conduct as corruption and extortion, adding that it constituted serious misconduct under the Public Service Rules.

The officer was directed to submit a written explanation within 48 hours stating why disciplinary action should not be taken against him.

“Your representation (if any) must reach the undersigned officer within 48 hours of receipt of this letter. Failure to submit your response within the stipulated time limit will result in disciplinary action being taken against you,” the letter added.

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Obi Deserves Protection From Federal Government, Not Ridicule — Kwankwaso

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The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, on Thursday criticised the federal government’s handling of concerns raised by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as well as the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, urging the authorities to uphold justice, fairness and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Thursday,

Kwankwaso said Obi deserved state protection after expressing fears about his safety, while El-Rufai should be accorded due process and a fair trial in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

Reacting to Obi’s recent interview with Chude Jideonwo, in which the former Anambra State governor expressed concerns about his safety and alleged that his role as an opposition leader had negatively affected his businesses, Kwankwaso faulted the federal government’s response.

“Let me state clearly: like every Nigerian, our presidential candidate and all of us deserve the full protection of the state, not ridicule for raising legitimate concerns,” he said.

He added, “A government entrusted with protecting citizens should not dismiss or mock credible calls for help from any individual, including Mr. Peter Obi.”

Kwankwaso also expressed concern over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, saying he was disturbed after watching the former governor’s wives publicly speak about the family’s ordeal.


“Regardless of political affiliation, Malam El-Rufai, like every Nigerian, is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court,” he said.

He argued that the delay in granting El-Rufai bail under what he described as “stringent and unreasonable conditions” was troubling, insisting that, as an unconvicted citizen, the former governor deserved “a fair and expeditious trial” while his health and that of his family should be protected.

Kwankwaso urged the federal government to handle both matters with “transparency, accountability and justice,” warning against using state institutions to settle political scores.

“These issues must not be weaponised to settle political scores. For our democracy to truly thrive, every citizen, young or old, regardless of ethnicity, religion or political persuasion, must receive equal and equitable treatment under the law from the government that exists to protect us all,” he stated.

Obi had, during an interview on With Chude, alleged that the current administration was frustrating his activities and expressed fears that he might not be alive to contest the 2027 presidential election. He also claimed that his businesses had suffered because of his role in the opposition.

His remarks drew a sharp response from the All Progressives Congress (APC), which dismissed the claims as “hallucination” and suggested that the former presidential candidate should undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

Kwankwaso’s statement also comes amid growing concerns over El-Rufai’s detention. On Wednesday, one of the former governor’s wives, Asiya El-Rufai, alleged during an interview on ARISE News that the arrest of El-Rufai’s longtime physician, Professor Bello Abubakar, amounted to the “weaponisation” of healthcare, warning that such actions could discourage medical professionals from carrying out their duties without fear.

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