By Augustine Akhilomen

In recent months, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has witnessed a remarkable shift in the fight against crime, particularly the menace of ‘one-chance’ criminals. These perpetrators have terrorised residents, leaving a trail of fear and insecurity. However, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police (CP) Tunji Disu and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, the tide is turning, due to a proactive and pragmatic policing approach.



The decision to enforce regulations against tinted windows and the unwarranted covering of vehicle license plates is not only timely but also strategic in combating the one-chance menace and kidnapping in the FCT. The policy has significantly tackled the root of the problem—anonymity. According to the Commissioner of Police for Abuja, criminals have long exploited tinted windows to conceal their identities and activities, making it difficult for security operatives and members of the public to rescue kidnapped victims. By restricting the indiscriminate use of tinted glass, the police have sent a clear message: Abuja will no longer be a haven for such activities.



Critics, particularly from the political elite, have raised concerns about this policy, arguing that the policy is too sudden and would require adequate time before it can be enforced. Some have even intelligently questioned the powers of the police to make laws in the first place. Some residents of Abuja have also noted that the policy hasn’t settled well with the elite and political class because it inconveniences their families and staff. However, this perspective misses the bigger picture. The target of this policy is not law-abiding citizens but those who have weaponised tinted windows to perpetrate heinous crimes. The initial discomfort expressed by some residents and political class members is understandable; change often meets resistance. Yet, their reluctance should not overshadow the broader benefits of enhanced public safety.



One must also appreciate the courage it took to implement this policy in a city like Abuja, where appearances and privileges often precede collective security. It is no secret that the use of tinted windows has long been a status symbol, and reversing this trend would never be easy. However, the commissioner of police has demonstrated that effective policing is not about popularity but about making tough decisions in the people’s interest.



Beyond the tinted glass policy, this initiative highlights the importance of community-focused policing. It recognises that public trust and cooperation are vital to any successful crime-fighting strategy. Emboldened by the visible commitment of law enforcement to protect, FCT residents have begun to take off their tints and make videos, encouraging other motorists to be civil and law-abiding. This increased synergy between the police and the public is a testament to the effectiveness of leadership.



It is also worth noting that this policy is not about punishing law-abiding citizens. Exceptions exist for individuals with valid medical reasons for tinted windows, provided they follow the proper channels to obtain clearance. The focus remains firmly on those who abuse such privileges for criminal purposes. In light of this, it is difficult to argue against a policy prioritising safety without infringing on legitimate needs.



For far too long, the narrative surrounding law enforcement in Nigeria has been predominantly negative. While criticism is often warranted, acknowledging and supporting initiatives that work is equally important. CP Tunji Disu and the IGP have shown that the police can be proactive rather than reactive, which deserves recognition and reinforcement.



This development should serve as a template for other states grappling with similar challenges. The battle against ‘one-chance’ criminals is not unique to Abuja, and the success of this approach underscores the potential of targeted, intelligence-driven policing nationwide. If replicated and adapted, it could significantly reduce urban crime across Nigeria. During a recent press briefing in the FCT, the police said dozens of arrested one-chance criminals who have been taken off the streets have led to reduced cases across police stations in Abuja, which shows data-driven policing.



Moreover, this policy raises so many important questions about accountability. Why should public vehicles, including the minibuses—popularly known as Korope—which are meant to provide transparent and accessible transportation, have tinted windows? Such practices defy logic and create loopholes for criminals to exploit. By addressing this anomaly, the police have demonstrated their willingness to confront absurdities that undermine public safety.



Effective policing is a collective responsibility. While the police must lead the charge, citizens must support them through compliance, cooperation, and constructive feedback. Ongoing efforts by the police have reminded us that positive change is possible when law enforcement officials are given the tools, autonomy, and public backing to do their jobs effectively. The journey toward a safer Abuja is far from over, but the progress made so far is undeniable. Disu still has his work cut out for him, as some of his men have used the policy as a money-racking avenue and a means of extorting members of the public. He needs to caution them and make a scapegoat of erring officers to deter others.

By Tunde Rahman

President Bola Tinubu’s one-day visit to the Southeast, his first of 2025, was not just a routine event. It was laden with symbolisms, from the enthusiastic reception to the subsequent positive comments. The import of this visit, with its many remarkable aspects, was not lost on anyone. While many have spoken favourably and commended the visit, it equally throws up some questions.

Is President Tinubu’s January 4, 2025 visit to Enugu, the old capital of the Southeast region, during which he inaugurated Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah’s landmark projects and made important pronouncements a new level in his relationship with the Southeast geopolitical zone?

Is the President’s visit across the Niger a game changer and a subtle indicator of what lies ahead between him and the people of the South East?

The Southeast’s posture towards President Tinubu has not been enthusiastic, just as it was with President Muhammadu Buhari. Of course, the results of the 2015, 2019, and 2023 elections reveal the political aloofness of the zone towards the two leaders.

The Southeast was particularly lukewarm towards Tinubu’s presidential aspiration following developments in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election and the results that had arisen from it. In the run-up to the election, the Southeast put all its political eggs in the basket of homeboy Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor, who had broken ranks with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to emerge as the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate.

The boisterousness of the Obidients –as Peter Obi’s supporters had christened themselves – had somewhat captured the imagination of the Southeast. Any Igbo who sang a different tune in the 2023 election was, more or less, seen as an outcast.

Peter Obi himself did not allow the kind of amity that should prevail. He campaigned based on his Igbo ethnicity and overtly promoted his Christian faith to reap electoral benefits. When the election came, the Igbo voted en masse for him, signposting a strong correlation between region, religion and elections in Nigeria.

As a geopolitical breakdown of the 2023 presidential election results shows, Obi and his LP polled 1,952, 998 votes from the five states of the Southeast, representing a massive 89.62% of the total votes in the region. President Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress polled 127,370 votes, a paltry 5.85% of the votes from the area while the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, got 90, 698 votes, amounting to a meagre 4.16%.

Although Obi recorded impressive results outside the Southeast, like winning Lagos, Nasarawa, Edo, Delta, Plateau, Cross River, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, his 2023 presidential challenge was essentially a Southeast affair.

After the election, he and his ethnic supporters remained in their cocoons—or the alternate reality they had built. They acted like Obi had won the poll but denied victory. It seemed that the Obidients would rather not hear the name Asiwaju Tinubu, let alone President Tinubu. This trend continued even after Obi’s petition against President Tinubu’s victory in court failed. Any move of the President was criticised and condemned.

On assumption of office, President Tinubu made overtures to the zone in key appointments such as the appointment of Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla, who hails from Enugu, and through key ministerial appointments like those of Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi from Ebonyi State, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Hon. Uche Nnaji, and the first Minister of Trade and Investment, now Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, among others.

Remarkably, when the President reshuffled his cabinet in October last year, he brought in, among others, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, wife of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. She got the portfolio of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. President Tinubu also established the Southeast Development Commission, a significant move to promote and accelerate the region’s development.
A top journalist who is a friend from the Southeast zone and a staunch Obidient who had never masked his dislike for Tinubu said those two appointments were sufficient to forgive President Tinubu’s perceived sins against the Igbo.

It was against that background that President Tinubu accepted Governor Mbah’s invitation to inaugurate some of his projects in the New Year.
At the inauguration of Governor Mbah’s projects and during an interactive session with Southeast leaders, President Tinubu made significant statements that gladdened the hearts of the Igbo.
At the inauguration of the Command and Control Center, the President emphasised the importance of cooperation and collaboration between the Federal Government and the sub-nationals to drive development.

“This (Command and Control Centre) is a profound demonstration of what we can do together. It reassures me that more revenue going to the sub nationals and local governments is not a waste; it is for development.

“We have committed leaders like Peter Mbah taking Enugu on the path of 21st-century development, taking Enugu to greater heights, and building our tomorrow today.

“I cannot forget the sight of those children I just met at the Smart Green School. I have seen the gadgets and vehicles with 21st-century technology. You are indeed working for today, tomorrow and the future.”

The President inaugurated the GTC Smart Green School, New Haven/Bisalla Road, the International Conference Center, the Command and Control Center, and 150 patrol vehicles with surveillance cameras. He also inaugurated other notable projects virtually at the Enugu State Government House.

Later, at an interactive session with Southeast leaders, President Tinubu promised that his administration would complete the Eastern Rail line connecting Port Harcourt to Maiduguri and support the development of the Anambra Basin as a significant energy reserve estimated to hold up to 1 billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas. He made the commitment while responding to the requests made by former Minister of Power Professor Chinedu Nebo and an Enugu State indigene, Chris Ugoh, at the interactive session.

After commending the Tinubu administration for completing the Port Harcourt to Aba section of the Eastern rail line, Nebo had appealed to the President to prioritise the completion of the remaining portions of the rail link to facilitate exports of non-oil products and catalyse development in the region.

Dignitaries who attended the session included governors, traditional rulers, captains of industry, and serving and former presiding officers of the National Assembly from the zone, including former Senate President Ken Nnamani.

With the Enugu visit and the importance he attached to the invitation by PDP Governor Mbah, President Tinubu demonstrated political maturity and his commitment to supporting developmental strides from any part of the country and by any governor or stakeholder. The visit was a bold testament to his nonpartisan inclination and willingness to put the country first. He was full of commendation for Governor Mbah for demonstrating “an irrevocable commitment to human development.”

In the same vein, sighting Abia State Governor Alex Otti at the Enugu event, President Tinubu said: “I don’t care which party you come from; you are my friend. Alex Otti of Abia State is also doing very well. It is not about the differences in languages and place of birth.
“None of us has control of the mother tongue. God created us, and you can find yourself in Enugu, Onitsha or Lagos. We are all members of one huge family called Nigeria, but we live in different rooms in the same house. We must build this house to satisfy our immediate and future needs.”

Speaking before the inauguration of his projects, Governor Mbah had described President Tinubu as a true federalist committed to Nigeria’s development.
“Your Excellency, your credential as a true federalist stands out brightly, and the legacies thereof will long earn you resounding accolades.
“In signing the Electricity Act (Amendment) Bill, you liberalised electricity generation, transmission, and distribution. That singular act will consistently rank as an enduring legacy,” he said, adding: “It is noteworthy that Enugu State was the first sub-national to which the NERC ceded regulatory oversight of the local electricity market. That reflects how swiftly we are pursuing our goals.”

On the Southeast Development Commission, the governor said the commission would address infrastructure and ecological challenges in the region while complementing the many development strides unfolding across the state.

Development and governance may have been the overarching themes of the visit. Still, analysts reckon that given all that transpired during the visit, a new chapter in the relationship between President Tinubu and the Southeast geopolitical zone may have been unwittingly opened. This rapprochement, they observe, may signpost other important things to come for President Tinubu from the zone, particularly going into the next election in 2027.

*Rahman is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media Matters.

Yoruba Nollywood actress and makeover artist Adewumi Fatai has finally met Nigerian singer Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as Wizkid.

Adewumi Fatai shared a video on her Instagram page, making joyous shouts while she captured Wizkid at the K1 New Year party.

The singer was seen on stage with the Fuji maestro dancing before leaving the venue. A star struck Adewumi Fatai screamed for joy.

She claimed seeing Wizkid was one of the first things she had seen in this new year. The mother of one called on the Face (Wizkid’s fans) to show up.

“Ha I don see wizkid oooooooooooo one of those things wey I don see for this new year be that biggest bird gbogbo Eyin Fc owo yin da o”

Recall that Adewumi Fatai made an urgent plea to the Nollywood filmmakers about the stipend they paid their crew members.

She did this on her Instagram page, where she urged filmmakers to consider the high cost of living in Nigeria and increase the wages of their crew.

Shw exclusively directed her message to producers, coordinators, production managers, executive producers and the rest.

Adewumi Fatai made it known that the earnings of a crew member cannot afford the living of a single person, less of the ones who are married or have other financial responsibilities.

Sometime back, Adewumi Fatai encouraged herself with a hopeful message while she spoke about her struggles.

The mother of one noted that she had endured and understood the meaning of hardship, and she had been broken along the line.

Adewumi encouraged herself by saying that she was still standing and getting stronger. She believed and hoped in God to make her great.