₦airaland Forum

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday granted an application by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to serve court documents on President Bola Tinubu through the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Justice Inyang Ekwo granted the request while ruling on an ex-parte motion moved by Atiku’s counsel, O.T. Omotayo-Ojo, seeking an order of substituted service of the processes on the president.

Atiku, the former Vice President, and his party, ADC, had filed the suit praying Justice Inyang Ekwo to disqualify President Tinubu and APC from contesting in the 2027 presidential election.

The plaintiffs alleged that APC submitted a forged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate of Tinubu to INEC.

The plaintiffs, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1888/2026, sued the President, APC and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

They prayed the court to compel INEC to remove Tinubu and APC’s names from the list of candidates and parties for the presidential poll.

Moving the motion, Omotayo-Ojo informed the court that the motion ex-parte was filed following inability to effect the service on the 1st defendant.

The lawyer, through the application, therefore prayed the court for an order effecting the service of the court documents through the 2nd defendant (APC)

Justice Ekwo granted the prayer after the application was moved.

Following information by Omotayo-Ojo, who held the brief of Silas Onu, that the plaintiffs could effect service within seven days, the judge ordered that service should be done within seven days.

He subsequently adjourned the matter untill Sept. 28 for mention.

NAN reports that Onu had, on Sept. 1, told the court that his client was yet to serve the originating summons on President Tinubu personally.

Silas said he requires an order of the court to serve the documents through substituted means.

Meanwhile, Tinubu, APC and INEC had since responded to the suit by filing counter-affidavits and preliminary objections, querying the competence of the suit and praying the court to dismiss it.

In a joint counter affidavit filed on September 9, the president and APC prayed the court to dismiss the suit in its entirty for being incompetent and that the plaintiffs lacked the legal right to Institute the case.

The 1st and 2nd defendants denied submitting any forged certificate to the commission either for the 2023 or 2027 presidential elections.

The duo, through the APC Director of Legal Services, Mr Sanusi Samaila, averred that his clients did not submit Form CF001 to INEC for the 2023 or the 2027 poll as claimed by the plaintiffs.

They stated that the NYSC has never denied issuing National Youth service Corps (NYSC) discharge certificate to the 1st defendant at the end of his service yestate

They argued that contrary to Paragraph 27 of the affidavit in support of the originating summons, no constitutional provision had been breached nor had any injustice been done to the plaintiffs by the 1st and 2nd defendant’s action of submission of the president’s personal particulars to INEC.

Tinubu and APC, also in a written address attached to the application and filed by Chief Akin Olujinmi, SAN, the senior lawyer raised a number of objections to the suit.

Olujinmi observed that though the plaintiffs’ complaint is an allegation of forgery which is no doubt a crime, he said such allegation must be proved beyond reasonable doubt, citing Section 135(1) of the Evidence Act, among others.

He said it is a settled law that the evidence required to prove that a certificate is forged is a disclaimer from the institution that is said to have issued the certificate, citing a previous Supreme Court decision to back his argument.

According to Olujinmi, without evidence from the institution or body that is purported to have issued the certificate or other document stating that it did not issue the certificate or document or that any part of the certificate or document is not made by it, it would be idle and useless to contend that it is forged.

He said the apex court had also held that “in order to prove forgery, or that a document is forged, two documents must be produced viz: the document from which the forgery was (a) made; and (b) the forgery or the forged document.”

The lawyer, however, submitted that in the instant case, Atiku and ADC had produced no evidence from NYSC Directorate, disclaiming issuance of discharge certificate to the 1st defendant.

He stated that the suit is hypothetical and academic in nature and devoid of real facts.

Olujinmi, who described the suit as “incompetent, being a pre-election matter, ” said the plaintiffs lacked the “locus standi” to challenge President Tinubu’s candidacy of APC.

He prayed the court to uphold their preliminary objection and dismiss the suit.

INEC, in its preliminary objection filed on Sept. 7 by its lawyer, Dr Alex Izinyon, SAN, challenged the competence of the suit on the grounds of statute-bar, want of locus standi, absence of a reasonable cause of action and abuse of court process.

The commission also argued that the plaintiffs failed to comply with the mandatory written deposition requirement under Paragraph 7(1) provision of the Federal High Court Pre-Election Practice Directions (Amendment) 2026.

The electoral umpire equally challenged the impropriety of Reliefs two and three in Atiku and ADC’s originating summons, urging the court to dismiss the suit.

Nigerian Police Issue Nationwide Alert Over Planned Terror Attacks On Churches, Schools, NYSC Camps

The Nigeria Police Force has issued a nationwide security alert over intelligence indicating increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks on places of worship, learning institutions, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable targets across the country.

The warning was contained in a police wireless message dated September 13, 2026, obtained by SaharaReporters, with reference CB: 0900/FDPS/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL38/68, issued from the Nigeria Police Force Department of Operations (NIGPOL DOPS), Abuja.

The message, marked “Security General" and tagged “Treat as Very Important,” was circulated to Assistant Inspectors-General of Police overseeing Zones 1–17, Mobile Police units, counter-terrorism and other specialised formations, as well as Commissioners of Police in all states.

The directive was also copied to several departments and formations at Force Headquarters, including Intelligence, Finance and Administration, the Directorate of Training and Development, the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Research and Planning, ICT, and the Force Security Department.

According to the police communication, intelligence available to the Department of Operations indicates an “increased mobilisation of terrorist elements for possible coordinated attacks” on places of worship, schools, NYSC orientation camps and other vulnerable locations.

The alert identified the North-East, North-West, North-Central and parts of the South-West as areas of particular concern.

The police further disclosed that intelligence had revealed the movement of armed elements from Katsina through Kaduna towards Plateau State.

The Force also said suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) operatives and local collaborators were conducting surveillance and reconnaissance of potential targets.

The police described the threat to learning institutions as particularly concerning, warning that attacks could coincide with the resumption of the 2026/2027 academic session.

According to the wireless message, terrorists could seek to exploit the concentration of students and staff in schools to cause mass casualties.

The police said such attacks could also be intended to occur ahead of the 2027 general elections, raising concerns about possible attempts by terrorist elements to destabilise communities and create widespread fear before the polls.

The Force assessed the intelligence as a possible progression from “intent to preparatory activity,” stressing that the development required immediate and proactive security measures.

However, the Department of Operations directed all affected formations and commands to heighten security around places of worship, schools, NYSC camps and other vulnerable locations.

The police ordered commanders to intensify intelligence-led surveillance, patrols, stop-and-search operations, access control and rapid-response arrangements around identified vulnerable locations.

All Commissioners of Police were also directed to tighten security at state borders, entry and exit routes and other critical approaches in order to prevent the infiltration and movement of armed elements.

The Force directed its commanders to work closely with other security and intelligence agencies, school authorities, religious leaders and the management of the National Youth Service Corps to improve information sharing and establish effective early-warning mechanisms.

The police also ordered that any identified security gaps be addressed immediately.

“All personnel should maintain heightened vigilance and report suspicious persons, vehicles, movements or objects through established channels,” the message stated.

The Force further directed that any credible threat or incident should be reported immediately to the Inspector-General of Police and the Department of Operations.

The commands were ordered to ensure strict compliance with the directive and provide feedback on security measures put in place.

The Presidency has said that Atiku Abubakar’s plan to subsidise crude for local refineries failed when it implemented under former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration.

Otega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on digital and new media, made the point while reacting to the proposal by the former vice-president for a production subsidy for local refineries.

Ogra wrote on X (Twitter): “Excuse me, sir. Nigeria already tried your production-subsidy to local refineries idea while you were Vice President. We know the shambolic results of that production subsidy. You know it too.”

Ogra said Warri refinery’s utilisation fell to 14.27 percent in 2003 and 9.1 percent in 2004, while Kaduna refinery recorded 15.96 percent and 26 percent, respectively.

He said Port Harcourt refinery’s utilisation also dropped from 60.73 percent in 2001 to 31.04 percent in 2004.

“Meanwhile, price of petrol more than tripled by 2004 and nearly quadrupled by the time you left office despite your production subsidy to local refiners.

“On October 9, 2003, your same administration cancelled the discount itself through Presidential directive PRES/158.

“President Obasanjo ordered NNPC to pay full international price for refinery crude. Your production subsidy was tried, failed and scrapped, with you as Vice President.

“So, before selling Nigerians this failed production subsidy policy again, answer one simple question.

“I know there are many Nigerians who were too young to know what was happening then. But if you may tell them, where is the evidence that it worked the first time?

“It’s still the same theory you practiced then, and we haven’t changed country yet.

“One thing we already have, are the failed results of that experiment, Alhaji.”

Wife of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Candidate, Titi Abubakar, has asked Nigerian youths to make her husband their choice in the 2027 presidential election.

She said they would eventually demand that he stays beyond his first term if he gets elected in 2027.

Titi made the appeal at an ADC All Support Groups Town Hall Meeting in Abuja.

She charged youths to take ownership of the political process ahead of the election.

Although Atiku has promised to serve only one term if elected, she said his performance in office would make Nigerians want him to continue.

Daily Trust reports that the intervention by Titi Abubakar adds a new dimension to the unfolding 2027 presidential contest, with the wives of some of the leading contenders increasingly stepping into the campaign arena to make the case for their husbands.

The development became particularly noticeable this week when First Lady Oluremi Tinubu appealed to voters in the South-East to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s bid for a second term.

She said she wanted to “enjoy Nigeria at old age” and would continue working for the country.

Tinubu’s appeal came during an official engagement in Owerri, Imo State, where she was distributing empowerment items to women.

Her message quickly acquired a political tone as she asked the people of the region to vote for her husband in 2027.

But according to Titi, “By the grace of God, when Atiku comes to this saddle, people will yearn that Atiku should continue and do a second term”.

She added that the first term would also provide an opportunity for Atiku to prepare his deputy to succeed him.

“By then, he would have tutored his deputy; maybe the deputy will take over from him,” she said.

Titi described the former vice president as an experienced politician and philanthropist who, if elected, would not need to learn the business of governance after assuming office.

“Atiku is a sellable material. That is why I am so proud of my husband. Atiku is a philanthropist. Atiku has done it before. Atiku is not going to learn on the job. And Atiku is not a novice,” she said.

She said her husband was seeking the presidency to improve the lives of Nigerians rather than enrich himself.

“Atiku is a man of honour, a man of his word. Atiku is not coming to chop government money. Atiku wants to give back to you people. Atiku wants you people to know what it is all about the government,” she said.

The ADC presidential campaign, she said, would rely heavily on young Nigerians, whom she described as the party’s “foot soldiers” ahead of the election.

Titi said Atiku had also pledged that youths and women would receive 40 per cent of government appointments if he wins the presidency.

She urged the youths to translate their support into grassroots mobilisation, particularly by ensuring that votes cast for the party were protected at polling units.

The former vice president’s wife also warned voters against accepting money from politicians in exchange for their votes, saying such inducements could compromise the future of younger generations.

“ADC doesn’t have that money to give you. Don’t be a sellout. Because these people, they have all our money in their kitties.

“Don’t allow them to come and give you money and you sell your conscience. If you sell your vote, you are selling the vote of your generation yet unborn”, she said.

Titi also launched a broad attack on the state of governance in the country, claiming that the constitution and rule of law had been undermined while the economy was struggling.

“Now, today, we have no constitution. We have no rule of law. Nothing is working. Our economy is in shambles,” she said.

She further questioned the state of the country’s budgeting process and said Nigerians were struggling with the consequences of what she described as poor governance.

“Right from 2023 up to date, there is no budget in Nigeria. And I wonder how people are living. I wonder how people are eating,” she said.

She said Atiku was prepared to reverse the situation and restore confidence in governance.

“Atiku wants to put things right. We want to be like other nations, but here and now we don’t have anything at all. We are not proud of ourselves,” she added.

The town hall, held under the theme, ‘Together We Can Build the Nigeria We Desire,’ focused on grassroots mobilisation, polling-unit coordination, vote protection and greater participation of youths, women and support groups in the ADC’s 2027 campaign.

To deploy 160 new compactor trucks, five transfer stations by Q2 2027


LAGOS — Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has declared a “state of emergency” on waste management in the state, citing mounting pressure on waste collection and the growing menace of indiscriminate dumping across the metropolis.

The governor, however, unveiled short-, medium- and long-term measures aimed at clearing the current backlog of waste and improving the state’s waste management system.

Sanwo-Olu, who spoke on Wednesday during an inspection tour of the Olusosun dump site in Ojota, Lagos, said the intervention became necessary following weeks of slow waste turnaround and what he described as uncoordinated advocacy.

The governor was accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat; Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab; and other senior government officials.

“What we are seeing at Olusosun is a typical sight of the challenge. We are here to see what the problem is and to clearly declare a small state of emergency so that we can get out of this very unpleasant situation,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He disclosed that the state government, in partnership with development partner Zoomlion, was constructing two new 2,400-metric-tonne Transfer Loading Stations at Olusosun and Solu 3 in Alimosho Local Government Area.

According to him, the facilities would receive compacted waste before transferring it to two Material Recovery Sites under construction at Oke Osho in Epe and Erikitte in Badagry.

“Each transfer station is designed to handle about 500 trucks per day. With the transfer loading stations, waste will be compacted and eventually taken to a material recovery site where it will be further sorted and broken into other uses,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu projected that physical development on the facilities would become visible by the end of the year, while full operations were expected between the first and second quarters of 2027.

For immediate relief, he said the state planned to increase the capacity of the Olusosun facility from between 250 and 350 trucks daily to between 350 and 450 trucks by increasing the number of tipping points from two or three to four or five.

He added that road stabilisation work was underway at Solu 3, with grading expected to be completed within two to three weeks to allow continued waste reception.

Similar stabilisation work, he said, was planned for Iwulepe in Ikorodu and Oke Osho in Epe.

“We are hoping that before the end of next month, or in another six weeks, we will have four active dump sites: Olusosun, Solu 3, Iwulepe, and Oke Osho in Epe. And also a fifth one in Badagry, Erikitte,” the governor said.

He explained that the additional disposal points would help reduce truck turnaround time, which could currently take as long as 12 hours, to only a few hours by providing closer disposal options.

160 new compactors coming

On waste collection, Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the state government had ordered 160 new compactor trucks, with shipment expected to commence soon.

“Landfill compactors for on-site compaction are also being procured,” he added.

The governor said Zoomlion and Private Sector Participants, PSPs, would also procure additional trucks, while the state government would work with the operators to develop financing models that would enable them to expand their operations sustainably.

The Chairman of the PSP Association, who joined the inspection tour, also agreed to a membership audit aimed at identifying inactive operators.

The state government said although about 800 PSPs were registered, only an estimated 400 were effectively operating.

“We don’t want to have 800 PSPs when it is actually only 400 that are effective,” an official said, adding that the exercise would create room for new investors.

Sanwo-Olu also appealed to residents and tenement occupiers to pay for waste collection services.

“Lagosians in particular, we just want service. We don’t want to pay for this service. I think this era has to stop. It’s so unfair to see people rendering service and people are not paying them,” he said.

Datti Baba-Ahmed, the running mate to Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election, has said Obi moved out of his political “comfort zone” against his advice ahead of the 2027 election.

Baba-Ahmed made the remarks during an interview on MIC ON Podcast, while reaction to the question on what had changed in his perception of Obi since their 2023 presidential campaign.

According to him, he personally advised Obi against joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC), warning that the party was not the right political platform for him.

“I warned Peter Obi not to join ADC, but he didn’t listen. I told him that would be the last time I will come there. I don’t like people that contradict themselves.” — Datti Baba-Ahmed👇🔥 pic.twitter.com/I4z8jQlF0r

— Hamza Abdullahi, MNMGS (@Hamix37) September 6, 2026