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Convicted Soldiers Cry Out To Buhari For Forgiveness
Soldiers serving jail terms at the Kirikiri Medium and Maximum Security Prisons have cried out to President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive them whatever wrongdoing they had committed and grant them pardon for the sake of their families.
The soldiers are those sentenced to death by a military court martial in 2014 for demanding weapons before going to confront Boko Haram terrorists, but whose cases were later reviewed and commuted to 10 years imprisonment by the Chief of Army Staff..
They include the 12 soldiers convicted in September 2014 and sentenced to death by a court martial for demanding for weapons when the General Officer Commanding the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army visited a military camp in Maiduguri, and the 58 others sentenced to death in December by another court martial for similar offence.
ICIR met the soldiers during an undercover visit to the prisons last week and interviewed them on how they’re faring and the conditions in the prisons.
The soldiers revealed that some Boko Haram suspects brought into the prisons had all regained freedom while they have continued languishing in jail.
A corporal, who acted as their spokesman, said: “The people we risked our lives fighting in Sambisa Forest who were brought here are being released one by one while we remain in jail. This is traumatic for all of us and we are begging our commander-in-chief to grant us pardon for the sake of God and our families.”
The soldiers also disclosed that the military authorities had stopped their salaries and their families had become impoverished.
“Most of us are the breadwinners of our families but we are in jail and our families have no one to take care of them. Our children have dropped out of school and we can’t help them,” said another soldier, as the others all nodded their heads in agreement.
They pointed at a soldier whose daughter was to write WAEC this year but had to drop out of school for lack of money.
But even life in the prison has been hectic and traumatic. The soldiers all complained about the exploitation by prison officials from the security men to the top.
They alleged that food ration in the prison was pathetic and that any prisoner who wanted to eat decent food had to prepare his own food or request his family to bring food to the prison.
“Prison officials request money from people who bring us food right from the gate to inside the prison. Sometimes a visitor who brings food pays as much as N3,000 each time they bring food into the prison otherwise they would not be allowed in. For God’s sake, how can we cope with this?” a soldier asked with anger on his face.
But corruption in the prison does not end there. According to the soldiers, prison officials sell food stuffs and soup ingredients provided by government and NGOs to prisoners. The soldiers pointed at a store behind the prison entrance gate where the reporter saw onions, salt, yams and other food items being packaged.
“They will parcel the food stuffs from the store and give to the prison traders who help them sell to us,” the soldiers alleged.
When the ICIR confronted the prison officials with these allegations, they denied all. Abdulrasheed Ogundare, the prison Welfare Officer who thought he was speaking to a human rights lawyer, denied all the allegations.
On the release of Boko Haram suspects from the prison, he said there was nothing like that. “Those that were released were suspects raided from Lagos and brought to the prison, not the Boko Haram from Sambisa. Those ones are still in our custody. We don’t even allow them go out like the other prisoners.”
He called a prisoner to confirm whether Boko Haram suspects in the prison were being released, but the prisoner neither confirmed nor denied. “I don’t know; I’m not sure,” he responded, squeezing his face and walking away.
“Don’t mind the soldiers, we didn’t release any Boko Haram,” the Welfare Officer repeated to the reporter.
On prisoners’ feeding he said they were well-fed and that the caterers were graduates of catering. “If you’re in prison you cannot expect to feed as if you’re at home,” he said in response to allegation of poor meals. He however said most of the prisoners were “self-feeders”, meaning they arranged their own feeding.
He also denied that prison officials were exploit the prisoners, saying such allegations had not been brought to the notice of prison officials. “We are doing our best to take care of the prisoners and if you look at them very well you will see that they are feeding very well.”
Sani Usman, a Brigadier General and Director of Army Public Relations, refused to be drawn into any discussion on the issue, saying the case was of the soldiers was still in court.
“You’re aware that Femi Falana is in court over the case of the soldiers, so why do you want me to comment on a case that is in court?” he asked.
Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), appealed the jail terms given to the soldiers by the Chief of Army Staff.
He said although the soldiers were charged with mutiny, “the only allegation proven against them at the courts-martial was that they protested the refusal of the military authorities to provide weapons to fight insurgency”.
Falana, as well as many other Nigerians, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to grant pardon to soldiers in view of the circumstances under which they committed the alleged infractions.
They also argued that unlike many soldiers who deserted the army, the convicts were ready to defend the territorial integrity of the country, but had only made a legitimate demand for equipment to fight the insurgents who were better equipped and motivated.
Source: ICIR
Armed bandits have attacked the Abande community in the Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, resulting in the deaths of a mobile police officer and four civilians.
According to the Benue State Police Command, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) from the 13 Police Mobile Force (PMF) was killed during an attack at a police station and residential areas in the Abande community. Four community members also died.
The confirmation was made by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Edet Udeme, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Makurdi.
According to Udeme, the remaining four victims were residents of the affected community.
She explained that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Jato-Aka, Kwande LGA, received a distress report on February 3 indicating that suspected armed bandits had launched an attack on police officers deployed to Abande community as well as local residents.
Udeme disclosed that the ASP, who was on special assignment at the community, sustained fatal injuries during the incident, while four civilians also lost their lives in the attack.
She further stated that security forces have since moved into the area to prevent further violence.
“Following the incident, combined teams of police operatives and other security agencies have been mobilised to the area to secure the community, conduct a thorough search, and forestall further breakdown of law and order.
“The deceased persons have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary.”
Udeme added that the Commissioner of Police in Benue State, Mr Ifeanyi Emenari, has ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations to immediately take charge of the situation in Jato-Aka.
“He is directed to go with additional mobile force personnel and Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) to coordinate intensive operations, track the perpetrators, and effect their arrest.
“The Benue State Police Command commiserates with the families of the deceased and the Abande Community and assures the public that all necessary measures are being taken to bring the perpetrators to justice and restore peace to the area,” she said.
In commemoration of World Cancer Day, slated for February 4, 2026, Polaris Bank has reaffirmed its commitment to community health and social impact with the launch of a nationwide free breast cancer screening initiative in partnership with its NGO partner, Care Organization and Public Enlightenment (C.O.P.E).
The initiative is designed to promote awareness, screening, early detection, and preventive care, reinforcing the Bank’s belief that access to health services is a critical foundation for individual and economic wellbeing.
As part of this year’s World Cancer Day activities, Polaris Bank will provide free and comprehensive breast cancer screening for 100 women across Nigeria, while also supporting an on-going free prostate cancer screening programme for 250 persons across Nigeria it earlier sponsored for men aged 40 years and above.
The prostate cancer screening is being conducted at the Men’s Clinic, situated at 18, Commercial Avenue, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, providing accessible, professional medical support for male participants seeking early detection and preventive care for prostrate.
Both initiatives (free breast and prostate cancer screenings) directly aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through improved access to preventive healthcare and early detection services, SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by prioritizing women’s health and empowerment, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through strategic collaboration with civil society organizations such as C.O.P.E to deliver community-centered impact.
Educational materials, community engagement sessions, and digital awareness campaigns will be deployed to reinforce key messages around early detection, lifestyle choices, and the importance of regular medical check-ups.
Speaking on the initiative, Rasheed Bolarinwa, Group Head, Brand Management & Corporate Communications, Polaris Bank, emphasized that early detection remains one of the most effective tools in the fight against cancer.
By removing financial barriers and bringing screening services closer to communities, the Bank aims to empower individuals with the knowledge and resources they need to seek timely medical intervention.
The flagship breast cancer screening event will take place on Saturday, February 21, 2026, at the C.O.P.E Centre, 39B Adeniyi Jones Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, from 10:00am to 2:00pm.
The exercise will be conducted by trained health professionals and volunteers, ensuring participants receive both screening services and educational guidance on cancer prevention, self-examination, and follow-up care.
Participation in the free breast cancer screening programme is subject to the following requirements: applicants must be women, applicants must be Polaris Bank account holders, and pre-registration is required, with selection based on early and confirmed submissions.
Eligible participants are encouraged to register via the official link: bit.ly/BCS2026.
While the breast cancer screening is targeted at women, Polaris Bank encourages men to actively support the health of their families by urging their wives, daughters, and female relatives to register and participate.
In parallel, men are also invited to take advantage of the on-going free prostate cancer screening programme for men aged 40 years and above at the Men’s Clinic, Sabo, Yaba.
The Lagos State House of Assembly has officially ordered an immediate halt to the ongoing demolitions in the Makoko waterfront community following intense pressure from residents and civil society activists.
Majority Leader of the House, Noheem Adams made this declaration via a statement on Tuesday.
Our correspondent reports that the suspension is coming after series of protests against the demolition by activists and residents of the area.
JomogNews reports that members of various civil societies, activists and residents of the area had earlier kicked against demolitions in the area.
Adams, who spoke on behalf of his colleagues, explained that the house gave the directive to suspend the demolitions after a meeting between the lawmakers and representatives of the community.
He added that the assembly will work with relevant ministries and agencies to review issues surrounding the demolitions.
He also disclosed that and all the stakeholders will be properly engaged in the exercise.
Adams, in the statement said, “On behalf of the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, and honourable members of this House, we are taking this matter seriously. All ongoing demolitions should be stopped.”
More details later…
Benue Police Command Confirms Death Of Mobile Officer, Four Others In Kwande Attack
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