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Bishop Onuoha calls for improved civilian-miilitary relationships
By Abubakar Yunusa
A bishop of the Methodist Church and President of Vision Africa, Bishop Sunday Onuoha, has called for an improved military-civilian relationship in order to ensure an enduring peace.
Reacting to the death of a manager of Royal Damgrete Hotel, Umuahia, Abia State capital, Mr James Etubi, from alleged torture by military personnel, he asked the Nigerian Army to implement an open-door policy in its relationship with civilians.
Soldiers had stormed Royal Damgrete Hotel and arrested the late Etubi and other staff following the drowning of an Air Force cadet, Chidiebere Onyemereche, at the hotel’s swimming pool.
The deceased, while in the custody of the soldiers was allegedly tortured, which resulted in his death.
In a statement on Tuesday, Bishop Onuoha described the incident that led to the hotel manager’s death as unfortunate.
He described it as “a distressing reminder of a failing system, needing urgent and enhanced civilian-military relationships to prevent further misunderstandings, and promote peace within our communities.”
According to him, “that the tragedy at Damgrete Hotel was mismanaged and subsequently degenerated into disorder underscores the critical importance of open dialogue and understanding between the Nigerian Army and civilian communities they serve and protect. It is evident that such incidents are avoidable with proactive measures aimed at fostering mutual respect and cooperation.”
Bishop Onuoha asked the army to “urgently implements an open-door policy for civilian-military relationships, providing civilians with accessible avenues to engage with the military, seek clarification on matters of concern, and report grievances. Where such policies already exist, then I implore that they be resuscitated with intention and actually implemented.”
He called for prioritisation of dialogue and transparency in interactions in the country, while urging the Nigerian Army, as well as other security agencies to continue to commit to “fostering an environment of trust and cooperation, prevent further misunderstandings, and build a stronger, more harmonious society for our communities.”
The bishop called on “all stakeholders, including government officials, community leaders, and military personnel, to sincerely support this initiative and work collaboratively towards resolving conflicts peacefully.”
Bishop Onuoha expressed hope that Nigerians would commit “to fostering positive humanity and humane relationships anchored on mutual respect and consideration for all.
“Boots on the ground, hands on deck, everyone contributing to a peaceful human society for all; together we can pave the way for a brighter and more unified future for Nigeria, and Nigerians.”
A coalition of youth organisations has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to reconsider its wanted tag on socialite, Dr Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu, OFR.
The organisations, Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative said this in a joint press statement they issued on Thursday in Abuja.
According to them, the declaration of Achimugu wanted by the anti-corruption agency came to them as a rude shock.
The joint statement was signed by Comrade Emma Niboro and Ali Ameh for Niger Delta Youth Council for Good Governance and Middle Belt Youth Stakeholders’ Initiative, respectively.
They described Achimugu as a dedicated friend of the youths, who had always shown commitment to the welfare and care of the downtrodden.
According to the youth coalition, “we know the Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, as a man who came with utmost zeal to sanitize the agency. He has already demonstrated this and we are proud of his achievements so far.
“However, we urge him to resist pressure from politicians, which is a plague that has dwarfed EFCC for several years of its existence.
“The commission had hitherto remained a tool for politicians to undue their perceived political foes and this has always rubbed off on the credibility of the agency.
“The case of Achumugu doesn’t appear to be different in any way, as the haste with which she was declared wanted showed there is a hand of Esau and voice of Jacob.
“Our appeal is that the commission should withdraw the wanted tag on her and give her ample time to report to the commission, as she has never been indicted of any offence whether in Nigeria or outside the country.”
While noting that Achimugu is a global figure, they added that they can always vouch for her integrity.
“We know her, she has always been of immense help to the youths and other members of the society.
“Her closeness to certain politicians should not be used as a tool to persecute or harass her,” the youths further stated.
The Supreme Court has overturned the Court of Appeal’s decision that recognised Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP). In a decisive ruling, a five-member panel declared that the Court of Appeal lacked the legal authority to determine the party’s leadership matters.
In a unanimous verdict, the highest court in the land stated that the Court of Appeal had no jurisdiction over the matter. The panel observed that since the case revolved around the internal leadership structure of the Labour Party, it fell outside the jurisdiction of the courts.
The ruling reinforced the long-standing principle that leadership disputes within political parties should be resolved internally, rather than through judicial intervention.
The Supreme Court stressed that leadership struggles within political parties are purely internal matters. According to legal principles, courts should not interfere in such issues, as they fall under the party’s constitution and governance framework. By upholding this legal doctrine, the apex court reaffirmed that political parties must settle their leadership crises independently.
The Supreme Court upheld the appeal lodged by Senator Nenadi Usman and a fellow appellant, ruling that their claims were valid. Their appeal challenged the earlier judgment, arguing that it was flawed due to jurisdictional overreach. After thorough legal scrutiny, the Supreme Court found merit in their argument and ruled in their favour.
The legal battle also involved a cross-appeal filed by supporters of Julius Abure, who sought to challenge the decision against their leader. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this cross-appeal, declaring it unsubstantiated and lacking merit. The ruling effectively ended the legal contest over the Labour Party’s chairmanship, cementing the judiciary’s stance on non-interference in party leadership disputes.
Bitcoin experienced sharp fluctuations following President Donald Trump’s April 2 tariff announcement, initially surging to $88,000 before dropping to $82,000.
By April 3, it stabilized around $83,000, with the broader crypto market down over 4%. Major altcoins like Ethereum and Solana also declined over 6%, hitting multi-month lows.
Analysts see the tariff news as reducing market uncertainty, potentially attracting institutional investors.
Despite higher-than-expected rates, experts believe the clarity could help Bitcoin regain momentum toward $90,000. Bitcoin ETFs, led by BlackRock, recorded $218 million in inflows on April 2, reversing prior outflows.
Kraken’s Thomas Perfumo challenged the idea that institutional interest stabilizes crypto, emphasizing that volatility signals demand for a scarce asset.
Some analysts viewed the sell-off as an overreaction to trade policy concerns, highlighting Bitcoin’s resilience as a store of value.
With ETFs showing strong demand, Bitcoin’s price may stabilize and rise, though market participants remain cautious, monitoring trade policies and economic conditions.