By Emma Peter

Governor Abdullahi A. Sule of Nasarawa State has reappointed Dr Princess Margaret Itake Elayo as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Humanitarian Services, following a recent cabinet reshuffle.

Dr Margaret’s reappointment comes after the state executive council was dissolved on 3 January 2025. While she was initially excluded from last week’s swearing-in due to allegations regarding the diversion of palliative materials, a subsequent investigation cleared her of any wrongdoing.

The governor has also restructured the Ministry of Humanitarian, Special Duties & NGOs, renaming it the Ministry of Women Affairs and Humanitarian Services.

Speaking shortly after taking the oath of office at the Executive Council Chambers in Lafia, Dr Margaret expressed her gratitude to Governor Sule for the opportunity to serve again.

She pledged to revitalise initiatives focused on women and humanitarian issues, particularly empowering elderly women, vulnerable groups, and marginalised communities.

“Women are the backbone of society, the nurturers, and the future builders of the next generation,” she said.

“We must invest in their potential, equip them for success, and create an enabling environment for them to lead and innovate in facing everyday challenges.”

She further assured that under Governor Sule’s leadership, the ministry would drive meaningful change, champion women’s development, and ensure that women in Nasarawa State have a voice and a pathway to prosperity.

By Abubakar Yunusa

A leading civil society organisation, the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED), has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of former military ruler General Ibrahim Babangida over his role in the annulment of the June 12, 1993, presidential election.

In a statement released on Thursday in Abuja, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, described Babangida’s recent self-incriminating remarks as a critical test for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

He asserted that failure to hold the former leader accountable would undermine Tinubu’s moral and political legitimacy.

“We firmly assert that if President Tinubu fails to take decisive action against General Babangida and does not ensure that he faces the consequences of his actions—specifically, imprisonment, which is where he rightfully belongs—he will lack the moral and political legitimacy to govern effectively,” Zikirullahi stated.

The organisation argued that Babangida’s candid admission of his role in annulling the election paints him as a figure who has evaded justice for too long.

It warned that failure to prosecute him would further entrench a culture of impunity in Nigeria.

The statement also highlighted the tragic aftermath of the annulment, including the deaths of protesters and the imprisonment of pro-democracy activists.

Among those mentioned were Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed winner of the election, who was detained and later died under suspicious circumstances, as well as journalist Dele Giwa, whose unresolved murder remains a symbol of repression during Babangida’s regime.

“For decades, successive governments have claimed a lack of evidence to prosecute Babangida.

However, with his recent confessions and public statements, there is now compelling evidence for legal action,” CHRICED said.

The organisation also criticised the financial waste associated with the annulled election, arguing that resources used to conduct the poll could have been better utilised for national development.

The center blamed Babangida’s administration for fostering a political culture where power is acquired through manipulation rather than democratic means.

“The decisions made by Babangida and his associates have led to the infiltration of unqualified individuals into various positions of authority, undermining governance and eroding public trust,” the statement read.

CHRICED urged President Tinubu to take a stand for justice, insisting that addressing Babangida’s role in the June 12 annulment is crucial to restoring faith in Nigeria’s democratic process.

“This is not just about the past; it is about Nigeria’s future. If impunity is allowed to persist, the cycle of injustice and corruption will continue to plague our nation,” Zikirullahi warned.

Gunmen have abducted some female students of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University in Makurdi, Benue state.

The students, reportedly numbering up to four, were abducted on Tuesday evening at the university’s North Core campus.

The students were said to have been headed for “night class”, a practice of late-night studying in Nigerian campuses.

The gunmen were said to have invaded the hotel area of the campus before abducting the four students.

Some moments after the incident, operatives of the Nigerian army arrived at the school.

Sewuese Anene, Benue police spokesperson, told TheCable on Wednesday that a report received by the police indicated that only two students were kidnapped during the incident.

Anene added that the police have launched an investigation into the matter.

The Markurdi incident is the latest in a series of abductions targeted at Nigeria’s tertiary school students in recent years.

In August 2024, at least 20 medical and dental students were kidnapped in Benue State while travelling to a convention in Enugu.

In September 2023, gunmen abducted approximately 20 students from a university in Zamfara state.

At Greenfield University in Kaduna State, at least 20 students and two staff members were kidnapped in April 2021.

Tragically, five students were killed during captivity before the remaining hostages were released after a month.