The Parroters

By Kunle Ayo  Recent actions by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the oil and gas sector reveal a desperate attempt by certain actors to exploit Nigerians’ sensibilities, perpetuating lawlessness, economic sabotage, and threats to national security for the benefit of a few at the expense of the broader population. It is an affront to Nigerians’ intelligence that NUPENG and PENGASSAN, historically complicit in the deliberate and egregious degeneration of the oil and gas sector, have long acted as enablers of self-interest. These unions have been directly implicated in decades of inflicting untold hardship on ordinary Nigerians through their neglect, complicity, and collaboration with enemies of the state. Their sudden posturing as defenders of workers’ rights—when their actions have contributed to the suffering of millions—is both hypocritical and insulting. The recent ...

By Philip Agbese  Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, PhD, GCON, is a rare pillar of integrity in Nigeria’s governance, a leader whose resolute honesty and patriotism forge a compelling vision for national progress. As Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, he embodies the essence of the blind men and the elephant parable—each perspective distinct, yet all converging on the undeniable truth of his dedication to Nigeria’s unity and prosperity. My encounters with him reveal a man who leads with quiet conviction; his actions reflect a commitment that prioritises the nation’s future over personal acclaim. Abbas meticulously crafts Nigeria’s economic trajectory, ensuring the budget aligns with the country’s aspirations, meets fiscal demands, addresses critical needs like infrastructure and healthcare, and builds a foundation for a thriving tomorrow. His Legislative Agenda drives economic diversification, education reform, and transparent governance, amplified by innovations that invite publ...

The Arewa Youth Network for Peace (AYNP) has described Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal as an utterly ineffective leader whose tenure has plunged the state into a cesspool of insecurity, illegal mining, and governance collapse. In a statement issued in Kaduna on Tuesday, the group accused Lawal of squandering Zamfara’s vast resources while offering nothing but excuses, starkly contrasting his failures with the tangible achievements of other governors like Nasarawa’s Abdullahi Sule. “Dauda Lawal is a monumental disappointment, a governor who has turned Zamfara into a bandit’s paradise while hiding behind hollow rhetoric,” said Comrade Yusuf Idris, the group’s convener. “Unlike his counterparts who have transformed their states with far less, Lawal has no achievements to his name—only a legacy of chaos, misery, and misrule.” The group drew inspiration from Governor Sule’s remarks at the 2025 Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit in Abuja, where he challenged governor...

The National Rebirth Movement (NRM) has vowed to mobilise Nigerians for nationwide protests against what it described as a dangerous plot by the federal government to amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and sell off critical national assets. In a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, Comrade James Jonah Gbudu, president of the movement, accused Finance Minister Wale Edun of spearheading moves that would strip the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) of its backbone and hand over the country’s oil wealth to cronies. “These amendments are the handiwork of Wale Edun, who appears to think he will be in government forever. Nigerians must rise against this kind of individual mentality and the planned return of the Obasanjo/Atiku era that sold off critical national assets. This time, they want to sell everything to their friends and render the NNPCL naked,” Gbudu said. The NRM president said the movement would not fold its arms while government policies mortgage the nation’s...

By Taiwo Akanji Senator Saliu Mustapha is a man with a helmsman’s steady hand, steering Kwara Central through the tides of challenge toward prosperity. As the Turaki of Ilorin Emirate and Aare Atunluse of Oro-Ago Kingdom, he charts a course with care, guiding his people with roads that connect communities, boreholes that bring clean water, and scholarships that open doors to education. On his 53rd birthday, September 26, 2025, his constituents celebrate a leader whose vision navigates their dreams to reality, setting a path for a brighter future. In the Senate chambers, where Nigeria’s course is plotted, Mustapha doesn’t chase applause; he charts solutions. As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agricultural Production, Services and Rural Development, his bills are like navigational markers, guiding the nation forward. One proposes a Federal College of Agriculture in Oke-Oyi, Kwara State, where farmers can learn to turn fields into abundance. Another, the Nigerian Women and Youth Enter...

  By Aminu Kaita   Imagine a young Gbenga Komolafe stepping into the labyrinthine world of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over three decades ago, his heart alight with a quiet resolve to serve his nation. Today, as Chief Executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), this 62-year-old engineer stands as a towering figure, a visionary whose transformative leadership has turned the oil and gas sector into a beacon of hope and progress.    On his birthday, the story of a man whose multifaceted brilliance—part goal-getter, part social crusader, part disciplined innovator is unravelled. The remarkable life of a man who has left an indelible mark on Nigeria, his achievements as intricate and inspiring as a masterfully decoded cypher. Komolafe’s journey is a saga of resilience, a tale of a leader who navigates challenges like a seasoned explorer charting unmapped territories.    From his NNPC roots to his current ste...

By Iliasu Idris  The recent invasion of our beloved town by  notorious bandits that reverberates through the streets of Birnin Kebbi  has become an interesting focus of national security. Nigeria is witnessing an unfortunate realization where political machinations have not merely collided with public safety but have precipitated a catastrophe of unprecedented magnitude. The rumors of violence and insecurity in Kebbi state, in particular, open cans of questions that go beyond just governance; questions that demand the swift re-examination of the very nature of political power and the deadly relationship it has with terrorism. This surge in insecurity has been largely attributed to the rise of bandits that terrorize rural communities and farmers alike. But this does not occur in a vacuum. On the aforementioned, it is discovered that a thorough investigation into the activities of the likes of Abubakar Malami, the former Attorney General of the Federation, and Shehu Koko, a...

Hundreds of protesters, led by the Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network (CLCN), stormed the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja on Thursday demanding an immediate investigation into what they described as a massive $4 billion fraud involving the MSM Group and missing funds meant for Nigeria’s refinery rehabilitation. In a speech delivered by Sambari G. Benjamin, Esq., the CLCN accused the MSM Group, a conglomerate with ties to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), of being a front for laundering stolen public funds.  The group pointed to the mysterious disappearance of $2.896 billion allocated for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, which remain non-functional despite the massive investment. “We are here because something is deeply wrong,” Benjamin declared to a crowd of supporters and journalists....

Some angry Nigerian Senators and Members of the House of Representatives are planning a major showdown against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his executive, upon resumption from the recess, over non servicing of their constituency projects. Rising from separate meetings in Abuja Tuesday night, the Lawmakers appear to have concluded arrangements to mobilize their colleagues who are equally piqued by the activities of the executive, to put the President on his toes. The meeting for the Senators was said to have been held in a private residence of a ranking northern APC Senator, while the Reps were hosted by a Member of the opposition from the South. Lawmakers from both opposition parties and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were said to be in attendance. Top on the agenda of the meetings, according to different sources, was the non funding of constituency projects nominated by the Lawmakers in the 2024 and 2025 budgets; the only two appropriation exercise they were opportune t...

A treacherous plot to unleash terror on Kebbi State has been laid bare, exposing a chilling conspiracy masterminded by former House of Representatives member Muhammad Shehu Koko and backed by former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN). Koko, notorious for his longstanding ties to bandits and terrorists, allegedly orchestrated the importation of violent criminals into Kebbi to destabilise Governor Nasir Idris’s administration, with Malami funnelling $1 million to fuel the chaos. As security agencies close in on Koko, Malami’s desperate attempts to divert attention from his embattled ally have collapsed, leaving Kebbi’s innocent residents as the true victims, haunted by the fear of renewed violence in their peaceful state. Koko, a disgraced ex-lawmaker for Koko/Maiyama Federal Constituency, is infamous for working closely with bandits and terrorists, a reputation that predates his political career. Sources reveal that days before the plot’s execution in early ...

  In the chronicles of nation-building, there arise figures whose presence transcends beyond ceremonial titles, whose influence is etched not in fleeting applause, but in the enduring transformation of lives.   Your Excellency, the First Lady of Nigeria, you stand tall among such rare women.You are not merely a companion to power, but a custodian of purpose.Not a symbol of status, but a steward of service.   Not a whisper in the corridors of governance, but a voice that echoes across communities.On this special occasion of your birthday, we extend our heartfelt felicitations to you ma, the embodiment of grace, resilience, and visionary leadership.Your Excellency, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, CON, First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria, your unwavering commitment to national development continues to inspire millions.   Through your advocacy for the Renewed Hope Agenda, you have become a pillar of transformation, championing inclusive growth, social welfare, and the dignity o...

By Imam Talba  It is always an eyesore and very troubling to watch how once-powerful men descend into the abyss of desperation, clutching at straws of irrelevance while disgracefully weaponizing the very insecurities they once ignored. The latest petition authored by Abubakar Malami, who many Nigerians know as the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, is an interesting case study of what we can term political recklessness, hypocrisy, and the dangerous misuse of national security rhetoric for personal gain. The petition which was dated 10th September 2025 and addressed to the National Security Adviser, Director General of the Department of State Services, Inspector General of Police, and the Comptroller-Generals of Immigration and Civil Defence, Malami’s letter purportedly raises alarm about alleged plans to destabilize Kebbi State through the importation of political thugs, mercenaries from Niger Republic, and the trafficking of arms. He had the effront...

The West Africa Crisis Writers Network (WACWN) has crowned the North East Development Commission (NEDC) as Nigeria’s gold standard for transparency and governance excellence. In a statement signed by Messr Agba James, the group said the recognition marks eight transformative years since the NEDC’s inception, from a region once shrouded in despair to a model of hope and progress under the stewardship of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Managing Director Mohammed Goni Alkali. According to James, the NEDC stands out as Nigeria’s most transparent agency due to its rigorous commitment to open governance and accountability. Under Goni Alkali’s leadership, the statement noted that the NEDC has implemented a robust framework that includes regular public reporting of financial expenditures, project timelines, and outcomes, ensuring that every naira spent is traceable and every initiative is measurable. Furthermore, James said the NEDC’s track record is reinforced by its collaborati...

The Situation Room on Monitoring the War Against Banditry has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately  declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State, accusing Governor Dauda Lawal of complicity in the state’s spiralling banditry crisis. The group alleged that Lawal is using state funds to carter for bandits in his state,  emboldening criminals and betraying the trust of ordinary  citizens.  The group's fury was sparked by a viral video in which Governor Lawal admitted to knowing the precise locations of bandit leaders terrorrising the state Patriot Henry Abba, the group’s convener, at a press conference condemned this as a “shocking, heartbreaking, a betrayal of trust, a failure of leadership, and a dangerous signal to every Nigerian who still believes in the rule of law.” He labelled Lawal’s words a “confession of complicity,” arguing that his failure to share this intelligence with security agencies has left Zamfara a “graveyard” synonymous with death, destructi...

The Situation Room on Monitoring the War Against Banditry has urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State, accusing Governor Dauda Lawal of complicity in the state’s spiralling banditry crisis. The group alleged that Lawal is using state funds to carter for bandits in his state,  emboldening criminals and betraying the trust of ordinary  citizens.  The group's fury was sparked by a viral video in which Governor Lawal admitted to knowing the precise locations of bandit leaders terrorrising the state Patriot Henry Abba, the group’s convener, at a press conference condemned this as a “shocking, heartbreaking, a betrayal of trust, a failure of leadership, and a dangerous signal to every Nigerian who still believes in the rule of law.” He labelled Lawal’s words a “confession of complicity,” arguing that his failure to share this intelligence with security agencies has left Zamfara a “graveyard” synonymous with death, destruction, an...

The Coalition for Justice and Equity (CJE) has called on security agencies and the international community to include former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on their terrorism watchlist due to the potential dangers his actions pose to national stability. The group labelled Malami's recent allegations against Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, as a "smokescreen to promote a terrorist agenda" in Nigeria, labelling his claims as baseless, politically motivated, and a dangerous attempt to destabilise Kebbi State and undermine Nigeria’s national security. Comrade Isaac Olayemi, Executive Director of the Coalition for Justice and Equity, emphasised that Malami’s petition represents "a brazen display of political opportunism" and "deeply mischievously fabricated with the intent to distract, destabilise, and delegitimise the progress Kebbi State has made under its current leadership." In a petition dated September 10, 2025, addressed t...