Author: Emmanuel
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FG Confirms Plan to Extradite Simon Ekpa from Finland | Justice Minister Speaks | Multiplatforms TV
The Federal Government of Nigeria confirms efforts to extradite Simon Ekpa from Finland over terrorism allegations. Justice Minister Lateef Fagbemi updates on international cooperation in criminal justice matters, including other high-profile extraditions.
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Senator Dafionone To Deliver Keynote Address At Abuja Garden Festival
The Senator Representing Delta Central Senatorial District and a board
member of Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Senator Ede Dafionone, is set to deliver keynote address at this year’s Abuja Garden Festival.According to the Facilitators of the event, which will hold on May 1 and 2, 2025,
Mrs. Eyamba Nzekwu, a Chartered Accountant and Mrs. Nana Gbolahan, the festival is a unique initiative aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, urban greening, and public awareness on the vital role of trees in our ecosystem.According to them, the heat wave experienced in the Federal Capital Territory this year is as a result of tree felling over the years without replacement.
The facilitators said, “”We are a dynamic community of nature enthusiasts and forward-thinking entrepreneurs united by a shared commitment to environmental sustainability, based in Abuja. We seek to promote actionable climate solutions through advocacy, sustainable practices and eco – friendly initiatives to drive meaningful action to mitigate climate change”.
According to Mrs Nzekwu and Mrs Gbolahan, the Abuja Garden Festival is a unique initiative aimed at promoting environmental
sustainability, urban greening, and public awareness on the vital role of trees in our ecosystem.The said, “As urban development expands, Abuja faces increasing heat and a worrying decline in green cover. Without trees and gardens to protect and cool our environment, we are encountering serious challenges.
To them, some of the challenges include:
Loss of plant, animal life and natural habitats.
Temperature increas, devastation by severe wind storms and flooding, disruption of natural water cycle and declining air quality.They also said some of the consequences of tree felling also include, rising costs associated with disaster recovery and heat related damages, reduced agricultural productivity due to harsher conditions and loss of man hours due to ill health of workers.
“The Abuja Garden Festival is designed to raise awareness and drive practical action.
Through exhibitions, expert talks, workshops, and a showcase of local garden solutions.“One of the key highlights of the event will be discussions on the importance of planting
trees, emphasizing how trees cool, detoxify the environment, improve air quality, and
protect homes and communities during severe rainstorms, serving as natural
windbreakers and erosion controllers.“The environmental situation we have found ourselves demands collective action as a
people. We seek to encourage everyone to understand why they need to plant trees
and to encourage this “Climate Action”, Abuja Garden Festival will be giving out free
tree seedlings to participants and schools”, they said. -
Enough is Enough, Nigerians Are Dying — Christian Youths Tell Tinubu Over Killings in Benue, Plateau
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum has raised the alarm over the worsening spate of killings in Benue and Plateau States, calling on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take urgent and decisive action to halt the bloodshed.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Wednesday, the group condemned the relentless attacks by armed bandits and criminal herdsmen on defenseless communities, describing it as a gross affront to human dignity and the sanctity of life.
Convener of the Forum, James Paul Adama, lamented that Nigerians are being slaughtered in their homes and farmlands while the nation helplessly watches mass burials becoming a norm in the North Central region.
“Enough is enough. Nigerians are dying daily in Benue, Plateau and other parts of the country, and this must not be allowed to continue,” Adama declared.
The group urged President Tinubu to prioritize the security of every Nigerian and treat the crisis as a national emergency.
“We call on the Federal Government to move beyond mere rhetoric and take concrete steps to end these barbaric attacks. Our people deserve to live in peace and safety.”
While commending the gallant efforts of security personnel on the frontlines, the Forum called for an urgent review of strategies and deployment of more troops to the affected areas.
Adama further warned that continued government inaction could erode public confidence and threaten the unity of the country.
“The blood of innocent citizens cries out from the soil of Benue, Plateau, and other places. Mr. President, it’s time to act. The people are tired of mass burials and empty promises.”
He called on religious, traditional, and community leaders to speak up and demand urgent intervention, while also praying for peace to return to troubled communities.
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum, condole with the People and Government of Plateau and Benue States
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He Only Stood in Front of Hope: A Call for Justice for Alabi Quadri
Felicia Asuquo, Abuja
In the bustling, unforgiving streets of Lagos, 2023 was just another year for thousands of young boys like Alabi Quadri.
He was a teenager with dreams, fears, and a flickering hope that maybe, just maybe, Nigeria could be better. Then one afternoon, his simple act of faith turned into a national moment — one that would tragically alter the course of his young life.
It happened when Peter Obi’s presidential campaign convoy passed through his neighborhood. Many saw Peter Obi as a symbol of a new Nigeria, a break from the past, a figure of accountability and change.
Alabi, swept up in the wave of optimism, did something pure — he stood in front of the convoy, arms outstretched, smiling. He wasn’t protesting. He wasn’t begging. He was celebrating. In that moment, he represented millions of young Nigerians yearning for a better tomorrow.
The image of his open arms and sincere smile spread like wildfire on social media. People were moved. Many sent him small gifts — not of luxury, but of love.
But in Nigeria’s underbelly, even moments of beauty can turn dark. Alabi lived in a part of Lagos where the law of the street often trumps the law of the land. His moment of viral fame stirred the wrong attention.
Envy crept in. Area boys — local toughs who view any form of success as communal property — came knocking. “Where’s our cut?” they demanded. “You wan chop alone?”
Alabi didn’t know how to respond. He didn’t even have much to offer. But in a place where desperation rules, even crumbs can appear as feasts. The threats came swiftly and cruelly. And in January 2025, they were acted upon.
While returning home from his menial job, Alabi was abducted — not by strangers, but by the same people who once smiled at him. They took him to the police, not to report a crime, but to commit one — against him. They framed him, accusing him of armed robbery.
The police, without a shred of thorough investigation, clamped down. He was thrown into a case with four adult strangers — men he had never seen before. The alleged robbery involved four phones and some cash, totaling just N579,000.
That was enough to charge a child with armed robbery. That was enough to throw a teenage boy into Kirikiri Minimum Security Custodial Centre — a place notorious for housing hardened criminals. A place unfit for any child, let alone an innocent one.
Today, Alabi lives behind prison walls, far removed from the mother who raised him, the streets that shaped him, and the hope that once filled his heart. He eats prison food, prays in the corner of a cell, and waits for justice that always seems just out of reach. He is not even 18.
On April 9, 2025, renowned human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong visited the court handling Alabi’s case. Alongside Alabi’s grieving mother, some relatives, and an activist, they journeyed to the prison. What they found was not a criminal — but a boy.
Weary, yes, but not broken. Soft-spoken, yet still holding on to a faint belief in the kindness of strangers and the power of justice.
After spending time with him, Barrister Effiong declared: “He’s clearly innocent. He’s just a boy. A victim of envy, of a broken police system, of silence.”
Despite appearing in court three times, Alabi’s case has been adjourned over and over. He continues to await legal advice from the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions.
But how long can a child wait? How long must his mother cry at the gates of a prison before someone listens? How long before a system built to protect begins to truly serve?
Alabi Quadri’s story is not just a legal case. It is a moral mirror. It is proof of what happens when systems fail and society remains quiet. His only crime was believing in something better. For standing in front of hope, he was thrown into a nightmare.
This report is a call — to citizens, to leaders, to all who still believe in justice. Let us raise our voices for Alabi. Let us demand that the Lagos State Government act swiftly.
Let us call on the judiciary to prioritize his case. And let us remind the world: Alabi is not just another inmate. He is a boy. He is a symbol. He is one of us.
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“I Regret My Actions” – Apostle Festus Alilu Apologizes to Pastor Korede Komaiya
The Senior Pastor of Word of Power Gospel Church International, Apostle Festus Alilu, has publicly apologized to Pastor Korede Komaiya of The Master’s International Church, Warri, Delta State.
This follows a recent defamatory comment made by Apostle Alilu against Pastor Komaiya via a video on his social media page, a move that sparked reactions from various quarters.
Consequently, some supporters of Pastor Komaiya reported the case to the police, leading to Apostle Alilu’s arrest and detention.
However, in a formal apology letter dated March 23, 2025, Apostle Alilu stated that he had removed the controversial video from his Facebook page and had also uploaded a new video apologizing for his actions.
He admitted that his comments were inappropriate and had negatively affected Pastor Komaiya’s reputation.
He wrote, “I write to express my sincere and unreserved apologies for a video I posted on my Facebook page on the 8th day of March 2025, where I criticized your style of preaching.
“I regret all the offensive content of the video and the negative effects on your reputation, congregation, and the entire body of Christ.
“I have removed the video from my Facebook page, and I have also posted an apology video on the same platform.
“I humbly request your forgiveness and understanding on this matter so we can put it behind us and focus on our shared commitment to spreading the Gospel.”
Reacting to the apology, the Concerned Christian Youth Forum described the move as a welcome development.
The group, in a statement by its convener, Adama James Paul, applauded the reconciliation and urged others to follow suit.
“We believe that the Christian faith and its leaders should be respected and protected against defamation and cyberbullying.
“Do NOT defame or tarnish the reputation of anyone while criticizing their actions. Remember, you are only sharing your perception or opinion, and this must be done within the confines of the law.
“A criminal offense isn’t just against the victim but against the entire state. So do not come up with lame excuses that the victim is a Christian or Pastor and ought to have forgiven.”
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Concerned Christian Youth Forum to intervene over arrest of Apostle Festus Alilu
The Concerned Christian Youth Forum has pledged to mediate in the case of Apostle Festus Alilu’s arrest.
Apostle Alilu, the senior pastor of Word of Power Gospel Church International in Ughelli, Delta State, was taken into police custody on Thursday following allegations of defamation against Pastor Korede Komaiya of The Master’s Place International Church.
His arrest followed a viral video in which he accused Pastor Komaiya of misleading church members with fabricated prosperity teachings.
Reacting, the group in a statement by its convener, Adama Paul James, clarified that Pastor Komaiya did not initiate the arrest, stating that it was carried out by some of his followers.
The forum condemned the verbal attack on Pastor Komaiya and emphasized the need to uphold dignity and respect for Christian leaders while urging an amicable resolution to the matter.
Adama said, “The attention of the Concerned Christian Youth Forum has been drawn to the arrest of one Apostle Festus Alilu over an alleged defamatory video he made against Pastor Korede Komaiya.
“We have watched the said video with due circumspection on social media and the Concerned Christian Youth Forum hereby condemn in totality the verbal attack of Apostle Festus Alilu on the person of Pastor Korede Komaiya.
“We consider this attack unprovoked and unwarranted, and we consequently wish to extend our sincere apologies to Pastor Komaiya on behalf of our community.
“Upon further inquiries, we discovered that the arrest of Apostle Alilu was not initiated by Pastor Komaiya himself but by some of his followers. This highlights the importance of considering and verifying facts before drawing conclusions or making accusations.
“The Concerned Christian Youth Forum is stepping in with the hope of finding an amicable resolution to this matter.
“We would like to use this opportunity to make it clear that attacks on the Christian Faith and its Leaders will no longer be tolerated. We are ready to take all necessary steps to vigorously defend Christianity and its leaders in Nigeria.
“We encourage everyone to respect the Christian Faith and avoid making derogatory comments or attacks on any religion. Such unruly behaviour has no place in our society and must be stopped forthwith.
“The Concerned Christian Youth Forum is committed to ensuring that the Christian faith and its leaders are treated with utmost dignity and respect they deserve.”
