Jagaban or Jaga Jaga
Atiku is calling Tinubu a dictator, Tinubu is calling every Nigerian a liar
Good morning, Big Brains. I know, I know. We probably triggered your PTSD and reminded you of the talking stage that ghosted but we have a good explanation, we promise. We’ll share some exciting news soon!
- Margaret
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Let’s get into today’s edition:
Atiku accuses Tinubu of being worse than a military dictator
Nigeria’s military to train locals to defend themselves against terrorists and bandits
Ondo spends ₦1.5bn on 344 aides amid 240,000 out-of-school children crisis
The Big Deal
Atiku accuses Tinubu of being worse than a military dictator
The street is saying that President Tinubu’s administration is worse than “even the harshest days of military dictatorship” and we fear that the street might be onto something. The street, in this case, is Atiku Abubakar who was Tinubu’s opposition in the 2023 elections and the absolute bane of his existence in 2024.
Remember when we reported that the Nigerian Police Force invited the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, for questioning over terrorism financing allegations? Well, they eventually arrested Ajaero on Monday at the airport where he was supposed to board a flight to the United Kingdom for a trade union conference.
Even though Ajaero was eventually released on bail, the arrest has started a conversation centred around Tinubu’s sense of integrity. Global rights groups like Amnesty International and the United Action Front of Civil Society have also condemned the arrest and detention of Ajaero, claiming that President Bola Tinubu is setting a new precedent for lawlessness.
Nigerians have also linked the invasion of the Socio-Economic Rights And Accountability Project’s (SERAP) office in Abuja to a crackdown on civil rights upon Tinubu’s order. In response, The Department of State Services said they were only at the office for “routine investigation”.
Atiku believes that this energy should be directed “towards the actual perpetrators of violence — terrorists and bandits — who are inflicting immeasurable suffering upon the Nigerian people”. Not to side with another politician that’s likely seeking public support, but we’re with Atiku on this.
Why is this a big deal?
Like Martin Luther King said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. There are questionable arrests that have been authorised since President Tinubu was elected into office. Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) noted that they documented intimidation attempts, physical attacks, or detentions of over 40 journalists during the last presidential elections.
Sometime in March, Mr Segun Olatunji, the former editor of an online publication called First News, was detained for 15 days after writing a report about President Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
On August 5, Issac Bristol, alleged to run the @PIDOMNIGERIA account which is popularly known on X for sharing anonymous social commentary, was reported missing. The police eventually confirmed on August 24 that he was in custody. Bristol had been secretly arrested in Port Harcourt and taken to Abuja, where he faces charges in the Federal High Court for promoting the #EndBadGovernance hashtag, spreading false information, sharing classified data, and money laundering.
Similarly, 10 #EndBadGovernance protesters were also charged with treason earlier this month.
Now, we’re not outrightly saying Tinubu might be nearing the edge of dictatorship but if it barks like a dog, it’s probably a dog.
Nigeria’s military to train locals to defend themselves against terrorists and bandits
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters (DHQ) is stepping up its game against terrorists and bandits in the Northwest. It’s bright plan? Teach locals how to protect themselves from terrorists.
General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, believes that this big idea is the solution to the insurgency in the North.
He explained that while the military can’t be everywhere, building local defence could help in the fight against security threats. We’re not sure how the military intends to train people or what class of people they intend to train but the local capacity-building approach is said to have worked in the Northeast, so they're giving it a try in the Northwest with local support and cooperation from state governments. We’re curious to see how this ends.
Ondo spends ₦1.5bn on 344 aides amid 240,000 out-of-school children crisis
Ondo State is in a bit of a mess. With 240,000 kids out of school and health issues piling up, you’d think Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa would focus on fixing these problems. But no—he’s been busy hiring an army of 344 new Special Advisers and Senior Special Advisers.
It’s like crying over a Gucci shirt while your whole house is burning down. Each new adviser is set to earn over ₦4.5 million a year, adding up to ₦1.57 billion annually. That’s a lot of cash for what looks like a political ego trip.
Critics, like public interest lawyer Festus Ogun, are calling it “indirect vote buying,” suggesting the governor’s real agenda is stacking the deck for the upcoming election rather than tackling serious issues. With the election around the corner, people are curious to know if these new hires will stick around or if they’re just here for the pre-election hustle.
So, while Ondo’s kids are left hanging and health services lag, Aiyedatiwa’s eyes are fixed on political appointments. Seems like the state’s priorities might need a serious re-evaluation.
The Big Picks
Maiduguri Flood: UN Warns Against Cholera Outbreak, Malnutrition In IDP Camps: The United Nations has warned about a possible cholera outbreak at emergency IDP camps in Maiduguri, Borno State, due to recent flooding in the area.
Court Grants N10m Bail Each To #EndBadGovernance Protesters: A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted ₦10 million bail each to ten members of the #EndBadGovernance protests, who are charged with attempting to overthrow President Bola Tinubu between August 1 and 4 this year.
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