It was an inspiring moment at the State House in Abuja on Monday as 16-year-old Joy Ogah symbolically took over the seat of Vice President Kashim Shettima, serving as Nigeria’s Vice President for a day in a ceremony organized to promote girls’ education and leadership.

The event was part of activities marking the International Day of the Girl Child, organized by Plan International, a global development organization advocating for girls’ rights and empowerment.

‘Educate the Girl Child, Empower the Nation’

Taking her seat at the Vice President’s desk, Joy Ogah called on Nigerian authorities to invest in safe, inclusive schools and to enforce laws protecting girls.

She highlighted the alarming statistic that 10.5 million Nigerian children are out of school, most of them girls, and urged the government to provide free sanitary products and better sanitation facilities in schools to support girls’ education.

“When girls are educated, they become leaders, innovators, and change-makers. We must make our schools safe and accessible for every girl,” she said.

Shettima Praises Initiative

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who warmly invited Joy to take his seat, commended the symbolic gesture and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to empowering the girl child through education.

He emphasized that the Tinubu administration is gender-inclusive, highlighting First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu as a model of female leadership and national service.

“Our administration believes in empowering women and girls. Educating the girl child is investing in the nation’s future,” Shettima said.

The brief but impactful event drew applause from education advocates, policymakers, and development partners, symbolizing hope for a more inclusive and equitable Nigeria.

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A Magistrate Court sitting in Kuje, Abuja, has ordered the remand of Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and his younger brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, alongside eleven other individuals.

The court’s decision follows their participation in Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja, which called for the immediate release of the IPOB leader currently standing trial at the Federal High Court.

Court Proceedings and Charges

The suspects were arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force on Tuesday on multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, disobedience of a lawful order, inciting disturbance, and breach of public peace — offences contrary to Sections 152, 114, and 113 of the Penal Code Law.

According to the charge sheet filed before the court, the accused were alleged to have “denied other citizens the freedom of movement, disrupted free flow of traffic, and chanted war songs requesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu in a manner that threatened national security.”

Those named in the charge include:

1. Barr. Aloy Ejimakor
2. Prince Emmanuel Kanu
3. Joshua Emmanuel
4. Bishop Wilson Anyalewechi
5. Barr. Okere Kingdom Nnamdi
6. Clinton Chimeneze
7. Gabriel Joshua
8. Isiaka Husseini
9. Onyekachi Ferdinand
10. Amadi Prince
11. Edison Ojisom
12. Godwill Obiama

The charge document was made public by former National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who shared it via his X handle on Tuesday.

Police Justification

Earlier on Monday, the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, had confirmed during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today that several protesters, including Ejimakor and Prince Kanu, were arrested for breaching a court order restricting demonstrations in certain areas of the Federal Capital Territory.

He stated:

“We arrested Nnamdi Kanu’s brother and his lawyer because they insisted on entering restricted areas. Along with them, six others were arrested around the Transcorp area. Once we concluded our investigation, we charged them to court as promised.”

Ejimakor Speaks from Kuje Prison

Following the court’s decision, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor confirmed via his verified X account that he and others had been remanded at Kuje Correctional Centre pending the next hearing on Friday.

“I am safe and sound but still under custody at Kuje prison. The magistrate refused to listen to our submissions and insisted on remanding us till Friday,” he wrote.

Ejimakor also alleged that the authorities deliberately took the case to a magistrate court in Kuje instead of other available courts in Abuja.

“Keep in mind that they bypassed several magistrate courts in town and headed to this one in Kuje,” he added.

Monday’s #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest drew large crowds in Abuja, calling for the release of the IPOB leader who has been in detention since his re-arrest in 2021. The presidency had earlier criticized Ejimakor’s participation in the protest, with calls for disciplinary action against him.

The remanded individuals are expected to reappear in court later this week as legal teams continue to push for their release.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the name of Dr. Bernard Mohammed Doro to the Senate for confirmation as a ministerial nominee representing Plateau State.

Doro’s nomination comes as a replacement for former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, who recently emerged as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) following a decision by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).

The appointment was announced in a statement on Tuesday by Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who confirmed that the President had already transmitted Doro’s details to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

Born on January 23, 1969, in Kwall, Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Dr. Doro is expected to bring extensive experience to his new role.

It remains unclear whether he will be assigned to the same ministry previously overseen by Prof. Yilwatda.

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Here are the major news stories making the rounds across Nigeria’s newspapers today Tuesday, October 21, 2025.

1. Police, Protesters Clash in Abuja Over Nnamdi Kanu’s Release

The Free Nnamdi Kanu protest swept through the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Monday, leading to violent clashes between demonstrators and security agencies.
Several protesters, including Kanu’s lawyer Aloy Ejimakor and his brother Prince Emmanuel Kanu, were arrested. The police fired teargas to disperse the crowd near Aso Villa as activists, led by Omoyele Sowore, demanded Kanu’s unconditional release.

2. Sit-at-Home Grounds Activities in South-East Over Kanu’s Detention

Economic and social activities were paralyzed across major cities in the South-East on Monday as residents observed a sit-at-home to demand the release of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
Reports indicated that roads were deserted while schools, markets, and offices remained closed across Enugu, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra States.

3. Boko Haram Kills Army Commander, Soldiers in Borno Ambush

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the death of Lieutenant Colonel Aliyu Saidu Paiko, Commanding Officer of the 202 Tank Battalion, alongside several soldiers during a fierce confrontation with Boko Haram terrorists in the Kashimri area of Bama LGA, Borno State.
The troops were reportedly ambushed during an operation to clear insurgent hideouts in the area.

4. ASUU Holds Crucial NEC Meeting to Decide on Ongoing Strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will hold a decisive National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today, Tuesday, following Monday’s chapter votes on whether to continue its ongoing strike.
Sources reveal that a majority of the union’s chapters voted in favor of continuing the action amid unresolved issues with the Federal Government.

5. Presidency Vows Sanctions on Nnamdi Kanu’s Lawyer Over Protest

The Presidency has vowed to sanction Aloy Ejimakor, one of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, for joining Monday’s protest in Abuja.
Presidential aide Bayo Onanuga described Ejimakor’s action as “unethical,” saying it violated professional conduct. The Nigeria Police Force has also announced that Ejimakor and other arrested protesters will be arraigned in court soon.

6. ADC Suspends South-South Vice Chairman Usani Usani

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has suspended its South-South Vice Chairman, Dr. Usani Usani, over alleged activities capable of undermining the unity and progress of the party.
The party said the suspension followed recommendations from its disciplinary committee.

7. Armed Robber in NYSC Uniform Arrested in Enugu

The Enugu State Police Command has arrested a 25-year-old armed robber, Chinecherem Ugwuagu, who disguised as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.
Police said the suspect was caught along the Enugu Onitsha Expressway by operatives attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team.

8. Court Adjourns ‘Obi of Lagos’ Arraignment to October 31

The planned arraignment of self-acclaimed “Obi of Lagos,” Chibuike Azubuike, and three others was stalled on Monday at a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square.
Justice Abdul-Raheem Muyideen adjourned the case to October 31, 2025, following the absence of one of the defendants. The group faces charges of conspiracy and unlawful assembly.

9. ADC Warns FG Against Using Coup Rumours to Intimidate Opposition

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has cautioned the Federal Government against using the alleged coup plot reports as a pretext to clamp down on opposition figures.
In a statement signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s spokesperson, the ADC warned against “extra-judicial surveillance or intimidation of dissenting voices.”

10. Naira Strengthens Against Dollar at Official Market

The Naira recorded significant gains against the U.S. dollar on Monday at the official market, appreciating to ₦1,465.29/$1, up from ₦1,475.35 on Friday, October 17.
The rebound marks a positive shift after last week’s decline, according to data released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

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Police defend use of teargas; activists and analysts trade words over motives, brutality claims

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, was thrown into chaos on Monday, October 20, 2025, as security operatives clashed with protesters demanding the release of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

The protest, tagged #FreeNnamdiKanu, was led by activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate in the 2019 elections, Omoyele Sowore, who, alongside hundreds of demonstrators, marched through key streets of the capital demanding Kanu’s unconditional release after four years in detention without conviction.

The demonstration, which began peacefully, turned violent near the Aso Villa when police fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse the crowd, leading to pandemonium and heavy traffic gridlock across major roads in the city.

Among those arrested were Prince Emmanuel Kanu, younger brother of the IPOB leader, and Aloy Ejimakor, one of his lawyers.

Police Defend Action

In response to mounting criticism, the Nigeria Police Force defended its officers’ actions, saying the intervention was necessary to maintain order and prevent hoodlums from hijacking the protest.

In a statement shared on his verified X handle titled “CORRECTION,” the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, explained that the protesters “attempted to approach Aso Villa in clear contravention of a court order restricting protests around the Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square, and Shehu Shagari Way.”

Hundeyin denied reports that officers fired live bullets at demonstrators, insisting that only teargas was deployed to control the situation.

However, viral videos circulating online showed Sowore and other protesters fleeing amid sounds of gunfire, sparking public outrage and condemnation from rights groups including Amnesty International, which described the police response as “a blatant violation of citizens’ right to peaceful assembly.”

Sowore, Analysts, and Activists React

Addressing journalists after the protest, Omoyele Sowore condemned the police for what he described as “unprovoked brutality” against peaceful demonstrators.
“We were attacked by the police because we are peaceful protesters. If we were bandits, they wouldn’t come near us,” Sowore said.

He also reminded authorities that the Court of Appeal in 2022 ordered Kanu’s release — a judgment the Nigerian government has yet to honour.
“That judgment ought to have taken effect immediately it was given, but the government did not honour it,” he said. “Fortunately, we have chosen a no-violence approach to resolving issues, but a generation will come that will not accept this nonsense.”

While Sowore and other activists defended the protest as a constitutional right, Oladotun Hassan, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Southern Groups and a human rights advocate, criticised the demonstration, calling it politically motivated.
“The protest is against the judiciary. Nnamdi Kanu has a criminal record, and people were massacred upon his instructions,” Hassan alleged.

In contrast, Public Affairs Analyst Dickson Iroegbu berated the police for what he called excessive force.
“They released not just tear gas but live bullets at peaceful protesters. It is unfortunate, and it can’t continue this way,” he said. “If the Nigerian Police tackled insecurity in Nigeria the way they tackled protesters, we wouldn’t have insecurity.”

Rights Groups Condemn Crackdown

Human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have called for the immediate release of those arrested and urged the government to respect citizens’ rights to peaceful protest.

The Monday protest has reignited national debate over freedom of assembly, judicial disobedience, and police conduct in Nigeria. As demonstrators vow to continue their campaign, the government faces renewed pressure to comply with the 2022 appellate court ruling ordering Nnamdi Kanu’s release.

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