Widespread traffic gridlock hit Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, on Monday as police moved to disperse demonstrators protesting the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The protest, led by human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, saw a group of demonstrators attempt to march toward the Presidential Villa despite prior warnings from security agencies.

They were intercepted midway by heavily armed security personnel who forcefully broke up the protest.

As part of efforts to prevent the march, law enforcement mounted roadblocks at multiple strategic locations across the city, bringing vehicular movement to a near standstill in several areas.

Major roads affected include the Abuja-Keffi highway, Kugbo-Nyanya Expressway, Mararaba-Nyanya highway, and the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway.

Thousands of commuters were left stranded, while motorists remained trapped in the ensuing traffic jam for hours.

Stay tuned…

Over three months after President Bola Tinubu flagged off a N50 billion agricultural mechanisation scheme, thousands of tractors and equipment meant to boost food production are still gathering dust at the National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) in Abuja.

Despite the fanfare at the launch, which featured 2,000 tractors, disc ploughs, harrows, seed drills, trailers and other implements imported from Belarus, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has yet to distribute the equipment.

The reason? Delays in receiving a presidential directive on the sharing formula.

A ministry official, speaking anonymously, said: “Nothing is moving yet. We’re still awaiting clear instructions from the Presidency on how to distribute the machines.”

This delay, sources say, highlights persistent bureaucratic bottlenecks that continue to hinder Nigeria’s agricultural transformation agenda.

The equipment, which includes over 9,000 units of farm machinery, was expected to support large-scale mechanised farming, reduce labour costs, and create employment opportunities.

At current market value, the 2,000 tractors alone are estimated to cost about N30 billion.

President Tinubu had positioned the initiative as a key pillar of his Renewed Hope Agenda, declaring during the launch that the project would “make agriculture attractive to youths” and boost food security.

However, farmers now fear the machinery may miss the current planting season entirely, a critical blow in a country struggling with rising food prices and insecurity.

Daniel Okafor, Vice President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said farmers remain in the dark.

“We appreciated the gesture, but since the launch, there’s been silence. We’re still waiting,” he said.

The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, had earlier announced three models for equipment deployment: outright sale, leasing options, and tractor service centres for rural communities. But implementation has stalled.

Experts are sounding the alarm. Prof. Simon Tuange, an agricultural engineering specialist from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, warned that agricultural activities are time-bound: “If land preparation isn’t done at the right time, the equipment risks sitting idle until the next season.”

He also criticised the lack of a post-deployment maintenance plan.

“We can’t keep importing equipment without building local workshops for servicing. That’s why many of our machines end up abandoned.”

Human rights activist and convener of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest, Omoyele Sowore, was forced to flee Monday morning as security operatives opened fire and released tear gas to disperse protesters in Abuja.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that heavily armed personnel from both the police and military moved in around 7 am, taking control of the protest grounds near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, where demonstrators had gathered to begin a planned march to the Presidential Villa (Aso Rock).

A viral video from the scene shows Sowore running alongside other protesters as loud gunshots echo in the background and clouds of tear gas fill the air.

The protest was organized to demand the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who has been in DSS custody since June 2021.

Despite a court injunction barring demonstrations near sensitive government sites, the protesters vowed to proceed peacefully.

Details shortly…

The Enugu State Government has launched a comprehensive land survey digitization project aimed at geo-referencing and updating all registered layouts surveys across the state, a major leap toward modern governance and land reform.

DAILY GAZETTE reports that the initiative, being spearheaded by the office of the Surveyor General, is part of the administration’s Survey Records Modernization Programme.

Professor Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam, a respected fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyors and former Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development in the state, is backing the move.

Prof. Nnam, speaking with journalists in Enugu on Saturday, described the initiative as “a transformative step that will revolutionize land administration in the state and protect the integrity of land ownership for generations to come.”

A public notice obtained by DAILY GAZETTE, which was signed by the state’s Surveyor General, Surv. Justus Chime, states that the project will involve the revalidation and digitization of all layouts registered with the state.

The goal, according to the notice, is to build a robust, verifiable digital land database that ensures accurate ownership records, streamlines documentation, and boosts internally generated revenue.

The Governor Peter Mbah administration has set a compliance deadline of December 31, 2025, after which any layout that has not been revalidated will be stripped of official recognition.

This means affected layouts could lose access to critical public infrastructure, title confirmations and future government engagement.

Prof. Nnam said, “this is not just an administrative formality. It is a legal and strategic necessity for all landowners, developers and professionals in the field. Any plot or layout not captured by this deadline risks falling into administrative limbo.”

He called on all registered land surveyors, traditional leaders, host communities and property developers to immediately engage with the process through the office of the Surveyor General or designated local government survey desks.

“This is a one-time opportunity to safeguard your titles, regularize ownership and align with global best practices in land administration. Enugu is setting a new standard and no one should be left behind,” he added.

Operatives of the Nigeria Police have arrested Aloy Ejimakor, lead counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, alongside Kanu’s brother, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, during a protest in Abuja on Monday.

The arrests occurred as demonstrators gathered near the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the Federal Capital Territory to demand the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since June 2021.

Ejimakor confirmed the arrest via a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating that he and others were being held at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the FCT Police Command in Garki.

“We’ve just been arrested. Myself, Prince Emmanuel and others. We are at FCT COMMAND CID. Myself, Fine Boy and others. No. 1 Zaria Street, Garki 2, Abuja,” he wrote.

The arrest came shortly after Ejimakor posted that police had fired tear gas at protesters who had assembled to begin the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow march.

The protest, led by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore, had earlier defied a court order restricting demonstrations around key government areas in Abuja, including the Presidential Villa and National Assembly Complex.

Stay tuned for more detail…

An attack by unidentified gunmen on Saturday morning claimed the life of a butcher at a bustling market inside a military barracks in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Eyewitnesses say the assailants, about four in number, entered the “Mammy Market” section of the barracks around 8 am and fired shots into the air, sending traders and customers scrambling for safety.

They then made a direct beeline for the stall of the victim, identified simply as Ridwan, and opened fire multiple times.

One trader, known only as “Mummy Blessing”, recalled:

“We were just opening for business when we heard gunshots. Everyone left what they were doing and ran away. Before we knew it, the masked men went straight to where Ridwan was selling meat, shot him, and fled.”

The butcher’s stall was situated near a corner of the market, making any escape route difficult, according to another witness, Musa:

“The men were very close to Ridwan’s stall when they started firing gunshots. So while everyone ran away, Ridwan could not find an escape route. That was how they successfully killed him.”

After being carried to a tricycle and rushed to the barracks’ clinic, Ridwan was reportedly rejected and later confirmed dead.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Abimbola Adebisi, said she had no record of the incident at the nearest station.

She added that the Commissioner of Police had tasked tactical squads with increased patrols and a crackdown on cult‑related crime across the state.