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The final written address in the $ 5 billion defamation lawsuit brought by the Department of State Services against the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project was adjourned for adoption on Monday by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama.

The DSS’s officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, filed the lawsuit with the number FCT/HC/CV/4547/24.

Kolawole Oluwadare, the second defendant, opened its defense at the second hearing on Monday after the court granted a housekeeping request for process amendment.

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Oluwadare, who took the oath to testify before the court, clarified the organization’s activities as well as the circumstances surrounding the alleged invasion of its Abuja office by the DSS operatives.

He explained to the court that SERAP is a recognized non-profit organization dedicated to promoting social justice, accountability, and transparency.

The second defendant insisted that SERAP’s goal is to advance and defend human rights, including socio-economic rights, in the public’s overall interests, rejecting any claims that the organization is only there to criticize the government.

He claimed that SERAP’s efforts to hold public institutions accountable were severely hampered by the harassment and intimidation of civic actors.

He claims that SERAP uses both local and international donor funds.

The witness claimed that the DSS operatives stormed the organization’s office, prompting him to inform the court when he answered questions during cross-examination.

A front-desk officer, a security guard, and a lawyer were among the many SERAP staff members who reported seeing the officials, he told the court.

Oluwadare acknowledged that he made some harsh statements about the Department of State Service (DSS) that were inappropriate and that were “unlawful, invasion, intimidation, and harrassment.”

The witness who also acknowledged that SERAP has received information from one Vivian Amadi, a front desk officer and receptionist for the organization, admitted using the words in the publications.

In a N5 billion defamation lawsuit brought against SERAP by two DSS operatives, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, Oluwadare admitted using the words while being cross-examined by Oluwagbemileke Samuel Kehinde.

According to the witness, the publications were based on the presence of two DSS officers in the SERAP office on September 9, 2024.

When Vivian Amadi called to let him know that the DSS officers were present in his organization’s compound, he claimed he was not in the office.

According to the information that was provided to him, Oluwadare, who was subject to two exhibits and publications against DSS, read out the first sentence of one of those publications where the alleged harsh words were used.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to order DSS officers in the publication published on the SERAP website and raised the alarm that the organization had unlawfully invaded and harassed its employees.

He disagreed, though, that the statements made in the publications constitute serious allegations against the two defendants.

The witness also acknowledged that he had not previously consulted with DSS before publishing the publications on SERAP’s website.

He acknowledged that no staff member was physically assaulted by the security officers while the two DSS officers were present at the SERAP office. No property was seized or damaged.

The SERAP witness claimed in response to a question that the DSS officers did not break any doors to enter the organization’s offices.

He added that the security agents did not use any weapons, but that Sarah John, the first claimant, was making calls to other officers demanding that they leave the SERAP building.

He claimed to have access to the organization’s office’s CCTV footage of the DSS officers.

Prior to his testimony in chief, the witness was led by lawyer Oluwatosin Adesioye, who had previously adopted his witness statement under oath.

Justice Halilu Yusuf has set the deadline for the parties’ final addresses to be adopted on February 19, 2026.

The defendants were accused of fabricating a false claim that John and Ogundele had invaded SERAP’s Abuja office by the claimants in the lawsuit filed in the names of two DSS officials, Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele.

The claimant also claimed, among other things, that SERAP’s alleged false claim has had a negative effect on both the organization’s reputation and the two involved officials.

In their statement of claim, they further stated that in accordance with its policy of collaborating with non-governmental organization representatives in the FCT to establish a relationship with their new leadership, it ordered the two officials, John and Ogunleye, to visit SERAP’s office and request a meeting with its new leadership.

The claimants further explained that John and Ogunleye made a friendly visit to SERAP’s headquarters in Wuse Zone 1, Abuja, on September 9 and met with one Ruth, who informed them that none of the management staff members were present, and that the DSS should send a formal letter of invitation.

Before they left SERAP’s office, Ruth promised to inform the management of her organization about the visit and provided a phone number, 08160537202. According to John and Ogundele, who claimed their interactions with Ruth were recorded, she claimed to have provided a phone number to 08160537202.

They expressed surprise that SERAP announced on its X (Twitter) handle @SERAPNigeria that DSS officers are currently unlawfully occupying its office shortly after their visit.

The claimant added that “on the same day, the defendants falsely claimed that some DSS officers, who were described as “a tall, large, dark-skinned woman” and “a slim, dark-skinned man,” “invaded their Abuja office and interrogated the staff of the first defendant (SERAP),” and that “the defendants also published a statement on SERAP’s website, which was widely reported by several media outfits.

According to John and Ogundele, “the DSS has been ridiculed and criticized by prominent members of the Nigerian society, such as Femi Falana (SAN), and due to the false statements made by the defendants.”

Members of the public and the international community concluded that the Federal Government is harassing the defendants by using the DSS as a result of the false statements made by the defendants.

They added that because the DSS’s staff and management believed the defendants did not follow orders and carried out an unsanctioned operation, they are therefore incompetent and unprofessional, the defendants’ statements damaged their reputation.

Therefore, the claimants are asking the court for the following reliefs:

*An order directing the defendants to apologize to the claimants via the first defendant’s (SERAP’s) website, X (twitter), two national daily newspapers (Punch and Vanguard), and two national news television stations (Arise Television and Channels Television) for falsely accusing them of unlawfully occupying the first defendant’s office and interrogating the first defendant’s staff.

*An order ordering the defendants to pay the claimants N5 billion as compensation for the lies that were made about the claimants.

*Interest on the N5b sum at a rate of 10% per year from the judgment date until the judgment sum is realized or liquidated.

In connection with the alleged conspiracies and rape of a 20-year-old female student of the same school, two students from Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), have been detained by the police in Ondo State.

Olusola Ayanlade, a spokesman for the Ondo State Police Command, made this known in a statement released on Tuesday in Akure, the state capital.

The victim was invited to the residence of her long-time friend, Queen Sodo ‘f’, who was also a student of the same school, according to his preliminary investigation.

The police PRO provides further details about the evil behavior by saying that the victim accepted a drink that her friend had given but later discovered to have been laced with drugs and that caused her to lose consciousness.

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Queen Sodo reportedly cunningly left the room, called her male co-conspirator, and kept watch while the crime was being committed while noticing that the victim had become incapacitated.

Ayanlade received a call from the victim when she heard the victim’s noise.

A neighbor who noticed unusual and inconsistent noise in her neighbor’s room later helped the victim.

She was discovered with the male suspect and unconscious, in a compromising position, and treated for emergency medical treatment.

She was referred to a specialist hospital for further medical care after being given a preliminary assessment, where she is currently being cared for and recovering.

The two suspects have admitted their involvement in the crime and the specific roles they played, according to the police spokesperson.

He added that drugs, including the bottle of the drug-laced beverage, have been recovered from the scene, along with the bottle that the victim and the suspects both identified as having been involved in the incident.

The suspects are currently being held in lawful custody, according to Ayanlade, and work is being done to move them to the Akure Gender Desk Office for a more discreet investigation and a possible prosecution.

A suspected kidnapper has been apprehended by the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS).

Abubakar Bawa, who the army claimed was detained while attempting to flee from Taraba State’s Wukari Local Government Area, was said to have been the suspect.

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According to Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army, the arrest is a part of Operation Zafin Wuta, a clearance mission that aims to remove criminal elements from southern Taraba.

The suspect was allegedly a close friend of another kidnapping mastermind detained by 6 Brigade troops on November 22, 2025, according to the report.

The two suspects and a larger criminal syndicate, which are responsible for numerous kidnappings, violent attacks, and coordinated criminal activity throughout the area, were the subject of preliminary investigations, according to the army.

Brigadier General Kingsley Uwa, the commander of the 6 Brigade/Sector 3 OPWS, praised the soldiers for their sincerity, perseverance, and operational acumen.

According to him, Bawa’s arrest “is a clear sign that Operation Zafin Wuta is accomplishing its intended goal of destroying criminal syndicates and restoring security to affected communities.”

He reiterated the Brigade’s commitment to carrying out aggressive clearance operations, stating that “no criminal element will be allowed to escape justice as long as these operations continue at the current pace.”

“This most recent victory strengthens the Nigerian Army’s resolve to eradicate all criminal threats from southern Taraba and bring about long-lasting peace in the area. As the suspect’s network’s investigations get more serious, the 6 Brigade’s troops remain completely vigilant,” the statement said.

However, the army urged residents to remain vigilant and provide reliable information to aid security forces in their ongoing operations.

The House of Assembly has been given the 2026 Appropriation Bill for legislative review and approval by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

Budget of Economic Expansion is a proposal for a budget that includes 891, 985, 074, 480.79 (Eight Hundred and Ninety-One Billion, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Five Million, Seventy-Four Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Naira, Seventy-Nine kobo Only), according to the budget proposal.

Governor Makinde stated that the proposed budget’s purpose was to “push further on the growth of the state economy,” stressing that several flagship projects and ongoing investments have made Oyo State a self-sufficient state that is ready for global market integration, while presenting the budget proposal to the House of Assembly Chambers, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

He pointed out that the budget proposal’s capital expenditures total 510. 8 billion, or 56.7 percent, are allocated for recurrent expenditures, which account for 43.3% of the budget.

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The education sector will receive 152. 2 billion, or 17. 40%, above the UNESCO recommendation for education, while infrastructure will receive 210. 2 billion, which is 23. 55% of the total budget estimate.

He added that agriculture will receive 19.9 billion, which is 2.24 per cent of the overall budget, while the health sector will receive a total of 70.8 billion, which is 7.94 per cent.

Governor Makinde explained the anticipated revenues that would drive the budget, noting that the state’s internally generated revenue increased without putting more people in the tax haven as a result of the 2025 budget, which he claimed would have stabilized the state’s economy for the expansion of the state.

The penultimate budget proposal from our administration, which we have titled the “Budget of Economic Expansion,” is what he said, Mr. Speaker, Honorable Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, will appear before you today.

We consolidated the economic gains from previous budgets with the 2025 Budget of Economic Stabilization.

“So it makes sense that we should push forward with the state’s economy’s growth for 2026.

Our state is now positioned for a production-driven economy, according to Mr. Speaker, with a number of flagship projects and ongoing investments. The Africa Continental Free Trade Area initiative is one of them. Local producers will have access to the continent’s integrated markets thanks to this. Oluyole Free Trade Zone is the following one. This aims to draw in manufacturing, assembly plants, and export-oriented industries. The SAPZ, or Special Agro-Processing Zones, is another one. This will increase agro-industrialization and increase primary agricultural outputs to higher-value goods.

The dry pot and logistics hub are both present, which help boost Oyo’s trade competitiveness and improve supply chain efficiency. Additionally, Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport’s upgrading to international standards establishes the state as a regional logistics and investment hub.

The 110-kilometer Rashidi-Ladoja Circular Road and its development corridor also contribute to strengthening regional connectivity and fostering economic growth by connecting important commercial and transportation hubs. In order to support the theme of economic expansion, this project represents a decisive policy change that emphasizes industrial productivity, export competitiveness, and global market integration.

The recently finished Ibadan Central Bus Terminus 1 and 2 at Iwo Road and New Ife Road was put on the market by the House’s Speaker, Honorable Members of the House, less than two weeks ago. Thus, Ibadan can now boast of four state-operated, contemporary bus terminals. Additionally, we have been providing subsidies for these buses since 2023. Not to mention our elderly, our people who are challenged, but they have made mobility easier for workers, traders, and students. That subsidy benefits everyone.

We finished Phase 1 of the Ibadan International Airport Upgrade Project in September. Wide-bodied aircraft can be delivered to Oyo State today. This development opens up opportunities for international trade, tourism, and investment.

“We’ve gotten some new investors, and we’ve begun the Oyo State Agribusiness Industrial Hub, Ijaye,” citing Fasola’s success. Fiscal resilience was strengthened by our performance in 2025.

“We eliminated the need to charge new taxes on the citizens while increasing internal revenue generated by automation and efficiency.” In my campaign for 2018-2019, I promised that Oyo State would not face any additional taxes. Without adding any new taxes, I’m pleased to report that our internal revenue has increased. Businesses experienced growth. The workers received prompt pay. The promise I made on May 29, 2019, that employees would receive their salaries on the 25th of each month has been kept. Social services have continued uninterruptedly.

These accomplishments, made possible by the budget for 2025, have stabilized our economy, created jobs, and expanded our foundation for long-term growth.

We are about to start a new chapter. The 2026 Economic Expansion Budget, which includes N891, 985, 074, and 480.79, builds on the foundation of stability to promote growth and inclusion. N502, 846, 477, 812, 985 is dedicated to capital expenditure while N389, 138, 596, 667.94 will go to recurrent expenditure. “

Governor Makinde also made a point about Oyo State’s 50th anniversary in February 2026, stating that it will be a celebration of the people’s creativity and individuality and also serve as a platform for the state’s history for the coming generations.

Speaker of the Rt. Hon. Governor Makinde was commended for his visionary leadership and the remarkable progress made under the 2025″ Budget of Economic Stabilization, by Adebo Ogundoyin.

According to him, the state’s MTEF 2026-2028-2028 budget’s balanced distribution across sectors demonstrated a commitment to strategic priorities, inclusive growth, and long-term sustainability.

The Speaker also assured of responsible implementation of the budget and accountability for all projects to have measurable effects on the state, while promising to continue to work with the Executive and other branches of government to implement policies and programs that uplift the people and transform the state.

The deputy governor of Oyo State, Barr, was present at the event. Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, former Deputy Governors, Engr., and Bayo Lawal, former deputy governor and PDP national secretary. Honourable Justice Iyabo Yerima, the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Honourable Justice Gbadamosi, Barr Hazeem Gbolarumi, former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, and former Chief Judge of Oyo State, Honourable Justice Iyabo Yerima.

Orji Orji, the executive secretary and chief executive officer of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), requested on his statutory terminal leave on his voluntary request, Senator George Akume, the secretary to the Federation.

This comes inainte of Orji’s five-year, five-year, one-year tenure, which ends on February 19, 2026.

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Akume, who is also the NSWG’s Chairman, confirmed this in a statement released on Monday by Segun Imohiosen, the SGF’s director of information and public relations.

Following the NEITI chief’s formal notification, which was in full compliance with the required public service regulations.

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) community was honored by Orji for his distinguished and reform-focused service to the country.

Dr. Orji also praised the establishment of the NEITI Data Center, strengthening Nigeria’s position as a trusted and reliable EITI implementer.

The Federal Government is committed to upholding Nigeria’s statutory mandate, strengthening its independence, and upholding the transparency reforms necessary for the country’s extractive sector and development.

President Bola Tinubu has been requested by Kebbi State governor Nasir Idris to review the country’s security system.

He explained that there were enemies trying to subvert the democracy that the country currently enjoys as a result of recent security developments.

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Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives, was the subject of the governor’s Monday call at the Birnin Kebbi Government House.

The Speaker made a visit to Kebbi to express his regrets to the state and the government over the killing of the Maga schoolgirls while the other members of his entourage were there.

Abbas urged Governor Idris to honor the late Vice Principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, by naming the school after him, and that the House had avenged the incident in its entirety.

The Speaker announced a donation of $20 million to Makuku’s family and $10 million to the watchman’s family, both of whom were killed, while praying for the safe return of the abducted girls.

Still Awaiting Answers

Governor Idris responded by saying that despite his best efforts, he was still waiting for answers from the military regarding the security breaches that led to the schoolgirl abduction.

He noted that as a representative of the people, he had a responsibility to explain the errors that occurred, especially given that the government had not relented from supporting security organizations operating in the state. He acknowledged that some people may not like his earlier revelations.

The governor later agreed with the Speaker’s request and promised to rename the late vice principal, Malam Hassan Makuku, as the governor wished.

25 schoolgirls were abducted as a result of the attack, which took place last Monday.

The gunmen reportedly shot Makuku while attempting to protect the girls, according to reports.

While criticizing the school attack, governor Idris urged the military to identify the person who had mandated the soldiers’ withdrawal prior to the attack.

When we received information on a potential attack, we called a security meeting as a responsive government, he said.

The security forces “reassured us that everything was going well and that the school would have staff on hand.

The military was deployed, but they later withdrew by three . m. , and by 3:45 a. m. then the incident occurred.