Category Nigeria News

Nigerian politician and activist, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that the snatching of his Ray-Ban AI glasses during Monday’s police protest in Abuja was a deliberate act orchestrated by officers intent on stopping him from recording misconduct.

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Sowore explained that the incident, which was captured on video and has since gone viral, was not random.

According to him, the police have been monitoring his use of gadgets for months due to his documentation of alleged bribery and misconduct.

“I know that they planned this. They’ve been having issues with me recording police misconduct with these glasses in the last six months. In fact, one of the reasons I was charged to court by the IGP in February was because I recorded policemen on the way to the airport demanding bribes. It was part of my charges,” he said

Sowore claimed that conversations from police WhatsApp groups that were later leaked showed officers warning colleagues about his recording devices.

“They cautioned: ‘If you come across Sowore, be careful. He’s always had glasses with him. He has all these gadgets, and you don’t know where they are located,’” he stated.

The activist said he has used the AI-powered glasses to expose various instances of misconduct within the police force. He believes Monday’s incident was an attempt to gain access to stored recordings.

“I think they want to see if they can hack into the glasses, see if I have footage there they can use, or find out what footage is in there. But the foolish thing about this is that most of the footage is stored in the cloud. Even if you delete one, there will still be something somewhere left,” Sowore explained.

A viral video from the protest showed a policeman in mufti snatching the glasses from Sowore amidst the chaos. Despite the loss, he remained defiant, stating that others at the protest also captured the theft on their phones.

In February, the publisher was charged to court by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over allegations of recording policemen who were allegedly demanding bribes on the road to Abuja airport.

The charge formed part of a broader case that Sowore claims was intended to silence his activism and documentation of alleged misconduct within the Nigerian Police Force.

Monday’s protest was staged by retired police officers demanding better welfare and pension payments. The retired personnel marched to the Force Headquarters in Abuja to express grievances about poor conditions of service and neglect of police families.

Retired Police officers in Taraba State are protesting over the non-payment of their pension and other entitlements due to them by the Federal Government.

The retired police officers who marched through the streets of Jalingo, the Taraba State capital, carrying different placards and terminated at the office of the Secretary to the Taraba Government, say they want the Contributory Pension Scheme scrapped or that they should be exited from it.

Led by Retired Superintendent of Police Gardner Nicholas, they lamented that other security agencies were removed from the pension scheme, but wondered why the police were left there despite their appeals and complaints.

READ ALSO: IGP Meets With Protesting Retired Police Officers Over Poor Welfare

“The scheme is that of neglect and has terminated the lives of our members, and we are still dying”, he said.

“We want the Federal Government, the states, and local governments to join hands in removing the Nigeria Police Force from the Contributory Pension Scheme.

” The police force is a leading security agency in Nigeria, and from fighting armed robbery to fighting insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, and a whole lot, we fight it jointly with our sister security agencies.

“At a certain point, other security agencies were removed from the scheme, and we are happy for them. If they do not want the security of this country to cripple completely, we will plead, sooner or soonest, if we are not removed, there will be a negative change in the security of this country.

” We want you to sympathize with us, we have been fighting since 2015, we appeared in the senate, attended three separate public hearings, and our public hearing reports were swept under the carpet.

“We suspect also a compromise between the PENCOM and the National Assembly, and we now believe that since they’re not forthcoming, we have decided to carry our cross and present our demands to the state government for onward presentation to the federal government”.

While receiving their complaint letters, the Permanent Secretary, Home Affairs and Special Duties, Constantine Joel, on behalf of the Secretary to the Taraba Government, assured them of tabling their complaints to the appropriate authority for action.

“I sympathize with you, and I do not know why they did not remove the Nigeria Police Force from the pension scheme”, he said.

In a significant political shift, a former Chairman of Lapai Local Government Area and ex-House of Representatives candidate, Isah Saidu Baka, has formally dumped the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Baka’s resignation, dated 22nd July 2025, was addressed to the PDP Chairman of Muye/Egba Ward and the Niger State Chairman of the party.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, ADC Exploiting Buhari’s Death For Relevance, Not Us — Presidency&nbsp,

In the letter, he cited personal and political convictions as the driving force behind his decision to leave the party he has long been associated.

“After deep reflection and wide consultations with my family, political allies, and constituents, I have resolved to part ways with the PDP. This decision is borne out of my desire to explore new political frontiers that align more closely with my vision and the yearnings of my people”, the statement read.

READ ALSO: &nbsp, You Can’t Buy Back North With Token Appointments, ADC Tells Tinubu

The former council boss, who steered the affairs of Lapai Local Government from 2011 to 2014, and contested the Agaie/Lapai Federal Constituency seat in the 2023 general elections under the PDP.

He expressed appreciation to the party for the platform it provided during his political journey.

READ ALSO: Give Nigerians Electricity Or Be Voted Out, ADC Tells Tinubu

“I’m thankful for the experiences, growth, and relationships I’ve cultivated within the PDP. I wish the party well in its future engagements”, he added.

Declaring his allegiance to the African Democratic Congress, Baka described the ADC as a party that embodies his renewed political ideals and commitment to grassroots development.

READ ALSO: ‘ Ambassadorial Appointments Not For Political Show, ‘ Foreign Ministry Tells ADC

All Nigerians are threatened by former vice president Atiku Abubakar, who asserted that any threat to the 2023 Labour Party candidate, Peter Obi.

His comments come amid controversy over Monday Okpebholo, the governor of Edo State, who last Friday warned Obi against visiting the state without getting security clearance.

A threat to Peter Obi or any of us is a threat to all of us, the saying goes! Atiku made the brief statement on Tuesday that was posted on his X (previously Twitter) handle.

Obi was greeted warmly at St. Philomena’s Hospital’s School of Nursing Sciences on July 7 during his trip to Benin City, where the controversy was based.

He made a donation of 15 million during the visit to help the institution’s ongoing projects be finished.

A visit to Philomena College of Nursing: A Support and Encouragement of Human Capital Development. pic. twitter.com/OLsorL6pvX

Governor Okpebholo expressed concern, however, that Obi’s visit coincided with an increase in state insecurity, particularly attacks aimed at religious leaders.

The governor claimed that Obi’s visit lacked the necessary security clearance, which he felt was required given the current security situation, in a statement from his chief press secretary, Fred Itua.

The Governor should make it clear that he did not threaten Mr. Obi in any way, but rather that he should have notified and sought his security clearance before engaging in any public activity within the State, the statement read.

Despite efforts to clarify the position, Okpebholo’s statement received widespread condemnation, including from the Senate’s Labour Party caucus.

Senators Victor Umeh, Ireti Kingibe, Ezea Okey, and Tony Nwoye, the lawmakers referred to the governor’s stance as “executive rascality and an abuse of office” in a joint statement signed by the lawmakers.

Femi Falana, a well-known human rights lawyer, urged Governor Okpebholo to retract the statement and offer a public apology, as well.

Obi hasn’t responded to the controversy since the incident, despite the controversy.

In a different development, Obi called for immediate response to the University of Calabar (UNICAL) dental student crisis on Saturday. He exhorted all stakeholders in the educational sector to resolve the problem right away.

In response to reports of delayed graduation and professional induction due to quota disputes affecting dental students at the institution, Obi said, “No student should suffer because of leadership failure.”

Following a signed Memorandum of Action with the State Government, the organized labor in Ogun State has suspended its week-long industrial action that temporarily paralyzed operations across government offices.

The labor movement declared that work will resume in every state with immediate effect in a press release that was jointly signed by the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Joint Negotiating Council, and the Trade Union Congress.

In laying the groundwork for dialogue and resolution, labor leaders cited interventions from prominent citizens, including supreme rulers, respected labor veterans, and national leaders, as well as respected labor veterans both domestically and internationally.

READ MORE: IGP Meets With Protesting Retired Police Officers Over Poor Welfare

The union also praised the government’s commitment and openness during negotiations, noting that the Ogun State Government had a significant influence on their engagement.

Labour emphasized that workers’ interests were well-represented and that significant progress was made through concerted efforts and sacrifices.

The unions emphasized that the fight for workers’ rights is still ongoing despite the suspension of the strike.

They urged all state employees to continue to be steadfast, vigilant, and resolute, and to uphold the spirit of unity as they closely watch the implementation of the agreement with the government.

Ogun Convicts Three For Ritual Killing, READ ALSO.

No employee in the civil service, metrofile, or local government system will suffer from victimization as a result of their participation in the strike, according to the unions.