‎P-Square fraud trail: EFCC disowns Peter’s $800k claim against Jude
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‎The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday told a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja that it has no evidence to support the allegation that Jude and Paul Okoye of P-Square fraudulently withdrew $800,000, contrary to claims made by their brother, Peter Okoye.
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‎Peter had in 2024 petitioned the EFCC accusing Jude of diverting the P-Square group funds, operating 47 undeclared bank accounts and manipulating the share structure of Northside Entertainment Ltd, a company jointly owned by them
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‎The EFCC subsequently filed charges against Jude over alleged financial misconduct in the management of the P-Square brand.
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‎During resumed cross-examination, EFCC counsel, M.K. Bashir, told Justice Rahman Oshodi that the commission could not present evidence for the alleged  withdrawal.
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‎When asked by the judge to substantiate Peter’s claim, Bashir said: “We do not have it. It is his evidence. Let him prove it. I can’t give what I don’t have.”
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‎Peter had testified on May 23, 2025, that he obtained new evidence showing how Jude and Paul allegedly withdrew and shared more than $800,000 between March 2023 and October 2024.
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‎ But when defence counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor, SAN, confronted him with inconsistencies, he shifted his position, stating that the alleged withdrawal actually occurred between 2013 and 2014.
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‎The defence further challenged Peter’s assertion that Jude operated 47 bank accounts.
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‎Peter insisted the EFCC held the evidence, but Bashir denied the claim, saying: “I do not have 47 bank accounts. It is one of the witness’s claims, but I do not have such a copy.”
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‎Onwuenwunor asked the court to order Peter and the EFCC to produce the alleged 47 accounts.
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‎Justice Oshodi however rejected the request and ruled that the defence must apply formally since the documents were neither before the court nor part of the admitted evidence.
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‎The defence also confronted Peter over his claim that Jude owned 80 per cent of Northside Entertainment.
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‎Although Peter maintained he had proof, the defence tendered CAC records contradicting his assertion.
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‎Peter was further questioned on his claim that he was unaware of the existence of Northside Music and that Jude signed artist Cynthia Morgan without his knowledge.
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‎He said he only discovered the company in 2024 when Cynthia Morgan sent him her contract on Northside Entertainment letterhead, adding that while the contract was signed with Northside Music, her albums were credited to Northside Inc.
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‎Justice Oshodi adjourned the matter to December 12, 2025, for continuation of trial.

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From Chaos to Coordination: The Case for Veteran Security Leaders in Nigeria

FEMI OYEWALE

As Nigeria grapples with a fresh and more diffuse wave of violent attacks—from mass abductions and jihadist offensives in the northeast to rising banditry and communal violence across the North and Middle Belt—citizens and policymakers are asking a pressing question: who is fit to lead the country out of this security quagmire? For many, the answer is clear: experienced security professionals who combine operational expertise, institutional memory, and political acumen—traits embodied by former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai.

A deteriorating security landscape

This is no rhetorical problem. In recent months, insurgent activity has surged: mass kidnappings of schoolchildren, renewed offensives by IS-affiliated factions in the Lake Chad Basin, and a humanitarian fallout that has pushed millions toward food insecurity. United Nations and humanitarian assessments warn that escalating attacks and aid shortfalls may leave record numbers of Nigerians vulnerable to hunger.

The federal government has responded with declarations and expanded recruitment. President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide emergency and moved to increase policing and security deployments following high-profile kidnappings. But analysts argue that while necessary, these steps are insufficient without a deeper overhaul of strategy, intelligence, and civil-military coordination.

What experienced security actors bring

Supporters of involving seasoned security leaders point to several complementary strengths:

1. Operational know-how and strategic continuity

Career generals like Buratai have overseen complex counter-insurgency campaigns and institutional reforms. Their experience—ranging from combined-arms operations and logistics under duress to theater-level coordination with regional partners—is not easily replaced. Buratai himself has argued that simplistic personnel changes will not end insurgency without properly understood strategies.

2. Intelligence and information integration

Modern insurgencies thrive on intelligence gaps: porous borders, weak human networks, and poor data-sharing between military, police, and civil authorities. Experienced security professionals are better positioned to rebuild intelligence architectures, including cross-border liaison in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin, where jihadist groups operate across borders. Recent analyses highlight this cross-border threat environment and stress the need for coordinated military and intelligence responses.

3. Institutional reform and troop welfare

Studies of Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram highlight recurring problems: low troop morale, logistical shortfalls, intelligence leaks, and strained community relations—all of which blunt operational effectiveness. Experts with institutional experience can advocate structural reforms—improved supply chains, training, and rules of engagement—that strengthen forces without alienating civilians.

4. Political navigation and credibility

Security solutions in Nigeria require buy-in at federal, state, and local levels. Former service chiefs often retain connections inside government and among regional partners and can serve as intermediaries between uniformed forces and civilian authorities—a role proven critical in past crises. Buratai’s recent public interventions on national security issues demonstrate how ex-service chiefs continue shaping public debate and policy.

Acknowledging risks and criticisms

Inviting former generals into leadership roles is not a panacea. Critics cite potential issues: militarization of civilian governance, heavy-handed tactics that alienate communities, and insufficient focus on root causes such as poverty, governance gaps, youth unemployment, and communal grievances. Military success must be paired with governance, development, and reconciliation for durable peace.

There is also a political dimension: using high-profile military figures risks politicizing security campaigns if appointments are perceived as partisan or operational freedom is constrained. Transparency, clear legal mandates, and civilian oversight are essential safeguards.

A pragmatic middle path: experts as partners, not replacements

The most defensible approach is hybrid: appoint or empower seasoned security experts as advisers and architects of reform while ensuring civilian control and robust safeguards. Key policy measures include:

Integrated intelligence reform: Build interoperable systems fusing military, police, and domestic security data; strengthen cross-border intelligence sharing in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions.

Focused professionalization of forces: Prioritize logistics, asymmetric warfare training, troop welfare, and clear rules of engagement to reduce abuses and improve morale.

Community-centered stabilization: Pair operations with local security committees, humanitarian access, agricultural support, and reconciliation to deny insurgents social support.

Regional and international coordination: Work with neighboring states, ECOWAS, the African Union, and partners to close safe havens and cut finance and supply lines for extremist groups.

Clear civilian oversight and legal frameworks: Ensure any role for former senior officers is defined by statutes, reporting lines, and parliamentary oversight.

Nigeria’s security challenge in 2025 is complex and urgent: the country faces a resurgent, adaptive insurgency network with severe humanitarian consequences. Discarding institutional know-how is a luxury Nigeria cannot afford. Experienced security professionals like Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai are not magic bullets—but they bring operational experience, institutional knowledge, and networks that, when embedded within a framework emphasizing civilian oversight, development, and regional cooperation, can materially improve Nigeria’s chances of restoring security.

The essential test will be whether policymakers pair expert military advice with meaningful reforms in intelligence, governance, and community engagement—otherwise, the cycle of violence and humanitarian suffering will continue.

THE INDISPENSABLE PILLAR: WHY GOVERNOR ZULUM’S SPIRITUAL WARFARE STRATEGY IS NIGERIA’S MISSING LINK TO TOTAL VICTORY

In the ongoing, multi-layered war against terror, one strategic pillar continues to rise above the noise and prove its timeless relevance. That pillar is spiritual fortification. It was with a deep sense of affirmation that I witnessed His Excellency, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, the indefatigable Governor of Borno State, declare a statewide day of fasting and prayer in November 2025. His action reinforces a universal military truth: no nation can secure its territory without first strengthening its spirit.

Governor Zulum, who carries the enormous responsibility of leading a state at the epicentre of Nigeria’s insurgency crisis, addressed his people with a conviction that mirrors my long-held beliefs. His words were striking: “As a people of faith, we believe our security strategies must be underpinned by prayer.” This is not a substitute for kinetic force; rather, it is the power source behind it. By calling for unity across all faiths, the Governor displayed a rare, visionary leadership—recognising that lasting peace requires collective strength that transcends creed, tribe, and ideology.

His action stands as a modern, real-time validation of the philosophy I championed during my service years. It also echoes the scholarly arguments of the late Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, who demonstrated—through global history and intelligence case studies—that spiritual engagement is a legitimate and potent layer of national defence. From ancient victories shaped by divine guidance to contemporary security agencies quietly integrating spiritual resources, the trend is unmistakable. Governor Zulum’s initiative is this principle transformed into actionable strategy for Nigeria’s unique realities.

This moment demands not a return to old criticisms, but a unified national response. Our gallant security forces must continue to receive every resource required for decisive kinetic action. Simultaneously, the nation must mobilize its spiritual might. I therefore stand firmly with Governor Zulum and call on the Federal Government and all Nigerians to embrace this dual formula—overwhelming physical force, supported by unyielding spiritual resolve.

Nigeria’s path to peace and prosperity requires battle on every front. The bravery of our troops in the field must be matched by the faith of our people in the unseen realm. It is this powerful convergence of courage and conviction that will ultimately deliver the lasting victory our nation seeks.

Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusufu Buratai (Rtd), CFR

Former Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army