The Corridor of Cinders: Osi-Eruku-Égbé roads have degenerated into a death trap as bandits operate unhindered.

The air along the Osi-Eruku-Égbé road no longer smells of laterite dust and harvested maize; it smells of fear and the acrid smoke of burnt hopes. The consistent insecurities here are not events; they are the new rhythm of life—a slow, agonizing disappearance of the people and the government meant to protect them.

In Eruku/Obbo/Égbé, the dawn is no longer greeted with the cheerful clatter of spoons, but with a paralyzing silence. Every eye in the village watches the road, waiting for a vehicle that won’t come, or for news that they dread. This terror has been in existence in the area for long but recently when the local vigilantes, the strong, young men who knew the bush trails better than the bandits, were suddenly removed.

The State Government, in a move universally condemned as suicidal, recalled them for “mandatory, intensive training in Ilorin.” This political maneuver, meant to sound strategic, served only to strip the road bare, leaving not a single replacement guard. The bandits, like vultures sensing the death of a herd, arrived within hours.

The Killing and kidnapping operations are surgical and swift. The roadside ditches now serve as macabre exhibition grounds. When a ransom is delayed, or a family cannot pay, the fate of the victim is often left as a chilling warning.

The killing is calculated: a message to the rest of the community that resistance is useless and government protection is non-existent.
The worst psychological wound is the official neglect.
Eruku City’s desperation peaked when a gang raided the farm and moved away farmers two days without any resistance.

The frantic calls to the Ekiti Local Government Chairman, the one who publicly boasted of raising a “second batch” of vigilantes, were met with an electronic wall. His phone was off. His office was locked. He has not set foot in Eruku or Any other community since the attack started days ago, his physical absence a crushing confirmation of their abandonment. The promised “second batch” turned out to be nothing but a cruel, empty rumour—a lie swallowed by the void he left behind.
“When you have no shield and the shepherd runs, what is left for the flock?”

The situation has moved beyond crime; it is a systematic dismantling of communal security and governance.

The Osi-Eruku-Égbé road is becoming a graveyard, and the residents know they are next.
At the ruined checkpoint, the people have delivered their last, most desperate decree:
Governor Abdulrahaman must immediately declare a State of Emergency in Ekiti Local Government, specifically the Eruku-Obbo district.
This is not a political request; it is a primal cry for survival. It demands the immediate deployment of security forces, the mobilization of any available local defense, and a full inquiry into why the vigilantes were removed without replacement. The declaration must stop the slaughter, acknowledge the horrific failure of local administration, and restore a sense of safety before the entire region is completely overrun and silenced forever.
The above is a wake up call and reminder to the government of its primary and constitutional obligation “ protecting the life and properties of the citizens “

©️ Concerned Citizen

Senator Bagudu Towers Above the Noise: Why This Smear Will Fail

By Muhammad Mustapha

The recent release by a self-proclaimed coalition of 88 APC support groups in Kebbi State, as reported in the Daily Nigerian, contains unfounded and misleading assertions aimed at creating unnecessary discord within our great party. We firmly disclaim these claims, which misrepresent facts and distort the historical contributions of dedicated leaders like Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the immediate past Governor of Kebbi State and current Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning.

Let the truth be laid bare; this coalition has no roots, no recognition, and no value within the APC. It is a faceless fabrication, unregistered and unknown at every level of party leadership; ward, local government, state, or national.
– No record of ever funding a single ward meeting.
– No history of mobilizing even one voter.
– No contribution not a kobo to any party activity.

Their 88 groups are nothing but ghost names on a page, conjured by political opportunists who have never lifted a finger for the APC. Their only existence is in a press release built on lies, designed to exploit Senator Bagudu’s name for fleeting relevance.

Senator Bagudu has consistently exemplified the true essence of selfless service to the people of Kebbi State and Nigeria at large. Throughout his illustrious political career, he has prioritized the welfare and aspirations of the common man over personal acclaim or fleeting gains. As a leader who remains grounded and approachable, he has never been swayed by material pursuits but has instead championed initiatives that uplift communities, foster economic growth, and promote inclusive development. His down-to-earth demeanor and unwavering commitment to the greater good have earned him the profound respect and admiration of countless Kebbi indigenes, making him a beacon of humility in public service.

It is evident that such baseless narratives stem from the unease felt by those threatened by Senator Bagudu’s enduring popularity and the positive impact he continues to make. Far from being a divisive force, he has been a steadfast party loyalist whose actions have only strengthened the APC’s foundations and structures across Kebbi State. Under his stewardship as Governor, the party not only consolidated its hold but also expanded its reach, ensuring a robust framework that benefits all stakeholders. Senator Bagudu has fostered a healthy and collaborative working relationship with the current administration of Governor Nasir Idris, as well as with all levels of the state party apparatus. He has always placed the collective interests of the party and the people above his own, demonstrating time and again that true leadership lies in restraint and unity.

In the face of orchestrated distractions—such as the recycled, unsubstantiated allegations peddled by opposition figures, Senator Bagudu stands tall, unyielding, and resolute. These attempts to rewrite history and incite factionalism only underscore the opposition’s desperation to undermine the remarkable progress achieved under Governor Idris’s people-centered leadership, which has delivered transformative results in education, infrastructure, and youth empowerment in record time.

We call on all well-meaning APC members, supporters, and Kebbi residents to reject these divisive tactics and rally behind the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Senator Bagudu remains fully committed to supporting the party’s unity, the success of Governor Idris, and the shared prosperity of our dear state. Let us channel our energies into building a stronger, more cohesive APC for the brighter future Kebbi deserves.

Mustapha writes from Birnin Kebbi.

North West Citizens Commend President Tinubu’s Laudable Achievements in Oil and Gas Sector

…Task Administration to Sustain Gains, Increase Oil Production to Meet Citizens’ Needs

Stakeholders from across the seven states of Nigeria’s North-West region have poured accolades on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its bold strides in overhauling the oil and gas sector, hailing the reforms as the right step for economic revival and national unity.

At the ongoing three-day 1st Citizens Engagement Conference in Kaduna, participants urged the federal government to double down on these gains by ramping up oil production to alleviate pressing citizen needs amid lingering transitional pains.

The conference, a groundbreaking civic forum drawing traditional rulers, academics, policymakers, civil society leaders, and entrepreneurs from Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, kicked off on Monday under the theme: “The Positive Impacts of Oil and Gas Reforms by the Asiwaju Administration.”

Organised as part of a nationwide series spanning Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021 was highlighted as a cornerstone of regulatory clarity and operational efficiency.

Co-Convener Mallam Nasir Abdulquadri spotlighted the PIA as a pivotal turning point, crediting it with injecting clarity into the sector’s regulatory framework.

Abdulquadri lauded President Tinubu’s “uncommon courage” in enforcing deregulation and subsidy removal, measures that, despite short-term hardships, are unlocking private investments, revitalising refineries, and harnessing Nigeria’s vast gas reserves for industrial leapfrogging.

“These reforms are not without temporary discomforts, but every meaningful reform carries the pain of transition,” he noted, while calling for vigilance against external manipulations that could exploit internal divisions.

Professor Usman Muhammed of Kaduna State University’s Department of Political Science and International Studies also lauded the President with the theme: “Amplifying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda Through Regulatory Excellence and Upstream Oil and Gas Performance: Catalyst for Sustainable Economic Prosperity Beyond 2027”.

Highlighting empirical data, the professor revealed a robust correlation (r=0.74) between oil output and GDP growth, with regulatory quality exerting a significant influence (β=0.517) on economic performance.

He praised Tinubu’s administration for tangible advancements, including enhanced transparency and host community empowerment via the Host Community Development Trusts (HCDTs), which are fostering local inclusion and economic diversification.

Drawing from comparative analysis, the academic urged a holistic push toward digitisation, renewable energy integration, and full PIA implementation to fortify institutions.

“Regulatory excellence is central to national prosperity,” he concluded. “Sustained institutional reform, innovation, and transparency will amplify the Renewed Hope Agenda beyond 2027, ensuring that reforms translate into jobs, affordable energy, and equitable growth for all Nigerians.”

The North-West citizens, however, tasked the government to sustain these hard-won gains by prioritizing institutional accountability, combating oil theft through advanced technology, and aggressively scaling up upstream oil production to meet surging domestic energy demands, stabilize fuel prices, create millions of jobs, and ensure that the benefits of a revitalized oil and gas sector directly improve the living standards of ordinary Nigerians.