Aseyin Gives Matching Order to Fulani Kidnappers to Refund #10M Ransome (VIDEO)

 

A traditional Ruler in Nigeria, Aseyin of Iseyinland, in Oyo State, Oba Sefiu Olawale Oyebola Adeyeri III (Ajirotutu I), has given a matching order to the Fulani community in his domains to immediately refund the ransom collected from the family and relatives of a kidnapped victim in the area.

In the message delivered by Chief Ojomu who is the representative of the Monarch, the Fulani community in Iseyin were given 15 days to refund the sum of #10 million ransom collected, make payments for the hospital bill and repair his vehicle damaged.

The kidnap kingpin must be provided to face the wrought of law.

The latest been a deadly kidnapping incident at a farm settlement along the Iseyin–Ipapo Road in Oyo State has triggered fresh security concerns, after armed kidnappers reportedly abducted four farmers, killed one of the victims and collected ₦10 million before releasing the remaining three.

The incident reportedly occurred at the Iseyin District Farm Settlement, where the attackers allegedly invaded the agricultural community, abducted four farmers and destroyed farming equipment and other property.

Livestock were also reportedly killed during the attack, while facilities within the farm settlement were vandalised.

Farmer Killed During Rescue Operation

Following the attack, a combined security team comprising personnel of the Oyo State Amotekun Corps, police and local hunters reportedly moved to confront the kidnappers.

A gun battle subsequently ensued.

Aseyin of Iseyinland

During the confrontation, one of the abducted farmers was reportedly shot dead by the kidnappers.

The remaining three victims were eventually released after their families and the farm association reportedly negotiated with the abductors and paid a total ransom of ₦10 million.

The incident has renewed concerns about the vulnerability of isolated farming settlements along parts of the Oke-Ogun axis.

Aseyin Summons Emergency Meeting

 Aseyin of Iseyin who had summoned an emergency meeting with community and Fulani leaders to address the worsening security concerns mandated the local Fulani to ensure the refund of the amount collected and repair of damaged properties as well as hospital bills settlement.

The monarch reportedly expressed concern over the presence of unidentified persons and herders entering forest areas without adequate identification or clearance.

The traditional ruler placed responsibility on local Fulani leadership to cooperate with security agencies and community authorities in identifying and reporting individuals suspected of criminal activities.

Iseyin in Oke Ogun and the surrounding areas in Oyo State have faced periodic kidnapping threats and security distruption, prompting joint security operations and heightened community alertness

A mass abduction of school children and teachers in nearby Oriire LGA of Ogbomosho zone in May 2026 caused widespread panic and temporary school closures in Iseyin and Ogbomoso. Security forces later rescued 39 schoolchildren and six teachers.

Russia to targets UK, other foreign military bases in Ukraine

 Russia Federation has said any foreign troops in Ukraine that hinder the conduct of the special military operation are to become legitimate military targets, Russian MFA Maria Zakharova said

Russia could target British military facilities in Ukraine and beyond in response to Ukrainian strikes using British weapons - MFA spox

Any British military facilities and hardware, located both inside the Ukraine and beyond its borders, may become legitimate targets in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian soil using British weapons. Those complicit in war crimes, including actions targeting our civilian population, will be penalized proportionally to their offenses.

Russian offensive continues at unrelenting pace across all fronts - Russian Chief of General Staff Gerasimov

Slavyansk – 4 km from eastern outskirts, street fighting in Nikolayevka and Nikanorovka

 Kramatorsk – fighting at airfield, 3 km from city

 Alexeyevo-Druzhkovka – half under Russian control

 Druzhkovka – 1.5 km away, 100+ sq km liberated in 2 months

Street fighting in Kurtovka and Verolyubovka (DPR)

Ukraine spreading false claims about Zaporozhye offensive to mislead Western backers, Gerasimov added.

The Russian military carried out a massive overnight strike on Ukraine's defense industry facilities, the Defense Ministry said.

Also hit: mm

 Metallurgical and oil refining facilities, as well as logistics centers in Kiev, Borispol, Zaporozhye, Kremenchug, Krivoy Rog, and Ilyichovka

 Port infrastructure facilities in Odessa, Chernomorsk, and Reni used by the Ukrainian army

 Energy facilities supplying power to ports in the Odessa region

Hormuz escalation could hit global security 'even harder'—Russian MFA spox

The Strait of Hormuz crisis is disrupting supply chains and hurting economies, particularly in developing countries, while increasing the burden on ordinary grassroots consumers, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in response to a Sputnik correspondent's question.

In the event there's a new round of escalation of the conflict or an economic war unleashed in the Persian Gulf, global and regional energy security are going to be hit even harder, Zakharova warned.

Iran’s Security Chief: Trump’s actions are driving the world closer to nuclear proliferation

Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezai has issued  warning to gulf countries.

Iran’s top security official warned regional countries against taking part in Trump’s economic pressure campaign, arguing that such policies could further destabilize the region and encourage more countries to seek nuclear weapons.

Trump’s recklessness, with his attacks on Iran, increased desire of people around the world to acquire nuclear weapons esp when they saw that membership in the International Atomic Energy Agency & NPT was ineffective in preventing attacks from the US.” says Iran’s security chief.

 “America has waged economic war against itself, nit the Persians”  said Major General Rezaei

US President Donald Trump’s war of aggression against Iran has placed a heavy debt burden not only on the American people, but also on US allies such as Japan, Major General Mohsen Rezaei, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, told IRNA.

💬 “He came with the campaign slogan ‘Make America great again,’ but what has he made great? He has made their debts great,” Rezaei stressed.

The US now has to borrow at a rate 3.7 times higher than in 2020, meaning an additional $3.7 billion in annual costs for every $100 billion of debt, the major general highlighted.

He also pointed to Japan, saying the rise in its 10-year bond yield to around 3% marks the end of the US “free ride.”

Rezaei said the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement, signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, was a sign that the United States had told them it wanted to leave the region.

“The United States told them, ‘Goodbye, we are leaving,’” Rezaei said in a televised interview.

Rezaei added that Iran supported broader Islamic unity and said Iran and Egypt should be founding participants in any such regional alliance.

“Our friends come and say, ‘We have made a pact, come and approve it.’ What are we supposed to approve? We don’t even know what you signed,” he said.

We will defend Iran resolutely and will not allow American forces to set foot in Iran.

I advise the Americans not to deploy any additional forces, because we will strike them.

The Americans have completely lost hope in military attacks and now imagine that an economic blockade can support their military efforts.

Netanyahu has promised Trump that if Iran is placed under an economic blockade for six months—or even two or three months—it will surrender.

The world has realized that Trump’s bluster is empty talk.

Iran has learned over the years how to overcome sanctions and continue selling oil.

After the U.S. military attack on Iran, the world saw that possessing a nuclear bomb is more effective than hundreds of F-35s.

The F-35s lost their aura of power in Iran, and Arab countries no longer trust American weapons.

The American people actually oppose the war with Iran and do not support the U.S. military or government.

In Iran, however, the people and the government stand united behind the armed forces."

Reforms must be made in Iran's diplomatic behavior

Evolutions have occurred in Iran's defense strategies. Today's Iran is not the Iran of before the war; this also holds true for the boastful America, and the image of the peace-seeking and embellished America has changed in the minds of Iranian youth.

At the same time, the whole world is looking at Iran in a new way.

After several rounds of negotiations and repeated breaches of promises by the United States, it is necessary to make changes in the diplomatic behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran in its relations with the world.

"We have not attacked any of America's economic interests so far. So far we have only targeted military bases. But if they are going to advance the economic war, we are ready to target all American oil and economic companies in the region."

Iran's Army chief visits underground ballistic missiles production base as Gulf countries seek security cooperation with Tehran

Iran's media on Saturday released footage of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff and the commander of Khatam al-Anbiya HQ, Ali Abdollahi, visiting the underground ballistic missiles base.

 Iran's military chief visited an underground ballistic missile production facility, showcasing what he called a major ramp-up in weapons output since the war began with United States and the State of Israel.

Major General Ali Abdollahi is the current Chief of the General Staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces. He was appointed to this top military position on August 10, 2026, by Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei

Ali visiting the underground site said, by God's grace, they have been able to produce equipment far better than in the past, with greater capabilities and superior quality. 

In terms of quantity, they have managed to scale production significantly higher than before.

State media highlighted a threefold increase in kamikaze drone production since the start of the conflict and claimed Iran now ranks among the world's top 10 missile powers and 6th in drone capability.

This is in line with what another senior military adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said, that Iran’s armed forces should be prepared to respond preemptively to future threats rather than wait to react after an attack.

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi said in a message marking Defense Industry Day that Iran’s military response should not be “passive,” but instead “preemptive, powerful and calculated” to deter its adversaries from attacking.

Safavi said the recent wars with the United States and Israel had demonstrated the need for Iran to equip its forces for both asymmetric and full-scale conflict and develop what he described as a more active form of deterrence.

 Iran’s army spokesperson saying the country’s military doctrine is shifting from defensive toward offensive, including preemptive operations and responses that could exceed the scale of an initial attack.

US President Donald Trump on Friday said Iran could be destroyed within minutes if he gives the order, as American leader declared Strait of Hormuz as American territory.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi pushed back, pointing to Iran’s thousands of years of history and decades of resistance to U.S. sanctions.

The rhetoric between Washington and Tehran remains sharply escalated.

Iran's weapons production has doubled in the past year despite US and Israeli strikes

Brig. Gen. Reza Talaei-Nik, Iran's Defense Ministry spokesperson, says output of weapons and defense equipment increased 2x over the last 12 months.

"This is despite the fact that during the 12-day war, some limited and specific parts of our defense industry were also among the targets of the enemy's strikes."

 The US claimed it was degrading Iran's military capabilities. Meanwhile, US interceptor stockpiles are down by 65%.

Trump is now leaning on economic pressure, claiming the shift is a strategic choice — not an admission that military action failed.

Tehran has been survive more than seven decades of economic terrorism of the United States and allies.

Iran's parliament Speaker was in Iraq where memorandum of understanding on security cooperation was signed between Iran and Iraq.

Gulf states are now quietly reaching out to Iran for new security arrangements — a direct consequence of the U.S. war against Iran, which has left America's allies questioning whether Washington can still protect them, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf said.

"We've received numerous messages from neighboring countries about shaping new security arrangements and economic cooperation in the region," Ghalibaf said. "The United States put the security of every single one of its allies at such risk — through bullying and pure disregard for their interests for the sake of Israel — that they briefly saw their entire existence on the line."

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain are now privately reaching out to Iran for new security arrangements, sending multiple messages almost daily to Iran out of concern that the US cannot protect them anymore due to interceptor shortages and the vulnerability of hosted US bases,  Iran's Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf and a senior Iranian source in Tehran familiar with the matter can confirm.

Working Theory: Why the FBI is still locking down the Tinubu files after 33 years - Mike Arnold

The FBI is fighting to keep parts of the 1990s investigative file on Bola Tinubu sealed under FOIA Exemption 7(F) — claiming release could “endanger the life or physical safety of any individual.”

Thirty-three years later. That claim only holds if something in those records is still dangerous today.

Here’s the cleanest theory that fits every known fact:

In the late 1980s–early 1990s, a Nigerian-run network was moving **high-purity Southeast Asian white heroin** (“China White”) from the Golden Triangle — primarily sourced and staged in **Bangkok, Thailand** — into Chicago and northwest Indiana.

Adegboyega Mueez Akande ran the organization. His nephew Abiodun Agbele handled U.S. distribution and sales. Lee Andrew Edwards was a major street-level customer in Gary. Tinubu’s Chicago bank accounts were frozen because investigators believed they held laundered proceeds from the same SEA white-heroin pipeline. Agbele got arrested in 1990 selling to an undercover agent and cooperated. Tinubu was interviewed by phone, made partial admissions about knowing the players and moving money, later contradicted himself, fought the civil case, and settled in 1993 by forfeiting $460,000 with no criminal charges.

The working theory is that Tinubu provided information during that process — enough to walk away without an indictment. The records of that cooperation (or the identities it protected) remain in the file.

That is why the Bureau is still invoking a life-safety risk in 2026.

Look at what happened next. In 1995–1996 the U.S. launched **Operation Global Sea**, the first major effort that took down an entire Nigerian SEA-heroin chain from Bangkok source to Chicago streets. It targeted a sophisticated syndicate based in Bangkok that had been moving hundreds of kilograms of the same high-purity white heroin into the Midwest via Europe, Guatemala, and Mexico. Dozens were arrested in Bangkok, Chicago, New York, Detroit, and Pakistan. The Bangkok-based leader, Musiliu Balogun (aka “Olopa” / “The Policeman”), was charged as a primary supplier from Thailand/Cambodia. He stayed a fugitive until 2006, was extradited, and was sentenced in Chicago in 2013 to nine years.

Other follow-on operations (including elements later rolled into Shadow Towers) kept hitting Nigerian groups still importing SEA white heroin from Bangkok into Chicago and other cities.

Most of the original 1988–1993 players are now dead or neutralized: Akande died in 2024, Edwards years earlier. Balogun served his time and is no longer an active kingpin. But the broader Nigerian transnational networks that controlled the Bangkok-to-Chicago SEA white-heroin pipeline never fully disappeared. Residual associates, family members, or successor cells in Thailand and West Africa still operate in the drug trade. Identifying who cooperated in the original Chicago case — or revealing the exact techniques and sources used against the Bangkok suppliers — could still put people at real risk of retaliation.

That is the only explanation that makes the 33-year “endanger lives” claim coherent. The files are not being blocked over ancient bank records. They are being blocked because someone in them was protected, the protection still matters, and the Southeast Asian white-heroin networks that fed Chicago in the 1990s left behind people and structures with lasting lethal potential.

The public record is silent for a reason. The FOIA fight is the government’s way of keeping it that way.

#EarthShaker

New US Sanctions: Tehran says maximum pressure, military aggression, state terrorism against Iran will not stand

Economic pressure is the 'most effective tool' the US has on Iran — Vance

The Islamic Republic of Iran has on Thursday said no amount of U.S. maximum economic pressure, brutal military aggression and state terrorism against Iran will crumble the Iranian people and government.

The Iran's ministry of foreign affairs in a statement responding to the new US economic sanctions said the US ruling establishment has announced the imposition of sweeping economic and trade sanctions against the Iranian people, coinciding with the anniversary of the disgraceful coup d’état of 28 Mordad 1332 (19 August 1953).




This action is not only another indication of the continuation of 73 years of hostility and animosity by US policymakers toward the Iranian people, but also further demonstrates the anti-human, lawless and hegemonic nature of the US ruling establishment.




Undoubtedly, the US economic sanctions against Iran, which target the fundamental human rights of every Iranian citizen, constitute “economic terrorism” and “crimes against humanity.” Those responsible for these sanctions deserve to be prosecuted and punished for committing such heinous crimes.




These sanctions, imposed in the aftermath of the US-Israeli wars of aggression against Iran over the past year and a half and their failure to achieve their malign objectives of forcing the Iranian people to surrender to their illegal and inhumane demands, will merely add to the long list of crimes committed by the United States against Iran. They will, however, undoubtedly have not the slightest effect on the determination of the Iranian people to safeguard Iran’s independence, dignity and national sovereignty.




Economic sanctions and pressure are the other side of the same coin as war and military aggression. America’s pathological addiction to these two instruments has not only placed global peace and security under an objective threat, but has also subjected human civilization to an unprecedented moral decline. Accordingly, no government that believes in the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations—including the principle of respect for the national sovereignty of states—can remain indifferent to the continued lawlessness and overt belligerence of the United States toward fundamental international norms.




The US decision to announce new sanctions, while constituting an explicit admission of the commission of crimes against humanity, is also a continuation of a policy that has already been tried and failed. Repeating it will certainly produce nothing but a repetition of past failures and further discredit the architects and leaders of this policy. The US government and the architects and implementers of this policy will, of course, bear responsibility for its consequences and repercussions.




The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while strongly condemning the US action to intensify its illegal and inhumane sanctions against the Iranian people, emphasizes that the Islamic Republic of Iran remains steadfast and determined in defending its security and national interests and confronting the US military, economic, political and psychological pressures and attacks.




Relying on its indigenous and national capabilities, and taking into account the experience of seven decades of comprehensive resistance against the US policy of maximum pressure, military aggression and state terrorism against Iran, the Islamic Republic of Iran will employ all available tools and capacities to counter the hostile actions of the American-Zionist enemy and safeguard Iran’s national interests.

Iran's Statement 

Economic pressure is the 'most effective tool' the US has on Iran — Vance

Iran could survive US economic pressure for “a couple of weeks or a couple of months or possibly longer,” Vice President JD Vance told Newsmax on Thursday. He said preventing Tehran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains Washington’s main goal.

“They’re under a ton of pressure. That pressure is conducive to our goal of ensuring they don’t have a nuclear weapon,” Vance said.

"What has been true over the last couple of weeks is they felt a lot more pressure than we have," the vice president said.

He said the administration has economic, diplomatic and military tools available to pressure Tehran and is focused on preventing Iran from rebuilding its nuclear program.

“Sometimes, you’ve got to use the economic tools. That’s what the president is focused on right now,” Vance said. “Sometimes, you’ve got to use the military tools.”

Iran has repeatedly emphasized that resuming commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz hinges on the US lifting its naval blockades.

China, a major partner of Iran condemned what it calls Washington’s “pressure tactics” after Trump announced the “draconian sanctions” against countries and entities cooperating with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beijing said sanctions and pressure “are not the solution” and is calling on all sides to “act responsibly” and stick to a political and diplomatic approach.

U.S. threatens Iran’s trade partners with "economic oblivion" China is Iran's biggest trading partner. It accounts for roughly one-third of Iran's total foreign trade.

CHINA CALLS OUT US 'SANCTION CAMPAIGN' TO ISOLATE IRAN, NOT THE SOLUTION

Urges Trump admin to 'TAKE RESPONSIBLE MEASURES' & solve issues DIPLOMATICALLY

 

China has on Thursday condemned what it calls Washington’s “pressure tactics” after Trump threatened “draconian sanctions” against countries and entities cooperating with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Beijing says sanctions and pressure “are not the solution” and is calling on all sides to “act responsibly” and stick to a political and diplomatic approach.

Tehran remains at the center of this tug of war between Washington and Beijing as the US President Donald Trump declared economic war on anyone keeping Iran alive.

Trump's “Economic D-Day” is an attempt to financially isolate Iran on a scale Washington says has never been attempted before and Treasury Sec. Bessent made the objective brutally clear, to cripple and collapse the Iranian regime.

That means targeting not just Iran, but the countries, banks and businesses that continue trading with it which brings Washington directly into collision with Beijing.

China is buying the overwhelming majority of Iran's shipped oil.

So if Trump genuinely intends to economically strangle Tehran, eventually he has to answer the question everyone is asking: What happens when China refuses to stop?

He faces two choices:

Don't enforce the sanctions aggressively against China, and Tehran retains the economic lifeline Washington is trying to sever. Enforce them, and what began as an economic war against Iran starts becoming an economic confrontation with the world's second-largest economy.

And China isn't Iran.

Beijing has economic weapons of its own: Rare earths, manufacturing, critical supply chains, and, crucially, an alternative financial architecture it's spent years developing precisely because it never wanted Washington to possess a permanent veto over Chinese commerce.

That's the part of this story that could become far more consequential than whatever happens in the Strait of Hormuz.

America's greatest economic weapon isn't an aircraft carrier, it's the dollar. Access to the dollar system gives Washington an extraordinary ability to punish governments, banks and companies almost anywhere on Earth.

But that power only remains overwhelming for as long as the rest of the world has no viable alternative.

Every time Washington weaponises it, it creates another incentive to build one. And Trump is now threatening to demonstrate that vulnerability on an enormous scale.

China doesn't need to overthrow the dollar tomorrow; it just needs enough infrastructure to continue trading when Washington says: Stop, or else.

And once that infrastructure exists, other countries gain access to the same insurance policy.

Trump's war on Iran exposed the limits of American military power. His economic war may be about to expose the limits of America's financial power too.

Various economic terrorism and sanctions by Washington against Tehran in the past decades have failed blatantly. The US military might also failed to compel and force  Iran obedient.

Iranian leaders have variously stated that they will not surrender until Trump bowled to their demands as the Strait of Hormuz remains a tangible weapon to force Washington to concede.

Iran on Thursday warned US warships to withdraw from the Strait of Hormuz region, stating that military action would be taken if they advanced further. 

Tensions between Iran and the US regarding Hormuz are indeed very high; however, there have not been an independent confirmation of the claim that "warships would be sunk."

In essence, Iran is warning the US that advancing into its maritime territory or the Strait of Hormuz could lead to a confrontation.

The earlier report was that the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for nine months in the Middle East is heading home to California on Thursday, weeks after reports first emerged of tough conditions for sailors on board.

As the Carrier now heads home to San Diego — journey expected to take 4–5 WEEKS

UNIOSUN Lecturer Iyanuoluwa Adufe Wins ACDI Grant for Antimicrobial Stewardship Study

Dr Adufe

A lecturer in the Department of Public Health, Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Dr Iyanuoluwa Adufe, has won a research grant from the African Centre for Development Impact (ACDI) under its 2026 Research Grant Competition.

Dr Adufe’s research proposal, titled “The BRIDGE Trial: A Pilot Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Co-Created One Health Behavioural Intervention to Improve Antimicrobial Stewardship in Nigeria,” was selected for funding following a highly competitive review process involving local and international experts.

In a statement issued by the University’s Public Relations Officer, Ademola Adesoji, the grant was made possible through the generous support of the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and is intended to support a high-quality, policy-relevant impact evaluation that will generate evidence to strengthen policymaking and development practice in Africa.

The project, which will run from August 17, 2026, to July 31, 2027, is expected to generate evidence that will contribute to improved antimicrobial stewardship in Nigeria while strengthening collaboration between researchers and policymakers.

According to the award letter signed by the Executive Director of ACDI, Professor Charles Teye Amoatey, Dr Adufe’s project is expected to contribute to the growing body of rigorous, policy-relevant research required to promote evidence-informed decision-making across Africa. The organisation also indicated that the researcher would join its network of African researchers committed to generating evidence for improved development practice and public policy.

As part of the grant requirements, Dr Adufe and her research team are expected to provide quarterly progress updates and a final technical and financial report. The research is also expected to result in at least one scholarly publication, while its findings will be presented to relevant decision-makers at a dedicated dissemination forum.

Reacting to the achievement, the Vice-Chancellor of Osun State University, Professor Odunayo Clement Adebooye, congratulated Dr Adufe, describing the grant as another demonstration of the quality of research being undertaken by academics at the University.

Professor Adebooye said the achievement underscored the University’s commitment to promoting research that addresses pressing societal challenges and generates practical solutions capable of influencing policy and improving the lives of citizens.

He noted that the success further strengthened UNIOSUN’s growing profile as a research-driven institution whose academics are successfully competing for prestigious research grants and contributing to critical national and continental discourse.

The Vice-Chancellor commended Dr Adufe for her research excellence and urged other members of the University community to pursue innovative, interdisciplinary and impact-driven research capable of attracting international funding and contributing meaningfully to sustainable development.

The latest grant adds to UNIOSUN’s growing record of research achievements and externally funded projects, further reinforcing the institution’s commitment to research excellence, innovation, evidence-based policymaking and global academic engagement.

Osun 2026 Election: The Demystification of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola

Ogbeni Aregbesola 

Former Governor. Former Minister. Former Commissioner. Former best friend & confidant of President BAT GCFR. And now, a full-time opposition member of the ADC, a staunch political opponent of the APC  & everything it represents & also Governor Adeleke too.

But politics, ultimately, is not about titles, history, proximity or mythology. Politics is about numbers. And when the numbers come, they have a rather unforgiving way of stripping away the mystique.

If there is one thing the recent governorship election in Osun State has exposed, it is the uncomfortable truth about the supposed political weight of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the former Commissioner for Works in Lagos, 2-term Governor of Osun State & former Minister of Interior under the APC-led administration of PMB.

For years, Aregbesola has been spoken of, & has spoken of himself, as one of the formidable political forces in Osun &, by extension, one of the major political players in the Southwest. But the ballot box has now had its say.

And from what the ballot box has told us, Ogbeni Rauf may have been a political heavyweight in the imagination of many, but the evidence before us suggests something considerably less imposing: a paperweight or in fact, a no weight at all! Chai!!! 

That is not an insult. It is an electoral diagnosis. And the numbers are there for everyone to interrogate. So, how did the great political machine perform? Consider this.

Aregbesola is not some newcomer to Osun politics. He governed the state for 8 years. He was once regarded as one of the strongest political figures in the state. He was a major political ally of President Tinubu. He has a reputation for having a formidable support base, particularly within the Ijesa axis of the state, where he hails from.

He has now thrown his considerable political reputation behind the African Democratic Congress, ADC.

And for this election, the party’s candidate was no political lightweight either. Rt. Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly & a former member of the House of Representatives, was the ADC candidate.

If Aregbesola's much-advertised political weight is as substantial as it has been projected, this should have been the moment to demonstrate it.

Instead, Salaam finished a distant third with a paltry 17,180 votes.

The Accord Party's Senator Ademola Adeleke (incumbent Governor, won with 511,067 votes, while the APC's Bola Oyebamiji came 2nd with 444,815 votes. The winning margin was therefore a staggering 66,252 votes.

That is not a minor electoral gap. That is an electoral canyon. And it becomes even more revealing when one begins to dissect where these votes actually came from.

The Ijesa question

Aregbesola is an Ijesa man. The Ijesa bloc is therefore one of the natural places where one would expect his political influence to be most visible. But what happened?

In the 6 local government areas that make up the major Ijesa concentration, Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Obokun, Oriade, Atakunmosa East & Atakunmosa West, the numbers tell a story that is difficult to explain away. Accord Party: 77,193 votes. APC: 79,920 votes. ADC: 2,351 votes.

Let that sink in.

In the very political territory from which one of the supposed Southwest's most prominent ADC figures hails, the ADC could only muster 2,351 votes across 6 local governments hmmmmm... 

Two thousand, three hundred & fifty-one.

For a political structure that has been portrayed as formidable, that number is not merely disappointing. It is devastatingly revealing. And it gets even more interesting.

Even Aregbesola's own Ilesa political territory did not exactly rise to the occasion for the ADC.

At his own polling unit in Ilesa, the reported figures were APC 256, Accord 43 and ADC 13. Thirteen.

Sometimes, politics does not need a long speech to make its point. A ballot paper can say it in three numbers.

And then came Ejigbo

The ADC candidate, Najeem Salaam, is from Ejigbo LG. Surely, if anywhere was going to be an ADC fortress, this should have been it. Yet Ejigbo Local Government gave Salaam only 5,053 votes.

Accord Party received 18,458.

APC received 16,195.

In other words, both of the 2 leading parties comfortably defeated the ADC in the very local government from which its candidate hails.

The supposed fortress was breached from within. And that is precisely why the result becomes bigger than Najeem Salaam.

It raises a much more fundamental question about the political structure supposedly standing behind him.

Because candidates do not manufacture 17,180 votes out of thin air. They are the product of structures, personalities, mobilisation, loyalty & political influence.

And when all of those are put to the test, the ballot box tells us what actually exists, not what has been said to exist.

Adeleke's Ede fortress

Now look at the other side of the equation.

Governor Ademola Adeleke did not merely win Osun. He demonstrated the power of his own political base.

In Ede North which is his paternal base, the Governor polled 35,427 votes. In Ede South, he polled another 26,188.

That gives him a combined 61,615 votes from the 2 Ede local governments alone.

The APC managed 10,283 in Ede North & 6,219 in Ede South, a combined 16,502. That's a margin of 46,113. It's so obvious where the votes which propelled him to victory came from then. 

ADC? Just 697. The contrast is almost brutal.

Adeleke's Ede delivered. Aregbesola's ADC did not.

And perhaps this is one of the most important lessons of this election: Political mythology may create headlines, but political structures produce votes.

Then came Ife

The APC's reconciliation with Senator Iyiola Omisore was another major political calculation in this election. But did it produce the expected electoral dividend?

The results suggest otherwise.

In the 4 Ife local governments, Accord won 3.

Ife North: Accord 13,879; APC 9,613.

Ife Central: Accord 21,171; APC 15,913.

Ife East: Accord 27,201; APC 18,600.

In Ife South, APC narrowly prevailed with 14,678, against Accord's 13,507. By just an inconsequential 1,171 votes which didn't count for much in the overall.

Overall, Accord polled 75,758 votes across the 4 Ife local governments, while APC managed 58,804.

ADC? A mere 2,305 votes. Again, the numbers refuse to cooperate with the mythology.

Then came Irewole

Bola Oyebamiji, the APC candidate, demonstrated that political candidates can also have formidable local structures.

In his Irewole Local Government, he polled 29,972 votes, against Accord's 10,934.

ADC?v275 votes.

Two hundred & seventy-five. The numbers keep speaking. And they are becoming increasingly difficult to silence.

The Senatorial Districts tell an even bigger story

Perhaps the most compelling way to examine this election is not merely through individual local governments but through the 3 senatorial districts in the state.

Osun has 3 senatorial districts, each comprising 10 local governments.

And Accord Party won all 3 senatorial districts. In Osun Central, Accord polled 169,164 votes, against APC's 162,094 and ADC's 4,472.

In Osun East, Accord polled 152,951, against APC's 138,724 & ADC's 4,656.

In Osun West, Accord polled a remarkable 188,952, against APC's 143,997 & ADC's 8,052.

Again, look closely at that last figure.

The biggest margin of victory came from Osun West, the same senatorial district from which the 3 major contestants emerged. And Adeleke did not merely win there. He danced home. He actually breakdanced! Chai!!! 

The aggregate numbers across the 3 senatorial districts tell the story even more forcefully:

Accord: 511,067

APC: 444,815

ADC: 17,180

There is almost something poetic about the disparity.

The ADC, with all the political noise & pedigree surrounding it in Osun, could not even get to twenty thousand votes in an election where the 2 leading parties were battling in the hundreds of thousands.

So, what exactly has Osun 2026 demystified? It has not demystified Rauf Aregbesola as a man. It has not erased his history.

It has not taken away the fact that he was a 2-term Governor. It has not erased his years as a major political figure in Lagos or his tenure as Minister of Interior.

And certainly, it does not erase his former proximity to President Tinubu.

But it has done something more important. It has subjected the mythology of his current political influence to the coldest & most objective test available in politics: the ballot box. And the ballot box has returned a rather humbling verdict.

Perhaps Ogbeni Rauf is not the political heavyweight many imagined him to be.

Perhaps his political influence today is considerably smaller than his reputation.

Perhaps he has mistaken historical relevance for contemporary electoral strength.

Or perhaps, more simply, he has overestimated the number of people who are still willing to follow him politically.

Whatever the explanation, Osun 2026 has provided the 1st hard empirical evidence with which the question can be seriously examined.

And the evidence is not flattering. But there is an even bigger question. What does all of this mean for 2027?

That is where this becomes considerably more interesting.

Can the ADC, under Aregbesola's leadership, suddenly transform 17,180 votes in Osun into a meaningful presidential-election structure across the Southwest?

Can a party that could only manage 2,351 votes across the 6 major Ijesa LGAs suddenly become a serious electoral force?

Can a former Speaker from his own political camp poll only 5,053 votes in his own Ejigbo, while Accord polled 18,458 & APC 16,195, & still claim a formidable grassroots machine?

These are not questions of sentiment. They are questions of arithmetic. And politics, especially electoral politics, has a brutal relationship with arithmetic.

But there is another intriguing dimension.

Governor Ademola Adeleke has publicly demonstrated support & cordiality towards President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Yet in Osun, he has now defeated the APC candidate by a whopping 66,252 votes.

That tells us something important about Nigerian politics.

Local political allegiance & presidential political allegiance do not always travel together.

A politician can oppose the APC at the state level & still maintain a working relationship with the President at the federal level.

Adeleke's Osun victory therefore should not automatically be interpreted as a presidential referendum on Tinubu.

Neither should it be dismissed as irrelevant to 2027.

Rather, it raises a much more fascinating question: If Ademola Adeleke can command 511,067 votes in Osun while maintaining a publicly cordial relationship with President Tinubu, what happens when the presidential contest arrives?

And perhaps even more importantly: Where will the political energy that currently belongs to Adeleke's formidable Osun structure ultimately flow?

That is the question the political class should be asking.

Not merely who won Osun. Not merely who lost.

But what the numbers have revealed about who actually commands people, structures & loyalty when the rubber meets the road.

Because Nigerian politics has always had its legends. Its godfathers. Its kingmakers. Its strongmen. Its political juggernauts.

And, sometimes, its carefully cultivated myths.

But every 4 years, the ballot box comes along to ask one brutally simple question:

“Show me your followers.” In Osun 2026, the ballot box asked Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola that question.

And, at least from the numbers before us, the answer was surprisingly small.

Very, very small. That may well be the real story of Osun 2026.

Not simply the victory of Ademola Adeleke. Not simply the defeat of Bola Oyebamiji aka AMBO.

Not simply the spectacular underperformance of Najeem Salaam.

But the demystification of Ogbeni Rauf. The legend has met the numbers. And the numbers, as they say, do not lie.

Abiola Olatunde Aloba,

Ijesa by paternal blood. 

Ijebu Ode blue blood by maternal connection. 

Iran Describes UAE’s Allegations at BRICS Summit as Baseless

 Iran’s Environmental Representative on Tuesday Confronted and Categorically Rejected the UAE’s Baseless Allegations at BRICS Summit.

On August 18, 2026, during the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting in New Delhi, India, Arman Khorsand, Director of the Center for International Affairs at Iran’s Department of Environment, issued a stern response to the UAE’s allegations that Iran had "attacked the UAE."

Mr. Khorsand’s response was precise and unequivocal, highlighting the following key points:

First, Mr. Khorsand categorically denied all allegations made by the UAE. He emphasized that Iran’s military actions were "directed solely at the sources of threats to the Iranian people" and that the country has consistently "avoided any attacks on the civilian infrastructure or populations of neighboring nations."

Second, Mr. Khorsand clearly identified the presence of U.S. military bases on UAE territory as the root cause of regional tensions. He issued a stern warning: "Any nation that hosts an aggressor and paves the way for attacks against Iran will be held accountable for the consequences of its actions."

Third, Mr. Khorsand urged BRICS member states to uphold the principles of good-neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and non-interference. He called upon all members to ensure their territories are not used to support or facilitate hostile acts against other nations, particularly Iran.

Fourth, Mr. Khorsand strongly criticized the UAE for raising political and security issues at an environmental conference. He noted that such conduct "violates the spirit of mutual respect and dialogue upon which the BRICS partnership is built" and "runs counter to the meeting's primary focus on environmental issues."

Mr. Khorsand’s remarks served as a forceful rebuttal to the UAE’s attempt to politicize the environmental forum. His words reflected both Iran’s strategic confidence as a regional power and its steadfast stance in the face of external pressure.

Osun’s 2026 verdict and what it means for Nigeria’s opposition

BITTER PILLS; THRILLING RECOVERY, DRIZZLING PERFORMANCE

Politics in Nigeria rarely comes without bitterness. In Osun State, the August 15, 2026 governorship election served another dose.

Governor Ademola Adeleke has emerged victorious, weathering what his camp described as political intimidation and the weight of federal might deployed against him. It is a win that feels less like a stroll and more like a trek through thorns — hence the _bitter pills_. But the recovery has been thrilling, and the performance, though uneven in places, has been drizzling steadily enough to convince voters to grant him a second term. 

The Battle Against the Odds

Adeleke’s re-election bid was never framed as business as usual. Running this time on the platform of the Accord Party, after leaving the PDP amid national crisis, he faced the APC’s Bola Oyebamiji and ADC’s Dr. Najeem Salaam in what observers called another highly competitive contest. 

In the run-up, Adeleke himself alleged killings of party members and called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the police to act professionally and impartially. He described 2025 as “a challenging year due to external constraints” and warned against “beating drums of war” ahead of the poll. 

Yet the governor leaned on what he called people-centred governance and visible projects across the state. His campaign council, inaugurated in Osogbo, promised grassroots mobilisation “at the wards and local government level”. The message was simple: performance over propaganda, calculated inauguration of projects in virtually all constituencies to force out his admirers and non admirers particularly amongst the traditional rulers to a reelection campaign laced with an appealing projects

“If this election is free and fair, I will win,” Adeleke said on the campaign trail. With less than 15 days to go, he declared “NO SHAKING, Imole is coming back”. Analysts also noted his long-standing relationship with civil servants, artisans and trade groups as assets. 

Labour Party: The Missed Opportunity

While Adeleke was consolidating, the Labour Party was bleeding internally as a blissful opportunity were being lost in the process

The 2023 and 2024 political realignments created an opening. Several disrupted and evicted incumbent Governors of the PDP, frustrated by internal wrangling at the national level, looked for new platforms. Labour Party, with its post-2023 momentum, should have been the natural refuge. Instead, internal squabbles, factionalism, and lack of structure turned it into a waiting room with no exit.

The result: most of those PDP governors and heavyweights either returned to mend fences, moved to APC, or sat out. Labour Party failed to harvest them. What could have been a national expansion became a period of self-inflicted losses.

In Osun, that void mattered. Without a credible third-force structure, the contest narrowed to Accord, APC and ADC. Labour’s absence meant there was no serious alternative to absorb protest votes or disgruntled PDP structures. Adeleke would have preferred Labour Party at the time he was shopping for a platform and ultimately have added immensely to our structure, unfortunately the harvest slipped out.

Drizzling Performance, Thrilling Recovery

Adeleke’s first term was defined by infrastructure, welfare programs, and a deliberate effort to be seen and felt in the grassroots. Critics argued about concentration of projects around Ede, but supporters point to the “difference that purposeful, people-centred governance can make”. 

He nearly became a politically stagnated orphan at a period in time, it was rumoured that powers that be denied him an appointment for a meeting but communicated him through a first class Yoruba king that he should go and join the ruling party, every attempt made by him to compromise was negated by Baba Kukuru, Esu lehin APC who loudly drum it to his ears that he will have to queue as the ticket will not be offered to him, that's a bitter pill to swallow. He encouraged himself further his search for another platform and landed in ACCORD PARTY, accordingly he became a man to celebrate today.

The recovery is thrilling because it came after 2022, when Adeleke defeated an incumbent with federal backing. To do it again in 2026, this time outside PDP, suggests a personal brand that transcends party lines. If re-elected, he would become only the second governor in Osun’s history to secure a second term. 

But the performance is still “drizzling” — steady, but not yet a downpour. Expectations on jobs, security, and inclusive development remain high, especially with rising insecurity flagged as a factor in 2026. 

*Time to Rethink and Recover Lost Ground*

Two lessons stand out.

1. For incumbents: People will reward delivery, even under pressure. Adeleke’s confidence came from pointing to tangible records, not just party structure. “_This team is heading to victory_,” he told his campaign council.

2. For the opposition: Labour Party’s failure to organize and accommodate displaced political forces was costly. The window to rethink is now. Without internal discipline, ideology, and structure, it risks remaining a movement of moments rather than a party of government. Many see the party as a transactional platform as many who did not toil in the party had managed to position themselves and political stooges in positions of power, ready for harvest in most states. Should this trend continue, we shall suffer existential threats and consequences 

Osun 2026 reminds us that Nigerian voters are watching. They will swallow bitter pills if the recovery feels real. They will ignore loud noise if the performance is only drizzling.

The question now is not just who won Osun. It is whether other parties — especially our own Labour Party — will learn fast enough to recover the grounds they lost, recreate a bigger platform for ideological opposition and alternatives before 2027 comes calling.

© Apagun Olaolu Samuel 

Chairman, Labour Party Ogun State 

egberunsaamu2206@gmail.com

OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION: LET THE PEOPLE’S MANDATE STAND

Osun voters have spoken; INEC must resist every attempt to manipulate the outcome

Mẹkunnu Kọya,

Osogbo, The Mẹkunnu Kọya movement has commended the largely peaceful conduct of Osun voters during today’s governorship election, despite isolated reports of intimidation, violence, vote-buying and other electoral infractions.

The movement noted that incidents including the reported forceful dispersal of voters, alleged carting away of ballot papers, the attack in Ejigbo, the reported assault on the ADC governorship candidate and the alleged intimidation of Alhaja Sekinat Temilade, an aide to Governor Ademola Adeleke, did not deter the people from exercising their democratic rights.

Mẹkunnu Kọya observed that Osun voters had demonstrated remarkable courage and determination, particularly in the face of reported vote-buying ranging from ₦20,000 to ₦50,000 in some areas.

The movement, however, warned that the relative peace maintained during voting must not be destroyed at the collation stage through manipulation of the electoral process.

It expressed concern over reports that some duly accredited party agents and returning officers were allegedly prevented from accessing collation centres, stressing that such actions could create unnecessary tension and suspicion.

Mẹkunnu Kọya therefore strongly condemned any attempt to manufacture an inconclusive election as a political strategy to alter the outcome or impose an unpopular candidate rejected by the electorate.

The movement called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resist every form of political pressure and complete the collation and declaration process transparently, impartially and in accordance with the law.

It stressed that there must be “no midnight abracadabra, no manufactured inconclusiveness, no selective cancellation of results and no manipulation designed to favour an anointed candidate.”

Mẹkunnu Kọya also appealed to security agencies, political parties and all electoral stakeholders to exercise restraint and responsibility, while urging Osun voters to remain peaceful but vigilant until the final result is declared.

The movement emphasized that voters must protect their mandate through lawful and democratic means, declaring: “Osun voters have spoken with their votes. Let their votes be counted. Let their votes be heard. Let their mandate stand.”

According to Mẹkunnu Kọya, Osun people know whom they voted for, while Nigerians and the international community are watching the collation and declaration process.

It warned that any declaration that fails to reflect the genuine mandate expressed at the polling units would further undermine public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process and should be challenged through all lawful democratic means.

The movement concluded with a direct appeal to INEC: “INEC must not disappoint the people of Osun. The electoral umpire must allow the people’s will, not political pressure, to determine the outcome of this election.”

OSUN HAS SPOKEN. LET THE PEOPLE’S VOICE BE RESPECTED.

Mẹkunnu Kọya Blog

15 August 2026

Fake intelligence worse than fake news, Tehran accuses U.S., Israeli intelligence agencies of feeding Trump severe lies

Iran has publicly accused U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies of feeding Donald Trump severe misinformation about the Iran war, warning that "worse than fake news is fake intelligence" as Washington faces another major miscalculation over the Strait of Hormuz.

The accusation follows a WaPo report that Israel fed the CIA a fake Iranian assassination plot against Trump to manipulate U.S. policy — intelligence the CIA had "low confidence" in and could not verify.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted: "The U.S. has long miscalculated due to intelligence failures. Case in point: The war on Iran. Now, an even bigger miscalculation on the Strait of Hormuz. Worse than fake news is fake intelligence. Be careful."

President Donald Trump was told by the Secret Service in Turkey that Iran could assassinate him. He hides in a catering truck all the way to the airport and left Turkey after the NATO meeting in a military plane. 

An evident that US has been deceived and lured into the Iran's war by deceptive and fake intelligence reports by the CIA and the Israel.

The same fake intelligence reports playing out on the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran Military Rejects Trump’s Claims on Strait of Hormuz as “Baseless Lies” Tehran has stated that the strait remains closed/restricted and fully under Iranian control and management.

Commercial ships and tankers must obtain permission and be supervised by Iranian forces to transit safely.

Alireza Salimi, a lawmaker and member of Iran’s parliament Presiding Board, said in an interview with the Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) that the Strait of Hormuz was more valuable to Iran than a nuclear bomb and could be used to address sanctions and compensation claims.

“The Strait of Hormuz is a blessing that God has placed in Iran’s hands,” Salimi said, adding that US actions had “opened the way” for Iran to use the waterway.

“With the Strait of Hormuz, we can resolve the issue of sanctions and compensation and retaliate,” he added.

New Intelligence Warning: Major US-Israeli Ground and Air Invasion Against Iran Imminent, Rapid Military Buildup Across Gulf Bases — Tehran

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi
arrives in Tehran for talks
with Iranian officialsl
He met the country’s Foreign Minister Araghchi.

Iran has new intelligence warning of a major US-Israeli ground and air operation against Iran, citing a rapid military buildup across Gulf bases, senior Iranian officials attested.




Prof. QMohammad Marandi, an advisor to Iran's negotiation team adds "Trump regime forces in Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Jordan are mobilizing for a potential blitzkrieg, possibly alongside Zionist forces, against the Iranian people," warning "the Islamic Republic stands ready with a swift and crushing response."




Iran has previously warned of a major counter response to a US ground attack, saying "If the United States puts boots on the ground in Iran, we will also launch ground attacks on Kuwait and Bahrain." Iranian analyst Mahdi Khanalizadeh also warned that Iran has plans of "a ground incursion to seize US bases such as Camp Buehring, Camp Arifjan, or Ali Al Salem."




According to Israeli channel 15, Iran launches 2–5 drones every night at US ships and forces in the Strait of Hormuz, and that the US deliberately stays silent and hides the attacks including a recent drone strike on a US base in Kuwait to avoid escalation.




Pentagon has confirmed that the department has leaned on defense contractors to speed up weapons production and deliveries. Although while the military option against Iran proved abortive, the US forces are also experiencing shortage of munitions.




That the department of war embarked on direct engagement with industry leaders to accelerate production is nothing new... But from day one under Secretary Hegseth, this department has been laser-focused on transforming the speed, capability, and lethality of America's defense industrial base, and the 'Arsenal of Democracy,'" Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told US media.




The Washington Post earlier reported, citing an internal memo, that the Pentagon had ordered contractors to accelerate arms and ammunition deliveries to US forces. Deputy Secretary Steven Feinberg, the paper noted, gave industry just 21 days to submit plans for a major surge in supply rates.




Pentagon spox also added that Feinberg is spearheading a overhaul of what he called a "broken, antiquated, and painfully bloated procurement system" — all to ensure the US can crank out weapons "at the tempo the threat demands."

The urgency stems from the grinding aggression against Iran, where US stockpiles are being drained faster than they can be replenished. NBC News, citing sources, reported that Pentagon leadership recently convened an emergency meeting over munitions shortages, shortly after President Trump personally called Feinberg, the logistics chief, to chew him out over the delays.

More than fifty thousand American service men have been deployed to the middle east for a possible ground invasion of the Islamic republic of Iran.




Already, Gulf energy producers have completely lost faith in the Trump administration and are quietly accepting Iran's permanent control over the Strait of Hormuz — because the alternative, returning to war, would be worse, per WSJ.

Tehran leadership and IRGC commanders have repeatedly said and affirmed that Strait of Hormuz will never returned to the pre US and Israeli unprovoked aggression against Iran.

Gulf states don't like the emerging deal that formalizes Iranian oversight of inbound ships. But they see it as "the least-bad option" compared to further military escalation, which would put their energy infrastructure at risk. The conflict has left the region — vital to global energy security — with no good option for countering Iran.




Crude exports through the Strait have collapsed to 2.2 million barrels per day from 8.5 million a month ago. Pre-war flows of roughly 20 million barrels per day are now a distant memory. Gulf states' alternative export routes are also under attack — Saudi Arabia's Red Sea pipeline hit by Houthi strikes, Egypt's Damietta port struck by drones.




Iranian officials have declared the new Iranian order in the Strait is "irreversible," and the U.S. has no alternative but to accept it or face "costs much greater than in the past." Iran already holds effective control over the strait, with commercial shippers refusing to cross without Tehran's assurance.




The WSJ's conclusion is stark: Gulf states are adapting to a new normal where Iran's veto over their energy exports is permanent. The U.S. has been pushed out of the Gulf militarily. And the alternative to accepting Iran's control — a return to full-scale war — is worse.

PRESS STATEMENT — STOP THE BLOODSHED: NIGERIAN STUDENTS ARE UNDER SIEGE, WE DEMAND IMMEDIATE ACTION TO SECURE OUR CAMPUSES, HOSTELS — CSYR

CAMPAIGN FOR STUDENTS’ AND YOUTH’S RIGHTS (CSYR)

The Campaign for Students and Youth Rights (CSYR) is alarmed and outraged by the wave of armed robbery and kidnapping attacks that have swept through Nigerian tertiary institutions in recent weeks, most recently at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, and the Federal University of Lafia (FULAFIA), Nasarawa State.

These are not isolated incidents. They are the latest chapters in a long, painful pattern of insecurity that Nigerian students and working people have been forced to endure for years, with little sign that the institutions and authorities responsible for their protection are treating the crisis with the urgency it demands.

At about 2:00 a.m., it was reported that armed men carrying machetes and knives invaded the female hostel at ATBU's Gubi Campus, forcing entry into more than ten rooms. Students were terrorised in their own beds, and over fifty mobile phones and other valuables were stolen. This is not the first time such an attack has occurred at ATBU, as students report that similar incidents have recurred over the years without lasting solutions.

In Lafia, three female 100-level students of FULAFIA were reportedly abducted from their off-campus lodge on a Saturday night, weeks after a separate incident in which five students were kidnapped and only one was reportedly rescued. With examinations approaching, students are left to study under the weight of fear rather than focus on their education.

CSYR holds that no student anywhere in Nigeria should have to choose between pursuing an education and staying alive. A university hostel is meant to be a place of rest and safety, not a hunting ground for armed criminals. The recurrence of these attacks, at ATBU and elsewhere, is proof that promises of "improved security" without accountability and sustained investment mean nothing to the students living through the terror.

We reject the normalization of this violence. We reject the silence that often follows these incidents once the news cycle moves on. Students are not statistics; they are human beings with families, dreams, and a right to safety guaranteed to them as citizens.

CSYR calls on university managements, state governments, and federal security agencies to immediately and visibly deploy adequate security personnel to all hostels and lodges, on campus and in student-populated communities off campus, with round-the-clock patrols, particularly during high-risk night hours.

We call on the Students’ Union Government (SUG) of the institutions to call congress of students to immediately address this situation and create an independent security committee of the union.

The CSYR call on the FG, State governments of the affected schools, and security personnel to secure the unconditional and safe release of the FULAFIA students, including those in Borno and elsewhere currently in captivity, and provide regular, transparent updates to their families and the student body on the efforts being made.

There is an urgent need to establish functional perimeter security at all hostels. There should be proper fencing, adequate lighting, CCTV coverage, and controlled access points, backed by real maintenance and monitoring, and not just paper policy.

An independent, transparent investigation into the ATBU hostel invasion and the FULAFIA abductions must be conducted, and the findings and remedial actions made public.

Functional, well-publicized emergency response channels such as accessible hotlines and rapid-response units that students can reach instantly during a crisis, with a demonstrated commitment to response time, must be established.

There should be provision of psychosocial support to survivors and witnesses of these attacks, recognizing the trauma inflicted extends beyond the material losses suffered.

Regular joint security briefings involving the student leadership, university management, local security agencies, and representatives from the host communities should be held, so that safety planning is not carried out in isolation from the people it is meant to protect.

CSYR stands in full solidarity with the students of ATBU's Gubi Campus and FULAFIA, and with every Nigerian student who has ever had to sleep in fear on the campus that was supposed to be their second home. We commend the courage of students who have continued to speak out, organize, and demand better treatment and protection, even in the face of trauma.

We call on NANS, NUNS, students' related bodies, left and progressive organisations, and civil society to join in this fight for a free and safe environment for students, staff, informal workers and the university community at large. An injury to one is an injury to all. The call for the collective protection of students' and working people's lives across Nigeria is our duty.

We will not relent until Nigerian campuses are made genuinely safe for the young people who fill them. Students came to learn and not to fight for their lives.

Signed by:

Campaign for Students’ and Youth’s Rights (CSYR)

Bestman Michael

National Coordinator

US-Iran-War: Trump Willing to end Iran war without securing a nuclear agreement, Tehran sets conditions

 Iranian FM: Negotiations with Oman do not mean reopening of the Strait of Hormuz 

US President Donald Trump was willing to end the Iran war without securing a nuclear agreement if Tehran fully reopened the Strait of Hormuz, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing US officials.

According to the sources, Donald Trump had privately floated the option to senior aides after weeks of preparing to declare victory if Iran restored free passage through the strategic waterway, according to the report.

That path became more difficult on Saturday when Iran demanded billions of dollars in US payments, the withdrawal of American troops from the region and an end to the US naval blockade, among other conditions, the WSJ reported.

The demands marked Iran’s highest price yet for allowing traffic to flow freely through the strait, according to the newspaper.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday said Iran's talk with Oman do not mean the Strait of Hormuz is being reopened. He said there are no talks with the US, only exchange of messages via intermediaries, Reuters reports citing Mehr news agency 

 Araghchi reaffirmed that as long as US violations of interim deal continue, there won’t be negotiations, Mehr reports.

He said negotiations with Oman regarding Strait of Hormuz are in their final stages, noting that there will be new shipping routes in the Strait 

According to WSJ, Trump has quietly admitted defeat and privately signalling he's willing to end the Iran war without a nuclear deal if the Strait of Hormuz simply opens, a humiliating retreat from his demand for "unconditional surrender from Tehran.

Trump privately told aides he would declare victory based on reopening the Strait — a far cry from his promises to "decimate" Iran's nuclear program. But Iran just raised the price of that exit: $300 billion in compensation, $100–123 billion in frozen assets, U.S. troop withdrawal, and an end to the naval blockade.

So, Trump wanted to get out of the war but Iran is making him pay for it.

U.S. officials say Trump sees the Strait as his only viable exit. But Iran's new demands mean even that is now in doubt. Tehran knows Washington is desperate to leave — and is holding the waterway hostage until Trump surrenders on every point.

Iran sets six conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz

Restrictions on traffic through the Strait of Hormuz will remain until the US changes course and meets Iran’s conditions, Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Mohammad Baqer Zolqadr said.

According to him, the strait will not fully reopen unless the US:

1.  Stops threatening Iran or insulting what Tehran considers the Iranian nation’s sacred values

2. Permanently ends attacks on Iran and its regional allies

3. Lifts the naval blockade and withdraws US naval and air forces from around Iran

4. Compensates Iran for damage caused by the two wars

5. Lifts sanctions on Iran

5. Releases frozen and seized Iranian assets

“The SNSC of Iran will never back down, whether different in war or in negotiations,” Zolqadr said.

There are certainly no alternative to the arrogant American leaders bullying and intimidating other leaders in regions and countries of the world.

The Donald Trump's acceptance of Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf is an extraordinary outcome only made possible by an administration that squandered legitimacy, alienated allies, attempted regime change in a war it had not fully and adequately prepared for.  Now is being forced to accept a catastrophic outcome without viable alternatives.

US and other countries are now being forced to accept an outcome that would have been unthinkable before the unprovoked war but seems to have become unavoidable because of it.

This is a new beginning of the new world order that will not have only a sole lawgiver again.

US-Iran-War: Trump admits Strait of Hormuz not safe, vessels remain vulnerable to Iranian fire and mines

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed defence pact as US security guarantee no longer tenable 

A profile Picture 

American President Donald Trump on Friday admitted that the Strait of Hormuz is not safe, vessels remain vulnerable to Iranian fire and mines, and shipping companies are unwilling to risk billions of dollars in assets and then be struck by Iran.

More than 48 hours have passed, and the Hormuz Deal has still not been Reached. The biggest Issue seems to be that Tehran is not prepared to give its Final Consent until it is certain that the United States will lift the Naval Blockade and Oil Sanctions 

A report confirmed it that the U.S. has agreed to lift its naval blockade on Iran once an Iran-Oman deal is finalized to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a U.S. official told Reuters — a major concession after Iran added the blockade's end to its list of demands earlier this week.

Under the emerging framework, Iran retains full sovereign control over inbound traffic and supervision over outbound traffic, bans U.S., Israeli, and hostile vessels from transiting, and may charge up to 7% fees on cargo value.

A U.S. official said "progress is being made" and "we expect a deal soon," adding that U.S. actions will be "performance-based and tied to Iran's implementation of its commitments."

The U.S. is lifting its blockade and accepting Iranian control, probable fees, and vessel bans — all to get the Strait moving again.

Donald Trump acknowledges Iran retains the ability to strike at will, saying "it's easy for them to send a drone or two, drop a mine, or deliver a close range missile somewhere along, or in, this waterway, no matter how badly defeated they are."

Trump also concedes "people don't want" to risk ships worth billions of dollars and expose them to the possibility of accidentally hitting a mine in the Strait of Hormuz, adding "they don't want it."

Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a 30- to 60-day ceasefire agreement with Iran could come “shortly, maybe even today, tomorrow,” in an interview with 12News.

Bessent said the US would “never” allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and argued that military and economic pressure had severely weakened Tehran.

“On the economic side, we have them by the throat,” Bessent said, adding that Iran faced “150, 180 percent food inflation” and was unable to pay its troops.

He said a ceasefire could reopen the Strait of Hormuz and bring energy prices down.

Also, the US is taking decisive action “to cut the financial lifelines that sustain Iran’s ruling elite,” State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott says

  The Treasury has taken steps to dismantle a web of currency exchange houses and shell companies that helped Iran secretly move hundreds of millions of dollars through the international financial system, Pigott says

 The US remains committed to working with partners across the region and the world to close every avenue Iran uses to fund its destabilizing activities, he added

Iranian Army announces on Friday for the first time it has equipped 500 intercontinental ballistic missiles to respond to the expected US attack. Officially – if Iran is struck, American soil itself will be targeted, including the capital Washington and New York City.

Tehran has nearly Depleted the stockpile of Patriot Interceptor Missiles, leaving the United States and its Arab allies in a Vulnerable Position 

 According to reports, Saudi Arabia used approximately 86% of its 2,800 PAC-3 Interceptor Missiles during the first 38 days of the War, leaving only 400 Missiles remaining in April

 The United States used approximately 65% of its Patriot Interceptor Missiles between February and July, leaving Fewer than 850 remaining

 Other U.S. Regional Allies face the same problem of Dwindling Stockpiles 

 It takes at least Three Patriot Interceptor Missiles to shoot down a single Iranian Ballistic Missile

Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed defence pact on Friday as the US military bases are no longer an immunity from missile attacks.

The Saudi-Pakistan-Turkey Agreement is a direct result of the historic failures of the U.S. military strength to protect the Gulf countries from retaliatory missiles of Iran.

Time and time again, we have seen Gulf energy infrastructure, Gulf desalination, and American military bases been struck almost at will by Iran.

Multiple times now, we have seen reporting that indicates the Gulf countries have pressured Trump not to return to war out of their FEAR for Iran.

The Gulf countries don’t trust the American security guarantee anymore. They’re making new arrangements now.

The Fall of U.S. Hegemony leading to the countries to signed a NATO like trilateral defense agreement, under which any military aggression or armed attack on any of the three states will be considered a direct attack on the others.

The pact is designed to build a collective deterrence capability against external aggression and strengthen military-technical cooperation across all domains.

Reacting to the Mecca joint security and defense pact, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Friday, said Iran’s armed forces had shown their “readiness, capability, and might” against “the world’s most expensive military.”

“When Muslims stand together, we can face every challenge by malicious outsiders head-on,” Araghchi said in a post on X, adding: “Time to rely only on ourselves and embrace true brotherhood.”

Tehran Rejects Washington's Claims on Strait of Hormuz Re-opening

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The Islamic Republic of Iran has rejected the US Treasury Sec. Bessent's and Donald Trump's claims that the Strait of Hormuz will open tomorrow (Wednesday 5th August 2026) under a new deal

Tehran affirmed that the Iran-Oman Hormuz negotiations, held without US participation, are instead aimed at establishing an "intermediate corridor" that will halt both the current Iran-controlled northern and US-backed southern routes, giving Iran as a coastal state fully protected sovereignty, interests, and national security, Press TV reported.

 "Trump has violated his commitments, and Iran is moving forward with its plan to establish arrangements in the Strait independently of US threats, and it will succeed." 

 "Iran does not shape its interests and priorities based on schedule or demands of Trump."

The agreement with Oman would grant Iran total sovereign authority over all inbound maritime traffic, with Oman's limited role being to clear outbound vessels but only after notifying Iranian officials, ensuring Iran retains visibility and the option to intervene

American President Donald Trump sets a new deadline, giving Iran until the end of today to finalize a Strait of Hormuz agreement with Oman or face "devastating air strikes," per Bloomberg.

Trump adds "I want to give them every last chance before decapitation... You'll find out today."

The agreement with Oman however would not be something that Trump wants, a senior Iranian official tells reporters it would grant Iran total sovereign authority over all inbound maritime traffic, and Oman would clear outbound vessels only after notifying Iranian officials, ensuring Iran retains visibility and the option to intervene.

An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday talks with Oman over transit in the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing, according to state media

"Talks with Oman are “positive” at the technical and political levels", the spokesperson says

Talks are focused on designating safe inbound and outbound lanes in the strait, he added

Iran's Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile

As per the U.S. blockade against Iran.  American forces claimed they have redirected 45 commercial vessels, disabled 2 and boarded 2 to ensure compliance.

Tehran sources indicated that Iran's Armed Forces may soon Deploy their significant Anti-Ship Ballistic Missile arsenal against US Warships to Break the Naval Blockade.

These Iranian Missiles have not yet been Used in the current War.

All options to compelling Iran to American and Israeli terms in the needless aggression have failed to yield any positive results.