The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended ongoing re-run elections in some constituencies and polling units (PUs) due to disruptions and irregularities. Mr Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said this on Saturday amidst the ongoing process in 26 states and 80 local governments across the affected states. He listed the affected areas as Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State, saying suspension of elections in two units (Village Hall, EdemUrua 003 in Ini LGA and Village Hall Mbiabong Ikot Udo 003 in Ikono LGA) where all election materials were carted away by hoodlums. In Enugu State, the exercise was suspended in all eight PUs of Enugu South 1 State Constituency where the original results sheets were not available for inspection by voters before the commencement of polls. Equally in Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency, Kano State in all 10 PUs in Kunchi LGA due to invasion, vandalization, and disruption by thugs. “The decision of the commission aligns with the provisions of Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022. Further necessary measures for the affected constituencies will be announced after the Commission’s meeting on Monday. “INEC invites the security agencies to investigate the incidents, while the Commission commits to thoroughly interrogating any breaches involving its officials,” Olumekun said.

  At least four policemen were killed and cache of ammunition carted away when suspected fighters of Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) attacked a police station in Nganzai Local Government Area of Borno State. ISWAP fighters reportedly stormed the police station at Gajiram town, Nganzai LGA and opened fire on the policemen on duty. According to security sources, the invaders partially torched the station during the incident which happened late Friday. ”There was confusion in our town last night. The ISWAP fighters attacked the police station in Gajiram. They outnumbered and overpowered the policemen on duty.” “We found four dead bodies of the police who lost their lives early this morning, Some policemen are yet to return as we speak,” a vigilante source said. A top security source said the invaders had left the scene before the military reinforcement arrived.   “Yes, when we got the report, our troop mobilized and moved to the scene, but unfortunately the invaders had ran away,” the source said. As of filling this report, the police are yet to issues statement on the incident. Borno has come under multiple attacks from insurgents.

  Senegalese President Macky Sall on Saturday announced the indefinite postponement of the presidential election scheduled for February 25, just hours before official campaigning was due to start. In an address to the nation, Sall said he signed a decree abolishing a previous measure that set the date as lawmakers investigate two Constitutional Council judges whose integrity in the election process has been questioned. “I will begin an open national dialogue to bring together the conditions for a free, transparent and inclusive election,” Sall added without giving a new date. It is the first time a Senegalese presidential election has been postponed. A November 2023 decree signed by Sall fixed the election for February 25, with 20 candidates in the running but without two major opposition figures. Sall had repeatedly said he would hand over power in early April to the winner of the vote. After announcing he would not run for a third term as president, Sall designated Prime Minister Amadou Ba from his party as his would-be successor. The Constitutional Council has excluded dozens of candidates from the vote, including firebrand anti-system figurehead Ousmane Sonko and Karim Wade, son of former president Abdoulaye Wade. AFP

  The Federal Government has denied the media report that it plans to convert the $30 billion in depositors’ domiciliary accounts to Naira. A newspaper (not Vanguard) had reported this morning that the Federal Government had concluded plans to convert foreign exchange in domiciliary accounts in it efforts to provide more foreign exchange and save the Naira from further depreciation.   But the CBN has refutted the reports as ‘fake news’ on its official X page, saying, “No plans to convert $30bn domiciliary deposits to naira. This news is fake!” The Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr. Wale Edun also added his voice that the federal government had no such intention. According to the minister, “There is no iota of truth in reports that the Federal Government plans to convert foreign exchange in depositors’ domiciliary accounts to naira “The publication of such falsehood at a time when the government is working to restore economic stability and confidence in the national currency is tantamount to economic sabotage. “This report violates the standards of responsible journalism and it is a breach which will no doubt be taken up by the appropriate authorities in due course. “For the avoidance of doubt, I emphasize that depositors’ foreign currency in their domiciliary accounts will not be converted to naira.”

  An Indiana commercial court has issued an order temporarily restraining the Anglican Diocese, Church of Nigeria from dissolving the Anglican Diocese of the Trinity, Inc. (ADOTT). ADOTT is a member of Church of Nigeria North American Mission (CONNAM), a missionary initiative of the Church of Nigeria. It is also a full-fledged ecclesiastical unit that operates primarily as a missionary, evangelical and church planting movement, with more than 80 parishes spread across the U.S. and Canada. Olukayode Adebogun (Bishop Kay), current bishop of ADOTT; Nathan Kanu (Bishop Kanu), coordinating bishop of CONNAM; and Henry C. Ndukuba, primate of the church of Nigeria; are the defendants in the suit marked 49D01-2401-PL-003210. According to the plaintiff, the Church of Nigeria’s legislative body passed a resolution in September 2023, to dissolve ADOTT on February 2, 2024. They claimed that ADOTT’s board of trustees was not given advance notice of this resolution and did not participate in the vote. They further revered that there is no provision in ADOTT’s constitution which allows the Church of Nigeria to dissolve the Diocese of Trinity. The plaintiff also claimed that after the Church of Nigeria’s resolution was announced, ADOTT was subjected to spiritual and economic harms. The plaintiff added that ADOTT’s clergy and membership have split, causing divisions within the diocese and harming its finances and resources. Consequently, ADOTT’s board of trustees met on January 11, 2024, and voted to oppose any attempt at dissolution, including pursuing the present legal action. Although the defendants were notified about the suit, they did not file any motion or brief in response to the case. COURT RULING Delivering ruling on the application on Thursday, Heather A. Welch, presiding judge, held that “ADOTT has demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law’. “Since September of 2023, at which point the Church of Nigeria’s legislative body passed a resolution to dissolve ADOTT by February 2, 2024, conflict has developed within ADOTT, and division has begun,” the judge said. “ADOTT has lost members and clergy, causing harm to the goodwill it has created and grown since its inception in 2011. ADOTT also faces risks to its finances and resources in light of the potential dissolution. “Further, ADOTT has suffered spiritual harm which cannot be compensated by damages. Thus, the court finds that ADOTT has demonstrated that it will suffer irreparable harm for which there is no adequate remedy at law. “Accordingly, plaintiff’s motion for temporary restraining order is granted.” BISHOP OF ADOTT SUSPENDED Meanwhile, the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion has suspended Adebogun from his role as bishop of ADOTT. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Korede Akintunde, spokesperson of the church, said Adebogun was suspended over his “conduct and willful disobedience to the authority of the primate generally, and the general synod of the Church of Nigeria”. The suspension was approved by Ndukuba, the primate.

  The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) says troops of the Nigerian Army have killed 185 suspected terrorists within seven days. In a statement on Friday, Edward Buba, director of media operations at the DHQ, said the troops also arrested 212 suspected criminals in various operations across the country. According to Buba, 224 assorted weapons and 2,337 ammunition were recovered during the operations. He said the weapons recovered include 113 AK47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one PKT gun, 44 locally fabricated guns, 1,382 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 74 rounds of 9mm ammo, 23 K2 rounds ammo and 111 live cartridges. “Others include 5,410 empty cases of 7.62mm special, six empty cases of cartridges, two magazines loaded with 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 21 magazines, one pistol magazine, two bandoliers, two vehicles, 22 motorcycles, 47 mobile phones, 11 HH radios and the sum of N2.3 million amongst other items,” NAN quoted Buba as saying. In the north-east, Buba said troops of Operation Hadin Kai killed 45 terrorists, arrested eight Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters, rescued 18 hostages and recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition. He added that 133 terrorists comprising four adult males, 48 adult females and 81 children surrendered to troops between January 24 and 28 within the theatres of operations. In the north-central, the DHQ spokesperson said troops of Operation Safe Haven also killed 17 insurgents, arrested 64 violent extremists in Mangu and Bassa LGAs of Plateau and rescued three abducted persons. He said troops of Operation Whirl Stroke killed seven insurgents, arrested three violent extremists and recovered various categories of arms and ammunition in Benue state. In the north-east, Buba said troops of Operation Hadarin Daji killed 65 insurgents, arrested 18 criminals and rescued 39 kidnapped hostages. He further said troops of Operation Whirl Punch during operations in Niger, Kogi and the federal capital territory (FCT) arrested 30 criminals and rescued two kidnapped hostages. Buba said troops of Operation Delta Safe in the south-south, destroyed 51 illegal refining sites. In the south-east, Buba said the troops of Operation UDO KA killed 18 insurgents, arrested 36 criminals and rescued eight hostages. He said troops of Operation AWATSE in the south-west arrested 12 suspected armed robbers and cultists in Ikorodu and Ijebu Igbo LGAs of Lagos and Ogun states. “The military understands the true extent of the threat that we are facing, and it is winning the war. Countering insurgency is not a sprint but rather a marathon,” Buba added. “Accordingly, troops are taking the fight to the terrorists and making strides each passing day. Much has been done, and much more is still being done to achieve peace and security across the country.”

  Construction workers in the country have declared a three-day warning strike from February 5 over their employers’ non-implementation of wage awards. On October 1, 2023, President Bola Tinubu approved N35,000 as the provisional wage increment for all treasury-paid workers for six months. The provisional wage was meant to be paid to workers for six months to ameliorate the hardship caused by the petrol subsidy removal. The wage was put in place to avert a nationwide strike by organised labour last year. However, the workers under the aegis of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW) and the Construction and Civil Engineering Senior Staff Association (CCESSA), announced the ultimatum in a joint statement issued on Friday. The statement was jointly signed by Ibrahim Walama, NUCECFWW general secretary, and Tony Egbule, acting general secretary of CCESSA. According to the statement, the decision to embark on the strike was reached at the joint national executive council (NEC) meeting of both associations held on January 25. The associations said their employers had refused to discuss with them the implementation of the wage award agreed between the federal government and organised labour. “The Joint NEC of both unions has directed all members (NUCECFWW/CCESSA) to proceed on three-day warning strike starting from Monday, February 5, 2024, in the first instance to press home our demand,” the statement reads. “Consequent upon the above, all members across board are advised to ensure total compliance.” The associations also urged officials and members of both unions to “constantly check the relevant platforms of NUCECFWW and CCESSA for necessary information and further directives”. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, minister of state for labour and employment, had reportedly called for a meeting between the workers and their employers. But the minister reportedly said the workers did not send representatives to attend the meeting.