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President Bola Tinubu has conferred national honours on seasoned journalists, Lad Bonuola, Louis Odion, Delete Alake and other Nigerians who played important roles in the country’s fight for democracy.

Tinubu announced the honours on Friday as part of the Democracy Day events.

The President said that June 12 remains a key moment in Nigeria’s path to democracy.

“June 12 occupies a sacred place in our national memory. It represents more than an election; it is a defining chapter in our story,” Tinubu said.

He said Nigerians who benefited from the sacrifices of pro-democracy activists had a duty to protect and deepen democratic institutions.

“As beneficiaries of their struggle, we have a duty to strengthen and deepen the democratic institutions for which they fought. The greatest tribute we can pay is to build a Nigeria where freedom is protected, justice is upheld, opportunity is expanded, and government is accountable,” he added.

Tinubu said the June 12, 1993, election revealed the possibility of a truly united Nigerian nation.

According to him, while the heroes of June 12 secured political freedom, the current generation must work to secure economic freedom.

The President said, “June 12, 1993, revealed the possibility of a true Nigerian nation. The heroes of June 12 secured political freedom. Our challenge is to secure economic freedom.

“Democracy must be felt in the quality of people’s lives, in opportunities for youth, in prosperous farmers, successful entrepreneurs, and the dignity of our workers.

“Every generation has a defining responsibility. The generation of our founding fathers secured independence—the generation of June 12 secured democracy. Our generation must secure prosperity.”

Tinubu said the honourees endured hardship and personal sacrifice in the struggle to restore democracy.

The President said the awardees “suffered persecution, endured indignities, exile, incarceration, and, at times, solitary confinement, so that we have democracy today.”

SEE FULL LIST

Barrister Ayoka Lawani

Tunde Fagbenle

Oladele Alake

Olatunji Bello

Louis Odion

Segun Babatope

Sam Omatseye

Sir Ademola Osinubi

Bola Bolawole

Lade Bonuola

Femi Kusa

Debo Adeniran

Chief Ayo Opadokun

Chief Ralph Obiora

Ose Osayande

Barrister Osa Director

Prof. Sylvester Odion-Akhaine

Dr Arthur Nwankwo (Posthumous)

Dr Osagie Obayuwana

Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin

Barrister Titus Mann

Joe Igbokwe

Richard Akinnola

Ben Charles-Obi (Posthumous)

George Mbah

Dr Niran Malaolu

Major-General Ishola Williams (rtd)

Femi Aborisade

Jenkins Alumona

Gbemiga Ogunleye

Muyiwa Adekeye

Babajide Kolade-Otitoju

Ike Okonta

SOLDIER-DEMOCRATS

Major General MA Garba

Brigadier General Lawal Jaafaru Isa

Col Umar Farouk Ahmed

Col Sambo Dasuki

Col Lawan Gwadabe

Brigadier Jonathan Ndam Temlong

Col Musa Shehu

Major General Chris Eze

Major General Harris Dzarma

Col Isa Jibrin

Maj. General Joseph Oshanupin

Col Olusegun Oloruntoba, Olugbede of Gbede Kingdom)

Lieutenant Colonel Happy Kefas Bulus

Col J Okai

Col Emmanuel Ndubueze

Lt Col Yakubu Muazu

Brigadier Yahaya Abubakar, the Current Etsu Nupe, who is already the holder of the CFR title.

The president said the full honours list will be released in the “next few days”.

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A Delta State High Court sitting in Asaba has remanded four suspected members of a gun-running syndicate over alleged unlawful possession of firearms and involvement in cult activities.

The suspects — Emmanuel Chukwuemeka, Clifford Boleyelefa, Amadi Princewill, and Amadi Felix Chibuike — were arraigned on a five-count charge following investigations by the Delta State Police Command.

They were alleged to be linked to the recovery of a Beretta pistol at a transport park in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of the state.

The defendants were charged with offences including unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition under the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provisions) Act and the Firearms Act. They were also accused of conspiracy to belong to an unlawful society and membership of the proscribed Black Axe Confraternity under Delta State laws.

According to court filings, the offences include possession of a fabricated Beretta pistol, possession of four rounds of 9mm live ammunition, conspiracy to belong to an unlawful society, and membership of a proscribed group.

The suspects were reportedly arrested during separate intelligence-led operations carried out in Bayelsa and Imo States.

After their arraignment, the court ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody pending further hearing of the case.

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No fewer than 258 Nigerians yesterday touched down at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, from South Africa.

The returnees, comprising males, females and minors, were brought back to the country aboard Air Peace’s chartered flight.
The aircraft, a Boeing 777, touched down at the airport around 10:30 a.m.

The returnees were welcomed into the country by the Director General of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and other officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The returnees left South Africa following the spate of violence, which had engulfed the country in the last few months.

Some South Africans launched violent attacks against foreigners, accusing them of taking over their jobs.

On arrival in Nigeria, the returnees underwent some card registration, immigration processes and other checks.

Each returnee will receive free N50,000 airtime from MTN and N100,000 from the Federal Government, alongside other offers from state governments and other non-governmental organisations.

MEANWHILE, ‎South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs, in a statement issued yesterday, disclosed that the first repatriation flight departed on June 11 with 268 Nigerians, while a second flight transporting the remaining individuals had been scheduled for June 15.
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‎According to the department, all those processed for repatriation were issued Emergency Travel Documents by the Nigerian High Commission, which facilitated their departure from South Africa and return to Nigeria.
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‎The department said the repatriations were carried out in accordance with South Africa’s Immigration Act, adding that all affected individuals had been declared undesirable persons and would be barred from re-entering the country for a period of five years.
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It also acknowledged the cooperation of the Nigerian High Commission throughout the documentation and repatriation exercise.
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Commenting on the operation, South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the government remained committed to enforcing immigration laws and strengthening border management.
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The minister also linked the government’s immigration enforcement efforts to ongoing reforms aimed at modernising identity and border management systems. He cited the expansion of the Electronic Travel Authorisation programme, the replacement of the Green ID Book with Smart ID cards, and the planned introduction of a Digital Identity system as measures designed to improve the country’s ability to monitor and enforce immigration regulations.

Schreiber urged members of the public to refrain from taking the law into their hands, stressing that immigration enforcement should be conducted through lawful processes and established institutions.

BUT ‎Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Temitope Ajayi, challenged claims that the 258 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa were undocumented migrants, insisting that many of them became caught in administrative delays within the South African immigration system.
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‎Speaking during the formal handover of the returnees to Nigerian authorities yesterday at the airport, Ajayi described reports portraying all the evacuees as undocumented as “false and misleading,” arguing that several of the returnees had long-standing applications for permit renewals that remained unprocessed by South African authorities.

NIGERIANS in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) welcomed returnees, stating that the return was on the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who approved and fully funded the Air Peace evacuation flight.

Speaking at the reception, the Chairman/CEO of NIDCOM commended President Tinubu’s swift intervention and the collaborative efforts of all agencies.

The NIDCOM chairman further announced that Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State had approved N1,000,000 for each Imo State indigene among the returnees; MTN Nigeria donated N100,000 per returnee, to be transferred to their accounts, while NIMC would fast-track the issuance of National Identity Numbers (NIN) to all evacuees.
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