News
Benue bandits shunned govt’s olive branch, says Alia
By Francesca Hangeior.
Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has reported that local bandits terrorising the Sankera axis of the state have rejected measures put in place to rehabilitate them.
The governor made this statement on Sunday in Makurdi while reviewing the activities of bandits in Ukum, Katsina-Ala, and Logo LGAs, which constitute the Sankera axis.
The Sankera axis has remained a flashpoint of criminality over the years, and the killing of their kingpin, Terwase Akwaza, aka Gana, by the military in 2020 worsened the security situation in the axis as his former associates split into rival groups.
The state Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Matthew Abo, told our correspondent that the bandits had turned down all entreaties to hold peace meetings with the government.
The bandits had accused the state government of betrayal for not fulfilling its promises to grant them amnesty.
Speaking on the issue, the governor said that his administration had extended an olive branch to the bandits, but they rejected it.
He said, “During my campaign, I told every faceless group in all the zones creating instability in the state to sheathe their swords. A new government is coming to liberate them and get them out of the bush. They should stop killing their very siblings, and that is what I have been trying to do.
“I offered to sponsor those who wished to go to school, to help them recreate their lives, and for those inclined towards trades, I offered skills training to help them earn a living. We would fund their establishment after acquiring the skills.
“All these measures were to enable them to come out of the bushes and stop destabilising the LGAs and killing their people.”
The governor regretted that some bandits who had accepted the offer and planned to leave the bushes were killed by rival groups in the guise of superiority.
“Unfortunately, those who were inclined to come out were attacked and caught in fights for superiority within the bushes,” he added.
Alia also accused some politicians of sponsoring the bandits, which he said had complicated the instability on the axis.
“For many years, there have been skirmishes and instability in the Ukum area, and most of this instability is not from outsiders. It’s the homegrown bandits who are killing their people and preventing them from going to the farm.
“The so-called Abuja politicians are the ones sponsoring and supporting these bandits.”
The governor, however, said that his administration would not relent in talking to the bandits to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign in the area.
“We cannot stop talking to them. I have extended numerous olive branches to them,” the governor concluded.
News
18 States Move To Block Trump’s Order Ending Birthright Citizenship For Immigrant Children In US
A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday to block President Trump’s executive order aimed at eliminating birthright citizenship.
Shortly after taking office on Monday, Trump used presidential powers to initiate his long-promised immigration crackdown. His executive actions included an order directing the federal government to stop issuing passports, citizenship certificates, and other documents to many children born in the U.S. whose mothers are in the country illegally or whose parents are not legal permanent residents.
According to CBS News, the lawsuit, filed by 18 states in federal court in Massachusetts, argues that Mr. Trump’s initiative violates the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which has long been interpreted by the federal government to grant citizenship to those born on American soil.
The cities of San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have also joined the suit.
The 14th Amendment says: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.”
“The great promise of our nation is that everyone born here is a citizen of the United States, able to achieve the American dream,” New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement to CBS News.
“This fundamental right to birthright citizenship, rooted in the 14th Amendment and born from the ashes of slavery, is a cornerstone of our nation’s commitment to justice.”
The lawsuit seeks a preliminary injunction to stop the enforcement of the executive order and ultimately aims to have it invalidated.
The states participating in the suit include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wisconsin.
“The President’s executive order attempting to rescind birthright citizenship is blatantly unconstitutional and quite frankly, un-American,” California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement.
The states are asking the court to immediately block the order from taking effect.
Mr. Trump directed that his order should be enforced in 30 days.
In a historic attempt to decolonise the country’s judiciary, President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso has formally banned judges from wearing wigs from the British and French colonial eras.
President Traoré emphasised in his announcement the importance of eschewing colonial-era traditions and implementing customs that respect Burkina Faso’s cultural identity.
The action is in line with his larger plan to fortify national identity and declare the nation’s autonomy from outside influences. The colonial wigs, which have traditionally stood for outside authority in African legal systems, are gradually being abandoned.
Covenant University (CU) has again been listed as Nigeria’s overall best university in Times Higher Education (THE) 2025 Rankings.
In the 2025 rankings, the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria came second, displacing the University of Ibadan which occupied the position for the 2024 ccrankings.
The Times Higher Education World Rankings is a comprehensive global ranking of universities published annually.
The 2025 rankings THE said it ranked more than 2,000 institutions from 115 countries and territories.
Globally, Oxford holds on to the top spot for the ninth consecutive year, bolstered by significant improvements in industry engagement and teaching. MIT rises to second place, overtaking Stanford, which drops to sixth.
The ratings were done based on 18 carefully calibrated performance indicators that measure an institution’s performance across five areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
University of Oxford
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Harvard University
Princeton University
University of Cambridge
Stanford University
California Institute of Technology
University of California, Berkeley
Imperial College London
Yale University
Top ranked Nigerian universities
1. Covenant University
2. Ahmadu Bello University
3. Landmark University
4. University of Ibadan
5. University of Lagos
6. Bayero University
7. Federal University of Technology Akure
8. Federal University of Technology, Minna
9. University of Benin
10. University of Ilorin
11. University of Nigeria Nsukka
12. Ekiti State University
13. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
14. Federal University of Technology, Owerri
15. Federal University Oye-Ekiti
16. Ladoke Akintola University of Technology
17. Lagos State University
18. Nnamdi Azikiwe University
19. Obafemi Awolowo University
20. University of Port Harcourt
21. Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
22. Abia State University
23. Akwa Ibom State University
24. Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike
25. Ambrose Alli University
26. Baze University
27. Bells University of Technology
28. Benson Idahosa University
29. Bowen University
30. Delta State University, Abraka
31. Evangel University, Akaeze
32. Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
33. Godfrey Okoye University
34. Lagos State University of Education
35. Lagos State University of Science and Technology
36. Nasarawa State University, Keffi
37. Niger Delta University
38. Nile University of Nigeria
39. Osun State University
40. Rivers State University
41. Thomas Adewumi University
42. University of Cross River State
43. University of Maiduguri
44. Veritas University, Abuja
18 States Move To Block Trump’s Order Ending Birthright Citizenship For Immigrant Children In US
Burkina Faso outlaws colonial-era judicial wigs to embrace cultural identity
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