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Osun Crisis: NASS Caucus Urges Tinubu to Restore Order, Condemns APC Takeover of LGs

By Gloria Ikibah
The Osun State Caucus in the 10th National Assembly has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the escalating political crisis in the state.
The caucus also urged the President to direct the National Security Adviser and Inspector General of Police to restore peace immediately.
Naijablitznews.com reports that crisis which started on Monday 17th February, stems from conflicting interpretations of a Court of Appeal judgment regarding the sacking of elected local government chairmen in the state.
The court nullified an earlier judgment that sacked the chairmen but did not order their reinstatement. Despite this, the ousted officials, backed by the APC, forcefully reclaimed council offices, sparking violence across the state.
Speaking on behalf of the caucus at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Rep. Bamidele Salam, member representing Ede North/Ede South/Egbedore/Ejigbo federal constituency in the House, accused the APC of using thugs and security agents to seize local government offices illegally. He warned that the situation could spiral into full-scale violence if not addressed swiftly.
He urged the President to advise the APC leadership in Osun to abandon what he termed “an illegal and futile mission”.
Salam argued that the ruling did not grant the APC-backed officials any legal right to reclaim their offices.
“Aside from the Appeal Court decision nullifying the High Court judgment in the PDP’s case, the appellate court also dismissed a similar suit filed by the APC concerning the Action Peoples Party. The APC had abandoned the case, and as such, no ruling was given in their favor,” he said.
Despite this, he alleged that the former council chairmen, whose election was previously nullified, had forcefully reoccupied the councils.
According to him, this move, rather than being legally justified, was a desperate attempt to take control of the councils even though the APC has already chosen to participate in fresh local government elections scheduled for February 22, 2025.
The caucus further alleged that the forceful takeover of the local government secretariats had led to violent clashes across the state.
“PDP members and local government workers in several councils—including Isokan, Boripe, Boluwaduro, Ayedaade, and Ilesa—were reportedly attacked, with security agents allegedly aiding some of the aggressors”, he added.
Salam expressed concern that the situation could escalate into full-blown anarchy, as law and order had already begun to break down in various parts of the state.
“What we are seeing now is a direct invitation to chaos. Political thugs, emboldened by certain forces, are attempting to take the law into their own hands, and if this is not curtailed immediately, Osun State will descend into crisis,.
“Reports indicate that on Monday, several people were injured in different local government areas as clashes erupted between APC and PDP supporters. The affected councils include Ayedaade, Boripe, Osogbo, Olorunda, Ila, Isokan, Irewole, Obokun, and Atakumosa” he added.
The caucus also alleged that at Boripe Local Government, PDP members holding a meeting were attacked by a group that included armed policemen and political thugs.
“At Boluwaduro Local Government, a notorious thug known for his allegiance to the APC allegedly led assaults on PDP members, shooting sporadically across major towns in the area,” Salam said.
He further alleged that at Ayedaade Local Government, an APC-affiliated group shot a PDP member dead, leaving several others wounded.
At Ilesa East, he said that PDP supporters were attacked with machetes in a brutal attempt to seize control of the local government secretariat.
The caucus alleged the complicity of security agencies in the forceful takeover of local government offices. Salam accused security personnel of taking sides in the political crisis, enabling the violent invasion of council offices.
“There is clear evidence that these illegal activities are being carried out with the support of some security personnel.
“Despite a subsisting court judgment affirming their removal, these officials, aided by thugs, have been allowed to return to office unlawfully. The role of security agencies in this unlawful occupation raises serious questions about their neutrality and commitment to upholding law and order,” he said.
Salam alleged that the Minister of Blue and Marine Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of masterminding the takeover of the local government secretariats across the state in connivance with security agencies.
The caucus reaffirmed its support for the Osun State Government, which is led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, stating that the ongoing local government election process should be allowed to proceed without unlawful interference.
The caucus maintained that the removal of the previous council chairmen was legally justified, as their election was conducted in violation of the 2022 Electoral Act.
“It is baffling that the same APC which has purchased forms, conducted primaries, and actively campaigned for the upcoming local government elections is now attempting to forcefully reinstate its sacked officials. This contradiction underscores the lawlessness of their actions,” Salam said.
“We want to make it clear that as representatives of the people, we stand firmly by the Osun State Government in defense of democracy and the rule of law,” he said.
Members of the Osun caucus include Sen. Akogun Olalere Oyewumi (Deputy Senate Minority Leader), Sen. Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi, Sen. Olubiyi Fadeyi Ajagunnla, Bamidele Salam (Osun House of Reps Caucus Leader), Busayo Oluwole Oke, Taofeek Abimbola Ajilesoro, Clement Akanni Olohunwa, Soji Adetunji, Adebayo Morufu Adewale, Mudashiru Lukman, Lanre Oladebo and Sanya Omirin.
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Just in: Popular Nigerian billionaire, E-Money nabbed by EFCC

Naijablitznews reports that popular billionaire Emeka Daniel Okonkwo otherwise known as E-Money has been nabbed in Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over alleged Naira abuse.
E-Money, who is the CEO of Emmy Cargoes Nigeria Limited and Five Star Music, was arrested in Lagos State for alleged abuse of the naira.
He is being investigated for allegedly spraying both Naira and US dollars at a party in Lagos in violation of Nigeria’s currency laws.
As at the time of filing this report the anti-graft agency has yet to issue an official statement regarding his arrest.
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Bitcoin firms push toward global currency shift as govts signal support

By Francesca Hangeior
Bitcoin-focused investment firms are stepping into the spotlight as key players in a growing global movement toward the widespread adoption of cryptocurrency as a reserve asset.
Industry leaders and market analysts suggest that this shift—commonly referred to as “hyperbitcoinization”—could eventually displace traditional fiat currencies and redefine global financial systems.
Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream and the inventor of Hashcash, believes that firms holding Bitcoin in their treasuries are strategically positioning themselves ahead of this potential transformation. “
Companies like Strategy are taking advantage of the gap between Bitcoin’s future potential and the current state of fiat money,” Back said.
He described the practice as a “logical and sustainable arbitrage” scalable enough to support large corporations transitioning their treasuries to Bitcoin.
One of the frontrunners in this strategy is Strategy, whose Bitcoin holdings have already generated over $5.1 billion in profit since the beginning of 2025, according to co-founder Michael Saylor.
The firm’s bullish stance on Bitcoin has been instrumental in legitimizing corporate treasury allocations into digital assets.
Across the globe, Asia is also seeing a surge in institutional Bitcoin adoption. Metaplanet, often referred to as “Asia’s MicroStrategy,” recently surpassed 5,000 BTC in holdings and aims to acquire 21,000 BTC by 2026.
These moves illustrate the expanding geographical spread of institutional confidence in Bitcoin’s long-term viability.
At the regulatory level, the climate in the United States is becoming more favorable. The Federal Reserve recently reversed its 2022 guidance that had discouraged banks from engaging with cryptocurrencies. Michael Saylor welcomed the development, stating that U.S. banks “can now begin openly supporting Bitcoin without regulatory concerns.”
In an even more significant move, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a national Bitcoin reserve using BTC seized in criminal investigations. The initiative marks a historic moment in the relationship between government and cryptocurrency, signaling a new era of state-backed digital asset reserves.
Bitcoin’s price growth is also outpacing inflation rates, bolstering the argument for its superiority over fiat currencies.
“Bitcoin’s price has been growing faster than traditional fiat currencies over four-year periods,” Back noted, emphasizing Bitcoin’s fixed supply and inflation resistance as core attributes driving its adoption.
As investment firms, multinational corporations, and now governments increasingly turn to Bitcoin, momentum is building for a future where Bitcoin could serve as a dominant global reserve currency.
With market experts projecting Bitcoin’s market cap could one day exceed $200 trillion, the financial world may be on the cusp of a historic transformation.
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Human rights attacks accelerated by Trump second term, says Amnesty

By Francesca Hangeior
The global system of law and human rights is under threat from a “multiplicity of assaults” which have accelerated since US President Donald Trump’s return to power, Amnesty International said Tuesday in its annual report.
“Unprecedented forces are hunting down the ideals of human rights for all, seeking to destroy an international system forged in the blood and grief of World War Two and its Holocaust,” said the rights group’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard.
The lives of millions of people had been “devastated” in 2024 as a result of conflicts and abuses committed in the Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine and Afghanistan where women’s freedoms continue to be curtailed.
The report singled out some of the world’s biggest powers such as the US, Russia and China for “undermining” the achievements of international law, as well as the fight against poverty and discrimination.
While these “reckless and punishing offensives” had been underway for several years, according to Amnesty, Trump had served as a “super-accelerator” of those trends.
The new administration has frozen US international aid and reduced its funding to several UN organisations.
The start of Trump’s second term had been marked by a “multiplicity of assaults — against human rights accountability, against international law, and against the UN”, Callamard said, calling for “concerted resistance”.
“While international justice mechanisms have taken important steps towards accountability in some cases, powerful governments have repeatedly blocked attempts to take meaningful action to end atrocities,” Amnesty said.
In particular, it took aim at countries that had challenged decisions by the International Court of Justice in The Hague against Israel, following a complaint of “genocide” against the Palestinians in Gaza filed by South Africa.
Others, like Hungary, were criticised for refusing to enforce arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court against several Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The year would be remembered for how “Israel’s military occupation grew ever more brazen and deadly” and how “the USA, Germany and a handful of other European states supported Israel”, the report added.
Amnesty accused Israel of committing a “live-streamed genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza by forcibly displacing most of the population and deliberately creating a humanitarian catastrophe.
It said Israel had acted with “specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza, thus committing genocide”. Israel has repeatedly denied such charges.
The war in Gaza began on October 7, 2023 with an unprecedented attack on Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza resulting in the deaths of 1,218 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP report based on official Israeli data.
Hamas also kidnapped 251 people, 58 of whom remain in the hands of the Islamist group, although the Israeli military says 34 are dead.
In response, Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas and is conducting a military offensive that has left more than 52,000 dead, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
In December, Amnesty condemned the ongoing “genocide” in Gaza, an accusation since echoed by other NGOs such as HRW and Doctors Without Borders, but strongly rejected by Israel.
Amnesty also highlighted the suffering in Sudan from famine and a conflict between the regular army and the RSF paramilitaries.
The conflict had led to the “largest forced displacement crisis in the world” today, uprooting some 12 million people but had been met with “near-complete global indifference”, Amnesty said.
On another front, the rights body said violence and discrimination against women had “soared” in 2024, both in conflicts, such as in Sudan, and in Afghanistan.
Women in the south Asian country are subject to draconian legislation restricting their freedoms under the Taliban.
Finally, the report highlighted an “urgent need” for governments to do more to regulate AI technologies to safeguard human rights.
It warned also that a growing number of governments were abusing spyware and other surveillance tools against opponents.
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