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By Our Correspondent

An Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Igbo Union Ndi Igbo worldwide, has praised Senate President, Senator Goodwill Akpabio and his wife Dr. Mrs. Unoma Ekaite Akpabio, for their untiring support to Igbo people and everything concerning Igbo as a nation.

The group said that the couple had remained a formidable support to Igbo cause, describing them as great assets to the progress of Igbo in Nigeria.

The group stand was contained in press statement signed by Ndi Prince Elias Odoemena, the National Convener of the group and made available to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

The statement described Senator Akpabio’s marriage to an illustrous daughter of Igbo land from Enugu as a continued blessing to the Ndigbo, and a pivotal of developmental monuments being cited in Igbo land as a whole.

The group added that Akpabio’s marriage to Unoma is not a curse but a divine blessing that has transmitted to monumental open doors to the Igbo as a whole, describing Senator Akpabio as son-law well loved in the entire Igbo land, who is more than ordinary son-law.

“He has become a bonafide Igbo man not only by his marriage to our daughter and sister, Unoma, but for the uncountable dividends of democracy he has brought to Igbo land, right from his days as governor of Akwa Ibom State to his present position as number three man in Nigeria. Akpabio has exhibited statefastness, loyalty and love to our people,” he said.

According to the statement “Senator Akpabio has continued to use any avenue available to him to cement the relationship between Igbos and their brothers and sisters from the old Eastern region, by building bridges across the people’s of South South and South-east both politically and economically.”

Igbo Union Nzuko Ndi enumerated some of things Senator Akpabio has done to build friendship, brotherhood and trust amongst the two neighbouring zones in the two country: “Governor Senator Akpabio constructed more than 500 metres Nkana bridge that connects Abia State and Akwa Ibom State. Akpabio built a worship centre, constructed roads in Igbo land and gave and facilitated employments for many sons and daughters of Igbo land.

“This act of kindness to the Igbos has made Senator Akpabio and his wife, our daughter, to be exceptionally loved, respected and reverenced in all communities in Igbo land, as a great in-law of exceptional quality and carriage that has the interest of anything Igbo at their hearts.

The Igbo group said they are all together surprised of Akpabio’s exceptional benovelence to Ndigbo, know his anticidents as a governor in Akwaibom down to this period he now occupies the exholted office of Senate President.

” We in Igbo land are not surprised.We are have being following the activities of the great couple right from their days as the first couple of Akwaibom State. What he implanted in the state, still stand as a reference points to all the in-coming governors in the state.
From roads infrastructure to schools, hospitals, sports facilities etc, Akpabio stood out amongst the governors of his era,” the statement added.

The group said in appreciation for all the good works the couple has been doing in Igbo land, Igbos are ready to honour Sen. Akpabio’s wife, Dr. Mrs. Unoma Ekaite Akpabio soon for her constant reach and support for any thing that concerns Igbo people, describing their act towards her as paying back with love that she has so much extended to her people through her beloved husband.

By Our Correspondent

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has officially declared the Ondo South Senatorial seat vacant following Senator Jimoh Ibrahim’s appointment as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, UN.

Ibrahim was last week accredited as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative in New York after presenting his Letter of Credence to UN Secretary‑General, António Guterres.

Announcing the vacancy during Tuesday’s plenary, Akpabio said it takes immediate effect in line with constitutional provisions.

He directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to conduct a by‑election to fill the seat within the next 30 days.

Under the 1999 Constitution, as amended, the Senate is required to notify INEC of any vacancy in its membership to initiate a fresh election.

Senator Ibrahim, a businessman and politician, represented Ondo South Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC before his diplomatic appointment.

His presentation of the letter of credence marks the official start of Ibrahim’s duties as Nigeria’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.

During the ceremony, Ibrahim conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s goodwill, commending Guterres for his leadership and commitment to the principles of the UN Charter at a critical moment in global affairs.

Highlighting Africa’s role within the UN system, Ibrahim said President Tinubu recognizes the continent’s contributions in supporting the Secretary‑General and the G77 plus China bloc during General Assembly deliberations.

He stressed that this backing reinforces the call for a permanent African seat on the UN Security Council, describing such a move as a historic milestone that would strengthen global peace and security, especially across Africa.

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has issued a blistering condemnation of ongoing negotiations and amnesty arrangements between some Northern state governments and armed terrorists, declaring such actions a direct violation of Nigeria’s counterterrorism laws and a dangerous betrayal of the Nigerian people.
HURIWA warned that any governor or public official involved in negotiating, appeasing, or granting concessions to terrorists is effectively legitimising criminality and undermining the sovereignty of the Nigerian state.
The Association stated that while governors currently enjoy constitutional immunity, such protection is temporary and cannot shield them indefinitely from accountability.
“Once these officials leave office, they should be prepared to face investigation, arrest, and prosecution for aiding and abetting terrorism, whether directly or indirectly,” HURIWA declared.
The group described the growing trend of negotiating with terrorists in states such as Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara as a “dangerous doctrine of surrender,” warning that it has consistently failed and instead emboldened criminal networks.
Citing the 2024 Kaduna peace accord, HURIWA said the deal has effectively collapsed, with persistent killings, kidnappings, and mass displacement continuing across affected communities—particularly in Southern Kaduna.
“You cannot appease terrorists. Every kobo given, every concession made, is converted into more sophisticated weapons and more organised violence against innocent Nigerians,” the group said.
Terrorists Running Parallel Governments
HURIWA raised grave concerns that large swathes of Northern Nigeria are slipping out of government control, with terrorists now operating as de facto authorities in rural areas.
According to the group, armed groups in parts of the North-West and North-Central are imposing illegal taxes on farmers, regulating movement, and dictating the economic life of entire communities under threat of violence.
“What is unfolding is the emergence of parallel governments—terrorist enclaves where the authority of the Nigerian state has completely collapsed,” HURIWA warned.
Farmers, the group noted, are being forced to pay levies to access their own lands, while those who refuse face brutal reprisals, including killings, kidnappings, and destruction of entire villages.
Occupied Communities, Displaced Populations
HURIWA further decried the continued occupation of indigenous communities in Plateau, Kaduna, and Benue States by armed groups, describing the situation as a humanitarian and constitutional crisis.
The group referenced reports by community leaders and organisations indicating that over 100 communities in Southern Kaduna alone remain under the control of armed militias, with original inhabitants displaced into overcrowded Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
Similar patterns, it said, are evident in Plateau and Benue States, where farming populations have been driven from ancestral lands.
“This is nothing short of internal territorial conquest. Nigerians are being dispossessed in their own country while the state looks the other way,” HURIWA stated.
Media Silence, Escalating Atrocities
The Association also accused sections of the media of underreporting the scale of violence, warning that a “fog of silence” is enabling the crisis to deepen unchecked.
“What is reported is only a fraction of the atrocities. The reality on the ground is far more devastating,” it said.
Federal Government Must Act Now
HURIWA called on the Federal Government to take immediate and decisive action, warning that continued inaction risks further erosion of national security and territorial integrity.
Key Demands and Recommendations
Immediate prohibition of all negotiations and amnesty deals with terrorists by state governments, backed by enforceable federal directives.
Full-scale military operations to reclaim all territories under terrorist control and dismantle their operational bases.
Liberation and restoration of all occupied communities in Kaduna, Plateau, and Benue States, with safe return and resettlement of displaced residents.
Establishment of permanent security buffers in vulnerable areas to prevent reoccupation by armed groups.
Criminal investigation and prosecution of any public officials found to have engaged in or facilitated negotiations with terrorists in violation of the law.
Targeted dismantling of terrorist taxation systems, including protection for farmers and rural economies.
Strengthening of intelligence networks and community-based security frameworks to complement military efforts.
Urgent humanitarian intervention for displaced populations, including housing, food security, and livelihood restoration.
Judicial and legislative reforms to ensure stricter enforcement of counterterrorism laws and faster prosecution of offenders.
“Nigeria Cannot Negotiate Its Survival”
HURIWA stressed that the fight against terrorism cannot be won through appeasement, but through decisive enforcement of the law and restoration of state authority.
“Nigeria cannot negotiate its survival. A nation that rewards violence invites its own destruction,” the statement read.
The group warned that history has shown that every failed peace deal only strengthens terrorist groups, deepens insecurity, and prolongs the suffering of innocent citizens.
“The time for half-measures is over. The Nigerian state must act firmly, decisively, and lawfully—or risk losing control of even more territory to forces of terror,” HURIWA concluded.