By Our Correspondent

Tragedy, as Anambra State Police Command has launched a manhunt for a teacher alleged to have flogged a 12-year-old pupil to death at a school in Adazi-Ani, Anaocha Local Government Area, in a tragic incident that has sparked widespread concern over the safety of children in schools.

The Command said it had activated its Safe School Initiative operatives, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, ACP Harrison Oruruo, to investigate the incident and ensure the arrest and prosecution of all those found culpable.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, officers attached to the Neni Divisional Headquarters responded swiftly after receiving a distress report on the evening of Thursday, July 16, 2026.

The victim was immediately rushed to a hospital for emergency treatment but was confirmed dead by a medical doctor while receiving medical attention.

Police said the body has been deposited in the hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy, while photographs of the deceased were taken as part of ongoing investigations.

Preliminary findings, according to the Command, revealed visible marks of violence on different parts of the boy’s body, raising suspicions that the injuries may have resulted from severe corporal punishment allegedly inflicted by the teacher, who is currently at large.

The Police assured the bereaved family and the general public that a thorough, diligent and transparent investigation would be carried out to establish the circumstances surrounding the death and ensure justice is served.

The Command also reaffirmed its commitment to protecting school children under the Anambra Safe School Initiative, stressing that acts capable of endangering the lives of pupils would not be tolerated.

It appealed to members of the public with credible information on the whereabouts of the fleeing suspect to report to the nearest police station or contact the Command through its emergency line to assist ongoing efforts to effect an arrest.

The tragic incident has renewed public debate over the use of corporal punishment in schools and the need for stricter safeguards to protect children from abuse and violence within learning environments.

By Uthman Baba-Naseer,Minna

The Minna Division of the Federal High Court has dismissed an Application for amendment of names earlier submitted to the All Progressive Congress
in a suit filed by the All Progressive Congress (APC),aspirant in the June 16th Primary election,Shehu Samaila Auna challenging the party’s Primary election which declared Professor Yakubu Mohammed Auna as APC candidate for Magama/Rijau Federal Constituency in the forthcoming election
Alhaji Shehu Samaila Auna, has approached the court through his Attorney Abubakar Sadeeq Danjuma is challenging the APC primary election, which brought Professor Yakubu Mohammed Auna as the party’s flagbeare for Magama Rijau federal constituency ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The plaintiff has during the last sitting filed a motion of amendment of names of parties in matter as presented in the suit, but was objected by the defence counsels.
The defence Attorney argued that the motion didn’t specify reasons for changing the name of the plaintiff and it Overreach the preliminary objection of the defence counsels.
Ruling on the matter the presiding judge Justice Abdullahi Aminu Dan-ige held that the plaintiff counsel had failed to prove the reasons for amendment; he therefore dismissed the Application for Lack of merit and being Incompetent.
The matter was later adjourned to 22nd July 2026 for hearing as effort to speak to the Plaintiff Counsel was not successful.
In an interview with journalists the attorney to the plaintiff Abubakar Sadeeq Danjuma , stated that dismissal of the application will not stop the to proceed.
” Our application was only dismissed but it does’nt amount to the dismissal of the suit we filed challenging the popurted APC Primary election that Prof. Yakubu Auna claimed to have won,knowing fully well that no primary election was conducted in Magama/ Rijau Federal constituency.
” We are in court to challenge the said primary election as claimed to have been conducted by the All Progressive Congress on the 16th, day of June 2026. So the dismissal of our application for the amendment of the name does not amount to the suit we filed in court” he told Journalists.
On his part, the defence counsel Philip Ada, Esq told journalists that with the dismissal of the application to amend the name is our prayer.
” We opposed the application filed by the plaintiff for the amendment of the name on the ground that the application is overreaching and the Judge concord with our submission and he ruled in our favour by dismissing the application.
” What is now left for us is to adopt our submission in the next adjougned date and waiting for judgement” he posited.

By AbdulGaneey Akanbi

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria, MMWG, has called for urgent amendment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, to scrap plea bargaining and deny bail for economic crimes above N50 million.

The group said weak legislations are responsible for the high rate of corruption and looting of billions of naira by public officials in the country.

In a press statement issued on Friday by its National Coordinator, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, MMWG was reacting to recent corruption cases involving former top government functionaries.

It cited the cases of former Minister of Power, Engineer Sale Mamman, and former Attorney-General of the Federation, Malam Abubakar Malami, SAN whose properties running into billions of naira were forfeited to the Federal Government after prosecution.

The group said corrupt public officials have liberty to ruin the nation’s economy because all economic crimes remain bailable under current laws.

“What corrupt people in Nigeria hate most is detention. But since this has been waived for economic crimes, and plea bargaining allows them to negotiate what to return, they loot with impunity,” Abdullahi stated.

To deter public office holders, the group appealed to the National Assembly and the Executive to amend existing laws by scrapping plea bargaining and denying bail in any corruption case above N50 million.

It described such stringent legislation as the only way to check treasury looting and restore public confidence in governance.

The group also commended the Judiciary and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN for diligent prosecution of security and corruption cases. It said sustained efforts would help Nigeria regain its lost glory in anti-terrorism and anti-corruption.

On security, MMWG applauded President Bola Tinubu and security forces for successes in rescuing kidnapped victims, but urged for more proactive measures to prevent crimes before they occur.

On good governance, it called on President Tinubu to compel the 36 state governors to clear all arrears of pensions and gratuities owed state and local government workers.

The group noted with concern that some retirees who left service 15 years ago are still being owed, adding that with increased FAAC allocations in the last three years, there is no justification for such debts.

It urged governors to “fear God” and emulate President Tinubu, who it said has cleared arrears of gratuities for all federal workers in demonstration of good governance.