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Reactions Trail Supreme Court Judgment On Local Government Autonomy In Kwara

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Reactions have followed the Supreme Court of Nigeria’s judgment on the contentious issue of local government autonomy delivered on Thursday.

Recall that the court, aside from granting full autonomy to the local governments in the country, also ordered the Federal government to stop allocations to local governments without democratically elected council officials.

Amid jubilation among local government staff and residents of Ilorin, Kwara State capital, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Lasisi.A.K.Jimoh, described the judgment as long overdue.



“If the constitution says the existence of a democratically elected local government is constitutionally guaranteed, then where do you have a caretaker and payments being channelled through state governments to local governments?




“The constitution also states that the local government is the third tier of government, will one tier be under another tier, and is the state under the federal government.?

“I expected the judgment to go a bit further to pronounce emphatically that there cannot be a caretaker committee under the constitution which we are operating now because a caretaker committee is not a local government,” Lasisi declared.

In his reaction, the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Babatunde Muhammed, said the judgement was long expected.



“In Kwara State now, for the past five years, our highly respected Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s government, has refused to conduct local government elections.

“For the past five years, this is the first time in the history of the state that we have unelected council officials running the affairs of the 16 local governments in the state.” READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Babatunde argued that the inability of the local governments in the state to get their allocations directly from the federal government has constituted a serious setback to the development of the third tier of government.



“I was opportune to contest and be elected as a councillor here in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara state in 1990. Our election was handled by the National Electoral Commission, and our monthly allocations came directly from the federal government to the local governments.

“We spent three years during our tenure between 1991 to 1993 and local governments were able to embark on many laudable projects beneficial to the people at the grassroots.”

The PDP chairman, said his then council chairman, Architect Olukayode Abogunrin, performed creditably well constructing enviable projects including the Share-Oke-Ode road bridge with just N7m from allocations directly received from the federal government.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and the Attorney General of the federation, for taking up the matter from the Appeal court to the Supreme Court to ensure that the local government autonomy becomes a reality as expected by Nigerians.

On his part, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Kwara state, Oyinlade Seun, said “We are overwhelmed as we declared fasting and prayers since Wednesday and Thursday on the autonomy issue.



“We are sure our governor will comply with the judgment to give true and pure autonomy to the local governments in the state to guarantee grassroots development.

Oyinlade asserted that with the full autonomy now granted the local governments, the issues of insecurity, food insecurity and other things hindering development at the third tier of government will become a thing of the past.

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Qatar Emir BLOCKS Putin’s Way at the Kremlin What Happened Next Left Everyone Stunned (Video) –

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An unusual and light-hearted moment stole the spotlight during a high-profile visit at the Kremlin this week. Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, accidentally blocked Russian President Vladimir Putin’s path as leaders moved through the grand corridors of Moscow’s most powerful political building.

It happened in just a few seconds. As President Putin was walking towards a meeting room, the Emir unknowingly stepped directly into his way. Putin, known for his reserved and formal style, stopped for a brief moment, waiting for the path to clear. Realizing what had happened, Sheikh Tamim quickly turned around, flashed a polite smile, and offered a sincere apology. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

Observers nearby caught the small but noticeable exchange. Putin responded with a brief nod and a slight smile, accepting the apology without any fuss. Both leaders then continued walking, and the meetings went ahead as planned. But even as the day unfolded with important political talks, that tiny human moment became the story people couldn’t stop talking about…Click Here To Continue Reading>> …Click Here To Continue Reading>>

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China Secretly Fueling Putin’s War Machine Through Hidden Shell Companies, Expert Reveals –

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China is secretly helping Russia get weapons by using fake companies to hide the deals, according to an expert named Stefan Bejan from Watchdog Moldova. He says China plays a big part in making sure Russia keeps getting the arms it needs to continue its war in Ukraine. Instead of sending weapons directly, China uses other companies to cover up what’s really going on. These companies ship drones and other military equipment to Russia, helping them get around international sanctions meant to stop the war.

Bejan explained how the money and weapons move. It starts with Promsvyazbank, which is the main bank supporting Russia’s military. Money from this bank is sent through a payment platform called A7. A7 is partly owned by Ilan Shor, a businessman with strong ties to helping Russia avoid sanctions. After that, the money goes into accounts at Capital Bank of Central Asia. There, it is turned into other currencies like Chinese yuan or US dollars. Then, it flows through fake companies and is used to buy weapons from Chinese businesses.

Even though China, under President Xi Jinping, officially denies helping Russia, Bejan believes Chinese leaders know exactly what is happening. China is careful not to sell arms directly to Russia. Instead, it uses third-party companies to create a layer of distance, giving it “plausible deniability” — meaning it can claim it’s not involved if caught. This setup reflects the close relationship between Russia and China, which both countries have described as a “limitless friendship.”

Bejan also said China is careful because it doesn’t want to face “secondary sanctions” from Western countries. These sanctions could hurt China’s economy if it is seen as openly helping Russia. That’s why China makes it look like the weapon sales are just private business deals, not government support. Still, China is providing Russia with important help, including technology, economic aid, and, as these findings show, weapons.

The trick of using shell companies and intermediaries makes it very hard for Western countries to directly stop these deals. However, Bejan believes that regulators around the world will start paying closer attention. He expects more sanctions will come, especially targeting the banks and companies involved in Central Asia.

Bejan explained that these hidden financial operations are one of the reasons Russia can keep fighting in Ukraine. Even though sanctions have hurt Russia’s economy and military, these secret money and arms channels keep them going. He warned that unless these operations are shut down, the war could continue for a very long time. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

A key player in this scheme is Ilan Shor, who owns part of A7 and is currently living in Moscow. He is already under sanctions by the US, UK, and EU. Shor has strong connections with political leaders in both Russia and Moldova, making him an important figure in keeping these operations running smoothly — and he profits from them.

Beyond Russia’s war, these secret financial moves could also impact nearby countries like Moldova, which borders Ukraine. Bejan warned that some of the money moving through these networks could end up funding pro-Russian political campaigns in Moldova, which would create even more instability, especially with upcoming elections there.

In the bigger picture, Bejan said the arms shipments are just one part of a larger web of financial and political cooperation between Russia and China. As the war in Ukraine drags on, he stressed that the West must work harder to disrupt these secret deals to avoid further chaos.

His warning adds to growing fears about China’s true role in the Ukraine conflict. Although China claims it is neutral, its actions tell a different story. As Russia and China grow even closer, the world will have to watch their alliance carefully, especially to see how it might affect the war and global stability in the future.

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Leaked Video Exposes Russian Commander Forcing Soldiers into Fight to the Death in War Punishment Pit –

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A disturbing video has surfaced online, supposedly showing a Russian commander forcing two of his own soldiers to fight each other to the death. This happened after the soldiers refused to join the war in Ukraine. The shocking scene is believed to have taken place in the Donbas region, which is under Russian control. The footage, though not yet verified, has spread across Russian social media and has shocked many viewers.

The commander, known only by his nickname “Kama,” reportedly made the two men fight in what he called a “gladiator-style battle.” According to reports, he told them that whoever won the fight would be set free. Fellow officers from their military unit, the 114th Motorised Rifle Brigade, are said to have placed bets on who would survive. A witness claimed that one of the soldiers ended up killing the other by choking him with his bare hands.

Both of the men had apparently refused to follow orders to fight in the war, which is why they were punished. Russian sources call such soldiers “refuseniks.” It’s believed that soldiers who resist or try to escape their duties are being locked up in underground pits, known as “punishment pits” or “zindans.” This brutal punishment is said to be happening more often, especially in army units that have lost many men during battles in the Donetsk area.

People on Russian social media reacted with horror after watching the video. One person commented that while it’s better for Russian soldiers to fight each other than to harm Ukrainians, the situation is still extremely disturbing and shows just how brutal the Russian army has become. Another user said this kind of cruelty isn’t rare in the Russian military and that without proper investigations, their justice system is meaningless.

One of the most alarming parts of the story is that these punishments are not new. Human rights groups and Russian journalists have already reported cases of beatings, mock killings, and torture being used against Russian soldiers who don’t obey orders. Many of these soldiers are imprisoned in basements or cages without a trial, sometimes for weeks, given barely any food or water. READ FULL STORY HERE>>>CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE READING>>>

A lot of the soldiers in these units are either former prisoners, people forced into military service, or untrained volunteers from poor areas of Russia. These groups have suffered heavy losses in the war, especially during Russia’s large-scale attacks on strong Ukrainian defenses. This strategy, where poorly equipped troops are sent forward in huge numbers, has been called a “meatgrinder” by war analysts.

One recent example is the battle in Avdiivka, where thousands of Russian troops died just to gain a small amount of land. Now, a similar situation is starting near Chasiv Yar. These risky and costly operations are often led by lower-ranking commanders like Kama, who are allowed to use any method they want to keep soldiers under control, even if it means using fear or violence.

The Russian government has not responded to this video or the growing reports of illegal punishments in its army. Investigations into these kinds of abuses rarely happen, and the commanders responsible are almost never punished. Without outside pressure or public attention, such brutal treatment is likely to continue unchecked.

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