Details of how six top Yoruba monarchs prevailed upon nonagenarian legal luminary Afe Babalola to drop his criminal defamation suit against human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi have emerged.

It was gathered that the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi, mobilised five other high-class traditional rulers to the Ado-Ekiti residence of Babalola on Sunday night.

The high-powered delegation includes the Ewi of Ado, Oba Rufus Adejugbe Aladesanmi III; Ajero of Ijero, Oba Adewole Joseph Adebayo; the Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Samuel Adejinmi Adu; Alaaye of Efon Alaaye, Oba Dr. Emmanuel Aladejare Agunsoye II; and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti who doubles as Chairman, Ekiti Council Of Traditional Rulers, Oba Ilori Faboro.

The Ooni of Ife, along with prominent traditional rulers, arrived in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, minutes past 10 p.m. on Sunday.

Earlier in December, the police in Ekiti State arrested Farotimi at his Lagos office and bundled him to Ekiti State for prosecution.

The police arraigned the author for publishing a book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ where he alleged that nonagenarian legal icon Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary and procured a revised judgment in the Supreme Court.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges which bordered on criminal defamation levelled against him and was remanded in prison for three weeks before he was granted bail.

Upon their arrival at Babalola’s residence on Sunday night, the Ooni of Ife and the five top monarchs asked the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), to forgive Farotimi and withdraw the criminal defamation suit instituted against him.

Members of the legal team of Babalola handling Farotimi’s criminal case were also present at the meeting, according to a spokesman for the Ooni of Ife, Moses Olafare.

During the closed-door meeting which ended at past midnight, Babalola said he had gotten entreaties from former president Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians asking that he withdraw the case, but he did not.

However, the Ooni of Ife and the other monarchs persuaded the nonagenarian to withdraw the charges as an elder statesman with vast experience.

“Aare Afe Babalola, you are an elder statesman, you have seen it all, you are one of the iconic voices in this country, a great man per excellence, you are a rare breed who has excelled in everything you have touched in this life, a very God-fearing elder stateman, above all, you are one of the proponents of the Yoruba ethos of Omoluwabi which has been your strongest value that you hold in our country,” the Ooni told Babalola, according to Olafare.

“We’ve all come together as traditional Rulers to discuss with you on this issue and this gentleman Dele Farotimi is your son and you must forgive him and withdraw the criminal charges against him. As a father, you have soft sons and you have tough sons, Dele Farotimi is a tough son of yours. You have indeed made a point that your name can not be messed with.”

When asked to speak, Babalola accepted the request saying he grew up as a child to understand such interventions by the traditional rulers. He declared he had not only forgiven Farotimi but he would also instruct his lawyers to withdraw the criminal charges against him immediately.

“Today is an important day for me, I’m a Yoruba man and I’m very proud to be one. Ewi of Ado has come here to meet me on this matter, former president Obasanjo has intervened, same with Bishop Matthew Kukah and a host of other prominent Nigerians to ask for the exact thing you have come to ask for this evening., my answer to them has been ‘no’ but today my answer is ‘yes’.

“Your coming is unquantifiable in terms of money, who Am I? When the colonialists came here in the 17th century or thereabouts, they found as a fact that Yoruba land was a highly organised society with an advanced system of government with each town headed by an Oba who was regarded as a replica of God on earth. His words were commands.”

‘I Didn’t Win Cases Through Corruption’

Babalola said he has refused government appointments and rejected some so-called rewards because he doesn’t want anything to stain his integrity.

He said, “I was a lawyer who defended the EFCC law, yes I’m corrupt, I was given an oil block. When I looked at the money and saw that it was too much, I rejected it, yes I’m corrupt. I was offered ministerial appointments twice, I rejected it. Yes, I’m corrupt because whatever I am, I don’t want anybody to say I made it through corruption.

“Look at my books, I’m Chairman, Transparency International based in Germany, I have given lectures against corruption with my papers in many universities globally.

“For someone to allege that I have won my cases through corruption, it’s an attempt to defame me. That was why I rejected all appeals earlier made to me. But when I heard that Ooni was coming, I knew I was in a fix today.

“There is nothing I’m going to gain from his (Dele) imprisonment and there’s nothing I want from the so-called damages. I am not in quest of more wealth, I’m rather concerned about managing the one I have already. Dele Farotimi is hereby forgiven. On this occasion, I say ‘yes’.”

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Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani has defended the decision of his administration to enter a peace pact with terrorists in the state, stressing that his priority is preserving lives and ensuring peace.

Governor Sani stated this in an interview with BBC Hausa Service while responding to critics of the initiative.

He clarified that the decision followed six months of dialogue and did not involve any payment to the terrorists.

“If even one person were to be killed in Kaduna, it’s better for me to have the peace pact. Otherwise, Almighty Allah will hold me accountable because I took an oath,” he said.

Sani emphasised that his administration did not offer any monetary incentive to the terrorists to secure the agreement.

“I want to assure you that not even one Naira was given to them,” he reiterated.

According to him, the peace pact was facilitated with the support of traditional rulers and religious leaders, who played a vital role during the six months of discreet negotiations.

Governor Sani noted that one of the preconditions for the reconciliation was the release of all captives held by the terrorists.

He revealed that approximately 200 individuals were freed as a result of the talks, which he believes signals the sincerity of the agreement.

“They released the people to us. Now, business and farming activities are flourishing in our communities. That’s why I am assuring the communities that we will continue to pray and sustain the relief achieved,” the governor said.

The governor expressed optimism that the peace pact would hold, citing the positive changes already evident in the state.

He assured Kaduna residents that his administration is committed to maintaining peace and fostering development.

The peace initiative has been met with mixed reactions but Governor Sani maintains that ensuring the safety and well-being of the people of Kaduna remains his top priority.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed relevant traffic regulatory agencies to implement stringent measures aimed at preventing fuel tanker explosions across the country. The directive comes in response to a tragic tanker explosion in Enugu State on Saturday, which claimed 18 lives and left several others injured.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu expressed deep condolences to the government and people of Enugu State over the devastating incident. He also called for increased caution and adherence to safety protocols among road users, particularly fuel tanker operators, to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

A Call for Safety and Vigilance

The President emphasized the need for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations to ensure the safety of all road users. “I urge all relevant agencies to take immediate and decisive action to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. Road safety is a collective responsibility, and we must all play our part in safeguarding lives,” President Tinubu stated.

He further advised fuel tanker operators to exercise extreme caution and adhere to safety measures, including proper vehicle maintenance, speed limits, and safe driving practices.

Condolences to Enugu State

President Tinubu extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the explosion. “My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased and those receiving medical treatment. May the souls of the departed rest in peace, and may the injured recover swiftly,” he said.

Details of the Incident

The tragic explosion occurred on Saturday at approximately 11 a.m. along the Ugwu-Onyeama section of the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway. According to reports, the fuel tanker lost control and burst into flames, resulting in a massive fire that claimed 18 lives.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) confirmed the death toll on Sunday, describing the incident as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by unsafe road practices.

A Push for Safer Roads

The Enugu tanker explosion is the latest in a series of similar incidents that have plagued Nigeria in recent years, highlighting the urgent need for improved road safety measures. President Tinubu’s directive signals a renewed commitment to addressing the root causes of such tragedies, including poor road conditions, vehicle overloading, and driver negligence.

As the nation mourns the lives lost in Enugu, stakeholders are calling for comprehensive reforms to enhance road safety and prevent future disasters.

The Bureau Newspaper joins President Tinubu in commiserating with the victims’ families and urges all road users to prioritize safety to protect lives and property.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has filed a lawsuit against President Bola Tinubu, over the alleged ”arbitrary, unconstitutional, unlawful, unfair, and unreasonable 50 percent telecom tariff hike by the Nigerian Communications Commission,NCC

Also joined in the suit as defendants are the NCC, which recently approved a 50 percent hike in telecom tariffs.

The average price of calls will rise to N16.5 per minute from N11; the cost of 1GB of data will rise to N431.25 from N287.5/GB; and SMS prices to N6 from N4, by the increase.

The suit, with number, FHC/ABJ/CS/111/2025, was filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to determine “whether the unilateral decision by the NCC to authorise telcos to hike telecom tariffs by 50 percent is not arbitrary, unconstitutional, unlawful, unfair, unreasonable and inconsistent with citizens’ freedom of expression and access to information”.

SERAP is also asking the court for a declaration that the unilateral decision by the NCC to authorise telcos to hike telecom tariff by 50 percent is arbitrary, unfair, unreasonable and inconsistent and incompatible with citizens’ freedom of expression and access to information and therefore unconstitutional and unlawful.

An order of interim injunction, according to SERAP is seeking to restrain NCC, its officers, agents, privies, assigns, or any other person or persons acting on its instructions from further implementing, enforcing and doing any act to give effect to the decision of the NCC authorizing telecom tariff hike by 50 percent.

SERAP, in the suit argued that the legal and constitutional provisions as well as international standards on freedom of expression and access to information constitutes the repository of legality, adding that the requirements of legality constrains the exercise of statutory powers by the NCC to authorise any increase in telecom tariffs.

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, SAN, on behalf of SERAP, impose clear duties of fairness and reasonableness on the NCC in the exercise of its powers to authorize the telecom tariff hike by 50 percent, which is the subject-matter of this suit.

The NCC is required under the legal provisions on consumers’ rights and constitutional and international standards on freedom of expression and access to information to base its decision on reasonable interpretations of its enabling statutes and guidelines and other relevant legal frameworks, and to follow due process.

The US will not go ahead with tariffs on Colombia, after Bogota agreed to accept – without restrictions – deported migrants, the White House says.

Donald Trump had ordered 25% tariffs on all Colombian goods after its president barred two US military deportation flights from landing in the country on Sunday.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro had initially responded by saying his country would accept repatriated citizens on “civilian planes, without treating them like criminals”.

A White House statement says Colombia has now agreed to accept migrants arriving on US military aircraft “without limitation or delay”. Colombia said a dialogue would be maintained to “guarantee the dignity of our citizens”.

The White House has hailed the agreement with Colombia as a victory for Trump’s hard-line approach, after the country’s two leaders traded threats on social media on Sunday.

Colombia’s foreign ministry said it had “overcome the impasse” with the US just hours after Petro published a lengthy post on X condemning what he called Trump’s “blockade”.

Petro had earlier denied entry to US military deportation flights, saying that migrants should be returned “with dignity and respect”.

In response, Trump announced “urgent and decisive retaliatory measures” in a post on his social media site Truth Social, including tariffs and visa sanctions.
Petro responded on X with a post announcing his own tariffs and celebrating Colombia’s heritage.

“Your blockade does not scare me, because Colombia, besides being the country of beauty, is the heart of the world,” he said.

Within hours, the two sides appeared to have resolved the row, and the White House said Columbia had agreed to “all of President Trump’s demands”.

Trump’s proposed tariffs had been “fully drafted” and would still be implemented if Colombia does not honour this agreement, according to the White House.

Trump had also announced visa sanctions and enhanced inspections on Colombians at the border. These will remain in place “until the first planeload of Colombian deportees is successfully returned”, the White House said.

Colombia’s foreign minister Luis Gilberto Murillo said the country would “continue to receive Colombians who return as deportees, guaranteeing them decent conditions, as citizens subject to rights”.

Petro’s presidential plane has been prepared to facilitate the return of the Colombians who would have arrived in the country earlier on the blocked military flights, he added.

Murillo will travel to Washington for high-level meetings in the coming hours, according to a foreign ministry statement.

The feud between the two nations came after Trump’s administration vowed to carry out “mass deportations”. The president signed multiple executive orders related to immigration on his first day in office.

Some of Trump’s executive orders were signed with the aim of expanding Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) ability to arrest and detain unlawful migrants on US soil.

Federal agents conducted “targeted” immigration arrests in Chicago on Sunday, an ICE spokesperson said in a statement.

The agents were accompanied by the newly appointed “border czar” Tom Homan, US officials told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

Homan said Congress should increase funding for the border effort, which included a need for 100,000 beds in migrant detention centres.

On Thursday, the US Congress passed the Laken Riley Act, which will greatly expand immigration authorities’ power to detain migrants.

Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said the bill represents a “fundamental erosion of civil rights”.