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IBB opens up on Dele Giwa’s death and 159 Officers on crashed plane

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Former President Ibrahim Babangida
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Former Nigerian President Ibrahim Babangida Breaks Silence on Tragic Military Plane Crash and Dele Giwa’s Assassination.

Thirty-one years after a military plane crash in which more than 159 officers lost their lives in Ejirin swamp in Lagos in 1992, then military ruler, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) has finally spoken on the ill-fated incident.

During an exclusive interview featured in the inaugural edition of The Interview magazine, Babangida revealed that, based on maintenance concerns and the aircraft’s accumulated flying hours, the crashed plane should not have been operational on that particular day.

In response to The Interview’s inquiry about the events leading up to the crash and whether a thorough investigation was conducted, the 82-year-old former president affirmed that an investigation did take place and the incident was duly reported. However, he lamented that certain individuals and the public had preconceived notions, which hindered genuine interest in the investigation report.

Babangida emphasized that the investigation had indeed occurred and concluded that the aircraft’s flight was in violation of mandatory stages, flying hour limits, and maintenance requirements. It was evident that crucial protocols and procedures had not been adhered to.

When he was asked on what happened to the people who authorized the plane to fly on that ill-fated day, Babangida said there was no penalty meted out, adding: “They ought to have been punished. I know that blame was apportioned. I wouldn’t know about the punishment. We investigated; we even apportioned blame but no penalty.” On why that was so, he simply remarked, “That is the Nigerian factor.”

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Responding to inquiries on who killed renowned journalist, Dele Giwa who died from a parcel bomb blast, Babangida said, “A Bomb”.

When asked in the interview on who sent the bomb, he replied: “Would you ever think somebody could sit and ask a soldier or anybody, go and kill that man?”

Upon the interviewer’s response that “It depends….”, IBB was quoted to have replied: “It depends on who? If what you hear about other African leaders is anything to go by, you are right to believe that it could happen because of what happened in the case of the Mobutus of this world.
But there is also one human being who believes in God, who believes you cannot take away life, who believes that God forbids you to do that, who believes that God created you equally. Somebody of that nature cannot, in all fairness order the execution or killing of another person.”

When he was pressed on his relationship with late Dele Giwa, Babangida replied: “We were friends. Very soon, somebody is going to accuse me of saying he is my friend. I knew him very closely. I have correspondence between him and me. But that is not enough for you to believe that we were friends. What is enough is that I took a bomb and killed him.”

When The Interview countered that “There was a general feeling that he knew a lot of military guys and knew more than he was supposed to know….”, IBB cut in..

”That he knew we were dealing in drugs and Gloria Okon. Somebody should have come out with it by now. He must have left some manuscripts.”

When he was asked if he suppressed the investigation, the former president replied,
“There was a report on that investigation if you may be interested to know.”
On the interviewer’s remark that witnesses in the investigation were apparently hidden, Babangida replied, “No. Most of what you guys talked about was fictitious. Even one of the persons you guys said was involved does not seem to exist. Gloria Okon; she does not seem to be in existence. And then you came out with, what is the name of the other girl who was supposed to be my wife’s friend? She was in prison or something; you came out with that one. There is virtually no truth in it all. People are not very good in putting stories together to make it look credible. They only make it look fantastic.
If you are dealing with an idiot, of course you can do anything. But you deal with a man who thinks, a man who tries to rationalize”.

On Saturday, September 26, 1992, a Nigerian Air Force Hercules C-130 (NAF 911) transport plane, carrying more than 200 persons, took off at 5:27 pm from the Runway 19 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with its destination the city of Kaduna in northern Nigeria.

However, a few minutes after take-off, the heavy-laden plane, which was said to be carrying not just the military boys and girls but young students of the Nigerian Military School (NMS), Zaria, alongside civilians, relations and friends of military officers, developed a fault and nose-dived into the deep swamp not too far from the Lagos State Low Cost Housing Estate, Ejigbo to the Festac Town, Lagos, killing all those onboard.

In the crash officers of the 19, 20, 21 and 22 Regular Courses of the Nigerian Defence Academy were badly hit. A list of 159 names of those officially listed as passengers of the C-130H was released on October 1 by the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Fred Chijuka.

The list was made up of seven Lieutenant Colonels, 96 Majors, a Sergeant, Michael Bahago, two students – Mr. O B Oshodi, Mrs. M A Abu, and a reporter, Mr. Augustine Okpe. There were also the eight-officer crew including Alaboson, Mamadi, Squadron Leader J A Adeiza and Flight Lieutenant S O Adamu.

The other men, Alum Wakala, Tarfa Saidu, W T Datong and A Soyemi in addition to 19 Air Force officers, were made up of 18 Squadron Leaders and a Sergeant, O. Jaja.
The Nigerian Navy lost 16 Lieutenant Commanders, Ghanaian Armed Forces, five; Tanzania lost Major M S Mgonja while Ugandan Major J.R Mulazi also lost his life in the crash.

The Nigerian Army Education Corps lost a total of 19 officers, Infantry 17, Artillery 15, Intelligence nine, Signals nine, Supply and Transport eight, Military Police seven while the Electrical and Mechanical Armoured and Medical Corps lost four officers each. Others included Ordinance three while Finance and Personnel and Training lost two men each.

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Firm expresses concern over repeated missing Court File in Ojukwu Property case

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Monarch, four others remanded for arson
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Ojukwu Transport Limited, OTL, has raised concerns over what it described as the repeated absence of court records in its ongoing property dispute with Bianca Ojukwu and her sons, even as it filed a motion for stay of execution pending the determination of its appeal.

Proceedings before Justice A.M. Lawal of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, last Monday were stalled for the second time in six weeks due to the unavailability of the case file.

The matter was adjourned after the file was reportedly not returned to court.

A similar situation occurred on May 8, 2026, when the case could not proceed because the file was unavailable.

OTL alleged that the file had been taken from the Ikeja Judicial Division to Lagos more than two months ago for the execution of a warrant and had not been returned.

The claimants’ legal representatives were absent from court on both occasions.

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Describing the development as troubling, OTL said the repeated absence of the file had effectively stalled proceedings and raised questions about accountability in the handling of court records.

Amid the delays, the company disclosed that it had filed and served a motion for stay of execution at the Court of Appeal, seeking to halt enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of its appeal against the 2022 decision in Suit No. LD/1539/2012.

OTL maintained that the application became necessary because steps were being taken to enforce the judgment despite its pending appeal.

The company also contended that the properties in dispute had previously been the subject of a warrant of execution arising from a separate judgment delivered in 2018 by Justice Adedayo Oyebanji in Suit No. LD/794/2011.

The case was subsequently adjourned to October 8, 2026.

Present in court on both adjourned dates on behalf of Ojukwu Transport Limited was one of its directors, Dr. P. Ike Ojukwu.

Counsel to OTL are Ifeanyi Okumah Esq and Chief O. Ugolo, SAN, while Bianca Ojukwu and her sons are represented by Nick Omeye Esq and Co.

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DSS releases, compensates man wrongfully arrested over alleged links with Boko Haram

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The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, has ordered the immediate release of a man wrongfully linked to Boko Haram terrorists.

The setting free followed a DSS investigation review panel that cleared Nura Idris of allegations of collaboration with Boko Haram terrorists.

Aside from giving Idris N3 million monetary compensation to meet his immediate needs, the DSS DG promised to help the wrongfully detained herder in his business, a practice common with the DG.

According to a security source, the farmer and animal rearer from Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State, was arrested by a sister security agency in Suleja, Niger State, in June 2024, for alleged links with terrorists, and was thereafter transferred to DSS custody.

Following a thorough review of Nura’s case, the DSS investigation panel found no basis for the charges against him, prompting the DGSS to order his immediate release and payment of compensation.

Receiving the compensation, Nura thanked the DGSS for what he described as a kind gesture, saying the money would help him restart his life.

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“I thank the DGSS for his kindness. I was well treated in DSS custody and I pray that Allah rewards the DGSS immensely,” the source quoted Nura as saying.

His father, Yusuf Idris, who received Nura upon his release, also expressed appreciation to the DGSS for his compassion and generosity, and assured that the compensation would be put to good use.

“When such cases are recorded, the DSS would usually follow up with the detainee, provide psychological and medical support, after which the Agency would further set up any business of the victim’s choice”, another source disclosed.

The release is part of an internal review exercise which the DSS began last year. The exercise is aimed at reassessing prolonged inherited cases to ensure that erroneously detained individuals do not remain in detention.

“The setting free and compensations across multiple cases underscores the DSS’s growing reputation for institutional integrity and humanness,” added the source.

“The Service under the current DG, has continued to show that safeguarding national security and citizens must go hand in hand with upholding the rights and dignity of citizens,” declared the source.

“Recall the case of Sunday Ifedi and his wife, Calista who were arrested on 8th November 2021 and detained in Wawa facility, three years before the appointment of the current DG in August 2024,” added the source. Sunday was released on 16th December, 2025, after the review of detainees ordered by the DG cleared him of ties with the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the DG awarded him N10 million as compensation.

“Importantly, plans are underway by the DSS to rebuild a restaurant in memory of Ifedi’s wife, Calista, who died while in custody in a detention facility in Wawa. The initiative is to compensate Sunday for the allegations that his late wife operated a restaurant being patronized by IPOB, for which they were arrested. This brings to bear, over thirty cases that have since been reviewed with over N300m paid as compensation,” the source disclosed.

It would also be recalled that, barely one month after ordering the release and payment of N10 million compensation of one Abuja-based business woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, in October 2025, the DSS boss ordered the release of one Kenneth Okechukwu Nwafor, arrested in July 2022, for his alleged involvement in the activities of the proscribed IPOB. Five other detainees wrongfully linked to IPOB were by the same directive of the DG, released and each given an initial N2 million cash compensation. Last month, the DSS also released a Yobe State resident, Ya’u Mohammed, after investigations confirmed that he had no connection to terrorism.

Following his release, the Service provided initial financial support worth N2 million to assist his reintegration and restoration of his livelihood.

“There are many more instances where DSS investigations have established innocence and have been followed by efforts to facilitate reintegration,” stated the source, adding, “these are the kind of measures the DSS is using to build public trust.”

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Adeboye, Oyedepo thank Trump, seek more US action against terrorism in Nigeria

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The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, and Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, have praised the United States President, Donald Trump, for taking recent military actions against terrorism and called for more of such action to stem the tide of the unrelenting terror attacks by extremists in Nigeria.

They spoke to a packed audience drawn from a cross section of activists of all races and cadres from across the United States.

The event was in Washington DC during an award night for President Trump, two Congressmen: Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Riley Moore, both of whom have tabled a bill seeking to end terrorism in Nigeria by punishing the sponsors, and other activists who have championed the cause of religious freedom in Nigeria.

The RCCG leader also spoke on the criticism that he had maintained a stoic silence while extremists carried out the killing and kidnap of Christians and other vulnerable communities across Nigeria, noting that as an elder religious leader, he embarked on a “spiritual warfare” rather than scream to escalate tension with concomitant reactions.

Bishop David Oyedepo delivered his keynote address at the gala night represented by 4 persons- Pastor Deji Akin Abiri, Pastor Dayo Ojo, Apostle Jacob Sharpe and Pastor Seyi Adeyeri

According to him it was not a surprise when President Trump intervened, having followed events and warned of dire consequences for the perpetrators of the violence.

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The grand event, tagged: “Faith Heroes Award Gala.” was organised by the Save Nigeria Group, USA with the participation of the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition at the Hilton Garden Inn, Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.Nigerian lifestyle content

Adeboye, who rued that “terrorism is now at my doorstep,” appealed for a global coalition, led by the United States and its Western allies, to help defeat terrorism in Nigeria, while cautioning that the violence that has consumed communities across the country was no longer distant from him.

The appeal came as former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback, and Dr. Katrina Swett, a prominent advocate for human rights, religious freedom and international justice, criticised Nigerian authorities for failing to protect citizens of all faiths from extremist violence.

In an emotion-laden address after receiving an award at the gala, Adeboye said terrorism had worsened since the December attacks on terrorist camps in northern Nigeria.

He said the United States and other Western powers would need to take more decisive action if peace was to return to Nigeria.

Drawing from Isaac Newton’s first law of motion, he said Nigeria was trapped by what he described as a structure of untouchables, powerful actors who make the fight against terrorism difficult from within.

He said: “There are certain people in my country that, I regret to say, are untouchable, and only God can deal with them.

“If you want to help us, help us more.

“No matter who is in office in Nigeria, only God can help us.

“Use your influence to help us.”

Adeboye thanked President Trump and the United States Government for what he described as assistance to Nigeria. Nigerian lifestyle content

But he said the work had not gone far enough.

He said Nigeria needed the combined effort of countries such as the United States, Britain, Australia, and other Western allies to help confront terrorist groups and restore peace.

While acknowledging that people of different religions have suffered from terrorist attacks, Adeboye said Christians had become the prime targets of many of the killings.

He added that none of the major ongoing attacks could be traced to Christians.

The cleric also responded to criticism that he had not done enough because much of the violence was concentrated in northern Nigeria.

He said the scale of the crisis had moved beyond what any religious leader or local institution could address alone.

He warned that without external support, Nigeria might not know peace, saying terrorists were emboldened and communities were being overrun.

Adeboye said his church had established an internally displaced persons camp to help victims of terrorist violence.

He said victims were being provided food and relief, and that plans were underway to establish a secondary school for young people in the camp, along with skills training for adults.

The crisis, he said, had created an estimated 11 million displaced persons, many of whom had lost homes, livelihoods, and access to education.

Adeboye, however, said he did not support sweeping accusations that the administration of President Bola Tinubu was doing nothing to fight terrorism. Executive Branch

He said, like Trump, Tinubu’s role as commander-in-chief was to give instructions to the military, but the effectiveness of those instructions depended on execution.

He also said he had advised Tinubu to meet with Trump to demonstrate seriousness in the fight against terrorism before the December military action.

Though Adeboye said he does not agree with everything Trump says, he described the American president as the best politician he had ever known because, according to him, Trump acts on his promises.

“To be a good politician, you must be able to speak two different things from the same mouth,” Adeboye said, adding: “And I like him because when he says: ‘I want to do this,’ you better get ready.”

He said that as Trump winds down the Iran war, he should complete what the cleric described as the good work he started in December against terrorist camps in Nigeria.Nigerian lifestyle content

He said the terrorists were mocking the faith of their victims.

“They are asking: ‘Where is their God?’” Adeboye said, adding that he had gone to God in agony and deep prayer several times over the crisis.

Brownback, a former Governor of Kansas, who also served in the United States Senate and House of Representatives, said it was painful that Nigeria was still bleeding, making apparent reference to the latest killings of 22 persons in Plateau State by suspected Islamist terrorists.

He warned that Nigeria risked losing the nation if terrorists were allowed to overrun it.

He said the United States wanted to help Nigeria defeat terrorism so that Nigerians could fulfil the promise of their country.

He described Nigeria as being “out in the fork” and urged Nigerians and their allies to subdue terrorist networks, including Fulani terrorist groups, and resist any attempt to turn the country into a caliphate.

Swett, in her remarks, described Nigeria as a country of extraordinary people and said America must do more to help Nigeria fight terrorism.

“Yes, the future is in the hands of Nigerians, but America has powerful leverage to do more,” she said.

She expressed satisfaction that the Trump administration was placing Nigeria at the centre of international discussion on religious freedom and terrorism.

In his remarks, Stephen Osemwegie, President of Save Nigeria Group USA and convener of the US-Nigeria Civil Society Coalition, said the mission would not be complete until the entire terrorist network in Nigeria was dismantled.

“Terrorism is not a Nigerian or American issue,” Osemwegie said, adding: “We need global support to establish global peace.”

He urged both chambers of the United States Congress to speedily pass H.R. 7457, the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2025, and send it to President Trump for signature.Nigerian lifestyle content

Osemwegie paid tribute to two members of Congress, Christopher Smith of New Jersey’s 4th Congressional District and Riley Moore of West Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District, for their sustained efforts in keeping terrorism in Nigeria on the American policy agenda.

He also praised Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo and Leah Sharibu, describing them as symbols of Christian resilience in the face of persecution.

The event, which organisers called: “Thank You, America,” brought together religious leaders, Nigerian diaspora advocates and American human rights voices pressing for stronger action against terrorism and religious persecution in Nigeria.

Among those honoured with the Faith Heroes Award was Bishop Oyedepo, who was represented at the event.

For the organisers, the Washington gathering was both a tribute and a warning: a tribute to those they say have stood for persecuted Christians in Nigeria, and a warning that without global intervention, the crisis could further unravel Africa’s most populous nation.

My Heart Bleeds — Oyedepo

Echoing the profound urgency in a powerful keynote address, Bishop Oyedepo, who extended his apologies for his physical absence, but whose words resonated deeply through the hall, declared that Nigeria is “virtually at the brink of collapse.”

The fiery Chancellor of Covenant University threw his weight behind a monumental legislative move unfolding in Washington: “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026.”

Citing the horrific data compiled within the US Congressional findings, Oyedepo confronted the stark reality of Nigeria’s bleeding landscape.

The findings reveal that between 2009 and 2025, an estimated 50,000 to 125,000 Christians have been martyred, with over 19,000 churches destroyed.

Shockingly, the report confirms that Nigeria alone accounts for a staggering 72 percent of all Christians martyred worldwide.Nigerian lifestyle content

Pointing directly to the operations of Fulani-ethnic militias, Boko Haram, and ISWAP, Oyedepo backed the US legislative framework seeking to designate these militant groups as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under international law, referencing the brutal massacres in Benue and Plateau States that claimed over 9,500 lives between 2023 and 2025 alone.

“From the above, you can see that the happenings in our country today call for urgent action from all stakeholders and well-meaning individuals to prevent a situation of total anarchy,” he warned, adding: “The intervention of the United States of America in Nigeria’s affairs is a most welcome one.”

He expressed deep gratitude to President Trump for his passionate concern.

He added: “My heart bleeds as I put down these few lines.

“We look forward to a nation that will be safe, peaceful, and prosperous again.”

Diaspora Ignites Washington

The Gala Night capped off a week of intense advocacy by Save Nigeria USA, which began on Saturday with a massive, roaring Save Nigeria Rally at MacPherson Square, just steps away from the White House.

With 26 civil society groups united under a single banner, the diaspora community has made it clear: they will no longer remain silent while their homeland bleeds.

Oyedepo was represented by Pastor Deji Akin Abiri, Pastor Dayo Ojo, Apostle Jacob Sharpe, and Pastor Seyi Adeyeri.

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