Good morning,
Seventeen children are free. Six are dead. A child trafficking network that preyed on families at crowded events has been smashed in Oyo State. The investigation began when a child disappeared during a festival in Oyo Town, leading police to arrest a suspect who confessed to stealing 19 children from churches and parties, selling them to baby factories for up to ₦900,000. Rescues followed across Oyo, Ogun and Delta states. Six others died in captivity. Seven suspects now face charges. The question is whether the government will address the root causes of the trade or just prosecute the foot soldiers.
In Benue, machete-wielding thugs attacked Peter Obi’s convoy as he arrived to commiserate with families affected by the June 2025 Yelwata massacres. The NDC presidential candidate was forced to abandon his condolence visit. He accused government-sponsored youths of blocking the road. The state government denied involvement. This is the second time Obi’s visit to Benue has been disrupted. The message is clear: in Benue, even condolence is political.
Jungle justice is a crime, not justice. The Lagos State Police Command has warned that mob action could amount to murder or manslaughter, following the killing of a man by a mob on Lagos Island two weeks before his wedding. “Without ambiguity, jungle justice is murder. It is not justice. It is a crime,” the PPRO said. The warning follows a viral video showing two women stripped, beaten and subjected to degrading acts over an alleged wig theft. Activist VeryDarkMan has offered a ₦1 million reward to identify the assailants. The police are yet to act.
Over 5,000 fibre-optic cable cuts in six months have disrupted internet connectivity across the country. The NCC has called on stakeholders to protect telecommunications infrastructure. The digital economy is under threat. And a senior legislative aide to Senator Shehu Buba Umar has resigned, citing a breakdown in mutual respect. The resignation makes no mention of the serious allegations linking the senator to banditry.
Seventeen children rescued. Six dead. An opposition leader attacked. Jungle justice condemned. Fibre cables cut. An aide resigns. These are not separate stories. They are the same story: a country where the most vulnerable are preyed upon, where democracy is under assault, where the rule of law is fragile, and where the systems meant to protect us are crumbling. The question is whether we will build a country that works, or simply watch it all fall apart.
Warmly,
Lolade