Police Arrest Suspect As Political Thug Chops Off Bauchi Man’s Wrist

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed a case of political violence where a 24-year-old man, Usman Idris, had his wrist chopped off during a machete attack in Bauchi metropolis.

The command’s spokesperson, Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, saying the incident followed a political altercation between one Lawi and Usman, both residents of Isiyaka Jibrin Quarters, Bakin Kura area of the metropolis.

He said during the altercation, one Mamman Gore, an associate of Lawi and a resident of the same area, allegedly appeared with a machete and attacked Idris, severing his wrist and causing him to collapse and lose consciousness.

Habib said the victim was immediately evacuated to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where he received emergency medical attention.

He added that the victim remained hospitalised and was responding to treatment as of the time of the statement.

The police spokesperson further disclosed that operatives of the ‘A’ Division Township had arrested Lawi in connection with the incident.

He said the suspect was in police custody, assisting with the investigation, while Gore, who allegedly inflicted the injury on the victim, had fled to an undisclosed location.

“Meanwhile, concerted efforts have been intensified to track, arrest, and bring the fleeing suspect to justice,” Habib said.

The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned all forms of political violence and thuggery, warning that the command would not tolerate any act that threatens public peace and safety.

He urged members of the public to shun violence and conduct themselves peacefully, while assuring residents that the police would take necessary measures to protect lives and property.

Youths Urged To Participate In Politics, Take Leading Role In African Governance By Samson Elijah, Abuja

Youths across Nigeria and Africa have been urged to actively participate in politics, decision-making and governance to strengthen democracy and promote accountability across the continent.

The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja at the 2026 #FixPolitics Africa Conference, which focused on the future of elections in Africa and the role of citizens in shaping political power and demanding accountable governance.

The Chairman of Bigs Politics Hub, Frank Nweke, said the organisation had a responsibility to organise and mobilise citizens around issues affecting the country.

Nweke said its objective was to raise public consciousness, encourage participation in elections and promote sustained civic engagement beyond the polls.

“Everyone’s affected, right? And so we also feel a sense of responsibility to really organise, mobilise, have some of these conversations, again towards achieving one’s wishes, to arouse the consciousness of our people,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to recognise their individual and collective responsibilities in strengthening the country’s democratic process.

Similarly, the Executive Director of FixPolitics Africa, Anthony Ubani, said the conference had evolved over the past four years from an annual platform for political discussions into an initiative aimed at building a broader civic movement.

Ubani said the organisers had realised that holding an annual conference without mechanisms to translate its resolutions into concrete action was no longer sufficient.

He explained that the fourth edition was designed to move beyond discussions towards building a movement capable of taking recommendations to communities, states, countries and institutions across Africa.

“This year, we have thought deeply and considered that it’s important to just move from having a moment of the Africa Conference every year to have a transition into a movement,” Ubani said.

He said the conference featured a roundtable of thinkers and experts from across Africa who developed ideas, solutions, and recommendations to advance the initiative.

According to him, the discussions produced what he described as “very germane ideas”, prompting the organisers to establish a small think tank to follow up on the recommendations.

Ubani said the goal was to ensure the conference produced measurable actions and progress to present at the 2027 Africa Conference.

Also speaking, former Minister of Education, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili, said the influence of money in Nigerian politics could be overcome if citizens recognised their collective strength and became more actively engaged in the democratic process.

She challenged Nigerians to vote in their own interests and hold elected officials accountable for delivering good governance.

Ezekwesili acknowledged concerns about the influence of money in politics but argued that citizens could collectively reject poor governance by exercising their electoral power.

“Somebody can say, oh, you’re not being realistic. I mean, how do you fight money of the kind that we have seen in our politics? But it turns out there comes a time when money no longer works.

“We’ve seen it in other countries. There have been countries where citizens woke up one day and said, okay, you all can have all the money, but we’re tired of being poorly governed,” she said.

She said the conference was designed to encourage citizens to unlock their collective power and deploy it through the electoral process.

The former minister stressed that elections should not be treated as a one-day activity, noting that achieving good governance required sustained citizen engagement before, during and after elections.

“The day of election is a moment. Being governed, and governed well, requires a movement because it demands permanent engagement. It is not a periodic thing. It is not an episodic thing,” she said.

Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to remain vigilant after elections and consistently demand accountability from elected officials.

She said citizens who wanted the freedom to prosper and live in an environment conducive to productivity must remain actively involved in governance.

Citing former United States President Thomas Jefferson’s observation that “eternal vigilance is the price of freedom”, she urged Nigerians to join the growing demand for better governance.

“If you don’t demand it, nobody supplies it. You won’t get out of elections,” she said.

Addressing concerns over alleged attempts by powerful individuals to manipulate the electoral process, Ezekwesili urged citizens not to be intimidated by people in positions of influence.

She maintained that sovereignty ultimately belonged to the people and expressed confidence that citizens’ political consciousness would continue to grow.

“I’ve been talking to my fellow citizens. I’m encouraging my citizens to remember that Nigeria belongs to all of us. And sovereignty belongs to the people,” she said.

Ezekwesili added that political circumstances could change, warning Nigerians against assuming that existing power structures would remain unchanged permanently