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Current Constitution Can’t Address Nigeria’s Challenges – Anyaoku

Published

2 years ago

March 2, 2024

A former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Emeka Anyaoku, has said that the current constitution and governance system of Nigeria cannot address the economic situation and other challenges facing the country.

Anyaoku listed poverty, insecurity, infrastructural breakdown, among others as some of the “serious challenges” in the country that the constitution has failed to tackle.

He stated this while speaking with journalists at his country home in Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Saturday.

The diplomat spoke to journalists shortly after attending the ‘Ito Ogbo’ ceremony, an event and initiation for those who have attained the age of 80.

He expressed displeasure over the rising insecurity in the South East and the assassination of some president-generals by hoodlums.

Anyaoku said the current constitution was a departure from the constitution that the nation’s founding fathers negotiated and agreed.

He said, “These challenges cannot be effectively addressed under the current constitution and governance system we have at the moment.

“We cannot effectively address these challenges – the challenges are nationwide, insecurity is nationwide. There is greater insecurity in the northern parts of the country than in the southern parts.

“The constitution for a pluralistic state as Nigeria, we have to return to the principles of those, of the constitution agreed by our founding fathers.

“Until we do that, I am afraid that we can not effectively deal with the challenges that face the nation.”

Speaking about the Monday sit-at-home in the southeast region, the diplomat said that the exercise was doing great damage to the region’s economy.

He added, “The sit-at-home is doing great damage to the economy of the south-east, I do not support the idea, I think it is doing great damage to the economy. We have to deal with the root cause of the sit-at-home which is the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu.

“Notwithstanding the fact that the court of law had ordered his release, that word gives those who advocate and participate in sit-at-home the reason for doing so.

“I think that the cause of the sit-at-home should be addressed, I do not think that the sit-at-home should be maintained, it should be stopped.”

Earlier, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, while delivering his speech at the event, expressed his delight.

Soludo said, “This is my first time coming to Ito-Ogbo ceremony of Obosi. We want to celebrate, thank the Obosi people for giving Anambra, Nigeria and the world a celebration of longevity.

“Let the world learn how to celebrate with the living and not the dead, Obosi is one ward that is more than a local government. It deserves to be a local government.

“The celebration is part of the burial law in Anambra. It is better to slaughter a cow for the living than the dead. I urge the youths to decide to be 80 years and above, but killers, touts, among others will not live up to 80 years. Live a decent, responsible lifestyle to be able to live up to 80 years.”

Earlier, the traditional ruler of Obosi, Chidubem Iweka, commended the governor for being present at the function.

Iweka described the festival as an age-long cultural heritage of the people, adding that about 200 octogenarians were initiated into the Ogbuefi society.

“Those initiated have been exempted from all manners of taxations/levies and my prayer is that all who attended this ceremony will attain 80 years and above,” he prayed.

One of the inductees into Ogbueshi, Paul Uwakwe, thanked God for having attained 80 years and prayed for more years.

The highlight of the event was honouring of some people who have distinguished themselves in serious fields of human endeavour that including the Commander, Special Anti-Cultism Squad, Obosi, Mr. Isaac Nuhu.

Related Topics:#Nigeria Anyaoku Constitution

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Woman Passes Out After Receiving 100 Strokes Of Cane

Published

4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

A woman has passed out after she and her partner were each flogged 100 times in public for engaging in sex outside marriage under strict Sharia laws in Indonesia’s Aceh province.

The woman, whose identity was not disclosed, was later carried away after the punishment was carried out in Banda Aceh, located at the northern tip of Sumatra island on Thursday.

A masked official dressed in brown robes administered the caning before members of the public who gathered to witness the punishment.

Her partner was also seen wincing in pain while receiving the lashes.

The pair were among several individuals punished for violating Sharia regulations in the province.

Authorities from the Banda Aceh Sharia Court and the Prosecutor’s Office handed down punishments ranging from 25 to 100 lashes for offences including extramarital sex allegedly arranged through online applications.

Aceh remains the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia operating under Sharia law, where unmarried couples are prohibited from having sexual relations.

Caning is commonly used in the province as punishment for offences such as gambling, alcohol consumption, same-sex relations and sex outside marriage.

Under Aceh’s Sharia regulations, child rape offenders face some of the harshest penalties, including up to 200 strokes of the cane, a prison sentence of as long as 200 months or fines equivalent to two kilograms of gold.

The punishments are usually carried out publicly as a way of shaming offenders in addition to inflicting physical pain.

Such canings are often conducted outside mosques or in open public spaces, with residents watching and taking photographs during the exercise.

Human rights organisations have continued to condemn the practice, arguing that it causes emotional trauma and violates international human rights standards.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly criticised the punishments, saying they conflict with Indonesia’s constitution and global legal obligations.

Amnesty said in a statement: “Caning contravenes Indonesia’s constitution and is in clear violation of international human rights law and standards.

‘It constitutes a cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment and can amount to torture in violation of the UN Convention against Torture and other international covenants, to which Indonesia is a State Party.’”

Despite the criticism, local authorities have defended the punishments as part of Aceh’s religious and cultural identity, insisting they serve as a deterrent against immoral behaviour.

Earlier in January, another couple in the province reportedly received 140 lashes each after being found guilty of drinking alcohol and engaging in sex outside marriage.

(Daily Mail)

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Senegal’s President Sacks Prime Minister After Months-long Feud

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4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Senegal’s President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has sacked Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolved the government following months of rising political tension between the two former allies.

The decision was announced in a surprise decree read on national television by a presidential aide, stating that Faye had “ended the duties” of Sonko and “consequently those of the ministers and secretaries of state who are members of the government”.

Sonko, who remains a highly influential figure among Senegal’s youth, responded on social media, saying he would “sleep with a light heart”.

The political fallout comes at a time of growing economic strain in the country, with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) putting Senegal’s public debt at 132% of its GDP.

His removal followed a tense parliamentary session on Tuesday, where Sonko openly criticised President Faye’s handling of the debt situation.

The development is striking given that Faye’s rise to power was largely tied to Sonko’s popularity and political backing.

Sonko would almost certainly have contested the presidency himself in 2024, but was barred from the race due to a defamation conviction. Instead, he threw his support behind Faye, rallying voters with the slogan “Diomaye is Sonko, Sonko is Diomaye”.

The alliance helped unseat former President Macky Sall in a dramatic electoral victory, despite both men having been released from prison only days before the vote.

Tensions between the two leaders had been building for months, with Faye reportedly accusing Sonko of excessive dominance within the ruling Pastef party, while Sonko accused the president of weak leadership and failing to defend him against critics.

(BBC News)

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Six Nigerians Arrested In Thailand Over AI-Powered Romance Scam

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4 days ago

May 24, 2026

Editor

Six Nigerian nationals have been arrested by the Thailand Police Force for allegedly operating an AI-powered deepfake romance scam syndicate from a luxury condominium along the Chao Phraya River in Nonthaburi Province, following a cocaine trafficking investigation that exposed their activities.

Thai authorities said the operation began after police arrested a Nigerian suspect identified as Patrick and three associates in April over alleged drug trafficking offences. During the raid, officers reportedly seized assets valued at about 2.5 million baht.

Investigators said financial transactions linked to the suspects led them to several foreign nationals living in a high-end riverside condominium near Phra Nangklao Bridge in Nonthaburi. Police discovered that many of the occupants were staying in groups of five or six per apartment under student visas despite not being enrolled in any educational institution or engaged in lawful employment.

According to Thai police, officers executed search warrants on three condominium units on May 22. The suspects allegedly refused to open their doors, forcing authorities to break into the apartments.

Videos circulating on X captured the moment police officers forcefully gained entry into one of the apartments before arresting the suspects.

During the operation, one suspect reportedly attempted to escape by climbing over a balcony, while another was found hiding on the bathroom floor while allegedly sending warning messages to occupants in neighbouring units.

Police recovered 18 mobile phones, three laptop computers and three bank passbooks from the apartments. Authorities said some of the phones were still logged into active conversations with victims at the time of the raid.

Investigators alleged that the syndicate specialised in romance scams targeting older Thai women by using AI-generated faces and manipulated video calls to create fake online identities.

The suspects allegedly posed as pilots, United States military officers, doctors and engineers to gain the trust of victims before requesting money under false pretences.

Police said the fraudsters typically claimed that valuable packages or gifts sent to victims had been withheld by customs officials and required payment of clearance fees before release.

Authorities also said they recovered scripts for sexually explicit conversations allegedly used to emotionally manipulate victims into transferring funds. Investigators claimed the group relied heavily on artificial intelligence technology to generate realistic Western faces for fake video interactions.

Thai police said all six suspects are currently facing preliminary charges bordering on illegal association and immigration overstay, while additional fraud and romance scam charges are expected to follow as investigations continue.