Tension flared at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday as registered members and stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) gathered for a peaceful protest. The demonstrators, who assembled under the banner of ADC Registered Members and Stakeholders (ADC–RM & S), specifically asked Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to step aside from cases involving the party and other opposition groups. This protest was organised ahead of a scheduled hearing in a case, taking place directly within the court premises, signalling a direct challenge to the judicial process.
The group's leadership was present to voice their concerns to the public. The National President of the ADC–RM & S, Anthony Olah, and the Deputy National Secretary of the ADC party, Oladimeji Fabian, addressed journalists during the gathering. Their public statements underscore the formal and organised nature of the protest, indicating deep-seated issues within the party regarding its legal representation and the perceived impartiality of the judiciary in political matters.
In a separate but significant security development in West Africa, Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists killed 15 soldiers in an attack on an army base in northern Benin. The west African country's military confirmed the incident on Thursday, highlighting the persistent threat of terrorism in the region. The attack underscores the vulnerability of national security forces to insurgent groups operating across borders.
The Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM), Al-Qaeda’s branch for the Sahel region of Africa, claimed responsibility for the Wednesday raid. The assault targeted a base in Kofouno, a location near Benin’s border with Niger, illustrating the transnational nature of the security challenge. This incident is part of a broader pattern of violence spreading from the central Sahel into coastal West African nations.
Beninese army spokesman Colonel James Johnson provided further details on the attack in a statement to AFP. He confirmed that Wednesday’s raid had also wounded five soldiers, adding that “whose lives are not in danger”. Colonel Johnson also stated that military aircraft had killed “at least four terrorists” as they withdrew from the scene, indicating a retaliatory response by the Beninese armed forces.
Additional reporting from a regional security journalists’ group, Wamaps, provided a grimmer picture of the base's condition. The group reported that the army base had been “pillaged and torched” in the attack, suggesting a comprehensive assault aimed at degrading military infrastructure and morale. This detail points to the tactical boldness and destructive capability of the JNIM militants operating in the area.
In international political news, US President Donald Trump on Thursday fired Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security. Trump, in a post on the social media platform Truth Social, announced the dismissal and the appointment of a successor. He stated that Markwayne Mullen, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, would take over from Noem at the powerful department on March 31, marking a significant leadership change in a key US security agency.
Meanwhile, on the Nigerian domestic political front, the Senator Nenadi Usman-led Labour Party, along with relevant stakeholders including the Political Commission of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), have intensified ongoing efforts to increase the party’s membership. This move signals a strategic push to bolster the party's grassroots support and political influence ahead of future electoral cycles. It was gathered that the NLC headquarters has directed its state branches and affiliates to increase the sensitisation of members on the need to register and become card-carrying members of the party, aiming to translate organised labour strength into formal political power.
