Russia and Ukraine have exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war, the Russian defence ministry says.

In a deal brokered by the United Arab Emirates, Russia said it had swapped 150 Ukrainian soldiers held captive for an equal number of Russian troops.

The released Russian troops were in Belarus, an ally of Russia, and were being given medical assistance and the chance to contact their families, the Russian defence ministry said. Ukraine has not yet commented.

Before the latest swap, there had been just 10 prisoner exchanges between the countries this year.

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Under Buhari, the leaders of the Executive, Legislature and Judiciary, as well as the heads of the Defence Ministry, Attorney General of the Federation, Army, Police, NSA, DSS, NIA, DMI, DIA, NPS, NCS, NIS and EFCC, and the NNPCL, NPA and FAAN, the three biggest revenue generators of the Federal Government, were all simultaneously Northern Muslim men.

Did Nasir el-Rufai complain? No. Instead, he was busy kneeling to Buhari in public!

This is a man who lied that the Christian Association of Nigeria was behind Boko Haram. Please fact-check me.

The lies he is peddling about President Tinubu’s Yorubanisation of the government are coordinated. It is not coincidental that they are coming at the same time as the lies from the Nigerien junta leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani.

There is no Yorubanisation of government under Tinubu. El-Rufai is just bitter. Just as his own wife said to her son when he said something similar.

Hadiza El-Rufai asked her son, Bashir, “Would you say this if your father was in government?”

I direct the same question to her husband.

The so-called Yorubanisation or Yorubacentricity of government under President Bola Tinubu is a myth. And if anyone chooses to push this discredited theory, Nigerians should not just accept broad accusations without data and statistics.

Ask that person to provide stats. If they cite a sector, they should give Nigerians a regional breakdown of everybody in that sector rather than making broad statements to paint a manipulative narrative that is neither creative nor supportive of our national growth.

If you re-arrange the letters that make up El-Rufai, you will get failure. And failure is what he will get in this his new misadventure.

People like el-Rufai should think twice before destabilising Nigeria. If they destroy the bond between the North and the Southwest, they will also put the glue that holds Nigeria together in disarray.

Reno Omokri

*Says its desecration of highly revered regimented age-long military tradition

Atiku Abubakar , former Vice President of Nigeria and the nation’s leading opposition figure, has strongly condemned the recent military parade involving Seyi Tinubu, the son of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu .

He has demanded a thorough investigation into the incident, labelling it a gross violation of military tradition.

In a statement released by his media office on Sunday, signed by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku expressed outrage over the event, calling it an aberration for any branch of the Armed Forces to organize a formal parade for a non-designated public figure.

“It is with utter dismay and concern that Nigerians were subjected to a nauseating video circulating online, where a group of young men, armed and in full military procession, bestowed upon the President’s son unwarranted military honours,” the statement read.

Atiku further questioned the legitimacy of the military-like outfit involved, stating that the so-called group, the “Nigeria Cadet Network,” is not a recognized entity within the Nigerian Armed Forces. He emphasized the disturbing fact that the name “Cadet,” associated with young, formally trained military personnel, was exploited by civilians to tarnish the esteemed traditions of the military.

“In an effort to uncover the truth behind this shameless procession, we instructed our legal team and military experts to investigate the so-called ‘Nigeria Cadet Network.’ To no one’s surprise, it was revealed that the group is not a legally registered entity,” Atiku noted. “What is even more alarming is the brazen use of firearms by civilians in this so-called parade — at a time when illegal arms proliferation is at a dangerous high in our country.”

Atiku has now called for an urgent investigation by all relevant security agencies to address the following critical concerns:

1. The legitimacy of the “Nigeria Cadet Network” and its use of the title “Cadet” when it is not a registered entity.

2. The origin and legality of the firearms displayed by members of the “Nigeria Cadet Network.”

3. The propriety of the military honours granted to the President’s son by non-commissioned civilians under the protection of security personnel.

The former Vice President stressed that preserving the integrity of the Nigerian Armed Forces is paramount. “If it is determined that any legal violations were committed by the President’s son or members of the so-called ‘Nigeria Cadet Network,’ it is the constitutional duty of Nigerian security agencies to ensure that the law takes its course and those responsible are held accountable,” Atiku said.

Signed:
Paul Ibe
Media Adviser to Atiku Abubakar
Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (2023)
Abuja
29 December, 2024.