News
Family Demands Justice Over Killing of Yilbet Tongshang, Destruction of 13 Houses in Plateau Community
The family of the late Yilbet Samwa Tongshang of Bul community in Kabwir District, Kanke Local Government Area of Plateau State, has appealed to the Plateau State Police Command and other relevant authorities to ensure justice over his alleged killing and the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
In a press statement jointly signed by Lengkat Tongshang (the complainant) and Nde Paul Tongshang (on behalf of the family), they alleged that on March 5, 2025, a group of individuals identified as Yunusa Dungkolma Tenwa, Augustine Gomgchim, John Bunwa, Jidim Munanji, and others conspired and attacked the deceased with machetes and other dangerous weapons.
According to the statement, the attackers not only inflicted fatal injuries on the victim but also allegedly set fire to 13 houses belonging to various members of the Bul community, destroying properties estimated at over ₦100 million.
The incident was reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Kanke, and the injured victim was taken to General Hospital, Kanke, where he was later confirmed dead. The case was subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Jos for further investigation.
However, the family expressed concern that during the investigation, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ephraim Usman, allegedly summoned both parties to his office in the presence of the Kanke Local Government Chairman, Hon. Lapching Golime, and some stakeholders.
They claimed that the commissioner and the chairman directed that the suspects be released on bail to allow the local government handle the matter internally and ensure justice. Following that directive, eight suspects were released.
“Since their release, nothing has been done by the local government chairman as promised,” the family lamented. “We have visited the police at CID Jos several times, but we are being told to go and beg the chairman, who has since become inaccessible.”
The family further alleged attempts by some local authorities to shield the suspects from prosecution, describing the situation as “an injustice that must not be ignored.”
In a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Plateau State Command, through their solicitors Ladan Attorneys & Co, the Tongshang family reiterated their call for justice and urged the police to ensure that the accused persons are arraigned before a competent court of law. 
The letter, signed by Barr. Ismaila Ladan, described the release of the suspects as an “unconstitutional administrative bail” and alleged that the perpetrators have since been boasting that nothing would come out of the case due to political interference.
“Our clients are calling on your good office to intervene and ensure that justice prevails. No one should take another person’s life and go unpunished,” the petition read.
The Tongshang family appealed to the Plateau State Government, civil society organizations, and the general public to condemn what they described as a deliberate attempt to obstruct justice and to demand accountability for the killing and arson in Bul community.
They emphasized that their only demand is justice — for their slain relative and for all those whose homes and livelihoods were destroyed in the attack.
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has blasted the administration of President Bola Tinubu over attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore and the governorship candidate of the ADC in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan'iya.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Saturday, Atiku said the attacks were troubling.
"The simultaneous attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, Omoyele Sowore, and the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan'iya, are deeply troubling and unacceptable," Atiku wrote.
The former Vice President described the attacks as a dangerous threat to democracy and an attempt to silence opposition voices under the Tinubu administration.
He accused the Federal Government of creating an atmosphere where opposition candidates are no longer safe, warning that Nigeria is drifting towards dictatorship.
"This is not how democracy works. No Nigerian should be attacked for daring to contest against those in power. If opposition is under attack, then democracy itself is under attack," Atiku added.
Atiku called on security agencies to immediately fish out those behind the attacks and ensure they face justice, while urging President Bola Tinubu to call his supporters to order.
‘Nigeria drifting to dictatorship’ – Atiku condemns attacks on Sowore, ADC candidate
Nigeria and Russia have agreed to replace a 59-year-old aviation agreement, aiming to update air transport relations and create opportunities for stronger connectivity between the two countries.
The agreement to renegotiate the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA), which dates back to 1967, was reached during a meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, and Russian officials on the sidelines of the Third Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow.
Mr Keyamo disclosed the development in a post on his X account on Friday, saying both countries had agreed to complete negotiations within six months and sign a new agreement in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in April 2027.
He said the Nigerian delegation met with Dmitry Stanislavovich Zverev, the State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation.
“We resolved to renegotiate our last Bilateral Air Service Agreement that was made in 1967. We set a timeline of six months to conclude the negotiations and sign a new one in Saint Petersburg in April 2027,” Mr Keyamo said.
He added that both countries had formed negotiating teams to begin work toward an agreement within the agreed period.
The proposed renegotiation is expected to update the framework governing air transport between Nigeria and Russia, reflecting changes in the international aviation industry over the past six decades.
What the agreement means
A Bilateral Air Services Agreement provides the legal framework for scheduled air services between two countries. It generally sets out the conditions under which airlines from both countries can operate international flights, including routes, traffic rights, designated airlines and other operational arrangements.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development says its Air Transport Management Department negotiates and reviews new and existing air services agreements and monitors their implementation.
The ministry also works with the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and other aviation agencies to facilitate international air links and regulate airline operations.
The proposed replacement of the Nigeria-Russia agreement could therefore create opportunities for improved air connectivity and cooperation between their aviation sectors.
However, neither Mr Keyamo nor the ministry disclosed proposed flight routes, designated airlines or the frequency of possible operations under the new agreement.
Wider cooperation
Beyond the aviation agreement, Mr Keyamo said the meeting also examined other areas of cooperation between Nigeria and Russia.
He said both sides had resolved to explore additional opportunities in the coming months.
The Nigerian delegation included the Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, Capt: Chris Najomo, and the Registrar of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Dr Danjuma Adamu Ismaila.
Directors from the Federal Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development and the NCAA also participated in the discussions.
ALSO READ: Nigeria sends low-level delegation to Russia-Africa summit
Nigeria and Russia have maintained diplomatic relations since shortly after Nigeria gained independence in 1960. Their relationship has included cooperation in areas such as defence, trade, science and technology.
According to the Nigerian Embassy in Russia, the Soviet Union provided political and military assistance to Nigeria during the 1967–1970 Civil War. Cooperation between the two countries has also extended to space technology, including the launch of Nigeria’s satellites aboard Russian rockets in 2011.
The planned aviation agreement is expected to form part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral relations and identify further areas of cooperation.
Both countries are expected to begin negotiations through their respective teams, aiming to conclude the process and sign the new agreement in Saint Petersburg in April 2027.
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