The federal government has deployed a massive N12 trillion (approximately $8 billion) in market interventions to artificially prop up the naira, according to Bismarck Rewane, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company.

The temporary strengthening of the naira to N1,500 against the dollar masks significant underlying economic pressures and unsustainable market manipulation, Rewane revealed in a Channels Television interview on Friday.

"We've actually spent almost $8 billion trying to support the naira at current levels," Rewane explained, highlighting how this short-term stabilization relies heavily on borrowed funds, including $4 billion in new bond issues, rather than organic economic growth.

Rewane, who serves on the Nigerian Economic Summit Group's Board, warned against celebration of the current exchange rates, pointing out that the naira's purchasing power parity (PPP) remains significantly weaker at N1,102 to the dollar. This gap between market rate and fundamental value suggests the current appreciation is unlikely to hold.

The intervention-driven stability comes amid concerning economic indicators: money supply growth remains elevated at 17%, interest rates are high, and foreign reserves have declined from $42 billion to approximately $38 billion – even as the country takes on more external debt to finance currency support operations.

Market analysts note that without addressing fundamental economic challenges, the current exchange rate levels cannot be maintained indefinitely, especially given the substantial cost to the nation's reserves and rising debt burden.

Rewane also challenged the credibility of recent inflation figures, suggesting they don't reflect economic realities faced by average Nigerians. "There's no way that inflation can reduce by 10% in a short period. The man on the street does not believe that inflation has come down as sharply as that," he stated.

While the naira has shown a nominal appreciation of 9% in 2025, experts caution that this improvement, achieved through massive government intervention rather than economic fundamentals, is likely temporary and unsustainable at current levels.

The combination of depleting reserves, increased external borrowing, and persistent structural economic challenges suggests the current exchange rate stability may be short-lived, with a market correction expected once intervention capacity diminishes.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Nigeria's currency in circulation has reached an unprecedented N5.24 trillion in January 2025, with an alarming 90.4% of this cash – N4.74 trillion – being held outside the banking system, according to latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data.

This represents a dramatic 43.5% surge from January 2024's N3.65 trillion, highlighting growing concerns about the effectiveness of Nigeria's cashless policy and financial inclusion efforts. The amount held outside banks has similarly jumped by 44.5% from N3.28 trillion in January 2024.

The year-long trend shows persistent growth in both metrics:

Q1 2024 saw steady increases, with circulation rising from N3.65 trillion in January to N3.87 trillion in March. The proportion of cash outside banks remained consistently above 89%.

Q2 maintained the upward trajectory, reaching N4.05 trillion by June, with over 93% of currency circulating outside the formal banking sector.

Q3 began with a brief dip in July, when cash outside banks temporarily decreased to N3.67 trillion. However, the trend quickly reversed, with circulation expanding to N4.31 trillion by September.

Q4 marked accelerated growth, as total currency in circulation surged from N4.55 trillion in October to N4.88 trillion in November, before hitting January 2025's record high.

The persistent high percentage of currency outside the banking system suggests significant challenges in Nigeria's push toward a more formalized financial system, despite various digital banking initiatives and financial inclusion programs.

This trend raises questions about the effectiveness of monetary policy transmission and the central bank's ability to monitor and control money supply effectively when such a large proportion of currency operates outside formal banking channels.

The continued preference for cash transactions also indicates potential challenges in tax collection and anti-money laundering efforts, as transactions outside the banking system are harder to track and regulate.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A recent report by S&P Global has revealed that the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery is currently meeting up to 60% of Nigeria’s domestic gasoline (petrol) demand. This significant milestone underscores the refinery’s pivotal role in stabilizing the nation’s fuel supply and reducing reliance on imported petroleum products, marking a transformative shift in Nigeria’s energy landscape.

The report contrasts with earlier claims by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, which stated that the country’s three operational refineries contributed less than 50% of daily petrol consumption. Since its commissioning in January 2024, the Dangote Refinery, with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day (b/d), has been a focal point of attention, promising to drastically reduce Nigeria’s fuel import deficit by catering to the bulk of the domestic market.

Exceeding analyst expectations, the refinery began operating its critical gasoline unit, the Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker (RFCC), in September 2024. Officials have projected that the facility will reach full production capacity by mid-March 2025. A Dangote Group executive disclosed in late January that the refinery was producing over 30 million liters of gasoline daily, achieving an 85% utilization rate. This output, equivalent to approximately 200,000 b/d, covers a significant portion of Nigeria’s estimated daily gasoline demand of 350,000 b/d, as per S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Despite initial skepticism from market observers regarding production volumes, the refinery’s growing output has significantly reduced Nigeria’s gasoline imports. In January 2025, import volumes plummeted to a historic low of 62,000 b/d, down from an average of 200,000 b/d in 2024. Traders noted that the decline in imports was largely offset by supplies from the Dangote Refinery, with some residual volumes sourced from the transshipment hub in Lome, Togo.

However, questions remain about the refinery’s exact production figures and distribution logistics. Some traders expressed doubts about the reported 85% utilization rate, suggesting that smaller vessels transporting gasoline from Lome might not be fully accounted for in import data. Nevertheless, industry sources agree that the Dangote Refinery is the primary driver behind the sharp decline in Nigeria’s gasoline imports.

Ikemesit Effiong, a partner at Lagos-based SBM Intelligence, attributed the reduction in imports primarily to the Dangote Refinery. “They’re supplying the market at surprisingly high volumes,” he said, noting that several major retailers had switched to sourcing products from the refinery. “Many NNPC retail outlets are currently underprovisioned and not selling, while Dangote-supplied stations are operating smoothly.”

The refinery’s impact is also being felt internationally, with European exporters experiencing reduced demand from Nigeria.

Israel moves tanks into West Bank for first time since 2002

Israel sent tanks into the West Bank on Sunday for the first time since 2002, telling its military to prepare for "an extended stay" as the Jewish stateremains determined to stamp out terrorism in the territory’s refugee camps.

Several tanks were seen moving into Jenin as a fragile ceasefire between the terrorist organization Hamas and Israel remains in place.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military to "increase the intensity of the activity to thwart terrorism" across the West Bank.

Katz said troops will remain "for the coming year" in parts of the territory and indicated that Palestinians who have fled cannot return.

"We will not allow the return of residents, and we will not allow terrorism to return and grow," he said.

Earlier, Katz said he instructed the military to prepare for "an extended stay" in some of the West Bank's urban areas, from which he said about 40,000 Palestinians have fled, leaving the areas "emptied of residents." That figure was confirmed by the United Nations.

Netanyahu said Israeli forces will remain "as long as needed."

The Palestinian foreign ministry called the Israeli moves "a dangerous escalation of the situation in the West Bank."

Tanks were last deployed in the territory in 2002, when Israel fought against deadly Palestinian violence.

The move on Sunday comes as the delicate ceasefire deal that was reached a month ago between Hamas and Israel remains in place.

Hamas freed six hostages on Saturday in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners as part of the agreement. Netanyahu has said 63 hostages remain, including the remains of a soldier captured in 2014.

The conflict began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip led an assault in southern Israel, killing more than 1,100 people and abducting about 250 more.

Fox News

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Ukraine hemmed in as US backing frays three years after Russian invasion

Ukraine enters the fourth year of all-out war with Russia on Monday, unsure it can rely any longer on its staunchest ally the United States as its exhausted troops fight to hold their ground against unrelenting enemy advances.

Donald Trump blasted Volodymyr Zelenskiy last week as an unpopular "dictator" who needed to cut a quick peace deal or lose his country, while the Ukrainian leader said the U.S. president was living in a "disinformation bubble".

Beyond the war of words, U.S. officials opened direct talks with the Russian side in Saudi Arabia last week, shutting out Kyiv and Europe in a stunning change of policy on the war.

Washington has made clear it will send no troops as a security guarantee coveted by Kyiv if a peace deal emerges, placing the burden squarely on European powers that are likely to struggle without U.S. backing.

Ukraine's embattled leader, who has told Europe to create its own army while urging Washington to be pragmatic, has held more than a dozen phone calls mainly with European leaders since Friday to shore up support and scope out a way forward.

Rattled by Trump's first month back in power, numerous European leaders are expected to visit the Ukrainian capital to commemorate the anniversary of the bloodiest conflict in Europe since World War Two alongside Zelenskiy.

Thousands of Ukrainian citizens have died and over 6 million live as refugees abroad since Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion by land, sea and air.

Military losses have been catastrophic, although they remain closely guarded secrets. Public Western estimates based on intelligence reports vary widely, but most say hundreds of thousands have been killed or wounded on each side.

Tragedy has touched families in every corner of Ukraine, where military funerals are commonplace in major cities and far-flung villages. People are exhausted by sleepless nights of air raid sirens.

'THEY ARE TIRED'

On the front, Ukrainian troops face a numerically superior foe as questions swirl over the future of vital U.S. military assistance. It is unclear how much European allies could fill the gap if U.S. support slows or stops.

Evhen Kolosov, head medic at an army stabilisation point for Ukraine's Spartan brigade that is fighting in the east, said the troops were psychologically worn down.

"They're fighting on but really those (who've been here) since the first days are tired, even more psychologically than physically, in the same way as medics. It's difficult, but this is the war, who said it would be easy?"

Pavlo Klimkin, Ukraine's foreign minister from 2014 to 2019, said Zelenskiy needed to try to preserve strategic ties with Washington while enhancing relations with Europe, as well as reaching out to countries like China and India.

Klimkin said he did not think relations with Washington had reached crisis point yet, despite Trump's outbursts.

"A tornado is not sustainable, it will pass, but it is very important not to feed it in any way."

He did not anticipate a peace deal this year that would meet Ukraine's ambitions for something fair and lasting, but said he thought there could be elements of a ceasefire agreement.

Oleksandr Merezhko, a lawmaker for Zelenskiy's party who heads the parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, said U.S. contacts needed to be enhanced at all levels, including with the MAGA movement backing Trump.

At the heart of the current relationship is a deal under discussion that could open up Ukraine's mineral wealth to the U.S., with Trump seeking hundreds of billions of dollars to repay Washington for its support.

Zelenskiy refused to sign an initial draft deal earlier this month, protesting that it was not in Ukrainian interests and did not contain the security guarantees he wanted.

Trump said on Friday that a deal was close, though details remain unclear.

Reuters reported that U.S. negotiators pressing for a deal had raised the possibility of cutting Ukraine's access to Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet system, which has played a vital role in Kyiv's military operations.

"So we just need to play this game right – not to give up our interests on one hand, and on the other hand to support Trump," said Merezhko.

Trump has also pressed Ukraine to hold a wartime election, appearing to side with Russia which has long described Zelenskiy as no longer legitimate.

The Ukrainian leader's mandate was due to expire last May, but no election has been held due to martial law which was declared at the start of the invasion and prohibits holding elections.

Zelenskiy said on Sunday he was willing to give up the presidency if it meant peace, quipping that he could exchange his departure for Ukraine's entry into NATO.

It is unclear how Trump's election call and verbal attacks on Zelenskiy will affect his trust ratings, which remain above 50% according to several Ukrainian polls.

Some Kyiv residents indicated they were rallying around their leader.

"I think it's all wrong - Trump in America has the same rating as Zelenskiy has in Ukraine," said Oleksandr Babiuk, 55, a service sector worker.

"Although I did not vote for him, I supported him throughout martial law and will continue to support him."

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Zelensky warns Ukraine won’t pay debt to US

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has said his country will not repay the assistance it has received from the US since the start of the conflict with Russia. He also suggested that US President Donald Trump’s estimate that Kiev owes $350 billion is grossly exaggerated.

In recent weeks, the US president has ramped up his demands that Kiev reimburse Washington for all the aid provided since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. Trump has argued that if the country is short on cash, it should sign over the rights to its natural resources as a form of compensation. Zelensky however, has refused, apparently deeming the terms too unfavorable.

Speaking at the ‘Ukraine. Year – 2025’ forum in Kiev on Sunday, Zelensky stated that “Ukraine received $100 billion [in aid] from the US, not $350, not $500, not $700,” stressing that he was “not ready to recognize even $100 billion”as debt. He claimed that he had reached an agreement with former US President Joe Biden that the money was being provided as a grant, and that no repayment had been expected.

Zelensky stressed that if the Trump administration is not ready to give Ukraine a blank check, Kiev is prepared to enter into a “new agreement,”and that it should be considered carefully, in order for the parties to “remain friends and partners.”

“I think I’m justified in my desire for dialogue [with the US],” the Ukrainian leader said, emphasizing that “I do not sign something which ten generations of Ukrainians would have to repay.”

According to Zelensky, the original deal on Ukraine’s rare earths drafted by the Trump administration made no mention of security guarantees to Kiev and was therefore turned down. He claimed that his negotiators were making good progress in talks with the Americans, who had supposedly dropped their initial $500 billion demand.

Meanwhile, in an article on Saturday, the New York Times, citing anonymous Ukrainian officials, claimed that Washington’s revised version of the accord appeared “even tougher” than its previous iteration.

Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday, Trump warned that “we’re going to either sign a deal or there’s gonna be a lot of problems with [Ukraine].” He clarified that he expected Kiev to acquiesce “in the next fairly short period of time,” lamenting that “we’re spending our treasure on… a country that’s very, very far away.”

According to the 2024 World Economic Forum report, Ukraine “holds immense potential as a major global supplier of critical raw materials” that could be “essential” for defense, the technology sector, and green energy. Much of those resources are, however, located in the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics, which joined Russia in 2022.

Reuters/RT

I am grateful to Seyi Sowemimo (SAN) and Abdul Jinadu respectively for taking time to address matters of historical record from my column last week. This column publishes their rejoinders (modestly edited for economy) this week, without comment. – Chidi Anselm Odinkalu

Why my father refused to swear in Buhari after 1983 coup, By Seyi Sowemimo

I have in recent times come across two posts or write-ups by Chidi Odinkalu containing some misinformation, which requires correction, so that they do not become accepted for all times as the true versions of the events to which they relate.

The first has to do with the events of 31st December 1983, which heralded in the Buhari/Idiagbon administration. From his account, the then Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice George Sodeinde Sowemimo (GCON; who happens to be my late father) was out of the country at the material time. The military, in his absence, then proposed to swear in Justice Aniagolu in his place as Chief Justice, but the learned Justice declined the offer.

I have some personal knowledge of the events of that day and it has, therefore, become necessary to correct some aspects of your narrative. First, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Sowemimo, was certainly in the country at that time. What actually happened was that on the night of the coup, the military officers sent the then Secretary to Federal Government, Gray Longe to the CJN’s official residence to invite my father to their gathering at Bonny Camp. In panic, my late mother sent word to alert me of the development, but happily by the time I got to the house, my father had returned from Bonny Camp.

What happened at Bonny Camp was that the military officers requested that my father should swear in General Muhammadu Buhari as the new head of state and possibly thereafter accompany him to the television station, where he was to make his maiden broadcast. The Chief Justice refused and impressed on them the fact that they had by their actions suspended the Constitution and that he could not therefore as the Chief Justice legitimately swear General Buhari in as the head of state. The military officers were persuaded by this explanation and Buhari thereafter proceeded with the takeover without the formality of a swearing-in.

When my father got to Bonny Camp that night, he met some judges at the venue, but their presence has never been fully explained. I, however, believe that if such offer was ever made to Aniagolu, it would be easy for me to appreciate his disinclination towards the offer, as judges of their ilk were not consumed by ambition and he would well have recognised that there were other justices of the Supreme Court who were senior to him and that an acceptance of such an offer would have created a very awkward situation for the judiciary, especially at the level of the Supreme Court. Anyone familiar with the level of camaraderie which existed amongst the justices of that Court at the material time will readily appreciate why such an offer would have been spurned.

The second post concerns the compulsory retirement of Justice Yaya Jinadu from the High Court. An aspect of the narrative, which is incorrect, concerns the claim that Justice Adefarasin, the then Chief Judge of Lagos State, unilaterally withdrew the Garba case file from Jinadu. The version that I am familiar with is that it was Jinadu who requested that the case file be reassigned to another judge. The Advisory Judicial Council made up of the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeal and several other justices actually called for the case file and observed for themselves the minutes by Jinadu requesting that the case file be assigned to another judge. It is therefore not correct or fair to give the impression that the case file was unceremoniously withdrawn from him by Adefarasin, the chief judge. What infuriated members of the Supreme Military Council was the fact that the judge had made those false claims against the Chief Judge. This was the background to the compulsory retirement of Jinadu.

Finally, you described as “infamous” the judgment of Sowemimo which convicted the late sage, Obafemi Awolowo. This characterisation clearly ignores the fact that the judgment was in fact upheld and confirmed unanimously by a panel of five justices of the Supreme Court [in] Michael Omisade & Ors. v. The Queen (1964) 1 All NLR, 23.

The judgment in the Omisade case was in fact preceded by the judgment in the treasonable felony trial of Anthony Enahoro, who was convicted and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment by Justice SO Lambo on the very same set of facts, two weeks before the judgment in the Awolowo case. Enahoro’s appeal was decided by another set of five Supreme Court Justices, who affirmed his conviction but reduced the sentence from 15 to seven years.

It is unfair in the circumstances to describe the judgment of the trial Court as infamous, considering the fact that 10 reputable Justices of the highest Court upheld the conviction of the accused persons.

Seyi Sowemimo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, practices law in Lagos.

*****

My father was not compulsorily retired – A response to Seyi Sowemimo - Abdul Jinadu

It was with some sadness that I read a document which had been apparently circulating written by a Seyi Sowemimo dated 18 February 2025 entitled “Rejoinder to Recent Posts by Chidi Odinkalu” in which the writer professes to address “two posts or write-ups put up by Odinkalu….”

It is ironic that in purporting to correct alleged misinformation, Sowemimo himself traffics in misinformation and what one may charitably describe as errors of fact. He deals with two issues: the events of 31st December 1983 and the events surrounding my late father, Justice Jinadu’s resignation from the Lagos State High Court bench in 1984.

I have no particular position to take up with Sowemimo in respect of his first issue, as I profess no particular knowledge of the matters which he discusses. However, I suspect that if he approached this first issue with the same standards of veracity and objectivity with which he addresses the second of his issues, Sowemimo’s account will be found to be somewhat lacking in fidelity to the truth.

I do take a firm position with regard to Sowemimo’s comments regarding my father and the circumstances in which he resigned from the bench. It is lamentable, and perhaps indicative of the standards which currently obtain, that a member of the inner bar would display such poor skills as a legal researcher so as to assert that my father was compulsorily retired. If Sowemimo had carried out even the most basic research that one would expect of a first year Law student at an average university, he would have discovered that my father resigned, rather than bowed to what he believed, and what history has confirmed, were egregious attempts by the Advisory Judicial Committee to interfere with the independence of the judiciary, all in the service of a military dictatorship. In his resignation letter (it is not clear on what basis one would write a resignation letter if he had been compulsorily retired), my father famously said that he was retiring “to protect his integrity and preserve the independence of the judiciary.”

I would recommend that Sowemimo search out a copy of the book, A Salute to Courage, written by Richard Akinnola and published by the late Gani Fawehinmi’s Chambers, which contains a more accurate account of the relevant events with reference to primary documents and interviews with some of the key actors. I am happy to provide Sowemimo with a copy should he so desire. The documents establish that Justice Adefarasin had unilaterally withdrawn the case file from my father on the instructions of the military dictatorship who were not pleased with the manner in which my father was conducting the trial.

My father, long after he had retired, opined that he was aware that there was an attempt to use his court to wrongfully convict an innocent man, and conscious of his judicial oath and obligations as a Muslim mandated in the holy Quran that he abide no injustice, particularly when he was appointed to the hallowed position on the bench, he was not going to allow that to happen. In my father’s words, the judiciary was the last hope of the common man.

This year marks the centenary of my father’s birth. He passed away five years ago surrounded by his loving family and confident in the judgment of history, as still being the only judge in the history of Nigeria to have resigned on a point of principle.

It would have been a cause of immense sadness to him that an individual from the profession which he so revered and one who is the son of an individual who for a very long time he considered a dear friend, would be the one attempting to rewrite history in this rather clumsy fashion. Fortunately, there are individuals alive today such as Femi Okunnu (SAN), who was one of my father’s closest advisors and confidants when this issue arose, who were first hand witnesses to the events in question.

Abdul Jinadu is a barrister at Keating Chambers in London.

Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a professor of law, teaches at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and can be reached through This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ market in Nigeria, Kenya, and other African countries is expanding rapidly, a new report on this segment of the economy has indicated.

It was also noted that the BNPL market in Africa is projected to hit N10.63bn by the end of this decade.

This was revealed in a recent report from data company Research and Markets titled ‘Africa Buy Now Pay Later Business and Investment Opportunities Databook.’

Investopedia described BNPL as a type of short-term financing that allows consumers to make purchases and pay for them over time. It ties into the consumer credit culture that the Federal Government has been pushing through the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation, which it says can boost the economy by driving consumption.

“The BNPL market in the region experienced robust growth during 2021-2024, achieving a CAGR of 29.4 per cent. This upward trajectory is expected to continue, with the market forecast to grow at a CAGR of 14.8 per cent during 2025-2030. By the end of 2030, the BNPL sector is projected to expand from its 2024 value of $4.48bn to approximately $10.63bn.

“The BNPL sector in Africa has experienced significant growth, driven by strategic partnerships, integration into e-commerce platforms, and expansion into various sectors. While specific regulatory changes have yet to be widely reported, the overall growth of BNPL services is driven by increasing consumer demand for credit solutions, particularly among the unbanked population. Over the next two to four years, the BNPL landscape is expected to evolve, with continued expansion and the potential development of regulatory frameworks to ensure sustainable growth,” part of the report read.

In Nigeria, the report revealed that in May 2024, Jumia Nigeria launched BNPL partnerships with Easybuy and CredPal, allowing consumers to make purchases and spread payments over time. This also showed the increasing incorporation of the BNPL options in e-commerce platforms in Africa to attract more customers.

Earlier, Mastercard partnered with Lipa Later to expand BNPL solutions in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and Nigeria, aiming to enhance financial inclusion.

The report further read, “The increasing demand for flexible payment options among consumers. The need to enhance financial inclusion by providing credit access to underbanked populations. This trend is expected to continue over the next two to four years, with more partnerships and service expansions enhancing BNPL accessibility across the continent.

“Africa’s BNPL market has seen increased competition, driven by service expansions, strategic partnerships, and regulatory changes aimed at protecting consumers. Over the next two to four years, the sector is poised for further growth, with heightened competitive intensity and greater emphasis on compliance. Providers that invest in technology, innovation, and partnerships will be better positioned to navigate the dynamic market and capitalise on emerging opportunities.”

Meanwhile, it was stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria introduced stricter guidelines for digital lenders, including rules to protect consumers and limit excessive debt accumulation. These guidelines now extend to BNPL providers operating in the country.

On the outlook for the next two to four years, Research and Markets stated, “Existing players will likely expand their geographic presence and diversify their product offerings to gain a competitive edge. Market consolidation through partnerships and acquisitions is anticipated as providers seek to scale operations and achieve economies of scale.

“Investments in technology, particularly AI for credit risk assessment and customer insights, are expected to improve personalisation and service delivery. Regulatory frameworks will continue to evolve, focusing on protecting consumers while fostering fintech innovation. Compliance with local regulations will become critical for both market entry and sustainability, prompting providers to prioritise transparent practices and responsible lending.”

Punch

Gunmen stormed Elyon Paradise Ministry in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, during a Friday night vigil, shooting the pastor and kidnapping six worshippers in a violent attack that has left the community reeling.

The assailants struck around 10 p.m. near Delta State Polytechnic, leaving Divine Omodia with gunshot wounds. He is currently hospitalized after being shot in the lap and losing two fingers.

The attack has raised fresh concerns about security in places of worship, with residents urging authorities to take swift action to rescue the abducted victims and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Faith Omodia, the wife of the injured cleric, described the harrowing incident, recalling how gunfire erupted inside the church.

“I was lying down with my baby in the church hall when I heard gunshots. Suddenly, bullets started flying into the auditorium,” she recounted.

The attackers fired indiscriminately before rounding up worshippers and dragging six of them away, including two security guards. The kidnapped victims have been identified as Helen Onwuamaeze, Ariyo Emmanuel, Chike Okolo, and Blessing Waye, along with the two unnamed guards.

Despite the gravity of the attack, the Delta State Police Command has yet to confirm the incident. Police Public Relations Officer Bright Edafe stated, “No report has been made at any police station regarding this attack.”

Residents are calling for urgent intervention to ensure the safe return of the abducted victims and prevent further attacks on religious centers.

A British Army veteran and father-of-two has spoken of his gratitude to U.S. Vice President JD Vance for highlighting his conviction for silent prayer in a speech to world leaders in which the American leader warned that free speech is "in retreat" in Europe. 

Adam Smith-Connor was convicted last October of breaching an abortion clinic buffer zone in Bournemouth, England, by praying silently. He was given a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay £9,000 ($11,335).

Addressing world leaders at a security conference in Munich on Friday, Vance drew attention to the 51 year old's conviction by saying "perhaps most concerning, I look to our very dear friends, the United Kingdom, where the backslide away from conscience rights has placed the basic liberties of religious Britons, in particular in the crosshairs." 

"A little over two years ago, the British government charged Adam Smith Connor, a 51-year-old physiotherapist and an Army veteran, with the heinous crime of standing 50 meters [55 yards] from an abortion clinic and silently praying for three minutes, not obstructing anyone, not interacting with anyone, just silently praying on his own," said Vance. 

Smith-Connor, who is appealing his conviction, said he was "overwhelmingly thankful" to Vance for raising his plight in front of world leaders.

"Nobody should be criminalized for their prayers, their mere thoughts," he said. 

Jeremiah Igunnubole, legal counsel for ADF International, which is supporting Smith-Connor's appeal, said, "The policing of people's very thoughts in 'buffer zones' is the most extreme example of censorship across the West. While crime festers on the streets of England, it's unbelievable that police time and resources are focused on criminalizing peaceful Christians, who simply want to pray."

"Nobody can deny that two-tier policing is a problem here; nobody can deny that we are riding roughshod over freedom of speech and of thought," he added. "I thank VP Vance for issuing this wake-up call to our government — we must restore basic standards of human rights."

Christian Post