DICKY NEWS AFRICAN

18/08/2026

TECHNOLOGY CAN STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S ELECTION CREDIBILITY, CHIDOKA SAYS

Former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka says technology has helped reduce the uncertainty that often surrounds the collation of election results in Nigeria, but insists that greater transparency and accountability are still required.

Chidoka said digital tools are increasingly improving the speed, credibility and efficiency of result transmission, verification and collation.

“The mystery and darkness surrounding the election collation period have been partly removed by technology,” he said.

He noted that artificial intelligence and other digital systems now enable independent organisations to gather and analyse polling-unit results more quickly than the conventional collation process.

According to him, linking polling-unit results to a database of accredited voters provides an important safeguard, as it can prevent the submission of figures that exceed the number of voters accredited at a polling unit.

However, Chidoka said the wider use of technology must extend to the entire collation process. He identified the admission of polling-unit results by collation officers as a critical stage that should be transparent and open to independent verification.

He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to account for any unexplained delays in uploading or transmitting results, saying public trust depends on clear communication from the polling unit to the final declaration of results.

Chidoka maintained that while technology is helping to improve confidence in elections, sustained digitalisation, openness and institutional accountability remain essential to strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

18/08/2026

ZAMBIA’S PRESIDENT HICHILEMA WINS SECOND TERM AMID OPPOSITION CONCERNS

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has secured a second five-year term after the Electoral Commission declared him winner of the country’s presidential election.

Official results showed Hichilema winning about 60 per cent of the vote, ahead of his main challenger, opposition leader Brian Mundubile, who received about 38 per cent.

The election was marked by tension in some areas, with vote counting temporarily disrupted following violence at polling stations. Opposition officials were also arrested during a law-enforcement operation at opposition offices, an incident that drew criticism from Hichilema’s rivals.

Opposition parties alleged irregularities and accused the government of using state institutions to undermine their campaign. The government has rejected such allegations.

Hichilema, first elected in 2021, campaigned on his administration’s economic record, including debt restructuring, efforts to control inflation and currency stabilisation. The new mandate gives his government another term to pursue its reform agenda in the copper-producing southern African nation.

18/08/2026

DELE FAROTIMI: “KNANDI KANU WAS 110% CORRECT IN HIS ASSESSMENT OF NIGERIA”

Dele Farotimi has sparked fresh debate over Nigeria’s handling of separatist grievances, declaring that the historical arguments behind the Biafran struggle remain difficult to dismiss.

In a strongly worded commentary, Farotimi said he had “not one single argument against” the facts he said had been presented concerning the Biafran question and Nigeria’s treatment of the issues surrounding it.

He went further, saying he was now convinced that “Biafra was 110% correct in his assessment of the Nigerian state.”

According to him, the continued detention of individuals associated with separatist agitation, alongside the freedom enjoyed by people accused of serious crimes, reinforces his argument about what he described as the Nigerian state’s failure to address longstanding grievances fairly.

Farotimi also argued that Nigeria’s alleged unwillingness to respond adequately to rational and peaceful demands could contribute to the emergence of more extreme voices.

He referenced the rise of separatist figures and movements, including those who have drawn support from grievances in the South-East, while stressing that he does not support the use of violence as a means of achieving political objectives.

His argument, however, was that when genuine grievances are repeatedly ignored, some groups may eventually resort to more radical methods of expression.

Farotimi warned that such a development could ultimately work against the very people seeking justice, arguing that violence gives the state an opportunity to dismiss legitimate grievances because of the methods used to express them.

He further alleged that, in parts of the South-East, some individuals have exploited public grievances for political positions, patronage and financial gain, while others have pursued genuine demands for political change but, in his view, adopted ineffective methods.

The comments are likely to reignite debate over Biafra, separatist agitation, the detention of separatist activists, Nigeria’s approach to dissent, and whether longstanding political grievances are being adequately addressed through democratic channels.

Farotimi maintained that while he recognises the grievances behind separatist movements, he does not believe violence is capable of achieving the desired political outcome.

The central question now remains: can Nigeria address the grievances driving separatist sentiments before frustration produces even more radical forms of political expression?

18/08/2026

18/08/2026

NDLEA Incinerates 329,865kg of Seized Drugs, Values Haul at ₦301bn

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has destroyed 329,865 kilogrammes of seized illicit drugs with an estimated street value of ₦301 billion, describing the exercise as a significant setback for criminal drug networks operating in Nigeria.

The agency said the substances were publicly incinerated following due legal and administrative procedures, preventing them from returning to circulation.

According to the NDLEA, the destroyed exhibits comprised assorted narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances recovered during intelligence-led operations and interdictions across the country.

The agency said the destruction underscored its resolve to disrupt drug trafficking networks, protect communities from substance abuse and deny criminal syndicates the proceeds of the illicit trade.

NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), has repeatedly said the agency’s enforcement strategy combines arrests, prosecution, asset forfeiture, drug-demand reduction and cooperation with local and international partners.

The ₦301 billion figure represents the NDLEA’s estimated street value of the drugs. The agency said investigations into those connected to the seized consignments would continue.

The public destruction was attended by relevant government officials, security agencies and community stakeholders, the NDLEA said.

18/08/2026

QATAR SEEKS CLARIFICATION AS AFC’S FIFA STANCE SPARKS ASIAN FOOTBALL TENSIONS

A disagreement over the Asian Football Confederation’s response to FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s proposed commercial restructuring has exposed fresh tensions within the region’s football leadership.

The dispute follows criticism of Infantino’s plan to allow outside investment in a FIFA commercial entity linked to major competitions, including the World Cup. Several confederations have raised concerns over consultation, transparency and the long-term governance of the global game.

Qatar Football Association President Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani reportedly questioned whether the AFC had consulted all of its member associations before associating itself with the criticism. He sought clarification on the authority under which the confederation spoke for its members.

In response, AFC President Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa maintained that his actions were consistent with the confederation’s constitution and his responsibility to protect football’s interests in Asia.

Sheikh Salman said the AFC could not remain silent on issues that could affect the governance and future of the sport.

The disagreement adds another layer to the wider debate over FIFA’s proposed investment model, which has drawn scrutiny from football administrators and stakeholders in several regions.

18/08/2026

MAINPOWER CONFIRMS STAFF DEATH BY ELECTROCUTION IN ENUGU, LAUNCHES INVESTIGATION

MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has confirmed the death of one of its linesmen, Isaac D**e, following an electrocution incident at a distribution substation in Enugu State.

The incident occurred at about 3:25 p.m. on April 1, 2026, at a 300KVA/11KV/0.415KV substation on Giraffe Street, Ekulu East Estate, also known as Zoo Estate.

In a statement, the company’s Head of Communications, Emeka Ezeh, said D**e, who was attached to the Ogui District, was carrying out an activity that had yet to be established when the incident occurred.

Preliminary findings indicated that the deceased was accompanied to the location by a driver who reportedly did not know the nature of the assignment or the identity of the customer said to have requested the service.

MEDL said checks of its fault-report and customer-management records showed no complaint or approved outage request for work in the area on the day of the incident. The company said this raised concerns that the activity may not have been authorised.

D**e was later taken to the Emergency Unit of the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead. The matter was reported to the police, while a detailed investigation has been initiated.

The company involved is MainPower Electricity Distribution Limited.

18/08/2026

SOWORE FAULTS NDLEA’S DESTRUCTION OF CANNABIS FARMS, CALLS FOR ECONOMIC ALTERNATIVES

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) over the destruction of cannabis farms, arguing that Nigeria cannot address poverty through the burning of crops.

Reacting to the agency’s anti-narcotics operations, Sowore said the government should confront the economic conditions that push citizens into illicit cultivation rather than rely solely on enforcement measures.

“Nigeria cannot burn its way out of poverty,” he said, calling for policies that provide farmers and rural communities with viable sources of livelihood.

Sowore’s comments come amid continued NDLEA operations targeting cannabis plantations and other sources of illicit drugs across the country. The agency has maintained that the destruction of such farms is necessary to disrupt drug supply networks, reduce substance abuse and curb criminal activity linked to narcotics trafficking.

Cannabis remains a prohibited substance under Nigerian law. However, Sowore’s intervention has revived debate over whether drug-control policy should place greater emphasis on economic alternatives, public health measures and possible reforms to cannabis regulation.

The NDLEA has not publicly responded to Sowore’s latest remarks. The agency has consistently said its operations are guided by its statutory mandate to prevent the cultivation, production, trafficking and abuse of illicit drugs.

The development highlights the broader policy question facing Nigeria: how to balance law enforcement with sustainable economic opportunities for communities vulnerable to poverty and illicit trade.