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Meet the three SANs vying to become NBA president July 18

Published

3 months ago

July 9, 2026

Three Senior Advocates of Nigeria are set to battle for the presidency of the Nigerian Bar Association as lawyers across the country prepare to elect new national officers on July 18.

The presidential race pits Olumuyiwa Akinboro, Lateef Akangbe and Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya against one another in an election expected to produce the successor to incumbent NBA President, Afam Osigwe.

The three SANs emerged as the only cleared candidates for the association’s top office after the Electoral Committee of the NBA published the final list of qualified candidates.

The election comes amid controversy over alleged attempts to postpone the exercise after a purported report linked to a mediation meeting convened by the Attorney General of the Federation recommended the suspension of the polls, dissolution of the Electoral Committee of the NBA and other electoral reforms.

However, the NBA and the Electoral Committee have rejected the purported recommendations, insisting that only the association’s National Executive Council can postpone the election and maintaining that voting will proceed on July 18.

Speaking during an interview on Wednesday, Osigwe also distanced himself from the contest, saying he had no preferred candidate despite all three aspirants seeking his support.

“I have absolutely nothing to do with the electoral process. So, whether I have favourite or not, it is immaterial. The three persons running for office each approached me to support them, but I’m not supporting any person,” he said.

Aare Olumuyiwa Akinboro

Akinboro, a Life Bencher and principal partner of Akinboro & Co., was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1991 after obtaining his law degree from Lagos State University.

He previously served as General Secretary of the NBA between 2010 and 2012 and also held office as Secretary and Chairman of the NBA Abuja Branch. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Consultants and a Harvard-trained negotiator.

His campaign centres on rebuilding and repositioning the NBA through improved welfare, mentorship, inclusion, institutional reforms and the protection of the rule of law.

While announcing his decision to boycott the official presidential debate, Akinboro described the election as one that would shape the future of the legal profession.

“This election is about the soul of our profession and the future we are building together. I remain steadfast in my vision for a Bar that is member-centred, welfare-driven, and truly inclusive. I am still here, I am still listening, and I am still fighting for the Bar we all deserve,” he said.

Lateef Omoyemi Akangbe

Akangbe is the Managing Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution at Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe & Belgore. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2003 after earning degrees from the University of Wolverhampton, the University of Westminster and the University of South Wales.

A former Chairman of the NBA Lagos Branch, he also served as Chairman of the NBA Finance Committee and is a member of the Body of Benchers.

His campaign is anchored on a five-point reform agenda tagged I-DARE, focusing on institutional reforms, digital transformation, improved remuneration, judicial independence and lawyers’ welfare.

Among his proposals are the implementation of long-standing reform reports on the NBA Secretariat, a unified digital platform known as NBA One, enforcement of the Legal Practitioners Remuneration Order, improved life insurance for lawyers and free access to legal research materials for young lawyers.

Explaining his vision, Akangbe said, “The LOA programme for the NBA 2026 to 2028 is structured around five interconnected pillars, organised under the acronym I-DARE… This is I-DARE. Five pillars. Specific commitments. Delivery timelines. Measurable outcomes. Not a theme. A programme.”

He has also protested the rescheduling of the election date and criticised the debate format, arguing that lawyers deserve a more robust engagement among candidates.

Oyinkansola Badejo-Okunsanya

Badejo-Okunsanya, the only female candidate in the race, was elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2025.

She studied English and Law at the University of Lagos before being called to the Bar in 2002.

She is a Partner and Co-Head of Litigation and Dispute Resolution at ALP NG & Co., specialising in commercial litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution. She also serves on the Board of the Lagos Court of Arbitration.

Her service within the NBA includes roles as Assistant Secretary of the NBA Lagos Branch, Co-opted Member of the National Executive Council and Chair of the 2024 Annual General Conference Planning Committee.

Campaigning under the slogan, “A Bolder Bar That Works for Everyone,” she has pledged to build a service-driven association centred on lawyers’ welfare, stronger branches, professional development and accountability.

“The Nigerian Bar Association exists to serve its members. Every policy, every programme, and every decision must be guided by one question: How does this improve the lives and careers of lawyers?

“I want to serve you. Together, we can build a BOLD Bar anchored on service, accountability, inclusion, and results. A Bar that works. A Bar that serves. A Bar for all,” she said.

The association maintained that it is an independent professional body not subject to the control of the Federal Government and declared that the July 18 election would proceed as scheduled under the supervision of the Electoral Committee of the NBA.

punch.ng

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Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons on NATO as tensions rise in the Baltic

Published

15 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Russia has issued a stern warning to NATO, stating it is fully prepared to use nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempts to isolate or cut off Kaliningrad, the heavily militarized Russian exclave bordered by Poland and Lithuania.

In a formal diplomatic document transmitted to NATO, Moscow condemned the alliance’s actions as a “dangerous and reckless course” carrying “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict.” The communication explicitly warned that escalation could trigger “Russian strikes against decision-making centers in the alliance’s member states right from the outset.”

“Russia will be ready to use the entire arsenal of forces and capabilities at its disposal, including nuclear weapons, in order to defend its territory should NATO countries undertake any attempt aimed at isolating the Kaliningrad Region from the rest of the country,” the note stated.

Russia threatens to use nuclear weapons on NATO as tensions rise in the Baltic
The warning underscores mounting friction over Kaliningrad, a strategic territory slightly larger than Connecticut that serves as a vital Russian military outpost on the Baltic Sea.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova echoed the sentiment online, condemning statements from Western officials which she characterized as manifestations of “Russophobia” and a readiness for war.

“If Europe attacks Russia, it will be a completely different sort of war – a very short war,” Zakharova wrote, adding a call for European leaders to heed Moscow’s warnings. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov described the series of diplomatic notes issued across European embassies as necessary reminders directed at “hotheads in Europe.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte firmly rejected the threats during a defense conference hosted by Euronews in Brussels, reiterating the alliance’s defensive posture and urging Moscow to cease its rhetoric.

“We are a defensive alliance. And stop the nuclear threats. This is absolutely not called for and not helpful,” Rutte said, noting that alliance activities pose no threat to Russian territorial integrity.

When asked if the threat of nuclear deployment in the Baltic region was imminent, Rutte dismissed the prospect: “No, it’s not. Putin knows that he can never win against NATO, so I don’t take this that seriously.”

Security analysts warn that the situation highlights a dangerous trajectory of mutual miscalculation. Nikolai Sokov, a Vienna-based nuclear analyst and former Russian diplomat, noted that escalating Western support for Ukraine risks pushing both sides past diplomatic thresholds.

“They expect more action, including a blockade of the Baltic Sea—just below the level of war in European calculation, but for them this will be open war. I see a risk of mutual miscalculation,” Sokov observed.

While Western governments continue to accuse Moscow of orchestrating a broader “hybrid war” across Europe through acts of sabotage and cyber interference, allegations that the Kremlin strongly denies, senior defense officials view the latest nuclear posturing as an unprecedented escalation unseen since the Cold War.

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SEE FULL LIST: Five EU nations plan deportation centres in Africa

Published

16 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Five European Union countries are moving ahead with plans to establish centres outside the bloc for migrants whose asylum applications have been rejected, with the first facility expected to begin operations in Africa in 2027.

German broadcaster DW reports on Thursday that the five countries are working on what they describe as “return hubs” for people who have been ordered to leave the EU.

Rwanda and Uganda have repeatedly been mentioned by diplomatic sources and European media as possible locations, but neither country has been confirmed as the host.

The five countries involved:

1. Greece

Greece is leading the initiative and has indicated that the first return hub could become operational in the second half of 2027.

Its Migration Minister, Thanos Plevris, said an African country had already been selected, although its identity had not been disclosed.

Greece is also expected to assume the rotating presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2027.

2. Germany

Germany is part of the five-country group pushing for agreements with countries outside the EU to establish return hubs.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt previously said the group wanted to reach an agreement with third countries that would enable the establishment of the facilities.

Germany has also participated in discussions on the legal framework governing transfers of migrants who have no legal right to remain in the EU.

3. Austria

Austria is the third member of the group pursuing the return-hub arrangement.

Its Interior Minister, Gerhard Karner, has argued that the project could help reduce irregular migration and dangerous journeys to Europe.

Austria has separately reached a migration and readmission agreement with Uzbekistan, although that agreement does not itself establish a return hub.

4. Denmark

Denmark has previously explored the possibility of transferring asylum seekers to a third country.

In 2021, Copenhagen passed legislation allowing such arrangements and held negotiations with Rwanda over a reception centre. The talks were suspended in 2023 after legal and logistical difficulties emerged.

Denmark has since shifted towards pursuing third-country arrangements together with other European countries.

5. Netherlands

The Netherlands is the fifth member of the group.

Dutch Migration Minister Bart van den Brink has said the proposed facilities should not be viewed as detention camps, but as places offering migrants who cannot remain in Europe another option while return arrangements are made.

The five countries agreed in September to step up discussions with potential partner countries and work towards establishing the hubs.

Plevris said Greece had selected an African country to host the facility but did not name it publicly.

The five countries, known as the “Group of Five”, have been working on a model under which migrants whose asylum applications have been finally rejected would be transferred to facilities outside the EU while arrangements for their return to their countries of origin are made.

The countries have stressed that the facilities would be open centres rather than detention camps.

Responsibility for people transferred to the hubs would remain with the participating European countries, rather than being handed over to the African host country.

The project is also expected to be financed by the five European countries, while organisations including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration could monitor operations.

The plan follows several unsuccessful efforts by European countries to outsource asylum processing or deportation arrangements.

The most prominent was Britain’s Rwanda scheme, under which the Conservative government sought to send asylum seekers arriving irregularly in the UK to Rwanda.

The British Supreme Court ultimately ruled the policy unlawful, citing concerns that people sent to Rwanda faced a real risk of being returned to countries where they could face persecution or inhumane treatment.

Italy has also operated migrant centres in Albania since 2024. Italian courts initially blocked transfers to the centres, while one facility has subsequently been used as a deportation centre for men whose asylum applications were definitively rejected.

The Italian scheme has involved significant costs, with DW reporting that the expenditure is expected to exceed €670m by 2028.

A Reuters report published on September 30 said Rwanda had held preliminary discussions with some EU member states about potentially hosting transferred migrants, but that no agreement had been reached.

Source: punchng.com

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Elon Musk returns to US govt for Pentagon war study

Published

16 hours ago

October 1, 2026

Newsbreak365_Admin

Tech billionaire Elon Musk will make a return to officially advising US President Donald Trump’s government by co-leading what the Pentagon called a study on the future of war.

Musk served as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) before departing in May 2025, having publicly fallen out with Trump.

In a speech at the Quantico military base, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said “Project Meridian” will be “an effort led by America’s best minds to study the future of warfare”.

“We are leveraging a unique source of American advantage, one our adversaries do not have: our innovators, our senior leaders and our technologists,” Hegseth said.

Musk will be a co-leader of Project Meridian alongside Palmer Luckey, the 34-year-old co-founder of defense technology company Anduril Industries, and Newt Gingrich, the 83-year-old Republican former House speaker.

Musk threw his support behind Trump and helped his return to the White House, but the men later had a high-profile blow-up over the president’s spending legislation.

He later resumed giving to Republican causes, including multimillion-dollar donations to individual candidates and conservative political groups.

Hegseth said the project’s purpose is to “creatively look to the future and identify the domains that we must conquer and capabilities we must master”.

Project members will include hand-picked private sector leaders and subject matter experts from across the innovation, academic and policy ecosystems.

Hegseth said he has directed Project Meridian’s findings to be completed and submitted within 120 days.

AFP