WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Trump offers to join potential Russia-Ukraine talks in Turkey

U.S. President Donald Trump offered on Monday to join prospective Ukraine-Russia talks in Turkey later this week as European countries pushed to get the Kremlin to accept their demand for a 30-day ceasefire in the war in Ukraine.

Trump spoke a day after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, in a fresh twist to the stop-start peace talks process, said he would travel to Istanbul where, he said, he would be waiting to meet Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin.

Trump told reporters at the White House that talks in Istanbul could be helpful and he might join them on Thursday while in the region. His current schedule has him visiting Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar this week.

"I've got so many meetings, but I was thinking about actually flying over there. There's a possibility of it, I guess, if I think things can happen, but we've got to get it done," he said before departing for his second foreign trip since his second term in the White House began in January.

"Don't underestimate Thursday in Turkey," Trump said.

Later, in his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president noted that Russian attacks had continued on the front lines throughout the day, and Moscow still had not responded to his call for Putin to meet him for talks in Turkey later in the week.

"Russian shelling and assaults continue," Zelenskiy said. "Moscow has remained silent all day regarding the proposal for a direct meeting. A very strange silence."

Diplomatic contacts were renewed.

Zelenskiy and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the proposed direct talks which Zelenskiy said "may help end the war". Erdogan described the proposed meeting as a new window of opportunity which was not to be squandered.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov spoke by telephone with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan about Putin's proposed talks with Ukraine on Thursday. But a brief Russian foreign ministry account gave no indication whether Putin would accept Zelenskiy's proposal to meet him.

Earlier on Monday, the German government said Europe would start preparing new sanctions against Russia unless the Kremlin by the end of the day started abiding by a 30-day ceasefire in its war with Ukraine.

Ukraine's military said Russia had conducted dozens of attacks along the front in eastern Ukraine on Monday as well as an overnight assault using more than 100 drones, despite the ceasefire proposal by Europe and Kyiv.

"The clock is ticking," a German government spokesperson said at a news conference in Berlin.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the 30-day ceasefire had been put forward by European countries "in order to provide a breather for Kyiv to restore its military potential and continue its confrontation with Russia."

It is unclear, though, how much impact fresh European sanctions would have on Russia, especially if the United States does not join in as well.

The leaders of four major European powers travelled to Kyiv on Saturday and demanded an unconditional 30-day ceasefire from Monday. Putin, implicitly rejecting the offer, instead proposed direct Russia-Ukraine talks in Istanbul that he said could potentially lead to a ceasefire.

Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 - over two years before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine - and make no secret of their contempt for each other.

Responding to the ceasefire proposal, Russia said at the weekend it is committed to ending the war but that European powers were using the language of confrontation.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia was "completely ignoring" the ceasefire initiative, citing what he said were continued attacks on Ukrainian forces.

He said he shared information about the continued fighting with European partners and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on a joint phone call. The allies had agreed sanctions would be needed to pressure Russia if it snubbed the truce move.

Russia and Ukraine are both trying to show Trump they are working towards his objective of reaching a rapid peace in Ukraine, while trying to make the other look like the spoiler to his efforts.

FIGHTING CONTINUES

The Ukrainian military's general staff said that as of 10 p.m. (1900 GMT) on Monday there had been 133 clashes with Russian forces along the front line since midnight, when the ceasefire was to have come into effect.

Ukraine's top commander, Oleksander Syrskyi, was quoted by Zelenskiy as saying the heaviest fighting still gripped the Donetsk region, the focus of the eastern front, and Russia's western Kursk region, nine months after Kyiv's forces staged a cross-border incursion.

The fighting was at the same intensity it would be if there were no ceasefire, said Viktor Trehubov, a spokesperson for the military on Ukraine's eastern front.

Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the U.S. military backing it received from Trump's predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world's biggest economy.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

Russian troops liberate Kotlyarovka community in Donetsk region over past day

Russian troops liberated the community of Kotlyarovka in the Donetsk region over the past day in the special military operation in Ukraine, Russia’s Defense Ministry reported on Monday.

"Battlegroup Center units liberated the settlement of Kotlyarovka in the Donetsk People’s Republic through decisive operations," the ministry said in a statement.

Russian troops continue special military operation in Ukraine

Russian troops continue accomplishing combat objectives in the special military operation in Ukraine, the ministry reported.

"The Russian Armed Forces continue their special military operation," the ministry said.

Russian forces strike Ukrainian army, mercenaries in 129 areas over past day

Russian forces struck deployment sites of Ukrainian troops and foreign mercenaries in 129 areas over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Operational/tactical aircraft, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, missile troops and artillery of the Russian groups of forces struck infrastructure facilities of military airfields, a shell-producing workshop, warehouses of ammunition and unmanned aerial vehicles, and also temporary deployment sites of Ukrainian armed formations and foreign mercenaries in 129 areas," the ministry.

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicts over 190 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup North inflicted more than 190 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed a US-made HIMARS multiple launch rocket system and three enemy ammunition depots in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup North units inflicted losses on massed manpower and equipment of a mechanized brigade, two assault regiments of the Ukrainian army and a territorial defense brigade in areas near the settlements of Ryzhevka, Iskriskovshchina, Volfino, Pavlovka and Katerinovka in the Sumy Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 190 personnel, a tank, three armored combat vehicles, 12 motor vehicles, a US-made HIMARS multiple rocket launcher and five field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed an electronic warfare station and three ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicts over 230 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup West inflicted more than 230 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed an enemy tank and three artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup West units improved their tactical position and inflicted losses on formations of four mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Sadovod, Kutkovka, Kupyansk and Gorokhovatka in the Kharkov Region, Redkodub and Yampol in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 230 personnel, a tank, seven motor vehicles, three artillery guns, including two Western-made weapons and two electronic warfare stations in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two ammunition depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicts over 200 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup South inflicted more than 200 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored combat vehicles in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup South units gained better lines and positions and inflicted losses on manpower and equipment of three mechanized brigades and an airmobile brigade of the Ukrainian army in areas near the settlements of Seversk, Zvanovka, Konstantinovka, Kleban-Byk and Pleshcheyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 200 personnel, three armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles and six field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

In addition, Russian forces destroyed two electronic warfare stations, an ammunition depot and three materiel depots of the Ukrainian army, it said.

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicts over 440 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Center inflicted more than 440 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed three enemy armored fighting vehicles and two artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

During the last 24-hour period, Battlegroup Center units "inflicted losses on formations of five mechanized brigades, a jaeger brigade and two assault brigades of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade and two National Guard brigades in areas near the settlements of Rusin Yar, Novaya Poltavka, Ulyanovka, Razino, Mirolyubovka, Dimitrov, Krasnoarmeysk, Zverevo, Novosergeyevka and Alekseyevka in the Donetsk People’s Republic," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 440 personnel, three armored fighting vehicles, 14 motor vehicles and two artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicts over 170 casualties on Ukrainian army in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup East inflicted more than 170 casualties on Ukrainian troops and destroyed eight enemy artillery guns in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup East units kept advancing deep into the enemy’s defenses and inflicted losses among manpower and equipment of two mechanized brigades, an air assault brigade of the Ukrainian army, a marine infantry brigade, two territorial defense brigades and a National Guard brigade in areas near the settlements of Bogatyr, Volnoye Pole and Komar in the Donetsk People’s Republic and Temirovka in the Zaporozhye Region," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian army lost more than 170 personnel, two armored combat vehicles, nine motor vehicles and eight field artillery guns in that frontline area over the past 24 hours, it specified.

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroys 55 Ukrainian troops in past day

Russia’s Battlegroup Dnepr destroyed roughly 55 Ukrainian troops and two enemy jamming stations in its area of responsibility over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Battlegroup Dnepr units inflicted losses on formations of two mechanized brigades, a mountain assault brigade, three coastal defense brigades of the Ukrainian army and two territorial defense brigades in areas near the settlements of Novodanilovka, Pavlovka and Kamenskoye in the Zaporozhye Region, Tokarevka, Sadovoye and Dneprovskoye in the Kherson Region," the ministry said.

"As many as 55 [Ukrainian] military personnel, six motor vehicles, an artillery gun and two electronic warfare stations were destroyed," it said.

Russian air defenses destroy 135 Ukrainian UAVs, nine JDAM smart bombs in past day

Russian air defense forces shot down 135 Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and nine American-made JDAM smart bombs over the past day, the ministry reported.

"Air defense capabilities shot down nine JDAM guided aerial bombs and two rockets of the HIMARS multiple launch rocket system of US manufacture and 135 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry said.

Overall, the Russian Armed Forces have destroyed 662 Ukrainian warplanes, 283 helicopters, 56,870 unmanned aerial vehicles, 605 surface-to-air missile systems, 23,289 tanks and other armored combat vehicles, 1,562 multiple rocket launchers, 24,724 field artillery guns and mortars and 35,329 special military motor vehicles since the start of the special military operation, the ministry reported.

Reuters/Tass

Islamists are expanding their frontiers in Nigeria. The latest being Mahmuda, an Islamic terror group with ties to Boko haram, terrorising Kwara and several states around it. Because of its cross-border threat, the Beninese government recently closed its borders with Nigeria around the Baruten area. Ansaru, a battle-tested Islamist group also connected to Boko Haram, is active in the North Northcentral, especially in the Kogi area. Its forte is kidnapping for ransom and spreading its twisted ideology of Islamic puritanism.

In Nigeria’s northwest, the Islamic terror group, Lakurawa, is gaining ground, increasing its attacks on civilian and military infrastructure, especially in the Kebbi and Sokoto axis. Military intelligence says it recruits heavily disaffected and vulnerable youth among the local population.

Then, of course, Boko Haram and ISWAP dominate a large swath of land in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. It appears the military has conceded some territories to them, as no one dares venture to the areas they dominate and are the de facto authorities, collecting taxes and meting out justice Sharia-style.

Lately, there appears to be a resurgence of attacks by the Islamist groups across the country. Boko Haram and ISWAP, which appeared weakened after several years of sustained military onslaught and defections, seem to have resurged. Even worse, they have metastasised with a growing franchise network in the country. Especially in the Northeast, their attacks on the military have significantly increased, as well as the kidnapping of civilian travellers along the many dangerous routes in the region.

So much so that the Borno State governor, Babagana Zulum, recently stated, “It is unfortunate that the renewed Boko Haram attacks and kidnappings in many communities are almost daily without confrontation, signalling that Borno State is losing ground.”

It brings me to the point of this essay: What do the Islamists want? Why have they embarked on a seemingly endless and relentless war against the Nigerian state? And is there hope that someday, these jihadists will be pacified and somehow live peacefully with other Nigerians and be subjected to our secular laws and justice systems?

The chances are unlikely, closer to zero than one. That is because, unlike conventional crises, where the state can negotiate with the aggrieved parties and reach some form of compromise, that is nearly impossible with the jihadists. Because their end goal is anathema to the aspiration of the Nigerian state. They seek Islamic theocracy, a society governed by Islamic laws and principles in their purest forms, where they would be the lord of the manor, the judge and the executioners of Sharia, and this is contrary to the modern, religiously plural state which Nigeria is.

And then again, the jihadists’ actions are rooted in a strong faith in God, their sense that they are right and the Nigerian state is wrong, and it is a matter of time before they defeat the infidels, possibly through divine help. It is difficult to defeat such a mindset, as even death is considered a victory by the Islamists, a reward for the bravery exhibited here on earth. What compromise can be made with such a group? What concession can be given to them that would satiate their desire for an Islamic state, one not in conflict with Nigeria’s plurality and quest for equity?

To be clear, the idea of Islamic theocracy is not novel in contemporary times. Iran, Afghanistan and many of the Gulf states are governed in some form by Islamic laws and principles and function largely as a theocracy. Though Iran and Afghanistan appear to be the model states for Nigerian jihadists. Shia Islam is the legal framework in Iran, while Afghanistan is governed by a fundamentalist Sunni interpretation of the Sharia. Both countries have a Muslim majority population, as do Saudi Arabia and other Gulf States that practice the Shariah. In Iran, out of a possible 89 million people, about 99.4 percent of them are Muslims, while in Afghanistan, 99.7 percent of its 42 million people are Muslims.

Nigeria is different. It is multi-religious, multi-ethnic, and constitutionally a secular state. It is therefore impossible to implement a total Islamic law without infringing on the rights of Christians, traditional worshipers and other non-Muslims. Significantly, too, without conflicting with many provisions of the constitution that guarantee freedom of worship (or non-worship), movement, and equality before the law.

So, the Islamists’ vision of an Islamic Nigerian state is impossible to materialise as the country is presently constituted. In addition, it is doubtful they can defeat the Nigerian army. After many years of guerrilla warfare, they don’t hold significant territories and command real influence among the general population. But that is not to say they are weak and will disappear any time soon. Rather, the reverse seems to be the case. The conditions for the festering of these groups continue to exist with widespread poverty, illiteracy, and unregulated madrasas (Islamic schools) increasing significantly. A war economy has also developed in the northeast, with the military leadership apparently living large on the enhanced budget and possibly lacking the incentive to crush the insurgents.

For the foreseeable future, we will live with the jihadist threat, and our children will probably inherit it. It may even get worse, as some Muslims in the southwest are already tinkering with the idea of implementing some forms of the sharia law, setting the stage for a conflict with Christians and other groups in the region, which is usually the first stage before a broader and deeper religious crisis emerges.

But defeating the Nigerian state and imposing Shariah (Afghanistan- or Iran-style) won’t happen. The Nigerian state will, however, continue to be fragile, fractured by the Islamist insurgency, and burdened by internal divisions, sporadic violence, and governance challenges.

Nigeria has experienced a dramatic N57.3 trillion increase in its public debt within the first 18 months of President Bola Tinubu's administration, according to recent Debt Management Office data.

Total public debt rose from N87.38 trillion in June 2023 to N144.67 trillion by December 2024, representing a 65.6% surge since Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023.

Exchange Rate Impact

While the naira value of debt has skyrocketed, the total debt in dollar terms actually decreased by 17%, from $113.42 billion to $94.23 billion. This apparent reduction stems from the naira's steep depreciation, falling from N770.38 to approximately N1,535 per dollar during this period.

Debt Composition Changes

External debt grew significantly, rising from N33.25 trillion to N70.29 trillion, while domestic debt increased from N54.13 trillion to N74.38 trillion. This shift has altered the structural balance of Nigeria's debt portfolio, with external debt now accounting for nearly 49% of total debt, up from 38% in June 2023.

Federal Government Borrowing

The Federal Government remains responsible for over 90% of the country's total debt, with its obligations climbing from N78.21 trillion to N133.33 trillion. Domestic debt alone surged by N22.1 trillion (45.7%), reaching N70.41 trillion by December 2024.

A significant portion of this increase resulted from converting the N22.7 trillion Ways and Means Advances from the Central Bank into tradable bonds—a move approved shortly after Tinubu took office.

Changing Debt Instruments

FGN Bonds remain the dominant instrument in the domestic debt portfolio, standing at N55.44 trillion and accounting for 78.7% of domestic debt. Treasury Bills nearly tripled to N12.35 trillion, indicating increased reliance on short-term borrowing.

External Debt Growth

In dollar terms, external debt grew moderately from $43.16 billion to $45.78 billion, a 6.1% increase. Multilateral institutions remain the largest source of external funding, providing nearly 49% of the total. The World Bank's International Development Association increased its exposure from $14.03 billion to $16.56 billion.

At least 23 persons have been killed in a series of coordinated attacks across four Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Benue State.

Daily Trust reports that the affected LGAs include: Guma, Logo, Ukum, and Kwande.

Residents told our correspondent that the latest wave of attacks has forced many to flee their communities, as the attacks had become to frequent.

The witnesses said that nine people were killed in Logo LGA, eight in Ukum, while Guma and Kwande LGAs each recorded three deaths, bringing the total to 23 fatalities.

Speaking to journalists in Makurdi on Saturday, Ray Anumve, an indigene of Kwande LGA, said the attacks in his locality were perpetrated by armed herdsmen and suspected Jukun militants who stormed several communities in the Turan area on Friday, May 9, 2025.

“Coordinated brutal attacks were carried out by armed herdsmen and suspected Jukun-speaking assailants across multiple locations in Turan, Kwande LGA, resulting in deaths, injuries, and displacement.

“The attackers spoke both Fulfulde and Jukun languages,” Anumve said.

He specifically mentioned that the Mbaav Clan in Mbadura Council Ward, near the Tse Yande compound and Gusa crossing by River Katsina-Ala, came under attack as the assailants crossed the river and ambushed farmers returning from their fields.

Anumve further explained that one of the victims, a farmer identified as Agwei, was killed on the spot, while his brother and son sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a clinic in Jato-Aka.

The indigene, who is founder of the Ray Anumve Foundation, also disclosed that the attackers struck Anwase in the Mkomon area, Mbaikyor Council Ward, where one Iortsor was killed.

He said in a separate incident at Waya in Yaav Council Ward, a motorcycle rider was shot in the stomach, causing his intestines to protrude and that he is currently receiving medical attention at a clinic in Jato-Aka.

According to him, the affected areas have been under frequent assault, with armed invaders reportedly seizing motorcycles from local riders, adding that an earlier attack on the Ikurav-Ya Clan, specifically at Tyuav and Usambe Sha Hua in Liev I Ward, left multiple people dead and properties destroyed.

Anumve noted however that, casualty figures and the extent of property damage are still being compiled by locals and community leaders.

In Ukum LGA, a separate source confirmed that nine persons had been officially declared dead, but noted that more bodies were being discovered in the bush following attacks attributed to armed herdsmen.

The Ukum attack reportedly occurred on the morning of Saturday, May 10, 2025, in Jootar town.

Those killed in the Jootar attack were identified as Jonathan Ordooga, Aondogu Torse, Cheater Torse, Yagba Torse, Tersugh Mbaaiiga, Terhemen Emmanuel, Henenshima Apirgwa, and Orfega Atuku.

Meanwhile, locals said tension has mounted in Guma LGA, where residents fear an impending attack.

A youth identified as Paul told journalists that militias suspected to be armed herdsmen have allegedly mobilised from hideouts in neighborhood state, with plans to invade Yelewata community in Nyiev Council Ward.

Paul said the tension escalated after a youth from the community was attacked with a machete on May 8, and that the victim is currently receiving treatment at a government hospital in Makurdi.

Yelewata is a border town between Guma LGA in Benue State and Giza Development Area of Nasarawa State.

A resident of Guma, who spoke under condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal, also confirmed that the LGA has been experiencing near-daily attacks.

He said that on May 9, three persons were killed in Ukpiam, Mababai Council Ward, while Umenger in Mbadwem Council Ward was attacked the following day, May 10.

However, he noted that reports on casualties from the Umenger incident were yet to be confirmed just as a woman identified as Helen Nenge from Mbawa Mbanyiar kindred was also attacked on Friday at 4pm, wounded and the sum of N6000 collected from her.

The State Commissioner for Information, Matthew Abo, an indigene of Ukum, confirmed to journalists in Makurdi that that eight farmers were killed on Saturday morning in his home LGA while on their way to the farm.

Abo however could not ascertain those responsible for that latest killing as according to him, apart from armed invasions, there had also been communal crisis in Jootar between the Tiv and Jukun.

Police spokesperson for Benue command, Catherine Anene, had yet to respond to calls or messages put through her telephone for confirmation of the incidents.

Daily Trust

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s alleged tactics of political fractionalization, accusing him of creating fake splinter groups to manipulate Nigeria’s political landscape.

In a press release signed by Afenifere’s Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, and National Publicity Secretary, Justice Faloye, the group stated that Tinubu’s long-standing strategy of dividing key political and socio-cultural organizations is a deliberate ploy to silence opposition and deceive the masses.

A History of Political Manipulation

Afenifere revealed that Tinubu’s alleged manipulation began over two decades ago when he first attempted to factionalize the group after being empowered to govern Lagos State. According to the statement, this pattern has now extended to national politics, with Tinubu allegedly engineering divisions in major political parties and sociopolitical organizations.

“The PDP has become a shell of itself due to the unholy alliance between Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The Labour Party has also faced internal strife reportedly sponsored by Tinubu,” the statement read.

The group further accused the President of orchestrating the creation of a fake National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) leadership, with allegations that his son physically assaulted genuine student leaders. Afenifere also referenced reports of fake bishops used to divide Christian voices during the last elections.

Attack on Afenifere’s Legacy

Afenifere particularly condemned recent attempts to undermine its leadership, including the alleged resurrection of a retired leader to form a parallel group motivated by “prebendalist motives”—offering jobs and contracts to members and their families. The group dismissed these factions as temporary distractions, insisting that the authentic Afenifere remains committed to truth, justice, and welfarism.

“These fake Afenifere groups only last a few election cycles. No matter how many splinter groups Tinubu creates, Afenifere will remain relevant as long as Nigerians uphold principles of equity and social justice,” the statement asserted.

Call for Economic and Structural Reforms

Rather than engaging in political destabilization, Afenifere urged Tinubu to focus on alleviating poverty through massive public works, including addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit and improving railway infrastructure to reduce agricultural wastage.

The group criticized the 2025 budget’s allocation for 20,000 homes annually as grossly inadequate, given Nigeria’s homelessness crisis, which requires over 20 million houses. They also called for genuine implementation of the “Nigeria First” policy, demanding that government officials stop using foreign luxury vehicles and instead patronize locally made products.

Warning Against Centralization of Power

Afenifere accused Tinubu of undermining Nigeria’s federal structure by weakening local governments and consolidating power, warning that such actions threaten democracy.

“Those who stifle peaceful opposition leave themselves open to violent change,” the statement cautioned, urging the President to prioritize restructuring and true federalism over political manipulation.

The group vowed to continue advocating for social democracy and welfarism, rejecting neoliberal policies that have plunged millions into poverty.

Hamas says it will release Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander

Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander will soon be released in Gaza, a senior Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday, a move key Arab mediators Qatar and Egypt described as an encouraging step towards a return to ceasefire talks in the war-torn enclave.

The senior Hamas official did not specify a time for the release of Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier in the Israeli Army who was born and raised in New Jersey, but a source familiar with the matter told Reuters it would likely happen on Tuesday.

Freeing Alexander, believed to be the last surviving American hostage held by the militant Palestinian group, is part of efforts to reach a ceasefire agreement and allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, Hamas said.

U.S. President Donald Trump will visit the Middle East this week. His special envoy Adam Boehler said news of Alexander's release was a positive step forward.

"We would also ask that Hamas release the bodies of four other Americans that were taken," Boehler added.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said he was grateful to all those involved.

"This was a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones," Trump said.

Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza in retaliation for a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli tallies, and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza in the deadliest day for Israel in its history.

The campaign has killed more than 52,800 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, and has devastated the Gaza Strip, leaving its 2.3 million population depending on aid supplies that have been dwindling rapidly since Israel imposed a blockade in March.

In a joint statement, Qatar and Egypt said Hamas' agreement to free Alexander was an "encouraging" step towards the warring parties returning to Gaza ceasefire talks, which have stalled since March.

The two countries said they would pursue their efforts, along with the United States, to improve the conditions in Gaza, reaching out for a permanent ceasefire and end to the war.

Exiled Gaza Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya said efforts to facilitate Alexander's release have been jointly carried out by Qatar, Egypt and Turkey.

"The movement affirms its readiness to immediately start intensive negotiations and make serious efforts to reach a final agreement to end the war, exchange prisoners in an agreed-upon manner," Hayya said.

Direct four-way talks that led to the release were held between officials from the U.S., Qatar, Egypt and Hamas, a source briefed on the negotiations told Reuters.

The U.S. had previously held discussions with Hamas on securing the release of U.S. hostages held in Gaza.

Israeli media reported on Sunday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a closed session of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that Hamas could soon release Alexander as a goodwill gesture towards Trump.

The prime minister's office said the U.S. told Israel that Hamas' freeing of Alexander would lead to negotiations for the release of more hostages. Israel's policy is that negotiations will be conducted under fire with a continued commitment to achieving all war objectives, it added in a statement.

Hamas had released 38 hostages under a ceasefire that began on January 19. In March, Israel's military resumed its ground and aerial offensive on Gaza, abandoning the ceasefire after Hamas rejected proposals to extend the truce without ending the war.

Israeli officials said that offensive will continue until the remaining 59 hostages are freed and Gaza is demilitarized. Hamas insists it will free hostages only as part of a deal to end the war and has rejected demands to lay down its arms.

Israel, which is in control of around a third of Gaza's territory, said in May it will expand its Gaza offensive.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Hamas bore sole responsibility for the war as well as for the resumption of hostilities.

Reuters

WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Zelenskiy tells Putin to come to Turkey if he wants talks, after Trump intervention

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was ready to meet Vladimir Putin in Turkey on Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump told him publicly to immediately accept the Kremlin leader's proposal of direct talks.

Zelenskiy's suggestion of a meeting with Putin capped a dramatic 48 hours in which European leaders joined Zelenskiy in demanding a 30-day ceasefire from Monday, only for Putin to make a counter-proposal to instead hold the first direct Ukraine-Russia talks since the early months of the 2022 invasion.

It was far from clear, however, that Putin meant he would attend in person. Putin and Zelenskiy have not met since December 2019 and make no secret of their contempt for each other.

"I will be waiting for Putin in Türkiye on Thursday. Personally," Zelenskiy wrote on X. "I hope that this time the Russians will not look for excuses."

On Telegram, his chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, added: "What about Putin? Is he afraid? We'll see."

The Ukrainian leader had responded guardedly earlier on Sunday after the Russian president, in a night-time televised statement that coincided with prime time in the U.S., proposed direct talks in Istanbul next Thursday, May 15.

Putin's suggestion came hours after major European powers demanded on Saturday in Kyiv that he agree to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire or face "massive" new sanctions, a position that Trump's Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg endorsed.

TRUMP DEMANDS TALKS BEGIN

Zelenskiy too had said Ukraine was ready for talks, if Moscow agreed to the 30-day ceasefire.

Yet Trump, who has the power to continue or sever Washington's crucial supply of arms to Ukraine, took a different line.

"President Putin of Russia doesn’t want to have a Cease Fire Agreement with Ukraine, but rather wants to meet on Thursday, in Turkey, to negotiate a possible end to the BLOODBATH. Ukraine should agree to this, IMMEDIATELY," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"At least they will be able to determine whether or not a deal is possible, and if it is not, European leaders, and the U.S., will know where everything stands, and can proceed accordingly!"

Russia and Ukraine have both courted Trump.

Kyiv is desperate to unlock more of the U.S. military backing it received from his predecessor, Joe Biden. Moscow senses an opportunity to get relief from a barrage of economic sanctions and engage with the world's biggest economy.

Putin sent Russia's armed forces into Ukraine in February 2022, unleashing a conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of soldiers and triggered the gravest confrontation between Russia and the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

But with Russian forces grinding forward, the Kremlin chief has offered few, if any, concessions so far.

In his overnight address, he proposed what he said would be "direct negotiations without any preconditions".

But almost immediately, senior Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters the talks must take into account both an abandoned 2022 draft peace framework and the current situation on the ground.

This language is shorthand for Kyiv agreeing to permanent neutrality in return for a security guarantee and accepting that Russia controls swathes of Ukraine.

Ukraine says agreeing to the terms of the 2022 draft would be tantamount to capitulation.

PUTIN REJECTS 'ULTIMATUMS'

Putin dismissed what he said was an attempt to lay down "ultimatums" in the form of Western European and Ukrainian demands for a ceasefire starting on Monday. His foreign ministry spelled out that talks about the root causes of the conflict must precede discussions of a ceasefire.

Trump, who says he wants to be remembered as a peacemaker and has repeatedly promised to end the war, earlier responded to Putin's address by saying that this could be "A potentially great day for Russia and Ukraine!".

Though Russia did not commit to it, Zelenskiy said Ukraine's ceasefire plan for Monday still stood.

"We await a full and lasting ceasefire, starting from tomorrow, to provide the necessary basis for diplomacy," he wrote on X.

Speaking in his nightly address, Zelenskiy said he was still waiting for a response from the Russian side - and that Ukrainian forces would respond in kind if Russian troops did not observe a truce.

The U.S. embassy in Kyiv issued a warning on Friday of a "potentially significant" Russian air attack in the coming days.

RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE

US greenlights long-range missile transfer to Ukraine – NYT

The US has approved the transfer of 100 Patriot air-defense missiles and 125 long-range artillery rockets from German stockpiles to Ukraine, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing a congressional official. Under US export rules, American-made systems cannot be re-exported without prior approval from Washington.

The move follows Russia’s declaration of a 72-hour unilateral ceasefire from the start of May 8 to the end of May 10 to mark Victory Day, as well as President Vladimir Putin’s proposal to hold direct peace talks in Istanbul on May 15.

Ukraine’s Vladimir Zelensky has long advocated for long-range missiles and Patriot systems. He recently stated that Kiev is prepared to spend $30-50 billion on US weapons or obtain production licenses, and has instructed his government to pursue a Patriot deal. Each unit costs over $1 billion and requires around 90 personnel to operate.

Since returning to office in January, US President Donald Trump has not authorized new military aid for Ukraine. Shipments previously approved under former President Joe Biden have been nearly exhausted. According to the New York Times, the Trump administration has shown little interest in pursuing further assistance, instead urging European NATO allies to take on a greater share of the burden in supporting Ukraine.

On Thursday, the Ukrainian parliament ratified a landmark agreement with the US that grants Washington preferential access to critical natural resources, including rare-earth elements. Originally signed in April, the deal outlines the creation of a joint investment fund to support Ukraine’s economic recovery. While it does not include formal security assurances, Kiev views the agreement as a pathway to deeper cooperation with the US and potential future military support.

“This gives us hope,” Egor Chernev, the deputy chair of Ukraine’s parliamentary defense committee, said, as quoted by the New York Times. He noted that Ukrainian forces are running low on long-range missiles, artillery, and ballistic air defense systems, the majority of which are produced in the US.

In April, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said Berlin could not immediately send more Patriot systems due to supply issues. However, he confirmed plans to deliver four German-made IRIS-T SLM systems and 30 additional missiles. Germany has also sent 60 mine-resistant vehicles, 50,000 artillery shells, and one IRIS-T interceptor.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s government has decided to stop publishing shipment details, aiming to establish “strategic ambiguity.”

Russia says it remains open to dialogue but insists that halting Western arms shipments is a prerequisite for any lasting ceasefire. Kiev has repeatedly called for a 30-day truce in recent months, describing it as critical to launching diplomatic efforts. Moscow has pushed back against the proposal, arguing that a pause would largely benefit Ukraine by giving its forces time to regroup and replenish their stockpiles.

Reuters/RT

Anambra North senatorial constituency comprises seven local government areas (LGAs). These are: Anambra East, Anambra West, Anyamelum, Ogbaru, Onitsha North, Onitsha South, and Oyi. The contest to represent it in the election to the senate in 2007 turned out to be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Voting in the election occurred on 28 April 2007. At the end of the contest, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returned Joy Emordi, the incumbent senator and candidate of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), as the winner.

In the race for the party ticket which preceded the election, Emordi beat out the challenge of a little-known member of the House of Representatives, Ubanese Alphonsus Igbeke. Having lost the contest for the party ticket, however, Ubanese promptly defected to the opposition All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), which granted him the ticket to fly its flag in the contest for the election to the senate in Anambra North.

Following the announcement of the election results by the INEC, five of the losing candidates headed to the election petition tribunal to challenge the announcement of Emordi as winner. They included Jessie Balonwu of the Labour Party, and Ubanese of the ANPP. An essential complaint was that there was no lawful voting in Anyamelum and Onitsha South LGAs. If their complaint was upheld, the logic would have necessitated a re-run. Over one year after the conclusion of the election, on 14 June 2008, the tribunal dismissed the petitions, and affirmed Joy Emordi as duly elected.

The losing candidates appealed.

Jessie Balonwu’s appeal was the first to be decided. On February 10, 2009, a Court of Appeal panel comprising three Justices of Appeal – Victor Omage, Ladan Tsamiya and Olukayode Ariwoola – found that there was no evidence in support of the claim that there were no elections in the two LGAs. The court of appeal, therefore, affirmed the decision of the election petition tribunal. At the time, appeals concerning elections to the senate ended in the court of appeal.

Like the other losing candidates, Ubanese lost his case at the election petition tribunal. Like them, he also appealed. Nearly three years after the election, on March 24, 2010, another panel of the court of appeal, this time comprising Amiru Sanusi (who was not on the earlier panel) as well as Ladam Tsamiya and Olukayode Ariwoola – both of whom had decided Jessie Balonwu’s case nearly a year earlier – nullified the election of Joy Emordi, declared Ubanese the winner of the election and ordered INEC to issue a certificate in his favour affirming his victory.

Six years after that judgment, the National Judicial Council (NJC) sacked Ladan Tsamiya as a judge in connection with judicial corruption in another election case from neighbouring Abia state.

Returning to the Anambra North senatorial contest from 2007, Emordi applied to the supreme court for a review of the two ostensibly conflicting decisions of the court of appeal but the court struck out her case, holding that it did not have jurisdiction to hear her. With one year left to run on the tenure and armed with the judgment of the court of appeal, Ubanese ousted Joy Emordi from the senate in May 2010 to become the senator for Anambra North. Once there, he promptly defected back to the ruling PDP from the ranks of the ANPP.

That was not the first time that Ubanese would be returnee as legislator by the votes of judges alone. His first tour of duty as a legislator in the House of Representatives in 2003 was made possible also by judicial decision.

He was not the only one to be selected in this manner in 2003. In the contest for the Anambra South seat for the senate, the court of appeal in Enugu manufactured victory for Ugochukwu Uba – who was not a candidate in the election. Ugochukwu Uba’s younger brother, Andy, was a very influential presidential confidante at the time.

2010 was not the last time that Ubanese’s entire electorate would comprise members of the Nigerian judiciary. ThisDay newspaper famously described him as “the serial senator who never wins an election”.

In 2011, another high court in Abuja also issued an order requiring the INEC to return Ubanese yet again as Senator for Anambra North after the election had been concluded and a winner declared. The order was stupefying because only an election petition tribunal could issue it.

This time, the Attorney-General of the Federation had Ubanese arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of forging and altering the outcome of the party primaries that he lost, misrepresenting to the High Court in Abuja that he had in fact emerged as the winner.

Ubanese was ultimately unsuccessful in returning to the Senate in 2011 but had pioneered an electoral business model that would prove both lucrative for all involved and resilient beyond his wildest imagining.

Ubanese showed judges how a joint enterprise with politicians could prove effective in making both sides influential, wealthy and powerful while at the same time sidelining the voters from the constitutive enterprise of deciding who controls their destinies. This guarantees that elections no longer end in the polling units. Instead, what we call elections only pare down the candidates who are required thereafter to proceed to court units, where the ultimate selection is determined by judges who alone have the right to vote. The cost of entry into this stage is prohibitive. Only the truly moneyed dare to show up.

The constitution may have anointed the people as the electorate but, in Nigeria, the winners and losers in elections are now decided by a judicial selectorate who do not feel themselves beholden to anything that the constitutional electorate may wish, seek, or say.

According to a former national vice-chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, “citizens can vote but winners are decided in the courtroom by conclaves of judges.” Former president, Goodluck Jonathan, acknowledged in Asaba, capital of Delta state in June 2024 that Nigerian judges increasingly “declare who doesn’t win the election that they are winners.”

Selectorate Theory explains how elites access and retain power. It distinguishes between three categories of actors for this purpose. Interchangeables notionally have a role but hardly fit the part. Influentials sometimes may do so. But the focus is on a small category of “Essentials” who decide nearly everything. The clever power seeker focuses on doing a deal with the Essentials at the expense of the Influentials and the Interchangeables.

In Nigeria, the judges have made themselves the indispensable Essentials in winning power and retaining it. The people have become very expendable Interchangeables. The national exchequer, meant for the people, now goes to financing the fancies of these electoral Essentials in order to protect the joint enterprise with the politicians. This is all done under ruse of law which, it is claimed, is indispensable to democracy.

The “ownership” of judicial figures has thus become an essential political accessory in Nigeria. Every ambitious politician knows that they need to own some judges or at least one. This political business model is a deeply Nigerian variant on Selectorate Theory which is now taking firm root across Africa. For this export, we must thank Ubanese Igbeke and the Uba brothers of Uga in Anambra state.

This week, publishers Narrative Landscape will be releasing, The Selectorate, my book which tells the story of how Nigerian judges toppled the people. It is a story that has been long in the making.

** A lawyer and a teacher, Odinkalu can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.