A federal judge in the United States has dismissed a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump’s administration seeking to delay the certification of Alaska’s Senate election results over concerns about a second candidate bearing the same name as the Republican incumbent.

Judge Sharon Gleason ruled on Sunday that the proposed legal intervention was unworkable, warning that changing election rules shortly before voting could create confusion among voters and discourage participation.

The US Department of Justice had asked the court to prevent the certification of the results if incumbent Republican Senator Dan Sullivan loses Tuesday’s midterm election.

The lawsuit centred on the participation of another candidate named Dan Sullivan, whom the administration alleged could confuse voters intending to support the Republican senator and split his votes.

Trump had claimed that Democratic candidate Mary Peltola recruited the additional candidate to gain an unfair electoral advantage by misleading voters.

The administration sought an investigation if Peltola emerged victorious to determine how many votes cast for the second Dan Sullivan were actually intended for the Republican incumbent.

However, in her ruling, Gleason rejected the request, describing the proposed intervention as impractical and warning of its potential consequences for the electoral process.

“Such an attempt would likely result in voter confusion and consequent incentive to remain away from the polls. Such late-breaking changes to the election rules are strongly disfavored,” the judge said.

Trump had previously acknowledged personally ordering the legal action, making the lawsuit an unusual intervention by the federal government in an ongoing Senate election.

The case has attracted attention amid concerns about possible legal challenges to Republican losses in the midterm elections, which will determine control of the US Congress.

Alaska is among the states where Democrats are seeking to unseat Republican incumbents as part of their efforts to secure a majority in the Senate.

The ruling means the administration’s request to block certification on the basis of the second candidate’s name will not proceed.

A lawyer and disability rights advocate, Olayinka Komolafe, has called on the Federal and state governments to fully enforce disability rights laws, improve accessible infrastructure and promote the inclusion of visually impaired persons in governance and economic activities.

Komolafe made the call on Saturday while delivering a keynote address in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at an event marking the 2026 International White Cane and Safety Day.

The event was organised by the Lions Club International, District 404B-4 Nigeria, Regions 10 and 11, Abeokuta axis, in partnership with the Nigeria Association of the Blind.

Speaking on the theme, “Knights of the Blind in the Modern Era: Championing Mobility, Digital Financial Access and Livelihood Inclusion for Persons with Visual Impairments,” Komolafe said the major challenges facing visually impaired Nigerians were not blindness itself but institutional and environmental barriers limiting their independence and participation in society.

He called on the government to amend relevant constitutional provisions to ensure better representation of persons with disabilities in decision-making processes.

According to him, involving persons with disabilities in governance would enable them to contribute directly to policies affecting their lives and ensure that their experiences and concerns were adequately represented.

“The inclusion of persons with disabilities, especially the visually impaired, is what we seek from the government because nobody can tell our story better than us.

We know what we feel and how it affects us. It is time for the Disability Rights Act of 2018, signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2019, to be fully enforced.

“The real darkness in Nigeria is not blindness—it is the systemic barriers that turn blindness into a disability,” he said.

Lawyer Decries Poor Pedestrian Infrastructure
Komolafe criticised the poor state of pedestrian infrastructure, warning that distributing white canes alone would not adequately address the mobility challenges faced by visually impaired persons.

He stressed the need for safe pedestrian walkways, tactile paving, accessible traffic signals and specialised orientation and mobility training to enable visually impaired people to move around safely and independently.

Citing Section 5 of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, he said the law provides for accessibility in public buildings and infrastructure, including pedestrian walkways.

He, however, lamented the inadequate enforcement of the legislation, urging authorities to take practical steps to ensure that public spaces are accessible to persons with disabilities.

The disability rights advocate also appealed to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to implement the state’s disability law enacted under the administration of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

He said effective implementation would improve the living conditions of residents with disabilities and enable them to participate more fully in social, political and economic activities.

Banks Urged to Improve Digital Accessibility
On financial inclusion, Komolafe expressed concern over the difficulties visually impaired customers encounter when using automated teller machines and mobile banking applications.

He said the lack of accessible banking services often forced visually impaired customers to depend on other people to carry out financial transactions, potentially exposing their personal identification numbers and compromising their financial security.

He urged commercial banks to adopt accessible digital banking platforms, install appropriate assistive technologies and train employees to provide professional services to customers with disabilities.

Komolafe maintained that financial independence was essential to the dignity and security of visually impaired persons and called for measures that would allow them to conduct transactions safely without unnecessary assistance.

Advocate Calls for Economic Empowerment
The lawyer also highlighted the economic challenges facing visually impaired Nigerians, citing World Health Organisation data which, according to him, indicated that 80 per cent of visually impaired Nigerians lived in poverty because of unemployment and limited access to capital.

He called on government agencies, civil society organisations and development partners to expand access to vocational training, business financing and sustainable livelihood programmes for persons with visual impairments.

According to him, improving access to employment and entrepreneurship opportunities would help reduce economic exclusion and enable more visually impaired Nigerians to contribute to national development.

“The white cane is a symbol of independence, not a symbol of pity,” Komolafe said, urging visually impaired Nigerians to continue advocating for their rights and demanding the removal of barriers to equal participation.

Lions Club, Association of the Blind Seek Greater Inclusion
Earlier, the Chairperson of the Association of the Blind in Abeokuta South, Olatayo Oluwatomisin, expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in her leadership.

She also commended members of the Lions Club in the Abeokuta axis for supporting the programme and encouraged members of the association to believe in themselves and remain determined not to allow their circumstances to limit their aspirations.

Also speaking, the Chairperson of the Lions Club’s Sight and Vision Programme, Lion Mumeen Akinsanya, said the event was organised to raise public awareness of the challenges faced by visually impaired persons and promote their inclusion in society.

Akinsanya explained that the programme featured a sensitisation walk and a lecture designed to educate the public about the capabilities of persons with visual impairments and the importance of supporting them to realise their potential.

She said the club had previously marked the occasion by providing free eye examinations and distributing eyeglasses but decided to adopt a different approach this year to broaden public understanding of disability inclusion.

“Before, we usually provided free eye check-ups and gave out glasses, but we decided to mark this year’s event differently.

“That is why we included the walk and the lecture to educate everyone, not only persons with visual impairments,” she said.

The calls at the event highlighted the need for stronger enforcement of disability rights legislation, accessible public infrastructure, inclusive financial services and expanded economic opportunities to enable visually impaired Nigerians to live independently and participate fully in society.

A Department of State Services (DSS) operative has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that members of the proscribed terrorist group, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru), kidnapped pupils, students and teachers in Oyo State to pressure the Federal Government into releasing 30 detained members, including their leaders.

The witness, identified as BBB, disclosed this on Monday while testifying as the second prosecution witness in the trial of five alleged Ansaru members over their alleged involvement in terrorist attacks and kidnappings.

According to him, the group carried out the May 15 kidnappings in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State as part of a strategy to compel the government to release its detained members.

He alleged that the terrorist group received support from international terrorist organisation Al-Qaeda for the operation.

BBB told the court that Ansaru submitted a list of 30 members and leaders it wanted released, threatening to kill the abducted victims if the government failed to meet its demands.

The witness gave the testimony while being led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN).

The five defendants standing trial are Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, aka Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri;

Abdulrazak Umar, aka Abu Khalifa and Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, aka Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, aka Abu Itisar.

How Ansaru Emerged from Boko Haram
The DSS operative said he knew the defendants through his official duties, adding that the first defendant, Muhammad, was among the founding members of Boko Haram before leaving the group in 2012 to establish Ansaru.

According to the witness, Muhammad, whose father is from Okene in Kogi State and mother from Borno State, previously served as Boko Haram’s head of security and intelligence.

He said Muhammad subsequently broke away from Boko Haram to establish Ansaru, which allegedly pursued an ideology centred on establishing Islamic governance in Nigeria and attacking foreign nationals.

BBB told the court that members of the group believed foreign nationals were responsible for the killing of Muslims in other countries and consequently targeted and kidnapped foreigners.

He recalled that the killing of seven foreign nationals by Ansaru members in 2014 led the United States to designate the group as a terrorist organisation and declare Muhammad a globally wanted terrorist.

The witness further alleged that Muhammad later assumed leadership of Ansaru and appointed the second defendant, Abbas, as the group’s head of operations.

He said Muhammad was arrested in 2025, after which members of the group allegedly planned a series of attacks to pressure the government into securing his release.

The witness told the court that forcing the release of detained leaders was a central part of the group’s alleged operational strategy.

“It is part of their ideology that once any of their leaders is arrested, they will do anything to ensure his release. When Abu Bara’a (Muhammad) became the leader of Ansaru, he made the second defendant the head of operations,” he said.

Lawmaker’s Convoy, Military Base Targeted
BBB also narrated how Ansaru members allegedly attacked the convoy of a member of the House of Representatives, Jafaru Mohammed Ali, on November 4, 2025.

Ali represents the Agwara/Borgu Federal Constituency.

The witness said the attack left four military personnel dead and four DSS operatives injured.

According to him, the terrorists intended to kidnap the lawmaker and use him as leverage to negotiate the release of Muhammad, Abbas and other detained members.

He added that the group also planned to attack the Wawa military base in New Bussa, Niger State, because its members believed some detained associates were being held there.

However, the planned attack on the military facility failed.

BBB said the group subsequently relocated to the South-West, believing that the concentration of media organisations in the region would help publicise its demands and increase pressure on the Federal Government.

Terrorists Threatened to Kill Captives
Giving details of the Oriire kidnappings, the DSS operative said the abducted pupils, students and teachers were taken to a secured location in a forest near the Old Oyo National Park.

He said the group subsequently demanded the release of 30 of its members, including its leaders, warning that the captives would be killed if the government refused to comply.

“The attacks were carried out by members of the Ansaru group. When they carried out the attack, they moved the victims to a secured location in a forest close to Old Oyo National Park. They made a demand and submitted a list of 30 members, including their leaders, to the government, warning that if their demands were not met, they would kill the victims,” the witness said.

BBB alleged that the terrorists were hostile towards security operatives who attempted to rescue the victims, adding that one captive was killed during the confrontation.

He said the Federal Government refused to negotiate with the group despite the threats, while security agencies continued efforts to secure the release of the abducted victims.

Two Captives Killed Before Rescue
The witness further told the court that security agencies adopted additional measures to prevent the terrorists from killing more captives.

According to him, the wife of the second defendant and other family members of the group’s commanders were arrested as part of the strategy to deter the terrorists from carrying out their threats.

“Security men took the wife of the second defendant, including other family members of the commanders, who were active then. They were warned that if they killed any victims, their family members would also be killed,” BBB told the court.

He said the intervention helped halt further killings until security operatives eventually launched a rescue operation.

The witness confirmed that two victims were killed before the surviving captives were rescued.

He also disclosed that security personnel, including a senior police officer and an Army officer, lost their lives during the rescue operation.

Three Other Defendants Linked to Commanders
BBB further alleged that the third, fourth and fifth defendants were members of Ansaru who communicated with some of the group’s commanders, including a commander allegedly holding the Oriire kidnap victims.

He told the court that the kidnappings formed part of a broader strategy allegedly established by the group’s leadership to carry out attacks and abduct prominent or vulnerable targets whenever senior members were arrested.

According to him, the objective was to use the victims as bargaining tools to force the Federal Government to release detained members of the group.

The prosecution is seeking to establish the alleged involvement of the five defendants in the terrorist activities and kidnappings.
The defendants’ allegations remain subject to determination by the court.

Further hearing in the case is scheduled for Tuesday at 9am before Justice Salim Ibrahim of the Federal High Court in Abuja.