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Nigerian Navy (NN) Special Forces and their French counterparts at the weekend executed an anti-piracy scenario where 16 hostages were rescued at Takwa Bay Beach Island, Lagos.

The scenario, which displayed the high skill sets of the operatives, their mastery of the terrain, and their understanding of the golden hour in hostage situations, was part of the annual multinational sea exercise codenamed CROCODILE LIFT.

The mock operation centred on a fictional Pirate Action Group (PAG) hijacking, with tactical beach landings, hostage rescue drills, rappelling operations, and medical evacuation exercises. It ended with the successful rescue of 16 abducted crew members and the dismantling of a simulated pirate camp.

A full-scale amphibious operation simulation designed to test readiness and strengthen maritime security collaboration in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), the exercise featured coordinated actions involving the French Navy’s Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD) Tonnerre; the French Foreign Legion; Nigerian Navy ships (NNS) KADA and KANO; two naval helicopters, and elite commandos from the NN’s Special Boat Services (SBS).

Delivering a closing remark on behalf of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, the acting Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Naval Doctrine Command (NAVDOC), Rear Admiral Ifeanyi Okpala, said the exercise demonstrated the Navy’s commitment to operational readiness and international security cooperation.

‘This exercise strengthens our capacity to secure the maritime environment in partnership with our allies and improves our interoperability in responding to complex threats in the Gulf of Guinea,’ he said.

French Landing Group Commander, Colonel Brunet, commended the professionalism of the Nigerian Navy operatives, highlighting the value of the joint exercise in testing new technology and enhancing cooperation.

‘It’s a great opportunity to train together, deploy new vehicles, and enhance cooperation with a powerful partner like Nigeria. This exercise reflects strong coordination between the navy and army, and shows our shared commitment to peace and security in the Gulf of Guinea,’ said Brunet.

Also, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), represented by Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Jibril Abba, commended the existing synergy between military and civil maritime agencies in safeguarding Nigeria’s waters and the blue economy.

Dignitaries and observers from the Nigerian military, French Embassy, and other security agencies witnessed the event, which reinforced Nigeria’s resolve to secure its maritime domain, counter piracy, and deepen collaboration with global partners toward a safer GoG region

Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, will lead Nigeria’s delegation to the 2025 Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), which open in Washington D.C. on Monday, October 13.

A statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, said Mr. Cardoso, who serves as the alternate Governor for Nigeria at the Bretton Woods institutions, will be representing the country in place of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, who is currently indisposed.

The Nigerian delegation will also include the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, among other senior officials.

According to the World Bank, highlights of this year’s meetings include the Development Committee Plenary session on October 16 and the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) meeting scheduled for October 17.

Other key events will feature regional briefings, high-level policy discussions, and press conferences focusing on global economic trends, international development, and financial market stability.

The annual gatherings of the World Bank and IMF provide a vital platform for global economic policymakers to assess international financial developments, coordinate fiscal and monetary strategies, and strengthen multilateral cooperation on development priorities.

A 52-year-old businessman, Ejiofor Godwin Emeka, has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano, following which a total of 127 wraps of cocaine concealed in his stomach have been recovered after days under excretion observation.

Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, Femi Babafemi, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Babafemi said Ejiofor, who operates boutiques in Lagos and Onitsha, Anambra state, was taken into NDLEA custody upon his arrival from Bangkok, Thailand via Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 941 on Wednesday, 8th October 2025, following credible intelligence.

According to the statement, he was taken for a body scan, which confirmed he had ingested illicit drugs and had some concealed in his private parts.

Babafemi said, ‘A total of 58 wraps of cocaine were immediately recovered from his pants after which he was taken for excretion observation during which he egested 69 pellets of cocaine in seven excretions, bringing the total number of wraps of the class A drug recovered from him to 127, weighing 1.388 kilograms.’

Babafemi said three consignments of illicit drugs heading to the United Kingdom were on Thursday, 9th, and Friday, 10th October intercepted at a courier company in Lagos by NDLEA operatives.

‘One of the shipments, 1.74 kg of methamphetamine, was recovered from blocks of glass ceramics, while another shipment contains 114 grams and 168 grams of pentazocine and tramadol injections, respectively, just as the third consignment contains 48 grams of tramadol capsules concealed in a Vitamin C container, all going to the UK. Bids by another set of criminal syndicates to ship 2.6kg skunk and 422grams tapentadol 250mg concealed in tablets of black soap heading to Turkey; 169 grams of cocaine hidden in lady’s handbags going to Australia and 568 grams of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis concealed in containers of herbs going to United Arab Emirates were thwarted by NDLEA operatives at some courier companies in Lagos,’ Babafemi said.

He added that, meanwhile, a total of 27,510 pills of Rohypnol concealed in sachets of alcoholic drinks going to South Africa have been intercepted by NDLEA officers at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos.

Babafemi said after the initial arrest of a freight agent and a cab driver linked to the shipment, a follow-up operation at Oyingbo market in Lagos led to the arrest of the mastermind, 46-year-old Samuel Omoruyi (alias Yellow), on 2nd October.

The Spokesman said the same day, an Italy-based businessman, Enehizena Augustine Uyimwen, was arrested by operatives while attempting to export 3,700 pills of tramadol 225mg and 2,600 tabs of tapentadol 200mg hidden in food items to the European country.

Uyinwen claimed he was trafficking the opioids for someone else for a fee of Nine Hundred and Forty-Five Euros (pound 945).

The statement reads, ‘In Edo state, a raid of the home of a suspect, Emmanuel Sunday, 33, at Ugbekpe Ekperi in Etsako Central LGA led to the recovery of 47kg skunk, a strain of cannabis. Two suspects: Nureni Ayobami Eleweodo, 48, and Oladejo Taiwo, 52, were on Wednesday, 8th October arrested at Omifufun village, Ife South LGA, Osun state, following the seizure of 635 kilograms of skunk from their Toyota Hiace bus marked DDA65ZY.

‘Two other suspects: Timothy Omiwole, 41, and Isaac Achiatan, 36, were nabbed at the same location with 100kg skunk recovered from them along with their motorcycle. While Okoro Julius, 20, and Onyebuchi Nwibo, 25, were arrested in different parts of Port Harcourt, Rivers state in connection with the seizure of 8.5kg skunk on Friday, 10th October, Sulaiman Kalalu, 46, was nabbed after 29.5kg of the same substance was found in his house at Bayan Asiti, Jibia town, Katsina state on Saturday, 11th October.

‘In Niger state, NDLEA officers on Wednesday, 8th October arrested Yisa Daniel, 29, at New Bussa, where 22,000 capsules of tramadol, 800 ampoules of pentazocine injection, and 150,000 pills of Exol-5 were seized from him. A total of 312kg skunk was recovered from a bush at Ologede camp, Ogbese, Ondo state, while operatives on patrol along the Benin-Lagos expressway on Thursday, 9th October, intercepted two suspects: Francis John, 39, and Adeyemi Taiwo, 46, in a car conveying 141.8kg of skunk. In Kaduna, a suspect, Rufai Ahmed, 27 (alias Farin Malam), was nabbed at Abuja/Kaduna toll gate while conveying 150,000 pills of exol-5 from Lagos to Katsina.

‘In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.

‘These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of General Murtala Mohammed College, Yola, Adamawa; Assembly of God Secondary School, Abakaliki, Ebonyi; Community Girls Secondary School, Bakori, Katsina; Girls Secondary School, Nenwe, Awgu LGA, Enugu; Day Secondary School, Tungan Mallam, Paikoro LGA, Niger; Sacred Heart Secondary School, Kabba, Kogi; Ebenezer Model Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra; Government Secondary School, Borikiri, Rivers; Government Junior Secondary School, Wakili Bawa, Ungoggo LGA, Kano; and Baptist High School, Ede, Osun state, among others.

‘While commending the officers and men of MMIA, MAKIA, DOGI, Kano, Edo, Rivers, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Ondo, and Osun Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) urged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain their tenacity, professionalism and balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.’

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called for the support of Nigerian governors to ensure the successful completion of the ongoing review of the 1999 Constitution.

Kalu made the appeal when he led members of the House Committee on Constitution Review on a courtesy visit to Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah.

He expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) for their continued support and engagement in the constitutional review process, describing their collaboration as crucial to achieving meaningful reform.

The Deputy Speaker also commended the Conference of Speakers for their active participation and urged them to help expedite the process once the document reaches their respective states.

Kalu revealed that the committee is nearing completion of the process leading to parliamentary voting on the constitutional alteration bills.

‘We are appealing to you because we need you,’ he said, emphasizing that the success of the exercise depends on cooperation among all tiers of government.

‘Please, help us thank your brother governors for supporting the initiative of the Constitution review. The Governors Forum has, in one way or another, shown us support. From the chairman to any other person in the Forum. Please express our gratitude when you meet with them. One or two more engagements, and we will be done with this. Please, appreciate them.

‘Also, please, let them know that without them, we cannot make this Constitution. It is not possible because the Houses of Assembly will need to go through this document. We will not coerce the Houses of Assembly. But we know you can liaise with them to help get this document back to us as quickly as possible.

‘If the governors are not in support, we will be running in circles. But with progressively minded governors like you, I am sure you will speak to your colleagues to keep backing us up, for them to know that we need them, and for them to partner with us.

‘The Conference of Speakers has shown interest, and the chairman participated in one way or the other. He has been giving us support, but we should not end our relationship by only engaging with them. We need you, who are the major stakeholders, to help us push this through’.

Kalu said Nigerians want a more functional Constitution that will empower the local governments to deliver services, streamline electoral justice, strengthen fiscal federalism, guarantee women’s full participation in governance, and enhance accountability at all levels.

Receiving the federal lawmakers, Gov Peter Mbah lauded the Deputy Speaker for simplifying the process and making it participatory through the zonal public hearings.

‘Let me once again welcome you to this historic city. Thank you so much for honouring us with your presence. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, once again, for choosing Enugu as a venue for this retreat.

‘I want to commend your leadership and diligence over the period of the public hearing. You have come out to demonstrate such commitment in this process, and I think for the first time, we are now taking it even to the granular, getting to the details, looking at the clauses, line by line. This is what this retreat is all about. So, I want to thank you and commend you. Welcome to Enugu State’, he said.

As the world marked this year’s United Nations International Day of the Girl Child, the Gender Priority Strategy (GPS) has called for urgent, practical measures to support and protect girls leading to change in conflict and climate-affected regions.

GPS made the call in a statement titled ‘The Girl I Am, The Change I Lead,’ appealing to governments at all levels, international bodies and civil society to move beyond symbolic recognition and take coordinated action to prioritize girls’ safety, education, and participation in decision-making.

The group noted that girls were among the most affected by crises, with risks such as child marriage, sexual violence, and exclusion from education, affecting them. In spite of the challenges, it noted that many are emerging as leaders in justice movements, climate action, and peacebuilding.

‘Girls are not victims of circumstance; they are agents of change. When girls lead, communities thrive, societies grow stronger and the world becomes more just,’ it said.

GPS called for increased investment in girl-led initiatives, protection of girls facing displacement, discrimination, or disability, and inclusion of girls’ perspectives in humanitarian and development planning.

Linking its advocacy to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations (UNGA80), the organisation urged member states to reaffirm their commitments to gender equality and ensure that multilateral systems deliver tangible results for girls in all settings.

The Gender Priority Strategy, launched by the Africana Women Working Group at the 68th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, serves as a framework to advance gender equality through Policy, Education, Advocacy, Research, and Solutions (PEARS) in alignment with the Beijing Declaration, Generation Equality, and the UN’s Leave No One Behind mandate.

The group concluded by calling on all stakeholders to ‘listen to girls, fund their visions, and follow their lead,’ emphasizing that empowering girls is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building inclusive, resilient societies.

Nigeria’s quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains on a knife edge despite edging past Lesotho 2-1 on Friday – a result that keeps their qualification hopes alive but far from certain as the decisive Group C fixtures loom.

The Super Eagles were tested by a resilient Lesotho side, with captain William Troost-Ekong and debutant Akor Adams scoring to secure three crucial points.

However, the result made little impact on Nigeria’s position in the standings. They remain third in the group – one point behind South Africa and three adrift of leaders Benin Republic – making Tuesday’s clash against the Cheetahs a must-win encounter.

What Nigeria need to qualify for the 2026 World Cup

1. Beat Benin Republic by at least two goals

The Super Eagles must deliver a commanding performance when they face Benin Republic on Tuesday, October 14. Only a victory by two or more goals will give them a realistic chance of finishing top, with goal difference likely to decide the group’s outcome.

2. If South Africa slip against Rwanda

Nigeria’s fate does not rest solely in their hands. For Finidi George’s men to seal automatic qualification, South Africa must either draw or lose to Rwanda in their final fixture. A win for the Bafana Bafana would end Nigeria’s chances.

With only group winners guaranteed a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup and the four best runners-up advancing to the playoffs, every goal and point now carries immense weight.

Friday’s hard-fought win in Lesotho has reignited belief, but the Super Eagles will need precision, determination, and a bit of luck to return to football’s biggest stage after missing out on Qatar 2022.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken further steps to modernize Nigeria’s capital market by integrating digital innovation into its operations.

This move is aimed at strengthening investor confidence and creating a more transparent, efficient, and accessible market environment.

Director General of the Commission, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, disclosed this during the 2025 Customer Service Week celebration held in Abuja with the theme ‘Building the Market of the Future, One Interaction at a Time.’

Dr. Agama said the Commission is committed to using technology as a tool to transform service delivery and ensure that the Nigerian capital market operates at global standards.

According to him, the SEC’s ongoing digital transformation is central to its broader goal of improving regulatory processes and enhancing stakeholder experience.

He explained that the Commission has made notable progress through initiatives such as the digitization of processes, deployment of new online service portals, and stronger engagement with market stakeholders via digital channels.

‘The digitization of our processes, the launch of new portals, and our enhanced engagement on social media are all steps in the right direction,’ Dr. Agama said. ‘They are designed to make our market more accessible, transparent, and user-friendly.’

The SEC chief stated that the reforms were introduced to simplify regulatory interactions, reduce bureaucracy, and foster a market system that is both responsive and accountable to investors and operators.

While acknowledging the role of technology in driving reform, Dr. Agama maintained that human connection remains at the heart of effective customer service. ‘Technology is only an enabler,’ he noted. ‘The heart of excellent service is the human connection-the ability to listen, understand, and provide solutions that make every stakeholder feel valued.’

He pledged that the Commission would sustain its investment in digital infrastructure, continuous staff training, and modern tools that enable frontline officers to deliver efficient and reliable service to investors.

Describing customer-facing staff as the ‘true heroes’ of the capital market, Dr. Agama said their work plays a crucial role in shaping investor perception and sustaining trust in the system.

He also restated the SEC’s vision of building a deep, vibrant, and technology-driven capital market founded on efficiency, innovation, and confidence.

‘Let every day be Customer Service Day at the Nigerian SEC and across our capital market,’ Dr. Agama stated. ‘Let us continue to build this market of the future, not with grand pronouncements alone, but with one successful interaction, one resolved complaint, and one satisfied stakeholder at a time.’

Zamfara State First Lady, Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal, has called for sustained efforts to create more opportunities for girls in business, entrepreneurship, leadership, politics, ICT, science, and technology, emphasizing that empowering girls is key to societal progress.

‘When we invest in a girl child, we invest in progress, peace, and prosperity,’ she said.

In a statement by her Press Secretary, Rabi Yusuf, the First Lady encouraged girls across the state and beyond to take pride in who they are and believe in their ability to make meaningful contributions to society.

‘Keep dreaming, learning, and working hard toward becoming your best selves. The world is waiting for your light to shine,’ the statement read.

Speaking as part of activities marking the 2025 International Day of the Girl Child themed ‘The Girl: I’m the Change I Lead – Girls on the Frontline of Crisis,’ Huriyya Dauda reaffirmed her commitment to advancing education, empowerment, and protection for girls in Zamfara State.

She noted that the theme of this year’s celebration underscores the fact that girls are not only victims of challenges but also leaders and change-makers in their homes, schools, and communities.

‘Even in times of conflict, poverty, or hardship, girls continue to show strength, courage, and leadership, proving that their voices are vital to building peace and development,’ she said.

The First Lady added that every great nation begins with empowered girls who are taught to believe in their worth, pursue their purpose, and lead with courage.

‘Supporting girls on the front lines of a crisis means giving them access to quality education, healthcare, and leadership opportunities so they can rebuild and shape better societies,’ she said.

Hajiya Huriyya Dauda Lawal also stressed that access to education and representation for girls is not a privilege but a fundamental right, expressing optimism that the voices and dreams of girls will continue to be heard and supported.

Deputy Speaker Benjamin Okezie Kalu has pledged to partner with Bildup AI Learning to promote technology development and human capital growth in Nigeria.

Speaking when he visited the technology hub where several youths were undertaking different educational courses with the help of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Enugu on Saturday in the company of the Majority Leader of the House, Professor Julius Ihonbvere and others on the sideline of the Retreat of the House Committee on Review, Kalu emphasised the importance of investing in the nation’s human capital, citing the potential for Nigerians to export services globally.

He highlighted the potential for Nigeria to export services, leveraging the country’s large population and growing talent pool.

Kalu assured that his office would partner with Bildup AI Learning to showcase its work and attract support from government agencies and other stakeholders, stressing that such partnership aims to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and technological advancement, ultimately contributing to the nation’s economic growth and development.

The Deputy Speaker commended Bildup AI Learning’s efforts in providing cutting-edge education and training in AI and other emerging technologies, saying it aligns with the government’s vision on human capital development.

He said: ‘We need to expand what you are doing and that is where government partnership comes in. We’re going to make a case for you in the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Science and Technology. Also, there are so many NGOs that need to find a credible place to plug in their resources. We will partner with you. The Office of the Deputy Speaker will partner with you to showcase you. It’s nothing about politics. It’s about development. Our human capital development is very key. It is one of our resources in this nation.

‘All over the world, Nigerians are making impacts in various fields of life, especially with the power of our mind. So, anything that will help us export service, we will do. We are exporting goods now, not exporting as much service as we want to export, because we have 200 and almost 250 million people. This will help us churn out more service providers that can sit in Nigeria and provide services to Oracle, Facebook, Instagram, to all of them while you are sitting here, and then, the foreign exchange will come in because of the power of your mind, and that is how you can add value to the growth of this nation. Keep innovating and dreaming. Don’t get tired. The future is bright ‘.

Excited by the ingenuity of the youths and their interest in technology, Kalu encouraged them to keep aiming for the best to accelerate the development of the country.

‘The nation believes in you, and that is why, in the renewing hope agenda of Mr. President, the young ones occupy the center stage of his innovations. Whenever you meet President, he always says, I am interested in building a legacy that will outlive me for our children.

‘You can stretch your hand with innovation. You can add a brick on the wall of nation building with technology.

You know you are disruptors. We see you as disruptors. Disruptors are those who are not comfortable with tradition. Innovators are disruptors, and they disrupt tradition so that they can have true innovation, more productivity. You are not comfortable with the status quo’, he said.

The Deputy Speaker also mooted the idea of introducing the AI learning into the social system as part of the constituency projects for constituents.

‘Build up has simplified learning in the sense that it is accessible and it is cheap. Most of us who are honorable members, representatives of our communities, constituencies before the federal government, it’s about time we put it as part of our constituency projects, so a whole lot of students will come in and learn and build. Human capacity building is key.

‘So, we are looking forward to supporting him so that it can grow, expand and be sustainable. And also, I’m sure with time, Nigeria will hear about build up. We believe in him, and we believe in these young ones I’ve seen. Truly, they are the future of Nigeria, and their dedication and diligence towards this learning is amazing and very impressive’.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Bildup AI, Chibuike Aguene said that the innovation will give students equal access to quality education.

‘What you’re witnessing here is the first of its kind. We built an indigenous AI application, the first of its kind all over Africa that can teach and interact with students, just as a human teacher would do. Some schools have already adopted it. Teachers are getting about 80% of their time back. Students are completing a tense programme that takes, typically, three months in about two weeks. There’s a student here. Maybe she will share her experience. She used it to prepare for her JAMB. She scored 97 in that Maths exam. She used build up within couple of weeks preparation.

‘So, what we’ve done here is to rethink. How do we bridge the gap in terms of giving everybody equal access to quality education and leveraging on artificial intelligence, and we’ve successfully implemented that. Recently, the federal government added tech skills as a compulsory course across secondary schools and primary schools. Fortunately, we’ve added all those courses as part of the platform for Bildup AI.

‘I think the best way to explain this is that imagine every student having access to the world best teacher on a one-to-one ratio because one of the things that has been the issue in educational system, not just in Nigeria, across Africa is teacher/student ratio which is about one to fifty. But what we’ve done with technology now is to level it to one-to-one, so that every student can now have a personalized tutor. And let me point out that we are not saying we’ve replaced teachers. No, we’re not replacing teachers. Rather, we are enhancing what they are doing. So, somebody that is in the remote, maybe the village or anywhere, can now access the highest level of knowledge.

‘The AI interacts the way that I’m speaking to you. They will choose even the AI tutorial that they want. We have different names they can choose. It speaks to them, in the accent and the way they will understand it. So, that’s what we have done, and a lot of them now are mastering tech skills, doing all their curriculums.

‘We have an AI career mentor that will guide you, interact with you, understand your interests and this, and then help you, guide you through that path. So, it’s a revolutionary innovation, and it happened here in South East. There’s nothing here that is outsourced. Everything here is built in-house. It’s a moment of pride for the entire region, and I dare say that it is a win win for every innovator across Nigeria here.

‘We are demonstrating the future of education that everybody has been talking about. So, we’ve moved beyond talk to actually show that this can work, and then Africa can lead, and not just Africa, that South East can provide the needed leadership.

‘So, we have a marketplace where, once they go through this programme, the talent is showcased through that market space so that they can access global opportunities and, of course, local opportunities. So, people, different organization, not just in South East, but across the globe can now access talent from the pool that we are churning out here,’ Aguene explained.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Youth Wing has welcomed Hon. Muhammad Lawal Kuryar Madaro, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Kaura Namoda South State House of Assembly, following his defection to the APC.

The group said the development signals a growing wave of support for the APC under the visionary leadership of Dr. Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence.

In a statement signed by Comrade Danjuma Nuhu, the APC National Youth Wing celebrated Kurya’s move as a bold embrace of progress.

Kurya’s defection follows his defeat in the August supplementary election, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared APC’s Kamilu Sa’idu the rightful winner of the Kaura Namoda South constituency.

Returning Officer Lawal Sa’adu from the Federal University Gusau confirmed Sa’idu’s triumph, securing 1,181 votes against Kurya’s meager 194 in the runoff.

Across the constituency, APC amassed a commanding 8,182 votes, while PDP had 5,544 votes.

Comrade Danjuma Nuhu hailed Matawalle as a political colossus whose strategic brilliance and unrelenting dedication to Zamfara’s security and prosperity have redefined the state’s future.

‘Dr. Bello Matawalle is a rare gem, a leader whose political dexterity and foresight have elevated him to a towering figure in Nigerian politics.

‘As Minister of State for Defence, he has spearheaded relentless efforts to curb banditry, bringing renewed hope to Zamfara’s beleaguered communities.

‘His ability to unite diverse groups and inspire defections like Kurya attests to his magnetic leadership and unyielding commitment to progress,’ Nuhu declared.

Matawalle’s policies, he added, have laid a foundation for peace and development, positioning him as the architect of Zamfara’s renaissance.

The APC National Youth Wing extended an open invitation to other PDP members to join the APC’s progressive fold.

Kurya’s defection, seen as a harbinger of further realignments, signals a shifting tide in Zamfara’s polarized landscape.