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Troops of the Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY), have rescued 11 kidnapped victims during separate operations in Ribah town and the Wasagu-Falfala general area of Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area of Kebbi.

The rescue operations were disclosed in a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja on Sunday by the Acting Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, Captain Tamuno Sinivie.

According to the statement, troops of Sector 2 responded to a distress call on October 30, 2026, following reports that suspected terrorists had blocked the Ribah-Dirindaji road while attempting to invade Ribah town.

It explained that the troops, upon arriving at the scene, discovered that the assailants had fled with seven persons, prompting an aggressive pursuit towards Rambo village.

The statement said the pressure mounted by the troops forced the terrorists to abandon the victims, who were subsequently rescued.

The rescued victims were identified as Sa’adu Bala, 53; Nura Musa, 25; Dantami Yahyi, 57; Nasiru Muhammad, 21; Abdulakeem Abubakar, 23; Abdulahi Maikudi, 32; and Zaki Gambo, 56.

It said all seven victims were indigenes of Ribah town and had since been reunited with their families.

Similarly, on October 31, troops of Sector 2, while conducting a routine patrol in the Wasagu-Falfala general area to protect residents and deny terrorists freedom of movement, came under attack from terrorists who had laid an ambush along their route.

The statement said the troops responded swiftly, engaging the attackers with superior firepower and forcing them to flee.

It added that during a subsequent search of the area, the troops discovered four kidnapped victims who had been abandoned by the fleeing terrorists amid the exchange of fire.

The victims were identified as Lawali Ali, 20; Samaila Shaibu, 14; Kasimu Shaibu, 20; and Aliyu Bala, 18.

According to the statement, the four victims, who are residents of Wasagu village, were subsequently handed over to the village head.

The task force said troops had continued to dominate the general area and sustain confidence-building measures to prevent further attacks and protect residents going about their legitimate activities.

It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens and critical infrastructure within its area of responsibility, while urging members of the public to provide timely and credible information to support ongoing security operations.

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has said the ongoing construction of the Akwanga, Jos and Gombe sections of the Trans-Saharan Superhighway is expected to last for a long time before requiring maintenance.

Yilwatda, who stated this during an inspection of the roads over the weekend, said the project was part of a larger initiative extending from Calabar through Ebonyi, Enugu, Benue and Abuja before reaching Jos.

According to him, the Trans-Saharan Superhighway will span more than 1,400 kilometres, connecting Nigeria’s South-South, South-East, North-Central and North-East geopolitical zones.

He described the construction as a significant infrastructure development, saying it would have a major impact on communities along the route.

‘Today, under the Leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we have a project with hundreds of billions of naira committed to it.

‘Beyond just improving transportation, the Akwanga-Jos road project is designed to enhance security and community welfare. The road will feature traffic lights, surveillance cameras, police stations, and clinics, all strategically placed along the route to improve safety and healthcare access. This is not just a road; this is connecting communities. This is connecting customers, connecting markets, connecting people, improving security,’ he said.

He added that the Akwanga-Jos road project would feature 24-hour intelligent surveillance cameras, continuous lighting, dedicated police outposts and emergency trauma clinics to strengthen security along the strategic corridor.

The APC chairman said the security facilities were designed to protect travellers, monitor criminal activities and ensure rapid responses to emergencies along the route.

Briefing Yilwatda during the inspection, the project’s Equipment Coordinator and Public Relations Officer, Engr. James Baba, said heavy construction equipment had been deployed to the Jos axis following directives from the Federal Ministry of Works.

Baba said the contractor was working to complete at least 10 kilometres of road formation before Christmas, while another 30 kilometres was expected to be delivered next year.

He also provided an update on the project’s progress, saying test runs on the rigid pavement had commenced, with approximately 400 metres already completed.

‘Our target this year is to cover about 10 kilometers of earthwork before Christmas,’ Baba stated.

PILOTS are falling asleep in the cockpits because they’re so overworked, a damning new report claims, as reported by Daily Mirror of UK

A survey of 7,200 pilots commissioned by the European Cockpit Association (ECA) warned of tiredness leading to ‘micro-sleeps in the cockpit.’

One pilot told the Mirror that falling asleep while flying was common, but claimed that aviation insiders ‘do not care’ while virtually all passengers are not even aware.

The ECA has argued that there was ‘insufficient rest to prevent cumulative fatigue’ and flight duties extended ‘beyond legal maximums.’

The report suggested fatigue is ‘underreported across the industry.’

‘Airlines reporting systems are often seen as neither effective nor trusted, and a substantial share of pilots fly fatigued because of fear of a punitive reaction from their airline,’ it noted, warning that the situation was particularly bad at low-cost airlines.

Ireland and Malta were identified as countries where the problem is particularly bad, but overall, more than three out of four pilots (77%) reported at least one microsleep while operating an aircraft in the four weeks before completing the survey.

One commercial airline pilot, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Mirror that he’d fallen asleep in the cockpit ‘many times.’

‘I have the responsibility of 234 souls, and I can legally work up to 14 hours straight, not including the repositioning. But after many years I realised nobody cares because, at the end of the day, no airplanes are falling from the sky,» he said.

‘After many nights in-flight, you experience microsleeps from a few seconds up to two to three minutes, but you do not realise and it’s subtle because you might seem to be aware, but you are technically sleeping. It impairs your situational awareness and your judgment ability. But…as I said, nobody cares.»

Only 37% of those surveyed said that they report unfit when fatigued, while 24% confirmed flying when tired. Almost two in five reported a fear of punishment or a «retaliatory response» to reporting fatigue.

ECA president, Captain Tanja Harter, said: ‘The numbers in this report – and the lack of any meaningful improvement over the past three years – are a clear wake-up call for airlines, authorities and the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). Something must change in the way Europe deals with pilot fatigue.’

The British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA) said the survey›s results were worrying and should lead to action.

Joji Waites, BALPA director of flight safety, policy and regulation, said: «The ECA’s survey of almost 7,200 pilots is a clear safety signal. That 24% of pilots usually continue flying rather than report themselves unfit due to fatigue is a concern.

«Aviation is the safest mode of transport through pilots’ expertise and professionalism in tandem with other aviation professionals; however, fatigue remains one of the most significant threats. Safety margins cannot hold if pilots are routinely rostered to the upper limits of their flight and duty time limitations (FTL).

With almost half of pilots fearing repercussions for reporting fatigue, we fully support ECA’s call for EASA to strengthen fatigue rules and enforce non-punitive reporting and responsible calls on the use of commander’s discretion.

BALPA thanks the ECA for the considerable work involved in gathering this data. We are still running our Realtime fatigue app to collect actionable intelligence on UK pilot fatigue, so combined with the ECA’s findings, we can create a clear picture of pilot fatigue, which will be fed into the CAA’s ongoing FTL review.

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, has said he and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso are committed to national unity, improved security, increased investment in healthcare and education, and policies aimed at reducing poverty.

At an NDC town hall meeting, held in Owerri on Saturday, Obi raised concerns about poverty and insecurity and urged voters to protect their ballots.

He also addressed concerns about electoral transparency, while urging residents to participate in the 2027 general elections.

He advised the people to remain at their polling units to monitor the process until the final results were declared.

The former Anambra governor described protecting votes as an important responsibility of citizens exercising their democratic rights.

He thanked party members, candidates, organisers and supporters in Imo State for participating in the meeting, describing national development as a collective responsibility.

The Owerri engagement forms part of the NDC’s ongoing political outreach ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He criticised President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s economic record.

Obi said that President Tinubu had not spent a night in the state despite spending more than 260 days abroad.

He also accused the administration of accumulating substantial debts without delivering corresponding improvements in citizens’ living conditions.

Obi cited poverty, hunger, insecurity and the number of children outside the education system as major national concerns.

The NDC candidate revealed that more than 140 million Nigerians were living in multidimensional poverty, adding that approximately 18 million children were out of school.

On arrival, Obi visited the Relief Market in Owerri, where he interacted with traders, buyers, and other residents about their experiences with the current economic situation.

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has declared its support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

The association said the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development had given pastoralists and livestock farmers hope after decades of neglect.

Speaking at a rally in Kaduna on Saturday, MACBAN National President, Baba Othman Ngelzarma, said livestock stakeholders across the country were ready to support Tinubu in appreciation of his administration’s decision to establish a dedicated ministry to address challenges in the sector.

The rally was organised by the Fulbe APC Forum and Tinubu Yeso-Yeso Political Forum (TYPF), in collaboration with the Coalition of Pastoralists and Traders Associations, the Amalgamated Union of Livestock Dealers, Butchers and other stakeholders in the sector.

Ngelzarma said livestock farmers and pastoralists had campaigned for the establishment of the ministry for decades.

‘We are here today to extend our appreciation and support to the administration of President Tinubu. The creation of the livestock ministry is something we have been advocating for and looking forward to for decades,’ he said.

He added that the initiative had encouraged some state governments to establish similar institutions to coordinate livestock development, describing it as an opportunity to address longstanding challenges facing pastoralists and other operators in the industry.

The MACBAN president said the association’s support for Tinubu’s second-term ambition was an expression of appreciation for the administration’s recognition of the economic importance of livestock development.

The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, urged pastoralists, livestock farmers and other operators to take advantage of the ministry’s programmes to improve their businesses and livelihoods.

Maiha said the livestock sector had remained below its potential for decades due to inadequate veterinary services, limited access to pasture and water, high feed costs, poor market infrastructure and low productivity.

He said Nigeria had about 58 million cattle, 124 million goats, 70 million sheep, 9.3 million pigs, 3.2 million donkeys, 700,000 camels and 300 million birds, describing the figures as significant economic opportunities waiting to be harnessed.

The minister said the Federal Government was implementing policies to improve animal health, breeding, feed production, dairy farming, meat processing and access to markets.

He disclosed that seven veterinary hospitals had been completed and equipped under a World Bank-supported programme, while additional facilities were at various stages of completion.

According to him, the government plans to expand veterinary services across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with primary veterinary facilities also planned for the 774 local government areas.

In his remarks, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Murtala Dabo, said the state government was complementing the Federal Government’s initiative through investments in livestock infrastructure and services.

Dabo said Kaduna’s budgetary allocation to livestock development had increased from N1.48 billion in 2023 to more than N100 billion in 2026.

Heart failure does not mean that the heart has stopped working. It means the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs effectively. The condition can develop slowly over time or become worse within a short period.

As the heart struggles to keep up, fluid can build up in the lungs and other parts of the body, while reduced blood flow can leave a person tired and weak.

Some symptoms may be mild at first and easily mistaken for normal tiredness or aging. Recognising the warning signs early can help a person get medical attention before the condition becomes more serious.

In this article, Tribune Online highlights 9 signs that may occur with heart failure.

Shortness of breath

One of the most common symptoms is difficulty breathing. At first, a person may become breathless while walking, climbing stairs or doing activities that previously caused no problem. As heart failure progresses, the breathlessness may occur with less activity and, in more severe cases, even while resting.

Fluid accumulating in the lungs can make it harder to breathe normally. Not every case of breathlessness is caused by heart failure. Asthma, lung infections, anaemia and other conditions can also cause it. However, unexplained or worsening breathlessness should be medically assessed.

Swelling of the feet and ankles

When the heart is not pumping effectively, the body may retain more fluid. This can cause swelling , particularly around the feet, ankles and lower legs. The swelling may become more noticeable towards the end of the day. Shoes or socks that normally fit comfortably may suddenly feel tight.

Leg swelling has many possible causes, including problems with the veins, kidneys or liver, so it should not automatically be assumed to be heart failure. However, swelling accompanied by breathlessness, rapid weight gain or increasing tiredness deserves medical attention.

Getting unusually tired or weak

A person with heart failure may find that ordinary activities require much more effort than before. Walking to a nearby place, climbing stairs, shopping or doing household chores may leave the person unusually exhausted .

This can happen because the heart is not delivering enough blood and oxygen to the muscles and other tissues during activity. Fatigue is a common symptom of many health conditions, so it does not confirm heart failure on its own. Persistent or worsening tiredness should be discussed with a healthcare professional, particularly when it occurs alongside other symptoms.

Difficulty breathing when lying down

Some people with heart failure find it harder to breathe when they lie flat. They may need to sleep with several pillows or sit more upright before they can breathe comfortably. This symptom is known as orthopnoea.

It can happen because lying down changes the way blood and fluid are distributed in the body, which may increase pressure and congestion in the lungs. A new need to sleep sitting up or with significantly more pillows than usual should not be ignored.

Waking up suddenly at night because of breathlessness

Another warning sign is waking suddenly from sleep struggling to breathe. A person may feel the need to sit up, stand or move towards a window to catch their breath. This is known as paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea.

It can occur when fluid shifts towards the chest after a person has been lying down for some time. Repeated episodes of waking at night with severe breathlessness require medical assessment, especially if they are becoming more frequent.

Rapid or irregular heartbeat

The heart may beat faster as it tries to compensate for reduced pumping ability.

Some people may notice a racing, pounding or irregular heartbeat. Heart failure can also occur alongside abnormal heart rhythms such as atrial fibrillation.

Palpitations do not necessarily mean that a person has heart failure. They can also occur because of anxiety, certain medicines, anaemia, thyroid disorders and other conditions. However, a fast or irregular heartbeat accompanied by chest pain, fainting, severe weakness or serious breathlessness requires urgent medical attention.

Persistent cough or wheezing

A cough that does not go away can sometimes be linked to fluid congestion in the lungs.

Some people with heart failure may also experience wheezing. The symptoms may become worse when lying down or at night.

A persistent cough can have many causes, including infections, asthma and allergies. But when it occurs together with breathlessness, swelling or other signs of fluid retention, heart failure should be considered. Severe breathing difficulty or coughing up pink, frothy sputum is an emergency and requires immediate medical care.

Sudden increase in body weight

A quick increase in weight over a few days may sometimes be caused by fluid retention rather than an increase in body fat. For people already diagnosed with heart failure, regular weight monitoring can detect changes in fluid levels early.

A sudden increase in weight should be reported according to the instructions given by the person’s healthcare team. People who have not been diagnosed with heart failure but experience rapid unexplained weight gain, particularly together with swollen legs or breathlessness, should also seek medical advice.

Prominent veins in the neck

Heart failure can increase pressure in the veins returning blood to the heart. As a result, the veins in the neck may become more prominent. Doctors refer to this as jugular venous distension.

This is usually detected during a physical examination rather than something a person needs to diagnose at home. When present alongside other signs of fluid congestion, prominent neck veins can provide an important clue that the heart is struggling to handle blood returning to it.