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A Point of Sale (PoS) operator and motorcycle spare parts dealer in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, Isiyaku Nasiru, has been taken into custody for allegedly assisting a bandit kingpin, Kachalla Muhammadu, in processing cash transactions running into millions of naira.

Nasiru was arrested by the Katsina State Security Watch Corps alongside three others: Abubakar Sayaya, Nura Baka Sati and Ubale Mai Cange.

Daily Trust gathered that the suspects were picked up at different locations in the state between Thursday and Saturday.

The council chairman, Shamsuddeen Muhammad Sayaya, who confirmed the arrests to Daily Trust, said the suspects were linked to the network of the notorious bandit kingpin.

He said the suspects were being investigated, stressing that the arrests could provide security agencies with information capable of exposing the structures allegedly sustaining criminal activities in the area.

Nasiru was allegedly used as part of a financial chain through which money linked to Muhammadu was moved to people involved in procuring weapons and other supplies.

Matazu has endured a cycle of killings, abductions, displacement and economic devastation that has transformed once-thriving farming communities into settlements struggling to survive.

The area, once known for its agricultural activities, livestock production, commerce and vibrant communities, has witnessed the gradual abandonment of villages as residents flee attacks and farmers stay away from their fields for fear of being killed or abducted.

Residents told Daily Trust that hundreds of people have been killed or injured over the years, while thousands have been displaced. More than 15 communities have reportedly been deserted or severely affected by the violence, with the crisis spilling into neighbouring local government areas, including Musawa, Kankia, Dutsinma and Kusada.

The abduction of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, a former Director of Defence Information, brought the severity of the insecurity around Matazu into sharp national focus.

The retired general and his wife, Amina Abubakar, were travelling through the Matazu axis on May 30, 2026, when suspected bandits intercepted their vehicle along the Marabar Musawa-Kafinsoli Road.

Police and security sources confirmed at the time that gunmen opened fire on the vehicle before abducting the couple. Their driver reportedly sustained gunshot injuries but escaped.

The incident took a tragic turn when the Katsina State Government confirmed that General Abubakar had died in captivity. His wife was later rescued.

From Islamic student to PoS operator

Nasiru, according to information gathered by Daily Trust, is originally from Mashi Local Government Area. He reportedly came to Matazu to pursue Islamic education before eventually settling in the area with his wife and mother and later set up spare parts and PoS business.

A Matazu resident, Babangida Musa, told our correspondent that Nasiru had left the Islamic school years before the death of his teacher and subsequently ventured into the sale of motorcycle spare parts and PoS service.

‘Isiyaku (Nasiru) left the Islamic school long before his Islamic teacher died. He had already gone into business, selling motorcycle spare parts and operating POS services,’ Musa said, adding that Nasiru’s exit from the school and subsequent involvement in business were known within the community.

According to an interrogation account seen by Daily Trust, Nasiru allegedly received money in cash from Muhammadu through a person identified as Salmanu.

The money was reportedly transferred to one Musa Sani, who allegedly routed it to a gunrunner for the procurement of weapons and other supplies.

Nasiru reportedly appeared in an interrogation recording in which he said the information he provided was voluntary and not obtained under duress. He also reportedly expressed regret over his alleged involvement.

Reports claimed that SaImanu delivered an average of N3 to N5 million cash to Nasiru on a daily basis, which he used to run PoS transactions by giving out cash to local traders and residents who made transfers to his account.

It was alleged that Nasiru would then take his commission and transfer the remaining funds to a bank account belonging to Sani, who then used the money to buy guns, ammunition and motorcycles for Muhammadu.

Sources told Daily Trust that Abubakar, who hails from Sayaya, allegedly confessed he was sent to collect ammunition from Ubale.

He reportedly identified a man identified as Lawal, also known as Yaya, a senior bandit commander working with Muhammad, as the person who allegedly sent him.

Ubale, according to the sources, allegedly confirmed that he handed ammunition to Abubakar on two occasions. He reportedly identified a person named Mustapha as his alleged source.

The accounts point to a possible chain involving several individuals between the source of ammunition and the people allegedly collecting and transporting it.

Another suspect identified in connection with the investigation is Sati, also from Sayaya village, allegedly relocated to Marabar Musawa in Musawa Local Government Area following the attack that left seven people dead in Sayaya community some months ago.

Sati allegedly collected cattle from the bandit leader, sold them on his behalf and performed other errands. He was also allegedly involved in providing food and other logistical support.

Arrest of Nasiru, others shocking – Residents

Residents expressed shock over the arrests because some of the suspects were known to them as businessmen and community members who, until their arrest, were not publicly associated with criminal activities.

A resident of Matazu town, who identified himself simply as Imrana, said Nasiru’s arrest was particularly surprising to many who knew him as a peaceful and trusted person.

Imrana said Nasiru had operated a flourishing business in the community, adding that residents had no knowledge of his alleged connection with banditry until his arrest.

He said the development had forced many residents to reconsider what they knew about individuals within their communities, particularly those whose businesses and social activities appeared legitimate.

Imrana alleged that Nasiru was involved in collecting money on behalf of Kachallah Muhammadu, claiming that the sums involved ranged from N1 million to N5 million almost on a daily basis.

According to him, the money was allegedly collected and subsequently transferred to a suspected gun runner, who allegedly used the proceeds to supply weapons and ammunition to the bandit kingpin.

He said the investigation should trace the alleged flow of money, establish the identities of those who received or transferred the funds and determine whether other people were involved in the alleged arrangement.

‘We need to know the extent of their involvement and whether there are other people behind the activities. The investigation should go beyond these four suspects,’ he said.

A community leader, Goma, said the arrests had generated widespread confusion among residents, particularly because of the alleged contradiction between the public image of some of the suspects and the allegations against them.

Goma said many residents found it difficult to understand how somebody could allegedly support bandits and at the same time remain within the community, interact with residents and even participate in mourning or sympathising with victims of attacks.

‘People are asking how somebody can allegedly be involved in such activities and still be among those mourning the victims whenever there is an attack,’ he said.

Goma said the situation should encourage residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies rather than assuming that people were incapable of involvement simply because they were known members of the community.

Another community leader, Rabi’u Muhammad, said residents were interested in seeing whether the investigation would uncover additional individuals allegedly involved in financing, facilitating or supplying materials to the bandit network.

He urged the security authorities to ensure that the investigation was comprehensive enough to expose the structure behind the alleged criminal activities.

Kachalla Muhammadu’s enclaves

The name of Kachalla Muhammadu has repeatedly featured in bandit attacks on Matazu and surrounding communities.

Security operations have increasingly focused on forest locations allegedly used as hideouts by criminal groups.

During a clearance operation under Operation FANSAN YAMMA, troops reportedly targeted enclaves around Maharba and Karaduwa in Matazu.

The military said one of the enclaves was linked to Kachalla Muhammadu. Items reportedly recovered during the operation included an RPG-7 tube, a motorcycle, mobile phones and other materials.

Days later, troops reportedly killed a suspected bandit identified by the Army as ‘Smally,’ described as a lieutenant to Muhammadu.

Weapons, ammunition and motorcycles were also reportedly recovered during the operation.

Between September 14 and 16, troops reportedly neutralised two suspected terrorists along the Sayaya-Karaduwa road, recovering ammunition, a motorcycle and other items.

The military operations have provided a security response to the crisis, but residents say sustained security presence and the restoration of livelihoods are necessary if communities are to recover.

‘Thorough investigation should be carried out’

Meanwhile, a Katsina-based security expert, Abubakar Ibrahim, said the arrests should be followed by a thorough and evidence-based investigation before the suspects are prosecuted.

Ibrahim said the suspects should be accorded due process, stressing that allegations alone should not be treated as proof of guilt.

He said investigators should establish the individual roles of the suspects and determine whether there was evidence linking them to the alleged financing, arms procurement or other forms of support for bandit activities.

According to him, where evidence establishes criminal responsibility, the appropriate authorities should prosecute the suspects before a competent court.

He said the arrests should also send a strong warning to individuals who might be tempted to support banditry directly or indirectly.

‘People should understand that supporting criminals is not different from helping them to continue their activities. Anyone found to have knowingly facilitated criminal operations should face the law after due process,’ he said.

Ibrahim said the fight against banditry should not focus exclusively on armed fighters operating in forests, arguing that those who allegedly provide money, weapons, transportation, intelligence and other forms of assistance also form part of the wider security challenge.

He therefore urged security agencies to follow the financial and logistical links allegedly connected to the suspects in order to determine whether the network extends beyond the four people arrested.

The security expert said collaboration between communities and security personnel remained essential to identifying individuals allegedly supporting criminal activities and preventing them from exploiting local communities.

When contacted on the arrests, Yusuf Ibrahim Safana, the Special Assistant to Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda on Security, said he would verify the information and get back to Daily Trust. However, he had not responded or returned the call as of the time of filing this report.

Also, when contacted, the spokesperson for the Katsina State Police Command, DSP Sadik Aliyu, said he was not aware of the reported arrests.

‘I am not aware of the arrests. I am not in Katsina,’ Aliyu told the Daily Trust.

The police spokesperson, however, promised to investigate the report and establish the facts before providing an official response.

‘I will investigate and get back to you after verifying the information,’ he said.

The Founder and Managing Director of TAJBank Limited, Mr. Hamid Joda, has reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to upholding the highest ethical standards in its operations while expanding access to non-interest banking products and services across Nigeria.

Joda gave the assurance following his recognition as the 2026 Islamic Banker of the Year by the Global Islamic Finance Awards (GIFA).

The award was presented at the 16th annual GIFA ceremony held in the United Kingdom, where TAJBank also received the GIFA Championship Award for Digital Banking 2026.

Joda, who was represented at the ceremony by TAJBank’s Chief Compliance Officer, Dr. Muhammad Kabir Muhammad, said the recognition was a collective achievement involving the bank’s board, management, employees, customers, shareholders and regulators.

‘The Global Islamic Banker of the Year 2026 award is conferred on me but the commendation goes to our Board of Directors, the management and staff of TAJBank as well as our customers, who are creating the enabling environment for my performance,’ he said.

He expressed appreciation to the GIFA Committee for recognising both his contributions and the bank’s performance.

‘I thank the GIFA Committee for honouring me and TAJBank with the global awards,’ Joda said.

The TAJBank chief executive also assured stakeholders that the bank would remain focused on ethical banking and responsible financial practices.

‘I want to also thank the regulatory authorities, our shareholders and customers for these awards and promise them that we shall continue to do our best to retain TAJBank as the biggest Islamic Bank in the country by complying with the best ethical banking practices in their best interest, which is the main purpose of our operations,’ he said.

Joda said the international recognition should also serve as an incentive for TAJBank to deepen its contribution to Nigeria’s Islamic banking industry.

He said the bank would continue to leverage innovation and technology to expand its product offerings and ensure that more Nigerians could access non-interest banking services on a sustainable basis.

The GIFA recognition adds to a series of honours received by Joda for his contribution to Islamic banking.

In 2023, he received the Most Promising Banker of the Year Award at the 13th GIFA ceremony in Dakar, Senegal. He was also named Islamic Personality of the Year at the 6th African International Conference of Islamic Finance held in Abuja in the same year.

Joda, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, has more than 26 years of experience in banking, spanning deposit and Islamic banking operations.

A Chief Magistrate’s court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has arraigned a 61-year-old man, Akinola Folorunso, over an alleged malicious damage and stealing.

The prosecutor, ASP Akinwale Oriyomi, told the court that the defendant on or before September 15, 2026 at Ijadu area Ado-Ekiti within Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District maliciously damaged 20 pieces of concrete blocks valued at N140,000, belonging to one Abdullah Isiaka.

ASP Oriyomi said the defendant, on the same date, time and place, allegedly stole 18 pieces of roofing planks valued at N50,000.

The prosecutor noted that the offence committed is contrary to and punishable under Section 354, 302 of the Criminal Laws of EKiti State 2021.

Counsel to the defendant, Barrister F. O. Falade, urged the court to admit his client to bail, that he will not jump bail.

In his ruling, the Chief Magistrate, Mr. Abayomi Adeosun, granted bail of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

The case was adjourned until October 19, 2026 for hearing.

Denge Josef Onoh, former Southeast spokesman of President Bola Tinubu’s campaign, has warned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of ‘catastrophic consequences’ if the Rainbow Coalition of Nyesom Wike, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, wins significant seats in 2027.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Onoh demanded an immediate institutional response from the President and leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Wike regarding his response to Progressives Governors.

‘While this amorphous coalition attempts to dress itself in the fine robes of an absolute loyalist vehicle designed to deliver President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, its operational footprint tells a completely different story,’ he said.

Onoh said the Rainbow Coalition is a political mirage and a calculated parallel power machine.

‘If the APC leadership does not take immediate steps to contain this movement, the ruling party is actively funding, sheltering, and nurturing the very platform that will fragment and destroy it by 2031.’

Onoh said that the strategy of the Wike-led coalition is simple yet devastating.

‘By preparing to field candidates across the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other peripheral platforms for governorship, Senate, and House of Representatives seats ahead of the 2027 elections, Wike is building an autonomous political empire under the nose of the ruling party by playing the 2027 numbers game aimed at Stripping APC of Legislative and State Autonomy.

‘If Wike’s Rainbow coalition wins significant seats in 2027, the consequences for the APC will be catastrophic because wike aims to kill Independent Governance and should his coalition secure a commanding swing-bloc majority in the National Assembly, the APC will lose its legislative independence.’

Wike will instantly become the ultimate kingmaker. The presidency will be forced into a perpetual state of political blackmail and horse-trading just to elect principal officers, pass budgets, or screen executive nominees.

Onoh warned that Wike’s target is to create an erosion of the APC Grassroots by capturing APC-held or contested governorship seats.

‘Wike will secure control over state resources and party machineries, completely insulating his loyalists from federal dependence and hollowing out the APC’s grassroots base.’

Onoh warned that Wike is not inventing a new political philosophy; rather he is executing a time-tested Nigerian political textbook.

Onoh warned President Bola Tinubu that same way he maintained a fiercely independent regional stronghold in the South-West, built legislative leverage, and ultimately forced a grand merger with Muhammadu Buhari’s northern bloc to form the APC and displace the PDP, Wike is playing the same long game.

‘He is keeping his structures outside the APC, using federal cabinet prestige to build leverage, and waiting for the opportune moment to dictate the terms of a forced realignment.’

Onoh said Politics is entirely governed by interest and long-term calculation.

‘The endgame for the Wike-led Rainbow Coalition is not 2027; it is the post-Tinubu transition in 2031.’

Onoh warned that come 2031, when the presidential ticket naturally rotates back to the North, the Southern Vice-Presidential slot will be the ultimate prize.

‘Wike’s strategic goal is to build such an unassailable network of governors, senators, and reps by 2027 that the APC will have no choice but to bow to his terms. He will present his coalition as the sole bridegroom of the South, effectively coercing the party into yielding the Vice-Presidential ticket to him or his proxy.’

Onoh reminded all members of APC that they must not forget that by 2031, Wike will still be in his early 60s-a prime, potent age in contemporary Nigerian politics.

‘Securing the Vice-Presidency in 2031 gives him the ultimate state-funded platform to dominate the national landscape and potentially launch a presidential bid beyond 2031.’

‘The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), under the clear-sighted leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma, is entirely justified in its structural resistance to this parallel arrangement.

‘The APC does not need a ‘Rainbow Coalition’ to win elections; the party possesses the machinery, the track record, and the footprint to deliver the President’s mandate independently.’

Onoh warned that the time for diplomatic silence was over. And asked the President and the National Working Committee of the APC as a matter of extreme urgency must compel Wike to make a definitive choice: either formally fold his structures into the APC as a card-carrying member, Resign his position as a minister and focus on being an opposition or cease operating a parallel political machine that undermines the party’s candidates.

‘If we fail to contain this Trojan Horse today, we are giving him the keys to dismantle the APC house tomorrow,’ Onoh concluded.

The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged Vietnam to increase bilateral trade between the two countries to $2bn.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dunoma Ahmed, made the call in Abuja over the weekend at a reception to mark the 81st National Day of Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Vietnam.

He said the two countries currently have over $1bn in trade, adding that Nigeria is seeking to deepen the partnership as part of efforts to grow its economy.

‘Currently, we have over one billion in trade relationships. I hope, Your Excellency Ambassador, you will increase this one billion into two billion as Nigeria is looking forward to a one trillion dollar economy,’ he said.

While noting that Nigeria and Vietnam have maintained a productive cooperation over the past 50 years in areas including agriculture, trade and investment, defence and multilateral diplomacy, Ambassador Ahmed added that,

‘We have a lot of Nigerian companies and Vietnamese companies cooperating in contributing to the national development of each country. Nigeria and Vietnam remain important and strategic partners in West Africa and beyond. This friendship signifies the spirit of South-South cooperation.’

Ahmed said the Federal Government was committed to deepening the partnership and expanding bilateral cooperation into agro-agricultural processing, renewable energy, digital economy, pharmaceuticals, skills development and manufacturing.

The Vietnamese Ambassador to Nigeria, Le Viet Hoang, said the two countries had opportunities to expand economic cooperation as they marked five decades of diplomatic relations.

Hoang said Nigeria remained one of Vietnam’s largest trading partners in Africa, noting that Nigerian cashew nuts, timber and liquefied natural gas were among commodities traded between the two countries.

The ambassador said Vietnam was ready to share its experience and expertise in high-tech agriculture, rice value chains, aquaculture and agro-processing to support Nigeria’s food security efforts.

He also identified telecommunications, infrastructure, innovation, e-commerce and financial technology as areas where both countries could deepen cooperation.

Bandits killed three people and abducted 28 others during an attack on Kagara community in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Saturday night.

The attack, which started at about 8:58pm, lasted for about three hours, with residents saying the gunmen continued shooting until around 12:00am.

One of the victims killed was Abdullahi Lawwali, a mentally ill man who, according to a resident, had previously received treatment at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Kware, Sokoto State.

The resident said Lawwali was killed after he refused to follow the attackers when they attempted to abduct him.

He said the attackers also abducted seven people from Lawwali’s house.

A resident whose family members were among those taken away said he narrowly escaped the attack after hiding when the gunmen invaded the community.

He said he had observed I’sha prayer at Mallam Liman Alu Mosque, returned home, ate and locked his house before going back to the Islamic school very close to the Mosque.

According to him, he had spent only about seven minutes at the place when he heard gunshots from the direction of the community hospital.

He said the attackers shot Alhaji Sani, whose house is close to the hospital, before moving further into the community.

The resident said he later hid in another location and returned home at about 12am, where he discovered that six members of his household had been taken away.

They included his wife, Hassana; his daughter-in-law, Marliyya; his son, Atiku; his daughters, Jamila and Amina; and his neighbour’s daughter, Yajja.

He said his wife and two daughters had since been released, adding that his wife told him that the abductors took them as far as Danjiro village.

Another resident said the attackers abducted 28 people during the attack but later released 10 of them, who had returned to their homes Sunday Morning.

He also told daily trust that two other persons were released in the afternoon, bringing the number of the abducted victims to 16.

He said seven people were also abducted from the house of Abdullahi Dan Abu, while another seven were taken from the house of Mallam Lawwali.

He said the mentally ill man Lawalli was killed after refusing to go with the attackers.

The resident added that 3 people out of the seven abducted from one househould had returned home Sunday Morning.

He said Maryam Tukur, his elder brother’s wife, was also among those taken away.

He stated that three people were killed during the attack, including Ummaru Gobir, Lawwali Idi na Abu and Abdullahi Lawwali, while Lawwali Musa and two others sustained gunshot injuries and were receiving treatment at Goronyo hospital.

‘I can confirm to you that they abducted 28 and released 10 in the morning and two in the afternoon. The remaining 16 people are still there with them.’

The residents appealed to authorities to deploy more security personnel to Kagara, saying the community remained vulnerable to further attacks.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed that three people were killed and nine others abducted during the attack.

He said all the nine abducted persons had escaped from captivity, while one dead body was recovered at the scene.

‘The insurgent has the advantage of the initiative.’ – David Galula, Counterinsurgency Warfare

The latest escalation in West Asia (the Middle East) is revealing something larger than the vulnerability of Saudi Arabia or the resilience of the Houthis. It is exposing a transformation in the character of modern warfare: the declining relationship between money and military power.

For decades, the dominant assumption was straightforward. Wealth produces sophisticated weapons; sophisticated weapons produce military superiority; military superiority produces political outcomes. But the wars stretching from Yemen to Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the Sahel are challenging that logic.

The Houthi, or Ansar Allah, offensive in Yemen offers perhaps the clearest illustration. Despite years of Saudi-led air campaigns and billions of dollars spent on advanced Western weapons, the movement has survived, adapted and developed an increasingly sophisticated arsenal of drones and missiles. Recent battlefield developments have again demonstrated the vulnerability of expensive conventional military systems to inexpensive, mobile and decentralised forms of warfare.

This is the paradox of asymmetric warfare: a weapon does not have to be expensive to be strategically valuable. A relatively inexpensive drone can force the deployment of a multimillion-dollar interceptor. A cheap missile can compel a wealthy state to defend hundreds of kilometres of infrastructure. A small militant unit can tie down an army equipped with aircraft, armoured vehicles and satellite intelligence.

The economics are devastating. The technologically superior side can win individual engagements while losing the strategic calculation. This is becoming a serious challenge to Western military doctrine. American and European armed forces were largely designed around technological dominance: control the skies, destroy command centres, cripple infrastructure and overwhelm the adversary. Such doctrine is extremely powerful against less sophisticated conventional armies. It becomes considerably more complicated when the opponent is an equal or greater power like Russia, or a much weaker decentralised, geographically dispersed non-state actor who is prepared to fight indefinitely.

Yemen has become a laboratory for this new form of war. It also exposes the strategic dilemma of the Gulf monarchies. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar have spent years converting enormous financial resources into geopolitical influence across the Middle East and Africa. They financed political networks, supported armed groups and attempted to shape conflicts from Sudan to Libya to Syria to Chad and Yemen.

The underlying assumption was that money could purchase influence and influence could purchase political outcomes. But proxy warfare contains a dangerous contradiction: the patron may choose the battlefield without ultimately controlling the forces fighting on it.

Syria demonstrated this danger. Saudi Arabia became increasingly involved in supporting armed opposition of mostly Alqaeda affiliates against Bashar al-Assad. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, then Saudi intelligence chief, played a major role in Saudi policy towards the Syrian conflict. The wider consequence was the proliferation of armed networks of Islamist terrorists across the Caucasus, Middle East and the Sahel.

In Yemen, the Saudi intervention was intended to prevent an Iranian-aligned Houthi movement from becoming dominant on the kingdom’s southern frontier. The Saudi’s succeeded in being responsible for the death of over half a million Yemeni civilians, but the Houthis survived the devastating campaign and developed the capacity to threaten Saudi territory and maritime routes around the Red Sea. The strategic irony is profound. An attempt to defeat asymmetric warfare through conventional military superiority has helped produce a battlefield where asymmetry itself is becoming the dominant form of warfare.

The recent Saudi claim that a Houthi drone was intercepted before entering restricted airspace around Mecca adds another dimension. The Houthis denied targeting the holy city, meaning the allegation remains contested. But politically, the symbolism is enormous. Mecca is not simply Saudi territory; it is a religious symbol shared by hundreds of millions of Muslims and hence a tool for warfare. This push by the Saudi’s is merely an attempt by the Saudi’s to get other muslim nations to come fight the Houthis on their behalf.

That symbolism becomes particularly significant as Saudi Arabia seeks new security partnerships. Washington’s reported refusal to undertake direct military action against the Houthis represents a significant change in expectations. Saudi Arabia can no longer assume that American military power will automatically be deployed whenever the kingdom faces a serious regional threat. The truth is America is no longer militarily present in the Middle East thanks to Iran. This is the clearest test and exposure of this fact.

Riyadh has therefore been pursuing broader security relationships, including its defence arrangement with Pakistan and Trkiye. Whether these alliances develop into direct military participation remains uncertain and unlikely. But their emergence illustrates a Middle East increasingly searching for security arrangements beyond the traditional American umbrella, which simply never truly existed. It was just never tested.

The consequences could be profound. The United States is not abandoning the Middle East, and it would be naive to assume that Washington will not launch a major regional war after its midterm elections. Trump will most likely not leave the Middle East without a bang on Iran and its allies. That could produce either a new balance of power or a prolonged period of instability in which several regional conflicts become interconnected.

For Nigeria, this matters enormously. The Sahel is already experiencing severe insecurity. Armed groups operating across Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin Republic and neighbouring countries have demonstrated the effectiveness of decentralised warfare against conventional militaries. A prolonged Middle Eastern conflict could accelerate the movement of weapons, money, fighters, tactics and technological knowledge between the Middle East and Africa.

The danger is not necessarily that Middle Eastern combatants will simply migrate into Nigeria. The greater danger is technological diffusion. Commercial drones, satellite communications, improvised weapons and cheap precision systems are becoming increasingly accessible. The battlefield knowledge generated in Syria and elsewhere by terrorist groups is increasingly reaching insurgent groups thousands of kilometres away.

Nigeria therefore cannot assume that buying more expensive military hardware alone will solve its security problem. Intelligence, local legitimacy, economic opportunity, institutional capacity and technological adaptation will matter just as much.

There is also an ideological dimension. Saudi Arabia spent decades funding religious institutions, scholarships and educational networks internationally, helping disseminate Wahhabi and broader Salafi interpretations of Islam. Wahhabism, a very rigid and intolerant version of Islam, originated with Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in eighteenth-century Arabia. In its attempts to take over the Middle East from the Ottomans, the British developed important strategic relations with the emerging Wahhabi-Saudi State, dramatically exporting this extreme version of Islam through oil wealth and British-aligned international institutions.

The relationship between religious ideology and geopolitics became even more complicated during the Cold War and subsequent conflicts involving Iran, Afghanistan, Hezbollah and Syria. Religious movements were sometimes incorporated into broader strategic competitions, producing consequences across the world that sponsors could not always control.

The capacity-building programme was conducted in Abia State from August 25 to September 4, 2026, and in Akwa Ibom State from September 7 to 17, 2026, with 100 participants trained in each state.

Beneficiaries were drawn from host communities and included young men and women, as well as persons with disabilities, reflecting the programme’s emphasis on inclusion and community development.

The initiative was designed to equip participants with the practical skills, industry knowledge and resources needed to establish sustainable enterprises and take advantage of opportunities within the oil and gas sector.

The programme commenced with the training of youths in Abia State and attracted the participation of key government and industry stakeholders.

Representatives of the NCDMB participated in the programme, alongside Mrs Sarah Adaobi Ugochukwu, Director, Produce Department, who represented the Abia State Ministry of Trade and Commerce.

Oil and gas industry stakeholders, particularly members of marketers’ associations, also supported the programme and played a significant role during the participants’ field visits.

The field component provided beneficiaries with an opportunity to gain practical exposure to industry operations and interact with operators and other stakeholders across the oil and gas value chain.

In Akwa Ibom State, the programme received support from the state government, with the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources represented by the Director of the Petroleum Department, Engr. Anietie Emah.

According to the organisers, the Community-Based Oil and Gas Enterprise Development Programme seeks to bridge the gap between young people in host communities and the economic opportunities available within Nigeria’s energy industry.

The training focused on developing practical enterprise skills, creating business opportunities, encouraging innovative solutions to challenges facing host communities and promoting sustainable economic development.

Participants also received mentorship from industry experts, business development and entrepreneurship support, access to relevant networks and practical field experience.

The programme is expected to provide beneficiaries with a platform to transform viable ideas into businesses capable of contributing to job creation and local economic growth.

Eligibility for the programme was targeted at young people between the ages of 18 and 35, with a minimum educational qualification of SSCE, NECO or its equivalent.

The organisers said both male and female applicants were eligible, while female participation was particularly encouraged. Beneficiaries were also required to commit to completing the full training and field experience components of the programme.

The inclusion of persons with disabilities among the 200 participants was intended to broaden access to economic opportunities and ensure that disadvantaged groups were not excluded from skills acquisition and enterprise development initiatives.

The programme also aligns with efforts to strengthen indigenous capacity and increase community participation in opportunities associated with Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.

Beyond technical and entrepreneurial training, the initiative places emphasis on helping participants identify viable business opportunities, build sustainable enterprises and develop solutions to economic and social challenges within their communities.

With 100 youths trained in Abia State and another 100 in Akwa Ibom State, the organisers said the programme was designed to create a pool of young entrepreneurs who could apply their newly acquired knowledge and practical experience to businesses across the oil and gas value chain.

The partnership between NCDMB and Tommorow Africa Limited is also expected to contribute to stronger host communities by creating pathways for skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and sustainable livelihoods.

The organisers said the broader objective is to empower communities, build local capacity and develop sustainable enterprises capable of contributing to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and the wider economy.

Residents of farming communities in Borgu and Agwara Local Government Areas of Niger State blocked the Mokwa-New Bussa road on Monday to protest persistent attacks on their communities by terrorists.

The protest was led by the Borgu Youth Federation, with members of several associations in Borgu Kingdom, including members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), participating.

Daily Trust gathered that the protesters blocked the road at the Bussa roundabout, an entry point to the Borgu Kingdom, as early as 5:30am, despite the rain.

Commuters travelling to New Bussa and Agwara from the Mokwa axis were reportedly stranded.

Speaking with Daily Trust on the telephone, Aliyu Abdulmajeed, the Auditor of the Borgu Youth Federation, said the protest was triggered by an alleged comment by the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, that only 30 people were kidnapped during the attacks on Jummaat Mosques in Dekara and three other communities.

He said while the five hundred worshippers had remained in Captivity for the past three weeks, attacks had continued, with many communities being deserted.

‘Two LGAs are participating in this protest, Borgu and Agwara LGAs. We are not happy with the the ongoing security challenges in these two LGAs. We have been in this problem for the past three years. Because government has failed to take action, attacks by terrorists have degeneted to tribal clashes and government is watching people dying on a daily basis.

‘You recall the attacks on Dekara and other villages, where about 500 people were kidnapped. These people are still in Captivity. Last week, 30 of these people were slaughtered and beheaded and relatives were asked to go and pick the bodies. The dead bodies were evacuated from where they were dumped and buried. We have raised our concerns before appropriate authorities several times, including the LG chairman.

‘Yesterday, we heard the governor saying that only 30 people were kidnapped. The governor does not get the right information of happenings in our communities. Who informed the governor that only 30 people were kidnapped?’ he said.

Asked if the the bodies of the 30 people reportedly slaughtered had been buried, Abdulmajeed said ‘They have been buried. Some people are misleading the governor. Some families could not even identify the bodies of their loved ones because the heads were taken away. Some bodies were identified from their physiques.’

He said insecurity that had degeneted to tribal clashes between farmers and herders in Agwara LGA had claimed 8 lives last two weeks and hundreds displaced.

The Auditor added that an attack on Guchana community in Borgu LGA on Saturday and Sunday left 30 vigilantes injured.

‘These vigilantes cannot even access modern healthcare facility for treatment. They are currently at various traditional medicine healers for treatment. There is no government presence in that area. Even hospital is not available in that area.

‘We are demanding the government to address our challenges. We have been neglected. There is no government presence here. Why have attacks continued and government keeping deaf ears to our pleas?’ he inquired.

The Chairman of Borgu LGA in Niger State, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, told our Correspondent last week via telephone that adequate security personnel had been deployed to the local government area to forestall further terrorist attacks on local communities.

He said the deployment followed an appeal to the Federal Government by the Niger State government after terrorists attacked Jumaat mosques in Dekara, Gbezhin, Sabon-Gida, and Kpenya on August 21, 2026, abducting an unspecified number of worshippers.

The attackers later killed about 30 of the abductees.

The council chairman noted that no new incidents had been recorded since the August mosque attacks, dismissing a recently circulated video as fake.

‘The video in circulation is fake. Nothing like that has happened in Borgu LGA. We have made our findings and there is no security report to that effect. Even our traditional rulers who are the custodians of the affected areas have denied such happening.

‘After the last attack on Jumaat Mosques on August 21, the President, through the efforts of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, ordered deployment of massive security personnel along that corridor. Government has taken serious measures.

‘There is presence of adequate Security personnel in those corridors and most of the routes we know they use have been blocked,’ he said.