Category: Daily Trust

At least 12 pupils of Madarasatul Nurul Islam, Maikujeri community in Rafi Local Government Area of Niger State have been reportedly kidnapped by bandits.

Daily Trust gathered that the children were abducted around 10am on Saturday while harvesting maize on their teacher’s farm on the outskirts of the town.

A resident, Mohammed Adamu, told Daily Trust that the children were already on their way home when the bandits struck and picked them.

An Okada man identified as Tasi’u, who attempted to escape, was reportedly shot and is currently receiving treatment at the IBB Specialist Hospital in Minna, the state capital.

Another source close to the Quranic school told one of our correspondents that 13 people, including 12 female pupils of the school and the younger brother of the school’s proprietor, Mallam Mainasara, were kidnapped.

He said the victims, aged between nine and 14, were abducted as they stopped by a borehole to wash themselves and drink water after leaving the farm.

According to him, the pupils had been working on the farm with their teacher when the teacher received information that bandits were advancing towards the area.

He said the teacher immediately instructed the pupils to return home while he also left on his motorcycle.

‘While on their way home, the pupils reportedly stopped at a borehole to wash their bodies and drink water. It was at that point that the armed men swooped on them and whisked them away,’ he said.

The source further disclosed that some women were also abducted from another farm in the area.

When contacted, the spokesperson for the Niger Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, promised to verify the information and revert.

The police spokesperson, however, revealed that six people were rescued but was silent on the abduction of the pupils.

He said, ‘On 29th October, 2026, at about 12.30pm, joint security tactical teams during a clearance and rescue operation around Pandogari Rafi LGA rescued six abducted victims who were reportedly kidnapped by some hoodlums on 28th October, 2026 at about 12 pm in their farms at Mahangi village via Pandogari.

‘The victims were abducted and taken to Hanawanka forest where they were rescued unhurt. They were later received at Kagara Div for debriefing and medical attention ahead of reunion with their relatives.’

Dozens of farmers displaced

Similarly, dozens of farming communities in Borgu, Mariga, Mashegu and Rijau LGAs have continued to flee their homes following the renewed bandits’ attacks.

The affected farmers told Daily Trust that their farm produce, including rice, soyabeans and maize, is wasting on their farms because bandits have stopped them from harvesting.

Ibrahim Ayuba, a resident of one of the affected communities in Mariga LGA told Daily Trust that their farm produce including rice, white beans, soyabeans have been left to waste due to attacks and kidnapping of farmers from their homes and on their farms.

He said, ‘Currently, for about 14 to 19 days now, bandits have occupied some villages in Mariga, including Ragada, Maburya, Mazame, Kuimo and Kura, as well as villages in Rijau Local Government Area, which include Inana, Idaci, among others.

‘This situation has forced people to flee their homes for days. The attacks have resulted in the loss of three lives and injured many others, alongside allegations of sexual assault against women.

‘The people from the affected areas are currently in the towns of Warari, Gulbin Boka, and Rijau. Just tonight, we received reports of an attempted new attack in Kuimo, which has forced the residents of that area to flee again in the middle of the night. As for the farms, they are truly in a critical state; if the soybeans and rice do not receive immediate attention and care, they will go to waste.’

Recent abductions in Niger

It has been 72 days since over 500 Worshippers were kidnapped from Juma’at mosques in Dekara and four other communities. Families said the abductors have yet to communicate with them since the incident.

Terrorists had invaded four Juma’at mosques in Dekara, Gbezhin, Sabon-Gida and Kpenya simultaneously on August 21, 2026 and took away Worshippers.

On 15 June bandits attacked farmlands in Pandogari District of Rafi LGA and killed one Dauda Galadima, a resident of the nearby Ruba village. They also abducted five farmers on their fields, including Nasiru Yakubu and his son, Bilyaminu.

On July 24, gunmen raided Tashar Hajiya community in Niger State at about 2:30 a.m., killing one 25-year-old Mustafa Murtala and abducting three residents, one Alhaji Baza Baza, his wife and one of their daughters.

On September 27, 47 farmers were abducted while harvesting groundnuts on their farms in Tugan-Rimi, Mariga LGA of the state.

Daily Trust also recalls that on November 21, 2025, 230 pupils and students as well as staff members were kidnapped at St. Mary’s Primary and Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara LGA.

The victims were later rescued through an operation coordinated by the Office of the National Security Adviser after several weeks in captivity.

Also in November 2025, terrorists kidnapped an unspecified number of travellers along the Wawa-Luma Road in Borgu LGA, Niger State.

According to a source, two passenger vehicles heading to Gupanti and Lumma communities were intercepted, and all occupants were abducted.

However, farmers in Mariga, Borgu , Mashegu, Rijau told Daily Trust that attacks and kidnappings have become a daily occurrence.

Forest security key to ending abductions – Experts

A Senior Security Consultant, Auwal Bala Durumin Iya, has called on the federal government to strengthen security in Nigeria’s forests to address the persistent abduction of students, including Almajiri pupils and conventional schoolchildren.

Durumin Iya, who is also a Quality and Internal Quality Assurance Manager of Homeland Security in Nigeria, said securing forests was critical to protecting rural communities and urban centres from kidnappers.

He made the call while reacting to the reported abduction of some Almajiri pupils in Niger State while they were returning from their teacher’s farm.

He said kidnappers deliberately targeted schoolchildren because their abduction attracted widespread public attention, putting pressure on governments and security agencies.

According to him, the publicity generated by such incidents also creates fear among residents and could force communities to submit to the demands and directives of criminal groups.

‘When they kidnap students or Almajiri pupils, the attention of the public goes directly to that kidnapping, and they want wider publicity. When they get wider publicity, it means the students or community will put pressure on security personnel and the government. It also creates more fear in the community so that people may obey their orders, thereby distracting the government and security personnel,’ he said.

The security expert identified the establishment of a specialised forest security system, which he described as a forest marshal arrangement, as one of the measures needed to tackle the menace.

He explained that the proposed forest marshals should be educated and properly trained personnel with the capacity to secure both thick and thin forests across the country.

‘When our forests become secure, our villages will also become secure. And when our villages are secure, the urban areas will be more secure,’ he said.

Durumin Iya noted that many kidnapping incidents, particularly random and conventional abductions, occurred around forest areas, making the protection of such locations essential to preventing attacks on surrounding communities.

He also proposed the establishment of an independent Centre for Intelligent Research to conduct professional security research and provide governments with early warnings and policy recommendations.

He said the centre would bring together security professionals and researchers to study emerging threats and anticipate security developments within specific areas, including possible incidents in the following six months.

According to him, findings from such research would be documented and communicated to relevant authorities to enable them to develop effective strategies for tackling security challenges in forests, rural communities and urban centres.

The security consultant further advocated the adoption of a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme to identify and develop the skills of Nigerians who possess practical knowledge and competencies but lack formal education.

He said recognising such skills would enable government and relevant institutions to support individuals in developing their abilities, producing goods and services and creating employment opportunities.

‘Many people in Nigeria did not go to school, but they have competence, skills and knowledge. When you recognise their knowledge, they can produce and train many young people coming up.

‘The government does not have to provide employment for everybody. When their skills are recognised, the government can connect them with other government opportunities, non-governmental organisations, companies and individuals who have the resources to purchase their products.

‘That way, they can employ more people than the government,’ he said.

He urged the government to consider the three proposals as part of broader efforts to address insecurity, strengthen community protection and reduce unemployment, which he said could help tackle some of the conditions that expose communities to criminal activities.

Weighing into the matter, a security and counter-terrorism expert, Chidi Omeje, in an interview with one of our correspondents, explained that intelligence gathering must be strengthened.

Omeje also listed security of Nigeria’s forests and porous borders as part of broader ways to resolve issues of kidnapping, adding that the military alone could not solve the menace.

The expert said, ‘To stem the tide of kidnapping in Nigeria, we must stop treating kidnapping merely as a military problem and confront it as a governance, intelligence and law-enforcement failure.

‘Strengthen intelligence gathering at the grassroots, dismantle kidnapping networks and their financiers, secure our forests and porous borders, improve inter-agency collaboration, and ensure the swift prosecution of perpetrators.

‘The police must lead internal security operations, with the military providing support where necessary. Above all, tackle the poverty, unemployment and criminal economies that sustain recruitment into these gangs.

‘Kidnapping will not end through force alone; it requires actionable intelligence, political will, effective law enforcement and good governance.’

What is driving Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis – Ex-NIA DG

Meanwhile, a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai, has said Nigeria’s kidnapping crisis is being sustained by a complex network of terrorist groups, criminal bandit militias, informants and financial facilitators,

Rufai said the motives behind abductions had evolved from fundraising and recruitment to political propaganda and prisoner exchanges, making the country’s security challenge more complicated.

He spoke at the Global Security Forum in Doha – Qatar, an annual international gathering of senior government officials, security experts, academics and journalists.

Explaining Nigeria’s kidnapping situation, the former intelligence chief identified three broad categories of perpetrators: terrorist groups, bandit militias and other criminal gangs.

He said Boko Haram, which operates in parts of the country, was affiliated with terrorist organisations in the Sahel and beyond, adding that its early abductions were aimed at raising funds and recruiting young men and women into its ranks.

According to him, bandit militias, on the other hand, engage in criminal kidnapping, often targeting individuals and communities to collect ransom.

‘It’s a kind of economy hostage-taking,’ he said.

Rufai said the motives of the different groups had increasingly overlapped, with terrorist organisations sometimes working alongside criminal militias to carry out mass abductions.

He said such operations were intended not only to raise money but also to serve as propaganda and demonstrate the groups’ continued activities, particularly when security forces intensified their operations against them.

The former NIA chief cited the Abuja-Kaduna train attack, in which about 100 passengers were abducted, as an example of collaboration between terrorist and criminal groups.

He estimated that between $1 million and $2 million was collected as ransom, saying the money was channelled to Ansaru in the Sahel region.

Rufai said the pattern of kidnapping had also expanded to the abduction of schoolchildren and worshippers, both Muslims and Christians, with some incidents now aimed at securing the release of detained members of the groups.

He, however, noted that negotiations for prisoner exchanges could become difficult when the individuals whose release was being demanded had already been killed during security operations.

Beyond the perpetrators, Rufai identified a network of informants, financial facilitators and other criminal collaborators as key elements sustaining kidnapping operations.

He said informants provide information about potential targets, while financial systems, including cryptocurrencies and small financial outfits, are used to launder ransom proceeds.

‘They use a lot of informants that tell them about their targets, their potential targets,’ he said.

On possible responses, Rufai said approaches to hostage-taking should depend on the motives and identities of the perpetrators.

He advocated discreet, back-channel negotiations in cases where terrorist groups abduct victims primarily for money, involving trusted intermediaries and contact persons.

The Kano State High Court sitting in Bompai has sentenced Mustapha Hamza to death by hanging for the murder of Abubakar Abba, popularly known as Wagile, a resident of Dambazau in Dala Local Government Area of the state.

The judgement was delivered by the presiding judge, Justice Nasir Saminu, following prosecution by the Kano State Ministry of Justice.

The case dates back to 2013, when Hamza and another suspect, identified as Janare, were accused of conspiring to murder Abba.

While Janare was arrested, prosecuted and convicted, and subsequently sentenced to death by hanging in 2015, Hamza fled and remained at large.

Hamza reportedly stayed away for nearly 10 years before returning to Kano in 2023, believing that the case had been forgotten.

However, acting on intelligence about his return, the police arrested him and subsequently brought him before the court to face trial over his alleged involvement in the murder.

During the trial, the prosecution team, led by Safiya Yalwati Yahaya, an Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions (ADPP), alongside Farida Wada, called five witnesses and tendered other pieces of evidence against the defendant.

In its judgement, the court found Hamza guilty of culpable homicide punishable by death under Section 221 of the applicable Penal Code and sentenced him to death by hanging.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarim Kabiru Maude, SAN, commended the police for tracking down and arresting the defendant after several years on the run.

He also praised the two state counsel for their professionalism and commitment, which he said contributed to securing the conviction.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dr Abubakar Tijjani Ibrahim, the Attorney-General reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that suspects accused of serious crimes are brought to justice, irrespective of how long it takes to apprehend them.

He said the ministry would continue to pursue criminal cases diligently, protect citizens’ rights and promote the rule of law.

Maude added that the commitment was in line with the Kano First Agenda of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, particularly efforts to strengthen the justice system, promote public safety and ensure accountability.

The Presidency has charged the North to honour the current eight-year tenure of the South, in the interest of ‘reciprocity and national stability.’

Personal Assistant to the President on Radio and Broadcast (Office of the Vice President), Hajiya Rahma Abdulmajid, stated this in Kano on Sunday during the Grand Inauguration and Strategic Media Awards Ceremony of Matan Arewa 4 Tinubu Again (MATA).

She said Nigeria’s national stability hangs by a ‘slender thread,’ demanding that the North honour the unwritten power rotation pact and allow the South to complete its eight-year tenure, warning that breaking this trust could jeopardise the country’s unity.

According to her, Nigeria’s power rotation arrangement is not a sectional concession but a reciprocal compact that has stabilised the Fourth Republic.

Making a veiled reference to former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, who she recalled attended and participated in the famous Kaduna meeting where the power rotation agreement was reached, Abdulmajid argued that the North cannot sacrifice the stability of Nigeria for the ambition of one man.

Tracing the origin to Kaduna, she noted that when military rule ended, patriots negotiated a framework for unity, maintaining, just as he said, ‘And present in that room was Atiku Abubakar himself, as later confirmed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume.

Insisting on the power rotation arrangement, the presidency said, ‘In 1999, when the guns of military rule finally fell silent, this nation did not just switch governments-we made a sacred promise. Our founding patriots gathered in Kaduna with one urgent, defining question echo-chambered in their minds: How do we keep Nigeria one?

‘And from that sacred deliberation came a compact: not a sectional concession, but a reciprocal agreement. This gentleman’s agreement decreed that power must rotate between North and South every eight years-an arrangement to guarantee fairness, to ensure stability, and to guarantee that no Nigerian ever feels like a stranger in his own country.’

On how the arrangement worked, Abdulmajid said it survived because it was honoured.

‘This is not fiction. This is our history. And how did it work? It worked because we honoured it. In 1999, we gave it to the South-Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, eight years, from 1999 to 2007. Then we gave it to the North: Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2007. But death, a painful death, cut his tenure short in 2010.

‘His vice, Goodluck Jonathan from the South, took over. The North felt cheated. The North said our turn was not complete, and that agitation was legitimate. What happened? In 2015, power returned to the North. The late former President Muhammadu Buhari, eight full years, 2015 to 2023! The sequence was restored! The principle survived,’ she stated.

The presidency contended that the agreement is a two-way street and the North has already taken its full benefit.

‘My people, the agreement is reciprocal; it is a two-way street. The North has already taken its full benefit after eight solid years under Buhari. You cannot eat your cake and still demand another man’s cake,’ Abdulmajid said

The presidential aide stressed that stability requires reciprocity, recalling that the current President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a Southerner, worked tirelessly for the late General Muhammadu Buhari to emerge victorious when the North demanded power must return after Jonathan’s tenure.

‘That same logic applies today. You cannot abandon a principle when it becomes inconvenient. If you do, you tell the world that the agreement was never a principle at all-merely a temporary tactic. And if we destroy trust today, what will we use to negotiate tomorrow? Let us be honest. Much of this noise against the South completing its term is not a matter of principle. It is personal ambition,’ she queried.

Abdulmajid said, ‘Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar tells us zoning is ‘self-defeating.’ But he participated in and benefited from zoned arrangements in 2015 and 2019 when they favored his ambition! When rotation opened the door for him, it was acceptable. When it stands in his way, it becomes ‘intellectually dishonest.’

‘Shall we sacrifice Nigeria’s stability for one man’s ambition? The North’s genuine interest is not served by that; the North’s interest is stable inclusion. The guarantee that power will return to you only lives if we honour the compact today.’

On his part, Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, corroborated Abdulmajid’s position, saying the unity of Nigeria can only be guaranteed by fair play and inclusivity.

The governor who was represented by his Director-General of Media and Publicity, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, argued that reversing the existing rotational arrangement will paint the North in ignoble light, even as he urged the region to maintain the status quo by re-electing President Tinubu for a second term.

In his remarks, former Governor of Jigawa State and immediate past Minister of Defence, Mohammad Abubakar Badaru, said the Renewed Hope Administration of President Tinubu has benefited the North more than any other part of Nigeria.

Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in military equipment production has received a fresh boost as DICON-D7G unveiled plans to expand indigenous defence manufacturing, attract foreign investment and create 7,000 employment opportunities for retired military personnel and civilians.

The initiative, being promoted at the ongoing Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) in Lagos, also includes plans to secure 40,000 square metres of land for the establishment of a world-class international exhibition centre.

The Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr Osman Chennar, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists on Monday, saying the initiative was aimed at accelerating Nigeria’s transition from dependence on imported military equipment to local manufacturing, technology transfer and industrial self-sufficiency.

DICON-D7G, a major sponsor of AFRIDEX, is using the international exhibition to promote its vision of building a stronger Nigerian military-industrial complex through local production, strategic partnerships, investment mobilisation and employment generation.

The renewed push comes 61 years after the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in 1964, with the country still working towards developing the capacity to manufacture a substantial proportion of the military equipment required by its armed forces.

For decades, Nigeria has depended considerably on foreign suppliers for military hardware, ammunition, components and other defence technologies, raising concerns about foreign exchange expenditure, supply-chain vulnerabilities and the sustainability of national security operations.

Chennar said DICON-D7G was seeking to address the challenge by bringing government institutions, private investors, indigenous manufacturers, research organisations and international technology partners together.

‘Our ambition is to move Nigeria from dependence on imported military equipment to a country that can increasingly manufacture, maintain and sustain its own defence requirements,’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria possesses the human resources, technical expertise and industrial potential to achieve defence industrial independence through strategic investments and effective partnerships.

He said the organisation’s objective was to move Nigeria beyond importing finished defence products to developing the capacity to design, manufacture, maintain and eventually export military equipment.

As part of its international expansion, DICON-D7G recently made its debut at an exhibition in Qatar, where it sought partnerships with foreign manufacturers, investors and technology companies to facilitate technology transfer and strengthen local production.

‘Our engagement with international partners is designed to encourage technology transfer, attract investment and build the technical capacity required to strengthen Nigeria’s defence industry,’ Chennar said.

He described AFRIDEX as an important platform for bringing manufacturers, investors, technology developers and other stakeholders together to advance Nigeria’s defence industrial ambitions.

The exhibition, he said, would provide opportunities to promote indigenous innovation, attract investment and encourage collaboration capable of translating Nigeria’s industrial potential into practical defence manufacturing capabilities.

In another major development, DICON-D7G is pursuing the acquisition of approximately 40,000 square metres of land in Lagos for a proposed international exhibition centre.

The facility is expected to host international defence exhibitions, industrial trade fairs, technology showcases, manufacturing conferences and investment forums, while providing a platform for Nigerian manufacturers to showcase locally developed products.

‘The proposed exhibition centre in Lagos will provide a permanent platform for international defence exhibitions, technology showcases and investment opportunities,’ Chennar said.

The proposed centre is also envisaged as a commercial asset that could generate revenue and support the organisation’s long-term industrial objectives.

The organisation is equally projecting 7,000 employment opportunities, comprising 2,000 positions for retired military personnel and 5,000 for civilians.

The retired military personnel are expected to contribute their experience and technical expertise in areas including training, engineering, logistics, administration and project management.

The civilian employment opportunities are expected to cover manufacturing, engineering, information technology, research and development, skilled trades and other supporting services.

‘We are looking beyond military equipment production. We also want to create opportunities for retired military personnel and young Nigerians to contribute their skills to national development,’ he said.

Beyond employment generation, the initiative is seeking to strengthen Nigeria’s military-industrial ecosystem by expanding local production and reducing dependence on foreign suppliers.

DICON-D7G has also indicated plans to expand its manufacturing activities beyond arms and ammunition to include tanks, armoured personnel carriers, mine-resistant vehicles, boats and drones.

The broader ambition is to develop local capacity that can support the country’s defence requirements, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs and stimulate technological advancement.

The development comes amid renewed efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s defence manufacturing framework following President Bola Tinubu’s signing of the DICON Amendment Act into law in November 2023.

The legislation provides an expanded framework for promoting indigenous defence production and strengthening the country’s military-industrial capacity.

However, the success of the renewed ambition will depend on sustained investment, research and development, technology transfer, quality assurance and effective collaboration between government and private-sector manufacturers.

Sixty-one years after DICON’s establishment, the renewed drive highlights the importance of translating Nigeria’s long-standing ambition for defence industrial independence into measurable manufacturing capacity.

For DICON-D7G, the objective is to ensure that Nigeria does not merely depend on importing equipment required for its national security but progressively develops the capacity to manufacture and sustain such equipment locally.

Women engineers and education advocates have called on parents and the government to tackle child marriage and ensure girls complete their education, warning that the practice limits their potential and exposes them to health risks.

They made the call at a public lecture and workshop organised by the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) Abuja Chapter, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and the FCT Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child.

The event, held in Abuja on Thursday, had as its theme, ‘End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights.’

The National President of APWEN, Engr Chinyere Nnenna Igwegbe, who was the chairman of the event, said parents should not force children into marriage, particularly when financial difficulties or debts influence such decisions.

She said girls should be allowed to develop mentally, emotionally and physically before deciding to marry, adding that early marriage could disrupt their childhood and expose them to childbirth complications.

Igwegbe urged parents, teachers, religious leaders and other stakeholders to support girls through formal education, vocational training and other opportunities that would help them realise their potential.

She said cultural and religious values should not be used to prevent girls from achieving their ambitions, while encouraging parents to take advantage of government and non-governmental education support programmes.

The guest speaker, Engr Seriki-Johnson Oluwatoyin, an assistant director at the Rural Education Agency, said child marriage interrupts girls’ education and limits their opportunities to become professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders.

She called on the government to enforce existing policies and introduce measures to ensure every girl has access to education.

Oluwatoyin also urged authorities to provide free education and scholarships for girls, particularly those from poor households, saying financial hardship often pushes parents to withdraw their daughters from school or give them out in marriage.

She called for measures to hold parents accountable when children are denied education, while urging teachers and community leaders to encourage girls to remain in school.

Engr. Comfort Emenyonu, the Vice Chairman of APWEN Abuja Chapter and Project Director welcomed all guests and dignitaries to the event on the behalf of the Chapter Chairman, Engr. Amina Abdulmalik. She said ‘When we protect a girl’s rights, we protect her future; and when we invest in girls, we invest in a stronger, fairer, and more prosperous society.’

The programme also featured speeches by students from FCT schools on child marriage.

The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested three suspects over alleged forgery of an Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) identity card and recovery of an unregistered Lexus IS 250.

The suspects were identified as Mohammed Umar, Mohammed Nuhu and Ibrahim Suleiman.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Ramhan Nansel, said operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit intercepted the suspects during a routine patrol around Bukan Sidi area of Lafia.

He said the suspects were travelling in a Lexus IS 250 without a registration number when they were stopped by the police.

‘Upon interrogation, Mohammed Nuhu introduced himself as an officer of the ICPC and presented an identification card purportedly issued by the Commission. However, when Mohammed Umar, the driver of the vehicle, was questioned about its ownership, he was unable to provide a satisfactory explanation, prompting the arrest of all three occupants for further investigation,’ the PPRO stated.

Nansel said investigation revealed that the ICPC identification card presented by Mohammed Nuhu was forged.

He added that Nuhu claimed he accompanied the driver from Kaduna State to Lafia because the driver did not possess a valid driver’s licence.

The police spokesman further disclosed that profiling of the suspects revealed that one of them, Ibrahim Suleiman, is allegedly associated with an unlawful society known as the Eiye Confraternity.

He said the allegations are being investigated to establish the full circumstances and determine the extent of involvement of each suspect.

According to him, ‘the suspects remain in custody as investigations continue and they will be charged to court for prosecution, while efforts are being intensified to verify the vehicle’s ownership.’

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Nasarawa State Command, Shetima Jauro Mohammed, has reiterated the Command’s commitment to proactive policing, intelligence-led operations and sustained fight against crime and criminality in the state.

He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements and activities to the nearest police station.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has concluded his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, declaring that he prayed for peace, unity and prosperity for all Nigerians.

The President, disclosed this on Monday in a post on his verified X handle, @officialABAT.

The President also described the visit and experience as a demonstration of the enduring bonds of faith, friendship and mutual respect between Nigeria and the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

President Tinubu departed Abuja on Thursday, October 29, to Saudi Arabia during which he performed Umrah at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, in Makkah.

Meanwhile in his latest post, the President said, ‘I have concluded my visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where, together with members of my delegation, I had the rare honour of entering the Holy Kaaba to pray, and of performing Umrah.’

The President expressed his deep appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud @KingSalman, and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman for extending this ‘privilege to us, and for their gracious hospitality and brotherly care.

‘It reflects the enduring bonds of faith and friendship between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.’ He said.

The President explained that in those sacred moments, ‘I prayed for peace, unity and prosperity for our dear nation and for all Nigerians.’

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited an economy ‘tottering on the brink of collapse’.

Mutfwang, who stated this on Monday during the formal inauguration of the APC campaign council in Jos, said the Tinubu administration inherited a country that could no longer service its external debts, while the Federal Government had resorted to printing money to manage the economy.

‘Where did President Tinubu meet Nigeria in 2023? He met Nigeria tottering on the brink of collapse; Nigeria that could not service its external debts; Nigeria that would not even allow businesses outside the country to take their proceeds back home.’

‘And that is why some international airlines stopped flying to Nigeria, because they could not get the dollars to take back their money. Our external reserve was down to just a little over $3 billion, from the over $40 billion it had accumulated for decades. Today, by the grace of God, we have a healthy external reserve of over $50 billion,’ the governor said.

Mutfwang said Nigerians had to spend days on the queue to get petrol, saying that at a point the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari was clueless.

He added, ‘Today, by the grace of God, we have solved one side of the equation. Today fuel is available. It may not be cheap but it is available.

‘Those of us who are of my age bracket or little below will remember the times when we spent days in petrol stations queuing for fuel that we could hardly get. Part of the problem of the Buhari regime is that they got to a point that they didn’t know what to do, so they sold our future crude. And today we are paying that debt. And so we cannot expect things to simply change overnight.

‘I am confident that come January 16, 2027, by the grace of God, Plateau State will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a resounding victory. And that two weeks later, the people of Plateau will renew their mandate for us to continue on the good journey we have started.

‘I want to urge you to go back home. It is time to go back home. Mobilise your own community. Mobilise your ward. Mobilise your local government. Mobilise your constituency.’

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu, has described his exclusion from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election as a temporary distraction, insisting that it would not derail his political activities or ambition.

Adebutu spoke on Monday in Abeokuta when the PDP received a former member of the House of Representatives, Olusegun Williams, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP alongside his supporters.

The former lawmaker, who represented the constituency for two terms, said he was returning to his original political home after what he described as disappointing experiences in the APC.

Speaking with newsmen, Adebutu dismissed any suggestion that he had left the PDP, insisting that his political record and participation in the party’s activities over the years were sufficient evidence of his membership.

He challenged anyone with contrary evidence to establish when he allegedly defected to another political party.

‘I have been a candidate of PDP five consecutive times. For the last 20 years, every election cycle, I have been a candidate of PDP. At what stage did I leave the party? Where is the proof that for one day, I even visited APC office?’ he queried.

The governorship candidate also disclosed that he actively participated in organising and financing the recent PDP membership registration exercise in Ogun State, which recorded about 19,800 members.

According to him, he personally registered during the exercise and was assigned membership number 1536.

‘We were able to register 19,800 and something. We targeted 20,000. Because of time, we couldn’t make 20,000. We registered 19,800 plus. That process, I was a very active participant in organising and financing that registration.

‘I registered and my number is 1536. For somebody that registered 20,000, whose number comes over 1536? So, I don’t know the magic. The story is up to Nigerians to decide,’ he said.

Adebutu argued that every Nigerian had a fundamental right to participate in the democratic process, accusing the ruling APC in the state of attempting to weaken opposition parties rather than allowing them to compete based on their achievements.

He said political parties should be allowed to present their scorecards to the electorate and seek votes through democratic means instead of using political power to frustrate their opponents.

‘Should it be a party’s policy to hold down other parties? Should it be a party’s policy? If you mean well and you have done well for your people, you should be able to place your scorecard on the table. This is what I have done for you. You elect me,’ he said.

The PDP chieftain further alleged that opposition supporters and businesses were being harassed in the state, while billboards erected by his supporters were allegedly destroyed or vandalised.

He maintained that such actions would not stop the party from reaching out to voters across the state.

Adebutu also accused the state government of borrowing excessively without commensurate development, alleging that Ogun State had little to show for its accumulated debts.

On the controversy surrounding his exclusion, he expressed confidence in the country’s judicial system, insisting that he fulfilled the requirements for party membership and participation in the primaries.

‘Why shouldn’t my name come out? There is justice in Nigeria now. There is justice in Nigeria. I was duly registered. I orchestrated registration in this state. I have been the candidate of this state, of this PDP, for the last 20 years. Every cycle. Check your records,’ he said.

He described the omission as an attempt to slow down the party’s preparations and discourage its supporters but insisted that the development would eventually work in their favour.

‘They want to slow down the process and make the people of the state disenfranchised, discomforted. But never mind. It’s the process. It will end. And by the time it ends, it will even be a blessing to us.

‘We are used to this. We’ve had various shenanigans like this and we have always welcomed them. So we have no fear at all. It has just slowed us down,’ he added.

Scientists at the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, have secured four international research grants worth approximately N1.213 billion to advance climate-resilient agriculture in Nigeria.

The grants, valued at $948,678.53, were awarded under the Action Research for Climate Adaptation in Agriculture (ARCAA) programme, a joint initiative of Research Triangle Institute (RTI) International and the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), with support from the Gates Foundation.

The achievement makes IAR the only Nigerian institution to secure more than one grant under the highly competitive programme, accounting for four of the eight successful proposals from Nigeria.

A statement by Dr Sharhabil Musa Yahaya, of the Agricultural Extension Unit of IAR, said the programme attracted 149 concept-note submissions, out of which only 14 were selected, representing a success rate of about 9.4 per cent.

He said the four research projects will focus on developing alternative livestock feed from locally available materials, promoting solar-powered farmer-led irrigation, scaling up climate-resilient and drought-tolerant maize hybrids, and improving access to climate-resilient groundnut varieties through inclusive seed systems.

According to him, the projects are expected to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen farmers’ capacity to withstand climate change and promote sustainable farming practices, particularly in Northern Nigeria.

Commenting on the stride, Prof. Ado A. Yusuf, Executive Director of IAR, described the achievement as a testament to the dedication and research capacity of the institute’s scientists.

He said the success demonstrated the quality of research ideas being developed at the institute and their relevance to the needs of farmers and the wider agricultural sector.

Yusuf said the institute was committed to ensuring that research excellence translated into practical benefits for farmers, stronger agricultural systems and improved national food security.

He congratulated the successful scientists and their research teams, assuring them of the institute’s continued support for innovation, collaboration and partnerships capable of addressing critical agricultural challenges.

Similarly, the Vice-Chancellor of ABU, Prof. Adamu Ahmed, described the feat as an outstanding achievement that reflected the university’s growing reputation as a centre of research excellence in Africa.

Ahmed said securing four of the 14 grants selected from 149 submissions, including half of Nigeria’s successful entries, demonstrated the quality of research capacity developed by the university.