Category: PM News

The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), has revealed that Nigerian security forces can rescue kidnapped victims without engaging their captors in gun battles or paying ransom.

Musa explained that troops often rely on strategic manoeuvres designed to isolate terrorists and cut off the supplies that enable them to keep their operations going.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, the minister said the approach had proved effective in several operations, including recent rescue missions in Kwara State and other parts of northern Nigeria.

According to him, terrorists are usually unwilling to risk their lives when confronted by security forces. Once troops identify a hideout and seal off possible escape routes, the captors may abandon their victims and flee.

‘Sometimes if you carry out manoeuvres. The funny thing is, the terrorists too don’t want to die. I hope you know that. All this one they’re doing carrying weapons, they don’t want to die. So once there’s anything, even if it’s a drone that comes, you see them scatter away and leave everybody. That’s what happens,’ he said.

Musa said the military’s strategy was also aimed at denying terrorists access to essential supplies such as food, water and fuel.

He explained: ‘So what we normally do is once we’re able to identify where they are, we block avenues for them. Like I said, take out the oxygen, they will die. So those are the aspects, and that’s why as long as people go to support to sneak in, give them fuel, give them water, give them food, give them all this, these are the things that are making them thrive. Once they don’t have that, they can’t survive.’

The minister’s comments come amid growing questions over how troops have managed to free kidnapped victims in some operations without killing or apprehending the terrorists responsible for their abduction.

Musa also disclosed that ransom payments could provide security agencies with opportunities to trace criminal networks and identify those behind kidnapping operations.

He said the Central Bank of Nigeria was working to monitor financial transactions connected to criminal activities.

‘I’m happy that the CBN too is living up to expectation, trying to make sure that even if we were able to trace monies that are coming in from those other areas, we can track back where they are,’ he said.

The defence minister further raised concerns about the distribution of motorcycles as government palliatives and constituency projects, warning that some of the vehicles could eventually be acquired by terrorists.

According to him, motorcycles give terrorists the mobility to move quickly into communities and escape security forces.

‘We try to appeal to even governors to stop selling motorcycle-giving motorcycles out as palliatives. Because these motorcycles are the same ones that still end up to with this… with these terrorists into using. Even if you have to give, don’t give them the big capacity motorcycles, give them the small capacity ones that they will not be… won’t be able to use to run around, because that gives them leverage. They can easily enter and then disappear,’ he said.

Musa alleged that motorcycles distributed through constituency projects and palliative programmes could also end up in the hands of bandits, inadvertently strengthening their capacity to operate across difficult terrain.

Maj. Gen. Auwalu Mahmuda, General Officer Commanding (GOC), 2 Division, Nigerian Army, Ibadan, has charged officers to remain tactical and operational ahead of adversaries in the country.

Mahmuda gave the charge on Friday during the final ceremony of the Inter-Brigade Combat Proficiency Competition 2026 held at the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure.

The GOC, represented by Brig. Gen. Muhammed Momoh, said regular training and competition were vital to sharpening the skills and readiness of troops in tackling evolving security threats.

‘As the Nigerian Army remains a key stakeholder in tackling the mild security challenges facing our dear country, personnel must train continuously in order to remain ahead of adversaries at all times. As it is often said, we sweat more in peacetime through training and bleed less in war. So, the essence of this competition is to test our readiness and ensure that our officers and men are always prepared to confront any adversary,’ he said.

The GOC, therefore, commended all participating formations for their resilience, professionalism, sportsmanship and commitment displayed throughout the competition.

According to him, the combat proficiency competition is designed to improve leadership skills, organizational ability, expounded corps, endurance, cooperation, and initiative among young officers.

Mahmuda, who called for more cooperation and collaboration from the critical stakeholders, commended Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State and head of security agencies for their support.

‘The five formations which participated in the competition were: 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure; 42 Div. Engineers, Ibadan; 12 Brigade , Lokoja; 2 Div. Garrison, Ibadan and 4 Brigade, Benin. Participants representing their formations displayed individual determination and strong team spirit in activities such as tug of war, swimming, weapon handling, shooting, endurance run and obstacle crossing,’ he said.

Mahmuda presented trophies, certificates and cash prizes to the top three brigades and urged all units to sustain the tempo of training to enhance the operational readiness of the division.

The Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has urged the Federal Government to urgently convene a Presidential Refining Industry Roundtable to tackle challenges confronting Nigeria’s domestic refining industry and create a predictable, investment-friendly environment for refinery development.

CORAN made the call in a position paper following recent developments in the United States, where President Donald Trump met with leading refinery and fuel-distribution executives at the White House on September 1, 2026, to discuss measures to increase domestic refining output and reduce fuel prices.

The association said the development offered an important lesson for Nigeria, noting that U.S. refineries were operating at approximately 98 per cent utilisation, processing about 17.5 million barrels of crude oil daily.

It said despite the high level of refining activity, the U.S. government still considered it necessary to engage refinery operators after gasoline prices exceeded $4 per gallon and inventories began tightening.

According to CORAN, government engagement with refinery owners should not be viewed as a corporate entitlement but as a sound industrial, energy-security and economic policy.

The association said Nigeria faces even more difficult structural challenges, including foreign-exchange pressures, high borrowing costs, limited access to long-term financing, crude-feedstock constraints, inadequate infrastructure and high logistics costs.

CORAN expressed concern that Nigeria, despite being one of Africa’s largest crude oil producers, still struggles to supply domestic refineries with Nigerian crude on commercially workable terms.

It noted that while crude supply to local refineries improved significantly in the second quarter of 2026, physical allocation alone was not enough.

The association said crude must be delivered at commercially sustainable prices and under arrangements that adequately consider transportation, quality, evacuation, financing and proximity to producing assets.

CORAN also reaffirmed its support for the Federal Government’s Naira-for-Crude initiative, urging that it be fully institutionalised and made predictable for qualified domestic refineries, including modular and emerging operators.

The association argued that refineries whose products are sold largely in naira should not face unnecessary foreign-exchange pressure when sourcing crude.

It therefore called for a transparent mechanism that would enable eligible domestic refineries to access Nigerian crude and settle qualifying transactions in naira under commercially workable conditions.

On crude pricing, CORAN called for a commercially sensible domestic pricing framework that reflects the actual circumstances of transactions between producers and domestic refiners.

It said international benchmarks such as Brent, WTI and Platts remain useful references but should not be applied mechanically where domestic refiners are also required to bear additional transportation, trucking, barging or pipeline costs.

The association proposed that domestic crude pricing should take into account crude quality, point of delivery, avoided international freight and insurance costs, domestic evacuation expenses, proximity between producing fields and refineries, as well as reasonable commercial margins for producers.

CORAN further urged the government to address the resurgence of petroleum-product imports.

While acknowledging that imports may be necessary to cover supply gaps and maintain adequate stocks, the association said imports should increasingly serve as a temporary supply-gap mechanism rather than remain the default structure of Nigeria’s downstream petroleum market.

It warned that excessive imports alongside domestic refining investments could weaken incentives for refinery development, increase foreign-exchange demand, export Nigerian jobs and refining margins, and expose the country to international freight and geopolitical disruptions.

The association identified access to financing as another major challenge confronting domestic refinery developers.

CORAN called for the creation of a Refinery Development and Expansion Financing Framework involving development-finance institutions, commercial banks, pension funds, infrastructure funds and private investors.

It said the framework could provide longer-term financing, credit guarantees, refinancing windows, construction-risk support and appropriately structured funding for new refineries and existing facilities seeking to expand their capacity.

The association also called for greater investment in pipelines, storage terminals, depots, rail-linked transportation, marine evacuation facilities and other shared infrastructure.

According to CORAN, transporting crude and finished petroleum products predominantly by road imposes unnecessary costs on refiners and consumers, contributes to road deterioration and increases transportation and accident risks.

CORAN said Nigeria must begin to regard refineries as strategic industrial infrastructure rather than simply downstream petroleum businesses.

It noted that domestic refining could support employment, engineering, fabrication, transportation, petrochemicals, lubricants, plastics, construction and other industries, while helping Nigeria conserve foreign exchange.

The association therefore advocated a refining ecosystem comprising large, medium-sized and modular refineries strategically located around crude-producing areas and major consumption centres.

CORAN called for an urgent Presidential Refining Industry Roundtable involving the association, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), NNPC Limited, crude producers, financial institutions, infrastructure investors and relevant government ministries.

It said the meeting should produce clear timelines for institutionalising Naira-for-Crude, establishing a domestic crude-pricing framework, strengthening the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation, promoting crude swaps, reducing unnecessary petroleum-product imports, providing long-term refinery financing, developing shared infrastructure, establishing strategic product reserves, supporting refinery expansion and creating a clear national refining roadmap.

CORAN said Nigeria must now move decisively from an import-dependent petroleum economy to a production-driven petroleum economy.

The association called on the government to support refinery development, pipelines, storage infrastructure, commercially priced Nigerian crude and long-term industrial finance, while allowing competition among domestic producers to deliver greater efficiency and sustainable prices.

It stressed that Nigeria could not continue exporting crude and jobs while importing petroleum products at significant economic cost.

CORAN said the ultimate objective should be for Nigerian crude to increasingly power Nigerian refineries, Nigerian refineries to increasingly supply the domestic market, and Nigeria to ultimately become a refining hub for Africa.

The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, has arrested three suspected cultists allegedly operating between Lagos and Ogun states.

A locally made double-barrel cut-to-size pistol was also recovered from one of the suspects during the operation.

The command’s spokesperson, Gbenga Afolayan, disclosed this in a statement issued in Lagos on Friday.

According to Afolayan, the arrests followed information provided by a member of the public about the activities of suspected cult members around Ikorodu and its environs in Lagos.

He said detectives from the command’s Quick Intervention Squad subsequently placed the suspects under surveillance before carrying out a coordinated operation on September 3.

The operation resulted in the arrest of a 33-year-old suspect in Ifo, Ogun State, Afolayan said. Information obtained from the suspect subsequently led detectives to two other suspects in Ikorodu.

Preliminary investigations, he added, showed that the suspect arrested in Ifo allegedly served as the link between the other two suspects.

Afolayan said the firearm was recovered from one of the suspects, who claimed during interrogation that a friend currently at large had given him the weapon.

The suspect also reportedly confessed to being a member of the Eiye confraternity, alongside the two other suspects.

The police spokesperson said efforts were underway to arrest other members of the alleged criminal network.

He added that the suspects would be prosecuted after investigations were concluded.

Afolayan said the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2, Mr Olohundare Jimoh, praised the operatives for their diligence and the recovery of the firearm.

‘Jimoh, who commended the operatives for a job well done, said that removing firearms from the hands of criminal elements remained critical to maintaining public safety.

‘The AIG charged the operatives to intensify efforts to track down other members of the alleged criminal network,’ Afolayan said.

The command reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives and property, insisting that criminal elements would not be allowed to operate with impunity across Lagos and Ogun.

It also called on residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious individuals or activities to the nearest police station or through official complaint channels.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has described the transition of the Emir of Gumel, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Dr Ahmed Muhammad Sani II, CON, as the end of a remarkable and historic era.

The President said this in his reaction to the news of the death of the Emir on Thursday, September 3, 2026 in Cairo, Egypt in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, his spokesperson.

The President noted that the late traditional ruler ascended the throne on December 16, 1980, and reigned for nearly 46 years as the 16th Emir of Gumel, thus standing out as one of Nigeria’s longest serving and most respected first-class traditional rulers.

President Tinubu also celebrated the late Emir of Gumel as distinguished scholar, administrator and statesman whose contributions transcended the palace walls.

The President noted that before his ascension, the late Emir had a stellar career in public service, having served with the Gumel Native Authority, the Nigeria Immigration Service, and as a senior official at Kazaure Divisional Office.

Also, between 1978 and 1980 he also served as Commissioner for Information, Internal Affairs and Culture in the old Kano State.

As a commissioner, he left an enduring legacy of spearheading the establishment of the Triumph Newspaper, CTV 67 (now ARTV), and supervising the expansion of Radio Kano, institutions that have remained pillars of public information in Northern Nigeria today.

President Tinubu therefore extended his deepest condolences to the immediate family of the revered monarch, the Gumel Emirate Council, the Government and people of Jigawa State, and the entire traditional institution in Nigeria.

‘As Emir, Alhaji Sani II transformed Gumel into a model of peace and development.

‘He was a father to all, a beacon of wisdom, and a custodian of culture who devoted his long reign to promoting education, Islamic scholarship, unity among diverse communities, and the preservation of the rich heritage of one of the oldest Emirates in Northern Nigeria.

‘In the state of Jigawa, his calm, conservative and inclusive leadership provided stability through decades of political and security transitions. He was an unfailing partner for peacebuilding and community development, always placing the welfare of his people above all else.’

‘Nigeria has lost a towering traditional leader whose wise counsel will be sorely missed at a time when the nation continues to draw on the moral authority of traditional institutions to strengthen national cohesion.

‘I pray that Almighty Allah will forgive the shortcomings of the late Emir, accept his noble deeds, and grant him Al-Jannah Firdaus.

‘I also pray that Allah will grant the royal family, the Gumel Emirate and the people of Jigawa State the fortitude to bear this irreplaceable loss,’ the President said in the statement.

Fifteen minors trafficked and sold for N2 million each by a fake Civil Society Organisation which tagged itself National Council of Child Rights Advocate have been rescued by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Spokesperson for NSCDC Mr Babawale Afolabi revealed this a news briefing on Friday at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja on Friday,

He said that a member of a syndicate represented himself as an official of the National Council of Child Rights Advocate to the parents of the children, deceiving them to hand over their children to him.

‘Under the guise of operating an NGO and orphanage programme called the Back to School Project, he lured willing, less privileged parents into releasing their children with promises of free education,’ Afolabi said.

The NSCDC spokesperson said that the rescue was, however, executed by the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Squad (CGs SIS) headed by Commander Dandaura Appollos.

Afolabi said that 15 of the 16 trafficked children from Kama Madaki and Gudindi Mada communities, Kokona LGA in Nasarawa, were rescued from their buyers.

‘Through advanced field tracking, technical intelligence and multi-state tactical sweeps, operatives of the CG’s SIS tracked down the buyers who were from different locations in the country,’ he said.

According to him, three of the victims were rescued in Anambra, Imo and Enugu respectively, while 12 others were rescued in a coordinated operation across the eastern transit routes.

Afolabi further said that three buyers: one male and two female, had been apprehended in connection with the case.

He said that the NSCDC has a zero-tolerance policy against crime and human trafficking.

Afolabi said that upon the corps completion of its investigation, all the suspects found culpable would be prosecuted.

The Federal Ministry of Works has alerted that some sections of the first Niger Bridge between will be closed to traffic between Sept. 7 and Sept. 21.

The closure of the key bridge, the Ministry said was to enable it to carry out maintenance works.

The Acting Federal Controller of Works in Anambra, Mr Timothy Emenike, disclosed this in Awka on Friday.

Emenike said the general public, especially motorists who use the bridge, should take note of the closure.

He also advised motorists and commuters to use the second Niger Bridge during the Mr Timothy Emenike, of the maintenance.

He said the maintenance work would include fixing the vandalised sections of the bridge.

Emenike regretted the inconvenience the closure of the bridge would cause to motorists and commuters.

According to him, the work will be carried out day and night to ensure its speedy completion.

He urged motorists to cooperate with authorities and obey diversion signs to ensure minimal discomfort during the period.

The Nigeria Energy Consumers Watch Initiative has accused the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) of failing to halt the continued importation of adulterated and substandard petroleum products into Nigeria.

The group said the alleged influx of blended fuel from Dubai and other countries had become a serious threat to consumers and the economy, accusing the regulator of failing to take decisive action against major marketers involved in the importation of such products.

In a statement issued on Friday, Alhaji Abdulrahman Sani Ibrahim, President of the group, said the continued presence of questionable petroleum products in the Nigerian market was unacceptable, particularly after the regulator had previously acknowledged concerns over the quality of imported fuel.

The group said the NMDPRA had previously warned that it could stop supplying petrol to marketers found to be involved in importing or dealing in substandard products.

The consumer group, however, questioned why the regulator had not taken stronger action despite what it described as the continued mass influx of blended products into the country.

‘This is no longer a matter that can be treated with regulatory caution or empty threats. The NMDPRA knows the concerns that have been raised about the continuous importation of blended products from Dubai and other countries, and it has even warned that marketers involved in such practices could be denied petroleum supplies. If the regulator is aware of these activities and still allows them to continue, then it is failing in its fundamental responsibility to protect Nigerian consumers,’ the group said.

The organisation described the alleged continued importation of adulterated fuel as an economic crime, saying its consequences extend beyond individual consumers to businesses and the wider economy.

It said poor-quality petroleum products could damage vehicles and machinery, increase operating costs and impose additional financial burdens on Nigerians already struggling with high energy and transportation costs.

The group called on the NMDPRA to immediately intensify surveillance and testing of imported petroleum products at ports, depots and retail outlets.

It also demanded that marketers found to have imported or distributed products that failed regulatory standards should face sanctions.

‘The regulator cannot continue to issue warnings while the same practices it is warning against persist in the market. If a marketer deliberately imports or distributes adulterated fuel, the appropriate response should be immediate investigation, prosecution where necessary and sanctions that will deter others. Anything less gives the impression that the rules exist only on paper,’ the group said.

The group further urged the federal government to investigate the activities of major petroleum marketers involved in the importation of blended products and determine whether regulatory officials had failed to perform their duties.

It said the issue should be treated as a matter of national economic security because of the potential impact on consumers, businesses and Nigeria’s reputation in the petroleum market.

According to the group, Nigerians should not be forced to pay for the consequences of regulatory failures through damaged engines, higher transportation costs or reduced business productivity.

‘Nigerians are already paying heavily for fuel, and they should not also be made to bear the cost of poor regulation. Every litre of fuel that enters this country must meet the required quality standard, regardless of who imported it or how influential the marketer is. NMDPRA must stop protecting the interests of operators at the expense of consumers and begin enforcing the law without fear or favour,’ it said.

The organisation also called for greater transparency in petroleum-product testing, urging NMDPRA to regularly publish test results and disclose the identity of marketers whose products fail quality requirements.

It warned that failure to act decisively could further undermine public confidence in the downstream petroleum sector and frustrate efforts to establish a transparent and competitive market.

The group said the regulator’s responsibility was not only to facilitate petroleum supply but also to ensure that products reaching consumers were safe and compliant with national standards.

It urged the federal government to compel NMDPRA to provide a clear account of measures being taken to prevent the entry and distribution of adulterated fuel.

The group also warned petroleum marketers against exploiting regulatory loopholes, saying commercial interests should not be allowed to override consumer safety and national economic interests.

The Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has revealed that suspects arrested over the alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu will be released if investigations establish that they have no case to answer.

Musa made the disclosure during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme, explaining that authorities were taking time to ensure that innocent individuals were not wrongly implicated in the matter.

According to the minister, only suspects identified as having played major roles in the alleged plot would proceed to face prosecution.

‘So, if you don’t have any case, after the investigation, they’ll be released. Those that have serious issues are the ones that are going,’ Musa said.

The Defence Minister said the ongoing investigation by security agencies was aimed at separating those allegedly involved in the plot from individuals who may have been wrongly linked to the case.

He added that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) were still handling investigations, while some suspects had already been charged before the courts.

‘We want to take time to make sure that anybody that is freed doesn’t deserve to be punished. All those ones that will go for prosecution should be the ones that are actually the main actors,’ he said.

Musa maintained that the alleged coup plot was real, describing those involved as ‘a bunch of misguided individuals’ who attempted to undermine Nigeria’s democratic system.

He dismissed suggestions that the alleged plot was politically motivated, saying the individuals involved were likely driven by nostalgia for past military regimes.

The minister said authorities were still searching for some suspects linked to the investigation, stressing that security agencies were being careful not to wrongly accuse innocent people.

The alleged coup plot came to public attention in October 2025 after the Defence Headquarters announced the arrest of 16 senior military officers over alleged acts of indiscipline and breaches of service regulations.

The military later linked the arrests to an alleged plan to overthrow the Tinubu administration.

An interim investigation report claimed that a network of military officers had been involved in preliminary preparations, including alleged surveillance of strategic locations such as the Presidential Villa, Armed Forces Complex, Niger Barracks in Abuja and major airports.

The Federal Government subsequently filed charges against six individuals, including retired military officers and other suspects, over allegations bordering on treason, terrorism, failure to disclose security information and terrorism financing.

The defendants have pleaded not guilty, while proceedings continue before the court.

Meanwhile, serving military officers accused of involvement in the alleged plot are also facing proceedings before a General Court Martial.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, has claimed that not all presidential candidates contesting the 2027 election are doing so with the expectation of winning.

Olayinka made the statement during an interview on Arise News while discussing the growing number of contenders ahead of the 2027 general election.

According to him, having 19 presidential candidates on the ballot does not mean all of them are serious contenders for victory.

‘So it is not everybody that contests elections that wants to win. There are people that contest elections just to register their presence,’ he said.

The Wike aide specifically questioned the chances of the African Action Congress (AAC) candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the party linked with former Anambra State governor Peter Obi.

He said Sowore’s performance in the 2023 presidential election showed that victory was unlikely.

‘For instance, the candidate of AAC, Omoyele Sowore, had 14,600 votes in 2023. How would that person win the election next year? They know that they cannot win. They are just contesting,’ Olayinka said.

Speaking on NDC, he argued that the party lacked the nationwide structure required to win a presidential election, citing its limited number of governorship candidates and grassroots presence.

‘Even NDC, the party of Peter Obi, they know they cannot win the election. They are just contesting to try to register their presence,’ he added.

Olayinka said presidential elections require strong political structures across the country, including sufficient party agents and mobilisers at polling units.

He argued that parties without adequate grassroots networks would struggle to compete effectively during election day operations.