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Conversations around the appraisal, reputation, performance and global relevance of Nigeria’s leading brands across multiple sectors of the economy will engage the attention of policy makers , business leaders , brand custodians, media executives and other stakeholders in Lagos next month as the highly anticipated Top 50 Brands Nigeria Forum and Awards gets underway.

The programme , according to a statement by its organiser will also provide a window for the 2026 annual ranking for Fintech operators.

Leveraging the forum’s theme:’ WE ARE BRAND NIGERIA -Creating Value. Shaping Perception.

Building Our Future,’ the 2026 TOP 50 ranking, it’s organisers said is the culmination of months of research and evaluation, which commenced with the Top-of-the-Mind (TOM) Popularity Survey, measuring unaided brand recall among Nigerians.

The exercise , the statement added will subsequently draw on consumer insights, sentiment analysis and other brand-performance indicators, assessed through the proprietary Brand Strength Measurement (BSM) framework.

The BSM framework , the statement said evaluates brand strength from the consumer perspective, incorporating factors including popularity, sentiment analysis, online engagements, trust, leadership, relevance and societal connection.

This year, the programme will feature the maiden edition of TOP 20 FINTECH BRANDS in Nigeria – an annual ranking designed to identify and recognize the country’s strongest fintech brands.

The ranking, the statement said is based on the Fintech Brand Strength Index (FBSI), a sector-focused adaptation of the Brand Strength Measurement.

Speaking on the significance of the annual exercise, Taiwo Oluboyede, CEO/Chief Evaluator, TOP 50 BRANDS NIGERIA, said the ranking provides a mirror of how brands are performing in the minds of Nigerians.

‘Brand is not just an essential component of an organisation; the brand is the organisation. This ranking serves as a mirror that reflects how strongly brands are performing in the hearts and minds of Nigerians.’

Previous editions of the ranking have featured some of Nigeria’s most recognised corporate brands, including Dangote Industries, MTN Nigeria, Julius Berger, BUA Group, Globacom, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, First Bank, Fidelity Bank and Moniepoint, among others.

In 2025, Dangote Industries retained the No. 1 position, while OPay recorded the year’s highest movement on the BSM Index.

Beyond the rankings, the 2026 Forum will recognise individuals and corporate organisations whose leadership, innovation and contributions have added significant value to Brand Nigeria.

A number of distinguished business and corporate leaders will be recognised at the event.

Ogun State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will today host an Interfaith Praise and Prayer Concert to seek the face of God for all the party’s candidates for the forthcoming 2027 general elections including President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, the incumbent governor of the state and candidate for Ogun East Senatorial district Prince DapoAbiodun among others.

The Praise and Prayer Concert, tagged: ‘Vision 2027 Concert’, is scheduled to be held at Ake Place, Abeokuta, the state capital , bringing together participants for an interdenominational gathering of thanksgiving, praise, and prayers.

The concert will feature Christian and Muslim praise and prayers, with participants offering prayers for the party’scandidates, committing the journey ahead to God, and seeking divine guidance for the future.

According to APC, the concert was conceived as an opportunity to bring people together in thanksgiving and prayer while committing the future into God’s hands. The concert is also intended to give thanks for God’s faithfulness and seek His direction as the 2027 political season approaches.

The interdenominational gathering would provide a platform for Christians and Muslims to collectively offer prayers, seek divine guidance, and express gratitude for God’s faithfulness.

‘As we look ahead, it is important that we pause to give thanks to God for His faithfulness and seek His guidance for the journey before us. This concert is about coming together in unity, regardless of our different denominations and backgrounds, to praise God, offer prayers, and commit our aspirations and responsibilities into His hands. I look forward to welcoming everyone to Ake Palace on September 30 as we join our voices in thanksgiving and prayer for our nation, our leaders, and the future ahead,’ said the organisers.

The Presidency has cited the ongoing Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks Phase II in Abuja as one of the tangible benefits of resources freed up by the removal of fuel subsidy, saying the military housing project will provide accommodation for more than 1,000 soldiers and their families.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communications, Dr Sunday Dare, said the development showed how funds previously committed to fuel subsidy were being redirected to infrastructure and other projects intended to create lasting public assets.

Dare spoke on Tuesday when a Presidential Media Team, which included the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital and New Media, Otega Ogra, inspected the sprawling military housing project in Abuja.

When completed and fully occupied, the new military community is expected to serve more than 6,000 people, comprising soldiers and their family members, while providing other facilities required for a functional residential community.

The project, approved and funded by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, comprises a block of 30 family quarters, six blocks of senior officers’ accommodation, an Army club, MAMI market, bridges, drainage systems and other supporting infrastructure.

Dare said the project represented part of the administration’s decision to redirect public resources following the removal of fuel subsidy, describing it as evidence that some of the government’s economic reforms were beginning to produce visible physical assets.

He urged Nigerians to continue to support the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, arguing that the benefits of its policies were becoming increasingly evident across different sectors of the economy.

Beyond providing accommodation, the Presidency said the project formed part of a broader effort to improve the welfare of military personnel and strengthen the country’s security architecture by ensuring that soldiers and their families have access to decent living conditions.

At the Nigerian Army level, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, is overseeing the implementation of a wider programme of military infrastructure and welfare projects intended to strengthen personnel support, logistics and operational readiness.

The Abuja development is among barracks construction and expansion projects being undertaken by the Army, with similar works reported in Ekiti, Ebonyi and Osun states as part of efforts to close accommodation and infrastructure gaps confronting personnel.

The Army has previously identified improved housing as a major part of Shaibu’s ‘Soldier First’ approach, linking personnel welfare with morale and operational effectiveness. Phase II of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks was already described by the Army in July as being at an advanced stage.

The Army had broken ground for the second phase in December 2025 as part of measures to address its accommodation deficit, with Shaibu saying at the time that improved housing would also strengthen unit cohesion, force posture and operational sustainability.

During Tuesday’s inspection, Ogra also drew attention to the economic dimension of the project, saying thousands of Nigerians were benefiting directly and indirectly from construction activities at the site.

He said engineers, artisans, labourers, technicians, suppliers and other service providers were participating in the project, generating incomes and economic activities even before the barracks is completed and occupied.

One of the labourers at the site, identified as Usman, said securing employment on the project had changed his personal circumstances, enabling him to get married and start a family after previously struggling to find work.

The Presidency said his experience illustrated the wider economic impact of major public infrastructure investments, which create opportunities for workers, contractors and businesses while producing assets for long-term public use.

The administration also linked the barracks project to its wider investments in military welfare, personnel, equipment, training and operational capacity as security forces confront terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and other threats across the country.

Officials said the approach recognised military welfare as an integral part of national security, arguing that the effectiveness of personnel deployed to difficult operational environments is also connected to the security and welfare of their families.

For the Army, the project is expected to provide a more stable residential environment for personnel while supporting its longer-term efforts to strengthen infrastructure needed for an expanding force.

The Presidency said the emerging military infrastructure programme reflected a partnership in which the Federal Government provides policy direction and funding while the Army leadership, under Shaibu, is responsible for translating the investments into sustainable institutional and operational benefits.

With construction and expansion projects stretching beyond Abuja to other parts of the country, the administration said the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Barracks Phase II represents part of a wider effort to improve living conditions for troops and reinforce the physical infrastructure underpinning the Nigerian Army’s operations.

The Crude Oil Refinery Owners Association of Nigeria (CORAN) has called for the gradual elimination of petroleum-product imports as domestic refineries expand capacity, urging the Federal Government to reposition Nigeria as a major exporter of refined products.

CORAN Chairman, Momoh Jimah Oyarekhua, made the call on Monday at the third Nigeria Oil Refining Summit held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, where he unveiled the association’s 10-point agenda for strengthening domestic refining and developing an export-oriented industry.

Oyarekhua said Nigeria should move away from its longstanding dependence on imported petroleum products and focus on ensuring that existing and emerging refineries have adequate crude supply, financing, infrastructure and a competitive operating environment.

He said the objective should be to maximise installed refining capacity, meet domestic demand with locally refined products, develop surplus production and export refined petroleum products to regional and international markets.

‘For decades, Nigeria exported crude oil and imported refined products. Today, we in CORAN have changed that story by ensuring that our natural resources create jobs, industrial growth, energy security and prosperity for Nigerians,’ he said.

According to him, Nigeria has the crude resources, refining assets, domestic market and geographical advantage required to become a major refining hub for Africa, but achieving this would depend on resolving constraints around crude supply, infrastructure and financing.

Oyarekhua said domestic refineries must have reliable access to crude at commercially sustainable prices if they are to operate efficiently and compete in domestic and international markets.

‘Despite our abundant crude resources, some domestic refineries continue to face difficulties accessing crude oil on commercially viable terms,’ he said.

The CORAN chairman also called for stronger enforcement of the Domestic Crude Supply Obligation under Section 109 of the Petroleum Industry Act, while advocating commercially workable arrangements between crude producers and refiners.

The association’s 10-point agenda includes full institutionalisation of the naira-for-crude arrangement, development of a domestic crude pricing template and the use of crude swaps and proximity-based supply arrangements to reduce unnecessary transportation costs.

CORAN also proposed a refinery development financing framework providing long-term financing, guarantees and refinancing mechanisms for refinery expansion, upgrades and new projects.

It called for accelerated development of shared petroleum infrastructure, including pipelines, storage terminals, depots, jetties and rail evacuation systems, as well as strategic petroleum-product reserves to cushion supply disruptions during refinery maintenance and emergencies.

The association further urged the government to provide regulatory and fiscal incentives for refinery optimisation, particularly investments in facilities capable of increasing production of Premium Motor Spirit, aviation fuel, Liquefied Petroleum Gas and other high-value products.

Oyarekhua said Nigeria’s refining policy should ultimately be measured not only by crude production but by the proportion of crude converted into higher-value products locally.

He said increased domestic refining would help retain foreign exchange, create jobs, support manufacturing and petrochemical industries, and generate export earnings.

‘Nigeria should not continue exporting crude, exporting jobs and importing the same petroleum products at considerable economic cost,’ he said.

Oyarekhua also called for the development of a national refining and export roadmap with measurable targets for refinery capacity utilisation, expansion, domestic supply, elimination of petroleum-product imports and growth in refined-product exports.

He said the infrastructure supporting refineries must be developed alongside refining capacity.

‘Nigeria has already taken the difficult decision to reform the petroleum-products market. The next stage must be equally bold,’ he said.

‘The country must now support the refinery. Support the pipeline. Support the storage terminals.’

Oyarekhua urged stakeholders in the petroleum industry to translate the summit’s discussions into practical commitments capable of increasing refinery utilisation and expanding Nigeria’s refined-product exports.

He said the ultimate goal should be for Nigeria to meet its domestic petroleum-product requirements while becoming a dependable supplier to other African markets.

‘Refine more. Import none. Create more value. Create more jobs. Build a stronger Nigeria,’ he said.

Renowned talent manager Asa Asika has described singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as Nigeria’s most influential under-40.

Asika made the claim on a recent episode of The Manager’s Playbook podcast, hosted by Mauricio Ruiz.

According to him, Davido’s dominance across social media platforms demonstrates his unmatched influence.

He noted that the singer is the most-followed Nigerian artiste on almost all major platforms.

‘Davido is probably the most influential person from Nigeria under 40, in my opinion. Some people will argue about other things, but let’s use today’s most popular metric: social media. Davido is the most-followed artist (Nigerian) on almost every platform,’ he said.

Asika revealed that he often jokes with Davido that his level of influence rivals that of the President of Nigeria.

‘I say to him all the time, ‘You do know you’re kinda like the President of Nigeria?’ Some of the things that I have seen Davido do, if someone else did that, they would never ever get back from it,’ he stated.

He added, ‘Davido is a walking billboard. Every brand wants to associate with him. We haven’t paid for a music video with our own money in ages.’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday vowed to resign from the Federal Executive Council if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election in the FCT and Rivers State.

Wike made the declaration during an engagement with leaders and members of the Apo Mechanics and Traders Association in Abuja, where he said he would take personal responsibility for the President’s performance in the two territories.

He said that if Tinubu fails to win the FCT and Rivers in the presidential election, he would announce his resignation on January 17, 2027, a day after the election.

‘If I cannot deliver where I work, then I’m not worthy to be here,’ Wike said.

The minister added: ‘If I lose FCT, I’m not supposed to be FCT Minister. By January 17, 2027, I will announce my resignation as FCT Minister should the President lose in Rivers State and the FCT.’

Wike also reaffirmed his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying political forces in the FCT were working together across party lines to deliver victory for the President.

He said the coalition would also support candidates for legislative positions in the territory.

‘Let us be clear on direction: for the Presidency, it is Bola Ahmed Tinubu,’ he said, naming former FCT Senator Philip Aduda and other candidates the coalition backs.

The minister said the coalition represented a firm political agreement among the various groups involved, adding that the engagement with the mechanics and traders was the final affirmation of the arrangement.

Wike’s declaration adds a new political dimension to the 2027 contest in the FCT, where he has remained a key figure in mobilising support for the Tinubu administration.

The minister, a former governor of Rivers State, has also maintained strong political influence in Rivers, making the two territories central to his political calculations ahead of the presidential poll.

His comments came against the backdrop of the FCT Administration’s ongoing efforts to resolve issues surrounding the relocation and land allocation of traders and mechanics operating around the Apo Mechanic Village corridor.

The engagement provided an opportunity for the minister to seek the support of the traders while also reinforcing the political alliance being built ahead of the 2027 elections.

The execution of Christa Pike, who was set to become the first woman executed in Tennessee in about 200 years, was halted by a federal appeals court on Wednesday, about an hour before she was due to receive a lethal injection.

The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit granted a last-minute request to stay Pike’s execution, ordering that it remain halted ‘until further order of this court.’

The court said it would review whether allegations that Pike suffered sexual abuse and rape as a child were fully considered during the proceedings that led to her death sentence.

‘The court has stayed this, recognising the serious concerns about Christa’s scheduled execution,’ Pike’s attorney said.

Pike, 50, was scheduled to be executed at 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 30, at the Riverbend Maximum Security Institution in Nashville. Execution witnesses had already gathered at the facility when the court issued the order at about 9 a.m. CDT.

It was not immediately clear whether Tennessee’s attorney general would challenge the decision or how long the stay would last. Journalists left messages seeking comment with a spokesperson for the attorney general’s office.

*Pike’s death sentence

Pike was sentenced to death for the 1995 killing of 19-year-old Colleen Slemmer, a classmate at a job training facility in Knoxville. Pike was 18 at the time of the killing.

Prosecutors said Pike, who feared Slemmer was attempting to take her boyfriend, lured her to a wooded area on January 12, 1995, where she cut Slemmer with a box cutter and beat her with a large piece of asphalt.

Pike and her boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, were convicted in connection with the killing. Shipp, who was 17 at the time, has acknowledged carving a pentagram, a star-shaped symbol associated with Satanism, into Slemmer’s body.

The case attracted widespread attention during a period when fears surrounding alleged Satanic activity were prominent in the US. The circumstances of the killing also included a pentagram carved into Slemmer’s body.

Shipp received a life sentence with the possibility of parole, while Pike was sentenced to death.

Pike does not dispute that she participated in the killing. However, her supporters have argued that her age, mental health and history of severe sexual abuse should have been given greater consideration.

Her attorneys have also argued that her death sentence was an outlier because other people sentenced to death in Tennessee for crimes committed at age 18 have had their sentences vacated.

Pike’s legal team had sought to stop the execution at multiple levels. The US Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a request from her attorneys to halt the execution, while Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee denied her clemency request on Monday.

In a statement included in her clemency petition, Pike said she had struggled to understand the consequences of her actions.

‘I was a mentally ill 18-year-old kid. It took me numerous years to even realise the gravity of what I’d done,’ Pike said. ‘Even more to accept how many lives I affected. I took the life of someone’s child, sister, friend. It sickens me now to think I had the ability to commit such a crime.’

Slemmer’s mother, May Martinez, had supported carrying out Pike’s execution, saying she had waited decades to see the sentence enforced.

‘Every time I think about it, I think about Colleen feeling that pain and trying to get up and run,’ Martinez said in a telephone interview.

Martinez said a group had raised money to enable her and her husband to travel from Florida to witness the execution.

*Rare execution of a woman

Tennessee has not executed a woman for at least 200 years, according to Robin M. Maher, executive director of the Death Penalty Information Centre. Maher noted that historical records are incomplete, making it difficult to establish the precise details of the last execution of a woman in the state.

Executions of women remain uncommon in the United States. Since the US Supreme Court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, 18 women have been executed nationwide, accounting for about 1% of all executions, according to the Death Penalty Information Centre.

Missouri executed Amber McLaughlin in 2023 for a 2003 killing. McLaughlin was also believed to be the first transgender woman executed in the United States.

In 2021, the federal government executed Lisa Montgomery, marking the first execution of a female federal inmate in nearly seven decades.

The Federal Government has said it is positioning Nigeria’s fast-growing creative industry as a major contributor to its ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.

To achieve the target, the government said it was making a fresh push to convert the country’s global influence in music, film, fashion, and culture into investment, exports, and jobs.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, said the government would use Nigeria’s hosting of the Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) Weekend 2026 to strengthen financing for creative businesses, commercialise intellectual property and connect Nigerian enterprises to investors and international markets.

Addressing reporters at the State House in Abuja ahead of the November 5 to 8 event in Lagos, Oduwole said Nigeria could no longer be satisfied with its enormous cultural influence without capturing a commensurate share of the economic value generated by its creative talent.

The minister said the country’s established strength in music, film, fashion, literature, visual arts, gastronomy, sports and other creative fields offers significant opportunities for investment, employment and export earnings as the government pursues its broader $1 trillion economy ambition.

‘For the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all states of the federation, CANEX is much more than a celebration of African creativity. It is a platform for trade, investment, enterprise, and market access.

‘We want to see partnerships formed, financing mobilised, intellectual property commercialised, businesses entering new markets, and Nigerian creative enterprises scaling beyond our borders,’ Oduwole said.

The minister said the global economy was increasingly being driven by services, technology, intellectual property, content and culture, making it imperative for Nigeria to build the commercial infrastructure required to turn its creative strength into greater economic value.

‘Nigeria is already a major source of African music, film, fashion, and creative content. The opportunity before us is to capture more of the economic value generated by that creativity,’ she said.

According to her, achieving that objective will require stronger links between creators and financial institutions, investors, distributors, technology companies and international markets.

Oduwole said CANEX was designed not merely as a cultural exhibition but as a meeting point between creative talent and the capital, technology and markets required to build globally competitive enterprises.

The four-day event will feature music, film, fashion, gastronomy, literature, visual arts, sports, and technology, alongside engagements focused on investment, financing, enterprise development and market access.

The minister said the scale of the creative economy and the requirements for transforming it into a stronger economic driver necessitated a whole-of-government approach.

‘It is literally like hosting the Olympics or the World Cup. The creative economy does not sit within one ministry or one institution. For creators and creative businesses to compete globally, the entire ecosystem must work,’ she said.

The minister announced that the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy, alongside institutions responsible for Foreign Affairs, Finance, Customs, Immigration, monetary policy and the National Theatre, as well as the Lagos State government.

Security, health, transportation, immigration and hospitality agencies have also been mobilised for the event, which is expected to attract about 10,000 participants from Nigeria, other African countries and beyond.

Oduwole said the participation of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Economic Council (NEC), and all 36 states would give the event a nationwide character.

Each state will operate a pavilion alongside private-sector exhibitors, providing opportunities to showcase locally produced goods, creative enterprises, culture and investment opportunities.

‘We want creators, investors, businesses, young people and partners from across Nigeria to participate and take advantage of the opportunities that CANEX presents,’ Oduwole said.

Lagos State, meanwhile, has activated health, transportation, traffic-management and emergency-response measures ahead of the expected influx of participants.

The Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Tudioni Bandu, said the state was upgrading infrastructure and the environment around the venue while mobilising relevant agencies to ensure smooth movement.

‘Lagos is not only the Centre of Excellence; it is a state that weaves and showcases all the cultural values that Nigeria is noted for,’ Bandu said.

Dr. Olumide Shojiri, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, said disease surveillance and emergency-response systems had also been activated.

He said medical facilities around the venue and accommodation areas would be strengthened, additional health personnel deployed and first-aid stations established.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) will also position ambulances at strategic locations, with contingency arrangements for emergency evacuation and mass-casualty incidents.

The state’s Ministry of Transportation is developing a traffic-management plan involving advance advisories, strategic diversions and alternative routes to minimise disruption to residents and visitors.

Government officials said Nigeria’s creative businesses should use the gathering to showcase their products, secure partnerships and build connections capable of taking locally developed content and intellectual property into international markets.

CANEX 2026 will also coincide with the 50th anniversary of the construction of the National Theatre, built ahead of FESTAC ’77, providing an opportunity to celebrate one of Nigeria’s most prominent cultural landmarks.

The event will further serve as a precursor to the 2027 Intra-African Trade Fair in Lagos, during which the 50th anniversary of FESTAC ’77 is expected to be commemorated.

Oduwole described the two major events as parts of Nigeria’s wider strategy to establish itself as a leading destination for African trade, investment and enterprise while creating more pathways for Nigerian businesses to access continental and global markets.

‘These platforms give us an important opportunity to showcase what Nigeria produces, connect Nigerian businesses to African markets and demonstrate the scale of opportunities available in our economy,’ Oduwole said.

Calling on African and international investors, businesses and creative-industry stakeholders to participate, the minister added: ‘Our invitation today is clear: come to Lagos from November 5 to 8. Come ready to connect, to invest, to trade, and to do business. Nigeria is ready to welcome Africa and the world.’

Grammy-winning singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has opened up about her early struggles with fame.

Speaking on an episode of The Boost Podcast, the singer said that although she wanted success in music, she wasn’t ready for the spotlight that came with it.

Tems revealed that she often denied her identity in public to protect her privacy.

‘I would go to the airport, and people would say, ‘You’re Tems.’ I would be like, ‘No, I’m not Tems.’ I was so afraid. I wanted to continue my secret life, and I was like, ‘God, please, I don’t want to be in the spotlight,” she said.

According to her, she eventually had to embrace fame when she could no longer hide.

Tems quit her job as a digital marketer in 2018 to pursue music full-time, releasing her debut single ‘Mr Rebel’ that same year.

She gained global recognition after featuring on Wizkid’s 2020 hit single ‘Essence.’

Hunger, harsh living conditions and a lack of basic necessities in terrorist enclaves have forced 331 insurgents and their family members to surrender to the Nigerian military in the third quarter of 2026, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has said.

The development, according to the military, coincided with intensified offensives and the disruption of terrorist logistics networks, particularly in North East Nigeria.

Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Michael Onoja, disclosed this on Wednesday, September 30, at the Defence Headquarters during a press briefing on ongoing military operations across the country.

Onoja said more than 90 terrorist fighters and their family members surrendered in September alone, while the third-quarter total rose to 331 insurgents and their families.

‘The surrendering persons consistently cited harsh living conditions, hunger and the lack of basic provisions within terrorist enclaves in the Mandara Mountains and the Lake Chad region as reasons for their surrender,’ Onoja said.

According to him, the development was complemented by intensified military operations aimed at disrupting the terrorists’ sources of supply and denying them freedom of action.

In September, Onoja said troops of Operation HADIN KAI arrested suspected terrorist logistics suppliers across Borno and Yobe states and seized foodstuffs, medical and veterinary supplies, pharmaceuticals, motorcycle spare parts, vehicles and cash allegedly intended for terrorists.

He said troops also arrested a logistics supplier conveying Starlink internet devices destined for Chad along the Dikwa-Gamboru Road on September 23.

Onoja said the military recorded more than 70 surrenders at Monguno, Pulka, Gwoza, Dikwa, Bama and Ngala during the month.

Among those who surrendered was a terrorist who gave up an AK-47 rifle, a hand grenade and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Benisheikh on September 13.

According to the military spokesperson, two Boko Haram fighters from the Bula Daloye enclave in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State also surrendered on September 17 with three AK-47 rifles.

‘Similarly, further surrenders were recorded at Bama, Monguno and along the Kuranabasa axis in Gwoza Local Government Area on September 25 and 26,’ he said.

Onoja said one of the latest escapees had fled an ISWAP camp at Kolorom Village near Jubilaram in the Lake Chad region before surrendering to troops.

The military’s operations also resulted in the rescue of 44 terrorist family members, comprising 13 women and 31 children, at Konduga in Bama Local Government Area on September 24.

Onoja said the group had fled their enclaves amid clashes between rival terrorist factions.

He said the military also continued to pressure terrorist networks through offensive operations, with Operation HADIN KAI troops neutralising 27 terrorist fighters, arresting 49 and rescuing 103 kidnapped victims in September.

‘Cumulatively, troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralised 273 terrorist fighters, arrested 348 terrorists and rescued 297 kidnapped victims during the third quarter, while 331 insurgents and their families surrendered,’ he said.

Onoja said the trend demonstrated the impact of sustained military pressure and the disruption of terrorist logistics networks.

Beyond the North East, the military spokesperson said troops sustained operations against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, oil theft and other criminal activities across the country.

In the North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA troops rescued 171 kidnapped victims and arrested 26 terrorists in September, while an air operation in Kebbi State on September 17 disrupted the movement of terrorists transporting a large number of captives, enabling more than 60 victims to escape.

In the North Central, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE rescued 320 kidnapped victims in the month, while Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD troops rescued 27 victims and cleared 12 IEDs in parts of Niger and Kwara states.

Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE also arrested 155 suspects and rescued 28 kidnapped victims in Bauchi, Kaduna and Plateau states.

In the South South, Operation DELTA SAFE troops continued to target oil theft and illegal refining, destroying eight illegal refining sites and recovering more than 304,822 litres of petroleum products in September.

Onoja said the Nigerian military would sustain kinetic and non-kinetic operations across the theatres to consolidate the gains recorded and further enhance operational effectiveness.

He said troops remained focused on protecting lives and property, denying criminal groups freedom of action and safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity.