Community leaders and stakeholders from the Middle Belt of Nigeria have appealed for cessation of hostilities in the region.
The decision was arrived at during the News Central Town Hall meeting in Lagos.
Speaking on the Mangu crisis, Manneseh Zugumtun, accused the herders of exacerbating the conflict and urged the government to take immediate steps to restore calm and order.
Zachary Gundu stressed that no community had the right to seize land or threaten the livelihoods of others, calling for respect and peaceful coexistence among all groups.
Echoing the need for fairness, El-Buba, a Fulani indigene, insisted that perpetrators of violence must be punished regardless of their ethnic background, emphasising that justice should be blind to tribal affiliation.
The gathering ended with a strong appeal for decisive government intervention to address the underlying causes of conflict, ensure equal justice, and promote lasting peace across the diverse communities of the Middle Belt.
Proprietor of Clema Bedrock School, Isheri-Oshun, Lagos, Falebita Clement Adeniran, says the school’s commitment to skill acquisition and godly values is aimed at raising well-rounded pupils who will meet international standards and make positive contributions to society.
Speaking at the school’s End-of-Session and Award Ceremony, Adeniran said academic brilliance alone is not enough to prepare children for life. “Building the intellect is not enough. We want to talk to the heart so that our children will not be liabilities or destroyers in society,” he told the gathering of parents, teachers, pupils and guests.
According to him, Clema Bedrock’s approach blends spiritual growth, academic excellence, and practical life skills.
“Character is as important as intellect,” he stressed. “That is why we invite godly influences and ensure our pupils are exposed to teachings that build them up morally and spiritually.”
The proprietor noted that the school has integrated hands-on training into this year’s summer classes, offering practical sessions in shoe cobbling, hairdressing, music, creative arts, and more, to equip pupils with relevant life skills.
Chairman of the occasion, Nnamdi Ojiego, commended the initiative, urging parents to use the long holiday to enrol their children in skill-based programmes. “Skills are no longer optional; they are survival tools. The skill you pick up today may open doors tomorrow that your certificate alone cannot,” he said.
Ojiego stressed that skills are not just about earning income but also about developing purpose, independence, and creativity. “When a child learns a skill, they are learning to be useful to their family, their community, and to God’s kingdom. In today’s world, what you can do may matter as much as what you know,” he added.
He further urged the school to continue building a system that combines spiritual growth, academic excellence, and practical life skills. “Our children need to know how to pray, how to read, and also how to do. Let us raise a generation that creates opportunities instead of waiting for them,” he said.
Guest minister, Pastor Adewale Adekanye, in his sermon Staying Focused, charged the graduating pupils to avoid distractions and bad company, stressing that choosing the right friends and staying true to godly principles would keep them on the path to success.
The ceremony featured prize presentations to outstanding pupils, musical performances, and goodwill messages from parents and well-wishers.
The empowerment scheme instituted by the Alliance for Kamosky, a coalition of friends and supporters of Alhaji Kamorudeen Olawale Yusuf, Personal Assistant to the President on Special Duties across Ogun state communities is ongoing, The Nation has learnt.
The empowerment drive across the local government areas in Ogun State, where over 30,000 women and youths have been trained in various vocational skills, is still ongoing with plans to onboard targeted participants from Oja Odan, Imasayi, Ipokia, and others later this week.
Justifying the need for the initiative which is ongoing, Taiwo Rahina commended the efforts of Alhaji Kamorudeen Olawale Yusuf, Personal Assistant to the President on Special Duties, and Dr. Abdul-Lateef Sulaiman, describing them as champions of grassroots empowerment.
“Alhaji Kamorudeen has performed excellently well in securing jobs for youths, thereby endearing himself to the people,” she said.
Taiwo, who described herself as a strong advocate of women’s empowerment, explained the motive behind the initiative.
“On our own part, as beneficiaries of Alhaji Kamorudeen’s efforts, we thought about what we could do to complement his work. That is why we initiated this programme to enable our people to acquire vocational skills such as soap making, tie-and-dye, hairdressing, shoemaking and others. When women are empowered, it goes a long way toward creating a positive impact in our society,” she stated.
Beneficiaries also expressed gratitude for the opportunity. One of the trainees said, “I have learned shoemaking, which will benefit me in many ways. I don’t need to go to a cobbler again since I have been equipped with the requisite training. I appreciate Alhaji Kamorudeen Olawale Yusuf and the facilitators for their support.”
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF,) has struck in its ongoing manhunt for the notorious bandit kingpin Babaro and his gang behind the recent deadly attack on Gidan Mantau in Malumfashi Local Government Area.
A statement by the Katsina cyommissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Muazu, said NAF carried out a decisive air operation at Pauwa Hill in Kankara Local Government Area, rescuing 76 kidnapped victims, including women and children.
According to him: “The precision air interdiction, conducted between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., specifically targeted Babaro’s stronghold at Pauwa Hill—one of his most notorious bases that has long been a source of terror to surrounding communities.
”Confirming the development, the Ministry can reveal that the rescued victims included all those abducted during the attack on Unguwan Mantau in Malumfashi.
“However, it was regrettably noted that one child tragically lost his life during the ordeal.
”This breakthrough reflects the renewed momentum of security operations across Katsina State.
The strike is part of a broader strategy to dismantle criminal hideouts, weaken their networks, and put an end to the cycle of killings, kidnappings, and extortion that have plagued innocent citizens.
”The rescue of the kidnapped victims further underscores the effectiveness of coordinated air and ground operations, as security forces intensify their efforts to flush out bandits and restore confidence among the people.”
Tragedy struck early Saturday morning in Abakaliki, capital of Ebonyi state when a truck rammed into a commercial bus in front of Ebonyi State University (EBSU) Permanent Site, leaving two people dead and three others injured.
Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogbodo
said the crash occurred around 6:05a.m along the Abakaliki–Enugu Expressway.
The incident, which he said is classified as a fatal road traffic crash, involved a Mercedes 911 truck with registration number TTM467XA and a white Mitsubishi bus marked KMM426XA.
The Sector Commander, who attributed the accident to dangerous driving, said it involved ten occupants—seven men, a woman, a female child, and a male child.
“Two passengers, a man and a woman, were confirmed dead, while three men sustained varying degrees of injuries”, Mr Ogbodo said
The Sector Commander said the FRSC Zebra 31 Unit in Abakaliki, which responded to the distress call within 10 minutes, evacuated the injured victims to the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki (FETHA II) for treatment.
“The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the FETHA I morgue after medical confirmation”.
“The wreckage was cleared to restore traffic flow, while both vehicles were handed over to the police traffic division for further investigation”, he added.
The Sector Commander cautioned motorists against reckless and dangerous driving, warning that such behavior is the major cause needless loss of lives on the highways.
A 65-year old man has been arrested for allegedly being in possession of 1,100 rounds of live ammunition in Nkpor, Onitsha, Anambra state.
Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga who disclosed this on Saturday, said the suspect was apprehended by Operatives attached to Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu following tip off.
He said the suspect confessed being involved in illegal sale of ammunition, adding that efforts were on to arrest other accomplices.
He said: “Anambra State Police Operatives attached to Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu acting on credible information on August 22, 2025 arrested one Akpan Godwin ‘m’, aged 65 years, in possession of 1,100 rounds of live ammunition in Nkpor, Onitsha.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being involved in the illegal sale of ammunition and mentioned other individuals connected to the illicit trade.
“Meanwhile the Operatives have stepped up the investigation/manhunt to uncover and apprehend all accomplices.”
Allege diversion of relief funds to fake beneficiaries
Families stranded in IDPs camp
Flood victims in Mokwa, Niger State say relief funds were diverted to fake beneficiaries, leaving many without aid. Tenants promised ₦1 million and homeowners promised ₦500,000 got only part of it or nothing at all. Although the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) insists that payments were made, hundreds remain in schools and tents, exposing broken promises and neglect. JUSTINA ASISHANA visited some of the victims in Mokwa and reports.
When the floods swallowed their homes and killed some of their relatives in Mokwa, Niger State, many victims believed government promises would help them to rebuild. Months later, hundreds are still sleeping in classrooms and tents. Others are sharing half a million naira among 30 people while some are yet to receive a dime.
What should have been a lifeline has turned into another layer of anguish, as allegations of fake beneficiaries, diverted payments and unfulfilled promises swirl around the state government’s much-publicised disbursement of relief funds.
The promises, the reality
The government’s plan was clear: each tenant displaced by the flood would receive ₦1 million to rent accommodation while homeowners would get ₦500,000 and the assurance of a new house to be built under a federal programme. But on the ground in Mokwa, the reality is far from this neat categorization.
“We are six tenants in one house. According to what they promised us, we were supposed to get ₦6 million in total. But only one of us (the tenants) received ₦500,000, and the rest of us got nothing,” said Abubakar Usman Mohammed, whose house, which he rented, was destroyed in the disaster.
He lamented that they were yet to receive the sums promised them after the disaster, having lost all their belongings, “The money was shared among everyone of the tenants. We have rented a place to stay but we are yet to be balanced.
“We are just enduring things. We have not got ourselves. The government should bring our money and also the food they promised us,” Mohammed said.
For Abdulkareem Ismail, the shortfall is even more painful. His two-building household of 30 people received just ₦500,000 in total. By the time the money was divided, each person took less than ₦40,000.
Ismsil said: “There were about 30 people living in the house and only one person received the alert of N500,000. When we shared the money, each person took less than N40,000.
“We are still expecting that they would send to others affected in the house but nothing yet.
“When they shared the money received in our house, I got only N20,000, and the money was not enough to rent even a self-contained room.
“The President himself promised us food. Till now, nothing. Neither the state or local government is saying anything.
“We are stranded. We have nothing. It is NGOs that are keeping us alive, not the government.”
Asked if he knew anyone who had received the money promised them by government, he said some of the people he knew who affected had received N500,000 but many others had not received theirs.
Real victims left out
At the heart of the controversy are allegations that government relief was hijacked at the local level. Victims point fingers at the so-called “Hausa committee” of traditional leaders and local representatives who compiled the lists of beneficiaries.
“They put the names of people who are not victims, leaving out the real ones,” said Aliyu Suleiman, who is among the lucky few who received N1 million for his household.
“Almost 70 per cent of the real victims have not received their money.
“I was there and some people that were receiving the money were not those affected.
“Some were sent the money but it reverted back.
“We don’t know how they fixed a lot of names. There is a lot of names in that list who are not victims, and they have received their money.
“We have complained but nothing was done about it.
“Some people are sending their account numbers to them to send money. We know the people.
“People are busy fixing names. They are from the committee.
“Those we trusted, who we asked to stand for us, they are the ones cheating us.
“The committee members have betrayed us. The committee is called the Hausa committee.
“The first list they took were just of house owners and left the names of tenants, and we told them, but what they do now is put in the name of anyone who is ready to part with shares or percentage for them.
“The governor asked them to close down the camp but majority haven’t received their money. How can they quit the camp?
“They have nowhere to sleep. Our people are crying.”
Suleiman said the problem is coming from the traditional leaders who are in charge of the committee as majority of them are telling people that they will facilitate the food and money for them only if they are willing to give up part of it.
He added that the only way to remedy this would be for the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA) to return and recapture the people to know who are the real victims.
Suleiman said: “If NSEMA wants to be sincere about sending the money to every victim, they should recompile the names, because a lot of people, especially tenants, have not received their money, and they are many.
“The real victims are the tenants. Government said each tenant would receive N1 million but if you owned a house, you would receive N500,000.
“But some people who are house owners are receiving N500,000 instead of N1 million.
“I know of several people who shared their food and money with the person who facilitated it for them.
“People are afraid to talk or speak out about this. This thing belongs to them. The people have lost a lot.
“They can’t bring back what they have lost. Why can’t they get what they deserved.
“NSEMA does not know anyone in this town. It is those who are here that are compiling the names to give to them.
“Those who are compiling the names are our problem.”
Another victim, Nura Aliyu, claimed that his late father’s friend, who is a member of the committee, helped to facilitate his getting the N1 million only to be asked to give back N900,000 when the money was sent to his account.
“Now, they are threatening me because I told them I cannot give them N900,000. It is our house that was destroyed. Our properties got lost, why should I be the one to get just N100,000 from N1 million?
“I have told them that I am not giving them a kobo out of that money. Even now, they said they will deal with me in every way I cannot imagine.
“I want the government to come to my aid because these people are ready to kill just to collect the money.”
NSEMA dismisses complaints
The Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), however, dismissed many of the complaints. In a telephone interview, the Information Officer of the agency, Husseini Ibrahim, insisted that “everybody has been given money” except for a few with account problems or those who failed to present themselves for verification.
Ibrahim said: “Anybody who has not received anything is either lying or his money has not reached him yet,” the official said.
“Some people are just crying wolf because they think if they make noise, more money will come.
“We went back three times to Mokwa to compile lists. We verified names with community leaders.
“The only issue is glitches with accounts or cases where people gave their names to others to collect for them, and the money was swallowed.”
He further said that there are some people who they are following up because of some challenges they have with their money, adding that the agency followed due process in collecting the account details from those who were victims.
“They had leaders there who have identified people and they also identified themselves.
“Those that were all there, that we captured, we have given each person his money. Everybody has been given money.
“In fact, we still have about 78 names that nobody came out to testify that they are the people that are going to receive the money.”
Husseini further explained that the Islamic school where several Alimajiris died in the flood had not been given anything because they have asked the cleric to produce the parents of the children before any money is released to them,
“And then the Islamic school that we have there, we told the man there to produce the parents as we cannot just give him the money.
“Let him produce their parents and we will give the money to their parents or their guardians. It is better like that.
“Up until now, he has not done that.”
Confirming the paying pattern, he said that house owners were given N500,000 while tenants were given N1 million, emphasising that the payment was to each individual tenant and each house owner.
“Those that are household, that is if you are a tenant, they were given N1 million for them to go and rent another house while those that have houses are given N500,000 and that when the federal government build this house, they are going to give houses to them.”
He added that anybody claiming he or she had not been paid should approach the agency to lay their complaints or meet them when they get to Mokwa so that they can look into their cases.
“Let them come and meet me and say that they have not seen their money. We will know who they are and where they are coming from. Not that somebody will come and start blackmailing.”
But Husseini’s explanation has done little to comfort those that are still waiting for relief. “If we are liars, why are we still living in tents with our children?” asked Habiba Mahmud, whose eight-member household was yet to receive food or money.
Camps closed but victims remain
The two IDP camps, set up after the flood were officially closed after 49 days, The Nation learnt. But a walk through the compounds tells another story. Hundreds still live inside the makeshift tents of UNICEF and inside classrooms, clinging to the hope of NGO food drops.
Camp committee member Jubril Sani said: “The government closed the camp, but we have nowhere else to go. Over 1,000 names are still on our register. Many sleep in schools. Youths lost their tools, parents have no rent money, and children are growing up in misery.”
NSEMA, however, paints a different picture. Officials accuse victims of refusing to leave the camps because NGOs occasionally distribute aid there. “The camp has turned into a business,” the official said. “People stay there to enjoy free food.
“Some men collect their money and abandon their wives and children in the camp. That is not government’s problem.”
He further claimed that the camp has turned into a cartel where girls and women now sell their bodies, stressing that they are aware that people still sleep in the camp but the next time the agency goes to Mokwa, they will close the camp permanently.
“We will close the camp and we will arrest anyone that remains there, because they have been paid and they have to leave to go and take another place. Now people have turned that place into a market.
“Some of the people are complaining that their husbands left with their money. Is that our business? So they have to go back to the camp because they don’t have what to eat.
“We have paid them, but many people were given money and they disappeared, leaving their children and their wives there. So what are we supposed to do in that situation?
“And they say they are going back to the camp because they also need to be taken care of by the government. Is that our problem now? It’s not.”
Efforts made to meet the Chairman of the local committee who is also the Secretary of Mokwa Local Government, Dauda Liman, yielded no result. The first time the reporter called him, he said he was busy. He, however, did not respond to subsequent calls.
The human cost
The clash of narratives between government officials insisting funds were paid and victims swearing they never received them leaves one undeniable truth: hundreds of families remain in the limbo.
For Hajiya Hawa Mahmud, the struggle is unending. With 13 children and two wives in her household, she says only her husband received ₦1 million despite the fact that her house, which is different from her husband’s house, was also affected.
“We used part of the money to repair one room in my house, and that is where we all sleep now. For food, some got it, some didn’t. Nobody explains anything to us,” she said.
Others like Fatima Aminu say they have received nothing at all; neither cash nor food. Their stories echo through the broken walls of Mokwa, where despair now mixes with anger.
Eighty-year-old Aisha ‘Yargwandu is one of those who live in one of the classrooms in the IDP camp.
She said she had nothing left as even the clothes she wore were given to her by people around.
“I lost everything! I don’t have children. The food the government said they would give to us, to be honest with you, we have received none.
“We beg to feed ourselves. No financial assistance, no food despite my name being captured as part of the beneficiaries.
“I sleep here in the classroom. You see my mattress there. Mosquitoes deal with me there. But I have no option.
“I am pleading with the government to help me with shelter, food and clothes for the sake of Allah!” she said.
Donations for flood victims
Days after the flood occurred, the Niger State Government set up an emergency distress account calling on individuals to donate to enable the state government to help and assist the flood victims.
The First Bank account was named Niger State Emergency Distress Account with the account number 2046096920. The record for the donations was posted on the social media pages of some of the Governor’s media aides.
As at the last time the summary of the amount was posted online, the government had recieved over N5 billion.
The Federal Government topped the list of donors with N2 billion. Taraba State Government donated N50 million. Borno State Government gave N300 million. Zenith Bank donated N300 million. Senator Sani Musa donated N50 million. Niger State First Lady and her family donated N50 million. Arab contractors donated N20 million. Barrister Mohammed Nadrani donated N30 million and Peter Obi donated N20 million, amongst others.
Some other individuals and groups donated foodstuffs to be shared to the victims.
The unanswered questions
The government claims “fake victims” are trying to hijack relief. The victims claim fake beneficiaries have already siphoned money while the real ones starve.
There are questions as to how the donated monies have been expended and why several of the victims have not recieved their said compensation despite NSEMA’s claim that everyone has been paid.
What is clear is that transparency is missing. Who exactly made the final beneficiary list? How much was released, and how much reached actual victims? Why are families still in camps if “almost everybody” has been paid?
Until those questions are answered, the flood victims of Mokwa will remain caught between government denials and the harsh reality of empty pockets, broken promises, and nights spent on classroom floors.
Disasters may be natural, but the suffering that follows is often man-made. For Mokwa’s flood victims, the real deluge came after the waters receded, a flood of betrayal, bureaucracy, and neglect.
The message of the victims is simple: they don’t want sympathy, they want the help they were promised.
A member of a four-man syndicate has died after jumping down from a storey-building while fleeing from Police arrest in Onitsha, Anambra state.
Police spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, who confirmed this, on Friday, said the deceased was among four-man syndicate identified by security operatives with black “Super Shopping” bag while on patrol.
He said three of the deceased accomplices fled on sighting the operatives, while the deceased, whose name and address are yet to be verified, was apprehended with the bag.
According to Ikenga, while the deceased was being escorted to be handed over to the Police along with the recovered items, attempted escape by jumping down from the storey building.
He however said the deceased sustained gunshot injuries in the process of re-arresting him, but noted that he was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital where he was rushed to.
The PPRO added that his body has been deposited at the morgue for autopsy, while all recovered exhibits are in custody and the weapon used by the vigilante has also been secured.
He added, “The Anambra State Police Command has recorded significant breakthroughs in separate operations carried out at Onitsha and Obosi respectively in its sustained fight against acts of sabotage and vandalism of government infrastructure.
“In a separate incident same day, Operatives of the Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad Awkuzu, acting on credible intelligence, raided a vandal’s hideout along Atani Road, Onitsha. During the operation, three suspects were arrested.
“They include: Adamu Ali ‘M’, 25 years, Usman Sulaiman ‘M’, 22 years and Isah Abdullahi ‘M’, 26 years.
“The Operatives also recovered from them Bags of high-tension cable wires, Melted cable wires and Parts of transformer equipments.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are part of a syndicate that specialises in vandalizing and selling power installations, with Lagos identified as their major sales outlet.
“Meanwhile, a full-scale investigation into both incidents has commenced, including efforts to apprehend the fleeing accomplices and recover more of the stolen items.
“The Command reiterates its warning to criminal elements engaging in sabotage of public utilities that the Police will relentlessly fish them out.
“The Command also urges Ndi Anambra to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities around government installations to the nearest Police Station for necessary action.”
“On 21st August, 2025 at around 09: 27AM information reached our office in Ilare division that,one Olajide Tope popularly known as MECO at Otan-Ile committed suicide.
“We gathered from people that,he had misunderstanding with his wife Wednesday night but what led to the incident was not known yet.”
Adeleke disclosed that the State Commandant, CC Igbalawole Sotiyo, urged married couples and individuals experiencing emotional challenges to reach out to the Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit of NSCDC, Osun State command.
“The unit has successfully mediated and resolved numerous cases, offering support and guidance to those in distress. No one should ever feel compelled to take his or her own life every life is valuable and irreplaceable.”
The Defence Headquarters has confirmed the arrest of a notorious terrorist kingpin, Adamu Buba, also known as Mai Pankshin, during a military operation in Plateau State.
Buba, long wanted for orchestrating several deadly attacks in the Northcentral region, was captured alongside 13 other suspects in a coordinated raid, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Markus Kangye, announced on Friday.
Kangye, disclosed in a statement, that the military also recovered arms, ammunition, and motorcycles during the operation that led to Buba’s arrest. “The capture of Adamu Buba marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to dismantle terror networks in the Northcentral,” he said.
The military spokesman added that across the country, troops intensified operations during the week, arresting 63 terrorists and bandits in total and rescuing 89 kidnap victims.
In the Northeast, 18 terrorists were apprehended and three hostages rescued, with troops recovering weapons, logistics supplies, and dismantling several Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). A key breakthrough was recorded in Gubio, Borno State, where a suspect led troops to an arms cache containing three AK-47 rifles, magazines, and ammunition.
In the Northwest, troops freed 60 kidnap victims and arrested 25 suspects, while in the Southeast, they rescued 20 victims, including nine pregnant women, seven infants, and four children, from an orphanage, handing them over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
Troops in the South-South also stepped up the fight against oil theft, arresting 33 suspects and recovering petroleum products worth over N25 million, while destroying eight illegal refining sites and other equipment used in crude siphoning.
Kangye reaffirmed that the Armed Forces remain committed to sustaining pressure on terrorist groups and criminal gangs nationwide, stressing that Buba’s arrest “signals that no hideout is beyond the reach of security forces.”
