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Category: Saturday Magazine

  • Lagos-Seme Expressway where human traffickers waste underage girls’ lives

    Lagos-Seme Expressway where human traffickers waste underage girls’ lives

    • Residents relive battles with hoodlums
    • We often recover lifeless girls’ bodies from sea – Community leader
    • Immigration officials accused of compounding crime

    Global attention has constantly been fixed on how migrants perish on the Mediterranean Sea with some others stranded on various routes, but not many are aware that similar ugly developments occur right here in Nigeria, Lagos to be precise. From Mile 2 to Seme Border, human traffickers move hapless young girls in droves on land and waterways to neighbouring countries with reckless abandon. While some of them get sexually exploited even by security operatives, many others are left stranded on the way. Like dead fish, several others drown and float on the sea with no means of tracing their relations even after their bodies are recovered. INNOCENT DURU reports.

    “When there is a serious storm on the sea, many of the girls end up dying like flies on this Badagry Sea.  At various times, our people have recovered dead bodies from the sea.’

    Those were the words of Alhaja Oke, a community leader in Badagry area of Lagos State, about how the activities of human traffickers have cruelly brought promising lives of many young girls to a tragic end.

    Findings showed that the land and the waterway connecting Nigeria to Cotonou in Benin Republic from Mile 2 area of Lagos State have continued to be exploited unfettered by human traffickers to carry out their nefarious activities.

    When an accident occurs, especially on the waterways, Alhaja Oke said “there is always no means of contacting their families because the victims often don’t have means of identification on them. They often travel without informing their family members.”

    Explaining how the human traffickers operate, she said: “From Mile 2, they take them on water straight to Cotonou pretending they are going there to buy goods.   

    “They used to traffic them across the water when we must have gone to bed. They do this in the dead of the night. 

    Read Also: AGF seeks adequate protection for whistleblowers

    “They take many young girls across the sea and seriously endanger their lives by so doing.”

    The dark complexioned woman described the challenge of human trafficking in the Badagry-Seme corridor as grave and disturbing.

    “How they handle these young girls is worrisome,” she said, visibly agitated.

    Decrying young girls’ penchant for jumping at every promise made to them for pecuniary gains, she asked rhetorically, “Which money are those girls even looking for travelling in that manner?

    “They deceive them that there is money in XYZ, but when they get there, it is dogs that they would be made to sleep with.  What is the benefit of the whole trouble?”

    Alhaja Oke noted that it is the failure of our young ones, girls in particular, to hustle that is causing all this. It was in the past that it was fashionable and rewarding to travel to other countries. It is not so anymore this time around because they always end up making a mess of the girls.”

    She hinted that her community members are taking practical steps to end the menace in their domain.

    “We are making the waterways impassable this time around. The intervention of our people is helpstentor stem the tide,” she said.

    Also corroborating Alhaja Oke’s remarks, another community member, Abbey, said: “It’s no joke that these guys traffic young girls out  of the country using the waterways. 

    “Many young girls have lost their lives travelling on the water.  From Mile 2 to Cotonou on water is just about 40 to 50 minutes.

    “They always see it as faster and devoid of bottlenecks that come with travelling by the expressway where you have more than 40 checkpoints from Agbara to Seme. 

    “From all indications, human trafficking in this axis has become a cash cow carried out without concerns about the safety of the girls.

    “Girls are just like sacrificial lambs.”

    Aside from waterways, findings further showed, the Mile 2- Seme Road has been a natural route constantly exploited by human traffickers.

    Following the inability of relevant government agencies to nip the challenge in the bud, checks showed that non-state actors have begun to incept victims and deal with suspected traffickers in the most savage manner.

    A transporter in the Seme axis, who gave his name simply as Senyon, said they have on many occasions battered suspected human traffickers to serve as deterrence to others.

    “We always come across human traffickers in this area. They always move about in the night. Each time we sight them, we would deal with them mercilessly because they are always out to destroy the lives of the young girls,” he said.”

    Citing some instances where they beat the hell out of some traffickers after rescuing the young girls, Senyon said: “We called a trafficker one day after arresting the young girls he was coordinating their movement. 

    “When he answered our call, he was saying all manner of things. When he came to our place, he twisted the whole issue. 

    “When our boys started beating him mercilessly, he calmed down.

    “We made him to understand that the girls did not have money and must go back home.”

    “Seeing that his life was in serious danger, the trafficker quickly called his partner in Cotonou.

    “Ironically, some immigration officials work hand in hand with these traffickers. 

    “The Cotonou partner of the trafficker sent N300,000 when we insisted that we would not leave the trafficker we had arrested.

    “The money was sent through an immigration officer. 

    “After collecting the money, we contacted the families of the girls and put them in a vehicle that conveyed them back to Mile 2 from where they went back to where they came from.

    “We were able to do that with the help of the money we got from the trafficker and his Cotonou ally.”

    Not too long ago, he said “we identified and picked out about 17 young girls being trafficked across this corridor.

    “As the girls were arriving, they kept gathering them on one side of the road. 

    “As the girls arrived in different buses, those guys controlling their movement would keep them with others. 

    “One of our guys suspected they were up to some sinister motives and drew our attention to them.

    “When we approached them, one of them demanded to know what our business was with their movement. We apprehended the guys and beat them beyond recognition.

    “They begged to give us money to end the matter but we refused, because we weren’t sure what they were up to with the girls. 

    “They were to hand over the girls to a woman in Cotonou.  Fortunately, they had sufficient money, about N400, 000 on them.

    “With that money, we facilitated the return of the girls back to their basis.

    “Some of our guys followed them to Mile 2 to put them in night bus back to their states.”

    Senyon regretted that “some of the girls have been so brainwashed that you can hardly advise them against their plan. No matter what you tell them, their mind is bent on embarking on that perilous journey.”

    Other transporters share experience

    Also attesting to the menace of human traffickers in the area, another transporter who gave his name as Ballo said: “Traffickers use this Badagry axis a great deal.

    “Recently, we identified some young girls who were being trafficked. We  sat in one of our parks and heard them saying ‘we have been here since and nobody is here to pick us’. 

    “The girls were within the age range of14 and 15 years. Some of them were just developing breasts. 

    “When we observed what was going on, I was touched, because some of us also have young girls like them as children.

    “Why would anyone traffic such innocent young girls to do such dirty jobs?

    “After thinking of what we could do, we tried searching for a police van stationed at the roundabout earlier.

    “But when we saw that the officers had left, we called their office. 

    “By that time, the girls were seated, anxiously waiting for the next person in the chain of trafficking them. 

    “The police came and whisked them away.

    “Three days after, the police brought them to our park to transport them to Mile 2 for onward journey to their various states.

    “Before they brought them to us, it was like the police had counseled them about the perilous nature of the journey they had embarked on, because the girls looked calm and sober when they brought them to us.”

    He added that they made some young girls they caught recently to know that their traffickers did not mean well for them.

    “One of them said they told them that they were going to work in a supermarket in the place they were being trafficked to, but we told her it is not true; that they were only taking them out for prostitution and at the end of the day, they would not return with anything but would only return to Nigeria with ailments.”

    A motorcyclist, who operates around Owode area, said: “We have been witnessing human trafficking on this corridor for quite some time.”

    The motorcyclist, who gave his name simply as Kola, said: “When some suspected victims come to our park and you seriously drill them, some of them will tell you they don’t know where they are going to; that they were just told that they were going to look for a job for them outside the country.

    “When you ask them about the person that is taking them outside the country for a job, they will tell you they can’t find the person anymore.

    “What we do in that regard is to take the person to the nearest security operatives’ office.”

    Continuing, he said: “Recently, at about 11pm, a lady ran into a compound in our neighbourhood.

    “People were about beating her, but when she explained her predicament, they stopped. 

    “She told us she refused to be trafficked and ran into the neighbourhood.

    “When my attention was drawn to it, I took her to a security post around our area.”

    Community members accuse immigration officers of complicity

    Efforts to eradicate or bring to the barest minimum the menace of human trafficking may not yield the needed fruits anytime soon. This is as people living along the border area have accused immigration officials and other security agencies of aiding or being actively involved in the crime.

    A Seme resident who preferred to be called  Jato said the notoriety of immigration officials around Badagry roundabout became so embarrassing that the authorities ordered a bar where they parked to traffic people to chase them away or face the music.

    “That brought about the placement of the bold Stop Human Trafficking inscription around the bar.”

    The idea was to prevent them from continuing to use that place as a point of trafficking people.”

    Jatto’s claim about the bold inscriptions 88was confirmed when our correspondent visited the Badagry roundabout.

    The inscriptions were boldly and conspicuously displayed in front the bar on the side of the road to Mile 2. 

    Before now, Jatto said, “human traffickers used to hide young ladies they wanted to traffic at Ashipa area in Seme but with the full involvement of immigration officials in the illicit act now, it is no longer common to find young girls hidden in the area again. 

    “The officers use their clout to move them straight across the border instead of how regular human traffickers would initially keep the girls at Ashipa and environs waiting for signal before moving them to the other side of the border.”

    Senyon, the transporter alleged that “Immigration officials go as far as Ojota to go and convey these girls.  We have had issues with them on many occasion over their activities. There was one day they brought some girls who paid them N80,000 each in a Sienna bus from Seme. The girls were eight in number and they were heading to Mile 2.  When the immigration guys got to Badagry, they decided to put them in an 18-passenger bus against the initial agreement that the Sienna would take them to Mile 2. 

    “The girls engaged the officers in a serious shouting match, saying that they paid N80,000 each  to take us across  the border and  taken to Mile 2 but were dropped at Badagry Roundabout  to put them in a regular bus. Ordinarily, the fare from Seme to Mile 2 is not more than N3000 but because they were using their uniforms to aid human trafficking, and exploit the victims, they charged the girls N80,000 each.

    “Nobody stops them when they are moving people across the borders. The most they do is to tip their colleagues on duty. They are the ones that are heavily involved in human trafficking. The local guys involved in human trafficking are operating at a very low level compared to the large scale level immigration officials operate. People wishing to be trafficked also prefer to board vehicles driven by immigration officers because they believe that they are protected when conveyed by them. A good number of immigration officers in this axis have human trafficking as a huge source of revenue.

    Another resident who gave his name as Johnson said: “In my border community, there’s an immigration checkpoint that should serve as a line of protection, but sadly, it has often become a place of fear and exploitation. There have been disturbing cases where immigration officers abuse their power — including sleeping with young female travelers under the guise of “clearance” or documentation, even when these women are traveling within Nigeria.

    “It’s painful to witness, especially knowing that some of these women are simply trying to cross to nearby towns for trade, education, or family visits. Instead of being protected, they’re harassed and humiliated. This abuse of power fosters silence and discourages victims from speaking out.”

    Johnson noted that these realities highlight the urgent need for reform, human rights training for officers, community awareness, and safe reporting systems. “We must continue to raise our voices and protect the dignity of our people, especially the most vulnerable.”

    We’ll investigate allegations –NIS

    The Nigeria Immigration Service says it will investigate all the allegations raised by residents.

    The National spokesman of the service, Akinsola Akinlabi, disclosed this in his rfeply to our inquiries.

    His words: “It is important to state here that Nigeria Immigration Service, under the leadership of the CGI Kemi Nanna Nandap has zero tolerance to any form of indiscipline, crime or criminalities among our officers and men. Again, the measures put in place by the Service are too formidable for our men to get involved in cases of Human Trafficking.

    “As a matter fact, NIS only deal with cases of smuggling of migrants, which we effectively carry out within the framework of our border governance strategy deployed at all border frontiers.

    “I want to assure you that the Service is going to investigate the cases referenced to enable us get to the bottom of the allegations.”

    Beating up traffickers amounts to jungle justice —NAPTIP

    Responding to our inquiry on what the agency is doing regarding the challenge of human trafficking along the Lagos-Seme border corridor, Press Officer of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Vincent Adekoye said: “I wish to point out that in line with its mandates, the Agency has established coordinated preventive, regulatory and investigatory machinery geared towards the eradication of trafficking in persons, not only within the areas mentioned, but across the country.

    “The Agency has intensified collaboration with state and non-state actors, namely sister law enforcement Agencies, collaborating agencies of government, members of civil society organisations, community leaders and organised bodies within the Badagary and Seme border areas, as well as members of the border communities.

    “Lagos State is one of the states with task forces on human trafficking, which is chaired by the Hon Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State, with the Zonal Commander of NAPTIP as Co-Chair.

    “Impressively, this Task Force has been working tirelessly to address the situation. They have carried out a series of advocacy efforts to critical stakeholders along the said corridor.

    “They have staged several enlightenment activities and created the required awareness to reduce the vulnerability of the people and to get the full support of all stakeholders.

    “Bearing in mind the volume of traffic on that road and as one of the entry points to Nigeria, Operatives of NAPTIP have continued to carry out round-the-clock surveillance, and this has led to several interceptions of victims and the arrest of suspects.”

    Adekoye said NAPTIP was not aware that some security operatives were aiding and compounding the menace of human trafficking. His words: “Human trafficking is a national concern, and the Agency believes that all organs of government, particularly the security agencies, are doing their best.

    “They are working closely with NAPTIP to tackle the menace in the area.”

    While commending non-state actors who said they have been rescuing victims, Adekoye said beating up traffickers amounts to jungle justice, which is against the Constitution of Nigeria. “While the Agency commends them for rescuing victims of human trafficking, suspects should be handed over to NAPTIP for prosecution.

    “When they are prosecuted, it serves as a deterrent to others and assuages the pain of the victims. When they are prosecuted, the victim might get restitution.”

    Responding to a question on how

    NAPTIP can adequately deal with the menace since it does not have a post along the Badary/ border area, he said: “The agency has excellent working relationship with other sister law enforcement agencies along the axis.

    “Since she assumed duty, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, OON, has continued to work assiduously to strengthen relationships with partners, stakeholders and other actors in the space.

    “This is done through advocacy, courtesy visits, strategic engagement and other informal interfaces.

    “This strategy has resulted in joint operations along the area, interception of victims, disruption of activities of human traffickers, arrest of suspects as well as massive enlightenment that have reduced the vulnerability of the people along the axis.”

    Nigeria renowned as country of citizenship for significant proportion of trafficking victims- IOM

    The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in its report titled ‘Profile of Nigerian Victims Of Human Trafficking Since 2017’,  said Nigeria is renowned as the country of citizenship for a significant proportion of trafficking victims identified in Europe and other parts of the world.

    From the data gathered for the report, the IOM said Nigeria serves as both a country of citizenship for victims of trafficking exploited abroad and a country of exploitation for Nigerian citizens trafficked internally within Nigeria, as well as individuals of other nationalities trafficked and exploited across international borders.

    According to the report, “between 2017 and Q1 2024, IOM facilitated the voluntary return of 4,877 Victims of Trafficking (VOTs) holding Nigerian citizenship, among whom 616 (13%) were male and 4261 (87%). Women and girls constituted nearly 88% of these returnees across various age brackets. Following their return, IOM, in collaboration with key governmental entities, civil society organizations, and non-governmental actors, facilitated their reception and support. Upon arrival, immediate assistance, including medical care for individuals with varying degrees of health conditions, and psychosocial counseling aimed at fostering emotional, social, and cognitive capacities necessary for reintegration into the community, were provided. Additionally, vulnerability screening was done during the period.

    “The analysis of age distributions, according to the report, consistently reveals a prevalence of youth victims across all age groups of which most are females.

    “Notably, a substantial majority of the identified victims fall within the demographic range of 18 to 39 years, encompassing nearly 90% of the total victims.

    “Specifically, the data emphasises the vulnerability of individuals aged between 18 and 25 to recruitment by traffickers, highlighting their increased susceptibility.

    “Additionally, it’s worth noting that among the identified victims, 302 are minors, emphasising the concerning exploitation of individuals under the age of adult reasoning.”

  • ‘Third World War will come in cyber form, not guns and bullets’

    ‘Third World War will come in cyber form, not guns and bullets’

    •’How I became member of government’s think-tank in UK’

    Cyber security expert, Debola Israel -Bolarinwa, is a professional with extensive experience. She has worked within steering groups and as part of a government think-tank in the UK to foster pro-activeness and commitment to the development of a robust cyber security posture for the country’s critical national infrastructure and energy organisations. Now the banker turned international security expert says she is poised to contribute her quota to the development of her fatherland. She spoke with SAM ANOKAM.

    How would you describe you professional background?

    My background generally is in consultancy, organisational development and performance enhancement. From there, I moved on to managing programmes and projects and into IT as a project manager. A good project manager should be able to manage projects in any field. I say to people generally, that you should know everything about something and something about everything. That led me into a lot of fields globally because I intended to work with big organisations or national governments in the UK.

    A lot of the time, you tend to manage multisite projects. That was good for me in terms of exposure. In my bid to know a little about everything, I moved into IT and then into cyber security.

    Many of the people who know me for organisational development and business management consultancy may not immediately know me as a cyber security specialist, particularly in this part of the world. I went through secondary school and tertiary education in the UK but came back to Nigeria and lived with my family for nine years. I ran my own management consultancy while I was here.

    The other part of this is that I am at a stage in my life that it is time for service. I have always lived the life of service, but I feel right now that I need to be doing more in terms of spreading wealth. I would like to see Nigeria’s wealth spread. I know that people talk about it a lot and I know that a lot of people are doing good things. It is just how we get synergy, pull together to make it better.

    Nigeria is a very wealthy country and there is absolutely no reason why anybody should not be able to have a decent meal a day and there is no reason why anybody should not be able to send their children to school, maybe not at the same level. There is absolutely no reason why Nigerians should not be educated. When we are educated we do extremely well and we go to build and develop other countries. You hear that a Nigerian is the best Neuro-surgeon in America or you hear this or that Nigerian is the best solar engineer in Switzerland. 

    God has blessed us with so many natural resources as well as mighty brains, using myself as an example. Nigerians generally are very resilient people. We are strong and we don’t take no for an answer. Even though I say it myself, I am highly effective when I do things and they recognise that about me. When I type D. Israel Bolanrinwa and put it out there, I call for a meeting, they are visibly shocked, because first, they don’t expect me to be a woman and they definitely don’t expect me to be black.

    God has so endowed us as a people so there is no reason for us to fail.

    We know the theory but we are really struggling with the practical. How do we spread this wealth? How do we get the average one in the street to get a share of the sovereign wealth? Because of that I really would love to put myself, my personality, my face out more and partner with organsations, government bodies and individuals to join the dots.  Nigerians also are very compassionate people. We have a mind to help, serve and build other people. How do we join it together?

    When people complain about government, I completely agree. Successive governments have failed the nation. However, the government is pooled from the people. They are people like you and I. For Nigeria to change, it is down to every single one of us. We all have to be involved and we all have to sacrifice.

    What was your career path like?

    My first degree was in Applied Chemistry. I graduated in 1989 then did my MBA, graduated in 1991 and went straight into banking. I qualified for ACIB. I was done by 1992. I went into management consultancy. I trained as a project manager. On the 15th of July, I will be 57.  I got all my qualifications by 2000. I came to Nigeria in 2007, set up my consultancy in 2008. I was here roughly nine years then I went back to the UK.

    I went back to the UK because of my family. I am very dedicated to my work and I am passionate about my family. We wanted our children to know Nigeria and be Nigerian. My son is going into the university. Before you know it, the girls too would go into the university too. I have a son and two daughters. I needed to pour more of myself into them.

    I strongly believe that life is in cycles and in seasons. Once you miss a season, you can never pull it back. You can never be 10 years or 15 years again. I just went back to be with my children.

    What informed your decision to go into cyber security?

    I have always been an IT person through my management work. I have always managed IT professionals. You want to manage effectively, so whenever I go into a task or job or team, I would make time to study what they are doing so that I can speak with them with intelligence and we understand each other.

    I have always had that background knowledge of IT. But in terms of actually focusing on cyber, I started training about 7 years ago. What endeared me to it is the fact that we need to pay keen attention to cyber. I foresaw all the things happening now with AI and all of those things as a few others would have seen those things too. In spite of how I look, I realised that at this stage of my life, I needed something I could rely on as a consultant rather than going into a nine-to-five job. I needed something that was sustainable. But ultimately, I want to serve the people, and I mean that sincerely. But I don’t want to be a politician.

    Read Also: Highly placed Nigerians sponsoring insecurity to sabotage Tinubu’s government, CSO alleges

    I want to serve the people because that is how I am wired. If I am not serving people, I am like fish out of water. If you ask people, they will tell you she is a people person. I cry when I go to the bank and see the security guards. I can tell who has eaten and who has not eaten. It makes my heart bleed. And I know that we can do it because we do it for people outside this country, and we have the money and resources to do it.

    On a personal level, I have adopted children. I pay their school fees at all levels. I look after families. Sometimes if a woman is pregnant, we make sure we take her through antenatal until the baby is delivered even after birth. But that is one person. I can only reach my own sphere and that is even without putting me out there. These are just people that I know or people who know people that I know. There are many people doing what I do but we need to make it more impactful.

     Why don’t you want to go into politics?

    We all know the fate of politics in Nigeria. I am a very practical person. I say to people, they will get rid of me within one week. So the closest I can do to that is to work in partnership with the government, maybe work as a consultant or something along those lines. But I am not cut out to be a politician.

    Tell us about your experience working in the UK as a cyber security expert and part of the UK government think-tank.

    With cyber security, what you intend to find is that people embrace it in a very academic way. We all have cyber security. If you are a new MD of a company, you would worry about what needs to be done for cyber security. How much is it going to cost us? That is what you would ask as a leader.

    The difficulty with cyber security is practicalising it. Cyber security is supposed to be part of the fabric of an organisation. An organisation is an independent entity. In the same way that we breathe to survive, an organisation has to survive on the key tenets, and cyber security in today’s world is not something you attach as an adult; it has to be part of the fabric of business. Look at AI. you can do anything with it. AI is crazy right now.  You can say to me, no, no, no, you are the one who withdrew this N1 million or no, your name is there, your picture is there, someone videoed you  while you were in the bank, but I have not been in Nigeria.

    Let me tell you how I was pooled into the think-tank. Sometimes you have focus groups or steering groups and stuff. So, I was representing my organization, SSE (Southern Electricity), which is one of the largest energy companies in the UK. I was very vocal during that meeting, so they asked me to join the think-tank. That was how I got involved with the government thing, and the whole idea of the think-tank was okay.

    Before I joined the think-tank, at a steering meeting, I would say this particular thing is not really rocket science, what we were debating is third party supplier, cyber security management. Like SSE, for example, we have external organisations and we have support systems. When they come in, it is not enough for me to guard my house. I have to ensure that the person who comes into my house, into the company, is security aware and is guarded.

    Right now a lot of security breaches come through third party suppliers because they will not come to my company because they know that we are secure. They will come through someone who has got access to my company. Now, with these organizations, you have to give them access to do the work they are doing.

    For example, taking your organisation into the clouds, you need to give them access, passwords, etc. These fraudulent people would hack their systems, get your password from them or through them, then get into your system. When you bring someone through a contact, for you to sieve the people who bid for that contact, there are bucket loads of forms, asking security questions and all that. If you were in my shoes and you wanted my contact, are you not going to say the things I want to hear?

    So, I suggested we build a system like a database where the big companies have access instead of spending so much money getting them to fill these forms and all that. If they bid for contact, you go into the database where you will see what they have and what they do not have and what they are doing and what they are not doing. You see what you need and sieve off what you do not need without wasting money and time. With that suggestion, a whole lot of them were able to be sieved, and they liked it. So because of that, they put me in the think-tank.

    Then again how do we practicalise all these things that we know and must do and how do we prioritise?  Everybody is at different stages of business development. How do we listen to people to hear them and looking at everybody’s list, we prioritise and pool people along together, and then advise the government. That is what the think-tank is all about. One of the big things is that a lot of the more advanced countries now and not all advanced countries are advanced in cyber security.

    What I am about to say is that even America is not doing it yet. We have countries like Spain and I think Japan who are already practising it. If I am running a business and I am consulting or delivering a service to the government or to any organisation, if I am using data from the people, even one person, and my data is my storage, it must remain on Spanish soil. The natural thing is that my database resides wherever I am, whether I am in Nigeria or the UK or wherever. That adds to another dimension and it is called date sovereignty. So we keep our data on our own land. We are not doing that in Nigeria yet. Even America is struggling to do it.

    Then you have cyber warfare. We all pray that it never happens.

    If there is a Third World War, it is not going to be guns and bullets; it is going to be cyber. Some countries understand it and designate it.

    Some of them are not quite there yet. In the UK for example which was part of what we did as a think- tank, you have the cyber national infrastructure which basically is a group of organisations that if any of them is attacked, it can bring the nation down. SSE, for example, was one of CMI, that is a part of the national infrastructure. It was highly important that SSE be secured. I was put in to lead third party cyber supplier assurance to get that right. The weak link is always the third party suppliers.

    Again when I got there, things were very academic. You ask them a question, they know the answer. It is like the way they sit for exams but it is not practical. It is like insurance, we pay for insurance, every month, every year but we barely rarely claim on insurance but it is important to have insurance because the day something happens, you will be so upset with yourself if you do not have insurance exactly the same thing  if  your cyber defence is not top notch. If you are not cyber resilient to the level it should be, the day you get attacked, that is when you will know that everything is not okay.  I don’t know how far ahead we are in Nigeria but we need to take things very seriously because there is a lot of cyber espionage.      

    Cyber espionage is basically like this: you run a company, I run a company; we are doing the same thing. You throw something in their cyberspace so that their system comes down. More and more countries are doing it.

    If you look at Israel, Iran, Gaza and all of those wars, they are looking at countries that are supporting Israel and they are beginning to cyber attack. And a lot of those companies will not tell you that it was a cyber attack; they will just say our system went down. But because we are insiders and we know, we know what it really is.

    It is important that people, organisations and nations are aware of these things and begin to take steps.

  • Jollities as Prof. Akinsola hits 70, retires from UI

    Jollities as Prof. Akinsola hits 70, retires from UI

    By Sunday Saanu

    Next Tuesday, 15th July, 2025, University of Ibadan (UI) community will roll out drums, sing, dance and display fireworks, kill fattest cow, eat to satiety-all in celebration of the first holder of PhD Mathematics Education in the university and the first Professor of Mathematics Education in UI, Prof. Mojeed Kolawole Akinsola, who will be 70 years old that day and consequently will be retiring from the service of the institution. In commemoration of the twin events therefore, a public lecture entitled “Developing Contextualized STEM Curricula for Nigeria” will be delivered by Ogun state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi A. Arigbabu at Catholic John Paul 11 Centre, opposite UI Bookshop by 10 am.

    While the UI Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kayode Adebowale will be the Chief Host, Oyo state Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Prof. Dahud Shangodoyin will be the Chairman of the occasion as Special Guests of Honour include Osun state Commissioner for Budgeting, Prof. Moruf Ademola Adeleke, Kwara state University of Education, Prof. Salman Medinat Folorunsho, University of Nigeria Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic), Prof. Usman Olayiwola and Chairman, Governing Council, Abiola Ajimobi Technical University, Ibadan, Dr. Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan.

    The reason for this elaborate celebration is simple: the best should be given to the man who gave his best in service. Interestingly, from his early days as a lecturer to his esteemed position as a professor, this retiring erudite scholar of impeccable pedigree has consistently exemplified the highest level of integrity, honour, and service. He has woven a story of resilience, persistence, and achievements by defying the odds and distilling his way to the top echelon of his career. However, he was never born  in affluence nor raised in riches, yet, he rose from humble beginning, by sheer force of will, determination, and steadfastness to principles of success to attain a professorship of mathematics education. In my interactions with him, Prof. Akinsola who was born in a rustic village around Akinyele local government area of Oyo state, confessed that he never thought he could ever become a professor in his life, but made possible by God through His instrumentality of grace.

    Prof. Akinsola who started his teaching career with the Oyo state Teaching Service Commission and taught in various schools in Oyo State between 1981 and 1996 later rose to the position of Principal. In 1997, he left the service of Oyo State Teaching Service Commission to the Federal College of Education (FCE Special) Oyo, as a lecturer. After one year at FCE (Special), Oyo, he was appointed Lecturer II in the then Department of Teacher Education of the University of Ibadan where he rose through the ranks to the position of Professor of Mathematics Education in the year 2010. He has  since supervised over 50 undergraduate Projects , 86 Master Degree Projects, 2 M.Phil Dissertations and 21 Ph.D Theses.

    Amazingly, his career has been nothing short of exceptional. For decades, he has motivated generations of students, igniting curiosity in them and guiding them towards their professional paths, just as he makes learning environment rich and rewarding. Prof Akinsola’s pedagogical methodologies which seem seamless, is a testament to his mastery of his craft; as he comports himself as a friendly father figure, thus, earning the respect and regard of his students. His is a life well-lived, marked not by flamboyance, but by steady, quiet influence that leaves a lasting impression. Indeed, his life has been a beautiful blend of kindness, empathy and elegance. His impact extends far beyond academia, touching many lives outside the campus with milk of human kindness.

    There is no gain saying the fact that this former Dean of Faculty of Education is gifted with many capabilities- physical stamina, superior mental acumen and spiritual sensitivity. He does his work with vigour and rigour. He is never weary at work. His capacity is consuming. His confidence is contagious. Baba is simple and sincere. Obviously, his journey has been a tapestry of achievements, woven with dedication and wisdom. Many of his academic mentees, including Prof Mrs. Abiodun Popoola of University of Ado Ekiti, Prof. Bankole Oludare Ogunleye of National Open University and Dr. Temitope Ajani of Federal College of Education, Abeokuta agreed that Prof. Akinsola’s rigorous standards and profound insights have challenged his students to push the boundaries of their capabilities, instilling a work ethic and resilience that will serve them throughout their careers.

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    True to type, there is nothing compared to watching this suave and iconic academic gentleman with a refreshing candour, deliver lectures on his area of specialization. He handles complex situations with accustomed ease, just as he exudes decisiveness and firmness, yet, never failing to maintain a friendly demeanour. In addition to being an exemplary mentor, he is a role model to many with a winsome mien towards all. Without doubt, his life is a compendium of positive impacts,  teaching with unforgettable competence and confidence.

    The UI will always remember his legacies as he serves the community without scandals. He facilitated the students/lecturers exchange programme between the University of Gaive, Sweden and the University of Botswana in the year 2009. He served as sub-Dean (Postgraduate) Faculty of Education (2009-2011).  He became

    the 27th Dean of Faculty of Education, in August 1st 2017. He was appointed the first Director, Directorate of Affiliated Institutions for a period of three years which ended on the 31stof July 2020 and renewed for another three years from 1st August 2020. He was a member Governing Council, Osun State College of Education, Ila-Orangun (2003-2005) and Member, Governing Council, Osun State College of Technology, ire, (2011-2014) representing the University of Ibadan Senate. At 70, he now belongs to the pantheon of living legends, having contributed in no small measure to the development of the university. He is therefore leaving behind a sterling record of accountability, probity and forthrightness.

    Certainly, his retirement is a transition into a well deserved chapter of rest and reflection. Seventy years is a momentous milestone in the life of any individual. Perhaps it is in recognition of this fact that Prof. Akinsola will be celebrated with a cavalcade of drums and pageantry. One can only pray that  may the twilight of life bring him peace and fulfillment of dreams yet to come. As you step into well deserved tranquility of retirement, the university wishes you abundant health and happiness.

     Saanu, (08034073427) Ph. D in Cultural and Media Studies is with the University of Ibadan . Email: sundaysaanu@gmail.com

  • Inside the AI system driving Africa’s lending revolution

    Inside the AI system driving Africa’s lending revolution

    What if credit worked for everyone—not just the privileged few? That question drives Vida AI, the groundbreaking platform from VeendHQ, co-founded by fintech leader Olufemi Olanipekun. In a market plagued by defaults and exclusion, Vida is using intelligent infrastructure to fix what’s broken—real-time scoring, income-linked repayments and fraud-proof verification. With $18M disbursed to over 314,000 Nigerians, it’s transforming access to credit across Africa’s informal economy. Olanipekun, who earned his B.Sc. in Electrical/Electronic Engineering from Olabisi Onabanjo University—where he wrote his first production-grade code—shares his insights on why traditional credit systems fail and how Vida AI is solving the problem at scale. Associate Editor ADEKUNLE YUSUF provides the excerpts:

    Why and how Vida AI was born

    In 2014, I joined the team that built Paylater (now Carbon), Nigeria’s first fully digital lending app. This was a pivotal time, as we pioneered online credit in a space that had previously relied heavily on manual processes. A year later, I led engineering on PayWithCapture for Access Bank, my first real immersion into card infrastructure and payment collection systems. That experience taught me how deeply technical innovation can transform financial accessibility. From 2016 to 2020, I joined Flutterwave as an early engineer and later transitioned into Product Management. During that time, I helped build and scale the checkout and payouts infrastructure that now powers thousands of merchants across Africa. It was a high-growth, high-impact environment that exposed me to the operational backbone of digital commerce.

    In 2020, I took a leap and launched a dev shop focused on automating processes for lending institutions. While building for different players in the ecosystem, I kept seeing the same pain point resurface: collections—not disbursements—were the real bottleneck. While many fintechs obsessed over getting money out quickly, few had cracked how to get it back reliably. That insight became the foundation of VeendHQ, which I co-founded in 2021. We built Vida AI, our proprietary credit infrastructure, to solve the toughest problems in lending: collections, credit profiling, and dynamic scoring. Since launch, Veend has disbursed over $18 million to more than 314,000 Nigerians, helping lenders and merchants reduce defaults, speed up approvals, and reach customers traditionally excluded from formal credit. At Veend, we’re not just building lending tools—we’re building the infrastructure for smarter, safer credit in Africa. From real-time underwriting to income-linked repayments, we’re transforming how financial service providers engage their customers, especially in emerging markets where trust and efficiency are critical. My journey began with a line of code. Today, it’s about empowering millions through intelligent credit systems that create lasting impact.

    The credit gaps Vida AI was built to solve

    In Nigeria’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, credit remains a privilege out of reach for the majority. Millions of individuals—particularly in the informal economy—are locked out of formal lending because traditional systems fail to capture their financial reality. Vida AI was built to change that. By addressing three of the most critical gaps in Nigeria’s credit ecosystem, it aims to unlock access to responsible lending for those long ignored by legacy systems.

    The first gap is the widespread lack of credit history. Over 60% of Nigerian adults have no record with the major credit bureaus, making it nearly impossible for lenders to assess their risk using traditional scoring methods. Vida AI bridges this gap by combining bureau data with rich alternative data—from telco usage and savings behaviour to POS transaction volumes. This fusion creates real-time, dynamic credit profiles, allowing lenders to make informed decisions about individuals with no formal borrowing history.

    The second major challenge is repayment reliability. For most lenders, disbursing loans is not the hard part—getting their money back is. Vida solves this by tying repayments directly to the borrower’s income sources. Whether it’s payroll or accounts linked to a customer’s Bank Verification Number (BVN), Vida intelligently routes repayments, drastically reducing default rates and improving loan performance across the board. A third barrier to scaling credit in Nigeria is speed. Traditional underwriting is often manual, slow and expensive, taking days to process even simple loans. Vida’s AI-driven decisioning engine enables approvals in under 60 seconds, making it ideal for real-time credit products like Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). This speed not only improves user experience but allows lenders to operate efficiently and competitively in a market that demands instant service.

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    Beyond solving these operational pain points, Vida AI aligns closely with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s goal of achieving 95% financial inclusion by 2025. It does so by removing the onboarding friction that prevents millions from accessing financial services. With one-click identity verification, real-time credit scoring and embedded infrastructure that keeps costs low, Vida enables even first-time borrowers to access formal credit quickly and affordably. Lenders, in turn, are able to expand their reach without increasing risk.

    Perhaps most importantly, Vida AI provides a path to financial inclusion for those in Nigeria’s vast informal economy—market traders, subsistence farmers, artisans, and transport workers—who are routinely excluded from traditional finance. Instead of relying solely on payslips or tax records, Vida assesses creditworthiness through unconventional but insightful indicators like daily sales from POS terminals, mobile airtime patterns, or cooperative savings contributions. This makes it possible to assess a tomato seller in Kaduna or a pepper farmer in Benue with the same rigor as a salaried worker in Lagos. In a country where identity inconsistencies and data sparsity often lead to loan rejections, Vida uses a triangulation method—merging BVN, NIN, biometrics, and facial recognition. When data is inconclusive, it initiates secondary verification steps like ID selfies rather than outright rejection. This approach makes Vida inclusive, adaptive and resilient—designed for Nigeria’s complexities and built for its future.

    In a market plagued by high default rates, fraud and widespread distrust in digital lending platforms, Vida AI is taking a different path—one grounded in transparency, intelligent design and inclusiveness. With a robust AI-driven infrastructure, Vida is not only solving technical and operational inefficiencies in Nigeria’s credit system, but also tackling the deeper cultural and behavioral challenges that have held back financial inclusion for decades.

    One of the most pressing issues in Nigeria’s digital lending space is fraud. From identity theft to loan stacking, lenders routinely face losses due to deceptive or duplicate loan applications. Vida AI counters this with a multi-layered fraud detection system. At the identity level, the platform validates borrower identities using data triangulation across BVN, bank accounts, device metadata and facial biometrics. It also detects mismatches or red flags across these points in real-time, reducing the chance of impersonation. Additionally, Vida’s AI scans credit activity across multiple lenders and pings credit bureaus instantly to flag loan stacking attempts—ensuring that borrowers do not accumulate debt across platforms undetected.

    Yet fraud prevention is just one part of the equation. A more sustainable credit culture also requires borrower education. Many Nigerians struggle with poor or nonexistent credit scores, largely due to a lack of financial literacy. Vida AI is addressing this with a personalised “Next-Step” coach embedded into every credit profile. This virtual assistant guides users with practical, real-time advice—like keeping credit utilisation under 30%, setting up direct debit for repayments, or bringing on a co-signer. Unlike generic financial education, these prompts are contextual and actionable, helping users gradually build stronger credit profiles. Borrowers can actually track their eligibility scores improving as they take recommended actions, making the process both educational and motivating.

    For the millions of Nigerians with irregular income—such as gig workers, artisans or small business owners—traditional credit scoring fails to reflect their true financial capacity. Vida’s dynamic scoring model solves this by continuously reassessing borrowers as new data flows in, whether from updated bank statements, wallet balances or sales history. During peak income periods, Vida automatically raises credit limits, while gently tapering them during lean seasons. This flexibility ensures borrowers are never unfairly penalised by short-term income drops, unlike rigid traditional scores that trap people in low-limit cycles. Lenders on the Vida platform benefit directly from these innovations. Many of them have seen their Portfolio at Risk (PAR30) drop from 12% to as low as 4%. This improvement is driven by several AI-powered features: smarter affordability models that analyse income consistency and spending behaviour; direct linkage of repayments to income sources (payroll or any BVN-linked account); timely reminders that nudge users toward repayment; and intelligent routing that pulls funds from secondary accounts when necessary.

    Extending these capabilities to Nigeria’s underserved rural areas is central to Vida’s mission. While smartphones are growing in penetration, many rural dwellers still use basic feature phones. To bridge this gap, Vida is piloting USSD-based loan applications and agent-assisted onboarding through cooperative societies and agricultural unions. These community-based models reduce barriers to entry and bring formal credit to areas where banking infrastructure is minimal or nonexistent.

    Lastly, Vida AI is acutely aware of the mistrust surrounding digital lending in Nigeria. Aggressive recovery tactics, unclear terms and data misuse have tainted the sector’s reputation. Vida is actively rebuilding that trust. The platform prioritises transparent pricing, NDPR-compliant data protection, and zero-harassment recovery processes. By treating borrowers with respect and communicating clearly, Vida is restoring credibility to digital credit and proving that inclusion doesn’t have to come at the cost of dignity. Through intelligent systems, empathetic design and local adaptability, Vida AI is not just building better lending tools—it’s helping redefine what ethical, inclusive credit can look like in Africa’s largest economy.

    Building the infrastructure for a safer, smarter, cashless Nigeria

    At the core of Vida AI’s operations is a firm commitment to data protection and regulatory compliance. In a digital lending ecosystem where trust is everything, user data must be handled with the highest level of integrity. That’s why Vida undergoes annual audits to ensure full compliance with Nigeria’s Data Protection Act (NDPA) and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). Every piece of user data on the platform is encrypted at rest and in transit, ensuring it remains secure from potential breaches. Internally, access is tightly controlled through role-based permissions, with every access request logged and monitored to prevent misuse.

    Looking ahead, Vida AI is also poised to play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s broader transition to a cashless economy. By embedding Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) functionality directly into merchant checkouts, Vida is helping move consumers away from cash-based transactions. As more small businesses and online vendors adopt Vida’s BNPL rails, digital payment usage will grow organically—especially among first-time credit users who were previously excluded from formal financial services. This aligns directly with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s goals of increasing digital inclusion while reducing cash dependency.

    But Vida AI’s ambitions go well beyond lending. Artificial Intelligence is set to reshape the African fintech space, and credit scoring is only the beginning. In the near future, a credit profile won’t just get you a loan—it could become a key that unlocks a range of opportunities. Imagine using your verified credit history to apply for a visa, qualify for a government grant, pass employer background checks, or onboard quickly into a financial services app with minimal friction.

    AI will also drive more programmable financial experiences, including bank accounts that adjust automatically to your income cycles, savings plans that are tailored to your lifestyle, and financial dashboards that act more like advisors than spreadsheets. As data becomes more interconnected, credibility will become currency, and access will follow those with strong, verifiable digital footprints.

    For businesses and lenders ready to offer smarter loans, or embed BNPL into their products, Vida AI offers plug-and-play APIs and white-labeled solutions. Interested parties can sign up at askvida.ai. Meanwhile, government agencies, non-profits, and impact funds eager to sponsor the creation of two million new credit profiles—and lift countless Nigerians out of the informal economy—can reach out directly at support@veendhq.com.

  • ‘Discharged victims have no place to go’

    ‘Discharged victims have no place to go’

    In the aftermath of the June 14 Yelwata massacre, survivors face a new crisis—nowhere to go. Despite successful treatments, the Chief Medical Director of Moses Adasu University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Stephen Terungwa Hwande, says many victims remain hospitalised, unable to return home, as entire communities destroyed and security remains fragile, reports SANNI ONOGU.

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Moses Adasu University Teaching Hospital Makurdi, Dr. Stephen Terungwa Hwande, has expressed deep concern over the fate of victims of the June 14th Yelwata massacre, saying that although some have recovered physically, they cannot be discharged due to a lack of safe and habitable shelters. According to Dr. Hwande, while the institution has treated numerous injured survivors, it remains uncertain where many of those who have recovered will go afterward.

    One victim currently receiving treatment at the hospital, Mr. David Ukeyima, told our correspondent that some of the discharged survivors have taken temporary shelter within the hospital premises due to a lack of alternative accommodations. The tragic attack occurred on June 14, when herder terrorists descended on the Yelwata community, located about 50 kilometres from Makurdi along the route to Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa State. During the assault, over 200 farmers—including women and children—were killed, many burned beyond recognition after the assailants doused their homes with fuel and set them ablaze following the shootings.

    In the wake of the massacre, more than 5,000 displaced persons have been relocated to a hastily established Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp at the International Market in Makurdi. This camp was set up by the Benue State Government to provide shelter for those evacuated from Yelwata. Dr. Hwande and Mr. Ukeyima, one of the victims of the attack receiving medical attention at the hospital, spoke separately to our correspondent during visits to Yelwata and Makurdi last week. When asked about the current situation following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s condolence visit to Benue State, Dr. Hwande expressed cautious optimism. “We must first thank God that the situation is somewhat under control. We also appreciate the President for taking the time to visit us. His visit has been instrumental in addressing the security challenges across Benue, not only in Yelwata but also in places like Naka and Ukum, where there have been other attacks,” Dr. Hwande said.

    He further acknowledged the collective responsibility in restoring peace: “Peace is not the duty of one person alone. Some may try to put the entire burden on the Governor, but the President, as Commander-in-Chief, plays a crucial role. Traditional rulers, politicians, the organised private sector, youth groups, and the media all have parts to play. It is a collective effort.” Regarding the hospital’s role, Dr. Hwande revealed the scale of the medical response: “Currently, we have close to 100 patients under our care. Survivors have come from all over—some directly from the IDP camp, others from private hospitals. Over 40 of these patients have undergone surgery and are recovering from various injuries.

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    “It’s not easy, but SEMA and some few well-meaning citizens came around. But we want to thank the Benue State Government because the SEMA, Benue State Emergency Management Agency, they came around and they did some assistance. Basically, that’s what is happening. But we also want to note that the security system has to be strengthened so that some of these people can go back to their areas because this is farming season. If you keep them in the IDP camp and they don’t farm, how do they feed later in the year? Or you want to keep giving them food? They should be secured to go back to their places. I earlier told you we had about 100 patients. The last count was 94. The discharge rate is very low because many of them sustained serious injuries. Some underwent surgeries, so discharging them isn’t something we can rush.

    “Now, the question is—where do we discharge them to? To an IDP camp? Ideally, these people should return to their communities, not temporary shelters. So far, we have discharged about 10 who are in stable condition and strong enough to cope with the challenges of staying in an IDP camp. But for others, like those recovering from surgeries or with stab wounds, we can’t just send them back to an environment potentially more hazardous than the hospital. We’re discharging them gradually, but only when we’re sure they’re physically strong. Our hope is that they’ll eventually be discharged to their homes, not just anywhere.”

    Among the victims is 35-year-old Ukeyima David, a farmer from Yelwata community, who recounted the horror that brought him to the hospital. He lost his wife and three children in the attack, escaping with gunshot wounds and machete cuts. “It happened on the night of June 14th, around 10:45 pm. We were asleep when we heard gunshots along Lafia Road, heading toward the Yelwata market,” he said.

    “Security personnel in Yelwata tried to repel the attack, but they couldn’t. I was indoors with my family when the attackers came, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.’ They started killing people. We initially thought it was just targeted killings and that some would survive, but then they poured fuel on rooftops and set houses on fire. I managed to escape, but my wife and three children were killed. My first son, Ukeyima Samson, was nine. Micheal Sati Ukeyima was six, and Tersee Kingsley Ukeyima was three. My wife, Judith Ukeyima, was just 25 years old.”

    On the treatment at the teaching hospital, he expressed deep appreciation: “The doctors are taking very good care of us. We are receiving excellent treatment.” When asked where he plans to go after being discharged, Ukeyima’s voice trembled: “We don’t know. Everything has been burnt to ashes. Our village is now a no-go area. Some people have been discharged but are still here at the hospital because they have nowhere else to go. They’re now staying in the hospital. The Benue State Emergency Management Agency has been feeding and taking care of us. They’ve been doing a great job in that regard.”

    Still recovering from the violent attack that upended his life, Ukeyima David, a 35-year-old farmer from Yelwata community, spoke about the painful lessons he has drawn from the tragedy: “We are pleading with the government—if there is a solution to this problem, they should find it. Things are getting worse and worse. We experience this all the time, and some of us have lost our entire families. We don’t want it to happen to others. If there’s anything the government can do, let them stop these killings and displacements.”

    Asked why Yelwata was targeted, Ukeyima said there had been no recent conflict that might have triggered the attack. Rather, it was a continuation of a prolonged displacement by suspected herder terrorists. “We had no immediate problem in that community. These people had already driven us from our original villages. We moved to Yelwata, which is a short trek from our village, and settled there. But now we can’t go back anymore—and we are farmers. We were displaced over four years ago. They have been grazing in our villages since then. We thought we’d find safety in Yelwata because it’s more open, but they came again—on a quiet night while we were simply sleeping in our rooms—and attacked us.”

    Another survivor, Mrs. Panya Atoor, 40, echoed this grim reality. Speaking through an interpreter at the hospital, she recounted the ordeal of her family. “We were attacked by Fulani. At first, they grazed their cattle on our farms. Later, they began chasing us from our land.

    We fled from the interior villages and sought refuge in Yelwata, thinking we would be safe there because it’s near the highway.

    “But while we were sleeping that night, they came. They attacked and burned our house. My husband and I managed to save eight of our children, but they killed one. I’m recovering now, but I don’t know where I will go after discharge. Our home has been reduced to rubble. I would love to return to Yelwata, but we’ll need to find shelter elsewhere first.”

    The horror of that night is also visible in the children’s ward, where innocent survivors battle trauma and injuries. Nurse Jandi Upeh, who guided our correspondent through the ward, shared the heart-breaking stories of the youngest victims. Pointing to a baby boy smiling faintly on the hospital bed, he said: “This is baby Targwen. He’s less than a year old. His mother and two siblings were killed in the Yelwata attack. He was found in the bush by another victim and brought here as an orphan. He had a machete wound on his waist and couldn’t even sit when he arrived. He’s getting better now.

    “Later, we were able to trace and contact his father. In the meantime, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the hospital arranged for a caregiver to look after him. He has now been reunited with his family.”

    Nurse Upeh then introduced four-year-old Aondo Soomanta and his six-year-old brother, Aondo Manta: “Both their parents were killed during the attack. They’re now being cared for by their grandmother, who is here with them. Aondo Soomanta has a deep cut on his right side, and his brother also has a severe injury on his right arm. Both are undergoing treatment.”

    Then there is eight-year-old Ukeyima Dooshima, a quiet girl with visible burn scars. “She sustained fire burns to her head and hand,” Upeh said. “The attackers poured fuel on rooftops and set houses ablaze, trapping people inside. She had three pints of blood transfused. Her stitches were just removed. She also suffered a deep cut on her back. Her father, Ukeyima David, who was shot from behind, is being treated in the men’s surgical ward.”

  • The untold agony of Yelwata survivors

    The untold agony of Yelwata survivors

    The June 14 massacre in Yelwata, Benue State, left behind scorched homes, shattered lives, and over 5,000 displaced. Survivors of the herder terrorist attack—many now hospitalised or living in IDP camps—grapple with trauma, hunger and uncertainty. Once a vibrant farming community, Yelwata now lies in ruins, its people pleading for security, shelter and a chance to return to lives violently disrupted, reports SANNI ONOGU.

    The brutal attack on Yelwata community by herder terrorists has left an indelible mark of horror on all who witnessed or heard of the tragedy. During a recent visit, our correspondent observed the devastating aftermath: unarmed peasant farmers were not only attacked and killed but their homes were set ablaze, reduced to smouldering ruins. Charred buckets, cooking utensils, and heaps of burnt newly harvested rice littered the remains of houses, courtyards, and surrounding areas. Corrugated iron roofs of shops—once bustling with rice and guinea corn trade—were either completely destroyed or collapsed, leaving walls caved in.

    According to an eyewitness, this was not Yelwata’s first encounter with violence from suspected herders, but the June 14, 2025 attack was unparalleled in its scale of theft, killing, and destruction. The market settlement, once renowned for its vibrant trade, now stands deserted like a ghost town. Even domestic animals have vanished, signalling the extent of displacement. Only four men remained when our correspondent visited. Most survivors have been relocated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, while others receive medical care at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi.

    “Things are very difficult for us now. There is no peace in our homes and community,” said Simeon Shaagwa, one of the four men our correspondent met in Yelwata. “It’s unbearable. We’re currently sleeping in the church and the primary school because we dare not sleep here—we don’t know when they will come back.” He added, “Just today, some family members went to farm but were pursued and shot at by herder terrorists. Luckily, they escaped and ran back. If the government can’t provide security, there’s no point in staying here.”

    Simeon urged the government to provide effective security—one that can patrol at least a kilometre into the surrounding bushes so people can safely farm. “We can’t just sit here waiting for the government to feed us.” Regarding police presence, he said, “Yes, police are posted at the town’s north and west sides but they don’t patrol during the day or leave their posts. When incidents happen, our elders report to the soldiers who then tell us to inform the police. It’s very frustrating.”

    While a few hospitalised victims and displaced families are tragic, it’s unacceptable to sack the whole community. Those who survived the Yelwata attack are either hospitalised or displaced to an IDP camp in Makurdi, about 50 kilometres from Yelwata. According to Aondowase Kunde, Commissioner of the Benue State Ministry of Humanitarian and Disaster Management, approximately 150 people were killed, while 117 others were hospitalized. The Head of Administration of the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) added that over 5,000 members of the community are currently living in the IDP camp located at the International Market in Makurdi. International agencies are also supporting the Benue State government’s efforts to manage the crisis.

    Speaking to our correspondent at his office in Makurdi, Kunde said, “The devastating incident of June 14th, 2025, when suspected Fulani attackers struck the Yelwata community, is now well known. Most of those killed were people who had fled from their communities and sought refuge in Yelwata. The attackers targeted their houses, the market, and shops where these displaced people were staying.

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    “About 150 persons lost their lives, and 117 survivors were taken to Reverend Father Moses Adasu Teaching Hospital in Makurdi. At the time of the President’s visit, 55 with minor injuries had been discharged, leaving 62 patients, of whom about 30 remained hospitalised due to severe injuries. We have also established a clinic at the IDP camp in the International Market to provide immediate medical care. Cases beyond its capacity are referred to the teaching hospital under our Memorandum of Agreement. This referral system applies to all camps across the state,” he added.

    Kunde emphasised that the Benue State government, led by Governor Hyacinth Alia, is prioritising the welfare of the displaced. “Following the attack, many displaced persons were wandering, but the government, through SEMA, deployed vehicles to transport them safely to the camp, which was officially opened on June 14th. Since then, we have been providing necessary supplies, and the situation escalated to the point that it prompted the President’s visit.

    “International partners, including the EU, have recently been here, alongside federal agencies. We have also received generous support from churches, private individuals, and corporate organisations,” he said.

    He said that after the incident and the establishment of the camp, the government donated relief materials including mattresses, food, and non-food items to the displaced persons. “Other partners like IOM helped set up mobile toilets and provided lighting for the camp. Our ‘Mama,’ the Secretary to the State Government, Deborah Aber, also paid the electricity bills because the people at the camp could not afford to pay NEPA bills, and power had been disconnected. She covered the amount requested to restore electricity for them.

    “There are many other things we are doing. We ensure the provision of WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) services and various forms of assistance. We have even reached out to some chefs who voluntarily, with support from SEMA, cook meals for the displaced persons at the camp. Food must be prepared on-site. We don’t accept food brought from outside, but when someone comes through my ministry, we screen them, and they cook inside the camp under supervision by ministry staff and SEMA personnel. This is important because accepting outside food could be dangerous in the camp,” he explained.

    He added that the ministry only accepts chefs who have been properly screened to support cooking for the IDPs. He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his visit, saying, “He gave a presidential directive to arrest the perpetrators and to strengthen security in the affected areas. If you have been there, you would notice that the soldiers who were stationed before have been redeployed and replaced by a new team, accompanied by Mobile Policemen. The President has been following up on the implementation of these security measures.

    “Last Thursday, we received the Minister of Internal Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Netawe (Goshwe Yilwatda). One of the President’s directives was to liaise with the Benue State Government to set up a team for needs assessment and data collection at Yelwata and other camps—both formal and informal—to determine the root causes of the attack, assess what was destroyed, and understand the impact on livelihoods. This will help in planning the restoration of livelihoods and rebuilding the houses destroyed and burned in Yelwata,” he said.

    Regarding the cause of the ongoing attacks, he said, “The primary cause is land grabbing by the herders. This is strange because in the past, we coexisted peacefully with the Fulani. However, these Fulani militias that came are deliberately here to grab Benue land. That is what is happening.” When asked about the timeline for rebuilding Yelwata and resettling the displaced persons, Kunde said, “The people and their leaders—the traditional rulers and community heads—have written to me expressing the need for their return, especially since this is farming season and they want to resume their livelihoods. They also commend the presence of security and want to come back soon. We are in ongoing consultations, doing due diligence and expanding these talks to ensure a smooth return. We believe they will go back soon.

    “We don’t situate camps in the heart of towns because of the risk of infiltration. It’s difficult to distinguish between displaced persons and others once they come. We have to find ways to accommodate such complexities as well. We have started profiling them yesterday to see that those who want to go back will go back and those who could not go back there, we have camps. Some of the camps are empty. We relocate them to those camps and close this one at the International Market for now. That is the conversation that is ongoing. We will come out with solutions for what is appropriate and will still be communicated to the general public.”

    On her part, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Benue State on Humanitarian Affairs, Mimidoo Kadev, said that since the incident on June 14th, those displaced have been moved by the Benue State government to the International Market IDPs Camp, “which is a temporary settlement.” Speaking to our correspondent during a visit to the camp, she highlighted the efforts being made to provide psychosocial and health support to the IDPs, preparing them to return to their normal lives in their local communities. “If I take you around the camp, you’ll notice that the highest population is women. There are more women, girls, and children here than men.

    “When displacement occurs, women are mostly affected because their ability to earn a living—going to markets, managing home care, and caring for children—is disrupted. Many of them just sit quietly. Psychosocial support is very important—they need to talk, to express their feelings and emotions. If you go around, you’ll see some women with their hands on their faces, deep in thought, reflecting on what has happened and how they ended up in this situation. The good thing is that the government of Benue State has provided them a safe space where they are protected from further attacks and from being in the same environment where the trauma occurred.

    “We have organisations supporting the state. UNICEF, for example, has done a lot in psychosocial support. Their volunteers visit daily and engage with these women. The Ministry of Women Affairs also has trained staff on site, providing activities like weaving, plating, and knitting to keep the women occupied and help distract them from their trauma.” She continued, “We also have UNFPA focusing on reproductive and sexual health. They offer guidance and regular talks on sanitation, self-care, and sexuality. In such confined settings, sexual activity often increases over time. Since this is natural, they teach the women how to protect themselves, especially because many girls may be vulnerable to abuse. We work with them on ways to stay safe.

    “For the children, UNICEF has created safe spaces that include a makeshift school and play areas. There are about 25 volunteer teachers helping to educate the children through academics, sports, singing, dancing, and other activities to help them cope emotionally. While trauma cannot be healed immediately, these activities help suppress the worst effects. Some individuals experience suicidal thoughts. For example, there is a woman here who witnessed the killing of her four children and her mother. She is one of our most severely affected victims.

    “She sometimes runs out of the camp saying she wants to die because she feels she can never recover. These individuals require constant emotional support. If left alone, without daily interaction and meaningful activities, the trauma and suicidal thoughts can worsen.”

    She noted that the government is doing a lot to support the displaced persons through the provision of food, non-food items, sanitary products, wrappers, and clothes. “Support is coming from donors. Both partners and the government are doing a lot,” she said. She also confirmed that the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) is fully on the ground, managing the camp’s operations.

    Regarding healthcare, she said the camp has recorded about 29 births since it was established. “Many women arrived here pregnant. We are still collecting data, so I don’t have a complete figure, but from the hospital reports, we have had 29 births since June 14th. Out of these, nine were pre-term. The trauma of displacement has pushed some women into early labour, resulting in pre-term babies who are currently in incubators at the teaching hospital. The government is managing their care, including feeding, clothing, medication, and everything else.

    “The support has been good, and the government is doing its best. We are thankful to His Excellency the Governor, who calls daily, requests updates, and monitors the situation closely through our daily report group. So far, so good. God has been helping us,” she added.

    In a separate interview, Dr. Donald Komgbenda, Head of Administration at Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), described the difficulties encountered managing the camp. “Since opening this camp, I can honestly say I haven’t had a good night’s sleep,” Komgbenda said. “There is significant pressure in coordinating and managing the camp. Our first priority on arrival was to profile the victims—to determine the number of women, girls, adults, and households.

    This data is crucial for planning and responding to their specific needs.”

    He revealed that there was initial resistance from the IDPs when they tried to profile them. “The displaced persons were anxious and apprehensive, almost to the point of protest, fearing that we might short-change them. However, we needed to cluster them demographically because different partner organisations focus on different groups. Some work with children, some with women; others with the elderly or breastfeeding mothers. As you can see, there is now relative calm in the camp,” he said.

    On operational challenges, Komgbenda explained that the camp faces issues mainly related to health, logistics, and supplies. “When we arrived, this place was still a market with shops and no basic infrastructure like water, sanitation (WASH), or electricity. Moving people here was an emergency response, and many basic needs like mattresses were initially lacking. While we have managed to address some of these issues, others remain unresolved.

    “As of today, there are about 5,294 displaced persons in the camp, comprising roughly 2,336 households. Although organisations have provided mattresses, they are still insufficient, and we are working to address this shortage. Many residents also lack cooking utensils. While food is being provided, it’s better if they cook for themselves, but they need the necessary tools. Health is a major concern. Since the camp opened two weeks ago, we have attended to about 2,000 patients, and the number keeps increasing daily. Fifteen women have given birth here, and there are currently 181 pregnant women in the camp. More serious cases are referred to the teaching hospital.”

    “We have received some support in terms of drugs from NGOs and government partners. Notably, Mrs. Lillian Oghogho Musa, wife of the Chief of Defence Staff, visited and brought medical supplies, which have been helpful. However, the challenges persist, especially in providing adequate medications, doctors, and medical personnel to meet the growing needs,” Komgbenda concluded.

  • Benue killings

    Benue killings

    • How land disputes fuel deadly violence

    Benue State’s fertile lands, once a source of prosperity and pride, have become a battleground. Known as the nation’s “Food Basket,” this agricultural heartland is now ravaged by deadly clashes between indigenous farmers and Fulani herders fighting over land. With communities shattered and countless lives lost, the conflict exposes deep-rooted threats to livelihoods and security. The June 14 massacre in Yelwata and the ensuing displacement crisis underscore the urgent need for lasting peace, reports SANNI ONOGU.

    For the people of Benue State, their vast and fertile arable land has become more of a curse than a blessing. Known as the “Food Basket of the Nation,” Benue’s rich soil is both its pride and its predicament. This is due to longstanding conflicts marked by violence between native farmers and Fulani herders. Located in Nigeria’s North Central region, Benue experiences a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The state covers over 35,000 square kilometers across 23 Local Government Areas, boasting fertile soil ideal for agriculture. Major rivers such as the Benue and Katsina-Ala provide ample water for irrigation and nourish fertile alluvial plains, enabling year-round farming.

    Benue is a leading producer of staple crops like yam, rice, cassava, maize, soybeans and palm oil, as well as high-quality fruits including oranges and mangoes, with vast orchards spread throughout the state. Its people have harnessed this natural wealth, making agriculture a prolific and vital part of life. However, the same vast grasslands and lush floodplains, with their year-round water supply, have attracted herders in large numbers—much like honey draws flies. According to Governor Hyacinth Alia, quoted by his media adviser Solomon Iorpev in an opinion piece for the Daily Asset Newspaper, 90 per cent of Benue’s population is engaged in agriculture. Speaking at the Agricultural Summit Africa (ASA) 2024 in Abuja, Governor Alia outlined the state’s strategic plan: “Our strategy is simple: 90 per cent of our people are already farming. We intend to make agriculture profitable for the farmer.”

    Yet, this vision has been severely hindered by violent conflicts between farmers and herders, resulting in numerous killings, cattle rustling and destruction of farms and property by armed herder groups. One tragic example is the June 14 attack in Yelwata, a community in Guma Local Government Area. The violence claimed over 100 lives, including women and children, injured more than 100 people, and displaced over 5,000 residents to an IDP camp. The once-thriving town now lies deserted. The massacre in Yelwata sparked widespread condemnation across Nigeria and the international community, with urgent calls for the Federal and Benue state governments to take decisive action to prevent future violence. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu visited the state to console the victims and proposed a roadmap to restore peace. He also promised increased deployment of police and armed forces to bolster security throughout the state.

    Following President Tinubu’s visit, our correspondent’s trip to Benue and Yelwata revealed a strengthened security presence in the area. Investigations suggest that the rich natural resources of Benue—its fertile land and abundant vegetation—make it an attractive haven for herders seeking fodder for their cattle. While the majority of Benue’s people depend on farming for their livelihood, herders have increasingly migrated into the area, creating intense competition for land use. Farmers need the land to cultivate crops that sustain their families and communities, while herders rely on the lush grasslands to feed their cattle, which are also their means of survival. This clash over resources remains at the heart of Benue’s ongoing crisis, making it a critical issue that demands urgent resolution.

    During President Tinubu’s visit to console Benue State over the Yelwata massacre, the paramount ruler of the Tiv Nation, Tor Tiv V, His Royal Majesty James Ayatse, described the deteriorating security crisis as a “calculated, well-planned, full-scale genocidal invasion and land-grabbing campaign by herder terrorists and bandits.” He emphasised that this conflict has persisted for decades and is worsening annually.

    “Mr. President, it is not herders versus farmers’ clashes. It is not communal clashes; it is not reprisal attacks,” Ayatse asserted. However, he lamented that political actors in the state have chosen to politicise the crisis rather than unite to quell the violence.

    Benue State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, traced the root of the conflict to disputes over “the farm” or land use. In an interview at the Benue State Police Command in Makurdi, CP Emenari supported the Tor Tiv’s view, explaining that the crisis is not simply about farmers protecting their crops from cattle, but about “armed men patrolling people’s farms and forcing them from their ancestral homes.” When asked if the police had identified the root causes of the prolonged killings, which some attribute to political, inter-communal, or farmer-herder conflicts, Emenari replied: “All these factors contribute to the insecurity challenge in the state. But everything boils down to the farm. That is where most clashes and killings occur. Even incidents not directly on farms are linked to what happened on the farm.”

    He explained, “Take Yelwata for example. It’s not a farm but a rural town. Similar attacks have occurred in a few other rural towns. But generally, conflicts arise over disagreements about who owns or uses the farm. Everyone knows the ownership, but the dispute over usage is what drives the tension. All these factors you mentioned fuel this issue.” Emenari noted that farmer-herder conflicts are not new in Nigeria and have traditionally been resolved locally: “Animals must graze, and sometimes they stray into farms, damaging crops, which farmers then ward off. Local communities have always had mechanisms to handle this.” However, he stressed, “The current problem is not about animals eating crops or farmers shooing them away. It’s about armed men patrolling farms and forcing people from their ancestral lands. This is what complicates the matter, and the other factors capitalise on this core issue.”

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    He explained that while some actors have gained political capital from the violence and instability, the root cause remains the dispute over farmland. “Some people want peace and an end to the conflict, but it’s also true that others may benefit from the problem and thus have no interest in stopping it,” he said.

    Adding to the conversation, Aondowase Kunde, Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in Benue State, attributed the frequent killings and property destruction to land grabbing by Fulani militias. “The real issue is land grabbing by these herders. In the past, we coexisted peacefully with the Fulani, but these militias came specifically to seize Benue land,” he explained. Supporting this claim, Peter Akra, a 43-year-old resident of Yelwata, told our correspondent that bandits have prevented locals from planting crops or accessing their farms. “Since the rainy season began, we haven’t been able to farm even once because they don’t allow us. We are farmers, and if we can’t farm, how will we feed ourselves or pay our children’s school fees?” Akra lamented.

    He added, “They bring their cattle into our farms to eat and destroy our crops, forcing us to flee. If anyone is found farming, they are chased away at gunpoint. We have no other problem with them; this is all we know.” When asked about past conflicts, Akra said, “No, they attack us daily. In 2021, they killed my wife and four children near this market. We have no means to fight back. Attacks on Yelwata happen every day, but that day, they killed many and burned homes.” Akra, one of four men our correspondent met in deserted Yelwata, said the government is aware of the situation. “Some of our children are in government, and we have told them what’s happening. But these attacks have persisted through successive administrations. We reported the crisis, but no help came. That’s why we seem resigned.”

    He described their current plight: “We sleep outside by the expressway, exposed to mosquitoes and cold, because our homes were destroyed. My mother-in-law is in the IDP camp. My wife just returned from the camp this morning so she could help care for what remains in our house.” Regarding sustenance, Akra said, “The government provides food at the IDP camp, but here we have no food or wives. Someone kindly brought us food to share and eat.”

    Reliving the night of the attack, Akra recounted, “What happened that day was an outright assault. The Fulani herders came around midnight, around 12 a.m., and started shooting across the road. Our boys went to investigate what was happening. Suddenly, some attackers appeared in the new market across the road and began shooting and setting fire to people inside their rooms.

    “For example, this shop here,” he said, pointing nearby, “they entered and killed one of our pharmacists who worked with the Federal Medical Centre, Apir. They shot him dead here and burned many others. They destroyed the entire area—the shops, stores, and all the properties. People were burned alive inside their rooms.” When asked what the community wants from the government after the massacre and mass displacement, Akra said, “We want peace to return. Someone once said, ‘This is not my house,’ but you (herder terrorists) chased me from my village to town, from town to the road. Where do you want me to go? We need the government to intervene and provide security so we can live peacefully and return to our farms to grow food. We also want help to rebuild our homes and shops that were burned down.”

    A resident of Otukpo, who preferred to remain anonymous, stated, “What’s happening goes beyond farmer/herder clashes. This is genocide and ethnic cleansing. They want to eliminate the people so they can seize the land and feed their cattle without opposition. It’s a jihad.

    When people talk about farmer/herder clashes, it implies both sides are armed and fighting. But here, the farmers just sit peacefully at home, and by midnight, attackers come unprovoked, kill, and leave.

    “These armed men come in large groups, kill as many as they want, and disappear without being traced or challenged. Despite the numerous security checkpoints in Benue, none of these attackers are arrested.”

    Regarding whether the killings are revenge for the death of a bandit leader like Gana, the resident explained, “Gana’s group operated mainly in the Shankera axis—Logo, Ukum, and Katsina-Ala local government areas. These areas have been targeted by local terrorists loyal to the late Terwase Gana, but their activities don’t go beyond those regions.

    “The Fulani, however, have killed far more people in Idoma land than in Tiv areas. The Yelwata attack gained more attention, but killings have been ongoing in Apa and Agatu local governments. In Otukpo alone, attacks have been frequent, sometimes lasting three days straight without challenge. They’ve also attacked Umogidi, Adoka, and Ohimini. Agatu and Apa remain under constant threat. There are IDP camps in Apa, Agatu, and Otukpo—Idoma land—but these attacks receive little attention.

    “The governor has never visited any attack sites in Benue South. After the massacre in Yelwata, which affected his Tiv kinsmen, he acted quickly to prevent protests. It was only after activist VeryDarkMan led a protest that drew international attention that the President visited Benue.”

    Addressing reports that some of the killings are politically motivated to portray the governor as inefficient on security, he said, “My brother, let me tell you, no sane person would want their own people killed just to score political points. Even if you want to be relevant, the people being killed are your voters too. If everyone is killed, who will vote for you or the person you sponsor in 2027?” He continued, “If anyone is sponsoring killings, it should be directed at the state government because the governor is the chief security officer. He knows everything. In fact, the Nasarawa state governor openly admitted on Channels TV three days ago that he was aware of the impending attack on Yelwata, and Governor Alia also received intelligence about armed men planning to attack.

    “The Nasarawa governor said it was Governor Alia who forwarded the intelligence to him, reporting attacks expected in Yelwata and other communities. The question is, what did he do with this information? The attacks still happened under his watch!”

    In a phone interview, Mr. Umishi Terungwa, a farmer from Ayilamo in Tombo Ward, Logo Local Government Area, shared the impact of the crisis: “I speak from my village, Ayilamo, the headquarters of Tombo Council Ward. The constant killings have severely affected us. The economy has shrunk, and people can no longer carry out normal activities. Many villages have been deserted due to the crisis, which has lasted over 11 years. People cannot access their farms.

    Large villages in the Shankera area remain abandoned following the Fulani invasion. Most have relocated to Ayilamo.”

    Asked about farmers near rivers and waterways being unable to reach their farms, Terungwa explained, “For example, Anyevbe is close to the River Benue, near the crossing to Nasarawa and Awe. These people are primarily farmers. This is the rainy season when they should be planting rice, but they cannot access their farms. There are areas near the riverbank now completely empty. Farming activities have stopped. The terrorists have taken over our forests, and they remain armed there, preventing us from farming.”

    “Just a day or two ago, very close to the suburb of Ayilamo Council Ward, five people were killed unexpectedly while working on their farms. I have pictorial evidence of one who was buried today—another victim of these attacks. The soldiers here don’t seem to help much. When we report incidents, they only accompany us to retrieve the bodies, but they don’t patrol the forests or take action to drive the attackers away. We also have a small Mobile Police presence, but they rarely go into those areas. I don’t know if the government isn’t supporting them financially or what instructions they’ve been given, but they are not acting swiftly to control the situation. This is the challenge we face.”

    He said he is unsure why the herders have effectively put Benue’s towns and villages under siege. “They claim some people rustle their cattle, which they say is their reason for attacking,” he explained. “But some of those killed don’t even live near the cattle.” He added, “They enter your farm with their cattle, and if you complain, that’s the start of your problem. They might machete or kill you instantly. I don’t fully understand if this is a deliberate genocidal plan against our people. I honestly don’t know.” When asked about community efforts to protect themselves, he said, “We have vigilantes and hunters for protection. But hunters are less equipped—they only carry Dane guns. The Fulani, however, have sophisticated weapons, and our people cannot match them.”

    Police: ‘We’ve taken the fight to the bandits — the farms are Free’

    According to CP Emenari, security forces have made significant progress in apprehending suspects connected to the June 14th Yelwata massacre, with 26 individuals arrested so far, including Fulani leaders (Ardos) and local collaborators. Speaking to journalists in Makurdi, CP Emenari confirmed that law enforcement, under the directive of President Tinubu, has taken a proactive approach, aggressively pursuing attackers in their hideouts following the brutal killings of over 150 civilians in Yelwata community. “Since the President visited and gave a matching order, we’ve stepped up our response. We’ve arrested 26 suspects. You may be surprised to know that some of them are leaders of cultural organizations. Two Ardos are among those arrested. We also discovered some locals in Yelwata helped outsiders carry out the massacre,” Emenari revealed.

    He confirmed that the Inspector General of Police’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) has been instrumental in tracking down suspects across multiple states. “They’ve done marvelous work. Many of the perpetrators are on the run, but we are closing in. Several have been picked up already,” he said.

    CP Emenari outlined the current security architecture in Yelwata, noting that the town has been placed in a full security cordon, with mobile police units stationed on all flanks and a military base now active in the area. “We’ve reinforced Yelwata. It’s no longer easy for attackers to sneak in. The police post is now centrally located, with Mobile Police on both sides and soldiers backing them. We’ve also deployed APCs (Armoured Personnel Carriers) to ensure mobility and quick response,” he said.

    The reinforced operations cover not only Yelwata but also surrounding communities like Ortese, which recently experienced similar attacks. “We are patrolling the entire axis, working in synergy with other security agencies. With support from the state government, our men are motivated and taking the battle directly to the terrorists,” he said.

    Following the President’s visit and federal directives, the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has sent additional 12 Mobile Police Squadrons, four tactical teams, and air surveillance units to Benue.

    Emenari praised the logistical and morale support from both the Federal Government and Governor Alia. “The IGP’s support is holistic – logistics, manpower, intelligence, and air surveillance. The Governor has also been supportive with welfare and logistics. These efforts have allowed us to effectively engage and pursue the criminals,” he said.

    On restoring long-term peace, CP Emenari emphasised the need for lawful coexistence between farmers and herders, urging both parties to embrace the rule of law and reject violence. “The Nigerian Constitution and Benue State laws have enough provisions to protect everyone. Both herders and farmers must live in peace. Where there are conflicts, legal mechanisms must be used—not violence,” he asserted. He acknowledged the protracted nature of the crisis, which has lasted for over a decade, displacing thousands. “Some children born in the IDP camps are now 15 years old. That tells you how long this has lasted. But with the joint efforts of federal and state governments, and the current reinforcements, we believe we can finally turn the tide,” Emenari said.

    Despite heightened security operations across Benue State, Commissioner of Police CP Emenari has warned that the perpetrators of the June 14th Yelwata massacre and other coordinated attacks continue to attempt psychological warfare by publicising isolated incidents to project control and instill fear among citizens. “What we’re seeing now is that these hoodlums are desperate. They know we’re closing in, so they try to discourage government efforts or deceive the world into thinking they’re still in charge. But they are not,” Emenari stated.

    He explained that while security has improved across affected areas, the vast and rural nature of farmlands makes total coverage difficult. “The farms are now free. But because Benue has massive farmlands, they can ambush isolated farmers before help arrives. They attack, then publicise it to create panic,” he said.

    Citing specific areas of improvement, the CP pointed to Apa and Naka — two previously volatile hotspots — as examples of recent success. “In the last two months, Apa was the epicentre of attacks. But for the past three to four weeks, there’s been no incident there. We deployed tactical teams to stabilize the area,” Emenari said. “Naka was worse than Yelwata. But now, Naka has been calm. These are signs that the tide is turning.”

    He reiterated that the police are not targeting any ethnic or occupational group but are strictly going after armed criminals, including bandits and militant herdsmen who use firearms, machetes, and daggers to attack farmers. “This is not about herders or farmers. We are against bandits, against armed attackers who slit the throats of farmers in their own fields. Those are criminals, and we will pursue them — regardless of tribe.”

    According to CP Emenari, improved synergy between the Benue State Government, local government chairmen, and security agencies, combined with increased public alertness, has strengthened the fight against rural violence. “The people are waking up too. They are working with the government and supporting security agencies. If you can’t fight the bandits, you can shout, you can call for help,” he said.

    He also praised Governor Hyacinth Alia for empowering local leaders and continuously supporting security forces with logistics and operational backing. “The Governor empowered all LG chairmen to coordinate closely with security forces. Everyone is involved now. We hold regular security meetings and update each other. That unity is making a difference,” he added.

     When asked if the people of Benue can finally sleep with their eyes closed, the CP responded optimistically: “If Apa and Naka can sleep in peace for the last three weeks, then yes, we are getting there. It’s a gradual process, but we’ve made progress. The farms are no longer under the control of bandits,” he asserted. He concluded by honouring the sacrifices of fallen officers and local security outfits, including members of the Benue State Community Volunteer Guard (BSCVG): “We’ve made a lot of sacrifices. Some of our men and the state security volunteers have paid the supreme price. But we will not let their sacrifices be in vain. Benue is on its way to total recovery. We’re clearing out the threats — and we won’t allow them to return.”

  • We’ve secured the farms, Benue will be free, says Police Commissioner

    We’ve secured the farms, Benue will be free, says Police Commissioner

    In this interview with our correspondent, IFEANYI EMENARI, Benue State Commissioner of Police, sheds light on the root causes of the long-standing conflicts and killings plaguing the state. SANNI ONOGU provides excerpts:

    What are the police and other security agencies doing to arrest the killers and stop the incessant attacks and killings in the state?

    When the President and the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces came to Makurdi barely two weeks ago, he encouraged the security agencies here with a matching order of our taking proactive measures and taking the battle to the murderers or the killers who perpetrated the massacre at Yelwata. Since then we have arrested 26 suspects. You may be surprised to that some of them are the leaders of the cultural organisations. We have two Ardos (Fulani chiefs) and we also have local people from Yelwata that also helped these outsiders to come and massacre their people or to kill their people. But all in all, as of now, I think we have arrested 26 or 27 suspects and they will soon be charged to court.  The Inspector General of Police’s IRT (Intelligence Response Team) is a special team from Abuja that has been doing a marvellous work. They have gone everywhere to pick them up but some are still on the run. Many of them have been picked, just as I said. We have reinforced security in Yelwata. We have a kind of put Yelwata in a security cordon. We have Mobile Policemen at the back of each side of the town. So, it will not be easy again for the assailants to come from behind the town and the police post is in the middle of the town. The military also have their base there.  So, we have secured Yelwata town with enough or enforced security men, both mobile police units and the tactical squads. We even added APC (Armoured Personnel Carrier) for easy mobility. We are patrolling that axis because it’s not only Yelwata, we also have Ortese that an incident happened yesterday. We have gone all around that axis. We are working in synergy with other sister security agencies. I can assure you that the government of Benue State, led by His Excellency, Reverend Father, Dr. Iormen Hyacinth Alia, has been very supportive to all the security agencies. He has been supporting us with logistics, encouragement and with whatever he can. We hold security meetings regularly. In the past two days or three days, we have held meeting once or twice. It’s a regular thing because we have a situation at hand so all the security agencies in collaboration with the government of Benue State, we are putting heads together to make sure that this hydra-headed monster is killed once and for all.

    Also, the Inspector General of Police has pushed immense reinforcements to Benue State. At least mobile police came from about 12 Squadrons added to the ones that we have on ground. Then they also pushed four tactical teams from the Force Headquarters with their intelligence led approach and better techniques and technologies added to the air component which is also taking care of the air. So, the support of the Inspector General Police is holistic.

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     It covers every aspect. That’s why we have enough logistics and enough men to move around.  So with the IGP supporting and sending more reinforcements and deployments and the State governor, giving the welfare support, our men are highly motivated and they are taking the battle to the hoodlums, so to speak.

    How many police men have been deployed to Benue State in terms of reinforcements following the Yelwata massacre apart from those serving in the state?

    I can assure you that we have enough men on the ground.

    Have the Police been able to identify or pinpoint the root cause behind the protracted killings in Benue State over the past years, of which some have variously attributed to political, inter-communal and farmer/herders conflicts?

    All those factors you mentioned are the problems. All of them contribute to the challenge of insecurity in the state. But everything boils down to the farm. That is where most of the clashes happen. The killings happen in the farm. Even the ones that do not happen directly in the farm, it’s always out of what happened in the farm. Just like this Yelwata. Yelwata is not a farm. It’s a rural town and then we have one or two other rural towns that such incidents happened.

    But generally, it happens based on disagreements on who owns the farm or who uses the farm because everybody knows who owns the farm. It’s now the usage that is really causing all these matters. But all of them are fuelled by all these factors that you have mentioned. Otherwise, herder/farmer problem is not a new thing in Nigeria. They have always had a way of resolving their matters when they have issues because the animals must eat grasses. Sometimes, they stray into farms and eat the crops and farmers must also ward the animals off but local people have a way of resolving this matter. But the issue now is not a matter of eating crops or shooing away animals. It is a matter of armed men patrolling people’s farms and pursuing away people from their ancestral homes. So that is what makes it a complex matter.  But all the other factors capitalise on this one.  Some people would want it to stop so that everybody will have peace, but you can as well know that it’s not unlikely that some people may not want it to stop because they benefit from the problem.  That’s where the challenges come from but we are interested in the security aspect of it – that both the farmer and the herder must live in peace. If we have a problem, the rule of law will solve it accordingly and that is what the President is hammering in talking about resolving the matter so that everybody will live within the rule of law. The Nigerian Constitution and Benue State laws have enough capacity to protect everybody living in Benue State. As law enforcement officers, we have to enforce the law and that is why we are here.

    What is the panacea to ending these protracted killings in Benue state?

    The problem is protracted, just like you said. When I went to the villages, I went to a place that they showed me an IDP camp that some of the children born at the IDPs camp are 15 years old. The Government of Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia is taking the bull by the horns. What happened at Yelwata and pockets of what is still happening here and there is a kind the hoodlums don’t want to give up easily. So, they must just do something either to discourage the state from continuing taking the line of action against them or just to deceive the world that they are still in charge. No, they are not in charge. All the farms are free, but because the farmers in Benue state have very massive expanse of land, they can easily go and ambush or meet with a farmer in his or her isolated farm and they will deal with them there before help will come and they’ll keep on publicising that action to put fear in people so that they will not come back to their farms.

    Meanwhile, they are not staying in the farms, they cannot cover the farms. The security men patrol some of these rural areas once in a while. But there is a massive improvement. If you are in this state, you will know about Aper.  Aper in the past two months has become the epicentre of killings. But in the past three to four weeks now, no incidents have happened in Aper and that is because we posted our tactical teams to cover Aper. Naka was worse than Yelwata. Yelwata is just an isolated incident that happened in that axis. Otherwise, everything happened in Naka before now. As of now, if you can ask, in last three weeks, no incidents have happened in Aper. The security agencies have taken the bull by the horns and cleared armed gunmen in the farmlands.  I want you to understand that the police and other security agencies are not against any cattle herder or any farmer, but we are totally against bandits and armed herdsmen that carry their arms to go and harass farmers. Those that are even not carrying their rifles, carry machetes and daggers to slit the throats of isolated farmers in the bush.  That is what we are against and I also know that that is what the government is against. They are criminals and irrespective of tribe, we will go after them.

    Does that mean that with the security measures you have put in place, very soon, the people of Benue State will sleep with their two eyes closed?

    If the people in Naka and Apa slept well for the past three weeks without any incidents, with the additional number of reinforcement that the IGP has sent to us and making effective use of them and then the awakening of the people too – the people have also woken up and they are supporting the government and the government is supporting them to stay awake. If you cannot face the bandits with sophisticated weapons, you can always shout. You can always call the security agencies that can help you. I’m also aware that the governor also empowered all the local government chairmen to work in synergy with all the security agencies there. We are working, but it is just that the challenges have been there in the last 10 to 15 years; the solution will come gradually but the farms are free now. That is why you see all these bandits struggling to see whether they can still control the farms but the farms are free and that’s why we are working diligently to make sure that unknown armed men don’t reoccupy the farms. We have made a lot of sacrifices. Our men have paid the supreme price. Even the local security, like the Civil Protection Guards which is the State Government’s outfit, many of them have paid the supreme price and all these sacrifices will not be in vain. I’m sure Benue will be free from all this harassment by bandits. Definitely as we are clearing them, we will not allow them to come back.

  • Radda’s roadmap on Katsina’s growth, infrastructure and development

    Radda’s roadmap on Katsina’s growth, infrastructure and development

    Governor Dikko Radda has never held back in declaring the achievements of his administration, especially in the areas of security, medical tourism, education, healthcare delivery, agriculture, infrastructure and others. AUGUSTINE OKEZIE writes:

    During a media chat held to mark his second year in office, Governor Dikko Umaru Radda in a mid-term review of his administration’s performance since assuming office in 2023,listed most of his  performances to include:  establishment of the best  dialysis centre, upgrading of 158 Primary Health Center, PHCs, clearing backlog of pension and gratuity, procurement of 400 tractors, agriculture equipment to revolutionize the state agricultural sector, as well as renovation and upgrading of over 150 primary schools alongside 75 junior and senior secondary schools.

    Also during the anniversary briefing held at the Government House, Katsina, the Governor described the milestone as moments of honest reflection to account for the trust the people of Katsina placed on him and the government when he was given their mandate to lead.

    He said: “I made a promise to build a future where every citizen, regardless of background or status, can live with dignity, opportunity, and security. That promise remains my solemn oath.”

    “My development blueprint, titled ‘Building Your Future’, underwent rigorous assessment through a blueprint committee comprising 11 sub-committees and over 200 experts, many of whom now serve in my administration.”

    “This administration established several key institutions to drive development, including the Katsina State Development Management Board, the Strategic Policy Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Unit (SPIME), the first-of-its-kind Katsina State Irrigation Authority and the nationally recognized Katsina State Enterprise Development Agency, KASEDA. for MSMEs.”

    “We recognized that institutions are nothing without the people, so we introduced merit-based promotions starting with the competency-based appointment of permanent secretaries.”

    “In another unprecedented achievement, we cleared the backlog of pension and gratuity for the state and local government, allowing the state to focus on the new contributory pension scheme.”

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    The governor further explained that a comprehensive 2,000-page staff audit and skills gap analysis report is under review for implementation.

    Tackling banditry and security challenges

    The Nation recalled that tackling banditry and security challenges were inherited upon assuming office as Governor Radda noted, adding that insecurity affected 26 of the state’s 34 local government areas.

    He emphasised his administration’s commitment to the fight against banditry, noting: “The fight against banditry and insecurity were a major pledge during my campaign, and that I would expend all the necessary resources to fight it.”

    Governor Radda further noted the establishment of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps

    He said “We did not waste any time in passing the law and setting up the community-driven security outfit, which has inspired other states”.

    “We have made significant gains in the fight against insecurity, but much more must be done to eradicate banditry and other forms of criminality. We continue to work with the Federal Government and the military to bring an end to this menace.

    “We will continue our policy of supporting victims rather than paying ransoms to bandits,” while calling on citizens to “work with the authorities and provide information where it will lead to the arrest or termination of bandits.”

    On Food security

    Addressing food insecurity, Governor Radda outlined massive investments in agriculture and livestock development. The administration has supported thousands of farmers with small-scale irrigation technologies and established the Katsina State Agricultural Mechanization Centre.

    “With 400 tractors, matching implements, combined harvesters, planters, mobile irrigation rigs and other equipment, we are set to revolutionize the sector,” the governor announced, adding that extension workers increased from 74 to over 780.

    “The next step is to establish processing zones to create value addition and consumer products in the sector. Katsina will become a net exporter of processed agricultural products soon,”

    Health Care

    The governor further reported significant progress in healthcare delivery, stating his commitment to “providing one fully functional primary healthcare centre in each of the 361 wards in my first term,” with 158 currently completed.

    Major healthcare investments include recruiting 638 additional workers, sponsoring 41 students abroad for medical studies, and establishing “the best dialysis centre in the country”.

    Education

    In education, the governor reported building over 150 primary schools and 75 junior and senior secondary schools since he took office, describing this feat as the fastest rate in the state’s history. adding that an additional 77 secondary schools are currently under construction.

    The administration has also recruited over 7,250 teachers and is introducing computer technology to schools for early exposure to modern education.

    He said: “Education is a collective responsibility, and we are all accountable. Families and communities must be at the forefront of education reform.”

    Speaking on infrastructure, Governor Radda announced the completion of all inherited road projects and the construction of new ones, including the recently commissioned 24-kilometre Eastern Bypass, which “will expand our capital city and serve our people for decades to come”.

    “This administration has embraced technology, launching a fully digitized Treasury Single Account and automating our revenue collection service, leading to significant revenue growth and improved transparency’’.

    “We have been able to start implementing over 90% of the policies in my blueprint and by the will of Allah we will complete them all while introducing new ones.”

    “Our strategy for the next two years is to improve the utilization and optimization of the investments we met and made over the past two years. Every good action we have taken will be expanded, and any misstep will be eliminated to the best of our ability.”

    Katsina Varsity Mgt. denies ASUU accusation of withholding information about paucity of funds

    The management of the Katsina State owned: Umaru Musa Yar’adua University, UMYU, has dismissed allegations by  the varsity’s branch of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, about its failure to tell the students, government and the academic community the truth, about paucity of funds to execute infrastructural projects as well as provide essential amenities that were lacking in the university

    The Deputy Vice Chancellor, DVC, Academic, Professor Yusuf El’Ladan, while dismissing the union’s allegations said the varsity management regularly interfaces with government, students and the university community, during varsity congregations as approved by statutory bye laws.

    On funding allocations and budgetary provisions for planned infrastructural developments, he further stated that the varsity is running an open administration that carries every stake holder along in the scheme of things

    He said: “The management strictly abides by university bye-laws on twice regular congregation in a year and meetings with the unions”

    “If there’s any university in the country with regular meetings and interface with staff, students and the unions, it’s UMYU.

    “Each time the unions requests for meetings with the management, we are always ready to grant such requests.”

    On the lack of regular supply of essential commodities including water, electricity in students hostels and lecture halls as well as security in the campuses, the DVC maintained that the university is presently doing its best in the provisions of essential amenities on the campuses as well as security, adding that the present situation on water and electricity supplies in the universities is nationwide, without any exception.

    He said: “The management had constructed boreholes and hired water tanks for emergency water supplies and augment supply shortages’’

    “There is also an ongoing arrangements with TETFund for power supplies that will address persistent national grid collapse and the slack in power supplies ‘’

    The Nation recalled that the Chairman of ASUU, UMYU branch, Dr Mutalla Abdullah Kwara, had during a media chat with newsmen at the secretariat of the union outlined what he called “tripartite challenges affecting the smooth running of the Katsina State owned university”.

    Radda doles N4bn to lift katsina’s Women Project, Says over 800,000 Women will benefit

    Governor Radda has announced budgetary allocation of N4 billion to support women-focused economic programs in Katsina.

    He made this known during the North West Scale-Up Summit of the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP), held in Katsina.

    The summit brought together stakeholders from across the region, including Commissioners for Women Affairs from Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Gombe, and Jigawa, senior federal officials, traditional leaders, representatives of development partners, and women leaders from grassroots organizations.

    In his remarks, Governor Radda emphasized that the Nigeria for Women Project is more than just a policy adding that it is a transformative grassroots movement built on dignity, inclusion, and resilience.

    The governor further revealed that over 800,000 women in Katsina are expected to benefit from the expanded implementation of the project, which currently operates in Katsina, Daura, and Funtua local government areas.

    He said: “This will be achieved through the formation of Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), access to microcredit, entrepreneurship training, and community-based cooperatives.”

    “Our women are not waiting to be helped—they are already leading change. We are simply giving them the platform.”

    Governor Radda also announced that Katsina State will match the existing World Bank funding to scale the project across all 34 local governments in the state. He noted that this commitment is backed by the allocation of N4 billion in the 2025 budget to support women-focused economic programs, along with the creation of gender desks in every local government.

    On her part, Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, described the Nigeria for Women Project as the most coordinated and impactful gender equity initiative ever implemented in Nigeria.

  • The women left behind: Widows, mothers, bear bitter burden of Mokwa flood

    The women left behind: Widows, mothers, bear bitter burden of Mokwa flood

    Saratu Husseini bears misery like a loaded gun. On her face. From a distance, there’s little to see beyond the pointed muzzle of her grief. Closer, you’d hear the sharp crack of agony spurt from her lips: “I lost my three sons, on the same morning, few minutes apart. The water took them.” It takes a brave heart to fully comprehend the ordeal of the 44-year-old widow, who lost three children to the flood that swept through Tiffin Maza on Thursday, May 29.

    Saratu watched death happen three times, under 30 minutes. Three sons, gone, in one fell swoop. That morning, as the water surged all over Mokwa, Saratu’s sons got swept one after another, as if the river intended to drink her womb dry.

    Mohammed, 12, drowned trying to rescue a goat and some food. The flood dragged him away like a doll. Aliyu, 15, lunged after his brother, screaming his name into the chaos. The current devoured him too. Kabir, the oldest at 18, having borne their mother on his back to highland, leapt back into the water to save his brothers. He got swept, arms flailing, until he vanished in the storm.

    Saratu saw it all, screaming helplessly from her perch on highland, where her oldest son bore her to as the water rose rapidly to chest level. Three sons perishing in rapid succession, under 30 minutes, as they struggled to save her, some food, and other valuables, was just too much for her battered heart to take.

    “We lost Mohammed first, then Aliyu. I begged Kabiru not to go after them. But he wouldn’t listen,” she said, her voice searing, like a subdued howl.

    Through her recall, Saratu’s mind unfurled like a maze of harrowing realities; sorrow nebulously flowered from its fragile precincts as she relived the deluge that turned her and about 416,600 residents of Mokwa into refugees on Thursday, May 29.

    Following torrential rainfall that began the previous night, a devastating flood swept through Saratu’s home in Tiffin Maza, pulling it down, alongside several others in Mokwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State.

    Officials later confirmed at least 207 people dead and over 1,000 missing. The flood submerged farmlands, destroyed about 500 homes, and injured more than 500 people. The recent disaster is simply one among many in a country fast becoming familiar with floodwaters; in 2024 alone, flooding killed over 1,200 people across Nigeria.

    The impact of the recent flood hit hardest on Mokwa’s vulnerable divides: women and children.

    The rain came to harvest their sons

    Recounting her experience, Saratu Mai Karfa said she travelled to Mokwa to attend a wedding. “Unfortunately, the wedding was disrupted as the bride-to-be was killed by the flood. I also lost my youngest and eldest sons, aged 28 and 17 years,” she said.

    Mai Karfa also lost a lot of valuables that were meant for the wedding: expensive clothes, perfumes and food items. “The wedding materials, including clothes for my children and other items, were stored at a neighbour’s house, but they got swept away by the flood.”

    “My daughter, who was also planning her own wedding, lost her wedding materials worth about N200,000 that she had bought with her own money and stored at my younger brother’s house. Unfortunately, nothing was salvaged from that house.”

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    Zainabu Muhammadu equally recounted her losses in the tenor of a subdued howl. Speaking with The Nation, her voice broke, and a tremor coursed through her as the conversation segued to her children. “I lost them all,” she wept, bemoaning the untimely loss of her three sons, aged 14, 17 and 24. “They were all I had,” she said, recalling how the water crept into her home and kept rising.

    Cutting an equally sorrowful portrait, Zubaida Aliru relives her pain in the frame of the two small babies she can no longer hold: Hassan, 10, and Khadijatu, five. Despite the suddenness of the flood, Aliru was quick to react, reaching for her kids. Driven by maternal instincts, she held one child in each arm. But as the waters swelled, she urged them both to cling tightly to her while she attempted to wade through it. But her maternal will was too feeble for the rapid current. Eventually, they let go, and the water swept them away. “I screamed desperately for help,” she said. “But the water was louder than my voice. Nobody came to help me because they were equally fighting their way out of the water,” she said. Her story repeats, though in a different tenor, in the narratives of several mothers.

    Maryam Dahiru, however, considered herself lucky because none of her 18-member household died in the flood. But everything else vanished. Her goats, pots, grain sacks, and children’s notebooks.

    “There are 18 of us in the family, and fortunately, none of us died in the flood. But we have lost everything. The flood washed away all our food, belongings, and domestic animals. We didn’t salvage anything, not even a single shoe,” she said.

    “It’s hard to estimate the value of what we have lost. All we can do is pray to Allah to replace it with something better,” said Dahiru.

    Of broken aid and bruised dignity

    When tragedy strikes, sometimes, its silhouettes prowl in government uniforms. The distribution of the relief materials has let loose a tide of distrust, prejudice, and unseen borders. In Wurin Gangare and Gudun Ruwa, for instance, resentment festers among bereaved families and displaced survivors of the flood in real time. A young woman (names withheld) veiled in a pale yellow qimar, recounted the injustice currently being meted out to her and fellow displaced persons.

    She said, “Let me start with what’s affecting us directly. We are a close-knit community in Gudun Ruwa and Wurin Gangare, and we know those who were directly affected by the flood and who wasn’t. However, the relief materials are being distributed unfairly.   On a single afternoon alone, I counted over about 20 people who were not directly affected receiving aid, while those of us who lost their loved ones and property have not gotten any.”

    The relief distribution officials, she said, seem to be favouring people from the uphill areas, “specifically the Nupe community, without considering the actual victims and families of those who lost their lives.”

    According to her, “We know many Hausa and Nupe people who were affected in Gudun Ruwa, but it’s unfair that those who were not affected are collecting relief materials. We know who the dead belong to. We know the houses that collapsed. Yet people from uphill who lost nothing got three cooking pots. We got one. Some got none.”

    However, a government aid worker serving the area,  dismissed her allegations claiming they were exaggerated and stemmed from her impatience with the system.

    While the relief materials may not be enough, several humanitarian actors are working with the state to accommodate the needs of all the survivors. “In general, we cook more than 25kg for 50 people, but we also provide for 300 or more, that is about 30 measures per day,” said Sa’adatu Aliyu, an official of the Federation of Muslim Women Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN) Mokwa LGA chapter.

    Aliyu added that aside from providing food items, her organisation also provides clothing, toiletries and detergents. “Some NGO’s help us in sharing the food and items to the IDPs,” she said.

    The Director of Information at the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), Dr. Ibrahim Audu Hussaini, also confirmed that efforts are underway among government ministries, federal agencies, NGOs, and international partners to ensure fair distribution of relief materials and support to survivors of the flood.

    According to him, the federal government has sent 200 trucks of grains and pledged ₦2 billion for resettlement. The state government, however, rejected the idea of IDP camps, allocating ₦1 billion for temporary shelters instead.

    To ensure fair relief distribution, Hussaini said, beneficiaries are being verified through revalidation, with cash transfers and food items underway. Likewise, missing persons are still being identified. “We’re verifying each case carefully to avoid false reports,” Hussaini said, and added that many families are being issued death certificates and victims’ data is being collected, including approximate ages based on seasonal birth estimates. So far, over 50 per cent of affected persons have been documented, despite the intention to complete the exercise within 14 days.

    Across Tiffin Maza and other parts of Mokwa, the flood’s cruel current has left several women without a lifeline. In a situation where opportunities for women are scarce, wives without income find themselves completely destitute and with slim chances of relief. The flood destroyed homes and markets and the delicate webs of dependency these women had threaded with neighbours, friends, and family. Widows who had leaned on children for food, or on neighbours for shelter, now face empty doorways and unanswered calls. There are fewer doors to knock on, to begin with, as most of the houses have been destroyed by the flood.

    There is no gainsaying that the flood bears a devastating impact on several women.

     A’isha Audu, who lost four family members, now count time by the number of days since she last ate a decent meal. For women like her, who once survived by a petty trade and from her sons’ farm labour, the destitution seems absolute. The deluge drowned their very fragile network of dependence.

    Women who once kept families afloat with modest incomes from trade or farm labour also lost everything. In an economy already bent under the weight of conflict and hardship, their losses ripple outward, casting entire families into unyielding poverty.

    Before the flood, Lailatu Suleimanu, 46, survived on the small earnings from her food business. But the flood washed away her little raw supplies and little savings, she said. Now, she must rely on the sparse rations doled out at the IDP camp.

    For mothers without husbands or children, those whose strengths were rooted in the safety of family, the floodwaters have stolen their very means of survival. Stripped of homes, the displaced women now huddle in makeshift camps where food is a scarce commodity. Each woman’s story has the same bitter end. Farmlands have been buried beneath silt and mud, and small businesses that once afforded dignity and a meagre income are now in ruins. No thanks to the flood.

    Left to the elements

    Grief, in Mokwa, wears the face of a woman without food and a doubtful future. Widows like Zainabu Muhammadu now sit by the wreckage of houses that once pulsed with her children’s laughter. Her sons—14, 17, and 24—were swept away in one tragic blink. With her husband gone years ago, it was her boys who sheltered her from the elements and assuaged her sorrow. They tilled borrowed farms for grain, fetched medicine when the fever came, and laughed away her worries.

    At their demise, hunger and desolation ensnare her like a second widowhood. She owns no land and must learn to live without her sources of strength. Neighbours who once brought bowls of grain and yams no longer visit. They, too, are displaced and undone. 

    As survivors of the flood jostle for portions of inadequate relief materials, women in particular must deal with men who hunt for the bodies of already broken women. Muhammadu sleeps with one eye open, praying that the moonlight is enough to shame predators away.

    The camps offer the bleakest shelter. For several women, these places are rife with peril; the nights are haunted by the possibility of assault, with predators lurking in the fringes of their fragile sanctuaries. Hunger twists their stomachs as surely as the cold hardens the ground beneath them. And as night falls, they cower together, a mass of grieving mothers, weary daughters, and shell-shocked widows, clinging to each other in a fellowship borne of loss.

    Outside the official emergency shelters, they flock under the beams of their destroyed homes and makeshift tents, eyes dulled by loss, bodies starved by days without food, spirits bowed under the weight of survival. Beyond the camps, the flood has disbanded families like seeds scattered in the wind. Children, once under their mothers’ watchful eyes, now roam the streets, doing whatever menial work they can find. Their mothers watch with haunted pride and sorrow, knowing that each day’s small earnings stave off starvation but steal their childhood.

    The trauma of survival

    There is no gainsaying that women and children compose the heart of the afflicted, bearing a unique burden of hardship. They are not only displaced from their physical homes but also pushed from the fragile balance of survival. Arjun Jain, UNHCR’s representative in Nigeria, observed that the floods are a fresh wound upon open scars inflicted by years of displacement and conflict on affected communities. “Communities which, after years of conflict and violence, had started rebuilding their lives were struck by the floods and once again displaced,” he said.

    According to the UNFPA’s 2022 estimate, about 6.7 million people – 80 per cent – of the 8.4 million people requiring humanitarian assistance in Nigeria are women and children and are in the three most affected northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. Compared to the previous year’s 8.7 million, this represents a slight four per cent decline in people in need of humanitarian assistance.

    Within these population groups, some of the most vulnerable people with special needs are housewives and girls who, in some cases, face a triple burden of finding ways to survive, caring for their families and protecting themselves from sexual violence.

    According to the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) for 2022, an estimated 1.4 million individuals (46% IDPs, 23% returnees, 31% host communities) will require Gender Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response services in the affected states.

    After the May deluge, an unwieldy social crisis manifests in its wake, accentuating rising gender inequalities. The risk for women and girls caught in such a situation often multiplies in real time, argued social worker Omolara Odila. According to her, “Women are more vulnerable during emergencies and are left to navigate hardships that men rarely face in the same way. Many of them are poor, and the flood has rendered them even more vulnerable than most can truly comprehend.”

    She argued that due to the widespread and systemic impoverishment of females in the disaster-prone areas, they are unable to adapt, without urgent and sustained help, to hardships foisted on them during emergencies, like the flooding and other humanitarian disasters.

    Odila maintained that women are also generally more traumatised and vulnerable to Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and other personal safety and health challenges imposed by disasters and social inequalities between genders. “The higher incidences of SGBV may increase the number of deaths and diseases among women and girls,” she said.

    Previous findings in flood disaster zones revealed that SGBV often surges within distressed communities. Speaking to The Nation in the aftermath of the September 2024 flood, Hussein Jaka Ahmedu, a haulage truck operator from Konduga, stated that, “Many child molestation and rape cases happen in the dark but they go unreported because the victims fear being shamed and stigmatised,” she said.

    Several females face the brutality of survival on multiple fronts, not only battling natural calamities but also the malice of males emboldened by the void of law and order. Health services are scarce; when available, they are stretched too thin to provide the care so urgently required. The risk of maternal mortality grows perilously high for expectant mothers, unable to access safe labour conditions amidst ruin.

    According to Noemi Dalmonte of UNFPA. “The cycle of vulnerability persists, leaving these women no respite,” she said. “Every disaster disproportionately weighs upon the women, increasing the threat of sexual violence.”

    No doubt, the impact of floods often surpasses the loss of lives and damage to critical infrastructure. Not often highlighted is its impact on female health, according to experts. Damaged infrastructure may impede access to health resources. Pregnant women, as established, could be at a higher risk, thus leading to a rise in maternal deaths.

    Flooding, conflict and other humanitarian crises have only worsened the pre-existing severe reproductive health and GBV situations. Data from the 2018 NDHS show that a disaster-prone zone like the northeast, for instance, has a very high Maternal Mortality Rate of 1,546 per 100,000 live births as compared to the national value of 546 per 100,000 births.

    Teenage pregnancy is also high at 32%, a major health concern because of its association with higher morbidity and mortality for both the mother and the child. The crisis with the health system disruption has further aggravated the situation. Only 22% of deliveries are assisted by a skilled birth attendant, exposing women and newborns to increased risk of death and complications.

    While the statistics are currently indeterminable for flood-ravaged parts of Mokwa, humanitarian needs remain critical and inaccessible to women and children, among other vulnerable segments of the displaced residents, despite interventions.

    In addition to population displacement, there are pressing public health concerns, as many women struggle to live in overcrowded and unsanitary IDP camps, without access to clean water, toilets, bathrooms, and emergency healthcare. Many women hitherto reliant on their missing or now incapacitated husbands and children suffer social exclusion and discrimination that limits them from education, employment and other social benefits.

    The flood and displacement have also aggravated food insecurity among unemployed female segments of the displaced population. Prices of food staples, sanitary towels, and other essential provisions have increased due to hoarding and inflation.

    The way forward

    The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has noted the need to prioritize the safety, well-being of women and children now exposed to heightened risks of exploitation, abuse, and deep psychological trauma in response to the crisis for victims of Mokwa flood in Niger state.

    The Country Vice President, FIDA Nigeria, Eliana Matins and Chineze Obianyo, National Publicity Secretary, in a statement expressed deep condolences to the people of Mokwa, while commending the interventions of the Niger State Government, NEMA, and various humanitarian actors.

    FIDA, however, noted that the crisis demands a more coordinated, compassionate, and gender-sensitive response as the impact on women and children is particularly alarming. “As the most vulnerable group in times of crisis, many women and children are now exposed to heightened risks of exploitation, abuse, and deep psychological trauma. Their safety, dignity, and well-being must be urgently prioritised”.

    Against this background, the group called on the government, civil society, development partners, and well-meaning Nigerians to prioritise the protection and needs of women and children in all response and recovery efforts.

    They also advocated for better legal aid and psychosocial support to survivors, particularly those who may be dealing with trauma, abuse, or displacement.

    An independent assessment by UN Women established that Gender-based violence (GBV) cases are on the rise, exacerbated by unsafe shelter conditions, lack of privacy, and inadequate protection systems. To this end, there is a need for the restoration of water and sanitation hygiene (WASH), drainage facilities and other basic services, and investment in community-centred recovery, according to another joint assessment by the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS).

    On its part, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has called for enhanced disaster preparedness to reduce the impact of floods caused and ensure adequate protection for victims, who add to the population of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the country.

    The call, NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu (SAN) said, became imperative given the recent flood disaster in Mokwa, Niger State, which resulted in the death of over 200 people, many remain missing and others displaced. Speaking at the NHRC’s monthly Human Rights Situation Dashboard held in Abuja, Ojukwu announced the launch of a new quarterly Human Rights and Internal Displacement Dashboard, the first of its kind in Nigeria’s history, in response to the growing displacement crisis.

    He said the initiative, developed in partnership with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), will systematically track and address the challenges facing IDPs, asylum seekers, refugees, and returnees.

    According to him, the NHRC recorded over 40,000 displacement incidents and 1,460 rights complaints from vulnerable groups between February and April this year, adding that many continue to suffer from inadequate shelter, lack of healthcare, and systematic rights violations.

    The NHRC’s call resonates against the backdrop of rising humanitarian and rights crises in the country. In the month of May alone, the Commission recorded over 275,256 complaints.

    This overwhelming number of complaints was a clear indicator that “too many Nigerians feel unprotected” and that the country risks normalising distress and impunity, said  Ojukwu.

    “When over a quarter of a million people come to the National Human Rights Commission in just one month, the message is loud and clear,” he said, adding that the wide range of rights violations witnessed in May included violent attacks, sexual violence, and mass deaths from natural disaster.

    Beyond grief…

    There is no gainsaying the flood disaster triggered on Thursday, May 29, 2025, by torrential rainfall that began the previous night, overwhelmed the inadequate and poorly maintained drainage infrastructure of Tiffin Maza and other parts of Mokwa. The downpour, which lasted several hours over two days, caused bordering rivers and smaller tributaries to overflow their banks. Water surged into low-lying communities, especially Tiffin Maza, Unguwan Gwari, and surrounding settlements, where homes were built close to natural waterways without flood defences, and left a town of thousands clinging to debris, physical and emotional.

    The impact on women and children is particularly devastating.

    Abubakar Sabo Muhammad, head boy of the almajiri school, Madarasatul Tarbiyyatul Islamiyya, owned by Malam Hassan  Umar and located in Tiffin Maza, recalling the moment when the flood surged into their school and the adjacent mosque in which they slept, said he does not ever wish to experience such calamity again.

    According to the native of Darangi-Rijau, in Kebbi State, he was sharing the Holy Quran to fellow almajiri students after the morning prayers. “One of them asked me for permission to go to the toilet and returned immediately, visibly scared and shaken. He told us that a massive flood was approaching us. As each student went outside to look at the flood, they would come back looking very scared and hide behind me.

    “As the water rose around us, I instructed the boys to move to the inner part of the house. When it became heavy, we climbed over the perimeter fence of the house which served as our study centre.

    My 12-year-old cousin, Muhammadu, clung to one of the windows of the mosque. Another student, whose name I can’t recall, climbed a tree near the school to survive but was swept away when the flood uprooted the tree.”

    Among the residents of Tiffin Maza who were carried away by the flood was Malam Umar, whose family consisted of about 20 people. Only four of them survived: his wife, two small children, and another boy who spent the night in a shop in front of his residence.

    In some way, this narrative highlights the catastrophic impact of the flood triggered on Thursday, May 29. It also offers an intimate account of the public devastation and private miseries endured by survivors of the deadly deluge. Consider, for instance, the sad case of the two Saratus.

    Saratu Mai Karfa got trapped in Mokwa while trying to attend a wedding that would never hold, as the flood killed the prospective bride. It also killed Mai Karfa’s youngest and eldest sons. This was just at the cusp of her own daughter’s wedding. The flood carried away her daughter’s bridal garments and the groom’s offerings.

    Her husband, who lives in Lagos, received the news over a phone call, struggling to make sense of his losses, as his wife and daughter wailed into the mouthpiece.

    Thus, the wedding became a wake, and Mai Karfa “cannot count what has been lost.”

    Saratu Husseini, on her part, lost three sons to the flood. It’s one month after, and the 44-year-old is grappling with serious heartbreak. “When my husband died, my sons were there to console me. Now that they are dead, I have no one to console me.”

    Hardly anyone commiserates with her, perhaps because folk are learning to deal with their own losses.

    “Every family in Mokwa has been impacted by the flood in different ways,” said an NSEMA official. Indeed, each individual and each family suffered losses private to them.

    Consequently, Saratu is learning to deal with her pain alone. Many of her friends had simply vanished or perished in the flood. Those still around are too bogged down by personal struggles to care about her. And those who dare look her way, scorn her ordeal even as they talk eyes to her grief.

    Saratu bears it all. With equanimity and total surrender. Perhaps because it’s all she can afford. The quiet resignation of a woman who had seen her world end three times in 30 minutes.