The Nation Newspaper

Tag: INSECURITY

  • Reps seek comprehensive solution to insecurity

    Reps seek comprehensive solution to insecurity

    Members of the House of Representatives yesterday sought for a comprehensive action by governments at all levels to address the rising cases of insecurity in the country.

    They emphasised their earlier position against negotiating with bandits.

    Zonal caucus leaders and members took turn on the second day of the House debate on the security situation in the country to vent their anger and frustrations as Nigerians across the country are subjected to attack daily.

    Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs, Kafilat Ogbara set the tone for the day when she said that the reality confronting the nation was not a distant episode in our national conversation.

    She said: “It is a deep and bleeding wound in the lives of our children, our families and our communities. And I termed the Papiri and Kamba abductions as a national tragedy.

    “We are facing severe insecurity crises with widespread kidnapping and banditry. When people come to communities to kill them, to traumatise them, this is nothing but terror. Let me be clear, these are not mere security failures. They are breaches of the most fundamental duties of the state, which is the security of lives and properties.

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    “When we have security issues, we need our governors to do more because the president cannot be everywhere. He cannot be in Sokoto, he cannot be in Zamfara, he cannot be in Ogun State. He cannot even be in Lagos State at the same time, his own state. We need our governors to do more and this is the right time for us as a house to legislate on the right legal framework of our state’s policy.

    “For me, I may not be a security expert, but I know that every security is local. We need a security situation where our security operators will be communicado, where Nigerians can call any security operative at any hour of the day and they are sure to get the right response.

    She praised the President for the empathy he has shown and for the release of the Kebbi girls, saying: “The brief relief felt by the families of those that escaped is overshadowed by the agony of those still waiting, waiting for a knock on the door, for a phone call, for any sign of hope.”

    She asked: “We have seen the children where are the kidnappers? Nigerians are asking. We have seen the children, where are the kidnappers? We need to know.

    “This crisis demands our urgent attention because children are used as deliberate targets. Schools that are once safe havens have become tragic targets.

    “Mothers and female educators bear emotional and economic burdens. Community disruption. And I must say that this trauma lasts a lifetime sometimes. We have to avoid this. Children who escape captivity or witness violence often experience long-time trauma, insomnia, anxiety, nightmare and withdrawal.

    She recommended the establishment of a national safe schools protection framework, mandatory deployment of security teams to high-risk boarding schools and also to reinforce dormitories, night surveillance, panic alert systems, invest in early warning infrastructure, cameras, sensors and secure communication links with law enforcement agencies.

    Leader of the Northwest, Sada Soli said the current challenges are not just criminal, but structural, rooted in environmental stress, with governance and economic marginalisation, adding that tackling these threats demands a holistic strategy that combines security operations with social, economic and environmental interventions.

    Soli said a purely military or kinetic response won’t be sufficient to address the issues in the Northwest, adding that long-term stability will require building trust in state institutions. We must build trust in our institutions, while making efforts to reform land and livestock governance, addressing climate response and pressure, and ensuring that affected communities are meaningfully taken care of in providing solution to our security threats.

    Leader of the Northeast Caucus, Mukthar Betara said  Borno State and the Northeast has remained the epicentre of insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping and communal violence.

    Betara advocated adequate funding for the security agencies and the provision of adequate welfare package as a way of encouraging them.

    He said:”’Nigerian security challenges may be vast, but can be addressed with strategic planning, coordinated action, awareness and political commitment. We c” stop the spread of violence and restore public confidence.

    “This special session provides us with not just opportunity, but a responsibility to charge a bold new direction. The Nigerian people are waiting. Communities across the Northeast and the nations are watching.

    “History will remember us today. What we have chosen to do today in this chamber, let us rise for a moment together and help and secure the nation. That is our solution.”

  • Insecurity: Wike orders total security beef-up, surveillance across FCT

    Insecurity: Wike orders total security beef-up, surveillance across FCT

    • …CP forms operation sweep squad

    The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has ordered a significant boost in security across Abuja, including enhanced surveillance at all borders with neighbouring states and key entry points.

    In line with the directive, an operation sweep squad comprising a joint military taskforce, police, Department of State Services (DSS), and other security agencies has been deployed across various parts of the capital.

    Addressing the team on Tuesday, FCT Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, urged the officers to work in close coordination to eliminate crime across the FCT. 

    He noted that Minister Wike has provided adequate logistics to ensure the operation’s success and guarantee residents’ safety.

    Supported by other heads of security agencies, Dantawaye disclosed that the operation has received approval from the Service Chiefs and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

    The initiative aims to tackle all forms of criminality, with special attention to areas most vulnerable to kidnapping and banditry, particularly as the yuletide season approaches.

    “The FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, has given complete support, especially in terms of logistics for this operation. He has given approval, and I am sure that by the time we’ll be leaving here later, I mean today, the funds for fueling, for servicing of the vehicles, and even allowances for the men will have dropped into an account that we can assess”, the CP added.

    On the influx of beggars into the city centre, the CP stated that the security agencies are collaborating with relevant departments of FCTA to tackle the menace of street begging in Abuja.

    He added that while the legal requirements on the evacuation of street beggars are being perfected, anyone arrested in black spots would be profiled because some criminals often disguise themselves as beggars.

    He said, “We were trying to perfect our legal requirements to that effect before we could delve into that. But naturally, we wouldn’t want to have people loitering around the cities, and by way of claiming that they are beggars. Because we know that amongst the people that come, some of them who claim that they are beggars are not exactly beggars. Most people come with criminal intent.

    “We’re going to profile them and see that we will take off the criminally minded streets, even if they claim they are beggars. But for the beggars, well, we work closely, as I told you, looking at the legal backing, working closely with Abuja environmental protection bodies to see if there’s a need for us to take them away from the streets or not.”

  • Nigeria and the rising wave of insecurity

    Nigeria and the rising wave of insecurity

    • By Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu

    Sir: Nigeria is inching into a troubling chapter where insecurity is no longer a distant concern but a daily shadow stretching across communities, highways, markets and now, the country’s schools. The recent surge in kidnappings has unsettled citizens and raised serious questions about the effectiveness of national security frameworks. What used to be episodic attacks have evolved into a sustained campaign of abductions, village raids and highway banditry that expose deep cracks in the country’s ability to protect its people.

    Across many states, residents speak of fear as a constant companion. Travellers avoid certain routes, farmers abandon farmlands, and families adjust their routines around the unpredictability of violence. Security agencies, though making efforts, continue to appear overstretched and often reactive. Attackers strike quickly, vanish into unmapped forests, and resurface in another location days later. Communities are left grieving while government assurances rarely transform into long-term relief.

    In a development that underscores the urgency of the situation, several states have now moved to shut down schools as a precautionary measure. Katsina State has ordered the closure of all public schools, following credible threats linked to the activities of kidnapping gangs. In Kwara State, schools across Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero LGAs have been closed over rising concerns of attacks on vulnerable institutions. Plateau State has taken similar steps, placing selected schools on indefinite shutdown. Findings across the northern region show that over 180 schools have been affected by either temporary or ongoing closures linked directly to insecurity.

    This trend represents one of the most alarming signals yet. When schools begin to shut down not because of strikes or infrastructure decay, but due to the inability of government to guarantee the safety of children, the crisis deepens. The consequences are severe: disrupted learning, displacement of pupils, psychological trauma, reduced enrolment, and widened educational inequality. Children bear the heaviest burden of a battle they did not choose.

    The broader insecurity plaguing the country is not without roots. Years of ungoverned spaces, porous borders, arms proliferation, youth unemployment and an over-centralised policing system have created fertile ground for criminal groups to thrive. Banditry has become organised; kidnapping has become transactional. The combination of economic desperation and weak local intelligence systems has allowed small groups of armed men to wield disproportionate influence in rural communities.

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    Still, this moment calls for more than routine condemnations. What Nigeria faces requires a recalibration of its security priorities. Intelligence must take precedence over brute force. Communities need to be integrated into early-warning mechanisms. Technology—especially aerial surveillance, communication tracking, and real-time mapping of forest corridors—must shift from policy statements to operational deployment. States must also be allowed clearer, legally backed roles in security management, as the current centralised structure is no longer sufficient to address a crisis spread across vast territories.

    Public trust, already weakened, can only be rebuilt through visible, sustained action. Citizens want coordinated operations, not conflicting statements. They want preventive measures, not post-attack visits. They want accountability in security spending and clarity in strategy. Above all, they want assurance that their children can sit in classrooms without fear.

    Nigeria stands at an inflection point. The closure of schools is more than a temporary safety measure—it is a national alarm, a stark reminder that insecurity is now undermining the very foundations of development. Whether the country reverses this trajectory depends on how decisively and intelligently the challenge is confronted.

    For now, parents wait, communities worry, and a nation watches the future of its young people disrupted by forces that should never have been allowed to grow this bold.

    •Abdulhamid Abdullahi Aliyu,

     Abuja.

  • Call to implement tripod model for curbing insecurity in Nigeria

    Call to implement tripod model for curbing insecurity in Nigeria

    Nigeria stands at a perilous crossroads today. The spectre of insecurity looms large, threatening not only the safety of lives and property but also the very fabric of our national unity, economic stability, and collective destiny. From the northern plains to the southern forests, from bustling cities to rural hamlets, the menace of banditry, insurgency, kidnapping, and communal violence has become a daily reality. This is not merely a passing challenge; it is an existential crisis that demands urgent, pragmatic, and visionary intervention.

    The time for rhetoric has long expired. What Nigeria requires now is decisive action anchored in innovation, cultural resonance, and institutional empowerment. It is within this context that I call upon the Federal Government to adopt what I term the Tripod Model of Security Intervention—a three-pillar framework designed to transform our approach to safeguarding lives and property. This model rests upon three strategic pillars: deploying drones and forest rangers to reclaim our forests and rural spaces, implementing state policing to localise and strengthen law enforcement, and constitutionally empowering our traditional monarchs to serve as grassroots patriotic security arms. Together, these pillars form a tripod—stable, balanced, and resilient. Without one, the structure falters; with all three, Nigeria can stand firm against the tide of insecurity.

    Implementing Recommendations from Drone and Forest Rangers

    Nigeria’s forests, once symbols of natural abundance and ecological heritage, have tragically become sanctuaries for criminality. Insurgents, kidnappers, and bandits exploit these vast, ungoverned spaces as hideouts, staging grounds, and operational bases. The inability of conventional policing to penetrate these terrains has emboldened criminal networks, leaving rural communities vulnerable and defenceless.

    In my earlier article, Drone and Forest Rangers, I outlined a comprehensive strategy to reclaim these spaces. The Federal Government must now move beyond deliberation to implementation. Advanced drone technology offers unparalleled opportunities for surveillance, intelligence gathering, and rapid response. Drones can monitor vast forested regions in real time, detect suspicious movements, and relay actionable intelligence to security agencies.

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    Yet drones alone are insufficient. Technology must be complemented by human presence. This is where forest rangers come in—well-trained, well-equipped personnel dedicated to patrolling, monitoring, and securing our forests. These rangers should be armed not only with modern tools but also with ecological knowledge, enabling them to protect both human communities and environmental resources.

    The synergy between drones and forest rangers will dismantle criminal hideouts, disrupt insurgent logistics, and restore confidence in rural and forested regions. Moreover, it will send a powerful message: Nigeria will no longer cede its natural spaces to criminality. Our forests must return to being sanctuaries of life, not death.

    Implementing State Policing

    Centralised policing, as currently practised in Nigeria, has proven inadequate in addressing the diverse and localised nature of our security challenges. A single, monolithic police structure cannot effectively respond to the unique cultural, geographical, and socio-political realities of thirty-six states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    State policing is not merely an option; it is an urgent necessity. Empowering states to manage their own security architecture will ensure rapid response, cultural alignment, and accountability. Local officers, recruited from within communities, will possess intimate knowledge of the terrain, language, and social dynamics. They will be better positioned to detect early warning signs of unrest, mediate conflicts, and respond swiftly to emergencies.

    Critics often raise concerns about the potential misuse of state police by governors for political purposes. While such concerns are valid, they are not insurmountable. Robust constitutional safeguards, independent oversight mechanisms, and federal coordination can mitigate these risks. Indeed, the dangers of inaction far outweigh the risks of reform.

    The Federal Government must therefore collaborate with the National Assembly to amend the constitution and institutionalise state policing. This reform will decentralise security, empower communities, and strengthen the federation. It will also relieve the overstretched federal police, allowing them to focus on national and trans-state threats such as terrorism, cybercrime, and organised crime.

    In truth, no modern federation thrives without localised policing. Nigeria must join the ranks of nations that recognise the indispensability of state-level law enforcement.

    Constitutionally Empowering Nigeria’s Monarchs as Grassroots Patriotic Security Arms

    Nigeria’s traditional rulers—Obas, Obis, Emirs, and other custodians of cultural heritage—occupy a unique position in our national life. They are not relics of the past but living institutions of trust, influence, and continuity. For centuries, they have served as custodians of community values, mediators of disputes, and guardians of local order.

    In the contemporary context of insecurity, these monarchs must be constitutionally empowered to serve as grassroots patriotic security arms. This empowerment should not be symbolic; it must be practical, financial, and institutional. A fraction of the security votes currently reserved for governors should be allocated to fund monarch-led security initiatives.

    Traditional rulers, with their deep-rooted networks and moral authority, can mobilise community vigilance, foster intelligence gathering, and coordinate local defence efforts. They can serve as bridges between formal security agencies and grassroots communities, ensuring that information flows seamlessly and trust is maintained.

    Moreover, empowering monarchs will restore a sense of ownership and patriotism at the community level. Citizens will no longer perceive security as a distant, government-imposed structure but as a collective responsibility anchored in familiar institutions. This cultural alignment is crucial; without it, security measures risk alienation and resistance.

    By leveraging the influence of traditional rulers, Nigeria can create a patriotic force that complements formal security agencies and strengthens community resilience. In times of crisis, monarchs can rally their people, mediate conflicts, and prevent escalation. Their involvement will transform security from a top-down imposition into a bottom-up collaboration.

    The Tripod Model: A Balanced Framework

    The genius of the Tripod Model lies in its balance. Each pillar addresses a distinct dimension of insecurity: technology and terrain through drones and forest rangers, localisation and accountability through state policing, and culture and community trust through empowered monarchs. Together, they form a holistic framework that is pragmatic, technology-driven, and culturally aligned. No single pillar can suffice; all three must be implemented in concert. Just as a tripod cannot stand on two legs, Nigeria cannot overcome insecurity with partial measures.

    This model also reflects the principle of subsidiarity: decisions and actions should be taken at the most immediate level consistent with their resolution. Forest rangers operate at the ecological level, state police at the political level, and monarchs at the cultural level. Each complements the other, creating a layered defence system that is both resilient and adaptive.

    Conclusion: The Time to Act is Now

    Insecurity is eroding Nigeria’s national unity, economic stability, and international reputation. It undermines investment, disrupts education, displaces communities, and corrodes trust in government. Left unchecked, it threatens to unravel the very fabric of our nation.

    The Tripod Model offers a way forward—a pragmatic, balanced, and visionary solution. It combines technology with tradition, decentralisation with unity, and innovation with cultural resonance. It is not a utopian dream but a practical framework that can be implemented with political will, constitutional reform, and institutional commitment.

    I therefore urge the Federal Government to act immediately. Implement these recommendations. Empower our institutions. Restore peace to Nigeria. History will not judge us by our intentions but by the actions we take today.

    Nigeria must rise to the challenge. The tripod awaits its deployment. The time to act is now.

    •Ademola is Africa’s First Professor of Cybersecurity and Information Technology Management, Chartered Manager, UK Digital Journalist,  Strategic Advisor & Prophetic Mobiliser for National Transformation, and General Evangelist of CAC Nigeria and Overseas

  • Rising insecurity: Governors support Tinubu’s counter measures -Senator Karimi

    Rising insecurity: Governors support Tinubu’s counter measures -Senator Karimi

    Chairman Senate Services, Senator Sunday Karimi, called out Governors on Friday, asking them to support the Federal Government’s efforts in combating the raging insecurity in the country by introducing counter local community measures.

    His call came as terrorists launched another night attack on St. Mary’s School, a Catholic institution in the Papiri Community of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, abducting students and members of staff whose figure has yet to be ascertained.

    The latest attack followed the Monday abduction of 25 girls from Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga town, Kebbi State, by gunmen.

    While the case of Maga town sent shockwaves, the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Eruku town in Kwara state was also attacked by terrorists.

    Karimi, who represents Kogi-West Senatorial District, expressed concern that the pattern and frequency of the attacks within days apiece suggested a bid to discredit the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

    He called for immediate response by state governors, being closer the communities, to be proactive by initiating community counter-measures that would complement the efforts the President had made, using the country’s Armed forces.

    “We have to be vigilant. And speaking seriously, it would appear that some mischief makers might also be working behind the scenes.

    “We all have to work hard to secure the country; security is the business of everyone.

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    “I call on the governors specifically. They have to move swiftly to complement the efforts of Mr President”, he added.

    Defending Tinubu’s security interventions, which Karimi said had been done in collaboration with the National Assembly through “speedy reviews and passage of security budgets” in the past two years to safeguard lives and property, he recommended the use of more community security outfits to work with the police to fish out criminal elements.

    Citing an example of how collective efforts could stem insecurity, the lawmaker recalled how he donated a fully-built military operating base in Egbe, Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State, in 2024 to the Nigerian Army to help fight banditry and other violent crimes in the area.

    The facility, which Karimi said he personally financed, is the first of its kind in the North-Central region of Nigeria of the country, and aimed at tackling insecurity on the Kogi-Kwara-Ekiti boundaries.

  • Governors, senators, NLC, others seek tougher action against insecurity

    Governors, senators, NLC, others seek tougher action against insecurity

    • AbdulRazak calls for troop deployment in Eruku

    The killing of two worshippers in a Kwara church and the abduction of 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi have triggered nationwide outrage, with political leaders and others calling for tougher action.

    Kwara Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq condemned the killings and requested “urgent deployment of additional security operatives” to Ekiti Local Government, especially the Eruku axis.

    “The governor wholly condemns the unconscionable attack, sympathises with the people of Eruku and the CAC church,” his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, said in a statement.

    AbdulRazaq also commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for deploying 900 more troops to the state.

    “We have indeed seen appreciable calm in many areas previously affected.

    “We are confident that the additional troops will provide further deterrence and permanent calm,” he said.

    The state government has also activated a proactive security measure in schools in parts of the state as part of its wider efforts to guarantee a safer environment for schoolchildren.

    Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, said the measures affect schools in Ifelodun, Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin, and Oke Ero  Local Government Areas.

    The move underscores the determination of the government to curtail the activities of kidnappers who may want to use schoolchildren as human shields from renewed security crackdowns.

    “The measures also cover the boarding schools in Irepodun, which could be targets of the criminals who are running for cover amidst widening security operations.

    Read Also: Fed Govt will rescue Kebbi abducted school girls, bring culprits to Justice — Shettima

    “The measure may remain in place while awaiting further security clearance for normal activities to resume,” Olohungbebe said in a statement.

    Former Senate President Bukola Saraki described the Kwara attack as “shocking and deeply distressing,” lamenting that residents were injured and some abducted.

    Saraki urged the Federal Government and security chiefs to secure the release of victims and institute a long-term security framework for Kwara, noting its “strategic position as a gateway between the North and South”.

    “The state deserves a special security arrangement that will not jeopardise our national interest and internal peace,” he said.

    Senator Sunday Karimi (Kogi West) praised President Tinubu for postponing his trips to Johannesburg and Luanda to receive security briefings and order reinforcements in Kwara.

    Karimi urged Governors AbdulRazaq and Usman Ododo of Kogi State to work jointly to secure border communities and again pushed for full local government autonomy.

    According to him, the latest attack by bandits on a worship centre in Eruku underscored the importance of strengthening the local government areas, being the closest to the grassroots.

    “Governors have been foot-dragging in allowing the councils to enjoy full autonomy for reasons best known to them.

    “If allowed to function, councils should be able to protect people within their localities,” the senator said. 

    “Allowing local government full access to their funds will reduce banditry as council chairmen will utilise part of their funds in engagement and  arming local vigilantes in fighting banditry, instead of these funds being filtered away through phoney contract awards that are never executed but paid for in some state of the federation.”

    Urging Nigerians to rally behind the President’s resolve to lift the country to loftier heights, the senator noted that enemies of progress have been encouraging banditry in their bid to pit Nigerians against Mr. President.

    Former presidential candidate Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim urged the Federal Government to “act fast” to prevent an imminent loss of control amid escalating attacks in Kwara, Kebbi, Niger, Zamfara, Kaduna, Plateau and Bauchi states.

    He described as alarming the killing of two officers in Rogun Village, Patigi, Kwara State, where terrorists reportedly overran a police outpost.

    “If terrorists can attack a police outpost in Kwara and kill officers without consequences, what hope is left for villagers?

    “If 25 girls can be taken in Kebbi without immediate rescue, what remains of the meaning of government?” he asked.

    He called for a radical overhaul of the security architecture and condoled with victims in Kwara and Kebbi.

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also condemned the abduction, saying Nigeria is “running out of time” in the fight against banditry.

    In a statement by its President, Joe Ajaero, the Labour Centre described the attack as a painful reminder that the nation has failed to prevent a recurrence of past tragedies.

    “Our hearts are with the students, their parents, and the government and people of Kebbi State,” he said.

    NLC lamented that Nigeria once vowed never to repeat the horrors of Chibok, yet similar abductions continue.

    It urged Nigerians to rally behind Governor Idris and demanded that the Federal Government overhaul its security strategy.

    “We must be worried about the shrinking physical and psychological space in our country… Today, frontline states are facing the fire.

    “Tomorrow, we may not know what happens next,” Ajaero warned, insisting the government must act decisively.

    The lawmaker representing Kebbi South, Senator Garba Maidoki, is optimistic about an early return for schoolgirls.

    Speaking on a national television programme, he said: “We have a fair idea where the girls are, and we are sure they have not moved outside the Kebbi South Senatorial District.

    “There is high hope that the girls will return home in one or two days.

    “Yesterday (Tuesday), I came back from Maga, where I met the families of the victims.

    “I assured them that we will work with the government and other security agents to ensure these children are brought back home.

    “I assured them that this incident will not be like the Chibok girls; they’ll come back home.”

    According to the Senator, the security within the area had improved as the security agents had successfully dislodged bandits who had hitherto occupied many of their villages.

    The Sultan of Sokoto–led Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) condemned the Kebbi schoolgirl’s abduction, describing the incident as “heartless, tragic and utterly avoidable.”

    In a statement, JNI lamented that the abduction occurred barely days after a security summit in Birnin-Kebbi, saying it follows the grim pattern of previous attacks in Chibok, Dapchi, Kankara and Kagara.

    It said recurring abductions are devastating for parents and communities and reflect security lapses around schools despite persistent threats.

    JNI, through its Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, expressed concern over gaps in security coordination in Kebbi, citing the recent kidnapping and release of the state’s Deputy Speaker as evidence of growing audacity by criminals.

    It said security agencies often respond reactively, leaving parents without reassurance.

    “Do we really understand the magnitude of these repeated events?” it queried.

    The body warned that continued attacks pose a major setback for girl-child education in the North.

    “No parent will now be comfortable allowing their daughters to attend unprotected schools. And the North is the loser,” the statement said.

    JNI condoled with the families of the slain vice-principal and abducted schoolgirls and prayed for their safe return.

    It urged governments at all levels to take decisive steps, insisting that “enough should be enough.”

    The organisation called for intensified security in all girls’ schools and urged Muslim communities to engage in special prayers for the nation.

    It also warned Northcentral governors to remain alert, stressing that proactive measures are essential to avert a widening security crisis.

    The Congress of University Academics (CONUA) expressed concern over the abduction of 25 students of Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, Kebbi State.

  • Reps set aside Thursday for nationwide security debate as insecurity persists 

    Reps set aside Thursday for nationwide security debate as insecurity persists 

    The House of Representatives has set aside Thursday for a full-day national security debate as Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity.

    Speaker of the House, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, announced the decision at Tuesday’s plenary.

    He said the scale and spread of violence across the country now require decisive, collective intervention from lawmakers and security agencies.

    Abbas made these remarks on Tuesday when Minority Leader Hon. Kingsley Chinda sought to move a motion drawing attention to the recent kidnapping of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the killing of a senior military officer. 

    The Speaker stepped the motion down, noting that the House had already reserved Thursday exclusively for security deliberations.

    “We are deeply saddened by these unfortunate incidents,” Abbas said. “I announced earlier that we will dedicate the whole of Thursday to security-related matters, and this particular event is one of the reasons behind our decision.”

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    The Speaker issued a strong directive to security agencies to intensify efforts and reassess their strategies.

    “I call on all security agencies to please step up all actions and strategies to ensure the lives and properties of Nigerians are secured,” he said.

    He also instructed all lawmakers to come prepared with detailed briefs from their constituencies.

    “Every member is invited to make submissions on insecurity in his state or constituency. Thursday will give us the opportunity to hear, in detail, all the security issues bedevilling our constituencies and our states,” Abbas added.

  • FG engages veterans to fight insecurity, revamp rural economy

    FG engages veterans to fight insecurity, revamp rural economy

    The federal government is engaging veterans to restore security and promote economic development in previously insurgent-occupied areas.

    The veterans will be engaged under a new programme titled “Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space for Economic Benefits Programme (RUSEB-P).”

    The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, announced this at a briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

    Badaru said the programme is strategically designed to leverage the expertise of retired, agile military veterans.

    “By engaging veterans to reinforce local security and initiate projects like farming and mining, RUSEB-P will prevent the resurgence of terrorism, revitalise local economies, and strengthen national security and cohesion,” he said.

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    The Minister said a dedicated committee is currently finalising the implementation framework, noting that the strategic vision extends beyond immediate support, encompassing the long-term, impactful engagement of seasoned veterans.

    “To this end, the Ministry is developing a critical new initiative named the ‘Reclaiming the Ungoverned Space for Economic Benefits Programme (RUSEB-P).”

    Badaru said the Ministry was also introducing the “Thank A Soldier” QR Code, a digital initiative that enables Nigerians at home and abroad to send personalised messages of appreciation and encouragement to serving troops and pay tributes to the fallen.

    “The ‘Thank A Soldier’ QR Code will be launched immediately following this briefing, aligning with our drive to modernise engagement through digital inclusion and youth participation,” the Minister said.

    He urged Nigerians to honour gallant men and women who embody valour, discipline and unity, which are the very pillars of our democracy and symbols of our sovereignty.

    Badaru said the government was also strengthening support for veterans through digital innovation, including the establishment of a “Veterans’ Databank and Call Centre.

    He explained that the initiative, which will be formally launched as part of the 2026 Armed Forces Celebration and Remembrance Day activities, will provide a central platform for efficient service delivery, improved response time to grievances and highly targeted welfare support.

    He also revealed plans to review the Nigerian Legion Act, seeking to rename it the Veterans Federation of Nigeria (VFN).

    He said reform will strengthen the legal framework for veterans’ benefits and reintegration programmes.

    “The ministry, in demonstration of fairness and national reconciliation, has successfully enrolled 2,141 Civil War veterans who fought on the Nigerian side but retired before meeting the stipulated pension qualifying years, ensuring all sacrifices are duly recognised.

    The Defence Health Maintenance Limited (DHML) now serves over 400,000 enrollees, including more than 205,000 veterans and their families, guaranteeing comprehensive primary, secondary and tertiary care across every state,” the minister said.

  • Defence Minister, Anyim, Arewa Think Tank hail Tinubu’s efforts against insecurity

    Defence Minister, Anyim, Arewa Think Tank hail Tinubu’s efforts against insecurity

    Prominent Nigerian leaders, including Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, former Senate President, Senator Pius Anyim, and Convener of the Arewa Think Tank (ATT), Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, have lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for its determination to end insecurity and reposition the economy.

    They spoke in Kaduna at a public lecture organised by the Arewa Think Tank to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, themed “65 Years of Nigeria’s Independence: The Journey So Far with the Renewed Hope Agenda in View.”

    The Defence Minister said insecurity in the North has considerably reduced under the Tinubu administration, citing improved safety along major highways and the return of farmers to their fields in previously troubled areas.

    “We from the North have been telling our people that President Bola Tinubu has been part and parcel of us. I have been walking into his bedroom while Lagosians keep waiting for him until he comes out. He is a man of respect and honour, truly the Asiwaju of Nigeria, and his handshake cuts across the country,” he said.

    “This government is our government; Asiwaju is our man. Today, banditry attacks have reduced in the North. Most of us from Kaduna State can testify that farmers have returned to their farms in Birnin Gwari, people now go to the market safely, and there are no more attacks along the Zaria–Funtua–Gusau axis. We are not saying insecurity is completely over, but we are almost there,” he added.

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    Former Senate President Pius Anyim commended President Tinubu for deepening citizens’ engagement and promoting accountability in governance.

    “I want to say that wherever and whenever Nigeria is being celebrated, I will be there and proud to be part of it,” he said. “This event is to further strengthen citizens’ engagement with the government on key policies and programmes under the Renewed Hope Agenda. That agenda represents the totality of this administration’s vision and action plan.”

    Anyim emphasised that citizen engagement is critical to the success of every government policy, saying, “It is through such interaction that government can secure the understanding and support of citizens. I commend this initiative as one way to strengthen democracy and stabilise our politics. Only an accountable government engages its people, and by doing this, President Tinubu is proving his commitment to transparency.”

    In his address, Convener of the Arewa Think Tank and organiser of the event, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said Nigeria remains a resilient nation despite its challenges.

    He insisted that Nigeria is not a failed state, noting that the tough economic reforms introduced by President Tinubu are necessary steps to reposition the economy for sustainable growth.

    “Tinubu is the man that will take this country to the promised land,” Yakubu declared. “What we are witnessing today is fiscal discipline in our economy. Given time, the impact of these reforms, especially in agriculture and the oil sector, will directly benefit ordinary Nigerians and farmers.”

    He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against divisive narratives aimed at destabilising the country, saying: “As we celebrate our independence anniversary, we must not allow the enemies of progress to draw us back. Despite our challenges, Nigeria is not a failed state.”

  • IG seeks deeper collaboration between police, varsities to curb insecurity

    IG seeks deeper collaboration between police, varsities to curb insecurity

    • LASUED VC: Higher institutions must play active roles in national security

    Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun has called for a deeper collaboration among security agencies, the academia, and communities to tackle Nigeria’s multifaceted insecurity.

    Speaking at the third edition of a security summit organised by the Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), with the theme: Strengthening The Partnership Between Town and Gown in the Age of Insecurity, Egbetokun said national security cannot rely on force alone but must be anchored on education, morality, and civic responsibility.

    The police boss described the security threats confronting the country as complex and technology-driven, listing them as cyberattacks, misinformation, kidnapping, and terrorism.

    He assured that the police force was transforming into an intelligence-led, technology-driven, and community-focused service through the use of data analytics, drones, forensic tools, and cybercrime units.

    But he warned that technology cannot replace trust, calling for stronger ties between academia and the police to develop innovative solutions.

    Egbetokun stressed that safety is not merely the absence of crime but the presence of justice, trust, and knowledge.

    The police boss said these values must be co-created by all sectors of society.

    According to him, when practical experience meets intellectual insight, nations progress from reaction to innovation.

    He sought closer cooperation between the government and academia for evidence-based policy design, urging universities to come up with innovations to boost intelligence, home-grown technologies to detect, prevent, and combat criminality as well as ownership of the security architecture.

    He noted that a national moral rebirth should be the foundation of security, warning that no law can succeed where the national conscience is asleep.

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    Egbetokun said crime prevention must begin in the classrooms, homes, and places of worship, which serve as “the first police stations of the mind”.

    The IGP maintained that the police under his leadership were prioritising professionalism, ethical conduct, and human rights.

    He warned against the dangers of misinformation, saying fake news is one of the gravest threats to peace and national cohesion.

    He decried how manipulated online content undermines trust in law enforcement and emboldens criminals.

    Egbetokun urged fellow citizens, media practitioners, and digital platform operators to combat disinformation through civic education, media literacy, and truthful reporting.

    The IGP stated that “a society cannot fight crime with suspicion; it must fight with unity and shared truth”.

    To institutionalise the town–gown partnership, Egbetokun proposed five pillars: data-driven policing, youth behavioral studies, cybersecurity education, community conflict management frameworks, and public trust evaluation.

    The police boss urged universities to serve as think-tanks for public safety and young Nigerians to become active participants in building peace.

    He added that the country’s true defence lies not in weapons but in wisdom, morality, and shared purpose.

    “When knowledge stands guard, ignorance retreats, and when communities unite, criminals scatter,” Egbetokun said.

    LASUED Vice Chancellor, Prof. Bilkis Bidemi Lafiaji-Okuneye, noted that a university cannot teach fearlessly, research rigorously, or serve selflessly in a climate of uncertainty.

    The vice chancellor stressed the need to create secure two-way channels between campus security, community leaders, transport unions, market associations, and formal agencies, and ensure that a single credible tip is verified, escalated, and acted upon quickly to prevent loss, calm tensions, and save lives.

    She also stressed the need for partnerships, saying when town and gown collaborate, insecurity loses both recruits and refuge.

    According to her, the universities must be co-authors in the architecture of national and community security.

    Lafiaji-Okuneye said the summit was convened for stakeholders to think, plan, and act together on security matters.

    “Visibility patrols around campuses, high-traffic corridors, and at known risk hours reassure the innocent and discourage the opportunistic. Community-policing approaches built on respect, cultural literacy, and accountability transform fear into cooperation and suspicion into partnership,” she added.