Author: Bala Muhammad

SECURITY Watch Network for Good Governance, chaired by Abdullahi Maikano, has commended the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Nigerian Military for their continued efforts in combating insecurity across the country. In a statement on Monday, the group praised the NSA’s strategic coordination of Nigeria’s national security architecture, which has continued to yield tangible results in the fight against terrorism, banditry, and violent crime. This commendation followed the latest nationwide operations by the Nigerian Army between June 25 and 26, 2025, which led to the arrest of multiple suspects and the recovery of a large cache of weapons…

NO fewer than 7,646 inmates have been released from correctional centres across the country between January 2022 and June 2025, as federal and state governments intensify efforts to address chronic overcrowding in the custodial centres. Our correspondent gathered on Friday that the releases, which were carried out by state and federal authorities, chief judges, and non-governmental organisations, reflect a growing trend in decongestion initiatives. According to data from various media reports by our correspondent, 707 inmates were released in 2022, 4,678 in 2023 and 1,843 in 2024. A total of 418 inmates have been freed as of mid-2025. The mass…

NIGERIA has been ranked the third most powerful military force in Africa, according to the 2025 Global Firepower Military Strength Index. The report, which evaluates the military capabilities of 145 countries worldwide, places Nigeria behind only Egypt and Algeria on the continent. The ranking, cited by VANGUARD, uses over 60 indicators to assess a country’s military strength. These include active and reserve troop numbers, diversity of weapon systems, defense budget, logistics, and geographical positioning. Egypt retained its position as Africa’s top military force, ranking 19th globally, while Algeria followed at 26th. Nigeria climbed to 31st place globally, reflecting ongoing efforts…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has disclosed that 22 suspects have been arrested in connection with the murder of 12 indigenes of the state in neighbouring Plateau State last Saturday. The governor stated on Monday this when he visited the surviving victims of the attack at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. He described the killing of the 12 Kaduna-born wedding guests in the Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State as barbaric. He said he has been in touch with Plateau’s Governor Caleb Mutfwang and President Bola Tinubu to ensure that all those involved in the…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has condemned the killing of some indigenes of the state by a suspected mob in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. The victims were said to be travelling from Zaria in Kaduna State for a wedding in Quan Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State when they were intercepted by the mob at Mangun district. The travelers were killed instantly, while several others sustained various degrees of injuries during the attack. Expressing shock and sadness over such an act of savagery, Governor Sani, in a statement, called on security agencies to immediately arrest…

THE Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, has said that contrary to opinions, the reported formation of a coalition party does not pose a threat to President Bola Tinubu. He also said that it did not suggest that trouble was looming for the ruling All Progressives Congress. “I can tell you today, but go and write it down and remember this day. Asiwaju has no threat,” the governor said during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday while reacting to the formation of a group, National Opposition Coalition Group, chaired by a former Senate President, David Mark. Speaking…

THE Kaduna State Police Command has said that the fellow who breached security protocol during the commissioning of projects at Murtala Mohammed Square by President Bola Tinubu was born with “psychiatric disorders”. The Command’s Spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, in a statement, said the individual, Umar Mohammed, a native of Anguwan Muazu in Kaduna, The police admitted that the fellow was screened and admitted into the stadium as an All Progressives Congress (APC) supporter, wearing the standard campaign T-shirt and carrying banners bearing the images of the President and Governor Uba Sani like every other supporter admitted into the stadium. The…

GOVERNORS from across Nigeria are currently gathered in Abuja for an emergency meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), amid growing concerns over national security. The meeting, which is taking place at the Forum’s secretariat in Abuja, has in attendance several state governors and deputy governors from all 36 states of the federation.. Although the official agenda of the meeting has not been disclosed, the presence of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, strongly indicates that pressing security issues are at the heart of the discussions. The emergency session comes at a time…

THE Federal Government has delivered additional relief materials to the Tudun Biri community in Kaduna state following the tragic drone strike that occurred in December 2023. This newspaper reports that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division and Commander Sector 1 Joint Task Force Operation FANSAN YAMMA, Maj.-Gen. Mayirenso Saraso made the presentation on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu. This newspaper reports that the federal government presented two motorcycles, a Corolla generator, two wireless microphones, a Single power amplifier mixer and 500 watts flood lights to the beneficiaries, including Isuwa Haruna, Ridwan Yakubu and Isah Ahmed.…

FORMER Vice President Namadi Sambo has refuted claims by a former Minister of Budget and National Planning, Dr Shamsudeen Usman, over the 2013 power sector privatisation. In a statement signed by his Personal Secretary, Yinka Ibrahim, in Kaduna, on Tuesday, Sambo described the allegations as “false, mischievous, and hypocritical,” asserting that they were intended to tarnish the image of the Goodluck Jonathan administration and the National Council on Privatisation. The former vice president was the chairman of the National Council on Privatisation and he supervised the sale of the power sector to distribution and generating companies. Usman, at a recent…

SPECIAL Adviser on Security Matters to the Sokoto State Governor, Col. Ahmed Usman (rtd), has reiterated the state government’s commitment to lasting peace and security, expressing readiness to explore non-violent solutions to the lingering insecurity challenges in the region. Usman, while speaking with newsmen, declared the government’s openness to dialogue with repentant bandits, who are genuinely willing to lay down arms and embrace peace. He said: “We wholeheartedly welcome any development that promotes peace and security in our region. “It’s important to recognise that, historically, many conflicts have ended not solely through force, but through dialogue. “In Sokoto, we’re open…

As the Federal Government battles to tackle emerging and contemporary security challenges confronting the nation, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has charged new recruits of the Depot Nigerian Army, Zaria, Kaduna State, to remain prepared to fight terrorism and insurgency in the country. Advertisement General Oluyede, who gave the charge at the Passing Out Parade of the 6,195 of the 88 Regular Recruits Intake on Saturday, emphasized the importance of courage, professionalism, and resilience in the face of adversity. The Chief of Army Staff emphasized the importance of upholding the Nigerian Army’s core values. He also reminded…

THE Nigeria Police Force says it has killed seven suspected kidnappers and arrested five alleged armed robbers in separate raids across Delta and Kaduna states. Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed this in a statement on Monday, referencing the force’s intensified intelligence-led strategies and collaboration with local security outfits. According to the statement, on June 4, 2025, operatives of the Delta State Police Command, acting on intelligence and supported by local vigilantes and anti-cult volunteers, engaged suspected kidnappers along the Abraka Railway axis. It said the encounter resulted in a fierce gun duel, during which four suspects were…

THE Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has once again urged Nigerians to pray fervently for the country’s leaders as they contend with numerous national challenges. Delivering his Sallah message shortly after observing the Eid-el-Kabir prayer on Friday at his palace, the revered monarch emphasised the importance of national unity, lawfulness, and collective support for those in positions of authority. “The best way we can support our leaders is by praying for their success, obeying the laws of the land, and promoting peace and unity among ourselves,” the…

DEPOSED Wazirin Zazzau, Ibrahim Muhammad–Aminu, has petitioned the Kaduna State House of Assembly, seeking reversal of the appointment of the 19th Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Nuhu-Bamalli. In the petition sent to the assembly speaker, Yusuf Dahiru–Liman, the former Waziri accused the immediate-past governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, of unlawfully installing Mr Bamalli as Emir in November 2020 in violation of established traditions and state laws. Mr Ibrahim stated that the selection process conducted by the kingmakers was ignored, despite being carried out in accordance with the traditions and native laws of the Zazzau Emirate and the Chiefs [Appointment and…

ELEVEN people have been killed and seven others injured by a mudslide at a local block making site in Yar-doka village of Damau District in Kubau Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The victims, mostly children, were working at the block making site when a heap of sand they were digging under suddenly gave way, burying them under its weight. Following the incident, officials of the Kaduna State Emergency Management Agency (KADSEMA) has visited the community to assess the situation, the cause of the incident as well as the commiserate with the people. The cause of the mudslide was still…

DEFENCE Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has linked the recent resurgence of Boko Haram attacks in Borno State to the group’s broader plan to destabilise the Sahel, affecting countries such as Nigeria, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger Republic. Badaru stated this while addressing journalists in Kaduna on Tuesday, following a two-day working visit to key military institutions in the state. These included the Buffalo Engineering Technical Services, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA). “There is a renewed vigour by the insurgents to destabilise the Sahel,” the minister said. “We are doing a lot to curtail…

GOVERNOR Uba Sani of Kaduna State has disclosed that he has not collected a single loan from any local or international financial institution since he assumed office two years ago. The Governor made this known while fielding questions during a Hausa interview with some radio stations in Kaduna, as part of the celebration of his two years in office. According to Sani, several banks had approached him to collect loans under different guises but he refused to accede to their requests because he didn’t want to sink the state into further debt. The governor disclosed that he cut the allowances…

THE Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, has praised President Bola Tinubu for promoting religious tolerance in Nigeria, saying the move was responsibile for the economic gains recorded across the country. The Sultan made the commendation on Saturday at the commissioning the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Darul’Ilm Centre for Islamic Studies in Kaduna built and donated by the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Tosin Ajayi. The Sultan, who urged Nigerians to de- emphasize religous and ethnic differences, said it was the ability of other economically successful countries to overcome these differences, that led to their…

THE Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Oluwatosin Ajayi has donated an ultra-modern Islamic Centre to cater for orphans and the less privileged in Danbushiya community, Millennium City, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State. The Islamic Centre which was named after President Bola Tinubu was presented on behalf of the DSS boss by a retired director of the Service, Alhaji Ahmed Zalmar at the Second Quranic Graduation Ceremony of 22 students at the school on Saturday. Ajayi at the event explained that the law empowered the DSS to prevent five major threats to internal security in the…