By Uzair Adam

Suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgents have abducted the wife of a pastor and her three children along the Maiduguri–Damasak road in Borno State.

The incident occurred around noon on Saturday near Kareto village in Mobbar Local Government Area, according to community sources.

The victims were reportedly travelling to Damasak, where Pastor Moses Guguma serves as the resident pastor of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), when the commercial vehicle conveying them was intercepted by the armed men.

A community source, who requested anonymity, said the attackers ordered the pastor’s wife and her three children to step out of the vehicle before allowing the remaining passengers to continue their journey.

“The terrorists intercepted the commercial vehicle near Kareto village and asked the pastor’s wife and her three children to disembark.

“They allowed the other passengers to continue before disappearing into the bush with the family,” the source said.

The source added that the pastor’s wife had only recently been discharged from a hospital in Maiduguri and was still recuperating at the time of the abduction.

Another family source, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the victims were deliberately targeted because of their Christian faith.

“We are currently holding special prayers, asking God to ensure the safe return of the victims,” the source said.

Damasak, the headquarters of Mobbar Local Government Area in northern Borno, lies about 156 kilometres from Maiduguri and has experienced repeated attacks by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters over the years.

As of the time of filing this report, the whereabouts of the victims remained unknown.

Security agencies had yet to issue an official statement on the incident, while the abductors had made no known contact or ransom demand.

By Muhammad Mikail

On June 26, 2026, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 into law at the State House in Abuja, before an audience that included the trailblazer DG/CEO of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Engr, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Senate President, the Deputy Speaker of the House, the Attorney General, the Minister of Interior, and a World Bank representative. The gathering was deliberately high-profile: the new law closes a 19-year gap in Nigeria’s identity system and reshapes how citizens, businesses, and the government will trust each other online. The Act officially repeals and replaces the NIMC Act of 2007, which had governed Nigeria’s identity system and remained untouched even before smartphones, biometric enrolment, or mobile banking became part of everyday Nigerian life.

For most citizens, the significance of a piece of legislation like this is easy to miss. And very few people will ever read its full text. This new Act 2026 determines how easily a young graduate opens a bank account, how a small trader secures a loan, how a Nigerian abroad renews a passport, and how confidently anyone can prove who they are, online or in person.

Why the Old Law Had to Go

When the original NIMC Act was passed in 2007, Nigeria had no national-scale biometric enrolment infrastructure and no meaningful digital economy to speak of. That changed dramatically over almost the two decades that followed: the National Identification Number (NIN) became mandatory for SIM registration, passport applications, bank account opening, and voter registration. As digital services multiplied, the risks also did. Identity theft, fraudulent NIN registrations, and the phishing of biometric data became live problems that the 2007 framework was never built to address. It had nothing to say about digital credentials, cybersecurity obligations, or how private companies overseeing NIN-linked data should behave. The new Act closes that gap. Thus far, officials and legal analysts point to four structural shifts at the heart of the reform:

NIMC becomes Nigeria’s digital trust authority. The single biggest change is the designation of NIMC as the Root Certification Authority for Nigeria’s National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). In practical terms, NIMC now controls the digital “keys” that make online transactions verifiable and trustworthy. 

“One Person, One Identity” is now the law. The NIN is formally established as Nigeria’s foundational identity credential, with the NIMC empowered to enable secure, interoperable data exchange among government agencies, financial institutions, and private-sector organisations that previously operated on fragmented, disconnected systems.

Data protection gets real teeth. The 2026 Act aligns NIMC’s practices with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) and international privacy standards, meaning biometrics, addresses, and linked credentials must now be processed and stored under legally defined rules with NIMC committing to audit enrolment partners and third-party integrators more closely.

Penalties are sharper, and enforcement powers wider. Companies now face fines running into tens of millions of naira, while offences such as impersonation, multiple registration, and unauthorised access to identity data attract custodial sentences. NIMC’s investigative powers now extend to search, seizure, and, subject to judicial authorisation, data decryption.

The Commission’s board has also been reconstituted to include representatives from 14 government institutions, including INEC, the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the EFCC, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Office of the National Security Adviser. This signals that identity management is now of huge government concern.

The Implications for Identity Development

For nearly twenty years, Nigeria’s identity system evolved in a fragmented manner. NIN requirements were bolted agency by agency, without a unifying legal architecture. The 2026 Act gives that patchwork a single statutory backbone.

ID analysts rank Nigeria among Africa’s most mature digital identity ecosystems, alongside Kenya, Ethiopia, and South Africa. A legally grounded, PKI-backed identity system positions Nigeria for cross-border interoperability at a moment when West African economic integration is deepening, becoming a potential regional asset. The law also explicitly widens access for Nigerians in the diaspora, an acknowledgement that identity is a right and the attendant ID infrastructure needs to follow citizens wherever they live.

What It Means for Nigeria’s Digital Economy

The government have tied the Act directly to Nigeria’s ambition of building a one-trillion-dollar economy, arguing that a trusted, interoperable identity layer is a precondition for the digital services that ambition depends on. When banks, telecoms, insurers, and government agencies can all verify identity against a single authoritative source rather than duplicating know-your-customer processes, transaction costs fall, and fraud becomes harder to commit. Analysts following the reform expect it to strengthen the investment case for fintech expansion, e-commerce, and digital lending. These are sectors that all depend on being able to cheaply and quickly verify that the person on the other end of a transaction is real. Reduced duplication across agencies is also expected to improve the efficiency of public service delivery more broadly, from tax administration to social intervention programmes that need to verify beneficiaries accurately.

What It Means for the Everyday Nigerian and Legal Resident

Easier, wider access to services: With the NIN legally cemented as the reference point for passports, bank accounts, insurance, tax filing, and credit applications, NIMC has stated that citizens, including those in the diaspora, can expect easier and convenient access to identity-linked services, and stronger interoperability means fewer redundant registrations across agencies.

Stronger data protection: For the first time, there is a clear legal obligation governing how a Nigerian’s biometric and personal data must be managed, whether by NIMC itself or by any private company plugging into its verification infrastructure. 

Higher stakes, and higher expectations. The Act’s tougher penalties offer citizens greater protection against identity fraud. Also, to meet with President Tinubu’s directive of enrolling every Nigerian by the end of 2026 means NIMC would need to register more than three million people every month, DG/CEO NIMC said in an interview on Channels TV recently that NIMC is collaborating with partners under the World Bank-supported Nigeria Digital Identification for Development (NDID4D) Project to accelerate nationwide enrolment. This offers real hope of inclusion, particularly for rural and lower-income Nigerians who remain hardest to reach. 

The road ahead 

The NIMC Act 2026 is, by most independent accounts, a genuinely significant piece of reform. It closes a legal vacuum that persisted across four presidential administrations and a mobile internet revolution, the original drafters of the NIMC Act 2007 never anticipated. But the law itself only creates the scaffolding. The harder work of auditing enrolment partners, enforcing data-breach penalties, and reaching citizens outside the system remains.

Conclusively, I urge the NIMC, critical stakeholders and relevant agencies, organisations, CSOs and players in the ID ecosystem to support the NIMC and ensure the ACT of 2026 ultimately strengthens public trust, serves as a means to encourage nationwide enrolment for the NIN, and ensures the institutions enforcing it are themselves held to account. Ultimately, we must collectively ensure that all intended benefits, services, and access that the Act 2026 brings becomea lived reality for the average Nigerian and legal resident, and not another entry on the country’s lengthy list of good intentions.

Muhammad Mikail is a communications professional and writes from Abuja. He can be reached via muhammadnmikail.mm@gmail.com

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Benue State Police Command says it has arrested additional suspects in connection with the killing of Prof. Gabriel Nyityo and his younger brother, Iorngee John Nyityo, describing the incident as an assassination rather than a robbery.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Cletus Nwadiogbu, disclosed this during a press briefing in Makurdi on Friday.

He said the two brothers were killed on July 8 in Adaka community. Police officers attached to the D Division responded to a distress call at about 2 a.m. and recovered their bodies.

Nwadiogbu said security agencies immediately activated checkpoints across the area. The effort led to the arrest of the prime suspect, 23-year-old Abdullahi Usman from Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

According to the commissioner, the suspect was intercepted about four hours after the attack while trying to pass through a National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) checkpoint in Lafia.

“He felt the NDLEA checkpoint was not manned by policemen and decided to walk across. Unknown to him, the officers had already received information about the incident,” he said.



“They searched him, recovered a phone and from the phone we established that he was one of the suspects.”



Nwadiogbu said security agencies in Nasarawa, including the Department of State Services (DSS), expanded the investigation, which resulted in more arrests.

“They have made more arrests of those who came with him, and they have assured us they will hand them over,” he said.


“We are also determined to identify and arrest those who assisted them within Benue because there must have been local collaborators.”


He added that preliminary findings indicate that some criminal gangs responsible for attacks in Makurdi operate from neighbouring Nasarawa State before returning after carrying out their operations.

The police commissioner did not reveal the number of suspects in custody because investigations are still in progress.

He also dismissed reports that armed bandits had established roadblocks on the Makurdi-Lafia highway.

“That information was false. It was the handiwork of enemies who wanted to divert our attention and create panic. We patrolled the road from one end to the other. Nothing happened. People travelled freely throughout,” he said.


Nwadiogbu also clarified that the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, had not directed the removal of legitimate police checkpoints across the country.

“We are only removing illegal roadblocks mounted by individuals or groups who have no authority to stop road users. Security agencies will continue to perform their lawful duties on our highways,” he said.


The commissioner further disclosed that the command arrested 10 suspects between June and July over the killing of two Fulani leaders after a peace meeting in Ohimini Local Government Area. He said swift police action prevented the incident from developing into a wider communal conflict involving Benue and Cross River states.

He added that police also neutralised suspected armed robbers and kidnappers in separate operations across Makurdi, Katsina-Ala and Logo local government areas. Officers recovered four AK-47 rifles, six locally made pistols, 23 rounds of live ammunition, two motorcycles, mobile phones and charms.

Nwadiogbu said operatives recovered a stolen commercial motorcycle from a robbery suspect in Guma Local Government Area. He added that raids on criminal hideouts in Katsina-Ala led to the arrest of 15 suspects and the recovery of three bags of substances suspected to be cannabis.

He also disclosed that five suspected herders were arrested in Guma for allegedly grazing cattle on cultivated farmlands, while seven suspects were apprehended in Naka over the killing of a man during the burial of a youth leader.

According to the commissioner, police arrested a woman in Ukum Local Government Area for allegedly setting a house on fire, an incident that claimed the lives of two children.

On cult-related crimes, he said one suspect was arrested after rival cult groups clashed in Makurdi, while 12 suspected cult members were apprehended in Gboko during what investigators described as an annual cult meeting.

Nwadiogbu also revealed that police arrested a suspect linked to the attack on the Otukpo-Nobi community and obtained information about individuals suspected of aiding the attackers.

He further said seven Pakistani nationals intercepted during a security operation at a hotel in Otukpo were found with valid travel documents. According to him, they told investigators they were in Nigeria to conduct a market survey before establishing an electronics business. He added that the foreigners remain under profiling by the State Criminal Investigation Department.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have rescued Prof. Samuel Okunsebor, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture at Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), days after he was abducted by gunmen in Nasarawa State.

Okunsebor was kidnapped on Wednesday at Mile Uku, a border community between Lafia and Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area. The attack reportedly occurred around midnight when armed men invaded the area.

According to security sources, DSS operatives traced the professor’s location through intelligence-led operations and secured his rescue at about 3 p.m. on Friday.

Following the operation, the agency handed the professor over to his family in the presence of senior officials of the university, including the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Kitso Ngbargu.

He was later taken to the Federal University of Lafia Teaching Hospital for medical evaluation and routine checks.

A senior university official, who spoke anonymously, disclosed that two suspects have been arrested in connection with the abduction.

The official commended the DSS for its swift intervention and successful operation.

> “The university is greatly indebted to the DSS for working round the clock to ensure the timely rescue of our amiable Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture,” the official said.



“We understand that the DSS have in their custody two of the persons behind the kidnap of our dear professor.



“Given how the DSS has been meticulously prosecuting suspects in courts, we have little doubt that both suspects will soon have their day in court.”



The incident comes about a month after three students of the Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) were abducted by unidentified gunmen from their residence near the institution’s temporary campus in Akunza, Lafia.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has unveiled a statue in honour of the late literary icon, Chinua Achebe, in his hometown of Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

The monument, which stands at the Ugwunwasike Roundabout in Ogidi, was unveiled on Saturday. The event came 13 years after the celebrated novelist passed away.

Speaking at the ceremony, Soludo described Achebe as a literary giant whose influence extends far beyond Nigeria. He also pledged that his administration would continue to support efforts aimed at preserving the author’s legacy and encouraging the growth of future literary talents in the state.

> “Achebe represents excellence and remains one of the world’s greatest literary figures. We will continue to support initiatives that inspire the emergence of more Achebes in Idemili north and Anambra state,” the governor said.



Also speaking, the Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area, Stanley Nkwoka, said Achebe and Soludo had brought global recognition to Anambra through their outstanding achievements.

The Anambra State Government said the statue would help preserve Achebe’s legacy while promoting the cultural heritage and tourism potential of Ogidi.

Achebe, who is widely regarded as the father of modern African literature, was born on November 16, 1930, in Ogidi to the family of an Anglican evangelist.

He rose to international prominence after the publication of Things Fall Apart in 1958. The novel has since been translated into dozens of languages and remains one of the most widely read works of African literature.

Apart from fiction, Achebe wrote essays, poetry and short stories that examined colonialism, governance, identity and post-independence Africa. His contributions earned him several international honours during his lifetime.

Achebe died on March 21, 2013, in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, at the age of 82 after a brief illness. He was laid to rest in his hometown of Ogidi on May 23, 2013.

Some of his notable works include No Longer at Ease, Arrow of God, and The Trouble with Nigeria.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A Prominent human rights advocate and founder of Human Rights Radio and Television, Dr. Ahmad Isah, has intervened in a legal dispute against a Kaduna-based social media personality, urging the withdrawal of a defamation and abusive language case filed on his behalf.

Dr. Isah, widely known as the “Ordinary President” of the Brekete Family, made the appeal on Monday following a viral video in which the social media influencer, Adamu Maryam Adam Maryam, allegedly made defamatory and abusive remarks against him. The remarks prompted legal proceedings initiated by a third party acting on the broadcaster’s behalf.

In his public address on the matter, Dr. Isah clarified that he did not personally instigate the legal action, noting that it was pursued by individuals who felt compelled to defend his reputation. However, he has now called on them to discontinue the case, citing his personal regard for Ms. Adam Maryam, whom he described as “one of his daughters.”

His appeal comes in the wake of three separate public apologies issued by Adam Maryam over her comments. The radio host emphasized his belief in reconciliation and forgiveness, stating that he holds no grudges against the young social media personality.

“The case was not filed by me, but by those who felt hurt on my behalf. I am now appealing to them to withdraw it because I see Adamu as my child,” Dr. Isah said. “She has apologized publicly three times, and as a father, I believe in giving people a second chance.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disbursed ₦7.61 billion in retirement benefits to 4,237 retired officers through 9 Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), as the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the welfare of its former personnel.

Adeniyi announced the payment during a dialogue with retired Customs officers. He said the funds had already been released to the PFAs for distribution into the beneficiaries’ individual accounts.

According to details presented at the meeting, Access-ARM Pension Managers received funds for 1,223 retirees, while Premium Pension accounted for 2,268 beneficiaries. Leadway Pensions covered 403 retirees, TrustFund Pensions had 156 beneficiaries, FCMB Pensions received payments for 144 retirees, Veritas Glanvills Pensions had 28 beneficiaries, Norrenberger Pensions covered 11 retirees, and Fidelity Pension Managers received funds for 4 beneficiaries, making a total of 4,237 retirees.

The Comptroller-General said the Customs Service must remain financially strong enough to meet its obligations to both serving and retired officers. He added that the well-being of officers who devoted many years to the Service remains closely linked to the institution’s future.

He also encouraged retirees to continue engaging constructively with the Service. According to him, “I acknowledged your concerns and suggestions raised, and it is in view of this we called for this dialogue to promote better understanding and reduce the effect of rumours and unofficial information on the relationship between the Service and its retired personnel.”

The meeting also had in attendance the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Human Resources Development, DCG Tijjani Abe, alongside other members of the management team. They assured the retirees that the issues raised during the engagement would receive due consideration at the Board and management levels.

The retired officers thanked the Comptroller-General and the management team for creating an avenue for direct interaction. They also appealed to the Service to make such engagements a regular feature to strengthen ties between serving and retired personnel.

The dialogue comes as the Federal Government continues efforts to improve pension benefits. The initiative follows plans to review the legal provisions governing pensions, including Section 15(4) of the Pension Reform Act 2014, in line with Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

By Uzair Adam 

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kano Sector Command, has announced plans to appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court in Kano that barred its personnel from operating on state and local government roads, limiting their activities to federal highways.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice M. S. Shuaibu, followed a suit instituted by Kano-based lawyer, Barrister Abba Hikima, who challenged the legality of FRSC checkpoints mounted on township roads in July 2025. 

He argued that motorists were being stopped despite committing no traffic offences.

In his ruling, Justice Shuaibu held that the FRSC acted beyond the powers granted to it by law by operating on state roads. 

He further ruled that the Corps’ actions infringed on citizens’ constitutional rights to personal liberty and freedom of movement as guaranteed under Sections 35 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution.

The court granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff, including a perpetual injunction restraining the FRSC from operating on state and local government roads in Kano. 

It also ordered the Corps to publish a public apology in a national newspaper and awarded N800,000 in damages and costs.

Reacting to the judgment, the Public Education Officer of the Kano Sector Command, CRC Abdullahi Aliyu Labaran, said the Corps respects the decision of the court but believes the ruling has been widely misunderstood.

He explained that the judgment did not invalidate the FRSC Establishment Act, 2007, but only restricted the Corps’ operations in Kano to federal highways pending further legal action.

According to him, the FRSC will continue to patrol major federal roads within the state, including the Kano–Zaria Road, Kano–Katsina Road, Kano–Maiduguri Road, Kano Western Bypass, Airport Road and Murtala Mohammed Way.

Labaran expressed concern over social media posts encouraging motorists to resist FRSC officers, warning that such actions could lead to unnecessary confrontations, threaten public order and endanger lives.

He added that the Corps decided to challenge the ruling because it believes its defence was not adequately considered during the proceedings.

Pending the outcome of the appeal, the FRSC assured members of the public that it would continue to carry out its statutory responsibilities professionally and within the confines of the law on federal highways across Kano State.

The Corps also urged motorists to cooperate with its personnel and disregard what it described as misleading online interpretations of the court’s judgment.

Dear Editor,

I write to draw urgent attention to the tragic state of the Kofan Doka and Agoro Bridges—Federal Government Road projects that have become death traps for residents of Zaria Local Government due to prolonged abandonment.

Initiated by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, the Kofan Doka cloverleaf bridge, the New Jos Road, and Agoro Bridge were never completed. Today, under Governor Uba Sani, there is still no sign of progress. Even the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Abbas Tajuddeen, who once promised to ensure their continuation, has failed to follow through.

The condition of these bridges represents more than just a construction delay; it symbolises the disconnect between the government and the people.

But this is not just about broken promises. Whenever it rains, the areas become completely impassable. The flooding cuts off entire communities, endangers motorists, and puts schoolchildren and traders at serious risk of drowning or being swept away. We live in constant fear every time the clouds gather.

While our leaders trade political statements, we are left to wade through floodwaters, lose goods, and watch our children risk their lives just to get to school. This is unacceptable.

The Kofan Doka and Agoro bridges are on Trunk-A roads, yet no tier of government—federal, state, or legislative—has taken responsibility.

We are not asking for favours. We are demanding action. Complete the bridge before this rainy season claims a life.

I urge all parties involved, including the Kaduna State Government, the Federal Government, and our representatives in the National Assembly, to prioritise the completion of the Kofan Doka Bridge, the Agoro Bridge, and the New Jos Road. It is time to move beyond rhetoric and deliver concrete results for the people of Zaria Local Government and for Kaduna State at large.

Sincerely,

Yazeed Salisu

salisuyazeed@yahoo.com

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government has renamed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway in honour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, stating that he conceived the project during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State nearly 3 decades ago.

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced the decision on Thursday during a media briefing in Abuja. He said the ministry approved the new name after consultations with its leadership and staff.

“That highway is named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Coastal Highway,” Umahi said.

He added, “By the powers conferred on me as minister of works, in consultation with my permanent secretary, the minister of state, directors and staff of the ministry, we decided to name it after him because of his dream for it.”

The minister said Tinubu first envisioned the project about 27 years ago while serving as Lagos State governor.

“He had that dream about 27 years back as governor of Lagos state. It is one thing to dream and another thing to have the grace of God to actualise that dream. This is one man who dreams and has the grace and divine mandate to actualise that dream,” Umahi said.

He also announced that President Tinubu approved the extension of the Fourth Legacy Highway by an additional 400 kilometres. The approval increases the total length of the corridor to about 1,100 kilometres.

Umahi further disclosed that the president approved the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway with reinforced concrete pavement. He said the approvals also cover the completion of the abandoned Ibi Bridge in Taraba State, the construction of the 5.76-kilometre Lau Bridge and the dualisation of another 400 kilometres of the East-West Road.

The minister said work was progressing on several sections of the 750-kilometre Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. He explained that the first section, which stretches from Victoria Island to Eleko Village in Lagos State, serves as a model for modern highway construction.

According to him, the second section from Eleko to the Lagos-Ogun boundary is about 60 per cent complete. He said the project is expected to reach substantial completion by November. He added that construction is also underway in Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ogun and Ondo states.

Umahi expressed confidence that the approved road projects would improve transportation across the country, strengthen national unity and stimulate economic activities.