By Abubakar I. Hamisu

There is a peculiar cruelty in self-inflicted wounds. The African Democratic Congress entered the 2026 political season as perhaps the most consequential opposition force Nigeria has seen in years. Buoyed by the defection of high-profile figures, widespread disillusionment with the ruling establishment, and a genuine public appetite for an alternative, the party had accumulated a reservoir of goodwill that most Nigerian political parties can only dream of. Then came the primaries.

What unfolded in Kaduna State on 25th May 2026 — and in the disputed conduct surrounding it — offers a sobering case study in how a political party can, in a single act of institutional recklessness, begin to squander the very things that made it credible. The ADC must reckon with this honestly, because the consequences of continued evasion are not merely uncomfortable — they are potentially catastrophic.

I.  The Weight of Expectations

To appreciate the gravity of what is at stake, one must first understand what the ADC represented to millions of Nigerians before these primaries. Here was a party that loudly and repeatedly distinguished itself from the culture of impunity that has long characterised Nigerian party politics. Its guidelines for the conduct of primaries — detailed, comprehensive, and impressively structured — reflected an institutional seriousness rarely seen. Its rhetoric promised transparency where there had been opacity, fairness where there had been manipulation, and internal democracy where there had been imposition. Nigerians, understandably exhausted by the status quo, believed it.

That belief is now under acute stress. And the stress was entirely preventable.

II.  What Went Wrong in Kaduna

The documented record is damning. A formal petition filed by Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello, a cleared governorship aspirant, alleges the deployment of armed thugs at voting centres, systematic compromise of accreditation procedures, multiple voting by the same individuals, deliberate delays that disenfranchised legitimate party members, and partisan conduct by electoral officials. These are not vague grievances — they are specific, numbered allegations supported by agents’ reports, documentary evidence, and video recordings.

More significantly, none of this was unforeseeable. Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, the Kaduna State ADC leader, wrote an urgent letter to the party’s national leadership five days before the election, specifically warning that the composition of the Electoral Committee was compromised, that it included individuals aligned with particular interests, and that proceeding on that basis would produce rejection, division, and avoidable conflict. He recommended a restructured committee with equal representation of all aspirants and a neutral chairman. The party leadership ignored him.

This is not a mere procedural lapse. It is an institutional failure of the highest order — the failure to heed a timely, well-reasoned, written warning from a senior leader. When the predicted crisis materialised, the party had no defence of ignorance to fall back on.

III.  The Structural Contradictions

Beyond the specific allegations, the post-primary period has revealed structural contradictions that compound the problem. The ADC’s own Guidelines, issued under document reference ADC/NWC/PE/001/2026, prescribe a five-member Governorship Election Appeal Committee. The committee actually constituted for Kaduna State has only three members. This means the very body now tasked with adjudicating the petition may itself be improperly constituted under the party’s rules — a fact that could render any decision it makes susceptible to further challenge.

The Guidelines also specify that the Appeal Committee chairman must be a legal practitioner. Whether this requirement was met is a matter that deserves scrutiny. And critically, the Electoral Committee, whose conduct is under challenge, and the Appeal Committee now hearing the challenge, were both appointed by the same National Working Committee whose judgment El-Rufai had already called into question. The structural independence that credible adjudication requires is, at minimum, compromised in appearance, even if not in fact.

These are not technicalities. In a party whose entire brand proposition rests on institutional integrity, such contradictions between prescribed standards and actual practice are deeply corrosive.

IV.  The Broader Danger: Goodwill Is Not Infinite

Political goodwill operates on a logic similar to financial credit — it takes considerable time and consistent behaviour to build, and can be destroyed with alarming speed. The ADC’s current wave of support is real, but it is also fragile, because it is largely aspirational. People have not yet seen the ADC govern; they have invested hope in what it promises to be. That makes its conduct of internal processes not less important but more so, because right now, how the party treats its own members and aspirants is the only tangible evidence voters have of how it will treat citizens if it wins power.

A party that deploys thugs at its own primaries, that ignores the warnings of its own leaders, that constitutes committees in violation of its own guidelines, and that then routes complaints through an Appeal Committee of questionable constitution — that party is not offering voters an alternative to what they already know. It is offering them a more eloquently packaged version of the same thing.

If this perception takes hold, and it is already forming, the consequences will be severe. The ADC’s most valuable assets — the defectors from other parties, the civil society goodwill, the international attention, the young voters mobilising for the first time — are all conditional on the party remaining what it claims to be. Many of these stakeholders have alternatives. They can return to where they came from, or simply disengage entirely. A mass exodus triggered by disillusionment is not a dramatic possibility; it is a rational response to evidence.

V.  The Kaduna Dimension

Kaduna State deserves particular emphasis because it is not simply one state among many. It is a bellwether. It carries the political profile of El-Rufai, whose national name recognition and credibility were among the factors that drew attention to the ADC in the first place. A perception that his influence was marginalised — or worse, that the primary was conducted in a manner designed to sideline his preferred candidates — goes far beyond Kaduna. It sends a signal nationally about who actually controls the ADC’s machinery and whose interests it truly serves.

Kaduna is also a fiercely contested political environment where the ADC had genuine prospects for 2027. Those prospects depend entirely on the party presenting a united, credible front. Disputed primaries, unresolved grievances, and aspirants who feel wronged do not produce united fronts. They produce parallel campaigns, strategic withdrawals of support, and the kind of internal sabotage that Nigerian political parties know all too well.

VI.  The Legal Quagmire

If the internal appeals process fails to deliver justice — either because the Appeal Committee is improperly constituted, or because its decisions lack credibility, or because aggrieved parties escalate externally — the ADC risks entering a web of litigation that will dominate its pre-election period. Court injunctions against the use of a candidate’s name, challenges to the validity of the primary itself, and INEC-related complications arising from disputed results could paralyse the party’s 2027 campaign machinery at the state and national level simultaneously. Nigerian political litigation moves slowly enough that cases filed today can remain unresolved on election day — and an unresolved cloud over a governorship candidate is a gift to opponents.

The ADC’s own Guidelines warn against this explicitly, noting that internal disputes that escalate to court will distract from the electoral mission. That warning is now prophetic.

VII.  What the ADC Must Do

The path forward is not mysterious. The Appeal Committee must act with courage and genuine independence, not as an instrument of ratification for a flawed outcome. If the evidence supports the allegations — and the documented record suggests it substantially does — the committee must say so, clearly and without equivocation. A fresh, properly supervised primary must be ordered.

Beyond Kaduna, the NWC must conduct an honest national audit of how primaries were conducted across other states, and address systemic lapses before they become the subject of additional petitions, legal challenges, and media narratives. The party’s monitoring teams, whose reports must exist, should be scrutinised to understand how these irregularities were either missed or not acted upon.

Most fundamentally, the party must demonstrate — through action, not rhetoric — that its institutional promises are real. Every grievance left unaddressed, every irregular committee decision left standing, every warning from senior leaders left unheeded, chips away at the one thing that no political party can afford to lose and easily regain: the presumption that it is different.

Conclusion

The ADC is at a crossroads that is more consequential than it may yet fully appreciate. The 2027 general elections represent a genuine opportunity to reshape Nigerian politics in ways that matter. But opportunities of this kind are not permanent. They expire. They expire when the public concludes that a party promising change is, in its internal conduct, indistinguishable from what came before.

The clumsy handling of the Kaduna gubernatorial primary is not merely an administrative embarrassment. It is a test of institutional character. Nigerians are watching — not just the outcome of the petition, but how the party responds to it. The ADC still has time to show that its guidelines are not decorative documents, that its leaders’ warnings are not ignored, and that its members’ votes are not disposable commodities. But that time is not unlimited, and it is running.

Sources & References

This essay is an independent commentary based on the following documents: ADC Guidelines for the Conduct of Primary Elections (April 2026, Ref: ADC/NWC/PE/001/2026); Petition by Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello against the conduct of the Kaduna State Governorship Primary Election (27th May 2026); Urgent Message to ADC National Leadership by Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai (20th May 2026, ICPC Detention Day 94); ADC Process and Procedure Guide to Electoral Committee Members issued by the National Organising Secretary; State Electoral and Appeal Committees for Kaduna State issued by the ADC National Publicity Secretary.

By Muhammad Abubakar

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie has called for a temporary suspension of American aid to Israel, arguing that such a move would quickly reduce tensions in the Middle East and lower energy prices.

Massie’s remarks came in response to reports that President Donald Trump angrily confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military actions in Lebanon. According to Axios, Trump warned Netanyahu that Israel’s operations were undermining U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region and risked escalating the conflict.

Reacting to the report on social media, Massie wrote that Washington should “just withhold foreign aid to Israel for a month,” claiming the move would prompt Israel to halt military operations against its neighbours, help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and reduce U.S. gasoline prices. He also described Israel as “the biggest welfare recipient from American taxpayers.”

Massie’s comments add to ongoing debates in Washington over U.S. military and financial support for Israel amid heightened regional tensions and concerns about the broader economic impact of instability in the Middle East.

By Uzair Adam

A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned that Tehran would respond with a massive wave of missile and drone attacks if the United States carries out further military strikes against the country.

Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Khamenei, issued the warning on Wednesday in a post on X, declaring that any new aggression by Washington would trigger an immediate and forceful response.

“Every shot fired and every attack will be met with a deluge of missiles and drones,” Rezaei wrote, adding that “the aggressor will swiftly be punished.”

The warning comes in the wake of recent US strikes targeting an Iranian tanker and facilities on Qeshm Island.

The attacks reportedly heightened tensions in the region and were followed by retaliatory strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain.

The latest exchange of threats has further raised concerns about a wider escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.

By Uzair Adam

Unknown gunmen have abducted the wife and twin children of the younger brother of former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday morning at Elewura in the Challenge area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Confirming the incident, one of Adelabu’s media aides, Femi Awogboro, said the woman, identified as Laide, and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were travelling within the city when they were intercepted and taken away by the attackers.

According to Awogboro, the family was heading from Elewura to connect to the expressway when the gunmen struck.

“Adelabu’s younger brother’s wife, Laide, together with her twins, Peter and Paul, was kidnapped this morning by unknown gunmen at Elewura, Challenge, Ibadan,” he said.

He added that the victims were forcefully taken away by the kidnappers during the attack.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said he could not immediately confirm the development.

“I cannot independently verify this for now. Please hold on,” Ayanlade stated.

Further details were still being awaited as of press time.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Bauchi State Police Command has begun an investigation into the suspected killing of a teenager in Kari Village, Darazo Local Government Area of the state, according to a police statement.

The statement was issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, on June 3, 2026.

Police authorities said the incident was reported to the Divisional Police Headquarters in Darazo on May 24, 2026, at about 4:15 p.m.

According to the command, the report alleged that Abdullahi Muhammad, a 17-year-old resident of Kari Village, drowned in the Kari River under circumstances linked to another resident of the community, Aisanu Nura, aged 18.

Findings from an initial investigation indicated that the suspect allegedly persuaded the deceased to accompany him to the river before he was drowned.

Police operatives from the Darazo Division responded to the report and arrested the suspect. Investigators have since commenced inquiries into the matter.

The command disclosed that the body of the victim had not been recovered as of the time of the statement, while efforts to locate it were still underway.

The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Bauchi for further investigation.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, mni, psc (+), directed investigators to conduct a thorough and professional probe into the incident.

He assured residents that the circumstances surrounding the case would be fully uncovered and that anyone found responsible would face prosecution in line with the law.

The police command also called on parents and guardians to pay closer attention to teenagers under their care and encouraged members of the public to promptly report suspicious activities to the nearest police station.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Bauchi State Police Command says its newly created Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) has recorded a significant success in efforts to curb street violence in the state capital after apprehending eight suspected thugs linked to a clash between rival groups.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, on June 2, 2026.

According to the statement, the incident occurred on May 29, 2026, at about 8:10 p.m. when VCRU operatives on patrol in the Jahun area received information that rival groups from Sabuwar Kasuwa Railway and Sabuwar Titi had engaged in a violent confrontation near the Fadan Bayam area of Jahun.

Police said members of the groups allegedly blocked a major road and were armed with sticks and cutlasses during the clash.

Upon receiving the report, officers moved to the scene, dispersed the hoodlums with teargas and restored order in the area. During the operation, one suspect identified as Abdulaziz Hashim, 16, of Sabuwar Kasuwa Railway, was arrested with a cutlass.

The command stated that further investigations led to the identification and arrest of seven additional suspects on May 31, 2026. They were listed as Mohammed Abubakar, 21, of Sabuwar Kasuwa; Ibrahim Almustafa, 15, of Sabuwar Kasuwa; Ahmad Rufai, 14, of Unguwan Jaja; Umar Isiyaka, 16, of Sabuwar Kasuwa; Habir Umar, 18, of Sabuwar Kasuwa; Aliyu Babangida, 15, of Sabuwar Kasuwa; and Usman Aliyu of Unguwan Jaja.

Police said all the suspects were interrogated and subsequently charged to court, while efforts continue to track down other members of the group who escaped arrest.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, mni, psc (+), praised the VCRU operatives for what he described as their swift response and professionalism.

He also reaffirmed the command’s determination to dismantle criminal gangs and maintain security across Bauchi metropolis for law-abiding residents.

The police further urged parents and guardians to discourage their children and wards from participating in thuggery and other violent activities that could threaten public peace.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Bauchi State Police Command has launched an investigation into an armed robbery and kidnapping case linked to an incident that occurred along the Abuja–Kaduna highway, leading to the arrest of a suspect and the recovery of a stolen vehicle.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command.

According to the statement, the case was reported at the ‘A’ Division Police Station in Township, Bauchi, on May 27, 2026, at about 7:20 p.m., according to the police.

The complainant, a professional driver who resides in the Zanda area along Gwagwa Dede Road, Church Street, Abuja, told investigators that he was attacked and abducted by suspected criminals while carrying out a transport assignment.

Police said the driver explained that on May 21, 2026, at about 7:00 a.m., a man hired him to transport wedding guests from Kaduna State to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, for an agreed fee of ₦400,000.

During the journey, the passenger reportedly asked the driver to take a different route through Kuyello Village in Kaduna State. Upon arrival in the area, armed men riding three motorcycles allegedly intercepted the vehicle.

According to the police, the passenger was later identified as Idris Mohammed, also known as Yellow, a resident of Badaromo Village in Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State. Investigators said he allegedly instructed the driver to stop before the armed men attacked him.

The assailants reportedly beat the victim with rifle butts and held him captive for 24 hours.

Police said the driver eventually regained his freedom after paying a ransom of ₦3 million through a transfer to an OPay account.

The suspects were also accused of taking away the victim’s red Toyota Corolla with manual transmission, a Tecno Pop 10 mobile phone valued at ₦130,000, ₦15,000 in cash, and a wristwatch worth ₦10,000.

Following the report, the Divisional Police Officer of ‘A’ Division, Township, coordinated an intelligence-led operation that lasted three days. The operation led to the recovery of the stolen vehicle and the arrest of the principal suspect.

The command stated that the suspect had confessed to involvement in the crime and had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Bauchi for further investigation and prosecution.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, mni, psc (+), assured residents that efforts were ongoing to apprehend other suspects who remain at large and recover the remaining stolen property.

He also advised members of the public to be vigilant when engaging commercial transport services and to promptly report suspicious movements to the nearest police station.

By Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD

No one takes up the title of Dr for head like the famous praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara. His predicament began when a university under the aegis of the European-American University conferred on him an honorary doctorate. When the university was later discovered to be a mushroom, given how he had initially taken the title with glamour and pageantry, Rarara received ridicule for his life. 

Perhaps Rarara’s fanfare and grandeur in celebrating the honour stem from mockery over his lack of formal education; as a result, mockers say he doesn’t understand English. Rarara, floating the Dr title would have been a slap to the face of these mockers.

The award of an honorary doctorate was initially given to figures who excel in their field of endeavour and thus render landmark service to their community.  For example, honorary doctorates for Mamman Shata, Ibrahim Babangida, and Aliko Dangote. However, some universities are now believed to resort to awarding the honorary title quid pro quo. Therefore, the recent Federal government order to bar the indiscriminate use of the Dr title is seen as long overdue. 

A doctor is simply referring to someone qualified to teach at the highest level. But a blurred line existed between doctors of medicine and a doctor of philosophy.  Because when “doctor” is mentioned, given our culture of genericising brand names, we subconsciously think of medicine. This is why every toothpaste is a Close-Up, every milk is a Peak, chocolate Milo, seasoning cubes Maggi, instant noodles Indomie, washing detergent Omo or Clean, bleach Hypo, and every antiseptic liquid Dettol. Therefore, after the federal government succeeded to stop abusing Dr title, they had many more disputes to settle. Including clearing this genericization ambiguity. 

Another order that Professor Suwaiba Ahmad has to issue concerns herbal practitioners. The herbalists called themselves doctors, and society also addressed them as such. As traditionalists, perhaps the federal government should order them to stick with the traditional names they are known by:  Mallam (Hausa), Oníṣègùn (Yoruba), Ọnyọ́gwọ́ (Igbo), Oma-oyi (Idoma), Vingir (Tiv), Oboh (Igala), Amawato (Ijaw), Malam (Hausa & Kanuri), and Gandoowo (Fulfulde).

There is also abuse of the title Dr. among Nigerian students. A year-one medical student or a PhD calls themselves a doctor. When do these under-breastfeeding qualify to train others?  The minister needs to issue a warning order.

The most hilarious part is when remedial or matric students are addressed as doctors. Students in this category who intend to study MBBS address themselves as “Dr.” As a matter of urgency, the Honourable Minister should issue a stern warning against this misuse of the professional title “Doctor.”

Titles are held with high regard in Africa. It appears that the longer the titles, the more important the person. In this regard, the former presidents of Gambia and Uganda stand out. Yahya Jameh is addressed as Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, Babili Mansa (Conqueror of Rivers” in Mandinka), His Excellency, Master of the River Gambia, Lord of the Animals and Birds of the River Gambia, President of the Republic of the Gambia, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. 

Idi Amin’s title is much more glamorous: His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular. 

By Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, PhD

My mother and Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu’s wife have been close friends for decades. My earliest memories of the family are rooted in our home at Bayero University Kano New Campus Senior Staff Quarters, Area C, over three and a half decades ago. As a child, I remember I was fondly called “Maigida” by Professor Abdalla’s wife because I share the same name as her husband, an early, personal reminder of the many coincidences and intersections that bind our families. 

In the early 1990s, when only a few households had desktop computers or landlines, he was already digitally acculturated, an early adopter of technology long before it became commonplace. Prof. demonstrated a forward-looking embrace of digital tools, from supporting desktop computers in the early 1990s to launching a dedicated website (https://auadamu.com) and then seamlessly acclimatising with the social media space. Though not a digital native by birth, he exemplified curiosity and was always willing to explore and adopt new technologies.

Back in the classroom, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu was a refined, multidisciplinary scholar who served as Head of Department during my undergraduate years at the Faculty of Education. Interestingly, we both began our academic journeys in Science Education. After establishing an outstanding career in Education, he expanded his intellectual horizons and pursued further studies in Mass Communication, rising to the rank of professor in the field, becoming, in every sense, a dual professor in both Education and Mass Communication.

Along a somewhat similar path, after earning my first degree in Education and a Master’s degree in Environmental Management, my various professional postings inspired me to pursue Mass Communication, from a bachelor’s degree to a PhD.

Prof. Abdallah’s intellectual brilliance, expertise, and exceptional command of English are qualities widely recognised by anyone who has encountered him. Yet, beyond these obvious attributes lies a man of principle, honour, integrity, humility, and uncommon decency. He deeply values culture, religion, and family ties.

His pursuit of knowledge has taken him across different countries of the world. Many sought to convince him to remain abroad, drawn by the depth of his knowledge and expertise, but his answer was always a firm no. His famous saying remains: “When a man is tired of Kano, he is tired of life.”

Over the years, he served in various capacities across different states and countries. Yet, despite the vast exposure and countless opportunities available to him, he remained committed to his teaching career and chose Kano as home. That decision alone has earned my deepest respect and admiration.

Our professional journeys eventually crossed paths in a remarkable way when I had the privilege of bringing the annual PR Week to my alma mater, Bayero University Kano. As I reflect on the successful delivery of the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Workshop 2025, held at Bayero University Kano, I find it both necessary and deeply meaningful to place on record my personal appreciation for the invaluable contribution of Prof. Abdalla Uba Adamu, who is now retiring from active service upon attaining the age of 70 years.

From the outset of the workshop themed “Beyond Masters of Ceremonies: The Strategic Role of Public Relations Officers for Institutional Growth and Stakeholders’ Trust,” Prof. Abdalla distinguished himself not only as a scholar of remarkable depth but also as a committed partner in institutional development. His intellectual engagement and presence added significant value to the programme’s overall success.

I recall with appreciation his active participation in the town-and-gown panel session, where he brought to bear his vast experience in media studies, cultural communication, and higher education governance. His contributions were not abstract academic reflections; they were practical, grounded insights that challenged participants to rethink the evolving role of public relations in a rapidly changing communication environment.

Throughout the engagement, Prof. Adamu consistently demonstrated an exceptional ability to bridge theory and practice. He helped situate public relations within broader questions of institutional trust, societal perception, and knowledge production. In doing so, he enriched the learning experience of Customs Public Relations Officers who participated in the workshop and broadened the intellectual horizon of the discourse.

On a personal note, I found his interventions particularly instructive in reinforcing the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to strategic communication as a tool for institutional legitimacy and stakeholder engagement. His calm disposition, clarity of thought, and depth of scholarship left a lasting impression on all participants.

As Professor Abdalla steps back from active service, we celebrate not only a distinguished career but a legacy: a legacy of rigorous scholarship, faithful service, and humane leadership. The students he taught and mentored, the colleagues he collaborated with, and the institutions he served bear the imprint of his wisdom. His writings and public engagements have helped to shape national discourses around media, culture, and education; his mentorship has created new generations of scholars and practitioners who will carry his influence forward.

On behalf of the Nigeria Customs Service Public Relations Unit and in my personal capacity, I extend our profound gratitude for his willingness to honour our invitation and for generously sharing his time and expertise. The workshop’s success was unquestionably enhanced by his involvement. As he embarks upon retirement, I wish him robust health, abundant fulfilment, and continued relevance in national and global intellectual conversations.

May his retirement be a season of reflection, continued contribution, and joyous company with family and friends. The lights of classrooms and conference halls may dim for him in one sense, but his ideas, his mentorship, and his example will continue to illuminate minds and institutions for many years to come. 

Thank you, Professor Abdalla Uba Adamu, for your scholarship, your service, and your steadfast love for knowledge and community.

Abdullahi Aliyu Maiwada, PhD, mnipr, mniia, is the Deputy Comptroller of Customs and the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service. He can be reached via abdullmaiwda@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Retired Lieutenant General Tukur Burutai, a former Chief of Army Staff in Nigeria, has cast doubt on claims that security agencies are unable to locate the hideouts of bandits and kidnappers, despite the criminals regularly posting videos from their locations.

The former Nigerian ambassador to the Republic of Benin stated that security forces possess the capability to track down such offenders. Burutai made this known in response to growing concerns over how criminal groups are using social media and videos to publicize their activities.

The retired General said he does not agree that security agencies have failed to identify where the bandits are hiding, especially given how frequently the criminals display their operations in public.

Although he did not directly criticise the security agencies, Burutai suggested that there might be underlying reasons for the approach they are currently taking.

He further emphasised the need to strengthen Nigeria’s security framework through continuous training of personnel, increased manpower, and improvements in their welfare and morale.