Security

By Muhammad Abubakar

Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has criticised the newly released Netflix film The Herd, arguing that it reinforces harmful stereotypes about Fulani herders and the wider Arewa region. In a post shared on social media, Ahmad said the problem is not the film’s focus on banditry, which he acknowledged is a tragic reality, but its “dangerously inaccurate” portrayal of an entire ethnic group.

Ahmad pointed to a scene in the movie’s teaser in which herders suddenly pull out guns and abduct travellers, describing it as a misleading depiction that paints all Fulani herders as violent criminals. He stressed that while some bandits are indeed Fulani, the vast majority are innocent and among the worst affected by insecurity, having lost their cattle, livelihoods and loved ones.

He warned that such portrayals in international films risk shaping global perceptions in damaging ways, fuelling suspicion and discrimination against innocent people. “That is how stigma is created,” he said, noting that millions of viewers may come to believe that every Fulani herder is a terrorist.

Ahmad faulted the filmmakers for failing to conduct adequate research or engage stakeholders, security experts, victims and pastoralist groups before tackling such a sensitive national issue. He also suggested that the Nigerian Film Corporation, led by Ali Nuhu, should have provided better guidance to avoid what he described as “damaging portrayals.”

He concluded by calling for responsible storytelling that condemns criminals without casting “a shadow of suspicion over millions of innocent herders,” warning that Nigeria’s fragile security situation should not be worsened by divisive media content.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

A detailed personal account posted by northern Nigerian social media influencer Aisha Falke has drawn significant public attention as debates intensify over insecurity and religious rhetoric in the region.

Falke, founder of the popular online platform Northern Hibiscus, published a two-part account describing how her family narrowly escaped an attack during the 2001 ethno-religious crisis in Jos. In the account, she recalls waking to reports of killings at roadblocks and later watching her mother’s Christian friend—described as a close family companion—allegedly approach their home with a machete as mobs advanced toward their neighbourhood.

According to her narration, the family fled moments before large groups of armed youths descended on the area. She also recounted scenes of panic on the roads as fleeing residents warned of roadblocks where travellers were reportedly attacked and burned.

Falke’s post has generated extensive reactions across northern Nigeria, with many users describing it as a reminder of the human toll of past communal violence.

The renewed attention comes as security agencies continue the search for 25 Muslim schoolgirls abducted from their school in Kebbi State last week. The incident has prompted widespread condemnation, though it has unfolded alongside online claims by some groups alleging “genocide against Christians” in the region—claims many northern residents and government officials dispute, arguing that ongoing attacks by bandits and insurgents have targeted communities irrespective of religion.

Falke did not link her story to the Kebbi abductions, but analysts say the timing has contributed to broader conversations about the dangers of inflammatory narratives and the need for balanced reporting on insecurity.

Authorities have not yet provided updates on the rescue operation, while families of the abducted students continue to appeal for swift action.

By Muhammad Sulaiman

Security experts have long warned that Nigeria’s porous borders are a major threat to national stability. This concern was echoed again when Dr Bulama Bukarti, a security researcher, lamented how almost anything can be smuggled into the country due to ineffective border control.

In reaction to Bukarti’s remarks, Dr Aliyu Yakubu Yusuf of Bayero University, Kano, shared a firsthand account that underscores the depth of the problem.

Dr Yusuf narrated that on a trip from Damagaran in the Niger Republic to Kano earlier this week, he sat in the front seat of a commercial bus and witnessed what he described as “a chain of extortion masquerading as security.”

According to him, as the bus approached the Babban Mutum border on the way to Ɓaɓura, he observed “so many annoying checkpoints,” sometimes only a few meters apart. Police officers, soldiers, immigration officials, road safety personnel, and customs operatives were all stationed along the route. Yet, none conducted any meaningful inspection.

“Each time we reached a checkpoint, the driver would simply pull out a one-thousand-naira note and hand it to an officer, then we would move on,” he said. Some officers even addressed the driver by name, apparently familiar with him as a regular traveller.

Dr Yusuf said the driver disclosed that there are 35 checkpoints between Damagaran and Kano, and at each one, he must part with between ₦500 and ₦2000, depending on the officials present. He estimated that drivers spend at least ₦30,000 during a single trip.

“Throughout the four-hour journey, not a single officer asked the driver to open his boot,” he added, expressing disbelief that such laxity exists despite Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insecurity.

His account reinforces concerns that many checkpoints serve as avenues for bribe collection rather than effective security screening—leaving the country vulnerable while motorists bear the financial burden.

“We are jokers, wallahi,” Dr. Yusuf concluded.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced the arrest of Musa Abubakar, believed to be a major supplier of arms to criminal groups in Plateau State and northern Nigeria. The operation was based on intelligence reports leading to his detention on November 12, 2025.

A DSS source confirmed that Abubakar admitted to producing and distributing high-calibre weapons and ammunition used in violent attacks across Plateau and neighbouring regions.

The arrest followed a targeted raid on his weapons manufacturing facility in Mista Ali, Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State. Authorities reportedly found Abubakar with IED components, chemicals, and manufacturing equipment, all seized by DSS operatives.

This development comes days after the recapture of Abdulazeez Obadaki, alias Bomboy, a prison escapee linked to the Owo and Deeper Life Church attacks. DSS headlined recent successes in counterterrorism efforts, including the detention of nine high-profile suspects involved in incidents in Plateau and Benue states.

Among those detained is Timna Manjol, 46, who pleaded guilty to firearms charges related to the attacks, according to court documents. Manjol is affiliated with First Baptist Church in Mangu, Plateau.

Security analysts view these arrests as part of the DSS’s ongoing crackdown on violent extremism in the region.

By Anwar Usman

The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed that a commuter bus belonging to Big Joe Ventures Ltd was attacked on Friday, and all twelve occupants were abducted.

However, SP William Aya, the Police Public Relations Officer, revealed that the police, in collaboration with the military, were able to rescue eight of the victims, while efforts are ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining four still held by the kidnappers.

A statement issued by the command late on Friday evening in response to an enquiry confirmed the abduction but noted that about eight of the victims were rescued, with the police and army searching for the remaining four.

The statement reads, “kidnappers attacked a Big Joe Ventures Ltd Toyota Hiace commuter bus (Edo FUG 13 XY) along Okene–Auchi road. During the incident, the kidnappers abducted all 12 passengers commuting from Abuja to Benin in Edo State.”

He said that subsequently, the DPO Okene Division, CSP Nasir Muhammad, immediately mobilised police personnel in conjunction with the military and vigilantes in pursuit of the kidnappers.

“In the process, eight victims, including the driver, were rescued, while efforts are still underway to rescue the remaining four victims and possibly arrest the perpetrators”, the statement added.

By Anas Abbas 

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed more than 25 terrorists in a coordinated night air raid around Bula in Yobe State and the Banki axis of Borno State.

Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja. 

He explained that the operation was carried out on September 18, following actionable intelligence provided by ground troops.

According to Ejodame, a combination of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets and strike aircraft tracked terrorist movements and spotted multiple groups north of Banki. The terrorists were then hit in three successive precision strikes along their movement routes and assembly points.

“Real-time updates were relayed to ground forces and base operations, enabling synchronised action. The strike aircraft engaged the terrorists in three successive precision strikes, effectively neutralising more than 25 fighters,” Ejodame stated.

He added that post-strike surveillance confirmed that ground forces had maintained their defensive positions, with no further threats detected.

Ejodame said the operation highlighted the Air Force’s unwavering support for ground troops and its commitment to denying terrorists freedom of action in the North-East.

The operation comes just days after Boko Haram insurgents attacked the Darajamal community in the Bama Local Government Area of Borno on September 8, killing at least 63 people, including five soldiers. The attackers, who rode in on motorcycles, shot indiscriminately, razed houses and vehicles before military reinforcements arrived.

Governor Babagana Zulum had described that incident as “very sad,” confirming the death toll and pledging government support to the affected families.

By Haroon Aremu Abiodun

“Any country where lawmaking is more lucrative than law enforcement, there must be insecurity.”

That was the piercing submission of veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo in a podcast interview. This quote still lingers in my mind like a haunting prophecy. Sadly, Nigeria appears to be a textbook example of that paradox.

This raises a chilling question: can we ever be safe in a nation where those crafting the laws live like kings, while those enforcing them die like pawns?

The roads tremble with fear, and villages sleep with one eye open. From Abuja to Zamfara, from the creeks of the Delta to Anambra, to the rocky hills of Birnin Gwari, the word “insecurity” has become a national refrain. 

In whispered conversations and on trending hashtags, Nigerians continue to ask: Can banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism ever truly end in Nigeria?

While President Bola Ahmed Tinubu continues to pledge security reforms, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu issues strategic statements, the reality on the ground often contradicts this. The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, may be leading an army of patriots. Still, their valour is constantly undermined by systemic inequality, in which the pen is paid more than the gun.

I Witnessed the Truth

In early June, I attended a deeply insightful citizenship engagement forum hosted by Voice of Nigeria (VON). Dignitaries, including the Minister of Information, NSA Ribadu, the Chief of Defence Staff, and other notable figures,were present. But one story shared by the Chief of Defence Staff froze the air.

He recalled a young bandit who surrendered. The military, adopting a “soft approach,” chose not to brutalise him but instead treated him humanely. He was given food, a warm bath, and, for the first time in his life, a mattress.

This wasn’t just about physical comfort. It was symbolic. The boy, barely old enough to vote, said he had never lain on a mattress before. That was his first taste of civilisation, and it came not from a school or community, but from an army barracks. The boy had joined a group of killers not out of hatred, but out of hopelessness.

The Root of the Rot: 3Es

With what the Chief of Defence Staff said, I was able to conclude that part of the root of Nigeria’s security crisis lies in the absence of the “3Es”: Education, Exposure, and Enlightenment. These are not luxuries; they are necessities. And in the North, where banditry has gained a more frightening foothold, their absence is glaring.

It is time for Northern governors to rise beyond rhetoric. The federal government cannot win this war alone. State leaders must begin by reforming their education systems, investing in enlightenment campaigns, and introducing programs that truly expose their youth to life beyond the confines of their communities. Kano State has led the way in propagating and championing this initiative among the northern states, but efforts should be intensified.

Can we save Nigeria? Yes, but not with a centralised, top-down approach. What we need is collaborative security. Community policing must be revived with village chiefs and family heads forming the first line of surveillance.

Security consciousness must be made more crucial and integrated into school curricula and public messaging. Employment generation must become more than a campaign slogan. A graduate left idle is one WhatsApp message away from recruitment into darkness.

“If community policing is fully implemented, it will become far easier to identify and expose those secretly sponsoring or benefiting from terrorism right from the grassroots. Local vigilance, trust networks, and community-driven intelligence can expose hidden collaborators who often conceal their activities behind political or economic influence. Such a system not only strengthens national security but also empowers citizens to take active ownership of their safety and future.”

This is to say, the fight against terror will not be won by guns alone, but by communities standing as the first line of defence

The Role of Institutions

The Ministry of Education and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) must now take centre stage. It is no longer enough to teach arithmetic and grammar; we must now teach security literacy. The young must understand the real consequences of crime. They must be exposed to alternatives.

This encompasses school tours, street theatre, online campaigns, community mentorship, and genuine partnerships between public and private stakeholders.

There is hope. There are patriots in uniform. There are children yet untouched by corruption. There are teachers still driven by conscience. However, all their efforts will be for nothing if lawmakers continue to earn more than those who risk their lives.

The EFCC may chase funds across Iceland and Dubai. The DSS may foil plots in Lagos and Maiduguri. However, until we address the imbalance and make justice more rewarding than crime, we will remain trapped in this cycle.

Let us not wait until another child lies on a mattress in a military cell to realise what he has never had.

Let that mattress be our wake-up call.

So, to President Tinubu, to the NSA Ribadu, to the Defence Chief, and to every governor who still believes in this country: The war will not be won on the battlefield alone; it will be won in the classroom, in the family compound, in the village square, and in the heart of every Nigerian.

Before we talk about weapons, let’s talk about mattresses.

Haroon Aremu Abiodun, An Author, public Affairs Analyst, PRNigeria fellow and wrote in via exponentumera@gmail.com.

By Uzair 

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated that the creation of state police is inevitable in addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity.

Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit by prominent Katsina indigenes led by Governor Dikko Radda, Tinubu assured that his administration is determined to confront the menace of banditry and other security threats.

He directed security agencies to review their strategies in Katsina, which has recently witnessed a surge in banditry, and announced plans to deploy advanced military equipment and surveillance technology. 

The president also disclosed that newly recruited forest guards in the state would receive enhanced training and support.

Tinubu acknowledged Nigeria’s security challenges, including porous borders and long-standing weaknesses, but stressed that with determination and a strategic approach, they could be overcome.

“The security challenges we are facing are surmountable. Yes, we have porous borders. We inherited weaknesses that could have been addressed earlier. It is a challenge that we must fix, and we are facing it,” he said.

He revealed that the federal government had approved the acquisition of additional drones and instructed him to receive daily updates on security operations in Katsina.

“I am reviewing all aspects of security; I have to create a state police. We are looking at that holistically,” Tinubu added.

The president reassured Nigerians that insecurity would be defeated, emphasising the need to protect children, places of worship, and livelihoods from criminal intimidation.

He reminded the delegation that in February 2024, the federal government established a committee to develop a framework for state policing, which has since garnered widespread support. 

However, by March, 20 states were yet to submit their reports, according to Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Tinubu also paid tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, praising him for leaving behind a legacy of success.

Governor Radda and other members of the delegation, including former Governor Aminu Masari and Ibrahim Ida, the Wazirin of Katsina, commended Tinubu for his commitment to security and infrastructural development in the state. 

Ida urged the federal government to prioritise upgrading the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and bolstering security in southern Katsina.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has launched a sharp attack on President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of failing to secure the North-Central region of Nigeria. 

Abubakar’s statement claims that the government has abandoned the area, resulting in a “monumental failure” in protecting its citizens.

Abubakar highlighted a dramatic rise in violence, citing Kwara State’s new status as a hotspot for kidnappings and bandit attacks. He also noted continued bloodshed in Niger, Plateau, and Benue states, where thousands have been killed in just two years.

The former Vice President went on to accuse the ruling APC of using thugs to disrupt opposition meetings, with security forces allegedly failing to act.

He warned that violence “is a vicious circle” that will harm those who use it, and called on the Nigeria Police Force to remain neutral and fair, reminding them that taxpayers, not the APC, fund them.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

Chadian authorities have arrested Muslim Muhammad Yusuf, identified as the son of Boko Haram’s late founder, Muhammad Yusuf. Muslim, believed to be 18 or 19 years old, was captured along with five others while leading an Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) cell.

Analyst Bulama Bukarti confirmed Muslim’s identity after speaking with family friends and relatives, who said he is the son of Bintu, Muhammad Yusuf’s first wife. His arrest reportedly followed a tip-off from Nigerian intelligence.

The development comes in the same week Nigeria announced the capture of two top leaders of Ansaru, a Boko Haram offshoot, and the head of the Mahmuda Group, active in parts of North Central Nigeria.

Security experts describe the arrest as a turning point, marking the first time a major faction leader has been taken alive. They warn, however, that Nigerian authorities must now focus on dismantling bandit groups wreaking havoc in the North West and North Central regions.