Nigeria

By Sabiu Abdullahi

At least 23 suspected fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have reportedly been killed in separate military air operations carried out in Borno State.

According to Zagazola Makama, a publication that reports on counter-insurgency activities in the Lake Chad region, the first operation took place at about 5:35 a.m. on Tuesday in the KLA Balia area of Marte Local Government Area after intelligence indicated the presence of suspected terrorists.

The publication reported that an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) platform, codenamed “Guardian,” detected three vehicles concealed at different locations before identifying five suspected insurgents taking cover beneath a tree.

It stated that after the targets were positively identified, the drone launched a precision strike that killed the five visible suspects. The strike also triggered secondary explosions, which increased the estimated death toll to 15.

Zagazola Makama added that another strike intended to destroy the concealed vehicles did not succeed after a malfunction in the laser targeting system prevented accurate target designation.

Despite the technical setback, military sources quoted by the publication described the mission as successful. They said the operation inflicted significant casualties on the insurgents and disrupted their activities.

The publication also reported that surveillance of the area is continuing, while additional operations are expected to target surviving fighters and destroy the remaining vehicles.

In another operation, the publication said the air component of Operation HADIN KAI killed eight suspected ISWAP fighters during a night combat mission along the Bama-Maiduguri main supply route on July 22.

According to the report, the helicopter crew noticed muzzle flashes from a location that had previously been identified as an insurgent training ground. The crew then fired probing shots to confirm the presence of the suspected terrorists.

The report stated that the insurgents responded by opening fire on the aircraft. The military then carried out sustained aerial strikes that reportedly killed eight suspected fighters, while others escaped into nearby bushes.

The publication said the operation formed part of ongoing air offensives aimed at disrupting insurgent movements, dismantling training camps and improving security along strategic supply routes across the North-East.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

President Bola Tinubu has accused the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, of leaving behind unresolved pension liabilities after serving as Nigeria’s vice president.

Tinubu made the remarks during a meeting with members of the Nigerian Diaspora Medical Association and North-East stakeholders who gathered to support the renomination of Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.

The president alleged that Atiku oversaw the privatisation of government investments during his time in office but failed to ensure that pension obligations were settled.

Speaking at the event, Tinubu reflected on his professional experience in the United States before addressing Nigeria’s current challenges.

“There is nowhere like home. I have experienced being in America and have taken the best of America in my chosen profession, accountancy and finance. Where can I apply it best after initial training with Deloitte & Touche, I can’t forget the standard oil building in Chicago and my first week there.

“The leadership of the Northeast is challenged because of terrorism and banditry, I could see a collaboration that would work together. Only we stick together, work together, and face the challenges the best way possible as a united country.

“The olden age is here now if you can stabilize the economy, Nigerians are not asking for too much, simple stability and social welfare, if I can go political, somebody among my prospective opponents privatized government investment in public entities but forgot to pay the pension. I’m clearing the pensioners now, so clearing the mess they created.”

Tinubu’s comments add to the growing exchange of political attacks between the president and Atiku ahead of the 2027 general election. Neither Atiku nor the ADC had issued an immediate response to the latest remarks at the time of filing this report.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A suspected bandit attack on Makoda town in Makoda Local Government Area of Kano State has left one person dead and two others injured, according to security sources.

Security analyst Bakatsine disclosed the incident in a post on X on Friday. He said the attack took place on Thursday night after more than 30 armed men stormed the community on motorcycles.

The attackers reportedly fired repeatedly, which forced residents to flee for safety. They also escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash after carrying out the assault.

Bakatsine said residents described the assailants as heavily armed. The attack caused panic across the community before the gunmen fled.

He wrote: “Last night, suspected bandits launched an attack on Makoda town, Makoda LGA in Kano State, killing one person, injuring two others and reportedly fleeing with an undisclosed amount of cash.

“Residents said more than 30 heavily armed men arrived on motorcycles, opened fire indiscriminately and left the community in panic before escaping. If armed groups can now strike communities in Kano with such ease, what does that say about the country’s ability to prevent insecurity from spreading even further?”

By Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin 

The Kannywood film industry is more than an entertainment industry. It has become one of the most powerful cultural influences in Northern Nigeria. The stories it tells shape how people think, speak, and sometimes even behave. Characters become role models, and the habits they display often find their way into everyday life.

That is why this is a respectful appeal to directors, producers, and scriptwriters: as you entertain millions, also seize the opportunity to promote simple habits that make our society safer, healthier, and more compassionate.

One of the simplest ways to save lives is also one of the most overlooked. Wearing a seat belt should not depend on the distance being travelled. Whether someone is driving to the market, taking children to school, or travelling across states, everyone in the vehicle, including those in the back seat, should buckle up before the journey begins.

Unfortunately, films often show characters jumping into cars and driving away without fastening their seat belts. This unintentionally sends the message that seat belts are optional. Imagine the opposite: respected characters calmly fastening their seat belts before starting the engine, reminding passengers to do the same. Such scenes require only a few seconds but can influence millions of viewers.

Also, modern driving is increasingly threatened by distracted driving. Many people believe it is harmless to answer a quick call, read a message, or reply to a text while driving. Others assume it is safe to use their phones while waiting at a traffic light.

In reality, distraction can be deadly. Safe driving means the phone stays out of the driver’s hands until the vehicle has been parked safely. Showing heroes who ignore incoming calls while driving or politely tell callers, “I’ll call you back when I’ve stopped,” promotes a powerful message without interrupting the story.

Additionally, food is central to many Kannywood stories. Family meals, celebrations, and traditional gatherings are common scenes. Yet one simple habit is often overlooked: washing hands properly before eating or preparing food.

Handwashing properly remains one of the most effective ways to prevent many infectious diseases. A brief scene showing a family washing their hands before sharing a meal can quietly reinforce a healthy practice that protects entire households.

Mental health is another area where Kannywood can make a real difference. Too often, emotional struggles are portrayed only as spiritual attacks. Faith is important, but so are counselling, medical care, and family support. Showing them together would reflect real life and encourage more understanding.

Furthermore, people living with disabilities deserve to be represented with dignity and authenticity. Too often, disability is used merely as comic relief, a symbol of helplessness, or a tool to evoke pity.

Real life tells a different story. Across Nigeria, people with disabilities are teachers, entrepreneurs, professionals, artists, students, parents, and community leaders. They contribute meaningfully to society and deserve to see themselves represented fairly on screen.

Inclusive storytelling means giving characters with disabilities meaningful roles, realistic ambitions, and complete personalities—not defining them solely by their disabilities.

Social change does not always begin with government policies or public campaigns. Sometimes it begins with everyday habits becoming normal. This is why I hope Kannywood filmmakers become more intentional about the habits they put on screen. The greatest impact may not come from dramatic speeches or moral lectures, but from ordinary characters consistently doing the right thing.

After all, audiences often imitate what they repeatedly see. Sometimes, the lessons we never intended to teach become the ones the world remembers the most.

Ibrahim Aliyu Gurin is a graduate of mass communication from Bayero University, Kano, and can be reached at ibrahimaliyu5023@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A former commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Dr. Isma’il Tanko Wudilawa, has raised concerns over what he described as the growing involvement of women in terrorist operations across northern Nigeria. He said insurgent groups now rely on women for logistics, intelligence gathering, and other forms of support.

Wudilawa said sustained military operations have pushed many terrorists into remote hideouts. As a result, he explained, the groups now depend heavily on civilian networks, particularly women, to maintain communication channels and transport supplies.

According to him, some women convey food, clothing, medicines, weapons, and, in certain cases, other women to terrorists hiding in forested areas.

His remarks followed recent arrests of women allegedly linked to terrorist logistics in Borno State.

One of the suspects, Hauwa Abulazeez, 65, was reportedly arrested in Askira Uba Local Government Area with 14 compressed blocks of cannabis allegedly destined for terrorists.

In another case, security operatives arrested Kellu Abba, 50, in Kukawa Local Government Area. She was allegedly transporting food items and personal belongings to her son, who has been identified as a suspected member of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

Commenting on the trend, Wudilawa said women have long played different roles within terrorist networks, especially in intelligence gathering.

> “All these atrocities are committed with the support of women from the very beginning.

“All the things we do, we do with women. They know our routines.

“Till today, women are used as informants. They provide information about the movements of targeted individuals within and outside communities.”



He said terrorist groups exploit the trust communities place in women. He noted that the groups often use them as couriers and intelligence sources.

The security expert attributed the involvement of some women to poverty, illiteracy, greed, and the pursuit of financial gain. However, he stressed that not all of them participate willingly.

According to him, some women are threatened or compelled to assist terrorist groups. He said he witnessed such situations during his years of fighting the Boko Haram insurgency.

Wudilawa also expressed concern that some members of the public interfere with security operations. He said some people confront or even attack security personnel while they carry out lawful arrests and investigations.

He urged Nigerians to support security agencies with timely and credible information to strengthen the fight against terrorism and other violent crimes.

The former JTF commander also called on the government to improve economic opportunities and address the social conditions that make criminal activities attractive. He said better livelihoods would help reduce recruitment into banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Nigerian Army is set for its largest peacetime expansion in decades, with President Bola Tinubu approving the creation of four additional divisions and the recruitment of 28,000 personnel, according to a presidential statement issued Thursday.

The restructuring, which will take the army’s divisional strength from eight to twelve, is designed to deepen military presence across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones and shorten response times to security emergencies. The new divisions will be established in Makurdi, Ilorin, Jalingo and Benin City, bringing the total number of command headquarters to twelve.

The phased implementation, which runs until December 2026, reflects what officials describe as a calculated approach to force modernisation. Phase one, due by September 2026, will activate the 5th Division in Makurdi, 9th Division in Ilorin, and 10th Division in Jalingo, alongside the reorganisation of existing formations. Phase two will see the establishment of the 83rd Division in Benin City by December 2026.

Each division will cover between two and five states, with the 82nd Division in Enugu responsible for five South-Eastern states—the largest territorial coverage. The 7th Division in Maiduguri will continue to anchor counter-insurgency operations in Borno and Yobe, while the new 10th Division in Jalingo will oversee Taraba and Adamawa, strengthening the military’s grip on the North-East corridor.

Beyond troop numbers, the President has also approved the acquisition of critical military platforms and equipment, alongside enhanced welfare packages for service members. Officials say these investments are intended to address long-standing gaps in operational readiness and morale.

Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga emphasised that the expansion would “significantly improve command and control” and “decentralise operational decision-making,” allowing field commanders greater autonomy to respond to local threats. The move is also expected to bolster border security and protect critical national infrastructure, including oil and gas facilities in the South-South, which will now fall under the newly established 83rd Division in Benin City.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Ibrahim Shuaibu, has been lauded by the President for the army’s professionalism, with Tinubu pledging continued support to ensure the force remains “fully capable of protecting the nation.”

Security analysts view the expansion as a clear signal of the administration’s intent to adopt a more proactive, geographically distributed approach to national defence, moving away from the over-centralised command structure that has historically hampered rapid response to crises.

The announcement comes amid ongoing operations against insurgents, bandits, and separatist agitators, with the new divisions expected to ease the burden on overstretched units and improve intelligence gathering at the grassroots level.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to extend the ongoing voter registration exercise until the latest possible date before the 2027 general elections.

Obi made the appeal in a statement issued on Thursday. He argued that an extension would give more eligible Nigerians the opportunity to register and participate in the electoral process.

According to him, the request is necessary because “every day, more young Nigerians attain the age of 18 and become constitutionally eligible to vote.”

“They are not just our future; they are stakeholders in our present. It would be unfortunate if many of them were denied the opportunity to exercise their civic responsibility simply because the registration process closed long before the elections,” he said.

Obi also cited a Federal High Court judgment delivered on November 22, 2022, in Anaja Salmat & 3 Others v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1342/2022). He said the ruling held that voter registration should continue until 90 days before a general election “to protect the constitutional voting rights of eligible Nigerians.”

The former Anambra State governor acknowledged the challenges involved in organising elections. He recognised INEC’s responsibility to conduct free, fair and credible polls. He also noted the need for enough time to clean the voter register and complete logistical arrangements.

He, however, urged the electoral commission to ensure that the registration process encourages wider participation.

“As we continue to encourage Nigerians to participate actively in our democracy, I respectfully appeal to INEC to consider extending the voter registration window to the latest practical date that still allows adequate time for the preparation of a credible voters’ register before the 2027 general elections,” Obi said.

“However, our electoral process should, as much as possible, maximise participation rather than limit it. A democracy is strengthened when every eligible citizen has the opportunity to be heard,” he added.

Obi further called on INEC to “adopt a registration timeline that protects the integrity of the process while ensuring that no eligible Nigerian, especially our young people, is unnecessarily disenfranchised.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Billionaire businessman and Chairman of First HoldCo, Femi Otedola, has increased his ownership in the financial institution to 21.96 percent after purchasing additional shares worth N77.58 billion.

A share dealing disclosure by an insider, which was filed with the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), showed that Otedola acquired 706.13 million shares through his investment company, Calvados Global Services Limited.

The latest purchase increased his stake in First HoldCo from 20.42 percent to 21.96 percent. It also raised the number of shares under his control from 9.28 billion to 9.99 billion.

Based on the company’s closing share price on Wednesday, the value of Otedola’s total investment in First HoldCo has risen to about N1.04 trillion.

The latest valuation marks a sharp increase from June 18, when his holdings in the company were estimated at N566.43 billion.

The acquisition follows another major investment made by Otedola last month. He bought 680 million shares in First HoldCo through a private placement at a cost of N29.6 billion, further strengthening his position as the company’s largest shareholder.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has called on the National Assembly to invite the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) to explain what he described as conflicting accounts over the bank accounts of the Presidential Foreign Investment Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Atiku made the demand in a statement issued on Wednesday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu. He argued that the contradictory positions taken by the CBN and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) have raised serious concerns about the credibility of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

According to the former vice-president, the testimony presented by the CBN before the House of Representatives differs sharply from the earlier position of the OAGF regarding the opening of the PFIPC accounts.

He alleged that the conflicting explanations point to an effort to conceal the circumstances surrounding the accounts.

“This is where the cover-up appears to begin. One institution denied authorising the opening of the PFIPC accounts and alleged forgery,” he said.


“Another, before the representatives of the Nigerian people, stated that the accounts were opened on the directive of the Accountant-General after due process was followed. Both accounts cannot be true.”



Atiku also said the inconsistencies have left the administration caught in what he described as a “web of deception.”

“When two of your most sensitive financial and monetary authorities publicly contradict each other on the same transaction, no serious leader needs a clairvoyant to know that his administration is trapped in a web of deception and a profound crisis of credibility,” he stated.



“The President cannot continue to watch from the sidelines while his government tears itself apart with conflicting narratives.”



The ADC presidential candidate challenged President Tinubu to state which account of events he accepts.

“President Tinubu must answer a simple question: Which version does he believe—the Accountant-General’s or the Central Bank’s? If he believes neither, why has he not acted?” he said.



“Every day he delays ordering a truly independent investigation, he deepens public suspicion that preserving his administration’s image has taken precedence over establishing the truth.”



Atiku further argued that the silence of the Attorney-General of the Federation has worsened the controversy.

“The continued silence of the Attorney-General of the Federation, the nation’s chief law officer, only compounds this credibility crisis and reinforces the perception that this administration is more interested in containing the political fallout than uncovering the truth,” he stated.



He urged the National Assembly to invite both the CBN governor and the Accountant-General to appear together before its investigative committee under oath.

“If a single individual could allegedly orchestrate a scheme that has thrown two of Nigeria’s most critical financial and monetary authorities into public contradiction, Nigerians are entitled to ask how many other abuses may have escaped detection because of weak oversight and institutional failure,” he said.



Atiku also called on President Tinubu to order an independent investigation into the matter.

By Uzair Adam

The Jigawa State Police Command has commenced an investigation into the death of a 60-year-old man who reportedly suffered a medical emergency at a hotel in Dutse, the state capital.

Police said the incident occurred on Tuesday at about 12:50 p.m. after the man, who had checked into the hotel with a 20-year-old woman, developed breathing difficulties shortly after ordering a meal.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Lawan Shiisu Adam, said officers from the Yalwawa Police Division responded to a distress call and immediately rushed the victim to the General Hospital, Dutse, where doctors confirmed him dead.

Shiisu said detectives secured the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation, during which they recovered food items, beverages, a suspected sexual enhancement substance and other personal belongings for forensic analysis.

He noted that all exhibits were properly preserved as part of efforts to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to the police spokesman, the deceased’s body was released to his family for burial after medical certification of death and completion of the necessary procedures.

He added that the 20-year-old woman who accompanied the deceased is cooperating with investigators by providing information to help establish the sequence of events leading to the man’s death.

The Commissioner of Police in Jigawa State assured residents that the investigation would be carried out professionally, thoroughly and impartially.

He also urged members of the public to avoid spreading rumours or unverified information that could hamper the investigation or cause unnecessary panic.

Shiisu said the police would provide further updates as the investigation progresses.