Raids, Rustlings & Kidnappings: Insecurity spreads across Nigeria’s heartlands

Aminu Imam
9ja escalating insecurity

A fresh wave of violence across Nigeria has left farming and rural communities reeling, as banditry, kidnappings, cattle-rustling and insurgent attacks spread from the North-West to the South-South and parts of the South-East regions. Incidents reported this month in Sokoto, Kaduna, Delta, Edo, Benue, Enugu, Yobe, Nasarawa, Adamawa and Borno states underline the country’s persistent insecurity, particularly in remote settlements where poor communication and weak state presence enable attackers to strike with ease. In Sokoto’s Sabon-Birni LGA, at least seven villagers were killed, several injured and three abducted when armed…

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President returns after Abu Dhabi trip

Aminu Imam
Tinubu returns

…Unveils new trade, climate finance push President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after attending the ‘2026 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week’, where Nigeria recorded a major economic milestone with the signing of a trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates, (UAE). The President’s return was confirmed yesterday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement, titled: “President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after Abu Dhabi trip”. Recall that President Tinubu departed Nigeria on December 28, 2025, to Paris to complete his annual leave before travelling to…

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Kano: Police confirm 7 family members killed in home attack

Aminu Imam
Kano family members

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed that seven members of a family – a 35-year-old housewife and her six children – were killed in a brutal attack on their residence in Ɗorayi Charanchi (also known as Charanchi) Quarters of Kano metropolis yesterday. Initial reports had suggested that four people were killed during the incident, with claims that an infant was thrown into a well. However, Police authorities later clarified that the death toll was higher, confirming that all six children of the woman were among the victims. The state…

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Over 3m people flock on Katsina for Sheikh Nyass’ Maulud 

Aminu Imam
Sheikh Nyass’ Maulud

An estimated 3 million followers of Tijaniyya Islamic Sect from within and outside the country converged yesterday on Katsina for the celebration of ‘Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass’ Maulud, 2026’. According to reports, the event, which took place at Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina, was organised by the “Majma’u Ahbab Sheikh Ibrahim Nyass”. The Chairman, organising committee, Sheikh Muhammad Hadi-Balarabe, said that they anticipated about 4 million guests from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as well as West and North African countries. It was gathered that before 9a.m. of…

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Super Eagles beat Egypt to win AFCON 2025 bronze

Aminu Imam
S'Eagles beat Egypt

Nigeria’s Super Eagles beat the Mohammed Salah-led Pharaohs of Egypt in the third-place match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON), to win their ninth bronze medal in the competition. Both teams failed to find the back of the net at full and extra time, forcing the match to be decided via penalties. Nigeria scored two goals during the match which were disallowed for offside positions. In the ensuing shootouts, the Super Eagles, who lost on penalties to Morocco in the semi-final, triumphed 4-2 to emerge victorious after goalie…

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Abducted wife, daughter of murdered Kaduna Anglican priest regain freedom 

Aminu Imam
Kaduna cleric's family

The abducted wife and daughter of slain Kaduna Anglican priest, Venerable Edwin Achi, have reportedly regained their freedom after spending more than two months in captivity. The priest, his wife, Sarah Achi, and daughter were abducted October 28, 2025 from their residence in the Nissi community, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State. The abductors demanded a ransom of N600 million and later reduced it to N200. They also threatened to kill the victims if their family failed to pay the ransom. The kidnappers posted photos of the priest and…

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Edo: Kidnappers threaten to kill 8 victims over ₦40m ransom

Aminu Imam
Edo kidnappers

Gunmen have reportedly threatened to kill some of the eight indigenes of Imoga, Edo State, who were kidnapped at the Star Boy Hotel, located on Ibillo Road on January 9. The Coordinator, ‘Movement for the Advancement of Akoko Edo People’, Bode Ekundayo, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noted that the kidnappers made the threat to show the community and families of the victims that they “meant business”. He said the kidnappers started by demanding ₦100m as ransom, later reduced it to ₦80m, and then down to ₦40m,…

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2027: How Kwankwaso’s grip is quietly loosening in Kano according to Tinubu’s playbook 

Aminu Imam
Tinubu on Kwankwaso’s grip

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has subtly reworked his Kano political strategy, opting not to accommodate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso  but to steadily erode his influence. According to a published report yesterday, sources revealed that the Presidency dropped earlier overtures to the Kwankwasiyya leader after concluding Kano could be won without meeting his “excessive” demands. Instead, strategists advised Tinubu to weaken Kwankwaso’s structure by engaging directly with key power blocs and former allies now back in the APC. The shift was driven by electoral calculations. In the 2023 governorship poll, the NNPP…

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60yrs After Sardauna: Northern leaders, groups decry governance decline

Aminu Imam
Northern leaders, groups decry

…Plans April convention to tackle insecurity, shape future Northern leaders and civic groups have raised alarm over what they describe as a steady decline in leadership quality, governance standards and social cohesion in Northern Nigeria, 60 years after the assassination of Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. The concerns were jointly expressed on Thursday in Kaduna by a coalition of Northern organisations, including the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Arewa House and several others, alongside a similar announcement on Friday in…

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UN sounds alarm on hunger, warns of famine in Northern Nigeria

Aminu Imam
UN sounds alarm

Around 55 million people in violence-wracked West and Central Africa face acute food insecurity this year, and some are on the verge of famine in northern Nigeria, the United Nations (UN) said, yesterday. Violence across the region has triggered a hunger crisis that is being exacerbated by aid cuts, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) stated. According to the WFP, it had had to slash its food assistance in the area as funding dries up. In West and Central Africa, “a staggering 55 million people will be facing acute food…

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