Security Archives - Page 8 of 256

‘279 kidnapped across Nigeria in May’ – Report

June 22, 2026June 22, 2026 Aminu Imam

No fewer than 279 persons were kidnapped across Nigeria in May 2026, even as the country recorded 156 violent incidents that resulted in 842 deaths. The figure, contained in new data from Nextier’s Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database, according to a statement yesterday, indicate a rise in insecurity, with violent incidents “by 51.5%, casualties increasing by 90.1 percent, and kidnap victims climbing by 19.7% compared to May 2025”. The data comes amid growing concerns that Nigeria’s peacebuilding efforts are not yielding measurable results despite significant investments by governments and development partners.…

“North has become a land of the living dead” – Mahdi Shehu

June 22, 2026June 22, 2026 Aminu Imam

…Laments insecurity, leadership failure Prominent public affairs commentator, Mahdi Shehu, has delivered a scathing assessment of the state of Northern Nigeria, describing the region as a “land of the living dead” overwhelmed by insecurity, fear, poverty and a deepening leadership crisis. Shehu made the remarks on Saturday, through a post on his official 𝕏 account, where he expressed concern over what he called the gradual collapse of social consciousness and collective resilience among the people of the region. According to him, millions of residents are physically alive but have become…

B’Haram commanders linked to Oyo school abduction

June 21, 2026June 21, 2026 Aminu Imam

…As rescue mission claims 3 soldiers Security sources have identified two senior Boko Haram commanders, as key figures behind the abduction of pupils and teachers from three schools in Oriire LGS of Oyo state, while ongoing rescue operations have reportedly claimed the lives of three soldiers. Recall that the victims were kidnapped on May 15 from Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; L.A. Primary School; and Community Grammar School, Esiele. At least 42 pupils and staff, including a principal, were taken. One of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was killed…

‘Unregulated foreign influence in media contributing to insecurity’ – NUJ

June 21, 2026June 21, 2026 Aminu Imam

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has raised concerns that unchecked access by foreign entities to Nigeria’s media landscape is emerging as a factor exacerbating the country’s security challenges. Speaking on Friday in Abuja during the second day of the National Security Summit jointly organised by the NUJ and the Department of State Services (DSS), the union’s National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya-Abdullahi, called for greater oversight of foreign participation in the media sector. The summit, themed: ‘Media and Security Agencies as Partners in Nation Building’, brought together journalists, security experts…

‘Impunity fueling genocide claims in Nigeria’ – UN expert

June 20, 2026June 20, 2026 Aminu Imam

Spreading violence and impunity for armed groups is undermining religious freedom in Nigeria, the United Nations (UN)’s top expert on the matter said yesterday, adding it was understandable that some victims “describe this as persecution or genocide”. The comments by the United Nations special rapporteur on religious freedom, Nazila Ghanea, came after US President Donald Trump angered Nigeria last year by condemning what he called a Christian “genocide” in the country. Nigeria, which is divided between a mostly Muslim north and Christian-majority south, is struggling to deal with multiple security…

‘B’Haram, banditry, clashes driving poverty across the North’ – Report

June 20, 2026June 20, 2026 Aminu Imam

A new report has revealed that violent conflict across the northern part of the country is deepening poverty and weakening the ability of households to recover from economic shocks. The report, titled: ‘Insecurity, Livelihoods and Welfare in Northern Nigeria’, identified three major forms of insecurity affecting the region: Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency in the North-East, farmer-herder conflicts in the North-Central, and banditry and kidnapping in the North-West. The findings were unveiled on Thursday in Abuja, during a high-level webinar convened by the ‘Chronic Poverty Advisory Network of the Institute of Development…

“I’ll never negotiate with terrorists” – Zamfara Gov. declares

June 20, 2026June 20, 2026 Aminu Imam

Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has ruled out the possibility of negotiating with armed groups terrorising communities across the state, insisting that security operations remain the only viable option for ending banditry. The Governor stated this while responding to renewed calls from some stakeholders advocating dialogue with bandits as a strategy for restoring peace in the troubled state. Lawal maintained that engaging criminal elements in negotiations would amount to rewarding violence and undermining the authority of government. According to him, the state cannot afford to create an impression that terrorists…

IPOB crisis deepens, as faction suspends Nnamdi Kanu

June 20, 2026June 20, 2026 Aminu Imam

…Rival leadership rejects move A fresh leadership crisis has engulfed the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) following the announcement by one faction of the group that it had indefinitely suspended the office of the leader, and the position of Director of Radio Biafra previously held by detained separatist leader, Nnamdi Kanu, while a rival faction swiftly dismissed the action as unconstitutional and null and void. In a statement issued on Thursday, the IPOB Directorate of State (DOS), led by Chikadibia Edoziem, announced the immediate and indefinite suspension of Kanu’s…

“Stop blaming the North; insecurity is now a national crisis” – Ex-Generals to Nigerians

June 20, 2026June 20, 2026 Aminu Imam

Retired military officers, led by Brig.-Gen. Isma’ila Abdullahi (rtd), have warned that terrorism, banditry, and kidnapping are no longer “northern problems” but a nationwide threat. Speaking on Thursday in Kaduna, in honour of the Late Maj. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, who died in bandits’ captivity in Katsina, the ex-generals called narratives blaming the North “divisive and counter-productive”. The group questioned “selective outrage” and cited rising attacks across all regions, saying: “Can any part of this nation remain unconcerned by the current onslaught?”. They urged the 19 northern states governors to create…

36 Govs. declare position on state police

June 19, 2026June 19, 2026 Aminu Imam

Governors of the thirty-six states in Nigeria, have declared their support for the establishment of State Police in the country. The Governors, operating under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), made their stance known in a communiqué signed by its Chairman, Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. According toreports, the decision was taken at the NGF meeting in Abuja, which lasted from Wednesday to early yesterday. According to the governors, the move must be constitutionally sound and align with federalism and citizens’ rights. The communiqué disclosed that the Governors…