Tag: Escalating Insecurity

“Rising insecurity shows Nigeria has hit rock bottom” – Kukah

Aminu Imam
Kukah on insecurity

The Catholic Archbishop of Sokoto Diocese and member of the National Peace Committee, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said that the scale and depth of insecurity in Nigeria indicates that the country is at a critical point, but that the only direction forward is upward. Speaking at a dialogue on a whole-of-society approach to preventing violence and conflict in Northern Nigeria in Abuja, organised by the National Peace Committee, The Kukah Centre, and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Bishop Kukah said: “No Nigerian needs an explanation about…

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“Kidnappings localised; we must build community defences” – Minister-designate, Musa

Aminu Imam
Minister Musa vows

…Vows probes, reforms Former Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of Defence–designate, General Christopher Musa (rtd), yesterday outlined a sweeping security reform agenda, stressing that strengthening community resilience is central to tackling Nigeria’s escalating wave of mass abductions. Speaking during his ministerial screening at the Senate, the nominee described the recurring kidnapping of schoolchildren as “tragic and unacceptable”, insisting that Nigeria must overhaul its approach to securing vulnerable communities. He said the ‘Safe Schools Initiative’, launched to protect learning environments, must be critically reviewed and strengthened to close existing security…

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Insecurity: “North running out of time” – Region’s leaders raise alarm in Kaduna

Aminu Imam
Northern leaders meeting

…Govs., Sultan unite on State Police Northern political and traditional leaders yesterday held a high-stakes emergency security summit in Kaduna, issuing their strongest collective warning yet that the North risks “losing its future” to escalating insecurity, deepening poverty and social collapse unless urgent, coordinated action is taken. The joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and the Northern Traditional Rulers Council brought together the 19 governors of the region, led by Forum Chairman and Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya; traditional rulers, led by the Sultan of…

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Nearly 500 abducted in 13 days amid new wave of mass kidnappings 

Aminu Imam
FG unmasks terror funding ring2

Nigeria is confronting a frightening escalation in mass abductions, as armed groups intensify coordinated attacks across multiple northern states, leaving at least 490 people kidnapped in just 13 days, according to incident reports and security sources. The abductions – spanning Sokoto, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Borno, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)  – targeted a wide spectrum of victims, including monarchs, worshippers, students, farmers, travellers, and entire communities. Among the most shocking incidents were the kidnapping of 315 students in Niger State, the abduction of 30 women in Sokoto, the…

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Northern Govs., monarchs, security experts meet in Kaduna today for high-level strategy session

Aminu Imam
Northern Govs. meet

Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, will today Monday host a major security strategy meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, (NSGF), as leaders across the region move to recalibrate their approach to the escalating security crisis. The gathering, convened under the chairmanship of Gombe State Governor, Mohammed Inuwa Yahaya, will bring together governors, top traditional rulers, security experts, and key stakeholders for what officials describe as a “decisive and broadened” assessment of insecurity in Northern Nigeria. According to a statement issued yesterday, the meeting will delve into the persistent…

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“Worsening security situation caused by deep structural weaknesses” – Ndume 

Aminu Imam
Ndume

Senator Ali Ndume has warned that Nigeria’s worsening security situation is not caused by a lack of soldiers, but by deep structural weaknesses within the country’s defence system. The Borno-South lawmaker, who once served as Senate Leader and formerly chaired the Senate Committee on the Army, revealed that discussions with top military commanders showed that personnel strength is not the major issue troubling operations against insurgents and criminal gangs. Instead, Ndume identified critical shortcomings in Nigeria’s security framework, including outdated equipment, poor training programmes, inadequate supply of modern weapons, low…

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“Nigeria is failing on security” – Obasanjo warns; backs foreign intervention

Aminu Imam
OBJ on failing security

…Tells FG to stop negotiating with terrorists Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has delivered one of his most forceful indictments yet of the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity, declaring that Nigeria’s persistent inability to protect its citizens now justifies seeking help from the international community. Speaking on Friday at the Plateau State Unity Christmas Carol and Praise Festival in Jos, the former president said the scale and frequency of killings, kidnappings and terror attacks show that the country’s security system has “failed woefully”, leaving citizens vulnerable and fearful. “Insecurity has been…

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Lawmakers, security chiefs meet in Kaduna to tackle N’West insecurity

Aminu Imam
Lawmakers, security chiefs meet

Federal lawmakers, top security chiefs, traditional rulers and senior government officials, including the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, yesterday converged on Kaduna for a ‘Public Hearing of the North-West Zonal Security Summit’, as banditry and mass abductions escalate across the region. The summit, convened by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on National Security, is themed: ‘Building Robust Regional Collaborations to Tackle Insecurity: Pathways for Securing the Future’. Discussions centred on strengthening inter-agency cooperation to curb terrorism, banditry and kidnappings, especially across the seven states of the North-West – Kaduna, Katsina,…

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Escalating Insecurity: “Banditry, terrorism in Northern Nigeria are self-inflicted” — ACF Chair

Aminu Imam
ACF Chair on escalating insecurity

…Says ‘It’s time to declare a war situation’ The Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Board of Trustees, (BoT), Bashir Ɗalhatu, has asked the Federal Government to declare a war situation in Nigeria in view of the unrelenting insecurity in the country. The ACF leader, who was answering questions during a television programme on Friday, stressed that the North as a region was overwhelmed by banditry and terrorism. “It is time for the Federal Government to declare a war situation,” he said as the government’s renewed onslaught against bandits…

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ADC, Atiku slam FG over ‘negotiating with terrorists’

Aminu Imam
ADC, Atiku slam FG

…Warn of expanding banditry economy The African Democratic Congress, (ADC), and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, yesterday delivered stinging rebukes to the Federal Government over what they described as the administration’s troubling reliance on negotiation with terrorists and bandits – a practice they warn is deepening Nigeria’s insecurity crisis. Rising from its coalition meeting in Abuja, the ADC accused the Tinubu administration of enabling a “banditry economy” through policies and actions that embolden criminal groups. National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the Federal Government’s approach – from school closures to secretive…

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