Zulum Approves Establishment of Equipment Maintenance Unit

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the establishment of a dedicated Equipment Maintenance Unit to ensure the optimal use and maintenance of heavy equipment.

The Unit, which will be domiciled under the Governor’s Office, is designed to provide proper oversight and coordination of all heavy machinery owned by the state government.

This initiative aims to enhance operational efficiency, extend the lifespan of critical assets, and achieve significant cost savings.

In a statement, the Secretary to the State Government, Bukar Tijani, emphasised that the creation of the Unit aligns with the state’s ongoing development projects and recent procurement of heavy equipment.

“In line with ongoing development projects and the procurement of heavy equipment by Borno State Government, the Executive Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the establishment of a dedicated Equipment Maintenance Unit placed directly under the Governor’s Office to ensure proper oversight and coordination, Tijani states.

“The creation of the unit is a strategic step toward effective management of the government’s heavy equipment assets which aligns with the governor’s commitment to transparency, efficiency, and sustainable development,” the statement adds.

The newly established Unit would be headed by a qualified engineer with relevant experience in heavy equipment maintenance and management.

Zulum Approves Establishment of Equipment Maintenance Unit

Separating facts from propaganda on alleged civilian casualties in Yankuzo, Zamfara

By: Zagazola Makama

In the aftermath of the 4 August precision airstrike in Yankuzo Ward, Tsafe LGA, a familiar and tired script began circulating, claims that Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets “bombed a civilian wedding” and killed innocents. It is a narrative so recklessly peddled, one wonders if the authors even bothered to look at what happened next.

Within hours of the strike, surviving members of Ado Allero’s gang the same men supposedly attending this “civilian” gathering, stormed Yankuzo and abducted its traditional ruler, Alhaji Babangida Kogo. Their reason? They suspected he provided intelligence for the strike that killed more than 30 armed terrorists and injured many more. The monarch was later released when they confirmed he had nothing to do with the strike, but the message was clear: the people at that “wedding” were not farmers and traders, they were bandits preparing for war.

If the gathering had truly been a harmless wedding of non-combatants, why would the immediate retaliation be the abduction of a monarch over alleged military collaboration? The logic collapses under its own weight.

Even more telling is what followed: Ado Allero deployed fighters to lay an ambush against troops moving to exploit the success of the strike. That encounter left one soldier dead and another wounded. Again, the so-called “wedding guests” if we follow the propagandists’ claims turned out to be well-armed, battle-ready militants on more than 10 motorcycles, mounting deliberate attacks on security forces. That is not the profile of civilians caught in crossfire; it is the textbook behaviour of a routed but still dangerous insurgent cell.

The strike hit exactly what it was intended to hit: armed combatants. No credible source not local residents, not field operatives, not even the so-called “eye witnesses” whispered about by detractors has produced verifiable evidence of civilian casualties. On the contrary, those closest to the scene confirm that the targets were militants.

So, where exactly are these supposed civilian casualties? Not one credible community source, medical facility, or independent observer has produced evidence of dead or injured non-combatants. On the contrary, residents of Yankuzo and surrounding areas have openly expressed relief at the neutralisation of the fighters who had been terrorising them. If the “civilian casualties” story had any substance, we would expect to see mourning families, burial records, or at the very least photographic evidence flooding the same channels pushing the accusation. The absence of any genuine civilian victim list, contrasted with the very visible armed reprisals by the terrorists, should embarrass anyone still pushing this hollow propaganda.

Those pushing the civilian casualty line must now answer the only question that matters: where are these so-called victims? Names? Families? Graves? Or are we meant to accept yet another recycled propaganda trope from those who have made a cottage industry out of dressing up armed terrorists as misunderstood locals?

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad

Separating facts from propaganda on alleged civilian casualties in Yankuzo, Zamfara

NIMC Issues Important Information on NIN’s
Self-Service Modification

By: Michael Mike

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has informed the general public of important guidelines on the access to the self-service modification portal of the National Identification Number (NIN).

The Commission in a statement by its spokesman, Dr. Kayode Adegoke on Thursday asked that applicants for the NIN Data Modification should note that for the Single Browser and Device Access, the self-service account is uniquely tied to the browser and device used during registration as such access to the account is therefore limited to that specific browser on that particular device.

Adegoke said to change the NIN record, the user must log in using the same browser and device originally used to register the account, stressing that any attempt to use a different browser or device may result in access issues.

He also warned that clearing the browser cache will reset the browser and may lock the account, noting that If this occurs, the account will require an unlinking process to regain access.

Adegoke said once a browser and device are locked, the users are permitted a maximum of five (5) unlock attempt requests, warning that no further requests will be processed after this limit is exceeded.

He noted that: “These are some of the measures put in place by the Commission to safeguard and protect the Identity of the users of the self-service modifications portal.”

“NIMC urges all users to carefully follow these guidelines to avoid unnecessary disruptions and delays. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as the Commission continue to safeguard your data and improve service delivery,” Adegoke said.

NIMC Issues Important Information on NIN’s
Self-Service Modification