Two Fulani Killed in Ambush by Irigwe Youths Along Jos South Road, One Escapes

By: Zagazola Makama

Two fulani youths were killed while another escaped unhurt following an ambush by Irigwe youths along the Gero-Rafin Bauna axis of Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Security sources said the incident occurred late on Monday when the attackers ambushed a motorcycle conveying three passengers near River Line community.

Troops of Sector 3 of Operation Enduring Peace, acting on a distress report, reportedly mobilised to the scene in conjunction with members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN).

The sources said that upon arrival, security personnel found the bodies of two victims identified as Sadik Mohammed of Dutsen Kura and Mossaud Abdullahi of Jebbu Bassa.

According to the sources, the motorcycle rider, identified as Samaila Haruna of Dutsen Kura, escaped the attack without injuries.

The motorcycle used by the victims was found abandoned at the scene.

The troops immediately launched a pursuit operation to track down the assailants but no contact was established, the sources added.

The remains of the deceased were later released to their families for burial in accordance with local customs.

The latest killings along the Gero–Rafin Bauna road are the latest indication that cycles of attacks and reprisals continue to intensify across several communities in Plateau State.

On Monday, Fulani bandits attacks and killed 18 persons in Bokkos while several others injured.
In recent months, communities like Mangu, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos and parts of Jos South have witnessed recurring violence, including ambushes, attacks on villages, reprisal killings and destruction of property.

The persistence of these incidents has left many residents questioning the effectiveness of the states government efforts to stem the crisis. While security deployments and official condemnations often follow major incidents, there has been little visible progress in addressing the underlying drivers of the conflict or bringing perpetrators to justice.

The continued bloodshed reflects a failure of both concerned stakeholders and political responses to a crisis that has persisted for years.

Two Fulani Killed in Ambush by Irigwe Youths Along Jos South Road, One Escapes

Global AIDS Fight at Crossroads as UN Warns Funding Cuts Threaten Goal of Ending Epidemic by 2030

By: Michael Mike

The global fight against HIV/AIDS stands at a defining moment as the United Nations warned that steep funding cuts and growing attacks on human rights could reverse decades of hard-won gains and derail the ambitious target of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

As world leaders on Monday convened at the United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS in New York, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) delivered a stark message: the world is dangerously close to losing momentum in one of modern public health’s greatest success stories.

The meeting, which comes nine years after the adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, is expected to produce a new Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS that will guide the global response over the next five years and represent the last major international commitment before the 2030 deadline.

UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, described the gathering as a pivotal opportunity to rescue and accelerate the global response.

“This Political Declaration is our chance to build on 25 years of commitment and point the way to 2030 to show that multilateralism can deliver,” she said. “We cannot fail because we know what we must do: sustain financing, protect the rights of people living with HIV, empower communities and ensure innovations reach everyone in need.”

The warning comes despite remarkable progress achieved over the past decade. According to new UNAIDS data released ahead of the meeting, AIDS-related deaths have declined by 56 per cent since 2010, while new HIV infections have fallen by 43 per cent globally. More than 32 million people living with HIV are now receiving life-saving treatment, a development that once seemed unattainable.

The global HIV response has often been cited as one of the most successful examples of international cooperation. Since the first UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS in 2001, governments, civil society groups, scientists and development partners have mobilised unprecedented resources to combat a disease that claimed millions of lives and devastated communities, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

At its peak in the early 2000s, AIDS was among the leading causes of death worldwide, killing millions annually and leaving countless children orphaned. International initiatives, including the establishment of the Global Fund and the United States’ PEPFAR programme, transformed access to antiretroviral treatment and dramatically reduced mortality rates, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

However, the gains now appear increasingly fragile.

UNAIDS reported that nearly nine million people living with HIV remain without treatment, while global development assistance for health fell by 23 per cent in 2025, the sharpest decline ever recorded. The agency warned that funding reductions are already disrupting testing services, prevention programmes and access to essential commodities.

In some high-burden countries, HIV testing programmes declined by 22 per cent between 2024 and 2025, while funding for condom supplies has been slashed by more than 90 per cent.

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, speaking on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres, called on governments to demonstrate renewed solidarity.

“This meeting is a chance to demonstrate that, even in difficult times, the international community can rally once again around science, human dignity, solidarity and shared responsibility,” she said.

Health experts have expressed concern that treatment interruptions could trigger a resurgence of the epidemic, leading to increased infections and preventable deaths, particularly among vulnerable populations.

The situation is further complicated by growing criminalisation and discrimination against groups considered to be at higher risk of infection, including young women and girls, men who have sex with men, sex workers and people who inject drugs.

Keren Dunaway of the International Community of Women Living with HIV warned that many of the rights and protections that underpinned progress against AIDS are being eroded.

“These gains were not handed to us. They were won through decades of advocacy,” she said. “The future of the response will depend on the choices we make in this room.”

Despite the challenges, UNAIDS says opportunities still exist to finish the fight. Domestic financing for HIV programmes has grown substantially, accounting for more than half of all HIV funding globally, while scientific breakthroughs, including long-acting HIV prevention medicines, are opening new possibilities for controlling and ultimately ending the epidemic.

AIDS advocate Sandra Thurman urged world leaders not to abandon the mission at the final stretch.

“The world has come too far. The stakes are too high. And the opportunity is too great. Now is not the time to quit. It is time to finish the job,” she said.

For Africa, which remains home to the largest population of people living with HIV, the decisions reached at the New York meeting could prove decisive. Public health experts warn that failure to sustain investments and political commitment could reverse decades of progress and undermine global efforts to achieve one of the most ambitious public health goals in modern history—the end of AIDS by 2030.

Global AIDS Fight at Crossroads as UN Warns Funding Cuts Threaten Goal of Ending Epidemic by 2030

SOJA Demands Justice Over Alleged Mob Killing of Islamic Teacher in Kaduna

By: Michael Mike

Human rights organisation, Speak Out for Justice Advocacy Ltd./GTE. (SOJA), has called for an immediate and transparent investigation into the alleged mob killing of an Islamic teacher, Malama Ummulkhairi, in Mararaban Jos, Kaduna State, describing the incident as a grave assault on the Constitution, human dignity and the rule of law.

In a statement issued on Monday, SOJA’s Founder and Executive Director, Hameed Ajibola Jimoh, expressed outrage over reports that Ummulkhairi, a wife and mother, was lynched and her body set ablaze after being mistakenly accused of attempting to kidnap children.

According to reports cited by the organisation, the deceased had left her home to attend an Islamic lecture but became separated from her companions while trying to locate the venue. During her search for directions, she was allegedly accused of child abduction and taken to a police station.

SOJA said information available in the public domain indicated that family members and community leaders identified her at the police station as a respected Islamic teacher and insisted there was no evidence linking her to any criminal activity. Despite these interventions, an enraged mob reportedly gained access to her and carried out the killing.

The organisation said it had not independently verified every aspect of the reports, including the precise circumstances of the incident, but stressed that the allegations were serious enough to warrant urgent action by relevant authorities.

“If confirmed, the incident would constitute a tragic violation of the right to life, human dignity, personal security, equality before the law, and the fundamental principles of justice and due process,” SOJA said.

It maintained that no allegation should become a death sentence and that accusations can never substitute criminal investigations, courts of law or the State’s obligation to protect its citizens.

The advocacy group cited Sections 33, 34, 35 and 36 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee the rights to life, dignity, personal liberty and fair hearing, respectively, while also invoking Section 14(2)(b), which provides that the security and welfare of the people remain the primary purpose of government.

SOJA further reminded authorities that Nigeria is bound by several international and regional human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Maputo Protocol.

The organisation noted that if the deceased was indeed in police custody or under police protection before the attack, the incident would raise serious questions about whether adequate measures were taken to safeguard her life and prevent foreseeable harm.

It argued that mob violence is not merely an offence against an individual victim but also a direct attack on public order, democratic governance and confidence in justice institutions.

SOJA urged investigators to identify not only those who physically participated in the alleged killing but also any institutional failures, operational lapses, acts of negligence or command deficiencies that may have contributed to the tragedy.

The group called on President Bola Tinubu, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Kaduna State Government, the National Human Rights Commission, the Inspector-General of Police, the Kaduna State Police Command and other relevant authorities to undertake an independent, impartial and professional investigation into the incident.

It also demanded the identification, arrest and prosecution of all persons found culpable, warning against any attempt to suppress evidence, intimidate witnesses, distort facts or shield perpetrators.

Describing the death of Ummulkhairi as a matter that also raises concerns about violence against women, SOJA stressed that as a woman, educator, wife and mother, she was entitled to equal protection under Nigerian and international law.

The organisation additionally recommended the adoption of safety and communication protocols for organisers of religious and public gatherings, including the provision of accurate venue addresses, GPS coordinates, emergency contacts and designated event marshals to minimise misunderstandings and unnecessary risks.

To address the broader challenge of mob justice, SOJA proposed nationwide public enlightenment campaigns, improved police crowd-control procedures, mandatory human rights training for law enforcement officers, installation of surveillance systems at police facilities, community early-warning mechanisms and stronger prosecution of perpetrators of jungle justice.

“The death of any citizen through mob violence is not merely a private tragedy. It is an attack on the Constitution, the rule of law, public security and democratic governance,” the organisation said.

“Today it is Malama Ummulkhairi. Tomorrow it could be anyone.”

SOJA extended its condolences to the family of the deceased and called for comprehensive reforms to ensure that no Nigerian is denied the protection of the law or subjected to violence based solely on suspicion or accusation.

SOJA Demands Justice Over Alleged Mob Killing of Islamic Teacher in Kaduna