Troops neutralise two terrorists in Borno, recover weapons

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised two ISWAP terrorists during a fighting patrol in Aligambari village, near Gajiram in Borno State.

A reliable source told Zagazola Makama on Tuesday that the troops, acting on credible intelligence, launched a swift operation in the area at about 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

According to the source, the troops made contact with the terrorists and engaged them with superior firepower, killing two of them in the process.

He said that the soldiers also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one PKT machine gun and two magazines from the scene.

“The troops are currently dominating the area of responsibility with aggressive patrols to deny the terrorists any freedom of movement.

“All captured items are in the custody of the troops, and further instructions are being awaited from higher headquarters,” the source added.

Troops neutralise two terrorists in Borno, recover weapons

At Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Citizens Engagement:

President Tinubu Walking Hand In Hand With Nigerians Through Critical Reforms, Says VP Shettima

• Adds: Administration prioritising dialogue, flexibility in tax reforms, fuel subsidy removal, others

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has said that instead of governing Nigeria from a distance, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is walking hand in hand with the people through critical national reforms.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the administration to inclusive governance and responsive policymaking rooted in wide-ranging public engagement and empathy.

Senator Shettima, who stated this on Tuesday in Kaduna at a 2-day interactive session on Government – Citizens Engagement, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, said the Nigerian leader has demonstrated time and again that his administration is “neither crafting policy in solitude nor assuming that technocracy alone delivers results.”

Represented by the Special Adviser to The President on General Duties (Office of the Vice President), Dr Aliyu Modibbo Umar, the Vice President, declared that the Tinubu administration is convening conversations and institutionalising listening.

“It is always a privilege to gather under the luminous legacy of Sir Ahmadu Bello; his memory reminds us that leadership is not simply about occupying office, but about shouldering the burden of service. What we nurture today is not just a government of the people but a government with the people,” he said.

VP Shettima highlighted several reforms of the administration where public input significantly shaped final outcomes, including tax policy, education access, and economic relief measures following the removal of fuel subsidies.

On the student loan law, which was initially passed as the Access to Higher Education Act, the VP said in response, the administration repealed and reenacted the law, “removing income ceilings and guarantor barriers that had become symbolic walls between ambition and opportunity.”

Vice President Shettima reiterated the government’s belief that “no student should be disqualified for being born on the wrong side of poverty.”

On tax reforms, Senator Shettima said the administration established a Presidential Tax and Fiscal Reform Committee, which engaged stakeholders from across the country to address grey areas in the reforms.

“When objections arose from governors and citizens alike, the President did not dismiss them. He welcomed their candour and ensured tax bills passed through public hearings. Even unpopular taxes inherited from past regimes, like the 10% single-use plastic levy and telecom tax, were suspended after critical review,” he stated.

The VP also spoke about the contentious issue of fuel subsidy removal, saying the Tinubu-led federal government acknowledged the hardship faced by ordinary Nigerians and accompanied the policy with strategic responses.

He continued: “We met with labour unions not with threats, but with empathy. We offered palliative packages, increased wages, waived diesel taxes, and introduced alternatives like CNG buses to cushion transport costs. We were not merely reacting. We were responding.”

The Vice President said the reforms in other sectors of the economy followed the same pattern of engaging with the people and making necessary adjustments to the original propositions where necessary.

He further noted that every step of the way, President Tinubu showed concern for the people and emphasised the point that “governance is not a theatre of perfection but a process of correction and a government that listens is a government that learns. And a government that learns is a government that leads.”

He applauded the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation for sustaining the legacy of the late Premier of Northern Nigeria, describing it as “a torch of civic dialogue that must never be extinguished.”

At Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation Citizens Engagement

LIBERIA HONORS ECOWAS AND ECOMOG AT 178TH INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATONS*

By: Michael Mike

Liberia’s 178th Independence Day celebration on the 26th of June 2025 served as a powerful tribute to regional unity and peacebuilding, with a spotlight on the enduring role of ECOWAS and ECOMOG in Liberia’s journey through civil conflict and reconciliation.

The ceremony welcomed high-level dignitaries from across West Africa, including the Presidents of Guinea-Bissau, Ghana, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, along with senior officials from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, symbolizing Liberia’s strong ties within the sub-region.

In recognition of ECOWAS at 50, Liberia honored contributing member states of ECOMOG – Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone with awards presented by H.E. Joseph Nyuma Boakai, President of Liberia. Special honors were also given to past Executive Secretaries of ECOWAS who played pivotal roles during Liberia’s crisis, including H.E. Lansana Kouyate, H.E. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu, and H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas.

LIBERIA HONORS ECOWAS AND ECOMOG AT 178TH INDEPENDENCE CELEBRATONS*