FCE Gombe gets new Registrar

The Governing Council of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, has approved the appointment of Mallam Haruna Ayuba, the most senior Deputy Registrar, as Acting Registrar of the College.

Ayuba’s appointment which is to ensure continuity in the administration of the College, followed the dismissal of four senior officers of the institution.

Mr Dahiru Gurama, the Acting Director, Public Relations and Protocol at the College disclosed this in a press statement issued in Gombe on Tuesday.

Gurama said that the Council approved the dismissal of the four senior officers of the institution based on gross misconduct.

Our Correspondent reports that those dismissed are the Registrar, Alhaji Umar Bello; the College Librarian, Yusuf Aliyu; the Director of Works and Services, Mr. Muhammad Malam.

An internal member of the Governing Council representing the Non-Teaching Staff Congregation, Ibrahim Shehu completes the number.

He said that the decision was taken at the 7th meeting of the Governing Council held on 31st January, 2026, at the headquarters of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Abuja.

“The dismissals followed earlier suspensions and were based on the findings and recommendations of a fact-finding committee.

“The Committee was set up by the Federal Ministry of Education, as well as the Governing Council’s Investigative committee, which indicted the officers on various counts of gross misconduct.”

ECOWAS, Senegal and UNHCR Launch Joint Humanitarian Initiative to Support Refugees

By: Michael Mike

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), in collaboration with the Government of Senegal and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), has officially launched a cooperation and humanitarian assistance initiative aimed at improving protection, livelihoods and social inclusion for refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons in Senegal.

The launch ceremony, held in Dakar, brought together senior Senegalese government officials, ECOWAS commissioners, UNHCR representatives, development partners and leaders of refugee communities. The initiative marks a major implementation milestone of a project conceived in 2023, at a time when global humanitarian funding is declining and refugee assistance worldwide is under severe strain.

Delivering remarks on behalf of the ECOWAS Commission, officials described the programme as a demonstration of regional solidarity and a reaffirmation of ECOWAS’ commitment to human dignity. They noted that West Africa continues to face complex challenges including conflict, climate change, disasters and economic instability, all of which contribute to forced displacement and increased pressure on host communities.

The ECOWAS-supported intervention, valued at over 500,000 dollars, is designed to provide life-saving assistance while promoting sustainable livelihoods, social cohesion and peaceful coexistence between displaced populations and host communities. According to ECOWAS, the initiative goes beyond emergency relief by investing in long-term stability, national security and development.

Speaking on behalf of refugees and asylum seekers, the Chair of the Committee of Representatives of Refugees in Senegal, Mr. Lambert Koliti, welcomed the agreement as a vital source of hope for displaced families. He said the programme will expand access to education, vocational training, healthcare and social support, enabling refugees to rebuild their lives with dignity and contribute positively to their host communities.

Refugee leaders appealed to ECOWAS to support initiatives led by refugees and to integrate displaced persons into regional training, employment and entrepreneurship programmes. They also called on the Senegalese government to strengthen measures that promote durable solutions, including access to livelihoods and essential services.

In a statement delivered on behalf of UNHCR, the agency commended ECOWAS and Senegal for the strength of the tripartite partnership, describing it as a practical example of responsibility sharing in line with the Global Compact on Refugees. UNHCR emphasized that responses to forced displacement require collective, coordinated and predictable action rather than isolated national efforts.

Senegal was praised for its commitment to refugee protection, including recent legislative reforms that modernize the national asylum system and improve access to rights for refugees and stateless persons. Officials noted that these reforms contribute to broader ECOWAS efforts toward harmonized asylum governance across the region.

Despite ongoing institutional restructuring and funding constraints within the humanitarian sector, speakers expressed confidence that the cooperation framework would help pool resources, strengthen national capacities and deliver targeted support to the most vulnerable populations.

The launch concluded with renewed calls for sustained collaboration among ECOWAS, Senegal, UNHCR, development partners and refugee communities to ensure that no one is left behind, while promoting peace, resilience and regional solidarity across West Africa.

ECOWAS, Senegal and UNHCR Launch Joint Humanitarian Initiative to Support Refugees

Plateau communities on high alert as fresh cattle killings escalate in Riyom LGA

By: Zagazola Makama

Pastoralists in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State are on edge following a fresh wave of unprovoked attacks on livestock that threaten livelihoods and heighten tensions between residents and herders.

According to a statement issued by Abdullahi Yusuf, a Fulani community representative in Riyom, on Feb. 2, 2026, one cow was shot dead at Weren Camp, while three other cows were poisoned in Kwi Village during the afternoon hours.

Preliminary reports indicate that the poisoned cattle ingested toxic substances deliberately hidden inside oranges placed in grazing areas, a method that experts describe as “malicious and targeted.”

Yusuf condemned the attacks as “criminal, unacceptable, and a serious threat to peaceful coexistence” among pastoral communities in Riyom.

He called on relevant security agencies to investigate the incidents, identify the perpetrators, and bring them to justice. The community representative also appealed to the Plateau State Government to adopt proactive measures to prevent further occurrences and protect lives, property, and livestock in the affected areas.

“This latest incident in Kwi Village is not isolated. The community is now becoming notorious for cattle poisoning, with repeated attacks undermining the safety of pastoralists and their families,” the statement noted.

The incidents forms part of a pattern of escalating violence across Plateau, with armed ethnic militias and bandits increasingly targeting both human and animal assets.

A notable flashpoint occurred on Dec. 27, 2025, when five Fulani youths traveling along Bukuru Express Road near Angle D, Jos South LGA, were ambushed by armed militia elements assessed to be Berom. The victims, returning from Kara Cattle Market, sustained critical gunshot injuries and were rushed to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) for emergency medical attention.

Other documented incidents in recent months include: Dec. 12, 2025: Armed elements attacked Nding Community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, rustling approximately 137 cattle belonging to three herders. Dec. 13, 2025: Cattle rustling in Kukukah Community, Jos East LGA, resulted in the theft of 34 cows. Less than 24 hours later, nine cows reportedly died after ingesting poisonous substances in Kwi Village, Riyom LGA.

Dec. 16, 2025: Armed Fulani bandits attacked an illegal mining site at Tosho Community, Fan District, Barkin Ladi LGA, allegedly to recover stolen cattle. The attack left twelve people dead, three abducted, and several injured.
Dec. 18–19, 2025: Retaliatory attacks followed, including the killing of four children at Dorong Village, Foron District, Barkin Ladi LGA, and further livestock killings in Gero Village, Jos South LGA.

Zagazola has repeatedly warned that these attacks represent a “predictable escalation cycle,” in which cattle rustling, livestock poisoning, and attacks on pastoral settlements precipitate retaliatory strikes against unrelated civilian targets.

Security sources in Plateau State confirmed that the shootings and poisoning incidents are part of a growing pattern of violence targeting pastoral communities to chased them out of Plateau state but the attacks have rather only contributed to an escalating cycle of reprisal violence, including retaliatory raids and clashes between herders and local communities.

“The deliberate attacks on livestock and civilians show a coordinated effort to destabilize Plateau communities and failure to decisively address these threats risks normalizing violence, increasing civilian casualties, and entrenching Plateau state armed militias as de facto security actors.”

Zagazola have documented the escalating violence across Plateau but the plateau state governments have largely been “looking the other way,” allowing reprisal cycles to continue unabated. The repeated attacks and retaliations draw attention to the urgent need for a robust and coordinated response to protect lives, livelihoods, and the fragile peace within Plateau State.

We therefore called for urgent joint security measures, including sustained patrols, intelligence-led interdiction of militia cells, and decisive disruption of cattle rustling and poisoning networks to prevent further deterioration of the security situation in Plateau state.

Plateau communities on high alert as fresh cattle killings escalate in Riyom LGA