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FCT Minister suspends Area Council Chairmen, Councillors’ inauguration
FCT Minister suspends Area Council Chairmen, Councillors’ inauguration
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has suspended the planned inauguration of the Six Area Council Chairmen and Councillors scheduled for Friday.
This is contained in a statement on Thursday, due to the communication of a judgment by a court in the Federal Capital Territory directing the suspension of the inauguration.
The current chairmen’s tenure will end on Thursday.
The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, made the disclosure in a statement personally signed by him, on Thursday in Abuja.
” As you are all aware, in March of 2019, we held the Area Council elections in the FCT, whereby six Council Chairmen and their Councillors were elected after a very competitive and rigorous process.
The minister explained that the judgment, based on the recently signed Electoral Act of 2022, which stipulates that the tenure of office of the Chairmen of the Area Councils in FCT would now be four years instead of three years.
” The existing Chairmen whose tenures were meant to expire or end today, have another one year to continue, based on the new law.
” So, as a law-abiding government, the FCT Administration has no option but to suspend the planned inauguration of the Six Area Council Chairmen of the FCT who were duly elected some weeks ago as a result of this injunction of the court.
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” Also, as an administration that is very conscious of the need to abide by the rule of law, even though we are not satisfied with the judgment of the court, we have no option but to comply. ”
Bello said while complying with the judgment, the FCTA was also making efforts to vacate the judgment, saying ” if the need arises, to appeal the judgment, so that the correct position of the law will be determined by the legal processes.”
” In the interim, therefore, we are very conscious of the fact that the stand of the court has raised a lot of concerns within certain sections of the Federal Capital Territory residents.
” I wish to appeal to everyone to be calm, to be law-abiding and to await the outcome of the legal processes.
FCT is a creation of law.”
The minister said that the FCT has always been known to be a place of unity, peace, and good governance and populated by law-abiding residents.
” Please let us continue the way we are and await the court processes. At the end of the court processes, the clear direction of what needs to be done would be clearly stated and then as an administrator, we will do the needful.”
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
A farmer, Mr Charles Tuwan, has sustained machete injuries following an alleged attack by a herder during a dispute over grazing on farmland in Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident occurred at about 6:53 p.m. on August 23, 2026, at Tekas Community, where troops of Sector 8, Operation ENDURING PEACE, operating under Operation HARD KNOCK, responded to a report of an assault.
Security sources said the dispute reportedly started after the farmer refused to allow the herder to graze cattle on his farmland.
On arrival at the scene, the troops found Tuwan with machete cuts sustained during the attack.
The alleged attacker, identified as Abdullahi Saleh, had reportedly fled the area with his cattle before the arrival of the troops.
The injured farmer was evacuated to Pankshin General Hospital for medical attention.
Troops are currently intensifying efforts to locate and arrest the suspect for investigation and possible prosecution.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions between farming and herding communities in parts of Plateau State, underscoring the need for early intervention in disputes over farmland and grazing to prevent isolated incidents from escalating into wider communal violence.
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
By Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE have recovered the corpse of an unidentified person bearing a gunshot wound along a roadside in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The corpse was discovered at about 9:30 p.m. on August 23, 2026, along the Farin Lamba axis, close to the Primary Health Centre in Riyom.
Troops of Sector 6, Operation ENDURING PEACE, responded to the report and found the body with an apparent gunshot wound to the stomach.
However, security personnel observed that there were no visible traces of blood or spent ammunition casings around the scene.
The circumstances led investigators to suspect that the body may have been transported from another location and dumped at the scene.
The corpse was evacuated to the Primary Health Centre mortuary in Riyom, while the youth leader of Tahoss Community was contacted to assist in identifying the deceased.
Troops have continued to dominate the general area as investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death and possible identity of the victim continues.
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
By Zagazola Makama
Troops operating under the Joint Security operation in the 2 Division Area of Responsibility have rescued a 28-year-old kidnap victim and recovered an AK-47 rifle following a gun battle with suspected kidnappers in Kogi State.
The operation, according to security sources, took place at about 0300 hours on August 24, 2026, when troops from Patrol Base Obajana intercepted the victim, identified as Hussaini Shehu.
Preliminary questioning revealed that Shehu had allegedly been abducted from the Abaji general area of the Federal Capital Territory about five days earlier.
The rescued victim subsequently led the troops to the location where he had been held captive.
Security sources said the troops made contact with the suspected kidnappers and engaged them in a firefight, forcing the criminals to abandon an AK-47 rifle and flee into the surrounding area.
The weapon was recovered by the troops, while the victim was evacuated to the military medical centre for medical attention.
Security forces have continued operations in the area to track the fleeing kidnappers and prevent them from regrouping.
The latest operation underscores the importance of intelligence-led patrols and rapid exploitation of information obtained from rescued victims in disrupting kidnapping networks operating across the FCT-Kogi corridor.
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
Farmer Injured in Machete Attack by Herder in Plateau
Unidentified Corpse with Gunshot Wound Found Along Road in Plateau
Troops Rescue Kidnap Victim, Recover AK-47 Rifle After Gun Battle in Kogi
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