Nasarawa councillor abducted along Doma–Yelwa road

By: Zagazola Makama

A serving councillor representing Doka Ward in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Muhammad Onumenya, has been abducted.

He was reportedly kidnapped on Feb. 23 at about 7:35 p.m. along the Doma–Yelwa Village Road while travelling within the area.

Following the report, a patrol team, alongside members of vigilante groups and local hunters, was mobilised to comb the surrounding bushes in search of the victim.

As of the time of filing this report, no trace of the councillor had been found.

Search operations are ongoing by the security agencies with efforts being intensified to secure his safe return and identify those responsible for the abduction.

Residents have been urged to remain vigilant and provide useful information that could aid the rescue efforts.

Nasarawa councillor abducted along Doma–Yelwa road

AS KANO SINGER MARKET TRADERS APPRECIATE FG: VP Shettima Restates Government’s Resolve To Prevent Recurrence Of Infernos In Kano Markets

Says President Tinubu has directed relevant agencies to take proactive fire safety measures

By: Our Reporter

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has restated Federal Government’s resolve to work with the Kano State government and relevant government agencies to prevent the recurrence of fire outbreak in markets across the state.

He disclosed that all necessary documentation has been made by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to release the N5 billion pledge made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to support traders and other victims of the inferno that razed several sections of the popular Kano Singer Market, resulting in significant economic losses, including goods and business capital valued at billions of Naira.

Senator Shettima gave the assurance on Wednesday in Abuja when a delegation of the Association of Kano Business Community, led by its President, Alhaji Sabiu Bako, paid him a thank you visit in his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He assured the delegation that President Tinubu has the people of Kano at heart, saying the N5 billion approved by the President as immediate relief for victims of the inferno was based on result of the preliminary assessment of the damages caused by the fire outbreak.

He said, “Be rest assured that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has you in heart. When the incident happened, he immediately directed me to proceed to Kano and sympathise with victims of the inferno. In fact, he gave the blanket cheque to make a recommendation on the support we should give to the government and people of Kano.

“And the N5 billion approved by the President was based on the outcome of your preliminary assessment of the damages; otherwise, if the level of damage was up to N20 billion, I am absolutely certain that the President would have approved that amount. The donations of this nature are handled by the ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.”

The Vice President however called for transparency in the management of the funds, saying “the disbursement and utilisation of the funds must be transparently done for posterity.”

He also informed the delegation that the President has directed that proactive measures should be taken by the relevant Federal Government agencies, in collaboration with the Kano State government, to prevent any reoccurrence of such fire outbreaks in the state.

“Government intends to engage your association to also introduce fire safety measures to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidence to safeguard the lives and properties of our people. The reoccurrence of fire of such magnitude can only be mitigated by taking proactive measures,” he stated.

Acknowledging the challenges facing Kano as one of the nation’s industrial hubs, VP Shettima noted that, while Nigeria’s economy has been recalibrated and is on a sound footing, the nation is on a path to sustained growth.

He said with the economy back on track, government is poised to address the state’s industrial challenges, citing the the $2.8 billion Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project, designed to deliver natural gas to Northern Nigeria, including a major 1,350 MW Independent Power Plant (IPP) in Kano, which is already at 80% completion stage, and aims to revitalize industries and boost power supply in the state.

“We know the challenges of Kano. Most of the industries in Kano are now in a state of comatose. The few that are existing are on life support because they are generating their own power. But the AKK will soon see the light of the day. It is the most expensive infrastructure project in this country.

“With the AKK, I believe Kano will bounce back to life again because power is sine qua non for any industrial take-off. Kano used to have as many as a thousand industries, and they will be revived,” the VP assured the delegation.

Earlier in his remarks, the President of the Association, Alhaji Sabiu Bako, appealed to the Federal Government to consider the establishment of a special loan facility that is interest-free for the affected traders with a structured repayment period of up to ten years.

In addition, he urged continued federal assistance in rebuilding critical infrastructure within the market to ensure improved safety standards and prevent future occurrences.

He said such gestures will not merely restore businesses alone but will also restore dignity, rebuild confidence, and revive the economic fortunes of the victims as well as the economy of the entire state.

He stated: “Kano’s business community is resilient. Our traders are industrious men and women who ask not for handouts, but for a bridge back to productivity. With structured support and sustained collaboration Singa Market will rise again, stronger, safer, and more vibrant than ever.

“On behalf of the Kano Business Community, I express our profound gratitude and reaffirm our commitment to partnering with the Federal Government in rebuilding and strengthening our economy.”

Alhaji Sabiu expressed gratitude for the donations by the Federal Government and the Progressive Governors Forum, noting that their “swift action helped contain further damage and offered immediate relief.”

Expressing the association’s gratitude to President Tinubu, he continued: “We are profoundly grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his decisive intervention and compassion. The President’s action in dispatching a high-powered delegation led by you to commiserate with the government and people of Kano State brought comfort to our grieving community.

“The donation of N5 billion to the affected traders has provided immediate succour and renewed hope among our people. This gesture of solidarity reflects the unity of purpose that defines our nation in times of crisis.”

AS KANO SINGER MARKET TRADERS APPRECIATE FG: VP Shettima Restates Government’s Resolve To Prevent Recurrence Of Infernos In Kano Markets

Plateau survivors recounts lynching as reprisals as reprisals fuel fresh killings

By: Zagazola Makama

A survivor of the recent roadside killings in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau has narrated how five commuters from Jos North were killed after their vehicle was intercepted by suspected youths along the Nding axis.

The incident occurred hours after seven persons were reportedly killed in Ratatis community, Dorowa Babuje, by suspected armed Fulani bandits.

Sources confirmed that a passenger Opel Vectra conveying civilians was stopped at a road blockade mounted by suspected Berom youths. Four passengers were reportedly killed on the spot, while a fifth later died from injuries.
All the victims were identified as Hausa residents of Gangare in Jos North. They were said to be traders travelling to Pankshin for their businesses.

Abdulalim Ibrahim, one of the survivors, said the attackers demanded to know their identities before opening fire.

“We were heading to the market in Pankshin when we were stopped by the protesters and asked who we were. The driver tried to calm them and told them we were all one. But the protesters rejected. Suddenly, there was gunfire. One person sitting at the back seat was shot inside the car while four others were dragged out by the youths,” he said.

They dragged others out of the vehicle and began shooting at them. I immediately told the driver to drive off with speed and leave the scene. When we arrived in Mangu, we contacted our parents and family friends. We were advised to go to the nearest security outfit, where soldiers were attached to provide security for us.

When we later saw the victims, they had been brutally killed. Some were burnt, while others were mutilated. They were later evacuated to Barkin Ladi, where prayers were offered for them.

Muazu Saidu, Co-survivor, said Everything he said is true. We were all in that vehicle. The victims were innocent businessmen. One of them, Baba Karami Zakari, had just welcomed a newborn child. All of them have families.”

He stated that the victims included Uwaisu, Jubril, Zakari, Shamsu and Zubairu. They were businessmen. One of them, Baba Karami Zakari, just had a newborn child. They all had families,” he said.

Religious leaders have also appealed for calm. The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, called on youths and community members to exercise restraint and avoid escalating tensions. Rev Dachomo also avoid speaking about the killing of the five traders whose only crimes was being caught in retaliatory or identity-driven violence.

The Commissioner of Police (COMPOL), Plateau State Police Command, visited key black spots across Jos North and held consultations with stakeholders, including the palace of Ujah Anaguta, Chairman of the Jos North Traditional Rulers Council. The police assured the royal father of their commitment to maintaining law and order and urged him to ensure stability within his domain. The COMPOL also engaged leadership of the Jos Central Mosque, the Executive Chairman of Jos North LGA, and other community leaders to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

Gov. Caleb Mutfwang strongly condemned the Dorowa Babuje killings, through the Commissioner for Information, Mrs Joyce Ramnap, describing them as “barbaric and senseless,” and directed security agencies to intensify operations to crack down on attackers.

However, his official statement did not specifically acknowledge the five commuters killed in the reprisal. Both incidents involved civilians. Both involved families. Yet public response has not appeared equally forceful.

When governments appear to condemn one set of killings more loudly than another, it reinforces the narrative that some lives matter more than others. In a state already fractured along ethnic and land-based fault lines, perception quickly becomes fuel. In Plateau, violence no longer erupts in isolation. It unfolds in patterns, attack, retaliation, silence, and then another burial.

Plateau’s crisis is no longer a simple farmer-herder conflict. It has mutated into two parallel but interconnected threats: Armed Fulani bandits who raid rural communities, burn homes and kill farmers to Local Militia-style who attack civilians based on identity and carry out targeted killing under the guise of community protection. Both are unlawful. Both are criminal. Both are banditry and both thrive in the absence of swift and visible justice.

The latest killings mirror previous incidents in Plateau where civilians were attacked following broader communal violence. Yet years of the same pattern of recurring violence, from Rukuba Road in 2021 to Mangu in 2025 and now Barkin Ladi in 2026, have produced more funerals than convictions. Victims and families continue to ask a simple question: who has been punished?

On Plateau roads, language, name, or perceived ethnic affiliation can determine survival. Innocent traders travelling to markets, students heading to weddings, worshippers returning from religious events, all become symbolic targets in a war they did not start.

When perpetrators are not publicly prosecuted, deterrence collapses. When local militia continue to carry out targeted killings without consequence, impunity becomes normalised. When reprisals are not unequivocally condemned, they are quietly rationalised. This is how identity becomes a death sentence.

Government inaction or even the perception of partiality does not calm such a situation. It complicates it. It hardens narratives. It emboldens extremists on all sides. Peace cannot be selective. Justice cannot be ethnic. Condemnation cannot be conditional.

If Plateau is to escape this recurring nightmare, the state must confront both armed bandits in the forests and militia from within its communities with equal firmness. Anything less will only deepen the crisis.

Plateau survivors recounts lynching as reprisals as reprisals fuel fresh killings