Three Fulani youths slaughtered by suspected Mwaghavul militia buried in Mangu

By: Zagazola Makama

Three young Fulani herders allegedly killed by suspected Mwaghavul militia in Alohom community, Sabon Gari District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, have been buried.

The victims — Garzali Shuibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15 — were reportedly attacked while grazing in the area on Saturday, Sept. 12.

Their Janazah prayer was observed before they were laid to rest, as grief and anger continued to grip the community following the killings.

According to a military situation report obtained by Zagazola Makama, troops of Sector 8, Operation Enduring Peace, were alerted after receiving information that herders had come under attack at Alohom.

The soldiers deployed from Sabon Gari moved to the location and reportedly found the bodies of the three youths, alongside 36 cattle that had been shot dead.

Another 12 cattle sustained gunshot wounds, while two other members of the herding group were reported missing.

Surviving members of the group alleged that the attackers were armed men suspected to be members of the Mwaghavul militia operating around Alohom, Gaude and the wider Mangu Halle areas.

The allegation remains subject to investigation by security agencies.

There were also claims by some Fulani residents that personnel of a sister security agency were sighted around the area during the incident but allegedly failed to prevent the killings.

That claim is also being investigated.

Empty tear-gas canisters were reportedly recovered from the scene, although their connection with the attack had yet to be established.

The killing of the three youths, particularly 14-year-old Bashiru Yakubu, has further inflamed tensions in the area.

It is difficult to comprehend how a community can lose three young people in such a violent manner, with one of the victims barely into his teenage years. These were not statistics; they were young lives, sons and members of families whose future has now been brutally cut short.

The incident has also raised fears of possible reprisal attacks, especially amid angry reactions circulating within the affected community.

Security agencies must urgently establish what happened, identify and arrest those responsible and prevent the killings from becoming another trigger for retaliatory violence.

Troops have intensified patrols and are dominating the area to prevent further attacks, locate the missing persons and restore confidence among residents.

Three Fulani youths slaughtered by suspected Mwaghavul militia buried in Mangu

NiDCOM: 198 Nigerians Visited in Maharashtra Prisons as FG Seeks Fresh Amnesty in India

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to secure the release of Nigerians detained in India, with the Nigeria High Commission in the country visiting 198 inmates across five prisons in Maharashtra as negotiations continue for a fresh six-month amnesty for Nigerians held over immigration-related offences.

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, said the prison visits were conducted as of September 1, 2026, adding that Nigerians remained incarcerated in other Indian provinces.

The commission said the visits formed part of the Nigerian mission’s ongoing consular intervention in cases involving hundreds of Nigerians in Indian prisons, amid concerns over prolonged detention, immigration violations and delays in the prosecution of criminal cases.

According to NiDCOM, the Nigeria High Commission secured an amnesty programme between September last year and May this year that led to the release and repatriation of thousands of Nigerians detained mainly for immigration offences and other irregularities.

However, it said some Nigerians failed to take advantage of the amnesty before its expiration or did not utilise the opportunity when it was available.

The commission disclosed that Nigeria’s High Commissioner to India, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, was engaging her Indian counterpart to secure another six-month amnesty for Nigerians detained in camps who had no pending trials but remained in custody over immigration-related offences.

The development followed public concerns over the detention of a Nigerian identified as Mr Ekene in India, with NiDCOM assuring that the High Commission would examine his case and determine whether he qualified for early release and repatriation.

It said that where Ekene was eligible to leave India, arrangements could be made for his return, provided his family was able to raise the necessary funds, stressing that established legal and administrative procedures would have to be followed.

“The Nigerian High Commission is on his case and that of others in similar circumstances and has also been putting pressure on the Indian government to speed up cases of those awaiting trials for various offences,” the statement said.

NiDCOM, however, clarified that the proposed amnesty would not cover Nigerians awaiting trial for criminal offences, including drug-related crimes.

The commission urged Nigerians living in India without valid immigration status to take advantage of the next amnesty programme once it was implemented, warning that those who continued to remain in the country illegally risked arrest.

“Nigerians in India, who are in India irregularly, should take advantage of the next set of amnesty being negotiated when effected, while others who are still staying there illegally should utilise the opportunity or risk being arrested,” NiDCOM Chairman/CEO, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, advised.

The commission also appealed to Nigerians abroad to respect the laws of their host countries and avoid conduct that could lead to arrest, prosecution or prolonged detention.

The latest intervention underscores the continuing challenge of irregular migration involving Nigerians in India, where immigration violations have contributed to the detention of nationals without valid documentation, while separate criminal cases remain subject to the Indian judicial process.

NiDCOM said the Federal Government would continue to engage the Indian authorities on the welfare of detained Nigerians, the acceleration of pending cases and the repatriation of those legally cleared to return home.

NiDCOM: 198 Nigerians Visited in Maharashtra Prisons as FG Seeks Fresh Amnesty in India

Muslim Diaspora Forum: NiDCOM Seeks Joint Action Against Discrimination, Misinformation

By: Michael Mike

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has called for coordinated action among Muslim diaspora communities across the world to combat discrimination, hate speech and misinformation, while strengthening their contributions to development.

Dabiri-Erewa made the call at the First Muslim Diaspora Forum in Ankara, Türkiye, where representatives from more than 47 countries gathered to discuss shared challenges and opportunities under the theme, “From Roots to Routes.”

Representing Nigeria at the forum, which was declared open by Türkiye’s Vice President, Cevdet Yılmaz, the NiDCOM boss argued that diaspora engagement must extend beyond the traditional emphasis on remittances to include skills transfer, investment, innovation, humanitarian assistance and cultural exchange.

In her presentation, titled “Unity in the Diaspora: Current Needs, Common Solutions,” she said the common challenges confronting diaspora communities required collective responses and stronger international partnerships.

She identified public communication, humanitarian initiatives and joint efforts against discrimination and hate speech as areas where Muslim diaspora organisations could collaborate more effectively.

Dabiri-Erewa said NiDCOM had continued to provide Nigerians abroad with accurate information, promote positive narratives and counter misinformation, while supporting Nigerians affected by crises and vulnerable migrants.

She also highlighted the contributions of Nigerians in the diaspora through medical missions, educational projects, philanthropy and other development initiatives, stressing that their impact could not be measured solely by financial remittances.

According to her, migration should not sever the relationship between citizens and their countries of origin, but should create opportunities for them to remain connected and contribute to national development.

She said the shared needs of diaspora communities—including dignity, safety, opportunity and freedom to practise their faith—demanded common solutions.

Dabiri-Erewa further disclosed that Nigeria would strengthen international cooperation on diaspora affairs and deepen relations with participating countries to harness the skills, knowledge, investments, culture and diplomatic influence of its citizens abroad.

On the sidelines of the forum, she held meetings with Fuad Muradov, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s State Committee on Diaspora Affairs; Sayed Ahmed, who heads Sudan’s diaspora organisation; and Zahra Zumrut, Director-General of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC).

The discussions focused on exchanging experiences, strengthening institutional relationships and exploring areas of cooperation in diaspora affairs and development.

She also met with Ahmet Alemdar, Vice President of Türkiye’s Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB), where both sides reviewed the Memorandum of Understanding between NiDCOM and YTB.

The meeting emphasised the need to move beyond the signing of the agreement and develop concrete programmes in diaspora engagement, knowledge exchange, youth development and bilateral cooperation.

Alemdar called for the identification and implementation of specific projects that Nigeria and Türkiye could undertake jointly to deepen cooperation and deliver measurable benefits to their diaspora communities.

The forum’s communique, which stressed the need to sustain the theme and gains of the summit, was presented by the programme liaison, Ali Fahad, a Turkish-Nigerian.

The gathering marked the first Muslim Diaspora Forum and provided a platform for participating countries to exchange experiences and consider coordinated approaches to issues affecting their citizens abroad.

Muslim Diaspora Forum: NiDCOM Seeks Joint Action Against Discrimination, Misinformation