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Maintain democratic values that promote security, peace —Maj-Gen Onoja
Maintain democratic values that promote security, peace —Maj-Gen Onoja
By: Our Reporter
Retired Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Onoja, a former military administrator of Plateau and Katsina states, has urged Nigeria to uphold democratic values that would ensure the nation’s security and peacekeeping efforts.
Onoja made the call in his keynote delivered at a National Peacebuilding Conference with theme “Electoral process, governance, democracy, security and conflict resolution in 2023 general elections” in Abuja on Tuesday.
The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) Jabi and the Institute for Crisis Resolution, Peace building and Conciliation (ICRCP) collaborated to organise the conference.
Onoja urged the political leaders of the nation to support honest and open elections that ensure citizens’ participation in the administration of their own concerns.
“Internationally, democracy is a license for gaining access to international diplomacy, finance, trade, investment, sports, entertainment, tourism, humanitarianism, defense and security.
“As countries rush to obtain this tagging of been democratic, Nigeria should distinguish its brand of democracy with adherence to critical principles of democracy that include rule of law, justice.
“Respect for human rights, provision of welfare, and human security for the citizens, transparency and accountability, open government, citizens participation and inclusiveness.
“It is imperative therefore, that political leaders encourage, imbibe, accept and celebrate transparent, credible and open electoral process as a fundamental national security commitment and minimum benchmarking, guaranteeing the equal participation of Nigerians in the governance of their affairs, “ Onoja said.
He added that the usage of courts in dispute resolution was due to the lack of democratic governance of the commonwealth and privileges. He emphasised how important and fundamental the electoral process was to democracy, governance, security, and conflict resolution.
Onoja continued by saying that it was critical for the relevant state institutions to start operating efficiently as Nigerians continue to fight for an effective government that would ensure their access to food security, health security, community security, economic security, political security, environmental security, and personal security.
Given the numerous threats to peace, security, and development that the country was facing on the eve of the election, the retired major general said that the general election in 2023 would be a turning point for Nigeria. He commended President Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party for choosing the path of peace.
However, he urged the judiciary to be resolute and diligent in carrying out its duties in the cases that were before it based on the evidence in order to increase residents’ confidence in the government and win their support for fighting the nation’s common adversaries together.
In his remarks, the ICRPC Register-General, Dr Abdulwaheed Odewale described the conference as a vibrant platform for diverse voices towards a more peaceful and democratic society where the ballot prevails over the bullet.
Odewale said that the knowledge shared and experiences exchanged during the conference would undoubtedly shape the policies and practices that would guide the future of Nigeria.
Odewale urged participants of the conference to carry the spirit of unity, resilience, and determination, as well applied knowledge gained at the event to be catalysts for positive change and better approaches to elections in Nigeria.
Maintain democratic values that promote security, peace —Maj-Gen Onoja
Troops arrest two suspects, recover suspected stolen goods in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 1, Operation Enduring Peace, have arrested two suspected criminals and recovered a vehicle loaded with suspected stolen items at Berger Junction, Mista-Ali, in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The suspects were arrested at about 4:00 a.m. on September 18, 2026, following information about suspected criminals allegedly offloading stolen goods at the location.
The troops, acting on the report, swiftly mobilised to the area and arrested two suspects identified as Ibrahim Sulaiman, 33, and Ibrahim Husaini, 23.
The troops also recovered a Mercedes-Benz E220 vehicle allegedly loaded with suspected stolen items.
The recovered items included eight 25-litre containers of palm oil, four 4-litre containers of palm oil, two 50kg bags of rice, one 50kg bag of sugar, one carton of Maggi seasoning and an empty 25-litre jerrycan.
The suspects and recovered items were subsequently handed over to the Keystone Mista-Ali Outpost for further investigation and appropriate legal action.
Security sources said the arrest followed sustained intelligence gathering and patrol operations aimed at disrupting criminal activities and recovering stolen property in the area.
Troops arrest two suspects, recover suspected stolen goods in Plateau
GOC 3 Division engages Bokkos stakeholders over farmer-herder conflicts
By: Zagazola Makama
The General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander, Operation Enduring Peace, Maj. Gen. W.M. Dangana, has engaged district heads and other stakeholders in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State as part of efforts to address recurring farmer-herder conflicts in the area.
Maj. Gen. Dangana arrived at the headquarters of Sector 5, Operation Enduring Peace, in Bokkos at about 1:00 p.m. on September 19, 2026, where he was received by the Sector Commander.
The GOC thereafter proceeded to the Palace of the Saf Bokkos, where he held an engagement meeting with district heads and other stakeholders from across the local government area.
The engagement formed part of ongoing non-kinetic efforts by the military and other stakeholders to address the underlying tensions between farming and herding communities and promote peaceful coexistence.
Discussions with traditional leaders and community stakeholders are expected to support the identification of local grievances, strengthen communication with security agencies and help prevent disputes from escalating into violence.
The engagement was conducted peacefully and without any incident.
GOC 3 Division engages Bokkos stakeholders over farmer-herder conflicts
Troops neutralise suspected terrorist in Kaduna, others flee with gunshot wounds
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 7, Sub-Sector 71 Sanga, have neutralised a suspected terrorist during an offensive operation at Ungwan Nungu village in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The operation was conducted at about 8:00 p.m. on September 18, 2026, after troops deployed at Ungwan Nungu responded to intelligence on the activities of suspected terrorists operating from a hideout in the community.
Upon arrival at the location, the troops made contact with the criminals, resulting in a gun battle during which one of the suspects, identified as Bashir Mohammed, was neutralised.
Other members of the group reportedly fled the scene with possible gunshot wounds sustained during the encounter.
Troops have commenced efforts to track and apprehend the fleeing suspects, while operations continue in the area to prevent the criminals from regrouping and further terrorising surrounding communities.
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