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My friend, Isa Gusau — A Tribute,

Published

2 years ago

January 15, 2024

Ochuwa Ibrahim

My friend, Isa Gusau — A Tribute,

By: Kashim Shettima

There couldn’t have been a more poignant last chapter to a man’s life than my final text exchange with him. He reached out on December 31, 2023, to draw my attention to a Qur’an recital competition in Damaturu, Yobe State, stating that it transpired without deserving prizes. In his typical fashion, he outlined interventions that could align with the noble ambitions of the reciters and organisers. What he didn’t say this time around, while preferring the cloak he wore to redirect our concerns away from his health and towards others, was that he was on the brink of existence. He was in a hospital bed far away from home.

About a year earlier, Mallam Isa Gusau visited me at home in Abuja, and I couldn’t help but notice his sickly physical transformation. He opened up about his health struggle only when I insisted. I disagreed with his philosophy of not wanting his health to be the subject of interest in his line of work. However, he followed the direction we suggested for medical intervention and returned to prioritizing his job. With him, it’s always duty first, and that drive for excellence was once a source of trouble for us when we were on opposite sides of the table.

In 2007, when I assumed the role of Commissioner of Finance in Governor Ali Modu Sheriff’s government in Borno State, Mallam Gusau was the Daily Trust correspondent and later Bureau Chief covering the Borno-Yobe axis. He had been a problem for the government before my arrival. Fresh out of the private sector, I conducted sentiment analysis of my new station, and this inviolable reporter was a recurring problem in our efforts to manage the perception of the state and the government’s commitment to the people, especially during the critical phase of an ideological invasion in the North-East by a group that has since become the global calamity known as Boko Haram.

I had always admired objective contrarians and critics, and it didn’t take long to understand why Mallam Gusau’s journalistic overtures had been a nightmare for the government. His principles were as unyielding as ancient mountains, deeply rooted in the bedrock of his conviction as a chronicler of state affairs. I found myself compelled to acquaint with the fearless man.

Ms. Kwapchi Bata Hamman, who was then a reporter at NTA Maiduguri, became our eyes on him and eventually our bridge to him. She, along with the late Zubairu Maina Shani, a fellow Commissioner in Governor Sherrif’s government, formed our troika to untie the Gordian knot that was Isa Gusau. That one man could stir us this much, stand up to us with no fear or susceptibility to compromise, was a credential like no other. So, I knew just then that I wanted to be friends with such a man, a rebel with a noble cause.

Our destinies aligned sooner than I had expected. In 2011, when I was sworn into office as the Executive Governor of Borno State, I knew immediately that I must be surrounded by perceived trouble-makers if I were to make a difference, and Gusau easily came to mind. I was unconcerned about his origin, only what he was bringing to the table. I have always seen a leader who functions in an echo chamber as a tragedy.

Mallam Gusau agreed to be my spokesperson, testing the political divide that his path had crossed as a journalist. He mastered the art of shaping perceptions, traversing lengths unknown to me at the time. He was invested in the well-being of his colleagues and those he serves, and distinguished himself as a mediator and bridge builder in resolving office conflicts. Only many years later did I discover the depths to which he went to protect me, skilfully managing or quashing crosses without seeking the spotlight or credit.

Along with his team, he breathed life into the communication of government policies in Borno State, making us realize that even the finest idea or policy by the government is doomed to fail without strategic communications. Their legacy turned Borno State into a viable landmark on the topography of governance in Nigeria. He explored traditional and new media to dispel every attempt to caricature the state, whether in mischief or honest ignorance.
Gusau’s loyalty to friends, matched only by his competence and devotion to duty, sets him apart. This sense of responsibility led him to decline an invitation to serve as a commissioner in his home state, Zamfara, choosing instead to stay with his friends in Borno State. He played a central role among the multicultural aides that we assembled, contributing to our service to the people.

In that inclusive team of ours, where Borno State was warmly embraced as home, was Lanre Obadiah from Kwara State. Kester Ogualili and Victor Izekor were from Anambra and Abia State respectively. Christopher Godwin Akaba, an Urhobo man from Delta State, and Jack Vicent Fidelis, an Igala man from Kogi State, were also valuable members. Expanding our connections to neighboring states, Ahmed Ishaq Ningi from Bauchi State and Usman Majidadi Kumo from Gombe State were part of this dedicated ensemble.

The team was valorised by Mallam Gusau, who also served as my Special Adviser on Strategy while overseeing communications. It’s not surprising that he’s the longest-serving adviser in the history of the state. He praised your triumphs and intervened when you erred, always having the perfect books for every scenario he painted. This book-exchanging culture made him a refuge and a mirror. So, I had no speck of scepticism in recommending him for employment as an adviser to Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, whom he served for four and a half years after advising me for eight years.

Until three weeks ago, when I brought this up, Governor Zulum himself had no idea that Gusau was a leading voice advocating and justifying my choice of him as a successor. He never mentioned this to his new principal, just as he was always reluctant to divulge his health history. This lifestyle, which we opposed and came to acknowledge as the depth of his fidelity to duty, was, to him, a way to never curry favour and pity.

In a twist of fate, Isa Gusau, once perceived as a provocateur during his radical years, found himself forging unexpected alliances in a profound display of irony. Without accommodating compromises, he reconciled with those who had once deemed him a problem. The crescendo of this surprising journey was reached when he, against all odds, entered into matrimony with the sister of none other than Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff. This unexpected union not only symbolised the mellowing of Gusau’s feuds or differences with others but also cast a vivid contrast onto the canvas of his life.

What also never made the news was his philanthropy, reaching from the younger generation to the elderly. His generosity extended to the procurement of vehicles for media personnel and correspondents working in the hinterlands of Southern Borno. There was a poignant moment when he generously handed over his only vehicle to an indigent journalist colleague. I became aware of this act of kindness when I witnessed him trekking to his residence, a stone’s throw away from the Borno State Government House.

This incident invoked thoughts of Adam Grant’s acclaimed work, “Give and Take,” which categorises humanity into two reciprocity styles: Givers and Takers. Givers, characterized by their altruism, quietly assist others without seeking the spotlight, while Takers are driven by greed, desiring more than they contribute. The book celebrates legendary figures like C.J. Skender, the late Stu Inman, and George Meyer as quintessential Givers. Undoubtedly, my dear friend, Isa Umar Gusau, belongs to the distinguished category of these selfless and beautiful souls.

The void left by Gusau’s demise, as he departed from the sphere of his influence, transcends Borno State. It even extends beyond those who had feared his honesty. His loss is immense for the entire nation, which requires courageous advisors around our public office-holders, and for the humanity he served until his last breath on Thursday, January 11, 2024. May Allah repose his soul and comfort all those he left behind. Ameen.

Senator Kashim Shettima was the Executive Governor of Borno State between 2011 and 2019, and Nigeria’s current Vice President.

My friend, Isa Gusau — A Tribute,

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ADC Unveils Timetable, Guidelines for 2025/2026 Congresses, National Convention

Published

19 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

ADC Unveils Timetable, Guidelines for 2025/2026 Congresses, National Convention

By: Michael Mike

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has released a comprehensive timetable and guidelines for the conduct of its congresses and national convention for the 2025/2026 political year, as part of efforts to strengthen internal democracy and reposition the party ahead of future elections.

The guidelines are contained in a National Secretariat Circular dated December 30, 2025, and signed by the party’s National Chairman, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe.

According to the circular, the party’s activities will commence with a Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting scheduled for January 5, 2025, followed by a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on January 7, 2025.

Key agenda items at the NEC meeting include the filling of vacancies in the National Working Committee (NWC), the fixing of dates for membership registration and revalidation, and preparations for ward, local government and state congresses.

He said: “For 2026, the ADC announced that membership registration and revalidation will take place from January 2 to January 15. This will be followed by ward executive committee congresses on January 17, with matters arising to be addressed between January 19 and 22.

“Local government congresses are scheduled for January 24, while state executive committee congresses will be held on January 31, 2026. Matters Arising: February 2-5, 2026 National-Level Activities.

“National Working Committee Convention: d. The approved delegates to the State Congresses, as provided for in Article 24 (a) – (e) and specifically modified by a resolution of the NWC at its 17th December, 2026 in National
headquarters Abuja are as follows: Local Government Chairmen

“LGA Secretaries; Youth Leader; Women Leader; State Executive Committee members and National Executive Committee (NEC) members from the State; PWD Leader; Ex-Officio Member; All Elected Council Chairman and their Deputies; Board of Trustees Member; Zonal National Officer; Any Elected National / State Assembly Members; Legal Adviser.

“States shall constitute Congress Planning Committees, membership of which shall not include persons contesting for any of the state executive offices.

“All persons willing to contest for state offices shall register their intentions with the State Congress Committee with an intention Fees N2,000.00 (Two Thousand Naira Only) which the Congress Committee may utilize for the purpose of financing the congresses, in part.

“The State Executive Committee shall supervise the work of the Congress Planning Committee to ensure strict compliance with the guidelines on State Congresses.

“Approved composition and distribution of the State Executive Committee members should, as much as practicable, be carried out according to the Senatorial Zones and in compliance with the Party’s Constitutional provision (Article 5, 17):

“Senatorial Zone with the highest number of members (6 positions). Chairman; Asst. Secretary; Asst. Financial Secretary; Auditor; Organizing Secretary; Women Leader; Senatorial Zone with 2nd highest number of members (5 positions); Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Legal Adviser, Asst. Publicity Secretary, Asst.”

On zoning, the ADC disclosed that distribution of state executive committee positions should, as much as practicable, reflect senatorial zones and comply with the party’s constitutional provisions.

The party’s National Working Committee convention is slated for February 13 to 15, 2026.

The party emphasised that only validly registered or revalidated members whose names appear in the official membership register will be eligible to participate in the congresses, in line with provisions of the ADC constitution.

State chapters were also directed to formally notify the National Secretariat of the dates, venues and times of their congresses to enable proper communication with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said: “The criteria for qualification to contest for executive positions in the State Executive Committee are as follows: At least, attendance of Secondary School; The Offices of State Legal Adviser, Treasurer and Financial Secretary should have experiences in their respective professions; else the offices should be occupied by persons best deemed suitable.

“The Office of the State Youth Leader must NOT be more than 25 years while that of the State Woman Leader is exclusively reserved for Women.

“All pre-congress appeals shall be determined not later than 24 hours before the congresses while all appeals consequent upon the congresses shall be determined within 3 days after the congresses.

“The Congress Planning Committee shall submit reports of congresses to the National Secretariat via adcnationalcongressreformcommitee@gmail.com not later than 5 working days after the congresses.”

The party urged members and state chapters to strictly adhere to the guidelines to ensure transparent, credible and orderly congresses nationwide.

ADC Unveils Timetable, Guidelines for 2025/2026 Congresses, National Convention

News

Multiple terrorists neutralised in Sambisa as coordinated strikes unsettle ISWAP commanders

Published

21 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Multiple terrorists neutralised in Sambisa as coordinated strikes unsettle ISWAP commanders

By: Zagazola Makama

Fresh intelligence emerging from the Sambisa Forest indicates significant disarray within the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) following a series of coordinated ground and aerial strikes by Nigerian forces that dislodged key terrorist hideouts and neutralised dozens of fighters at the turn of the new year.

Zagazola Makama report that on Jan. 2, 2026, intercepted intelligence revealed growing concern among senior ISWAP commanders, including Jundullah and Ibn Hataf, after troops launched a surprise and “deadly” assault on the Balangaje hideout deep inside the Sambisa Forest on Jan. 1.

According to the sources, the Balangaje position described as a long-standing ISWAP enclave was completely overrun by the troops of Operation HADIN KAI, forcing surviving fighters to flee in disarray to other parts of the forest.

The commanders reportedly admitted that their forces were caught unprepared, resulting in a chaotic retreat in which many fighters were cut off and forced to escape individually, abandoning weapons, logistics and command structures.

More critically, the terrorists expressed concern over the fate of several senior commanders who have remained unaccounted for since the assault, raising strong indications of leadership casualties or severe command-and-control breakdown.

Security sources confirmed that the ground assault on Balangaje was launched by forces of 21 Armored Brigade operating in Nguro Soye in Bama Local Government Area.

Zagazola report that this ground success was decisively reinforced by precision air operations conducted under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), marking what one source described as a “welcome to 2026” for insurgent groups operating in the North-East.

On Jan. 1, following authorisation by OPHK, air assets engaged multiple high-value terrorist targets across Sambisa, Gava and the wider OPHK Area of Responsibility.

At about 0027 hours, an armed aircraft code-named Dragon, carried out a precision strike on a building with solar panels at Chiralia, identified as a terrorist logistics and command facility. Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) confirmed the structure was engulfed in flames, with secondary explosions suggesting the presence of stored fuel, explosives or logistics caches.

Further ISR operations tracked suspected Boko Haram Terrorists converging between rocky outcrops in the Gava axis. At approximately 0035 hours on Jan. 2, a precision strike was authorised and executed on the identified coordinates, with Battle Damaged Assessment confirming that about 11 suspected terrorists were neutralised.

Minutes later, surveillance assets observed about 10 additional terrorists fleeing the Gava settlements in panic after hearing the explosions. Continuous tracking revealed another convergence of about eight fighters under a tree, prompting a second precision strike at about 0114 hours.

BDA from the second engagement indicated that the eight terrorists were neutralised, while others fled in different directions. A secondary explosion was again observed near the strike point, reinforcing assessments that the location served as a weapons or logistics cache.

In a related operation, ISR assets identified a large concealed structure covered by trees and fitted with materials suspected to be solar panels, alongside a smaller adjoining building. Following clearance, the larger structure was engaged at about 0229 hours on Jan. 2, with BDA confirming its complete destruction.

Security analysts say the cumulative impact of these strikes has been profound. Beyond the immediate neutralisation of fighters, the operations degraded ISWAP’s logistics, energy supply, shelter and command infrastructure, while also exposing vulnerabilities in what had been considered secure forest hideouts.

The fact that ISWAP commanders are openly worried about missing senior leaders is significant. It points to either high-value casualties or a breakdown in their internal communication, both of which weaken their operational effectiveness.

The Sambisa Forest, once the symbolic and operational heartland of Boko Haram factions, has increasingly become a contested battlespace, with sustained intelligence-driven operations denying terrorists the freedom to regroup or reorganise.

The latest operations also illustrated the growing synergy between ground surface forces and air assets, particularly ISR-enabled precision strikes that exploit real-time intelligence to devastating effect.

The loss of Balangaje and the destruction of multiple hideouts across Chiralia, Gava and IRONS GATE axes further compress ISWAP fighters into smaller, more exposed pockets, increasing the likelihood of defections, internal fragmentation and further leadership losses.

As of press time, operations across the Sambisa Forest were ongoing.

The latest successes reaffirm the momentum of Operation Hadin Kai and suggest that insurgent groups entering 2026 are doing so under sustained pressure, shrinking space and growing internal anxiety over survival.

Multiple terrorists neutralised in Sambisa as coordinated strikes unsettle ISWAP commanders

News

Gunmen abduct village head in Kwara, wife injured

Published

21 hours ago

January 2, 2026

Ochuwa Ibrahim

Gunmen abduct village head in Kwara, wife injured

By: Zagazola Makama

Gunmen have abducted the village head of Afin community in Babanla area of Kwara State, injuring his wife during the attack.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 10:00 a.m. on Jan. 2, when the assailants invaded Afin Village via Babanla, firing sporadically to scare residents.

The sources said the attackers whisked away the village head, Oba Simeon Olaonipekun, while his wife sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

She was rushed to the General Hospital, Omu-Aran, for medical treatment.

Following the incident, security personnel and local vigilantes were mobilised to the area to track the assailants and rescue the abducted traditional ruler.

The sources said the scene of the incident was visited as efforts continued to trail the gunmen and prevent further attacks in the area.

Investigation into the abduction, the sources added, was ongoing.

Gunmen abduct village head in Kwara, wife injured