News
NAIRALAND, ZULUM, AND THE MENDACIOUS MURDER TALE IN INDIA.
NAIRALAND, ZULUM, AND THE MENDACIOUS MURDER TALE IN INDIA.
By: Inuwa Bwala
Posers: Could Zulums son who spoke from Maiduguri, be in an Indian prison at the same time?
☆What is the name of the victim and when specifically did it happen?
☆ Which Indian official confirmed the incident and the arrest?
If I remember very well, it was the late Chief M K O Abiola, who once said, that, “One can not shave a man’s head in his absence.”
This is perhaps what Nairaland, a third rate online publication and it’s sponsors attempted to do by publishing that report, about the son of Borno state Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum having been arrested and detained over the murder of a nameless Chinese national in far away India.
Coming at a time when the said son is right here in Nigeria: Maiduguri in particular, and has not traveled out of Nigeria in the last three months, surmise Chief Abiola’s anecdote.
So many people; including the protagonist of the said report, have reacted to what was obviously a piece of mischief, which has tended to glorify the medium: that seems to be desperately seeking recognition.
My initial instinct was to also react when it first appeared, but I later dismissed it, knowing that it was just a mendacious esoteric narrative, intended to harm the Governor and not his son.
People on ground who are conversant with the Zulums and who interact with the children daily have called to tell me that, allowing the matter to linger: however trivial could make it assume a life of it’s own.
I have therefore decided to interrogate the salient likely issues underlying the said report, which sponsors may be secretly rejoicing over, as having unsettled the governor.
From professional judgment, the report was not only poorly scripted but lacks the basic tenets of good journalism: having failed to meet the rudimentary inputs of ordinary reportage.
In particular, it failed to name both the alleged murderer and the victim. It failed to specifically name, which town in India, did the incident happen: no date was mentioned of the incident having taken place, no attribution from witnesses to the incident, and no confirming authority about the incident or the arrest, neither was there any reference to how the father made the Said diplomatic overture.
The said report further lies flat, with the video denial by the assumed culprit, speaking from Maiduguri and not in captivity in India.
From the political view point: it is an incontrovertible fact, that, Professor Babagana Umar Zulum has earned universal acclaim for his outstanding leadership qualities and is fast becoming a reference point in leadership lessons.
It is, however, a sad truism that, much as he has endeared himself to the world, it is not everybody that is happy with Zulums’ rising fame.
His attainments seem to have lent him to envy and secret disdain.
Those who fear what he might become in the future have secretly formed a guild syndicalist group working towards undoing Governor Zulum, politically. Seeing him as a lacking political exposure, enough to survive their antics, but who is coming to outshine them have often given them jitters.
The said publication did, therefore, stem from a vacuum, but from the agenda of the group, which may yet be faceless but determined to rubbish him.
Against this background, one could clearly see that recruiting willing canonfodders in the media becomes necessary.
Now, with the trouble the publication seem to have landed itself into, they may have realized rather belatedly, that, those who wrote the script and gave it to them for publication were most uncharitable.
It may not be so easy tracing the office location of Nairaland: as it nay be just another briefcase blog, in the event that they fail to retract the damaging report as demanded by the Governor’s media managers, but it should go down on records, that, those who choose journalism as the easiet tool for Political vendetta are doing the greatest damage to our democracy and to a once noble profession.
NAIRALAND, ZULUM, AND THE MENDACIOUS MURDER TALE IN INDIA.
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of the 114 Battalion, in conjunction with Department of Intelligence and Analysis (DIA) operatives, have recovered an AK-47 rifle and ammunition during a cordon-and-search operation in Murubai Village, Ardo Kola Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, conducted on Jan. 22, followed credible intelligence regarding the presence of arms in the village.
The source said the search was carried out at the residence of one Bazoe John, who was not found during the operation. Authorities recovered one AK-47 rifle, one magazine and four rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, which are now in the custody of the troops.
The source added that the operation comes after the earlier arrest of two suspected gunrunners, identified as Christopher Adamu and James Yangyang, at Sebos Joint in Mayo Dassa, Jalingo LGA and Tautre Village in Ardo Kola LGA on Jan. 11 and 12 respectively.
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
Vice chairman, 64 others released by bandits in Tsafe in Zamfara
By: Zagazola Makama
The vice chairman of Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State and 64 other abducted persons have regained their freedom after a deadly ambush by bandits in the area.
The victims arrived safely in Tsafe on Tuesday, following intense efforts by security operatives and local stakeholders to secure their release.
The ambush, which occurred on Jan. 20, left a trail of destruction in Danjibga village, where a fierce gun battle broke out between the attackers and community protection forces.
During the encounter, one operative of the Community Protection Guard (CPG) and two residents were killed, while two others sustained bullet wounds.
Sources said the bandits also set ablaze four vehicles two Golf cars and two Mitsubishi Canter trucks during the attack.
Although the released victims have reunited with their families, an unspecified number of women and children are still feared to be in captivity.
The freed victims and the injured were taken to the Ahmed Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, where they are receiving medical care.
The return of the abductees was described as a moment of relief and gratitude, even as the community mourned those who lost their lives in the violence.
Meanwhile, in a related development, another attack in Bakura Local Government Area claimed the life of a 22-year-old farmer, Burhama Sani.
He was reportedly shot dead on his farm along the Bakura–Rabah road after bandits blocked the Fadamma axis and set two vehicles conveying food items ablaze.
Vice chairman, 64 others released by bandits in Tsafe in Zamfara
News
U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker Begins Strategic Foreign Visit Including Nigeria, Middle East, and Rome
U.S. Under Secretary of State Allison Hooker Begins Strategic Foreign Visit Including Nigeria, Middle East, and Rome
By: Michael Mike
Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker has embarked on a week-long diplomatic mission that includes stops in Abuja, Nigeria; Muscat, Oman; Manama, Bahrain; and Rome, Italy from January 21–29, 2026, the U.S. State Department confirmed in a statement this week. 
In Nigeria, Hooker is leading the American delegation and serving as head of the U.S.–Nigeria Joint Working Group—a recently established platform aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation on security and economic issues. During talks in Abuja, the delegation is expected to discuss strategies for protecting vulnerable communities, enhancing cooperation against terrorism, and expanding U.S. investment opportunities in the West African nation. 
The visit comes at a time of heightened focus on Nigeria’s internal security challenges and international efforts to support peace and stability across the region. Local and international observers have noted ongoing discussions between U.S. and Nigerian authorities on religious violence and security cooperation as part of broader diplomatic engagement. 
After concluding discussions in Nigeria, Hooker’s itinerary moves to the Gulf region, where she will lead strategic dialogues with officials in Oman and Bahrain. These talks are expected to advance cooperation on regional security, economic ties, and cultural exchange, reflecting shared interests between the United States and its partners in the Middle East. 
The final leg of the trip will take Hooker to Rome, where she will meet with counterparts from European governments and international organisations. In Italy, engagements will cover major global priorities including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict, diplomatic efforts toward peace in the Middle East, and developments in Venezuela. She is also scheduled to hold meetings with senior officials from United Nations agencies based in the city—such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)—to discuss accountability and oversight of U.S.-funded assistance programs and to explore potential new agricultural trade opportunities for American producers. 
Hooker, who was appointed Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs in mid-2025, oversees key regional and bilateral policy issues and plays a central role in shaping U.S. foreign policy across multiple regions. 
Her current tour underscores Washington’s intent to reinforce diplomatic engagement across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe at a time of evolving geopolitical challenges
End
Troops recover AK-47 rifle in Taraba during cordon-and-search operation
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