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NAPTIP, DSS Smash Cross-Country Human Trafficking Syndicate

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NAPTIP, DSS Smash Cross-Country Human Trafficking Syndicate

By: Michael Mike

Operatives of the National Agency Prohibition of Ttaffickixlng in Persons (NAPTIP) and officials of the Department of State Service (DSS) have smashed a human trafficking syndicate headed by a female truck driver who is alleged to be a staff of one of the nation’s topmost cement company.

A statement on Tuesday by the press officer of NAPTIP, Vincent Adekoye read that a suspect, Hassana Jacob, 33 years old, an alternate female truck driver of a popular Cement Company was arrested along with the Cement Truck branded in the name and logo of the Company together with six other suspected members of the gang namely Aisha Suleiman, Murtala Tanimu, Shamsu Tanimu, Adamu Jacob, Abubakar Ahmed, and Ali Muhammed.

Adekoye said they were caught in Abuja by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) while trying to sell off their latest victim, a 3-year-old girl that was stolen from Damaturu, Yobe State.

He said investigation revealed that Hassana Jacob commands a professional human trafficking syndicate that specializes in stealing children from age 1 and above, selling them to interested buyers at the rate of N600,000 each.

Adekoye, said investigation revealed that because Hassana because she is a Truck Driver with this popular Cement Company, had several successes stealing children at any of the terminals across the country, evading security checks on the roads, and delivery of stolen children to her gang members at any location without being noticed.

He said it is strongly suspected the syndicate has membership across the country with different assigned roles, with some members of the trafficking ring, hunting and luring victims to the truck terminal where they will be picked up by Hassana, others arrange interested buyers at any of the terminals across the country even before the arrival of the victims thereby making it fast for the gang leader to dispose of the stolen child and collect her money.

Speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, while thanking the Director General of the DSS for his sustained support to the agency which culminated in the arrest of the smashing of the notorious human trafficking syndicate, expressed sadness over the situation describing it as a heinous crime against humanity.

The NAPTIP Director General who was represented by the Director, Research and Programme Development, Mr. Josiah Emerole, said: “I am deeply sad by the latest arrest. It is painful to note that human beings will organize a criminal gang, use a branded vehicle of a Company, move from one part of the Country to another, steal children belonging to other families, and sell them to interested buyers whose motives for the children are not known.

“They create everlasting sorrow and pain for those families and smile to the bank after selling those children. This is unimaginable and it is a condemnable act of wickedness. This is more painful when the arrowhead of this evil syndicate is a woman who knows the pain of motherhood.

“I sincerely appreciate the support of the Director General and Operatives of the DSS for the agency in the fight against human trafficking. I thank other sister law enforcement agencies also and I sue for more robust cooperation as we continue to scale our activities to ensure the protection of our children from human traffickers in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the 22-tired cement truck used to traffic the Child has been impounded by NAPTIP.

NAPTIP, DSS Smash Cross-Country Human Trafficking Syndicate

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RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State

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RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State


…Making it the 20th State to Benefit from the Support

By: Our Reporter

The Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI) Food Outreach Program, launched in Abuja in March 2024 to provide monthly support to vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities, has reached Yobe State—making it the 20th state to benefit from the initiative.
Since its inception, the program has covered Abia, Adamawa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, and Sokoto States before arriving in Yobe.
With generous support from the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASR Africa) and another industrialist who prefers to remain anonymous, assorted food items were delivered, bringing relief to many households, particularly those with disabilities.


The First Lady and Chairman of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, noted that donors provide two truckloads of food items to each beneficiary state for onward distribution. Represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, she highlighted Yobe as a major beneficiary of RHI programs and interventions.
These include:

  • The Tony Elumelu Foundation Women Economists Empowerment Program, which supported 500 women with ₦50,000 each.
  • The RHI Women Agricultural Support Scheme, where 20 women received ₦500,000 each.
  • A ₦68.9 million grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture to the Young Farmers Club.
  • Annual financial support to senior citizens, with 100 beneficiaries receiving ₦100,000 each in 2023 and 250 beneficiaries receiving ₦200,000 each.
  • A ₦50 million financial grant to 1,000 petty traders.
  • The Women in ICT Program, aimed at empowering women in the digital economy.
    According to Senator Tinubu, these interventions are designed to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
    Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni represented by his Deputy Governor, Alhaji Idi Barde Gubana reaffirmed his government’s commitment to the initiative, noting that the state has aligned with RHI through various empowerment programs for women, children, and vulnerable groups. These include the distribution of household items, skill acquisition schemes, and post-insurgency recovery programs that have economically empowered many women.

  • The State Coordinator of RHI and Wife of the Yobe State Governor, Hajiya Hafsat Kollere Buni, expressed gratitude to the First Lady for extending such impactful support to Yobe State. She also looked forward to stronger collaborations to further project the ideals of RHI and improve the lives of the people.
    Also present at the event was Dr. Ubong Udoh, Managing Director of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative, one of the key donors to the program.
  • RHI Presents Food Items to Vulnerable Groups in Yobe State
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Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

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Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

By: Zagazola Makama

Former National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has warned that Nigeria’s fight against insurgency will remain elusive without national cohesion and a united front across society.

Monguno stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said Boko Haram and other violent groups had thrived by exploiting Nigeria’s divisions, stressing that disunity among citizens, political actors, and institutions weakened the country’s capacity to defeat terrorism.

“Without national cohesion, insurgency will not end. Terrorists feed on our fault lines – ethnic, religious, political – and they weaponise them against us. If we remain divided, no amount of military might will deliver lasting peace,” Monguno said.

He urged Nigerians to rise above parochial sentiments and embrace a spirit of patriotism, solidarity, and common purpose. According to him, the fight against insurgency must go beyond the battlefield to include reconciliation, justice, and inclusive governance.

The retired General emphasised that the scars left by Boko Haram were not just physical but also psychological and social, making unity a vital condition for national healing.

“The book reminds us that security is not just the work of soldiers. It is the responsibility of leaders, institutions, and citizens. Unless we build cohesion, insurgency will continue to mutate in different forms,” he added.

Monguno commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experience, describing the work as a guide that combines history, strategy, and national lessons for the future.

The event was attended by former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, the Minister of Defence, service chiefs, traditional rulers, diplomats, and senior government officials.

Monguno says lack of national cohesion fuels insurgency

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Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

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Kukah says military operations alone cannot end insurgency, stresses soft power approach

By: Zagazola Makama

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Most Rev. Matthew Hassan Kukah, has said Nigeria cannot defeat insurgency through military operations alone, stressing the need to embrace soft power and address root causes of insecurity.

Kukah made this known in Abuja on Thursday while reviewing Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a new book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.).

He said the country’s reliance on military doctrines and repeated counter-insurgency operations had failed to produce lasting peace because Boko Haram represented an ideology, not just an armed threat.

“For years, we have had Operation Lafiya Dole, Operation Restore Order, Operation Hadin Kai, Operation Safe Haven, and many others. Yet, when one operation fails, another is launched. These operations have not ended the insurgency because you cannot fight an idea with weapons alone,” Kukah said.

The cleric argued that describing the insurgency only in military terms forecloses other sources of information and non-kinetic solutions that are critical to peacebuilding.

According to him, Boko Haram’s struggle is framed as a jihad, and many of its fighters see death as martyrdom, making them indifferent to conventional deterrence.

“The challenge before us is not merely about defeating insurgents on the battlefield, but about understanding the soft issues of life and death. Guns cannot build peace; soft power must complement military power,” he said.

Kukah pointed to chapters 11, 12 and 13 of Irabor’s book, which emphasise reconciliation, good governance, justice, and national healing as critical conditions for security.

He praised the author’s reflections for going beyond military strategy, describing them as “the writings of a priest” that call for dialogue, reforms and moral renewal.

The bishop added that Nigeria must prioritise structural reforms, political inclusion, patriotism, and judicial integrity to tackle grievances that feed extremism.

“The urgency now is to invest in soft power – in human development, reconciliation, and building trust in institutions. Military operations can only create space; it is ideas and justice that will sustain peace,” Kukah said.

The event attracted former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, senior government officials, service chiefs, diplomats, and other dignitaries.
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