NSCDC FCT Decorates 402 Officers, Pledges Stronger Security in Abuja

By: Michael Mike

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has decorated 402 newly promoted officers in a colourful ceremony held at the Command Headquarters in Abuja.

The event, which brought together senior officers, personnel, and invited guests, was described as a milestone in the careers of the promoted officers and a testament to their dedication to national service.

Speaking at the ceremony, the FCT Commandant, Dr. Olusola Odumosu, congratulated the beneficiaries on behalf of the Commandant General of NSCDC, Prof. Ahmed Audi. He stressed that promotion is not a reward for longevity but a recognition of hard work, professionalism, and commitment to duty.

Odumosu reminded the officers that their new ranks come with greater responsibility, urging them to demonstrate higher levels of discipline, integrity, and leadership in the discharge of their duties.

He highlighted the achievements recorded by the FCT Command, noting that since he assumed office, the Command has intensified intelligence-driven operations, proactive patrols, and rapid response to security threats within the nation’s capital.

The Commandant also underscored the Corps’ role in protecting critical national infrastructure, including government facilities, public utilities, and strategic installations across the FCT.

He commended the Agro-Rangers Unit for its efforts in reducing farmer-herder conflicts and promoting peaceful coexistence in rural communities, thereby contributing to food security in the territory.

Odumosu revealed that in 2025, the Command arrested 112 suspected vandals and over 50 illegal miners involved in acts of economic sabotage. According to him, many of the suspects were involved in vandalizing armoured cables, fibre optic installations, streetlights, solar panels, road crash barriers, and telecommunication infrastructure.

He further disclosed that the Command has invested in training and capacity building for its officers in areas such as intelligence gathering, disaster management, crowd control, election security, and human rights compliance.

Addressing the newly promoted officers, the Commandant urged them to serve as role models, uphold ethical standards, and remain loyal to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He assured the FCT Minister, the NSCDC leadership, and residents of Abuja that the Command would continue to prioritize professionalism, accountability, and effective security service delivery.

NSCDC FCT Decorates 402 Officers, Pledges Stronger Security in Abuja

River guard killed in Yobe, police begin investigation

By: Zagazola Makama

A 40-year-old man, Musa Mohammed, has died after being allegedly attacked and thrown into a river by unknown assailants in Bursari Local Government Area of Yobe State.

Residents of Girim Village, Ya’u Gambo and Adamu Muhammad, told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred at about 8:00 a.m. on Jan. 19, when the victim, who was employed to guard the village river, was confronted by some unidentified persons.

They said the attackers forcefully held Musa Mohammed, tied his hands and legs, and threw him into the river.

The sources added that about a month earlier, the deceased had a misunderstanding with five men from Dadigar Village in Bursari LGA, who allegedly warned him to stop guarding the river or face consequences.

Upon receiving the report, security operatives visited the scene and evacuated the victim from the river in an unconscious state.

“He was rushed to the Specialist Hospital in Gashua, where a medical doctor later confirmed him dead,” the sources said.

Photographs of the deceased were taken, and his remains were released to his relatives for burial according to Islamic rites.

Musa Mohammed was from Burburwa Village via Mayori in Yusufari Local Government Area of the state.

Investigation into the incident has commenced to identify and apprehend those responsible for the killing.

River guard killed in Yobe, police begin investigation

At least 31 killed in Yatakala attack in Niger Republic

By: Zagazola Makama

No fewer than 31 persons have been killed following a deadly attack by suspected terrorists in Yatakala, Tillaberi Region of the Republic of Niger, near the tri-border area with Mali and Burkina Faso.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the attack occurred on Jan. 18 in the Yatakala/Bolsi area of Tera Commune, where the assailants reportedly gathered residents together and opened fire on them.

The sources said that several other people, believed to be mostly women, were abducted during the attack, while five persons were injured as they tried to escape.

“They went from house to house, rounded people up and shot them. Those who managed to flee sustained injuries.

“Residents were rounded up and summarily executed, while an uncertain number mostly women, were abducted. At least 31 people were killed and five others injured as they fled,”one of the sources said.

The sources noted that Yatakala and surrounding villages toward the Burkinabe border had already been deserted by many inhabitants due to persistent attacks by armed groups.

No organisation had formally claimed responsibility for the latest atrocity, but the pattern and area of operation point strongly to Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), the Al-Qaeda-linked group active across the Liptako-Gourma axis

The area had previously come under attack on Jan. 3, 2026, when Yatakala/Garoul was assaulted and about 17 soldiers were reportedly killed.

Zagazola report that the Tillaberi theatre is under sustained pressure. The enemy appears intent on clearing large swathes of territory, forcing communities to abandon their homes and creating humanitarian corridors of displacement that terrorists then exploit for further expansion.

The attacks also draws to the attention of the accelerating expansion of jihadist violence across the Sahel and its dangerous spillover implications for Nigeria and the wider West African sub-region.

The attack fits into a broader campaign by both Al-Qaeda- and ISIS-aligned factions to dominate borderlands, forest reserves and riverine routes, particularly around the W Park–Panjari complex, with a creeping approach toward Niamey.

The strategic objective was to degrade state presence, terrorise civilians into flight, and establish uncontested movement and recruitment zones.

Its draws parallels with past atrocities, including the January 2025 killings in Kasuwan Daji in Borgu area of Niger State, allegedly carried out by JNIM in collaboration with JAS/Ansaru networks, as well as recent mass abductions at worship centres in Kurmin Wali, Kajuru LGA, Kaduna State.

These are not isolated incidents. They form part of a synchronised regional campaign aimed at destabilisation, psychological dominance and narrative warfare.

Zagazola warned that beyond the kinetic dimension, insurgents were also leveraging disinformation, including the manipulation of religious and ethnic narratives, to internationalise their cause and weaken regional cohesion.

The humanitarian crisis generated by these attacks will push refugees and internally displaced persons toward north-west and north-central Nigeria, with attendant security, social and economic consequences.

Therefore, Nigeria’s response must go beyond internal counter-terrorism operations to include strengthened diplomatic and security cooperation with Niger, Benin and other frontline states.

Border challenges cannot be curbed unilaterally. There must be deeper intelligence sharing, coordinated patrols and joint operations. ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) must urgently re-engage on collective security mechanisms to contain this expanding threat,” he said.

Yatakala massacre was both a warning and a call to action.

If proactive regional measures are not taken, the Sahelian conflict arc will continue to bend southward, with Nigeria increasingly in the line of fire.

At least 31 killed in Yatakala attack in Niger Republic