Group Accuses Police of Shifting Focus From Alleged Assault, Demands Independent Probe

By: Michael Mike

The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has accused the FCT Police Command of shifting attention from the alleged assault of Pinnacle Daily Editor, Sunday Ogwu, to his conduct following the incident, describing the development as an attempt to divert attention from the substantive allegations.

The Coalition, in a follow-up statement issued on Saturday, renewed its call for an independent investigation into the alleged assault of Ogwu by police and Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) personnel during an operation in Lugbe, Abuja, on August 19.

The demand followed a statement issued by the FCT Police Command on Friday through its spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, which criticised Ogwu for allegedly declining invitations to appear before the Command and for seemingly attempting to mobilise public sentiment and create undue pressure.

But CWPPF said the police statement failed to address the central issues raised by the journalist, including the alleged physical assault, use of an electric cable and destruction of his mobile phone.

“The Command’s 21 August statement does not address the substance of Mr Ogwu’s allegation. It does not confirm or deny that he was assaulted, does not identify the officers involved, and does not address the use of an electric cable or the destruction of his phone,” the Coalition said.

Instead, it said, the Command had focused “almost entirely” on Ogwu’s non-attendance at its headquarters.

CWPPF said Ogwu reported the incident personally to the FCT Police spokesperson at about 8:30 p.m. on August 19, approximately three hours after the alleged assault, before seeking legal advice and support from press-freedom organisations.

The Coalition argued that consulting lawyers and media-rights organisations before making a formal statement to the same police command allegedly involved in the incident was a reasonable precaution rather than an attempt to obstruct an investigation.

It further raised questions over conflicting accounts concerning the identity of the security personnel involved in the operation.

According to the Coalition, the FCT Police spokesperson had shortly after the incident told the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), a member of CWPPF, that the officers involved were likely not under the FCT Command.

It said the Command’s subsequent statement had neither repeated nor clarified the claim.

CWPPF also cited an account attributed to the Lugbe Divisional Police Officer, CSP Ukorobo Uchenna C., who, when contacted by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), allegedly did not deny that an assault occurred but asked whether Ogwu had personally seen or spoken to him.

The Coalition said the response raised questions about the identity of the officers rather than addressing whether an assault occurred.

It also pointed to a separate publication by the Lugbe Community Security Committee which reportedly praised the Commissioner of Police and identified CSP Uchenna as having led an operation in the area on the same date.

According to CWPPF, the publication described the operation as an anti-drug exercise, while Ogwu and the Coalition had described it as a demolition operation.

The Coalition said the conflicting accounts made an independent investigation necessary.

“Taken together, CWPPF is concerned that the substantive allegation of assault risks being displaced by a competing narrative about the complainant’s conduct,” it said.

The Coalition further disclosed that Ogwu had sought medical attention for injuries allegedly sustained during the incident and was therefore unable to honour the police invitation.

It said the journalist had, however, committed to appearing before the Command on Monday, August 24, accompanied by his lawyers.

CWPPF said an investigation conducted entirely within the police command implicated in the allegation would create an “inherent perception problem”, irrespective of the intentions of individual officers.

It therefore called on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the FCT Police Command to move the investigation to an independent mechanism outside the direct command structure implicated in the allegation.

The Coalition also demanded the public identification of the officers and unit deployed to the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate operation on August 19 and a reconciliation of that information with the earlier statement that the personnel involved might not have been under FCT Command.

It further called for the preservation and production of deployment records, operational orders, patrol vehicle logs and any available CCTV or body-camera footage relating to the operation.

CWPPF demanded an apology and full compensation for Ogwu’s allegedly destroyed mobile device, as well as payment of medical expenses arising from the incident.

It also urged the police to refrain from publicly characterising Ogwu’s conduct until the allegations against the officers involved had been transparently investigated.

The Coalition called for clear directives to all police divisions in the FCT affirming journalists’ right to document public operations without obstruction, seizure of equipment or physical harm.

“Journalism is not a crime, and documenting the public conduct of state agents is a constitutionally protected right, which has been judicially affirmed,” CWPPF said.

The Coalition comprises media, civil society and legal organisations, including Premium Times, Daily Trust, ICIR, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Media Rights Agenda, Nigeria Union of Journalists, International Press Institute Nigeria, SERAP and other organisations.

It said it would continue monitoring the matter and support what it described as a credible, transparent and independent process capable of producing a satisfactory resolution.

Group Accuses Police of Shifting Focus From Alleged Assault, Demands Independent Probe

Operation HADIN KAI Air Platforms Eliminate 38 Terrorists in Devastating Multiple Precision Strikes Across Borno

By Zagazola Makama

Air platforms of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) have eliminated about 38 suspected terrorists in a series of precision air strikes conducted against terrorist concentrations in Borno State.

The coordinated strikes, involving multipe Operation Hadin Kai’s precision strike Air Platforms, were conducted after intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions identified movements of suspected terrorists in separate locations.

The operations were carried out between the night of August 21 and the early hours of August 22, 2026, as part of intensified efforts to dismantle terrorist formations and disrupt their freedom of movement in the North-East.

According to sources, an armed reconnaissance platform was operating over Aduwa, at about 10:23 p.m. on August 21, when it received intelligence on the presence of terrorist vehicles and fighters in the area.

The platform conducted surveillance of the location and subsequently tracked suspected terrorists to a settlement where a group of about eight fighters had gathered in one location, while several other groups were observed in different positions.

Following appropriate operational procedures and authorisation, the platform conducted a precision strike against the larger concentration.

Battle Damage Assessment indicated that the strike hit the intended target, with suspected terrorists inside makeshift structures and others outside the huts eliminated. The initial strike was assessed to have neutralised approximately 16 terrorists.

The operation did not end with the first strike. At about midnight, the precision platform continued surveillance of the area and tracked approximately 10 terrorists who had fled from the initial strike location and regrouped near a tree.

The aircraft subsequently conducted another strike on the fleeing group. Subsequent battle damage assessment indicated that the weapon struck the intended target.

No movement was observed around the strike location, leading the military to assess that the 10 terrorists were neutralised. The combined precision strike operations therefore accounted for approximately 26 terrorists.

In a separate operation, another precision strike platform conducted a strike against suspected terrorists after tracking a group of about 12 fighters to a hut around Buratai. The platform maintained surveillance over the target before receiving the necessary authorisation to engage.

At about 12:31 a.m. on August 22, the attack platform conducted the strike, achieving a direct hit on the identified target. The engagement was assessed to have neutralised all 12 suspected terrorists gathered at the location.

The strikes come as troops of Operation HADIN KAI continue to intensify pressure on terrorist networks operating across the North-East, targeting their leadership, logistics, fighting formations and freedom of movement.

Military sources said the general security situation remains calm but unpredictable, while the morale and fighting efficiency of troops remain satisfactory.

The latest operations are expected to further disrupt terrorist command-and-control structures and deny the insurgents the ability to mass fighters without detection.

As Operation HADIN KAI sustains its campaign, terrorist groups operating in the North-East are increasingly being forced to abandon large gatherings and adopt smaller, more concealed movements to evade detection.The latest strikes however shows that concealment alone may no longer guarantee safety hence the recent increase in terrorist surrenders by over 250% in the last one month alone.

Operation HADIN KAI Air Platforms Eliminate 38 Terrorists in Devastating Multiple Precision Strikes Across Borno

Troops Recover 320 Rustled Cattle in Sokoto, Terrorists Flee Towards Niger Border

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Combat Intelligence Battalion VII have recovered 320 rustled cattle following an operation against suspected terrorists in Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The operation was conducted at about 9:00 a.m. on August 20, 2026, after troops deployed at Forward Operating Base Bachakka received credible human intelligence on the movement of suspected terrorists with rustled cattle from Makera village.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama that the troops immediately mobilised to intercept the suspects and made contact with the group while they were moving the cattle.

The troops engaged the suspected terrorists, forcing them to abandon the livestock and flee towards the Niger Republic border.

The troops subsequently recovered a total of 320 cattle from the area.

The recovered livestock were handed over to the Sarkin Bachakka for further action and identification of their rightful owners.

The operation highlights the role of timely human intelligence and rapid military response in disrupting terrorist logistics and recovering livestock stolen from local communities.

Security forces are expected to sustain patrols and intelligence operations along the Gudu axis and border corridors to prevent terrorists from using the area for cattle rustling, movement of fighters and other criminal activities.

Troops Recover 320 Rustled Cattle in Sokoto, Terrorists Flee Towards Niger Border