NSCDC Foils Kidnap of Customs Officer, His Wife, Others in Nasarawa

By: Michael Mike

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has thwarted the kidnapping of an officer of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), his wife, and others at the Bukan-Ari area along Kurikyo Road in Lafia, Nassarawa State.

A statement by the spokesman of the NSCDC, Afolabi Babawale said in adherence to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General’s marching order, the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad, in an aggressive gun duel against a notorious kidnap gang, has thwarted the kidnapping of an officer of the Nigerian Customs Service, his wife, and others at the Bukan-Ari area along Kurikyo Road in Lafia, Nassarawa State.

Babawale said the NSCDC Commandant General, Prof. Ahmed Audi, upon receiving an intelligence report concerning incessant kidnapping activities in Lafia metropolis and its environs, ordered the CG’s Special Intelligence Squad to launch an aggressive onslaught against the criminal elements terrorizing the area.

Speaking on the operation, the Commandant General’s Special Intelligence Boss, Commandant Apollo Dandaura said, “In a 5-hour intelligence-based coordinated operation, his men alongside the Nassarawa State Commandant foiled a kidnap attempt on two residents of the Bukan-Ari area along Kurikyo Road in the Lafia metropolis.”

He said. “Let me reiterate that the Commandant General of the NSCDC has zero tolerance for all acts of economic sabotage, vandalism, and threats against lives and property of the civil populace, and we are committed to fighting head-on any group or syndicate terrorizing the peace of innocent citizens.

“The success made in this operation hinged on the use of modern technology in gathering intelligence and other credible intelligence available about the notorious gang terrorizing the peace of Lafia metropolis and some parts of the state. They met their Waterloo while in an attempt to kidnap a Customs officer; the wife and one other person (name withheld)”.

“The CG’s Special Intelligence Squad engaged the kidnappers and subdued them due to superior and intense firing power which resulted into the arrest of 2 kidnappers, the other 2 were neutralized while 1 escaped with severe injuries from gunshots and made away with an Ak-47 Rifle”.

“The following items were recovered as exhibits at the scene of the crime: one (1) AK-47 assault rifle, 1 magazine, 40 rounds of 7.62 mm special ammunition, 5 different types of mobile phones, and 2 knives. a cash sum of ₦7,500 and some substances suspected to be charms

The suspects arrested are Hassan Ibrahim, aged 23 years, male, from Azare Local Government of Bauchi State, and Ibrahim Hudu, aged 30 years. Fulani, Male, while one driver, Mata, and one Yahaya Abubakar were the 2 killed during the exchange of gunfire.

The CG’s SIS Commandant further noted that the suspects arrested are currently cooperating in the ongoing investigation and have confessed to their different levels of involvement in the series of kidnappings carried out earlier, noting that efforts are on top gear to apprehend the fleeing suspect and other members of the syndicate.

He said the NSCDC will not relent in its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of people and their properties in Nassarawa State and across the nation, urging the public to report strange movements in their vicinities to the nearest security agencies.

NSCDC Foils Kidnap of Customs Officer, His Wife, Others in Nasarawa

Turji plans new offensive as floods subside in eastern Sokoto – source

By: Zagazola Makama

Notorious bandits’ leader, Bello Turji, is reportedly preparing to launch fresh attacks and movements across communities in the eastern axis of Sokoto State following the receding of seasonal floods that had previously restricted his operations.

Sources said that the disappearance of floodwaters around river crossings between Isa and Sabon Birni local government areas had reopened access routes that were earlier impassable for several months.

According to the source, Turji usually intensifies movements and visits to the affected villages at the end of the rainy season each year. The flooding, which had made many riverbanks and low-lying areas inaccessible, had served as a natural barrier to his fighters, most of whom avoid swimming or using boats for crossings.

“The receding water has now made it possible for Turji to resume direct movement across more than 50 communities situated between Isa and Sabon Birni,” the source said.

The source further disclosed that the bandits’ kingpin was restructuring his operational network, replacing some of his local representatives in the eastern part of Sokoto State.

It was learnt that one of such changes occurred in the Gangara axis, where Turji reportedly replaced one of his field commanders, known as Jammo Ba’ki, with another fighter identified as Arne Qulu.

“Our findings indicate that Turji is reorganising his command structure to consolidate his influence in the eastern corridor of Sokoto,” the source added.

Sources also confirmed heightened surveillance and movement of Turji’s men in rural areas within Sabon Birni and Isa LGAs, though security forces are yet to record any confrontation with the group in recent days.

Turji plans new offensive as floods subside in eastern Sokoto – source

Peace Committee to Deploy Election Security Technology in Anambra Poll

By: Michael Mike

The General Abdulsalami Abubakar led National Peace Committee has announced plans to deploy the newly inaugurated Election Information technology hub in its Security and peace process in the forthcoming Anambra governorship poll.

Gubernatorial election in Anambra State has been fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for 8th November 2025

The Peace committee launched the Election Security Information Hub, which is expected to provide verifiable data that the committee will be using to engage critical stakeholders in security and electoral process, on Wednesday to enhance its intervention work.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, Gen. Martin Lurther (rtd) who represented the Chairman of the NPC, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd), said there must be peace in the country for there to be credible elections.

He noted that the strength of democracy is the credibility of elections and the confidence in the process, while however stating that every election cycle has continued to throw up gaps in security management.

He revealed that the inaugurated hub, aimed to correct those identified gaps

He said: “The strength of any democracy rests on the credibility of its election and the confidence of its citizens in the process. While Nigeria’s democracy continues to deepen, each election cycle reveals persistent security challenges, gaps in coordination, intelligence sharing, and weak response systems that allow local tensions to escalate into broader conflict.

“The hub is a deliberate response to these challenges. It is a strategic platform designed to gather, analyse, and share information on security and its impact on election cycles.

“While tracking electoral offences, its process is simple, yet very profound, intended to transform early warning into coordinated, timely, and local responses by critical stakeholders.”

The hub, he said “reflects a critical evolution in Nigeria’s democratic architecture, turning commitment into coordination and pledge into practical action. It fosters collaboration among INEC, security agencies, civil society organisations, and the media, creating a unifying space for monitoring risk and strengthening collective action for peaceful elections”.

He highlighted the works of the Peace Committee since inception in 2014, which include facilitating the signing of peace accords, moral and civil commitments by political actors to conduct themselves peacefully before, during, and after elections and also intervening in other forms of violence, not related to elections, but retained the capacity to impact negatively on election outcomes.

He however added: “Yet, as we have learned, peace must be sustained by systems.

“The ESI has embodied that conviction that peace and credibility must be protected by structure, information, and cooperation.”

He also commended the European Union for its steadfast partnership under the EU-FDGN programme.

Agwai also urged ESI-hub to always verify information and share what is correct, valid, and credible, adding “Avoid sensationalism and misinterpretations that will impact on the credibility of the excellent work you have already been doing.

“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, please note that peace and security are not products of chance. They are outcomes of vigilance, discipline, professionalism, and shared responsibility.

“The success of this hub will depend on timely information, shared institutional trust, collaboration, and collective will to act decisively on everything. As we inaugurate the Election Security Information Hub, we reaffirm a timeless truth.”

He lre-echoed the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 16 which “democracy flourishes where peace is protected, justice is upheld, and institutions work together in good faith.”

He also warned that “credible elections are not the task of one institution alone, but the collective responsibilities of all. Together, let us continue to build a Nigeria where elections are a context of leadership, not a battleground of fear. A Nigeria where peace, accountability, and cooperation remain the pillars of our democracy.”

Stressing the importance of peace to credible elections, representative of the European Union Head of Delegation to Nigeria, Mr. Ruben Aguilera said it is all about the right of every Nigerian to be able to vote without threat or intimidation.

He said: “And I think this is important, because we are talking about the right of every citizen to be able to vote. And it’s about the right to vote without any threat, without any intimidation, without any fear. And that’s a right that should not be taken away from anyone in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world.”

He said the EU’s dream is to see a Nigeria free of conflict.

“The Nigeria we dream of as the European Union, the Nigeria we support through the National Peace Committee, but through many other engagements, is a Nigeria free of conflict. A Nigeria where people can express their feelings and their ideas without having any fear of persecution or being subject to violence”.

He said that the Electoral Security Information Hub is another tool that we want to support towards that aim.

The Election Security Information Hub, he said, is an “evidence-based platform that would allow us to track those incidents and those behind those incidents in terms of electoral offences.

“ As has been mentioned earlier, there have been no credible, inclusive elections without security. And unfortunately, as we know, there are still persistent security challenges.

“We sincerely hope that this tool will not only gather information, but it will also use that information for high-level engagements, for discussions, but also for action. We do need to take that information seriously, and whenever there are cases of insecurity, we need to act on that.

The representative of the Acting National Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Mrs. Helen Ajayi, Director, Monitoring and Planning, INEC said that the commission was prepared to work closely with the hub, saying the initiative will enhance the work of the Commission.

Ajayi stressed that democracy can only thrive through collective resolve of stakeholders.

She said: “Indeed, democracy thrives not only through the casting of ballots, but also through the collective resolve of stakeholders like you, who work tirelessly to seek that integrity of the process. As we look ahead to future elections, I encourage us all to remain steadfast in fostering collaboration, deepening voter confidence, and upholding the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and peace. Together we can build an electoral culture that truly reflects the will of the people and stands as a model in our continent.

“This will enhance what INEC is already into. In preparation for every election, the Commission has a tool that it uses to manage election security- ERM, Election Risk Management.

“With this kind of hub, we can collaborate and harness everything that the Commission is already into and have a better election. “

She also disclosed that INEC has already mapped out the risk areas in the forthcoming Anambra governorship election.

“And those risk areas are not just mapped on the general scale. We’ve mapped the risk areas up to the polling units. The Commission has identified polling units where risk incidents have happened in the past and where there is a history of violence.

“And because of that, the Commission is paying close attention to those areas so that the elections in those areas will be free, fair, and credible,” she added.

In his pre-inauguration address, Fr. Atta Barkindo, Executive Director of the Kukah Centre and Head of the Secretariat of the NPC said that the hub aimed at curbing electoral violence, insecurity, and other forms of malpractice during elections in Nigeria.

The Hub which is technically assisted by the European Union support to Democratic Governance Programme in Nigeria seeks to provide a platform for information sharing, a more coordinated and data driven approach to security management.

The initiative is to be deployed for the Anambra governorship election slated for 8th November 2025.

“ The hub will serve as a repository for gathering, analysing and sharing verified data on insecurity and its impact on elections, including the tracking of electoral offences nationwide.”

He added: “ The hub intends to translate early warnings into early coordinated and lawful responses, ensuring that emerging threats are addressed proa timely rather than reactively by the relevant stakeholders.”

Barkindo stressed that the initiative is central to enhancing election security and promoting peaceful democratic processes.”

He disclosed that the initiative includes providing quarterly threat analyses which involve in-depth assessments of evolving risks to electoral peace and integrity.

He also said that the initiative includes monthly security reports-tracking trends in insecurity, emerging threats and their implications for election management.

Barkindo said there will also be state-specific reported, beginning with the Anambra off-cycle election security report, to support targeted preventive action.

He also said there will be a Mini situation monitoring room designed to monitor the peaceful conduct of elections and to evaluate stakeholders adherence to both the letter and the spirit of the peace accord.

The hub, he also said, will have interactive insecurity dashboards, offering visualised data for policy formulation, strategic planning and public awareness.

The hub he also said will provide periodic situation reports and podcasts in a timely manner for stakeholders.

Barkindo explained further that the essence of the initiative is to provide outputs that will help foster transparency, informed dialogue and joint action among election stakeholders so as to ensure that threats are not only identified but addressed through evidence-based collaboration and foresight.

Peace Committee to Deploy Election Security Technology in Anambra Poll