OPEP Troops Rescue Four Kidnap Victims Along Rafin Sanyi–Forest Axis in Plateau

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP) have rescued four kidnapped persons following a swift response to a kidnapping incident along the Rafin Sanyi–Forest axis in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State.

Security sources said the incident occurred at about 10:40 p.m. on November 9, when troops of Sector 6 deployed at Sopp received a report of suspected kidnappers operating along the highway.

Upon arrival at the scene, the troops discovered that the road had been blocked by the kidnappers, who had abducted some passengers and fled towards the surrounding high grounds.

The troops immediately launched a pursuit and made contact with the fleeing kidnappers, who abandoned their victims and escaped following the superior firepower of the security personnel.

The rescued victims were identified as Mrs Aisha Haruna and her son, ASP Yusuf Habila, Mr Abdullahi Yunusa, and a truck driver conveying goods from Rivers State to Bauchi State.

The victims were subsequently moved to the troops’ location for safety and further necessary action.

OPEP Troops Rescue Four Kidnap Victims Along Rafin Sanyi–Forest Axis in Plateau

UK, Nigeria Deepen Creative Partnerships Ahead of 2028 Season of Culture

By: Michael Mike

The United Kingdom and Nigeria have strengthened efforts to expand creative-sector partnerships, promote international collaboration and unlock new commercial opportunities ahead of the 2028 UK-Nigeria Season of Culture.

The renewed push followed a series of engagements in Lagos involving 17 UK creative professionals and Nigerian industry leaders, policymakers, businesses and cultural institutions, aimed at building partnerships, facilitating access to new markets and strengthening the commercial potential of both countries’ creative industries.

The UK Creative Sector Delegation, which comprised professionals from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, engaged Nigerian counterparts across film, television, music, fashion, design, literature, theatre and visual arts.

The engagements, held around the Africa International Film Festival, Creative Africa Nexus Weekend, Lagos Fringe and Art X Lagos, featured targeted meetings, roundtable discussions and networking activities designed to facilitate knowledge exchange and establish professional relationships.

A major focus was how to address structural challenges limiting the growth of creative businesses, particularly skills development, intellectual property protection, rights management, access to finance, production capacity, commissioning, distribution and access to local and international audiences.

British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said the UK was committed to supporting Nigeria’s creative industries through access to expertise, networks, finance and international markets.

Baxter said the engagements were designed to create the conditions for meaningful collaboration, adding that their success would ultimately depend on sustained relationships, the removal of barriers and opportunities that deliver lasting benefits for businesses and professionals in both countries.

He described Nigeria’s creative industries as a combination of exceptional talent, entrepreneurial energy and global influence, stressing the importance of a practical and long-term partnership.

The initiative also advances the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership Creative Industries Technical Working Group, established in March 2025 to identify commercial opportunities, address regulatory and non-tariff barriers and promote cooperation across film and television, music, design and fashion, architecture, advertising and gaming.

Country Director of the British Council in Nigeria, Donna McGowan, said the delegation had created opportunities for creative practitioners and institutions in both countries to exchange ideas, develop professional skills and establish trusted cross-border relationships.

McGowan said the British Council was particularly interested in ensuring that cultural exchange translated into lasting value through wider access to international networks and inclusive partnerships.

She added that the relationships and insights generated by the programme would contribute to shaping an ambitious UK-Nigeria Season of Culture in 2028.

Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Obi Asika, said Nigeria’s creative talent and intellectual property held enormous commercial potential that remained largely untapped.

Asika said the Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership and the forthcoming Season of Culture offered opportunities to connect Nigerian creativity with wider audiences and international markets.

He stressed that the success of the initiative should be measured by tangible outcomes beyond 2028, including international tours, publishing deals, television productions, fashion partnerships and new businesses emerging from the collaborations.

According to him, the objective is to develop sustainable commercial projects that can be traced to relationships established through the cultural partnership.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Black British Book Festival and member of the UK delegation, Selina Brown, described her experience in Lagos as inspiring, citing the city’s creative energy and the opportunities for professional exchange.

Brown said her engagements with emerging and established artists, writers, publishers and industry leaders had reinforced the potential for deeper UK-Nigeria cooperation.

She called for a genuinely reciprocal partnership in which both countries shared knowledge, expertise and opportunities rather than treating cultural exchange as a one-way transfer of knowledge.

Following the engagements, UK and Nigerian partners are expected to pursue priority introductions, policy discussions and partnership opportunities identified during the visit.

The programme forms part of broader efforts by both countries to position creativity as a driver of cultural connections, innovation, employment, exports and shared prosperity, with the 2028 Season of Culture expected to provide a platform for co-creation, audience development, professional exchanges and commercially viable collaborations.

UK, Nigeria Deepen Creative Partnerships Ahead of 2028 Season of Culture

ROSOWA Urges Motorists to Drive Responsibly, Protect Lives

Association calls for strict adherence to traffic rules, says every family deserves to see loved ones return home safely

By: Michael Mike

The Road Safety Officers’ Wives Association (ROSOWA) has called on motorists to embrace responsible driving and strict compliance with traffic regulations to curb avoidable road crashes and prevent further loss of lives.

The President of ROSOWA, Dr Nafisat Shehu-Mohammed, made the call at a joint press briefing organised by the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to commemorate the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.

Shehu-Mohammed said the annual commemoration was not merely an occasion to remember those who had died in road crashes but also an opportunity to recognise the pain, trauma and enduring losses suffered by affected families.

She expressed sympathy with mothers who had lost children, children who had lost parents and families whose lives had been shattered by road crashes.

According to her, this year’s theme, “A Light That Unites Us”, underscores the need for collective commitment and action to prevent road traffic deaths and injuries.

She said every road crash represented more than a statistic, as behind each incident were broken families, lost dreams and loved ones whose absence left lasting emotional scars.

“Behind every road crash is a broken heart, an empty seat, and a dream that may never be fulfilled. Looking at the theme, ‘A Light That Unites Us’, reminds us that even in our grief, we can unite to save lives,” she said.

The ROSOWA president urged motorists to recognise their responsibility to other road users, stressing that reckless driving and disregard for traffic regulations could have devastating consequences for families and communities.

She reminded drivers that their loved ones were waiting for them at home and urged them to make safety a priority whenever they took to the roads.

She also reaffirmed the association’s commitment to promoting road safety, saying every life mattered and every family deserved to see their loved ones return home safely.

“Let the light we kindle today shine through our actions by driving responsibly, obeying traffic rules, and protecting one another on our roads,” she said.

She further expressed solidarity with bereaved families and survivors, urging Nigerians to translate the lessons of the commemoration into practical actions that would make the nation’s roads safer.

“To the bereaved families, we share in your pain. To the survivors, we stand with you. And to every road user, please remember, someone is waiting for you at home.

“Let us turn remembrance into responsibility, grief into action, and our collective light into hope for safer roads. May the souls of the departed rest in peace,” she said.

ROSOWA Urges Motorists to Drive Responsibly, Protect Lives