Chinese expatriate kidnapped after murder of 8 NSCDC personnel in Edo, regains freedom in Kogi

By: Zagazola Makama

A Chinese expatriate earlier kidnapped in an attack that claimed the lives of eight personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Edo has regained his freedom.

The expatriate, identified as Mr. Wang, was abducted on Sept. 5 during an assault targeting a team of NSCDC operatives assigned to protect Chinese workers at the BUA Cement Plant, Okpella.

Zagazola Makama gathered that Mr. Wang was released at about 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 2 in Kabba, Kogi State.

Sources said that the expatriate left Nigeria immediately after regaining his freedom and has since returned to China.

Details on whether ransom was paid or how negotiations were conducted were not disclosed.

Chinese expatriate kidnapped after murder of 8 NSCDC personnel in Edo, regains freedom in Kogi

Army troops rescue 10 kidnapped women, recover rifle and ransom money in Sanga, Kaduna

By: Zagazola Makama

The Nigerian Army troops of 1 Division Operation FANSAN YANMA have rescued 10 kidnapped women during a coordinated search-and-rescue operation in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The women were abducted from their farms at Ungwan Nungu on Nov. 29.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the successful operation was carried out after days of sustained days search operations to track the kidnappers.

The sources stated that at about 6:40 a.m. on Friday, the troops made contact with the abductors who were attempting to receive ransom money from relatives of the victims.

“The troops engaged the kidnappers with superior firepower, forcing them to abandon the victims and flee,” the sources added.

According to the sources, the troops rescued all 10 victims and recovered one fabricated AK-47 rifle, one round of 9mm ammunition and ₦1.6 million, said to be part of the ransom the criminals were attempting to collect.

The rescued victims have been debriefed and reunited with their families, while efforts are ongoing to track and arrest the fleeing suspects.

Army troops rescue 10 kidnapped women, recover rifle and ransom money in Sanga, Kaduna

Why IPI Nigeria gave SSS DG, Oluwatosin Ajayi, Commendation Award

By: Michael Mike

The Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) has explained the rational behind the award to the Director General of the Department of State Security, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi.

In a statement justifying the commendation award to Ajayi, the committee said: “Since his appointment as Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS) in late August 2024, Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi has demonstrated an unmistakable commitment to press freedom and respect for journalists and media organisations.

“Unlike in previous years when the SSS was notorious for serial harassment, intimidation, and arrests of journalists, the agency under Mr Ajayi’s leadership has shown remarkable restraint, professionalism, and openness to dialogue. Conflicts between the Service and the media are now resolved amicably, through engagement rather than coercion.”

It cited few examples to illustrate this transformation to include:

“Barely hours into his tenure, one of our colleagues, Adejuwon Soyinka, was intercepted and detained in Lagos. Within hours of IPI Nigeria bringing the matter to his attention, Mr Ajayi directed the Lagos Command to release the journalist immediately.

“For decades, our member Lanre Arogundade had suffered humiliating treatment at Nigeria’s borders, having been placed on the SSS watchlist since the 1980s. Despite years of advocacy, previous assurances that his name had been removed turned out to be untrue. Shortly after assuming office, Mr Ajayi received a formal complaint from IPI Nigeria and acted swiftly—permanently deleting Mr Arogundade’s name from the watchlist.

“In the Order Paper case, the SSS arrested a staff member of the newspaper following an inaccurate report alleging the Service invaded the National Assembly to facilitate the removal of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Once notified, Mr Ajayi immediately ordered that the detained journalist be granted administrative bail. Through constructive engagement, the matter was later resolved, all charges filed in court were withdrawn, and the case was closed.

“There was also a case involving one of our colleagues who became entangled in a personal matter unrelated to journalism. He was arrested alongside an associate. Acting on humanitarian grounds, we sought the DG’s intervention. Mr Ajayi obliged and ordered his release.

“In February 2025, the SSS contacted IPI Nigeria, accusing several media organisations of publishing falsehoods about its role in the Lagos Assembly crisis. Though understandably aggrieved, the DG worked patiently and collaboratively with us to resolve the dispute. The agency provided evidence that it had been invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the complex, and the matter was amicably settled without confrontation.

“In October 2025, without any prompting from IPI Nigeria, Mr Ajayi ordered disciplinary action against officers involved in the arrest and detention of two journalists from Jay 101.9 FM, a private radio station in Jos. He subsequently caused the SSS to issue a formal apology to the journalists and their organisation.

“For these and other reasons, we are honouring Mr Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi today. We do so not only to acknowledge his commendable press freedom credentials but also to encourage him to do even more, and to inspire other officials, institutions, and organisations to emulate his example.”

Why IPI Nigeria gave SSS DG, Oluwatosin Ajayi, Commendation Award