Nigeria Declares Renewed Support For South Sudan Peace Process

By: Our Reporter

As President Tinubu urges release of detained first Vice President, Machar, at AU high-level dialogue

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has pledged Nigeria’s support and commitment to the swift implementation of the provisions of the revitalised agreement on the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan.

Prominent among the nation’s proposals as presented by the President is the immediate and unconditional release of the country’s First Vice President, Riek Machar, and other key opposition figures.

President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, stated this Sunday, during the African Union (AU) High-Level Adhoc Committee For South Sudan, tagged the C-5 Plus Summit, chaired by President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and held on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

“We wish to specifically call on the government to consider the immediate and unconditional release from detention of the Vice President and other key opposition figures. It is also imperative to convene an all-inclusive South Sudan national dialogue and reconciliation forum. We call on all parties to engage constructively with authorities in the mediation process without preconditions,” he declared.

President Tinubu said Nigeria joins other countries in Africa in acknowledging the efforts and desire of the South Sudanese stakeholders and people for peace, sustainable development, and speedy resolution of the conflict.

He said, “We support the lofty ambition of all parties and wish to reiterate our doctrinal commitment to accompany the South Sudanese Transitional Government of Unity as well as the good people of the country to actualise their aspiration for lasting peace and development.

“We cannot allow South Sudan to continue on its current trajectory. Without national unity and elite consensus, not much can be achieved on the transition programme in South Sudan.”

President Tinubu urged African leaders to prevail on the country’s stakeholders to “prioritise the conduct of inclusive, peaceful, and transparent national elections. This is the only way to build trust and confidence in the country’s future and leadership.”

He said the recent launch of the Regional Partnership for Democracy by Nigeria in collaboration with development partners was part of the country’s contribution to the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan and beyond.

The Nigerian leader said the current state of insecurity and political tension in that country was hindering progress on several key transitional fronts, especially in the areas of security sector reforms and constitution-drafting processes.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman of the AU High-Level Ad Hoc Committee for South Sudan, President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, applauded the determination of African leaders in the resolution of the conflict, especially President Silva’s presence at the meeting, describing it as a reflection of his personal commitment to resolving the conflict.

Urging parties in the conflict to recommit themselves to the resolution of the lingering issues, he regretted the delayed and slow implementation of the revitalised agreement eight years after it was endorsed by stakeholders.

President Ramaphosa commended the efforts of the United Nations, development partners, and other stakeholders in the resolution of the conflict, noting that the “C-5 Plus Summit demonstrates the commitment of leaders to finding a lasting solution in the interest of the people of South Sudan.”

He stressed the need for robust consultation with all parties, stating the importance of engaging with the people of South Sudan and giving counsel only where it is needed.

For his part, the President of Djibouti and Chairman of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), Ismail Omar Guelleh, said the collective efforts of IGAD, the AU, and other partners in the signing of the revitalised agreement have enabled the implementation of the longest ceasefire agreement since the advent of the conflict.

He reaffirmed the commitment of IGAD to the resolution of the conflict in South Sudan as enshrined in the framework that integrates the interests of all parties.

The IGAD chairman proposed the appointment of a lead mediator in the conflict to monitor implementation, assess progress, and address emerging challenges on the path to lasting peace and stability.

Other critical stakeholders in the South Sudan conflict who attended the meeting included the Chairperson of the AU Commission, HE Mahmoud Ali Youssouf; the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, HE Abiy Ahmed Ali; the President of Algeria, Abdelmadjid Tebboune; representatives of the Chadian President, HE Mahamat Itno Deby, and the representative of the Rwandan President, HE Paul Kagame, among others.

Nigeria To Provide Office, Maritime Assets For Gulf Of Guinea Security Force HQ

Meanwhile, Nigeria has pledged full infrastructural and operational support for the Combined Maritime Task Force in the Gulf of Guinea, pledging to provide office buildings, ships, helicopters, and temporary staff as the host nation of the force’s headquarters.

This is even as the government has called for a stronger, coordinated African response to security threats, debt distress and mineral exploitation on the continent.

Speaking earlier during the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union (AU), Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said Nigeria would host the Combined Maritime Taskforce for the Gulf of Guinea and provide the necessary infrastructure to ensure its operational effectiveness.

“As host of this taskforce, Nigeria will provide infrastructure, including office buildings, ships, helicopters and temporary personnel to ensure that the Force remains effective in combating transnational organised crimes and enhancing maritime security across the region,” the Vice President said.

Nigeria also welcomed progress recorded on the African Standby Force (ASF) and encouraged accelerated implementation of the MoU between the commission and the Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs).

VP Shettima further expressed support for a deeper analysis to advance the activation of the African Court of Justice and intensified advocacy for the ratification of the African Parliament protocol.

Nigeria Declares Renewed Support For South Sudan Peace Process

Charcoal business now a death sentence in kwara state

By: Bodunrin Kayode

For residents of northern and southern senatorial zones in kwara state, charcoal production which is an economic pastime of some local council residents is now a security challenge.

Those whose livelihood have been tied to the activity now avoid the savannah like a plague especially with the absence of forest guards or civil defenders to watch over them while they eke their livelihoods.

Most of them have now resigned to fate as even firewood still used by local bakers to bake bread is now a luxury not to talk about house wives who rely on it to cook.

Recently, a single mother of four from Igbaja was kidnapped by bandits while she went in to the savannah to source for charcoal, which she sells for a living.

Her family and other sympathisers had responded to the ransom demands by the bandits by sourcing and taking five million out of the initial 100 million naira demanded by her captors in the bush.

In spite of that speedy payment they made, the criminals had, refused to release her asking instead for more money to match up with their initial demands.

However while the criminals were haggling with her family for more chunk of the expected ransom, she escaped from their grip and is back at her home in Igbaja.

Kwara state in north central Nigeria has been badly infested by criminal bandits who have been unleashing sorrow, tears and blood on the people.

The latest group to join the previous hit, kill and run group is the lakurawa which has alliances with groups in the sahelian states between the Maghreb north African region down to West African countries.

Sadly, the nation’s security architecture seem to lack the intelligence and sophistication using modern equipment to stop these elements even after they have written memos to certain communities that they are coming.

They actually came and operated in Kayama council area recently for long hours without even the Nigerian police force present in such remote places not to talk about the kwara command seeing every stick and stone inside its territory in real time through buyable technology.

Nigeria needs at least a minimum of two million federal, state and local council police personnel policing its residents all over the country if we must heave a sigh of relief in the area of internal security.

The implementation of the recently approved state police by the sub nationals is the first step towards securing individual states since the federal police are very well over stretched having shown a clear lack of capacity to police almost 250 million people in the country.

Sadly, many states in the South west of Nigeria already have uniformed Amotekun personnel doing intelligence and community policing of their states but they lack the real technology which would give them edge in seeing what occurs through their numerous rain forests which is a far different ball game from what kwara is dealing with.

The Nigerian military however is the worse hit in terms of boots on the ground, air or on sea because recruitment has never achieved the desires of the people within the last four decades yet hundreds retire yearly after 35 years of service.

Charcoal business now a death sentence in kwara state

Spate in Bloodshed in the North: KACRAN Calls for Diplomatic Solution

By: Michael Mike

As fresh waves of violence leave communities in mourning across Northern Nigeria, the Kulen Allah Vitality Self-Reliance Association (KACRAN) has called for an immediate diplomatic surge to end the spiraling insecurity that has claimed more than 200 lives in recent attacks in Niger and Kwara states.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the association condemned what it described as a relentless cycle of killings, kidnappings and livestock rustling that has devastated families and crippled rural economies.

It also decried the reported abduction of 176 persons in parts of Kwara State, urging security agencies to ensure their swift and unconditional release.

KACRAN said while the military has continued to confront armed groups across the region, force alone cannot deliver lasting peace.

“Permanent peace is built on trust, dialogue and unity of purpose, not bullets alone,” the association said, warning that prolonged militarisation of internal conflicts risks creating more complex and entrenched crises.

The group acknowledged ongoing security interventions under President Bola Tinubu and commended the leadership of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as well as the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa.

It praised the sacrifices of troops on the frontlines but expressed concern that despite a defence budget exceeding N5 trillion in 2026, attacks continue in several communities.

According to KACRAN, the persistence of violence suggests the need for a complementary political and diplomatic framework to address the root causes of instability, including poverty, youth unemployment, communal mistrust and competition over land and grazing resources.

The association proposed what it termed a “diplomatic roadmap” anchored on three key pillars: coordinated leadership among Northern governors and stakeholders; structured dialogue to rebuild trust between affected communities; and economic reinvestment in agriculture and youth empowerment.

It stressed that redirecting resources toward job creation, infrastructure and holistic agricultural development — spanning crop farming, livestock and fisheries — would undercut the economic incentives driving criminality.

“Peace and security in the North is the bedrock of peace in Nigeria,” said Hon. Khalil Bello, National President of KACRAN, urging Northern leaders to close ranks and take collective responsibility for restoring stability.

The North has faced years of overlapping security challenges, from banditry and kidnapping to farmer-herder clashes and organized criminal networks. Entire villages have been displaced, schools shut down and farmlands abandoned, worsening food insecurity and economic hardship.

Security analysts note that while military operations have recorded tactical successes, the absence of sustained dialogue and socio-economic reforms has allowed violence to resurface in cycles.

KACRAN warned that Nigeria must avoid the prolonged instability seen in conflict-ridden nations, emphasizing that unity and inclusive engagement remain the only viable path to sustainable peace.

Spate in Bloodshed in the North: KACRAN Calls for Diplomatic Solution