WAFAI COMMENDS PRESIDENT TINUBU FOR RECENT RESCUES; DEMANDS URGENT, DECISIVE ACTION ON NATIONAL SECURITY

The Women and Family Advancement Initiative (WAFAI), an NGO focused on family values, societal morals, policy implementation, and advocacy, has commended His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for his resilience and commitment in securing the release of the 38 recently abducted church worshippers in Kwara State and some students from Saint Mary’s Private Secondary School, Papiri, in Niger State.

The Founder & CEO of WAFAI, Dr. Uche Francisca Obi, made the remarks in a press release today at the organization’s headquarters in Abuja. Dr. Obi said, “While we celebrate these victories, more must be done to curb the rising insecurity so that families across Nigeria can rest peacefully.”

She added, “The President’s efforts are greatly lauded, especially the good news that all 25 girls abducted from a school in Kebbi have regained their freedom. However, we are deeply concerned about the silence surrounding other kidnapped students still awaiting rescue. As a family-oriented leader, I share the pain of families yet to be reunited with their wards.”

Dr. Obi urged, “We call on the government to expedite efforts to safely return these students to their parents.”

She concluded, “Prioritizing security and tackling it head-on at this critical period will diminish narratives of foreign interference. Nigeria is a sovereign nation capable of handling its internal matters. With the willpower and right perspective from the government, insurgency can be defeated, restoring hope and self-sufficiency to families nationwide.”

WAFAI Media

Rising tension in Katsina as CJTF personnel fatally shoot father of bandit leader in Malumfashi

By: Zagazola Makama

The fragile peace in Malumfashi Local Government Area of Katsina State has been threatened following the fatal shooting of Alhaji Ibrahim Nagode, 60, by Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) personnel.

Nagode, a resident of Na’alma village, is the father of a known bandit leader, Haruna Ibrahim, also called “Fada”.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that the shooting occurred as Fada was returning to his village, following a recently brokered peace accord between bandits and the communities in Malumfashi.

Security sources said the area had been on high alert after intelligence suggested that suspected armed bandits were regrouping in the locality.
In a bid to prevent renewed attacks, the joint troops were deployed to intensify patrols as proactive measure to forestall any hostile activity,” a security source said. However, the operation reportedly resulted in the tragic death of Nagode.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested all CJTF personnel involved in the incident.

Sources said that the authorities are monitoring the situation closely, warning that the death of the bandit leader’s father could escalate tensions in the region.

The sources expressed concern over the potential for retaliation, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and adherence to peace accords to prevent further bloodshed.

Meanwhile security operatives have called on residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements in their areas.

Rising tension in Katsina as CJTF personnel fatally shoot father of bandit leader in Malumfashi

WFP: Recent Surge in Insecurity Driving Hunger to Level Never Before in Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

Growing instability across northern Nigeria, including a surge in attacks, is driving hunger to levels never seen before, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has warned.

The warning follows the release of the latest Cadre Harmonisé, a regional food security analysis that classifies the severity of hunger, which found that nearly 35 million people are projected to face severe food insecurity during the 2026 lean season, the highest number recorded in Nigeria.

WFP, in a statement on Tuesday, said attacks by insurgent groups in Nigeria have intensified throughout 2025. Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, reportedly carried out its first attack in Nigeria last month.

Meanwhile, the insurgent group Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) is said to be pursuing its expansion across the Sahel. Other recent incidents include the killing of a brigadier soldier in the northeast and attacks on public schools in the north, where several teachers and hundreds of schoolgirls remain missing.

“Communities are under severe pressure from repeated attacks and economic stress,” said David Stevenson, WFP Country Director and Representative in Nigeria.

He said: “If we can’t keep families fed and food insecurity at bay, growing desperation could fuel increased instability with insurgent groups exploiting hunger to expand their influence, creating a security threat that extends across West Africa and beyond.”

The statement lamented that Northern Nigeria is experiencing the most severe hunger crisis in a decade with rural farming communities the hardest hit. Nearly six million people in the north are projected to face crisis levels of hunger or worse during the 2026 lean season – June to August – in the conflict zones of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.

It added this includes some 15,000 people in Borno State who are expected to confront catastrophic hunger (Phase 5, famine-like conditions). Children are at greatest risk across Borno, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara, where malnutrition rates are highest.

It said the dire situation has been compounded by funding shortfalls that diminish WFP’s ability to provide life-saving assistance. In the northeast – where nearly one million people depend on WFP’s food and nutrition assistance – WFP was forced to scale down nutrition programmes in July, affecting more than 300,000 children. In areas where clinics closed, malnutrition levels deteriorated from “serious” to “critical” in the third quarter of the year.

It however assured that despite soaring needs, WFP will run out of resources for emergency food and nutrition assistance in December. Without urgent funding, millions will be left without vital support in 2026, risking more instability and deepening a crisis that the world cannot afford to ignore.

WFP: Recent Surge in Insecurity Driving Hunger to Level Never Before in Nigeria