NIMC to Launch Nationwide Ward-Level NIN Enrollment February 16

By: Michael Mike

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has announced that it will commence nationwide ward-level enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) on Monday, February 16, 2026.

The commission said the initiative follows a presidential directive mandating NIMC to expand NIN registration to the grassroots in order to capture more Nigerians and legal residents in the National Identity Database.

In a statement signed by the Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, NIMC said the ward-level exercise is aimed at ensuring comprehensive registration of all citizens and legal residents, including children and adults. The enrollment will be conducted free of charge.

According to the commission, the move aligns with the Federal Government’s renewed hope agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which seeks to promote inclusive governance, national development and broader access to identity services.

NIMC described the ward-level rollout as a strategic step toward decentralising identity services and improving accessibility, particularly for residents in rural and underserved communities. By taking enrollment centres closer to communities, the commission said it hopes to reduce travel burdens and encourage wider participation.

As part of preparations for the exercise, NIMC said it has begun engaging key stakeholders at national, state and local government levels. Sensitisation and awareness campaigns are ongoing to educate the public on the importance and benefits of obtaining a NIN.

The commission disclosed that state governments, local government authorities, traditional rulers, community leaders, market associations and faith-based organisations are being consulted to ensure seamless implementation across wards nationwide.

NIMC urged Nigerians and legal residents who are yet to enroll to take advantage of the opportunity, calling on families to register their children, parents and wards during the exercise.

The ward enrollment schedule, which will guide the rotational movement of licensed front-end partners and NIMC staff, is available on the commission’s website, www.nimc.gov.ng.

Adegoke said for inquiries, assistance or complaints, members of the public can contact NIMC through its toll-free line: 08000616462.

The commission reiterated its commitment to expanding identity coverage across the country and strengthening the national database as a foundation for effective planning, service delivery and economic inclusion.

NIMC to Launch Nationwide Ward-Level NIN Enrollment February 16

US senator’s Nigeria bill risks religious disharmony, analysts warn

By: Zagazola Zagazola

Security Analyst have cautioned that a newly introduced bill in the United States targeting Nigeria could exacerbate religious tensions in the country, even as expanded military cooperation between the two nations is welcomed.

The proposed Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026, sponsored by US Representatives Riley Moore and Chris Smith, seeks to impose sanctions on Fulani militias and former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso over alleged religious persecution.

Critics, however, argue that the bill mischaracterizes Nigeria’s security situation and risks deepening sectarian divides. “The senator’s narrative of ‘Christian persecution’ and ‘genocide’ is selective and dangerously misleading,” said Zagazola Makama.

“Just last week, 167 Muslims were killed in Kwara State, for refusing to accept the ideologies of Boko Haram terrorists, yet there was no condemnation from the US lawmakers. This selective framing feeds a divisive agenda rather than genuine accountability.”

Since Nigeria was designated a “Country of Particular Concern” by the US, attacks by insurgents, including Boko Haram, ISWAP, JNIM, and Ansaru, have continued with increasing lethality. The inflammatory statements by these foreign lawmakers provide terrorists with propaganda tools to incite further violence and devision through attacks.

While we welcome the US deployment of 200 troops to Nigeria to provide training and technical support to Nigerian security forces, what Nigeria needs is actionable support against terror networks, not legislation targeting political figures for past disagreements.

Nigeria is guided by its constitution and does not require empty rhetoric or selective campaigns of condemnation. Instead of legislating against Kwankwaso, the US should focus on helping Nigeria target the most ruthless terrorist networks like, ISWAP, Boko Haram and Bandits destabilizing the country.”

Cooperation with international partners should focus on strengthening intelligence, operational capacity, and border security.

US senator’s Nigeria bill risks religious disharmony, analysts warn

Niger incidents underline rising Sahel spillover threat to Nigeria’s security

By: Zagazola Makama

A series of deadly incidents in neighbouring Niger between Feb. 6 and Feb. 10 has again exposed the fragility of security across the central Sahel and the growing risk of spillover into Nigeria.

Zagazola report from the period show a grim pattern: an air raid that killed mostly civilians in Tillaberi Region; a mass abduction in Diffa Region near Nigeria’s border; and a roadside bomb attack that claimed at least 11 lives.

On Feb. 6, coordinated drone strikes hit a crowded market in Kokoloko, about 120 kilometres from Niamey. While the strikes were said to be aimed at terrorist elements, the outcome was devastating for civilians.

At least 17 civilians, including three minors, were killed, with only three terrorists reportedly neutralised. Several properties were destroyed in the fires that followed.

Two days later, suspected ISWAP elements invaded Gagamari Village in the Chettimari Commune of Diffa Region, just six kilometres from Gargada and close to Nigeria’s border. The attackers reportedly focused on youths, abducting about 28 males. On Feb. 9, the group released the youngest of the victims with a warning to authorities that they would return for more youths.

On Feb. 10, tragedy struck again when a commuter vehicle drove into a remotely emplaced improvised explosive device (RSBIED) lane at Baroua in Diffa. The blast killed a National Guard soldier on leave and 10 other passengers, destroying the vehicle.

These incidents reflect a broader and worrying trend: the steady southward creep of jihadist violence from the Sahel into West Africa’s coastal and near-coastal states. Niger’s security crisis is increasingly intertwined with developments in Mali and Burkina Faso under the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), whose withdrawal from ECOWAS and pivot to Russian Wagner mercenaries have reshaped regional security dynamics.

The resulting vacuum has been exploited by jihadist groups such as ISWAP and ISIS-linked elements, which are now linking operations across north-central Niger, Nigeria’s North-East and North-West, and through intermediaries in the Sahel.

The convergence is evident in recent atrocities, including the February 2026 massacre in Kwara State where JAS-linked extremists reportedly killed nearly 200 civilians, a signal that the threat is edging closer to Nigeria’s economic heartlands.

For Nigeria, reactive containment is no longer sufficient. A proactive, multi-layered strategy is required, one that combines hardened borders, pragmatic diplomacy and internal resilience.

Nigeria must accelerate border fortification with advanced surveillance, drone patrols and rapid-response units in high-risk corridors such as the Lake Chad Basin axis and the Sokoto–Kebbi route. Porous borders remain the main arteries for the flow of arms, fighters and logistics.

Abuja needs a recalibrated diplomatic posture. Bilateral intelligence-sharing pacts with AES regimes, even outside ECOWAS frameworks are essential to disrupt cross-border networks. Ongoing talks with the United States on drone logistics could provide technological leverage, but Nigeria must assert autonomy to avoid perceptions of external puppetry that fuel anti-Nigerian rhetoric in Sahelian propaganda.

Third, internal resilience is non-negotiable. Poverty, youth unemployment and governance deficits in border communities continue to feed recruitment and the spread of ransom camps from Borno to Kwara. Without visible improvements in livelihoods and local administration, security gains will remain fragile.

The Sahel now accounts for more than half of global terrorism deaths. If Nigeria does not move decisively on sealed borders, pragmatic diplomacy and socioeconomic fortification, it risks turning its northern frontiers into a permanent jihadist conduit.

The Niger incidents are not isolated tragedies. They are warnings. The window for preventive action is narrowing, and the price of delay will be paid in lives, stability and the future of regional integration in West Africa.

Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region

Niger incidents underline rising Sahel spillover threat to Nigeria’s security