COAS charges Plateau troops to sustain security gains, strengthen peace efforts

By: Zagazola Makama

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Waidi Shaibu, has charged troops of the 3 Division Nigerian Army and Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP) to sustain pressure on criminal elements and strengthen efforts to consolidate peace and stability in Plateau State.

Shaibu gave the charge on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, during an operational visit to the headquarters of 3 Division and OPEP, where he reviewed the security situation, ongoing operations and measures to protect vulnerable communities.

During the visit, the COAS inspected the ongoing construction of the Nigerian Army Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) Control Station, a facility expected to boost the Army’s Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities when completed.

The system is also expected to provide commanders with improved real-time situational awareness and timely intelligence to support operational decision-making.

The General Officer Commanding 3 Division and Commander OPEP, Maj. Gen. Maxwell Dangana, briefed the COAS on security developments within the Division’s area of responsibility, including ongoing operations and engagements with stakeholders aimed at preventing violence and sustaining peace.

Shaibu commended the troops for their courage, professionalism and commitment to duty, urging them to remain vigilant and disciplined while maintaining close cooperation with other security agencies, traditional institutions and community leaders.

He stressed that military operations must be complemented by dialogue, reconciliation and other peace-building initiatives to prevent criminal elements from undermining the gains recorded in the state.

The COAS directed the troops to respond decisively to security threats while maintaining professionalism and respect for the rights of law-abiding citizens.

He assured the personnel of continued support from the Nigerian Army and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to protecting lives and property and creating an environment where communities can live and pursue their legitimate livelihoods without fear.

Shaibu also called on residents to provide timely and credible information to security agencies, stressing that sustainable peace in Plateau requires collective responsibility among security forces, government authorities, traditional institutions, community leaders and citizens.

COAS charges Plateau troops to sustain security gains, strengthen peace efforts

NiDCOM Boss Honours Nigerians Killed in 9/11 Attacks

By: Michael Mike

The Chairman/CEO of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has paid tribute to Nigerians and persons of Nigerian origin who lost their lives in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, saying their names and stories must not be erased by time.

Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement marking the 25th anniversary of the tragedy signed by the Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, NiDCOM. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, remembered Godwin O. Ajala, Ignatius Udo Adanga, Olabisi Shadie Layeni-Yee, Sadie Ini Ette and Ayodeji Awe among those whose lives were cut short in the attacks that claimed thousands of lives and altered the course of global history.

She said the passage of a quarter of a century had not diminished the pain of losing loved ones, stressing that behind the statistics associated with September 11 were individuals with families, careers, aspirations and dreams.

“ We remember them. We remember their families. We remember the lives they lived and the dreams they carried. Twenty-five years later, they are not forgotten. Their names remain, and their stories must continue to be told,” she said.

The NiDCOM boss extended her thoughts and prayers to the families and loved ones of the victims, noting that remembrance was particularly important for younger generations who did not witness the tragedy.

She said the Nigerian victims represented the far-reaching presence of Nigerians across the world and the enduring connections they had built in the communities where they lived, worked and contributed.

According to her, the anniversary should not only serve as a painful reminder of lives lost but also as an opportunity to celebrate the lives the victims lived and the legacies they left behind.

Dabiri-Erewa reaffirmed NiDCOM’s commitment to recognising and honouring the lives, contributions and experiences of Nigerians in the diaspora, stressing that every Nigerian life mattered, regardless of where the individual lived in the world.

She prayed for the peaceful rest of the victims and for strength, comfort and healing for their families and loved ones who continue to bear the pain of their loss.

NiDCOM Boss Honours Nigerians Killed in 9/11 Attacks

NHRC Raises Alarm Over Insecurity, Hate Speech Ahead of 2027 Polls

…Commission records 297,943 complaints in August, demands probe into Benue, Niger killings

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised concerns over the worsening human rights implications of insecurity, hate speech and political violence ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that failure to address the emerging threats could undermine Nigerians’ fundamental rights.

The Commission said it received 297,943 complaints nationwide in August 2026, describing the figure, alongside intelligence from its Human Rights Observatory, as an important indicator of the country’s human rights situation.

The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Dr Tony Ojukwu disclosed this on Monday while presenting the Commission’s August 2026 Human Rights Situation Dashboard.

Ojukwu said insecurity remained a dominant feature of the human rights landscape during the month, with renewed attacks on rural communities in Benue and Niger States despite ongoing security operations.

He called for comprehensive and transparent investigations into the killings and urged the authorities to ensure that those responsible were prosecuted without further delay.

“Rescue must be followed by appropriate medical, psychosocial, family-reunification and other forms of support necessary for the recovery and reintegration of survivors,” he said.

The Executive Secretary, however, pointed to several successful security interventions during the month as evidence of what could be achieved through effective intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration.

He cited the rescue on August 5 of 308 Nigerians abducted in Niger and Kwara States in a coordinated, intelligence-led operation.

According to him, security agencies also secured the release of several people held captive in Benue State, while 15 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Kogi State while travelling from Abuja after their passing-out ceremony in Bayelsa State were also rescued.

Ojukwu commended the agencies involved in the operations but stressed that such coordinated responses should become routine rather than exceptional.

“These outcomes demonstrate what can be achieved when intelligence, political will and inter-agency coordination come together. It is a standard the Commission expects to see consistently, not occasionally,” he said.

Beyond physical insecurity, the NHRC expressed concern over the rise in inflammatory rhetoric and political violence involving political and religious actors as the country moves towards the 2027 elections.

The Commission said it had condemned statements attributed to Sheikh Sani Jingir and Senator Francis Fadahunsi, describing them as hate speech and incitement to violence respectively, and had called for their investigation and prosecution.

Ojukwu warned that the coming election season required heightened vigilance because political participation was inseparable from a broad range of fundamental rights.

He said the rights to association, peaceful assembly, freedom of expression and movement, as well as the rights to life and dignity, were all closely connected to the integrity of the electoral process.

“As we begin the campaigns for the 2027 General Elections, the NHRC will remain vigilant to ensure that political actors play by the rules,” he said.

The Commission also waded into the controversy surrounding the Foreign Aid Bill before the National Assembly, acknowledging the government’s interest in ensuring transparency and accountability while drawing attention to concerns raised by civil society organisations, the media and international partners.

Ojukwu said the NHRC was particularly concerned about any possible impact of the proposed legislation on civic space and the independence of organisations engaged in human rights work.

He urged the National Assembly to engage stakeholders on concerns relating to freedom of association, freedom of expression and the operational independence of civil society organisations.

“The Commission will continue to monitor the legislative process from a human rights perspective and, where necessary, make appropriate interventions within its mandate,” he said.

The NHRC Executive Secretary stressed that the Commission’s responsibility extended beyond responding to violations after they had occurred, insisting that prevention remained a central component of its mandate.

He said the monthly dashboard and the Commission’s Human Rights Observatory were designed to provide early warning, identify emerging threats, support investigations and referrals, and ensure that evidence gathered from across the country translated into concrete action.

Ojukwu cautioned against treating the 297,943 complaints recorded in August as mere statistics, saying each figure represented a human rights concern requiring appropriate institutional attention.

“The figures before us today should therefore not be understood merely as statistics. Our responsibility is to ensure that the data we collect informs action whether through investigation, referral, policy engagement, early warning or accountability,” he said.

He also acknowledged the contributions of development partners, civil society organisations and the media to the Commission’s work, noting that their support had strengthened systems for documenting rights violations and turning evidence into action.

The NHRC said it would continue to monitor developments across the country, particularly as Nigeria approaches the 2027 electoral cycle, while pressing for accountability for violations and recognising instances in which state institutions had responded effectively to threats to citizens’ rights.

NHRC Raises Alarm Over Insecurity, Hate Speech Ahead of 2027 Polls