Headlines
Sultan Laments Free Operation of Bandits in North, Says Region Worst Place to Live
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, on Thursday lamented the high rate of insecurity in the North, saying it was the worst place in the country to live.
The Sultan, who stated this at the fourth quarterly meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council in Abuja, said bandits were fast overrunning the North as residents slept with their eyes open.
The meeting had as its theme, ‘Questioning for peace in the challenges of insecurity and COVID-19’
While describing the North as the worst place to live, he said that bandits had become daring.
He said they moved from house to house, village to village, market to market, with AK-47 rifles openly, purchasing foodstuffs and other items and even collecting change without any challenge from the security agencies.
The foremost traditional ruler stated that the security system in the North had completely collapsed.
He said, “Security situation in Northern Nigeria has assumed a worrisome situation. Few weeks ago, over 76 persons were killed in a community in Sokoto in a day. I was there with the governor to commiserate with the affected community.
“Unfortunately, you don’t hear these stories in the media because it’s in the North. We have accepted the fact that the North does not have strong media to report the atrocities of these bandits.
“People think North is safe but that assumption is not true. In fact, it’s the worst place to be in this country because bandits go around in the villages, households and markets with their AK 47 and nobody is challenging them.
“They stop at the market, buy things, pay and collect change, with their weapons openly displayed. These are facts, I know because I am at the centre of it.
“I am not only a traditional ruler, I am also a religious leader. So, I am in a better place to tell the story. I can speak for the North in this regard because I am fully aware of the security challenges there. We have to sincerely and seriously find solutions to the problem, otherwise, we will find ourselves soon, in a situation where we would lose sleep because of insecurity.”
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Diocese, Ignatius Kaigama, outlined a code of conduct for both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.
He said, “We Christians and Muslims must avoid imposing our religious views on others or denying them public amenities, jobs or influential positions because they don’t belong to our faith.
“Merit, not the vigour of our religious piety or affiliation should determine all we do or get in this country. We should not unjustly or corruptly deprive others of their rights, not to talk of wounding or killing anyone for economic or partisan political interests or because of blind religious zeal.
“It is preposterous that Nigerians clamouring for their rights and privileges from government would turn their anger on religious institutions by attacking Churches and Mosques, instigating Christians and Muslims to turn against one another or to destroy public amenities and infrastructure
“We understand that the budget for national and state security is huge. Let us not deceive ourselves that the bigger the budget the more peace will flow. Weapons don’t bring peace.
What we need is a change of attitude, a conversion of heart; an objective appraisal of the religious or ethnic indoctrination we perhaps were subjected to in schools or at home. If we are only propelled by religious interests that exclude others we shall always remain in chaos and darkness.
The President, Christian Association of Nigeria and co-Chairman of NIREC, Dr Samson Ayokunle, while thanking God for saving the nation from the COVID-19 pandemic, compared to other countries, urged government to always tackle problem before it degenerated.
He asked the government to quickly reverse the recent decision to hike the price of electricity and fuel.
Ayokunle said, “That’s not what we send them to do for us. The decision, evidently, has added to our pains and they should reverse it as quickly as possible.
“The development that led to #EndSARS protest was quite unfortunate, and one of that development is police brutality which ought to be addressed before now.
“We have never witnessed such a mass action in Nigeria before. People were frustrated and because those in power didn’t respond appropriately until it degenerated to that level.
“But attributing the actions of the angry youths to a particular religion or ethnic group is insincere and unsafe. No religious group was exempted from the effect of the protest. The action was a spontaneous action that cannot be attributed to any religion or ethnic group.”
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, regretted that the nation was still faced with insecurity despite the government’s efforts.
“Today, despite all efforts including the deployment of enormous resources, our country still faces a measure of insecurity which is impacting negatively on our economy, social life, education of children and young persons, investment and remains a threat to lives and livelihood,” he said.
The Punch
Amid rising attacks and abductions by gunmen and suspected terrorists, President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday, declared a nationwide security emergency.
In a statement he personally issued, President Tinubu said: “Today, in view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into the Armed Forces.”
By this order, he said both the police and the army have been authorised to recruit more operatives, saying: “The police will recruit an additional 20,000 officers, bringing the total to 50,000.”
The president also directed that the police could now use National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camps as training depots, noting that although he had previously approved the upgrade of police training institutions, the new security reality required immediate expansion of capacity.
He further ordered that officers being withdrawn from VIP guard duties must undergo crash retraining.
According to him, the exercise is to “debrief them and deliver more efficient police services when deployed to security-challenged areas of the country.”
Tinubu also empowered the Department of State Services (DSS) to activate fully the forest security architecture.
“The DSS also has my authority to immediately deploy all the forest guards already trained to flush out the terrorists and bandits lurking in our forests,” he said, adding that the agency had his directive to recruit additional personnel.
“There will be no more hiding places for agents of evil,” the President said.
Calling the situation “a national emergency,” the President said the federal government was responding by “deploying more boots on the ground, especially in security-challenged areas”.
He appealed to citizens to play their part, saying “the times require all hands on deck. As Nigerians, we should all get involved in securing our nation.”
President Tinubu commended security forces for recent breakthroughs, including the rescue of abducted schoolgirls in Kebbi and the 38 worshippers seized in Kwara State.
“We will continue to sustain the efforts to rescue the remaining students of Catholic School in Niger State and other Nigerians still being held hostage,” he assured.
To military personnel across the country, he delivered a firm charge, saying “I commend your courage and your sacrifice… I charge you to remain resolute, to restore peace across all theatres of operation, and to uphold the highest standards of discipline and integrity. There must be no compromise, no collusion, and no negligence.”
He added that his administration would support them fully to succeed.
Tinubu also pledged federal support to states with existing security outfits and urged the National Assembly to begin a legislative review to allow states that require state police to establish them.
He cautioned state governments against operating boarding schools in remote, unsecured areas, and advised religious institutions to “constantly seek police and other security protection when they gather for prayers, especially in vulnerable areas.”
The President reiterated his administration’s stance on resolving farmer-herder clashes, pointing to the establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development.
He urged herder groups to abandon open grazing and embrace ranching, saying: “I call on all herder associations to take advantage of it, end open grazing and surrender illegal weapons. Ranching is now the path forward.”
Tinubu expressed sympathy to families affected by recent attacks in Kebbi, Borno, Zamfara, Niger, Yobe and Kwara States.
He also paid tribute to fallen soldiers, including Brigadier-General Musa Uba.
“Those who want to test our resolve should never mistake our restraint for weakness. This administration has the courage and determination to keep the country safe and ensure our citizens live in peace,” he warned.
In a rallying call to Nigerians, the President urged unity and vigilance, saying “I urge you not to give in to fear and never succumb to despair… Report suspicious activities. Cooperate with security agencies. We are in this fight together, and together we shall win.”
President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the names of three non-career ambassadorial nominees to the Senate for confirmation.
The nominees are Kayode Aare (Ogun State), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa State), and Ayodele Oke (Oyo State).
The letter was read during plenary by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Akpabio has, therefore, directed the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to review the nominations and report back to the chamber within one week.
This is the first list of ambassadorial nominees sent to the Senate by Tinubu since he became the President on May 29, 2023.
A former Nigerian External Affairs Minister, Bolaji Akinyemi, had argued that, despite internet access to information, diplomacy still required personal ambassadorial contact.
“I believe credible appointments should be made to the vacant ambassadorial posts. We need to fill them,” Akinyemi said during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today in September.
“The absence of ambassadors does not deny us information. But diplomacy runs on ambassadorial contact, the interaction between governments and ambassadors,” he added.
The Federal Government had said that several Nigerian diplomatic and consular missions abroad were facing financial and operational challenges, ranging from unpaid staff salaries to mounting debts owed to landlords and service providers.
But while dismissing recent criticisms by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) about delays in ambassadorial appointments in June, the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria’s diplomatic missions remain fully operational and effectively represented by seasoned foreign service officers, including experienced chargés d’affaires.
“The appointment of ambassadors is a sovereign function—not a matter to be rushed for political convenience or partisan appeasement.
“President Tinubu, in line with his Renewed Hope Agenda, is committed to reforming the foreign service architecture to ensure that future postings are driven by merit, competence, national interest, and strategic alignment—not patronage or expediency.
“Nigeria is neither voiceless nor inactive in international affairs,” it said in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media and Communications Strategy to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alkasim Abdulkadir.
The ministry, while acknowledging long-standing structural and funding challenges that predate the current administration, said that Nigerian diplomats continued to serve with distinction, often under difficult circumstances.
In September 2023, Tinubu recalled the country’s ambassadors.
He had earlier recalled Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Ambassador Sarafa Tunji Ishola who was appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari in January 2021.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has faulted the Federal Government’s handling of abductors, and believes President Bola Tinubu’s administration is treating the kidnappers with kid gloves.
Atiku said this in a statement by his spokesman, Paul Ibe, hours after the presidency announced the release of schoolgirls abducted in Kebbi State last Monday.
Presidential spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, had said the girls and another batch of students freed in Niger State, and about 38 worshippers from Kwara State, were released without payment of ransom.
However, the Atiku Media Office, in the statement on Wednesday, said: “Under Tinubu, terrorists/bandits have become an alternative government — negotiating, collecting ransom, and walking away untouched — while the presidency celebrates their ‘compliance’.”
“No serious nation applauds itself for negotiating with terrorists it claims to have under surveillance. No responsible government congratulates itself for allowing abductors to walk back into the forests to kidnap again. Onanuga and his ilk should stop insulting Nigerians with propaganda.
“If the security agencies truly had eyes on the kidnappers, then letting them escape is a national disgrace that smacks of complicity,” the statement read.
He described Onanuga’s comment as “a shameful attempt to whitewash a national tragedy and dress up government incompetence as heroism”.
“Truth be told, the release of abducted Nigerians is not a trophy moment; it is a damning reminder that terrorists now operate freely, negotiate openly, and dictate terms while this administration issues press statements to save face,” he said.
“If, as Onanuga claims, the DSS and the military could ‘track’ the kidnappers in real time and ‘made contact’ with them, then the question is simple: Why were these criminals not arrested, neutralised, or dismantled on the spot?
“Why is the government boasting about talking to terrorists instead of eliminating them? Why is kidnapping now reduced to a routine phone call between criminals and state officials?”
