Security

Retired General Rallies Support for Gen. Musa

By Web News 308

By Mary Fatile (Lagos)

Pioneer Special Forces Commander, Major-General Moundhey Gadzama Ali (rtd), has called on serving and retired senior officers to rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s Minister of Defence–designate, General Christopher Musa, saying unified military support is crucial to ending Nigeria’s persistent security challenges.

Major-General Ali made the appeal in Lagos during a media chat.

He said the task before General Musa is enormous and requires practical input, cooperation, and honest counsel from experienced officers—not passive observation or political posturing.

He urged retired generals, infantry officers, and members of the Special Forces community to offer solutions that will strengthen the minister-designate’s capacity to defeat terrorism, insurgency, and banditry.

“Let us all rally behind one of our own, General CG Musa, who has just been nominated by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to serve as Minister of Defence,” he said. “As he leads, in the spirit of ‘follow me’, let us openly provide answers to critical requirements to assist him in seeing to the end of banditry, terrorism and insurgency in our dear nation. Together, we can make the herculean task easy.”

Describing General Musa as a longtime friend and trusted colleague, Major-General Ali advised him to remain firm, focused, and immune to sycophancy, noting that Nigeria’s security crisis is fueled by powerful interests.

He urged the minister-designate to confront sponsors and enablers of criminal networks “no matter whose horse is gored.”

With Nigeria still grappling with insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnapping in the North-West, and emerging threats elsewhere, he said General Musa’s success will depend heavily on collective support from the officer corps.

“Towards a better Nigeria indeed,” he added, urging the military community to treat General Musa’s appointment as a national commitment, not an individual responsibility.

Major-General Ali also criticised the culture of political patronage and weak accountability in appointing and screening public officials.

He warned that Nigeria must embrace transparency and merit to earn global respect and improve governance outcomes.

He faulted security agencies for failing to present or act on available intelligence during screenings, saying such lapses damage national credibility.

“The world has gone beyond the sentiments of ‘my townsman’. This is the time of transparency, honesty, commitment and discharging one’s duties without prejudice before loyalty,” he said.

Major-General Ali’s remarks come amid high expectations that General Musa, who recently retired as Chief of Defence Staff, will bring his experience in joint operations, counter-terrorism, and defence reform to his new role as Minister of Defence.

Our correspondent reports that his nomination has been widely welcomed across security circles as a sign of continuity in the fight against insecurity.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Security

Army Vows Total Eradication of Banditry

By Web News 323

By Nasir Malali (Sokoto)

Theatre Commander, Sector 2 Joint Task Force, Operation Fansan Yamma, Major General Idris Warrah, says the Nigerian Army is executing effective strategies aimed at completely eradicating banditry amid rising Lakurawa and other bandit activities across the North-West.

Major General Warrah gave the assurance in Sokoto while addressing troops undergoing training at the 8 Division Headquarters, shortly after inspecting facilities at the unit.

He said the army is intensifying its operational capacity to consign current security threats to history, stressing that no stone will be left unturned in achieving lasting stability in the region.

The commander emphasized that professional competence, discipline, and strict regimentation would drive the final push to end—rather than merely reduce—bandit activity in the country.

Major General Warrah, accompanied by General Officer Commanding 8 Division, Major General Ibikunle Ajose, also inspected accommodation blocks and other military facilities at the Illela 248 Recce Battalion in Sokoto State.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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News

FG Moves To Crush Banditry, As Court Grants Malami’s Application To Declare Bandits Terrorists

By Web News 582

Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN said the Federal Government’s determination to crush banditry remains unwavering now that the Court has granted application filed by his Office declaring bandits groups as terrorist organisations.

This is made known by Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu, Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in a statement issued to newsmen.

According to the statement the declaration is a demonstration of the determination of the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and indeed the Federal Government in doing things in accordance with the rule of law.

“The development is a pointer to the commitment of the Federal Government to adhere to the international standards in respecting the rules of engagement in the fight against terrorism, separatists organisations, insurgency and banditry in the country,” he said.

He said by this declaration the Federal Government of Nigeria has taken bold steps to deal ruthlessly with all terrorists groups and their sponsors in efforts to bring lasting solution to the myriad of insecurity challenges in the country.

The office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in collaboration with relevant government agencies including security operatives are working assiduously to do the needful to take full advantage of this declaration.

The government will gazette, publish the publicise the proscription order.

Adewumi Faniran

Security

NSCDC Begins Counter Terrorism Training For Officers

By Web News 1291

Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Oyo State Command has begun training of over one hundred and fifty personnel in counter terrorism bedeviling the country. 

The two-day training was led by counter terrorism unit commander, of NSCDC, Mr Akintoye Akande.

Radio Nigeria reports that, in recent times, Nigeria has been battling with numerous securtiy challenges ranging from terrorism, banditry,  kidnapping,  robbery to herders and farmers clashes.

In view of this, securtiy agencies have at different times come up with various mechanisms to ensure that they collectively nip crime in the bud.

Also, government at all levels have put in various measures to bring crime and criminalities to the barest minimum.

The NSCDC counter  terrorism commander in Oyo State, Mr Akintayo Akande said the training and retraining of officers became imperative as the issue of banditry and terrorism have become things of worry.

Mr Akande stated further that the training was key and timely to situate NSCDC in a position of readiness and quick action to put an end to crime AMD criminalities. 

Two of the  participants, Christiana Unuofin and Ajayi Olanrewaju said the training would further enhance their knowledge and put them on the cue so as to be able to tackle the issue of terrorism,  banditry and others social vices.

Declaring the 2-days training open, NSCDC commandant in Oyo State, Mr Iskilu Akinsanya, said training and retraining of officers and men on the job would definitely go a long way as the nation and entire global world is battling against securtiy challenges. 

Mr Akinsanya noted that there was the need Corps NSCDC to develop a robust internal policy to train her counter terrorism unit personnel to meet with the crises.

The NSCDC Boss in Oyo State said the training would include insurgency and mechanisms, visible terrorism, combating terrorism and attacking the terrorist bandit camp as well as basic psychology on self defence. 

Rasheedah Makinde 

Religion

Govt. has to urgently tackle banditry, Kidnapping – Baptist President

By Web News 546

The National President of the Nigeria Baptist Convention, Dr. Israel Akanji wants government to urgently do something to curtail the problem of banditry especially considering the fact that activities connected to the 2023 general election will soon be commencing.

He stated while addressing journalists at Inisa, Odo Otin Local Government area of Osun State.

Dr. Akanji said since political campaigns and elections ordinarily increase activities, spending and money in circulation, the bandits might take advantage in order to extort innocent Nigerians.

He said out of the 121 students of Bethel High school Kaduna state kidnapped over a week ago, only one of them had been released because he was sick and they did not want him to die in their custody, while the bandits insisted on collecting huge amounts of money before they could release the students.

In an emotion-laden voice, the Baptist Convention National president said, the church had been providing education in Nigeria since 1855 and asked whether kidnappers attacking on one such schools a good way to pay the mission back.

Speaking on moral decadence and increased wave of criminality in Nigeria, the cleric pointed our that the failure of the home as result of laxity of parents as well as the negative implications of technology advancement were majorly responsible.

He explained that many parents under the guise of pursuit of means of livelihood had abandoned their roles to the churches, schools, television and the social media, saying all of those things cannot replace the effect of present parents in the home in the lives of children.

Adenitan Akinola

Lifestyle

May Day: Nigeria will come out stronger of insecurity and banditry – Osun Speaker

By Web News 624

The Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Mr. Timothy Owoeye wants Nigerians to be hopeful that the country will come out stronger from the frequent insurgency and banditry that have resulted in damage to peace, stability and sovereignty of the Nation.

The Speaker also commended workers in Osun and Nigeria for contributing their quota to the overall development and progress of the Nation.

The Speaker in a statement by his Media Aide, Mr. Kunle Alabi noted that May Day is not just to commemorate Workers’ struggle for emancipation, but also to admonish and encourage them to take work seriously.

He stressed that the steadfastness of workers and believe in the entity called Nigeria will go a long way in reclaiming the harsh economic situation that the country is witnessing, saying Nigeria workers must be patriotic with the belief that the country will survive the insecurity plaguing her.

The Speaker urged workers to improve on their productivity in order to make Workers’ Day a meaningful one, describing workforce as an indispensable tool for the execution of government policies and programmes.

Mr Owoeye lauded Osun workers for their commitment and understanding, particularly in their support for the administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s effort at making the economy of the state stronger and viable.

Funmi Adekoya

Security

Oshiomhole Identifies Cause of Banditry, Insecurity in Nigeria

By Web News 638

Adams Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has identified the cause of banditry and insecurity in Nigeria.

Oshiomhole said the closure of factories and retrenchment of workers in Nigeria was the major reasons for banditry and general insecurity in the country.

He stated this at the 2nd Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, National Peace and Security Summit in Abuja, yesterday.

The former APC National Chairman also noted that non-payment of the N30, 000 new minimum wage President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law was also responsible for lack of peace in the country.

He said: ‘’Who are the bandits? I suspect that those 35,000 workers whose factories have been closed in Kaduna city, those whose livelihood have been taken away, what are they doing?

“What will their children and grandchildren be doing now? It’s common sense to know that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop.

“I suspect that those Nigerians that we abandoned and not providing for them, as you can call them almajiris or beggars have all grown up.

“When you talk about unemployment, the biggest problem is having the biggest population of unemployable.

“When they deny workers such payment, can there be peace? I submit with the International Labour Organisation, ILO, that the condition for national peace and security does not necessarily need much bullet but decent jobs.

‘’But when you are at an environment where jobs are being killed, jobs that do not exist cannot even be decent.”

Banditry, kidnapping and general insecurity is currently on the rise across Nigeria.

While bandits are abducting and killing students in the North, unknown gunmen are attacking security personnel and government institutions in the Southeast.

Killer herdsmen are creating havoc in some states like Benue, Taraba and some parts of the Southeast

Adewumi Faniran

Security

PMB Directs NSA to End Banditry in Zamfara

By Web News 674

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered for an immediate response to rising cases of bandit attacks on communities in Zamfara State.

In a directive to the National Security Adviser, retired Major-General Babagana Monguno, the President ordered that there must be a clear pathway to ending the “resurgent banditry that has continued to cost lives and the displacement of families.”

A statement by the Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, says the order is in response to a recent letter by the Speaker of the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Alhaji Nasir Magarya, calling for intervention.

It says security officials and other stakeholders will meet soon to deliberate on security and illegal mining, believed to be the factor fueling the crisis.

The statement says there are more than 20,000 illegal miners undermining the economy and operating in a manner that is extraordinarily harmful and destructive.

Abdalla Bello

Security

Senate Urges Military to End Banditry

By Web News 724

The Chairman Senate Committee on Army, Alhaji Ali Ndume has urged troops fighting armed bandits in the North-west zone of the country to bring a decisive end to the scourge in the affected states.

Senator Ndume made the call at a press briefing held at the Nigerian Army Super Camp in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State where he inspected the ongoing Operation Sahel Sanity.

He observed that much success has been recorded in the operation as farming and commercial activities have resumed in the affected Local Government Areas.

The lawmaker however said more needs be done to stop pockets of attacks on rural communities residing in remote areas of the forest.

He noted the significant reduction in the number of IDPs in the camps in Faskari and gave an assurance that the National Assembly will work with the executive arm to resettle the remaining IDPs I’m their various communities.

Earlier the Head of Faskari Local Government Administration, Malam Lawal Ibrahim told newsmen that the number of IDPs in the area has reduced from five thousand to two thousand in the last two months.

Other officials on the inspection visit were the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Tukur Buratai, the Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Army, Alhaji Abdurrazaq Namdas and the Special Adviser to Governor Aminu Bello Masari on Security Matters, Alhaji Ibrahim Katsina.

Isma’il Adamu