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Bandits Abduct Students, Staff from Niger State Catholic School; Police Deploy Forces for Rescue

Toyin Adebayo
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Bandits Abduct Students, Staff from Niger State Catholic School; Police Deploy Forces for Rescue

Bandits Abduct Students, Staff from Niger State Catholic School; Police Deploy Forces for Rescue

MINNA –The Niger State Police Command has confirmed the mass abduction of an unconfirmed number of students from St. Mary’s Private Secondary School in Papiri, Agwara Local Government Area, in a late-night raid by suspected armed bandits.

The attack occurred at approximately 2:00 a.m. on Friday, November 21, 2025. According to local sources, the assailants invaded the school grounds and seized students directly from their hostel.

In a statement from the Catholic Diocese, the Diocesan Secretary, Jatau Luka Joseph, provided further harrowing details, indicating that the attackers were “armed with sophisticated weapons” and abducted not only students but also pupils, teachers, and a security guard. The guard was reportedly shot before being taken captive.

Joseph appealed for prayers “to ensure the safe return of the abductees” and that God would “touch the hearts of those behind the dastardly act.”

In response, the Niger State Police Command has initiated a large-scale rescue operation. A press statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu A. Abiodun, confirmed that tactical units, military components, and other security agencies have been deployed to the scene and are currently combing surrounding forests.

The statement quoted the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, reiterating the Command’s commitment to rescuing all victims unharmed. The police expressed optimism that the students and staff would be rescued alive and appealed to the public for calm and cooperation, urging anyone with useful information to come forward to aid the operation.

The police statement also revealed a critical factor that may have contributed to the tragedy, noting that the school’s management defied a standing state government directive to close all schools in the area due to prevailing security challenges. The Command stated that this defiance “may have led to the Papiri attack.”

An investigation has been launched, with the police vowing that “necessary actions [will] be taken against anyone or group of persons suspected to have played a significant role in the abduction, including the school’s management.”

Federal High Court Sentences Nnamdi Kanu to Life Imprisonment on Terrorism Charges

Toyin Adebayo
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Federal High Court Sentences Nnamdi Kanu to Life Imprisonment on Terrorism Charges

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to life imprisonment after convicting him on seven counts of terrorism, treasonable felony, and operating an unlawful society.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Omotosho found the evidence presented by the prosecution “uncontroverted,” including audio recordings from Radio Biafra broadcasts between 2018 and 2021 in which Kanu allegedly incited violence against security forces and civilians in Nigeria’s South-East.

The court rejected the death penalty sought by the prosecution on five of the counts, opting instead for life imprisonment on the lead terrorism charge, with concurrent sentences of 20 years and five years on the remaining counts.

Drama preceded the verdict: Kanu, who has been in DSS custody since his 2021 extraordinary rendition from Kenya, was removed from the courtroom after repeatedly interrupting proceedings and demanding that the judge specify the exact laws he had violated. The trial continued in his absence.

Lead prosecutor Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) had urged the court to impose the maximum penalty, arguing that Kanu’s refusal to present a defence amounted to an admission of guilt and that justice must be served for victims of the violence linked to IPOB activities.

Kanu’s counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, had earlier challenged the court’s jurisdiction and contended that some of the charges were based on repealed provisions of the Terrorism Act. The court overruled those objections.

The case has been one of Nigeria’s most politically charged trials in recent years. Originally arrested in 2015, Kanu jumped bail in 2017. A 2023 Court of Appeal ruling discharging him was overturned by the Supreme Court, which ordered the trial to continue.

Reaction to the sentence has been sharply divided. Supporters of the separatist leader have denounced the verdict as “judicial persecution,” while others hailed it as a decisive blow against violent agitation.

No formal notice of appeal has been filed yet, but Kanu’s legal team has consistently indicated plans to challenge any adverse ruling up to the Supreme Court.

The judgment comes amid ongoing security challenges in the South-East, where sit-at-home orders and attacks attributed to IPOB’s armed wing have disrupted economic and social life for several years.

Nnamdi Kanu to Be Sentenced Today at 4 p.m. After Full Terrorism Conviction

Ola Akinola
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Nnamdi Kanu to Be Sentenced Today at 4 p.m. After Full Terrorism Conviction

ABUJA — Justice James T. Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, will pronounce sentence on Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), at 4 p.m. today, hours after convicting him on all seven counts of terrorism brought by the Federal Government.

In a judgment delivered Thursday morning, the court found Kanu guilty of committing acts of terrorism, incitement to violence, and continued membership of a terrorist organisation following his Radio Biafra broadcasts between 2018 and 2021. The judge relied heavily on audio and video evidence in which Kanu was heard calling for attacks on security agents and threatening widespread disruption to achieve Biafran independence.

Justice Omotosho described the defendant’s conduct as deliberate and reckless, stating that Kanu “knew exactly what he was doing and was bent on carrying out the threats without regard for the consequences on his own people.”

The conviction marks the culmination of a decade-long legal battle that began with Kanu’s 2015 arrest on treasonable felony charges, his controversial bail jump in 2017, and his dramatic 2021 extraordinary rendition from Kenya. Although the Supreme Court in December 2023 overturned earlier treason charges, it upheld the terrorism counts, clearing the path for Thursday’s verdict.

Kanu declined to enter a defence during the trial, a gamble the court ruled had failed in the face of overwhelming prosecution evidence.

Sentencing under the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act carries penalties ranging from lengthy imprisonment, life to death sentence. The courtroom was briefly disrupted when Kanu challenged the proceedings and was removed before the judgment concluded.

IPOB has rejected the verdict as “judicial terrorism” and vowed an immediate appeal, while the Federal Government welcomed it as a victory for the rule of law. Security has been tightened around the court complex and across parts of the South-East ahead of the afternoon session.

Abuja Developer Defends Demolition of Kuchibedna Community, Cites Triple Compensation and Four Court Losses

Toyin Adebayo
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Abuja Developer Defends Demolition of Kuchibedna Community, Cites Triple Compensation and Four Court Losses

ABUJA — The developer behind the controversial demolition of the Kuchibedna community in Kafe District has defended the action as a long-overdue enforcement of court orders, claiming residents received compensation three times over a decade but repeatedly defied rulings by expanding an illegal settlement on the site.

O. Marx Ikongbeh, counsel for Winning Clause Nigeria Limited—the firm allocated Plot 67, Cadastral Zone C05, in 2011 under the Federal Capital Territory’s Mass Housing Programme—made the assertions during Thursday’s clearance operation, supervised by the FCT Administration (FCTA) with court bailiffs and security personnel.

Upon arrival, the company encountered about 20 houses in a small cluster, Ikongbeh said, prompting negotiations and initial payments in 2011, followed by further compensation in 2015 and 2016, including funds for traditional relocation rites mediated by the Sa’peyi of Garki. “Yet, despite these payments and multiple court judgments, the occupants refused to move,” he told journalists, alleging the community sold parcels illegally to non-natives, ballooning the settlement and encroaching on the alignment of Ring Road 3.

The legal saga, spanning 14 years, culminated in four defeats for the residents: a 2016 FCT High Court ruling by Justice Chizoba Oji declaring them squatters with no claim to compensation; a 2017 judgment by Justice D.Z. Senchi affirming trespass; a 2021 decision by Justice A.O. Ebong upholding the developer’s ownership; and a February 2025 Court of Appeal verdict (Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/696/2022) that sealed the matter, directing the FCT Minister to ensure vacant possession.

An August 22, 2025, enrolled order and September 23 warrant of possession triggered Tuesday’s demolition, which Ikongbeh framed as essential to curb crime, including reported killings and drug trafficking in the area.

The exercise, which razed structures despite resident pleas and a brief court stay, has displaced hundreds, with some seeking refuge at the village chief’s palace. Community leader George Kojo decried the action as unjust, insisting ancestral ties predated allocations and questioning the lack of fresh notice. Rights advocates, including those citing a separate August 2025 FCT High Court ruling awarding ₦200 million to demolition victims elsewhere, warn of humanitarian fallout amid Abuja’s aggressive urban renewal.

Ikongbeh dismissed such claims, releasing a digital archive of judgments and payment records to affirm compliance. As bulldozers roll on, the case spotlights tensions between development imperatives and informal settlements in Nigeria’s capital, where over 1,000 structures have fallen to similar drives this year.

CAN Condemns Deadly Attack on Kwara Church, Demands Immediate Action on Abductions

Toyin Adebayo
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CAN Condemns Deadly Attack on Kwara Church, Demands Immediate Action on Abductions

ABUJA — The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has strongly condemned Tuesday’s fatal attack on worshippers at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, describing it as a painful escalation in the wave of violence targeting Christian communities.

In a statement issued Thursday, CAN President Archbishop Daniel Okoh called the assault — which left two worshippers dead and several others, including the pastor, abducted — “a heartbreaking reminder of the growing insecurity facing Christian communities across the country.”

Okoh extended the Association’s solidarity to the bereaved families, the injured, and the Eruku community, stressing that “their pain is our collective pain.”

The umbrella Christian body highlighted what it described as a disturbing pattern of repeated attacks on Christian populations in vulnerable areas, an issue it has repeatedly brought to the attention of both Nigerian authorities and the international community.

CAN urged security agencies to spare no effort in rescuing the abducted worshippers and ensuring the perpetrators are swiftly brought to justice. It also called for a transparent investigation to identify and address any security lapses that allowed the attack to occur.

Beyond immediate rescue operations, the Association demanded urgent medical, psychological and material support for affected families, alongside stronger, long-term measures to protect places of worship in high-risk zones.

Archbishop Okoh appealed for calm among the Christian community and urged religious, traditional and community leaders to discourage any form of reprisal, emphasising that efforts must remain focused on justice, healing and peace.

“We will continue to monitor developments closely and engage with authorities and partners to ensure the victims of the Eruku attack receive justice and that Christian communities across Nigeria are better protected,” the statement concluded.

The attack in Eruku, the third in the area within weeks, has intensified calls for a comprehensive national strategy to tackle banditry and violent extremism in the North-Central region.

South-West Leaders: Establish State Police Now or Risk Foreign Intervention and National Collapse

Ola Akinola
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South-West Leaders: Establish State Police Now or Risk Foreign Intervention and National Collapse

LAGOS — The Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission has issued a stark warning that Nigeria is “standing at a precipice,” declaring that the failure to urgently establish state police could open the door to foreign military intervention, deepen ethnic and religious divisions, and trigger mass displacement across the country.

In an open letter signed by Director-General Dr. Seye Oyeleye and released on Thursday, the South-West regional body described the current security architecture as “woefully inadequate,” arguing that the Nigeria Police Force has become, in many instances, “an instrument of oppression rather than a guardian of peace and order.”

“The daily reality of banditry, kidnapping, farmer-herder clashes and insurgency has exposed the limitations of a centralised policing system,” the statement read. “Foreign intervention, if allowed to occur, will not only undermine Nigeria’s sovereignty but also exacerbate ethnic and religious divisions, leading to long-term instability.”

The Commission insisted that state police — with proper constitutional safeguards, funding mechanisms and oversight — represents the “only credible path” to restoring public confidence, protecting lives and property, and preventing external powers from filling the security vacuum.

Dr. Oyeleye called on the National Assembly and the Federal Government to “expedite legislative action without further delay,” stressing that “every day of inaction costs Nigerian lives and weakens the foundations of our democracy.”

The intervention adds significant weight to the growing chorus from governors, traditional rulers and civil society groups who argue that decentralised policing is now a moral and strategic imperative. The South-West, despite being one of the more stable regions, has seen a surge in kidnappings along its highways and rising tensions in rural communities.

“A systemic approach anchored on state police will demonstrate to Nigerians and the international community that the government is resolute in confronting insecurity and committed to a safer, stronger, and more united Nigeria,” the statement concluded.

With the constitutional amendment process for state police already underway in both chambers of the National Assembly, Thursday’s declaration from the influential DAWN Commission is likely to intensify pressure on lawmakers to fast-track the reforms before the end of the current legislative session.

US Lawmaker Warns Nigeria: End Christian Persecution or Face Consequences

Ola Akinola
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US Lawmaker Warns Nigeria: End Christian Persecution or Face Consequences

WASHINGTON — Republican Congressman Riley Moore issued a blunt warning to Nigeria’s top security officials on Tuesday, telling a high-powered delegation that the United States will no longer tolerate the “horrific violence and persecution” of Christians and expects “tangible steps” to halt attacks by Boko Haram, ISWAP and Fulani militants.

The closed-door meeting at the U.S. Capitol brought National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu together with Nigeria’s Attorney General, Inspector-General of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu — one of the highest-level Nigerian delegations to visit Washington in recent years.

In a strongly worded statement released after the talks, Moore invoked President Donald Trump’s repeated pledges to protect persecuted Christians worldwide.

“I made it crystal clear that Christians must not be subjected to violence, persecution, displacement and death simply for their faith,” Moore said. “President Trump and Congress are united and serious in our resolve to end the violence against Christians and destroy terrorist groups inside Nigeria.”

The West Virginia lawmaker, who has championed legislation targeting what advocacy groups call a “genocide” against Nigerian Christians, told the delegation that deepened U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation hinges on visible progress in protecting vulnerable communities, particularly in the northeast and Middle Belt regions.

Nigeria remains one of the deadliest places on earth for Christians, with Open Doors ranking it among the top five countries for Christian persecution for several consecutive years. More than 3,000 people — the majority Christian — were killed in faith-related violence in the first ten months of 2025 alone, according to monitors.

While the delegation outlined Abuja’s counter-terrorism efforts and logistical challenges, Moore stressed that the United States stands ready to provide assistance — but only if Nigeria demonstrates concrete action.

No immediate comment was available from the Nigerian side, though sources familiar with the discussion described the tone as “frank but constructive.”

The meeting comes amid renewed U.S. scrutiny of Nigeria’s human-rights record under the second Trump administration, with several lawmakers threatening sanctions and aid restrictions if the bloodshed continues unchecked.

Navy Deploys Warships, Helicopters in Major Maritime Security Exercise

Ola Akinola
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0
Navy Deploys Warships, Helicopters in Major Maritime Security Exercise

PORT HARCOURT – The Eastern Naval Command has launched a large-scale, multi-agency maritime exercise, deploying nine ships, three helicopters, and unmanned aerial vehicles to bolster the protection of Nigeria’s vital economic assets in the Gulf of Guinea.

Codenamed “Exercise DIN MINGI” (Safe Waters), the two-day drill was flagged off Tuesday by the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Rear Admiral Chiedozie Donald Okehie, from the Navy Jetty in Onne, Rivers State. The operation is designed to evaluate the combat readiness of the Eastern Fleet and enhance coordination among security services.

Rear Admiral Okehie stated that this year’s theme, “Protecting Critical Infrastructure Through Inter-Agency Collaboration,” directly reflects the Command’s strategic pillars. The exercise will feature a complex simulation of an opposed boarding of a hijacked Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessel, a critical scenario for safeguarding the country’s energy exports.

“In the Armed Forces, retraining is essential. This exercise forms part of our training objectives to ensure our men remain combat ready,” Okehie said.

The substantial deployment includes naval vessels of various classes, Air Force helicopters, an Epsilon EP55 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and multiple assault boats. In a notable inter-agency collaboration, operatives from the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) are also participating to practice the identification of psychoactive substances on suspect vessels.

The FOC explained that the drill aims to demonstrate a unified approach that integrates air and surface platforms to restrict the operational freedom of criminal elements in Nigeria’s territorial waters. He reiterated that the operation aligns with the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas’s mission to maintain a professional force capable of securing the nation’s maritime domain.

Rear Admiral Okehie assured that all participating units would strictly adhere to the Rules of Engagement and Standard Operating Procedures throughout the exercise, which concludes on Wednesday.

Nigeria’s Democracy Not Under Threat, Asserts Wike, Slams PDP Chairman’s ‘Reckless’ Comments

Toyin Adebayo
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0
Nigeria’s Democracy Not Under Threat, Asserts Wike, Slams PDP Chairman’s ‘Reckless’ Comments

ABUJA – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday forcefully dismissed claims that Nigeria’s democracy is in peril, labeling recent allegations by a factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tanimu Turaki, as “reckless political indulgence” designed to stoke national tension.

Wike issued the rebuttal during a courtesy visit by the board and management of the newly inaugurated South-South Development Commission (SSDC) at his office in Abuja.

The Minister took aim at Turaki’s televised remarks, which alleged a genocide against Christians in Nigeria and suggested the country’s democracy required foreign intervention to survive. Wike condemned such statements as a “national security threat” that misrepresents the nation to the international community.

“Look at what someone said yesterday. You have internal crises in your own party, yet you go on national television claiming there is genocide against Christians,” Wike stated. “Essentially, you are telling the world that this government is committing genocide… Some are even calling Trump to ‘save their democracy’. How can you call an outsider to save you when you can’t obey a simple court order?”

He asserted that the nation’s democratic institutions remain stable, arguing that the real danger lies in political actors who deliberately peddle incendiary claims. “You cannot keep your house in order and then blame others for your failures. Impunity cannot continue,” he added.

Shifting focus to the SSDC, Wike urged its leadership to shun political distractions and learn from the failures of past regional interventionist agencies, which he said collapsed due to “corruption, divided loyalties, and poor leadership.”

He cautioned the commission against repeating the mistakes of agencies like the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDC), where, he recalled, contractors “rushed in from Abuja with portfolios” while billions of naira in funding yielded minimal developmental impact.

“Don’t go and do streets that lead only to one person’s house. Don’t duplicate projects states or local governments are already doing,” Wike advised. “Go to the communities, ask them what their immediate needs are. Support the President fully. Don’t divide your loyalty. Your loyalty is to the President who appointed you.”

The FCT Minister, who acknowledged facing sustained political attacks since assuming office, encouraged the board to maintain integrity. “I am here as Minister because I knew I could do the work. And yes, you will step on toes. But I’m not afraid as long as I’m doing the right thing,” he said.

He concluded with a stern financial warning to the new team: “Today, you are united because there’s no project and no money yet. But the moment ₦50 billion drops and someone spends it without approval, fights will start. Don’t let that be your legacy.”

In her response, the SSDC Managing Director, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, assured the Minister of the commission’s commitment to its mandate. “On behalf of the good people of the South-South… be assured that we are fully committed to delivering on our mandate to drive regional development and economic growth,” she said.

NYSC Mobilisation Backlog Hits 500,000 Graduates: Systemic Failures Fuel Calls for Reform

Ola Akinola
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NYSC Mobilisation Backlog Hits 500,000 Graduates: Systemic Failures Fuel Calls for Reform

ABUJA — Over 500,000 Nigerian graduates are languishing in a bureaucratic purgatory, their dreams deferred by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme’s crippling backlogs and chronic underfunding—a crisis so acute that it’s sparking whispers of mass non-compliance and demands for a total overhaul of the mandatory program.

Fresh data from the NYSC reveals a staggering 317% surge in pending mobilisations since pre-pandemic 2019 levels, with 78,000 from the 2022 cohort, 212,000 from 2023, 185,000 from 2024, and a fresh 65,000 registered in 2025 still awaiting call-up letters.

Designed in 1973 to foster national unity when universities churned out fewer than 3,000 graduates annually, the scheme now grapples with an avalanche of over 400,000 new entrants yearly, exposing a relic system ill-equipped for modern Nigeria’s youth bulge.

The frustration boils over on social media and in student unions, where viral posts decry the “pointless ritual” as a gateway to unemployment. One trending X (formerly Twitter) lament captures the zeitgeist: “500,000 graduates refuse to register for NYSC this year, you will all crash the system and force a reset of the law and scheme. But let’s keep paying ransom and risking your lives for jobs you are not assured of getting.” While no official boycott has materialized—searches yield zero confirmed refusals—the sentiment echoes a groundswell of disillusionment, amplified by recent portal meltdowns that left thousands unable to register for the 2025 Batch C Stream II, even after a 48-hour extension.

“It’s not refusal; it’s resignation,” says Chinedu Okoro, a 2024 University of Lagos economics graduate stuck in the queue. “We pay fees, endure glitches, and for what? A year of ₦77,000 monthly stipend—up from ₦33,000 with the new minimum wage—while inflation devours it, and post-service jobs are a myth. Over 40% youth unemployment? NYSC feels like indentured servitude.”

Okoro’s cohort, like thousands of HND holders protesting exclusion for part-time ND studies, views the scheme as discriminatory relic, violating constitutional equality clauses and blocking access to federal jobs, postgraduate admissions, and even international visas.

At the heart of the logjam: woeful funding and tech woes. Despite a N430 billion 2025 allocation—including N373 billion for allowances—the NYSC rations slots, delaying batches by months and forcing rationing among institutions.

Portal crashes, blamed on outdated servers lacking auto-scaling or redundancy, have become ritual humiliation: Late confirmations, stalled biometrics, and error-riddled uploads push users to the next cycle, derailing careers.

“A national system serving millions needs cloud infrastructure that expands with demand,” tech analyst Ifeanyi Eze quips. “NYSC’s downtime isn’t glitch—it’s governance failure.”

Compounding the chaos, JAMB’s April 2024 crackdown flagged thousands of “fake admissions,” barring another 14,000 from mobilisation and stranding them in limbo.

Protests erupt: HND grads in Lagos brandish placards—”Say No to Discrimination”—demanding inclusion, while polytechnic alumni threaten nationwide demos, citing ignored petitions to the Education and Youth ministers.

Reform voices grow louder. Civil society groups like the Education Rights Campaign call for voluntary service, digital overhauls, and delinking NYSC from job prerequisites—a “reset” that could liberate graduates from what they dub “ransom to a broken system.”

NYSC DG Brig. Gen. Olakunle Fadeyi, in a November statement, vowed portal upgrades and backlog clearances by Q1 2026, but skeptics abound. “Promises are cheap; action is scarce,” Okoro retorts.

As Nigeria’s youth—over 70% under 30—face a job market where even NYSC certificates guarantee nothing, the scheme’s irony stings: Meant to build a nation, it’s now a barrier to its future. Without swift resets, that viral defiance may evolve from tweet to tidal wave.

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