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Appreciation Message from Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (Rtd)

No One is Safe: Even Generals Must Pay Bandits for Freedom

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago03 mins

Appreciation Message from Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (Rtd)Dated: 4th April 2025 On behalf of Brigadier General M.I. Tsiga, friends, colleagues, and associates, I, Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (Rtd), wish to express our deepest gratitude to all who stood by us during a most distressing period—the abduction and eventual release of General M.I. Tsiga. General Tsiga was forcibly taken from his residence in Tsiga Town, Bakori LGA, Katsina State, on the 5th of February 2025. From the moment we received the shocking news, Major General L.B. Bunza and I began collaborating closely to ensure his safe return. On the 9th of February 2025, we established a WhatsApp platform simply named “TSIGA” to keep the public informed and to mobilize support for the cause. When the abductors eventually demanded a ransom of ₦400,000,000, we made the difficult decision to appeal for donations through the platform. The response was nothing short of extraordinary. Over 300 patriotic Nigerians comprising retired and serving military officers, academics, ambassadors, businesspeople, and civilians from every walk of liferallied together in solidarity. To ensure full transparency and accountability, we agreed that all donations should be sent directly to General Tsiga’s Unity Bank account, which was promptly shared by his son, Kamal. Initially, I provided updates on incoming donations, but due to valid security concerns raised by some members, we halted public updates while maintaining accurate internal records. Between 22nd February and 15th March 2025, the generous outpouring of support reinforced one powerful truth: Together, we can. On behalf of General Tsiga and his family, I thank each and every one of you for your financial, moral, and spiritual support. Your compassion and unity were instrumental in securing his safe release. As I write this, on 4th April 2025, I feel a profound sense of fulfillment. Our collective effort has achieved its goal—General M.I. Tsiga is free. Thank you all. May God bless and protect you and your families. Signed:Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi (Rtd)4 April 2025

Don’t Expect Army, Police, Others To Protect All Of You; Mobilise To Defend Yourselves Against Terrorists –DSS Chief Tells Nigerians

DSS Chief Urges Nigerians Don’t Rely Solely on Army Police and Others for Protection

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago01 mins

Don’t Expect Army, Police, Others To Protect All Of You; Mobilise To Defend Yourselves Against Terrorists –DSS Chief Tells NigeriansHe referenced past incidents in Bauchi State, where local communities successfully fought off Boko Haram insurgents without waiting for security forces. The Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, has stated that Nigerians must take responsibility for their own security, as the military, police, and intelligence agencies do not have the capacity to protect every community from terrorist attacks nationwide. Ajayi made the remarks during a public engagement, which Symfoni broadcasted.

Panic on Lagos Waterways as LagFerry Boat Catches Fire

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago03 mins

Chaos erupted Thursday morning on the Lagos waterways when a LagFerry vessel named “Igbega Eko” suddenly exploded and caught fire en route to Victoria Island. The incident left several passengers injured as they scrambled to escape the flames. The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) confirmed the fire and assured the public that its personnel were promptly deployed to prevent the situation from escalating. “There was a loud bang, and the boat was quickly engulfed in flames. The exact cause is still unknown, but investigations are ongoing,” a NIWA official told Tribune Online. The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) also confirmed the incident and stated that the cause of the fire is under investigation. According to a statement from LASWA’s Public Affairs Unit, four passengers sustained minor injuries and are currently receiving medical care. The statement read:“The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) confirms a fire incident involving the LagFerry vessel ‘Igbega Eko,’ which occurred around 6:45 AM at the Ipakodo Ferry Terminal in Ikorodu while en route to Victoria Island.” “Following a distress call, LASWA’s emergency response team quickly mobilized to the scene, coordinating efforts with LagFerry, boat operators, and other first responders to contain the situation.” “Thankfully, all passengers and crew members were safely evacuated. Four passengers sustained minor injuries and are currently receiving treatment.” “A detailed investigation is underway in collaboration with LagFerry and other relevant agencies to determine the cause and to improve safety measures across Lagos waterways.” “LASWA assures the public that all safety protocols remain in place, and ferry operations continue as scheduled. We urge all passengers to stay calm and follow safety guidelines when using water transport.”

Emirship Dispute: Police Call Emir Sanusi II for Questioning

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago02 mins

The Nigeria Police Headquarters has summoned the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, for questioning regarding an incident that took place during the Eid festival in Kano. The police, alongside other sister security agencies in the state, had earlier cancelled all durbar activities, particularly equestrian procession, in the state, citing security reasons. However, while the emir was marching to attend prayer at Kofar Mata Eid Ground on March 30, a member of the vigilante protecting the emir was stabbed to death, while scores were injured. Following the incident, insiders told this newspaper that the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun had earlier directed the state commissioner of police to arrest the emir. According to sources, the CP had explained to the IGP that the incident had nothing to do with violation of durbar ban, and that the emir did not use horses to visit the Government House as the tradition provides. Perhaps dissatisfied with the CP’s explanation, the IGP directed the Force Intelligence Department to take over the case file and invite the emir to Abuja for questioning. Palace sources however told DAILY NIGERIAN that the emir has yet to formally receive the letter.

Passengers Narrowly Escape Death as BRT Bus Catches Fire in Lagos

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago02 mins

The driver and conductor of a BRT bus have fled for their lives, abandoning passengers to their fate, as a BRT bus caught fire at Maryland, Lagos State, on Saturday morning.smileyOur correspondent, who was at the scene of the incident, said that the vehicle departed from Ikorodu en route to CMS when the sad incident occurred. As of the time this report was filed, emergency responders, including officers of the Nigeria Police Force, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), fire services, and local security personnel, arrived at the scene to contain the blaze. Firefighters at the scene.One of the passengers on the bus told our correspondent the fire started as smoke from the driver’s side. According to her, the passengers initially thought the smoke emanated from other buses; however, the slight smoke soon worsened, immediately sending them into panic mode. “As soon as we saw that the smoke grew bigger, we immediately rushed off the bus before the fire ignited”, she said, adding that none of the passengers sustained any injury. She added that the driver fled the scene immediately after the fire started. “The driver and the conductor ran away. They didn’t even wait to see what would happen to us. “Definitely, they knew what happened. They knew the bus was bad before putting it on the road and risking our lives,” she alleged.

A Nigerian man has told the BBC how he managed to survive an attack on his hunting party that left 16 of his companions dead, and shocked the nation. The group of young men, mostly in their 20s, was travelling in the back of a truck when they were stopped by vigilantes. "They asked us to alight from the vehicle and without saying much, one of them hit our leader on the shoulder with an axe," Abubakar Shehu, 20, told BBC Pidgin. "Then they started beating us. I was able to dodge a couple of punches and tackles and ran as far as I could. "I fell into a ditch, got up and was able to hide in an unused property for many hours before coming out around 10pm," he said. While hiding, he could hear the shouts and cries of his friends as they were being beaten and then burnt to death. "I could hear all the noise from what has happening and I was scared for my life. Thankfully no-one saw me," Mr Shehu said. He then returned to the road, where he was able to stop a truck and the driver picked him up and took him to safety. Last week's gruesome attack on the group from northern Nigeria heightened tensions across the country. They had spent several weeks travelling in the south hunting wild animals to sell, and were going home to celebrate Eid. Amnesty International and other rights groups have called on the authorities to make sure justice is served. President Bola Tinubu also condemned the killings, saying that Nigerians had the right to move freely anywhere in the country. He ordered security agencies to find the killers, adding that "jungle justice" had no place in the country. Police say they have arrested 14 people in relation to the case and many across the country will be closely following to see how the case pans out. Relations between northern and southern Nigerians are fraught following years of clashes between northern animal herders and southern farmers over access to water and grazing land, which have left thousands dead. Along with the lack of security across Nigeria, this is one of the reasons why residents of Uromi town in Edo state, and many others, have set up vigilante groups. The hunters from the northern Kano state were armed with traditional rifles but they say they showed licences for these weapons when they were stopped by the vigilantes. For the family of the victims in Toronkawa village, the cries and mourning continue more than a week after the horrific incident. Adama Ali, the mother of one of the victims, is devastated. "I kept calling his phone but no-one was picking up," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Earlier this week, Edo state governor Monday Okpebholo visited his Kano counterpart to try and ease tensions. He also paid his condolences to the victims' families and promised them compensation. Having lost so many of its young men, the village is still in mourning as everyone knows the victims. Their families houses are full of guests paying their condolences. The chairman of the villages' hunters association, Mustapha Usman, said nothing would please them more than seeing justice served. Mr Shehu agrees. "I thank God for sparing my life and bringing me back home and I pray for those that lost their lives," he said.

How I Survived Uromi Attack That Killed My 16 Friends

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago06 mins

A Nigerian man has told the BBC how he managed to survive an attack on his hunting party that left 16 of his companions dead, and shocked the nation. The group of young men, mostly in their 20s, was travelling in the back of a truck when they were stopped by vigilantes. “They asked us to alight from the vehicle and without saying much, one of them hit our leader on the shoulder with an axe,” Abubakar Shehu, 20, told BBC Pidgin. “Then they started beating us. I was able to dodge a couple of punches and tackles and ran as far as I could. “I fell into a ditch, got up and was able to hide in an unused property for many hours before coming out around 10pm,” he said. While hiding, he could hear the shouts and cries of his friends as they were being beaten and then burnt to death. “I could hear all the noise from what has happening and I was scared for my life. Thankfully no-one saw me,” Mr Shehu said. He then returned to the road, where he was able to stop a truck and the driver picked him up and took him to safety. Last week’s gruesome attack on the group from northern Nigeria heightened tensions across the country. They had spent several weeks travelling in the south hunting wild animals to sell, and were going home to celebrate Eid. Amnesty International and other rights groups have called on the authorities to make sure justice is served. President Bola Tinubu also condemned the killings, saying that Nigerians had the right to move freely anywhere in the country. He ordered security agencies to find the killers, adding that “jungle justice” had no place in the country. Police say they have arrested 14 people in relation to the case and many across the country will be closely following to see how the case pans out. Relations between northern and southern Nigerians are fraught following years of clashes between northern animal herders and southern farmers over access to water and grazing land, which have left thousands dead. Along with the lack of security across Nigeria, this is one of the reasons why residents of Uromi town in Edo state, and many others, have set up vigilante groups. The hunters from the northern Kano state were armed with traditional rifles but they say they showed licences for these weapons when they were stopped by the vigilantes. For the family of the victims in Toronkawa village, the cries and mourning continue more than a week after the horrific incident. Adama Ali, the mother of one of the victims, is devastated. “I kept calling his phone but no-one was picking up,” she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. Earlier this week, Edo state governor Monday Okpebholo visited his Kano counterpart to try and ease tensions. He also paid his condolences to the victims’ families and promised them compensation. Having lost so many of its young men, the village is still in mourning as everyone knows the victims. Their families houses are full of guests paying their condolences. The chairman of the villages’ hunters association, Mustapha Usman, said nothing would please them more than seeing justice served. Mr Shehu agrees. “I thank God for sparing my life and bringing me back home and I pray for those that lost their lives,” he said.

Tinubu Administration: Multiple Spokespersons, No Clear Communication

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago015 mins

By Temidayo Akinsuyi There is no denying the fact that President Bola Tinubu has the highest number of media aides in the history of Nigeria, in the same manner his government boasts of the highest number of ministers. However, this cacophony of voices appears to be singing disjointed music, with the songs sounding fragmented, uneven or more like a ‘broken record’, like former Special Adviser to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, is wont to say. In June 2023, the president appointed Dele Alake, his former Commissioner of Information during his tenure as Lagos State Governor, as Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, making him the first media aide to the president. Soon after, he was named the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, a development sources claimed was orchestrated by a powerful cabal in the villa who do not want Alake to have direct access to the president as his chief spokesperson. Many Nigerians criticised Alake’s appointment as Solid Minerals minister because he has no expertise in the sector. However, he later clarified that the president decided to shock Nigerians by not appointing him to the information ministry, which he has a background in, but drafted him to the Solid Minerals ministry because of his sense of responsibility, expertise, and track record. Hear him: “My portfolio has been the upset of the entire cabinet because given my antecedents, exposure, and experience in the area of perception, information management, and the likes so most people have pigeonholed me for information, and so we decided to shock everybody. Now if you all can sit down to analyse the global trend of economic development, you would note that the hydrocarbon – that is, the oil is fading out and the world is moving towards alternatives like gas, electric cars, and the rest. So what is the next economic growth factor? It is solid mineral. Given the nature of this sector to our economic growth and vitality of this country which is dear to the heart of Mr President, it’s just very apt and proper for him to send me here because he knows and trusts that I have a demonstrable sense of responsibility and courage to drive the agenda; that is why I am here. We are going to drive that agenda with the full cooperation of everyone.” Two years down the line, whether Alake’s impact has been felt in the Solid Affairs Ministry is left for Nigerians to decide. In July 2023, the president appointed Ajuri Ngelale as his special adviser on media and publicity. In October of the same year, he also appointed Bayo Onanuga, a veteran journalist and one of his close allies, as Special Adviser on Information and Strategy. As sources in the villa have confirmed, the young but cocky Ngelale, who added the prefix ‘Chief’ to his name, saw Onanuga as a ‘rival wife who had come to share the same husband with him’ while forgetting that while he was working as a media aide to former President Buhari, it was the likes of Onanuga who were receiving social media bullets for the president and following him everywhere during the electioneering campaign. Ngelale, who went into oblivion after he was technically eased out, crawled out of the hole last week to wish the president, whom he described as ‘his father’, a happy 73rd birthday. Like the Yorubas will say, ‘Baba egbe mo oye omo to bi (The father knows the number of his children). In August, the president also named Muhammed Idris as Minister of Information and National Orientation. Despite occupying such a visible portfolio, the highly reticent Idris, unfortunately, is one of the unknown ministers in the president’s cabinet. Unlike his predecessor, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, ask many Nigerians who Nigeria’s current Minister of Information is, and I can bet a lot of people won’t know. Aside Onanuga, other members of the president’s media team are Daniel Bwala (Special Adviser, Policy Communication); Sunday Dare ( Special Adviser, Media and Public Communications); Tunde Rahman (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Media); Abdulaziz Abdulaziz (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Print Media); O’tega Ogra – (Senior Special Assistant (Digital/New Media); Tope Ajayi – Senior Special Assistant (Media & Public Affairs); Segun Dada (Special Assistant — Social Media); Nosa Asemota – Special Assistant (Visual Communication); Mr Fredrick Nwabufo (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Public Engagement); Mrs Linda Nwabuwa Akhigbe (Senior Special Assistant to the President — Strategic Communications) and Mr Aliyu Audu (Special Assistant to the President — Public Affairs). With all these people managing the public image and media affairs of the president, one then begins to wonder why there is still a huge disconnect between the government and Nigerians. Aside from Onanuga, the head of the Media and Publicity Directorate who has been doing a yeoman’s job so far, who else can one pinpoint as speaking for the president?. I can’t remember Tunde Rahman granting any interview as a presidential spokesperson; the last time I read about him, he represented the president at the Service of Songs organised for the late Doyin Okupe in Lagos. When Daniel Bwala was appointed as special adviser on media and public communications to the president, he claimed he was the official spokesperson to President Tinubu; the presidency issued a statement that the president has no individual spokesperson but all three special advisers – Bayo Onanuga, Sunday Dare and Daniel Bwala – will “collectively serve as spokespersons for the government”. How can you have three special advisers jointly speaking for one president who claims he has implemented the Oronsaye report aimed at cutting the cost of governance? What will Sunday Dare or Bwala say that Onanuga alone can’t say? Since his redesignation, Bwala, an erudite lawyer, has been trying his best to communicate the policies and reforms of the president to Nigerians. However, many Nigerians hardly take what he says with a pinch of salt, given his antecedents and previous negative remarks about the…

Atiku Criticizes Tinubu Government Over Failing Security and Ongoing Mass Killings

Atiku Criticizes Tinubu Over Insecurity, Mass Killings

Our Reporters2 weeks ago2 weeks ago04 mins

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has condemned President Bola Tinubu’s security policies, stating that the country’s security situation has deteriorated to the point where mass killings have become a tragic norm. He described the failures of the current administration’s security architecture as an ongoing nationwide crisis. Atiku expressed concern that the severity of the nation’s security problems has escalated to such an extent that many killings no longer make the headlines, emphasizing the grim reality of frequent bloodshed under the Tinubu-led government. “The failure of Bola Tinubu’s security architecture has become an endemic issue across the country, with repeated killings, many of which go unreported,” he said. He added that Nigerians are now forced to accept these atrocities as part of daily life, leading to widespread fear and despair. Atiku also extended his condolences to the victims of recent attacks, particularly those in Plateau State, where numerous lives have been lost in violent incidents. “Nigerians are now desensitized to the heartbreaking news of senseless killings, and I offer my deepest condolences to the grieving communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, and the families affected,” he said. In a statement released on Friday, Atiku criticized the federal government’s lack of action, warning that without swift and decisive intervention, the country would continue its descent into lawlessness. He urged the Tinubu administration to overhaul the security architecture to better protect Nigerian citizens. “I call on the Tinubu-led federal government to urgently reconfigure its security framework to safeguard the lives and properties of our people,” he stated. SaharaReporters earlier reported that at least 10 people were killed in a series of violent attacks on Wednesday in five communities within Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. These attacks occurred just six days after a similar attack in Ruwi community during a wake-keeping ceremony, which resulted in 10 deaths and several injuries. A statement from the Bokkos Cultural Development Council (BCDC), signed by its chairman, Farmasum Fuddang, condemned the ongoing violence, highlighting the severe threat posed by terrorists trying to seize land and impose a caliphate. “In just one week, we have lost more than twenty members of our community due to these marauding terrorists, who are systematically engaging in ethnic and religious cleansing of five villages,” Fuddang stated.