POLITICS (Agency Reports) —March 10, 2026 — President Bola Tinubu on Monday assured Nigerians that the country would never allow agents of instability to undermine its peace, unity and sovereignty, assuring that terrorists would be defeated.
Tinubu gave the assurance while hosting religious and traditional leaders for an interfaith breaking of fast at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He acknowledged the critical roles of religious and traditional leaders in promoting peace, stability and moral guidance within their communities.
“Yes, we are challenged; the terrorists are very desperate now because they are getting barraged and defeated.
They leave trails of blood in their wake. But I assure you of one thing: Nigeria will never surrender.
“We are not discouraged. We are going to win and win well,”
Tinubu also pledged to continue using the mandate given to him to strengthen the economy and promote prosperity.
“I am just grateful, one person among millions, that I have been given the opportunity to serve.
“All I can do is promise that I will continue to be faithful in discharging my duty.
“I can report that the economy has turned the corner. It is getting better. Pensioners are gradually getting relief.”
He said the administration had taken decisive steps to stabilise public finances and avert economic collapse.
“We have saved Nigeria from bankruptcy. It was very daunting and challenging when we took over. But today I can say with pride and joy that we have survived,”
He said no state governor was now struggling to borrow from banks to pay workers’ salaries.
Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to increasing investment in critical sectors such as agriculture and education.
He urged Nigerians not to lose hope, assuring them that his administration remained focused on building a safer, secure and prosperous country.
In his remarks, the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, thanked the president for hosting leaders of the two major religions at the breaking of fast.
He said the gathering symbolised unity and prayed for peace, stability and divine guidance for the country and its leadership.
Abubakar represented the President of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar.
Also speaking, the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Daniel Okoh, assured the president of the church’s support for efforts to strengthen the economy and security.
Okoh represented the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Dr Stephen Baba-Panya.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that traditional rulers and religious leaders from the six geopolitical zones attended the event. (NAN).
Lagos, Nigeria (NPA) — March 9, 2026 — The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Olohundare Jimoh, today received the team overseeing the credentials and physical screening exercise for successful applicants from Lagos State in the ongoing recruitment of 50,000 police constables nationwide.
The team, comprising officers of the Nigeria Police Force and personnel from the Police Service Commission, visited the Command Headquarters in Ikeja to brief the Commissioner on progress.
In a statement, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer SP Abimbola Adebisi said: “During the meeting, the Commissioner of Police charged the team to strictly adhere to the established guidelines and ethos of the screening exercise.”
“He emphasised the need for the process to be conducted with the highest level of integrity, fairness, and transparency, in order to uphold the credibility of the Police Service Commission, the Nigeria Police Force, and the nation at large.”
The screening team assured the Commissioner of their readiness and commitment to ensuring due process.
The Police team is led by Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP Adebisi Balogun, while the Police Service Commission delegation is headed by Chief Administrative Officer Eleyinmi Akinola. Both teams are working in collaboration with stakeholders including the Federal Character Commission and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) to guarantee a credible and transparent exercise.
Abuja, Nigeria(Agency Report)— March 9, 2026 — The Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction and sentencing of former Group Managing Director of Nigerian Army Properties Limited (NAPL), Maj.-Gen. Umar Mohammed, for stealing and misappropriating funds belonging to the company.
In the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, the appellate court dismissed Mohammed’s appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the Special Court Martial (Nigerian Army) and the validity of its verdict.
The former senior officer was earlier tried and convicted by the court martial on Oct. 10, 2023, for offences bordering on stealing and criminal misappropriation of funds belonging to Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
Following the conviction, Mohammed was dismissed from the Nigerian Army, sentenced to imprisonment and ordered to refund 2,099,700 dollars and N1.65 billion to the company.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, he approached the appellate court on Feb. 12, 2025, in suit No. CA/ABJ/CR/383/2025, arguing that his conviction was not supported by sufficient and credible evidence.
However, the three-member panel of justices, Abba Mohammed, Okon Abang and Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, dismissed the appeal, ruling that the evidence presented during the court martial clearly established the offences.
According to the certified judgment issued on Monday, the court held that the Special Court Martial was right to reject the former general’s defence, describing it as inconsistent and unreliable.
The court noted contradictions in Mohammed’s testimony, particularly his claim that Nigerian Army Properties Limited never operated berthing services, which contradicted documentary records authored by him indicating otherwise.
The justices ruled that the inconsistencies undermined his credibility.
The appellate court consequently affirmed the conviction and sentence imposed by the Special Court Martial on all counts except those relating to forgery.
NAN reports that in August 2025, Justice Dehinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos State also ordered the final forfeiture of shares worth over N5 billion traced to Mohammed and a businessman, Kayode Filani.
The order followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which told the court that the 245,568,137 shares were purchased with proceeds of unlawful activities carried out during Mohammed’s tenure as head of the army’s property company.
EFCC counsel in the matter, Hanatu Kofanaisa, explained that a Special Court Martial had already convicted Mohammed on 14 out of 18 counts of stealing and related offences.
She added the commission had met all legal requirements for final forfeiture, including the mandatory newspaper publication, without any objection being filed.
In granting the application, Justice Dipeolu held that the EFCC had proved its case and ordered the shares permanently forfeited to the Federal Government, in favour of the Nigerian Army Properties Limited.
The application was brought under Section 44(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution and Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006. (NAN).
Abuja, Nigeria(Agency Report)— March 9, 2026 — Residents of Peze and Kungabokun Communities in Byazhin-Across area of Kubwa, a satellite town in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have shared harrowing accounts of kidnappings in the area.
They said that suspected armed terrorists, in their numbers, had continued to attack the area, bordered by hills and bushes, kidnapping residents, including women and children, and moving from house to house.
Some of the residents who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the repeated attacks have heightened their fears.
They called on the Federal Government to take immediate and decisive action on the deteriorating security situation in the area.
A resident, Philip Ikechukwu, said that no fewer than 20 people had been kidnapped within two weeks in the area.
“We have been living in fear here. These people (terrorists) have been coming to raid us, shooting guns and abducting men, women and even children, going from house to house.
“The kidnapping started two weeks ago, and no fewer than 20 people have been kidnapped.
“Some, however, escaped while a man and a woman that were kidnapped at one time paid N500,000 ransom before their release.
“I heard that a pastor’s four children and others who were kidnapped on Tuesday had been rescued by the security personnel,” he said.
Ikechukwu said a joint security patrol of soldiers, police and civil defence officers had been on ground in the area to checkmate further attack.
He, however, said since the Byazhin Divisional Police Station is far from the community, there is a need to have a police station in the area.
Chief Kalu Uma, who lives at Ijayapi, a community next to Peze, said kidnapping has become rampant recently in the area.
“I have spent 29 years in this community. It is of recent we began to experience this menace.
“Today, it is here; tomorrow, it is there and we are worried about the development,” he said.
When asked the number of kidnapped cases that had occurred in the area, Uma said, “From information reaching me through rumour, some would say about 15 had so far been kidnapped, some would say about 20, although I am not very sure. ”
Uma, who said the environment is becoming more porous, urged the Federal Government to strengthen security in the area.
Pastor Tony Anotu of the Revival Family Church, whose four children were kidnapped on March 3 and rescued on Saturday, said the experience was an harrowing one.
According to him, the kidnappers left his baby of about three and a half years.
He said throughout the period of his children’s hostage, he couldn’t sleep.
“Each time I want to sleep, I will just see their pictures and wake up. I would be thinking what would be their feelings inside the forest.
“It was not an easy experience,” he said pensively.
Pastor Tony Anotu’s residence at Peze Community, Byazhin-Across area, Kubwa, Bwari Area Council in Abuja, FCT
Anotu, who confirmed that his four children within the age range of six to 16 years were rescued by the security personnel, said he did not pay any ransom.
He equally confirmed that his children were rescued alongside a vigilance group member’s wife and her sister, who were abducted in the area on the same day.
“They had kidnaped the wife of the vigilante head who was exchanging guns with them.
“The gunmen left her two-month-old baby but went with her sister that came to help her,” he said.
He called on President Bola Tinubu, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to come to their rescue.
For Chief Saidu Ibrahim, the Village Head of Peze Community, the continued attack was devastating.
“Since last week, there were people (gunmen) who have been coming here to kidnap our people
The Palace of Village Head, Peze Community, Chief Saidu Ibrahim, at Byazhin-Across Area of Kubwa in Abuja
“So last week Thursday, they (the gunmen) entered and abducted two people; one woman and one man.
“They then released them on Sunday (last Sunday) after paying almost N500, 000 (as ransom).
“We discovered that there is informant in this community because if there is no informant, strangers cannot just enter the community and begin such operations.
“On Tuesday this week around evening, they entered the community again and began to release the bullets and they took about seven people and escaped with them.” he said.
He said in Kugabonku Community, which is next to his, a vigilance group member was killed by the terrorists and a number of persons were kidnapped on March 3.
Peze and Kugabonku, he said, were under the same ward in Byazhin Community.
He said at least 16 people had been kidnapped during the period.
Ibrahim, who noted that a letter had been written to the Department of State Services (DSS) and the police area command on the need to have a security base in the area, said the community is no longer safe.
“We need a checkpoint by the military here and we need a police station.
“If there is a police station or military checkpoint here, it will help the community,” he said.
Also speaking, Chief Jagaba Ishaya, the Village Head of Kugabonku Communuty, described the recent kidnapping in his environment as “worrisome.”
He said about three people were kidnapped at a former naval officer’s residence, while four others were abducted at a poultry farm on Tuesday.
“The gunmen abducted Oga Navy and his two daughters.
“Then at the barrister’s farm where he has a poultry, a vigilante officer was killed and four people were kidnapped,” he said.
The Palace of the Village Head of Kogabonku Community, Chief Jagaba Ishaya, at Byazhin-Across Area of Kubwa in Abuja
Chief Ishaya, who spoke through an interpreter, Prince Timothy, his son, said the area needs a police station.
He also urged the government to support members of the vigilance group in the area to function effectively.
“You cannot go and face a person who is coming with AK-47 with inferior weapon.
“This has been our challenge. Therefore, they need to be empowered,” he said.
Mathew Samuel, a member of the vigilance group at Kugabonku, narrated his experience with the gunmen.
He called on the government to support their effort in combating the menace.
NAN observed the deployment of military, police and civil defence officers in the area.
The Byazhin DPO, Christopher Owujie, when contacted, refused to comment on the incident.
Rather, he referred NAN to the FCT Police Command PRO, Josephine Adeh.
However, an officer at Byazhin station, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said police officers had intensified security surveillance in the affected areas.
“There have been kidnap cases in the area in the last one week, the police have not rested.
“Our men have been working day and night,” he said.
In a telephone chat with the command PRO, SP Adeh said classified information about what the security agencies are doing cannot be revealed to members of the public.
Adeh, who said the kidnap victims had been rescued through the joint effort of the police, the military and DSS, said some of the terrorists were neutralised, while some escaped with bullet wounds, and two were arrested during a gun battle.
She said a press statement had been released to the effect.
In the statement, Adeh said: “Police personnel from the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command, in collaboration with personnel of the Nigerian Army Guards Brigade, the Department of State Services (DSS), and local vigilantes, between March 6 and 7, commenced a coordinated search and rescue operation.
“This follows credible intelligence that criminals fleeing from ongoing security operations in Gauraka Forest, Niger, had crossed into Gidan Dogo and Kweri Forests in Kaduna State with kidnapped victims.
“Acting on the intelligence, the Officer in Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit led the combined tactical team into the forest in pursuit of the suspected criminals.
“Upon approaching their hideout, the suspects opened fire on the operatives, resulting in an intense gun duel that lasted over one hour and thirty minutes.”
“Through superior tactics and firepower, the operatives successfully subdued the kidnappers.
“Suspects were neutralised during the exchange, while two others, identified as Nura Sani and Abdul Bello, were arrested.
“Other members of the gang escaped with gunshot wounds into the surrounding forest and hills.
“The operation led to the successful rescue of twenty (20) kidnapped victims comprising ten (10) males and ten (10) females who were earlier abducted from Byazhin District of the FCT, as well as Gauraka and Tafa areas of Niger State.” (NAN).
Borno, Nigeria — March 9, 2026 — The Borno State Police Command has issued a public security advisory as the Muslim holy month of Ramadan draws to a close. Authorities are urging residents to remain vigilant and security-conscious during religious activities and the upcoming Salah celebrations.
In a statement (Public Service Announcement) released Monday, Police Public Relations Officer ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso outlined precautionary measures designed to safeguard citizens amid heightened movements and gatherings associated with Tafsir, Iftar, and night prayers.
The advisory cautioned residents to remain mindful of their surroundings and take necessary precautions in light of ongoing threats from terrorist groups in the state. Citizens were encouraged to promptly report suspicious persons, movements, or objects to the nearest police station or via the Command’s emergency contact lines.
Parents and guardians were specifically advised not to leave children unattended, particularly in crowded areas, places of worship, and public gatherings.
Following directives from Commissioner of Police CP Naziru Abdulmajid, the Command announced plans to intensify patrols, surveillance, and strategic deployments across Maiduguri and other parts of Borno State to ensure public safety.
“The Command calls for continued cooperation and support from members of the public, as security remains a collective responsibility,” the statement read.
For emergency assistance or to report suspicious activities, residents may contact the Command via 0806 807 5581 or 0802 347 3293.
CRIME REPORT (NPA) — March 9, 2026 — The governor of Adamawa State in northeast Nigeria, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, has imposed a 24-hour curfew on several communities in Lamurde Local Government Area following deadly ethnic clashes.
According to eyewitness accounts, heavily armed attackers stormed villages, killing residents and burying victims in shallow graves.
The curfew was announced in a statement issued on March 8 by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Humwashi Wonosikou, who said the measure was aimed at halting bloodshed linked to ethnic rivalry between the Bachama and Chobo-speaking communities.
Quoting Governor Fintiri, the statement read: “Government views these disturbances as unacceptable and has directed security agencies to enforce the curfew strictly.” The governor added that the curfew would remain in place until further notice while security forces devise measures to end the violence.
“The government will not condone acts of violence and will take necessary measures to restore peace and order,” Fintiri said, appealing to residents to cooperate with security agencies.
The crisis stems from a protracted land boundary dispute between the Chobo and Bachama communities, which flared into violence on March 7, 2026.
Lagos, Nigeria (NPA) — March 9, 2026 — The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has urged motorists in Lekki to exercise caution following a multiple-vehicle collision on Admiralty Way, near Admiralty Roundabout and Road 14.
According to the agency, three vehicles were involved in the crash, with one reported to have caught fire. LASTMA confirmed that traffic flow has been severely disrupted, with diversions in place through Road 14 to connect Durosimi Etti Road.
Officials stated that LASTMA officers are currently managing the situation on the ground while awaiting the arrival of the Nigeria Police and fire service personnel.
The incident has resulted in significant gridlock across the corridor, extending to the Lekki-Epe Expressway, which is presently undergoing rehabilitation.
Lagos, Nigeria (NPA) — March 8, 2026 — A female passenger has lost her life in a devastating accident at New Castle Bus Stop along the Oworonsoki–Apapa Expressway in the Gbagada area of Lagos, Nigeria’s southwest, with six others critically injured.
According to eyewitnesses, a Volkswagen commercial bus, populalarly knownm as danfo, suddenly lost control and slammed into a roadside culvert. The violent impact threw passengers inside the vehicle into disarray, with some being ejected onto the expressway.
Tragically, one female passenger was flung directly into the path of an oncoming articulated trailer. The driver was unable to halt in time, and she was fatally struck, dying instantly at the scene. Six other occupants, including the bus driver, sustained severe injuries and multiple fractures.
Emergency responders acted swiftly. Officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) cordoned off the crash site and initiated traffic control measures to avert further accidents.
Officers from the Pedro Police Division secured the area, while the Lagos State Ambulance Service rushed the injured victims to a nearby hospital for urgent treatment.
The Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit later evacuated the deceased’s remains. Once the wreckage was cleared, LASTMA restored normal traffic flow along the busy expressway.
In a statement, LASTMA’s management expressed condolences to the victim’s family and urged motorists to prioritize regular vehicle maintenance and safe driving practices to prevent such avoidable tragedies.
POLITICS (Agency Report) — March 8, 2026 —The Cross River Government has banned the Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) from road operations across the state.
The governor, who made the announcement in Calabar on Saturday, restricted activities of the VIO to office duties.
According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Linus Obogo, the directive followed protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators over high tickets, excessive fines and alleged harassment by enforcement teams.
The governor, who made other announcements in the sector, said the measures were approved after a meeting with key transport stakeholders.
According to the statement, other announcements made was the reduction of daily ticket fee from N850 to N500, while the penalty for failure to purchase the ticket had also been reduced to N10,000.
“All traffic-related fines be slashed by 50 per cent and must be paid only into designated Cross River Government accounts.
“Daily ticket for tricycle riders has been reduced from N1,200 to N500,
however, every activity of commercial tricycle operators ends at 6 p.m. daily, night operations are permanently banned,” Otu asserted.
He said the review was aimed to ease the burden on drivers and restore order in the state’s transport system.
Speaking further, the governor said the Commercial Transport Regulatory Agency (CTRA) would now focus on vehicle registration and sale of tickets at approved rates.
He noted that enforcement officers must operate only in proper uniforms and with verifiable identification.
He directed the Traffic Management and Regulatory Agency (TRAMRA) to restrict its activities to statutory traffic management duties.
In addition, the governor announced that “commercial bus drivers and tricycle riders will no longer purchase tickets on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.”
“These directives will take effect from March 9, and I urge all residents and transport operators to cooperate with relevant authorities.
However, speaking to NAN, some commercial drivers said the statement did not address some activities of TRAMRA such as the illegal “no parking order” for drivers who only pick and drop passengers.
For Johnson Ade, a commercial driver, he said there should be an official release stating the traffic infractions in the state and the fine for each of them.
He said slashing the fines by 50 per cent was ambiguous, adding that the amounts to be paid for each crime should be clearly stated to prevent criminal elements who posed as government traffic regulatory officials from abusing the directive.
On his part, Mr Sunday Dennis, Metropolitan Chairman of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), said they would convene a meeting immediately to critically look at the governor’s statement.
It would be recalled that series of protests by commercial bus drivers and tricycle operators had led to the suspension of all forms of transport tickets in the state by the government. (NAN).
CRIME DIARY (NPA) — March 7, 2026—The Ebonyi State Police Command has released the schedule for the screening of applicants seeking recruitment as general duty and specialist police constables. The exercise will run from March 9, 2026, to April 18, 2026.
In a statement issued on March 7, 2026, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, the screening will take place at the Police Officers’ Mess, Udensi Roundabout, Abakaliki, beginning daily at 7:00 a.m.
Applicants who are indigenes of Ebonyi State are advised to log into the official recruitment portal — https://npfapplication.psc.gov.ng — to confirm their status, check their screening date, and print the required documents.
Candidates must present the following items, enclosed in two white office files:
Application Submission Slip
Physical Screening Form
Invitation Slip (with table number)
Credential Screening Form
National Identity Number (NIN) printout/card
O’Level Certificate(s)
Birth Certificate/Age Declaration
Local Government/State of Origin Certificate
Trade Test Result (for specialist candidates)
Completed Guarantors Form with passport photographs
Credentials arranged in two white files with recent passport photographs
Dress Code: Applicants are expected to appear in:
White canvas shoes
White T-shirts
White shorts
White stockings
The Command emphasized that the screening process is completely free of charge.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) are jointly recruiting 50,000 constables to strengthen manpower across the country. The screening is being held in designated centres in each state and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to make the process accessible and reduce travel burdens for applicants. By conducting the exercise nationwide, the NPF ensures that all candidates undergo the same physical, credential, and background checks.
Recruitment is spread across states to maintain federal character principles, ensuring representation from all parts of Nigeria. Holding screenings in multiple centres helps prevent overcrowding, reduce malpractice, and allow closer monitoring of applicants.
