₦airaland Forum

Intersociety said Fulani jihadist militants, operating under various disguises, were responsible for approximately 80 of the killings and 110 abductions, while Boko Haram insurgents accounted for 20 killings and 10 abductions.

No fewer than 100 Nigerians have been killed and 120 others abducted between August 10 and October 26, 2025, in a renewed wave of religiously motivated attacks across Nigeria.

An investigative report on Sunday noted that the victims were mostly targets of Fulani jihadist militants and Boko Haram insurgents, who jointly carried out multiple deadly assaults, kidnappings, and arson attacks on vulnerable communities.

The report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) described the killings as “unchecked, coordinated, and systematic jihadist onslaughts” that had continued to spread across the country’s six geopolitical zones, with the North-Central region emerging as the worst hit.

“In 76 days, at least 100 defenceless Nigerians including Christians were targeted and killed, and 120 others abducted,” the report stated. “Of these, about 12 are likely not coming back alive from the hands of their jihadist captors.”

Intersociety said Fulani jihadist militants, operating under various disguises, were responsible for approximately 80 of the killings and 110 abductions, while Boko Haram insurgents accounted for 20 killings and 10 abductions.

According to the report, one of the deadliest incidents occurred on October 14, 2025, when 13 members of the Berom ethnic group were massacred in Barkin Ladi, Plateau State.

The report identified the victims, who include children and adults, as Solomon Dung Choji (43), Sunday Gyang Chollom (29), Davou Mallam Chollom (24), Kefas Dung Sambo (29), Chollom Danjuma Chollom (37), Christina Davou Chollom (27), Marvelous Chollom (8 ), Japhet Solomon (14), Ntyang Chollom Danjuma (6), Mary Monday (10), Mancha Monday (12), Solomon Chung (40), and Musa Dung Bot (32), among others.

In Southern Kaduna, the report cited multiple attacks in Kachia, Kujama, and Gidan Busa, where scores of Christians were killed or kidnapped.

"Truth-Nigeria and Sahara Reporters documented cases where medical personnel, farmers, and travellers were abducted or killed in September and October."

In Benue State, Intersociety said jihadist hostage camps had emerged in forests across Oturkpo, Ado, Ogbadibo, and Agatu local government areas, where "travellers and farmers are routinely targeted.” Over 30 others were reportedly abducted in the area between August and October.

"The violence has also spread to the Yoruba-speaking parts of Kwara and Kogi States, where the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said dozens of churches had been destroyed and worshippers displaced in recent months."

Intersociety lamented that despite government denials, the scale of the killings shows a pattern of religiously motivated persecution.

The organisation noted that some high-profile Nigerians, including Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Senator Ali Ndume, and Presidential Adviser Daniel Bwala, were “victims of Christian persecution” who have, however, taken political positions that downplay the crisis.

“It is pitiable that victims of Christian persecution are now the ones defending the system that perpetuates it,” the report noted.

Intersociety further noted that hundreds of churches had been “attacked, burned, or shut down,” especially in the North and parts of the Middle Belt.

“These figures reflect both jihadist killings by non-state actors and armed state-actor atrocities perpetrated on ethnic and religious grounds,” the report said.

The organisation also warned that the Catholic Church’s presence in Northern Nigeria was rapidly shrinking due to “organized and unaddressed persecution.”

The report said at least 15 Catholic priests were abducted between January and October 2025, five of whom have been killed or remain missing.

“Dioceses in Sokoto, Kaduna, Niger, and Taraba are on the brink of collapse due to jihadist attacks, mass displacement, and fear among parishioners,” Intersociety reported.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Intersociety recalled that more than 614,000 Nigerians were killed from insecurity between May 2023 and April 2024, further underscoring the worsening state of violence nationwide.

The human rights group urged the international community, the United Nations, and global Christian organisations to intervene, saying Nigeria was “drifting toward full-scale religious genocide.”

“The Nigerian government must wake up to its constitutional duty to protect all citizens irrespective of faith. The bloodshed must stop,” Intersociety said.

Senator Ned Nwoko on Sunday said he feels sorry for men with one wife, insisting that polygamy provides men greater stability and balance.

The lawmaker representing Delta North, who made the comment while featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, also addressed recent allegations of domestic violence against him by his actress wife, Regina Daniels.

When asked how he copes with managing four wives—something many men find nearly impossible- Nwoko hesitated for a while before reacting.

“That is a different topic for discussion on another day. Yes, every man should do that. The example I give is this: just imagine telling you to stand on one foot or leg. You know how difficult it is.

“But to stand on two, three, four is much more balanced. That’s just the example I give. So I feel sorry for those who have one wife because it’s difficult to stand on one leg,” he stated.

When reminded that the Holy Bible does not endorse polygamy, Nwoko countered, “The Old Testament does. I am a man of faith. But that’s not what we are here for.”

Asked whether he had any regrets about his marital choices, the senator shook his head.

“No, I don’t have any regret. I will do the same thing again. Of course, that’s the way it should be. You should marry who you want to marry,” he defended stoutly.

On the domestic violence allegations trailing him, Nwoko dismissed them outright, saying, “No, come on. You know I am not a violent person. I respect my wives. I love them and my kids.”

His comments came just hours after Nollywood actress Regina Daniels, his estranged wife, flaunted a newly acquired mansion on social media amid reports of a marital crisis.

In a post on her Instagram page, Daniels shared photos and videos of the property with the caption, “In my house, I am a Queen! I needed a roof over my head, so I got this for me and my family.”

The post followed a viral video from October 18 showing the actress in tears outside her Abuja residence, lamenting alleged abuse.

“In Ned Nwoko’s house, I am nothing, but in my own house, I am a Queen. Not again. I can’t stand the violence, it’s too much,” she said in the footage.

The couple’s six-year marriage, once the subject of public fascination due to their wide age gap, has recently degenerated into a full-blown crisis now playing out before millions of Nigerians on social media.

A recent report by the Financial Times has painted a grim picture of Nigeria’s deepening insecurity, describing how kidnapping has grown into a multi-billion-naira industry as citizens struggle to protect themselves amid a breakdown in law enforcement.
In the report published on October 23, 2025, British journalist Aanu Adeoye detailed how abductions have become one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises in Africa’s most populous nation. Drawing from firsthand accounts and security data, the Financial Times found that kidnapping for ransom is now so pervasive that “nearly all parts of the country are blighted,” from the north to the southern states.


According to figures cited from SBM Intelligence, kidnappers in Nigeria demanded nearly $1.7 million in ransom in the year to June 2025 — a reflection of how profitable the business has become. Analysts told the paper that the true numbers are likely far higher, as many families choose to keep ransom payments secret to avoid becoming repeat targets.

The Financial Times traced the rise of kidnapping back to the Niger Delta militancy of the 1990s and 2000s, when armed groups began abducting foreign oil workers to extract ransoms. But it said the crime has since evolved into a nationwide epidemic, now affecting both the rich and the poor.

“Currently, it is hard to say that richer Nigerians face more kidnap risk, since it has become a free-for-all that involves even the poorest members of society,” said Confidence MacHarry, a senior security analyst at SBM Intelligence.


The report highlighted that Nigeria’s wealthy elite have increasingly resorted to hiring armed police escorts and private security operatives to protect themselves, while ordinary citizens are left exposed. The FT noted that some of the country’s richest individuals retain as many as 20 police officers for personal protection.

“You’re dealing with a collapsed system, because you have now privatised official security,” a former Nigerian governor told the paper. “Why should a minister or governor have a battalion of officers? It is because general policing has broken down. Everything collapses when you don’t address security and welfare.”

The report said Nigeria now has about 370,000 police officers for its more than 220 million citizens — far below the United Nations recommendation of one officer per 450 people. With poor remuneration and inadequate equipment, many police officers prefer private postings to wealthy individuals, leaving public safety in decline.


The FT concluded that kidnapping has become “a daily reality that Nigerians have learned to live with,” describing a country where “the richest people have money but no security, while the middle class is left at the mercy of armed gangs.”

Although the Financial Times report did not directly name Bola Tinubu, it reflects growing concern among citizens and international observers about the worsening security situation during his administration.

The story follows a series of recent reports by global outlets highlighting rising insecurity, economic hardship, and political tension in Nigeria under Tinubu’s leadership, who took office in May 2023.

Passionate888:
E don cut

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Friday, revealed how he rejected a move to have him endorse former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, as his successor.

Under the Obasanjo government, El-Rufai served first as the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) and later as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from 2003 to 2007.

While exiting power in 2007, Obasanjo backed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as his successor.

Speaking in Abeokuta, Ogun State, at the second edition of the annual symposium of the Ajibosin Platform with the theme “Importance of Leadership in Governance,” Obasanjo revealed that former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, had recommended El-Rufai as his successor, but he brushed it aside.

Chidoka, who was the keynote speaker at the event, recalled how El-Rufai recommended him to Obasanjo at the age of 34, a move that brought him closer to the presidency and eventually led to his appointment as the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

Addressing the gathering, Obasanjo threw a jab at Chidoka for his failure to tell the El-Rufai story.

“Let him tell you. He didn’t mention that. He was pushing when I was leaving government that his friend, El-Rufai, should be brought in as my successor,” Obasanjo said.

Facing Chidoka, who sat among the panelists, Obasanjo asked, “No be so (Is that not true)?”

The former minister nodded his head in agreement.

Obasanjo explained that he brushed aside the recommendation of El-Rufai as his successor because he felt his former minister needed to mature.

“I did not yield to the pressure. Later, he said, ‘I suggested this person, why didn’t you agree?’ I said El-Rufai needs to mature. You remember?

“When I left government and, many years later, he saw the performances of El-Rufai, he came back to me and said, ‘You’re absolutely correct. El-Rufai needed to mature.’”

Obasanjo, however, applauded Chidoka, El-Rufai, and others for their “special attributes,” which he said were the driving forces of his government.

Speaking on the theme, the Ota-farmer emphasized character, exposure, experience, and training as the hallmarks of good leadership.

Obasanjo said, “It’s only in politics that I found out there is no training for leadership. Even among armed robbers, I was told there is apprenticeship.

“But it’s only in politics that there is no training in leadership. That’s not good enough.”

Delivering the keynote address, Chidoka blamed Nigeria’s challenges on what he called excuses and the politics of alibi.

“Leadership finds its true measure not in speeches or charisma but in the systems it leaves behind.

“Moral conviction must translate into the everyday machinery of governance—rules, routines, and institutions that make competence predictable and corruption difficult.

“Nigeria’s problem has never been a shortage of ideas; it is the absence of systems strong enough to outlive their authors,” he said.


He called for a shift from excuses to action and taking responsibility.

“We must therefore make leadership accountable not to rhetoric but to results: measure by building national dashboards and accountability systems that track every promise, every budget, every outcome. Monitor by strengthening the institutions that evaluate government performance and expose complacency,” he said.

The convener of the symposium, Aare Olanrewaju Bakinson, said the lecture aimed to discuss the critical role effective leadership plays in shaping societies and nations.

“Leadership is not just about power; it’s about responsibility, vision, and service. As we explore this theme, we’ll examine the qualities of good governance, the impact of leadership on development, and strategies for fostering ethical leadership,” he said.

Among the prominent personalities at the event were Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaibu Salis; the Olowu of Owu Kingdom, Oba Saka Matemilola; the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege; and former Ogun First Lady, Mrs. Olufunsho Amosun.

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed a concern over Nigeria’s rising public debt profile, warning that the current pace of borrowing is capable of undermining fiscal stability.

In an address on the state of the economy delivered yesterday, LCCI President, Mr. Gabriel Idahosa expressed mixed feelings over Nigeria’s economic outlook.

He stated that while there are signs of progress in macroeconomic stability and inflation moderation, the debt sustainability remains a concern.

Idahosa’s address, titled “State of the Economy: Q4 2025,” reflected the Chamber’s deep analysis of global and domestic economic trends, and its recommendations to the Federal Government on sustaining recovery and fostering a more resilient private sector.

The LCCI president disclosed that Nigeria’s total public debt stood at N152.4 trillion as of June 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of N18.1 trillion or 13.5 percent from N134.3 trillion recorded in the same period of 2024.

The debt stock also rose by N3.01 trillion, or 2 percent, between March and June 2025.

According to Idahosa, this continuous upward trajectory reflects both fresh borrowings and the impact of a depreciating exchange rate on external obligations.

External debt rose to N71.85 trillion ($46.98 billion), while domestic debt reached N80.55 trillion ($52.67 billion), each increasing by over 13 percent compared to the previous year.

“Despite notable improvements in revenue performance, driven by stronger non-oil receipts, higher oil output, and relative exchange rate stability, both the federal and subnational governments have continued to pursue external loans aggressively,” he said.

The Chamber warned that debt servicing costs continue to consume a large portion of government revenue, crowding out critical investment in health, education, and infrastructure. On the domestic front, the Federal Government remains the largest borrower, accounting for N76.59 trillion, while subnational governments and the FCT collectively hold N3.96 trillion.

Idahosa explained that while domestic borrowing reduces exchange rate exposure, the high interest rates on government securities make private borrowing more expensive and limit access to affordable credit for businesses.

“Although Nigeria’s public debt remains within the sustainable threshold, sustainability is highly sensitive to fiscal vulnerabilities. Without disciplined, growth-oriented debt management, the current pace of borrowing could erode investor confidence and compromise the country’s future fiscal space,” he cautioned.

Speaking on the broader macroeconomic performance, Idahosa noted that Nigeria’s economy has shown resilience despite global and domestic headwinds.

Following the GDP rebasing in 2024, the nation’s nominal output stood at N372.8 trillion, up 41.7 per cent from N314 trillion in 2023, making Nigeria the fourth-largest economy in Africa.

Real GDP growth accelerated to 4.23 percent in the second quarter of 2025—the highest since Q2 2021—driven by a 20.46 percent rebound in the oil sector and steady expansion in non-oil activities.

“The sustained disinflation trend is commendable and reflects improved policy coordination. Lower inflation should translate into reduced business costs and ease cost-of-living pressures on households.”

The Chamber urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to maintain clear and predictable policy communication to anchor expectations and prevent speculation in foreign exchange and money markets.

He noted that the IMF’s latest review projects Sub-Saharan Africa to grow by 4.1 percent in 2025, with Nigeria among key contributors. However, the report, he noted, highlights elevated debt servicing costs, weak revenue mobilization, and macroeconomic fragilities as persistent threats.

“The IMF’s warning is timely. Nigeria’s reliance on domestic borrowing is pushing up the cost of capital and crowding out private investment. We must improve debt management and adopt a balanced fiscal approach that supports enterprise growth,” Idahosa said.

Suspected Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists have hit five communities in Borno and Yobe States.

The communities are Mafa, Dikwa, Marte and Ajiri in Borno, while Katarko was attacked in Yobe.

According to sources, the insurgents attacked a military checkpoint at Mafa.

Also, the insurgents were said to have overran the military barrack in the town and looted arms and ammunition.

“They looted arms and ammunition and the newly procured operation motorcycles that we use to carry out operations in remote bushes. The number of attackers was so massive that no one could imagine,” one of the security sources said.

However, it remained unclear whether there was a casualty on the side of the military, but a top security source confirmed the killing of many terrorists during the encounter.

“They came in large numbers and engaged our men intensely but many of them were neutralised,” he said.

A local source also said that no civilian life was lost, but the assailants looted foodstuff and other commodities and burnt down the transporting vehicles.

“It’s a coordinated attack after 11pm on Wednesday, they shoot sporadically at the checkpoint where commuters are waiting for the military gate to be open for the to proceed with their journey.

“The goods they looted were to be transported to Gambarou and other places. I’m not aware of any live being lost so far,” he said.

He said the terrorists came in large numbers, heavily armed with weapons, four gun trucks, and riding over 100 motorcycles.

Similar attacks were also recorded in other town, including Marte, Dikwa, Ajiri in Borno and Katarko in Yobe State.