₦airaland Forum

At least six terrorists have been reportedly neutralised by the troops of the Defence Headquarters Special Operations Brigade in a coordinated operation targeting Lakurawa terrorists in the Gudu Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

The operation, carried out under Operation Fansan Yamma, was announced in a statement on Thursday by Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi, Coordinator of the Joint Media Coordination Centre.

The statement disclosed that the operation led to a fierce firefight, during which five soldiers lost their lives.

“The troops recovered the following items from the operation, four AK-47 rifles, 160 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and one box of 12.7mm ammunition.

While the military hailed the success of the operation, it expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the five soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.

“Despite this success, the operation came at a heavy cost, as five gallant soldiers tragically lost their lives in the line of duty,” the statement added.

In the aftermath of the operation, the military urged residents of Gudu LGA and surrounding areas to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities related to terrorism or security threats to security agencies.

The statement reiterated the importance of public cooperation in maintaining peace and safeguarding lives, calling on communities to stay alert and proactive in supporting security operations.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has remitted N10 trillion to the federation account, making it the highest taxpayer in the country and the only company in Nigeria that publishes 100% of its account statements annually.

This is according to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Malam Mele Kyari, who stated this on Wednesday during a presentation on NNPCL’s 2024 revenue performance and 2025 projections to the National Assembly’s joint committee on Finance.

The NNPCL boss also called for a forensic audit of the funds spent by NNPCL on fuel price stabilization and ensuring uninterrupted petrol supply between January and September 2024.

“Until October 1, 2024, NNPCL, as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), acted as the supplier of last resort for fuel supply.

“A forensic audit is needed to determine the financial obligations of NNPCL and any owed entities. Our transactional accounts are transparent and published annually, reinforcing our status as the top taxpayer and the highest contributor of royalties and dividends”, he said.

Regarding the company’s 2025 revenue projections, Kyari indicated that a definitive figure would be provided after the upcoming board of directors meeting in two weeks.

He assured the committee that the parameters for the 2025 budget were both realistic and achievable.

In a related development, the National Assembly raised the 2025 projected revenue for the Nigerian Ports Authority to N1.75 trillion, underscoring the need for increased revenue generation across key government agencies.

The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has said the national grid would continue to collapse because it is “very old and dilapidated”.

Adelabu made this known during a budget defence session with the Senate Committee on Power on Monday.

The minister said the government was struggling to manage the national grid it inherited, stating that the facility suffered eight collapses in 2024 and not 12 as widely reported.

Adelabu said out of the eight incidents, three were partial collapses as a result of generation problems and five were full collapses.

“We have been trying very hard to ensure that we manage the grid that was inherited.

“Unfortunately, it is still very old. It is dilapidated. And we are just managing it until we are able to fix it permanently.

“This is the focus of the Presidential Power Initiative, to ensure that the entire grid is revamped so that we won’t be having all this vandalism,” he said.

Speaking further, Adelabu said Nigeria’s power generation increased by 34 per cent in 2024.

The minister said his administration inherited an average generation capacity of 4,100 Megawatts in 2023 and raised it to 5,528 MW by the end of 2024.

He said, “I can tell you authoritatively that by the end of 2024, we had a peak generation of 5,528 MW of power from 4,100 MW of plants.

“And the reason for this is not far-fetched. We know that we added a new hydroelectric power dam, Zungeru, of 700 MW, and also there was a tremendous increase in the generation by other existing power generating companies, mainly hydro and thermal plants.”

He also said while the initial target was 6,000 MW, unforeseen challenges such as grid disturbances towards the end of the year prevented him from achieving it.

The minister, however, noted that the shortfall was minimal.

“This progress resulted from a combination of grid access expansion and growth in renewable energy initiatives, including solar, small hydro and wind energy projects,” he added.

According to Adelabu, the failure to fix the Shiroro-Kaduna-Mando line has placed undue pressure on the grid, resulting in frequent collapses.

He, however, said the federal government has been unable to repair the power transmission line in Northern Nigeria due to persistent insecurity in the region.

“The Kanduna-Shiroro-Mando line was one of the two major lines that transmit power to the north.

“The second one, which is the Ugwuaji-Makurdi line, was also vandalised, and we immediately rectified the line as the only source of power to the north.

“As I’m talking to you, we have not rectified the major line, which is the Shiroro-Mando-Kanduna line, which is why our grid is so fragile, because it’s only one line that is still supplying power to the north and is being burdened unnecessarily.

“It is still the insecurity that has not led us to fix the Shiroro-Kanduna-Mando line.

“We tried to fix it but our engineers were chased by terrorists and bandits with heavy weapons, it was like a civil war, that’s how bad it is.

“We handed it over to the security agencies, they have not even fixed it. So these are the summaries of our activities. And we are proud to say that we almost met all our targets for 2024,” he said.

This is just as he stated that the Federal Government has released about N12.7bn to offer meters in army barracks across the country.

Similarly, he expressed hope that 2025 will be a better year for Nigeria, promising that all existing issues in the sector would be addressed.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Eyinnaya Abaribe, questioned the government’s continuous funding of power distribution companies (discos), even as he called for a review of their contracts and possible government reclamation if the inefficiencies persisted.

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have reportedly killed at least 40 farmers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

It was gathered that the attack which happened around 4:30pm on Sunday in a farming community, Kayakura village, in Doron Baga ward, also left dozens of farmers missing.

This is coming barely 24 hours after two people were killed and a church was set ablaze in a similar attack on Chibok community, southern part of the state.

A local source said members of the deadly group invaded the villages in large numbers and started shooting sporadically.

“As we speak, many people are missing and they killed more than 40 farmers, predominantly those who escaped the attack in Gwoza local government area,” he said.

However, a security source in the area gave the number of people killed as 30.

“Thirty people lost their lives during the attack on the farmers in the Doron Baga ward,” the source said.

Efforts to speak to the state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Kenneth Daso, proved abortive as his telephone line was not reachable as of press time.

Brenbentondiaz:
Whatever brand of beer you're taking, pls take it for qualitative analysis. Check if something is not being surreptiously added to it. As in, what the fvck did I just read @bolded?!

Sirianese:
Katsina is Buhari's home state, where he lives...

Just goes to show how useless he was as the president of Nigeria...let's not even start to talk about his shortcomings as a human being

The Katsina State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, has confirmed that suspected armed bandits attacked a joint team of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and vigilante members, who were returning from a condolence visit and fatally shot 21 people.

“On January 7, 2025, in Baure village, Safana LGA, Katsina State, some suspected armed bandits attacked a joint team of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps and vigilante members, who were returning from a condolence visit. The incident occurred around 16:30hrs, prompting a swift response from police operatives attached to Safana Divisional Headquarters, who rushed to the scene and restored normalcy.

“Sadly, twenty-one people were fatally shot as a result of the attack.

“Efforts are currently underway to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators of this dastardly act. Further developments will be communicated in due course as the investigation progresses,” DSP Sadiq said in response to questions from our correspondent on Friday.

Meanwhile, a resident of Baure, in a telephone interview, debunked reports that the Community Watch Corps and vigilante members were on a condolence visit, asserting instead that they were there to tackle bandits. He explained that Baure is one of the areas under the control of bandits in the Safana local government area of Katsina State.

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He said, “It is not true that they were on a condolence visit to the family of one of their members who was killed some time ago. There is no security outfit in Baure village, let alone the CWC. Anyone living there is under the control of bandits.


“Bandits regularly come to the market, and the joint security team was there to confront the hoodlums. I’m repeating, they were not on a condolence visit.

“Unfortunately for them, the bandits overpowered them because they had been informed that the joint security team would be coming and had reinforced their numbers. This is why the casualties were massive. Many were killed, and many more were injured. The number of dead exceeds 20.


“It was during the attack that residents called for security reinforcements. They also contacted the chairman of Safana and the police when they were under attack.

“Yesterday, in Wurma, four people were killed, including two CWC members and two women, just seven kilometres away from Baure village, where the attack occurred on Tuesday. Wurma is in the Kurfi local government area, while Baure is in Safana.

“In Wurma, houses and shops were also set on fire.”

gidgiddy:
Nothing new, bandits are controlling parts of Zamfara and have been collecting levy for years.

iwaeda:
Deuteronomy 23:18 You must not bring the wages of a prostitute, whether female or male, into the house of the LORD your God to fulfill any vow, because both are detestable to the LORD your God.

The National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, yesterday said that illegal and hidden activities like prostitution and drugs peddling will now be included in the calculation of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP.

Meanwhile, NBS has proposed 2019 as a new GDP base year and 2024 as new base year for inflation computation.

NBS disclosed this at a sensitization workshop on GDP and Consumer Price Index, CPI Rebasing organised in collaboration with the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

According to the bureau, 2019 was proposed as the new GDP base year because economic activities were relatively stable during the year, compared to subsequent years disrupted by the impact of COVID and policy shifts..

The bureau added that the rebased GDP is expected to capture new segments such as the digital economy, activities of pension fund administrators, National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Nigerian Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSTIF), activities of modular refineries, domestic households as employers of labour and coverage of illegal and hidden activities.

Elaborating on the inclusion of illegal and hidden activities in the classification of economic activities for computation of the GDP, Head of National Accounts, NBS, Dr. Baba Madu, said: “Illegal activities will be in line with the national best practices, that is System of National Accounts, SNA 2008.

“If you are into, for instance, drugs, there are some countries, it is this drug that is driving their economy. It is illegal here because there is no legal backing. Also prostitution, they also earn income. Some even live bigger than those in the formal sector. The SNA does not say no to these, it is we. But the challenge is the legal backing and how do we get the data.

“And then, of course, the hidden economy. If I ask you, how much do you earn in a month, you will lower your income. Or if somebody is selling provision in a store, and before you know it he started selling India hemp. Those are the things we are seeing. There are challenges all over the world. But the beauty is that they are less than 3.0 to 3.5% of the GDP.”

Highlighting the importance of the GDP and CPI rebasing exercise, Statistician General, Prince Adeyemi Adeniran, said: “The rebasing is a vital exercise that ensures our economic indicators are current and accurate reflections of the economic realities on the ground. As economies evolve, new industries emerge, and consumption patterns shift, it becomes imperative to update our statistical measures to capture these changes. Rebasing our GDP and CPI allows us to align with these transformations, providing a more precise and relevant picture of Nigeria’s economic landscape. This process is foundational to informed policymaking, strategic planning, and effective governance; hence, it is one exercise that NBS is conducting with significant importance and professionalism.

Highlighting the benefits of GDP rebasing, Chief Executive Officer, NESG, Dr. Tayo Aduloju, in his welcome address, said: “Accurate data enhances credibility. Our debt-to-GDP ratio, a critical indicator of fiscal health, dropped from 19% to 11% after the 2014 rebasing.

“This improved Nigeria’s creditworthiness, making us a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment. Investors are drawn to transparency and growth potential, and rebasing sends a clear message: we understand our economy, and we are open for business.

“Second, rebasing sharpens policymaking. It provides a detailed map of our economic terrain, enabling governments to identify high-growth sectors for scaling and low-growth sectors that require targeted interventions to drive impactful and balanced development. For example, after Ghana’s 2010 rebasing—which resulted in a 60% GDP increase—its policymakers could better plan for infrastructure and social investments, fueling sustained growth.”

Motorists plying the Sokoto-Gusau road have pleaded with the government to protect them against men of the notorious bandit kingpin, Bello Turji.

The motorists who spoke with Sunday PUNCH, raised concerns over persistent attacks by the armed men, saying they regularly attacked them.

Speaking on behalf of the motorists, Abubakar Sanusi, told our correspondent that the suspected bandits frequently ambush commuters on the route, making travelling dangerous.


“The bandits, suspected to be linked to Bello Turji, attack people on the road almost daily. They often block the road between Mafara and Gidan Kudu, kidnapping travellers,” he said.

“This constant attack is unfortunate, and it seems security personnel are not ready to act on the situation. We call on security agencies to come to our aid and ensure the road is safe for all. These attacks are becoming a daily occurrence.”

Gunmen suspected to be members of the Lakurawa terrorist group have killed two policemen and rustled over 200 cows from Natsini village in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State. It was learnt that the incident happened on Thursday at about 11 pm.

According to sources at the village, the policemen were manning a checkpoint along the Augie/Kangiwa road when the terrorists numbering over 50 on motorcycles attacked and killed two of them before rustling cows in the village.

Natsini village is along Augie/Kangiwa road and about 5 kilometres from Argungu town.

A local, Abubakar Augie, told Weekend Trust that the rustled cows belong to a prominent civil servant identified as Lawali Black in the area.

He said, “The Lakurawa were more than 50 on motorcycles; after overpowering the few policemen at the checkpoint, they went to where the cows were kept in his ranch and went away with them.”

The local government chairman, Aliyu Gulma, confirmed the incident to our correspondent. He said the council was already holding a security meeting on the issue and that the state government had directed security agents to go after the terrorists with a view to recovering the stolen cows.

The police command public relations officer, SP Nafiu Abubakar, could not be reached as of the time of filing this report.

The founder of Rapture Empowerment International in Osogbo, Osun State, Bishop Shina Olaribigbe, was stabbed to death in the early hours of Thursday while attempting to mediate a domestic dispute between a couple.

Details of the couple involved remain unclear, but sources revealed that the wife was an interpreter at Olaribigbe’s church located around the BCGA area in Osogbo.

The couple, although not officially divorced, had a history of frequent altercations that led to them living apart.

It was gathered that Olaribigbe, who was known for intervening in their disputes, had gone to visit the wife, who had been ill for some time.

The husband reportedly arrived at the residence early Thursday morning and found the clergyman in the room. Enraged by the situation, the husband allegedly attacked Olaribigbe.

“A heated argument ensued, and in a fit of anger, the man took a knife and stabbed the pastor in the chest. Olaribigbe died on the spot,” a source close to the church, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said.

Following the incident, both the husband and wife were arrested and taken into custody at the Dugbe Police Division in Osogbo.

The remains of Bishop Olaribigbe have been deposited at the morgue of the University of Osun Teaching Hospital in Osogbo.

Confirming the incident, Osun State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, stated, “The couple was not living together, though they were not legally separated. The pastor had been intervening in their quarrels, and on this occasion, he was at the wife’s house when the estranged husband arrived.

“We were told that the husband stabbed the pastor multiple times, killing him. There is suspicion that the husband believed the pastor was having an affair with his wife.