News

Report Estimates 279 Kidnappings Nationwide In May

Published

3 months ago

June 22, 2026

Editor

No fewer than 279 persons were kidnapped across Nigeria in May 2026, even as the country recorded 156 violent incidents that resulted in 842 deaths, according to new data from Nextier’s Nigeria Violent Conflicts Database, yesterday.

Meanwhile, the Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has raised the alarm over “the persistent poor implementation of the national budget”, warning that underfunding of critical security agencies is worsening insecurity across the country.

Therefore, the President of the Nigeria Society for Criminology (NSC), Professor Oludayo Tade, tasked President Bola Tinubu with intensifying efforts to secure Nigeria and protect its citizens.

The figures indicate a rise in insecurity, with violent incidents “by 51.5 per cent, casualties increasing by 90.1 per cent, and kidnap victims climbing by 19.7 per cent compared to May 2025.”

The data comes amid growing concerns that Nigeria’s peacebuilding efforts are not yielding measurable results despite significant investments by governments and development partners.

In a new policy article titled ‘The Travails of Measuring Peacebuilding in Fragile Contexts’, development practitioner and research professional at Nextier; visiting Lead for Research and Policy at Nextier, Jamilu Musa, and a Political Science lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Chukwuma Okoli, warned that weak impact assessment frameworks were undermining the effectiveness of interventions.

According to experts, while governments and local communities continue to invest in peacebuilding programmes, assessing whether these interventions reduce conflict remains a major challenge.

Musa and Okoli argued that with shrinking international funding for peacebuilding, measuring impact becomes more important than ever.

For them, counting activities alone is insufficient; the key question is whether peacebuilding interventions are helping communities become safer, more inclusive and more resilient amid Nigeria’s security challenges.

THE Reps caucus disclosed that it would formally raise the issue upon the resumption of plenary, insisting that the Federal Government must account for the alleged failure to fully implement appropriations passed by the National Assembly since 2024.

The position formed part of resolutions reached during an emergency virtual meeting of the caucus held on June 19, where members reviewed the nation’s security situation and the implementation status of key government programmes.

Spokesman of the Caucus, Afam Victor Ogene, who shed light on the outcome of the parley, claimed that defence and security-related Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) recorded less than 30 per cent budget implementation despite growing security challenges nationwide.

“Available records indicate that budget implementation in key defence and security agencies remains below 30 per cent, a situation that is unacceptable given the scale of insecurity confronting the nation,” Ogene said.

According to the lawmakers, the low level of implementation has had severe consequences for military operations, logistics and the overall fight against insurgency, banditry and other violent crimes.

“The consequence of this poor funding is evident in the challenges faced by our security personnel in prosecuting the war against insurgency, banditry and kidnapping,” the statement noted.

The opposition lawmakers also accused the executive of repeatedly failing to honour commitments made to Nigerians through budgets approved by parliament, stressing that accountability for budget implementation remains a core constitutional responsibility of the National Assembly.

The NSC president stated that the task before Tinubu “is important” because the insecurity problem facing Nigeria has both national and transnational dimensions.

He said: “As the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the President must protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria and then ensure that Nigerians are free from fear of travelling on the roads or being abducted from school and their communities. The first constitutional duty is to protect lives and property, and failing to do so efficiently indicates failure. Nigerians need to experience and feel secure, and Nigeria must be protected from terrorists entering the country. Their local collaborators, both inside and outside government, must be identified and punished. The president must display political will to secure Nigeria and Nigerians.”

In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, Tade stated that the just-concluded 2026 International Conference of NSC was themed ‘Securing Nigeria and Protecting Nigerians’, emphasising that the government must improve the state of the economy to reduce the propensity to commit crime while sustaining attacks on bandits, kidnappers and terrorists.

Speaking at the 4th International Conference of NSC, held at Cosmopolitan University, Abuja, the don stated that the keynote speaker, Professor Jibrin Ibrahim, Senior Fellow, Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja, called on the Federal Government to fulfil its duty of protecting Nigeria and Nigerians.
(Guardian)

News

Six Corps Members Receive N10m Grants To Boost Agribusiness

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Six members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have received a total of N10 million in grants to expand their agribusiness ventures under the Farmers for the Future Programme.

The programme was organised on Monday by the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage young Nigerians to embrace agriculture and develop sustainable businesses.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries in Abuja, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, urged Corps members to maximise the opportunities provided by the service year by venturing into commodity marketing and other viable businesses.

Nafiu said agribusiness remained a viable avenue for young people to build sustainable enterprises, create employment and generate wealth.

He also stressed the importance of value addition to the success and sustainability of business ventures, while commending BATNF for placing Nigerian youths at the centre of its entrepreneurship initiatives through value-chain development, employment creation and its partnership with the NYSC.

“I charge you to spread the news around. We have seen the outcome, and it is a good idea,” he said.

The beneficiaries are Dominic Olufemi (FC/25C/1143), who received N3 million; Temitope Adewole (ED/26A/2251), N2 million; Abdulwaheed Bala (ED/25B/1402), N2 million; Olanike Mayungbe (OG/26B/1037), N1 million; Kingsley Udoeyen (KG/26A/1735), N1 million; and Lorember Lorsue (JG/25B/1742), N1 million.

Speaking on the selection process, the Acting Director, Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED), Mrs Winifred Shopeka, said the programme began with an online registration portal through which Corps Members engaged in agribusiness submitted their business plans.

She said nearly 3,000 Corps members applied and underwent a rigorous selection process that produced 20 finalists.

According to her, the finalists participated in a boot camp and a final pitching session, which produced the 10 best presenters before the six ultimate winners were selected.

Shopeka said the beneficiaries had also been mentored and attached to established market operators to assist them in marketing their products.

She added that Corps Members who did not make the final stage of the competition were also trained by BATNF.

The BATNF Team Lead, Mr Oludare Odusanya, congratulated the beneficiaries and urged Corps Members engaged in agribusiness to master the fundamentals and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed.

“We are happy with our collaboration with the NYSC, and it will continue,” he said.

Odusanya explained that BATNF was an independent organisation established to contribute to poverty reduction in Nigeria through sustainable agricultural practices and other interventions.

He said the Farmers for the Future Programme was instituted in collaboration with the NYSC to encourage Corps Members to venture into agribusiness and become job creators.

He added that the beneficiaries would be attached to mentors who would guide them towards achieving success in their respective businesses.

According to him, the programme has, since its inception, continued to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of Corps Members.

News

CBN Reduces Interest Rate To 23%

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Tuesday announced the reduction of the interest rate, also known as Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 23 percent.

Briefing the media in Abuja, the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said at the 307th MPC meeting held on September 22, 2026 agreed the resetting of the MPR and recaliberation of the monetary policy market.

According to Cardoso, the committe is satisfied with the disinflation progress, adding that members noted stable banking sector following successful recapitalisation.

Meanwhile, according to Nigerian Tribune, reports that that the MPC, at its 306th meeting in July 2026, disclosed its resolution to retain the interets at 26.5 percent.

According to the Governor of the CBN, Olayemi Cardoso, “the Committee’s decision to maintain the current policy stance followed a thorough assessment of the balance of risks. Although headline inflation moderated marginally in June 2026, global uncertainties have heightened, due mainly to the renewed hostilities in the Middle East.

“In view of the evolving developments, maintaining a cautious monetary policy stance remains appropriate. In arriving at its decision, the Committee noted the recent resurgence of hostilities in the Middle East, with particular attention to its spillover effects on global energy prices and the potential pass-through to domestic inflation.”

News

NURTW: KWAM1 Settles Long-time Rift Between MC Oluomo, Tafa Sego

Published

2 days ago

September 22, 2026

Editor

Nigerian Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as KWAM1, has brokered a peace deal between the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) National President, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, and the Lagos State Chairman of the union, Mustapha Adekunle, aka Tafa Sego.

The reconciliation took place at Ojusagbola in Ijebu, Ogun State, where several NURTW chieftains gathered for the meeting.

The development was announced on Tuesday on KWAM1’s digital media page on Instagram, alongside photographs from the meeting.

According to the post, the two union leaders have resolved their differences after years of strained relations.

“After years of an age-long rift, MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego have finally settled their differences. And from what we know now, this is final,” the post said.

The musician was said to have intervened as the Mayegun of Yorubaland, with the aim of bringing an end to the longstanding disagreement between the two NURTW figures.

“K1 acted in his role as the Mayegun of Yorubaland by seeking an end to the long-standing rift, once and for all,” it said.

The post also described the meeting as a significant step beyond previous public displays of reconciliation.

“This time, it was not just another handshake for the cameras. The two old friends and colleagues came together at Ojusagbola, with King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal (K1) playing the peacemaker.”

Both MC Oluomo and Tafa Sego were reported to be pleased with the outcome of the intervention.

“Both parties are delighted about the new development,” the post said.

The two men had previously been allies and prominent figures within the Lagos NURTW before their relationship became strained amid disagreements linked to leadership of the union in the state.