Gunmen have reportedly abducted 23 persons on Thursday in the Kawu community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Kawu, an FCT village that shares boundaries with Niger and Kaduna states had not been on the radar of the bandits in recent times since they began a regular assault on villages in Bwari and in Garam, a village in Niger State. The Councillor, representing the area, Abdulmumini Zakari, who is also the deputy speaker of the council, said the gunmen, numbering about 40, came into the community through the Kuyeri Forest in Kaduna State.

Military High Command have directed an offensive operations against all forms of criminal activities especially terrorism and kidnapping being perpetrated by criminal elements in different communities in the satellite areas of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Abuja. As the operation is already ongoing across different hotspots in the FCT, the authorities revealed, no fewer than 10 suspects including one violent extremist informant cum collaborator, as well as two kidnappers have been arrested for interrogation, and very soon their collaborators will be brought to justice. 

About 20 individuals, including children, are feared dead in a boat accident in Andoni waterways in Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers State. The heartbreaking incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday and was said to have involved two passenger boats on their way to Bonny, a nearby coastal council district. This was revealed in a statement issued early Wednesday by the Executive Chairman of Andoni LGA, Erastus Awortu, who expressed his shock at the incident. Awortu expressed his condolences to the victims’ families and communities, lamenting that the sad tragedy occurred after successful festive events, including unification carnivals in the council region.

Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja has charged troops of the Nigerian Army to be committed to guaranteeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Nigeria as well as the peaceful coexistence of citizens. The army chief also affirmed the arrest of the soldier who ranted against the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, will today (Monday) launch the first online portal for passport application in Abuja. Tunji-Ojo disclosed this during a demonstration session of the online portal on Friday in company of the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, Caroline Adepoju. According to the Minister, an online passport application platform has been set-up for both international and Nigerian applicants, which means Nigerians can apply online for their passport henceforth. 

The Police Service Commission on Sunday said recruitment of Nigerians into the Constable Cadre of the Nigeria Police Force will commence tomorrow, Monday, January 8th 2024, throughout the federation with physical and credentials screening of successful applicants after six weeks period for receiving of applications in line with the requirements of the Federal Character Commission. The recruitment exercise provides vacancy for up to 30,000 youths to join the Nigeria Police Force. A statement by the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Solomon Arase, confirmed this on Sunday.