Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Chief of Army Staff, has approved the urgent deployment of the Chief of Army Staff Intervention Battalion's special troops to Plateau State. The troops, who are already in the state, have been entrusted with responding forcefully and decisively to the recent rise of terrorist acts.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday painted a grim picture of Nigeria's security situation, admitting that terrorism and banditry were giving him and many Nigerians sleepless nights, even as he expressed confidence that the country would overcome the threats. The president, however, insisted that insecurity was unacceptable and alien to Nigeria's values, vowing that his administration would defeat terrorism and restore peace to affected communities. Tinubu spoke while declaring open the Second National Economic Council (NEC) Conference at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja where he assured Nigerians of renewed efforts to strengthen the nation's security architecture.
President Bola Tinubu on Sunday received the commander of the United States Africa Command (US AFRICOM), Dagvin Anderson, in a courtesy visit to the State House in Abuja.
The US military has announced that some personnel have been sent to Nigeria as part of increased cooperation between Washington and Abuja to combat terrorism and other security challenges in the West African country. According to Reuters, General Dagvin R.M. Anderson, commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), stated on Tuesday that Nigeria and the United States have agreed on the necessity for deeper military collaboration to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts.
Eighty of the 177 worshippers abducted from three churches in Kurmin Wali village, Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have escaped from captivity and reunited with their families. The Village Head of Kurmin Wali, Ishaku Dan'azumi, disclosed this on Sunday, noting that 11 of the victims had escaped shortly after the abduction on January 18, while the remaining 80 fled more recently. According to him, the escapees initially sought refuge in neighbouring communities before returning to the village. He added that 86 worshippers are still being held by bandits in a forest.
As part of attempts to bolster national security and stimulate economic activity in conflict-affected areas, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to deploy military veterans to help secure the country's ungoverned areas. This came after the Minister of Defense, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), appointed an 18-person team to reposition the Nigerian Legion Corps of Commissionaires and Veterans to recapture ungoverned areas for economic viability.
