General
Oyo Federal Lawmaker Raises Alarm of Armed Herdsmen Invasion
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A federal lawmaker from Oyo State, Ms Tolulope Akande-Sadipe, has alerted of an invasion of an area in the Oluyole Federal Constituency of the state by armed herdsmen.
According to her, these terrorists have instilled fear in residents of Ogunmakin, destroying farm produce and intimidating local farmers in the Gambari Reserve area of the community.
In a statement on Friday, the member of the House of Representative claimed that these armed hoodlums have been using weapons such as guns and cutlasses to terrorise her people, noting that this has jeopardised the livelihoods of farmers, exacerbating the economic crises and food insecurity of the region.
Ms Akande-Sadipe, who represents Oluyole Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, said she raised this concern in a matter of Urgent Public Importance in a motion on the need to avert further loss of lives, humanitarian and food security crisis as a result of invasion of farmlands by armed herdsmen in Oluyole Federal constituency on the floor of the House earlier in the week.
She called on relevant arms of the federal government and security agencies to intervene before the people are completely wiped out from their ancestral homes.
Ms Akande-Sadipe, who chairs the House committee on Humanitarian Services, further accused the armed herdsmen of “a deliberate agenda to destroy farm produce, intimidate local farmers, and using weapons such as guns and cutlasses to instil fear, thereby jeopardizing the livelihoods of farmers, exacerbating the economic crises and food insecurity of the region.”
The lawmaker further noted that despite multiple reports to law enforcement agencies, no decisive action has been taken to address the situation, leaving farmers vulnerable and unprotected.
“The failure to act swiftly has emboldened the perpetrators, leading to increased attacks, destruction of crops, and threats to lives and property, with the risk of further escalation if immediate action is not taken,” she ascertained.
Ms Akande-Sadipe recalled the resolution of the Igangan crisis in 2021, where decisive steps were taken to address similar issues, including the enforcement of anti-open grazing laws and the deployment of security forces to restore peace and protect farmers;
She called for an immediate investigation of the reported cases of intimidation, destruction of farmlands, and use of weapons by herdsmen in the area and ensure the arrest and prosecution of perpetrators to serve as a deterrent to others.
Ms Akande-Sadipe asked the House to call on the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to: Provide immediate relief materials and support to affected farmers and communities to mitigate the impact of the crisis on their livelihoods, enable them to recover from losses incurred, and resume agricultural activities.
She also begged for an immediate conduct of an on-the-spot assessment of the situation in Ogunmakin, Gambari Reserve, and environs and engage with relevant stakeholders, including the Oyo State Government, security agencies, and community leaders, to develop a sustainable solution to the crisis.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
President Bola Tinubu on Saturday confirmed the killing of a senior ISIS leader, Mr Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, in an overnight operation carried out by the United States and Nigeria.
President Donald Trump had earlier announced the elimination of the notorious terrorist via a post on his Truth Social.
Later, in a statement today, Mr Tinubu praised the action, describing it as “a significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”
“Our determined Nigerian Armed Forces, working closely with the Armed Forces of the United States, conducted a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of the Islamic State,” he said in the statement.
According to him, early assessments confirm the elimination of the wanted IS senior leader, Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok, along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.
He commended the partnership between Nigeria and America in waging war against terrorists, thanking his US counterpart “for his leadership and unwavering support in this effort.”
“I commend the personnel involved on both sides for their professionalism and courage, and I look forward to more decisive strikes against all terrorist enclaves across the nation,” the Nigerian leader added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria is set to strengthen its defence architecture by deploying artificial intelligence-powered surveillance systems and advanced anti-drone technology as part of efforts to modernise the country’s military capabilities, according to the Minister of Defence, Mr Christopher Musa.
He disclosed this during a high-level visit to Monaco, where he led a Nigerian delegation to conclude discussions on the multi-domain Hybrid Intelligence Shield (HIS) project.
According to Mr Musa, the initiative is designed to enhance border security, protect urban centres and improve the country’s response to emerging security threats.
The project is expected to introduce AI-driven surveillance systems capable of identifying threats rapidly through smart algorithms, while anti-drone technology will be deployed to intercept and neutralise unmanned aerial threats.
The government also plans to establish national and regional command-and-control centres to improve real-time coordination and response to security incidents across the country.
Mr Musa said the initiative would place strong emphasis on technology transfer and local capacity development through the establishment of a military Centre of Excellence in Nigeria.
He added that the federal government would leverage partnerships with international firms, including Marss UK Ltd, while simultaneously building indigenous capabilities to address insurgency, illegal mining, piracy and other security threats.
Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges in recent years, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, farmer-herder clashes in the North-Central region, crude oil theft in the Niger Delta and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria is stepping up its defence as the border region of Nigeria, Benin and Niger on the southern edge of the Sahel region is becoming a new stronghold for jihadists, as militants turn forests and pastoral networks in West Africa into bases for recruitment and international attacks.
Attacks in Nigeria have also risen, with data from the website of the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), a conflict-monitoring group, affirming that the number of suicide bombings in Nigeria by March already matched the annual average over the past six years.
The Nigerian military has also been dealt a blow to its military bases and senior figures targeted. In April, Brigadier-General Oseni Omoh Braimah was killed when Islamist fighters attacked a base in Borno State.
To also meet the defence goal, Nigeria is stepping up efforts to build domestic arms-manufacturing capacity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria and Morocco are set to sign a major intergovernmental agreement later this year to push forward the long-delayed Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline project, a multi-billion-dollar energy corridor expected to reshape gas trade across West Africa and Europe.
The agreement, expected to be signed in the fourth quarter of 2026 by President Bola Tinubu and King Mohammed VI of Morocco, follows the completion of preliminary technical studies for the ambitious project, according to officials from both countries.
The pipeline, also known as the African Atlantic Gas Pipeline, is projected to stretch about 6,900 kilometres along offshore and onshore routes across West Africa, making it one of the largest gas infrastructure projects on the continent.
With an estimated cost of $25 billion, the pipeline is designed to transport up to 30 billion cubic metres of gas annually once completed.
Discussions on the project gained fresh momentum during a telephone conversation between Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and her Moroccan counterpart, Mr Nasser Bourita.
The project would not only strengthen energy cooperation between the two countries but also improve regional economic integration and expand Africa’s access to European energy markets.
According to Morocco’s hydrocarbons and mining agency, ONHYM, part of the gas supply will support Morocco’s domestic energy demand, while large export volumes will be directed to Europe.
The project, first proposed about a decade ago, is seen as a strategic alternative gas supply route amid rising global energy security concerns and Europe’s search for more diversified energy sources.
Beyond the pipeline, Nigeria and Morocco are also exploring broader economic partnerships, particularly in fertiliser production and distribution to support food security across Africa.
Both countries also agreed on the need to revive the Nigeria-Morocco Business Council to strengthen trade and investment relations under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework.
Analysts noted that the project could significantly boost gas monetisation opportunities for Nigeria, expand regional infrastructure development, and deepen economic ties between West African nations and Europe if successfully executed.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism10 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn