Fresh controversy has erupted in Enugu State as documents circulating online reveal that community leaders in Opi, Nsukka LGA, had previously raised alarms over the appointment of Emmanuel Emeka Nwangwu—the man now accused in the killing of 19-year-old Loveth Uloma—as their Chief Security Officer.

Public outrage intensified after it emerged that Uloma had reported years of alleged abuse to the police, yet no prosecution followed. The Enugu State Police Command confirmed that Nwangwu admitted to wrongdoing during the complaint process but was released after the victim’s family reportedly opted for a “spiritual resolution.”

Read Also: Gruesome Tragedy: Man arrested for murder of teen cousin who reported him for years-long sexual abuse

According to the police spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, “The suspect and family were invited to the station, where he confessed, sought forgiveness and promised to return her property. The family, citing personal ties, initially chose not to prosecute.”

But documents now in wide circulation suggest the issue extended far beyond the police encounter. Leaders of Ibeku Opi community had formally protested Nwangwu’s appointment months earlier, alleging a history of misconduct and warning that he was unfit to hold any security position.

A petition dated May 21, 2025—acknowledged by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government—described Nwangwu as a “trans-border kidnapper” and detailed earlier allegations of extortion, identity manipulation and other abuses. The letter, signed by community President General Barr. Oliver Ezeah and Secretary General John Chinwendu Ezugwu, urged the government to revoke his appointment immediately.

Community leaders argued they had previously briefed Nsukka LGA officials, who initially assured them that Nwangwu would not be appointed. Yet in April 2025, the appointment was approved.

The petition noted:
“Supporting documents are hereby attached for your perusal. We beseech you to intervene… and appoint any other person without criminal records, knowing full well that the government is sincere in fighting crime.”

Despite these warnings, Nwangwu remained in the position until the incident that has now sparked nationwide anger.

Officials of Nsukka LGA have since distanced themselves from him, repeatedly stating in public communications that Nwangwu was not an official appointee of the council. But critics argue that such denials do little to explain how he retained a security role despite explicit community objections.

Across Nigerian social media, calls for accountability are growing—not only for Nwangwu but also for individuals and institutions whose decisions, oversight failures or alleged shielding enabled him to remain in a sensitive position.

Stakeholders are demanding a transparent investigation into the chain of events that preceded Uloma’s death and a full accounting of why repeated red flags went unacted upon.

A petition filed by a group calling itself the Concerned Law Students of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti has urged the National Universities Commission (NUC) and the Council of Legal Education to probe the professorial title awarded to the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru (SAN).

In the petition dated December 7, 2025, and signed by Comrade K. Akanbi, the students allege that Otaru may have improperly influenced the university to secure the academic rank, describing the conferment as “a great academic fraud” that undermines the credibility of Nigerian legal education.

The petition claims Otaru, a senior advocate based in Ilorin, Kwara State, earned his PhD only two years ago from a private university in Ogun State and has never taught or examined postgraduate law students in any Nigerian institution.
“Mr. Otaru has no record of teaching or postgraduate supervision to justify appointment as Associate Professor, let alone Professor of Law,” the petition reads. “We request an investigation into the circumstances surrounding this conferment and that those responsible be held accountable.”

The students accuse the university of “lowering its academic standards” and threaten a week-long protest in January 2026 if the matter is ignored. “Our lecturers know the truth but are afraid of shaking tables,” the group added.

Otaru: ‘This Is an Attempt to Undermine My Rising Profile’

Responding to the allegations, Otaru dismissed the claims as politically motivated. He insisted his professorial rank was legitimately approved by the university’s Senate.

“It is very funny,” he said. “The Senate conferred the title on me, and I have the letter to that effect. I was not the only one honoured—there were about four of us. I delivered the lecture on December 9, 2024.”

He cited his academic and professional qualifications, including a PhD, two Master’s degrees, multiple professional fellowships, and 20 years as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. “What are they talking about? Someone may have engineered this because of my rising profile,” he said, denying any form of inducement.

A staff member in the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs, who asked not to be named, said they were unaware of any group with the name “Concerned Law Students,” raising further questions about the origins of the petition.

PDP Calls for Transparent Probe

The controversy has attracted political attention, with the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) calling on state authorities to intervene.
In a statement, Publicity Secretary Dan Osa-Ogbegie, Esq., described the allegations as “disturbing” and said a professorship “is not an ornament of political prestige.”

“Professorship is a hard-earned academic rank achieved through transparent scholarly progression, verifiable teaching records, postgraduate supervision, and recognised intellectual contributions,” he said.

He urged Governor Monday Okpebholo to address the matter publicly and asked the state assembly to “redeem its battered dignity” by establishing a credible investigative committee.

The controversy is expected to deepen as stakeholders await formal reactions from the NUC and the Council of Legal Education.

Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has praised the Court of Appeal for launching special sittings across its divisions to reduce case backlogs—an initiative he said demonstrates the judiciary’s commitment to confronting public frustration over delays in justice delivery.

Speaking at the opening of the Court of Appeal’s 2025/2026 Legal Year in Abuja, Fagbemi acknowledged recent criticism of the judiciary, describing it as a reminder of the institution’s central role in Nigeria’s democracy.

“In recent months, the judiciary has come under scrutiny and criticism, often marked by misrepresentations of judicial decisions,” he said. “These criticisms, whether fair or misplaced, highlight the delicate balance between judicial authority, public trust, and perception.”

Fagbemi also warned that Nigeria’s worsening insecurity—ranging from terrorism and banditry to kidnappings and violent crime—poses a profound threat to the rule of law. “The judiciary, as the guardian of justice, must lend its weight to national efforts to combat insecurity,” he said.

Wike: Tinubu Will Keep Investing in the Judiciary

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who also spoke at the event, said President Bola Tinubu remains committed to strengthening the judiciary through investments that boost productivity and reduce delays. He announced new budgetary provisions for residential housing for FCT High Court judges to address longstanding accommodation challenges.

Court of Appeal: Electoral Litigation Is Draining Resources

Earlier, President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, lamented the overwhelming caseload confronting the court—particularly election disputes.

“Electoral matters consumed our time and energy,” she said, noting that although general elections have passed, post-election litigation from off-season governorship and legislative contests continues to flood the court.

She urged lawyers and litigants to embrace alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to ease pressure on the system. “Endless litigation drains our scarce resources. We are currently in serious debt,” she warned. “Democracy cannot flourish if every electoral contest is dragged into the courtroom.”

Over 31,000 Appeals Still Pending

Dongban-Mensem disclosed that during the 2024/2025 Legal Year, the court received 5,225 appeals and 9,906 motions, while concluding 3,193 appeals and 5,623 motions.
Of the appeals decided, 2,503 were dismissed, while 690 were allowed.

As of October 31, the Court of Appeal still had 31,618 pending appeals and 3,382 pending motions—a reduction from the previous year’s 41,952 pending appeals, which she described as “a clear improvement.”

She credited the progress to the sacrifices and professionalism of the justices. “This commitment to justice is reflected not only in their decisions, but also in the respectful and open atmosphere we cultivate,” she said.

ADR Centre: 121 Cases Managed, 34 Resolved

The PCA reported that the Court’s ADR Centre handled 121 mediation matters across Abuja, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Jos.
Of these, 34 cases were successfully resolved, 26 returned to the court for adjudication, and **61 remained pending.

She said ADR continues to play a vital role in reducing docket congestion and improving access to timely justice nationwide.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed 24 February 2026, for hearing in a suit instituted by the founder of PRNigeria, Malam Yushau A. Shuaib, against the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Plateau State, challenging his withdrawal from the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the Institute.

Justice Binta Nyako had fixed the matter for hearing on 8 December, but when the matter came up on Monday, it turned out that it had been adjourned to next year without the usual formal announcement in the open court.

Parties in the matter and others who had come to observe the proceedings were shocked to see in the cause list that the matter had been moved to 2026.

Shuaib had dragged NIPSS before the Court to challenge his unlawful and arbitrary withdrawal from the Senior Executive Course (SEC) 47 of the Institute after his admission had been approved by President Bola Tinubu and the necessary payment and conditions had been fully met.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1329/2025, Shuaib, a renowned public relations expert, is demanding ₦1 billion in general, special, and aggravated damages against NIPSS over emotional trauma and reputational damage he suffered as a result of the unlawful and unjust action of NIPSS against him

He is also seeking an additional ₦100 million as litigation costs, having issued a pre-action notice on June 16, 2025, to the Institute’s Director General, Professor Ayo Omotayo, which was allegedly ignored by the management.

The case, filed on his behalf by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Yunus Abdulsalam, seeks a court order setting aside his withdrawal from SEC 47 and reinstating him with full rights, benefits, and privileges.

Shuaib is also asking for a perpetual injunction restraining NIPSS, its agents, or officials from further harassment, intimidation, or cyberbullying.

In his originating summons, the plaintiff raised eight issues for determination. He argued that the publication of a news article by PRNigeria, an independent media organisation, cannot lawfully be attributed to him as misconduct when he neither authored nor endorsed it.

He also questioned whether NIPSS’s alleged access and use of his private email without consent violated his constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

Shuaib further contended that disciplinary action against him for professional opinions expressed in a published article breached his right to freedom of expression guaranteed by Section 39(1).

He argued that barring other participants from interacting with him and removing him from official platforms amounted to harassment, cyberbullying, and forced isolation.

He maintained that denying him participation in the international study tour, despite his full payment of ₦18.3 million course fees, constituted discrimination and breach of contract.

Shuaib also faulted his suspension and withdrawal from the course based on alleged “externalisation of the subject” without a fair hearing, describing it as a violation of his constitutional right under Section 36(1).

He is therefore seeking declarations that the actions of NIPSS were unlawful, unjustifiable, discriminatory, and unsupported by any regulation guiding the institute.

In a 40-paragraph affidavit, Shuaib stated that he was nominated by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) to represent it at the course, a nomination approved by the President of Nigeria.

He attached his admission letter, proof of payment of ₦18.3 million, and evidence of compliance with NIPSS requirements, including handing over of responsibilities at his company, Image Merchants Promotion Limited, publishers of PRNigeria.

He alleged that despite complying with institutional rules, he was subjected to harassment, intimidation, and arbitrary disciplinary actions.

According to him, on March 24, he received a query over a PRNigeria article titled “NIPSS Goes Digital; Launches Paperless Platform after Submitting Landmark Report to President Tinubu.”

Shuaib insisted he neither authored nor edited the article, which other media outlets had widely reported.

He further alleged that on April 25, NIPSS again queried him about an internal email concerning an editorial, “Understanding the ‘Blue’ in the Blue Economy.”

He stated the article was a professional reflection containing no sensitive information, yet NIPSS intercepted it before it could be published.

Shuaib claimed that the queries were unfounded and not supported by the NIPSS Code of Conduct. He further alleged that his withdrawal letter dated June 2, 2025, was curiously addressed only to NIPR without being officially served on him.

The plaintiff is asking the court to reinstate him into SEC 47 with full privileges, to declare that NIPSS has no authority to penalise him for content published by an independent platform, to hold that accessing his private emails violated his constitutional rights, and to declare his withdrawal unlawful, unjustifiable, and discriminatory.

A Kuwaiti civil servant has been sentenced to five years in prison after collecting a decade’s worth of government salaries without showing up to work—a case authorities describe as one of the country’s most striking examples of public-sector salary fraud.

According to Kuwaiti media, the Court of Cassation handed down the tough sentence and ordered the unnamed worker to repay roughly $339,000 in salaries he never earned, along with double that amount as a financial penalty, bringing the total fine to about $1 million.

Court records show the man held a position in the Citizens’ Service Department but failed to report for duty for ten years, even as his salary continued to hit his bank account monthly. The anomaly eventually triggered a criminal probe into unlawful enrichment and abuse of public funds.

Although two lower courts had previously acquitted him, the Court of Cassation overturned those rulings, describing the evidence as overwhelming and the misconduct deliberate.
Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas reported that the ruling stands among the strongest anti-corruption judgments in recent years, part of a broader effort to clamp down on absenteeism and “ghost workers” within the public sector.

Nigeria faces a similar Problem—but with a global twist

The case echoes a growing scandal in Nigeria, where President Bola Tinubu recently ordered a nationwide crackdown after revelations that some government employees who emigrated abroad continue to receive monthly salaries from their former offices.

Earlier this year, the BBC uncovered the case of a UK-based taxi driver who still receives his Nigerian government salary—150,000 naira (about $100)—despite leaving the country two years ago without resigning. The man, identified under a pseudonym, said he kept the job as a “backup plan” and maintained the arrangement through an understanding with a senior official who happens to be a relative.

President Tinubu said he was “struck” by reports of civil servants drawing salaries from overseas and vowed that not only should the salaries be refunded, but supervisors who enabled the fraud “must also be punished.”

Nigeria has long struggled with the phenomenon known locally as ghost-working, where individuals—sometimes entirely fictitious—are kept on government payrolls. Despite repeated purges, independent estimates suggest thousands of such cases remain undetected.

Tinubu’s critics, however, argue that while the administration frequently announces reforms, concrete follow-through remains weak. They point to high-profile spending on new presidential aircraft and luxury residences as examples that contradict the government’s stated commitment to cutting waste.

For both Kuwait and Nigeria, the cases underscore an enduring and costly challenge: entrenched public-sector corruption that continues to drain national resources even as governments pledge reform.

An international organisation, Blueprint for Free Speech, on 3 December 2025, announced Nnamdi Emeh as one of the winners of its Whistleblowing Prize, which celebrates individuals exposing corruption and human rights abuses.

Nnamdi Emeh, a young man who has spent almost three years in a correctional centre in Anambra State for alleged whistleblowing. The 2025 awards marked the eighth edition of the global recognition programme.

According to organisers, the prizes highlighted disclosures against institutions including Meta, South Africa’s state training institution, Ecuador’s armed forces, and the Nigerian police

Blueprint said the awards underscored the vital role whistleblowers play in exposing corruption in multinational corporations, public offices, and armed forces, while also drawing attention to the severe retaliation many face,  ranging from gag orders to imprisonment and assassination attempts.

And while others collected their awards on stage, Emeh remained remanded at the Anambra Correctional Centre, despite having been granted bail by the court.

Emeh’s ordeal began during his National Youth Service Corps year in 2022, when he was posted as an IT consultant to the Anambra Rapid Response Squad, where he was tasked with helping the police track criminals using technology.

In February 2023, a popular blog, Gistlover, published allegations against Anambra police officer Patrick Agbazue, accusing him of kidnapping, extortion, killing, and even harvesting organs. The report further claimed that Agbazue transferred the bodies of those who died in custody to New World Mortuary in Nteje, Anambra.

Following the allegations, the Police Service Commission launched an investigation and took Agbazue into custody for claims of torture, illegal detention, and other abuses, before transferring him to Abuja for further questioning. Then Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, also set up a panel to probe the claims.

After the leak, Emeh’s identity was revealed on social media as the source of the information, prompting him to flee to Benin Republic. He was arrested in March 2023 on an Interpol Red Notice and returned to Nigeria.

The police subsequently filed 12 charges against him, including illegal possession of firearms, money laundering, defamation, hacking into the account of Chibuike Martins Ekwueme, and transferring N47m from the account to another.

In 2023, Justice F.O. Riman granted Emeh bail in the sum of N50m with two sureties of like sum, requiring landed property within the jurisdiction and proof of three years’ tax payment.

Nnamdi’s counsel, Justus Ijeomah, told our correspondent on Sunday that both the police and court officials tried to frustrate the process of perfecting the bail.

He explained that the authorities even requested a new set of sureties without explanation.

He said, “When we wanted to perfect the bail, one of the things we noticed was that Nnamdi’s passport was in the custody of the police in Abuja, and part of the conditions is to deposit the passport with the registrar of the court. So we told the court to expunge the part of that condition or order the police to release the passport. So the police released the passport at the order of the court,” Ijeomah said.

“While we were trying to perfect the bail, the hearing commenced and in the process, Justice Riman passed away, and the hearing was stalled. While still trying to perfect the bail, we noticed that the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court apparently became a stumbling block for us to perfect the bail, and this made me write a petition against her at the Federal High Court. It was at that point that I left the case, and a learned Senior Advocate took over.”

Beyond alleged motives to keep him incarcerated, there were serious concerns for Emeh’s safety while in police and prison custody.

He said, “We started intervening in the matter from the moment Nnamdi was to be brought back from Abuja to Anambra when there was apprehension that certain ominous things were to befall him in the hands of those who were bringing him back. So we engaged the police to ensure his rights were not violated.”

The counsel also clarified that Emeh denied releasing the information to the blog, describing the claims attributed to him as mere speculation.

For Prof Ikechukwu Emeh, the international recognition of his only child came with mixed feelings. “I’m excited about that. Okay, to start this. I’m excited. We are happy. I’m happy about the award. It allows the world to know what is going on with my son, and then in the rotten society we are living in,” he told our correspondent on Sunday.

According to him, Nnamdi is expected in court again on Tuesday to face hearings on charges ranging from money laundering and fraud to impersonation and defamation. He also noted that the police did not accuse his son of giving false information, which he claimed was significant.

Describing the ordeal as traumatic, the octogenarian recalled the family’s struggle to meet the strict bail conditions set by the Federal High Court in Awka, which required two sureties with property within the court’s jurisdiction. He also accused the police of blocking the bail applications at critical stages.

“It has been a harrowing experience for the entire family, a huge trauma. To begin with, all these court appearances and the police kept complicating matters at every turn. They were supposed to grant him bail, and we were supposed to perfect the bail conditions. At one point, in May 2024, we finally managed to meet the bail conditions after spending a lot of money, and the judge signed the release order for him to be freed. Then the prosecuting police officer came to court and blocked it,” he said.

With court delays and police interference, the financial cost has been overwhelming. The academic also lamented the toll on his health and that of his wife: “We are completely impoverished to hire a lawyer, some of them who charge up to N8m just to come and defend him. Some of the sureties, too, we spent over N10m on them. Every time we get them, the police will block his release. I am completely impoverished, and I’m now suffering from high blood pressure. My wife is suffering from high blood pressure. We are completely devastated by this case.”

The continued remand of Emeh despite being granted bail by the court has been widely condemned by civil society organisations worldwide. Police authorities have also been petitioned by rights activists.

Our correspondent gathered that the investigation into the allegations against the officers has yet to be made public, and the implicated officers remain in active service.

Executive Director of Nigerian civil rights group, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the fundamental problem in Emeh’s case is impunity.

He said the police treated Emeh not as a whistleblower who exposed grave human rights abuses, but as an enemy to be crushed.

“Instead of investigating the serious allegations of extrajudicial killings, organ harvesting, and extortion, the police turned their machinery against the messenger. What followed has been a systematic abuse of the criminal justice process, the use of trumped-up charges, manipulation of court processes, transfer of the suspect across multiple detention facilities, and deliberate disobedience of court orders. His prolonged incarceration, despite meeting bail conditions and having a signed release warrant, can only be explained as an attempt to silence him and shield those implicated,” he disclosed.

He noted that Nigeria has virtually no functional protection for whistleblowers, particularly those exposing security agencies.

The Executive Director of the international NGO, Blueprint for Free Speech, Suelette Dreyfus, also called for immediate action.

She said, “We call for the immediate release of Nnamdi Emeh in accordance with judicial orders issued by the Nigerian courts. He has been granted bail and should not spend a minute longer in jail. We are not pronouncing on the veracity or otherwise of the allegations being made about grave human rights abuses committed by members of the Nigerian police.

“Many unanswered questions remain in this case, but the safety of whistleblowers who bring to light any evidence of wrongdoing in the public interest remains of paramount importance. The Nigerian authorities must investigate the threats against Nnamdi Emeh’s life without delay, and ensure his safety while in custody and upon his release.”

Efforts to reach the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, were unsuccessful as calls and text messages were not returned at the time of filing this report.

Credits: PUNCH

Press Release

Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) – has condemned the Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, for commending communities affected by insecurity for holding peace deals with bandits in the state.

Radda stated this last weekend during his visit to Batsari and Danmusa local councils as part of his ongoing tour of the state.

HURIWA, in a media statement endorsed by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko said any sort of approval of peace talks that would lead to the non-prosecution of terrorists for the crimes against humanity they committed and the bloodshed they unleashed on communities and citizens of Nigeria amounted to a support for terrorists which is delegitimised and criminalised by the extant counter terrorism law of Nigeria.

The Rights group quoted the governor as saying that the peace deal entered into with bandits has yielded positive results in councils that were affected by insecurity.

The Rights group, quoting media report stated that as proof, the governor, during the tour, drove on the road that passes through the dreaded Danburum forest in Batsari Local Council.

The forest, the media recalled was a haven for bandits and hundreds of people have lost their lives there, among other atrocities committed by the bandits. However, with the recent deal between communities and bandits, the forest has become relatively peaceful, with farming and related activities gradually picking up.

The Rights group said the media reported that the governor’s convoy briefly stopped in the middle of the forest on Friday and some passengers disembarked, trekked some distance into the forest, and picked some edible wild fruits that they ate. A source in the convoy said some of the fruits were later given to the governor and some of the dignitaries with him.

The governor said though the state is not totally free from the activities of bandits, the peace deal has led to improved security in communities affected by the challenge.

“We thank God that the peace deal initiative organised by the communities is yielding a very positive result. “I can say that in the last few days, I have not received one single incident in the state from the security forces like I had been receiving,” he said.

HURIWA however blasted the governor and charged the security forces to investigate the governor for his statement which is tantamount to providing support for terrorists just as the Rights group said for the country to defeat terrorists, the law against the support of terrorists and the counter terrorism law specifically must be implemented to a logical conclusion.

“It is unfortunate that in some sections of Nigeria, those who swore oaths of office and pledged allegiance to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are the same persons now putting up defensive propositions and approving meetings with terrorists who have declared war against the Sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To say that we are disappointed with the Katsina state governor is to put it mildly. We are calling for his investigation and for the Intelligence community to put the governor on their watch list of individuals suspected to have openly canvassed support for terrorists.

HURIWA recalled that in Nigeria, supporting terrorism, including soliciting or rendering support (financial, material, or otherwise) for terrorist acts or groups, carries a severe penalty of at least 20 years imprisonment, under the Terrorism (Prevention) Act (TPA) as amended, with the potential for the death penalty if death results from the terrorist act, especially under the newer 2022 Act. Other offenses like attending terrorist meetings also attract minimum 20-year sentences.

Key Penalties Under Nigerian Law:
• Soliciting/Rendering Support: Anyone who knowingly solicits or provides support for a terrorist act or group faces a minimum of 20 years in prison.
• Terrorist Meetings: Attending meetings to support a proscribed organization is punishable by at least 20 years imprisonment.
• Terrorist Acts Leading to Death: The law provides for the death penalty if a terrorist act results in death, covering offenses like hostage-taking and attacks on protected persons.
• Other Related Offences: Penalties for other offenses, such as harbouring terrorists, training, recruitment, and dealing with terrorist property, also carry minimum 20-year sentences.
Legal Framework:
• The primary law is the Terrorism (Prevention) Act (TPA), updated by the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.
• These acts establish stringent penalties, focusing on lengthy minimum jail terms for many terrorism-related crimes, notes the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) website.

Besides, HURIWA said the federal government must be resolute in the implementation and enforcement of the components of the counter terrorism strategies embodied in the recently declared state of security emergency in Nigeria to rescue the over seven thousand victims of abductions by terrorists who are languishing in the forests across 7 states located mostly in the North West of Nigeria.

HURIWA had expected that since over a week that emergency declaration was made in the defence and national security sector, that there would have been improvements in the area of the effectiveness of the security architecture, sadly, there has been no respite from terrorist attacks as the terrorists have renewed their onslaught against Nigerians. Thousands of the victims have been killed, many are living in IDPs camps while thousands of others are still languishing in terrorist camps scattered across the country especially in the north.

HURIWA gathered from media investigation that from Sokoto to Zamfara, Niger to Kwara, Kaduna, Kogi and Kano, armed groups are holding men, women, children, farmers, students and even monarchs in captivity—some for months, others for years—as the nation watches a humanitarian catastrophe deepen.

The Rights organisation noted that although the exact number of those still in captivity in Niger state cannot be officially ascertained, no fewer than 376 persons abducted from the state are believed to still be held captive by the terrorists.

The latest kidnap was that of pupils, students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic school, Papiri in Agwara Local Government Area of the state where 315 people were ferried into the forest two weeks ago.

HURIWA recalled that however, 50 of them were said to have miraculously escaped as they were being taken into the forest. As at now, 265 persons, comprising 239 nursery/primary school pupils, 14 secondary school students and 14 members of staff of the school are still with the bandits in an unknown destination.

In Kwara state, no fewer than twelve persons including a monarch Oba Ojibara of Bayagan, Alh Rafiu Salami was abducted penultimate Saturday in his farm in Bayagan in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state while one Fulani (whose identity could not be ascertained at press time) and had lived in Isapa Ekiti local government for many years was reportedly abducted for close to a month. Indication emerged that ten persons abducted in Isapa last week Monday evening around 7pm are still in the captivity of the terrorists.

HURIWA quoted a public analyst and social commentator, Altine Guyawa, as informing that no fewer than 500 residents of Sokoto state are currently being held captive by armed kidnappers operating across 13 local government areas of Sokoto state. Guyawa described the situation as “a humanitarian disaster that is worsening by the day.”

He said that 260 victims, including women, are being held in Goronyo, Sabon Birni, and Isa Local Government Areas. He explained that in Kware and Wurno Local Government Areas alone, 36 abducted persons remain in captivity as their abductors continue to demand ransom.

In Rabah, Tureta, and Dange/Shuni, kidnappers are still holding 56 victims, many of whom have spent months in harsh conditions deep inside forest camps. Guyawa further revealed that another 136 victims are being held in Illela, Tangaza, Gudu, Binji, and Silame Local Government Areas, with most families unable to raise the millions of naira demanded for their release. He added that an unspecified number of victims are being held in Kebbe Local Government Area in the southern part of the state, where access to communities has become increasingly dangerous.

The Rights group described as devastating the statistical data that emerged from Zamfara showing that it has the single largest numbers of Nigerians still being held in captivity deep inside the dreaded Zamfara forests just as the figure was put by experts at over 6,000 kidnapped victims in captivity in Zamfara

In Zamfara state, although there were no official records of the number of kidnapped victims in captivity, it was gathered from members of the communities that over six thousand victims are still being held in over 100 terrorist camps scattered across forests in the state being operated by different leaders. HURIWA is advocating massive counter insurgency measures hy security forces to defeat terrorists. Nigerians are tired of excuses and stories from politicians and the National Security Adviser.

COMRADE EMMANUEL NNADOZIE ONWUBIKO,
NATIONAL COORDINATOR,
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA). SUNDAY, DECEMBER 7TH, 2025.

• Katsina Governor hails community peace deals with bandits

Months after insisting his administration would not negotiate with armed groups, Katsina State Governor Dikko Umar Radda is now praising several communities for securing unprecedented calm through locally driven peace deals with bandits who once terrorised the region.

Touring Batsari and Danmusa councils on Friday, Radda said the shift was nothing short of remarkable. His convoy passed through the Danburum forest, a route many residents long avoided due to years of ambushes, kidnappings, and fear. Today, the governor says, the mood on the ground is different.

“The peace deal initiative organised by communities is yielding very positive results,” he told reporters. He noted that for several days, the state recorded no major security alerts, a development he described as “almost unthinkable” earlier this year.

In a symbolic moment, officials accompanying the governor briefly stepped into the forest to pick wild fruits – a gesture meant to show that the area, once regarded as hostile, is slowly returning to normalcy.

Radda said the impact is already measurable: monthly medical bills for banditry victims have dropped from over ₦40 million to under ₦2 million, reflecting fewer attacks and casualties. Support payments for rescued victims and grieving families have also declined.

Still, he cautioned, Katsina is not entirely out of danger. He urged residents and religious leaders to remain vigilant and sustain the fragile peace. “We are not there yet, but the progress we’ve made is real,” he said.

Viral Video Sparks Outrage as Katsina Lawmaker Appears to Praise Bandit Leader

Meanwhile, a widely circulated video has ignited public fury across Nigeria after appearing to show a Katsina State lawmaker venturing into a forest to negotiate directly with armed bandits—without any security escort.

The footage, filmed in Hausa and now translated, shows the lawmaker addressing armed men with unusual deference, referring to their leader as a “Grand Commander of Peace.” The video has not yet been independently verified, but its political fallout has already begun.

In the recording, the official thanks the armed group for allegedly releasing 37 abducted individuals and claims that no resident from Bakori LGA remains in captivity. He further praises several Fulani leaders, who he says played a key role in the negotiations.

Controversial remarks in the video have triggered intense backlash, including:

• praising a bandit leader as “the Grand Commander of Peace”
• announcing a supposed “agreement” between the government and the armed group
• urging authorities not to carry out military operations against “peaceful bandits”
• requesting government projects — hospitals, water supply — for bandit-controlled areas
• suggesting smaller crimes should be tolerated so long as major attacks stop

Security analysts say if the video is genuine, it exposes the growing weakness of state authority and the expanding influence of non-state armed groups functioning as parallel power structures. It also highlights the desperation of some local officials who, lacking federal backing, turn to direct negotiations as a last resort.

The lawmaker concludes in the video by urging communities to work with the armed group to maintain “peace” and announces a joint committee between local leaders and bandits to settle disputes.

The state government has yet to formally respond.

Watch the viral video showing Katsina lawmaker entering the forest to negotiate with armed bandits below.