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No More Negotiations with Bandits – Defense Minister, Musa issues Warning to Governors
The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (retd.), has said the Federal Government has repeatedly cautioned state and local governments against entering negotiations or making deals with terrorists and bandits, warning that such arrangements weaken national security operations and encourage criminal networks to expand.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Musa stated this during an interview with BBC Hausa, where he dismissed dialogue, ransom payments and peace deals with armed groups as counterproductive, describing them as traps often used by criminals to regroup and strike again.
According to the Defence Minister, armed groups operating across Nigeria are not interested in genuine peace talks, but rather see negotiation as a tactical advantage.
“These people do not understand negotiation. Negotiation is deception,” Musa said, noting that agreements reached with them are rarely honoured.
He pointed to previous cases where discussions with bandits reportedly collapsed shortly after they were initiated, citing developments in parts of Katsina State as an example. Musa said the Federal Government had earlier advised against such engagements, but some communities still went ahead.
He warned that continued negotiations at sub-national levels create confusion and weaken the efforts of the military and other security agencies.
“We have sent messages and held discussions, clearly stating that this undermines our work,” he said, adding that allowing negotiations to thrive could open the door for criminal groups to operate under the excuse of being “in talks” while violence persists.
Musa said the Federal Government has reached out to states and communities believed to be involved in negotiations, urging them to halt the practice. However, he acknowledged that in a democratic setting, security forces cannot impose directives on civil authorities the same way they would in a military structure.
Still, the Defence Minister expressed confidence that the states would comply.
“We have spoken to them, and they will stop. I am confident they will stop,” he said, dismissing claims that state authorities could be acting beyond federal influence.
On ransom payments, Musa described the practice as dangerous and capable of worsening the kidnapping crisis by making abductions financially attractive.
“Ransom payment is completely wrong,” he said. “If people believe that kidnappings automatically lead to ransom payments, it will not end well.”
He urged citizens to report kidnapping incidents immediately to security agencies instead of paying money to secure the release of victims.
Musa also rejected insinuations that the Federal Government quietly pays ransom behind the scenes, insisting that the government does not fund kidnappers. He maintained that while private individuals may sometimes pay out of desperation, such actions do not represent federal policy.
“As far as the federal government is concerned, we do not pay ransom,” he said.
The Defence Minister further dismissed rumours surrounding the abduction of children in Niger State, where speculation suggested that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, held talks with kidnappers or facilitated payments. Musa described the claims as unfounded, saying military tracking and rescue operations often explain the urgency seen during such incidents.
He said in many cases, victims are recovered without any financial settlement, as kidnappers abandon them when they sense pressure from security forces.
On the continued activities of bandits in several parts of the country, Musa said the challenge is linked to Nigeria’s size and the ability of armed groups to shift operations to poorly-secured areas.
“They move away from areas where troops are present and operate where there is little or no security presence,” he said.
He appealed to Nigerians to support the fight against insecurity by reporting suspicious movements, noting that public cooperation remains a critical tool for disrupting criminal operations.
Musa also urged state governments to go beyond security deployment by addressing the social and economic conditions that make recruitment into armed groups easier. He called for stronger investment in education, job creation, and basic healthcare services.
According to him, hunger and poverty remain key drivers of insecurity, as more people are drawn into criminal networks due to hardship.
“When there is hunger and poverty, more people are drawn to them,” he said.
Responding to allegations that some officials collaborate with criminals, Musa dismissed such claims, insisting the armed forces remain committed to restoring peace and stability nationwide.
He acknowledged that the country is going through a difficult period but assured Nigerians that security agencies are determined to succeed.
“Nigeria is going through a very difficult time,” he said.
Musa added that no country has enough security personnel to solve such challenges purely through manpower, stressing the need for technology, intelligence and strong citizen support.
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The Oyo State Police Command has announced an operational success recorded following an intelligence-led operation.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
Acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Command intercepted a truck conveying materials suspected to be explosive devices during a stop-and-search operation in Saki, Oyo State. The truck and the suspected materials were promptly secured and are currently in police custody.
Upon receiving a briefing on the development, the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, CP Femi Haruna, immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter.
Consequently, specialised personnel of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit and the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Unit were deployed to safely secure the items for safekeeping and forensic examination. Detailed forensic analysis has since commenced, alongside a thorough and robust investigation to determine the exact nature of the items and their intended use.
The truck driver has been taken into custody and is cooperating fully with investigators as efforts continue to unravel all the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Commissioner of Police commended the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, for his unwavering support, strategic leadership, and continued provision of operational guidance that enhance proactive, intelligence-driven policing across the country.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
One person has died and another sustained injuries following an assault by suspected armed bandits in Apa Local Government Area of Benue State.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
According to sources, the attack took place on January 24 around 4:00 p.m. along the Amoke–Odugbo road in Ukpogo Village, Edikwu Ward.
The victims, identified as Mr Joseph Okoh and Miss Aneh Sunday, both from Ogodumo, Adoka in Otukpo LGA, were reportedly riding a motorcycle when the assailants struck.
“They were rushed to the Comprehensive Health Centre, Ugbokpo, where Mr Okoh was confirmed dead while receiving treatment. Miss Sunday is currently admitted and responding to treatment,” the source stated.
Nigerian troops were quickly deployed to the area, and a search operation in the surrounding bushes is ongoing to apprehend the attackers.
“The Criminal Investigation Department has commenced an investigation into the incident,” the source added.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has scrapped special concessions and registration procedures previously granted to candidates with albinism for the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, citing abuse of the privilege to perpetrate examination malpractice.....TAP TO CONTINUE READING
The Board also warned faith-based tertiary institutions to clearly declare their religious status at the point of admission, saying it is deceptive to present as secular and later impose religious rules on students.
As reported by Vanguard, these decisions were taken on Saturday at a meeting between JAMB management, led by its Registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, and Commissioners for Education from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, held in Ikeja, Lagos.
Oloyede said the meeting was convened to review and assess previous admission exercises.
He noted that despite safeguards introduced by the Board, some individuals remained determined to circumvent the system.
“We have stopped some concessions we gave albino candidates. This is because some are using artificial intelligence to manipulate the registration process to look like they are albinos because of the consideration we gave them.
“Last year alone, over 7,000 claimed to be albinos. We have stopped special registration procedures for albinos,” he said.
Addressing complaints from candidates admitted into some private institutions over compulsory religious instruction, Oloyede urged faith-based schools to be transparent.
“Faith-based institutions should declare from the onset what they are, so that whoever applies there will know what he is going to meet there. But some don’t do that. They will pretend to be secular, but once students are admitted, trouble will begin over religious instruction and injunctions.
“If you are a faith-based institution, say so. The law allows you to set up faith-based schools,” he said.
On last year’s UTME, where the highest-scoring candidate was later found to be a 300-level university student, the JAMB registrar said investigations showed that some undergraduates sit for the examination to change courses or assist others to secure admission.
“Students who are already in school but want to change courses and are applying again must declare and disclose their status.
“We have found that some candidates already in school are writing the examination for other candidates. Last year, the candidate who scored the highest was found to be a 300-level student in the university.
“Henceforth, any candidate found engaging in such an act, and who fails to disclose that he is already in school but wants to change course, will be disqualified and will also lose his current admission,” he said.
On admission criteria, Oloyede explained that federal government-owned institutions allocate 45 per cent on merit, 20 per cent on catchment area, 20 per cent to educationally disadvantaged states, while the remaining slots are allocated to other considerations.
“Each owner or state has the right to decide what its admission criteria will be. But for states, we encourage them to allocate at least 10 per cent to merit, regardless of where the candidates come from.
“This is to diversify the student population and admit eggheads from different communities,” he said.
He criticised some states for establishing new universities despite not fully utilising their admission quotas in existing federal institutions.
On underage candidates, Oloyede said 16 years remained the minimum admission age, noting that an attestation process was in place for exceptional cases.
“Last year, about 42,000 claimed to be underage. After evaluation, only 78 met the criteria and were admitted. We are not saying there are no talented candidates, but the figure looks outlandish,” he said.
The issue of how to engage underage candidates during a gap year divided opinions at the meeting, but a majority voted for JAMB to continue its special assessment process.
The meeting also observed that parental pressure on children to complete their education too quickly was a major contributor to the problem.
On efforts to curb examination malpractice, Oloyede said JAMB had stopped the movement of computers between Computer-Based Test centres.
“A computer registered in a particular centre will remain there and is not transferable to another centre. Some people borrow computers to get accredited and later move them around,” he said.
He dismissed claims that candidates were posted to towns they did not choose, saying personal data used for registration were drawn directly from the National Identification Number submitted by candidates.
Providing an update on the 2025 UTME, Oloyede said 974,855 candidates had so far been admitted out of about 1.95 million who sat for the examination.
He added that over N2.4 billion had been disbursed to institutions that consistently complied with JAMB’s rules over the past 10 years, and that the meeting agreed that schools producing the best candidates should be compensated.
On accreditation of CBT centres, Oloyede said the process involved teams comprising university vice-chancellors, rectors and provosts in each state.
He warned state governments against agreements with private promoters who might use centres to facilitate malpractice.
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Art & Commercial students don’t fail JAMB because they’re dull. They fail because they’re taught like Science students. Science students calculate — JAMB rewards that. Art students explain — JAMB doesn’t. So you read hard, attend lessons, yet your score disappoints you. This online class fixes that. No theory overload. No confusion. Just real JAMB questions, clear breakdowns, and winning strategies. 📌 JAMB is not hard — you were just taught the wrong way.Click The Link To Reach Us Now 👉 https://wa.me/2349063958940
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