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The Southern and Middle Belt Leadership Forum (SMBLF) joins all people of conscience, faith-based bodies, civil society organisations, and the international community in unequivocally condemning the heinous and barbaric kidnapping of 177 innocent Adara natives from Kurmin Wali village, Afogo Ward, Kajuru Local Government Area of Southern Kaduna, in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

This reprehensible crime, which targeted harmless civilians worshipping peacefully in their community, is yet another tragic reminder of the unrelenting terror being visited upon indigenous populations of the Middle Belt. We stand firmly in solidarity with the Adara people, Southern Kaduna, and all victims of terrorism across the region.

What has further compounded this atrocity is the irresponsible and shocking public denial of the mass kidnapping by the Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Barr. Sule Shu’aibu (SAN); the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Rabiu; and the Chairman of Kajuru Local Government Council, Mr. Madaki Dauda. The SMBLF views this conduct not merely as a betrayal of public trust, but as a grave act of incompetence that undermined rescue efforts, emboldened the criminals, and gave the kidnappers valuable time to relocate their captives to remote terror enclaves.

Now that the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, has publicly affirmed that the kidnapping indeed occurred, there can be no moral or administrative justification for silence or inaction. We therefore expect the appropriate authorities to sanction all officials who deliberately misled the public, obstructed emergency response, or sought to trivialise the suffering of victims.

This grievous crime has once again validated the long-standing position of the SMBLF in strongly condemning the so-called amnesty programme granted to armed bandits and terrorists in Kaduna State. It is deeply insensitive and strategically reckless for the Kaduna State Government to continue offering free medical care, educational opportunities for the children of terrorists, and skills acquisition programmes to violent criminals who have neither surrendered their weapons nor renounced terrorism, while their victims are abandoned to trauma, displacement, and poverty.

Even more alarming is the reality that hundreds of indigenous communities in Southern Kaduna remain without any meaningful security presence, while scarce public resources are being expended on the welfare of those who have shed innocent blood.

Let it be clearly stated that the Middle Belt has increasingly become the most fertile ground for terrorist banditry, where human lives are commodified for ransom with little consequence for the perpetrators.
Recent events beyond Kaduna State further reinforce the dangerous pattern in the Middle Belt.

The horrifying abduction of over 300 school pupils and their teachers from Papiri community in, Agwara LGA of Niger State; the mass abduction of Christians during worship at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun, in Eruku town, located in the Ekiti LGA of Kwara State in the Middle Belt among others, provide chilling evidence of systematic attacks on Christian communities across Nigeria by Islamic terrorists.

These incidents lend weight to widespread affirmation about an unfolding Christian genocide through terror and state failure.

Our Demands

We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to immediately deploy all necessary military and intelligence resources to secure the safe rescue of the abducted, law-abiding citizens of Kurmin Wali.

All public officials who denied or downplayed this crime must be suspended and thoroughly investigated for their roles in obstructing justice and endangering lives.

Governor Uba Sani must urgently establish and properly fund community-based vigilante formations in every Southern Kaduna community, to serve as a first line of defence against terrorist incursions.
The Governors of the Middle Belt states must immediately form a Joint Regional Security Outfit, similar to the South-West model, to enhance intelligence sharing across state boundaries and to enable rapid, coordinated response to attacks.

The time for the formation of State Police is long overdue. The National Assembly must as a matter of urgency start working on a bill that will facilitate it.

The SMBL believes that only a restructured Nigeria with a new Constitution can qurantee the safety, progress and wellbeing of every citizen and we insist that Nigeria must be restructured largely based on the recommendations of 2014 National Conference.

This is the moment for Nigeria to activate and operationalise its security cooperation agreements with the United States and Israel, as it has become evident that Nigeria cannot defeat these transnational terror networks in isolation.

Conclusion.

We call on Governor Uba Sani to abandon the failed policy of appeasing terrorists and to place the welfare, safety, and security of law-abiding citizens above all other considerations. The lives of innocent Nigerians must never be treated as expendable.

The SMBLF assures the people of Adara land, Southern Kaduna, and the entire Middle Belt of our solid solidarity.

While we join all well-meaning Nigerians in prayer for the safe return of the hostages, we insist that prayers must be matched with decisive action.

The government must do everything necessary to ensure the immediate rescue of the abducted and to prevent the recurrence of such horrors.

Signed:
HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan
Leader, SMBLF and Leader of Afenifere

Dr. Bitrus Pogu
President, Middle Belt Forum

Senator John Azuta-Mbata
President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide

H.E Ambassador Godknows Igali
National Chairman, PANDEF

22nd January, 2026

A women’s group operating under the aegis of Kajuru/Chikun Women Group has strongly criticised Senator Lawal Adamu, representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District over what it described as his alleged failure to visit or support communities affected by recent bandit attacks in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The group, in a press statement jointly signed by its Coordinator, Mrs. Jumai Bulus, and Secretary,Mrs. Mary Galadima, accused the senator of showing “no sense of concern” for victims of insecurity in Kajuru and Chikun local government areas, despite the spate of attacks that have left several communities traumatised and displaced.

According to the women, it was disheartening that a lawmaker elected with the hope of improving the welfare and security of his constituents had failed to rise to the occasion at a critical time.

“It is painful to note that our senator has not only failed in his duties as a lawmaker, but has also disappointed the electorate who voted for him with the hope that he would make their lives better,” the statement read.

The group noted that previous occupants of the senatorial seat, under similar circumstances, didn’t waste time to speak out on the floor of the Senate and further visited affected communities as well as identified with victims of attacks and provided relief materials to ease their suffering.

“In this trying period, we expected Senator Lawal to act like his predecessors ,who openly condemned such attacks and personally visited affected areas. As we speak, we are not aware of any such visit or intervention by him,” the women said.

They further lamented what they described as the senator’s habitual silence on critical issues of security and welfare, stressing that both are fundamental constitutional responsibilities of elected representatives.

“We are deeply pained that our senator has not shown concern about our security and welfare, which are fundamental constitutional matters,” the statement added.

The women also alleged that rather than engaging with constituents or initiating legislative and advocacy efforts to address insecurity, the senator had been frequently travelling outside the country.

“We gathered that instead of sitting down to make relevant laws or interventions to better the lives of his people, he is often travelling out of the country,” the group claimed.

Raising further concerns, the Kajuru/Chikun women said they were unaware of any tangible constituency projects attracted or executed by the senator since he assumed office over two years ago.

“We have not seen any meaningful constituency projects that he has either attracted or executed since he came into office. If there are any in our communities, he should boldly come out to tell us,” they challenged.

The group also called on Senator Lawal to publicly account for constituency funds allocated to lawmakers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for constituency outreach and development.
“We are challenging him to render account of the huge monies given to lawmakers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boost constituency outreach,” the statement read.

The women vowed to mobilise their communities to vote the senator out in the 2027 general elections, insisting that they would support candidates with proven capacity, courage and commitment to speaking for their people on the floor of the Senate.

“We will no longer support docile lawmakers. We are determined to elect people with proven track records of capacity and purpose—leaders who will stand up and speak for us,” they declared.

As part of dedicated efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government and Energy Commission of Nigeria have strengthened their collaboration in transforming Nigeria’s Energy Sector.

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), led by DG/CEO Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, in a meeting with the Minister of power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu discussed on strengthening collaboration and align with national energy
priorities.

Discussions were focused on enhancing cooperation on renewable energy priorities
and integrating ECN’s research outputs into national power infrastructure through joint implementation and shared resources.

Chief Adelabu reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to sustained partnerships,
especially in hydroelectric power generation and other strategic energy initiatives critical to transforming Nigeria’s power sector.

ECN updated the Minister on key programmes, including the Renewed Hope Solarization Programme, the National Energy Master Plan, and the National Energy Policy, reaffirming its commitment to delivering results that advance Nigeria’s energy and development goals.

As part of dedicated efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Federal Government and Energy Commission of Nigeria have strengthened their collaboration in transforming Nigeria’s Energy Sector.

The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), led by DG/CEO Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, in a meeting with the Minister of power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu discussed on strengthening collaboration and align with national energy
priorities.

Discussions were focused on enhancing cooperation on renewable energy priorities
and integrating ECN’s research outputs into national power infrastructure through joint implementation and shared resources.

Chief Adelabu reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to sustained partnerships,
especially in hydroelectric power generation and other strategic energy initiatives critical to transforming Nigeria’s power sector.

ECN updated the Minister on key programmes, including the Renewed Hope Solarization Programme, the National Energy Master Plan, and the National Energy Policy, reaffirming its commitment to delivering results that advance Nigeria’s energy and development goals.

By Israel Bulus, Kaduna

Doha, Qatar — Nigeria has recorded a historic milestone in its defence and industrial development with the global debut of the DICON-D7G, a fully indigenous defence platform, at the ongoing Doha International Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (DIMDEX 2026).

The exhibition, which runs until January 23, is one of the world’s leading maritime and naval defence gatherings, bringing together policymakers, senior military officials, and defence technology companies from across the globe.

The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, who formally declared the DICON-D7G exhibition booth open on Monday, described the platform as a major demonstration of Nigeria’s growing indigenous defence manufacturing capacity and technological innovation.

Abbas, noted that Nigeria’s participation at DIMDEX reflects the country’s commitment to maritime security cooperation and industrial advancement on the global stage, adding that the exhibition represents Nigeria’s most ambitious international defence presentation to date.

For the first time since the establishment of the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) in 1968, the Federal Government is showcasing a comprehensive platform designed for the production, assembly, maintenance, storage, and export of military equipment.

The initiative, officials said, underscores Nigeria’s determination to transition from an import-dependent defence system to a self-reliant, export-oriented military-industrial complex.

Fielding questions from journalists, the Chief Executive Officer of DICON-D7G, Mr Osman Chennar, said the platform was a product of years of strategic reforms, public-private partnerships, and policy alignment aimed at revitalising Nigeria’s defence manufacturing ecosystem.

“DICON-D7G delivers end-to-end defence solutions, ranging from weapons production and systems integration to maintenance, logistics, warehousing, and export readiness,” Chennar said.

He added that the platform actively integrates retired military generals and other seasoned professionals with civilian experts to mentor and train the next generation of defence personnel.

“We are not just building equipment; we are building human capacity for the future of Nigeria’s defence sector,” he said.

Also speaking, Retired Major General Mainasara Abdul Masanawa, Director of Land Systems at DICON, described DIMDEX 2026 as a strategic opportunity for Nigeria to showcase its expanding capabilities while engaging global defence manufacturers, technology partners, and investors.

According to him, DICON-D7G is exploring technology transfer arrangements, joint ventures, and export opportunities, particularly across Africa, the Middle East, and other emerging defence markets.

Industry analysts said Nigeria’s participation at DIMDEX sends a strong signal of the Federal Government’s resolve to reposition DICON as a competitive player in the global defence industry while strengthening national security through local content development.

Similarly, Retired Brigadier General Abiodun Morakinyo noted that Nigeria’s presence at the exhibition aligns with broader national defence and industrialisation objectives, including reducing foreign exchange exposure, enhancing the operational readiness of the Armed Forces, creating skilled jobs, and promoting technological innovation.

“DIMDEX is a global platform where nations assert their defence autonomy, and Nigeria’s debut sends a clear message that the country is now firmly part of that league,” he said.

Beyond technology exhibition, the Nigerian delegation is also engaging in high-level discussions on strategic partnerships, maritime security cooperation, and defence export opportunities.

With the unveiling of the DICON-D7G platform, Nigeria aims to secure a foothold in international defence markets, particularly among African and Middle Eastern countries seeking reliable and affordable defence solutions.

Observers say the launch represents a broader vision for Nigeria’s defence sector, focused on local innovation, job creation, and technological growth, while reducing reliance on foreign suppliers.

As DIMDEX 2026 continues, analysts expect Nigeria’s indigenous defence debut to attract significant global interest and strengthen the country’s strategic standing in the international defence and security landscape.

The Management and Staff of Energy Commission of Nigeria has congratulated their Director General, Dr Mustapha Abdullahi on the occasion of his birthday.

The staffs in their birthday message applauded the leadership style of Dr. Mustapha describing him as a good manager of men and resources.

Dr Mustapha Abdullahi was also described as a man with an amiable personality and God -fearing disposition.

According to the staffs. “Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi has displayed an enviable leadership quality in the development of the sector through his significant contributions to the Commission including the energy sector that has witnessed sustainable growth in energy solutions that has also fostered appreciable levels.

“His unwavering dedication to duty, improvements to staff welfare have remained a rallying point that has continued to” encourage staff, attract admiration and support to his policies for the overall good of the sector.

While wishing the indefatigable DG a happy birthday anniversary celebration, the Management and Staff of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, ECN called on Dr. Abdullahi Mustapha to remain focused on his vision to take the Commission to the enviable heights for all and the nation at large.

The staffs lauded him as a dedicated agent of Renewed Hope which has uplifted the spirit of the workforce from its near-obscurity in its over four decades of existence.

They further commended Mr. President for appointing a sound visionary and genuinely dedicated person as Director General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria in the person of Dr. Mustapha, who on assumption to office had assured that under his leadership, “The ECN will set the tone for economic development based on progressive innovation and policy initiatives as envisioned by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda.”

The Yari Foundation has concluded arrangements to organise a series of high-level summits in Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt as part of efforts to promote peace, national development and inclusive dialogue across Nigeria.

According to the Foundation, the summits, scheduled to hold between January 19 and 23, will bring together key stakeholders from government, the private sector, civil society, academia and the media to deliberate on critical national issues. Key focus areas include economic growth, education, leadership, peacebuilding and social development.

A statement issued by the Foundation explained that the choice of Lagos, Enugu and Port Harcourt was deliberate, noting that the cities are major commercial, cultural and industrial hubs in the South-West, South-East and South-South geopolitical zones respectively.

The Foundation said hosting the summits across the regions would ensure broad participation while underscoring its commitment to national unity and balanced development.

The statement further disclosed that each summit would feature keynote addresses, panel discussions, interactive sessions and policy dialogues aimed at generating practical and sustainable solutions to challenges confronting the country.
Participants are expected to share ideas and experiences that would help strengthen institutions, promote an enabling environment for peace and enhance sustainable development at both national and grassroots levels.

While expressing optimism about the prospects of a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria, the Foundation said preparations for the events were at an advanced stage, adding that invitations would be extended to prominent Nigerians and relevant stakeholders across various sectors.

The Yari Foundation reiterated its commitment to initiatives that foster peace, dialogue, capacity building and socio-economic advancement, stressing that the forthcoming summits form part of its broader mandate to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s development and national cohesion.

It recalled that the Foundation successfully organised similar summits in Abuja, Kano and Jos last year, which attracted wide participation and positive reviews from stakeholders across the country.

A socio-political group in the North West, the Concerned North West Stakeholders Forum, has praised the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for initiating the trial of Amadu Sule, a close associate of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged corruption.

Sule, the Managing Director of TMDK Terminal Limited, is facing charges related to a ₦311 billion money laundering scheme. The ICPC arraigned him recently on accusations of abuse of office and diversion of public funds, charges that he has denied.

In a statement issued on Tuesday in Kaduna, the group’s Coordinator, Alhaji Musa Abdullahi, described the ongoing trial as a significant step toward strengthening accountability and upholding the rule of law in Nigeria.

“The ICPC’s decision to prosecute Sule, a known ally of the former governor, sends a clear message that no one is above the law,” the statement read. “This action will help restore public confidence in the country’s anti-corruption efforts.”

The group highlighted that Nigerians have long demanded greater transparency in the management of public resources, especially by political officeholders and their associates. It expressed hope that this trial would meet public expectations for a fair and impartial judicial process.

Furthermore, the forum urged the ICPC to maintain its commitment to ensuring that the case is rigorously pursued to its conclusion. “Selective justice would undermine the integrity of anti-corruption initiatives,” the statement added.

The Concerned North West Stakeholders Forum also called on other anti-graft agencies to follow the ICPC’s example and investigate corruption allegations against politically exposed individuals across the country. “Accountability is crucial for national development. Public office holders must remember that while power is transient, the law is constant,” the group emphasized.

While urging against any politicization of the case, the forum appealed to the judiciary to handle the trial with professionalism and independence, stressing the importance of justice for national stability.

The ICPC’s trial of Sule has drawn significant attention, as it is seen as a crucial test for Nigeria’s anti-corruption fight, especially involving prominent political figures and their associates.

By Barrister Aminu Hussaini Sagagi

One of the most persistent misconceptions about Kwankwasiyya is the attempt to imprison it within a single personality or a single political platform. This reductionist view strips the movement of its historical depth and undermines its ideological ancestry. Kwankwasiyya did not begin with an individual, nor was it designed to end with one. It is the latest expression of a political philosophy that has travelled – deliberately and consistently – through Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.

The philosophical roots of Kwankwasiyya lie unmistakably in the radical populism of Malam Aminu Kano, the NEPU tradition and the audacious Tabo philosophy. Tabo was moral courage in action: the willingness to confront feudal dominance, inherited privilege and the culture of silence imposed on the talakawa. Aminu Kano embodied this ethos in both conduct and symbolism. His simple white attire represented moral clarity and humility; his red cap projected identity, resistance and solidarity with ordinary people. These symbols were not ornamental – they were political language.
Crucially, this philosophy never pledged eternal loyalty to a single platform. NEPU itself was born as a rejection of conservative politics. As Nigeria’s political environment evolved, NEPU gave way to the PRP, carrying the same ideals into a new democratic moment. Later, the same populist current found expression in the SDP during the Third Republic and the PDM tendency that followed, adapting again to shifting political realities without abandoning its core mission.

With the return to civil rule in 1999, the philosophy re-emerged within the PDP, where it gained administrative expression and delivered tangible outcomes, particularly in education and social mobility. When the PDP’s internal contradictions deepened, the movement explored the APC as a possible national reform vehicle. When that promise faltered, it returned to the PDP and later found a more accommodating home in the NNPP. At each stage, the platform changed; the values endured.

This historical movement – from NEPU to PRP, SDP, PDM, PDP, APC, back to PDP, and NNPP – is not evidence of ideological inconsistency. It is evidence of ideological resilience. The philosophy travelled because Nigeria changed.

To remain static would have meant irrelevance.
Understanding this lineage is essential to the present debate surrounding Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s imminent alignment with the APC. Resistance from some Kwankwasiyya notables often rests on the mistaken assumption that movement equals betrayal. History suggests otherwise.

The betrayal would be to freeze a living philosophy in sentiment while political realities shift around it.
Nigeria’s contemporary political environment rewards strategic relevance. Governance today is shaped by access to power, coordination of resources and the ability to negotiate influence. For a sitting governor, relevance is not ambition – it is capacity. Surely, capacity in the Kwankwasiyya tradition, exists solely to serve the people.

Perhaps the most damaging misunderstanding is the portrayal of Kwankwasiyya as a personal empire rather than a historical continuum. Individuals may carry the torch at different moments, but the fire itself predates them and will outlive them. To reduce the movement to a personality is to erase Aminu Kano’s legacy and misunderstand the meaning of Tabo.
Kwankwasiyya was never a prisoner of parties. It has always been a travelling philosophy – rooted in justice, powered by relevance and willing to move again to its next destination if that is what service to the people requires.

By Barrister Aminu Hussaini – Special Adviser – Justice/Constitutional Matters to the Governor of Kano State – AKY. May be reached: +234 803 374 2424 / aminuhussaini173@gmail.com

A Zaria-based political group, the Zaria Progressives Movement (ZPM), has dismissed the political relevance of a former Director-General of the Uba Sani Campaign Organisation and erstwhile Kaduna State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello (popularly known as Maina Zazzau), following his recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement issued on Friday, the group said Prof. Sani Bello’s exit from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would not affect the political strength of Governor Uba Sani or influence the voting pattern of the people of Zaria.

The statement, signed by the ZPM Coordinator, Malam Yusuf Garba, said the people of Zaria are politically conscious and remain committed to good governance and sustainable development, not only within the Zaria Emirate but across Kaduna State.

According to the group, Zaria voters would continue to give their full support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani for what it described as his achievements in promoting peace and development in the state.

“The people of Zaria are known for their political focus and loyalty to leaders who deliver good governance and development,” the statement said. “The defection of Prof. Maina Zazzau does not in any way diminish the growing support for Governor Uba Sani.”

ZPM further alleged that Prof. Zazzau was removed from office as Commissioner for Education due to his inability to effectively manage the education sector, adding that his decision to join the ADC was motivated by personal grievances and declining political influence.

“We strongly believe that his defection is borne out of frustration following his removal from office and his loss of political relevance,” the group stated.

The group also commended Governor Uba Sani, describing him as a true son of Zaria who has upheld the values and traditions of the Zazzau Emirate since assuming office.

“It is not in doubt that Governor Uba Sani has consistently promoted the ideals of the Zaria people through inclusive governance and people-oriented policies,” the statement added.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the group reaffirmed its support for the governor, stating that the people of Zaria would overwhelmingly back him at the polls.

“We are fully prepared to demonstrate that the people of Zaria Emirate appreciate good governance and the achievements of our son, Governor Uba Sani, and we will reciprocate with our votes in the 2027 general elections,” the statement concluded.