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Abductors Of Niger Islamic Students Demand ₦110m Ransom, Threaten To Kill Victims

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Abductors of the over 136 students and staff of Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School, Tegina, in the Rafi local government area of Niger State are demanding the sum of ₦110 million as a ransom for the safe release of the victims.

They threatened to kill the victims should the school or their parents fail to meet their demands by midnight of Tuesday this week.

The Head Teacher of the school, Abubakar Alhassan disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday, adding that the bandits’ call came in about 4:00 pm on Monday.

Alhassan said contrary to their expectation, the bandits claimed they have a total of 156 people with them made up of pupils and staff.

He said the management of the school has contacted the state government on the latest development but that the government is insisting on not paying ransom to the bandits.

This comes two days after bandits invaded Salihu Tanko Islamiyya school, a conventional Islamic school, and abducted many students including staff, killing one person and injuring one other person.

Although the number of those abducted were yet to be ascertained, but the proprietor of the school, Idris Umar told journalists on Monday that information gathered from parents indicated 136 students were kidnapped.

This is apart from the 11 pupils reported to have been freed immediately after the abduction because of their inability to keep pace with the abductors.

According to reports, parents and relations of the abductees have begun to raise money to take to the bandits.

But, on Monday, the Deputy Governor of Niger State, Ahmed Ketso had in a briefing at the government house in Minna explained the position of the state government that random would not be paid to kidnappers.

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Defence and Security

Tinubu Swears in Tunji Disu as 23rd Inspector-General of Police

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Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday swore in Tunji Disu as the 23rd Inspector-General of Police (IGP), formalising his appointment as head of the Nigeria Police Force.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, ahead of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on March 4, 2026.

Disu’s inauguration followed his confirmation by the Nigeria Police Council on Monday, March 2. He succeeds Kayode Egbetokun, who recently resigned from office.

At the ceremony, President Tinubu also administered the oath of office to six commissioners of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and two commissioners of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

Dignitaries in attendance included Vice President Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume; Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila; National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Esther Walson-Jack, among other senior government officials.

Born on April 13, 1966, in Lagos State, Disu joined the Nigeria Police Force on May 18, 1992, as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police. Over the course of his career, he has served in several operational, investigative, and strategic command roles across the country.

Prior to his appointment as IGP, Disu served as Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Special Protection Unit and the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Annex, Lagos.

He holds multiple qualifications in public administration, forensic investigation, criminology, security studies, legal psychology, and entrepreneurship, reflecting a career anchored on professional development and modern policing strategies.

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Defence and Security

Police Arrest Two Suspected Cultists, Recover Firearm at Ibadan Polytechnic

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The Oyo State Police Command has arrested two suspected cultists and recovered a firearm on the campus of The Polytechnic, Ibadan following a tip-off from a concerned citizen.

The suspects, identified as 31-year-old Lawal Opeyemi, popularly known as “Aiki,” and 29-year-old Olaniyan Opeyemi, alias “Bojan,” both residents of the Apete area of Ibadan, were apprehended while allegedly planning an attack on a rival cult group within the institution.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alayande Olayinka, said a Good Samaritan alerted authorities to the presence of some young men reportedly moving around the campus with violent intentions. Operatives from the Sango Division responded swiftly, leading to the arrest of the two suspects.

Items recovered from them include a locally made double-barrelled pistol, two live cartridges, and a black bag containing charms.

During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to involvement in cult activities and identified themselves as members of the Eiye Confraternity. Preliminary investigations suggest they may have been linked to previous cult-related clashes within the institution.

The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, CP Femi Haruna, has directed that the suspects be transferred to the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit for further investigation and possible prosecution.

He commended members of the public and officers involved for their prompt action and urged parents and guardians to discourage their wards from joining secret cult groups.

The Command reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on cultism and violent crimes, stressing that continued collaboration between the police and the community remains vital in maintaining security.

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Defence and Security

Tinubu Renews Mandate for NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi

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NSCDC Commandant-General, Ahmed Audi
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Tinubu Renews Mandate for NSCDC Commandant-General Ahmed Audi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has renewed the mandate of the Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, directing him to reposition the service for a more strategic role in the nation’s security architecture.

Dr Audi will resume duties at the NSCDC National Headquarters in Abuja on Monday.

The President charged the NSCDC boss to strengthen the corps’ operational capacity and play a more significant role in safeguarding critical national assets and infrastructure, particularly as the Nigeria Police Force intensifies efforts to tackle banditry, kidnapping, and terrorism across the country.

Born on September 30, 1967, in Laminga Town, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Dr Audi began his educational journey in the state before proceeding to the Teachers’ College, Jengre, Plateau State, where he obtained a Teachers’ Grade II Certificate in 1987.

He later earned a Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) from the College of Education, Akwanga, in 1992. In pursuit of higher education, he attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Physical and Health Education in 1995.

Dr Audi further obtained a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar in 2001. He went on to earn a PhD in Public Administration from Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in 2014, and a Master’s degree in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, in 2019.

He joined the NSCDC in November 1996 as a volunteer and was subsequently deployed as a Divisional Officer in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, marking the beginning of his rise through the ranks in the civil defence corps.

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