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Communal Clashes: Senators Sue for Peace in Benue , Ebonyi

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Worried by the lingering communal Clashes among people of some communities in their States , Senators Abba Moro ( PDP Benue South) and Sam Egwu ( PDP Ebonyi North) , have sued for peace.

The two senators at a joint press conference on Wednesday in Abuja , said the warring communities across the two states should cease fire by allowing the National Boundary Commission to wage in as far as appropriate demarcation of territories are concerned .

The jointly signed press statenent by the Senators reads : ” As the Senators representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District and Benue South Senatorial District, we are here to brief you on recent security concerns that have substantially threatened the peace and development of the people of Ohaukwu and Ado LGAs in our Senatorial Districts.

“On Monday the 12th day of April, 2021, alleged herdsmen invaded Umuogudu Akpu Community, Ngbo, in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State and gruesomely killed over 12 innocent indigenes, burnt/destroyed over 56 houses and kidnapped 5 persons.

” While we were mourning our people and trying to identify the extent of damage, we were surprisingly greeted with a statement by the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dave Umahi, without any form of investigation, that the attack was carried out by Agila people, and not Fulani herdsmen.

” This claim, which has the potential of heightening the tension between the two communities has long been refuted and denied by the Chairman of Ado LGA and the Government of Benue State. The people of Ado LGA who have been victims of herdsmen attacks in recent times couldn’t have hired the same people to carry out an attack on their behalf.

“There have been sustained efforts on our part to finally settle the land dispute and restore lasting peace between Ngbo people in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State and the Agila people in Ado LGA of Benue State, which have lingered over the years. Motions have been raised on the floor of the Senate, resolutions passed by the Senate and efforts sustained at the State and Federal levels to ensure that lasting peace is restored between the two communities.

 

“We urge security operatives to move into the affected communities and secure lives and property of the people. We know that both communities have embraced the proposed rebeaconing and delimitation exercise by the National Boundary Commission.

” We therefore urge that the exercise should be carried out with dispatch to finally put to an end all the boundary-related crises in our Senatorial Districts”.

The two federal lawmakers also proffered similar solutions for the Ezza/ Effium crisis .

They said : ” On the Ezza/Effium crisis, which started in Effium community in Ebonyi state and spilled into Ado LGA in Benue State because of the presence of Ezzas/Effiumites in Ado LGA, it is regrettable that the crisis is yet to be contained, leading to the relocation of some Efium and Ezza people to neighboring communities both in Ohaukwu LGA of Ebonyi State and Ado LGA of Benue State, thereby creating apprehension in those neighboring communities.

 

“The alleged abduction of Five Elders from Odum Community of Ulayi District, Ado LGA before Easter Sunday has heightened the tension between the affected communities. However, the timely intervention of the government to contain the situation has prevented any form of retaliation or reprisal attack. It was resolved that the Traditional Council of Ado Local Government should reach out to the elders and traditional leaders of Ohaukwu LGA to broker more peaceful negotiations and resolution of the matter.

 

“We therefore call on the Governments of Benue and Ebonyi States to put in greater efforts and in collaboration with relevant Federal Government Agencies to take immediate practical steps to ensure immediate of all adopted persons and restoration of lasting peace between the affected communities.

 

“We urge our people in the affected communities to please apply restraint, avoid all forms of violence, maintain peaceful coexistence and rest assured that we will do everything within our power and influence to ensure the restoration of lasting peace in the affected communities”

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Defence and Security

Defence Minister Orders Operational Recalibration After Emergency Security Meeting

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Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa in meeting with Service Chiefs
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Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has directed an immediate recalibration of military operations across multiple theatres following an emergency combat audit with the country’s Service Chiefs.

The high-level meeting, held at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters, reviewed the recent wave of brazen terrorist attacks and assessed the current military strategy against insurgents, bandits and other armed groups.

Speaking after the meeting, the defence minister said the Service Chiefs had been mandated to intensify and reorganise operations nationwide to dismantle the networks of terrorists and criminal gangs threatening national security.

He disclosed that commanders have been instructed to exercise direct, on-site leadership in various operational theatres to improve coordination and maintain sustained pressure on armed groups.

According to him, the meeting also carried out a comprehensive review of Nigeria’s national military strategy aimed at strengthening operational effectiveness and ensuring that ongoing missions deliver measurable results.

While noting that details of troop movements and tactical adjustments would remain classified for security reasons, Musa assured Nigerians that the armed forces are taking decisive steps to confront emerging threats.

He said the military has already recorded progress in recent operations, including the neutralisation of key terrorist commanders and the disruption of several insurgent networks.

The defence minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to continuing military operations until terrorist and bandit groups are completely dismantled.

Musa assured citizens that the armed forces would maintain relentless pressure on criminal elements to restore stability and protect lives and property across the country.

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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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