Crime
We achieved 80% success in fight against Boko Haram – Defence Minister
According to toMagashi, the armed forces achieved over 80 percent success in destroying Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency, banditry, and other criminality.
“Whether anybody likes it or not, the Armed forces have done the best that is possible to keep this country in the security situation we find ourselves in,” he said.
Speaking at a valedictory dinner in his honour and organized by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, Magashi said, “There is nothing that we have not done to keep this country together. In this period we achieved about 70 to 80 percent success and we will continue to do the same”.
“I think the President has given us all the tools necessary to enable us to perform our duties credibly”.
On the working relationship with the Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs, he said, “I have come to understand that everything we do requires teamwork and when I joined the ministry, I found that there are lot of things that we were required to do.
“We needed synergy among the members of the armed forces and the ministry. I am proud to see that this has continued. I hope it will continue forever.
“You must continue to be soldiers and I am happy that we are doing what we ought to do for this country.
“We should give credit to the outgoing Commander-in-Chief, President Muhammadu Buhari for realising that there is a need for synergy among the armed forces and other security agencies.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar Kana applauded the minister for providing leadership to the Armed Forces of Nigeria as well as the ministry.
“I must state here that working with Magashi brought peace to me personally and the ministry at large because the outgoing minister was a dependable man.
Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), speaking at the occasion celebrated the minister, adding that he is a man full of wisdom and is detailed who used these attributes to lead the Armed Forces.
Lt.-Gen. Farooq Yahaya, Chief of Army Staff (COAS), on his part, said the military cannot appreciate the minister enough for all he did for the army describing Magashi as a manager and a general who never failed to impact and impress.
“He has been with us to the theater in person several times, going through the details sometimes of our plans and giving very, very vital guides and comments that have helped to facilitate our operations and our activities.
“We remain grateful for everything you have done; we appreciate you, sir.
“We know what you have taught us, what you stood for. And now we are not surprised with what we have seen you do as the minister,” he said.
Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, in his remarks, said the outgoing minister was a resolute combatant officer, an accomplished administrator, and a dogged soldier.
He noted that Magashi was always keen and enthusiastic about the procedures and standards with which the Armed Forces conducted operations to curb the various security challenges.
”I always remember each time we stayed for meetings, the emphasis was always on due diligence and avoidance of certain precedents that will be harmful to the system.
“This he ensured through his tenure in office, which is not surprising, considering his background as a legal luminary and pursuance for adherence to global best practices as a way to further enhance effective security within the maritime domain for economic prosperity and national stability.
“Our distinguished special guest of honor ensured approval of establishments, additional basic and strategic locations to facilitate security within the inland waterways and adjoining oceans.
“These were geared towards enhanced national security for economic prosperity, which are too numerous to mention here.”
Also speaking, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, Chief of Air Staff said that the tenure of the minister had been that of selfless service to the nation.
He noted that the pragmatic leadership, assistance, and consistent transformation of the Nigerian Air Force by the minister had been
inspirational.
“The Nigerian Air Force received unprecedented equipment upgrade and capacity building, which has greatly improved the outcome of our operational engagement in our task of securing the nation.
“I need not remind us all that when the minister assumed office several years ago, the security situation of the nation was there and required urgent and highly strategic intervention.
“The minister accordingly deployed his experiential knowledge to direct the affairs of the nation’s defence. And today the story is different.
“There’s now relative calm and much-needed peace in most parts of the country. It is important to state that these achievements, which we have holistically talked about, were not accomplished without challenges.”
The United States has said Nigeria has yet to make sufficient progress in addressing attacks on Christian communities, warning that the country’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) should remain in place.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, stated this while responding to questions from US Congressman Riley Moore during a congressional hearing on violence in Nigeria on Thursday.
Moore questioned the Nigerian government’s efforts to dismantle militia strongholds and kidnapping camps in the Middle Belt, particularly in Benue and Plateau states.
He also demanded explanations for the exclusion of Benue and Plateau from the 10 states covered by Nigeria’s new forest guard initiative, despite persistent attacks in the areas.
The congressman further expressed concern that 1,000 presidentially approved forest guards for Plateau State had yet to be deployed.
Moore maintained that the US should not remove Nigeria from the CPC list, arguing that the country had not done enough to address the violence.
“Before you answer that, we cannot take this CPC designation off of this country. They have not done enough,” he said.
Responding, Garcia acknowledged that Nigeria had not made sufficient progress but maintained that the government was taking steps to address the concerns, although the measures had yet to produce the desired results.
“I think we would agree, as Under Secretary Hooker stated, after our CPC meeting that progress has not been there, but that doesn’t mean that Nigeria is dismissing concerns, and it doesn’t mean that they’re not taking actions, but it does mean that it hasn’t had an impact to this point,” Garcia said.
He identified the establishment of the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group as an important step towards ensuring accountability, noting that the platform would provide a framework for monitoring Nigeria’s commitments and assessing their implementation.
Garcia also acknowledged US-supported counterterrorism operations in the Lake Chad Basin but noted that such efforts had not necessarily addressed the activities of Fulani militants operating across the Middle Belt.
“I would have to characterise the Nigerians’ placement at this point as in building capacity. And that capacity is not deployed, is not being effective yet, and is not moving fast enough, as far as I’m concerned. But we do see a seriousness, and a deployment underway with the Nigerian government,” he said.
In his prepared testimony, Garcia said President Donald Trump’s administration had prioritised the persecution of Christians in Nigeria since the country was redesignated a Country of Particular Concern on October 31, 2025.
He noted that attacks had continued despite diplomatic engagements, citing an attack on a Christian community in Kaduna State on July 27 and killings in Plateau State in August and September.
“Unfortunately, the violence has not stopped,” Garcia said, describing the attacks as an ongoing atrocity.
According to him, the US-Nigeria Joint Working Group, which held its inaugural meeting in Abuja in January and another meeting in Washington in August, had been engaging the Nigerian government on improved security deployments in vulnerable Middle Belt communities, faster responses to early warnings and accountability for perpetrators.
He added that Washington had provided training and equipment to police units responsible for protecting vulnerable communities through its Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.
The US had also expanded biometric information-sharing with Nigeria to help identify and prosecute perpetrators and engaged Nigerian financial institutions on measures to disrupt terrorist financing networks allegedly funding attacks on churches.
Garcia further disclosed that US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Allison Hooker, had raised concerns about civilian casualties, the safe and voluntary return of internally displaced persons and transparency in humanitarian aid delivery during the Joint Working Group’s second meeting.
However, he acknowledged that Nigeria’s security architecture remained stretched, while judicial access to some parts of the Middle Belt remained limited.
Garcia said the US would continue to deploy diplomatic engagements, the CPC designation and targeted security cooperation to press for the protection of Christian communities and accountability for those responsible for attacks.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Federal Government has consistently rejected allegations of a Christian genocide or systematic religious persecution, maintaining that the country’s security challenges are driven by broader issues, including terrorism, banditry, communal violence and resource conflicts, which affect citizens of different religious backgrounds.
Couple Sentenced To Five Years In Prison Each For Attempting To Sell One-Year-Old So
A Nigerian couple have been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment each for attempting to sell their one-year-old son for exploitation in Cross River State.
The couple, identified as 28-year-old Emmanuel Okechukwu Ogbodo and 22-year-old Peace Ufeabuchi Nnamonu, were convicted by the Federal High Court in Calabar after pleading guilty to conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
The convicts were sentenced on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, after they were arraigned on November 3, 2026, on a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
The charges were brought under Sections 27 and 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015.
Delivering judgment, Justice Rosemary Dugbo Oghoghorie sentenced each defendant to five years’ imprisonment for conspiracy and two and a half years for attempted child trafficking.
However, the court ordered that the sentences should run concurrently, meaning the couple will each spend a total of five years in prison rather than serve the sentences consecutively.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which announced the conviction in statements shared on its Facebook and X accounts, said the prison terms would take effect from the date of the couple’s arrest.
NAPTIP condemned the couple’s actions and reiterated its commitment to prosecuting human trafficking offences and protecting vulnerable persons, particularly children.
The agency also urged members of the public to report suspected cases of child trafficking to the appropriate authorities.
Six fresh graduates of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), have reportedly been found dead in an apartment around the Hilltop area of the university community in Enugu State.
The incident, which occurred on Thursday morning, has thrown the university community into mourning and sparked panic among residents and students.
According to a report by Daily Post, the victims, comprising five females and one male, were said to have graduated on Wednesday, a day before their bodies were discovered.
Their graduation celebration has reportedly turned into tragedy, with the circumstances surrounding their deaths yet to be established.
Efforts to reach the Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, Daniel Ndukwe, for confirmation were unsuccessful, as calls put through to his telephone were not answered.
Meanwhile, anxiety has gripped the Hilltop area and the wider university community, with students and residents seeking answers over the tragic incident.
As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
Security agencies have launched a manhunt for two convicted inmates who escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Okene, Kogi State.
The Nigerian Correctional Service confirmed the incident, which reportedly occurred on Sunday, November 8, 2026, saying efforts were underway in collaboration with other security agencies to recapture the fleeing inmates.
The Service’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.
According to Osuji, the Controller-General of Corrections has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident to establish the circumstances surrounding the escape and identify any possible security breaches.
She explained that the investigation would examine potential lapses in the facility’s security arrangements and determine appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence.
The correctional authorities assured members of the public that all necessary steps were being taken to track down the escapees and return them to custody.
The Service also pledged to provide further updates as verified information emerges from the ongoing investigation.
The incident comes weeks after an awaiting-trial inmate escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Auchi, Edo State, where he was being held over allegations of conspiracy and stealing.
Saudi Arabia has executed five Ethiopian nationals convicted of smuggling hashish into the kingdom, bringing the number of executions carried out in the country this year to 205.
The Saudi Interior Ministry announced the executions on Thursday, November 5, 2026, saying the five men were found guilty of participating in the smuggling of hashish into the country.
According to a statement published by the official Saudi Press Agency, the executions were carried out in the Asir region in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
The latest executions bring to 32 the number of Ethiopian nationals put to death in Saudi Arabia in 2026, making Ethiopians the largest foreign nationality among those executed this year.
Five Ethiopians were reportedly executed in June, while another five were put to death in July over similar drug-related offences.
The latest development comes amid growing international concern over Saudi Arabia’s increasing use of capital punishment, particularly against foreign nationals convicted of drug-related offences.
Human Rights Watch (HRW), in a report published in July, warned that at least 79 Ethiopian nationals remained at imminent risk of execution over similar charges.
The rights organisation also raised concerns about alleged violations of fair trial guarantees, including inadequate access to legal representation and interpretation services for some Ethiopian migrants facing capital punishment.
Saudi Arabia recorded 356 executions in 2025, its highest annual figure on record.
Thousands of Ethiopians live and work in Saudi Arabia, many of whom migrate in search of employment through the dangerous Eastern Route connecting the Horn of Africa to the oil-rich kingdom through Yemen.
The route exposes migrants to serious security and humanitarian risks during their journey.
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