Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate and First Deputy Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Senator Barau Jibrin, has warned that the deadly, resource-driven clashes between farmers and herders pose a catastrophic threat to the stability of West Africa. Speaking at the Second Extraordinary Session and Seminar of the ECOWAS Parliament in Accra, Ghana, Barau cautioned that if left unchecked, the ongoing battles over land and water will continue to fuel mass displacement, banditry, terrorism, and severe humanitarian crises across the sub-region. Barau noted that while Nigeria and its West African neighbours possess vast agricultural and pastoral economies, accelerating climate and population pressures on land and water are transforming local resource competition into dangerous national security threats. Despite aggressive state interventions, Barau lamented that over three million Nigerians remain trapped in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps nationwide. He urged West African parliamentarians to rapidly enact and enforce laws that protect IDPs, strictly regulate land and livestock management, and provide robust oversight on security and agricultural funding. To eliminate the pressures of uncontrolled livestock movement, the Deputy Senate President called for immediate, aggressive regional investment in ranching, animal feeding, and modern breeding technologies. The Nigerian government has shifted its strategy for managing internal displacement and farmer-herder conflicts, moving away from temporary emergency relief toward long-term, development-oriented solutions. Delivering a presentation titled "Strategies for Addressing Internal Displacement and Farmer-Herder Conflicts in Nigeria," Deputy Senate President Barau Jibril shared these structural insights through Senator Sadiq Umar (APC, Kwara North). This policy evolution is centrally driven by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, marking a decisive transition toward sustainable, government-led intervention frameworks. This proactive domestic shift has gained significant international validation and alignment. Nigeria’s updated strategic framework earned the country a selection under the United Nations Secretary-General’s Action Agenda on Internally Displaced Persons. This global recognition highlights the nation`s commitment to implementing structural reforms that address the root causes of displacement rather than merely managing its immediate symptoms. In tandem with these global initiatives, Nigeria has reinforced its regional commitments by fully ratifying the African Union`s Kampala Convention. By legally binding itself to this landmark continental treaty, the West African nation secures a comprehensive legal framework to protect and assist internally displaced persons. The combined strategy of localized economic development and international legal compliance represents Nigeria`s latest blueprint for resolving its protracted security and humanitarian challenges. Barau concluded by emphasizing that managing displacement can no longer be outsourced to humanitarian agencies alone. He demanded unified coordination among government Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and traditional institutions, alongside a strict focus on early warning conflict systems and climate adaptation.

A fresh wave of bloody clashes looms over Kano State ahead of the upcoming harvest season, prompting urgent alarms from both farming and pastoralist leadership. The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) and the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have jointly warned that an impending convergence of harvesting timelines and early herder migrations could trigger severe violence if the government fails to intervene immediately. Unlike previous years where transhumant herders from the Niger Republic returned to Kano post-harvest, a severe water scarcity in Niger is forcing an unprecedented early migration. "This year, they are expected to return while harvesting is still actively ongoing," warned retired Captain Abdullahi Bakoji, Chairman of the Kano State chapter of MACBAN. "This early return drastically heightens the risk of catastrophic clashes between farmers and herders." Bakoji added that MACBAN has already dispatched urgent security reports and actionable recommendations to the Kano and Jigawa state governments, alongside federal security agencies, begging for proactive intervention. For Kano`s farmers, the stakes have never been higher. The state`s AFAN Chairman, Abdullahi Ali Maibiredi, lamented that the perennial conflict continues to swallow livelihoods without permanent solutions from authorities. "I personally lost about 85 per cent of my crops last year, yet no necessary action was taken to address the destruction," Maibiredi revealed. "We are calling on the authorities to step in before the situation deteriorates further, especially now that we are entering the critical harvest window." While Kano has enjoyed relative peace in recent years compared to other flashpoints in Nigeria`s Middle Belt, structural triggers remain unaddressed. MACBAN leadership identified the following systemic issues fueling the tension: Illegal occupation and total closure of gazetted cattle routes. Encroachment on designated grazing areas and traditional livestock resting points. Both AFAN and MACBAN have expressed a unified willingness to engage in immediate stakeholder dialogue, calling on the government to aggressively clear blocked grazing routes and deploy security buffers before the migration influx peaks.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a stern warning to religious leaders nationwide against diverting sacred funds, including tithes, offerings, and zakat, into their personal businesses. Speaking with THENEWSCREDIT on Wednesday at the 2026 Second Council Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) in Abuja, EFCC Chairman Mr. Ola Olukoyede declared the practice a outright criminal offence. He urged churches and mosques to urgently establish regulatory compliance mechanisms to safeguard the public funds entrusted to them. Olukoyede clarified that while religious leaders are free to pursue other vocations—such as farming or car sales—they must maintain a strict boundary between institutional and personal finances. “Don’t mix the money from the purse of your organisation with that of your own personal money," Olukoyede warned. "When money is paid to your organisation, don’t divert it to your business. That’s criminal.” He emphasized that when followers observe leaders treating faith-based resources as personal wealth, the moral authority of the institution is entirely compromised. The EFCC boss also took a hard line against religious institutions that celebrate unexplained wealth. He openly criticized leaders who accept and dedicate lavish structures built by corrupt public servants. "A public servant says he has built a mosque that is worth more than his earnings in the next 500 years, and you go there to dedicate it," Olukoyede remarked. "You are dedicating the proceeds of crime." While the EFCC remains committed to investigating and prosecuting financial fraud, Olukoyede reminded the council that faith communities bear the unique responsibility of shaping character and cultivating the honesty required to prevent crime in the first place.

Two major disability rights groups have issued an urgent appeal to Governor Dapo Abiodun to fully operationalise the Ogun State Disability Law before his tenure concludes in eight months. The Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD) and the Spinal Cord Injuries Association of Nigeria (SCIAN) made the call on Wednesday during a joint press briefing at the NUJ Press Centre in Abeokuta. The groups lamented that despite the law being signed into effect nearly nine years ago by former Governor Ibikunle Amosun on December 27, 2017, it has yet to translate into functioning institutions or enforceable protections. The groups emphasized that conversations surrounding potential amendments should not stall the current law. They argued that the government can implement the existing legal framework while pursuing legislative updates simultaneously. Leaders noted that the failure to enforce the law heavily disadvantages an estimated 1,032,221 persons living with disabilities in Ogun State, restricting their access to healthcare, education, transportation, employment, and political spaces. SCIAN National President Abdulwahab Matepo highlighted that since 2025, the community has engaged in countless consultations, courtesy visits, and media advocacy with zero concrete results. "A law passed to protect the rights of persons with disabilities must not remain a law on paper. It must become a law in action. We have demonstrated patience... The next step should now be action."— Abdulwahab Matepo, SCIAN National President With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, JONAPWD Ogun State Chairman Ayo Awobona expanded the advocacy to political stakeholders. He demanded that all political parties and governorship candidates publicly commit to disability inclusion in their governance agendas. Furthermore, Awobona called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee accessible polling units, tailored voting materials, and proper assistance for PWDs in the upcoming polls. The coalition reaffirmed that their campaign is entirely non-partisan and aimed at collaborative progress, calling on Governor Abiodun to provide the swift political direction needed to leave a lasting legacy for the disability community.

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly cautioned politicians and public office holders against using stolen public funds to sponsor pilgrimages to the holy lands of Mecca and Jerusalem, declaring that God does not accept corrupt offerings. The revered traditional and religious leader gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja during the opening ceremony of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) stakeholders’ meeting, themed “Shared Sacred Flourishing in Nigeria.” Addressing the assembly, Sultan Abubakar asserted that the fight against systemic graft requires an active partnership between religious bodies and anti-corruption agencies. He maintained that using illicit wealth for religious obligations is an exercise in futility. “We, as religious leaders, must fight corruption because God Almighty doesn’t like corruption. You cannot steal money and send people to Jerusalem or Mecca with corrupt funds and think God will accept your deeds. God is not corrupt, so you cannot use corrupt money for Hajj or anything else,” the Sultan stated. THENEWSCREDIT reports that the Sultan urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute corrupt individuals decisively, insisting that neither religious titles nor political affiliations should shield anyone from justice. He demanded that the EFCC discharge its duties entirely free from political interference, adding that the law must take its course regardless of the status of the accused. “Whoever is involved—our brothers, sisters, fathers, or friends—should face the law. When someone is facing the law, do not tell me he is the pastor of so-and-so church or the chief imam of so-and-so mosque. We do not want to hear that,” he warned. Highlighting NIREC`s role as a vital platform for Christian-Muslim dialogue, the Sultan emphasized that national peace and stability rely on deeper mutual engagement rather than passive coexistence. “I keep telling people that I don’t want you to just tolerate me, because tolerance means enduring something you have no choice about. But if you understand me, we can work together because we know who we are to each other,” he said. He also cautioned clerics against using the pulpit to incite division or attack public officers, especially during election periods, advising them instead to pray for national leaders. He further paid tribute to the outgoing Executive Secretary of NIREC, Prof. Cornelius Omonokhua, praising his impactful eight-year tenure. Providing an overview of the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Manuals Project, the Chairman of the Interfaith Anti-Corruption Advisory Committee (IAAC), Prof. Adedibu Ojerinde, described the initiative as a strategic collaboration between the EFCC and Nigeria`s religious leadership to tackle the nation`s moral crisis. Prof. Ojerinde noted that the manuals, originally conceived during the 2007 National Interfaith Forum on Corruption and re-inaugurated in January 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, have been updated to address contemporary vulnerabilities. These include youth involvement in cybercrime and money-laundering risks within religious institutions. He stated that the formal handover of the manuals to NIREC marks a transition from publication to practical action, urging clerics nationwide to integrate anti-corruption themes directly into their Friday sermons and Sunday messages. The event drew a diverse audience of Christian and Muslim leaders, senior government officials, security representatives, and members of the press.

The Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd), has advocated for mandatory military training for all Nigerian citizens to instil a deeper sense of national responsibility and understanding of the armed forces` sacrifices. Speaking on the African Leadership Podcast with Ken Giami, General Musa emphasized that the rigorous physical and mental challenges of military drilling—including hunger, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation—offer an irreplaceable perspective on life and national service. The former Chief of Defence Staff argued that first-hand experience with military adversity would reshape how ordinary citizens view the responsibilities of nation-building. "Every Nigerian should be able to go through military training. It will give you a different perspective about life," General Musa stated. "You will understand what it means to stay hungry, what it means to walk for days without sleep. It will show you what endurance means—when you are tired but you still need to keep on going to protect the country." Citing biblical principles of self-sacrifice, the Minister expressed deep concern over public criticism aimed at the military, noting that troops routinely place their lives on the line so that ordinary citizens can live in peace. He concluded that exposing the broader populace to military life would put an end to public insults against service members and foster a unified, more appreciative front against the nation`s security challenges.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has firmly dismissed speculations positioning him as Nigeria’s acting president, clarifying that the machinery of government remains fully functional under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu despite the temporary physical absence of the nation`s two topmost leaders from the federal capital. The clarification became necessary following mounting public anxiety and political debates surrounding who is currently steering the affairs of the state. Critics and stakeholders had raised concerns after it became apparent that both President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were simultaneously out of the Aso Rock Presidential Villa on separate foreign engagements. While President Tinubu is currently in France on a three-week working vacation, Vice President Shettima is in New York, United States, representing Nigeria at the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). This dual absence triggered intense speculation across social media and political circles regarding a potential leadership vacuum in the executive arm of government. Addressing THENEWSCREDIT on Tuesday in Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio swiftly debunked the rumors, reminding the public of his defined constitutional role. He maintained that his position as the head of the legislature remains unchanged and that he has not, in any capacity, assumed the role of the nation’s interim or acting commander-in-chief. “I am the Senate President and not the acting President of Nigeria because President Tinubu is still in power,” Akpabio stated authoritatively. “He’s on a working leave, and there’s no absence in Aso Rock. Asiwaju Tinubu is still in power, and he’s still running the affairs of Nigeria.” Defending the presidency`s ability to govern remotely, the Senate President argued that physical presence in Abuja is no longer a prerequisite for effective leadership in the modern era. He noted that technology allows for seamless governance, querying why critics were unnecessarily alarmed by the President`s temporary relocation. “The world is a global village, you can give instructions from the internet; so why are people complaining?” Akpabio asked. He concluded by asserting his legislative authority, stating that he is the “only person who can declare a vacancy,” before reiterating that absolutely no such vacancy exists in the nation`s highest office.

The Federal Government and key justice sector stakeholders have commenced a comprehensive review of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 to close the widening gap between legislative provisions and the realities confronting Nigerian children. The move aims to introduce implementable and enforceable amendments capable of protecting minors from emerging modern threats across the country. The three-day National Stakeholders’ Engagement on the Review and Amendment of the CRA opened in Abuja with policymakers, legislators, judges, law enforcement agents, and civil society representatives in attendance. Organized by the Federal Ministry of Justice in collaboration with UNICEF and International IDEA, the session marks the first major legal overhaul since the law was enacted 23 years ago. Speaking at the opening session, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, asserted that the development of Nigerian children remains fundamentally linked to national security and sustainable development. Fagbemi stated that protecting children from violence and ensuring access to quality education are core priorities under President Bola Tinubu`s Renewed Hope Agenda. The AGF, who was represented by the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, cautioned that child welfare must no longer be treated as a peripheral social concern. He challenged the delegates to focus on eliminating structural deficiencies that prevent children from fully enjoying the legal protections originally guaranteed by the 2003 Act. Lending judicial weight to the initiative, the Co-Chair of the Review Committee, Justice Suzzette Nyesom-Wike, lauded the multi-sectoral collaboration and pledged the total commitment of the bench to the reform process. Representing the President of the Court of Appeal, she urged participants to utilize their institutional expertise to deliver a flawless, realistic statutory framework. Similarly, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, warned that the contemporary landscape presents severe pressures that the original framers of the law could not have anticipated over two decades ago. In a remark delivered by Justice James Omotosho, Tsoho identified the pressures of the digital age, rising insecurity, widespread child labor, and early marriage as urgent challenges requiring immediate intervention. The Chief Judge specifically frowned upon the lack of uniform domestication and enforcement of the Child Rights Act across various states of the Federation. He noted that legislative intent can only manifest as true justice when coupled with accessible, child-friendly court procedures that insulate traumatized minors from further systemic distress. Justice Tsoho assured that the federal courts stand ready to fully enforce the emerging protections, provided they are backed by precise statutory definitions and enhanced multi-agency coordination. The stakeholders are expected to submit a harmonized draft bill to the National Assembly at the conclusion of the three-day convention.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday issued a stern charge to the leadership of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, directing them to immediately translate his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda into visible structural development at the grassroots level. The President emphasized that the overall success of national growth depends heavily on the performance of local administrations. He declared that a country as vast as Nigeria cannot achieve sustainable advancement solely through policies directed from the central government in Abuja, stating that true transformation must instead take root from the bottom up. Speaking at the maiden Annual National Conference of the 774 Local Government Council Chairmen, held at the State House Banquet Hall, Tinubu insisted that the real impact of government must be measured by tangible improvements in communities. He noted that official policy announcements mean very little if they do not change the daily realities of citizens living in rural wards, villages, and towns. Reflecting on his political journey, the President recalled his tenure as the Governor of Lagos State, during which his administration pioneered the creation of 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). He explained that this expansion was driven by a rapidly growing population and a structural necessity to bring public services closer to ordinary citizens. Tinubu dismissed historical counter-narratives regarding his local government reforms in Lagos, clarifying that the strategy was strictly focused on widening public access to basic services. By shortening the physical and bureaucratic distance between the governed and the government, his administration successfully established enduring centres of local development. Building on that foundational governance blueprint, the President stated that his federal administration has actively pursued decentralized national development since taking office in 2023. He reiterated his firm conviction that local government councils are the primary engines required to lift millions of Nigerians out of poverty and neglect. Highlighting a major milestone of his administration, Tinubu referenced the decisive legal action initiated by the Federal Government which culminated in the historic July 11, 2024, Supreme Court judgment affirming full financial and constitutional autonomy for local government councils across the federation. However, the President pointed out that the landmark judicial victory was not achieved for mere political showmanship. He cautioned the council leaders that autonomy is not an end in itself, but rather a functional administrative instrument meant to drive aggressive infrastructure and welfare delivery across Nigeria. The President subsequently rolled out specific operational benchmarks, ordering the council chairmen and elected councillors to prioritize drastic upgrades in primary healthcare, basic education, rural road networks, and clean water supply. He added that local administrations must aggressively support small scale businesses, women, and youth groups To achieve these governance targets, Tinubu urged the councils to completely abandon archaic administrative habits and transition into modern centres of precision planning. He directed the leadership to heavily adopt technology and rely on verified statistics to ensure evidence-based decision-making and measurable project implementation. Shifting his focus to national security, the President stated that while the Federal Government continues to heavily equip and reform military institutions, lasting peace can only be secured at the community level. He charged the chairmen to collaborate with traditional rulers, religious figures, and lawful security agencies to detect and neutralize local grievances before they erupt into full-blown crises. With political activities quietly intensifying ahead of the 2027 general elections, Tinubu concluded by warning the council chiefs against turning their domains into breeding grounds for political violence. He demanded a strict zero-tolerance policy for political thuggery, hate speech, and youth intimidation, reminding the leaders of their core responsibility to protect the democratic right of every Nigerian to vote without fear.

A deep sense of anxiety has paralyzed academic activities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, as pupils of Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, have completely boycotted resumption for the new academic session following a recent mass abduction in the community. THENEWSCREDIT revealed that instead of returning to their classrooms, many of the traumatized children have been diverted by their parents into trading and artisan skills-acquisition activities during school hours, effectively spiking the number of out-of-school children in the region. Disturbed by the total desertion of the classrooms, the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Olusegun Olayiwola, led a high-powered ministry delegation on a fact-finding working visit to the affected frontier communities to assess the level of security compliance and educational paralysis. A statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, on Tuesday in Ibadan, noted that the state government is actively engaging students, teachers, parents, traditional rulers, and security agencies to restore immediate normalcy. During the tracking exercise, THENEWSCREDIT gathered that the education commissioner physically caught up with several missing pupils at their various vocational apprenticeship venues, where he urgently pleaded with apprehensive parents not to permanently sacrifice their children’s academic future to fear. To prevent the outright closure of the institution—which is privately owned by the mission—the government has directed the state’s Director of Basic Education to immediately interface with the leadership of the Nigerian Baptist Conference on critical stabilization strategies. Meanwhile, a major infrastructural twist emerged during the delegation’s courtesy visit to the palace of the Elesinele of Esiele, Oba Tajudeen Abisoye, who openly lamented the severe impact of the security crisis on alternative public sectors in his domain. The traditional ruler raised a serious alarm over the continuous occupation of the community’s Primary Health Centre by military personnel as temporary barracks accommodation, stating that the development has drastically disrupted routine healthcare delivery for local residents. The security crisis further exposed severe structural deficits at the neighboring Ahoro-Esiele Community Grammar School, prompting the commissioner to order the immediate deployment of additional core instructors, particularly Mathematics teachers, to fill the existing gaps. In a concluding bid to secure long-term operational stability, the Ministry directed the Tutor General to draft a structural framework to absorb dedicated Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) teachers into the state`s main civil service commission for review by the Executive Governor.