Troops Neutralise 8 Terrorists, Rescue 30 Kidnap Victims Across Nigeria

Nigerian Army troops have neutralised eight terrorists and rescued 30 kidnapped victims, including 15 National Youth Service Corps members, in coordinated operations across Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Kogi, and Katsina states between 31 August and 1 September 2026.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised eight terrorists, rescued 30 kidnapped victims and recovered several weapons in coordinated operations across multiple states between August 31 and September 1, 2026, according to a military operational update made available to newsmen on Wednesday .

The operations spanned multiple theatres across the country, with troops conducting intelligence-led raids, clearance operations and rescue missions targeting terrorists, kidnappers and other criminal elements. The military said the latest operations underscored its continued reliance on intelligence, joint operations and sustained offensive action to disrupt terrorists, kidnappers, criminal networks and economic saboteurs across the country .

In Borno State, troops of 151 Task Force Battalion, Sector 1, Operation HADIN KAI, neutralised a terrorist after fighting through an ambush involving a concealed improvised explosive device at Miyanti-Banki Junction, Bama Local Government Area . Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, 14 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and an IED initiator during the encounter . The engagement, however, resulted in the death of one soldier, while another sustained injuries and a military gun truck was damaged .

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In Yobe State, troops of 120 Task Force Battalion, in conjunction with the Civilian Joint Task Force, neutralised another terrorist at Lamusuri, Gujba Local Government Area . Troops recovered an AK-47 rifle, two magazines, 90 rounds of 7.62mm Special ammunition and a body pouch after the encounter . The military also recorded aerial success in Abadam Local Government Area of Borno, where an air strike neutralised three terrorists and destroyed structures used as hideouts .

In Bauchi State, troops of 211 Demonstration Battalion, Operation MESA, neutralised two terrorists and rescued nine kidnapped victims from Makodi Gwamnare Forest in Ningi Local Government Area . Troops recovered eight mobile phones and N1.48 million from the terrorists, while the rescued victims were reunited with their families .

In Kogi State, troops of 21 Battalion, working with the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services and local hunters, rescued 21 victims abandoned by fleeing kidnappers . The victims, comprising eight males and 13 females, were rescued from Egume-Ochaja Forest in Dekina Local Government Area . The operation followed reports of the mass abduction of road users along the Alloma–Ejule–Itobe road axis . Acting on credible intelligence, the joint team successfully located and rescued all 21 victims during the operation .

Fifteen of the rescued victims were National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who had been abducted while travelling from Abuja to Bayelsa State . The corps members, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly on their way to their places of primary assignment when they were intercepted by kidnappers . One male victim who sustained a gunshot wound during the operation was stabilised at a military medical facility .

President Bola Tinubu confirmed the rescue in a statement on his verified X handle, expressing relief and vowing that “those responsible will face the full weight of the law” . The President said: “While the abductees have been safely rescued, our gallant security forces are still on the trail of the routed kidnappers, in line with my directive to sustain the pressure on all criminal elements” . He commended the troops for their professionalism and dedication to duty .

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Kogi State Governor Ahmed Ododo also commended President Tinubu and the security agencies for their response to the incident, stating that “criminals will always regret stepping their feet on Kogi State” . The governor praised the collaborative efforts of the military, police and other security agencies in ensuring the safe return of the victims .

In Katsina State, troops of 17 Brigade and an Office of the National Security Adviser tactical team neutralised two terrorists and destroyed two motorcycles during a fighting patrol in Kogo Village, Matazu Local Government Area .

In Zamfara, troops responding to intelligence on cattle rustling were ambushed at Bude Village, Bungudu Local Government Area, but fought through and forced the terrorists to abandon the rustled cattle . In Plateau, troops arrested four suspected criminals and recovered a locally fabricated firearm, three motorcycles, a cutlass and a knife at Exland Village, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area .

In Delta, troops intercepted a trailer conveying illegally mined ilmenite and arrested two suspects along the Bomadi-Oro Junction road . In Rivers, troops engaged armed oil thieves involved in pipeline vandalism at Oboburu community, forcing the suspects to flee, while one suspect sustained gunshot wounds . Troops also discovered an illegal refining site in Okarki Forest, Ahoada West Local Government Area, recovering equipment and about 40 litres of stolen crude oil .

The latest successes are part of a wider military campaign that has recorded significant achievements throughout August and September 2026 . The Defence Headquarters had earlier reported that troops eliminated 324 terrorists and criminals, arrested 373 suspects, and rescued 610 kidnap victims across the country during August 2026 . The military also recorded the surrender of 201 insurgents and recovered 88 arms and 2,077 rounds of ammunition during that period .

Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the month was characterised by coordinated land, air and maritime operations focused on degrading terrorists’ and criminal groups’ capabilities . He noted that the military would continue to sustain the momentum until all threats to national security were eliminated .

The Director of Defence Information, Major General Samaila Uba, has restated the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s objection to negotiation with, and payment of ransom to terrorists . “The Nigerian Armed Forces do not negotiate with terrorists. We also do not support the payment of any ransom. These are very categorical statements that I want us to take home,” Uba said . He added: “The major responsibility of the military is kinetic operations. As much as possible, we want to take down all the terrorists in Nigeria, or anybody who takes up arms against citizens in Nigeria. That is our major responsibility” .

Troops Neutralise 8 Terrorists, Rescue 30 Kidnap Victims Across Nigeria

We were offered $3m to drop Tinubu records campaign — US firm

A US-based lobbying and policy advisory firm has alleged that an individual it was told was connected to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu offered its founder, Dr Karl Von Batten, $3 million and invited him to a confidential meeting in London in an alleged attempt to persuade the company to abandon its campaign for the release of US government records concerning the Nigerian president.

Von Batten-Montague-York, L.C., made the allegation in a statement posted on its verified X account on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, saying the approach was made “a few days ago” by what it described as a “highly placed individual” whom the firm had been informed was connected to Tinubu.

According to the company, the alleged offer was accompanied by an invitation for Von Batten to attend a confidential meeting in London.

The firm said it believed the proposed payment was intended to persuade its founder to stop its campaign concerning what it describes as Tinubu’s alleged heroin-trafficking records arising from historical US investigations.

Von Batten-Montague-York said Von Batten rejected the alleged offer and preserved copies of the communications surrounding the approach.

The company further said that, following the rejection, its founder became the target of what it described as a smear campaign.

It added that Von Batten contacted members of the campaign of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to establish the nature of the alleged individual’s relationship with President Tinubu.

“We will be providing the $3m offer and related communications to our friends at the DOJ and FBI,” the company said, referring to the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The firm did not name the person it alleged made the offer and has not publicly released the communications or other evidence supporting the claim. The alleged connection between the individual and President Tinubu has also not been independently established.

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The allegation comes at a particularly sensitive time, with the company intensifying its campaign for the disclosure of US government records relating to historical investigations involving Tinubu.

Von Batten-Montague-York has been pushing for the release of records held by the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) concerning Tinubu and a drug-trafficking investigation conducted in the United States in the early 1990s.

The records are at the centre of a long-running Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit filed by American transparency activist Aaron Greenspan against several US government agencies.

The case, Greenspan v. Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys et al., is pending before the US District Court for the District of Columbia under Civil Action No. 1:23-cv-01816.

Greenspan initially sought records from a number of US agencies, including the FBI, DEA, Internal Revenue Service, Department of State and the Executive Office for US Attorneys, concerning Tinubu.

The FBI and DEA initially issued what is known as a “Glomar response”, a legal position that allows an agency to refuse to confirm or deny whether responsive records exist where acknowledging their existence could itself cause harm protected under applicable law.

The court subsequently rejected the agencies’ broad reliance on that position and required them to address the records requests in accordance with the applicable FOIA framework.

The legal dispute has since continued over which records should be released and which portions may lawfully remain withheld or redacted under FOIA exemptions.

The latest phase of the dispute has coincided with a new FBI declaration filed in court on August 28, 2026.

According to excerpts circulated by Von Batten-Montague-York, the FBI said the responsive records were compiled in furtherance of an investigation involving multiple individuals and drug-trafficking crimes.

The lobbying firm has relied heavily on that declaration in arguing that claims that Tinubu was never the subject of a criminal investigation are contradicted by the contents of the FBI’s court filing.

However, the existence of an investigation or investigative records does not by itself establish that an individual committed a crime or was convicted of an offence.

The distinction has become particularly important in the political debate surrounding the records because Tinubu has not been convicted of heroin trafficking in the United States.

The historical dispute also involves a 1993 civil forfeiture proceeding concerning approximately $460,000 in funds linked to accounts associated with Tinubu.

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The forfeiture was a civil proceeding and did not result in a criminal conviction against Tinubu.

Tinubu has consistently denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations surrounding his past in the United States.

His legal team has also intervened in the ongoing FOIA proceedings, asking the US court to prevent or limit the disclosure of records that they argue should remain protected under applicable US law.

In a recent filing, Tinubu’s lawyers opposed the release of additional records sought by Greenspan, arguing that the material should remain withheld or appropriately redacted.

The President’s legal position has added another layer to the dispute, which now involves not only the US government agencies holding the records but also Tinubu’s legal representatives and Greenspan, the FOIA requester.

The latest $3 million allegation has also become politically significant because Von Batten-Montague-York is not an independent investigative agency.

The firm has a formal relationship with Atiku Abubakar, who is now the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and one of Tinubu’s principal political opponents ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Documents filed under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) show that Atiku engaged Von Batten-Montague-York under a 12-month agreement worth $1.2 million.

The contract provides for strategic advisory and government-relations services in the United States, including engagement with members of Congress, congressional staff and executive-branch officials.

The agreement also covers policy positioning, reputational strategy, development of US-facing policy messages and efforts to counterbalance narratives advanced by the Nigerian government.

The contract was signed in March 2026 and subsequently registered with the US Department of Justice under the FARA framework.

The firm has since become increasingly vocal on issues involving Tinubu, the Nigerian government and US policy towards Nigeria.

In July, the company said it had begun distributing documents relating to the 1993 civil forfeiture proceedings involving Tinubu to officials associated with the US government and Congress.

The firm has also publicly discussed the ongoing FOIA litigation and the historical US investigation, making the issue an increasingly prominent part of the political contest surrounding Nigeria’s 2027 election.

The Nigerian presidency has, meanwhile, criticised Atiku’s use of the Washington lobbying firm, describing the campaign surrounding the US records as politically motivated.

Presidential spokespersons have pointed to the $1.2 million FARA-registered contract as evidence that the lobbying firm’s activities should be viewed within the context of Atiku’s political campaign and his opposition to Tinubu.

The latest allegation therefore adds a new dimension to an already contentious political and legal dispute.

If the firm submits the alleged communications concerning the $3 million offer to the FBI and Department of Justice as promised, US authorities would have the opportunity to examine the material and determine whether the approach occurred, who made it and whether there was any genuine connection to President Tinubu or his associates.

For now, however, the central allegation remains unverified.

The person who allegedly made the offer has not been identified publicly, the alleged communications have not been released, and there is no independent evidence currently available establishing that the individual was authorised to act on Tinubu’s behalf.

The claim of a subsequent smear campaign against Von Batten likewise remains an allegation by the firm.

The controversy comes just days after the FBI’s latest court filing revived attention on the historical investigation involving Tinubu and as the US court continues to determine what records should be released under the Freedom of Information Act.

It also comes at a politically sensitive period in Nigeria, with Atiku and other opposition figures seeking to challenge Tinubu ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The dispute is consequently unfolding on two fronts: a US legal battle over access to government records and a Nigerian political contest over what those records could mean for Tinubu’s public image and electoral prospects.

For Von Batten-Montague-York, the alleged $3 million approach has become another reason to intensify its demand for disclosure.

For Tinubu’s camp, the lobbying firm’s financial relationship with Atiku provides important context for assessing its public campaign.

Until the alleged communications are made public and independently examined, however, the reported $3 million offer remains an allegation, rather than an established finding against President Tinubu or any person associated with him.

We were offered $3m to drop Tinubu records campaign — US firm

Lagos Cleric, 74, Remanded Over Alleged Defilement of 9-Year-Old Granddaughter

An Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court orders the remand of a septuagenarian cleric after he was accused of sexually assaulting his young granddaughter, an act that allegedly resulted in severe bleeding.

A 74-year-old cleric, Joseph Adeniran, has been remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre by an Ikeja Chief Magistrates’ Court for the alleged defilement of his nine-year-old granddaughter. The Chief Magistrate, Mrs C.M. Kushanu, ordered that the defendant be held at the correctional centre until September 24, 2026, pending the receipt of legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The court did not take the defendant’s plea at the Tuesday proceedings.

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The prosecutor, ASP Adegoke Ademigbuji, told the court that the alleged offence took place on June 18, 2026, at the defendant’s residence located at 12, Araromi Street, off Baba Egbe Road, Meiran, Lagos. According to the prosecutor, the cleric is accused of sexually assaulting the minor by inserting his finger into her, which caused profuse bleeding. The incident came to light when a neighbour noticed bloodstains on the child’s clothing and raised a concern. When questioned, the young girl reportedly told the neighbour that her grandfather had fingered her, which led to the bleeding. Following this disclosure, the case was reported to the police, and the suspect was subsequently arrested.

The prosecution stated that the offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. This section of the law prescribes life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of defiling a minor.

Lagos Cleric, 74, Remanded Over Alleged Defilement of 9-Year-Old Granddaughter