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Negotiation ongoing for release of abducted Greenfied varsity students – Gumi
Popular Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, says negotiations are ongoing with kidnappers of Greenfield University students and expresses the hope that the remaining 16 abducted students will be released.
He said the abductors were holding back on their threat to kill the undergraduates unless N100m ransom was paid because of the negotiations.
The Islamic scholar spoke with reporters in Kaduna after receiving parents of the freed students of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanisation, Afaka, who came to thank him.
He said, “Talk is ongoing with Greenfield University students’ abductors. You know they threatened to kill all of them after a particular deadline, but after talking to them, they are now lowering their bar.
“So, we are thankful they have stopped killing. And we are still negotiating with them. I hope this Afaka case will also encourage them to know that there is hope in negotiation and release the children.”
On his role in securing the release of the 27 Afaka students, Gumi said, “The role I and former President Olusegun Obasanjo played is that of mediators because the fight is not between us and them, but between the bandits and the government.
“What we understand is that these people are trying to attack the government by attacking the institutions and take innocent children.
“Having understood that, we concluded that this is not a hopeless situation; we can go in and negotiate for the release of these children, which we did after so many ups and downs.
“But in the long run, a conclusion was reached and these children are out. So, we are happy that all of them are out and none was killed.”
Gumi did not however confirm whether there was a swap deal.
He said, “I cannot confirm that, but I can quote the Governor of Kaduna State when the children of Chibok were kidnapped by Boko Haram.
“He said it is the duty of the government to use whatever means possible to save the lives of Chibok girls.
“This is a general rule that life is more precious. Now, I am happy that 27 lives have been saved.”
Parents of the 27 Afaka students are yet to be reunited with them after 57 days in captivity.
The reunion was postponed from Thursday till Friday (today).
A statement by the parents signed by Malam Abdullahi Usman and Catherine Saleh thanked God and all those who were instrumental to the release of their children.
The statement read in part, “It is pertinent for us to effect an important correction on the number of the released students. They are 27, not 29, as reported by some media.
“The total abducted students were 39, out of which two escaped not long after the abduction. Ten were released in two batches of five each, leaving the remaining 27, who were released Wednesday, 56 days after their abduction.
“We, as parents, made several efforts to secure the release of the students. We even took our peaceful march to the National Assembly on Tuesday, presented our plight and prayed for the intervention of the lawmakers in securing the release of our children.
“We are grateful that we did not leave any stone unturned on the path to where we have arrived today.
“The 27 released students were received at a location in Kidanda, Giwa Local Government, and conveyed to Kaduna. On arrival in Kaduna, they were taken to the Police College Clinic for a medical checkup.
“We extend profound gratitude to all Nigerians and lovers of humanity at home and abroad who showed up and showed out in solidarity as we went through the dark horrendous period of waiting and hoping for the return of our children.
“We are unable to thank nearly enough everyone who stood by us and for the sacrifices you made in your various capacities financially, morally, spiritually and otherwise.
“We most especially register our immense gratitude to former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo, and Abubakar Abdulsalami, Sheikh Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, and the Provost of the College, Dr Usman, for the various roles they played in securing the release of our children.
“We call on the government to get more serious and to aggressively pursue safe schooling as a pertinent agenda to give parents the confidence to send their children to school.
“If the schools remain as security porous as they are now, many may not find it worth the trouble to enroll their children in schools anymore.”
News
State police bill: Gbajabiamila-led panel extends deadline for public input
State police bill: Gbajabiamila-led panel extends deadline for public input
ABUJA — The Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill has extended the deadline for the submission of memoranda and position papers on the proposed legislation to Friday, August 21, 2026.
The submissions must be made by 5 p.m. West Africa Time (WAT) through the official National Policing Bill portal.
The extension was announced on Thursday in a statement issued by the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Presidential Working Group, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
Gbajabiamila said the additional time would enable stakeholders to prepare more detailed submissions and allow interested individuals, institutions and organisations to make well-considered contributions to the proposed legislation.
He said the Working Group remained committed to broad consultation and would consider informed contributions from Nigerians and relevant stakeholders as it develops the National Policing Bill.
The proposed legislation is expected to establish the operational, administrative, institutional and funding framework for an effective policing system capable of responding to Nigeria’s changing security needs.
It is also expected to provide safeguards for police accountability, professionalism and the protection of citizens’ rights.
“Given the significance of the proposed reform to the future of policing and internal security in Nigeria, the Working Group considers it important that stakeholders are afforded more opportunity to make substantive and technically sound contributions to the process,” the statement said.
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The panel specifically encouraged legal practitioners, civil society organisations, security-sector professionals, state governments, professional bodies, academics, experts and other interested members of the public to use the extended period to submit their views.
“All submissions must be made on or before 5:00 p.m. WAT on Friday, August 21, 2026, exclusively through the official National Policing Bill portal, nationalpolicingbill.com,” the statement added.
The extension comes as the Federal Government advances plans for a new national policing framework, including the proposed establishment of state police.
The reform has gained renewed attention amid persistent security challenges across Nigeria, including kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, communal violence and other forms of criminality.
Supporters of state police argue that a more decentralised policing structure could strengthen community intelligence, improve response times and enable security agencies to better understand local security threats.
However, concerns have also been raised over the possibility of political interference and abuse of state-controlled police structures. These concerns have made accountability, oversight and safeguards against political interference important elements of the proposed reform.
The Working Group said its assignment would require careful consideration of several issues, including sustainable funding, command and control structures, recruitment and training standards, operational jurisdiction, inter-agency coordination and accountability mechanisms.
The group will also consider safeguards against political interference and abuse to ensure that the proposed policing framework protects citizens while allowing security agencies to operate effectively.
The development of the National Policing Bill is linked to the ongoing constitutional process for the establishment of state police in Nigeria. The proposed reform seeks to create a legal framework that would allow policing responsibilities to be more effectively shared between federal and state authorities.
President Bola Tinubu had earlier inaugurated the Presidential Working Group to develop an implementation-ready draft of the bill for onward legislative consideration.
The Working Group brings together representatives from the Federal Government, state governments, the security sector and the legal profession, reflecting the broad institutional implications of the proposed state police system.
The Presidency has said the proposed framework is expected to address issues such as minimum policing standards, state readiness, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights protection and sustainable financing.
These issues are considered critical to ensuring that a decentralised policing system does not create significant disparities in policing standards or weaken national security coordination.
The Working Group said the issues under consideration underscore the need for extensive stakeholder engagement to develop a policing framework that is effective, accountable, sustainable and responsive to the security needs of communities across Nigeria.
“At the conclusion of its assignment, the Presidential Working Group will present a final, implementation-ready draft of the National Policing Bill for onward legislative processing,” the statement said.
The panel thanked stakeholders who had already submitted memoranda and encouraged others intending to participate in the process to take advantage of the extended deadline.
With the new timeline, all memoranda and position papers must be submitted by 5 p.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.
The submissions are expected to help shape the final draft of the legislation before it proceeds to the next stage of the legislative process.
State police bill: Gbajabiamila-led panel extends deadline for public input
News
FG to Attach 300 NYSC Corps Members to CNG Workshops for Skills Training
FG to Attach 300 NYSC Corps Members to CNG Workshops for Skills Training
The Federal Government has announced plans to train and attach 300 National Youth Service Corps members to compressed natural gas conversion centres across the country as part of efforts to equip young Nigerians with practical technical skills and promote the adoption of CNG-powered vehicles.
The initiative is expected to provide the selected corps members with specialised training in CNG vehicle conversion and maintenance, enabling them to acquire skills that could improve their employment and entrepreneurship prospects after completing their national service.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Monitoring and Delivery, Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, disclosed the plan at the opening of a CNG Retrofitting Training Programme for corps members at the NYSC FCT Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja.
Gbadamosi said the selected corps members would undergo training and certification as CNG technicians before being deployed to CNG conversion centres across the country.
She explained that the programme would cover the six geopolitical zones and was designed to contribute to the Federal Government’s broader plan to expand the conversion of petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to CNG.
According to her, the initiative is expected to support the government’s target of converting 100,000 vehicles to CNG annually, while simultaneously creating opportunities for young Nigerians to develop specialised technical expertise.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with relevant government agencies and stakeholders in the automotive and energy sectors.
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The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the initiative would provide corps members with practical skills capable of complementing their university and polytechnic qualifications.
Olawande urged the beneficiaries to take the training seriously, describing technical and vocational skills as important tools for reducing youth unemployment and increasing self-reliance.
He said the Federal Government was interested in ensuring that the NYSC programme did not end with the traditional primary assignment and community development activities, but also provided corps members with skills that could sustain them after their service year.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, also described the programme as an important step towards equipping young Nigerians for emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s changing energy and automotive landscape.
He said the collaboration demonstrated the scheme’s commitment to providing corps members with practical skills and preparing them for the labour market.
The National Automotive Design and Development Council is also involved in the initiative, particularly in relation to technical standards and certification for the CNG conversion training.
The Federal Government has in recent years intensified efforts to promote CNG as a cheaper alternative fuel following the removal of petrol subsidy and the resulting increase in transportation costs.
The government has maintained that greater adoption of CNG could help reduce transportation costs, conserve foreign exchange spent on petroleum products and create new jobs in the automotive conversion and maintenance sector.
The training of NYSC members is therefore expected to address both sides of the policy — increasing the pool of skilled personnel available to service the growing CNG industry while providing young Nigerians with employable technical skills.
Meanwhile, reports circulating that each of the 300 corps members will receive a monthly training allowance of ₦100,000 have not been independently confirmed in the official details released on the programme.
The confirmed aspect of the initiative is that the selected corps members will receive specialised training and certification before being attached to CNG conversion centres across the country.
The programme is expected to serve as a pilot for broader youth-focused skills development initiatives as the Federal Government continues to seek ways of linking national service with employment, entrepreneurship and emerging economic opportunities.
FG to Attach 300 NYSC Corps Members to CNG Workshops for Skills Training
News
Tinubu Vows to Secure Nigeria, Declares Unity Non-Negotiable Amid Worsening Insecurity
Tinubu Vows to Secure Nigeria, Declares Unity Non-Negotiable Amid Worsening Insecurity
President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s resolve to tackle Nigeria’s security crisis and preserve national unity, declaring that the country’s ethnic and religious differences must not be allowed to tear it apart.
President Bola Tinubu has declared that his administration is determined to ensure sustainable security and national unity in Nigeria, even as the country grapples with a wide range of security and socio-economic challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and communal conflicts. He made the remarks on Tuesday at the International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development, organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS Nigeria) in collaboration with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia. Barau Jibrin, Deputy Senate President, conveyed Tinubu’s message in Abuja at the conference, which was themed “Diversity and Social Peace: A Partnership for a Promising Future”. The event, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, brought together religious leaders, policymakers, traditional rulers, academics, and other stakeholders to examine the link between peace, security, and socio-economic development. The conference came at a critical time when Nigeria and other countries are battling multifaceted security threats, including the rise of criminal groups that have made incursions into various parts of the country, from the North-East and North-West to the South-West, with attacks reported in Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, and Ogun states.
Jibrin said Tinubu’s administration is working to address Nigeria’s security challenges and ensure that the country remains united. He emphasised the timeliness of the conference, noting that Nigeria is glad the event is being held at this very important period in the life of the entire world. “Mr President is glad to assure the organisers of this very important conference of the federal government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the realisation of sustainable security in our country and, indeed, the entire world,” he said. “This government is working very hard to ensure security in our nation and is also collaborating with other countries in the world to ensure global peace. Against this background, the conference is expected to deliberate on emerging trends that pose threats to our nation, as well as international security systems, and chart the way forward as a contribution to consolidate the government’s efforts to address our national security challenges”. He added that the government is determined to make sure that Nigeria remains united as a country, despite differences, and that the people should talk and remain in this country, allowing it to remain a united nation.
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The President’s call for unity resonated with other speakers at the conference, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who said Nigeria does not lack solutions to its challenges but needs greater commitment to implement agreed decisions. He urged religious leaders and stakeholders to deepen dialogue, strengthen mutual trust, and identify common ground in addressing the country’s challenges, while calling for stronger Christian-Muslim relations through the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC). Similarly, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said Nigeria’s diversity should be regarded as a strength rather than a source of division, and warned political leaders against exploiting religion and ethnicity for temporary political advantage. Yilwatda, speaking from personal experience of communal conflict and displacement, said that when violence comes, it does not discriminate between Christians and Muslims, and urged religious leaders to preach faith without hatred, conviction without contempt, and truth without incitement. The Executive Secretary of NIREC, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, also said humanity remains the strongest bond among Nigerians in spite of religious differences, and that religion should promote mercy, compassion and love rather than division.
The conference also heard from Sheikh Abdullahi Lau, National Chairman of JIBWIS, who said the government must sustain efforts to address insecurity while investing in education and economic empowerment for young people, which would reduce their vulnerability to radicalisation and recruitment by criminal groups. He noted that JIBWIS Nigeria and the World Muslim League would provide a forum for regular dialogue between adherents of the two major religions in Nigeria to foster peaceful coexistence. The two-day conference, which runs from Tuesday to Wednesday, is aimed at promoting tolerance, acceptance of diversity, interfaith dialogue and cooperation among religious, ethnic and civil society groups toward building social peace.
The conference comes amid growing calls for more drastic action to address Nigeria’s security crisis. The Northern Elders Forum has demanded that President Tinubu declare a national security emergency, warning that worsening violence, kidnappings, and bandit attacks across the country pose a serious threat to Nigeria’s stability and economic survival. The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre has also called for a comprehensive probe of defence expenditure and security votes, warning that the worsening wave of kidnappings, banditry, and violent attacks has exposed deep flaws in Nigeria’s security architecture, despite the Federal Government’s allocation of N5.41 trillion to defence and security in the 2026 budget—the largest security allocation in the country’s history. President Tinubu has previously outlined several initiatives to address security threats, including the proposed establishment of state police forces to decentralise Nigeria’s policing structure—a reform he has actively championed, with safeguards against abuse. He has also announced plans to expand the Nigerian Army from eight to 12 divisions to reduce response time, strengthen the Forest Guard to pursue criminal gangs in forest reserves, and deepen intelligence gathering. The President has also maintained a firm policy of refusing to negotiate with kidnappers and other criminal groups, declaring “no deal” with criminals who demand ransom or the release of detained gang members. The government has linked part of Nigeria’s security challenges to instability in neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic, which has intensified cross-border threats.
Tinubu Vows to Secure Nigeria, Declares Unity Non-Negotiable Amid Worsening Insecurity
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