Proscription of Bandits: FG has succumbed to blackmail – Gumi - Newstrends
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Proscription of Bandits: FG has succumbed to blackmail – Gumi

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Sheikh Gumi Reacts to Killing of ISIS Commander Al-Minuki
Sheik Ahmad Gumi

Sheik Ahmad Gumi has alleged that the Federal Government has succumbed to the blackmail against bandits.

The respected scholar said this while reacting to the report of the court proscription of armed men terrorising the country.

Daily Trust had reported how Justice Taiwo Taiwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja proclaimed the activities of bandits as terrorism.

The judge ruled based on an ex parte motion filed by the Federal Government.

Mohammed Abubakar, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), who filed the motion, had said President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the proscription of terrorist groups in the country.

But Gumi said designating bandits as terrorists will result in more violence.

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He also said it cannot solve insecurity, alleging that the action was taken for political expediency.

In a statement Malam Tukur Mamu, his Media Consultant, issued on his behalf, Gumi said, “I think the federal government has succumbed to media blackmail by a section of the country. It will not have any practical value because even before the declaration, they are being fought and treated as terrorists.”

“So it’s just a nomenclature which I believe will not change the dynamics on the ground.

“If you can remember IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) was also declared a terrorist organization, the declaration was even backed by the order of the Court but as you can see even the international community did not recognise FG’s declaration of IPOB. So it has failed to be effective or to achieve the desired results.

“They have not been banned from travelling to other countries while their citizenship remains intact, it has not been denounced. So what type of declaration is that?

“I sincerely hope that Nigerians will not take the herdsmen as terrorists but should regard the criminality of the few among them against innocent people as acts of terrorism just as we see IPOB and their attacks on security agencies and other northern citizens as acts of terrorism. Very few herdsmen are bandits if you go through their population.

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“I hope this declaration will not give the license to people to be profiling herdsmen in general as terrorists and taking the law into their hands against them.

“It will cause more mayhem. The declaration will not change anything, it will not change the dynamics. Already the military is engaging them. It didn’t stop them from kidnappings and killings. The declaration will not end their aggression against the society.

“The Fulani banditry is a socio-economic problem. We have seen it, we interacted widely with them. We told the federal government the way out.

“It can only be won through engagement, dialogue and justice. That is why today there is relative peace in the Niger Delta because government has accepted the painful reality of rehabilitating and empowering them.

“There has to be equitable distribution of wealth in Nigeria and justice for everyone. People don’t want to accept it, before the issue of banditry that now affects all of us, the Fulanis have suffered so much.

”They have lost their legitimate means of livelihood, I mean their cows through cattle rustling and extortion by security agencies. That has to be addressed as a means of genuine reconciliation and integration. They should have a sense of belonging.”

Daily Trust

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N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

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August 22, 2026

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N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

The Federal Government says the massive spending shielded consumers from the full impact of tariff hikes, but critics question the value amid persistent blackouts and plans to phase out subsidies by 2027.

The President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has disclosed that it spent N3.14 trillion on electricity subsidies between June 2023 and December 2025, according to figures contained in its latest economic reform scorecard. The government said the intervention was designed to protect electricity consumers from the full effect of tariff increases as reforms in the power sector continued.

The electricity subsidy was among N30.64 trillion in additional spending pressures incurred by the Federal Government during the 31-month period. The figures were released by the Ministry of Finance following a presentation by Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy.

According to the ministry, electricity subsidy payments rose sharply from N177 billion in 2023 to N1.48 trillion in 2024, representing an increase of more than 740 per cent. By December 2025, the subsidy bill stood at N1.47 trillion, indicating a marginal 1.14 per cent decline compared with the previous year.

Other major spending pressures recorded during the period included N9.39 trillion for wage adjustments and minimum-wage increases, N9.37 trillion arising from the impact of exchange-rate movements on external debt servicing, and N6.47 trillion for strategic infrastructure projects.

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The government said it mobilised N20.4 trillion in additional resources to partly finance the increased expenditure. The funds comprised N5.43 trillion from the Federal Government’s share of estimated petrol subsidy savings, N3.12 trillion in additional revenues, and N11.85 trillion raised through incremental borrowing. Despite these resources, the government said there was still a funding shortfall of N10.24 trillion, which had to be accommodated within the existing revenue base.

Despite the substantial subsidy spending, electricity supply deteriorated during the same period. According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), the Federal Government incurred an electricity tariff subsidy of N358.32 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone. The subsidy bill averaged more than N119 billion per month as the government maintained its freeze on end-user electricity tariffs at July 2024 rates.

NERC explained that because electricity tariffs remain below cost-reflective levels, the government continues to subsidise the difference between the actual cost of power generation and the approved tariffs charged to consumers. Under the current Distribution Companies’ Remittance Obligation (DRO) framework, electricity generation companies invoiced the 11 DisCos a total of N689.72 billion during the quarter. However, only N331.40 billion was billed to the DisCos, leaving the government to cover the remaining N358.32 billion. The subsidy accounted for 51.95 per cent of the total generation invoice during the period.

The commission clarified that the lower subsidy payment in Q1 2026 did not result from the introduction of cost-reflective tariffs but rather from a decline in electricity purchased by the distribution companies during the quarter. According to the report, average available generation capacity fell by 17.45 per cent, dropping from 5,400.38MW in the fourth quarter of 2025 to 4,457.96MW in the first quarter of 2026. Total electricity generation also declined by 9.64 per cent to 8,883.47GWh.

The subsidy disclosure has drawn criticism from organised private sector groups. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) questioned the impact of the N15.8 trillion in petrol subsidy savings and criticised the N3.14 trillion electricity subsidy, saying it appeared to contradict the logic behind electricity tariff reforms and highlighted the high power costs that continue to burden businesses.

NERC has warned that the current subsidy regime leaves the Federal Government exposed to uncertain and potentially rising financial obligations. “The open-ended nature of the subsidy exposes the FGN to indeterminate subsidy obligations due to volumetric risk and changes in generation costs arising from changes in the generation mix, particularly with an increase in thermal generation,” the commission stated.

The disclosure comes against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s plan to gradually withdraw electricity subsidies from 2027. In July, Joseph Tegbe, Minister of Power, said the government had no immediate plan to increase electricity tariffs, explaining that subsidy payments would be gradually phased out from next year while ensuring that Nigerians continued to benefit from existing arrangements. “I promise you, next year, by God’s grace, we will put a stop to this so-called subsidy in the power sector,” Tegbe said.

The government has also proposed establishing a Power Consumer Assistance Fund (PCAF) , established under the Electricity Act 2023, as the preferred mechanism for delivering targeted subsidies directly to vulnerable electricity users. The initiative is designed to channel financial support through consumers’ electricity accounts or other verified identity-linked platforms, improving transparency in subsidy administration while boosting investor confidence in the sector.

However, analysts note that ending the subsidy without imposing another sharp tariff increase will require widespread metering, lower transmission and distribution losses, improved collections, reliable supply, and targeted protection for poorer households. The government is also working to clear debts owed to power generation companies, with GenCos reportedly owed about N6.5 trillion and receiving only about 35 per cent of their monthly invoices.

In April 2024, NERC raised electricity tariffs for Band A customers from N66 to N225 per kilowatt-hour. The affected consumers were expected to receive at least 20 hours of electricity daily, while the adjustment was projected to reduce the government’s subsidy burden by about N1.14 trillion in 2024. Despite this adjustment, the subsidy bill for 2024 and 2025 combined still reached nearly N3 trillion.

N3.14 Trillion Spent on Electricity Subsidy in 31 Months – FG

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100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

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August 22, 2026

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100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

Parents and community leaders say the children were taken from their schools while writing exams and deserve to come home alive—warning that Nigeria cannot allow mass kidnappings to become “normalized.”

Abuja, Nigeria — It has been 100 days of “sleepless nights, tears and fear” for the families of 78 students abducted in Borno State. On Friday, parents, community leaders, and concerned citizens gathered at the National Assembly to issue an emotional plea to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Babagana Umara Zulum: bring our children home.

The appeal, made under the theme “Bring Our Children Home: 100 Days of Horror, Pain and Suffering Is Enough,” highlighted two separate mass abductions that have left communities in Askira-Uba, Lassa, Buratai, and along the Chibok route traumatized.

“We stand before you today with broken hearts, but also with determination and an urgent demand: Bring our children home,” the group told journalists.

The 78 students were taken in two coordinated attacks on schools in Borno State—one of the regions hardest hit by Nigeria’s ongoing insurgency and banditry crisis.

On May 15, 2026, 42 pupils and students of Mussa Primary and Junior Day Secondary School in Askira-Uba Local Government Area were abducted. According to Senator Ali Ndume, the abductees included four students of Government Day Secondary School, 28 primary school pupils, and 10 children taken from their homes. The school is located on the fringes of Sambisa Forest, a known stronghold of Islamist militant groups.

Then, on June 29, 2026, tragedy struck again. Thirty-six students of Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, were taken while writing their NECO examinations. The Borno State Police Command confirmed the attackers, suspected to be ISWAP (Islamic State West Africa Province), shot sporadically and abducted students. Reports indicate the gunmen wore military and forest guard uniforms to gain access. One teacher was killed during the attack, and students and women selling food within the school premises were also abducted.

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Beyond the school attacks, the families are also demanding the rescue of 38 persons kidnapped along Buratai Road to Maiduguri, as well as several other residents seized along the Chibok route and other vulnerable roads across the state, underscoring the widespread insecurity plaguing the region.

The families drew attention to a recent success story to bolster their plea: the rescue of abducted schoolchildren in Oyo State, who were taken on May 15 and rescued on July 10—just 56 days later—through an intelligence-led operation. “If it could be done in Oyo, it can be done in Borno,” the group said, adding, “We are not demanding preferential treatment, but equal protection under the law.” They warned that allowing the Borno abductions to drag on unresolved would send a dangerous signal that mass kidnappings are becoming normalized in Nigeria’s security crisis, a fate they are determined to resist.

The group presented a clear list of seven demands to President Tinubu and Governor Zulum. They called for immediate rescue operations for all Mussa and Lassa students, as well as the rescue of the Buratai Road victims and others abducted along the Chibok route. They also demanded regular updates to families on rescue efforts, increased protection for schools and highways, a sustained intelligence-led operation by all security agencies, the deployment of all available security resources to ensure safe return, and full coordination between state and federal security agencies. “We recognise the enormous security challenges confronting our nation. But the continued captivity of innocent children and civilians cannot be allowed to become another unresolved case,” they said.

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has met with parents of the abducted children and assured them that President Tinubu personally directed security agencies to ensure the safe recovery of the pupils. Zulum conveyed the President’s sympathy to the affected families and said authorities would deploy every necessary effort to bring the children home safely. However, with 100 days already passed, families are growing increasingly desperate. The Borno State Police Command had earlier deployed security operatives to comb the forest for the Lassa students, but no breakthrough has been announced, leaving families in agonizing uncertainty.

The abductions highlight the persistent security challenges facing northern Nigeria, where mass kidnappings for ransom and ideological purposes have become alarmingly frequent. Sambisa Forest remains a refuge for militant groups, schools have become soft targets for attackers, and rural communities feel abandoned by security forces. This sense of abandonment is compounded by the fact that over 100,000 police officers are reportedly assigned to VIP protection, leaving ordinary citizens vulnerable. The families ended their plea with a powerful warning: “We cannot allow the passage of time to reduce the urgency. Their lives matter. Their education matters. Their families matter. Their future matters.”

As the 100-day mark passes, pressure is mounting on both the federal and state governments to act decisively. The families have vowed to continue their advocacy until every child is returned safely. For now, the nation watches—and waits—to see whether Nigeria’s security apparatus can rise to the occasion and bring these children home.

100 Days in Captivity: Borno Families Beg Tinubu, Zulum to Rescue 78 Abducted Students

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Newlywed Woman Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Husband to Death Over Party Dispute in Kano

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August 21, 2026

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Newlywed Woman Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Husband to Death Over Party Dispute in Kano

Newlywed Woman Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Husband to Death Over Party Dispute in Kano

A Magistrates’ Court in Kano State has remanded a newlywed woman, Khadija Sa’idu, in a correctional facility over the alleged culpable homicide of her husband, Malam Auwal Adam, following a heated disagreement over her request to attend a social gathering. The court, presided over by Magistrate Haulatu Magaji Kankarofi, ordered the remand of the suspect after she was arraigned by the police on Thursday, August 20, 2026, for allegedly stabbing her husband in the chest and neck at their residence in Hayin Lawal, Rimin Kebe, Kumbotso Local Government Area of the state.

According to the facts presented before the court, Khadija had sought her husband’s permission to attend a social gathering, but he reportedly refused to allow her to go. The prosecution alleged that following the disagreement, the suspect stabbed her husband in the chest while he was asleep on a couch at their residence. The victim, Malam Auwal Adam, was subsequently rushed to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital for medical attention, where doctors reportedly confirmed his death from injuries sustained during the attack.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the prosecutor informed the court that the case file was still awaiting legal advice from the state counsel to determine the appropriate next step in the prosecution. Following the submission, Magistrate Kankarofi ordered that Khadija be remanded in a correctional facility. The court adjourned the matter until September 8, 2026, for further mention. The allegation against Khadija Sa’idu is yet to be determined by the court, and she remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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This tragic incident is not an isolated case, as similar tragedies involving newly married couples have been reported across Nigeria. In a separate incident earlier this year, a housewife identified as Fatima allegedly stabbed her husband, Auwalu, to death barely two months after their marriage in Rimin Kebe quarters, Kano State. According to sources, the relationship had been strained, with claims that the marriage was not based on mutual affection. In another tragic case, a newlywed woman in Abia State, Sara Innocent, was arrested for allegedly stabbing her husband, Innocent Nwaoji, to death just eight months after their wedding in December 2025. The incident, which occurred on August 8, 2026, in Umuokereke Ngwa, Obingwa Local Government Area, left the community in shock as there had reportedly been no known disagreement between the couple before the incident.

Cases of domestic violence involving married couples have continued to raise concern across Nigeria, with authorities repeatedly urging families to seek peaceful ways of resolving conflicts instead of allowing arguments to turn deadly. The police say investigations into these cases are still ongoing, and suspects will face the full weight of the law. Gender-based violence remains a critical issue in Nigeria, and these tragic incidents highlight the need for improved conflict resolution mechanisms and support systems for couples in distress.

Newlywed Woman Remanded for Allegedly Stabbing Husband to Death Over Party Dispute in Kano

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