Security
Bandits didn’t kidnap 150 in Sokoto, hijack armoured vehicles in Zamfara – DHQ
The Defence Headquarters has denied that bandits in Zamfara State hijacked two armoured vehicles.
It also refuted claims that a large number of civilians were killed and mass buried by terrorists, as well as reports that over 150 terrorists were kidnapped also by terrorists in Sokoto State.
The DHQ’s response was following videos that had emerged over the weekend.
In the first video, the bandits claimed they hijacked two armoured vehicles from the troops and were seen celebrating it.
In another video, terrorists were shown conducting a mass burial for citizens, while the last video claimed that over 150 residents were kidnapped in Sokoto State.
In a statement on Monday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba, said the videos were fake.
Explaining what happened in Zamfara, the statement said the two Armoured vehicles got stuck due to the swampy nature of the area while troops were trying to outflank the terrorists gathering at Kwashabawa Village.
It noted that the troops demobilised the vehicles to prevent the terrorists from making use of it.
It said, “ On August 29, troops of OP HADARIN DAJI deployed at FOB Zurmi in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State, embarked on fighting patrol to dislodge terror gathering at Kwashabawa Village. Troops engaged the terrorists en route to the location.
“During the fight, while attempting to outflank the terrorist. Quantity 2 of troops MRAPs got bogged down due to the swampy terrain occasioned by the rain. While troops tried to extricate the MRAPs, the terrorists massed up, knowing the challenge troops had encountered with the MRAPs.
“Subsequently, troops dismounted and demobilised the MRAPs when efforts to backload them were futile. The sad demobilization of the MRAPs by troops was to prevent it from being useful to the terrorists after abandonment. These situations further illustrate the effect of weather in changing conditions for ground operations.”
The statement also said the trending video of terrorists conducting mass burials for citizens never happened in the country.
It said, “In a related development, the attention of DHQ has been drawn to a trending video propagated from the terrorist camp. The video depicted the killing of several civilians in a mass grave. It must be noted that the incident never took place in Nigeria. Rather, it sadly took place in a nearby African country faced with terrorism. “
It stated that the rumoured abduction of citizens in Sokoto was planted by terrorists to rubbish the win recorded by troops.
The statement said, “The terrorist, in an act of desperation, tried to manipulate the situation to mislead gullible members of the public. The armed forces unequivocally state that at no time were 150 persons abducted in Gobir (Sokoto State). The rumoured abduction was deliberately planted by the terrorist to undermine troops’ winning efforts and cover up terrorist weakness.”
, therefore, urged the citizens to be mindful of the antics of the terrorists, adding that the terrorists resorting to propaganda is not uncommon in war.
It said, “On the whole, the public is urged to be circumspect of the antics of the terrorist to propagate misinformation, disinformation and fake news as part of their war propaganda effort. These situations are not uncommon in war.
“The dynamic and ever-changing environment of war creates some of these experiences. Nevertheless, troops retain operational flexibility to make adjustments in achieving the strategic objective of winning the war.”
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Police Reform Project III: Kano commits to citizen-led security approach
Kano State Government says it has renewed its commitment to a citizen-led security approach as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community policing and improve public safety across the state.
Mrs Maimuna Sherif, Special Adviser on Community Policing to Gov. Abba Yusuf, stated this at the stakeholders meeting on improving police community relations organised by the Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI) on Friday in Kano.
Sherif said the administration was deepening its engagement with community structures to boost intelligence gathering and enhance collaboration between residents and security agencies.
She said Kano’s large population and social diversity require a policing model that empowers citizens as active partners in the state’s security architecture.
“Our communities know the environment, they know the people, and their support provides critical information that helps security agencies identify criminal hideouts,” Sherif said.
The special adviser also disclosed that the government was finalising arrangements to establish a Security Trust Fund to mobilise resources from the public and private sectors to support security operations.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Director of VAI, Mr Musa Aboki, said the Police Reform Project builds on earlier phases implemented in Bauchi and Zamfara, with similar interventions underway in two South-East states.
Aboki explained that Phase III features community scorecard assessments, intra-dialogue sessions and follow-up engagements aimed at addressing gaps in trust between the police and the public.
He said previous assessments revealed concerns such as bribery, slow police response, confidentiality issues, traffic indiscipline among some officers and reluctance by residents to volunteer intelligence.
According to him, many of the challenges undermining community policing are shared responsibilities between citizens and the police.
He added that gaps in early warning and early response systems remained key concerns, stressing the need for timely reporting of threats of violence or criminal activity.
Speaking also, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO), Kano State Police Command, CSP Abdullahi Kiyawa, said that the Police would partner with the Voluntary Aid Initiative (VAI) to strengthen police-community relations and promote mutual accountability across the state.
He said the collaboration was part of the Police Reform Initiative Project aimed at enhancing trust and cooperation between security agencies and the public.
Represented by ASP , Muhammad Jawad, explained that the initiative involved a series of meetings and engagements with communities in Rano and Gwale Local Government Areas, focusing on improving understanding and collaboration between the police and residents.
The Chairman of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Dorayi Babba community of Gwale Local Government Area, Alhaji Auwal Garba, stated that fewer than 500,000 police officers were responsible for securing more than 220 million Nigerians.
He said the disparity highlighted the importance of community involvement in maintaining law and order.
“Community policing enables citizens to participate in the security structure. Through vigilantes and early reporting of suspicious activities, the community becomes a partner in sustaining peace,” he said.
Garba reaffirmed commitment of the PCRC to work with the government, security agencies and civil society groups to strengthen community policing initiatives across the state
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Brig.-Gen. Samaila Mohammed Uba, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (FNIPR) and seasoned strategic communication expert, has assumed office as the new Director of Defence Information (DDI).
The handover ceremony, which held at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), followed a recent reorganisation within the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
Uba, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication from Bayero University, Kano (BUK), succeeded Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau, whom he commended for his achievements during his tenure.
In his inaugural address, the new DDI pledged to reposition the directorate under four key priorities — unity of purpose, timeliness and transparency, digital innovation, and media collaboration.
He also lauded his predecessor for his service and wished him success in his future endeavours.
Born on July 1, 1968, in Tudun Wada, Nassarawa Local Government Area of Kano State, Uba began his military career at the Nigerian Defence Academy as part of Short Service Combatant Course 30 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on March 13, 1993.
He initially served in the Directorate of Army Public Relations before transferring to the Infantry Corps.
His educational background includes Tudun Wada Primary School and Saint Thomas Secondary School, Kano, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate and West African School Certificate in 1981 and 1986, respectively.
He later bagged a Post-Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration in 2009 and a Master’s degree in Strategic and Development Studies from the Bangladesh University of Professionals in 2019.
Uba attended several military courses, including the Senior Staff Course at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College and the National Defence Course at the National Defence College, Bangladesh.
He held several command, staff, and instructional appointments such as Officer in Charge of Administration at the Infantry Centre and School, Commander 401 Special Forces Brigade, Borno, and Public Relations Officer for the Nigerian Contingent to the UN Assistance Mission in Rwanda.
He also served as Public Relations Officer to a former Chief of Army Staff, and later as a directing staff and Chief Instructor at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji.
Uba was seconded to the Nigeria Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada, as the Defence Headquarters Training Team Leader, where he trained customs officers in command and staff duties.
He also served as Deputy Director, Peacekeeping Operations, and Director, Personnel Services, at the Army Headquarters, before becoming Director, Department of Joint Studies, AFCSC, Jaji.
A recipient of numerous awards, Uba holds the Grand Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Field Command Medal, Passed Staff Course (Double Dagger ++), National Defence College (Bangladesh) medal, Nigerian Army Outstanding Tactical Command Medal, and Chief of Army Staff Commendation Award Medal.
He is a member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Army Resource Centre, and Nigerian Society of International Affairs.
Brig.-Gen. Uba is married with children and enjoys playing squash and reading.
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