In a development that has brought relief to families and residents of Kwara State, the 38 church members who were abducted from a local worship centre have regained their freedom after several days in captivity. Their release follows intense pressure from security agencies, community vigilance groups, and concerned individuals who rallied to secure their safe return.

The victims, who were attending a night programme at the church located in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, were whisked away by armed men suspected to be bandits. The incident, which occurred late in the evening, sparked widespread fear and condemnation across the state and beyond, with religious bodies and civil society organisations calling for urgent government intervention.

According to security sources, a joint operation involving the police, local hunters, and vigilante operatives was launched immediately after the abduction. The combined forces reportedly combed surrounding forests and hideouts believed to be used by criminal groups. Their efforts, coupled with strategic intelligence gathering, eventually paved the way for the release of all abducted worshippers.

Kwara State Police Public Relations Officer confirmed the development, noting that the victims were rescued unharmed and have since been reunited with their families. He added that medical personnel were on ground to conduct routine examinations on the freed victims to ensure none had suffered severe distress or injury.
“We are grateful for the cooperation of the local communities and our security partners. This successful rescue is a result of timely information and relentless pursuit,” the spokesperson stated.

Families of the abducted worshippers expressed overwhelming joy as they received their loved ones. Many recounted sleepless nights and the emotional toll of not knowing the fate of their relatives. A family member of one of the rescued victims described the experience as “a nightmare that no family should ever endure,” thanking security operatives for their efforts.

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has condemned the attack, reiterating its commitment to strengthening security across the state. In a statement, government officials emphasized that the protection of citizens remains a top priority and promised to support security agencies with logistics, improved intelligence operations, and community-based surveillance initiatives.
“Criminality in any form will not be tolerated. We commend the swift action of our security operatives and vow to intensify efforts to keep every community safe,” the statement read.

Security analysts have warned that the growing trend of attacks on religious centres calls for urgent review of security architecture around worship places, particularly in rural communities. They also urged residents to remain vigilant and to promptly report suspicious activities to authorities.

As the rescued victims begin their recovery from the traumatic episode, calls for improved security, better policing resources, and community collaboration continue to dominate public discourse. For now, the successful rescue of the 38 abducted worshippers stands as a testament to what coordinated efforts and timely intervention can achieve in the face of insecurity.

By: Nwogu Happiness

Nwogu Happiness Wrote From Pan African Institute of Management and Technology.

Nigeria’s editors have issued a blistering warning that the nation is sleepwalking into a humanitarian catastrophe, with children now the primary targets and casualties of insecurity, state failure, and systemic neglect.

The alarm was sounded in Lagos on Tuesday at the UNICEF–NGE–DAME World Children’s Day event, where the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Eze Anaba, declared that the country is in a “state of emergency” not seen since the civil war.

The government’s elevation of the national security alert level, he said, is merely an official acknowledgement of a crisis that communities have been living through for years. What has changed in recent weeks, he said, is the brazenness of school raids, mass abductions, indiscriminate killings, and communities emptied overnight. And at the centre of every incident, Anaba noted, is the same grim denominator: children.

“Whenever we try to understand who the latest victims are, we find children—killed, injured, displaced, or traumatized. The bloodshed has been relentless,” he said.

He stated that the World Children’s Day—created 71 years ago to protect children’s rights—now lands in a country where schooling is an act of courage. In swathes of the North, classrooms are shuttered, teachers have fled, and parents weigh the risk of education against the possibility of never seeing their children again.

According to him, investigations by multiple organisations, including UNICEF, show that Nigeria has the highest number of out-of-school children globally, Girls disappearing from education at accelerating rates, millions of infants go unvaccinated every year, child labour and early marriage are rising, while children are being recruited as fighters in conflict zones.

These indicators, Anaba argued, are not abstract. He described them as evidence of a country forfeiting its future. “With half of Nigeria’s population under 18, the collapse of childhood equals national destabilisation,” he said.

Media accused of complicity through silence

Accusing the media of complicity through its “silence”, Anaba said journalists must confront their own failures. For years, he said, “newsrooms have documented atrocities without interrogating causes, accountability structures, funding gaps, policy failures or the profiteers of violence.

“The media is not a neutral observer. Our reporting can shame leaders into action—or allow impunity to thrive,” he said.

He called for investigative series tracking child abduction networks, data-driven reporting using verifiable sources,
exposure of government inaction and policy breaches, coverage that highlights solutions and models that work.

He noted that civil society groups were now performing duties that belonged to the state by rescuing children, rehabilitating trauma victims, negotiating access to schools, and providing protection services.

UNICEF, he said, has become the primary supplier of data, training, and scientific evidence for child welfare, information the government should be gathering itself.

Anaba suggested the enforcement of child protection laws that already exist, emergency investment in education and health, prosecution of those responsible for school attacks,and secure learning environments.

Anaba challenged every sector to take a measurable action, not a speech, not a pledge, but a deliverable. “Our advocacy means nothing without consequences,” he said.

He concluded his speech with a sharp indictment of the system.

“A society that can not protect its children, he implied, is a society already in collapse, whether it admits it or not,” he stated.

Women Supporting Women Network (WSWN), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has called for urgent national action to end digital violence against women and girls.

The NGO made the call as part of its message to mark international day for elimination of violence against women.

In a press statement signed and released in Abuja on Tuesday, Toyin Omozuwa, Founder of the WSWN urged the Federal Government to pass and enforce laws that criminalised all forms of digital violence.

She said government should strengthen data protection and safeguard personal information, provide accessible reporting channels and ensure that survivors received justice without fear or shame.

“I call on technology companies to make platform safety a priority for women and girls, remove harmful content quickly and consistently publish transparent safety reports and enforce community standards.

“I call on donors and partners to invest in women- led organisations that defend digital rights and provide support for survivors,’’ she said.

She noted that digital violence was not virtual but real, growing and causing untold damage, adding that there was no excuse for online abuse.

She said it was neither culture, technology, silence nor the anonymity of the abuser.

According to her, Nigeria cannot afford to ignore this crisis, and that every woman who uses a phone or computer is exposed.

Omozuwa pointed out that women in public roles, journalists, professionals, creatives, students, activists and young girls faced even greater danger.

She hinted that women who already experienced any form of discrimination were often targeted more aggressively, while calling for collaboration and joint action to tackle the menace.

She recalled that the day was established by the United Nations to confront the persistent harm, inequality and injustice faced by women and girls in every society.

According to her, the global day begins the annual 16 days of activism against gender-based violence.

She said it was a worldwide movement that brought governments, communities, and organisations together to challenge every form of violence that limited the dignity and safety of women and girls.

“This year’s global theme, “End digital violence against all women and girls”, highlights a growing danger that has silently expanded across online and digital spaces.

“What should empower women has instead become, for millions, a place of fear, harm and intimidation,’’ she said.

Omozuwa disclosed that digital violence has become one of the fastest growing forms of abuse.

She stressed that women and girls were increasingly targeted through the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, cyberbullying, sexual harassment, trolling, manipulation, hate speech, among others.

She said these acts might begin on a screen, but the damage they caused was deeply felt in real life.

“Many survivors suffer emotional trauma, reputational destruction, financial loss, physical violence and in extreme cases, death,’’ she said.

She argued that the safe digital world desired would not appear by chance, until built by collective action, courage and accountability.

“Let these 16 Days of Activism remind us that violence is not inevitable.

“It can be prevented. It can be punished. It can be stopped,’’ Omozuwa said.

The Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday adjourned the trial of former Anambra Governor Willie Obiano over alleged ₦4 billion fraud, indefinitely.

This followed an application by the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the matter be adjourned sine die. (Indefinitely)

When the case was called before Justice Mohammed Umar, the prosecuting counsel Mr S.O. Obila informed the court that the matter was coming up before the judge for the first time.
He, however, said that he had instruction from the lead prosecuting counsel to ask the court to adjourn the matter sine die.

“In the light of this, I have the instruction of the lead prosecuting counsel in this case, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, SAN to apply to the Chief Judge that since we had called nine witnesses before the previous judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, we should wait for him to return and conclude the matter,” he said.

He therefore prayed the court to adjourn the matter “sine die”.

Responding, counsel to Obiano, Mr Onyeachi Ikpeazu, SAN said that he was not opposing the application for adjournment since the prosecutor explained to him the difficulty his team had in getting the nine witnesses who had already testified.

The trial Judge, Justice Mohammed Umar subsequently adjourned the matter sine die.

Obiano, who was governor of Anambra from March 2014 to March 2022, was arraigned by the EFCC on Jan. 24, 2024, on a nine-count money laundering charge.

The anti-graft agency alleged that he misappropriated over ₦4 billion from the state’s security vote account, diverting funds into private entities and converting some into foreign currency.

In April 2024, Justice Ekwo refused to quash the case, ruling that the court had jurisdiction and that a prima facie case had been established against him.

It would be recalled that nine witnesses have so far testified in the trial, including a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator who claimed he received about ₦416 million over eight months from the state’s security vote account.

The case was stalled, in part, because of Justice Ekwo’s suspension by the National Judicial Council.

The Rivers State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing inclusive governance through a strengthened partnership with TAF Africa, with a focus on improving participation and access for Persons Living With Disabilities (PWDs).

Speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop for 31 Disability and Gender Desk Officers in Port Harcourt, the Head of Service, Dr Inyingi Brown, said the state had designated officers across Ministries, Departments and Agencies to drive disability-inclusive reforms within the public sector.

Brown, represented by the Director of Administration in the Office of the Head of Service, Mr Chimenum Mpi, said collaboration between the state and TAF Africa was essential to building systems that promote fairness, access, dignity and visibility for citizens with disabilities.

She praised TAF Africa for its sustained partnership, describing the training as a crucial step toward a public service where no one is left behind. She urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to influence institutional practices and deliver tangible improvements within their MDAs.

Brown noted that the Office of the Head of Service would continue to support frameworks that mainstream inclusion and align public service delivery with global standards.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of TAF Africa, Mr Jake Epelle, said the initiative would strengthen accountability, enhance policy implementation and improve service delivery for PWDs in the state. He commended the Rivers Government for establishing and approving the training of the desk officers, describing it as a milestone for disability-inclusive governance.

Epelle explained that the programme formed part of the Disability Inclusive Governance Project in Rivers, funded by the Disability Rights Fund, and was designed to equip officers with practical tools to champion disability inclusion within government structures.

According to him, the prompt response of the State Government reflects a renewed commitment to protecting the rights and participation of PWDs and integrating disability considerations into policy, systems and services. He said Rivers State was charting a transformative path towards a governance model that reflects disability inclusion in practice, and pledged TAF Africa’s continued support in ensuring compliance with national and international standards.

Delivering the keynote address, Dr Krakrafaa Bestman highlighted the importance of diversity and inclusivity in governance, stressing the need for PWDs to be meaningfully involved in decision-making, policy development, service delivery and accountability processes. He urged leaders to move from compliance to excellence by translating commitments into measurable outcomes.

The event brought together government officials, development partners and public service stakeholders to explore pathways for shifting from policy declarations to practical implementation in disability inclusion.

The Abia Commissioner for Information, Mr Okey Kanu, says the state Executive Council (EXCO) has given approval for the retrofitting of the long abandoned Ojukwu Bunker and National War Museum.

Kanu said this while briefing newsmen at the Government House, Umuahia, on the outcome of Monday’s state EXCO meeting.

He said that the approval followed agreements between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the state’s Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy.

He said, “The council has approved the comprehensive retrofitting of Ojukwu Bunker, a major historical monument in the state and country.”

“The innovation and upgrade of the facilities will modernise both the iconic heritage site, enrich and restore visitor experience to the centre, and reposition the bunker as a leading tourist site in the state and country.

“This intervention, therefore, reinforces the State Government’s unwavering commitment to preserve our history while elevating the state’s tourism potentials.

“Also, it will ultimately and further provide employment and business opportunities for the people of Abia.”

The commissioner also announced that the three-day Abia–Turkey Investment Summit, slated to begin on Tuesday, would showcase the state’s investment opportunities and strengthen Nigeria–Turkey and Abia–Turkey business relations.

He said that the event would feature exhibitions that would cover areas such as manufacturing, agriculture, textiles, leather, energy, infrastructure, trade, and logistics.

Kanu said that the summit would hold at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.

He also announced that preparations were ongoing for several Christmas events organised by the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Creative Economy.

He said the events include Comedy Fest, scheduled for December 12, in Umuahia, and the 2025 Abia Christmas Carol, which would hold on December 20.

He said the activities aimed to enrich the state’s festive atmosphere for residents and visitors.

Also, the Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Mr Matthew Ekwuruibe, confirmed the approval for the retrofitting of Ojukwu Bunker and the National War Museum.

Ekwuruibe recalled that delays in the commencement of the renovation project were caused by federal processes since both facilities belong to the federal government.

He said the state had reached the stage of finalising its Memorandum of Understanding agreement with the National Commission for Museums and Monuments and the Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy.

He further said that work should begin within three weeks to one month and described the project as a key campaign promise of Governor Alex Otti of Abia.

Ekwuruibe said the Abia Comedy Fest would be organised by Enyioha Global Promotions in partnership with the State Government and would feature homegrown talents.

He further said that preparations were ongoing for the Christmas Carol and other festive activities.

Ekwuruibe said that the beautification works were underway in Aba, in partnership with Nigerian Breweries.

He said that the state had retrofitted monuments on BCA Road and would soon begin erecting new ones and expressed government’s efforts to enhance Abia’s environmental outlook.