The Nigerian Navy has commenced training for land operations to support security forces in the fight against insurgency and rising insecurity across the country.

Rear Adm. Victor Choji, Commandant of the Nigerian Navy Basic Training School, Onne, Rivers, made this known during a simulation exercise codenamed ‘Exercise Wash Down’ on Monday.

He said the decision to adopt new strategies was informed by the constantly evolving security environment in the country.

According to him, the current security landscape in the country is volatile, complex, and ambiguous, necessitating the Navy to adjust its strategies to meet present realities.

“We find ourselves in a situation where our training strategies must reflect these realities.

“Therefore, the Nigerian Navy has added a new layer to its curriculum that is mainly dedicated to land operations.

“This recognises that our trainees will be deployed to various parts of the country, including non-maritime areas,” he said.

Choji explained that Exercise Wash Down was designed to give trainees an appreciation of the real land-combat environment in which they would operate, as well as to equip them with the requisite skills.

He expressed confidence in the level of competence displayed by the trainees and praised their ongoing transformation from civilians to individuals capable of confronting security challenges.

“We witnessed when the trainees were admitted into the facility as raw civilians, but now they have learnt a lot in becoming personnel,” he added.

The commandant reiterated the navy’s mandate to ensure that personnel are adequately equipped to enable them to operate effectively in any environment.

“Until we provide our trainees with skills that will enable them to function effectively, we will not be able to achieve our mandate and mission effectively,” Choji said.

In his remarks, Maj.-Gen. Emmanuel Emekah, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Nigerian Army Port Harcourt, urged Nigerians to regard security as a collective responsibility rather than the exclusive duty of security agencies.

He explained that in times of war, not only the armed forces that go to war but the entire nation.

According to him, terrorists, insurgents, and other criminals perpetrating violent crimes are not only targeting the military and security agencies but also citizens.

“Security belongs to everyone, and so every individual has a role to play in securing the country.

“Citizens must support the military and security agencies because it is a fight for everybody, not just for the armed forces alone,” he noted.

Emekah stated that Nigeria’s security challenges are largely land-based and commended the Nigerian Navy for reviewing its Batch 36 training curriculum to include land-component exercises.

He said that the revision of the curriculum had become imperative because land troops were overstretched owing to ongoing security operations across different parts of the country.

“We need more men on the ground, and so we are delighted that the Batch 36 trainees, after their land-operations training, will join the field.

“I strongly believe that soon we shall see a different environment in the field, considering that most of the trainees will be supporting land operations.

“It is a joint effort, not just the armed forces but including sister services, the Police and other security agencies, and the intelligence community,” Emekah concluded.

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has expressed optimism of presenting the 2026 Appropriation Bill to the lawmakers in the new Rivers State Assembly Complex.

Governor Fubara gave the hint on Monday, November 24, 2025, after the inspection of the Hallowed Chamber Complex being reconstructed by Monier Construction Company Limited.

The governor, who was accompanied by Hon. Boniface Emerengwa, member representing Ikwerre/Emohua Federal Constituency, and Management of MCC Nig Ltd, expressed satisfaction with the work done at the complex, saying that there is hope that the complex will be ready at the end of December 2025.

He assured that he is committed to ensuring the completion of the Assembly Complex on schedule to enable the lawmakers resume sitting at the Hallowed Chamber adding that when that is done, he will be presenting the 2026 budget at the Main Hallowed Chamber in the way and manner it is required.

“We have been working hard to ensure their permanent sitting Chamber is put in place. You know the drama that surrounded our relationship before, but by the grace of God, now that everything has been sorted out, it is our desire to ensure that the Assembly returns to their normal place of sitting.”

He pointed out that though the job had been on before the emergency rule, a period it was believed that nothing was being done. “So I came here to ascertain the extent of work done, and I feel very impressed with what I have seen,” stressing that the Contractor informed him that he had already sublet the interior and some external works to Julius Berger Nigeria Plc to accelerate work and meet the scheduled timeline to deliver the work.

The governor assured that once the main chamber is delivered, the remaining part of the complex will be handled by the Legislature once they resume sitting at the complex.

The government of the United States of America has agreed to assist Nigeria end violent attacks in the country. This followed the conclusion of a high-level Nigerian delegation to the United States of America.

A delegation, led by the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu had last week, met with senior officials across the US Congress, the White House Faith Office, the State Department, the National Security Council, and the Department of War over the alleged Christian genocide in Nigeria.

According to President Bola Tinubu’s media aide, Bayo Onanuga, while giving details of the agreement said the discussion will help strengthen security partnerships between Nigeria and the US.

“Following these engagements, the United States Government affirmed its readiness to deepen security cooperation with Nigeria.

“This includes enhanced intelligence support, expedited processing of defence equipment requests, and the potential provision of excess defence articles, subject to availability to reinforce ongoing operations against terrorists and violent extremist groups.

“The United States also expressed its willingness to extend complementary support, including humanitarian assistance to affected populations in the Middle Belt and technical support to strengthen early-warning mechanisms,” Onanuga said.

The presidential spokesman stated that both countries “agreed to implement immediately a non-binding cooperation framework and to establish a Joint Working Group to ensure a unified and coordinated approach to the agreed areas of cooperation”.

“In return, the Nigerian delegation reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening civilian protection measures”, he said

Bayo noted that the outcome of the meeting has also opened new avenues for cooperation to protect Nigerian citizens.

He stated that during the engagements which took place in Washington, DC, the Nigerian delegation refuted allegations of genocide in Nigeria.

According to Bayo, the Nigerian delegation to the US insisted that violent attacks in Nigeria affect families and communities across religious and ethnic lines.

“The delegation strongly rejected wrongful framing of the situation, saying such would only divide Nigerians and distort the realities on the ground.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) to deepen bilateral and multilateral partnerships to strengthen Nigeria’s adaptive intelligence framework to tackle evolving security threats.

Akpabio made the call in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the Chief of Defence Intelligence Annual Conference 2025, with theme: “The Role of Multi-Source Intelligence Innovation in National Security.”

The Senate President was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Sen. Ahmad Lawan.

He said global security realities had made it imperative for intelligence institutions to strengthen cooperation with allies, share timely information and leverage emerging technologies to counter complex threats.

According to him, national security agencies across the world now rely on multi-source intelligence platforms such as human intelligence, signals intelligence, open-source data, geospatial tools and cyber intelligence to generate actionable insights and anticipate threats.

Akpabio said the DIA had remained central to Nigeria’s efforts to build a more responsive and resilient intelligence system through data integration, interagency collaboration and technological adaptation.

He commended the agency for expanding the scope of the conference to include joint presentations from Defence Advisers and Attachés as well as State Office Coordinators, describing the approach as strategic in merging domestic and international intelligence perspectives.

“As threats evolve, so must our capacity to collect, process and interpret information across multiple domains in real time,” he said.

The Senate President emphasised that the Defence Attaché System remains critical to strengthening defence diplomacy, while state intelligence offices provide ground-level insights needed to counter emerging threats.

He urged Defence Attachés to intensify diplomatic engagements with host nations, while calling on state coordinators to improve collaboration with local security agencies to enhance intelligence collection and utilisation.

“These partnerships are essential in building a coherent and adaptive intelligence framework capable of anticipating and countering threats,” he said.

Akpabio also encouraged participants to explore the potential of artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced data analytics in modern intelligence operations, noting that innovation was essential to keeping pace with adversaries who increasingly exploit technology.

He hailed the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Lt.-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, for his foresight and commitment to reforming Nigeria’s intelligence system, and applauded the contributions of Defence Advisers, Attachés and state intelligence personnel.

“Our success in defending Nigeria depends on our ability to anticipate threats, connect information across domains and act decisively on informed insights,” he added.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the recent closure of schools by the federal government and some state governments in response to escalating kidnappings, warning that such actions could inadvertently advance the objectives of terrorists.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said: “If the schools are closed, the goal of the terrorists would have been inadvertently achieved.”

He urged the federal government to “develop a comprehensive plan to combat the issue, instead of resorting to a simplistic approach of closing schools in a bid to prevent further kidnappings and to score cheap political points.”

Ememobong said the government must prioritise the funding and implementation of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, which he noted is anchored on community intelligence and rapid response systems capable of anticipating and tackling attacks.

According to him, ensuring safety in schools has become imperative because insecurity poses a major “disincentivisation for education in the country, especially in Northern Nigeria.”

He expressed the party’s concern that shutting down schools would worsen the already dire educational situation in the region, citing UNICEF data indicating that Northern Nigeria accounts for the majority of the country’s 18.3 million out-of-school children—10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the secondary level.

Ememobong said: “This data not only paints a grim picture but also mirrors the exact situation in Nigeria. The series of attacks and kidnappings in different states within a week is indicative of the alarming insecurity that has become the contemporary lived experience and new reality of Nigerians under the APC-led Bola Tinubu government.”

He criticised what he described as the federal authorities’ inadequate response to recent abductions.

“More troubling is the fact that when these unfortunate incidents happen, the administration’s response is usually lacklustre and unempathetic,” he said.
“For example, instead of the President visiting Kebbi and Niger States to meet and sympathise with the parents of the children in captivity and to address security personnel there, he merely directed the Minister of State for Defence to relocate to Kebbi.”

He continued: “A juxtaposition of the contingents sent to the US Congress and the G-20 meeting with Matawalle’s lone envoy exposes the levity with which the Presidency treats this matter. This reaction is most insensitive and dismissive of the gravity of the problem by the APC-led federal government.”

The PDP reiterated its position that safeguarding lives and property is the foremost responsibility of government. Ememobong said: “We again remind the President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and the entire APC-led administration that the security of lives and property is the primary function of any government. At any time a government is unwilling, unable, or incapable of executing this primary role, such a government must either ask for help—locally or internationally—or honourably resign if it is sincere and responsible.”

It is now known that fifty of the abducted school pupils of St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools, Niger State, have escaped from their captors and reunited with their parents.

Disclosing this on Sunday, the Niger State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria and Bishop of the Kontagora Diocese, Most Rev. Bulus Yohanna, in a statement issued by his media aide, Daniel Atori, stated that they discovered the development after visiting the parents of the children.

He explained that the school currently has 236 pupils in captivity, including three children belonging to staff members and 14 secondary students, making a total of 253 children and 12 staff members still held by the bandits.

“This is to notify the public that as of Sunday, 23rd November 2025, we received some good news as fifty (50) pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents.

“This comes just a few days after suspected terrorists attacked and abducted 303 pupils and students.

“The pupils escaped between Friday and Saturday and have reunited with their parents, as they could not return to the school after escaping. We were able to ascertain this when we contacted and visited some parents,” the statement read.

Yohanna added that in the primary section, out of the total number of 430 pupils enrolled, 377 are boarders while the remaining 53 are day students.

“Currently, aside from the 50 pupils who escaped and returned home, we have 141 pupils who were not abducted.

“As it stands now, we have 236 pupils, another three children belonging to staff, and 14 secondary school students — making a total of 253 children — in addition to 12 members of staff with the abductors,” he said.

While expressing relief at the return of the 50 children, the CAN chairman appealed for continued prayers for those still held.

“As much as we receive the return of these 50 children with some sigh of relief, I urge everyone to continue in prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims.

“I call on everyone to remain calm and prayerful. We will continue to actively collaborate with security operatives, community leaders, government, and relevant authorities for the safe and quick return of all abductees.

“May the Lord grant quick release to those abducted and continue to protect His people from all dangers,” Yohanna said.

The state police command is yet to speak on the development.

A total of 315 persons — including pupils, students and teachers — were abducted from St. Mary Private Primary and Secondary Schools, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area on Friday.

The incident prompted the state governor, Mohammed Bago, to order the closure of schools across the state on Saturday.