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Relocation Of Insurgents, Wake-Up Call, CAN Warns
The Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Revd Joseph Hayab, has described the alleged relocation of Boko Haram leaders to Southern Kaduna as a wake-up call on people of the area.
Hayabsaid that though the news of the alleged relocation was not new, government has not done enough to protect the people.
He claimed all the calls from voices of reason appeared not to have moved both the federal and state governments to rise to the occasion.
“The relocation of Boko Haram to Southern Kaduna is not new. Who are those that have been killing people indiscriminately in that area in the last few years? The church, SOKAPU and the people have been complaining about killings in Southern Kaduna but only fell on the deaf ear of those in authority.
“Therefore, the leaked document has simply confirmed our worries and shows that more days for killings of innocent citizens are coming unless the people take personal initiative to defend their lives and land. Our government has not done enough to convince us that they want to stop the killings going on all over the area.
“Now, we were being told that there is a leaked memo about Boko Haram when those in authority have always turned deaf ears to cries of our people when we complain about killers that people see every day. Boko Haram fleeing North-East to Southern Kaduna is simply a wake-up call for the Southern Kaduna people to rise to the occasion,” he said.
A leaked DSS memo had said insurgents were relocating from Sambisa forest in BornoState to Chikun LGA in Kaduna State.
The alert was in a leaked memo marked NSCDC/NHQ/INT&INVST/323/2021, dated September 9, 2021, and signed by the Acting Deputy Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Intelligence and Investigation, B.O. Bassey.
The DSS, therefore, asked the civil defence to be on the alert.
“It has been uncovered, plans by senior Boko Haram fighter, Ibrahim (FNU) alongside his foot soldiers relocating from ‘Sambisa Forest in Borno State to Rijana Forest in ChikunLocal Government Area of Kaduna State with a view to joining their counterpart under the leadership of one AdamuYunusu (aka Saddiqu).
“In light of the above, you are hereby directed to step up surveillance and intelligence gathering on the aforementioned areas and environs.”
Meanwhile, months after the crash involving a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air 350 aircraft on May 21 at the Kaduna Civil Airport, Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB), Akin Olateru, has submitted an interim report to the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Amao, at his office at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.
After the crash, the CAS directed that a joint investigative body consisting of NAF safety officers and the AIB be constituted to investigate the causes.
A joint statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, and General Manager, Public Affairs, AIB, TunjiOketunbi, revealed that at this interim stage, a total of 27 initial findings and eight safety recommendations were made for the convening authority as well as other aviation-related agencies for immediate implementation.
They further disclosed that it is expected that the final report would contain the flight data recorder readout, the reviewed operator’s and service provider’s standard operating procedures as well as other detailed analyses.
While receiving the report, the CAS reiterated the main essence of activating the ‘joint investigative’ clause contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the NAF and the AIB on July 1, 2020.
He said successful collaboration is a clear indication of the potency of collaboration in aircraft accident investigation, which must be encouraged.
Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has blamed Almajiri system in the North for the increasing cases of banditry, kidnapping, terrorism and armed robbery in the country.
The Chairman of CAN in Imo State, Rev. Eches Divine Eches, stated this in an interview with journalists in Abuja, ahead of the organisation’s 45th anniversary and Founder’s Day billed to hold today in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
According to him, banditry and kidnapping are increasing because the authorities have failed to pay more attention to the critical factors behind the widespread insecurity in the country.
Eches also expressed concern over Sheikh Ahmed Gumi’s links with the bandits terrorising the North-West region and the alleged helplessness of the government to arrest and caution him for his many ‘unguarded utterances’ about their activities.
He said, “You can’t have Almajiri system of life and government in the last 40 years in our nation bringing up people without any trace to families, hometowns or nationalities.
“They are scattered all over the street, without you knowing that someday they will leave the street and go to the bush where they will begin to do the trade of kidnapping.
“Also, you can’t, in any sane nation, have the likes of Gumi, a religious scholar, going about promoting banditry and you don’t think that this will continue. Yet, that is what we are seeing today. We are not seeing anything more than what we have planted.
“We allowed this thing (insecurity) to continue and it is now going to consume the nation, if drastic measures are not put in place to take them (Almajiri) out of the streets, give them a sense of belonging, put them in school, and help them realise their potentials.
“These bandits we find today were the Almajiri who used to be in front of our houses and begging for food.
“We are praying and that is why God is still sustaining our nation. I trust God will continue to sustain us in Jesus name.”
On CAN’s 45th anniversary of its Founder’s Day, Eches said the programme was necessary to remember the labour of past heroes, including over 250 retired church leaders and indigent youth and women who were weak.
“They retired church leaders laboured to bring to bear what we are enjoying and working on today.
“We thought it very necessary to remember the weak among us as most of them are passing through terrible times, especially in such a time as this in our nation.
“So, we thought it very important that we will use this 45th anniversary of our Founders’ Day to celebrate such a people and remember their labours, and say to them ‘you deserve to be celebrated’ both by cash and gift,” he said.
The Rivers State Government has called on stakeholders, community leaders, parents and relevant education authorities to intensify efforts to identify and enrol out-of-school children across Nigeria, stressing that every child deserves access to quality and inclusive education.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara made the call, yesterday, during the regional campaign on engaging community structures to promote the enrolment of out-of-school children and the regional flag-off of the 2026/2027 enrolment drive for southern states, held in Port Harcourt.
Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Dagogo Wokoma, Governor Fubara reaffirmed that education remains a fundamental pillar of sustainable development and emphasised the need to ensure that no child is left behind because of economic hardship, social background or other barriers to schooling.
He noted that expanding access to education was essential to promoting sustainable development, social inclusion and equal opportunities, enabling children to reach their full potential and contribute meaningfully to society.
The governor urged participating states and communities to translate their commitments into concrete and measurable actions by reaching vulnerable children, strengthening community engagement and encouraging parents and guardians to make their children’s education a priority.
He reiterated the state government’s commitment to initiatives aimed at expanding access to education, particularly for children excluded from formal schooling.
“Rivers State remains committed to supporting initiatives that expand access to inclusive and quality education, particularly for vulnerable children who may have missed the opportunity to attend formal schools,” Fubara stressed.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Aisha Garba, described the growing number of out-of-school children as one of the major challenges confronting the education sector.
She called for a collective and collaborative approach among governments, communities, parents and other stakeholders to address the problem, stressing the need to ensure that no Nigerian child is denied the fundamental right to education.
The programme was organised by the Universal Basic Education Commission in collaboration with the Rivers State Government, as part of efforts to strengthen community participation and promote school enrolment across the southern states for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared the sum of N2.428 trillion among the Federal Government, 36 states government and the 774 Local Government Councils (LGCs) as revenue for the month of September.
The Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr Bawa Mokwa, said this in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.
Mokwa said the allocation was approved by FAAC at its October meeting held in Abuja.
He said the N2.428 trillion distributable revenue comprised of statutory revenue of N1.672 trillion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N756.587 billion.
Mokwa quoted the FAAC communiqué as saying that total gross revenue of N3.913 trillion was available in the month of September 2026.
He said a total deduction for cost of collection was N131.758 billion while total transfers, refunds and savings of N1.352 trillion.
According to him, a gross statutory revenue of N3.096 trillion was received for the month of September 2026.
“This was higher than the sum of N2.850 trillion received in the preceeding month by N246.384 billion.
“Gross revenue of N816.872 billion was available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) in September 2026.
“This was lower than the N834.843 billion available in the month of August 2026 by N17.972 billion,” he said.
Mokwa explained that the Federal Government received N832.242 billion and the state governments received the sum of N799.872 billion.
He said the LGCs received N560.660 billion, while the sum of N236.049 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting state as derivation revenue.
Mokwa said in the N1.672 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N756.583 billion and the State Governments received N383.749 billion.
He said the LGCs received N295.855 billion and the sum of N236.049 billion (13% of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue.
The director said from the N756.587 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue, the Federal Government received N75.659 billion, the State Governments received N416.123 billion and the LGCs received N264.805 billion.
“In September 2026, Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT), Hydrocarbon Tax (HT), Petroleum Royalties, Import Duty, CET Levies and Excise Duty increased significantly.
“Also, Companies Income Tax (CIT), CGT & SDT, Value Added Tax (VTA), Mineral Royalties, and Gas Flared Penalty, Rental Gas Flared Fee and Misc. Oil Revenue decreased considerably,” he said.
The ultimatum followed a joint meeting of the National Executive Council and Central Working Committee of the NLC held at the Olaitan Oyerinde Hall, Labour House, Abuja.
In a communiqué signed by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, and made available to newsmen, yesterday, the union said the two-week ultimatum would commence on Friday, October 9, 2026.
It warned that failure by the government to meet its demands would compel the Congress to take further action.
The NLC specifically demanded that the government reduce the price of Premium Motor Spirit to the level it was when the current national minimum wage was signed into law in 2024.
It also demanded the immediate commencement of negotiations for a new minimum wage, implementation of the February 5, 2026, Terms of Settlement reached with the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Healthcare Professionals, and action on the demands of the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
The Congress further demanded tax relief and immediate wage awards for workers, arguing that the measures were necessary to cushion the impact of rising living costs.
The NLC said, “The current national minimum wage has been rendered worthless by the relentless depreciation of the naira and the astronomical rise in the cost of living.”
It added that workers could no longer meet basic needs, including food, shelter, healthcare, transportation and education, on their current earnings.
The labour body, therefore, demanded that the Federal Government commence renegotiation of the national minimum wage before the end of October.
“NEC-in-session demands that the Federal Government commence the renegotiation of the national minimum wage before the end of this month,” the communiqué stated.
The Congress also linked the erosion of workers’ purchasing power to the high cost of petrol, saying the price of the commodity had continued to drive up transportation costs and the prices of other essential goods.
“The exorbitant pump price of petrol has had a cascading effect on the cost of transportation, food, and other essential goods, further deepening the hardship of workers and the masses,” it said.
The NLC further demanded that the government grant tax relief to workers and immediately introduce wage awards, describing the measures as “the bare minimum required to alleviate the suffering of Nigerian workers and restore a measure of dignity to their lives.”
The latest ultimatum escalates the labour movement’s pressure on the Federal Government after public-sector workers under the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council embarked on a three-day warning strike earlier in October over rising living costs, petrol prices, wage awards and minimum wage negotiations.
The workers had demanded, among other measures, a reduction in petrol prices and the commencement of negotiations for a new minimum wage.
The NLC had also raised concerns in September over the declining purchasing power of workers, with Ajaero arguing that the N70,000 minimum wage had been overtaken by increases in the cost of food, transportation, housing, education and other essential expenses.
The current minimum wage was approved by President Bola Tinubu in July 2024 after negotiations involving the government, organised labour and the private sector.
Tinubu increased the Federal Government’s offer from N62,000 to N70,000 and agreed that the wage should be reviewed after three years rather than five years.
The NLC’s latest demand comes as the Federal Government announced fresh measures aimed at containing petrol-price pressures.
Yesterday, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, said the government was negotiating a ceiling of N1,350 per litre on the ex-gantry or landing cost of petrol, with monthly reviews, as part of measures to reduce price volatility.
The proposed ceiling does not mean petrol would necessarily sell at N1,350 per litre at filling stations.
The government also announced a 30-day discount on petrol dispensed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), with priority given to public transporters.
Oyedele said the arrangement was not a return to subsidy but an effort to sell the product at cost.
However, the NLC is seeking a more substantial reduction, insisting that petrol should return to the price level that prevailed when the N70,000 minimum wage was enacted in 2024.
The Congress also called for the implementation of the agreement reached with JOHESU in February, as well as the demands presented by the Joint Public Sector Negotiating Council.
It warned that failure to respond within the two-week period would have consequences.
“Failure of which the NLC will be compelled to take remedial steps as would be directed by the relevant organs,” the communiqué said.
The union consequently directed its affiliates and allies to remain prepared for further action.
“NEC-in-session reaffirms the historical responsibility of the NLC to resist all forms of exploitation and oppression,” it stated, urging its affiliates to remain “on high alert and fully prepared to engage in decisive efforts against all anti-people policies.”
The development also comes amid fresh labour tensions in Abuja, where the FCT Council of the NLC commenced an indefinite strike on Wednesday over disputes with the FCT Administration concerning teachers’ promotion policies.
The council directed workers across public and private establishments to withdraw their services after the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum.
The latest NLC ultimatum puts renewed pressure on the Federal Government to address wage and fuel-price concerns as both sides grapple with disagreements over the implementation of previous labour agreements and measures to cushion the impact of economic reforms.
The NLC said its demands were aimed at protecting workers and the wider population from further deterioration in their standard of living, insisting that Nigerian workers must remain “resolute, organised, and uncompromising” in the struggle for improved living conditions.
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