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Abuja In Panic As Security Committee Bars Vigilantes From Using Firearms
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Security Committee has introduced a Code of Conduct barring members of the vigilante groups operating in the various communities in the territory from using prohibited firearms.
The Director of Information and Communication, FCT, Mr Muhammad Sule, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
Sule explained that in the newly established Code of Conduct for the group, the security committee also prohibited them from carrying out any operation without the presence of the police or the express approval of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), in their jurisdiction.
However, members of the vigilante were permitted to possess and use weapons for self-defence or other lawful purposes as allowed by the DPO.
“These were some of the decisions reached by the FCT Security Committee at its 11th meeting, presided over by the Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Malam Muhammad Bello, in Gwarinpa I District, Abuja.”
“Similarly, the new code required that any member of the group, who recovers a hazardous weapon from a criminal suspect is expected to keep a detailed account and report to the police for further investigation.”
He also revealed that the committee permitted the vigilante group to arrest anyone who violated the laws of the land as allowed under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.
“It agreed that any community desirous of establishing a vigilante group should apply and obtain the approval of the DPO within the locality.
“On the recruitment of members of the group, the FCT Security Committee, which is the highest decision-making body on security matters, resolved that the process must be supervised by the Community Accountability Forum (CAF)/Security Committee of the community concerned.
“The CAF is to ensure a fair representation of all segments of society and avoid religious, political, and ethnic persuasion.”
Meanwhile, the director said that the meeting also agreed that all those to be recruited must be properly profiled by the community leaders and security agencies.
He said that the FCT Administration encouraged communities to form vigilante groups to complement the work of security agencies, especially in gathering intelligence and boosting the fight against criminals.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, has cautioned foreign countries over terror alert in Nigeria.
Usman said foreign countries should stop informing the public about terror alerts.
The police boss said the recent terror alert should have been given to the police and not the public.
The United States and United Kingdom governments released a security alert.
In a travel advisory, they urged their citizens to stay away from Abuja due to the planned terrorists’ attacks.
They also urged their citizens to vacate Abuja until the terror alert is dealt with.
However, the IGP assured the general public of their safety.
The IGP spoke while inaugurating a police station and barracks in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State.
He said, “How can you enter the country and said there is security alert, you didn’t inform the police, and you go around telling your people; don’t go to Abuja, return from Abuja.
“When you have information on security, it is proper to inform the police and we will find a way to tackle it, instead of taking it to the public.
“We are working in synergy with other security agencies to ensure the safety of residents.”
The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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