Buratai, Gambari, Bajowa, others to discuss national security at Lagos conference

Amidst escalating issues within the nation’s security architecture, the Institute of Security Nigeria (ISN) will host its 18th international conference in Lagos on Saturday, 29 November 2025, with top political office holders, security chieftains, diplomats, traditional rulers, academia and media practitioners in attendance.

The conference, with the theme ‘Expanding the Frontiers of Innovations in Security Enhancement and Nation Building in Nigeria’ will be attended by a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (rtd.), who will deliver the keynote address.

Other personalities are a former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Major General Olu Bajowa (rtd.); Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative in the United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Folasade Ogunsola, among others.

ISN’s Deputy President/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Adebayo Akinade explained that the conference would illuminate practical innovations for the strengthening of national security, while safeguarding rights and democratic governance; share evidence-based policies and operational best practices across the security ecosystem; forge actionable public-private-civic partnerships for prevention, protection, response and recovery; and identity legislative, institutional and technological reforms for sustainable impact.

According to him, ‘Nigeria’s security renewal hinges on innovation, anchored in law, oversight ethics and human security.

‘Technology without governance is insufficient. Governance without capacity is ineffective. Collaboration between federal, states, local governments, communities and the private sector must be systematic and not episodic. With sustained political will and professional leadership, reforms are achievable within a relatively short period and will deliver measurable improvements in safety, confidence and national development’.

The conference is expected to attract thousands of physical and virtual participants, including senior officers from the Armed Forces, the Police, the Department of State Services, the academia, civil servants, corporate security directors, the media and student groups, among others.

T-Donny: Rivers-Born Music Star Shares His Journey and Upcoming Plans

Nigerian singer and songwriter David Bright Manancy, popularly known as T-Donny, has opened up about his rise in the music industry, reflecting on his early beginnings, challenges, and future projects.

Born on February 14, 1992, in Rivers State, T-Donny’s love for music started in his childhood while accompanying his elder sister to choir practice. The constant exposure to choir performances sparked a passion that later grew into a career.

He credits artistes such as Psquare, 2Baba, Duncan Mighty, Mr Raw, and the newer generation — Wizkid, Burna Boy, and Davido — as major influences that shaped his sound and ambition.

T-Donny describes his music-making process as personal and flexible, built around active listening, technical preparation, and gathering inspiration. But the journey hasn’t been without obstacles. He recalls facing challenges like low streaming revenue, financial limitations, and even being taken advantage of by a manager. Despite these setbacks, he says time management and persistence helped him stay focused.

Collaboration has been another key part of his growth. He recently worked with artistes Bovikizz and Chapta, an experience he describes as “awesome” and one that strengthened his confidence in adapting to different musical styles.

T-Donny is currently working on a 10-track album expected to drop in February 2026, though he prefers to keep the title under wraps for now.

He expresses deep appreciation to his supporters, promising to remain consistent and urging fans to continue streaming and promoting his songs.

Listeners can connect with him via:
Instagram: @tdonny_001
Facebook: T-Donny David
Twitter: @T-donnyofficial
TikTok: @t_donny

Nigeria’s Kidnap Crisis Returns: 145 People Abducted in Four Days as 2027 Politics Looms

Nigeria is once again sliding into a season of fear. In the last four days alone, at least 145 Nigerians have been abducted across Kebbi, Niger, and Zamfara states, signalling a dangerous resurgence of mass kidnappings eerily reminiscent of previous election cycles.

What is emerging is not a series of isolated attacks—it is a pattern. A rhythm Nigeria knows too well. A spike in coordinated abductions that often precedes heightened political activity and national elections.

A Troubling Return to Pre-Election Violence

During the buildup to the 2023 general elections, the country witnessed a sharp increase in kidnappings. Thousands of Nigerians, especially in the North, fell victim to bandits, extremist cells, and criminal networks who capitalised on vulnerable communities and overstretched security forces.

Now, as political structures warm up for the 2027 polls, the numbers are climbing again, and communities are growing anxious.

Kebbi: Schoolgirls Targeted Again

In the early hours of Monday, armed men stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Maga, in the Danko/Wasagu area of Kebbi State.
25 female students were abducted.
A staff member, Hassan Makuku, was killed. A school guard sustained serious injuries.

The Nigeria Police Force confirmed the incident, stating that tactical units stationed around the school engaged the attackers in a gunfight. But the attackers had already breached the perimeter fence, rounded up the girls, and vanished into forest routes long exploited by bandit groups.

Despite the deployment of additional police units, military personnel, and local vigilantes, the students remain in captivity.

Niger State: Vigilantes Slaughtered, Dozens Taken

The Kebbi tragedy came barely 48 hours after another devastating attack—this time in Mashegu, Niger State.
Armed groups ambushed local vigilantes, killing at least 16 of them.
In the same wave of attacks, 42 residents were kidnapped from surrounding communities.

The scale and boldness of the operations suggest a consolidation of terror networks that have long entrenched themselves in forest corridors connecting Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Sokoto.

Zamfara: Entire Communities Under Siege

Zamfara—once the nucleus of Nigeria’s banditry crisis—was not spared.

Saturday:
Attackers stormed Fegin Baza village, killing three residents and abducting 64 others.

Sunday:
The criminal gangs returned—this time to Tsohuwar Tasha, Ruwan Doruwa Ward, Maru LGA—kidnapping 14 villagers, including 11 women and 3 children.

Reports from local sources indicate that many communities in Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maradun, Tsafe, and Bungudu LGAs have been repeatedly attacked in recent months. Some villages have been forced to pay levies, ransoms, or “access fees” simply to be allowed to farm or move freely.

The Expanding Footprint of Bandit Cartels

Security analysts warn that the attacks demonstrate increased coordination among bandit factions. Many operate like military units—using scouts, GPS trackers, and motorbike convoys capable of covering vast terrain before security reinforcements arrive.

In the North-West’s ungoverned spaces, criminal networks have built fortified camps, developed arms-smuggling routes, and established informal taxation systems that rival official state authority.

For many rural communities, bandit rule has superseded government presence.

Federal Government Reacts

Reacting to the Kebbi school abductions, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, condemned the killings and reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s stance that protecting citizens—especially schoolchildren—is a non-negotiable obligation of the Nigerian state.

The government said security and intelligence agencies have been directed to locate, rescue, and safely return the students while ensuring the perpetrators face justice.

The minister also disclosed that Nigeria is intensifying coordination with ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Multinational Joint Task Force to secure borders and disrupt terrorist networks responsible for trafficking weapons and hostages.

Search-and-Rescue Underway

The Nigeria Police Force and the military have launched a large-scale search-and-rescue operation, combing forests and suspected routes used by the attackers. Drones, ground units, and local vigilantes are participating, though past operations have shown that terrain, logistics, and information gaps often slow down the pace of rescue missions.

A Nation Haunted by a Familiar Cycle

What is emerging feels like a replay of 2019. And 2023.
Each election year, insecurity spikes.
Political uncertainty deepens.
Violence festers.
And ordinary Nigerians pay the price.

With 2027 on the horizon, security experts fear the recent wave of abductions could be just the beginning of a darker, more coordinated escalation—unless the government disrupts these networks quickly and decisively.