President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has come under strong criticism from opposition Party, the African Democratic Congress, ADC, following his swift intervention in the attempted Coup in Benin Republic.
The ADC took a swipe at the Federal Government saying that the speed with which action the President took action highlights how slowly the government responds to the insecurity tormenting communities across Nigeria.
ADC Spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the development raises important questions about the government’s priorities, its respect for constitutional processes, and its commitment to safeguarding Nigerian lives.
The Party said it acknowledges the fact that Nigeria’s prompt response in Benin Republic was commendable, but argued that the contrast with Nigeria’s domestic security failures is becoming too glaring to ignore.
The ADC in a statement signed by Abdullahi said:
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomes Nigeria’s swift intervention in the Benin Republic following the announcement of a coup attempt. We commend the Federal Government for acting promptly to defend constitutional order in our neighbourhood.
“Why were we not as swift in responding to the crisis in Guinea-Bissau, even when a former Nigerian President was trapped there? What determines when Nigeria acts firmly and when it delays?” the party asked.
It further stressed that any such intervention must still follow constitutional procedures, noting that military or security deployment outside Nigeria requires the approval of the National Assembly, as clearly outlined in the Constitution.
According to the ADC, such inconsistencies only fuel speculation that Nigeria’s rapid move in Benin may have been influenced by interests outside the country, a perception it says undermines Nigeria’s credibility as a regional leader.
But beyond foreign policy, the party said the Benin action draws attention to something far more troubling; the government’s inability to act with equal urgency against bandits, terrorists, and violent criminals who continue to terrorise Nigerians.
“If Nigeria could respond decisively to threats across our borders, why has our government demonstrated such outrageous incompetence in dealing with domestic insecurity?” the ADC queried.
“A government that can act swiftly abroad must also act decisively at home. The defence of democracy does not begin in neighbouring countries; it begins in the protection of Nigerian lives,” Abdullahi added.
Reaffirming its opposition to any unconstitutional change of government in the region, the ADC said the most effective way to prevent military intervention is for elected leaders to govern responsibly, improve citizens’ welfare, and allow opposition voices to flourish.
“The best possible safeguard against military adventurism is for elected governments to make democracy meaningful to the people by improving their lives and allowing opposition to thrive,” the party stated.
Nigeria’s swift military intervention in the Benin Republic following Sunday’s failed coup attempt has reignited a complex debate at the intersection of national security, constitutional legality, regional diplomacy, and democratic stability in West Africa.
As the region battles a surge of coups, violent extremism, and weakening civilian institutions, Abuja’s decisive though constitutionally contested response underscores both the opportunities and dilemmas facing Africa’s most populous democracy.
West Africa has experienced nine coups or attempted coups since 2020, from Mali and Burkina Faso to Niger and now Benin.
These uprisings are fuelled by a mix of jihadist insurgency, public disillusionment with civilian governments, and geopolitical realignment involving France, Russia, and increasingly China. In Benin’s case, the attack led by Colonel Pascal Tigri was contained within hours, but the episode reflects the wider instability sweeping Francophone states where over 45% of citizens express declining trust in electoral democracy, according to Afrobarometer.
Nigeria’s rapid deployment, acting on two formal requests from Cotonou, reflects Abuja’s growing concern that the coup wave could spill over into its borders.
Nigeria’s armed forces face immense pressure. Fighting insurgents, bandits, and separatist groups across at least six active security theatres, the military has neutralized thousands of terrorists over the past decade, though official figures vary and independent verification remains difficult in conflict zones. Unlike Benin’s coupists, terrorists inside Nigeria operate from dispersed forest camps, mixing with civilian populations and employing guerrilla tactics specifically designed to deter conventional airstrikes. This structural difference explains why the precision strikes witnessed in Benin cannot simply be replicated in Niger, Chad, or Nigeria’s internal battlegrounds.
The challenge is compounded by the sensitive allegiances of communities along the borders, where cross-border ethnic ties sometimes complicate enforcement efforts and fuel political suspicion.
Under Section 5(4)(b) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, the President must obtain Senate approval before deploying troops on combat duty outside national borders, except in immediate defence of Nigeria. Critics argue that President Bola Tinubu acted unlawfully by ordering an air and ground response without prior legislative consent. Supporters counter that the urgency of the coup attempt justified prompt action and that Benin’s formal request for help aligns with ECOWAS protocols on collective security. The controversy highlights an uncomfortable truth, constitutional safeguards often collide with real-time security demands, particularly when regional stability and Nigeria’s own national interests are at stake.
Tinubu’s supporters frame his move as statesmanship, opponents call it geopolitics disguised as democratic defense.
Beyond the military dimension lies a deeper political calculation. Nigeria’s action reassures partners like France and ECOWAS that Abuja remains the region’s democratic anchor, especially after Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso transitioned toward military rule and Russian influence. President Tinubu, with decades-long credentials as a pro-democracy activist, seeks to position Nigeria as West Africa’s “Democratic Defender-in-Chief.” Yet sceptics argue that global optics play a role, suggesting the intervention serves multiple goals, reinforcing Nigeria’s regional dominance, securing international backers, and sending a message to domestic actors who might underestimate the military’s reach. As one analyst put it, “This is as much about democracy as it is about geopolitical chess.”
The failed coup in Benin is a reminder that democracy without economic justice cannot endure. In Francophone West Africa, nearly 40% of the population lives in poverty, youth unemployment exceeds 30%, and weak public services fuel resentment against civilian administrations. Until governments provide jobs, education, security, and credible elections, military overreach will continue to tempt dissatisfied populations.
Nigeria’s intervention may have preserved Benin’s constitutional order for now, but long-term stability depends on broader governance reforms across the region. West Africa must choose between a future defined by recurring coups or one anchored in accountable leadership, shared prosperity, and institutions that work for all.
Ultimately, democracy survives not by force alone, but by delivering dignity, opportunity, and justice to the people it claims to serve.
Adebamiwa Olugbenga Michael is a Lagos-based political analyst who explores ethnic economics and urban policy through open-source data.
He is also the publisher of The Insight Lens Project.
The PhD certificate which Edo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Roland Otaru, SAN, says he possesses, is under scrutiny. A group of law students and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are demanding for its proper scrutiny by relevant bodies.
Concerned Law Students of the Faculty of Law, Federal University (FUOYE), Oye-Ekiti, queried the genuineness of the Professorship title conferred on the State Commissioner.
The group in a petition to the National Universities Commission (NUC) and Council of Legal Education, signed by C K. Akanbi, dated 7th December 2025, alleged that Otaru may have compromised the authorities of the school to get it, describing the conferment as “a great academic fraud” and called for its investigation.
“The said Otaru is a full time private legal practitioner in Ilorin Kwara State, who got his PhD in law two years ago from one private University in Ogun State.
“He has neither taught nor examined postgraduate law students anywhere in Nigeria to qualify him for appointment as an Associate Professor of law (Reader), let alone Professor of law.
“It is for this reason that we ask that the circumstances surrounding the alleged conferment of the Professor of law status on Mr. Roland Otaru is investigated and the culprits brought to book,” the petition reads in part.
The group threatened a week-long protest by mid-January 2026, if the issue is not investigated, adding: “As law students, we have decided to speak up, because our lecturers who know the truth are afraid of shaking tables.
Reacting to the development, the Edo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the development was troubling.
A statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Dan Osa-Ogbegie, also called on the state government and the House of Assembly to investigate allegations.
“A professorship is not an ornament of political prestige. It is a hard-earned academic rank achieved only through transparent scholarly progression, including mandatory service as Reader or Associate Professor, and backed by verifiable research, teaching, examination of postgraduate students, and recognised intellectual contributions.
“The Governor of Edo State to immediately address this matter publicly and transparently, rather than through the usual silence and subterfuge that has become his preferred method of avoiding accountability.
“The Edo State House of Assembly to redeem its battered dignity by constituting an independent, competent and credible investigative committee to probe the professorship claim, the Ph.D claim, the academic trajectory, publications, teaching records and all related,” Osa-Ogbegie said
When contacted, Otaru denied the allegation saying it could be a deliberate attempt to smear his rising profile as he insisted that he was duly appointed as a Professor by the Senate of the University.
“It is very funny. The Senate of the university conferred it on me, I have a letter to that effect and on that day, I was not the only one, we were about four, it was an approval from the Senate of the University and I delivered the lecture on that day, 9th of December 2024.
“I am a PhD holder, I have two Masters Degrees and I have up to five or six fellowships. I have been SAN working for the past 20 years so what are they talking about? Maybe somebody there engineered it because of my rising profile.
“It is not a fake award, I don’t know what they want but there is no cause for alarm. I have the letter of the award.
“They were there that day, they were there when I delivered the lecture, it was an assemblage of all students in that faculty and I delivered the lecture there. There was no financial inducement, nothing like that, I think it was based on merit.”
Following an outbreak of communal violence in Adamawa State, which has led to loss of life, Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has declared a 24-hour curfew in Lamurde Local Government Area.
It was gathered that heavily armed Chobo-speaking tribal militia from neighbouring Gombe State, joined their counterparts in Adamawa state and launched coordinated assaults on Bachama communities in Lamurde Local Government Area, leaving dozens feared dead.
Report stated that the attackers advanced from the creeks bordering Gombe and overran several settlements from the western axis, sacking Tingno, Waduku and two other villages.
“They have burnt Waduku and Tingno to ashes,” one source said. “Our youths mobilised quickly to stop them from pushing into Rigange.”
Another resident confirmed that although the assailants attempted to move towards Lamurde, the local council headquarters, they were repelled
The fresh violence erupted barely days after Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri brokered a fragile peace deal between the warring Chobo and Bachama groups, according to Dr. Jamila Suleiman, Executive Vice Chairperson of the Adamawa State Peace Commission.
Meanwhile, the state government has imposed 24-hour curfew in the affected local government.
In a statement signed by the Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Hussaini Hammangabdo, on Monday, stated that the governor instructed security agencies to swiftly deploy to affected areas to restore peace and maintain order.
According to the statement, Fintiri directed security agencies to move to the areas threatened by the renewed communal clash to promptly restore peace and order.
The statement reads: “The Adamawa State Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on Lamurde Local Government Area with immediate effect following a renewed communal clash that broke out on Sunday evening.”
The government urged residents of Lamurde to remain calm and cooperate fully with security operatives as efforts are underway to prevent further escalation.
“The nation is forced to ask why the same swift coordination used in Benin Republic is absent in Sambisa Forest, Plateau, Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna and other theatres where terrorists operate freely”
The early hours of Sunday, 7th December 2025, witnessed a sudden military putsch in the Republic of Benin. Soldiers led by Lt. Col. Pascal Tigri seized the national television station, announced the dissolution of democratic institutions, and ordered the closure of airspace and land borders. In what appeared to be a decisive display of regional leadership, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, swiftly deployed air assets and ground troops across the border.
Within one hour, the Nigerian Air Force reportedly executed coordinated aerial strikes on convoys believed to be transporting coup loyalists. The operation was quick, clinical, and effective. The putsch was crushed, stability restored, and constitutional order reinstated. For this prompt action, President Tinubu deserves commendation. His intervention reaffirmed Nigeria’s historic role as a backbone of West African stability and guardian of democratic norms in the sub-region.
However, this success story raises uncomfortable but important questions about the Federal Government’s commitment to combating terrorism, banditry, and internal insecurity within Nigeria. If we possessed such air power, tactical response capacity, and elite strike forces all along, why have we watched terrorists ravage communities, kidnap schoolchildren, and murder citizens daily without equivalent urgency? Why was Brigadier General Musa Uba left abandoned in the forest for days, only for his location to be compromised and he subsequently recaptured and executed by ISWAP?
The nation is forced to ask why the same swift coordination used in Benin Republic is absent in Sambisa Forest, Plateau, Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna and other theatres where terrorists operate freely. Why can fighter jets neutralize coup plotters in another sovereign state, yet fail to locate and dismantle insurgent enclaves within our borders? Are we saying Nigerian forces can cross borders under 24 hours to restore democracy abroad, but cannot rescue over 300 schoolchildren kidnapped in Niger State or thousands languishing in captivity across the North?
These contradictions suggest that Nigeria’s insecurity persists not necessarily due to incapacity, but because of institutional hesitation or deliberate political choices. A government that can mobilize rapidly beyond its borders cannot convincingly argue helplessness at home. The painful impression is that protecting foreign democracy appears more urgent than protecting Nigerian lives, dignity, and territorial integrity.
Under international law, a state that is “unwilling or unable to protect its citizens from mass atrocities” risks inviting external intervention under the doctrine of collective self-defence. President Tinubu’s swift action in Benin, contrasted with slow responses to mass killings and kidnappings at home, unfortunately aligns with the global perception that Nigeria is unwilling to decisively confront terrorism. It therefore validates foreign voices, including President Trump, who argue that outside assistance may soon become necessary to defend Nigerians where their government has failed.
In conclusion, while we applaud the restoration of democracy in Benin Republic, we demand the same energy, courage and urgency to secure Nigerian citizens. Let the fighter jets that flew into Cotonou also roar over Sambisa. Let the boots that marched for Benin march for Chibok, Kachia, Mangu and Kontagora. National strength is not measured only abroad, it is proven at home.
Dalung, LLM, LLB, BL
Igbarman Otarok tarok & Garkuwa Arewa, was Federal Minister for Youths during the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari [email protected]
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday December 8, 2025, turned down an appeal by convicted leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, seeking a transfer out of the Sokoto custodial centre.
The IPOB leader in an ex-parte motion had sought an order of the court compelling the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigerian Correctional Service to transfer him from the Sokoto Correctional facility to a custodial facility within the jurisdiction of the Abuja Court.
“Alternatively, Kanu had sought an order of the Court transferring him to the Court’s immediate environs such as the Suleja or Keffi Custodial Centre” for the purpose of enabling him to effectively prosecute his constitutionally guaranteed right of appeal.
According to him, his continued detention at the Sokoto Correctional facility which is over 700 kilometers from Abuja renders his constitutional right to appeal impracticable as all persons critical to assisting him in preparing his appeal including relatives, associates and legal consultants are being in Abuja.
“The preparation of the notice of appeal and record of appeal requires personal interface with the Registrar of this Honourable Court and the Court of Appeal Abuja”, Kanu averred.
Ruling on the application , which was moved by the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria on behalf of Kanu on Monday, presiding Judge, Justice James Omotosho, ordered that Kanu should convert the motiion ex-parte to that of motion on notice in the interest of justice.
The IPOB leader had in the initial application sought the order to be made without putting the other party ( Federal Government) on notice.
The Judge subsequently adjourned to January 27 ,2026 for the hearing and determination of the new motion on notice.
The Source further reports that Kanu’s younger brother, Emmanuel Kanu, had, last week, unsuccessfully sought to move the motion ex-parte despite not being a legal practitioner.
However, justice Omotosho, in rejecting the younger Kanu’s efforts, advised him to rather seek the services of lawyers or in the alternative approach the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria.
Justice Omotosho had insisted that Emmanuel Kanu cannot represent his elder sibling or any other person, except corporate bodies, since he is not a lawyer.
It will be recalled that the IPOB leader was, on Thursday, November 20, 2025, convicted and sentenced on all seven count charges bordering on terrorism and other related Offences preferred against him by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He was subsequently relocated from the detention facility of the Department of State Service, DSS, Abuja Headquarters to the Sokoto Correctional Service facility on November 21, 2025.
ONE: Engagement Through Subterfuge: The new party emanating from a coalition of opposition politicians has already been tainted. The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has been completely taken over by the Atiku group.
Analysts had mocked ADC as ATIKU DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS, and truly, the situation in the party today has proved them perspicacious.
A few days ago, Atiku Abubakar, erstwhile vice president of Nigeria and one of the arrowhead of ADC announced that he had formalised his membership of the party. A few others followed suit.
But this is a plot and premeditated subterfuge. The plot here is to put pressure on all members, especially, Peter Obi, to formalise their membership of the party without further delay.
Atiku and company seek to trap Obi into committing to the party without agreeing on terms of engagement.
Mr Peter Obi
Atiku has indicated that he’s hell-bent on contesting for the presidency of Nigeria; but this is utterly out of turn with the rotational principle embedded in Nigeria’s multi-ethnic political system. This principle cannot and must not be sacrificed on the altar of one man’s vaulting ambition to be president of Nigeria at all cost.
Since Atiku and ADC have concluded plans to hijack the Presidential ticket of ADC by stealth, Peter Obi must not only shun the ADC (trap) immediately, he must run away from them forthwith.
The reason for this gentle admonition is that, with the heightened desperation in the Atiku camp, they are capable of deploying extraordinary measures to achieve their dubious objectives.
TWO: There’s No Going Back For Atiku. The handwriting is on the wall. It is very clear and unambiguous. The die is cast for him. There’s no going back. It is settled. He has gone beyond whether he would run or not. He is already the ADC candidate. Who will dare to run against the Leviathan?
THREE: Atiku’s CAMPAIGN Has Started Full Steam As ADC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE! He makes no bones about it! He has sealed the slot.
Recall that he already has his team. Feckless Dele Momodu, his de facto campaign director, hinted the other day that if Peter Obi doesn’t hurry up to seal the running mate position, it would be ceded to Mr Rotimi Amaechi. What impetus! What gratuitous insult to OBiDIENTS and the Obi group in the ADC.
We hear he’s angling for the job too!
While the party was still discussing the zoning formula, while debate is on about a possible acclamation for Obi, the one with the catalytic momentum in the coalition, Atiku has already beaten the gun to hijack the mandate.
He wouldn’t even wait for a primary and he is already deciding on a running mate.
He has also gone ahead to host all the ADC State party chairmen in his Abuja residence. After spending billions to fete these key party officials in his abode, he has simply sealed the fate of all other aspirants, making any party primary a formality.
FOUR: Old Order Democracy. Obi must shun ADC because what is at play is the vintage old order politics. This is no different from what’s going on in the APC where President Tinubu has the party in his pocket and he dictates every move and every position.
As it is, Atiku would be worse than Tinubu because he has no regard for any member of the party and he doesn’t give a hoot about any rules of engagement. It is all about bearing the title “president” and not about rebuilding Nigeria or even getting any work done!
FIVE: He’s Not a Democrat. The vile methods OBiDIENTS have rejected and jettisoned is in play right now in ADC.
Atiku has completely taken over ADC, he’s already acting like a god whose every word must be obeyed.
Like Tinubu he’s a democrat only by name and a despot by action.
Obi and OBiDIENTS must flee from him and his evil party!
SIX: Obi and OBiDIENTS, Must Take a Stand today. These moves by Atiku are clear pointers that he is not speaking the same language as Obi and OBiDIENTS. Obi must shun Atiku and his ADC, NOW!
They remain the same old order holding Nigeria and her great people to ransom over the years. Atiku, like Tinubu is all about power mongering: power for power’s sake. OBiDIENTS cannot function in ADC under Atiku.
SEVEN: Obi Doesn’t Have To Be President. He has said it umpteenth time that he doesn’t have to be president. The reason for his exertions is to prove that a better Nigeria is possible.
Obi is driven by this selfless ideal to remove Nigeria from her present morass in which she is stuck.
There’s no better reason to shun Atiku and his ADC than this. There’s no difference between APC and ADC. And indeed, there’s no difference between Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar. The later may even turn out to be worse when ensconced to the position of power.
EIGHT: OBiDIENTS Will Never Vote Obi as a Running Mate. Obi becoming a running mate to Atiku will actually spell doom for ADC. Worse, it will not only make Obi a villainous opportunist, it will indeed, inter Obi’s political career including his entire persona and essence.
NINE: Obi Doesn’t Have To be a President To Be a Great man. Obi has already earned a more significant place in history than many so-called presidents of Nigeria. Being president of a country doesn’t necessarily confer greatness. A man’s legacy is what earns him his place in the annals.
Alfred Nobel, Henry Ford and even Bill Gates today are never presidents. Few presidents have more notable positions in the reckoning of the ages.
TEN: Better To Quit Than Be a Running Mate. If Nigeria’s OLD, WICKED ORDER has conspired to keep you out of the race, if they have closed all the democratic space, if some Nigerians like conspired with the powers that be to criminally shut you out, don’t despair.
EXPRESSO is of the opinion that you should call a world press conference and announce your ouster.
IT’S MORE HONOURABLE TO QUIT THE RACE THAN TO BE A RUNNING MATE.
Osuji was editor at The Guardian and THISDAY among others.
The immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr Victor Okezie Ikpeazu, has vehemently rejected claims suggesting that he was indicted for corruption in an audit report commissioned by the Abia State Government.
This is as he described as false and misleading claims linking him to any financial wrongdoing in the KPGM reports in the process review commissioned by the current Abia state Government.
The former Governor’s rebuttal is coming against the backdrop of growing controversies surrounding his Ambassadorial nomination and those of a few others ahead of their screening by the Senate.
There are widespread speculations that his nomination may have been flagged owing to the KPGM report which critics insist indicted the former Abia state Governor.
Dr Ikpeazu, along with about 67 others, was last week nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for Ambassadorial positions in an exercise that has since provoked widespread concern and agitations.
However, since his nomination, not a few people have raised questions and objections over his qualifications owing to the KPGM forensic audit report commissioned by the Dr Alex Otti-led administration in Abia State which critics claim strongly indicted the former Governor.
The Source reports that the KPGM report which was made public on May 2, 2024, had, among other things, raised questions about a N10 billion airport project fund allegedly diverted by the immediate past Governor.
The about 360-page Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler audit KPGM report which was released by the State Commissioner for Information Prince Okey Kanu, similarly detailed other cases of alleged shaddy transactions and infractions committed by the Dr Ikpeazu-led administration between 2015 and 2023.
Although the former Governor had, at the time of the release of the report, denied diverting or misappropriating any funds, particularly the N10 billion airport funds, the allegations have in the last few days continued to gain traction.
But a statement from Enyinnaya Appolos, his media aide late on Sunday December 7, 2025, insisted that the KPGM report was never a financial audit and was not derived from a forensic investigation capable of indicting anyone.
“What the current administration commissioned was a process review, not a financial audit not a forensic investigation, and certainly not an indictment”, Appolos noted.
According to him, the KPGM in its report acknowledged that its efforts were far from being a financial audit and a forensic investigation. “This assignment was not performed by us in the capacity of a statutory auditor. Hence, this is not any form of financial statement audit of ABSG, or any entity listed in the report.
“We are, therefore, not required to render an opinion on the financial statements of ABSG, or any entity listed in the report”, the KPGM was quoted as stating.
In the same vein, the audit firm was quoted by the Ikpeazu media aide as noting that “it did not conduct a trial or inquiry act as a tribunal, commission of inquiry, or in any judicial or quasi-judicial role; perform any adjudicatory function whatsoever; or conduct any exercise aimed at determining whether any person was guilty of innocent of any offence.”
This is as Appolos emphasized that a process review cannot indict anyone as it merely evaluates procedural compliance.
“It cannot make findings of guilt or wrongdoing”, he added.
According to the former Governor’s media aide, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFFC, as well as other relevant authorities have all investigated and dismissed as politically motivated allegation of diversion and misappropriation of N10 billion airport funds.
“Since leaving office in May 2023, Dr Ikpeazu has never been invited, charged or prosecuted by any court ,or agency over corruption allegations”, Appolos stated.
The Nigeria Army has recorded another victory. Troops of Sector 1, Joint Task Force South East, Operation UDO KA, OPUK, have executed another precision strike against criminal elements, successfully extracting 14 kidnapped victims in a rapid, high-impact raid within the Orokam Forest corridor linking Udenu LGA of Enugu State and Ogbadigbo LGA of Benue State.
The operation was triggered by actionable intelligence from vigilant community sources. Acting swiftly, troops working in concert with local vigilante mounted an assault on a suspected kidnap hideout concealed deep in the forest. On contact, the criminals unleashed gunfire, prompting a fierce engagement. The joint force’s superior firepower, tactical manoeuvre and relentless advance forced the kidnappers to break contact and flee, abandoning the abductees.
The rescued victims were seized over the weekend while returning from a burial and were held in dispersed clusters across the forest.
Intelligence Report further indicated that the victims were abducted from two separate communities: Ezimo Agu in Udenu LGA of Enugu State and Orokam in Ogbadigbo LGA of Benue State.
All rescued persons have been formally handed over to the Divisional Police Officer, Udenu Division, for proper profiling and subsequent reunification with their families.
Nigerian Army troops have continue to maintain aggressive battlespace dominance across the theatre of operations general area, reaffirming the Nigerian Army’s unwavering resolve to neutralise all threats and uphold peace and security throughout the South East.
The Anambra State Police Command on Monday December 8, 2025, said all necessary machineries have been activated to hunt down the masterminds of Sunday’s bloody attack on Lilu Community, in Ihiala Local Council of the State.
The Source reports that some gunmen in the early hours of Sunday, December 7, unleashed a deadly assault that left the wife of the Anglican Church Priest dead, and several others seriously injured.
The assailants, also, razed down a substantial part of the Church, as well as other buildings, and properties within the environ of the Church.
A statement from the Anambra’ State Police Command spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said that State Commissioner of Police, CP, Ikioye Orutugu, while condemning the attack as heinous, barbaric and an abominable act against worshipers, said the development represents a direct assault on the shared values of peace, the sanctity of life, as well as freedom of worship.
While also sympathizing with the victims of the gruesome incident, their families, relations and friends, CP Orutugu affirmed the unflinching commitment of the command towards apprehending the perpetrators, and ensuring that justice is served.
He warned that the Police in the State will not condone any acts that are capable of undermining the fragile peace and stability of the state.
This is as he vowed not to allow hoodlums, terrorists and other criminal elements to instill fear among residents and threaten the security of Anambra State.
The statement further noted that enhanced security measures, including intelligence-driven operations have been launched in the affected community and environs, with a view to fast- tracking the process of hunting down the suspects and forestall a further breach of security.
