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Katsina govt to deal with traditional rulers aiding bandits
Dr Dikko Umaru Radda, the Katsina State Governor, on Friday, threatened to deal ruthlessly with any commissioner, traditional ruler or members of his cabinet caught aiding and abetting banditry in the state.
Radda stressed that though the fight against insurgency is a hydra-headed monster that has refused to go away, he will not negotiate with any bandit or group of criminals.
The governor told journalists at a media chat in Transcorp Hilton that efforts are ongoing to checkmate their incursions into the state.
He said, “As I speak to you, there are some traditional rulers that have been identified and those ones are already under scrutiny. We are not sparing anybody. I’m telling you that even my commissioners or anybody found to be involved in any criminal activity won’t be spared.
“We are talking about the lives of Katsina people, not one single individual. No single individual is more important than 10 million people, especially the lives of innocent persons in the village. We are trying as much as possible to see how we can gather a lot of information, together with the intelligence we are getting from the DSS so we can arrest and prosecute those found wanting.
“Since I became governor, there is no single day I don’t receive a report of one kidnapping or people being killed and all sorts. This has been disturbing me. Sometimes it is difficult to open my phone because I knew what I would be confronted with.”
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He added that he had recruited at least 1,500 Community Watch Officers drawn from the eight frontline local governments to join the fight against insecurity in the state.
Radda said aside from giving intelligence, the initiative of local security outfits was part of measures to empower the residents to defend themselves against terrorist attacks.
According to him, the state has spent well over N7bn to procure armoured personnel carriers, 65 Hilux vehicles, 700 motorcycles and security gadgets for the Community Watch Corps Officers.
“The corps officers know the locations and whereabouts of these people. Many of them witnessed the killings of their parents and how some of their sisters were raped. So they have more courage to do the job. There are also intelligent units within the corps that even the members don’t know. The reason for setting it up is to check the excesses of the community security corps and to also gather critical information.
“We have therefore come up with various committees at the state, local governments, districts and ward level. The committees must verify people renting or selling their houses and who is leasing or buying them. This is to ensure we don’t harbour criminals within the communities. As it stands today, anybody cannot just go and rent the house as he likes, whether we know him or not. Most of the bandit leaders don’t live in the bush.
“They live in our cities because it is peaceful. They will come and buy houses, and keep their wives and children. Then they will go to the bush to commit their act and come back. So if we have this ‘know your neighbour’ approach in place, it is going to help a lot in reducing the incidence of criminalities in our society,” he noted.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, deliver judgments in two cases involving the leadership crises rocking the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to information on the official website of the court, the matters, listed under “Political Appeals”, have been added to the cause list for Thursday, April 30, 2026.
While judgment in the ADC matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026, has been fixed for 2 pm, there is no time yet for that if the PDP.
President Bola Tinubu has written the Senate, seeking the screening and subsequent confirmation of fifteen nominees to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The letter was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.
The letter seeks the reconstitution of the commission’s board in line with statutory provisions with the list comprising nominees from diverse professional backgrounds, including the media and legal sectors.
Among the nominees are the President, Nigeria Guild of Editors and Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Eze Anaba; and Dr. Salamatu Hussaina Suleiman, who has been proposed as chairman of the board.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu (SAN) is to retain his position as the Chief Executive Officer.
Other nominees include Mrs Roseline Tasha, Ambassador Adam Yubak Baku, ACG Felix Lawrence, Mr. Edmund Chinonye, Mr. Chinonye Obiaku (SAN), Oluwakemi Asiwaju Okere-Odo, Professor Adedeji Ogunji, Kingsley Chidozie, Mohammed Adelodu, Maupe Ogun Yusuf, and Otunba Francis Meshioye as members.
Also nominated are Patience Patrick and Hawwa Ibrahim, listed as members.
The President said the nominations were made pursuant to Section 2(3) of the National Human Rights Commission (Establishment) Act, 2010, which empowers him to constitute the board subject to Senate confirmation.
He explained that the reconstitution of the board was necessary to enhance the commission’s institutional capacity and enable it to more effectively discharge its mandate to promote and protect human rights across the country.
If confirmed, the new board is expected to play a critical role in reinforcing the NHRC’s oversight functions, particularly at a time of heightened concerns over rights protection and accountability in Nigeria.
Following the presentation of the request, the Senate referred the nominations to its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for screening and report within two weeks.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has revealed that it investigated the founder of Streams of Joy International, Pastor Jerry Eze, for six months over suspected money laundering before clearing him.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Commission, disclosed this on Wednesday while speaking at the Jerry Eze Foundation Business Grant Award Ceremony in Abuja.
According to him, the probe was triggered by intelligence reports and petitions after the commission observed large inflows of foreign currencies into the cleric’s domiciliary account.
“We work by intelligence, we work by petitions. At some point, I saw there was an account, a domiciliary account. Dollars, pounds were dropping in like raindrops, from Colombia, from America, from Sri Lanka, even from Togo.
“I said who is this man? Yes, I’ve been hearing about his name, I’ve seen his face a couple of times. I never bothered about what he was doing. I knew he was a pastor.
“So they said this one pastor of streams of joy, go and investigate him. So we went to the investigation. We combed the books,” Olukoyede stated.
The EFCC boss said he subsequently invited Eze for questioning after preliminary findings were compiled by investigators.
He added that upon meeting the cleric and reviewing the findings of the investigation, the commission found no wrongdoing.
“So he came to my office. He told me what happens and all of that, and how the money came, what he does, how he has been helping people, and all of that.
“I said, you know what, I didn’t call you here to explain to me. We have already done our work. I called you here to commend you,” he stated.
The remark drew applause from the audience, as Eze, who was present at the event, acknowledged the commendation.
He noted that the commission has a responsibility not only to investigate financial crimes but also to recognise individuals found to have acted with integrity.
The EFCC chairman, however, stated that the agency would continue to monitor financial activities where necessary, stressing that its preventive mandate remains critical in tackling corruption.
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