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Tinubu urges North to fight insurgency in unison

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President Bola AHmed Tinubu yesterday said he appointed Northerners into major defence positions because of their knowledge of the region.

“Our first decision was to task our brothers from the Northwest and the Northeast to rise in defence of the security of the region. “Who else can better understand the complexity of the region than the people themselves,’’ he said.

President Tinubu spoke at the opening of a two-day United Nations Development Programme ( UNDP)-sponsored Northwest Peace and Security Summit in Katsina.

He was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Some Northerners holding sensitive security posts are Minister of Defence Abubakar Badaru; Minister of Defence (State) Bello Matawale; National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu; Chief of Defence Staff (COAS) General Christopher Musa and Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar.

For insecurity in the North to abate, people of the region must rise in unison against terrorists and other criminal elements that have for over a decade denied them peace, President Tinubu said.

This position was supported by the Sultan of Sokoto Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III.

They stated that doing so would complement the strategies adopted by the government and the Armed Forces to restore peace in the region hitherto known for its tranquillity and cohesion.

The theme of the summit graced by eminent personalities like former President Muhammadu Buhari, four of the seven Northwest governors, and Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, is: “Regional cooperation for securing lives and livelihoods in Northwest Nigeria.’’

President Tinubu said even though the various strategies adopted by his administration to tackle the security challenges in the North were yielding results, the people needed to complement the success.

Tinubu, whose address at the event was titled: “Securing stability: uniting for peace in Northwest Nigeria,” reiterated his administration’s commitment to completely eradicating terrorism and other forms of crime.

Describing the summit as a communal gathering to address “the afflictions that have threatened the stability and unity” of the North, the President attributed the lingering crisis in the zone to a fractured relationship by a people “rooted in a culture and bond of shared interests and common pursuits.’’

He said: “What we are witnessing across the North is an explosion of damaged relationships, and we have come to say: enough is enough.

“I am proud to share that the strategies we have employed have begun to provide redemption. We are not slowing down until we achieve our aim.

“Beyond the economic rationale that drove the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria, the formation of our great nation was inspired by the need for mutual protection.

“But, I ask, how can we achieve this sacred objective if one part is afflicted?“We have long established that whatever ails any part of this federation destabilises the other.

“So, the issue of national security in the Northwest is not a sectional agenda.

“We promised to make Nigeria safer, and this aim has been our topmost priority since we came to office over a year ago.”

Noting that the steps taken to combat the security challenges his administration inherited were mapped out even before embarking on the journey, President Tinubu observed that achieving security and peace would require that the historical injustices that have torn communities in Nigeria apart are fully addressed.

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IBADAN: Early Morning Fire Destroys Shops, Millions Lost in Property

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An early morning fire on Friday, September 12, 2025, gutted four shops at Saki Garage, opposite Trans Amusement Park in the Bodija area of Ibadan, Oyo State.

The fire, which started around 2:07 a.m., affected four out of eleven shops in the complex. No casualties were reported, but properties worth millions of naira were lost.

Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Service, Hon. Maroof Akinwande, confirmed the incident and said firefighters were able to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby buildings.

The fire was traced to embers left unattended after business hours, which ignited nearby flammable materials.

Akinwande advised the public to be vigilant, keep fire extinguishers at home and in shops, and store emergency fire service numbers. He also commended Amotekun officers from the Bodija Division for providing security during the firefighting operation.

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Air Peace Differs with NSIB reports on crews involvement in drugs, alcohol

Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!

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Air Peace has responded to the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) regarding the incident involving one of its aircraft at Port Harcourt on July 13, 2025.

The airline said to date, no official communication was received on crew toxicology results by NSI, B, and the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) had cleared the co-pilot on duty.

In a statement by Air Peace, it stated that it is yet to receive any official communications from the NSIB on such findings over a month after the incident and after the testing of the crew for alcohol, which took place in less than an hour of the incident!

“As a responsible airline, we place utmost priority on safety, transparency, and compliance, and it is important to set the record straight.

“Air Peace conducts frequent alcohol and drug tests on our crew. We have a very strict alcohol use policy that is stricter than the 8 hours before the flight as provided in the regulations. Drug use is a NO-NO!

The NSIB had on Thursday released the preliminary report on its ongoing investigation into the serious incident involving a Boeing 737-524 aircraft, operated by Air Peace, saying initial toxicological tests conducted on the flight crew revealed positive results for certain substances, including indicators of alcohol consumption.

The report said that a cabin crew member also tested positive for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component in cannabis.

“These results are being reviewed under the human performance and safety management components of the investigation.”, a statement on the report signed by Bimbo Olawumi Oladeji, Director, Public Affairs and Family Assistance, NSIB, said.

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Hilda Baci Cooking World’s Largest Pot of Jollof Rice Today at Eko Hotel

Baci also disclosed she would be using 250 bags of rice to create what she hopes will become the world’s biggest pot of Nigerian jollof rice.

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Celebrity chef and Guinness World Record holder Hilda Baci is cooking what she describes as the world’s largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice at Eko Hotel and Suites today (Friday) in Lagos.

A video shared on her Instagram page on Thursday showed the moment the massive pot arrived at the venue of the record-breaking attempt in Lagos.

Another clip shared on her Snapchat story captured Hilda and her mother praying at the venue ahead of the event.

Baci announced on Wednesday that more than 20,000 people had registered to attend the event dubbed “Gino World Jollof Festival with Hilda Baci”

She emphasised that the event which kicks off at 9 a.m. on Friday, September 12, is free to attend, and that guests will “certainly not be paying for the amazing meal that I’m going to make for you.”

According to Baci, the historic attempt will feature a giant pot measuring six metres wide and six metres tall, in collaboration with seasoning and culinary brand Gino.

Baci also disclosed she would be using 250 bags of rice to create what she hopes will become the world’s biggest pot of Nigerian jollof rice

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