The Nigeria Police on Sunday said they have rescued a personnel of the Navy and two others, who were abducted by gunmen in Abuja.

It was gathered that the female naval officer attached to the Directorate of Media Operations, DMO, Defence Headquarters, DHQ, and the two others were abducted from their residence in the Mpape area of the Federal Capital Territory on Friday night.

The kidnappers had already reportedly contacted the families and demanded N100 million as ransom for their immediate release.

It is unclear if any ransom was paid to facilitate their release at the time of filing this report.

However, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, said the release followed a joint operation led by the Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit and comprising of personnel of the Nigerian military DSS hunters, and members of the local Hunters’ Group.

“At approximately 7:35 PM on the said date, heavily armed assailants attacked the Maman Vatsa Estate gate, blocked Mpape Road, and opened fire on moving vehicles before abducting the three victims. Shortly after the attack, the kidnappers contacted the victims’ families, demanding a ransom of N500 million for the naval officer and N200 million each for the two civilians.

“Upon receiving the distress report, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, FCT Police Command, DCP Isyaku Sharu, in collaboration with military authorities, mobilized a joint operation led by the Police Command’s Anti-Kidnapping Unit and comprising of personnel of the Nigerian military DSS hunters, and members of the local Hunters’ Group,” she said.

According to her, an intense search-and-rescue operation was conducted across Mpape, Gidan Bawa, Anguwan Mu’azu, and Yelwa Hills, covering areas in the FCT and Nasarawa State.

The Command’s spokesperson stated that acting on credible intelligence, between 2:00am and 5:30 AM on March 23, 2025, operatives traced the suspects to a Fulani resettlement in Anguwan Mu’azu and Yelwa Hills, Nasarawa State.

During the process, she said four suspects were arrested, and the victims were rescued unharmed.

According to her, the victims are currently in stable condition and are receiving medical attention at the Nigerian Army Clinic.

She stated that efforts were ongoing to track and apprehend the remaining suspects currently at large, stressing that security deployments has also been reinforced in Mpape and surrounding areas to prevent future occurrences.

Adeh also called on members of the public to go about their daily activities without any apprehension.

[DailyPost]

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has made his first public appearance since the declaration of a state of emergency in the state and his subsequent suspension from office.

The governor was seen arriving for worship at the headquarters of Salvation Ministries in GRA, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

Fubara’s appearance comes days after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers on Tuesday, citing escalating political tensions and security concerns. The declaration led to the suspension of Fubara, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu, and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

In their place, the President appointed Ibok-Ete Ibas as the Sole Administrator to oversee the state’s affairs for an initial period of six months.

While the decision has sparked mixed reactions from political stakeholders, legal practitioners and civil society groups, the newly appointed Sole Administrator has wasted no time in assuming office.

Since taking over, he has made several strategic moves, including holding emergency security meetings with law enforcement agencies, traditional rulers and heads of local government administration where he confirmed the release of the withheld allocation and ordered immediate processing of the payment of local government workers.

He has also gone on an inspection of the ongoing reconstruction of the State House of Assembly Complex, promising to ensure its timely completion to ensure stability in governance.

Governor Fubara attended the service with his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie.

[Channels TV]

The Federation Account Allocation Committee has shared N1.678 trillion among the Federal Government, states and the local governments for the month of February.

This is according to a communiqué issued by FAAC and made available by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Bawa Mokwa, on Saturday.

According to the communiqué, the total revenue of N1.678 trillion comprised statutory revenue of N827.633 billion and Value Added Tax revenue of N609.430 billion.

It also comprised Electronic Money Transfer Levy revenue of N35.171 billion, Solid Minerals revenue of N28.218 billion and Augmentation of N178 billion.

It said that a total gross revenue of N2.344 trillion was available in the month of February.

“Total deduction for cost of collection was N89.092 billion while total transfers, interventions, refunds and savings was N577.097 billion,’” it said.

The communiqué said that gross statutory revenue of N1.653 trillion was received for February, which was lower than the sum of N1.848 trillion received in January by N194.664 billion.

It said that gross revenue of N654.456 billion was available from VAT in February, lower than the N771.886 billion available in January by N117.430 billion.

The communiqué said that out of the total distributable revenue of N1.678 trillion, the Federal Government received N569.656 billion, and the state governments received N562.195 billion.

It said that the LGs received total sum of N410.559 billion, and a total sum of N136.042 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue.

“On the N827.633 billion statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N366.262 billion and the state governments received N185.773 billion.

“The LGs received N143.223 billion and the sum of N132.374 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting states as derivation revenue,” the communiqué said.

It said that from the N609.430 billion VAT revenue, the Federal Government received N91.415 billion, the state governments received N304.715 billion, and the LGs received N213.301 billion.

“A total sum of N5.276 billion was received by the Federal Government from the N35.171 billion EMTL. The state governments received N17.585 billion, and the LGs received N12.310 billion.

“From the N28.218 billion Solid Minerals revenue, the Federal Government received N12.933 billion and the state governments received N6.560 billion.

“The LGs received N5.057 billion and a total sum of N3.668 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the benefiting States as derivation revenue,” it said.

It said that Oil and Gas Royalty and EMTL increased significantly while VAT, Petroleum Profit Tax, Companies Income Tax, Excise Duty, Import Duty and CET Levies recorded a decrease.

NAN

Former Kano State Governor and Chairman of the League of Northern Democrats (LND), Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, has submitted that the current composition of the opposition coalition can’t challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

The former Governor noted that the coalition is only a gathering of former presidential aspirants and does not have the backing of any established opposition party.

While Shekarau welcomed the idea of a united coalition ahead of the 2027 elections, he submitted that the current coalition lacks a real structure capable of challenging the ruling party in 2027.

“The coming together of some senior members of opposition parties is a welcome development, as seen recently under what they call a ‘coalition’ of opposition parties. But unfortunately, most people do not realize that this so-called coalition has nothing to do with the major opposition parties; PDP and LP,” Shekarau said in a statement on Friday.

He recalled that unlike the APC, which was formed in 2013 with the merger of four registered parties; the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the present coalition announced by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has no backing of a political party but it’s only made up of individuals.

To this end, the LND leader said the coalition is presently not capable of posing any threat to the APC.

“The first political merger in Nigeria happened in 2013 when four registered parties merged to form the APC. So, technically, the APC is not a ‘new party.’

“It was an alliance of registered opposition political parties that were already well-established, with elected state governors, state and National Assembly members, and significant grassroots support,” Shekarau explained.

Political Situation In Rivers State
The former Kano State Governor added that the inability of the opposition coalition to stop the National Assembly from endorsing the state of emergency declared by President Bola Tinubu in Rivers State shows the coalition’s lack of influence over opposition lawmakers.

He submitted that if the coalition leaders had any real influence, the APC government would not have secured the required votes for the law’s passage.

“What happened at the National Assembly on March 20, 2025, regarding the ‘State of Emergency’ in Rivers State has exposed the so-called coalition. it is clear they have no control over opposition lawmakers in the National Assembly,” he said.

It’s Not Too Late

Shekarau recalled how a similar opposition coalition for the 2019 elections failed to achieve its aim.

He called on opposition leaders to restrategize ahead of the 2027 elections if it plans to unseat the APC and stop the waves of defection.

“The 2019 ‘coalition’ was formally launched almost a year before the elections at the Yar’Adua Center, yet none of the then-elected PDP leaders was in attendance. No amount of noise-making or informal alliances by individual politicians in the name of opposition will have any impact in elections unless the full leadership structure of opposition parties at all levels is involved.

“The simplistic claim that the APC is poaching and destabilizing opposition parties is, to me, naïve. Why are the so-called ‘big names’ in the opposition unable to resist defection? Why don’t they unite to properly fund and build their parties while mobilizing grassroots support?

“It is still not too late. I believe that with the right vision, mission, and focus, combined with a genuine sense of purpose, the opposition can change its narrative in 2025 and position itself for success in the 2027 elections,” he added.