Uncategorized
Banditry: Peace gradually returning to Kwara South-Community Leader
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
A veteran journalist and community leader, Elder Oyin Zubair, has hailed the gradual restoration of peace to parts of Kwara South after months of coordinated bandit attacks, saying the situation is now stabilising due to renewed collaboration between local vigilantes and state authorities.
Fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, Zubair, who also coordinates the Kwara South Joint Security Task Force, said more than 1,000 local security personnel have now been deployed across Babanla, Oke-Ode, and other troubled communities.
“We are glad things are getting back to normal. It’s easier to fight a war than to fight bandits,” he said. “When they attacked Babanla and Oke-Ode, the destruction was massive. We had assembled over 850 vigilantes and forest guards, but circumstances prevented them from confronting the bandits immediately. Several of our men and civilians were killed, but that hasn’t dampened our morale.”
Zubair described the attacks as coordinated and brutal, noting that some informants within local communities aided the assailants. “Yes, there are collaborators among our people,” he admitted. “Some elders are culpable due to financial greed. They recruit informants who leak information to these criminals. Fortunately, arrests have been made and investigations are ongoing.”
He commended Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for what he called “proactive and quiet leadership,” adding that the Governor responded promptly with training and better equipment for forest guards.
“The Governor doesn’t talk much, but he listens and acts. Some of our forest guards just completed training and have been issued better weapons. That has given our men confidence,” he said.
Zubair said the federal government’s intervention also helped to stem the tide of attacks, citing the establishment of a new military formation the 22 Armoured Brigade in Babanla, which he described it as a turning point in restoring calm to the area.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Chief of Defence Staff for sustaining security collaboration with the state, noting that “insurgency is not an ordinary war you can bulldoze through, it requires patience, intelligence, and precision to avoid civilian casualties.”
The community leader, however, warned that Nigeria’s intelligence operations remain weak and must be strengthened if the country hopes to defeat banditry and terrorism nationwide.
“Our intelligence network across all security agencies needs improvement. If intelligence fails, everything fails,” he said.
Zubair said the bandits, many of whom were dislodged from Niger and Kwara North, had found safe havens in the dense forests around Babasango, a border region linking Kwara, Kogi, and Ekiti states.
“They had made Babasango their own Aso Rock,” he revealed. “It’s a hilly area with caves and rivers. Even trained officers feared to go there. They kept boats, used the terrain to their advantage, and negotiated ransoms there. But things have changed ,our men are now reclaiming the area.”
On the broader national context, the journalist expressed optimism that the recent shake-up in Nigeria’s security leadership would enhance professionalism and accountability among the armed forces.
“There’s nothing wrong with changing service chiefs; it brings fresh ideas. I believe President Tinubu acted in the best interest of national security. We only hope the new hierarchy will tighten coordination and restore people’s confidence,” he said.
Zubair also reflected on journalism and governance, urging media practitioners to uphold professionalism amid the rise of unregulated online platforms.
“What irritates me is how journalism is practiced now. We were taught that when in doubt, leave it out. But many just write anything without verification. Journalism must return to ethics and factual reporting,” he said.
On local governance, he lauded the AbdulRazaq administration for balancing development across the state, citing new roads, health facilities, and the establishment of a civic development centre in Igbaja.
“The governor has not left development to local governments alone. He’s been responsive to community needs, especially in infrastructure and security. However, the issue of ghost workers in local councils must be tackled to ensure funds reach projects,” he said.
Zubair, a longtime advocate of grassroots development, urged the creation of more local governments or administrative development areas to speed up governance and response to emergencies.
“The smaller the local governments, the better they can develop. Kwara is large, and security or welfare responses take too long to travel from Ilorin to outlying districts,” he said.
He concluded with a call for national unity, responsible leadership, and patience among Nigerians.
“Nigeria has its challenges, but we are developing. Every generation faces its trials, and ours is insecurity. With sincerity from leaders and cooperation from citizens, the country will overcome,” Zubair said.
End
- As 16 graduands make First Class
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Thomas Adewumi University (TAU), Oko-Irese, in the Irepodun local government area of Kwara State, has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening quality education, innovation, and globally competitive learning.
Speaking at the institution’s 2nd Convocation ceremony in Oko-Irese, the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Francisca Onaolapo Oladipo, said TAU is living up to its ranking as the fastest growing institution in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine, and Innovation (STEM-i) ecosystem by surpassing more than 100 percent in its number of graduating students at the second convocation.
She said: “TAU emerged on April 8, 2021, as Nigeria’s fastest-growing Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Innovations (STEM-i) ecosystem. Today, we rank 1st among the 20 private universities that were licensed in
2021, 4th among the 14 Universities in Kwara State, 5th among Nigeria’s over 170 private Universities and 50th nationally, an impressive rise reflecting our unwavering commitment to excellence.
”What a Moment of Extraordinary Significance today, we stand at a crossroads far more significant than words can adequately capture. Exactly one year ago, we gathered at this very Auditorium to celebrate our inaugural Convocation, a ceremony that marked the graduation of 26 pioneering students who dared to believe in a vision when others saw only impossibility. Those 26 trailblazers proved that Thomas Adewumi University was not just a dream, but a reality rooted in excellence. Today, as we honour 63 outstanding graduates, we witness something far more profound than numerical growth.
“This 142% increase in our graduating class is not merely a statistic to be recorded in annual reports, it is a declaration that Thomas Adewumi University has transcended the realm of promise and entered the domain of proof.
“We have moved from potential to performance, from aspiration to achievement, from vision to velocity.
This year, 63 graduands from 4 Faculties and 11 academic programmes are being conferred. It is noteworthy that we have 16 First Class graduates, 40 in Second Class Upper Division, and 7 in Second Class Lower Division. These results reflect the quality of training and mentorship provided at Thomas Adewumi University, and we are proud to contribute these innovators to both the Nigerian and global workforce, confident that they will make a meaningful
impact.
”Preparing Globally Competitive Graduates, these 63 graduands are not merely degree holders, they are comprehensively prepared global professionals equipped with exceptional advantages that set them apart from their peers nationwide. Through our international partnerships, these graduates have obtained additional microcredentials from MIT, Harvard, Stanford, Columbia, Berkeley, and Yale, world-class certifications from Alison, UK, RUDN professional University, Russia, World Bank’s Saylor Academy, Google, ICAN, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development initiatives in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.
“Our Coursera collaboration provided them with additional industry certifications, while partnerships with Microsoft, IBM SkillsBuild, and MIT OpenCourseWare through our Global Campus initiative democratize access to cutting-edge knowledge. They are thus fully equipped to embark on meaningful and innovative careers in today’s technology-driven world.”
Earlier in his Convocation Lecture, titled “Crowdfunding Opportunities forstartups: Equiping Nigerian graduates for a sustainable future”, Dr. Bayo Williams Olugbemi charged the graduads on the mindset of job creation, saying “as a graduate, your future is not defined by what Nigeria gives you, but by what you create. The idea of crowdfunding is the idea of hope. It is proof that when people come together, ideas once impossible become achievable.
“I urge you not to think only about searching for jobs. Instead, think about creating value, and if capital is a barrier, remember: “The crowd can be your first investor.”
In his goodwill message, the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission, Professor Abdullahi Ribadu, represented by Esther I. Eyo, Esq commended the resilience of TAU management said “NUC acknowledges TAU sustained progress in advancing quality teaching, impactful research, innovation, and community engagement, all of which align with our national aspiration for a globally competitive and knowledge-driven university system.
“It would interest you to know that, in the accreditation exercise conducted in 2023, Thomas Adewumi University achieved a 100% Full Accreditation status across all programmes assessed a laudable feat that reflects the University’s strong commitment to maintaining high academic standards.”
Also speaking, the Founder/Chancellor of the institution, Dr. (Engr) Johnson Adewumi, urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the University, adding: “Remember that your degree is not an end but a beginning, go forth with courage, humility, and a sense of responsibility. Strive to illuminate whatever space you occupy with the light of integrity, excellence and service.”
Highlight of the event was the conferment of an honorary doctorate degree on two distinguished personalities; Engr Oluseyi Afolabi and Pastor Oladokun Olatunde.
End
L-r Speaker, House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, during the dinner for members of the National Assembly by the First Lady yesterday. Photo: Senate President’s Office.
By Hassan Taiye
Senator Ali Ndume has criticised what he described as the excessive use of security convoys by top government officials, including President Bola Tinubu, warning that the practice leaves ordinary citizens exposed and vulnerable.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television on Thursday, Ndume said many public office holders move with security details that are unnecessarily large, even when their positions do not warrant such heavy protection.
He recalled visiting the residence of a colleague and finding “more than 10 policemen” attached to him, despite the lawmaker being junior to him in the National Assembly.
Ndume further argued that the presidential convoy itself is excessively large, stressing that security efforts should be focused on protecting the overall environment rather than individual personalities.
He said: “I went to one of my colleagues’ house for dinner. And I saw more than 10 policemen. He is even my junior in the National Assembly. Some of them, if you see them coming, you will pull back thinking that maybe it’s the President or the Vice President that is coming.
“
You can see even the president, the convoy that the president goes about with is too much. Secure the place and when the president goes, you withdraw. Secure Abuja and the president can even drive out, you know, himself.
But when you secure personalities, and this is what is happening in Nigeria, then others, common people, as we call them, become vulnerable, and we don’t care. So if you secure Abuja, then you can drive at night. And let me tell you, this is what is happening in most countries”.
The lawmaker’s comments come just days after President Tinubu ordered the withdrawal of police officers from VIP escort and guard duties.
In a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the directive was aimed at redeploying police manpower to core law enforcement responsibilities.
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TAU reaffirms commitment to globally competitive learning
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