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The National Coalition Against Terrorism (NCAT) has called on President Bola Tinubu to act on recent reports by U.S. Congresswoman Kimberly Daniels, which recommended the sacking or redeployment of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle.

The coalition made the call on Friday during a press conference in Abuja, where its Convener, Marvin Ibe, said the recommendations were in Nigeria’s best interest and should not be ignored.

Daniels, who is also the Chairwoman of the United World Congress of Diplomats (UN-WCD) and Chairperson of African Affairs in the U.S. Parliament has been campaigning against religious extremism across Africa.

In her report, copied to the United States Secretary of State, member states, and the Nigerian Presidency,she stated that public confidence in Matawalle had declined, while recommending his removal or redeployment.

Speaking on behalf of NCAT, Ibe stressed the urgency of rebuilding trust in Nigeria’s security architecture, particularly among global partners.

He noted that restoring confidence in the military was critical, adding that “every element of suspicion must be discouraged,” especially in matters affecting the lives of both soldiers and civilians.

The coalition referenced allegations and counter-allegations surrounding Matawalle’s tenure as former governor of Zamfara State, including claims of links with bandits.

Ibe cited videos allegedly showing testimonies from former aides, which he said suggested interactions involving negotiations and exchanges with armed groups.

Quoting Daniels’ position, Ibe said the most dangerous form of terrorism stems from “homegrown enemies,” warning that compromised trust within security leadership could have devastating consequences.

NCAT declared full support for the U.S. lawmaker’s position, insisting that Nigerians had lost confidence in Matawalle due to the allegations and what it described as a lack of requisite experience for managing the Defence Ministry.

“We totally align ourselves with Kimberly Daniels and call for the immediate sack or redeployment of Bello Matawalle,” Ibe said, adding that ignoring such intelligence would be a disservice to the country’s fight against terrorism.

The group further argued that international intelligence sharing, particularly from the United States, has contributed to reshaping Nigeria’s security strategy, urging the Tinubu administration to take decisive action.

It also dismissed claims that the President alone bears responsibility for national security decisions, and noted that delegated officials must be held accountable for their roles.

Describing the report as “unique intelligence” capable of transforming Nigeria’s anti-terrorism efforts, NCAT warned against dismissing it, stressing that swift action was necessary to prevent further security deterioration.

The coalition also raised concerns about alleged leaks of sensitive security information, suggesting that redeploying Matawalle could help restore both domestic and international confidence.

NCAT further urged the Federal Government to intensify efforts to track and prosecute financiers of terrorism to curb insurgency and restore national stability.

Coalition Demands Matawalle’s Removal Over Alleged Bandit Links is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

A serving police inspector has died following a gun duel with operatives of the Nigeria Police Force after he was arrested for armed robbery in Kontagora, Niger State.

The officer, identified as Insp. Jido Ahmed of the 61 Police Mobile Force (61 PMF), was among two suspected armed robbers who allegedly attacked a filling station behind BCG Motor Park on April 15, 2026, at about 2:40 pm.

According to police accounts, the suspects stormed the station, robbed an attendant, and shot a victim in the chest before attempting to flee.

However, operatives of the ‘A’ Division Kontagora pursued them to the Dadin-Kowa area, where a gun duel ensued between the two sides.

During the exchange of fire, one suspect was shot in the leg, disarmed and arrested. The suspect turned out to be a serving police inspector in the area.

Police spokesperson SP Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the incident, disclosed that the injured officer was taken to the General Hospital, Kontagora, and later transferred to the Police Clinic in Minna, where he was confirmed dead in the early hours of April 16.

The police spokesman said investigations are ongoing while efforts are ongoing to track the second suspect, who escaped during the gun duel.

Police inspector arrested for armed robbery dies from bullet wounds in Niger

The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Colleges of Agriculture and Affiliated Institutions, Sharafadeen Alli, has declared his interest in contesting the Oyo State governorship seat under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027, with hundreds of party faithful from the 33 local government areas in attendance. The declaration ceremony was held […]

Germany legend, Oliver Kahn, has backed Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or.

Kahn believes Olise’s performances for Vincent Kompany’s side so far this season have put him in pole position to win the Ballon d’Or ahead of other players.

This is coming after Oliseh led the Bavarians to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final second leg encounter in mid-week.

“If you look at his performances over the past few weeks, then Michael Olise is definitely on his way towards the Ballon d’Or,” Kahn told Sky Germany.

Olise has been impressive for Bayern Munich so far this season.

The Frenchman, alongside Real Madrid’s Vinicius, is the player with the most assists in the Champions League so far this season.

Ballon d’Or 2026: ‘Look at his performances’ – Oliver Kahn names player to win award

A coalition of Nigerians in the United States has condemned recent remarks by US lawmaker, Kimberly Daniels, describing her call for the removal of Bello Matawalle as “ill-informed, externally influenced, and injurious to Nigeria’s sovereignty.”

The group, operating under the Nigerian-American Coalition for Strategic Stability (NACSS), said the intervention reflects a growing trend of foreign commentary shaped by individuals with limited understanding of Nigeria’s complex security realities.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its convener, Dr Maxwell Akarachi, the coalition warned that attempts to single out key figures within Nigeria’s defense structure could distort facts and embolden forces working against national stability.

Akarachi said Daniels’ position appeared “curiously aligned with narratives long promoted by vested interests intent on discrediting Nigeria’s security institutions,” raising concerns about the motivations behind her claims.

“It is deeply concerning that a foreign legislator would adopt such a narrow and accusatory stance without engaging the full spectrum of stakeholders or appreciating the progress being made under extremely difficult circumstances,” he said.

The coalition argued that Nigeria’s security challenges, particularly in the North-Central and North-West regions, stem from longstanding structural weaknesses, cross-border criminal networks, and evolving asymmetric threats, rather than the actions of a single official.

It added that portraying Matawalle as a liability based on “unproven and recycled allegations” undermines ongoing efforts and risks legitimizing misinformation at a critical time.

“Those pushing these narratives know exactly what they are doing. They are attempting to fracture confidence in Nigeria’s defense leadership by amplifying half-truths and presenting them as established facts,” the statement said.

While acknowledging persistent security challenges, the coalition noted incremental gains in disrupting armed groups and reclaiming communities previously affected by banditry.

Akarachi also questioned the timing of Daniels’ remarks, suggesting they could be exploited by actors seeking to internationalize Nigeria’s internal security issues for political or strategic purposes.

“When foreign voices echo unverified claims and prescribe drastic actions, it raises legitimate questions about whose interests are truly being served. Nigeria must not become a theater for externally driven narratives that weaken its institutions,” he said.

The coalition stressed that accountability within Nigeria’s security sector should be pursued through established legal and institutional channels, rather than through what it described as “public campaigns orchestrated from afar.”

It urged international partners to adopt a more measured and responsible approach, emphasizing that constructive engagement, not public criticism is key to addressing shared security concerns.

“We welcome global partnerships, but such partnerships must be grounded in respect, accuracy, and a genuine commitment to solutions,” Akarachi added.

The group concluded by calling on Nigerians both at home and abroad to remain vigilant against what it described as coordinated efforts to undermine national institutions, stressing that the country’s security challenges require unity, resilience, and strategic focus.

DAILY POST reports that US lawmaker Daniels called for the removal of Matawalle.

Insecurity: Group decries interference by foreigners with no knowledge of Nigeria’s challenges

The main opposition party in Kwara State, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has kicked against fresh moves by the state government to reawaken the alleged Offa robbery case against former Governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki and some key figures.

Addressing journalists at an emergency press conference in Ilorin on Friday, spokesman of the party, Comrade Olushola Adewara, described the move as a disturbing development that strikes at the core of justice, humanity and responsible governance.

“Just like the overwhelming majority of Kwarans, we are shocked by recent reports in the national dailies alleging a plot by the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to reopen and politicize the already concluded judicial process surrounding the tragic Offa robbery incident, with calculated attempt to frame the leader of our party, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki,” the Kwara PDP spokesman said.

While explaining that Saraki has not been served with any such court processes, the party declared categorically that “the move represents nothing but a desperate and reckless attempt by a politically drowning governor whose administration is winding down without any meaningful legacy of performance”.

He quoted two legal advisories of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, in the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation, dated June 22, 2018 and August 23, 2018, which stated that there was no evidence linking Saraki, either directly or indirectly, to the incident.

“On the strength of this legal position, suspects were prosecuted, convicted at the trial court, and judgements were upheld at the appellate level and the matter now before the Supreme Court,” the party added.

This Kwara PDP challenged Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq “and his propaganda machinery” to present the complete legal records to the public, rather than selectively peddling narratives aimed at deceiving unsuspecting citizens.

The party called on the people of Offa, particularly the families directly affected by the robbery incident, to reject the attempt to turn their painful memories into tools of political propaganda.

“It is both unreasonable and illogical to associate a statesman of Dr Saraki’s standing, a two term governor and former Senate President, with such a heinous crime,” the party stated.

“Let it also be known that unlike in 2018, when such narratives were weaponized to manipulate public perception, the PDP will not sit idly by while the governor attempts to inflame tensions and poison the political atmosphere in the state.

“We hereby place security agencies on notice, the governor’s actions appear aimed at creating unnecessary tension and disorder as a diversion from his administration’s glaring failures.”

The party urged the Commissioner of Police and the Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, in Kwara State to take note of the “dangerous development” and act to maintain peace and stability.

Kwara PDP kicks as state govt moves to reopen alleged robbery case against Saraki, others

Oyo State Police Command has recorded a series of major operational successes, including the arrest of

The Speaker of the Ogun State House of Assembly, Oludaisi Elemide, has cautioned residents especially those living along Idi-Aba road, Abeokuta and other parts of the state to desist from the causing air pollution through indiscriminate dumping of refuse on road median.

Elemide warned that any offender caught would be arrested and prosecuted.

The Speaker gave the warning during the plenary at the Assembly Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta on Thursday.

He also called on the State Ministry of Works and Infrastructure as well as the Environment to improve on the maintenance of road medians across the State to be free of weeds.

In another development, Elemide raised concerns over the exposure of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, candidates to harsh weather conditions, as they were made to stand in open spaces.

The speaker noted that such act poses risks to their health and wellbeing, urging JAMB to adopt more humane and effective arrangements in managing candidates taking turn to sit for the examination.

He sought the provision of a waiting shed for candidates outside examination halls, while they wait for their scheduled time for the examination to protect them from harsh weather conditions including rains during examination.

Ogun speaker cautions against dumping of refuse, demands waiting shed for JAMB candidates

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has revealed that the state has identified 22,435 hectares of degraded land for restoration using advanced geospatial mapping technologies under the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project. The governor said the development marks a major step in Kaduna’s climate resilience drive, as the state intensifies efforts to reverse environmental […]

A Department of State Services operative told a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday how his agency traced and arrested a man who sent threatening text messages to three elite schools in the capital, warning that students and teachers would be killed.

The operative, Michael Jego, testified as the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of John Jude Agbo, who was arraigned on March 17 on a two-count charge under the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024.

Jego told the court that the DSS received petitions from three Abuja schools in 2024 — Premier International School, The Regent Secondary School, and Oakland International British School — reporting threatening text messages from certain phone numbers, with the sender warning of plans to kill students and teachers and destroy property.

He said his team was specifically directed to investigate a petition received from Oakland International School on November 28, 2024.

Using forensic tools, operatives traced the suspect to Otukpo in Benue State, where he was arrested and a Tecno Android phone and SIM card recovered from him.

Agbo was subsequently brought to Abuja, where he was interviewed and volunteered a statement in the presence of a lawyer from the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Jego said.

The prosecution tendered the recovered phone, petitions from the schools, a compact disc containing audio-visual recordings of the defendant’s interview and statement-making sessions, and a copy of his extra-judicial statement.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted all items in evidence without objection from defence counsel Hamza Dantani.

Under cross-examination, Jego acknowledged that the petitions did not bear the defendant’s name and that the phone numbers used to send the messages were provided by the schools themselves.

He also conceded he could not independently confirm that the numbers belonged to Agbo.

However, Jego maintained that Agbo admitted being part of those who composed the threatening messages and was arrested in possession of the mobile phone linked to the communications.

The defendant, while confirming familiarity with the Tecno phone, denied being its owner.

The DSS said Agbo used four GSM numbers — 08124412783, 08069781274, 08105715028, and 09139681108 — to send the messages, in which he threatened to attack the schools, warning that it would not take his group up to a minute to carry out the attacks.

Prosecution counsel Dr. Calistus Eze sought an adjournment to present additional witnesses and exhibits.

Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the case to May 12 for continuation of trial.

How DSS Found Man Behind Abuja School Death Threats is first published on The Whistler Newspaper