Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, cried out on Tuesday to denounce the insecurity in Nigeria and accuse the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using the crisis as a political tool.
Baba-Ahmed, who was a guest on Tuesday’s Politics Today episode of Channels Television, expressed his deep sorrow over the incident.
“Do not believe me, I’m in so much pain. We have people destroying us every hour because Nigeria is a great nation and ought to be a great nation. Nasiru [El-Rufai] is correct in saying that insecurity has been present in the APC game.
They have been paid by the government. In my sincere, steadfast opinion that insecurity has been a part of APC’s strategy of holding onto onto power has been strengthened by the disparaging remarks made by Nasiru, “he alleged.
Read more about El-Rufai’s accusations of paying a FG to bandits, including Datti Baba-Ahmed, in the READ ALSO.
El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, made it clear that Baba-Ahmed cannot accept responsibility for his [El-Rufai’s] claim that the government was “empowering and paying bandits.”
With a pledge to use advanced military equipment and surveillance devices to combat banditry, President Bola Tinubu has ordered an immediate review of security operations in Katsina State.
The president made the statement while addressing a delegation of top Katsina citizens led by Governor Dikko Radda at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday.
Tinubu defended the country’s security challenges as being manageable, adding that the Federal Government is considering establishing state police and upgrading forest guards to improve local security.
Tinubu emphasized the need for security personnel who are knowledgeable about the state’s security operations and the local environment.
“We can overcome the security challenges that we face,” he said. I’ve instructed all security agencies to work up more energy and examine the strategies I just released. The President stated that the additional drone acquisition has been approved.
He continued, noting that his administration would consider creating state police in its entirety and was reviewing every aspect of security.
See the following statement in its entirety:
Press release from STATEHOUSE
PRESIDENT TINUBU DIRECTS IMMEDIATE REVIEW OF FOREST GUARD UPGRADE, ASSURES OF STATE POLICE, AND SECURITY OPERATIONS IN KATSINA.
In order to stop the recent spate of attacks on innocent citizens by bandits, President Bola Tinubu stated on Tuesday in Abuja that the armed forces would deploy more sophisticated military equipment and surveillance equipment in Katsina State.
The President addressed the State House to a delegation of prominent state residents led by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda, who stated that the federal government would take into account the state police’s operations and to properly equip the recently deployed forest guards.
President Tinubu, who decried the politicization of proposed state police, said the need for security in some states will call for the deployment of organizations that are knowledgeable about the people’s terrain and their unique culture and have a strong network at the grassroots.
“We can overcome the security challenges that we face,” he said. We do indeed have porous borders. We inherited flaws that could have been fixed earlier. We must address this issue, which we are currently facing.
I’ve instructed all security agencies to work up more energy and examine the strategies I just issued. He continued, “We have approved the additional acquisition of drones.”
The President also gave daily updates on Katsina’s operations.
I need to establish a state police because I’m reviewing every aspect of security. We are examining that in a whole. We can get rid of insecurities. Our children, our population, our way of life, our places of worship, and our outdoor spaces must be protected. The President continued, “They can’t intimidate us.”
The President assured the world’s leading figures that Muhammadu Buhari would be remembered for posterity, keeping his promise.
We all suffer because of President Buhari’s loss, which we have all experienced. God Almighty has done what he has already done, but in a good way. The most crucial thing was that he left behind a defeated nation and a battered political system, not a defeated nation and a failed political system.
We just need to pray that Almighty Allah will grant him Aljannah Firdausi and enable the rest of us to stand up and lead Nigeria forward. To move forward in success rather than to look back in sorrow.
If the other parties had won the elections, “it would have been regretful.” The President noted that there are no other things he would have liked besides the Presidency and Katsina State intact.
The Governor of Katsina State thanked the governor for his ongoing support for the state, which included the appointment of indigenous peoples in key positions in the state and the construction of infrastructure.
There has never been a time I approached the President with a request that he rejected, and I would like to thank you very much.
“We appreciate your sharing with Katsina, Mr. President. You are truly the State of Katsina. You first visited and spent a night in Katsina, as I recall. For the privilege, we thank you.
He said, “We are here again, Mr. President, and I am aware of the state’s problems.”
According to Radda, the state would require more assistance in the fields of infrastructure, youth empowerment, and security.
Former governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, thanked the president for hosting a “true state funeral” in a vote of thanks.
Masari assured the president of the state’s commitment.
Sen. Ibrahim Ida, the governor of Katsina, praised President Tinubu’s efforts to bring the state’s Kano-Maradi Rail project and other infrastructure projects to completion in his remarks.
According to Ida, the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport needed to be upgraded to increase usage.
He claimed that the federal government should provide more security support to Katsina, particularly in the southern region.
The former President was honored by having him buried in a state cemetery, which the Waziri of Kastina also thanked.
Farouk Aliyu, the head of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised Nuhu Ribadu, the NSA, not to be drawn into the discussions between Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, and Datti Baba-Ahmed, the party’s 2023 vice presidential candidate, over how the country handled insecurity.
“Let me beg my brother, Nuhu Ribadu, not to join conflicts with Datti Baba-Ahmed or Nasiru El-Rufai, let me use this opportunity to beg him.” No.
He shouldn’t speak because he is beyond that. Aliyu said on Tuesday’s episode of Channels Television’s Politics Today show that he should allow other people to discuss it because they are discussing politics.
The former House of Representatives Minority Leader cautioned against politicising the issue, but acknowledged that insecurity still poses a national challenge.
“The same El-Rufai spoke about insecurity and politics when he first spoke.” Yes, there are insecurity issues in this country, and this government is taking steps. How is it possible to serve in power while allowing the destabilization of yours? He continued.
Read more about Baba-Ahmed’s “Cannot Run Away” and El-Rufai’s “Payment Of Bandits” from APC From Inception.
Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Advisor, and El-Rufai in a photo together
Aliyu criticized El-Rufai’s earlier remark that “killing them all,” and that such assertions were ineffective.
He served as governor for eight years. What is better in terms of insecurity, El-Rufai’s governorship of Kaduna or what has it been these two years? He chose not to execute everyone, which was his plan. Sadly, today’s government does not negotiate with terrorists.
Baba-Ahmed Blames El-Rufai, APC, in a sense of insecurity
Datti Baba Ahmed and Nasir El-Rufai are the COMBO.
Datti Baba-Ahmed, who appeared on the same program, criticised El-Rufai’s recent claim that the government was paying bandits, arguing that the former governor had no right to release himself from responsibility.
El-Rufai is a member of it, so he can’t run away. Nasiru’s claim that he was a part of the APC from 2013 is what I find repulsive. He was one of the architects of it all, he claimed to you.
He “wants] to come and absolve himself all of a sudden,” he said, “no, not at all. Nasiru is essential to everything that has been happening. Baba-Ahmed claimed that Nasiru’s mismanagement in Zaria caused us to suffer and to be victims.
The Kaduna-born politician urged the NSA to consider El-Rufai’s statement.
Nuhu Ribadu was never a policeman, he is not a qualified lawyer, according to Baba-Ahmed, adding that El-Rufai should be “writing some statements to the police, to the courts.”
El-Rufai’s Critique of the Kaduna government and the FG
On Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, August 31, 2025, Nasir El-Rufai.
El-Rufai claimed in an interview on Sunday Politics that both the Federal and Kaduna State governments were “empowering bandits” by providing them with food and subsidies in the name of non-kinetic measures.
“I won’t pay bandits, give them a monthly allowance, or send them food in the name of non-kinetic,” I say. The former FCT minister claimed that we are empowering bandits. “It’s nonsense.
He continued, “The only repentant bandit is a dead one,” keeping his position in tact. Kill everyone, please. Let’s bomb them until they are completely destroyed before the remaining 5% who still want to be rehabilitated can be rehabilitated.
Government of FG and Kaduna government rejects claim
El-Rufai’s claims have been dismissed by the Federal Government, who has characterized them as being unsupported.
The ONSA, or any other branch of government under this administration, has never engaged in ransom payments or inducements to criminals, according to Zakari Mijinyawa’s signature for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Major General Emeka Onumajuru, the military’s head of defense operations, reiterated this on a similar note.
He instead cited Operation Safe Corridor’s already-existing Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) program.
El-Rufai’s comments were also condemned by the Kaduna State Government as “calculated, malicious lies designed to undermine security efforts, incite public anger, and legitimise criminality.”
Suleiman Shuaibu, the country’s commissioner for internal security, warned that Kaduna State would not tolerate attempts to stifle peace.
a mix of former governors Uba Sani and Nasir El-Rufai.
El-Rufai claimed that security forces were behind the “greasing the palms” of criminal organizations and that the ONSA was politicizing national security in a post on his social media accounts.
Andy Odeh and Morenike Adewunmi have been appointed as the chief communications and chief relations officers by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
Femi Soneye’s resignation as NNPC’s spokesperson two months after Odeh’s appointment was announced.
Morenike Adewunmi was appointed as the country’s chief relations officer in a statement released on Tuesday.
Odeh, who works in the oil and gas, advertising, and broadcasting sectors, has more than 30 years of combined experience in communications and business administration.
He worked for Nigeria LNG (NLNG) for 26 years before joining the NNPC.
READ ALSO: Customs Appoints Four DCGs and Twelve ACGs, Promotes Over 3, 000 Senior Officers, and Promotes Four ACGs
He also held a number of leadership positions, including general manager of external relations and sustainable development, business relations and development, business logistics and services, information management and technology, corporate communications and public affairs, government relations and regulatory compliance, and more recently.
“He is renowned for his contributions to significant brand advertising and public relations campaigns. He successfully led the rebranding of the business at NLNG and implemented one of the best-run micro-credit programs in host communities in Nigeria.
The NLNG Prize for Energy Reporting was also spearheaded by Mr. Odeh. He graduated from among others the University of Jos, the University of Lagos, INSEAD Business School, and the Nigeria Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS).
Adewunmi, a lawyer with over 25 years of experience in the oil and gas sector, is described by the NNPC as a legal professional.
According to the oil company, “her expertise is in stakeholder management and advocacy, particularly given her extensive tenure at the Shell Companies in Nigeria (SCIN).”
President Bola Tinubu has reversed the recent appointments he made to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), directing Salihu Abdullahi Dembos’ appointment as director-general and Ayo Adewuyi’s appointment as executive director of news.
Bayo Onanuga, the president’s spokesman, made this known in a statement released on Tuesday.
He claimed that Tinubu reinstated the two senior executives’ positions before they abruptly lost them due to NTA management changes.
On August 20, the president made a number of new appointments to NTA, including Stella Din’s appointment as executive director of news and Rotimi Pedro’s appointment as director-general.
Additionally, Tinubu appointed Sophia Mohammed to NTA Enterprises Limited as managing director and Karimah Bello to lead the marketing division.
Onanuga stated that Dembos, who was appointed in October 2023, will now come back to his three-year tenure.
Read more about the NSIB’s investigation into the Abuja train accident and the injuries reported in 12 other articles.
Adewuyi will complete his three-year tenure as the executive director of news, according to Onanuga.
“Dembos was appointed by President Tinubu as the television network’s general manager in October 2023.” He will now complete his three-year tenure,” the statement reads.
The President also ordered the Executive Director of News, Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, to be removed from his three-year, 2027-end, three-year term. President Tinubu appointed Adewuyi in 2024.
The director-general, executive director of news, executive director of marketing, and managing director of NTA Enterprises were previously announced in the new directive.
The Tinubu-led administration has done this before with appointments.
Muheeba Dankaka was appointed executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC) in August, shortly after the presidency’s decision to appoint her for a second five-year term was made public.
See the following statement in its entirety:
Press release from STATEHOUSE
ED NEWS, ED PRESIDENT, RECEIVES DIRECTOR OF NTA RESULTS FROM FRESH APPOINTMENTS
Following some management changes in the organization, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered the resignation of Mr. Salihu Abdullahi Dembos, the NTA’s Director-General, following a brief vacancy.
In October 2023, President Tinubu appointed Dembos as DG of the TV network. He will now wrap up his three-year tenure.
The President also ordered the Executive Director of News, Mr. Ayo Adewuyi, to be removed from his three-year, 2027-end, three-year term.
President Tinubu appointed Adewuyi in 2024.
The director-general, executive director of news, executive director of marketing, and managing director of NTA Enterprises were previously announced in the wake of the new directive’s effective appointment.
The Nigeria Customs Service Board has approved the promotions of three senior officers and the appointment of six Assistant Comptrollers Generals and two Deputy Comptrollers.
The NCS’s National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, disclosed this in a statement released on Tuesday, stating that the board, which was chaired by Wale Edun, the minister of finance and the coordination minister of the economy, made the decision at its 63rd regular meeting.
According to Maiwada, the promotions address vacancies created by some management team members who are retiring from various geopolitical regions of the Federation. According to him, the decision shows the organization’s commitment to inclusion, institutional harmony, and strict compliance with the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023, Section 14(4).
He believes that the advancements demonstrate the Service’s commitment to merit-based career advancement and recognition of exceptional performance.
Additionally, read: Customs Seize $48 worth of cannabis. In Kaduna, there is 5 meters and 220 meters of contraband.
AB Mohammed (North-West), GO Omale (North-Central), OC Orbih (South-South), and D Nnadi (South-East) are the newly appointed DCGs. While the new ACGs include MP Binga (North-East), CA Awo (South-East), AB Shuaibu (North-West), K Mohammed (North-West), B Mohammed (North-West), TM Daniyan (North-Central), B Oramalugo (South-East), OP Olaniyan (South-West), B Olomu (South-West), IK Oladeji (South-West), and CC Dim (South-East),
The Board approved the promotion of 3,312 senior officers from the CC to the ASC 11 ranks in the same vein.
Additionally, the NCS Management approved the promotion of 202 junior officers from Assistant Inspector (AIC) to Customs Assistant I (CA1) during its sixth management meeting on Friday, August 29, 2025, according to the statement.
The Board also conducted a thorough analysis of the Service’s revenue for the first half of the year. Between 1st January and 30th June 2025, the Service recorded a total revenue collection of N3,682,496,530,576. 48, exceeding all expectations, is a remarkable performance. This figure surpassed the projected revenue for the period by N390,197,847,119. 32, equivalent of 11. 85%, reflecting the Service’s increased revenue mobilization capacity. This indicates that the NCS has reached 55 in real life in just six months. 93 percent of its annual revenue goal. This impressive result, according to the Board, highlights the effectiveness of ongoing reforms, improved compliance by stakeholders, and increased technology deployment in customs operations.
The Board approved the demotion of two officers to the next lower rank in terms of misconduct, and it reinstated two officers after reviewing their cases in disciplinary matters. In line with the Service’s core values, this action reflects the Board’s commitment to upholding accountability and fairness.
