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Terrorists creating ‘Parallel Govt’ in Kaduna, El-Rufai cries out

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Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has said that terrorists are consolidating their grip on communities in the state by creating a parallel government and permanent operational base for the North-West region.

This was contained in a leaked memo he sent to President Muhammadu Buhari on security situation in his state in July sighted by PREMIUM TIMES.

The terrorists belonging to Ansaru al-Musulmina fi Bilad al-Sudan, or Ansaru, for short, are believed to have moved to Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State in 2012 when they broke away from Boko Haram.

According to intelligence reports and human sources consulted in further reporting for this story, the terrorists that formed Ansaru were responsible for some of the high-profile attacks claimed by Boko Haram before the split.

Such attacks included the UN building bombing of August 2011 and the kidnap of some foreigners.

According to the sources, Ansaru pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, AQIM, in 2020, and is responsible for many of the high-profile abductions as well as armed attacks on the police in Kaduna State.

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But researchers and negotiators with an understanding of the working of the terrorists told PREMIUM TIMES that a collaboration of the terror groups, including the original Boko Haram – also called JAS -, ISWAP, Ansaru, and bandits, is evolving.

In 2021, 1,192 people lost their lives in Kaduna State due to banditry, terrorism, communal clashes, violent attacks, and reprisals. In the first six months of 2022, 645 people lost their lives in such circumstances across the state, the government said.

In Mr El-Rufai’s late July memo, he lay bare how the terrorists have infiltrated and dominated communities and formed “a parallel governing authority,” exercising control over social and economic activities and dispensation of justice in the area.

He said the terrorists have advanced in their plans to make Kaduna forest areas their “permanent operational base” for the North-west region, citing a “series of intelligence reports.”

“Observed movement patterns and intercepted communications of migrating terrorists have shown a clear interest in setting up a base, with the stretches of forest area between Kaduna and Niger states strongly considered,” he wrote.

As the political activities towards the 2023 general elections pick up steam, the terrorists, El-Rufai told Buhari, that the terrorists have promulgated a law to ban residents from participating.

“The insurgents enacted a law in the District, banning all forms of political activities or campaigns ahead of the 2023 elections, especially in Madobiya and Kazage villages,” the Governor wrote.

The Ansaru terrorists are known to have an extremist ideological posture against democracy and secular authorities.

In 2021, the census enumeration exercise could only hold in two of the 11 wards that form Birnin Gwari due to the threat of armed banditry and terrorism, officials in both the Kaduna State Government and the population commission told PREMIUM TIMES.

The ban on political activities, the Governor said, followed a recent wedding ceremony involving the terrorists.

“According to actionable intelligence, members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Musulmina Fi’biladis Sudan (aka Ansaru) hibernating in Kuyello district of Birnin Gwari LGA recently conducted a nuptial ceremony during which they married two yet-to-be-identified female residents of Kuyello village,” Mr El-Rufai wrote.

“The ceremony was attended by various Ansaru members and witnessed by residents of the area. After the marital rites, insurgents in attendance reportedly conveyed the brides to the dreaded Kuduru forest, in the same District.”

In the area of adjudicating disputes, El-Rufai said the terrorists “fined one Mu’azu Ibrahim, a resident of Kuyello community, the sum of One Million Naira for selling plots of land without the consent of the owners.”

In addition, with the government becoming removed from rural communities, leaving them at the mercy of violent criminals, terrorists, El-Rufai suggested, are manning the ungoverned space and extracting revenues from the people.

“Multiple reports also exist of bandits and terrorists exacting protection levies and similar taxes from farmers and communities, in return for permission to cultivate their fields,” the governor said.

Terrorism researchers say that revenues from taxes and levies forced on ungoverned spaces – created by the failure or limited capacity of the government – are a major source of financing and sustenance for terrorists.

Like the Kaduna situation described by Mr El-Rufai, ISWAP terrorists based on the Lake Chad islands are also extracting huge revenues from the fishing activities and pastoralists operating in the area.

El-Rufai, when contacted, said he would not comment on this story because his correspondence was supposed to be confidential communication to the President.

In 2016, he wrote a similar “confidential’ letter to the President, warning that the Buhari administration was losing momentum just about a year after coming to power.

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UK-based Nigerian divorces wife after viral cheating allegation

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A United Kingdom-based Nigerian man, identified on X as Ugo (@heismric), has confirmed the end of his marriage after publicly alleging that his wife was involved in infidelity while he was working abroad and funding her education and family life.

Ugo, who shared a series of emotional posts that later went viral, said the marriage has now been officially dissolved, adding that he received confirmation of the final order from the UK courts.

The couple’s relationship had previously been widely admired online.

According to him, the relationship began with a proposal in January 2023, followed by marriage in December 2023. They later welcomed a child in 2024, after which he relocated his wife to the United Kingdom.

He claimed he took full responsibility for the family’s financial needs, including paying her school fees and supporting her throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

He also said he went as far as developing digital applications to support her well-being and their child, describing his efforts as part of his commitment to building a stable home.

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After the birth of their child, he reportedly bought her a car as a “push gift,” a gesture that was widely shared online at the time as a sign of affection.

However, the relationship later deteriorated following allegations of infidelity. In now-deleted posts, Ugo accused his wife of bringing another man into their home while he was working in the United Kingdom.

In one of the viral tweets, he wrote, ”It’s crazy you’re in my house, sleeping with another man, but I’m in London working my ass out to pay your school fees in GBP. No! Send your tuition to that man. He’s man enough to sleep with another man’s wife; he should match it with his funds. Divorce finalised, gtf.”

He also alleged that members of his wife’s family did not condemn the situation, but instead continued to demand financial support for her education.

“Because her family didn’t see anything wrong in it, but have the audacity to ask me about her tuition. Also I know the man, and his stupid ass is on my Instagram and X viewing my posts. Talking about, ‘I miss you, when am I seeing you again’ while she responds ‘as you should,’” he further wrote.

As the story gained traction online, reactions were divided, with some users sympathising with him while others criticised him for airing private marital issues on social media.

Some also revisited his earlier posts showing public displays of affection, noting that he had frequently expressed love for his wife online, while she maintained a relatively low public profile.

In a follow-up post on Monday confirming the separation, Ugo wrote,”UGO’s wife. Divorce is finalised. It’s ex-wife.”

He later shared a screenshot of an official divorce notification from the UK HM Courts and Tribunals Service, confirming that the final order had been granted, thereby legally ending the marriage.

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Three senators, 16 Reps members who betrayed Obi and should be rejected by NDC — Obi’s aide

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Peter Obi
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The Special Adviser to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopeful, Peter Obi, on Media and Publicity, Valentine Obienyem, has argued that politicians who allegedly benefited from Obi’s political popularity in 2023 before defecting to other parties should not be allowed back into the NDC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Obienyem, in an opinion article titled “Why Political Opportunists Must Not Be Allowed to Run Again,” said some politicians secured elective positions during the “Peter Obi wave” of 2022 despite having little independent electoral prospects, only to abandon the political movement shortly after assuming office.

According to him, a number of elected officials rode on Obi’s political momentum to win elections before defecting to the ruling party, while a few others remained loyal and moved alongside the former presidential candidate through successive political transitions.

“During the Peter Obi wave in 2022, many individuals — some of whom never realistically had prospects of electoral victory — secured positions largely on the strength of his popularity and political momentum,” Obienyem stated.
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He added: “Shortly after settling into offices, several of them defected to other political parties. A few, however, recognizing the pivotal role Obi played in their electoral success remained with him. This explains why some have consistently moved with him from the Labour Party to the ADC and subsequently to the NDC. This pattern is often described as ‘following your leader.’”

The presidential aide argued that some of those who defected to the ruling party were now seeking a return to the NDC as another election cycle approaches, alleging that their interest was driven by the desire to benefit again from Obi’s political influence.

“Now, as another election cycle approaches, some of those who previously defected to the APC are either returning to the NDC or signaling intentions to return. Their primary motivation is the desire to once again ride on Obi’s political influence,” he said.

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Describing such actions as political opportunism, Obienyem maintained that the NDC should resist granting party tickets to politicians who had previously abandoned the movement.

“This behaviour suggests a tendency to treat Obi as a mere political instrument — useful when advantageous and discarded when convenient. That is not a principled way to follow a leader,” he stated.

He further argued that defectors who left previous political platforms should not be allowed to displace longstanding party members, warning that repeated defections could weaken party cohesion and ideological consistency.

“We cannot continue to indulge opportunism in the name of political strategy,” he said, adding that individuals who felt “betrayed” by their former parties should seek alternative platforms if they believed they retained electoral value independently.

Obienyem listed three senators — Ezenwa Onyewuchi, Kelvin Chukwu and Neda Imasuen — among lawmakers he said defected after benefiting from Obi’s support base.

He also named 16 members of the House of Representatives, including Joshua Chinedu Obika, Chinedu Tochukwu Okere, Bassey Akiba, Ngozi Okolie and others, as politicians who should not be considered for return tickets under the NDC.

The comments signal growing internal debate over loyalty, defections and candidate selection within opposition politics as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.

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10 feared dead as gunmen attack convoy in Zamfara

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Nabeeha: Police arrest ‘deadly kidnapper’, destroy bandits camp in Kaduna
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At least 10 people have been killed after suspected bandits ambushed a convoy along the Gusau–Magami–Dansadau Road in Zamfara State.

Several others are injured in the attack, while an unspecified number of passengers are reportedly abducted by the gunmen.

Eyewitnesses say the incident occurs between 4pm and 5pm as vigilante operatives escort residents travelling through the route, considered one of the state’s most dangerous highways.

The attackers reportedly open fire on the convoy, triggering panic among travellers and security volunteers.

Those killed include five traders, three local hunters and a member of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG).

The injured victims are initially taken to Magami General Hospital for treatment before arrangements are made for their referral to Gusau for further medical care.

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However, hospital sources say the victims remain stranded in Magami because there is no available security escort to facilitate their movement safely.

Authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident as insecurity continues to plague several communities across Zamfara State.

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