‎Troops ‌‍‌‌⁠‍⁠⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍⁠⁠⁠‌kill 16 terrorists, rescue 10 prospective corps members. ‎

 

Troops of the Nigerian Army have neutralised 16 terrorists and recovered weapons after repelling simultaneous attacks in Adamawa.

‎The terrorists attacked troops of 226 Battalion (Motorised) at Garkida, Gombi Local Government Area, and 232 Battalion at Garaha, Hong Local Government Area.

‎An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria said the attacks occurred at about 1 a.m. on Thursday.

‎The report said the troops repelled the attacks, forcing the terrorists to flee towards Garkida on motorcycles.

‎According to the report, the Nigerian Army’s Spartan element subsequently trailed and conducted strikes on the fleeing terrorists, neutralising 16 of them.

‎“Troops recovered three AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one Dane gun and six AK-47 magazines, alongside some cartridges.

‎“Troops are currently conducting follow-up operations and reorganising their defensive locations,” the report said.

‎The report also revealed that troops of Operation UDO KA rescued 10 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members abducted in Imo.

‎It said the troops of 34 Artillery Brigade responded to a kidnap incident at Umonuwa village along the Onitsha-Owerri Road in Mbaise Local Government Area at about 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.

‎The report said the victims were abducted from two commercial buses by suspected kidnappers.

‎It said troops, in conjunction with personnel of the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force, Nigeria Police Force and Department of State Services, were trailing the criminals to rescue the remaining victims.

‎“Meanwhile, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE responded to a suspected terrorist attack on Gwamagira settlement in Karim Lamido Local Government Area of Taraba.

‎“The attackers, operating on motorcycles, were engaged by troops and forced to retreat, abandoning rustled cattle.

‎“The troops recovered the cattle and returned them to their owners, but the attackers had killed one civilian and abducted three others.

‎“Efforts were ongoing to rescue the abducted victims and apprehend the perpetrators,” it added.

‎In the North-East, the report said the troops of Sector 3, Operation HADIN KAI, arrested a suspected Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, terrorist at Babbangida, Tarmuwa Local Government Area of Yobe.

‎It added that the suspect, arrested at about 12:30 p.m. on Sept. 29, claimed to be an Islamic cleric operating in the Sahara area of the Niger Republic.

‎According to the report, preliminary investigation indicated that he travelled by truck from the Zarmadu-Sahara general area of Niger Republic into Nigeria before proceeding to Borno.

‎It said the troops recovered a mobile phone, prayer mat, blanket, jacket, slate, detergent and N396,200 from him.

‎“Also, troops of Sector 4, in conjunction with Rangers and Hybrid Forces, arrested four suspected terrorists during a fighting patrol in parts of Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa,” it added.

‎The report further revealed that troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA engaged terrorists along the Kwanar Isa-Shinkafi Road in Isa Local Government Area of Sokoto.

ASSEMBLY WILL PASS LAW ON POWER ROTATION, WHOEVER IS NOT COMFORTABLE SHOULD GO TO COURT, IT’S TIME TO MAKE HISTORY…. Speaker, Kogi House of Assembly Assures Kogites.

The Kogi State House of Assembly has declared its readiness to take a historic legislative step towards institutionalising power rotation in the state, with the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf, announcing that the Assembly will pass a law providing a legal framework for the arrangement.

The Speaker made the declaration on Wednesday at the ongoing Kogi Power Rotation Summit in Lokoja, where an unprecedented gathering of traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, professional bodies, organised labour, youths, students and other stakeholders converged to deliberate on equity, inclusion and the future of political power sharing in the state.

In a forceful declaration that drew significant attention from participants, the Speaker said:

The Assembly will pass a law on power rotation. Whoever is not comfortable should go to court. It is time to make history.”

The declaration marks a significant development in the longstanding conversation on power rotation in Kogi State, potentially moving the issue from the sphere of political advocacy and public discourse into the realm of formal legislation.

Rt. Hon. Aliyu Umar Yusuf further told stakeholders that they should determine when they want the proposed law to be passed, as it is long overdue, and thereby placing the timing of legislative action within the broader stakeholder engagement.

His position brought the question of legislative institutionalisation to the centre of discussions at the summit.

For years, power rotation has remained a major subject of political discourse among different communities and political constituencies in Kogi State.

At the summit, stakeholders were presented with an opportunity to examine how questions of equity, fairness, inclusion and political participation could be addressed through a sustainable framework.

The Kogi Power Rotation Summit is being organised by Kogi Unity Accord, a non-partisan platform focused on dialogue around equity, fairness, inclusiveness and sustainable political power sharing in Kogi State.

The summit has brought together stakeholders from across the state’s three senatorial districts in an effort to create space for dialogue on the state’s political future.

The diversity of participants from traditional rulers and religious leaders to professional bodies, labour organisations, community groups, youths and students has given the gathering a broad-based character.

With the Speaker’s declaration that the State Assembly will pass a law on power rotation, legislative action has now become a central issue in the ongoing conversation.

The proposed legislation would, if pursued and enacted, represent an attempt to move the power rotation discourse into a formal legal framework.

The precise content, scope and implementation of any proposed legislation would, however, remain matters for the legislative process and stakeholder engagement.

The summit continues on Thursday, October 1, 2026, with further deliberations expected.

Under the chairmanship of Vice Admiral Joseph Ajayi (Rtd.), former Chief of Defence Intelligence, the gathering continues to provide a platform for discussions on unity, political inclusion, equitable participation and shared prosperity.

For stakeholders at the summit, the Speaker’s declaration has opened a new phase in Kogi State’s longstanding power rotation conversation one in which the question of legislative action is now firmly before the people and institutions of the state.

DemocracyNewslineNewspaper October 1st, 2026