By Joyce Babayeju

Governor Peter Mbah on Friday praised the Department of State Services, Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police for their role in securing the Southeast, after inspecting a large cache of arms seized from Eastern Security Network commanders in Enugu.

Mbah gave the commendation during a visit to the DSS State Headquarters where he viewed weapons recovered Tuesday in a joint raid by DSS operatives and troops of the 82 Division, Nigerian Army.

The recovered items include a rocket launcher, two RPG warheads, three RPG chargers, 11 AK-47 rifles, over 610 rounds of 7.62x39mm NATO ammunition, plus NYSC uniforms and lanyards.

The governor, accompanied by Garrison Commander Brig. Gen. Abubakar Suru, State Police Commissioner Bitrus Giwa and other officials, lauded the “hard work and collaboration” among security agencies.

“Had it not been for the diligence and intelligence of the DSS and sister agencies, these arms would have been used by ESN terrorists to wreck havoc across the South and create a false impression that insecurity has taken over Nigeria,” Mbah said.

He urged Nigerians, regardless of political or religious leaning, to support President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to tackle insecurity. Mbah credited the President’s support to states for the “successes being recorded by security agencies.”

Security sources said the raid followed intelligence from arrested ESN members who revealed plans to attack Enugu and other Southeast states to spread panic and suggest bandits had invaded the region.

The Enugu seizure came two days before a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced five bandit collaborators to 25 years each for aiding the November 21, 2025 abduction of students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, Niger State. The five were arrested by DSS operatives last week in separate operations.

By Bobby Oshoke

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has commended the Department of State Services DSS for arresting a suspected gun courier in Kano who was allegedly transporting arms to Katsina State.

In a statement Thursday by his spokesman Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor described the operation as “a major success” in the fight against banditry, terrorism and violent crime across the North.

DSS operatives arrested 30-year-old Muhammad Abubakar in Gezawa Local Government Area while moving four RPG tubes, three AK-47 rifles and two empty magazines. The weapons were reportedly being taken to Funtua, Katsina State.

Preliminary findings show Abubakar allegedly collected the arms from one Bello in Maigatari border area, Jigawa State, and was to receive N450,000 on delivery.

Gov. Yusuf praised the DSS for its “professionalism, vigilance and intelligence-driven approach,” saying the timely interception stopped the weapons from falling into the hands of bandits and other criminal groups.

He said the operation highlights the value of intelligence gathering and inter-agency collaboration in tackling security threats.

The governor reaffirmed Kano State Government’s commitment to support security agencies through logistics and policies to strengthen public safety. He urged residents to remain vigilant and keep sharing credible information with security operatives.

Yusuf expressed confidence that ongoing investigations would lead to the arrest and prosecution of all persons linked to the arms trafficking network.

. The company never takes assignments lightly – Wike

 By Bobby Oshoke

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that Nigeria’s leading engineering construction company, Julius Berger Nigeria PLC is a world-class firm that does not take its projects lightly. He spoke at the commissioning of the full scope development of Arterial Road N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road III, Dape District Section, Abuja.

The President who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima defied the heavy rainfall to inaugurate the project commending the construction company for a good job done with its trademark professionalism. I commend Julius Berger for marching speed with world-class engineering and for treating this assignment with the seriousness it deserves.

Stating that in the past, projects like the Arterial Road N5 were easily abandoned and became permanent features in government’s budget with 10- or 15-years excuses for such neglect, Tinubu said, we are here to commission the Dape District Section of Arterial Road N5 from Life Camp Junction to Ring Road 3. We did not inherit this section from previous administrations. We conceived it, funded it and delivered it. It was awarded to Julius Berger with a strict 15-month deadline and plucked up in October 2024.

According to Tinubu, infrastructure is the measure by which every civilised nation announces its seriousness and no country’s capital can carry the weight of national ambition if its activities are blocked by neglect, excuses, and abandoned promises. He thus declared that the foregoing underscores why the administration will never rest until we have made the Federal Capital Territory not only a functional seat of government but a capital worthy of our Federation.

He lauded the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Barr. Nysom Wike,

Shettima for his foresighted hardwork, saying that, the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has indeed earned his place as the engine of execution, a man under whom excuses have lost their hiding place. The Honourable Minister has shown what happens when political will meets accountability. We fund projects to see results, not to hear explanations for failure.

For the FCT minister, Julius Berger never takes any given assignment lightly. Speaking pointedly at the Vice President, Wike said, Your Excellency, Mr. President, let me say clearly and thank the Managing Director of Julius Berger.  It has not been easy. One company I know that does not joke when you give them assignment is Julius Berger Nigeria PLC. I want to sincerely thank them.  

Recalling a recent interaction, he had with the management of the construction company, the minister said, I called the Regional Manager, Mr. Oliver Berger; I said, Mr. Oliver, you know, we will soon be having our third-year anniversary. Promise us that we will include this section for the inauguration in the third-year anniversary of Mr. President. As usual, he laughed and he said, you know, if you play your own game, we will play our own game. The minister continued, what is the game there? It simply means, perform your own obligation, leave the rest for us. I thank them that they have fulfilled the promise and we have also done our own part. So, you fall for me, I fall for you. You do for me; I do for you. 

Wike recalled: today is Day 2 of the 31 days earmarked for commissioning of projects in the FCT this year. Your Excellency, it is important to put on record that June 24, 2024, when we had the first-year anniversary of Mr. President, Your Excellency, we took 9 days of commissioning of projects. In the second-year anniversary, we took 19 days, and now, to the glory of God, in this third year, we are taking 31 days of commissioning of projects. 

The Managing Director of the construction firm who spoke earlier, declared that Julius Berger delivered a project that required massive technical execution.