The abductors of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, have released a video showing him and his wife in captivity.

The couple was seized along the Marabar Musawa–Kafinsoli road in Matazu Local Government Area of Katsina State, near Zakin Baure village.

In the four‑minute footage circulated on social media, Abubakar’s wife relayed the kidnappers’ demands: the release of three detained members identified as Sani, Aminu, and Nasiru and the return of livestock allegedly confiscated from them.

She appealed to the Katsina State Government and leaders of five local councils to intervene and secure their freedom.

Abubakar, speaking briefly in the video, urged for peace and dialogue, noting the abductors had expressed willingness for coexistence.

Reports also suggest that notorious bandit leader Kachallah Muhammad, active in parts of Katsina, has established contact with the general’s family.

As of press time, neither the Katsina State Government nor security agencies have issued an official response.

Watch video:

The abductors of retired Major General Rabe Abubakar, former Director of Defence Information, and his wife released a video on… pic.twitter.com/HtrF3arxQb

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) June 6, 2026

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Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), in collaboration with forest guards, have intercepted a consignment of medical supplies allegedly meant for fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province
(ISWAP) in Borno.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the supplies were intercepted on Friday during a coordinated operation in Kaga LGA of the state.

Makama, citing security sources, said the operation targeted a suspected supply route used by insurgent logistics networks operating within
and around forested areas in Borno.

The publication said the seized items included large quantities of pain-relief medications, anti-malaria injections, antibiotics, and other pharmaceutical products, as well as basic consumables believed to be intended for battlefield resupply.

Makama said the consignment was linked to efforts to replenish ISWAP fighters following casualties and operational setbacks suffered
during recent intelligence-led operations involving Nigerian security forces
and the United States Africa Command (US-Africom).

The publication said the interception was part of ongoing efforts to disrupt insurgent logistics networks and prevent the movement of medical and material support to remote terrorist enclaves.

According to Makama, preliminary investigations indicated that the supplies were being transported in small batches to evade security patrols along forest corridors.

Makama said the materials have since been taken into custody for forensic examination, while security agencies have launched investigations
to identify and apprehend those behind the shipment.

On June 1, the Nigerian military in collaboration with the US-Africom reportedly killed 21 ISWAP fighters in an air strike in Arege, Kukawa LGA of Borno.

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The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has cautioned Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi that his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, could jeopardize his chances in the 2027 election.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele accused Obi of desperation and failing to heed divine instructions.

He claimed Kwankwaso was pursuing personal interests and had already “sold out” Obi’s ambition.“Peter Obi doesn’t listen to divine instructions, and because of this, he has fallen into the wrong hands for his ambition. Kwankwaso isn’t ready to fight for him; he will eventually sell him out,” Ayodele said.

The cleric stressed that while he admires Obi’s courage, he believes the former Anambra governor is “not yet mature” for the presidency.

He added that Kwankwaso’s true intentions would soon be exposed, though by then it might be too late for Obi.

Ayodele insisted his warning was not out of hatred but concern, urging Obi to recognize the risks posed by his alliance with Kwankwaso.

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The United Nations says some weapons looted during the Libyan conflict in 2011 ended up in the hands of extremist groups in Nigeria.

Speaking to delegates on the spread of illicit firearms on Tuesday, at the UN headquarters in New York, United States, Izumi Nakamitsu, UN under-secretary-general and high representative for disarmament affairs, said looted weapons fuel violence in communities long after wars have ended.

Nakamitsu said weapons looted during the 2011 conflict in Libya resurfaced across the Sahel region and have caused devastation across peaceful communities.

“Libya, where weapons looted or diverted during and after the 2011 conflict, which ended the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, later surfaced
across the wider Sahel region, including in Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria,”
Nakamitsu said.

“Some were subsequently found in the hands of extremist groups, illustrating how arms from one conflict can destabilise neighbouring countries years later.

“The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”

She added that small arms proliferation can undermine peacebuilding efforts.

The high representative for disarmament affairs noted that weapons retained by armed groups, militias, and communities for self-protection can contribute to renewed violence and instability.

She pointed out that illicit weapons are linked to human rights abuses, terrorism, and sexual and gender-based violence.

“It is not just a security issue. It is also about peacebuilding. It is about human rights. It is also about development,”
Nakamitsu said.

The under-secretary general said weapons used in conflict would continue to circulate, crossing borders and fuelling crime.

“Wars end, but unfortunately, the weapons that are used in that particular conflict would not be under full control,” she said.

“They continue to circulate. They are sometimes hidden. They
are brought across borders.”

She added that the emergence of ghost guns, 3D-printed firearms, and sophisticated trafficking networks are creating new challenges for governments worldwide.

“Those weapons or weapon parts, if they are disassembled and then trafficked, are more difficult to trace.”

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Mike Bamiloye, founder of Mount Zion Faith Ministries, says it is unreasonable to expect Enoch Adeboye, the 84-year-old general overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), to lead protests against the government.

Bamiloye was responding to criticisms that Adeboye has remained quiet despite the country’s worsening security situation.

In an Instagram post on Wednesday, Bamiloye, who is also a gospel filmmaker, said although Adeboye had publicly spoken against insecurity
and violence, many bloggers chose not to highlight his comments.

The evangelist also criticised those demanding that Adeboye take part in anti-government demonstrations.

“Many bloggers saw this, but they would not project it. But he spoke against the evils,” he wrote.

“And for all those who are expecting an 84-year-old man, servant of God, to lead a protest against a government, this does not make sense by the virtue of his age and by the mandate of his calling.”

Bamiloye also addressed claims that Adeboye protested during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan but has remained
silent under President Bola Tinubu.

The claim resurfaced after a photograph of Adeboye leading a public march circulated on social media.

However, RCCG clarified that the image was taken during a nationwide anti-killings walk held in February 2020 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The church said the march followed a directive issued by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), with churches across the country participating in protests against insecurity.

Bamiloye reiterated the position, saying Adeboye merely complied with the directive from CAN and the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).

“And for all those who said he led a protest against Jonathan, on February 2, 2020, it was the instruction of the CAN and PFN for every church to stage a protest against insecurity in the nation and he complied and led his denomination too, just as some other churches did,” he said.

He noted that the church’s primary responsibility is to pray for the country and seek divine intervention in governance.

“Our major responsibility as the church of God is to continually pray for the peace of our nation and the intervention of God in the government,” he added.

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The Nigerian Senate has begun the constitutional process to create state police, pledging legislative backing to strengthen security and tackle escalating banditry, kidnappings, and violent crimes nationwide.

Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu confirmed in an interview that lawmakers are prepared to fast-track the process, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s call for urgent reforms.

The move follows the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, where armed men stormed schools in Ahoro-Esinle and Yawota communities, killing two teachers and abducting scores of children.

The attack reignited national outrage and intensified calls for decentralised policing.

During plenary on Tuesday, Senate President Godswill Akpabio described the incident as “a tragedy that strikes at the heart of the nation’s future,” stressing that attacks on schools are an assault on Nigeria’s collective humanity.

Advocates argue that state-controlled police formations would:Improve intelligence gathering and community-based security.

Enable faster responses to local threats.Complement federal agencies in tackling banditry and violent crimes.President Tinubu has repeatedly assured Nigerians that state police “has come to stay,” urging the National Assembly to expedite constitutional amendments.

The debate over state policing has long divided opinion, but worsening insecurity has shifted momentum toward reform.

With the Senate now formally engaged, Nigeria may be closer than ever to decentralising its security architecture.

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First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has donated cars to women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in five states controlled by the
opposition

Oluremi announced the donation on Wednesday during the inauguration of the Tinubu Torchbearers (TTB), a pro-Tinubu support group, at the State House banquet hall in Abuja.

The beneficiaries are APC women leaders in Abia, Anambra, Bauchi, Osun and Oyo states.

The first lady said the vehicles would be delivered before the end of the week and would belong to the beneficiaries personally — rather than the party.

“To all our women leaders in states where we do not have APC governors but have committed party members, your vehicles will be ready before the end of the week,” Oluremi said.

“The vehicles are your personal vehicles. You are not giving them to the party. Register them in your names and use them for the service of the party and your communities.”

She also called on APC governors to support women leaders in their states by providing vehicles and other forms of assistance.

Oluremi said empowering women remains central to the APC’s vision of inclusive governance, noting that women play a key role in grassroots mobilisation and party building.

The first lady also described the APC as a model of democratic engagement, saying the party has demonstrated that politics can be practised without bitterness.

“I urge our governors to buy vehicles for their women leaders. We are not playing politics like before. We are politicians, and people should see the value in us,” she added.

She noted the conduct of the party’s recent primaries as evidence of the APC’s commitment to internal democracy and peaceful resolution of disagreements.

Oluremi urged members of the Tinubu Torchbearers to promote the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and communicate government policies
responsibly ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mary Alile-Idele, APC national women leader, called on women across the country to intensify grassroots mobilisation in support of the president’s agenda.

Alile-Idele said the Tinubu torchbearers had established structures in all 774 local government areas of the country to promote
government programmes and citizen participation.

She also commended the administration’s reforms and the
first lady’s Renewed Hope Initiative, saying the programmes have benefited
women, youths, persons living with disabilities and other vulnerable groups
through empowerment and social intervention schemes.

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The Nigeria Democratic Party, NDC, 2027 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has urged terrorists who kidnapped some school children across Nigeria to immediately release them.

Obi urged these terrorists to release the school children for the sake of shared humanity.

Posting on X, the presidential candidate expressed heartbreak over the abduction of school children, describing the situation as a painful reminder of how insecurity has eaten deep into Nigeria.

He wrote: “I am deeply shocked and heartbroken by the condition in which these abducted school children are, as seen from their flagellated bodies. It is a painful reminder of the depth of insecurity in our land.

“I have always made it clear that the society we abuse today.will take its revenge on our children tomorrow. When I first began making that. statement, some of these children were not even born. This is a classic example
of how the abuse of governance and society today can produce devastating
consequences long after the abusers are gone.

“It is on the same line that I argue that the loans our leaders take today will hurt our children in the future, as many of them will mature for repayment and consequences long after we are gone.

“To those holding these children, I make a direct appeal to your conscience. Remember that these are innocent children – sons and daughters
of people who have placed their hopes, dreams, and entire future in them. In
every one of them, you will find reflections of your own children, your own family, and your own humanity.

“No grievance, no hardship, no justification can ever outweigh the sanctity of a child’s life and innocence. Whatever path has led to this moment, there is still room for remorse, for humanity, and for a change of heart.

“I therefore appeal to your sense of mercy: release these children immediately. Let them go. Return them safely to society to reunite with their families. -POa”

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The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has designated Sunday, June 14, 2026, as a nationwide “Black Sunday” in honour of victims of
terrorist attacks and other forms of violence across the country.

The association also announced a three-day national prayer programme scheduled to run from June 12 to June 14.

Speaking after the National Church Denominational Leadership Summit 2026, CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, stressed that prayers alone
would not resolve Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.

He said urgent and practical measures are needed to address the crisis and restore safety across the nation.

Okoh called on the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency on insecurity, describing the situation as critical and requiring immediate intervention.

He also advocated the speedy establishment of state police
and the decentralisation of the country’s security architecture to enable
faster and more effective responses to threats.

The CAN president further demanded the unconditional release
of all kidnapped victims and urged authorities to ensure justice for those
affected by insecurity.

Details later…

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