Ex-Gombe Deputy Governor Hails Velocity Foundation for Empowering Christian Clergy in Gombe

By Auwal Ahmad Umar

Former Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Charles Iliya, has praised the humanitarian efforts of the Velocity Humanitarian Foundation, describing its support for Christian clergy as a significant contribution to peacebuilding, religious tolerance and community development in the state.

Speaking at an empowerment programme organised by the foundation, Iliya said the initiative reflects the founder’s commitment to promoting unity and improving the welfare of religious leaders, regardless of faith or background.

He noted that the intervention would enable Christian clerics to strengthen their service to their congregations while encouraging peaceful coexistence among people of different religious beliefs.

According to him, the foundation’s decision to extend assistance to Christian leaders demonstrates that genuine humanitarian service should not be influenced by ethnic or religious considerations.

Iliya said such interventions complement government efforts aimed at improving the living conditions of vulnerable residents and fostering social cohesion across communities.

He urged the Velocity Humanitarian Foundation to sustain its charitable programmes, stressing that many disadvantaged families and religious leaders would continue to benefit from its interventions.

The former deputy governor also appealed to wealthy individuals, corporate organisations and other philanthropists to emulate the foundation by investing in initiatives that promote inclusiveness, social welfare and sustainable community development.

Also speaking, the Gombe State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa Dantata, commended the foundation for demonstrating that compassion and humanitarian service should rise above political, ethnic and religious differences.

He said the foundation’s support for Christian clergy sends a strong message of unity and mutual respect, values he described as critical to maintaining peace and stability in Gombe State.

Dantata encouraged beneficiaries to make effective use of the assistance provided to improve their lives and communities, while urging the foundation to broaden its humanitarian outreach to include more vulnerable groups across the state.

Representing the foundation, Abubakar Danzariya said the organisation remains committed to supporting vulnerable people irrespective of their religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.

He explained that the empowerment of Christian clergy aligns with the foundation’s broader vision of reducing hardship, promoting social justice and strengthening harmony among diverse communities in Gombe State.

According to him, the founder of the foundation, Engr. Aliyu Muhammad Kombat, believes that every citizen deserves equal opportunities and access to support that can improve their standard of living.

Danzariya said the foundation would continue to implement programmes in education, healthcare, youth and women empowerment, humanitarian assistance and community development as part of its long-term strategy for improving livelihoods.

He added that the interventions are designed to produce sustainable results by enhancing the well-being of vulnerable residents and creating opportunities for self-reliance.

Danzariya also appreciated community leaders, Christian organisations and volunteers who partnered with the foundation to ensure the successful implementation of the programme.

He reaffirmed the commitment of Engr. Kombat to building a more peaceful, united and prosperous society through sustained humanitarian interventions that reach people without discrimination.

Zulum assesses security situation, ongoing capital projects in Borno South

By Tada Jutha, Maiduguri

Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum performed his official government duties on Thursday from the Zonal Department of Monitoring, Evaluation and Special Projects (MESP) office in Biu, Biu local government area.

This underscores his administration’s commitment to grassroots governance and bringing government closer to the people.

The Biu MESP zonal office, which operates under the Governor’s Office, was established and commissioned by Governor Zulum in 2022 to strengthen public service delivery, enhance accountability, improve project monitoring and evaluation, and accelerate infrastructural development across the Southern Borno senatorial zone.

Similar zonal offices have also been established in Monguno and Bama to serve the Northern and Central Senatorial Districts, respectively.

Thursday’s engagement marked the first time Governor Zulum officially operated from the Biu Zonal Office since its establishment, making it a significant milestone in the decentralisation of government operations.

The Governor, while in the office, met with the Sector 2 Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Brigadier General Edet Effiong, and the Brigade Commander, 29 Taskforce Brigade, Benishiekh, on how to consolidate the recent gains in the counterinsurgency operations.

The governor’s decision to conduct official state business from the facility reflects his leadership philosophy of taking governance to the grassroots rather than confining government activities to Maiduguri.

Throughout the past seven years, Zulum has maintained a unique style of governance, travelling extensively across all 27 local government areas to personally assess projects and engage directly with the community.

In addition to operating from the Government House, the governor has, since assuming office in 2019, regularly conducted official functions from the Musa Usman Secretariat, which serves as his second operational office for attending to state affairs.

Zulum is currently on a working tour of Southern Borno. On Wednesday, he flagged off the 2026 Wet Farming Season and launched the sales and distribution of 200 truckloads of NPK fertiliser at 50 per cent subsidised rates, alongside the distribution of free agrochemicals, knapsack sprayers, certified seeds, water pumps and 10,000 bicycles to smallholder farmers in Kwaya Kusar Local Government Area.

During the visit to Biu, the governor also announced the employment of 100 unemployed graduates from Biu Local Government Area as part of measures to tackle youth restiveness, political thuggery and other social vices. The announcement was made during a courtesy visit to the Emir of Biu, Alhaji (Dr) Mustapha Umar Mustapha II.

The governor also met with members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in Biu, where he announced a welfare package of ₦50,000 for each corps member.

As part of the intervention, corps members who are nursing mothers will receive an additional ₦200,000 each, while the NYSC Zonal Inspector was given ₦250,000. Other NYSC officials, including the liaison officer, received ₦100,000 each in recognition of their service and commitment.

Foreign Drug Courier Arrested as Military Warns of Cross-Border Support for Boko Haram, ISWAP

By Tada Jutha,  Maiduguri

The arrest of a Chadian woman allegedly transporting illicit drugs and other prohibited items to Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters has once again drawn attention to the growing challenge posed by cross-border support networks fuelling insurgency in Nigeria’s northeast.

Security experts have repeatedly warned that the involvement of foreign nationals in terrorist logistics complicates counter-insurgency operations, particularly in the Lake Chad Basin, where Nigeria shares porous borders with Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

The movement of drugs, weapons, finances and other supplies across these borders enables terrorist groups to sustain attacks, recruit fighters and evade security operations, making regional cooperation essential to ending the insurgency.

Against this backdrop, troops of Sector 3, Northeast Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), have arrested a 48-year-old Chadian national, Mrs Rachael Samuel, for allegedly transporting illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages and other prohibited substances believed to be destined for Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists operating in the Lake Chad Islands.

The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed in a statement that the operation marked another major breakthrough in the military’s campaign to dismantle the logistics networks sustaining terrorist activities across the North-east.

According to him, the suspect was intercepted on Thursday during an intelligence-led operation along the Maiduguri-Monguno highway while travelling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

He identified the suspect as a Chadian citizen from Kelo in Chari-Baguirmi Province, adding that preliminary investigations indicate the recovered items were intended for terrorist elements operating within the Lake Chad region, which spans Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Items recovered from the suspect included seven compressed bundles of suspected cannabis weighing about 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride, popularly known as “Suck and Die”, one carton containing 48 bottles of dry gin, 61 bottles of herbal alcoholic beverages, a mobile phone, two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, cash and other personal effects. The military estimated the street value of the seized items at several millions of naira.

Captain Goni said the suspect remains in military custody while the recovered exhibits have been secured pending transfer to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for further investigation and prosecution.

He noted that the interception demonstrates the military’s resolve to deny terrorists access to supplies that sustain their operations.

According to him, intelligence reports have consistently shown that terrorist groups frequently rely on illicit drugs and intoxicants to stimulate fighters, suppress fear and facilitate violent attacks. Preventing the consignment from reaching its destination, he said, has disrupted a critical component of the terrorists’ logistics chain.

The Theatre Command commended the troops for their vigilance and professionalism, assuring Nigerians that operations against terrorists and their collaborators, including cross-border networks, would continue without relent.

The military also appealed to members of the public to continue providing timely and credible intelligence to security agencies to support ongoing efforts aimed at restoring lasting peace and security across the North-east.