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‘We’re dying, your marching orders not effective’ – Benue, Plateau leaders to Tinubu
After the global outrage that greeted the June 13 massacre of over 200 innocent farmers by armed herdsmen in Yelewata community, Guma Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue state, it was expected that the people would have some respite particularly with the marching order issued to the security agencies by President Bola Tinubu to put a halt to the attacks and killings in the state, according to Vanguard.
The President, who visited the state on June 18, shortly after the bloody attack, did not mince words when he also directed that those behind the killings should be apprehended and prosecuted.
He also stated that he was in a position to help the people achieve peace, which is vital to development. We were not elected to bury people and have orphans and orphanages. We will work with you to achieve peace. We are here to work with the people. The people of Benue deserve peace,” he added.
Regrettably, however, despite the President’s promise, peace has continued to elude the people of Benue state who have not had respite from the armed herdsmen incursions. The attacks and killings have intensified as if the invaders became emboldened even after the directive for all hands to be on deck to have peace in the state. In fact, the attackers menacingly took the fight to security personnel drafted to the crisis areas, killing some of them and leaving some others with injuries.
Timeline of attacks after Tinubu’s marching order
*June 22: Just four days after the President’s visit, the marauders took hostage 12 passengers of the state government-owned Benue Links transportation company near Eke on Ugbokolo-Otukpo Road in Okpokwu LGA of the state.
*June 30: Four Mobile Policemen were killed by the marauders during an attack on the Udei community in Guma LGA after they were successfully repelled by soldiers stationed at Ortese, an IDPs host community in the same Guma LGA.
*July 3: They stormed the Ukohol community, very close to Yelewata, killing one Uger Sember in his farm while two others were declared missing and were never found. On the same date two farmers on a motorbike reportedly ran into the armed herders at Tse Orkpen in Mbabai Council Ward of Guma LGA. They were lucky to have escaped alive but their motorcycle was taken away by the marauders.
*July 4: Agbu City Village in Tyough-Atee Council Ward of Gwer West LGA was attacked and one person was killed in that incident.
*July 4: A retired Headmaster and Village Head from Daudu, Guma LGA, Zaki Isho Aondohemba and his friend, Mr. Uger Sember, also a retired Headmaster, were gruesomely murdered by the armed herders in their farms at Okohol community, also in Guma LGA. His motorcycle was burnt while four others were declared missing. Luckily, one of the boys who accompanied them to the farm escaped with serious injury.
*July 7: Four Police and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, personnel on patrol were killed in an ambush by the armed herders at Udei community, near Yelewata in Guma LGA. The patrol team, known as the Buffalo Squad of Operation Zenda, a joint security team comprising officers of the Mobile Police Force, the NSCDC, Counter-Terrorism Unit, CTU, of the Police and the Benue State Civil Protection Guards were said to be on routine patrol along the Daudu-Yelewata road when they came under attack.
*July 16: A church leader of St. Albert Catholic Church Abata, Guma LGA, Vitalis Kenvanger and three others were murdered by the marauders along the Yogbo-Gungu-Aze road while one of the victims remained unaccounted for till date.
*July 19: There was pandemonium in Uikpam, a host community of thousands of IDPs after heavy sporadic gunshots were fired for over 20 minutes from all directions in the community by herders.
*July 24: A middle-aged man, Gabriel Vandefan was killed and beheaded by armed herdsmen in his farm at Uikpam community, Guma LGA. His killers also reportedly chopped off one of his hands and went away with it. The residents of Anyimbe and Awashuwa settlements in Ayilamo, Tombu Council Ward of LGA on July 24 raised the alarm over the massive influx of arms-wielding herdsmen and cattle into their communities.
*July 28: Two middle-aged men were killed by armed herdsmen along the Uikpam–Umenger road in Guma LGA.
*August 3: A mother and her grown-up son, identified as Mlumun Igbawua and Terkimbir Igbawua, respectively, were murdered by armed herdsmen on a rice farm at Tse-Nyibiam, Ngban, Nyiev Council Ward of Guma LGA. Fortunately, the wife of the deceased man, who was caught and tortured by the armed marauders, escaped from her captors. The murder of the duo came less than three months after the deceased woman’s husband was attacked and also killed in the same rice farm by the armed herders during cultivation.
*August 6: At least nine persons, including a Police officer, were killed in a renewed attack by suspected armed herdsmen on communities in Agatu LGA.
*August 11: Three persons were killed at their farms in a fresh attack on Yelewata communities, which sparked angry protests by women of the community who dumped the corpses of the dead on the Makurdi-Lafia road to demand protection from the authorities.
*August 12: A Septuagenarian and two others were murdered by the marauders at Uikpam community, Mbabai Council Ward of Guma LGA. Among the victims was a patent medicine store owner who, at the time of the attack was in his shop and attending to customers when marauders stormed the area.
These attacks within a space of 59 days from the date of the President’s visit, claiming over 32 lives with several others still unaccounted for, have left many wondering if the government has become helpless and overwhelmed by a ragtag gang of untrained militia. The development has brought to the fore the issue of what must be urgently done to save Benue from being completely destabilised by the marauders.
In Plateau state, communities in the Bokkos, Riyom, Kanam, Wase, and Bassa local government areas have been thrown into grief since April 2025. Dozens of lives have been lost in a wave of coordinated attacks by gunmen. The Presidency, in a statement signed by Mr Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy) attributed the killings to communal clashes saying, “the ongoing violence between communities in Plateau State, rooted in misunderstandings between different ethnic and religious groups, must cease”. But stakeholders in the state, including the State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, have rejected what they termed as a wrong narrative, insisting killings in the State are well coordinated “genocide,” carried out to displace people and grab their lands.
The Governor who has worked tirelessly to end the menace since coming on board, appears unsuccessful because four months later, the killings have not stopped. Instead, the grim toll has risen especially in communities in the Bokkos LGA, leaving survivors questioning the effectiveness of Presidential orders and state-level measures, and wondering when promises will translate into safety.
As it is, much of the rural Plateau is a patchwork of abandoned communities, burnt carcasses of homes, and other property. Residents say the reality on the ground contradicts official reassurances. In many cases, attackers move freely while survivors are left with little protection. However, Security agencies like the State Police Command, and Operation Safe Haven insist they are responding within their means. But survivors say response times remain slow, often measured in hours after an attack has ended.
“We feel forgotten. We are tired of the daily condemnation of these killings as we hear in the media. We bury our dead alone, return to a life of fear and loneliness, waiting for the next batch of condolences, for how long,” asks 42-year-old farmer, Luka Auta from the Bassa local government area, whose wife and two cousins were killed in April.
Across the State, communities want to see attackers arrested, prosecuted, and convicted, not just named as “unknown gunmen” in press releases. The Plateau Initiative for Development and Advancement of the Natives (PIDAN), the umbrella body of the indigenous nationalities, calls for investigations into what it describes as “systematic ethnic cleansing.” Residents demand that security outposts be established in vulnerable communities, not just in local government headquarters, and that personnel be adequately empowered to combat the attackers. They want better intelligence gathering and rapid-response capabilities, the establishment of a well-equipped State Police and an end to open grazing and land grabbing.
Amos Ishaya from Tamiso, Bokkos LGA, stressed that internally displaced persons need more than emergency food rations, and called for the reconstruction of homes, schools, and clinics, as well as livelihood support to restart farming. “If we are not empowered, and communities are not rebuilt, we will remain dependent,” he maintained. As the rains fall on empty farmlands and fresh graves, Plateau’s rural communities await the day when “enough is enough” becomes more than just a political phrase, but an end to the long seasons of mourning.
Despite President Tinubu’s assurances, the attacks and killings have persisted not only in Benue and Plateau states, but Zamfara, Katsina, Niger, Kwara, Sokoto and other states. The residents wondered why the perpetrators of these evils have defied the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces and they are asking why the government has been unable to find a lasting solution to these killings across the country.
In their reactions, however, Nigerians called on President Bola Tinubu to go beyond mere directives to the service chiefs to tackle the escalating insecurity in the country and take uncommon measures, which he is presently not doing, to address the potent danger. Activists, lawyers, and stakeholders across the country, who spoke to Saturday Vanguard, maintained that terrorists are assassins and should not be tolerated for their evil acts and that the government should not adorn them with the garb of repentant terrorists or say they have been de-radicalized.
However, a government with the requisite political will can stop the killings by deploying all the resources at its disposal because the protection of lives and property is the most important responsibility of the government. Mr. President should go beyond mere instructions to ensure that his orders are implemented. Across the country, the government is responsible for protecting people and property.
By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South; Sam Oyadongha; Peter Duru; Egufe Yafugborhi; Marie-Therese Nanlong; Ozioruva Aliu & Ochuko Akuopha
Vanguard
Prophet Boris Jedidiah, a prominent cleric from Cameroon, has made a significant announcement regarding the upcoming 2027 presidential election in Nigeria.
He claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory is assured by divine intervention.
In a video that has gained widespread attention on his YouTube channel, the prophet asserted that he received a revelation from God indicating that no political opposition would be able to prevent Tinubu’s re-election. This statement has stirred considerable interest and discussion in political circles.
According to Jedidiah, “During the 2027 Nigerian presidential election, a governor who is presently governing a state of Nigeria is going to stand as a presidential candidate. But The Lord said to me that this governor is not going to become the president of Nigeria. His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, is going to be declared the president of Nigeria during the 2027 Nigerian presidential election.”
He further emphasized that any Nigerian governor or politician who rises against President Tinubu’s mandate would be acting against God’s divine purpose for the nation.
The prophecy has since attracted wide reactions on social media, with supporters of the president welcoming the message, while others questioned the growing trend of foreign clerics predicting Nigeria’s political future.
Nigeria’s next general elections, which will include the presidential and National Assembly polls, are scheduled for 2027.
The Delta State Executive Council (EXCO), Thursday approved key fiscal documents setting the stage for the preparation of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, alongside the construction of 10 new residential quarters for Judges across the state.
The State Commissioner for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the end of the EXCO meeting presided over by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, in Asaba.
Ekedayen said the Council considered and approved the economic fiscal update, fiscal policy strategy, and the budget policy statement, critical documents required by law and fundamental to the preparation of the 2026 budget.
He explained that; “before the commencement of any budget process, there must be a set of assumptions, and it is those assumptions that the Executive Council considered and approved today.
“The document will now be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for the enactment of the necessary laws to enable us commence the actual budget preparation.”
According to him, the assumptions for the 2026 fiscal year are aligned with national parameters agreed upon by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) to ensure uniformity across states.
“This uniform basis will make it easier to integrate the budgets of sub-national governments into a national framework,” Ekedayen said.
He listed the key macroeconomic assumptions as follows: – Oil production: 1.7 million barrels per day; exchange rate: ₦1,500 to $1; GDP growth rate: 3.4%; Inflation rate: 23%.
He said these figures would guide the State’s Ministry of Economic Planning in designing the 2026 budget, which will subsequently pass through EXCO approval before being presented to the State House of Assembly.
“Today’s approval signals the beginning of the new budget season for Delta State,” he added.
Also briefing journalists, the State Commissioner for Housing, Hon. Godknows Angele, said EXCO approved the construction of 10 new judges’ quarters in Asaba, Warri, and Osubi as part of the administration’s commitment to the welfare of the judiciary.
“His Excellency, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, believes in balancing all arms of government — the executive, legislature, and judiciary,” Angele said.
Angele said: “We already have commissioners’ and legislative quarters in Asaba. It was therefore necessary to provide befitting accommodation for our Judges.”
He explained that the project, approved as the first phase, will feature four-bedroom duplexes for 10 judges, five in Asaba and five in Warri/Osubi and designed for comfort and security within designated judicial residential clusters.
“This is a new construction and not renovation. It is part of our administration’s effort to ensure the judiciary functions in a conducive and secure environment,” Angele added.
The Delta State Executive Council (EXCO) approved the disbursement of ₦10 billion on Thursday to offset the pension liabilities inherited from previous administrations in the state.
The meeting, which was presided over by the Deputy Governor, Sir Monday Onyeme, was held at Government House, Asaba, on the directive of the Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, who is on official engagement outside the state.
Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, flanked by his counterparts for Economic Planning, Mr. Sonny Ekedayen; Housing, Hon. Godknows Angele; and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Festus Ahon, said the EXCO deliberated on several life-impacting memos cutting across social investment, infrastructure, and governance reforms.
Aniagwu disclosed that the ₦10 billion disbursement was in fulfillment of Governor Oborevwori’s promise to ease the hardship of pensioners and to detray inherited pension liabilities.
“At today’s meeting, we approved the disbursement of ₦10 billion to begin the process of defraying pension arrears. A committee has been set up to ensure the funds get to deserving beneficiaries without bias or interference,” Aniagwu said.
He emphasized that the move was part of the administration’s broader commitment to improving the welfare of citizens under the MORE Agenda and making life more livable for senior citizens who had served the state diligently.
Aniagwu further revealed that the EXCO reviewed timelines for key infrastructure projects, including two major flyovers in Agbor (Uromi Junction) and Ughelli (Otovwodo Junction), being handled by Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.
He said: “The Agbor flyover, initially scheduled for completion in 24 months, has been revised to 18 months, while the Ughelli flyover has been reduced from 24 to 14 months.
“These adjustments are aimed at delivering the projects faster to ease movement and boost economic activities”.
He added that the council also considered the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) presented by the Commissioner for Economic Planning, as part of preparations for the 2026 budget, which will soon be presented to the Delta State House of Assembly.
He disclosed that EXCO also terminated some non-performing contracts across the state to ensure efficient project delivery and value for money.
“Some contractors have failed to meet performance expectations, and since the government promptly mobilizes and pays for certified work, we cannot allow delays or negligence,” he stated.
One of the affected projects, he said, is the Igbodo Junction–Ubulu–Uku to Ogwashi-Uku Road, which will be re-examined and re-awarded to a competent contractor in line with the governor’s resolve to open up communities across the 25 local government areas.
Aniagwu also announced the council’s approval for the formal presentation of the Staff of Office to His Royal Majesty, Engr. Mike Oghenovo Orugbo, Okporua I, the Ovie of Udu Kingdom, following his installation by the kingmakers of the kingdom.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to people-oriented governance, transparency, and accelerated infrastructural renewal across the state.
“Governor Oborevwori has made it clear that projects must deliver value to Deltans. Where contractors fail, we will not hesitate to act in the interest of our people,” Aniagwu added.
Aniagwu gave assurances that Governor Oborevwori’s administration will continue to prioritize human welfare, infrastructural development, and institutional reforms aimed at sustainable growth and prosperity for all Deltans.
President Bola Tinubu, barring any last-minute change, is expected to present his nominee for the post of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to the National Council of State today at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, according to Naija News.
This comes after the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who handed over to the most senior national commissioner, Dame May Agbamuche-Mbu, in an acting capacity on Tuesday, October 7, 2025.
According to sources within the presidency who spoke with Vanguard, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan has emerged as the front-runner to succeed Yakubu and would be announced after the Council of State has been briefed.
“He came highly recommended and has already undergone security screening,” a top official told Vanguard.
Amupitan, a Professor of Law and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos, is said to be Tinubu’s preferred choice among the three names pencilled down for the job.
Born on April 25, 1967, in Aiyetoro-Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Amupitan is a seasoned legal scholar.
He specialises in Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, Corporate Law, and Privatisation Law, with decades of teaching and administrative experience at the University of Jos.
If confirmed, Tinubu’s swift action will mark a departure from the style of his predecessor, late President Muhammadu Buhari, who allowed the commission to remain in limbo.
During Buhari’s tenure, the mandatory four-man quorum at INEC was not constituted until four months later, creating operational delays.
Naija News understands that today’s Council of State session is expected to seal the choice of Yakubu’s successor and set the tone for Nigeria’s next electoral cycle.
Naija News
A Federal High Court in Osogbo, Osun State, has issued an order for the arrest of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for contempt of court.
This order was announced by Justice Funmilola Demi-Ajayi just hours after Yakubu vacated his position.
The court directed the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to apprehend Yakubu and initiate committal proceedings within seven days. Earlier that day, Yakubu officially transferred leadership of INEC to National Commissioner Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who will serve as Acting Chairman until a new substantive head is appointed. The handover took place during a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
The arrest order follows a lingering dispute between the commission and the Action Alliance (AA) party over INEC’s alleged refusal to comply with a previous court judgment.
In suit number FHC/OS/CS/194/2024, filed by the party, the court had ordered INEC to upload the name of Adekunle Rufai Omoaje as the National Chairman of AA, along with members of its National Executive Committee (NEC), on its official portal.
The October 2023 elective convention that produced Omoaje and other NEC members was ruled valid by the court, which affirmed it was properly monitored and supervised by INEC officials in line with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Although INEC claimed to have complied with the judgment, Omoaje’s name has remained absent from the commission’s website as of press time, even though the names of state chairmen and other NEC members have been published. The court described the continued omission as a violation of its order.
A certified copy of the latest ruling, dated October 7, 2025, and signed by O.M. Kilani on behalf of the Court Registrar, stated:
“It is hereby ordered that the Inspector General of Police shall cause the arrest and shall charge the defendant/judgment debtors for contempt and committal proceedings within seven days of this ruling.”
University of Ibadan, Oyo State, has been ranked Nigeria’s best university in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026, as reported by PUNCH Online.
The ranking, published on THE’s website on Thursday, placed the Ibadan-based federal university between 801 and 1,000 globally and ahead of other leading Nigerian universities, a spot it last held in 2023.
The survey surveyed 2,191 institutions from 115 countries and assessed them based on 18 performance indicators across five key areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry, and international outlook.
UI came from fourth position in 2025 to emerge as Nigeria’s best in the 2026 ranking. It dethroned Covenant University, which was the best university in 2024 and 2025.
Following UI are the University of Lagos, Bayero University, and CU, ranked second, third, and fourth in Nigeria, respectively.
The 2026 list reflected a shift in the global higher education landscape, with more than 174.9 million citations from 18.7 million research publications analysed and survey responses from over 108,000 scholars collected globally.
THE rankings also show the strength of individual institutions. UNILAG is ranked highest in quality research, scoring 66.7.
BUK is ranked as the best Nigerian university in terms of international outlook, while Covenant has the highest industry score, indicating its top connection to industries.
Out of 51 Nigerian institutions featured in THE 2026 ranking, only UI and UNILAG fall between 801–1000; BUK, CU, and Landmark University fall between 1001–1200; while five schools—Ahmadu Bello University, Federal University of Technology, Minna, University of Ilorin, University of Jos, University of Nigeria—stand globally between 1201–1500.
Also, 14 Nigerian universities were categorised above 1501, and 27 institutions were not ranked.
See the full list
University of Ibadan (801–1000)
University of Lagos (801–1000)
Bayero University (1001–1200)
Covenant University (1001–1200)
Landmark University (1001–1200)
Ahmadu Bello University (1201–1500)
Federal University of Technology, Minna (1201–1500)
University of Ilorin (1201–1500)
University of Jos (1201–1500)
University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1201–1500)
Babcock University (1501+)
Delta State University, Abraka (1501+)
Ekiti State University (1501+)
Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (1501+)
Federal University of Technology, Akure (1501+)
Federal University of Technology, Owerri (1501+)
Federal University Oye-Ekiti (1501+)
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (1501+)
Lagos State University (1501+)
Nnamdi Azikiwe University (1501+)
Obafemi Awolowo University (1501+)
University of Benin (1501+)
University of Calabar (1501+)
University of Port Harcourt (1501+)
Admiralty University of Nigeria
Akwa Ibom State University
Al-Hikmah University
Augustine University
Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere-Ekiti
Bauchi State University, Gadau
Bayelsa Medical University
Baze University
Bells University of Technology
Bowen University
Evangel University, Akaeze
Federal University of Lafia
Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun
Fountain University
Godfrey Okoye University
Igbinedion University Okada
Kaduna State University
Lagos State University of Education
Lagos State University of Science and Technology
Lead City University
Maryam Abacha American University of Nigeria
Nasarawa State University, Keffi
Redeemer’s University
Rivers State University
Thomas Adewumi University
University of Cross River State
University of Delta
According to PUNCH Online, THE is a globally recognised independent organisation that provides data and analysis for the higher education sector, including the widely adopted World University Rankings.
While data submission is open to all universities, institutions are only ranked in the World University Rankings 2026 if they teach undergraduates, produce research across a range of subjects and have published at least 1,000 research publications between 2020 and 2024, with a minimum of 100 a year.
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