Governor Leaves Door Open for Talks With Bandits…Hundreds of Nigerian Police Officers Overstaying Retirement Age…Military Overrun Bandit Hideouts in Northwest…Nigerian Government Promises Better Conditions to Stop Exodus of Healthcare Workers
● Governor Open to Talks With Bandits—But Only If They Disarm
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has said he would consider negotiating with bandits only if they stop killing people and surrender their weapons.
In July 2024, his administration had firmly rejected any peace talks. “We will not reconcile with any bandit leader. We will continue fighting them. Those willing to surrender should do so, and those who are not will be fought,” Lawal’s aide, Alhaji Faruk Ahmad, had stated, according to Daily Trust.
However, the Governor has said dialogue remains an option but must be based on “truth and honesty.”
“People have been harmed, others have lost their parents and wives. It is important to consider their plight…rather than always solely focusing on the bandits,” he said.
● Nigerian Media Uncovers 467 Nigerian Police Officers in Age Fraud Scheme
A leaked document obtained by Sahara Reporters has revealed that 467 Nigerian police officers allegedly falsified their ages and bypassed service regulations.
The list includes officers from various training programs dating back to the 1980s, including those recruited as Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP). It features 15 officers from a 2002 intake, 48 from a 2000 program, 209 from a 2003 promotion course, and many others from various recruitment and promotion cycles.
One of those named is Benneth Igweh, a former police commissioner in Abuja. Igweh and five other top officers are facing a disciplinary committee between Monday, February 10, and Thursday, February 13, 2025.
Sahara Reporters claim the officers remain in service despite surpassing the mandatory retirement age. They reportedly argue that since Police Chief Kayode Egbetokun, who was due to retire on September 4, 2024, is still in office, they will not step down until he does.
● Lakurawa Bandits Abandon New Camp As Military Push Deeper Into Territory
The Nigerian military continues its offensive against bandit groups in the Northwest, clearing multiple camps in Sokoto State and arresting the brother of a notorious terrorist leader.
Security analyst Zagazola Makama reports that army troops targeted the Lakurawa bandit group, first moving into Rijiyan Zobe village in Binji County after intelligence revealed that the group set up a new camp in the community. Upon arrival, they found Fulani settlers going about their activities, suggesting the area was not fully controlled by bandits.
Further intelligence led them to Duchin Kaie, a high-ground location where the bandits had actually set up camp. Troops encountered resistance but overpowered the bandits, forcing them to flee, leaving behind traces of blood. Soldiers destroyed the camp and recovered Nigerien military uniforms, fuel, and supplies.
In a separate operation in Gudun Gudun village, troops arrested Dahiru Umar, a violent extremist and younger brother of Ahmadu Maiyaki, a notorious bandit kingpin who had long terrorized the Gudun Gudun and Basanta communities.
● Nigeria’s Doctor Shortage Worsens, But Minister Predicts Turnaround
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, says the growing trend of healthcare professionals leaving the country, known locally as “japa” will soon end.
In recent years, thousands of Nigerian doctors and nurses have left for the U.K., U.S., and Canada in search of better pay and improved living conditions.
Salako is urging them to reconsider relocating. Vanguard quoted him as saying, “East or West, home is best. No matter where you go outside your country, you remain a second-class citizen.”
He insists that public hospital workers should not feel pressured to leave, pointing to improved wages and working conditions under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Within Nigeria’s economic realities, health workers are among the best-paid professionals,” he said, and called on healthcare workers to “cultivate a stronger sense of commitment and passion for the profession.”
What’s News Today? February 11, 2025, compiled by Ezinwanne Onwuka for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
