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US Commander Says Al-Qaeda Already Taking Root In Northwest Nigeria

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5 years ago

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A terrorist group, known as Al-Qaeda is already taking root in the Nortwest geological zone of Nigeria, a US official has said in a press conference.

According to Commander of the United States Africa Command, Major General Dagvin Aderson, has said the terrorist groups, including the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, Boko Haram and Al-Shabaab, have forced over 9000 schools to close down in the last five years in different African countries, including Nigeria.

The insurgents are replacing the schools with theirs where they brainwash students with damaging ideologies, noting that terrorists were bent on hijacking the minds of the leaders of tomorrow.

Anderson said: “We have seen the violent extremist organisations, these terrorists, take advantage of these conditions over the last five years especially. Al-Qaeda has had a very deliberate campaign to exploit these seams and grievances and to expand their reach, especially into the west.

“We’ve seen that they’ve taken advantage of this also by closing schools, so they – they take away the future. They eliminate that future by shutting down these schools: over 9,000 schools across Africa shut down; 3,000 in Mali and Burkina Faso. That is very concerning to us because what does that mean for future development, for future opportunities for people that live in these regions? And what does it mean as these violent extremist organizations then replace those schools with their ideology and their teachings, which we believe is antithetical to a free and open society and prosperity.

“And then what we’ve seen them do is they’ve expanded now in Mali, but now into northern Burkina Faso, where they attacked infrastructure, then they took out local governance and security forces, and now they are using that, their presence, to control the local economy and exert their control over the population.”

The US General, who warned Nigeria that the Al-Qaeda terrorist movement is gradually occupying the North-Eastern state of Borno and the entire North-West region, however disclosed that the US is engaging Nigeria in the areas of intelligence and training to combat terrorism, especially in the two regions.

He said: “When it comes to Nigeria in general, Nigeria, obviously, is a critical nation to West Africa. It is huge just in its economy, in its population, and just its influence in the region. It is a critical nation and we realise that Nigeria is a lynchpin. For that to have an effect against the VEOs and to have an effect against these stressors, it really takes the Government of Nigeria to lead that effort and to build that energy to coalesce around.

“So, no nation can come in and fix that problem for Nigeria. We can assist with that – and it’s the United States can assist, the United Kingdom, other countries can come in, many countries can come and assist with that partnership – but ultimately it takes leadership from Nigeria in order for us to focus our efforts. We need to understand where Nigeria wants to focus those efforts so we can partner appropriately to have the best effect.

“We have engaged with Nigeria and continue to engage with them in intel sharing and in understanding what these violent extremists are doing, and that has been absolutely critical to their engagements up in the Borno State and into an emerging area of northwest Nigeria that we’re seeing al-Qaeda starting to make some inroads in.

“So this intelligence sharing is absolutely vital and we stay fully engaged with the Government of Nigeria to provide them an understanding of what these terrorists are doing, what Boko Haram is doing, what ISIS-West Africa is doing, and how ISIS and al-Qaeda are looking to expand further south into the littoral areas.”

Advising the Nigerian military on how to earn the trust of the people, Anderson said: “I believe we can engage with our civil-military support elements and talk about how to engage, how the military engages with the civilian populace. The key is the civilians need to have the trust and confidence that their military is there to protect and support them. When the military comes, they need to run to the aid of – run to the military and to their aid.

“So how do – how do we help train these militaries in that civil-military engagement? Because that’s where the terrorists look to engage. It’s very much a civilian-centric model, and they look to separate those populations from the government and from the militaries and to seek an alternative form of governance or an alternative to what that central state provides.”

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Naija Times celebrates 5th anniversary, launches nonprofit arm to promote quality journalism and social impact

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2 days ago

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September 16, 2025

By

Naija Times
EHI BRAIMAH, founder of Naija Times

Naija Times, Nigeria’s leading independent online newspaper, proudly celebrates its 5th anniversary.

To mark this milestone, the management is excited to announce the launch of Naija Times Journalism Foundation, its nonprofit arm, reinforcing its commitment to quality journalism and social impact.

Founded on September 15, 2020, by Ehi Braimah, a notable PR expert and media personality in Nigeria, Naija Times has delivered high-quality, unbiased, and informative content to its readers. Akpandem James and Jahman Anikulapo – two senior and highly respected journalists – are Braimah’s co-founding partners of Naija Times.

The newspaper covers politics, business, health, education, culture, and sports, while its regularly published editorials provide sharp insights into Nigeria’s pressing issues. The newly launched website, www.ntm.ng to mark the anniversary, offers a seamless, user-friendly experience, making it easier for readers to navigate the website and access Naija Times’ diverse content.

On its 3rd anniversary two years ago, Naija Times launched the book, ‘For a Better Society,’ a compilation of editorials published from September 2020 to July 2023 in Abuja, further solidifying its role in shaping public discourse.

Naija Times Journalism Foundation, accessible at www.ntjfoundation.org, expands the organisation’s mission by supporting investigative journalism on critical social issues, promoting media literacy to educate the public on evaluating information and combating misinformation, and empowering community development through initiatives that foster social cohesion and economic empowerment.

“We are proud to celebrate five years of delivering credible journalism to our readers,” said Braimah, founder and publisher/editor-in-chief of Naija Times.

“Five years ago, we launched Naija Times with the following goals in mind: build strong institutions, promote transparency and accountability in public spending, uphold the rule of law, and defend the public interest.

“Together with my colleagues, we remain committed to building an egalitarian society that is founded on equity, justice and respect for fundamental human rights. The launch of Naija Times Journalism Foundation represents a bold step forward in our mission to drive social impact and elevate journalism practice in Nigeria.”

Naija Times Journalism Foundation is a knowledge production and journalism innovation hub dedicated to strengthening democratic governance and promoting inclusive development and accountability by empowering a vibrant and free press in Nigeria, Africa and Black Diaspora.

The Foundation’s Programmes Officer is Hart Onoboh, a seasoned programmes and communications professional with over five years’ experience, driving impactful development projects in Nigeria.

Hart has a robust background in strengthening democratic governance, combating misinformation, and facilitating community-based interventions.

Previously a fact-checker and visual communications officer at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), he led initiatives to counter misinformation and promote electoral integrity, training over 25 fact-checkers across four states in Nigeria.

Hart is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Management at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and he brings technical expertise, creative communication, and field experience to the Foundation’s advocacy and governance initiatives.

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₦5.7bn Fraud Scandal: EFCC Quizzes Sujimoto CEO, Freezes Accounts, Seizes Passport

Published

1 week ago

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September 9, 2025

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Enugu Accuses Sujimoto CEO of N5.7bn Fraud over smart school -

The Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Luxury Construction Limited, Sijibomi Ogundele, is under intense interrogation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged diversion of ₦5.7 billion paid by the Enugu State Government for an ₦11 billion contract.

Ogundele, who had earlier been declared wanted, turned himself in to EFCC Abuja headquarters and was grilled for more than 10 hours on Tuesday. His personal and company accounts have been frozen, and his passport seized to restrict his movement.

According to investigators, Ogundele convinced the state to release 50% of the contract sum—₦5.7 billion—after promising speedy delivery. However, state officials allege that work done so far is worth no more than ₦750 million, accusing him of abandoning the project.

The Enugu State Government’s petition triggered EFCC’s probe, which may see Ogundele spend more time in custody as investigations continue.

In a tearful online video, Ogundele denied any wrongdoing, framing the matter as a contractual dispute: “I’m not a thief, I’m not a fugitive. This is between my company and the Enugu State Government. It’s not criminality.”

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Nigeria Digital PR Summit Opens Nominations For 2nd Digital PR Awards

Published

2 weeks ago

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September 2, 2025

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Nigeria Digital PR Summit

…Unveils Selection Panel

The Nigeria Digital PR Summit has officially opened nominations for the second Nigeria Digital PR Awards, a prestigious platform that recognizes excellence, innovation, and impact in digital public relations across Nigeria.

Honourees will take the spotlight at the Nigeria Digital PR Awards Gala; a premium evening celebrating the individuals, organizations, and campaigns that defined digital PR in the past year, marking the 10th Nigeria Digital PR Summit. Adding flair to the night is the Digital PR Fashion Runway; a bold fusion of fashion, technology, and communications that promises an unforgettable experience.

This year, 19 award categories will honour campaigns across four classes including Campaign Excellence Awards, Sector Excellence Awards, Innovation and Technology Awards, and Individual & Professional Excellence Awards.

The Summit also unveiled a three-member Selection Panel responsible for reviewing entries and shortlisting winners.

The panel is chaired by the Founder and CEO, Fernhill Digital Consulting, Datari Ladejo, and includes the former Senior Business Program Manager, MarComms, Africa Development Center (ADC – West), Microsoft, Oluwamuyemi Orimolade; and Founder/Lead Partner, PuzzleCraft PR and Communications, Beatrice Okpara.

Nominations are open to agencies, corporate communication teams, NGOs, startups, and individual practitioners whose work has delivered measurable results and demonstrated creativity in leveraging digital platforms.

Nominations run from September 1 – 8, 2025. Shortlisted nominees will be announced during the Awards Gala on October 16, 2025, at the Conference Centre, Naval Dockyard, Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island. For entry guidelines and submission details, visit: https://forms.gle/cM2oFQTnSSqL51EC9.

Founder, Nigeria Digital PR Summit, Segun McMedal, said, “We are excited to launch this year’s call for nominations and to welcome such distinguished professionals to the Selection Panel. This panel reflects the breadth of expertise driving digital communication in Nigeria, and its stewardship will ensure a fair and transparent evaluation process.”

The seven categories in the Campaign Excellence Awards include Best Overall Digital PR Campaign, Best Brand Advocacy Campaign, Best Crisis Communication in Private Organisations, Best Crisis Communication in Government, Best Public Affairs Campaign, Youth Impact Award for Social Change, Outstanding Influencer Collaboration, and Best Use of Content Marketing.

Categories in the Sector Excellence Awards include Excellence in Public Service Digital Campaign, Digital PR Excellence in Telecom Services, Digital PR Excellence in Financial Services, and Sustainability and ESG Communication Excellence.

The Innovation and Technology Awards category include Innovative Use of Technology in PR, Best Digital Engagement with Citizens, Outstanding Digital Customer Experience, and Creative Use of Short-Form Video in PR. The Individual and Professional Excellence Awards include Emerging Digital PR Professional of the Year and Digital PR Professional of the Year.

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