The Nigerian Army has apprehended a security operative in Kwara State for allegedly writing an anonymous kidnap threat letter targeting the Venra community in the Kaiama Local Government Area. The suspect, identified as Zakari Usman, also known as 'Minister,' was traced and arrested after an anonymous letter circulated about two weeks ago, warning that terrorists planned to kidnap five individuals from Venra, a settlement located a few kilometers from Kaiama.
Investigations revealed that Usman, a native of Venra village and a member of the newly inaugurated Nigeria Forest Security Services (NFSS), personally wrote and pasted the letter to create panic. A source told The Guardian Newspaper that his motive was to extort money or fraudulently secure a paid security contract from the community to protect against the non-existent threat.
When contacted, the Acting Information Officer of Savannah Shield, Captain J. Yaya, neither confirmed nor denied the report, stating, 'You can go and publish your story if you like, but there is a need for us to have an engagement so that we can have a better understanding of reporting security matters like this.'
Army Enhances Operational Efficiency with Standards Evaluation
In a related development, the military has intensified efforts to enhance operational efficiency and institutional performance by adopting a standardized evaluation framework. The Army Headquarters Department of Standards and Evaluation convened a sensitization seminar at the Nigerian Army Conference Centre and Suites in Asokoro, Abuja. Speaking at the event, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, represented by the Military Secretary of the Army, Major General Everest Okoro, described the initiative as a critical step in strengthening institutional development. He noted that the forum marks the department's first major engagement since its establishment and underscores the Nigerian Army's commitment to professional excellence.
Shaibu explained that the Department of Standards and Evaluation serves as the Army's quality assurance arm, tasked with enforcing compliance with established benchmarks, conducting periodic combat-readiness assessments, and evaluating operational activities. These measures are designed to identify performance strengths, address systemic gaps, and drive continuous improvement through refined evaluation mechanisms.
In his welcome address, the Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (CASE), Major General Bobby Ugiagbe, stated that the seminar aims to promote the systematic application of standards to strengthen discipline, professionalism, and operational effectiveness. He added that it would also facilitate the institutionalization of standardized evaluation practices across the Nigerian Army for enhanced performance outcomes. The seminar highlights the Nigerian Army's deliberate push to entrench a culture of accountability, precision, and continuous improvement by strengthening compliance systems and refining performance metrics in line with global best practices.
Army and Southern Kaduna Leaders Hold Summit to Avert Farmers-Herders Clashes
Additionally, the Army and Southern Kaduna leaders, including traditional and religious leaders and youth representatives from five local councils, organized a one-day summit as part of efforts to avert farmers-herders clashes and guarantee peaceful coexistence among diverse ethnic groups in the zone as the 2026 farming season begins. The summit was organized by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General Folusho Oyinlola. It brought together stakeholders from Jama'a, Kaura, Kauru, Zango Kataf, and Kwoi local councils. The event was designed to boost agricultural productivity and demonstrate that the military's mandate extends beyond combat to the economic well-being of law-abiding citizens.
The renewed commitment bridges the gap between security oversight and economic empowerment, establishing a firm foundation for stability across the region's fertile landscapes. Speaking during the engagement, the GOC submitted that a thriving society depends entirely on mutual tolerance, warning that insecurity is the primary driver of poor harvest seasons. Represented by the Chief of Staff to the Operation, Brigadier General Mohammed Sule, Oyinlola acknowledged that the current relative calm in Southern Kaduna is the direct result of deliberate conflict mitigation and community cooperation. The Commander Sector 7 of Operation Enduring Peace, Colonel Dele Fapohunda, reiterated that hostility is an ineffective approach to dispute resolution. The Chairman of Jama'a Local Government Area, Peter Dogara, called for mutual understanding between farmers and herders and committed to holding periodic engagements with local chiefs.
