By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

No fewer than 14 journalists from various media organisations were injured in a road accident while covering an inspection tour of projects by the North East Development Commission (NEDC) in Bauchi State.

The journalists were part of an NEDC delegation on a tour to inspect and hand over completed projects to the Bauchi State Government.

The accident occurred on Friday along the Yashi–Yelwan Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state.

Some of the journalists sustained serious injuries and were initially rushed to Yelwan Duguri General Hospital for emergency treatment. They were later transferred to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, for further medical care.

Among those who sustained severe injuries were journalists from Channels Television, Africa Independent Television (AIT), the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), and ARISE News.

Following the incident, government officials—including the Commissioner for Information, the Adviser on Media and Publicity, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, and the Director of Media, Government House, visited the injured journalists at the hospital to assess their condition.

Ambulances were mobilised to convey the most critically injured to the teaching hospital, while those with minor injuries were transported in government vehicles accompanying the delegation.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, has declared that security agencies will identify and decisively deal with anyone planning electoral violence or vote-buying in the upcoming polls.

The warning was delivered on Friday at an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting convened by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja. The session focused on securing the February 21 Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections and by-elections in Rivers and Kano States.

Represented by the Director of Internal Security in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Hassan Abdullahi, Ribadu stated that security forces are mobilising comprehensively to safeguard the electoral process.

“Political thugs and politicians with violent dispositions will be identified and restrained before, during, and after the election, while vote buyers will be traced and apprehended,” he asserted.

He called on political parties, candidates, and their supporters to act with responsibility and uphold democratic norms, warning that “any non-compliance will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law.” He also urged the media, civil society, and community leaders to foster a shared commitment to protecting Nigeria’s democracy.

Ribadu commended INEC and security agencies for the peaceful conduct of the recent Anambra governorship election, noting it set a positive benchmark. He linked this success to President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to credible and violence-free polls—a standard expected in the forthcoming elections, including the off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States later this year.

In his remarks, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Abayomi Shogunle, assured the public of massive security deployments to guarantee peaceful polls. He pledged continuous protection for INEC personnel and facilities nationwide.

Concluding the meeting, INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan called on security agencies to enhance their planning, intelligence gathering, and inter-agency coordination to ensure the success of the imminent elections.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to conduct a mock accreditation and results upload exercise ahead of the February 21, 2026, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections.

In a statement signed by INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, the electoral umpire said the mock exercise will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, in 289 selected polling units between 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

According to the commission, the exercise is aimed at ensuring a hitch-free Area Council election by testing accreditation procedures and the results upload process.

INEC encouraged voters in the affected polling units to turn out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate in the mock exercise, noting that their participation would help fine-tune preparations for the main election.

The commission said that the list of designated polling units for the mock exercise is available on its official website.

INEC also assured residents of the FCT of its readiness to conduct a credible and successful Area Council election on Saturday, February 21, 2026.