By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Woro and Nuku communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State are reeling from a brutal terrorist attack that occurred on Wednesday, leaving at least 75 people dead, several injured, and an unknown number abducted, including the family of a traditional ruler.

Eyewitness accounts described the  coordinated assault by gunmen on motorcycles, who surrounded Woro village shortly after 5:00 p.m. and opened fire indiscriminately to prevent escape.

Mr. Ali Umar, brother to the village head of Woro, provided a harrowing account. “They shot sporadically from all angles. Those who tried to run were gunned down. Others who surrendered were herded to the palace, tied up, and executed,” he stated.

Among the missing are the wife of the traditional ruler, Hauwa Umar, his mother, and three of his children. The attack has triggered a mass exodus, leaving the community nearly deserted. “The people were scared… What we need now is increased security presence to restore confidence,” Umar pleaded, adding that prior intelligence about a potential attack had been communicated to authorities.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who visited the area on Wednesday night with service chiefs, confirmed the death toll. He stated the victims were local Muslims killed for refusing to subscribe to an extremist doctrine. The governor condemned the attack as a “cowardly expression of frustration” by terrorist cells facing pressure from ongoing counterterrorism operations.

In response, Governor AbdulRazaq announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the immediate deployment of an Army battalion to the area. The new security initiative, codenamed ‘Operation Savannah Shield,’ aims to prosecute counter-offensives and secure the border region. The injured have been evacuated to the General Hospital in Kaiama, with severe cases referred to the Teaching Hospital.

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, also condemned the killings. In a statement, he called for an immediate escalation of military operations along the Niger State border to flush out criminal elements. He urged communities to remain vigilant and cooperate with security agencies, warning that increased military pressure might cause destabilizing elements to seek new areas of operation.

The government and legislature have reaffirmed their commitment to supporting all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of residents in the state.

The Kano State Chairman of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union (RATTAWU), Comrade Babangida Mahmuda Biyamusu, has commended the Kano State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Comrade Ibrahim Abdullahi Waiya, for his continued support toward the growth and development of the union.
Biyamusu made the commendation during a press briefing held on Tuesday in Kano.

He disclosed that the commissioner had facilitated the payment of the RATTAWU Kano State Secretariat rent for the 2026 calendar year, a gesture he described as timely and impactful.
According to him, the support will enable the association and its members to carry out their activities smoothly without operational disruptions.

While expressing appreciation, the RATTAWU chairman pledged the union’s commitment to working with the commissioner toward the provision of a permanent secretariat for the Kano State branch.

He also appealed to the commissioner to assist in facilitating capacity-building and training programmes for RATTAWU members, noting that such initiatives would enhance their efficiency and align their operations with global best practices.

Biyamusu further referenced similar training programmes previously extended to members of the Online Media Chapel, expressing hope that RATTAWU members in Kano would benefit from comparable opportunities.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday launched a 25-year development blueprint, Vision 2050, aimed at boosting economic growth in Nigeria’s South-East region.

Speaking at the South-East Vision 2050 Regional Stakeholders’ Forum in Enugu, Shettima said the initiative marked a shift from short-term governance cycles toward long-term, structured regional planning.

This was contained in a statement posted on X and signed by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha.

He also announced the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited, approved by President Bola Tinubu, to mobilise resources from the diaspora, capital markets, and development finance institutions for the region’s infrastructure and industrial development.

“This forum reflects foresight, responsibility, and a shared understanding that the future is not something we wait for, but something we must deliberately design.

“In recognition of the distinctive character of the South-East, its entrepreneurial spirit, its global diaspora, and its long-standing relationship with international capital, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the establishment of the South East Investment Company Limited,” Shettima said.

He added that the company would work alongside the South-East Development Commission to address infrastructure gaps and drive regional competitiveness.

Shettima stressed that the SEDC was conceived as a delivery-focused institution rather than a bureaucratic body, with the aim of creating jobs, boosting productivity, and generating tangible economic outcomes.

“Let me be clear. This is not another layer of bureaucracy. It is a delivery institution, focused on tangible outcomes that translate into jobs, productivity, and growth,” he stated.

Governors from the region, including Peter Mbah (Enugu), Alex Otti (Abia), Charles Soludo (Anambra), and Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi), pledged their support for Vision 2050 and highlighted their respective states’ ongoing development initiatives.

The forum also drew representatives of the diaspora, civil society, private sector and development partners.

Shettima particularly acknowledged Umu Igbo Unite, a US-based network of over 10,000 young professionals, emphasising that regional development would require collaboration at home and abroad.

Officials of the United Nations Development Programme, federal ministries and corporate bodies were present to share insights on long-term regional planning, industrialisation, and infrastructure development.

Shettima concluded that sustainable regional growth required deliberate action, strong institutional coordination, and active engagement from all stakeholders.

The Vice President toured an exhibition gallery organised by the National Council for Arts and Culture, highlighting South-East cultural and economic potentials.