By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shuaibu, on Monday, disclosed that the Nigerian Army has established new brigades, battalions and operational units across six states as part of efforts to strengthen security operations and improve rapid response to emerging threats nationwide.

Shuaibu said the new formations were created to enhance the Army’s operational posture, expand military presence in volatile areas and improve responses to security challenges across the country.

The COAS made this known during the opening ceremony of the Chief of Army Staff First Bi-Annual Conference 2026 held in Abuja.

According to him, the Army has continued to sustain an enhanced operational posture through troop deployments, restructuring of formations and the establishment of additional Joint Task Force units in strategic locations.

He said, “The Nigerian Army has maintained an enhanced operational posture through continuous troop deployments, reconfiguration of formations and the establishment of additional Joint Task Force formations and units in critical locations.

“For instance, the 15 Brigade and its affiliated units in Anambra and Imo states, the 12 Battalion in Anyigba, the 226 Battalion in Ganye, Adamawa State, the 247 Reconnaissance Battalion in Mubi, Army Headquarters Logistics Base 4 in Gusau, Army Logistics Base 5 in Ilorin, and Operation Savannah Shield in the North Central have all been established to enhance operational presence and improve responses to emerging security challenges.”

He noted that the measures were aimed at improving operational effectiveness and strengthening the Army’s capacity to respond swiftly to security threats across different regions of the country.

The Army Chief further disclosed that the establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army in Amasiri, Edda, is aimed at supporting the implementation of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive for the recruitment of an additional 28,000 personnel to strengthen manpower levels.

“Additionally, the establishment of the Depot Nigerian Army Amasiri, Edda (Ebonyi), is geared towards achieving the mandate of the Commander-in-Chief’s directive of recruiting an additional 28,000 troops under the expansion programme.

“These measures have strengthened our operational reach, improved response time and facilitated effective intelligence-led operations. Consequently, we have continued to disrupt criminal networks, degrade adversary capabilities and restore relative calm in several previously volatile areas,” he said.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Zonal Directorate, on Monday, May 18, 2026 officially handed over recovered monetary exhibits totaling ₦837,485,389.00 to the Katsina State Government.

The handover followed separate investigations into two major cases involving stolen public funds belonging to the state.

In the first case, the Commission recovered ₦547,015,389.00 ( Five Hundred and Forty Seven Million, Fifteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Eighty Nine Naira) following a petition from the Katsina State Government regarding the criminal diversion of nearly ₦1.3 billion in statutory tax remittances.

The funds, which originated from international organizations including the World Health Organization (WHO), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and ALIMA, were systematically diverted into a private bank account by six Board of Internal Revenue Service (BOIRS) personnel and three bank employees. Following the investigation, 12 suspects were charged to court. Six of the suspects have already been convicted after pleading guilty, while the remaining six are currently standing trial at the Katsina State High Court.

In the second case, the Commission recovered ₦290,470,000.00 ( Two Hundred and Ninety Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand Naira) traced to a systemic fraud uncovered by a 2021 intelligence report. The investigation revealed that former Sub-Treasurer, Sani Lawal BK and former Deputy Sub-Treasurer Saadu Maiwada in the office of the Accountant General of Katsina State colluded and diverted the sum to their personal companies through unauthorized, substantial cash withdrawals from the Katsina State Sub-Treasury Expenditure Account. Investigation also revealed that no services were rendered, nor any contracts awarded to warrant the withdrawals.

The suspects had since been charged to court and arraigned on July 11, 2023 on offences bordering on money laundering and misappropriation of funds in both Federal and State High Courts. Trials have commenced and witnesses are testifying before the courts.

The handover ceremony took place at the Kano Zonal Directorate, where the Zonal Director, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE1Friday S. Ebelo, presented the recovered funds to Dr. Kabir Abdullahi Yantumaki, Executive Director of Standard and Compliance, Katsina State Internal Revenue Service.

Speaking during the ceremony, Ebelo reiterated the Commission’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that public funds are protected and that individuals entrusted with their management are held accountable. He noted that the recovery was a result of painstaking investigative work by the hardworking officers of the Commission. He also urged the Katsina State Government to utilize the recovered funds judiciously for the benefit of Katsina State citizens.

“This money belongs to the people of Katsina State, and I will urge that same be used for the betterment of the people of Katsina State,” he said. He urged public officials to adhere to due process and warned that the EFCC would continue to track all forms of financial malfeasance.

Receiving the drafts, Yantumaki expressed gratitude to the EFCC for its diligence and professionalism. He assured that the recovered funds would be properly channeled into the state’s consolidated revenue account for the benefit of citizens.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Monday.

The bail was raised up to the sum of N100 million with one surety of like amount.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik stated that the surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy for a landed property at the court registry.

The court further directed that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months.

The documents are to be authenticated by a letter from the surety’s bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.

Also, the judge directed the former Kaduna state governor to report to the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of his case.

Details later…