By Abdullahi Alhassan, Kaduna

Traditional rulers, security chiefs, youth and civil society groups will gather in Kaduna next week for a major summit aimed at confronting the deepening insecurity across Northern Nigeria through unity and community action.

The Director General of the Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, announced this on Sunday during a pre-event press briefing in Kaduna, ahead of the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity.

Dr. Idris said the summit, scheduled for Wednesday, August 5, 2026 at Arewa House, Kaduna, will begin at 10:00 a.m. It will bring together policymakers, security experts, religious and traditional leaders, academics, women and youth groups, development partners, the private sector and the media.

“While governments and security agencies continue to make efforts in addressing these challenges, it has become increasingly evident that sustainable peace requires the active participation of every stakeholder,” Dr. Idris told reporters.

The summit is themed “Unity, Cooperation and Collective Action Against Insecurity in Northern Nigeria.”

According to the DG, Northern Nigeria continues to grapple with attacks that have displaced families, disrupted businesses and threatened the region’s long-standing culture of peaceful coexistence. He said ACI is convening the meeting not just to discuss the problems, but to inspire concrete action.

“Our objective is not merely to discuss the challenges before us but to inspire action. We seek to strengthen collaboration between communities and institutions, promote intelligence sharing and community participation, encourage peaceful coexistence, support youth engagement and foster partnerships,” he said.

Dr. Idris stressed that security cannot be left to security agencies alone. He called it a collective responsibility that involves parents, schools, religious bodies, traditional institutions and the media.

“Every citizen has a vital role to play in building a safer and more united Northern Nigeria,” he added.

The ACI boss also urged the media to help counter misinformation and hate speech through accurate and balanced reporting.

“As partners in nation-building, the media remains indispensable in shaping public opinion, promoting responsible dialogue and fostering social cohesion,” he said.

The Director General called on development partners, community leaders and all well-meaning Nigerians to support the initiative, describing dialogue as one of the most effective tools for rebuilding trust and resolving conflicts.

“Together, we can build a Northern Nigeria where peace prevails over conflict, dialogue triumphs over violence and unity becomes our greatest strength,” Dr. Idris said.

The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative says it expects resolutions from the summit that will feed directly into policy recommendations for both state and federal authorities.

By Sunday Apah

The Delta State High Court sitting in Ogwashi-Uku, has condemned two men to death by hanging for the heinous abduction and brutal murder of Miss Elozino Joshualia Ogege.

Ogege, a brilliant 300-level Mass Communication student from Delta State University (DELSU), Abraka, was on the cusp of academic glory before her promising life was tragically extinguished.

Justice Flora Ngozi Azinge, with unwavering resolve, delivered the damning judgment on Wednesday. Macaulay Desmond Oghenemaro and Enaike Onoriode were unequivocally found guilty on all counts, including conspiracy to commit kidnapping, the act of kidnapping itself, conspiracy to commit murder, and the ultimate crime of murder.

The nation reeled in shock and outrage in 2019 when Ogege, an indigene of Isoko, Delta State, vanished. Reports indicated she had gone to meet an individual promising accommodation assistance in Abraka, only to be allegedly ensnared by suspected ritualists, chillingly linked to the dark underworld of internet fraud, infamously known as “Yahoo Yahoo plus.”

The Delta State Government, through the formidable Office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, relentlessly pursued justice, prosecuting the accused on an eight-count charge encompassing conspiracy, kidnapping, armed robbery, and murder. A fourth defendant, Robinson Obajero Ojokojo, a native doctor, evaded earthly justice, having died before the trial’s conclusion.

The wheels of justice, though slow, grind inexorably. The case languished for years, plagued by persistent adjournments, primarily due to the repeated absence of counsel for the first defendant. Yet, perseverance prevailed; final written addresses were eventually adopted, culminating in this momentous judgment.

Reacting to the monumental verdict, Omamuzo Erebe (SAN), the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Justice, who spearheaded the prosecution, hailed the decision as a “landmark judgment.”

“Today, we bear witness to the culmination of a trial that commenced approximately nine years ago. The court meticulously found the first and third defendants guilty of the offenses of conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping,” Erebe declared.

“Furthermore, they were convicted of the offenses of conspiracy to commit murder and the cold-blooded murder of Miss Elozino Ogege. They have been sentenced to various terms of imprisonment, but for the offenses of conspiracy to commit murder and the murder itself, they face the ultimate penalty: death by hanging.”

He emphasized that the judgment offers a measure of solace and closure to the grieving family of the deceased, who have endured years of agonizing waiting.

“Today, on behalf of the Delta State Government and the Commissioner for Justice, our profound condolences extend to the family. They have waited nine long years for justice, and today, justice has been delivered to them and their entire family,” Erebe stated, acknowledging the profound emotional toll. “You could perceive the profound emotion of the deceased’s mother in court. It is a natural reaction. We remain hopeful that while this judgment cannot resurrect her, it will aid them in finding a path to closure.”

Erebe further asserted that this judgment serves as a stark and terrifying warning to young individuals contemplating the dark allure of internet fraud and ritualistic killings.

“Secondly, this judgment broadcasts an undeniable message. The ‘Yahoo Yahoo’ phenomenon, or whatever moniker it assumes, the ritual killings, or whatever dark practices are involved—ultimately, the law will inevitably exact its toll,” he cautioned.

“Therefore, to young men who harbour the delusion of instant wealth through ritual killings and these abhorrent methods, you will ultimately share the fate of the first and third defendants in this matter. The law will prevail. Regardless of the time it takes, the law will ultimately run its course. I implore you, desist from crime.”

Concurring with the sentiment, Isoko lawyer Duncan Afahokor proclaimed the judgment as “Justice at last,” emphasizing that it was a case where “justice is not only done but manifestly seen to be done.”

He affirmed that the verdict will bolster public confidence in the judicial system and transmit an unequivocal signal that perpetrators of violent crimes will, without fail, confront the full, unyielding might of the law.