A Disturbing Trend
Kidnapping for ransom has evolved into a profitable criminal enterprise in Nigeria. However, its rapid expansion into the Southeast is particularly worrying. According to reports from local and international security observers, the Eastern states now record dozens of kidnapping cases monthly, with many incidents going unreported due to fear of reprisals or lack of faith in law enforcement.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has condemned calls for Kano State Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo to resign, calling the move “provocative, ungrateful, and unacceptable.” The group said Gwarzo’s mandate is constitutionally protected and accused the state government of sidelining loyal supporters of Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso, whose movement helped bring the current administration to power. Kwankwasiyya warned it would resist any attempts to undermine its members in government.
Nasarawa Governor Abdullahi Sule says APC governors are not worried about the ongoing impeachment of Rivers Governor Siminalayi Fubara, calling it a matter for the courts. The latest attempt, the third in under three years, has stalled due to legal hurdles, while the Rivers crisis remains a party matter for the APC National Working Committee.
Kano State has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC) following the defection of Governor Abba Yusuf from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), ending months of political speculation. Yusuf joined the ruling party alongside 22 members of the state assembly and nine federal lawmakers, citing the need for development and political partnership. While the APC has welcomed the move as historic, the NNPP has condemned it as a betrayal, marking a major realignment in Kano’s political landscape.