Today’s Headlines:Police Begin Nationwide Crackdown on Bandits;Reps Summon Telcos Over Poor Services

The Nigeria Police Force has launched nationwide clearance operations targeting bandits, kidnappers and other violent criminals following the training and retraining of Police Mobile Force personnel. The exercise began at Alagye Village in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, where officers searched a suspected kidnappers’ hideout but found it deserted.

The police said the intelligence-led operations would extend to state commands nationwide based on security needs and intelligence reports. Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu directed officers to maintain pressure on criminal networks while respecting human rights and the rule of law. The force also urged residents to provide credible information to help identify suspects, dismantle criminal networks and improve public safety.

The House of Representatives has given MTN Nigeria, Airtel, Globacom, Mafab Communications and other telecommunications operators seven days to explain persistent poor network services across the country. The lawmakers directed the companies to appear before an ad hoc committee on October 28, 2026, warning that chief executives who fail to honour the invitation could face arrest summons.

The committee, chaired by Olumide Osoba, also ordered the Nigerian Communications Commission to ensure compliance and directed the operators to submit relevant documents ahead of the hearing. The investigation follows complaints about dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable connections and poor network coverage, which have disrupted businesses, banking transactions and other essential services.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo directed the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to place 46 people who had contact with an Ebola-infected person on a 21-day no-fly list to prevent the possible spread of the virus. The group comprised 44 hospital contacts and two domestic staff of the affected person, while efforts continued to isolate them and establish whether they had been infected.

Keyamo also instructed the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to strengthen surveillance and preventive measures at international airports. These include health screenings, temperature checks, travel history tracking and digital health declarations, alongside coordination with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has assured President Bola Tinubu of Kano residents’ support in the 2027 general election, saying they would vote for him to sustain his development projects. Yusuf gave the assurance on Wednesday while representing Tinubu at the commissioning of a section of the Abuja–Kaduna–Zaria–Kano Highway in Tamburawa, Kano State. He praised the Federal Government’s infrastructure projects, noting that several achievements had not received adequate publicity.

Minister of Works David Umahi also defended Tinubu’s economic reforms, claiming they were beginning to produce positive results. He said the administration had completed nearly 400 kilometres of roads in the North-West within three years, while about 4,000 kilometres of road projects were ongoing. Umahi added that the government was continuing inherited projects, including major roads across Kano and neighbouring states.

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