The Nigerian Army has graduated 25 personnel from the Aviation Fuel Handling and Management (AFHM) Course 2/26, reinforcing its commitment to enhancing aviation logistics and operational efficiency through specialised training.

The graduation ceremony was held on Wednesday at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, following the successful completion of the three-month course, which commenced on April 16, 2026.

The training programme was designed to build the capacity of Nigerian Army Aviation (NA Avn) fuel handlers in aviation fuel handling and management. A total of five officers and 20 soldiers from the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport (NACST) successfully completed the course.

The Commander, 71 Supply and Transport Brigade, Brig.-Gen. B. Yusuf, represented the Commander, Corps of Supply and Transport (CCST), Maj.-Gen. N.D. Shagaya, at the graduation ceremony.

The Commandant of the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air Vice Marshal Adeniran Kolade Ademuwagun, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant, Air Vice Marshal O. Ubadike, congratulated the graduands on successfully completing the intensive training programme.

In his address, he commended the participants for their resilience, discipline and commitment throughout the course, urging them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and safety in the handling and management of aviation fuel.

He encouraged the graduates to apply the knowledge and skills acquired during the training to improve the operational effectiveness of Nigerian Army Aviation while remaining worthy ambassadors of the Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport.

The representative of the AFIT Commandant also highlighted that the successful conduct of the course underscores the enduring partnership between the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force in developing critical aviation logistics capabilities needed to support military operations.

The ceremony featured the presentation of certificates to the 25 graduates, while outstanding participants were recognised with awards for exceptional performance during the course.

The Nigerian Army said the specialised training aligns with its ongoing efforts to strengthen operational readiness by developing skilled personnel capable of supporting safe and efficient aviation fuel operations.

A northern-based peace advocacy group, the Northern Alliance for Peace and Security, has commended the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Nigerian Armed Forces for what it described as sustained successes in ongoing military operations against banditry, terrorism and kidnapping across parts of the country.

The group said the recent rescue of hundreds of abducted persons and the neutralisation of scores of armed criminals reflect the military’s renewed offensive against violent groups operating in different regions of Nigeria.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, the National President of the group, Mallam Danladi Abutu, said the recent gains demonstrated the commitment of the Armed Forces under the leadership of the CDS to improving security and restoring public confidence.

His remarks come amid intensified military operations against terrorists, bandits and other criminal groups, particularly in the North-East and North-West, where insecurity has continued to claim lives, displace communities and disrupt economic activities. Kidnapping for ransom has also spread to other parts of the country in recent years, prompting renewed calls for stronger security measures.

Among the recent operations cited by the group was the rescue of 14 of the 15 worshippers abducted during a night vigil at a church in Eda Oniyo, Ilejemeje Local Government Area of Ekiti State, on April 28, 2026. The victims regained their freedom on Saturday after spending more than 67 days in captivity and were subsequently taken to the State Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

The group also referenced the rescue of 416 residents of Ngoshe community in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, who had been abducted by suspected Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists before they were freed by troops of Operation Hadin Kai.

Similarly, it noted the rescue of 11 women who were kidnapped while fishing in Dille community in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, describing the operation as another indication of the military’s determination to protect vulnerable communities.

Abutu said the recent operations should reassure Nigerians that the security forces remain committed to defeating criminal elements across the country.

“These gains mirror the commitment of the CDS and his men to make Nigeria safe for all. What we have witnessed in the past few weeks is an indication of the battle readiness of our gallant troops to make life difficult for these terrorist elements.

“The security situation is of a huge concern to every well-meaning Nigerians. We must join hands with the Federal Government to ensure that the war against banditry is successfully prosecuted.

“What the Federal Government has done through the gallant troops is a message to the terrorists that they can never win this war. They will lose because every Nigerian deserves to live and work in peace everywhere he or she chooses to live in the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory,” he added.

Abutu also appealed to Nigerians to support ongoing security operations by volunteering credible intelligence to security agencies, arguing that community cooperation remains vital to defeating criminal networks.

He particularly condemned attacks on schools and the abduction of students, describing such acts as an assault on the country’s future.

“Why do you think they are attacking schools and abducting our children? Education is the bedrock of any society desirous of growth and progress. We must not allow the enemies of our beloved country to continue their evil enterprise. We may not be armed but volunteering information to security agencies is a sign of patriotism,” Abutu added.

Nigeria has continued to battle multiple security challenges, including insurgency in the North-East, banditry in the North-West and North-Central, as well as rising incidents of kidnapping in several parts of the country. In response, the Armed Forces have sustained coordinated land and air operations targeting terrorist enclaves, while also conducting rescue missions for kidnapped victims and clearing operations aimed at restoring normalcy in affected communities. Recent military offensives have led to the rescue of abductees, the recovery of weapons and the dismantling of several criminal hideouts, although security experts maintain that sustained intelligence gathering and stronger community collaboration remain critical to consolidating the gains.

Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has given Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew 72 hours to retract what he describes as false and malicious allegations made during a widely circulated press conference on June 25, 2026.

In a formal cease and desist letter dated July 6, 2026, Gbajabiamila’s solicitors at Pinheiro LP accused Adeyemi of launching “reckless, baseless and malicious” attacks aimed at tarnishing the Chief of Staff’s reputation.

The letter, signed by ‘Kemi Pinheiro OFR, SAN, emphasised that Gbajabiamila “has never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever” with Adeyemi.

The legal team detailed several serious claims made by Adeyemi in his press statement, including allegations that Gbajabiamila demanded 48 percent of the take-off grant for the disputed Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council, received ₦400 million by proxy, abused his office to intimidate others, participated in fraudulent budgetary processes, and engaged in conduct suggestive of corruption, criminality, and even murder.

“These allegations are not only false but are gravely defamatory,” the letter stated. “They plainly convey to ordinary, reasonable members of society that our client is corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable, morally bankrupt, unfit for public office, violent, dangerous and undeserving of public trust.”

The solicitors argued that the publication, which spread rapidly across traditional and social media, had caused significant reputational damage to Gbajabiamila, a seasoned public servant and former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“Your defamatory statements… have enjoyed wide readership, no doubt carries with it the imputation of extreme dishonesty, corruption and fraud,” the letter added.

Gbajabiamila’s team demanded that within 72 hours, Adeyemi must cease making or publishing any further defamatory statements, remove all related materials including videos and transcripts from every platform, and issue a full, unequivocal retraction and apology published with equal prominence in at least five national newspapers and on the same platforms where the original claims appeared.

They also required a written undertaking to refrain from future defamatory publications.

The letter warned that failure to comply would prompt immediate legal action, including a criminal complaint for defamation and a civil suit seeking ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages — to be paid to charities chosen by Gbajabiamila — along with a perpetual injunction and a court order compelling a public apology and retraction.

The demand comes as the controversy surrounding Adeyemi and the alleged ghost agency continues to unfold, with the Presidency maintaining that the entity does not exist and that Adeyemi faces criminal charges bordering on forgery and impersonation at the Federal High Court in Abuja.