In a decisive move aimed at alleviating the economic burdens of retired public servants, Zamfara State Governor, Dr Dauda Lawal, has officially approved increased monthly pension payments for all former workers from both state and local government offices. The approval follows an extensive financial review of retirees’ living conditions, with particular attention to those in lower-income brackets who have been disproportionately affected by the prevailing cost-of-living crisis.The decision was precipitated by the findings and recommendations of a special committee empaneled to evaluate the welfare situation of pensioners across the state. The committee’s report highlighted acute financial distress among aging retirees and called for immediate remedial action. In response, the state government has authorized a substantive upward adjustment in monthly pension stipends.This increment aligns seamlessly with the Federal Government’s Minimum Wage Act of 2024, which explicitly recommended an additional monthly sum of at least N32,000 for pensioners. Governor Lawal has opted for full implementation of this advisory for all retired state and local government employees a policy intervention expected to benefit thousands of households across Zamfara. The state government has subsequently issued binding directives to all relevant agencies to ensure the expeditious and seamless disbursement of the enhanced payments without procedural delays.Speaking on the development, the Honorable Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mahmud Muhammad Dantawasa, characterized the policy as a tangible demonstration of Governor Lawal’s unwavering commitment to improving the quality of life for both active and former government workers. According to the Commissioner, the administration operates on the principle that dignified retirement includes access to basic necessities and financial comfort. Beneficiaries across all local government areas have been assured of prompt payment once implementation commences.

Executive Producer of the Pan-African podcast Panel 54, Martin Minns, has thrown his weight behind US President Donald Trump’s short-term targeted campaigns and closer cooperation with local authorities in the fight against terrorism.In a statement endorsing the US Security Strategy for Africa, Minns described the approach as a sharp departure from past policies centred on long-term troop deployments and expansive nation-building efforts. He praised the new strategy for rejecting open-ended interventions and governance reconstruction in favour of a more focused counterterrorism model.Minns said the strategy adopts a surgical approach to counterterrorism worldwide, emphasising targeted campaigns with clear timelines and specific objectives. Under this model, US troop deployments will be tied to definite targets aimed at eliminating threats, followed by swift withdrawal.He explained: “In President Trump’s words, the policy marks ‘a return to commonsense and peace through strength’, while rebuilding bilateral counterterrorism relations with African governments.”Citing the strategy’s two clear goals, Minns noted: “One goal is to ensure no jihadist groups can establish bases of operation enabling them to plot and execute attacks against the United States or any US interests globally.” The second goal, he said, is “to protect Christians from attack by jihadist groups.” He added that the strategy also broadens the definition of “terror merchants” to include drug cartels and left-wing “anarchists.”The statement further highlighted that the US has directed its anti-terror operations in Africa primarily through US Africa Command (AFRICOM), based in Stuttgart, Germany. From there, it has supported the African Union forces in Somalia (AUSSOM) in collaboration with military forces from Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Djibouti through aerial raids backing ground operations against al-Shabaab.US officials have also intensified collaboration with Sahelian countries Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, which remain at the epicentre of extremist violence on the continent. Meanwhile, a recent surge of violence involving Russian mercenaries has prompted a renewal of ties with Washington. Warming relations have similarly been noted with Eritrea, given its strategic position in the Horn of Africa.The strategy states: “We will continue to work together with governments threatened by groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates who threaten us as well, and assist them with actionable intelligence and CT partner-force development until our shared foes no longer pose a serious threat to either them or us.”Outside Africa, the US policy accuses China, Russia, and Iran of sponsoring terrorism by aiding and abetting extremist groups in acquiring arms.In Nigeria, security challenges have escalated sharply. In November 2025, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency following a wave of mass kidnappings that saw hundreds of schoolchildren abducted in a single week. In February this year, he deployed an army battalion to the Kaiama district in Kwara State after suspected jihadist fighters killed 170 people in an attack on Woro village on the border with Niger.On March 17, triple suicide bombers believed to be Boko Haram militants killed 23 people and wounded more than 100 in a busy market in Maiduguri. Boko Haram and its rival, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), have intensified attacks in northeastern Nigeria. Their insurgency has killed over 40,000 people and displaced around two million.In February, The Economist reported that the United States had dispatched a counterterrorism team to Nigeria. Last week, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, concluded a three-day working visit to Washington, where he held meetings with senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.The official communiqué described the meetings as an opportunity to review Nigeria-US relations and strengthen collaboration in counterterrorism, defence, intelligence sharing, regional security, economic resilience, and democratic governance. Ribadu later emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation with the US and international partners to address security threats across West Africa and the Sahel.

The visit by Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu to the United States where he held talks with Vice President JD Vance, and Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has been described as a positive development for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism. A security analyst and columnist, Jas Keita, in a statement says that the meeting underscores the importance of the Nigerian/U. S security relationship. According to her, the meeting comes at an important time for Nigeria as it seeks to defeat terrorist groups that are seeking to undermine the government, destroying lives and livelihoods across the country. The statement reads in part: “Security cooperation between the United States and Nigeria were central to these discussions. This comes against the backdrop of escalating terrorist activity in Nigeria. Two weeks ago, ISIS militants killed at least 29 people in an attack in Guyaku, a village in Adamawa state, while Boko Haram killed 11 people during a raid on a village in Borno State. This escalation of violence and destruction poses a serious threat to the social and economic stability of Nigeria. Nigeria must do all it can to destroy the ability and operational capacity of groups such as ISIS or Boko Haram to wage war against its people.”Despite widespread commentary, driven often by foreign actors, the United States has remained a steadfast ally to Nigeria in its determination to destroy those groups who seek to destroy Nigeria. While some commentators seek to criticise the government for such visits, it’s clear that ordinary people whose lives and livelihoods are being destroyed by these groups, want to see immediate, urgent and effective action against these groups. Working with the United States to empower Nigerian Security forces is the quickest and most effective way to this result. “Of course, people will remember the 2025 Christmas day strikes where the U.S working with Nigerian security forces undertook a series of attacks against these terrorist groups. But that cooperation continued in the months following the attack. In February, a team of U.S. Special Forces personnel were deployed on the ground. Their mission was to provide direct technical and information support to Nigerian security forces. As well as training support, they have provided invaluable technical and strategic insight developed over decades of providing similar support across the globe.”This type of support cannot be underestimated. To see a contrast, one simply needs to look at events in Mali and the failure of Russia’s assistance to the government there. Empowering our security forces, ensuring they have the skills and insights is a critical element to ensuring we defeat terrorist groups.”One of the strands of commentary after the Christmas day strikes was if we even needed American support. Put simply, yes, we are facing a substantial threat from these terrorist groups. They are well armed, well organised and well financed. They are committed to destroying the legitimately elected government and imposing their own vision on our country. They have shown time and time again they have no interest in the welfare of our people, rather they will kill anyone who disagrees with them or simply is in the wrong place at the wrong time.”Nigeria is facing an existential threat from these terrorist groups. They do not care about our way of life or the welfare of our people. Nigeria cannot become prosperous unless it rids itself of these terrorist organisations. The ongoing security crisis creates an environment of instability and fear that means our people cannot expect to thrive. Nigeria has a prosperous economic future ahead and can create a brighter future for all its people, but this cannot happen without a stable and secure foundation. Defeating these groups not only protects the lives of our families but allows Nigeria to build a brighter economic future for all. “That is why these talks in Washington are so vital. Our country has a strong and committed ally in the United States. Despite what other foreign actors say, they have shown time and time again their willingness to expend resources to support our fight against terrorism.  Strengthening and deepening this relationship must be a key strategic priority for our government and we must ensure it endures. Doing so, will ensure our own people have the skills, insights and resources to defeat these groups. Doing so, will provide the stability that will underpin our future economic and social growth.”