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Insecurity: Amnesty International Demands Rescue of Abducted Kwara Residents
Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to urgently rescue residents abducted during the attack on Yashikira community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, where gunmen reportedly burned part of the Emir’s palace and abducted several people, including members of the royal household.
In a statement on Monday, the rights organisation condemned the attack, which occurred on 25 May 2026, warning that the incident reflects worsening insecurity in parts of northern Nigeria.
“Nigerian authorities must immediately ensure the safe rescue of all abducted persons, strengthen security in vulnerable communities, and carry out prompt, impartial and effective investigations to bring those responsible to justice,” Amnesty International said.
The group said the attack highlights the growing vulnerability of rural communities to repeated armed assaults and abductions.
“The repeated violence in Kwara State and other parts of Northern Nigeria continues to leave rural communities exposed to abductions, killings, and destruction of property,” it said.
Amnesty further warned that the latest incident is part of a disturbing pattern of attacks in the state.
“The attack is coming barely 24 hours after the deadly attack on worshippers during a night vigil at Ori-Oke Ajaiye in the Ikerin/Ajuba axis of Ekiti LGA of Kwara State, where several people were killed, and others abducted,” the organisation said.
It added that the situation demands urgent and sustained government intervention to prevent further deterioration.
“The Nigerian authorities must take urgent and concrete measures to protect lives and prevent further attacks on vulnerable communities,” it said.
The Kwara State Police Command had earlier confirmed that suspected bandits launched a coordinated midnight attack on the Yashikira community, burning part of the Emir’s palace and abducting 10 people, including members of the traditional ruler’s household.
According to the police, the attackers struck at about 2:00 a.m. in a simultaneous assault on the Emir’s palace and the Yashikira Police Divisional Headquarters, describing it as a “coordinated and desperate operation.”
The command said operatives successfully repelled the attack on the police station and have since launched a full-scale tactical operation involving the military, police, vigilantes, and other security agencies to rescue the victims.
As operations continue, the incident has intensified concerns over recurring attacks on rural communities in Kwara State, with rights groups warning of deepening insecurity and calling for stronger preventive measures.
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Breaking: Nigerian Workers Demand N300,000 Minimum Wage, FG Faces Fresh Salary Pressure
The Federal Workers Forum, FWF, has demanded an immediate increase in the federal minimum wage from N70,000 to N300,000, noting that the current salary structure can no longer sustain civil servants amid Nigeria’s rising cost of living.
The Forum made the demand in a letter dated September 2, 2026, addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly, with the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Justice of Nigeria and Head of the Civil Service of the Federation listed among the recipients.
The workers also proposed a new salary structure that would place the highest-paid Level 17 officer on a monthly salary of N1.5 million, while Level 1 Step 1 workers would earn N300,000.
“We call for justice and immediate wage review now, adjust the federal minimum wage to N300,000 and a maximum wage of N1.5m for the Level 17 officers,” the Forum said.
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The FWF argued that the Federal Government had not fully implemented the 2024 minimum wage agreement, claiming that federal workers had yet to receive the full consequential adjustment and associated allowances.
“It will surprise you to hear that the Federal Government has not fully implemented the new national minimum wage since July 2024. We have been in the battle for full consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage,” it said.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in August 2026, demanded an upward review of the minimum wage to N500,000.
In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu’s government increased the minimum wage to N70,000 per month from N30,000.
However, the cost of living for many Nigerians has tripled between 2024 and 2026.
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The Federal Government has said Nigeria will never support a military coup or any unconstitutional change of government, following claims that the country backed a failed coup attempt in the Niger Republic.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, made this known in a statement issued on Thursday.
According to the statement, the claims circulating on social media are baseless and misleading.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria remained committed to democracy, constitutional rule and political stability in West Africa and would not support any attempt to remove a government through unconstitutional means.
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“Nigeria will never support illegality or unconstitutional change of government anywhere, no matter who is involved or which country is concerned,” he said.
The minister also rejected claims that Nigeria, through its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supported or endorsed the military takeover in Niger.
He said the Federal Government had already stated its position on the situation in Niger in an earlier statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on August 30, 2026.
According to him, Nigeria remains deeply concerned about developments in Niger and wants the country to return peacefully to stability and constitutional order.
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria’s close historical, cultural and fraternal ties with Niger made peace and stability in the neighbouring country particularly important.
“Nigerians at home and abroad should disregard the videos and narratives circulating online, they are intended to create confusion and tarnish Nigeria’s image,” the statement said.
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