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Insecurity: Alia calls for community-centred approach at North Central security summit

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Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has called for a community-centred approach to tackling insecurity in the North Central region, warning that lasting solutions must go beyond military deployments.

Alia made the call on Monday while hosting participants at the North Central Regional Security Summit at the New Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi.

The summit brought together governors, security chiefs, community leaders and other stakeholders from across the North Central geopolitical zone to discuss measures to address insecurity in the region.

The governor said traditional rulers, border communities and grassroots intelligence networks must be incorporated into security strategies to effectively confront emerging threats.

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“The moment we set aside our differences to confront the enemy of insecurity, half the battle is already won,” Alia said.

He stressed that collaboration should go beyond rhetoric and translate into practical measures involving people at the grassroots, whom he described as custodians of the land with access to early warning information on security threats.

The summit, organised by the Ministry of Defence in partnership with the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement, is aimed at developing localised responses to banditry, farmer-herder clashes, kidnapping, violent extremism and organised crime across the region.

Alia said he pushed for Benue to host the summit because of the security challenges that have affected the Benue-Plateau axis over the years.

According to him, addressing insecurity also requires tackling underlying socio-economic factors, including poverty and idleness, while strengthening intelligence-sharing and community engagement.

The governor further described the security of the North Central as critical to Nigeria’s food security and economic stability, citing the region’s contribution to agriculture and mineral resources.

“When the North Central is insecure, it is not only our problem; the whole country feels it on its dining table,” he said.

Alia urged participants to ensure that the summit produces practical and sustainable outcomes rather than ending with speeches and resolutions that are not implemented.

He called for operational recommendations and institutional mechanisms capable of surviving successive administrations.

The governor also commended President Bola Tinubu for his efforts towards addressing insecurity in the country and urged participants to work towards achieving the objectives of the summit.

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Osimhen Scores Again But Injury Scare Raises Fresh Concern For Super Eagles

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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen produced a mixed night for Galatasaray on Friday, scoring against İstanbul Başakşehir before being forced off with an injury that could raise concerns over his availability for Nigeria’s upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Osimhen opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a stunning effort to put Galatasaray ahead.

Read Also: “My Injury Changed Everything” — Aiyegbeni Reveals How Achilles Blow Ruined Chelsea Move

However, his night was cut short after he appeared to suffer a problem following a challenge with Christopher Operi in the 23rd minute. The Nigerian striker continued briefly but later felt the problem again after making a run behind the defence and signalled that he could not continue.

Osimhen was eventually substituted in the 33rd minute, with Barış Alper Yılmaz coming on as his replacement.

Initial reports describe the problem as a suspected muscle/groin injury, but there is currently no confirmed diagnosis or recovery timeline. Osimhen himself reportedly admitted after the incident that he did not yet know whether the injury was serious.

The timing could be significant for Nigeria.

The Super Eagles are scheduled to begin their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign against Madagascar on September 23, before travelling to face Guinea-Bissau on September 27.

That leaves Nigeria with just under three weeks before the Madagascar encounter, meaning Osimhen could still have time to recover if the injury proves minor. However, a significant muscle strain or tear could put his participation in doubt.

For now, Osimhen has not been ruled out of the Super Eagles’ upcoming matches, and his availability will depend on further medical examinations and his recovery over the coming days.

The immediate concern for Nigeria will therefore be the results of those assessments.

He scored a spectacular goal, but the biggest question tonight is whether Osimhen will be fit when Nigeria need him most.

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AI compute provider Nscale is looking for $3.5B in pre-IPO financing

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Nscale, a British AI infrastructure company founded just two years ago, has said it may go public as early as later this month. Ahead of that expected IPO, the company is reportedly in talks to raise an additional $3.5 billion.

Bloomberg reported Friday that the company is looking to sell $1.5 billion in convertible notes — a type of loan that can later convert into company stock — to a group of investors, while also seeking an additional $2 billion in financing from Nvidia.

Nvidia also participated in the firm’s Series B funding round in March, a $1.1 billion raise led by investment fund Aker. Nscale hailed its round as “the largest Series B in European history.” The company’s Series A round, in December of 2024, raised $155 million.

TechCrunch reached out to Nscale and Nvidia for comment.

AI infrastructure startups have seen immense growth amid the current era of AI enthusiasm, wherein compute has become a competitive currency.

Nscale recently signed a large deal with Anthropic worth approximately $45 billion. Earlier this week, reports emerged that Nscale had been telling potential investors that it has approximately $103 billion in revenue following the deal. That figure isn’t current sales; it’s a projection based on signed customer leases, according to The Information.

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