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Mutfwang, IPCR Raise Alarm Over Proliferation of Small Arms, Weak Grassroots Governance

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Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has called for decisive and coordinated action to curb the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, warning that their spread among bandits and criminal networks poses one of the gravest threats to peace and national security.

The governor made the call on Tuesday while receiving the Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Abdul Adamu Eneche, and his delegation at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.

Mutfwang lamented Nigeria’s porous borders, which he said have enabled the influx of dangerous weapons, emboldened non-state actors, and worsened insecurity.

“Indeed, it is very worrisome that a large number of arms and ammunition have found their way into the hands of non-state actors,” he said.

Highlighting recent security breakthroughs, the governor disclosed that law enforcement agencies had intercepted and confiscated over 40 AK-47 rifles in Plateau, reflecting the scale of the problem.

He charged the NCCSALW to intensify intelligence-driven operations to disrupt illegal arms networks. “Let’s go after the real criminals. We must activate and strengthen our intelligence networks to intercept these arms. Where necessary, we will invest in intelligence gathering. As a government, we have directed all our local government chairmen to penetrate the criminal networks of those we have glamourised as bandits, but who, in truth, are dangerous criminals and murderers,” he stated.

Mutfwang assured the centre of his administration’s full cooperation with federal agencies to reinforce peace and security across the state.

In his response, Eneche commended Plateau for its robust support of law enforcement efforts, describing the state as a vital partner in the national campaign against arms proliferation. He reaffirmed NCCSALW’s readiness to collaborate on intelligence gathering, sensitisation, and enforcement operations.

Weak Local Governance Fuelling Insecurity – IPCR

Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has identified weak or absent governance at the grassroots as one of the biggest drivers of insecurity in Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja during a press conference to mark the 2025 International Day of Peace and IPCR’s 25th anniversary, Ochogwu warned that communities without effective local government structures remain vulnerable to violent actors.

“Our findings revealed long ago that the absence of governance at the community level creates vacuums that violent actors quickly exploit. Local governments are the frontline institutions for conflict prevention, management and resolution. Where they are weak or non-existent, communities remain open to attacks and lawlessness,” he said.

Ochogwu commended President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation for securing a Supreme Court judgment affirming local government autonomy, describing it as a bold step that could reshape Nigeria’s conflict landscape if enforced.

He also raised concerns about worsening insecurity in the Sahel, warning that its instability would inevitably spill into Nigeria. According to him, IPCR is working with ECOWAS, the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, and other partners to contain the threat.

Looking ahead, he announced plans to train one million Nigerians in peace-building and conflict resolution through a free online learning platform being developed by the institute.

In goodwill messages, Director of NEEM Foundation, Ahmad Jumare, praised IPCR for supporting peace efforts in the Northcentral and Northwest; Rev. Ozumba Emmanuel, representing the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), lauded the institute for raising “a generation of peacebuilders”; while Josephine Etta of the Standsafe Society Against Drug and Substance Abuse (SSADASA) highlighted the link between drug abuse and violence, thanking IPCR for grassroots campaigns.

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Google adds Nano Banana-powered image generation to Gemini’s Personal Intelligence

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Google on Thursday announced that Gemini’s Personal Intelligence feature will get Nano Banana-powered image generation to create images with personalized context.

That means its AI images can be created using Gemini’s understanding of your likes and interests, without those having to be explicitly noted in the prompt.

This works because Gemini already has context of your data through Google account connections, such as Gmail and Google Photos. So, instead of typing “Generate an image of my dream home, my interests are tennis and music,” you can now just say, “Design my dream home.” 

Image Credits:Google

What’s more, the Nano Banana-powered connection can also use the labels in your Google Photos, so that it understands names and words that describe a group, like “Family”. For instance, you can create an image by saying, “Generate an image of my family and me doing our favorite activity.”

The company said the “sources” button will show how Gemini derived the context for image generation.

Image Credits:Google

Google said that just like other connections, Gemini might get the context wrong, and you can provide feedback. Plus, you can also provide reference photos for image generation by clicking the “+” icon.

The image generation feature will be available to Plus, Pro, and Ultra subscribers in the U.S. within the coming days. Google plans to bring the feature to Gemini in Chrome desktop and to other users soon.

Google first launched Personal Intelligence earlier this year and made it available to all U.S. users in March. Earlier this week, the company expanded the feature to more users in countries like India and Japan.

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JUST IN: FG Graduates 744 Repentant Terrorists After Rehabilitation Programme

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No fewer than 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism on Thursday graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration programme under Operation Safe Corridor.

A breakdown of the graduates shows that two are from Abia State, 10 from Adamawa State, one from Akwa Ibom State, two from Anambra State, 12 from Bauchi State, 597 from Borno State, three from Ebonyi State, one from Enugu State, 15 from Kano State, three from Katsina State, one from Kebbi State, five from Kogi State, four from Nasarawa State, two from Niger State, two from Plateau State, two from Sokoto State, and 58 from Yobe State.

The participants also include foreign nationals: one from Burkina Faso, one from Cameroon, two from Chad, and four from the Niger Republic.

In terms of religion, 733 of the graduates are Muslims, while 11 are Christians.

Speaking at the ceremony in Gombe, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, said the initiative is not a reward for violence but a strategic tool to counter extremism.

Represented by the Director of Special Operations Forces at Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Kabiru Tanimu, he said the programme addresses the human dimension of insurgency and supports long-term peacebuilding.

He added that while military operations remain necessary to neutralise threats, sustainable peace depends on rehabilitation and reintegration efforts.

Oluyede stressed that Operation Safe Corridor is not an amnesty programme, but a structured intervention aimed at reducing violence, weakening extremist recruitment, and promoting stability.

He urged the graduates to embrace a new path, warning against a return to violence, and encouraged them to contribute positively to society.

According to him, successful reintegration requires support from state governments, communities, families, and institutions.

Earlier, the Coordinator of Operation Safe Corridor, Brig. Gen. Yusuf Ali, said the programme was designed as a strategic response to insurgency, combining security operations with rehabilitation efforts.

He explained that participants underwent psychosocial support, vocational training, religious reorientation, civic education, and behavioural transformation.

Ali noted that many beneficiaries were victims of coercion and forced recruitment, adding that the programme gives them an opportunity to rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society as responsible citizens.

He emphasised that reintegration is a shared responsibility requiring community acceptance and institutional support.

The Governor of Gombe State, Muhammad Yahaya, represented by his aide, urged the graduates to embrace the opportunity for a fresh start and become productive members of society.

He said the programme reflects the Federal Government’s commitment under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to peacebuilding, de-radicalisation, and reintegration efforts.

The graduation highlights Nigeria’s continued shift towards combining military operations with non-kinetic strategies in addressing insurgency, particularly in the North-East, as part of broader efforts to reduce recidivism and promote long-term stability.

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