The Plateau State Fact-Finding Committee has identified kidnapping, armed robbery, and porous border security as key issues troubling Qua’an-Pan Local Government Council in Plateau State. This was revealed during the committee’s visit to the area on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, as part of its Southern Zone security assessment tour.
Led by retired Major General Nicholas Rogas, the committee was received by the Executive Chairman of Qua’an-Pan LGC, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, who outlined the security challenges faced by the council—most of which are linked to its strategic location bordering multiple LGAs and states.
“Qua’an-Pan has not experienced coordinated armed invasions like Mangu or Bassa, but our situation is no less serious. We face persistent cases of kidnapping, robbery, and criminal movements through our border communities,” Manship said.
He explained that the Pandam Forest in Namu district had previously served as a criminal hideout and transit route for armed groups. Though recent efforts by his administration and security agencies have reduced such incidents, he noted that the area’s vulnerability persists due to shared boundaries with Nasarawa, Shendam, Bokkos, and Mangu.
“We used to have daylight robberies—three to four times a day. But today, through community policing, intelligence sharing, and inter-LGA cooperation, we’ve significantly curbed that. For the past few months, we’ve not recorded major incidents,” he stated.
The chairman also raised concerns about other emerging threats including:\n- Open grazing disputes.\n- Isolated murders, including the killing of a village head.\n- Traditional leaders allegedly demanding fees from herders to graze.\n- Fear-driven farmland abandonment due to crises in neighboring areas.
He recalled past communal conflicts in Namu (2005–2006), Kundung (2003–2004), and Sabon Jida, as well as the more recent destruction of crops in the border area of Loon. “These are internal and external pressure points we must keep watching,” he noted.
The committee also held a private meeting at the palace of the Acting President of the Qua’an-Pan Traditional Council, Long Jan Safianu Alananan, alongside the Long Kwo, Amb. Yahaya Kwande. Security heads, traditional rulers, and religious leaders participated in the deliberation.
Maj. Gen. Rogas commended the local government council and security architecture in Qua’an-Pan, describing their efforts as effective and worthy of emulation.
“What we’ve seen here shows that good local leadership makes a difference. There is coordination between traditional institutions, security agencies, and the council. That’s why this place is relatively calm,” he said.
Chairman Manship reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining peace and expanding collaboration with neighboring councils in Nasarawa State. He expressed hope that the committee’s findings would lead to actionable government policies.
“This engagement gives our people hope. We trust that this committee will produce a fair and objective report. We’ve done our part, and we’re ready to do more,” he added.
The visit to Qua’an-Pan marks the beginning of the committee’s fact-finding mission in Plateau State’s Southern Zone, aimed at informing policy through grassroots dialogue.
BY NKECHI NAECHE-ESEZOBOR—The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has joined in the celebration of Customer Service Week, aimed at celebrating retirees and workers in the country.
According to PenCom, day one of the week kicked off on a high note as staff celebrated their colleagues, customers and the commitment to going “the extra mile” in delivering exceptional customer experience.
From engaging conversations and interactive sessions to team spirit, smiles and celebrations, the opening day set the tone for a week focused on putting the customer at the heart of the Commission’s work.
This year, the Commission is reminded that great customer service is not just about meeting expectations; it is about exceeding them, creating value and making every interaction count.
The highlight of the event was the cutting of the cake by the Director-General of PenCom, Ms. Omolola Bridget Oloworaran, and her management team.
Lucid Motors built 2,954 electric vehicles (EVs) in the third quarter of this year, a 54% drop from a year ago, as the company purposely limits production to better meet demand for its EVs.
This was the third straight quarter in which the number of EVs Lucid built has declined. It’s also the lowest quarterly output since the first quarter of 2025, which was just after Lucid Motors started production of its second EV, the Gravity SUV.
Lucid delivered 3,806 EVs in the third quarter, roughly flat with the second quarter and down about 200 vehicles from the third quarter of 2025. The company has struggled to find buyers for either of its first two luxury EVs. In five of the last six quarters, it built more vehicles than it delivered.
Lucid’s new CEO, Silvio Napoli, has spent the last few months leading an effort to “simplify the company.” That effort has included laying off around 1,500 employees, streamlining the company’s leadership, and eliminating a second shift at its factory in Arizona in a bid to reach cost savings of $1.4 billion. Lucid also delayed the release of its third EV, the Cosmos. That model is supposed to be much cheaper, starting at under $50,000.
The third-quarter figures, released Monday afternoon, come just a few days after rival EV upstart Rivian posted its best quarter in history on the back of the R2, its new, more affordable SUV. Although Rivian didn’t break out specific delivery figures for the R2, the company shipped nearly 20,000 vehicles in the third quarter, the first full quarter with the R2 in production, up from 12,194 in the second quarter.
Lucid’s failure to find a large market of buyers for its EVs is even more stark when compared with the promises the company made when it went public in 2021. That year, Lucid Motors merged with a special purpose acquisition company and estimated it would ship as many as 90,000 EVs in 2024 alone. The company raised $4 billion in the transaction.
On Lucid’s second-quarter earnings call in August, Napoli spoke about why he thinks the company has failed to make a dent in the EV market.
“While there is no question that Lucid brought leading innovations and outstanding products to the market, we have disappointed on several fronts, and for far too long,” he said. “We have not executed consistently. We missed commitments, launched products before they were ready, underinvested in service, responded too slowly to quality issues, and allowed complexity to slow decisions down.”
The Cosmos’ lower price could, in theory, let Lucid access a wider market, but Napoli cautioned shareholders that rushing the new EV out could create more trouble.
“We will not repeat the mistakes of the past by bringing a product to market before it is ready,” Napoli said on the call.
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