NEWS
Lamentations as Cash Scarcity Hits Kaduna, Kano, Katsina
With barely two weeks until Christmas and the subsequent new year celebrations, getting cash in Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States has now become an extremely herculean task.
The results have bemoaned the obnoxious situation which was reminiscent of a similar ugly development during the 2022 yuletide season.
The distrausted residents have therefore called for an urgent action by the concerned authorities in order not to hamper the forthcoming Christmas and end-of-year festivities.
In Kaduna city, some Point of Sale (POS) vendors have lamented the unbecoming and unnecessary cash shortage as banks were no longer dispensing cash more than N20,000.
Some of the vendors, who spoke to newsmen said they started experiencing the cash shortage in December.
Adamu Amadu said he got his cash from a business man by making transfer to him with little charges.
“We used to charge N100 per N10,000 transaction but now we charge N200 and most of the times our cash finish early due to the high demand.
“I don’t think Nigerians are ready for a cashless policy,” he said.
Similarly, Ibrahim Nur stated that he was only attending to customers requesting for lesser amounts ranging from N1000 to N10,000 only due to the dire dearth of cash.
Meanwhile, some customers patronising POS vendors have decried the high service rates, saying that the bank also charges for transactions.
Bilkisu Moda said she visited three POS centres searching for cash, with no positive response, adding that she eventually withdrew from an Automated Teller Machine after trekking a long distance.
On her part, Jamila Sani said she withdrew N5,000 and paid N100 service fee, which she said was the normal price she usually paid.
She urged the government to ease the stress of the masses as most small business owners heavily depended on cash for transactions.
In Kafanchan, the residents have expressed their frustration over the current cash situation in separate interviews with newsmen.
Felicia Christopher, a POS operator, said that the situation had greatly impacted her business.
“The lack of cash has seriously affected my business as i don’t make much profit as before.
“The banks don’t give cash beyond a certain limit in a day and it’s really frustrating,” she stated.
Another POS operator, Sadiq Abdulazeez, explained that the cash crunch had forced him to temporarily shut down operations.
An event planner, Bulus Audu, said the lack of information on the cause of the cash shortage was not helping matters.
For Nathaniel Bawa, a civil servant, he wondered why cash scarcity has become common at the end of every year.
Bawa called on the Federal Government to take necessary steps to address the situation as the yuletide season approaches.
Report says that most POS operators now collect twice the amount they hitherto charged per transaction as a result of the difficulty in sourcing cash.
In Zaria, Malam Bilyaminu Musa, a businessman, of Layin Zomo Area of Sabon Gari LGA said grains merchants defied risks and reverted to the old style of sourcing cash from Abuja and other parts of the country for their businesses.
He said the cash scarcity had negatively impacted on grain businesses at major markets in parts of Kaduna, Kano and Katsina States.
Musa, who trades in maize, cowpea, soybean and pepper, said the influx of merchants from other parts of the country and neighbouring Niger Republic had stabilized the prices of grains in the markets.
According to him, most of the merchants were coming with huge amounts of money to purchase the farm produce from the local farmers.
“If not because of these cohorts of merchants, prices of grains would have crashed due to scarcity of cash.
“We are in harvest season now, many farmers are not accepting cash transfers, some do not have bank accounts while others are afraid of fake alerts,’’ Musa said.
He said most of the grain merchants have partners who provide funds for the large-scale purchase of farm produce during harvest season, stressing that cash scarcity was a major bottleneck for the large-scale purchase.
Musa explained that in spite of receiving such funds from their partners for the large-scale purchase of grains, they find it difficult to access cash from the commercial banks.
Similarly, some commercial banks’ customers and Point of Sale (PoS) operators in Zaria have also decried the inability of the banks to give cash in the banking hall.
Report says that customers who were in the banks to withdraw cash were informed by the bank officials that they do not have cash.
Some of the customers interviewed by newsmen expressed sadness over the inability of some of the commercial banks to give them cash for their needs.
Malam Awwal Abdullahi, who spoke after going round many ATM machines to withdraw noted that they had no cash.
Abdullahi stressed the need for the Central Bank of Nigeria and other regulators to take concrete actions against some of the commercial banks that were not putting cash in their ATM machines.
In Kano, the residents have raised concerns over the ongoing scarcity of Naira notes across the state,with many resorting to alternative payment methods like POS services, which have also been affected by the crisis.
They said the situation was once again plunging them into hardship, reminiscent of the currency swap period.
The residents urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and commercial banks to take an urgent action to resolve the cash crisis, which is severely disrupting daily life in the state.
Some of the residents, who spoke to newsmen explained that the scarcity was making it increasingly difficult for them to meet their daily needs.
A resident, Aliyu Yakubu, lamented the inconvenience caused by the limited access to physical cash, particularly as businesses, transportation, and daily transactions increasingly depend on electronic payment systems.
“I’ve been to several ATMs, but they were either out of cash or not working,” he decried.
He urged the authorities concerned to investigate the matter and punish those responsible.
Another resident, Aminu Yusuf, lamented that he was facing difficulty to pay for goods, and customers were also struggling to buy from him.
Yusuf called on CBN to make more cash available and also sanction banks that hoard cash.
A civil servant , Aisha Ali, voiced her frustration over the difficulties she has been facing.
She explained how it has become increasingly challenging for her to purchase essential household items due to the unavailability of cash.
“It is my hard-earned money and i can’t access it, especially at the bank. It’s frustrating, and it’s putting me in a very difficult situation,” she said.
Ali also called on CBN to urgently take action against the banks and persons responsible for the cash shortage.
A POS agent, Nura Abubakar, blamed the commercial banks for the difficulties in accessing cash.
According to him ,the constant breakdown of POS terminals and the high transaction fees have exacerbated the challenges faced by the customers.
“Banks are not releasing enough cash to us,” he said.
Musa Saleh ,a POS agent, explained that the scarcity has also impacted their operations, attributing the problem to the banks.
He said that the banks were no longer cooperative, even with their own POS agents.
Saleh decried, “When we go to the bank, they always tell us to come back next day. And when we return, they give us another excuse.
“Some people are unfairly blaming us for the charges,” he said, emphasizing that this not the right approach.”
In Katsina, a cross section of the residents have expressed concern over what they called lack of money at majority of bank’s Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) and the Point of Sale (POS) operators.
An investigation conducted by our Correspondent in Katsina revealed that most of the banks’ ATMs were not functional.
The investigation further revealed that some few banks dispensing the cash were characterised by long queues where a person would spend several hours before getting some amount of money.
It also showed that the other banks’ ATMs were dispensing only a limited amount.
Malam Abubakar Muhammad, one of the residents, said that he went to an ATM to withdraw some amount of money, only to find out that the machine had no money.
He lamented that the banks now don’t put money at ATMs, the situation causing more hardship to the people, and crippling business operations.
Muhammad revealed: “Even inside the banking halls at the counter, his bank now gives only a limited amount of N20, 000.
“Majority of the banks don’t put cash in the ATMs”.
Muhammad, therefore, urged the Federal Government to hasten measures to address the problem.
On his part, Aminu Abdullahi, lamented how banks nowadays do not put money in their ATMs, leaving their customers in difficulty.
Abdullahi said that now that the customers have resorted to patronising POS operators who also charged higher money.
According to him, POS operators have increased their charges from N100 to N200 for every N10,000.
He also appealed to the authorities concerned to take urgent measures to address the problem.
In the same vein, some POS operators yave also complained about the cash crunch that forced them to increase their charges.
The operators claimed that they face difficulty in getting the cash to give to their customers.
A POS operator, who pleaded for anonymity claimed that the banks now don’t put money at the ATMs, preferring to give it to the POS operators.
“I ran out of money yesterday, I had to struggle to get the money for my operation.
“I was opportuned to get the money from a bank, but they charged N1,000 for every N100,000, that is why we jerked up our charges, because we cannot operate on losses,” he said.
Following the negative development, the operators increased their charges in most of the places.
The POS operators increased their charges from N100 to N200 and above for every N10,000 while some operators charge higher than that amount.
Tukur Hamza, a resident of Katsina, said that for long, he preferred to patronise POS operators, because their services were more accessible.
He said that as a result of the unavailability of the cash at most of the banks’ ATMs, withdrawing money from the POS outlets has also become a difficult thing.
Hamza, therefore, urged the relevant authorities to intensify efforts in finding lasting solutions to the problem before it worsens.
Meanwhile, Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, has urged Nigerian Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to ensure seamless availability of Naira notes to the banking public.
Shettima made the call on Friday in Abuja, at the 2024 Bankers ‘ Committee Retreat.
He was represented by Tope Fasua, Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Office of the Vice-President.
He urged the committee to address some unwholesome practices by some Point of Sale (PoS) agents which impeded the availability of cash.
According to him, the scarcity of cash is constituting an impediment to financial inclusion.
“We would like to take this opportunity to appeal strongly to the committee to urgently clear up thorny issues in the sector, some of which are impeding the efforts at financial and economic inclusion.
” Nigerians complain bitterly that they are unable to access even minimal cash when most needed.
“There seems to have been some moral hazard and adverse selection problem with the involvement of street-side PoS merchants.
” Nigerians complain about high and arbitrary charges and exploitation by rogue agents, which we are sure you will be able to tackle with concerted efforts,” he said.
Daily Asset also learnt that CBN has reportedly set up various committees to monitor the activities of the commercial banks across the country.
This was with the view to curtailing the alleged unsavoury acts of some of the banks that have been excarbating the cash crunch in the country. (NAN)
By David Torough, Abuja
The Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) have neutralised more than 60 terrorists and rescued at least 70 kidnapped victims across various theatres of operation during a week-long offensive against terrorists, bandits and kidnappers between October 30 and November 5, 2026.
The operations, conducted across the country’s six geopolitical zones, also resulted in the arrest of dozens of suspected terrorists, collaborators and criminal elements, the recovery of weapons and ammunition, and the surrender of several terrorist fighters and their family members.
According to a press briefing issued on November 6 by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, troops recorded significant successes in operations targeting terrorist strongholds, kidnapping networks and criminal logistics channels.
In the North East, troops of Operation HADIN KAI dealt heavy blows to terrorists in Borno and Yobe States, killing 58 terrorists during separate encounters at Buni Yadi in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State and Bitta in Gwoza LGA of Borno State.
The military said 48 terrorist bodies were recovered following an attempted attack on Buni Yadi, alongside 42 AK-47 rifles, five PKT machine guns, four general-purpose machine guns, a 60mm mortar and other military equipment.
At Bitta, troops recovered seven terrorist bodies after repelling another attempted infiltration, seizing four AK-47 rifles, an RPG tube, four RPG bombs, a PKM machine gun and a radio.
Three additional terrorist bodies were recovered around Apama and Jauro Bashir along the withdrawal route of the fleeing fighters.
The operation also recorded the surrender of 12 terrorist fighters and family members between November 2 and 4 in Bama and Gwoza LGAs of Borno State. The surrendering individuals reportedly cited sustained military pressure and disagreements between rival JAS and ISWAP factions.
Troops also arrested 50 suspected terrorists, collaborators and logistics suppliers across the theatre and rescued a female abductee who escaped from the Mandara Mountains.
In the North West, troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA rescued 18 kidnapped victims in separate operations in Kebbi State, including seven victims abandoned by fleeing terrorists following a military pursuit and four others rescued after troops responded to an ambush.
Troops also rescued seven kidnapped persons during operations around Geso and Ayan Geso in Zamfara State, while two kidnapping and cattle-rustling suspects were arrested in Kaduna State. Another suspected terrorist was apprehended at a clinic in Kagarko LGA while seeking treatment for gunshot wounds.
In the North Central, troops of Operation WHIRL STROKE neutralised five suspected kidnappers in separate engagements in Benue and Kogi States.
Two kidnappers were killed during an encounter around Edimogbo Forest, while three others were neutralised during an operation in Obele Forest. Troops recovered six AK-47 rifles, 19 magazines, thousands of rounds of ammunition and other equipment from the operations.
The troops also rescued six civilians, including a baby, during a response to a kidnapping incident at Jeb Jeb Village in Karim Lamido LGA of Taraba State.
Additionally, a wanted member of the Konyo Boys bandit group was arrested in Takum LGA, Taraba State, while a terrorist, his wife and two children surrendered to troops in Kogi State with an AK-47 rifle, ammunition and a radio.
Further operations led to the arrest of a suspected terrorist logistics supplier and a suspected gunrunner in Kogi and Benue States respectively.
Meanwhile, troops of Operation SAVANNAH SHIELD rescued 18 kidnapped victims in Niger and Kwara States. Fifteen victims were rescued following an encounter with bandits around Rijiyan Nagwamatse in Kontagora LGA of Niger State, while three others escaped from their captors in Lema-Ndeji Forest in Kwara State.
The operation also led to the neutralisation of two Ansaru terrorists in Nanu Village, Kaiama LGA of Kwara State, and the recovery of two AK-47 rifles, seven magazines, three RPG bombs, 33 motorcycles and ₦4.105 million, among other items.
In the South East, troops of Operation UDO KA rescued one kidnapped victim in Abia State following an attack by gunmen on a residential compound in Umunneochi LGA.
Troops also recovered a pump-action rifle, a damaged hunting rifle and 13 cartridges during a search operation in Anambra State.
In a separate development, troops of Operation ENDURING PEACE arrested a suspected terrorist in Kanam LGA of Plateau State during a stop-and-search operation. An AK-47 magazine and a round of 7.62mm Special ammunition were recovered from the suspect.
The Defence Headquarters said the week-long operations also resulted in the recovery of substantial quantities of weapons, ammunition, motorcycles, communication equipment and other logistics used by criminal groups.
However, the military disclosed that an officer, a soldier and a civilian hunter lost their lives in the course of the operations, while wounded personnel were receiving attention.
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Olatunbosun Oluyede, commended troops for their courage, resilience and sacrifices, while appreciating the contributions of other security agencies.
He urged traditional rulers, community leaders and residents to strengthen cooperation with security agencies by providing credible intelligence on suspicious movements and activities.
The CDS also called on citizens to deny criminal groups access to logistics and other forms of support, avoid mob action and refrain from spreading misinformation and disinformation.
The Armed Forces reiterated their determination to sustain ongoing offensive operations until lasting peace, security and stability are restored across the country.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has recorded 7,156 road traffic crashes, resulting in 3,445 deaths and 22,292 injuries across Nigeria between January and September 2026.
The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, represented by the Jigawa Sector Commander, Usman Masa’udu-Matazu, disclosed this on Monday at a press briefing in Dutse to commemorate the 2026 World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Crash Victims.
The 2026 commemoration is themed “A Light That Unites Us”, while the decade-long slogan is “Remember. Support. Act”.
Mohammed described the figures as more than statistics, saying they represented lives lost, grieving families and distressed communities.
“These numbers are more than just statistics as they represent human lives, families in grief and communities in distress,” he said.
He identified excessive speed and reckless driving as major factors responsible for road crashes, stressing the need for motorists to make responsible decisions.
He also said that Nigeria recorded 10,446 road crashes in 2025, resulting in 5,289 deaths and 33,400 injuries.
According to him, the country recorded 9,570 crashes in 2024, with 5,421 deaths and 31,154 injuries, compared with 10,617 crashes, 5,081 deaths and 31,874 injuries in 2023.
The corps marshal noted that though crashes declined by 10 per cent in 2024 compared with 2023, fatalities increased by seven per cent.
He said the annual world day of remembrance for road traffic victims provided an opportunity to remember people killed or seriously injured in crashes and acknowledge the work of emergency responders.
He also said it sought to draw attention to the experiences of victims and bereaved families, advocate better support for them and promote evidence-based measures to prevent further road deaths and injuries.
Mohammed said the campaign was designed to honour victims, support survivors and their families, and inspired action towards safer roads.
“Remember, Support, Act is a campaign created to honour the memory of those who lost their lives on the roads, support victims and their families, and inspire society to build a safer and more compassionate mobility culture,” he said.
He said activities marking the commemoration would run from Monday (Yesterday) to Nov. 15, with a focus on reflection, empathy and renewed commitment to road safety.
He emphasised that safer roads depended not only on laws and systems, but also on the daily decisions of motorists and other road users.
On its operational response, he said the FRSC used data from its Road Traffic Crash Database Management System to identify high-risk locations for patrols, enforcement, surveillance and rescue operations.
He also said the corps had intensified public enlightenment campaigns through churches, mosques, schools and the media to educate road users.
He called for stronger collaboration among governments, media organisations, transport unions, civil society groups and communities to reduce road casualties.
He reaffirmed the corps’ commitment to the Marrakech declaration on road safety adopted at the fourth global ministerial conference on road safety in February 2025.
According to him, the declaration recognises the importance of safe, accessible and sustainable transport systems and calls for efforts to prevent deaths and serious injuries.
Mohammed therefore urged Nigerians to support safer walking and cycling and work towards a country where no life was needlessly lost on the roads.(NAN)
From Jude Dangwam, Jos
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has inaugurated 353 operatives of the state-owned security outfit, Operation Rainbow, following the successful completion of an intensive retraining programme aimed at strengthening intelligence gathering and improving security across the state.
Mutfwang charged the operatives to uphold professionalism, impartiality and discipline in the discharge of their duties, warning that they must operate within the confines of the law and adhere strictly to the established code of conduct.
He gave the charge on Monday during the passing-out parade of the personnel at Jos Zaria Road Stadium, Jos, where he also commissioned vehicles and motorcycles to enhance the outfit’s operations.
He described the occasion as a historic milestone in Plateau’s quest for lasting peace, the governor emphasised the importance of timely information sharing and collaboration with conventional security agencies and traditional rulers.
“Today marks a historic day on the Plateau, particularly for Operation Rainbow, as we witness the passing out of the 353 retrained personnel. I urge you all to take seriously the need for quick information passage to facilitate timely usage. Be reminded that as you are trained and retrained to enforce the law, you are not above the law,” he said.
Mutfwang clarified that Operation Rainbow was primarily an intelligence-gathering outfit established to complement conventional security agencies, rather than operate as an independent armed force.
“They are trained and retrained so that they can complement the conventional security forces, and whenever they are short of personnel, the operatives of Operation Rainbow can be handy. More so, they are locals; they know their terrain,” he stated.
He also dismissed claims that the outfit was dominated by a particular religious or ethnic group, insisting that its recruitment reflected Plateau’s diversity, with Muslims, Christians and people from different ethnic backgrounds represented.
The governor appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his support to the state and expressed optimism that Plateau was beginning to witness positive security developments. And also commended members of the State Security Council for their sustained efforts towards restoring peace, assuring residents that the vehicles and motorcycles commissioned were procured with state resources and would be deployed to strengthen the outfit’s daily operations.
The Coordinator of Operation Rainbow, General Nash Yakubu (Rtd), disclosed that the outfit now had over 3,000 personnel, following the addition of the 353 operatives who had completed the retraining programme. He said 11 operational camps had been established across the state, with plans to extend the outfit’s presence to all 17 local government areas.
According to him, the personnel received training in intelligence gathering, neighbourhood surveillance, early warning signals and professional discipline to enable them to identify threats and provide timely information to relevant security agencies.
Yakubu added that the outfit planned to deploy drones for surveillance to improve its monitoring capacity and strengthen security coverage across the state. He urged the newly inaugurated operatives to remain professional and disciplined, stressing that they would work in collaboration with other security agencies.
He further disclosed that the 353 personnel would be deployed to their respective local government areas to strengthen community-based intelligence gathering and help protect lives and property.
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