From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja

The Ukomu Igala Organization has cried out over the rising cases of insecurity – banditry, kidnapping and brutal killings involving unknown gunmen, herders and farmers in Kogi East Senatorial District.

The Group in a communique issued at the end of the Town Hall Meeting conveyed to address the prevailing insecurity and herder-farmers clashes in the region, noted that the gathering was put in place to collectively propose actionable solutions for peace and safety of residents in the zone.

According to the communique, the town hall meeting which was conveyed on Saturday, 16th May 2026 at Monitec Hotel, Anyigba, with community stakeholders, traditional rulers, youth leaders, women groups, security agencies, and representatives of Fulani settlements in attendance was also aimed at fashioning out strategies for lasting solutions to the problem.

The following observations were made in the communique “That the recent frequency and pattern of attacks in Kogi East Senatorial District, especially in Omala Local Government and Ogane-Enigu, Ochipu in Dekina/Bassa LG areas between Jan–May 2026 calls for utmost concern and necessary actionable plans.

“That Loss of lives, destruction of property and farm produce are overwhelmingly disheartening and catastrophic.

“Displacement of families and disruption of livelihoods is at an alarming rate.

“That Gaps in early warning, intelligence gathering, sharing, and response mechanism is worrisome.

“That Testimonies of peaceful coexistence amongst Fulani/ Igala that even culminated in trade by batter, guardian and intermarriage were shared.

“That Hired armed Fulani youths by indigenous Fulanis to rear cattle is one of the root causes of the destruction of lives and property, and distortion of peaceful coexistence amongst Fulani/Igala Bassa

“That Porousness in the riverine areas which is the boundary between Nasarawa, Bassa and Omala Local Government Areas is the major cause of influx of the Fulani militias.

“Criminal youths from Igala/Bassa who don’t even own farmland are perpetrators in killing cows, using the same as business. On the other hand, the armed Fulani youths causing mayhem don’t also own cows but chose kidnapping and banditary as business.

“That the bone of contention is the destruction of farm produce and the killing of cows which are the means of livelihood of both parties.

Stakeholders during the meeting resolved that “The era of ‘free to air’ criminal activities in Kogi East Senatorial District is over after this meeting.

“Whether Fulani or Igala, there shall be no more sacred cows.  Henceforth, culprits will face the full wrath of the law.

“There shall be an establishment of a well-structured security architecture, with available two lines for distress calls, to avoid gaps in information dissemination.

“Traditional rulers, Gagos and family heads should wake up to their responsibilities.

‘Patience, tolerance, accommodation and necessary actionable plans towards peaceful coexistence are non-negotiable.

“For synergy and collaboration with the Fulani settlers, it is imperative to incorporate them into security architecture to jointly fight the scourge of criminal activities.

“On Security, Clarion Call on Kogi State Government and security agencies to increase joint patrols and establish rapid response posts in vulnerable communities

“Demand immediate, impartial investigation and prosecution of all perpetrators of killings and destruction in Kogi East.

“Establish a joint herder-farmer peace committee at LGAs and ward levels to settle disputes before escalation.

“Appeal to SEMA, NEMA, and NGOs to provide relief materials for displaced persons.

“All communities in Kogi East Senatorial District should as a matter of urgent importance commit to sharing timely and accurate information with security agencies and to desist from reprisal attacks”

The stakeholders further reaffirmed their commitment to peaceful coexistence, rule of law, and collective action against all forms of criminality.

They also expressed confidence that lasting peace is achievable through justice, dialogue, and inclusive governance.

People living close to the epicentre of an Ebola outbreak which has killed 131 people have expressed their fear, as a World Health Organization (WHO) representative warned cases may be spreading faster than originally thought.

One man in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak, said infected people were dying “very fast”, and added: “Ebola has tortured us.

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Officials said more than 513 cases were suspected in DR Congo as of Tuesday, while one person has died in neighbouring Uganda.

The WHO’s Dr.

Anne Ancia said that the more the agency investigates the outbreak, the clearer it becomes that cases have spread to other areas.

Modelling by the London-based MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis released on Monday suggested there had been “substantial” under-detection, and that it could not rule out there had already been more than 1,000 cases.

The study suggested that the current outbreak is “larger than currently ascertained” and that its “true magnitude remains uncertain”.

A man who spoke to journalists and identified himself as Bigboy said people are “really scared” and doing what they can to protect themselves.

He said locals are taking precautions such as washing hands with clean water, but added that he wished they could get access to other protective supplies such as face masks.

Another Ituri local, Alfred Giza, said people in the community are aware of the threat and waiting to receive face masks to protect themselves, but that he would not know what to do if a family member or friend contracted the disease.

The Red Cross warned that Ebola can escalate quickly if cases are not identified early, communities lack information and health systems are overwhelmed, adding that “we are seeing all those conditions” in the current outbreak.

On Tuesday, DR Congo President Félix Tshisekedi called for “calm” and urged Congolese citizens to remain vigilant, after holding a crisis meeting on Monday evening.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who declared the outbreak an international emergency last week, said he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic”.

It is feared the outbreak may have been ongoing for several weeks before it was first detected on 24 April.

There is no vaccine for the strain of Ebola virus fuelling the latest rise in cases, but the WHO is evaluating whether other drugs may provide protection.

Ancia said DR Congo’s Ituri province was a “much unsecured area with lots of movement of population”, making it difficult for the agency to investigate and help control the disease.

She continued: “The more we investigate this outbreak, the more we realise that it has already spread at least a little bit across borders and also in other provinces.”

The outbreak has spread to the province of South Kivu, where the population has been affected by a humanitarian crisis for many years, she added.

There has also been a case in eastern DR Congo’s biggest city, Goma, which has a population of around 850,000 people and is under the control of Rwandan-backed rebels.

High levels of insecurity in several provinces mean people move around often, increasing the risk and spread of the virus, she said.

Several African countries are taking precautions by tightening border screenings and preparing health facilities. Neighbouring Rwanda has also closed its borders with DR Congo. Uganda has told people to avoid hugging and shaking hands.

An American citizen, believed to be missionary group doctor Peter Stafford, is being evacuated from DR Congo after developing symptoms over the weekend.

Germany’s health ministry told the BBC a US citizen was being taken to the country for treatment.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it was working to evacuate at least six other Americans who were exposed.

WHO and other agencies are working with governments and communities to try to stop the spread of the virus, urging residents to follow preventative measures and report to the nearest health facility if they experience any symptoms.

Ebola is caused by a virus and initially causes symptoms similar to the flu, with fever, headache and tiredness.

As the disease progresses, vomiting and diarrhoea develop and it can lead to organ failure. Some, but not all, patients develop internal and external bleeding.

The virus spreads from one person to another by contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit.

The Bundibugyo strain fuelling this rise in cases is rare, and has previously only caused two outbreaks, when it killed about a third of those infected.

Between 2014 and 2016, more than 28,600 people were infected by Ebola in West Africa, the largest outbreak of the virus since its discovery in 1976.

It was caused by the Zaire strain, for which there is an approved vaccine.

The disease spread to a number of countries in West Africa and beyond, including Guinea, Sierra Leone, the US, UK and Italy, killing 11,325 people.

The Federal Government has approved N4bn for the payment of allowances to Nigerian students studying abroad under the Bilateral Education Agreement.

The approval follows outcries from the beneficiaries who had lamented that they were being pushed into forced labour and prostitution due to prolonged hardship occasioned by the nonpayment of their allowance by the Federal Government.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, disclosed that the fund, representing part of the N8bn budgeted for the programme this year, had been released as the first tranche to address outstanding payments owed to the scholars.

“The Federal Ministry of Finance has approved N4bn to pay the first tranche, and I am working with the Minister of Finance to settle the remaining N4bn. Hopefully, in the next few weeks, they will receive all their allowances for 2025 and 2026.

According to him, efforts are ongoing between both ministries to ensure that all outstanding payments are cleared, with the balance expected to be released within four weeks.

The development follows a disturbing viral video from affected students across countries, including Russia, Serbia and Venezuela, who said delays in stipends spanning over a year had left many struggling to survive, with some resorting to menial jobs while others claimed female students had been forced into prostitution.

The outcry comes barely a year after the Federal Government terminated the scholarship programme and promised to ensure that current students are funded to complete their studies.

In 2025, the minister cited inefficiency and misallocation of national resources as reasons for terminating the programme, following similar complaints from previous beneficiaries.

The programme, established through diplomatic partnerships, had enabled Nigerian students to study in countries such as China, Russia, Hungary, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Serbia.

He explained that the scheme had become unsustainable, noting that the government planned to spend about N9bn on just 1,200 students in 2025.

However, the minister assured that all current beneficiaries of the scheme would continue to receive full government support until they complete their studies and return to Nigeria.

Despite assurances that current beneficiaries would not be affected, several students said they had not received stipends for over two years, leaving them stranded.

In the viral video, about 16 Nigerian scholars in Russia appealed to the government for urgent intervention, describing their situation as dire.

One of the students, a fifth-year medical student in Rostov, said many had been pushed into extreme conditions to survive.

A student leader in Russia, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development recently, lamenting that the rising cost of living and currency challenges had worsened their situation.

She added that restrictions on student work permits in some countries further limit their ability to earn income.

Another student in Venezuela described the situation as abandonment, noting that scholars from other countries receive regular support from their governments.

He said, “It is only Nigerians that are abandoned. Other countries like Mozambique, Burkina Faso, and Brazil, send delegates to check on their students and pay them, but no one comes from Nigeria.

A parent of an affected scholar, who spoke anonymously with our correspondent, said relevant government agencies had been engaged to facilitate the payment.

“The situation requires prompt attention. These children were sent abroad through a government programme. There have been delays in stipends despite repeated appeals to the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education and other agencies.”

The Federal Government had earlier, in January, dismissed claims that Nigerian scholarship students in Morocco were abandoned, following a viral video that showed some students facing hardship, including homelessness and lack of medical support.

The video, shared on X by activist Martins Otse, featured interviews with Nigerian students in Morocco who alleged they had gone for years without receiving financial support despite being beneficiaries of government scholarships.

Reacting, the Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, insisted that no student on a valid Federal Government scholarship had been neglected.

Alausa was quoted as saying that all beneficiaries enrolled under the Bilateral Education Scholarship Programme before 2024 had received payments up to the 2024 budget year in line with government obligations.

The statement noted that any delays in outstanding payments were due to fiscal constraints and were being addressed through ongoing engagements between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance.