Bandits have attacked communities in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing two people, injuring one and abducting 26 others, the Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KadVS) has said.

Mr Yunusa Shehu, Public Relations Officer of KadVS, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Shehu said the attacks occurred in Tunburku, Tudun Amada and Kallon Kura communities in the local government area.

He said the assailants also rustled cattle belonging to residents during separate incidents.

According to him, the bandits attacked Tunburku in Kidandan District and Tudun Amada in Kadage District almost simultaneously in the early hours of Monday.

Shehu said two people, identified as Alhaji Surajo and Alhaji Ado, were killed in Tunburku, while 26 residents were abducted in Tudun Amada.

He added that another resident, Ayuba Usman, sustained injuries during the attacks, which occurred at about 12:30 a.m. on Monday.

In a separate incident, the bandits invaded Kura in Danmahawayi District at about 9 p.m. on Saturday and rustled cattle belonging to residents.

Shehu said the number of cattle initially reported stolen was estimated at between 15 and 17, adding that efforts were ongoing to establish the actual number taken.

He said the attackers also invaded Kallon Kura in Danmahawayi District during the night and rustled cattle before security personnel mobilised to the area.

Following intelligence on the movement of the bandits and the stolen cattle, KadVS personnel mobilised to track the attackers and recover the animals.

The personnel reportedly engaged the bandits in a gun battle, forcing them to retreat and abandon the cattle before fleeing the area.

The security operatives subsequently recovered 19 cattle from the bandits at about midnight on Saturday, Sept. 5, according to a security source who spoke to NAN.

The operation was conducted under the supervision of the KadVS Sector Coordinator in Giwa Local Government Area, who led the personnel during the recovery exercise.

Christians, Muslims and traditional worshippers gathered in Lagos on Tuesday to pray for peaceful conduct of the 2027 general elections, as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, and other All Progressives Congress, APC, leaders urged residents to shun violence before, during and after the polls.

The interdenominational prayer session, held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos Island, was organised to seek divine direction, commit the electoral process to God and commence mobilisation for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and the election of Hamzat as Lagos governor.

The gathering brought together party chieftains, religious leaders, monarchs, traditionalists and supporters, with the leaders stressing the importance of faith, unity and peaceful political engagement.

Speaking at the event, Sanwo-Olu stressed the need to place a spiritual foundation ahead of political strategy.

He noted that just as individuals pray before embarking on a daily journey, committing political exercises to God remains an indispensable precept of faith.

The governor expressed appreciation to the religious leaders, whom he referred to as “fathers of faith”, and the organisers for bringing together a large turnout.

Sanwo-Olu also shared a lighthearted moment about participating in the intense devotion, recounting how his arms felt weary during the recitation of 118 Hallelujahs.

However, he stressed that having fulfilled these religious obligations, the party now moves forward with the confidence and “full chest” required to engage voters actively across every administrative level.

Outlining the party’s electoral vision, Sanwo-Olu declared that while the APC relies heavily on prayer, members are acutely aware that “faith without work is dead.”

He stressed that the administration takes no stakeholder, voter or community for granted.

Consequently, the party plans an aggressive campaign strategy, promising to visit every nook and cranny of Lagos State, its local government areas and extend outreach throughout the South-West region to ensure comprehensive victory.

Sanwo-Olu outlined the party’s major targets as securing victory for Tinubu, retaining all APC senatorial and House of Representatives seats, and mobilising full support for Hamzat as the governorship candidate on a joint ticket with Damilola James-Sonayon.

He also advocated a violence-free and peaceful electoral exercise, pledging his personal availability to join the national presidential campaign train to ensure national efforts are vigorously sustained.

Reaffirming that Lagos State and Nigeria are grounded in faith, the governor prayed for a more united, virile nation.

Speaking at the prayer, Hamzat said the gathering was an opportunity for the party to commit its candidates and the electoral process to God.

He prayed for peaceful elections without clashes, accidents or loss of lives, while expressing confidence that God would grant the party victory.

Hamzat also expressed confidence in the success of APC candidates contesting the three senatorial seats, 24 House of Representatives seats and 40 Lagos State House of Assembly seats.

Earlier, addressing the crowd of supporters, Director-General of the Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, KOH, Campaign Council, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, said the prayer was necessary because human efforts alone could not determine the outcome of every circumstance.

Obanikoro urged party members to put the APC above personal ambitions, warning that internal disagreements must not be allowed to weaken the party ahead of the elections.

He called for dialogue, reconciliation, discipline and unity among candidates and supporters, urging them to campaign with respect and focus on their capacity to serve.

Obanikoro said the campaign organisation would take the APC message to every nook and cranny of Lagos State, its local governments and the wider South-West.

He expressed confidence in victory for the APC at the presidential, National Assembly and state elections, particularly projecting the emergence of Hamzat as Lagos State governor and Damilola Sonayon James as deputy governor.

Prominent personalities at the event included Iyiola Danmole, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, former Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Pa Tajudeen Olusi, Senator Ganiu Solomon, Jumoke Okoya-Thomaa, Idiat Adebule, Wale Edun, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi, Fouad Oki, members of the National Assembly and Lagos State House of Assembly, members of Conference 57, religious bodies, monarchs and traditionalists.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu actively listens to the citizens of Nigeria and takes their feedback into account before making necessary adjustments to government policies.

Idris made these remarks in Abuja on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the ministry by a delegation from the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, NIPSS, led by its Director-General, Prof. Ayo Omotayo.

He emphasised that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is not solely tasked with communicating government policies but also with relaying the opinions of citizens back to the administration.

Idris noted that this approach demonstrates Tinubu’s commitment to engaging with Nigerians and addressing their concerns as his administration rolls out its policies.

He elaborated that the President’s attentiveness to public opinion signifies that governance is a dynamic process, allowing for modifications when necessary.

“He is not merely a president who disseminates information or announces policy decisions. He also seeks to understand what Nigerians think,” Idris further stated.

The minister indicated that his ministry thus operates a bidirectional communication system, transmitting government decisions to the populace while also bringing their perspectives back to the government.

He added that the renewed emphasis on national orientation has further enhanced the government’s capacity to grasp public sentiment at the grassroots level.

Idris noted that the National Orientation Agency had more than 800 offices across the country, giving it a broad reach into communities.

He said the agency could gather views from farmers, artisans and other Nigerians, providing the government with a clearer picture of the concerns and expectations of citizens.

The minister also assured the NIPSS delegation that the ministry would support its research into the creative economy, which forms the focus of the institute’s Senior Executive Course 48.

Earlier, Omotayo said NIPSS had selected the creative economy, known as the “Orange Economy”, as the theme for this year’s senior executive course.

He said the research would examine the opportunities and challenges within the sector and its potential contribution to President Tinubu’s ambition of building a trillion-dollar economy.

Omotayo noted that the course participants had visited seven Nigerian states and several countries to study creative industries and gather data for the research.

He disclosed that NIPSS was also planning a National Summit and Exhibition on the Orange Economy to bring stakeholders together and highlight the sector’s potential.

According to him, the creative economy covers about 48 areas and has significant capacity to generate wealth and employment.

He cited Nigeria’s music industry as an example, noting that some Nigerian artistes had earned billions of naira through digital music platforms.

“We believe this particular sector can actually be one of the major sectors of the economy that will solve the problem of real unemployment,” Omotayo said.

He appealed to the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to partner with NIPSS in organising and promoting the proposed summit.

Omotayo said the institute’s objective was to ensure that Nigerians began to take the creative economy more seriously and recognise its potential as a major driver of national development.