Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has arrived in Minna, Niger’s capital, to meet with Ibrahim Babangida, the ex-head of state.

Obasanjo arrived in Minna Sunday evening after felicitating Gabriel Igbinedion, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, in Edo State, over his 90th birthday.

The meeting with Babangida also had Abdulsalami Abubakar, former head of state, and Aliyu Gusau, an ex-national security adviser (NSA), in attendance.

Kehinde Akinyemi, media aide to Obasanjo, confirmed the meeting.

It was not immediately clear what issues were discussed by the former Nigerian leaders, but multiple reports said the meeting was connected with pressing national issues that border on the current economic challenges.

However, Akinyemi said Obasanjo visited the former head of state to also celebrate his birthday.

Babangida turned 83 in August.

With days to the September 21 Governorship Election in Edo State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun says quasi-security outfits won’t be allowed to intervene in election security in the South-South state.

He stated this Sunday during the Edo Election Security Townhall, a programme organised by Channels Television in partnership with the Kimpact Development Initiative and the UK International Development.

Egbetokun said, “We will be impartial, we will be professional, and we will be vigilant whilst providing a level playing ground for all the political parties and their candidates.

“Quasi-security organisations would not be allowed to take part in this election. They will not be allowed to intervene in the election security. Just as we have done in previous elections, only the police and other security agencies will be lawfully deployed for this exercise.

“For those who may be thinking of using violence to disrupt the election, I have a warning for them. Any person or persons found bearing any offensive weapon on the day of election will be treated instantly as an armed criminal.”

Egbetokun assured citizens of the state of “peaceful outcomes”.

With the IGP’s comment, the Edo State Security Network and other state-run and private-run outfits are banned from election security next Saturday.

The political temperature in the state has been turbocharged in the last year. Of note, 95 cases of violence including 35 incidents of electoral violence have been recorded since January this year in the state. Last week, the Peoples Democratic Party declined to sign a peace pact signed by 16 other parties fielding candidates in the poll.

Analysts have described the forthcoming poll as a three-horse race involving Asue Ighodalo of the People Democratic Party (PDP), Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP).

The Nigerian Correctional Service has declared 281 inmates missing from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The service noted that this followed an evacuation process in the aftermath of the flood incident in the state, as seven inmates were returned to the centre.

In a statement on Sunday in Abuja by its spokesman, Umar Abubakar, the service released the details of the inmates, including their biometrics.

Abubakar said, “The Nigerian Correctional Service has observed the flooding currently being experienced in Maiduguri, Borno State, and its environment.

“The unfortunate incident has left scars, bringing down the walls of the correctional facilities, including the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Maiduguri (MSCC), as well as the staff quarters in the City.

“Upon the evacuation of inmates by officers of the service with support from sister security agencies to a safe and secure facility, 281 inmates were observed to be missing.”

He, however, added that “it is important to note that the service is in custody of their details, including their biometrics, which is being made available to the public below.

“The service is working in synergy with other security agencies as both covert and overt deployments have been activated to look out for them.

“Presently, a total of seven inmates have been recaptured and returned to custody, while efforts are on ground to track down the rest and bring them back to safe custody.”

“While this effort is on, the public is assured that the incidence does not impede or affect public safety.”