Security agencies have intensified surveillance and patrols across Benin City and other local government headquarters in Edo State in response to intelligence reports over planned cult-related activities associated with the so-called ‘7/7’ celebration by members of the Black Axe confraternity.

The Edo State Police Command said the proactive security deployment is aimed at forestalling any potential breakdown of law and order during the period leading up to and including July 7.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Moses Yamu, confirmed that the action followed credible intelligence suggesting that certain cult groups were plotting to unleash violence across parts of the state on the date in question.

Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has issued a stern warning to owners of hotels, lounges, bars, and other recreational centres, advising them against allowing their premises to be used for unlawful assemblies.

“Any individual or business that facilitates or accommodates such criminal gatherings will be held accountable and dealt with in accordance with the law,” the police chief warned.

He also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with law enforcement by reporting any suspicious movements or gatherings in their communities.

Members of the public were also encouraged to contact the police through their emergency numbers if they witness any violence.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst in the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, has said the reported decision of notorious bandit leader, Bello Turji to surrender and accept peace is motivated by survival, not genuine repentance.

Makama stated this in reaction to a recently circulated video in which Turji expressed willingness to lay down his arms and embrace peace.

The video, which went viral over the weekend, has stirred public speculation regarding the motive behind Turji’s apparent change of heart.

However, Makama in a post on X on Monday said the move was not the result of remorse but a strategic decision following the weakening of Turji’s operational strength.

“Turji is not laying down arms because he suddenly loves peace. He is doing so because his operational capabilities have been severely weakened,” Makama said.

He noted that Turji’s decision followed the death of his key operational commander, Danbokolo, who was reportedly killed during a recent joint operation involving the State Security Services and a local security group known as the Hybrid Forces, which includes members of the Civilian Joint Task Force.

According to Makama, Danbokolo was the main force behind Turji’s violent operations, including ambushes, raids, and executions. With his death, Turji’s network reportedly collapsed swiftly, leaving him vulnerable.

“Turji was more of a spokesman. Danbokolo handled the heavy lifting. Once Danbokolo was gone, so was Turji’s swagger,” a security source said.

Sources indicate that the government is still considering how to handle Turji’s offer to surrender.

His potential disarmament is said to be under review, with security forces closely monitoring the situation.

Despite the development, experts have warned that Turji’s surrender alone will not mark the end of banditry in Nigeria’s Northwest, where several other armed groups remain active.

It remains unclear whether the government will grant Turji amnesty, given the scale of atrocities linked to him and his group in the region.

A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, Farouk Aliyu says the 2027 presidential race is not about Nigerians but an “elite contest”.

In an interview on Arise TV on Monday, Aliyu stated that the coalition of opposition leaders plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu will not succeed.

According to him, the opposition leaders, who recently adopted the African Democratic Congress as an official platform to run the 2027 election were members of the ruling party.

He said, “The coalition is merely a group of former APC members who have left the party.

“While they may not pose a threat to democracy, they certainly don’t pose a threat to the APC either. These individuals are simply aggrieved with the party.

“The coalescing of people against Tinubu and the APC will not succeed, as 2027 is a different political landscape compared to 2015. This fight is not about Nigerians, it’s an elite contest”.

OSUNDAILY NG reports that key opposition figures from the Peoples Democratic Party, Labour Party and aggrieved members of APC had on Wednesday last week adopted ADC as a platform to kick the ruling party out of the State House.