Nigeria Accelerates AFCON 2025 Preparations with Comprehensive Squad Announcement

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has recently issued a cautionary statement regarding 15 business names and registration numbers circulating in Nigeria that do not appear in its official registry. This warning aims to protect the public from potential fraud and unverified business operations.

List of Unregistered Companies Identified by CAC

Despite being presented as legitimate, the following companies and business names have no valid registration records with the CAC:

• Famas Services Nigeria Limited – RC 216312
• Promo Dutch Investment Limited – RC 396654
• Dialack Concept Nig. Ltd – RC 297772
• Purpleheart Construction and Real Estate Management Co. Ltd – RC 1210548
• M/S Loktu Enterprises – BN 373466
• Loktu Enterprises – BN 400390
• Badatoyak Ltd – RC 521322
• Johnson Nats Limited – RC 198492
• People’s Club Nigeria International – CAC/IT/41191
• Jiba Enterprise – BN 577523
• Civil Engineering Solutions Nigeria Limited – RC 33001
• Gabdoff Hotel Ltd – RC 112409
• Amoka Group – BN 545221
• BEEC Nigeria Limited – RC 30143
• S. Adetunji – BN 657466

The Commission emphasizes that these names and registration numbers are not recognized in its database and should be treated as suspicious in any business dealings.

Steps Nigerians Should Take to Verify Business Legitimacy

To safeguard investments and avoid falling victim to fraudulent schemes, the CAC recommends the following precautions:

• Utilize the CAC’s official online verification tool to confirm company names and registration numbers before engaging in transactions.
• Request and scrutinize incorporation or registration certificates, especially for high-value or long-term agreements.
• Decline payments or commitments to entities whose credentials cannot be authenticated.
• Report any suspicious business identities or documentation to the CAC and appropriate law enforcement bodies promptly.

Enhancing Corporate Registry Integrity Through Digital Innovation

This advisory is part of the CAC’s ongoing initiative to strengthen Nigeria’s corporate registry and combat identity fraud. In August 2025, the Commission uncovered 247 entities operating under counterfeit registration numbers, which have since been expunged from the official records.

Additionally, the CAC is enforcing compliance with the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA) 2020 by deregistering companies that neglect to file annual returns or fail to update information about Persons with Significant Control (PSC) and beneficial owners within mandated deadlines. Such companies risk losing their legal status and protections.

In a bid to streamline registration processes, the CAC introduced an AI-powered portal in June 2025 that accelerates name approval and simplifies company incorporation. Although the platform provides instant feedback and alternative name suggestions, initial users experienced challenges with payment processing and document uploads, resulting in a backlog of thousands of applications.

To address these issues, the Commission is deploying an advanced AI assistant designed to enhance compliance monitoring, registry management, and customer support. This technology aims to efficiently manage high volumes of daily inquiries and reduce processing delays.

Maintaining Vigilance Amid Digital Transformation

As Nigeria’s corporate registration system increasingly embraces digital solutions, the importance of thorough due diligence by businesses and individuals cannot be overstated. Verifying company credentials remains a critical step in preventing scams and safeguarding investments in today’s evolving marketplace.

Since mid-November, armed criminal groups, commonly referred to as “bandits,” have intensified their violent campaigns across Nigeria’s north-west and north-central zones.

Significant Abductions and Attacks

The most devastating abduction occurred on 21 November, when more than 300 students and educators were seized from St Mary’s Catholic schools in Agwara district, Niger State. While approximately 50 captives escaped, many remain unaccounted for.

This tragedy followed closely on the heels of an attack on Government Girls Secondary School in Danko Wasagu, Kebbi State, where 25 schoolgirls were kidnapped and several school officials killed. One student managed to flee, and the remaining 24 were released on 25 November amid widespread speculation of government negotiations with the kidnappers.

Local news outlets have linked these two abductions to the same bandit faction, which has also issued threats targeting military personnel and political figures.

On 23 November, security forces successfully freed 38 hostages abducted from Christ Apostolic Church in Ekuru, Kwara State, five days earlier.

Despite these rescues, violence has persisted, including a deadly attack on 26 November in Niger State that claimed at least 36 lives, alongside multiple kidnappings reported in Sokoto and Kogi States on 30 November.

Religious Persecution Claims Amid Rising Violence

These violent episodes coincide with assertions by former US President Donald Trump, who on 31 October 2025 designated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” due to alleged religious freedom violations against Christians.

Trump further warned on 1 November of potential US military intervention to protect Christians in Nigeria. However, Nigerian authorities maintain that the unrest affects all religious groups and reject the notion that the conflict is primarily sectarian.

Profiling the “Bandits”

Emerging around 2011, these loosely organized armed groups have entrenched themselves in north-western states including Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Niger.

Operating mainly from isolated forested regions with minimal government oversight, bandits engage in cattle rustling, armed robbery, kidnappings for ransom, sexual violence, looting, and extrajudicial killings. In some areas, they extort illegal levies from local populations.

The proliferation of small arms, often trafficked from the unstable Sahel region, has significantly empowered these groups.

Unlike ideologically driven insurgents, bandits are primarily motivated by financial gain rather than political or religious objectives. They lack a unified command structure, though certain figures such as Dogo Gide, Ado Aleru, and Bello Turji have gained notoriety for their leadership roles across Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger States.

In January 2022, the Nigerian government officially classified bandit groups as terrorist organizations, equating them with Islamist militants like Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), active around the Lake Chad basin.

Recent intelligence suggests some bandit factions may be collaborating with jihadist groups or adopting extremist rhetoric, complicating counterterrorism efforts.

Government responses have largely centered on military operations, including establishing bases in affected regions, conducting air and ground assaults, and detaining suspects. These actions have displaced some groups into Kwara, Kogi, and Plateau States.

While state authorities support military campaigns, they have also pursued dialogue with select bandit leaders to negotiate peace and reduce violence that has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.

Assessing the Influence of US Statements on Kidnapping Trends

The recent escalation in kidnappings coincides with Trump’s declaration of potential US military involvement to halt what he termed a genocide against Nigerian Christians. Nevertheless, these attacks are not directly attributable to his remarks, as mass abductions have been a recurring issue in Nigeria for years.

For instance, in June 2021, gunmen abducted at least 90 students and five teachers from the Federal Government College in Birnin Yauri, Kebbi State. By mid-2021, reports indicated that over 1,000 students had been kidnapped nationwide due to increasing assaults on educational institutions.

Despite this history, some officials, including George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, suggested on 17 November that Trump’s statements may have emboldened opportunistic violent groups to target vulnerable civilians and make bold attacks.

While attacks on churches and schools may appear religiously charged, bandits typically select targets based on the potential for lucrative ransom payments. Students and religious congregations are perceived as valuable hostages because families and communities are often able to mobilize funds for their release.

Government Stance on Ransom Payments and Negotiations

In April 2022, Nigeria outlawed ransom payments to criminal gangs, imposing a mandatory 15-year prison sentence for violators. However, enforcement has been limited, with few prosecutions reported.

One notable case involves Tukur Mamu, a controversial preacher and negotiator charged with terrorism for allegedly facilitating a $200,000 ransom payment to free 60 passengers kidnapped from a Kaduna-bound train in March 2022.

Although federal and state governments deny paying ransoms, they have faced persistent accusations of negotiating with kidnappers to secure hostage releases.

Kidnappers frequently publicize ransom payments on social media, showcasing large sums purportedly paid by victims’ families.

Following the release of the 24 schoolgirls in Kebbi State, a video circulated online featuring a gunman claiming the girls were freed after negotiations. Similarly, abductors of the Kwara church hostages reportedly demanded $68,000 per person, though the state government credited security forces for the rescue without confirming any ransom exchange.

Government Actions to Address the Security Crisis

On 26 November, President Bola Tinubu declared a nationwide security emergency, mandating the recruitment of additional military personnel and 20,000 new police officers to bolster security forces.

He also ordered the redeployment and retraining of officers previously assigned to VIP protection, redirecting them to regions severely affected by violence.

President Tinubu has endorsed the establishment of a US-Nigeria Joint Working Group focused on insecurity, with ongoing discussions to enhance bilateral cooperation on security and peacebuilding in northern and central Nigeria.

On 22 November, the United States pledged support for investigations into school kidnappings by providing intelligence assistance and expediting Nigeria’s requests for defense equipment.

Additionally, on 26 November, the Nigerian Senate passed a firearms bill potentially permitting civilians to carry weapons for self-defense, reversing a police suspension on small-arms licenses imposed in August 2023 due to rampant illegal arms proliferation.

The Senate also moved to classify kidnapping as terrorism, amending the Terrorism Act to introduce the death penalty for offenders.

Furthermore, the president has called for a review of existing laws to facilitate the creation of state police forces and urged local governments to reconsider the operation of boarding schools in remote areas amid ongoing security threats.