Bandits have again struck in Kaduna State, abducting a Catholic priest and 10 other residents and killing three persons during an early-morning attack on Karku community in Kauru Local Government Area. The victims were reportedly seized in the early hours of Saturday when the attackers stormed the community, spreading fear among residents. The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan confirmed the abduction of the priest, Reverend Father Nathaniel Asuwaye, who serves as the Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Karku. In a statement issued on Saturday, the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Reverend Father Jacob Shanet, said the church received the news with…
Author: Adeboye
Suspected cultists have killed the President of the Omoku Youth Federation in Ogba-Egbema-Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State, Ifeanyi Azuazu, along with his aide, Chigozie Oluwu. Sources told PUNCH that the incident occurred on Thursday evening when armed assailants attacked a popular relaxation spot along Ogolo Street, off Palace Road, in Omoku. Eyewitnesses said the attackers, believed to be about seven in number, arrived in two vehicles at about 6pm and confronted the youth leader. A resident said the gunmen attempted to force Azuazu into one of their vehicles, but his aide reportedly intervened and was shot during the…
A member of the Abia State House of Assembly representing Isuikwuato constituency, Lucky Udoka Nweke Johnson, has expressed concern over the killing of two persons by gunmen in his constituency. Johnson raised the issue as a matter of urgent public importance during plenary on the floor of the Assembly, where he lamented the worsening security situation in the area. He told lawmakers that a 35-year-old resident, Uche Simon, was shot dead by unknown assailants on January 28, 2026, while returning home on his motorcycle, which was later stolen by the attackers. According to him, another incident occurred the following day,…
The Federal Government has approved an increase in the annual uniform allowance for nurses in its employment from N20,000 to N80,000. The approval was granted by the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission, according to a memo obtained by The PUNCH. The new allowance represents a 300 per cent increase over the previous rate and will take effect from January 1, 2026. In the memo signed by the Chairman of the commission, Ekpo Nta, the NSIWC directed that the allowance be paid to nurses working in federal hospitals, medical centres and clinics across ministries, departments and agencies through the Integrated…
United States President Donald Trump has defended his decision to share a controversial video on his Truth Social account that portrayed former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama as apes, insisting he committed no error and has no reason to apologise. Trump spoke late Friday while addressing reporters aboard Air Force One, shortly after the video sparked widespread outrage and was eventually taken down. “I didn’t make a mistake,” the president said when asked about the post. He explained that he did not watch the full video before it was shared, claiming his attention was drawn only…
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has lamented that many Nigerian leaders who are celebrated and accorded respect internationally are often subjected to harsh criticism, abuse and ridicule by citizens at home. Mrs Tinubu expressed the concern in a post shared on her Facebook page on Friday, following recent remarks by the United States President, Donald Trump, who described her as a “very respected woman” at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, DC. The annual interfaith event, attended by US lawmakers, religious leaders and international guests, provided the platform for Trump to publicly acknowledge the Nigerian First Lady…
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Coordinator of the Satellite Towns Development Department, Abdulkadir Zulkiflu, over the failure to evacuate refuse heaps in parts of the FCT, threatening to terminate his appointment if the situation persists. Wike handed down the ultimatum on Friday during an inspection tour of ongoing infrastructure projects in several satellite towns, including Karshi, Bwari and Kubwa. The inspection, aimed at assessing the implementation of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the nation’s capital, took a dramatic turn when the minister observed a large refuse dump…
Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command’s Special Fraud Unit have arrested three suspects in connection with an alleged cyber blackmail and extortion scheme involving a demand of N10m from a Lagos-based woman. The suspects, comprising two men and a woman, were apprehended after the victim submitted a formal petition to the police, alleging that she was being threatened with the release of her private photographs unless she paid the demanded sum. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Special Fraud Unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, disclosed this in a statement on Friday, noting that the victim had been subjected to…
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 40-year-old woman, Nafisat Lateef, over the alleged poisoning of her tenant’s three-year-old son in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state. The suspect, who was identified as the landlady of the child’s mother, was accused of forcing a liquid substance suspected to be poisonous into the mouth of the toddler, Abdulrasheed, during a dispute. The incident was said to have occurred on February 5, 2026, at their residence in the Omifon community. The victim’s mother, Rofiyat, reportedly rushed to the Odigbo Police Division to lodge a complaint after noticing her son’s condition.…
An Osun State High Court sitting in Iwo has sentenced three men to death by hanging for the killing and dismemberment of a 52-year-old woman, Asiata Yekeen, in the Ile-Ogbo community of the state. The convicts, Muideen Tunji, Yusuf Muslim and Rabiu Fatai, were found guilty of conspiracy, murder and unlawful possession of human parts. Yekeen was declared missing after repeated efforts to reach her failed, prompting concerned residents, Suleiman Akorede and Yekini Suleiman, to alert the police and operatives of the Osun Amotekun Corps in Ile-Ogbo. Investigations later led to the arrest of the three suspects. They were arraigned…