Terrorists who abducted 10 residents of Isapa, a community in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State, have issued a one-week deadline for the payment of a N300 million ransom, warning that failure to comply would lead to the killing of the hostages. The victims were seized last Sunday, and despite several days of negotiations, none has regained freedom. The attackers had earlier demanded N500 million before reducing the amount to N300 million. The kidnappers also threatened to launch a fresh assault on the town should the community fail to meet their demand, a development that has heightened tension…
Author: Adeboye
The American company contracted to market Nigeria’s presidential Boeing 737-700 Business Jet has removed the aircraft from its sales platform, raising fresh questions over the status of the planned disposal. Checks by PUNCH showed that the jet, previously displayed on the JetHQ website, was no longer listed among aircraft available for purchase. In an email to The PUNCH, JetHQ’s Manager of Market Research, Laurie Barringer, confirmed that the firm had withdrawn the listing and advised that all further inquiries be directed to the Nigerian government. “Thank you for your email. We no longer have the listing on the Boeing. You…
Three suspects arrested in connection with the killing of a Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officer, Lasisi Funmilayo, and her 12-year-old daughter have given accounts of their involvement in the crime. The men identified as the deceased officer’s acquaintance, Fajemirokun Victor, 38; an herbalist, Gboyega Aberefa, 39; and his associate, Sunday James, 38 were paraded by the Osun State Police Command on Wednesday. Police said preliminary findings linked the suspects to the abduction and subsequent murder of the victims. Osun Police Commissioner Ibrahim Gotan, while briefing journalists at the command headquarters, explained that the case began after Fajemirokun’s wife reported…
Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has expressed confidence that students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School, Papiri, in Agwara Local Government Area abducted nearly two weeks ago will be rescued safely. The governor gave the assurance while declaring open an eight-day retreat for commissioners-designate, local government chairmen and their deputies, as well as special advisers, held at Government House, Minna. Represented by his deputy, Comrade Yakubu Garba, Governor Bago condemned the abduction and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to securing the lives and property of residents, especially schoolchildren. He underscored the pivotal role of the state executive in driving…
Two journalists with the Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) were on Wednesday allegedly assaulted by a senior aide to Governor Monday Okpebholo, Kelly Okungbowa, popularly known as Ebo Stone. The incident occurred at the Festival Hall, Government House, Benin City, during an empowerment programme organised for 250 persons with physical disabilities. Trouble reportedly started when some individuals who were not beneficiaries attempted to force their way into the venue and were being ushered out through a side entrance. Okungbowa was said to have confronted the EBS cameraman, Bright Osifo, accusing him of filming the commotion. In the ensuing disagreement, Mrs Juliet…
A fresh wave of cult violence has swept through the Awoyaya axis of Lagos, leaving at least one person feared dead following a bloody confrontation between suspected Aiye and Eiye members. The incident, captured in several videos circulated on the Telegram channel Naija Confra known for highlighting cult-related activities triggered widespread panic as residents fled to safety while the clash intensified. The hostility, which reportedly erupted on Monday and extended into Tuesday, resulted in the death of a young man identified simply as Pelebe. A short video clip showed him dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt, lying helplessly…
A 39-year-old man, Joseph Raphael, has been arraigned before an Akure Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing a pregnant female dog. Raphael, whose residential address was not disclosed, appeared before Magistrate Damilola Sekoni on a three-count charge of stealing filed against him by the Ondo State Police Command. Police prosecutor, Adebayo Sulaiman, informed the court that the defendant and others still at large committed the offences in October 2025 at Atabioloko Street, behind Federal Girls College, Akure. He alleged that Raphael stole the pregnant dog valued at ₦500,000, belonging to one Bernard Monday. The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravene Sections…
The Ondo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has initiated steps to fully digitalise its membership register as part of efforts to strengthen internal data management and enhance party coordination ahead of future electoral engagements. At the State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting held on Tuesday at the party’s Secretariat in Akure, leaders reviewed ongoing preparations for the electronic authentication of members across the 18 local government areas. The session, chaired by the State APC Chairman, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, reaffirmed the need for a secure, reliable and permanent digital record of all party faithful. The party’s leadership also underscored…
A lecturer diagnosed with mental health challenges has gone missing from his hospital bed in Yola, the Adamawa State capital. The missing academic, Emmanuel Peter, 40, lectures in the Department of Public Administration at Muhammadu Buhari University, formerly the University of Maiduguri. He was reportedly battling psychotic disorder, seizure episodes and substance abuse addiction before his disappearance. Peter was undergoing treatment at the Psychiatric Ward of the Modibbo Adama University Teaching Hospital (MAUTH), Yola, when he suddenly vanished without trace, prompting concern from both the hospital and security agencies. The Adamawa State Police Command has launched a search for him,…
A South African High Court has handed lengthy prison terms to a Nigerian national, Victor Udoh, and his South African accomplice, Vuyisekha Mzwakhe, following their conviction for drug smuggling and related offences. Udoh, 33, was slammed with a cumulative 22-year jail term 20 years for drug trafficking and an additional two years for immigration infractions while Mzwakhe received a 15-year sentence for her role as a drug courier. Reports by Nova News indicated that the duo coordinated their illegal activities via social media, with Mzwakhe allegedly reaching out to Udoh through messenger platforms and agreeing to move narcotics across several…