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Reactions trail Police inability to reach abductors of NYSC members in Imo

By
Ayodele Oni
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Audu Bonso - Imo CP

By Ayodele Oni

 

Criticisms have greeted remarks by the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Audu Bosso, that efforts to rescue the prospective NYSC members abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, are being frustrated by mines planted around the location.

 

The police commissioner had announced that security operatives have located the suspected k!dnappers’ hideout.

 

He was quoted as saying that security operatives traced the abductors into the bush on Friday and used a drone to identify their exact location.

 

He, however, said the team could not move into the area immediately because mines had allegedly been planted around the location.

 

“We have located kiddnappers’ hideout of abducted NYSC members. Yesterday (Friday), we were in the bush, we traced them to a particular location, we ran la drone yesterday and it showed us their exact location, we couldn’t move in then but mines are planted around the area, “the CP said.

 

The development comes after gunmen abducted NYSC members and other passengers travelling along the Owerri-Onitsha Road on October 1.

 

The Imo Police Command later said 10 victims had been rescued, while the exact number of those still missing was being verified.

 

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Shehu Nadada, to Imo to provide additional operational direction for the search-and-rescue efforts.

 

The CP’s reported comments have sparked reactions online, with some Nigerians questioning why the security operatives could locate the hideout, but were unable to move in, while others criticised the decision to make details of the operation public. More worrisome is his revelation of actions being taken.

 

Reactions:

 

@OlamiiJhy198: You locate the area but can’t enter ? How does it sound

@iam_flourish_uk: May Nigeria not happen to us,  just sing lives to play chess

@_1ikechukwu: So by saying this to the media doesn’t it tip off the kidnappers??

@I_stay_fly2: CP explaining his incompetence. And you are granting press coverage to tell us how you don’t have result yet. We are doomed

 

@AdesolaSo: All this information in the public for who exactly to use?

@SeaJustified: Do you understand what you’re talking about? If kidnappers are using mines, then why are you still calling them kidnappers? Idiot

 

@Mahreooo: so as una come post am online make them see am e wise abi??

@Destiny82986150: Oga you too enter bush abeg

 

@MayorUndisputed: This sounds like a Nollywood script. These kidnappers are not Hollywood experts, abeg. How did they plant mines, hide a whole hideout, and still let someone casually run a drone over their exact location?

Parents Of Abducted NYSC Members Meet With Olubadan, Lament  ultimatum By Gunmen

By
Adesina Soyooye
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Parents Of Kidnapped NYSC Members

By Adesina Soyooye

 

The gunmen who, among others, abducted 20 Youth Corpers who were on their way to their orientation camp, have given the grieving parents of the victims an ultimatum to pay the sum of N50m each for their release.

 

The prospective Corps members who took off from Ibadan, were kidnapped in Umunoha, Imo State, when the two buses they were travelling in were intercepted on Thursday, October 1,2026.

 

The ultimatum has a 24-hour dateline.

 

The affected families made this known to the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Oyo State Commissioner of Police during their visit to his Bodija residence on Saturday.

 

They have sought the timely intervention of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Ladoja, and the Commissioner of Police, Abimbola Ayodeji

.

The affected parents made the appeal during their visit to the Bodija residence of Oba Ladoja on Saturday.

 

They submitted that the gunmen contacted them using the mobile lines of the kidnapped prospective corps members.

 

The visit to the Olubadan’s residence, according to the grieving parents, was necessitated by the gunmen’s threat to deal decisively with the victims if the demand for the ransom was not met within 24 hours.

 

Speaking on behalf of other grieving parents, Alhaja Alimot Akande and Oyebola Michael Akande appealed to both Ladoja and CP Abimbola Ayodeji to come to their rescue by ensuring the timely release of their children.

 

“They have been calling us since yesterday with a demand for N50 million ransom each. They are threatening that anything untoward will happen to our children if we fail to heed their request.

 

“There is no way we can raise such amount at this period. Baba, kindly assist us. Don’t let them kill our children.”

 

While addressing the parents, the Olubadan assured them that their children would be rescued unharmed.

 

He said: “I want to assure that your children would be rescued unharmed. We will relate whatever information we gather to you. The Police are working round the clock to secure their rescue. Don’t worry yourself, Police are up to the task, and nothing would happen to your children.”

 

Also speaking, the state Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Abimbola, said he had already contacted his counterpart in Imo State, and efforts are in top gear to secure their rescue.

 

He said: “I had already contacted Imo State CP. We have been talking since the day of the incident, and he assured me that the victims would be rescued unhurt.”

“No Sick O, Na Gen Z Full Hospital!” Viral Video Triggers Expulsion Of Nursing Students At Madonna University

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Madona University Student Nurse

By Akinwale Kasali

 

 A viral video which warned: “No sick o, na Gen Z full hospital”, has led to the expulsion of Nursing Students of Madonna University.

 

The viral video was posted  by some Nursing Students of the University who were participants in the playful post recorded within a hospital environment. It attracted a lot of attention and comments online.

 

While some found the viral video amusing, others criticised the students for their conduct in a professional setting.

 

So, what began as a light-hearted social media video led to the expulsion of the Students of the University.

 

The expulsion has been met with mixed feelings and reactions just as the

leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has  waded into the issue.

 

NANS has appealed to Madonna University to reconsider the decision.

The students’ body acknowledged that the conduct in the video was inappropriate and did not reflect the level of discipline and professionalism expected of nursing students. But it posited that expulsion could have consequences far beyond the video and noted that the affected students had already invested years, money and effort into their nursing education.

 

NANS, therefore, urged the University to consider a stern warning or another disciplinary measure instead of ending the students’ academic journey.

 

The University Management is yet to shift grounds at the time of filing this story.

RCCG Pastor Collapses, Dies While Preaching At Funeral Service

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Pastor Steve Eyo

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

It was shock unlimited when Pastor Steve Eyo of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, collapsed and passed on   while preaching at a funeral service at Aleto in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.

 

The service turned tragic when the Clergyman  suddenly collapsed and died while preaching at the event.

 

It was gathered that Pastor Eyo was delivering a sermon titled “The Certainty of Death and Hope Beyond”, before more than 300 mourners when he suddenly collapsed.

 

Pastor Eyo began preaching around 1:10 p.m. with high energy, as he spoke about the inevitability of death, using an analogy that compared life to a market where some people leave early and others stay late.

 

Around 1:25 p.m., as he was concluding his message, he suddenly fell to the ground.

 

Attendees initially thought he was acting out his sermon on the suddenness of death, but Church workers and medical personnel rushed forward to administer first aid and prayers. 

 

He was transported in the funeral’s ambulance to a nearby hospital where medical staff confirmed he was brought in dead.

Presidency Says Amaechi Behaves Like A Clown For Linking Mother’s Death To Tinubu Economic Policies

By
Ayodele Oni
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Rotimi Amaechi and Bola Tinubu2
Rotimi Amaechi and President Bola Tinubu

By Ayodele Oni

 

The Presidency has described as laughable, remarks by former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi which linked his Mother’s death to President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies.

 

Reacting after the former Transportation Minister, linked the death of his mother to the economic policies of President  Tinubu’s administration, a presidential aide, Dada Olusegun, in a post on X stated: “Unfortunate. This man is a clown at this point.”

 

Amaechi, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice presidential candidate, made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday.

 

The former Rivers State governor said his mother had been healthy before Tinubu became president but that the rising cost of medicines later made it difficult for him to afford the drugs she needed.

 

“Because policies are killing people. I’ve lost my mother. Why do you think my mother couldn’t live up to 92? Tinubu was the reason. Before Tinubu, my mother was healthy.

 

“Before Tinubu, my mother was healthy. Suddenly, by the time Tinubu came, it was difficult to buy drugs for my mother. I know most of you won’t believe this”, he said.

 

Amaechi also criticised the wider impact of the administration’s economic policies, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and rising household costs.

 

He questioned whether Nigerians were benefiting from the savings associated with subsidy removal.

 

His comments followed a broader discussion about the difficulty many Nigerians face in meeting basic needs, including healthcare and medication.

 

Amaechi’s mother, Mary Amaechi, died in July 2026 at the age of 89, according to reports.

 

The reaction has added to the political exchange between supporters of the Tinubu administration and opposition figures as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general election.

 

Amaechi, who served as Rivers State governor before becoming Transportation Minister, has continued to criticise the Federal Government’s handling of the economy and the impact of its reforms on Nigerians.

 

The Presidency’s response focused on Amaechi’s statement, while the former minister has maintained his criticism of the economic conditions affecting households.

DIG Leads Team To Rescue Abducted NYSC Members, Passengers In Imo, As Abductors Ask For N50m Per Person

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
NYSC Members kidnapped

By Ayodele Oni

 

The ongoing search-and-rescue mission of the prospective NYSC members and other passengers abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road, Umunoha, on 1st October 2026 has been boosted with the deployment of a Deputy Inspector Geberal of Police, (DIG) to lead the team.

 

In a statement, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, announced the deployment of DIG Operations, Shehu Umar Nadada, and two Commissioners of Police to coordinate the rescue mission.

 

The team has conducted an on-the-spot assessment, reviewed personnel deployment and strengthened intelligence-led efforts to track the abductors.

 

The statement added that additional tactical teams and operational assets have been deployed to strategic locations in collaboration with other security agencies.

 

The DIG Operations assured that the operation will continue until all victims are safely rescued and the perpetrators apprehended.

 

He urged the public to remain calm and provide credible information that could aid the rescue operation.

 

Meanwhile, families of victims have said that the abductors have made contact with them and placed a -N50m ransome on each abductee for freedom.

 

Reacting to the sad incident, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), condemned the abduction of 20 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) along the Owerri–Onitsha Road in Imo State, and described it as a grave assault on the safety and fundamental rights of young Nigerians serving their country.

 

It described the incident as deeply disturbing, particularly because the victims are young Nigerians travelling to fulfil a national obligation under the NYSC scheme.

 

 Its Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all the abducted corps members and called on the security agencies to deploy every available resource to locate the victims, rescue them safely and apprehend those responsible.

 

The rights group also demands that the perpetrators be subjected to thorough investigation and, upon establishment of their culpability, prosecuted in accordance with the law.

 

 According to reports, the corps members were travelling in a commercial bus from Ibadan, Oyo State, to various NYSC orientation camps in the South-East and South-South when they were intercepted by gunmen near Umunoha community in Mbaitoli Local Government Area.

 

The Imo State Police Command has confirmed the incident and said security operatives are combing surrounding bushes, while a Rapid Response Team has been deployed to track the kidnappers and secure the safe release of the victims.

 

“The organisation is concerned that the renewed incidents of kidnapping along major roads in Imo State point to serious security challenges that require urgent and sustained attention from the state and federal authorities.

 

“HURIWA therefore challenges Governor Hope Uzodinma to make the protection of lives and property in Imo State his immediate priority and to demonstrate visible leadership in confronting the worsening security concerns across the state.”

HURIWA To Enugu Gov. Mbah: Traditional Rulers Are Not Political Appointees

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Peter Mbah
Gov Peter Mbah

By Ayodele Oni

 

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described the action by the Enugu State Government to suspend the traditional ruler of Ibagwa Opi Ogbozalla Autonomous Community in Nsukka Local Government Area, HRH Igwe Williams (Willy) Ezugwu, as a dangerous assault on the dignity of the traditional institution and an unacceptable descent into political intimidation

 

Condemning the action, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA Coordinator, in a statement, “says it is utterly disgraceful that a traditional ruler could be suspended in circumstances coming so closely after he received Peter Obi, former Governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), in his palace.”

 

The association pointed out that the reported offence appears to be nothing more than receiving a fellow Igbo man, welcoming a former governor and praying for his visitor.

 

HURIWA asked Governor Peter Mbah: “Is receiving Peter Obi now a crime in Enugu State? Is praying for a visitor now an offence punishable by suspension?

 

“If there is another reason for the suspension, HURIWA demands that Governor Mbah immediately publish it and present the evidence before Nigerians.”

 

The rights group says maintained that Enugu Government cannot hide behind the vague phrase “persistent misconduct” while leaving citizens to connect the suspension with the monarch’s reported meeting with an opposition presidential candidate.

 

HURIWA demands answers: “Where is the evidence that Peter Obi’s visit constituted misconduct? Where is the evidence that the monarch breached any specific provision of the Traditional Rulers Law?

 

“Where is the record of the allegations against him? Where is the evidence that he was given fair hearing before this punitive action was taken?

 

“Was the APC presidential candidate seeking to visit the same traditional ruler, and did the monarch refuse to receive him? If so, where is the evidence?”

 

The association warned Governor Mbah that traditional rulers are not political appointees to be publicly humiliated whenever they receive people considered politically inconvenient by the government of the day.

 

“The palace is not a political party office. A traditional ruler is not a political foot soldier. And receiving Peter Obi is not, in itself, a criminal offence.”

 

HURIWA cauctioned that the Enugu State Government must stop dragging the revered traditional institution into the bitter politics of 2027.

 

The rights group noted that it is particularly disturbing that an institution deeply rooted in Igbo history, culture and communal leadership could allegedly be subjected to such treatment merely because a political visitor entered a traditional palace.

INEC Says No New Voter Registration Exercise For 2027 Polls

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Prof Joash Amupitan - INEC Chairman
Prof Joash Amupitan, INEC Chairman

By Ayodele Oni

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that it is unaware of a fresh website for nationwide voter registration exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

The Commission warned Nigerians about a fraudulent website circulating online and falsely claiming that a new online registration window opened on September 28 and would run until October 27, 2026.

 

In a statement on Saturday, INEC said the website has no connection with the Commission and urged Nigerians to disregard information published on the platform.

 

The electoral body said its attention was drawn to the fraudulent website after it began circulating claims that a fresh nationwide online voter registration exercise had commenced.

 

INEC also warned members of the public against clicking on the website or entering their personal information, noting that such details could be harvested and misused.

 

“The Commission wishes to categorically inform the general public that the website below is fake and has no affiliation whatsoever with INEC.”

 

INEC stated that the voter registration exercise for the current electoral cycle ended on July 26, 2026.

 

The Commission therefore advised Nigerians to disregard unofficial messages and websites claiming that registration had reopened.

 

It urged eligible voters and other members of the public to obtain election-related information only through INEC’s authorised communication channels.

 

“INEC urges the public to remain vigilant and to verify all electoral information through the Commission’s official communication channels,” the statement added.

 

The warning comes as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue, with INEC providing election-related information and services through its official platforms.

 

The Commission reiterated that Nigerians should rely only on verified information from its authorised channels and avoid sharing personal details with unverified websites.

Mr President, Your 66th Independence Speech Made Me Sad – Dele Momodu

By
The Source
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0
Dele Momodu and Bola Tinubu

By Gideon Njoku

 

Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has described President Bola Tinubu’s Independence Day address to Nigerians  as depressing.

 

Picking on the President’s comment that morphine was only a palliative when treating cancer and not a cure, Momodu said while morphine lessened cancer pain, President Tinubu’s surgery has worsened the disease, made it spread, and taken it to stage-four cancer. Tinubu had said that his predecessors were treating cancer with morphine to reduce the pains instead of operating  on it.

 

President Tinubu’s  speech the former Tinubu political ally said turned the anniversary into a day of lamentation instead of celebration.

 

In a post on X, the

Momodu, a former Presidential Candidate wrote:

 

“Dear Mr. President, please allow me to wish you a Happy Independence Day on our 66th anniversary. I won’t spend too much time, Sir.

 

“I just watched and heard your speech on TV, and I have to be honest. I wasn’t really impressed. Today was meant to be a happy day, but your speech made it feel like a sad day instead.

 

“My heart felt heavy as you compared Nigeria to a cancer patient who only survived by taking painkillers, and then you came as a famous doctor who could finally help.

 

“You clearly stated that morphine was the preferred drug by your previous team. I’m not sure this analogy was appropriate. When you took over, Nigeria was probably in the second stage of cancer, at worst.

 

“You were supposed to stop it from getting worse and not let it turn into stage-four cancer. Your first prescription on day one was a huge mistake.”

 

On day one of Mr President on the job, he scrapped subsidy on fuel, an action he led a protest against for days during the President Goodluck Jonathan Government.

Lagos Teacher Sentenced To Life Imprisonment For Defiling Eight Year Old Pupil

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Law and Court

By Akinwale Kasali

 

Nwatu Isaac, a Teacher at El-Bossaa Nursery and Primary School, Epe, Lagos, has been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Honourable Justice Rahman Oshodi of the Lagos State Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court, Ikeja, for defiling an eight-year-old pupil.

 

Delivering judgment, Justice Oshodi, also, ordered that Isaac’s name be registered in the Sexual Offenders Register maintained by the Lagos State.

 

According to the statement by Lagos DSVA on Friday, the order was made “in line with Sections 33 and 38 of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, 2021.”

 

Isaac was found guilty of defiling the child on March 10, 2022, after the prosecution established its case beyond reasonable doubt.

 

“Justice Oshodi held that the prosecution had proved the offence beyond reasonable doubt, establishing that the survivor was a child and that Isaac had sexual intercourse with her,” the statement said.

 

The Court also found the testimony of the survivor, who was nine years old when she testified, credible and consistent.

 

“She identified Isaac in Court and gave a clear account of how he, whom she knew as ‘Master Isaac’, took her into the school toilet and sexually assaulted her,” the statement added.

 

Justice Oshodi also relied on evidence from the survivor’s Mother who noticed blood on her daughter’s underwear and vagina shortly after she returned home from school.

 

The statement said medical evidence from the Mirabel Centre “corroborated the evidence of penetration.”

 

The Court rejected Isaac’s denial that he went beyond the School gate on the day of the incident, noting that his own evidence placed him at the School at the material time.

 

The statement said the survivor also identified Isaac as “the person who took her into the toilet.”

 

The Court further rejected his defence of alibi, as well as suggestions that the survivor could have been sexually abused by her stepsister or that the school toilet was too small for the offence to have occurred.

 

During sentencing, Oshodi held that Isaac had abused the trust placed in him by the survivor and her family.

 

The statement said the Judge noted that Isaac “was once her teacher and was also entrusted by parents in the community to transport their children.”

 

Oshodi further directed the prosecution to take “immediate steps” under the Victim Assistance and Witness Protection Law, 2022, to secure “whatever protection and support the survivor and her family require.”

 

Isaac was prosecuted under Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, which prescribes life imprisonment for anyone who has unlawful sexual intercourse with a child.

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