President Tinubu Presidential Jet To Bring Nigerians Home From South Africa

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June 9, 2026

By Adesina Soyooye

The Nigerian Government has expressed concern at the treatment South Africans are giving Nigerians in their country. The Federal Government, in its first comprehensive response to the Xenophobic attacks on Africans in South Africa by South Africans expressed its worry that neither the South African Government nor its Police has responded adequately to the attacks, especially against Nigerians, many of whom have been harassed, killed, intimidated, lost their businesses and homes and in some cases, injured.

Expressing shock at these humiliating treatments Nigeria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed that the Nigerian Government was seriously considering retaliatory measures against South Africa.

To show its seriousness, President Bola Tinubu has decided to deploy the Presidential Jet to bring his long-suffering subjects home from South Africa.

Because of the Xenophobic attacks which has kept escalating, the Nigerian Government has concluded plans for the evacuation of more than 1,000 of its citizens from South Africa.

Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu, also, said Nigeria was reviewing its options in response to the persistent targeting of Nigerians.

She said: “It’s (retaliation) not off the table. That is a situation that we are considering. This is up to our legislature. This is up to the highest level of government.

“Nigeria is not happy because Nigeria sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence. Nigeria sacrificed quite a lot, committed funds and resources to aid South Africa.

“In schools, seats were reserved for South African students. My own generation carried placards and demonstrated in front of South African assets.

“Sometimes, we were even arrested for doing this.

“Nigerians are not happy about how they have treated us. They are not asking other migrants to leave; they are only asking black migrants to leave.”

The claims by some South African authorities that Nigerians seeking evacuation were illegal migrants was rejected by Ambassador Odumegwu-Ojukwu who described the allegation as not only false but misleading.

“That is absolutely untrue. Our citizens are being harassed, their properties are being looted, and criminal actions are being perpetrated against them.

“The police refuse to do anything. The South African government has not come out strongly or firmly enough to condemn these incidents.”

She, also, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu has directed that a presidential aircraft be deployed to bring home Nigerians willing to return.

She said: “It wasn’t actually supposed to have started today (Monday).

“It is just that we were supposed to have rounded off the formalities today.

“The repatriation is on course. Mr. President himself has reiterated the fact that his aircraft must go to South Africa.

“Our citizens who are imperilled will have the chance of getting on this aircraft to be brought back to

their country.”

She disclosed that many of those affected were legitimate business owners whose shops had been looted or set ablaze, while others faced intimidation.

“People who are doing legitimate businesses have their shops looted and set on fire.

“Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated.

“So, to say that Nigerians in South Africa who are conducting legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue.

“This evacuation is being undertaken with NEMA. We are working with various government agencies and departments to ensure that once they return, they can be rehabilitated and properly reintegrated,” the Minister said.

“We Will Accept Gov Yusuf Back If He Returns To Political Family”, Kwankwaso Assures

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Suleiman Anyalewechi

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June 9, 2026

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By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Despite committing what he described as “the mother of all betrayals”, Leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement has not ruled out the possibility of forgiving, and accepting back his “prodigal son” Governor Abba Yusuf if he decides to come back.

Kwankwaso emphasized the imperative of tolerance and forgiveness in political leadership and associations.

The Source reports that the hitherto cosy political and personal relationships between Kwankwaso and Governor Yusuf spanning over two decades became ruptured a couple of months back following the unbelievable defection of the Governor from his original political nest– the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, to the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC.

So shocked, rattled, and embittered by the development was Senator Kwankwaso, who was also a former Governor of Kano, that he described Yusuf’s action as befitting of a space in the Guinness book of records.

But speaking on a BBC Radio Hausa interview, Kwankwaso who is pairing with Peter Obi, the Presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, for the 2027 Presidential polls, said he has forgiven and forgotten all realignment-induced political betrayals, and is willing to accept back any of his eirstwhile associates or beneficiaries that turn a new leaf.

Kwankwaso further explained that Governor Yusuf was not chased away, but left the political family on his own volition.

Referencing his long political association with the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, the leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement highlighted the significance of tolerance and forgiveness in political relationships.

According to him, in the many years of association with Ganduje, there were instances of disagreements, which were nevertheless amicably resolved.

“As a Leader, you need to have an open mind and forgiving spirit. You can not force people to think the way you do because ,we all come from different backgrounds,and have different perspectives.

Without forgiveness, we would not have come this far.

“I still love Abba, and I didn’t reject him. He was the one that abandoned the group. So, not just Abba, if anyone who has left decides to come back, I won’t be unforgiving.

“Look at Ganduje. In the many years we worked together, we also fell out on many occasions and still reconciled . That is how politics works” Kwankwaso noted.

The NDC 2027 Vice presidential candidate , emphasized that Governor Yusuf, being a product of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, will be highly welcomed back to its fold, anytime he genuinely wishes to come back.

“We (Kwankwasiyya Movement) picked Abba to contest under the NNPP in 2023 and we won, and thereafter, he left to join those we defeated.

“Now some people say Abba decided to defect because he was afraid to lose re-election. But he knows that there is no way we would have been defeated in Kano State. If that were the case, we would have lost when he contested under our party”, Kwankwaso added.

Nigeria’s Labour Movement Mourns, As Lagos JNC Leader, Michael Adeleke Dies in Geneva

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Ayodele Oni

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June 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

Chairman of the Lagos State Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Domingo Michael Adeleke, is dead.

He died on Tuesday in Geneva after a brief illness.

Adeleke was part of the Nigerian delegation to the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) currently holding in Geneva.

He reportedly became ill and was later taken for medical attention. He subsequently passed away.

The development was confirmed by an official of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who described Adeleke as a committed trade unionist dedicated to the welfare of workers.

“It is with deep sorrow that the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) and the entire trade union movement in Nigeria, especially the 2026 Workers’ Delegates to the International Labour Conference, announce the passing of Comrade Domingo Michael Adeleke, who died today in Geneva after a brief illness while attending the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference,” the official said.

A member of the Nigeria Civil Service Union (NCSU), Adeleke served as Chairman of the Lagos State Joint Negotiating Council, where he was involved in labour-related advocacy and workers’ welfare initiatives.

According to the NLC, he remained committed to the promotion of decent work and social justice throughout his career.

“Comrade Domingo was a committed trade unionist whose dedication to Nigerian workers and the struggle for decent work took him to the global stage right to the end.

“His loss is felt deeply by all who knew him and worked alongside him,” the official added.

The NLC said its leadership had visited the hospital where his body is being kept and had begun arrangements for the repatriation of his remains.

2027: INEC’s Portal For Candidates’ Nomination Opens On June 26- Amupitan

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James Orji

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June 9, 2026

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On June 26. the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC will issue official access codes to political parties in the country to post their candidates on the Nomination Portal for the 2037 election.

The development is coming on the heels of the rancorous primaries by political parties across the country last month and the controversy that has trailed the

nomination of candidates for next year’s election.

As a result, many political parties have yet to issue Certificate of Returns to candidate expected to contest under their banner next year.

But speaking on Tuesday at a quarterly meeting with leaders of registered political parties in Abuja, the nation’s capital, the Chairman of the commission, Prof Joash Amupitan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said the portal will be opened soon for parties to upload their candidates for the election.

According to him, once the the access codes are issued to the parties, they would be ables to upload the names, personal particulars, and other required information relating to nominated candidates.

Prof. Amupitan urged political parties to ensure that their ICT personnel and relevant officers are adequately prepared for the exercise, adding that the period of submission will not be extended once the deadline has been reached

“The portal is fully automated and will close automatically at the expiration of the prescribed period,” Amupitan said

Kwankwasiyya Movement Reaffirms Fmr. Kwankwaso’s Loyalty To NDC

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Ayodele Oni

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June 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

Despite reports of crisis over sharing of positions, former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has reaffirmed his continued membership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

There have been social media reports indicating that Kwankwaso was planning to quit NDC over alleged disputes surrounding candidate lists in Kano State.

Reacting to the reports in an interview, Kwankwasiyya’s spokesperson, Habeeb Saleh Mohammed, described the claims as unverified rumours circulating on social media.

It would be recalled that shortly after Senator Kwankwaso joined the party, the State Chairman, Hussaini Isa Mairiga, rejected alleged moves to cede control of the structure to the former governor.

Mairiga had insisted that the existing leadership would not surrender control.

He maintained that Kwankwaso wanted the entire party structure handed over to him despite the old members having being in the party before him and had contributed to setting up its structures.

The national body of the party intervened and settled the matter after Kwankwaso agreed to allow Mairiga to continue as party chairman, while he produced other executives in line with the arrangement.

Spokesman of the Kano State chapter of the NDC, Ibrahim Waya, told Siyasarmu TV, a Kano-based online platform, that the party had repeatedly asked Kwankwasiyya members to listen to their complaints but were ignored.

He said, “You can’t just enter somebody’s house, open his wardrobe and start using his clothes without his consent.

“We didn’t even take the required 40 per cent approved for us. We only took four Reps seats and seven state assembly seats.

“If they had listened and given us what we asked for, we would have kept quiet. But now that there is crisis, even the 12 federal and state seats we took are not up to the required 40 per cent, so we will still take more. Now we will even take a senate seat.

“We have done our best but the consensus won’t work. There are many seats we already had candidates for, before Kwankwaso joined, but now we will take them,” he added.

Waya also alleged that all other states adhered to the allocation formula, except Kano.

Responding, the spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Mohammed, denied the allegations by the old party members, saying they were carried along throughout the candidates’ selection process.

He expressed shock that the party was raising the issue almost 10 days after the list of candidates had been agreed upon and announced.

“It is surprising hearing them raise this issue close to 10 days after concluding our primaries through consensus.

“Where were they all this while? It is also not true that they have been trying to reach out for their allocation, but were shut down,” he said.

On the next line of action, the spokesperson said the Movement was still studying the situation and would respond at the appropriate time.

Meanwhile, following the complaints that have trailed its primaries across states, the NDC has announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening internal democracy, enforcing accountability, and institutionalising the party as a formidable political platform ahead of future electoral contests.

The resolutions were reached at the party’s second National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and contained in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director.

According to the party, all governments elected on the platform of the NDC will be required to consult the party structure before making key policy decisions, appointments, and implementing programmes, except in cases involving personal staff appointments.

The party stressed that it remains supreme over individual interests, urging members to align their personal ambitions and activities with the collective goals and ideology of the NDC.

Obi Knocks Tinubu For Borrowing N100trn In 3yrs; Total Debt Stands @N200trn

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James Orji

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June 9, 2026

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Presidential hopeful Peter Obi has slammed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for accumulating huge debt for the country, saying the incumbent surpassed his predecessors put together on the issue

The former governor of Anambra state and the 2027 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC said in a post on his verified X handle, the n Tuesday that the administration has not shown accountability and prudence in managing the funds borrowed so far.

According to Obi, since Tinubu came to office in 2023 he has doubled the nation’s total debt by over 100 percent, noting that President borrowed over N100 trillion, raiding the debt to over N200 trillion.

The former governor also accused the administration of borrowing so much with nothing on the ground to show for the huge loan borrowed, adding that the government under Tinubu is “remarkably imprudent” saying the government has been “reckless” in it’s approach to borrowing.

Obi: “President Bola Tinubu’s administration has engaged in remarkably imprudent borrowing, escalating Nigeria’s total debt to approximately N200 trillion. This represents an increase of over N100 trillion within a mere three years, a stark contrast to the roughly N49 trillion accumulated during President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight-year tenure, which would have projected to around N80 trillion.

“As millions of Nigerians grapple with the shock of this unsustainable debt accumulation, the situation is exacerbated by the government’s reckless approach to borrowing and a profound absence of accountability and transparency in the utilisation of these funds.”

Giving the breakdown , Obi cited figures from the Budget Office, which indicate that government borrowed close to N12 trillion in the first three quarters of 2025 alone, the figure, which he claimed surpassed the government earlier plan to borrow N10 trillion, addi g that the action lacks accountability and irresponsible.

“Under a responsible and accountable government, such an overshoot would necessitate rigorous scrutiny and explanation from relevant governmental bodies. Regrettably, this is not the reality under the current administration,” Obi said.

2027: “I Prefer a-Tinubu Presidency To an-Atiku Presidency – Babachir Lawal

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Adesina Soyooye

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June 9, 2026

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By Adesina Soyooye

“For Tinubu and Atiku, it is like a choice between a devil and a devil. So, I will choose a lesser devil (Tinubu). Even among devils, there are categories.”

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, has said that if, per chance, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is elected President, he would be worse than President Bola Tinubu.

Atiku, Vice President during the President Olusegun Obasanjo Government is the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC. He was elected after the Party’s Primary, beating a former Governor of Rivers State who was, also, Transportation Minister under late President Mohammadu Buhari, and Mr Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, an accomplished economist, banker and entrepreneur, to a distant second and third places respectively.

Both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen rejected the result of the primary and dismissed it as a product of rigging and corruption, but the two stayed on as members of the party.

However, Lawal, SGF under Buhari before he was removed from office, refused to stay on in the Party. He resigned. And since his resignation, he has not stopped from attacking Atiku. He has condemned, strongly, the process which threw Atiku up, called him an ethnic and religious bigot, and advised the ADC to remove the former VP as its Presidential Candidate if the party hopes to contest against Tinubu in 2027.

While Atiku has pushed back on Lawal’s comments, and accused him of blackmail because he, Lawal, was not allowed to influence the outcome of the Presidential Primary in favour of his prefered Candidate, Lawal, in an interview, Monday, on Channels Television doubled down on his attack on Atiku.

Speaking during the interview with Seun Okinbaloye, he said Atiku’s Presidency, if he wins, will be worse than that of President Bola Tinubu – a President and Presidency he has always strongly criticised.

Given a choice between a-Tinubu Presidency and an-Atiku Presidency in 2027, Lawal said he would choose Tinubu. He, however, compared it to choosing between one devil and another devil, and said he would choose a lesser devil – a- Tinubu Presidency.

Asked to choose between Atiku and Hayatu-Deen, Lawal said there is no comparison there. He chose Hayatu-Deen, and said Atiku was not in same class as Hayatu-Deen; that the two are not even in the same sea, not to talk about the same boat.

Lawal: “I said it that if it must be, therefore, a choice between Atiku and Tinubu, I believe that Bola Tinubu’s presidency, as bad as it is now, on a comparative level, Tinubu would be an excellent President compared to what Atiku would plunge us into.

“When you are between the devil and the devil and you must go somewhere, what you, therefore, do is look for a lesser devil, because even in the satanic world, devils have categories.”

Ondo To Relocate Farmers Affected By Land Concession To Private Investor

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Ayodele Oni

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June 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

Following claims by farmers of alleged taken over of their cocoa plantation by an investor, Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has ordered a full boundary audit of the disputed forest reserve linked to Rex Forestry Limited in Ondo West Local Government Area.

This move will also ensure renewed efforts to restructure rural land use and attract investment.

The governor issued the directive during a meeting with farmers from 27 communities affected by the dispute, held at the Cocoa Conference Hall, Akure.

He said the State would adopt a structured land-use framework that accommodates both farmers and investors within clearly defined boundaries, stressing that speculation would not guide government decisions.

Governor Aiyedatiwa noted conflicting claims over the size of the concession—ranging from 37,000 to 50,000 hectares—while communities maintain that about 10,000 hectares are currently under cultivation by local farmers.

He directed the Surveyor-General to carry out a detailed verification and demarcation exercise, insisting that conclusions would be based strictly on verified data.

The governor assured that no cocoa farms would be destroyed during the audit, stating that all existing plantations would remain untouched.

“They are not touching your cocoa trees until we finish verification,” he said.

He explained that where adjustments become necessary, government would adopt a phased transition model, rather than forced displacement, adding that alternative farmlands and seedlings would be provided to affected farmers.

Governor Aiyedatiwa also disclosed plans to establish new farm settlements under a long-term agricultural restructuring programme aimed at sustaining production.

He emphasised the need to balance rural livelihoods with investment inflows, describing large-scale investors as essential to job creation, industrial growth and infrastructure expansion.

The governor maintained that existing concessions granted by previous administrations remain valid, stressing that policy continuity must be respected in land administration.

He further highlighted ongoing private sector participation in rural infrastructure, revealing that an investor is constructing a 27-kilometre road valued at about N1bn to open up farming communities in the axis.

According to him, such interventions will improve market access for farmers and create jobs for local youths.

Governor Aiyedatiwa urged residents to avoid confrontation with investors, advising that grievances should be channelled through government institutions.

He advocated a mixed land-use system that integrates smallholder farmers with large-scale agribusiness, insisting both are critical to sustainable agricultural development in the state.

Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ondo State Development and Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA), Emmanuel Omomowo, said government had been mediating disputes arising from investor concessions within forest reserves.

He explained that Rex Forestry Limited holds a 37,000-hectare concession, but boundary uncertainties and competing community claims had made high-level intervention necessary.

Omomowo expressed confidence that the governor’s intervention would deliver a balanced and lasting resolution that safeguards both community interests and investment.

NRC Commences Investigation Into Train Derailment

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Ayodele Oni

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June 9, 2026

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By Ayodele Oni

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has commenced investigation into the derailment of four coaches on the Warri-Itakpe Train Service, raising concerns among passengers and rail transport users.

The incident occurred on Monday, prompting the immediate deployment of emergency response teams and other relevant authorities to the scene.

In a statement issued by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, the corporation said efforts were underway to manage the situation and provide necessary support to affected passengers.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation confirms that an incident involving the Warri-Itakpe Train Service occurred today.

“Emergency response teams and relevant authorities are currently at the scene attending to the situation and providing necessary assistance,” Opeifa said.

He explained that four coaches left the rail track during the journey, describing the occurrence as a derailment in railway operations.

According to him, the corporation is closely monitoring developments and will continue to provide updates as more details emerge.

Opeifa urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid speculation, assuring that official information would be communicated through the corporation’s established channels.

“The Nigerian Railway Corporation is closely monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as more information becomes available,” he added.

Although the corporation confirmed the derailment, it did not disclose the cause of the incident, but report indicated that three person lost their life. There was also no immediate information on casualties or injuries as of the time the statement was issued.

“My Mother Has Ruined, Shattered Our Family” – Daughter Laments As Woman Fakes Own Abduction

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Adesina Soyooye

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June 9, 2026

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By Adesina Soyooye

Anita, Canadian- based daughter of a Delta State woman identified by the Police as a married mother is lamenting the fate that has befallen her otherwise stable and happy family. She says her mother has shamed and destroyed the fabric of their family and Shattered it.

The disruption of her life began began when she received a phone call from home which informed her that her physically beautiful mother has been kidnapped; that she was kidnapped in the Ikpoba Hill area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State. Her kidnappers, she was told, were asking for a whopping N50m in exchange for her freedom.

So, Anita and her distraught family in Nigeria began to run around, pleading with the abductors to spare her life, raising funds from here and there.

Not left out is a social club which member her mother is.

Then, the man who had been making the calls reduced the ransom money to N20m. The family and those who helped them with funds heaved a sigh of relief. They had N20m ready. However, they also took the precaution of reporting their ordeal to the Police inspite of the warning by the kidnappers.

But God showed His hands through the Police which did a good job of tracking the call to a hotel in Delta.

So, they stormed the hotel. And the shock. Anita’s mother was comfortably lodged in the hotel with her male lover; while her family which included her husband and children- and friends and associates were going through agony and trauma, this woman was in a hotel committing adultery with her lover.

When the Police busted them, they did not disclose the sordid facts to her relieved and rejoicing husband. They only informed him his wife has finally been rescued from captivity. He thanked God.

They took all of them to the Police Headquarters. It was there that they informed her shocked husband that for all the days he spent sleepless nights, crying for his wife, thinking she was being tortured by kidnappers, she was in the arms of her lover in a hotel, enjoying.

Shocked and devastated, he listened to his wicked and adulterous wife begging him not to let the truth become public.

But her devastated daughter in Canada, inconsolable over this ugly chapter in her family’s story lamented in a video statement that her mother has destroyed her family and shamed her children and husband. She emphasized that she was not part of this shameful scam, but did only what a daughter would do to save her mother. She ended by saying that the law should take its cause.

Anita: “My mum has been released. She is involved in this kidnapping case. I only did what I did to save my mom. The family is in shock. This is not right. This has shattered my family. My dad has some health issues. This is so unfortunate. What did I do wrong?

“My reputation has been ruined. I am short of words. I am so mad. I have no hand in this. I never knew. I only wanted my mother back home. The law will take its course. I am sorry this is happening. I only did what any daughter would do. My family has been shattered.

“We were told that my mum has been released. We didn’t pay the kidnappers. The money is intact. We are going to make a refund. We involved the police from the beginning.

“We now know it was not a real kidnapping. They said my mom is involved. They are having a relationship. The guy was traced. They had agreed to take what we already raised to N20m.”

Anita was not the only person who reacted to this shame. While her father is still frozen in shock, the Harmony Ladies Club, a social club which member Oluchi is, issued a statement on its WhatsApp group which they made public to the media. The members, in the statement, said Oluchi has embarrassed them; that she has betrayed.

The statement reads: “When news of her alleged abduction broke, the club acted swiftly in good faith. Out of sisterhood, love, and a sense of community responsibility, we rallied immediately.

“Our members provided extensive emotional, logistical, and financial support during what we believed was a life-threatening crisis, carrying the heavy burden of anxiety alongside her family.

“It is with a profound sense of betrayal that we have now discovered, through investigations, that the entire kidnapping incident was staged by Mrs Oluchi herself.”

Eno Ikoedem, spokesperson Police spokesperson, who confirmed the story, said four persons have been arrested.

“I can confirm the incident and also let you know that four people have been arrested in connection with the incident,” she told Reporters.

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“For Tinubu and Atiku, it is like a choice between a devil and a devil. So, I will choose a lesser devil (Tinubu). Even among devils, there are categories.”