Hope has risen over early freedom for the 25 schoolgirls abducted from a boarding school in Kebbi State as one of them reportedly escaped from captivity and returned home.
The school principal, Musa Magaji, confirmed on Tuesday that one of the girls has reunited with her family.
The abductions occurred when armed men stormed the Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Danko-Wasagu Local Government Area, Kebbi state before dawn on Monday.
The attackers killed the vice principal of the school during the raid and fled with the students into nearby forests.
According to the school’s principal, one of the abducted girls managed to flee from the kidnappers and found her way home late on Monday — just hours after the mass abduction.
“Her return has offered a glimmer of hope to families anxiously awaiting news of their children,” he added.
Magaji also disclosed that another student, who was not among the 25 officially listed as abducted, managed to escape immediately after the invasion.
Security forces have since intensified search-and-rescue operations across the region, amid growing concern over the resurgence of school kidnappings that have plagued northwestern Nigeria in recent years.
The state government has also assured parents that the students will be rescued as soon as possible.
Ondo state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, has decried quality of foods being served students of the School for the Deaf, Akure, saying it did not match fund being released to the school by government.
The commissioner who paid an unscheduled visit to the Ondo State School for the Deaf, Akure, lamented the poor management of the institution by the education officer in charge of the school.
Ajibefun, who arrived at the school at 7:00 am, noted the absence of the senior officers to monitor the activities of the children, despite the fact that they are students with special needs.
Moving around the facility, Prof. Ajibefun expressed his dissatisfaction with the commitment of the principal and other senior staff.
He warned the teachers in the public school system against dereliction of their duties, stating the Ministry would not tolerate any act of indiscipline.
“Teachers in the public schools should take the job they are employed for seriously. If they are not ready to do the job, they should leave it for those that will do the job.
“From now on, every person that is found wanting will be dealt with. We will not condone any lackadaisical attitude from any teacher in the state.”
The Commissioner promised that the Ministry would take monitoring exercises seriously, and any teacher caught in the process would face serious action that would serve as a deterrent to others.
Speaking on the policy of reuse of textbooks, the Commissioner added “we also found that despite meeting and giving strong warnings on the policy of reuse of textbooks, we still discovered that some teachers still make students write in their textbooks. We will met out punishment to such erring teachers caught.”
He emphasized that the government of Dr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa would not allow anything to be a burden to parents in the state.
As a deterrent, the Commissioner announced that a panel be set up for the principal and the senior officers of the school.
The Plateau State authorities have recruited no fewer than 1,400 local security operatives in its renewed efforts at tackling the incessant attacks and killings in many parts of the State.
The Source reports that Plateau is one of the security- challenged states in the North Central region of Nigeria , with several hundreds killed ,and homes , and other properties worth several billions of Naira destroyed in the last few years by suspected terrorist elements.
Only on Monday, November 17, 2025, the Federal Government which together with the Conventional security agencies appears to be overwhelmed by the precarious security situation in the region, dispatched a mediating team to see how a lasting peace could be brokered among the warring factions especially between the locals and Fulani herdsmen.
The 1,400 local security personnel which were drawn from the 17 local councils of the state are to complement the efforts of police, military and other security agencies in combating insecurity in the state.
The new security outfit is made up of local vigilante operatives and hunters, and they will be partnering other security agencies in the state to halt the orgy of violent attacks and killings currently bedeviling almost every part of Plateau State.
Operation Rainbow, the State’s special security outfit is presently coordinating the training of the 1,400 recruits with a view to adequately preparing them to form part of the state’s security framework.
The Coordinator of the “Operation Rainbow” Gakji Shippi, informed that the driving force behind the formation of the local security outfit is the urgent need to strengthen the state’s security network so that it can effectively respond to security challenges.
Shippi who spoke at the occasion of the commencement of the training programme for the recruits expressed the optimism that the local security operatives will strengthen the system.
The newly elected National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Taminu Turaki, has invited President Donald Trump of the United States of America and other World Leaders practicing democracy, to come and save Nigeria.
In a very fiery address to Journalists, flanked by the Governors of Bauchi and Oyo States, Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, respectively, Turaki, SAN, said most of them are ready to sacrifice their lives to save democracy in Nigeria.
Trouble started when a PDP faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, led by embattled erstwhile National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, fixed a meeting at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata House, same day as the newly elected PDP National Executives.
President Donald Trump
Even though Turaki had, on Monday, gone to brief the FCT Police Command on the dicey situation, and asked for protection, but as early as 7.00am, Anyanwu and co. had arrived Wadata House accompanied by scores of Police Operatives.
Later, Turaki, accompanied by a couple of PDP Governors, who, naturally, had the full complement of their Security Operatives arrived.
On arrival, they met a locked gate and armed Security Operatives while the Anyanwu Group were inside. Confusion ensued. And so did violence and mayhem with, even Police operatives confronting and pushing one another, depending on which faction they accompanied. Tear gas rained. It was a miracle there were no gunshots.
Turaki, Bala and Makinde, pushed on, accompanied by hundreds of loyalists. Finally, they succeeded in chasing away the Anyanwu group, and took over the Headquarters.
An angry Turaki, while addressing the Journalists, in a fiery voice, pleaded with Trump to come and save Nigeria and its democracy. He accused an unnamed serving Minister of being behind the mayhem and wondered how he could bring armed thugs to the PDP Headquarters. He, also, accused the Police of conniving with the Minister, believed to be Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister, to inflict mayhem.
He said: “I want to call on President Trump to come and save us. What is at stake is not just genocide against Christians, he should come and save democracy in Nigeria. Democracy is under threat.
“I’m calling on all other developed nations, all advanced democracies, come and save Nigeria. Come and save democracy.
“Because, I cannot understand how a certain Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will be leading thugs with active connivance and support of the Police to come and create mayhem here.
“I have said it. We are willing to lay down our lives to protect our office, to protect our democracy, to protect our mandate.
“So, Nigerians are watching what is happening. International Community, you are seeing the threat that Nigerian democracy is under. Come and save us. Come and save us.”
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors Forum, has forced his way into the Wadata House National Secretariat of the party in Abuja, the nation’s Capital despite the effort of security agencies to stop him.
The development, which experts say will further escalate the deep-seated cracks in the opposition party, comes on the heels of the struggle for the soul of the party by two factions, backed by FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state laying claims to the party.
The latter held a National Convention last weekend in Ibadan, Oyo state capital where it elected Taminu Turaki, a former minister as new Chairman.
Governor Mohammed was part of the faction which held the Convention that the Wike factions has kicked against.
Turaki had during his visit to the FCT Commissioner of Police vowed to do everything to rescue the party, saying he’s ready to lay down his life for this purpose.
He also vowed to hold meeting at the Secretariat, daring the Wike’s faction to stop him, after the latter said they were planning to hold their Board of a Trustees, BOT meeting at the Secretariat today.
According to a viral video cited by the magazine on Tuesday, Mohammed had led his supporters to the gate of the Secretariat where some policemen tried stop him from gaining entry.
As the altercation between the governor and the policemen went on, the governors supporters warned that they will force the gate opened if the policemen failed to allow the governor in.
Few minutes after, the supporters forced the gate open for the governor to gain entry while the policemen were chased away.
The magazine reports that Samuel Anyanwu, the Wike faction National Secretary , who was expelled last week during the convention in Ibadan, had earlier today seen at Secretariat in preparation for his group’s BOT meeting.
He was later chased away by the angry supporters of the rival faction, sources close to the party Saturday.
We Are Ready To Die- PDP Chairman Turaki
“We came to have an interface with the Commissioner of Police of the FCT regarding the meeting we’ve planned to have tomorrow. We are going to have the inaugural National Working Committee meeting of our party, the People’s Democratic Party tomorrow.
“At this meeting, we have invited all our stakeholders and founding fathers. We’ve invited all our governors and members of the National Assembly. We’ve invited members of the Board of Trustees, our State Chairman, and other critical stakeholders
“As law-abiding people, we’ve come here to tell the police that we are having our meeting tomorrow. This will be the inaugural meeting since we left Ibadan after our election at our National Elective Convention.
“Now, we have seen things flying in the social media, a purported notice of BOT and NEC meeting given by people who, for all intents and purposes, are no longer members of this party, as I’m talking to you today.
“Next to God, in management of political party is the National Convention. The decision taken in a National Convention over rides every other decision that has been taken by any organ of a party. Our National Convention has taken a decision to expel these elements from the party.
“So, they are no longer members of our party. We have reported the moves they are making to the police, because we don’t want any situation where there will be breach of peace. As leaders, more than any other person, we want peace to be sustained. This democracy that our leaders, our forefathers, have sacrificed their lives to bring about to this level, we shall be ready to also give our own life to sustain this democracy.
“We are holding the meeting at our National Secretariat, which is the Wadata House and anybody that is sitting there without our consent and permission is an interloper.
“We have not sought for the assistance of the police or any other security agencies to lock up our offices. Now, we are going there, we’ll have the offices opened, we’ll get in there, and then begin to perform the functions for which we’ve been elected.
“I have assured the Commissioner of Police of the FCT that while we will ensure that no breach of the peace of course, we will go there prepared to defend ourselves and our integrity as Nigerian because Nigerian Constitution has given us the right to defend our persons, our lives, our properties. So, that is wat we are prepared to do.
“Let me reiterate again for avoidance of doubt, to defend our party, to defend this nascent democracy, we are prepared to lay down our lives. We will go there to move into our headquarters, to conduct our official functions, and if anybody tries to prevent us, then we pray for them.
“Our meeting is 10 am tomorrow. Circulars have gone out. We shall be there unfailingly. I, as the national chairman of PDP, will be leading from the front, not from the rear. We shall be there tomorrow.
“The CP had given us assurance that they will do everything it takes to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order and that is our expectation from him. So, we’ll be there hoping that the police will make sure that they give us all the ample protection that we’re entitled to under the law and that assurance we’ve got it so we shall be there.”
“We were forewarned by the DSS. We put a lot of well -armed Security men there. Instead of doing their job, they were taking photographs with the girls, and, surprisingly, withdrew 30 minutes before the terrorists struck.”
The Kebbi State Governor Dr Mohammed Nasir Idris on Monday night November 17, 2025, domiciled the blame for the dastardly, but audacious abduction of no fewer than 25 school girls by banditry elements on the door steps of security agencies.
The Source reports that suspected terrorists had in the wee hours of Monday November 16, invaded Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School Maga in Danko/Wasagu Local Council of Kebbi state, killed the Vice Principal , before whisking away 25 of the students.
Expectedly, the unfortunate incident has since provoked widespread indignation across the country and beyond with many questioning the functionality of Nigeria’s security apparatus.
While taking a somewhat post mortem of the incident, Governor Idris expressed regret that security operatives failed to nip the situation in the bud , following the availability of credible intelligence suggesting that the terrorists were about to strike.
According to the Governor, the Department of State Service DSS had warned before hand of the impending attack, but lamented that security agencies could not act on the intelligence provided .
Governor Idris is said to be of the strong belief that the attack resulted from a clear act of sabotage, with the aim of undermining his administration.
“This is a clear act of sabotage. We got credible intelligence from the DSS that the school was likely to be attacked.
” DSS further advised that we convene an emergency security council meeting which we did . At the meeting, the decision was that we would provide round-the-clock protection for the students”. Gov Idris added.
The Governor emphasized that he and his administration took the DSS reports seriously because failure to act swiftly on a similar intelligence led to the abduction of over 300 pupils in Kankara in Katsina state in 2020 .
“Being that we did not want what happened in 2020 in Kankara, Katsina to occur here, security operatives were deployed to protect the school .
But instead of maintaining vigilance, they spent time taking photographs with the students before abandoning their duty posts just 30 minutes before the attack occurred”, the Governor stated.
The Governor informed that a special Investigation panel will be established to unravel the actual circumstances surrounding the attack, and how the terrorists managed to infiltrate despite all the efforts of the Government to forestall the attack.
The panel, according to a top security source, is to be headed by the state Director of DSS , going by the accuracy of the Service’s earlier intelligence.
Inside sources within the school have also expressed shock and disbelief on the successful operation by the terrorists despite the huge presence of security personnel a day before the attack.
“The heavily armed security personnel spent the entire night of Sunday guarding the school . Sadly ,for yet-to-be determined reasons ,they ( security operatives) reportedly left the school before dawn on Monday.
“About 30 minutes after they withdrew, the terrorists struck, abducting the students”, one of the teachers who escaped the attack stated.
For the second time in a couple of days, Isaac Fayose, younger brother to former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has launched an attack on him. “A pig will always be a pig” he fired at his elder brother, the former Governor of Ekiti State, for insulting former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Trouble started on Saturday when Obasanjo attended the 65th birthday anniversary of the former Governor and made a speech.
Even though Obasanjo was instrumental to Fayose becoming a Governor, the former Governor holds him responsible for his impeachment from office.
Since then, there has been no love lost between the two, and Fayose has never lost any opportunity to insult the former President. Which was why it was surprising that the former President was present at the birthday celebration.
The real trouble stemmed from Obasanjo’s speech. While speaking, he narrated his story with Fayose. He acknowledged that he was his political son, but not the best of his political sons. But the former President acknowledged Fayose’s achievements in politics.
Obasanjo: “You are not the best of my political children, but you have made achievements that must not be ignored. Even to get me to come here, you could not approach me directly. You sent Osita (Chidoka) to come and sound me out. When Osita, who also is a political child, came, I said, ‘Well, if he (Fayose) has sent you and you have delivered the message, then tell him that you have delivered the message.’
“Then, you phoned me and said, ‘Ayo,’ and I asked you, ‘Ayo who?’ You said, ‘Ayo Fayose.’ I told you that you can see me anytime.”
After the telephone, Obasanjo said Fayose was cautious about visiting him personally in Abeokuta.
He said: “You did not come directly to knock at my door. You sent Folusho as an emissary to feel the pulse and about an hour later, you came.
The former president also recalled his conversation with Fayose and his wife when they were persuading him to grace the birthday party.
Obasanjo: “I told your wife, ‘Madam, you and your husband, you are not Omoluabi.’ She admitted and said ‘Baba, you are right. Please, forgive us.’ Then, when you get that, what else can I do?
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
“So, you have asked for forgiveness and as far as I’m concerned you are forgiven. But the right lessons must be learnt.
Obasanjo said 65 years on earth is worthy of celebration, and referenced a biblical verse “mourn with those who mourn, and rejoice with those who rejoice.”
The former President noted Fayose’s contributions to politics and said it was worthy. He also urged Fayose to make up with those he offended and resolve the matter. The former President urged him to as well forgive those who offended him.
Stung by Obasanjo’s comments, Fayose, 48 hours after the party, sent a insulting ‘Thank You’ text message to Obasanjo.
In the message, he called Obasanjo irresponsible, said he was fit for the zoo, and even asked him to return the money he sent to the former President to enable him attend the Party.
Ironically, it was Obasanjo’s Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, who made Fayose’s letter public, obviously, on the instructions of the former President.
The “thank you” letter reads:
“Dear Baba Obasanjo, I trust this meets you well.Your coming to my birthday party, I appreciate except for your very irresponsible comments at your age.
“You went so low but am not surprised because someone once said you are supposed be kept away in the zoo. Sincerely thats where you belong.
“I kept quiet or did not reply you at the function so that the world will know the difference between a sane and a mad man that you are.
“It is also obvious that you have also lost your sanity OR should I say is the heightened stage of dementia.
“Not to worry Baba., I shall set the records straight in due course of time.Lastly I shall appreciate if you return my money since you publicly admitted you received but Dangote brought u back.
“Your leopard will never change his skin.”
Perhaps, amused, the former President responded thus: “Ayo, thanks for your “Thank You” message which undisguisedly revealed who and what you are, unchanged and unchangeable. Your money has been sent back through Foluso Adeagbo who brought it and in the same bag as he brought it unopened by me. Obj.”
Not a few people were, at once, shocked and outraged by Fayose’s choice of words. But for his brother, Isaac, it was not shocker, because, according to him, a “pig will always be a big.”
Mothers have been warned by health experts on the dangers of bathing their new born babies twice a day, saying the practice exposes infants to cold, skin irritation, and avoidable health complications.
The physicians, who spoke with newsmen, said babies who spend most of their time indoors only need one bath daily, while preterm and low birth weight babies should not be bathed every day.
They added that a baby’s head should be washed only once a week to prevent excessive heat loss.
A Consultant Neonatologist, Dr. Fatima Abdullahi, explained that the traditional practice of frequent bathing and scrubbing is unnecessary and harmful because newborns have delicate, thin skin that is easily irritated.
“Bathing babies daily suffices for most babies. Preterm babies and babies that are very small, we don’t advocate bathing them every day, and when you are bathing them, you don’t bathe them for more than five to 10 minutes,” she told PUNCH.
Abdullahi noted that washing a baby’s head daily should be avoided because infants lose significant heat through the scalp.
“You don’t have to wash their head every day because they easily get cold from there and lose a lot of heat. When you wash their heads, it should be the last part, and it shouldn’t be done every day. It could be done maybe once a week,” she explained, adding that the hair must be dried properly afterward.
She warned that overbathing exposes babies to cold, saying, “After bathing, before you dry them up, they lose a lot of body heat. So, most times we say bathing babies once a day is okay.”
While some parents may give a second bath during extremely hot weather, Abdullahi stressed that the head should still not be washed and that the practice applies only to term babies with good weight.
She emphasised the importance of keeping infants warm, especially during cold weather.
“When the weather is cold, you don’t have to bathe them very early in the morning. You can let the place be a bit warm before bathing them.
“The prolonged traditional baths that require washing them five to seven times are not necessary.”
Abdullahi also advised parents to use mild soap and avoid harsh, mixed black soaps, noting that these products can irritate a baby’s tender skin.
She recommended simple petroleum jelly as the safest moisturiser. For preterm babies, she suggested daily cleaning with olive oil rather than bathing, saying some can go up to a month without a bath “and nothing will happen to them.”
She dismissed the widespread belief that babies who are not bathed frequently will develop body odour when they grow older.
“The misconception that people who are not given a bath have body odour when they grow is wrong. It is not scientifically proven,” she said.
The neonatologist further advised against bathing newborns immediately after delivery and warned against scrubbing off the vernix caseosa—the whitish coating on a newborn’s skin.
“It is very useful and helps them maintain their temperature for the first few hours of life. There is no need to rush to bathe babies immediately after they’re born,” she said.
A Consultant Dermatologist at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Folakemi Cole-Adeife, also cautioned against overbathing and overwrapping babies, describing both practices as major contributors to heat rash and diaper rash in infants.
“Avoid over-bathing babies. They should bathe once every day. They don’t need to bathe twice a day with a heavy sponge,” she said.
Cole-Adeife advised parents to keep babies dressed in light clothing and well moisturised, particularly in hot environments.
“We don’t need those heavy blankets and shawls that a lot of moms wrap their babies in. It just gives them a heat rash… the treatment should just be to allow the baby’s skin to breathe,” she said.
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has expressed confidence that the Maritime Labour E-Platform would boost the sector’s competitiveness as it hosted a workshop to sensitize users of the portal through practical demonstrations and interactive sessions.
Held in Lagos, the workshop practicalized the process of registering, verifying and issuing identity cards to seafarers and dockworkers via the NIMASA portal (@nimasa.gov.ng). Practical support measures, including training, cybersecurity and planning a phased rollout to ensure smooth adoption, were also discussed.
Speaking at the event, the NIMASA Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr. Jibril Abba stressed the importance of the digital platform to achieving global competitiveness, stating that “our digital transformation is underway. This year we launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, building on our 2022 dockworkers registration success. It is a modern, integrated system for registering and verifying seafarers, dockworkers, employers, and other stakeholders.”
Represented by the Director, Maritime Labour Services Department, Mr. Ibrahim Umar Sidi, the Executive Director further noted that “by centralizing registration and issuing secure biometric ID cards, it cuts paperwork, speeds up processing, and gives us reliable real-time data. This helps us meet our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention and boosts Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global Blue Economy.”
He also emphasized that the actualization of the digital platform was in line with the Agency’s statutory obligations, stating that, “This initiative directly fulfils our mandate under Section 27(1)(a) of the NIMASA Act 2007, which charges us with the duty to document and maintain a register of every maritime worker and operator. It also aligns with our obligations under the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, often called the “Seafarers’ Bill of Rights for promoting fair working conditions, health protections, and social security.
In its efforts to build a smarter, more transparent, and efficient maritime sector, the Federal Government launched the Maritime Labour E-Platform, during an event in June marking the 2025 Day of the Seafarer in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The platform, which is a digital solution designed to revolutionize the governance of maritime labour in Nigeria, was described by the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola at the time as “a transformative tool for labour administration”.
The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Calabar, Professor Cyril Ndifon has been convicted and jailed five years for se*xually harassing his female students.
Professor Ndifon was jailed on Monday by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The convict had earlier been suspended from office.
In a judgement delivered by Justice James Omotosho, Ndifon was found guilty on two out of a four-count charge preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
His co-defendant, a Lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu, was, however, discharged and acquitted by the Court Anyanwu was accused of trying to pervert the course of justice in the scandalous case.
Justice Omotosho sentenced Prof. Ndifon to two years in prison in one of the counts, he was slammed with a five-year jail term on another count.
Both sentences would run concurrently.
Ndifon, the ICPC had alleged had, while serving as the Dean of the Faculty of Law UNICAL, harassed his female students by demanding explicit photos from them.
In a particular case, he was alleged to have asked a female diploma student, identified with the pseudonym ‘TJK’, to send “pornographic, indecent and obscene photographs of herself” to him through WhatsApp chats.
The Diploma student was among the witnesses produced by the ICPC to testify before the court.
The defendants faced allegations which bordered on se*ual harassment, cybercrime, and attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The ICPC closed its case on February 14, 2024. But the disgraced Dean filed a no-case-submission which the the court dismissed on March 6, 2024, and ordered him to open his defence.
Prof. Ndifon testified as his own witness, while one CSP Babagana Mingali, a forensic analyst at the laboratory of the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, also appeared as second witness, DW-2.
He denied the allegation against him and insisted that the prosecution failed to establish a prima-facie case against him. He lost.
