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Habila Died In Staff Chalet, Not Inside Minister Umahi Personal Residence – Friend Recounts Final Hours

By
Ayodele Oni
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Mary Habila
Mary Habila

 

By Ayodele Oni

 

“Mary came back from doing her hair at a hair-dressing salon, showed off her style to me, said she was tired and would just take her bath and go to bed.”

 

Further revelations on the passing of Mary Habila has revealed that the chalet where she passed was designated for the staff of the  Ministry of Works and associates and was not the Minister David Umahi’s own residence.

 

Reports on her sudden death had stated that Habila died within the private resident of the Minister, David Umahi.

 

Anita Baaki, a close friend and colleague of Habila, the nurse attached to the David Umahi Federal University of Medical Sciences and on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works, gave a vivid account of the events leading to Habila’s death.

 

This was contained in a sworn affidavit filed before the Ebonyi State High Court on Wednesday.

 

Baaki, a physiotherapist from Benue State, explained that she travelled with Habila and other ministry officials from Abuja to Ebonyi State on June 24, 2026, for an official assignment under the Minister of Works, David Umahi.

 

She stated that they were accommodated in separate but adjoining rooms in a staff chalet within the minister’s country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

 

She clarified that the chalet was designated for ministry staff and associates and was not the minister’s personal residence.

 

According to Baaki, she last she saw Habila alive on the evening of June 26 was after she returned from having her hair done.

 

She said Habila stopped by her room to show off her new hairstyle before they chatted and joked for a while.

 

“Mary told me she was tired and wanted to take a shower before sleeping. That was the last time I saw her alive,” Baaki stated in the affidavit.

Corruption Trial: El-Rufai Engages New Lawyer, Withdraws Applications, Apologises To Court

By
Ayodele Oni
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Nasir El-Rufai
Nasir El-Rufai

By Ayodele Oni 

 

“The filed applications (by former Counsel) sounds confrontational. I cannot adopt the same language used” – El-Rufai’s new Counsel

 

A Kaduna High Court has adjourned hearing in the corruption trial case of the former state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, till July 22.

 

The adjournment followed fresh application by new counsel to the former Governor who sought to withdraw some applications filed earlier.

 

The adjournment will allow the court to decide on the fresh application, which the prosecution counsel opposed.

 

In what is seen as part of move to ensure accelerated hearing in the case before the State High Court, El-Rufai, through his new counsel withdrew three applications previously filed by his legal team in his ongoing corruption trial.

 

The former Governor also through his new counsel apologized to the Court.

 

At Wednesday’s proceedings, El-Rufai’s new lead counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), sought the court’s permission to discontinue the applications, describing them as confrontational in nature.

 

Erokoro, who recently took over the defence, pointed out that after reviewing the filings, he could not adopt some of the language used in the earlier applications and, therefore, filed a fresh application.

 

He urged the Court to grant him more time to file the new application and formally withdraw the pending ones.

 

Responding, prosecution Counsel Ibrahim Muktar opposed the move, arguing that the defence had continued to file multiple applications seeking the trial Judge’s recusal, a development he described as an attempt to delay the trial.

 

Muktar said the prosecution had assembled its witnesses for the hearing on July 6, but proceedings could not commence because of the applications filed by the defence.

 

According to him, the repeated applications have frustrated efforts to begin the substantive trial despite the prosecution’s readiness to proceed.

 

Following the defence’s request, the court adjourned the matter until July 22, 2026, for hearing on the fresh application.

Mary Habila’s Death: Umahi Petitions Police, Insists On Autopsy Before Funeral Ceremonies

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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Mary Habila and Dave Umahi

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

Amidst growing public outrage, condemnations ,and vociferous calls for an independent and transparent investigation, the embattled Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi has insisted that an autopsy be conducted before the release of the corpse ,and burial of physiotherapist Mary Habila.

 

Miss Habila, an employee of the Federal University of Health Sciences Uburu in Ohaozara local Council of Ebonyi State, passed on suddenly, at the country home of Umahi, on June 27. She had, in the company of one other, arrived on June 26. Her inexplicable passing has stirred much controversy, with not a few calling for an unfettered inquest into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident.

 

But incensed by much of the commentaries which tend to indict him ,the Minister of Works has petitioned the Ebonyi State Police Command which is in custody of the corpse of the deceased and demanded that an autopsy be conducted before the release of her body for burial.

 

The family of the deceased had on Tuesday , July 14, informed that she will be buried on Friday July 17, a position which the Minister had, reportedly, earlier endorsed.

 

However, in a letter addressed to the Ebonyi State Police Command through his legal team Roy & Associates, dated July 15, 2026, Umahi noted that owing to the growing level of controversy and unpalatable commentaries that have trailed the death of Hibila on June, 27, 2026 at the Staff Quarters located besides his  Uburu residence, he would like an autopsy to be carried out before any burial arrangements.

 

In the letter, Umahi specifically demanded that the Police should not release Habila’s corpse to anybody, including her family members, until an autopsy is conducted.

 

The Works Minister emphasized that his position is predicated on the imperative to preserve the credibility of the ongoing probe into the incident, as well as ensuring that the actual facts behind the death are established.

 

Umahi’s position is coming on the heels of calls from the African Democratic Congress, ADC, for an independent and transparent investigation into the death of the physiotherapist.

 

The Party, in a statement from Bolaji Abdullahi its national spokesperson on Wednesday July 15, 2026, also, asked Umahi to step aside from his exalted office pending the conclusion of Investigations into the development.

 

According to the ADC, several questions relating to the deceased presence and death at Umahi’s could only conclusively be settled through an investigative process completely devoid of Government influence.

Senate Orders NNPC Auditors To Explain Unaccounted N210tn Within 7 Days

By
James Orji
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0
Nigerian Senate

The Senate Committee on Public Accounts has given the external auditors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited one week to explain over N210 trillion said to be Unaccounted for within one week.

At an investigative hearing on Wednesday, the committee queried the auditors over N107 trillion in receivables and N103 trillion in payables, describing the figures as unexplained and demanding supporting documents.

The auditors requested two weeks to retrieve the relevant schedules and working papers, arguing that NNPC, as their client, should explain the entries. However, the lawmakers rejected the request, insisting the auditors must defend the financial statements they certified.

Committee Chairman Ibrahim Dankwambo said the panel was not alleging the funds were missing but was concerned that the huge figures remained unreconciled. He directed the auditors to return within one week with a detailed breakdown of the transactions, supporting documents and the basis for certifying the accounts.

Senators Abdul Ningi, Victor Umeh and Adams Oshiomhole also maintained that the auditors were accountable to Parliament and could not hide behind client confidentiality in a constitutional investigation involving a government-owned company.

Viewpoint: What Really Happened To Mary Habila?

By
James Orji
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1
Mary Habila
Mary Habila
 By Etim Etim
Two young women from Kaduna state – Mary Habila and Mary Baski – left home and visited the country home of David Umahi, minister of works, in Uburu, Ebonyi state, where they spent the night or many nights.
In the morning of June 26, 2026, Mary Habila was found dead in her room in the minister’s palatial residence.
The other lady, Mary Baski, has since disappeared into thin air. She has not uttered a word about the death of her colleague and friend, and nobody knows where she is.
The mystery surrounding the death of Miss Habila in Umahi’s residence has become one of the biggest scandals this year. It is even bigger than the Prince Adeyemi story, but unfortunately, the Nigerian media, the NBA, civil society, National Council of Women Societies, Kaduna state government, the presidency and even the Nigerian Police have been uncharacteristically muted about this mystery.
Who killed Miss Habila and why? What was she doing at the minister’s residence?
First, I salute Sahara Reporters for breaking the story last week – two weeks after her death. This online publication has, over the years, shone searchlights on the putrid smell of decadence in Nigerian society. It deserves our collective commendation.
But it is now up to Umahi to come clean and level with Nigerians on what really happened to a fellow Nigerian at his home. So far, the minister has said little. He’s resorted to issuing threats to sue anybody who spreads rumours about him and the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms Habila.
The threat is meant to frighten journalists from reporting the story. Umahi must be, understandably, very embarrassed, and he would do everything to kill the story.
For some time now, the minister has been going about as the poster boy of the Tinubu administration, showing off the administration’s performance in road and infrastructural development. A week before this story broke, the minister had challenged Peter Obi to a national debate on the achievements of President Tinubu. It was his response to Obi’s criticisms of the government. I bet that Umahi is no longer thinking of a debate. His reputation has been sullied, and his name has been dragged all over social media.
Whether he survives this scandal or not, history will remember Umahi by this incident just as IBB is remembered for the annulment of the June 12 elections.
Since this is the most compelling human-angle story this season, I urge Sahara Reporters, Premium Times and other courageous journalists to dig further into it and uncover the truth. This is one of the reasons why I miss Newswatch, TELL and THISWEEK magazines. These magazines would have sent reporters to Ebonyi to do justice to this story.
The disappearance of weekly news magazines from the newsstands is a major disaster for Nigerian journalism. Miss Habila should not just die and be buried away like a dog. She was a daughter, a human being and a beautiful creature of our Creator. She deserves some honour and respect.
Last Sunday, while inspecting work in the Ebonyi section of the Calabar – Ebonyi – Benue – Nasarawa – Abuja highway, the minister offered a glimpse into how his mind is working. He said there is no secrecy about Habila’s death; rather, it was her relatives who forced open her room door and rushed her to the hospital. The minister said the incident was promptly reported to the police, adding that he had even asked for an autopsy. “The family broke the girl’s door, called doctors from DUFUTH (David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital), who took her to hospital and did everything to revive her, but failed,” NAN quoted the minister as saying.
He added: “The family reported the matter to the police, so where is the secrecy?” Umahi said Habila was an employee of DUFUTH. But in the initial press statement issued by his office in Abuja, it was stated that Habila was a nurse and physiotherapist seconded to the federal ministry of works. But the minister has not volunteered a word on what the young, voluptuous woman and her friend were doing in his residence. Meanwhile, a funeral announcement circulating on social media says she will be buried on Friday, July 17. Service would be conducted by Deeper Life Bible Church, Nok, Jaba LGA of Kaduna state. The officiating pastor should speak out on behalf of Mary Habila.
This story has raised many questions and confounded Nigerians, especially since this is not the first time Umahi has been involved in a scandal with a woman. Early this year, a businesswoman, Tracy Ohiri, publicly accused him of owing her over N200 million for promotional items she supplied during his campaign for a second-term reelection as governor of Ebonyi. She also alleged that he withheld payment because she rejected his sexual advances. Following her subsequent arrest by the police, Ohiri retracted her statement and issued a public apology to the minister, admitting that she did not sign an agreement with him and that her earlier claims were inaccurate. But the damage had been done, and people had already formed their opinion.
The Habila incident is different. The minister has admitted that the young lady died at his residence. Nigerians are now waiting for the police to conduct a thorough investigation and give regular updates as the investigation progresses. Even if her family is pressured or induced to reject an autopsy and police inquiries, the family should be ignored. The state has a duty to protect the welfare of its citizens and look into all cases of homicide or suspicious deaths. As Dr Martin Luther said, “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’’.
I watch with admiration as Scotland Yard regularly gives updates on the ongoing investigations into the death of a prominent politician in the UK, Ann Widecombe. Nigerians expect answers to the following questions whenever the police speak:
1. What was Miss Mary Habila doing in the minister’s house?
2. Who was with her before she died?
3. Where was the minister himself?
4. How did she die?
5. When did she die, and when was her death reported to the police?
6. Why did it take two weeks to announce her death?
7. Was there a plan to cover up this unfortunate disaster?
Umahi is the third minister in the Tinubu administration to face a serious reputational crisis that borders on ethics, integrity and character.
In January 2024, Beta Edu was suspended from office as minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation and subsequently dismissed from office following a major financial and corruption scandal. She had been in office for only six months in office. In October 2025, Uche Nnaji resigned from office as minister of innovation, science & technology amid allegations of certificate forgery. A few weeks ago, he was arrested in Abuja and was arraigned in the federal high court.
Will Umahi survive this?
Etim is a public affairs analyst 

Middle Belt Forum Tackles FG On Non Rescue Of Abducted Students, Teachers In The North

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Middle Belt Forum

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

“Use the same energy and commitment you deployed in Oyo to rescue the equally abducted children and teachers in the North” – MBF to FG

 

Following the successful  rescue of abducted Students and Teachers of Oriire area,  Oyo State, the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, has called on the Federal Government to fulfill its constitutional responsibility by, also, intensifying  operations for all citizens still held by terrorists in the Northern part of the country to regain their freedom.

 

The MBF said that the abducted persons in the North include  School Children of Mussa, Lassa, Shikarkir, Ariko, Awon and every other forgotten community across Nigeria.

 

Luka Binniyat, spokesman of the Middle Belt Forum, in a statement in Kaduna on Wednesday, said the  rescue of the Oyo victims has demonstrated that determined action can produce results. 

 

He urged the FG to use the same energy, commitment in successfully securing the release of the Oriire Students and Teachers should be extended to every Nigerian still in captivity.

 

“The Middle Belt Forum also urges the Nigerian Union of Teachers to demonstrate that its concern for the safety of teachers and schoolchildren is national in scope by extending the same solidarity to the victims in Southern Borno. 

 

“If the union truly believes that every Nigerian teacher and every Nigerian child deserves equal protection, then it must speak with the same outrage and conviction on behalf of these forgotten pupils”, the statement stated.

 

The Forum  appealed to civil society organisations, human rights groups, religious leaders, the media, development partners and the international community not to allow the innocent victims to disappear from public consciousness, saying that every Nigerian child held hostage by enemies of society deserves to be remembered, and that every hostage deserves hope and every family deserves justice.

 

The Forum stated that it commends the Federal Government, the security agencies and all those who played a role in the successful rescue of the schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State on May 15, 2026, adding that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion or location, deserves equal protection under the Constitution.

 

According to the statement: “Sadly, on the very same day terrorists abducted schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo State, Boko Haram terrorists attacked Government Day Secondary School, Mussa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State.

 

“The school complex included a secondary school, a primary school and a nursery school. Forty-two innocent children were abducted, including toddlers as young as two years old. What has followed since then is deeply disturbing.

 

“While the entire nation rightly mobilised in support of the Oyo victims, the children of Mussa have suffered in almost complete silence. There has been little visible concern from the Borno State Government, the Federal Government, the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), civil society organisations and many human rights groups. 

 

“The national media, which devoted extensive attention to the Oyo tragedy, has remained largely silent on the fate of these innocent children.”

 

Binniyat further explained that the forum found the painful silence difficult to understand and impossible to justify, lamenting that on June 29, 2026, armed terrorists attacked Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, also in Askira/Uba LGA while students were sitting for their secondary school examinations. Thirty-six students (25 girls and 11 boys) and one staff member were abducted. 

 

It added that at least one teacher was killed during the attack, stressing that since the first reports of that “horrific incident, Binniyat said that nothing has been said about the incident. 

 

He added that it seems   that the nation appears to have moved on, leaving the victims and their grieving families to suffer alone.

 

 “It is as if these children have been forgotten simply because they come from what appears to be a neglected part of Nigeria.

 

“This painful pattern did not begin this year. In August 2025, terrorists invaded Shikarkir in Chibok LGA in Southern Borno and abducted seven boys and girls. To this day, those children remain in captivity”.

 

The statement added that, “On April 6, 2026, during Easter Sunday worship, armed Fulani bandits attacked three churches in Ariko Village in Kachia LGA in Kaduna State. Seven innocent worshippers were murdered and 37 people, mostly women and children, were abducted. Among those taken away was an elderly blind man.

 

“One of the kidnapped women even gave birth while in captivity. A few are said to have now died due to the harsh, brutal conditions of their captivity.”

 

It explained that barely two weeks later, on April 20, 2026, Awon community in Kachia Local Government Area was attacked, killing two people and abducting 11 others, pointing out that the victims remain in captivity while their families continue to “endure unimaginable pain with little reassurance from those entrusted with protecting them.

 

Binniyat added that what makes this even more painful is that while innocent citizens remain abandoned in the hands of terrorists, enormous public resources continue to be devoted to programmes for so-called repentant Boko Haram members in Borno State and various rehabilitation initiatives for repentant bandits in Kaduna State,” the statement lamented.

 

It, therefore, urged the FG to intensify efforts in also securing the release the school children and their teachers.

NCAA Bars Two Pilots From Nigeria’s Airspace

By
Adesina Soyooye
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0
Aircraft Landed on Asaba roadway

By Adesina Soyooye 

 

“Since the strange landing of the jet on Ogwashi-Uku road, and its more strange taking-off without clearance, most strange is that nobody has disclosed the identities of the passengers who disembarked from it at the scene of landing.”

 

For strangely landing a private jet on a road in Ogwashi Uku, Delta State, two Pilots have been barred from flying within Nigeria’s Airspace.

 

The two Pilots were suspended by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

 

The Pilot and First Officer of the jet, strangely landed on a road in Delta State, thus attracting the penalty barring them from operating within Nigerian airspace pending the outcome of an investigation into the incident.

 

NCAA Director-General, Captain Chris Najomo, disclosed this while speaking to Journalists, Wednesday, on the sidelines of the Airport Business Summit in Lagos. He, also disclosed that the Authority  grounded the aircraft and suspended its Permit for Non-Commercial Flight (PNCF), thus preventing it from flying until the conclusion of  investigations.

 

The DG, however, did not disclose the identities of the passengers it transported to Delta who disembarked as soon as it landed on the Ogwashi-Uku road.

 

Najomo revealed that the investigation has been taken from the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) which  initially handled the matter, and transferred to the NCAA for a regulatory probe.

 

He said: “The investigation is still ongoing. The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau has handed the investigation to us. We are carrying out our own investigation. As we speak, the aircraft is grounded and the Permit for Non-Commercial Flight has been suspended.”

 

Expressing concern at the unusual landing, Najomo, a very accomplished Pilot said: “As a pilot for 45 years, I can’t see a road and land on it. We also have to examine other possible motives. The DSS is involved and carrying out its own investigation. Until that process is completed, the suspension remains.”

 

Recall that Nigeria’s Aviation Industry was shaken in June when a private jet with registration number N989BC, operated by VMO Aero Ltd, landed on a road in the Ogwashi-Uku area of Delta State.

 

On board were four crew members, and yet to be disclosed number of passengers whose identities are still unknown. On landing it departed the scene and returned to Lagos without obtaining the necessary regulatory clearance.

 

The incident has been a subject of speculations and investigation since then.

Two Northern Groups Demand Probe Into Mary Habila’s Death In Ebonyi Home Of Umahi

By
Ayodele Oni
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0

By Ayodele Oni

 

For the records, Minister Umahi, from day one,  demanded for an autopsy to determine cause of Ms. Habila’s death

 

Two northern groups have insisted that there are more to the controversial death of Mary Habila, at the residence of the minister of Works, David Umahi.

 

Mary Habila said to be Umahi’s personal physiotherapist, died on June 27, 2026, at the residence of Minister Umahi in Uburu, Ebonyi State. The circumstances surrounding her death remain under police investigation.

 

The groups, Southern Kaduna Is Awake and Southern Kaduna People’s Union, (SOKAPU) in statements demanded independent probe into the incident.

 

 Spokesperson Southern Kaduna is Awake, Nasiru Jagaba, called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately direct relevant authorities to conduct an independent investigation, arguing that public confidence in the justice system depends on the willingness of authorities to establish the facts without fear or favour.

 

“The death of Mary Habila at the residence of a serving minister is a matter that should shake the conscience of every Nigerian who still believes in justice, accountability and the sanctity of human life.

 

“A young woman left her home alive and arrived at the residence of one of the most powerful public officials in the country. Within hours, she was dead. That simple fact alone demands answers.”

 

 According to Jagaba, the incident has raised troubling questions that can only be resolved through a transparent and credible probe, insisting that the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death have become a matter of national concern.

 

“This is not about politics. This is not about party affiliation. This is not about ethnicity or religion. This is about justice.

 

“Public office should never become a shield against scrutiny. The higher the office, the higher the responsibility to submit to investigation.

 

“Why was Mary Habila at the minister’s residence? Who invited her there? Under what arrangement was she present?

 

“What exactly happened between the time she arrived and the moment she was allegedly found unresponsive?” the statement queried.

 

He described the autopsy process as essential to establishing the truth and urged authorities to ensure that it is conducted professionally and without interference.

 

“An autopsy is not an attack on anyone’s reputation. It is a scientific tool for discovering the truth. It protects both the deceased and those who may be wrongly accused,” Jagaba said.

 

The organization also called for thorough questioning of all individuals reportedly connected to the case, including a woman said to have travelled with Habila and a police officer allegedly linked to bringing the women to the residence.

 

While emphasizing that no one should be presumed guilty, the group insisted that no individual, regardless of status or influence, should be placed beyond investigation.

 

“No one should be presumed guilty. But no one should be placed above investigation,” the statement declared.

 

The group further expressed concern over reports that members of Habila’s family may be facing pressure regarding the demand for an autopsy, describing such allegations as disturbing and deserving of separate investigation if confirmed.

 

It urged the Nigeria Police Force to remain professional and independent in handling the matter.

 

“The police must resist any pressure from powerful interests and follow the evidence wherever it leads. They must speak for the dead because Mary Habila can no longer speak for herself.

 

“Mary Habila was someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone’s friend and someone’s hope for tomorrow.

 

“Her death has reopened painful memories of a country where too many ordinary citizens disappear into statistics while the powerful move on without accountability. That must not happen this time.

 

“The truth should not fear investigation. The innocent should not fear the truth. And justice should never bow before power,”he added.

 

SOKAPU, in a statement titled, “Condolences and Call for Justice Over the Tragic Passing of Mary Habila,” signed by the National President of Engr. Tabara Samuel Kato, in Abuja, described Habila’s death as “mysterious and untimely,” saying it had thrown the people of Southern Kaduna into mourning and raised serious questions that deserved credible answers.

 

“It is with a heavy heart and deep sorrow that I address you today regarding the mysterious and untimely death of our daughter, sister and esteemed professional, the late Mary Habila.

 

“Her passing under highly suspicious circumstances has left our entire community in shock, grief and demand for answers,” he said.

 

The union extended its condolences to Habila’s family, friends and the people of Southern Kaduna, describing her as a valued member of the community whose sudden death had left a painful vacuum.

 

SOKAPU, however, expressed concern over reports that the bereaved family was unwilling to allow further investigations and preferred to proceed with her burial.

 

While acknowledging the family’s right to grieve, the group maintained that the circumstances surrounding Habila’s death, particularly as it allegedly occurred at the residence of a serving minister, required a transparent investigation in the interest of justice.

 

“We recognise the overwhelming grief and the right of the family to mourn in peace.

 

“Yet, the mysterious nature of her death, occurring at the residence of a high-profile public official, the Minister of Works, David Umahi, demands that we seek the unvarnished truth.

 

“While we respect the family’s privacy and wishes, we must emphasise that true closure and justice can only be achieved through transparency.

 

“We cannot afford to let this tragedy slip into the shadows. We humbly appeal to the family, traditional rulers and elders to reconsider their stance and allow the relevant authorities to conduct a thorough, independent and transparent investigation into what truly transpired.”

 

The group pledged its support to the family throughout the process and urged law enforcement agencies to carry out a professional investigation.

 

“Let it be known that SOKAPU stands unequivocally with the family. We will provide any necessary support to ensure that no stone is left unturned and that the investigation is handled without bias or compromise,” Kato added.

 

He also appealed to Southern Kaduna residents to remain calm, united and law-abiding, assuring them that the union would continue to monitor developments and pursue justice through lawful means.

 

Minister Umahi has, however, vehemently denied any foul play, or personal involvement, in the sudden death of Miss Habila. From onset, the Minister has continued to insist on an autopsy to confirm the cause of death. He has, also, threatened legal action against anybody who dares spread false stories over Miss Habila’s death, and wished such people worse sudden death than she met.

NURTW: Ajiboye’s Killing Sparks Fresh Fears of Gang War Among Lagos Commercial Bus Drivers

By
James Orji
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0
Toba Ajiboye
Toba Ajiboye

By Akinwale Kasali

The killing of Toba Ajiboye, Organising Secretary of the Lagos State chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), by suspected gunmen has reignited fears of a gang war within the leadership of the commercial bus drivers’ union.
Ajiboye, popularly known as Ijaya, was shot by the assailants while returning home from his childhood neighbourhood in the Fadeyi area of Lagos on Sunday night.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers opened fire on his vehicle along Ikorodu Road, riddling it with bullets.

“They fired repeatedly at the windshield of his SUV after spotting him inside the vehicle, believing they had killed him,” a source said.
Ajiboye reportedly survived the attack initially but died the following day from injuries he sustained.

“After the attack, Ajiboye posted a video on social media celebrating his survival, not knowing it was only a matter of time before he died. Some people even claimed he had been attacked spiritually, in addition to being shot,” another source told the magazine.

The source described NURTW politics as “do or die,” adding: “If Ajiboye could be killed like that—someone believed to be spiritually fortified—I don’t think any of the current officials or whoever was responsible for his killing is safe because there could be a reprisal attack.”

Ajiboye was regarded as one of the most feared figures among commercial transport operators in Lagos, particularly because of his closeness to Mustapha Sego. He was also considered one of the leading figures in the “SegoNation” camp.
His killing has heightened concerns among Lagos residents, many of whom said they had enjoyed relative peace since the transition of the union’s leadership from Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo, to Mustapha Sego. Oluomo later became the national president of the union.

Ajiboye was a close ally of Sego, who has reportedly been locked in a prolonged power struggle with Oluomo over the control of the Lagos chapter of the NURTW.

The Lagos chapter is widely regarded as the most lucrative in the country because of the state’s status as Nigeria’s commercial hub.

Sources within the union alleged that Oluomo still seeks to retain influence over the Lagos chapter despite stepping down as state chairman to become national president. They said Sego and other state officials have resisted those efforts.

“There have been subtle threats exchanged between supporters of Oluomo and Sego in recent months, with tensions rising over the possibility of a violent confrontation,” another source said.

“The first shot appears to have been fired with the killing of Ajiboye. He was very close to Sego.”

The source, however, cautioned that “it is not yet clear who was responsible for Ajiboye’s death. That is for the police to determine.”

Sources also claimed that several religious and political leaders had unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile Oluomo and Sego.

“Muslim leaders, believing the two men would listen to them because they share the same faith, brought them together in an attempt to broker peace, but the effort yielded no result,” the source said.

Reacting to the killing, Sego described the incident as a rude shock, saying Ajiboye was a loyal ally and trusted friend.

In a tribute posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Sego said he was devastated by the loss, noting that Ajiboye’s commitment and dedication to the union would be greatly missed.
“The news of the sudden passing of Comrade Toba Ajiboye has left me deeply saddened and heartbroken. It is difficult to come to terms with the loss of such a loyal, dependable and committed ally.”

Sego described the late union leader as “more than an ally,” saying he was a pillar of TeamSego and SegoNation.
“Comrade Toba Ajiboye, the Organising Secretary of the NURTW Lagos State Council, was more than an ally. He was a trusted friend, a man of steadfast loyalty and unwavering commitment, and a true pillar of TeamSego and SegoNation. His friendship, unwavering support and selfless dedication to the union over the years will forever remain etched in my heart.”

He also extended his condolences to the deceased’s family, friends and members of the union.

“My heartfelt condolences go to his family, friends and the entire NURTW family. May Almighty God forgive his shortcomings, grant him eternal rest, and give us all the strength and fortitude to bear this painful and irreparable loss.”

Paying his final respects, Sego added:
“Farewell, my dear friend. Your loyalty, friendship and unwavering support will forever remain in my heart. You will be deeply missed, and I will never forget the bond we shared.”

However, sources said the camp that lost Ajiboye was unlikely to let the matter rest.

“There is likely to be a reprisal against those believed to be behind the killing, and an all-out conflict within the union cannot be ruled out unless the state government moves quickly to calm the situation,” another source said.

Editorial note: Several claims in the story—including allegations of planned reprisals, the use of “juju,” and suggestions about who may be responsible—are attributed to unnamed sources and have not been independently verified. To maintain journalistic fairness and reduce legal risk, it would be advisable to include the police’s position on the investigation and, where relevant, seek responses from representatives of both MC Oluomo and Mustapha Sego.

Benue Pastor Dies Days After Freedom From Kidnappers

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Rev Samuel Gbinde - Benue Pastor

By Akinwale Kasali 

 

In a heartbreaking incident, a Cleric who regained his freedom from his abductors in Benue State, died a few days later no thanks to the torture he was put through.

 

Rev. Samuel Gbinde,  Pastor of the Nongo u Kristu u i Ser u sha Tar (NKST) Church, was abducted alongside two members of his congregation on June 30, 2026, when armed men invaded his residence at the NKST Church in Andyar, Ishan Classis, Benue State.

 

Confirming the Cleric’s death,  an NKST official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the Reverend sustained severe injuries after he was tortured by his abductors.

 

Before his release, the General Secretary of NKST, Rev. Dr. T. A. Targba, had appealed to security agencies as well to both the Benue  and the Federal Governments to intensify efforts to rescue the victims and ensure those responsible were arrested and prosecuted.

 

The Pastor was released after a ransom was paid but was in critical condition, with the left side of his body reportedly paralysed.

 

“Pastor Gbinde died in the early hours of Saturday. He was manhandled by his abductors while in captivity. When he regained freedom, the left side of his body was not functioning.

 

“He was first taken to a hospital in Anyiin in Logo Local Government Area, but when his condition failed to improve, he was transferred to NKST Hospital, Mkar, for further treatment.

 

“At NKST Mkar, doctors discovered that he had sustained a severe head injury after being struck with a gun, which badly affected his brain and required urgent surgery. He was later moved to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where he died in the early hours of Saturday. May his soul rest in peace,” the source said.

 

The late Rev. Gbinde and the two other abducted Church members were released after a ransom was paid. The cleric was in the worst health condition at the time of their release.

 

The Benue State Police Command is yet to issue any statement on the sad death of the Cleric.

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