Year: 2025

Members of the Rivers State Caucus in the National Assembly have declared their support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

 

They also called on those aspiring to contest for the country’s number one position in the next general election to shelve their ambitions, stating that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda remains the surest path to Nigeria’s prosperity and progress.

 

The caucus, comprising two Senators and seven members of the House of Representatives—all members of the Peoples Democratic Party —said their position is based on the visible successes of Tinubu’s agenda, which they described as “working and on course.”

 

The Rivers NASS caucus made the declaration in a statement they all signed, which was read to newsmen on their behalf by Senator Barry Mpigi in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

 

They also lauded Tinubu’s economic policies, saying they are aimed at repositioning the country’s ailing economy, among other achievements.

 

The statement reads: “We, the members of the National Assembly from Rivers State, comprising Senators and Members of the House of Representatives, extend our heartfelt gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his trust and confidence in our leader, His Excellency Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, following his appointment as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. We are gladdened by the President’s public acknowledgement and commendation of the exceptional performance of the Minister of FCT, whom he described as the ‘Master of Infrastructure.’

 

“Now, having carefully reviewed the President’s economic policies which are targeted at repositioning our once moribund economy through his Renewed Hope Agenda, and taking into account the massive rot and decadence he inherited on the 29th of May, 2023—including our unenviable debt profile and the terrible inflationary figures occasioned by the printing of N22.7 trillion by the Central Bank of Nigeria through Ways and Means overdraft for the Federal Government between 2015 and 2023 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

 

“And the near-absence of critical infrastructure to support food production; we have come to the conclusion that the President’s economic plan is the surest way out of our country’s social and economic morass. Further, our assessment is firm that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda is very much on track with already visible results and a credible basis that offers greater improvement in the economic wellbeing of Nigerians if given the necessary time. Still, we are convinced that the declining inflation figures, the substantial reduction in our foreign debt profile, and an IMF-backed promising growth figure all bode well for the economy in the years ahead.”

While thanking Tinubu for his “swift” intervention in the political crisis in Rivers State, they said the President’s action “has set the process of peace in motion, even as we pray and hope to see a clear path to an enduring peace built on sincerity of purpose.”

 

The NASS Rivers Caucus reminded that in 2023, “we worked assiduously under the leadership of Nyesom Wike for the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. And we were victorious in that assignment.”

 

The statement further added: “As members of the National Assembly from Rivers State, we declare unequivocally our unconditional resolve to work again for the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027.

 

“As legislators who are closest to the people, we shall begin the mother of all mobilizations of our people to repeat in greater measure what we did in 2023 in order to re-elect President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

 

“Finally, we call on all Nigerians to support the consolidation of the Renewed Hope Agenda as the surest panacea for the prosperity and progress of Nigeria.

 

“And, in this connection, we appeal to would-be presidential candidates, especially those with desperate and never-ending presidential ambitions, to jettison such ambition and rally round our dear President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) in 2027.”

The nine Rivers caucus members are Senator Barry Mpigi, Senator Allwell Onyesoh, Rt. Hon. Dumnamene Dekor, Solomon Bob, Hon. Felix Nwaeke, Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, Cyril Hart, Victor Obuzor, and Blessing Amadi.

 

Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky met briefly at Pope Francis’s funeral on Saturday, their aides said, marking their first encounter since a disastrous White House clash as the US president pushes the Ukrainian to make a peace deal with Russia.

 

Trump was rubbing shoulders with dozens of world leaders at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome keen to bend his ear on the tariffs he has unleashed and other subjects.

 

But it was the meeting with Zelensky that drew the most interest as the US leader pushes the Ukrainian to make a peace deal with Russia.

 

The two leaders met briefly on the sidelines of the funeral before it started, a spokesman for the Ukrainian presidency said.

The meeting took place and is already over,” Zelensky’s spokesman Sergiy Nykyforov told journalists without providing further detail.

 

White House communications director Steven Cheung also confirmed the meeting occured, calling it “a very productive discussion” and saying more details would follow.

 

Trump and Zelensky, both accompanied by their wives, sat in the front row of the funeral in St Peter’s Square but were separated by nearly a dozen leaders. Zelensky glanced Trump’s way but they were not seen to meet in public.

 

Both sides had kept the prospects of a meeting vague ahead of the funeral with Trump saying only it was “possible”.

 

Tensions have been high since Trump and Vice President JD Vance berated Zelensky in the Oval Office on February 28, calling him ungrateful for the billions of dollars of US military assistance given since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

 

•⁠ ⁠Blame game –

 

Trump, while calling on President Vladimir Putin to stop Russia’s attacks on Ukraine, has recently blamed Zelensky for the war and the continuing bloodshed.

 

Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggering a conflict not seen in Europe for decades.

 

Trump has also pushed Zelensky to accept previously unpalatable concessions such as acknowledging that Crimea, which Moscow seized from Ukraine in 2014, will remain in Russian hands under any deal to stop the conflict.

 

Arriving in Rome late Friday, Trump pushed for the Russian and Ukrainian leaders to meet after what he said was progress in talks.

“They are very close to a deal, and the two sides should now meet, at very high levels, to ‘finish it off’,” he posted on his Truth Social platform.

 

“Most of the major points are agreed to,” he said.

 

Putin on Friday discussed the “possibility” of direct talks with Ukraine in a meeting with US envoy Steve Witkoff.

But Zelensky again rejected suggestions that Ukraine give up Crimea.

 

Witkoff’s meeting with Putin came just after a top Russian general was killed in a car bomb attack outside Moscow.

 

An increasingly frustrated Trump last week threatened to walk away from peace efforts if he does not see progress towards a ceasefire.

 

Trump last year promised to end the Ukraine war within 24 hours if elected president, though he said in a Time magazine interview this week that he was speaking “in jest”.

 

•⁠ ⁠Few meetings –

 

The US president, accompanied by his wife Melania, is making the first foreign trip of his second term.

 

It puts him centre-stage for a major diplomatic gathering with some 50 heads of state, including 10 reigning monarchs, and Britain’s Prince William.

 

Trump’s trip to Italy also comes after he rattled European allies by imposing sweeping tariffs, although he at least temporarily has backed down from the most severe measures.

 

The US president shook hands with EU chief Ursula von der Leyen. He also greeted French President Emmanuel Macron, a close ally.

 

Other leaders also swarmed Trump after he arrived.

 

One person he did not meet: his predecessor Joe Biden. Trump has repeatedly disparaged Biden, a devout Catholic attending independently with wife Jill and sitting five rows behind his successor.

Previously, other presidents have taken their predecessors with them on Air Force One to papal funerals.

 

Official Vatican images showed Trump and Melania stopping by the closed coffin in St Peter’s Basilica after his motorcade had arrived at the Vatican.

 

Trump, in a dark blue suit and tie, and Melania, wearing a black veil, then took their seats in the front row for the service.

 

Trump earlier said any meetings would be quick and added: “Frankly it’s a little disrespectful to have meetings when you’re at the funeral of the pope.”

 

He is due to fly back to the United States later Saturday after just half a day in the Eternal City.

 

AFP

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, on Friday, warned land expansionists, land grabbers and other trespassers to leave forcefully acquired Ibadan land without further delay in their own interests.

 

He gave this warning during an emergency meeting of Obas, Mogajis and Baales in the boundary areas of Ibadan in Oyo State and Iwo in Osun State, respectively, held at the Olubadan Palace, Oke-Aremo in Ibadan.

 

Reacting to the ongoing boundary disputes between the two ancient cities, Oba Olakulehin declared that the Oba River had been the boundary from time immemorial.

 

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, in Ibadan, the state capital, on Saturday, the monarch spoke through the Ekerin Olubadan, Oba Hamidu Aji

bade.

Olakulehin said, “I seriously warn land expansionists, land grabbers and other trespassers to leave forcefully acquired Ibadan land without further delay in their own interests.

 

“The established fact that Ibadan people are lovers of peaceful co-existence and therefore accommodating should not be taken for granted or misinterpreted as cowardice. “Yiyo ekun bi t’ojo ko.”

He therefore admonished the Obas, Mogajis and Baales in the affected areas to protect their territorial integrity and ensure the ownership of land belonging to Ibadan is not compromised, adding that “Trespassers should be prepared to face the music.”

 

Olubadan further charged traditional title holders in Ibadan and Iwo boundary areas “to give maximum support to the Olubadan of Ibadanland as well as the State Government to ensure that the land forcefully and fraudulently taken over is reclaimed.”

 

Present at the meeting were Ekarun Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief (Senator) Sharafadeen Ali, Obas, Mogajis and Baales among others.

 

PUNCH Online reports that the monarch recently warned compound heads, popularly known as Mogajis and village heads, also referred to as Baales, against land grabbings and insubordination to elders within their families.

 

He gave this warning on last Monday during the installation of nine compound and two village heads in his Palace at Oke-Aremo in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

 

A statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gbenga Ayoade, on Tuesday in Ibadan, further warned them to ensure that peace reigns supreme in their domains as no meaningful development can be achieved without peace.

 

The United States and Iran were expected to start haggling over details of a potential nuclear deal in Oman Saturday as they held their third round of talks in as many weeks.

 

US special envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are again leading the discussions, which this time include a technical-level meeting between experts from both sides.

 

The talks are aimed at striking a new deal that would stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons — an objective Tehran denies pursuing — in return for relief from crippling sanctions.

 

US President Donald Trump pulled out of an earlier multilateral nuclear deal during his first term in office.

Araghchi has expressed “cautious optimism”, saying this week: “If the sole demand by the US is for Iran to not possess nuclear weapons, this demand is achievable.”

 

But if Washington had “impractical or illogical demands, we will naturally encounter problems”, he added.

 

Michael Anton, the State Department’s head of policy planning, leads the US expert-level delegation, while deputy foreign ministers Kazem Gharibabadi and Majid Takht-Ravanchi will lead Tehran’s, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.

 

Iranian state TV reported that the talks started at around midday Omani time (0800 GMT).

 

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said that while only one day of talks was scheduled, “given that the negotiations have entered technical and expert-level discussions and the examination of details… (they) may be extended if necessary”.

 

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Iran’s defence capabilities and missile programme were not part of the discussions.

 

“The question of defence capacities and the country’s missiles is not (on the agenda),” he told state TV.

 

Trump would ‘prefer deal’

Trump, in an interview published Friday by Time magazine, reiterated his threat of military action if a deal fell through.

 

But he added that he “would much prefer a deal than bombs being dropped”.

 

Baqaei said Friday that the new talks, like the previous rounds in Muscat and Rome oon the previous two Saturdays, would be mediated by Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi.

The negotiations are the highest-level engagement between the long-time foes since 2018, when Trump withdrew from the landmark 2015 accord that gave Iran sanctions relief in return for curbs on its nuclear programme.

 

Since returning to office in January, Trump has reinstated his “maximum pressure” policy of sanctions against Tehran.

 

In March, he wrote to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei proposing talks, but also warning of potential military action if diplomacy failed.

On Tuesday, Washington announced new sanctions targeting Iran’s oil network — a move Tehran described as “hostile” ahead of Saturday’s talks.

 

Western nations, including the United States, have long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons — an allegation Tehran has consistently denied.

 

Iran maintains its nuclear programme is strictly for peaceful purposes.

 

On Wednesday, UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi called on Iran to explain tunnels built near its Natanz nuclear site, seen in satellite imagery released by the Institute for Science and International Security.

 

The Washington-based think tank also noted construction of a new security perimeter.

 

“We’re asking them, what is this for? They are telling us, it’s none of your business,” Grossi told reporters.

 

Tehran had no immediate comment.

 

‘Non-negotiable’ right

In an interview released Wednesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reiterated Washington’s firm stance against Iran’s uranium enrichment.

 

“If Iran wants a civil nuclear programme, they can have one just like many other countries in the world have one: and that is they import enriched material,” he said on the Honestly podcast.

 

Iran currently enriches uranium up to 60 percent, far above the 3.67 percent limit imposed by the 2015 deal but still below the 90 percent threshold required for weapons-grade material.

 

Araghchi has previously called Iran’s right to enrich uranium “non-negotiable”.

He said in the text of a speech posted to X this week that Iran sought “to build at least 19 more reactors”.

 

Tehran recently sought to reopen dialogue with Britain, France and Germany — also signatories to the 2015 deal — holding several rounds of nuclear talks ahead of the US meetings.

 

Last week, Rubio urged the three European states to decide whether to trigger the “snapback” mechanism under the 2015 agreement, which would automatically reinstate UN sanctions on Iran over its non-compliance.

 

The option to use the mechanism expires in October.

 

Iran has warned that it could withdraw from the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty if the snapback is triggered.

A popular TikToker identified simply as ‘Disturbing’ has died during a live video on social media.

 

PUNCH Online learnt that the incident occurred on Thursday at his residence in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

 

A viral video seen by our correspondent showed the final moments of the content creator, who was visibly distressed.

 

In the video, he appeared to have suffered a seizure before he later collapsed on the spot.

 

The deceased, a popular cobbler and musician in the community, also bears the nickname ‘Buckle’.

 

He was also known to have been consistently involved in the Justice For Mohbad movement.

 

Reacting to his death, the wife of the deceased, identified simply as Omowunmi in a TikTok post seen by PUNCH Online, disclosed that the deceased hit his head on a stone the moment he collapsed.

Omowunmi stated that she was in the kitchen when neighbours called her attention to the incident.

 

According to her, efforts made to revive him were unsuccessful, as he passed away on Friday morning.

 

“Yesterday morning, my husband was on TikTok live video while I cooked his food in the kitchen. Suddenly, he had a seizure, fell down, and hit his head on a stone that was in front of him. Blood was coming out of his head. A young boy and some neighbours who were passing then saw him. They thought he had fainted so they started pouring water on him. The young boy ran inside and called me from the kitchen.

 

“When I got there, I told them to stop pouring water and that it was a seizure. We quickly rushed him to the hospital, where they placed him on oxygen. He passed away this morning,” she narrated.

 

She, however, noted that it was not the first time her late husband would be having seizures, as he had been on medications.

 

Omowunmi, who dismissed speculation of a spiritual attack, said the last time he had such a seizure was in February.

 

“The last time he had it was in February. I have never left him by himself because of this seizure. If I were cooking in the kitchen, I would have grabbed him when the seizure happened. To everyone saying it was a spiritual attack. It is a pure medical issue,” she clarified.

The Trump administration is reinstating visas for hundreds of foreign students whose legal status was abruptly terminated, prompting widespread fear of immediate deportation, government officials confirmed Friday.

 

The move follows more than 100 lawsuits filed by students who lost their legal right to study at U.S. universities.

 

A BBC report on Friday noted that Justice Department attorney Elizabeth Kurlan informed a federal court in California that immigration officials are developing a new system for reviewing and terminating visas for international students. The policy shift comes after an estimated 1,800 students and 280 universities were affected, according to Inside Higher Ed.

 

Many of the impacted students had participated in political protests or faced prior criminal charges, such as driving infractions. Secretary of State Marco Rubio previously stated that the administration would revoke the status of individuals whose actions it deems contrary to U.S. interests.

The visa terminations sparked panic across U.S. campuses, with some students choosing to leave the country preemptively to avoid potential detention or deportation.

 

“Losing their SEVIS records left students vulnerable to immigration actions — and possible detention and deportation,” said Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School.

The Justice Department announced that student records would be restored in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which monitors foreign students’ visa compliance. However, Kurlan clarified that Immigration and Customs Enforcement retains the authority to terminate SEVIS records for other reasons.

 

“If a student fails to maintain his or her nonimmigrant status after the record is reactivated, or engages in other unlawful activity that would render him or her removable from the United States under the Immigration and Nationality Act,” Kurlan told the court, according to NBC News.

 

Attorneys representing students nationwide reported that their clients’ SEVIS records have been restored in recent days. Despite the reinstatements, legal advocates argue that the revocations violated students’ rights and disrupted their ability to pursue their education.

 

“What I’m hearing is that this is a reprieve for many students who have had their status reinstated in SEVIS,” Mukherjee said. “But this doesn’t mean this ordeal is over for the students who have had their records terminated.”

 

The Justice Department and ICE did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The ongoing legal battles and policy changes continue to create uncertainty for foreign students and universities across the country.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed President Bola Tinubu’s administration for failing to meet the expectations of Nigerians, saying the government has no achievements to justify a re-election in 2027.

 

Atiku also noted that he had no resentment towards those joining other parties, insisting that freedom of association was a fundamental component of any true democracy.

 

On Wednesday, the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and the immediate past governor of the state, Ifeanyi Okowa; left the Peoples Democratic Party for the ruling All Progressives Congress.

 

Also, a member of the House of Representatives, Oluwole Oke, resigned from the PDP and joined the APC on the same day.

Atiku, in a statement on Friday, said, “I have been overwhelmed with inquiries from concerned Nigerians, all eager to understand my position on the latest political shifts, particularly the defection of some PDP members to the ruling party.

 

“Let me be unequivocal: freedom of association and expression are not optional in a democracy; they are fundamental rights. Alongside these stand the pillars of a just and functional democratic society; the people, the rule of law, credible elections, and accountability. Undermine any of these, and democracy itself begins to crumble.

 

“As someone who holds fast to these values, I bear no grudges against anyone for exercising their right to political alignment. Defections, alliances, and realignments are part and parcel of democratic politics. We’ve seen them before, and we’ll see them again.”

 

Atiku knocked those who criticised his visit to former President Muhammadu Buhari, calling the backlash hypocritical and an example of selective outrage.

 

He stated, “Let’s not rewrite history: Buhari is not only a former leader but a significant statesman in the Nigerian political landscape.

 

“During the 2013 opposition merger, the leaders of the time consulted widely, including visits to Obasanjo and Babangida. So, why is it now sacrilegious for me and other leaders to visit Buhari in Kaduna? If you truly believe in freedom of association, then you must respect the rights of all political actors to engage, regardless of party lines.

 

“When PDP leaders are busy sipping tea and brokering power deals with President Tinubu, it’s called a strategic alliance. But the moment I greet Peter Obi, El-Rufai, or visit Buhari, it becomes a national emergency. Hypocrisy and the politics of selective outrage have never been this fashionable.”

 

The former VP stated that the coming 2027 political contest was a struggle between the Nigerian people and the administration of President Tinubu.

“This moment is about collective survival. The real enemy is not one another; it is the Tinubu administration’s abysmal failure. We must reject every attempt to distract us with ethnic, regional, or religious sentiments. These are tools of manipulation, designed to divide and conquer, used by those with nothing else to offer.”

 

“The Tinubu administration has no achievements to stand on, no credible record to defend. Its only strategy is chaos and division because that’s the last refuge of the incompetent. And make no mistake, an incompetent captain not only wrecks his ship; he endangers the lives of everyone on board.”

In a related development, Saturday PUNCH learnt that a former Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and his party, the New Nigeria People’s Party, were currently exploring their political options.

 

A reliable source revealed that the members of the party were considering either aligning with the APC or joining Atiku’s coalition movement.

 

The source stated, “What I can confirm is that Kwankwaso and the NNPP will not contest independently as they did in the 2023 elections. Considering the current political landscape, they are weighing the possibility of either joining President Tinubu’s APC or aligning with the coalition led by Atiku, el-Rufai, and others.”

 

In response, the NNPP National Publicity Secretary, Ladipo Johnson, confirmed in an exclusive interview with our correspondent that those political options were indeed being considered.

 

He stated, “Well, so far, what I’ll say is this: in the NNPP, we tend to, at least from our own history as the Kwankwasiyya movement, wait till midterm. May 29th will be the midterm for this administration. It will be two years down, and two years to go. That is when we believe that proper politicking will commence.

 

“So, yes, we are talking, and we’ve been talking. But you’ll recall that at that time, I told you I didn’t want to mention specifically the groups or persons or movements that are in conversation with us. That is still the position now.”

 

Johnson added, “You’ll recall that there have been many publications in newspapers and online, insinuating that Senator Kwankwaso is moving to the APC, that it is imminent and all that. That is just the nature of the game. Some people are pressing or pushing that narrative for their selfish reasons.

 

“But the bottom line is that very soon, they will begin to hear from us. We will tell our supporters what we are doing. There are basically three cards on the table: either we remain in the NNPP and continue with those who joined us all the way or we form some sort of coalition with Atiku, others; or we form an alliance with the ruling party. I am not saying any of these is the case now. But these are the three basic options that could happen.”

The Apetu of Ipetumodu in Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, and a Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, are facing possible prison sentences in the United States after pleading guilty to charges of COVID-19 relief fraud.

 

Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information system expert, was appointed the new Apetu in July 2019.

 

The monarch and Oluwasanmi were arrested in early 2024 for their roles in a scheme to fraudulently obtain $4.2m in COVID-19 relief funds.

 

The two men were charged with 13 counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

They were arraigned before Justice Christopher Boyko of the US District Court of Ohio.

 

Saturday PUNCH had exclusively reported the arraignment of Oloyede while residents of Ipetumodu were at a loss over his disappearance from the community after a trip abroad.

 

Our correspondent had reported that there was anxiety in the community after the 62-year-old was absent from several important festivals that required his presence.

 

After investigating, Saturday PUNCH confirmed that the monarch was being held by the US authorities.

 

According to court documents obtained by our correspondent, Oloyede and Oluwasanmi submitted falsified applications for Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the US Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act between April 2020 and February 2022, using fake tax and wage documents to secure funds meant to support struggling businesses during the pandemic.

 

The Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by issuing loans to small businesses and non-profit entities experiencing revenue loss due to the pandemic.

 

The Act also authorised the US Small Business Administration to issue advances or grants of up to $10,000 to small businesses.

Oba Oloyede, who was based in Medina, Ohio, before his enthronement, was accused of using some of his companies, including Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company, to defraud the government through the COVID-19 relief fund.

 

Oluwasanmi was also accused of using his companies: Dayspring Transportation Limited, Dayspring Holding Incorporated, and Dayspring Property Incorporated to obtain millions of dollars, which he later diverted for his expenses, in breach of US federal laws.

 

According to court documents, Oba Oloyede and Oluwasanmi, among other things, fraudulently obtained the sum of $3.76m from the US Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans scheme.

After about one year in court, the duo pleaded guilty to some of the charges and might face some prison sentences.

 

On April 10, Oluwasanmi, through his counsel, Henry Hilow, pleaded guilty to counts one, 11, and 12 of the indictment.

 

In the said counts, Oluwasanmi was accused of using some of the proceeds of the fraud to purchase a commercial property on 422 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio, through wire transfer, and transferring money into Dayspring transportation brokerage account.

 

“Guilty plea entered to counts 1, 11 and 12 of the indictment. Plea agreement executed. Sentencing set for July 2, 2025, at 10am in Courtroom 9A. Defendant’s bond to continue with same conditions as previously ordered,” the document read.

 

On Monday, April 21, Oba Oloyede submitted his guilty plea before the court.

 

The court fixed Thursday, April 24, for the hearing of his pleas.

 

Oba Oloyede’s long absence from his community has been generating reactions from community leaders and chiefs, especially after he reportedly demolished the town’s palace with a promise to build a befitting one upon return from his trip before his arrest.

 

With the report of his trial in the US, some residents are demanding that the state government investigate the matter and intervene.

The Bauchi State Police Command has disclosed the arrest of two individuals for human trafficking and rape.

 

According to a press release issued on Friday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil “On April 19 2025, at about 7:30hrs, Rhoda Cosmos, a 40-year-old resident of Unguwan Kusu, Yelwa, approached the ‘E’ Division Police Headquarters and reported a troubling incident involving her 19-year-old daughter, Cecelia Cosmos.

 

“On April 12, 2025, at about 4:00hrs, Cecelia was deceptively lured by Johnson John, a 26-year-old from Gwallameji, with promises of a job opportunity in Lagos State. Regrettably, she was subsequently handed over to an unidentified individual known as “Mama,” who took her to Burkina Faso for immoral purposes (prostitution).”

 

The PPRO revealed that the Divisional Police Officer of ‘E’ Division and his team promptly took immediate action and apprehended the suspects.

 

He stated that during interrogations, Johnson admitted to his involvement in the crimes.

 

Wakil noted that, “The command has assembled a team of seasoned investigators to ensure a thorough examination of the case, leaving no stone unturned.

 

“All individuals connected to this disturbing incident will be investigated, directly or indirectly. The case will be escalated to the State Criminal Investigation Department for advanced evidence gathering, and the defendants will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.”

In a separate development, the PPRO also disclosed the arrest of one Alex Amusu, a 37-year-old, male for crime related to raping a 9-year-old, girl.

 

Wakil explained that “On Thursday, 24th April 2025, at about Patience Danladi, a 36-year-old from Tambari Housing Estate, reported concerning behaviour regarding her 9-year-old niece, Grace (not her real name).

 

“After noticing unusual signs, Patience learned that her niece had been subjected to inappropriate contact by Alex Amusu, a 37-year-old male of Yelwan Tsakani, the child’s mother’s boyfriend.”

 

He revealed that following the report, a team of detective was dispatched to the location, leading to the suspect’s arrest.

 

He said the victim has since been provided with medical care at Bayara General Hospital.

 

He added that the suspect has confessed to the allegations during interrogation.

 

The PPRO emphasised that investigations are ongoing, and once completed, the individual will be profiled and formally charged to court to ensure accountability for his actions.

At least seven people have been killed in a fresh attack on Agbo Vengav Udam community in Gwer West Local Government Area of Benue State by suspected armed herders.

 

Residents told PUNCH Online that the assailants stormed the village around 7 pm on Thursday and opened fire indiscriminately, killing seven on the spot and abducting three others.

 

A local source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the attackers entered the community through a border village in Otukpo LGA.

 

“They passed through the border village of Otukpo and, entering into Agbo, they shot their guns sporadically, killing the seven people on the spot. They took away three people with them,” a resident of the affected community who did not want to state his name said.

It was gathered that an infant was among those killed and that the mother was abducted by the assailants.

 

The witness added that five of the bodies have been deposited in a morgue in Naka, while the families of the remaining two deceased opted to bury their dead without delay.

 

The incident, according to residents, has caused them to desert their homes for fear of further attacks.

Chairman of Gwer West LGA, Victor Ormin, confirmed the incident to our correspondent on the phone on Friday.

 

Omin, who lamented that the killing was coming after commercial vehicles were hijacked and passengers taken away, decried the activities of suspected armed herders in the local government.

 

The council boss said, “It’s true that scores of people were killed at Vengav Udam village within the local government Thursday night.

 

“Two people who are critically injured during the attack are receiving treatment in Naka hospital, and the situation is becoming unbearable, the way these armed herders are wreaking havoc in the local government and the state as a whole.”

 

However, calls and messages put through to the Police Public Relations Officer for Benue command, Catherine Anene, were not answered.

 

Recall that some gunmen intercepted two commercial vehicles about three kilometres from Naka, headquarters of Gwer West LGA, on Thursday and abducted 14 passengers.