Operatives of the Bauchi State Police Command have successfully averted mob justice against a 37-year-old man accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting his 15-year-old stepdaughter.
According to the Command, officers attached to Operation Restore Peace, led by CSP Kim Abert, acted on credible intelligence, intervening in a mob action involving the suspect, Wisdom Benoie.
This was disclosed in a press release issued on Monday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil.
Wakil explained, “On May 31, 2025, Wisdom Benoie, male, aged 37, of Yalwan Tsakani, was confronted by a group of local youths who suspected him of secretly molesting his stepdaughter (Joy, not her real name).
“The matter came to light after the victim’s father reported the incident to the ORP unit in the Yalwan Tsakani area of Bauchi.”
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is married to the victim’s mother (name withheld), making him the teenager’s stepfather.
“It was disclosed that he allegedly sexually assaulted the victim on multiple occasions while her mother was asleep, entering her room and engaging in non-consensual acts.
“The victim, suffering in silence, eventually confided in neighbours, prompting a coordinated intervention that caught the suspect in the act,” Wakil noted.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to the offences.
“The victim has been taken to a medical facility for examination and care.
“The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Police Command, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has ordered the case be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation, after which the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution,” the statement added.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has insisted that he never played anti-party politics, despite his support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 general elections.
Wike made the clarification during a live media parley on Monday, where he also noted that despite agreements for a Southern candidacy for President, the leadership had supported former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, causing him to withdraw support.
“In 2023, did I not tell you that I wouldn’t support their presidential candidate? I said, based on equity, justice, and fairness, the presidency should go to the South because you can’t have that and the national chairman at the same time.
“You therefore take one and give us one. Believing that Atiku would win, they said to hell (with it), and I said I was not going to support.
“So why didn’t I leave the party and join the APC? Of all of us then and the PDP governors today, who produced National Assembly 100 percent? Who produced a governor? Ask them in their various states how many senators they have,” he said.
He added, “Bode George supported the Labour Party, and I said I wouldn’t support (Obi). I’m a politician, and I said even if you support this man (Obi), he can’t win the election, so let’s forget about sentiment. “So, George and everybody agreed to support a Southern candidate, we all agreed.
“So what offence did I commit by supporting Tinubu under the APC? If I was playing anti-party, the PDP wouldn’t have won the governorship, NASS seats and Rivers was the only state that gave the PDP that kind of victory.”
The Minister, Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Monday, said he derives joy from stepping on the toes of big people in the country.
Wike said this while dismissing a possible backlash from a section of the elite regarding his enforcement of rules regarding ground rent payments during a press briefing in Abuja.
He stressed that the elite should go to other countries and see how modern societies are run, but that some of them come back to Nigeria and refuse to follow simple laws.
He said the era of impunity when a section of the elite felt they could trample on laws and nothing would happen was over, declaring that “something will happen”.
Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has fired back at those calling for his expulsion from the Peoples Democratic Party.
This is as he declared that no one has the authority or the courage to remove him from the party he has served for years.
Speaking on Monday during a media parley in Abuja, Wike said, “I am still in the PDP. I worked hard for the party.
“I have not seen anybody who will have the guts to tell me, ‘Wike, you are not a member of the party.’ Who is that? What is his contribution to the party that is more than me?”
Wike’s remarks come amid growing tensions within the PDP over his role in the current administration and his perceived political positioning.
But the former governor of Rivers State made it clear that his loyalty to the PDP remains, and he won’t be pushed out easily.
Saudi authorities have prevented more than 269,000 individuals without official permits from entering Mecca ahead of this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, officials announced on Sunday as reported by AlArabiya and AP.
The move came as part of a broader effort to control overcrowding and ensure safety during the annual Islamic ritual.
The Interior Ministry stated that the measure targets both foreign nationals and Saudi residents attempting to perform Hajj without authorisation.
Fines of up to $5,000 and possible deportation have been imposed on violators.
In addition, authorities have penalised over 23,000 residents for breaking Hajj regulations and revoked the licences of 400 Hajj service providers.
At a press conference in Mecca, officials said they had stopped 269,678 people without permits from entering the city.
According to the rules, only those with permits are allowed to perform the pilgrimage, even if they live in the city year-round.
Lieutenant General Mohammed al-Omari told the media, “The pilgrim is in our sight, and anyone who disobeys is in our hands.”
The strict enforcement came amid growing concerns about the impact of unauthorised pilgrims on public safety.
Last year, many of those who died during extreme summer heat were found to be unregistered participants, according to government sources.
Currently, approximately 1.4 million pilgrims with permits are in Mecca, with more expected to arrive in the coming days.
In a sign of increased surveillance and technological intervention, Saudi Civil Defence has deployed drones for the first time during the Hajj.
These drones will assist in crowd monitoring, surveillance, and even firefighting, officials said.
The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a religious duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able to undertake the journey at least once in their lifetime.
This year’s pilgrimage is being held under high temperatures, raising further concerns for health and safety.
The Take It Back Movement has announced plans to hold a nationwide protest on June 12 to draw attention to the country’s worsening insecurity, shrinking civic space, and growing economic hardship.
In a statement on Monday by its National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, the movement condemned the rising wave of insecurity in the Middle Belt and northern parts of the country, pointing to continued attacks in Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, and other states.
According to Sanyaolu, communities have been wiped out while thousands remain displaced, with the government either turning a blind eye or denying the scale of the carnage.
“In Plateau, Benue, Southern Kaduna, and across the Middle Belt, mass killings continue with terrifying frequency.
“Whole communities are decimated. Lives are snuffed out without consequences. Internally displaced persons multiply, while perpetrators roam free.
“The bloodletting has become a routine, and the state remains complicit, through its inaction, negligence, or outright denial. This is not a democracy. This is organised cruelty,” the statement partly read.
Sanyaolu also criticised the Federal Government’s alleged crackdown on dissent, citing arrests of protesters, detention of activists, and the targeting of journalists and social media users under the Cybercrime Act.
He described these actions as part of a broader campaign to silence opposition and stifle democratic expression.
Sanyaolu said, “Across the federation, the signs of democratic collapse are unmistakable. Democracy which was won through struggle, sweat, and blood has been dismantled by the very forces that once promised change. Nigeria stands today not as a democratic nation, but as a country at war with its own people.
“Freedom of speech is under attack. The state has turned on its citizens with an unrelenting campaign of intimidation and censorship. Journalists are harassed. Activists are detained. Citizens are arrested for social media posts.
“Through weaponisation of the Cybercrime Act, government agents now stalk the digital footprints of dissenters, silencing legitimate criticism and criminalising free expression.”
Rejecting official celebrations of Democracy Day, he urged Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful protest, calling on workers, students, civil society groups, artisans, and members of the diaspora to join the action.
“This June 12, we march not just for ourselves, but for the slain in Benue, the displaced in Plateau, the silenced in detention, and the starving masses abandoned by a corrupt elite,” the statement concluded.
Turkey has expressed sympathy to Nigeria following the devastating floods that hit Mokwa and surrounding communities in Niger State.
In a statement released on Sunday, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed condolences to the Nigerian government and the families of those affected by the disaster.
The statement expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and extensive damage caused by the flooding in the Mokwa region.
“We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and destruction caused by the devastating floods in the Mokwa region of Niger State, Nigeria.
“We extend our condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and to the people of Nigeria,” the statement read.
In response to the disaster, President Bola Tinubu on Saturday dispatched a high-level delegation to Niger State to assess the situation and support relief efforts.
According to figures released by the Niger State Government, at least 151 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 3,000 residents have been displaced.
The floods have also destroyed over 260 homes, township roads, and major bridges in Mokwa and Raba, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the area.
The Anambra State Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a robbery gang, who specialise in dispossessing residents of their belongings, especially vehicles, at gun point.
In a statement released on Monday, the spokesman for the state command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the suspects were arrested based on the confession of a detainee in custody.
Ikenga said the police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu carried out the arrest at Agukwu-Nri, Anaocha Local Government Area of the state on Saturday.
He said the team also recovered one automatic pump action gun, and items suspected to have been stolen, which include a white Mercedes Benz C300 4matic car with Reg No: KWC 140, ash Lexus 350 car with Reg No: 669 CY and two exotic phones.
He said, “Police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad, Awkuzu in the early hours of May 30, 2025 acting on information obtained from an armed suspect in custody arrested one Monday Onoja, Sanusi Muhammed, Kenneth Nwokpu all males and within the age bracket of 27 – 32 years.
“The team also recovered one automatic pump action gun, and items suspected to have been stolen from victims which include a white Mercedes Benz C300 4matic car with Reg No: KWC 140, ash Lexus 350 car with Reg No: 669 CY and two exotic phones.
“The operatives have expanded investigations and emplaced every necessary measure to arrest other gang members that are currently at large.
“This development highlights the command’s proactive approach to potentially disrupting all criminal networks in the state.”
Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Bayo Onanuga, says Nigerians will soon experience a reduction in the cost of living, as the effects of the administration’s economic reforms start to materialise
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Sunday, Onanuga stated that the positive effects of Tinubu’s policies would soon be felt across all segments of the nation.
Onanuga highlighted that the President had not only introduced progressive reforms but had also tackled challenges that previous administrations avoided.
He added that two years is an insufficient yardstick to fully measure the administration’s achievements, noting that policy experts typically assess the impact of policies over a period of 10 years to 12 years.
“The President’s years in office began with clear policy directions and implementation.
“A lot of reforms have taken place across sectors. The President has laid down many fundamentals that would ensure growth,” he stated.
He acknowledged that while the positives of the President’s actions over the past two years were gradually trickling down, a significant paradigm shift had occurred in the economy, addressing many pre-existing problems.
Onanuga, while referring to the situation before the subsidy removal, said, “There was no fuel. Many stations were saying no fuel, no fuel.
“What was happening at that time was that the NNPC had reached the bottom point. It had no money to import fuel, it claimed that it was owing suppliers about six billion dollars and the government was owing it about four trillion dollars. So, it could not import any more.”
Addressing concerns about borrowing, Onanuga clarified that it is a common practice globally, with even countries like the U.S. engaging in it.
“Nigeria has abundant resources that we are harnessing, but not as much readily available money as people might think,” he explained.
He stressed that borrowed funds were not squandered but rather used for their intended purposes, citing large-scale projects like the coastal roads that necessitate external financing due to their immense benefits.
Regarding currency devaluation, Onanuga explained that it is a universal economic principle, citing instances where even the UK and the US have resorted to it.
“Even UK and the US at some point devalued. These are economic principles that are universal and cannot be changed because it is Nigeria,” he asserted.
He added that the government had made tough decisions and simultaneously created opportunities through infrastructure development, noting that many ongoing road constructions were not initially part of the budget.
Onanuga further stated that Nigeria had seen an increase in production and a rise in disposable income.
He pointed to companies like Nestle and Nigerian Breweries, which initially faced challenges but were now sourcing materials locally and reporting profits.
“This economy has opened up opportunities in many forms for Nigerians. Those who can really exploit it. And they are making money,” he emphasised, giving examples of individuals making profits from exporting agricultural products like cocoa and even Zobo.
According to him, many companies are now investing and producing in Nigeria, and these positive shifts will soon become evident and tangible for all Nigerians.
Onanuga stressed the importance of public understanding of the economic context, saying, “We don’t do our people any good when we keep on pushing stories of gloom and doom without allowing them to see the truth, without allowing them to see the context, and without allowing them to know that there’s actually light at the end of the tunnel.”
