Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have rescued two individuals who were kidnapped on Thursday at Ijede Creekside in the Ikorodu area of the state.
The command’s spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this in a statement released on Monday.
Hundeyin stated that the operatives stormed the scene after receiving a distress call about the incident at 10:00 pm on Thursday.
He said, “A distress report was received at Ijede Division indicating gunshots in the vicinity of Ijede Creekside settlement.
“Acting swiftly, combined teams comprising more than 15 police tactical squads, detectives, conventional policemen, local vigilantes, hunters, and residents were immediately mobilised to the scene.
“Upon arrival, it was confirmed that two individuals whose homes are located within the creek had been attacked and abducted by unidentified hoodlums who escaped via the creek and adjoining forest.”
The police spokesperson added that, on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Olohundare Jimoh, a robust and comprehensive rescue operation was launched.
He continued, “The 15 policemen, local vigilantes, hunters, and residents were strategically deployed in various directions to block all entry and exit points to the surrounding creek and forest.
“This coordinated rescue operation led to the successful release of the victims, unharmed, at 10:00 pm on Sunday. The rescued victims have since been reunited with their families.”
He stated that the police, in collaboration with vigilantes, hunters, and locals, are still combing the creek and adjoining forest to apprehend the kidnappers, prevent further attacks, and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Hundeyin commended the bravery of the officers and the cooperation of local vigilantes, hunters, and community members, whose swift response was instrumental to the success of the operation despite the challenges posed by the difficult terrain.
The spokesperson reaffirmed the command’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all residents of the state.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and security conscious at all times, particularly those residing in the Ijede Creek and other remote areas.
He also advised residents to report any suspicious activities to the nearest police station.
A viral video has sparked outrage after it captured the moment a policeman demanded either ₦5,000 or five litres of fuel from motorists for failing to provide a proof of Electronic Central Motor Registry.
Recall that in July 2024, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, suspended the enforcement of ECMR registration for vehicle owners in the country after an outcry from Nigerians, who accused the police of creating an opportunity to extort vehicle owners.
The footage, shared on Sunday by X.com user Teniola (@Teeniiola), shows the officer confronting a group of travellers along the Benin Bypass, asking for the ECMR.
In the video, one travellers firmly told the officer that demanding ECMR enforcement was illegal.
The officer responded, saying, “You can make call now.”
When the traveller declined to call anyone, asking instead, “What do you want us to do?” the officer demanded five litres of fuel, stating, “We’ll go and buy it, that’s 5k.”
“You want 5k from each of us abi?” The traveler asked, as the policeman was seen telling another traveller to bring three litres of fuel.
The video has reignited concerns over extortion and misconduct by law enforcement officials, despite prior directives from police leadership.
Reacting to the video, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Edafe Bright, condemned the officer’s actions, posting on X, “My God. Thanks for recording this. Little by little, all the moles will be taken out of the system.
“All these Policemen bringing shame to us, one by one, they will be sent out of the organisation. Maybe when they become jobless, they will go into content creation. This is embarrassing and the force is on it.”
A viral video has sparked outrage after it captured the moment a policeman demanded either ₦5,000 or five litres of fuel from… pic.twitter.com/SvbdJlLJt8
Adron Homes Refutes FIJ’s Misleading Report, Sets Record Straigh
Adron Homes & Properties Ltd. has recently become aware of a serious allegation published by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) on May 22, 2025. The report claims that our company failed to refund a land payment to a client, Mr. Solomon Oludare Akinbo, after he allegedly made full payment for a plot at our Treasure Park and Garden, Phase 2, located in Shimawa, Ogun State.
We would like to express our strong disappointment that FIJ did not take the necessary steps to reach out to us for verification of these claims before making such serious allegations. The report contains significant misrepresentations that we categorically reject as malicious, defamatory, and misleading. It is imperative that we clarify the facts not only for the benefit of the public but also for our esteemed clients who trust us.
First and foremost, Adron Homes has at no point denied Mr. Akinbo his rightful plot allocation or refused his request for a refund. In fact, land was provisionally allocated to him, aligning with his initial expressed intent to construct a building on the plot. Our allocation policy, which is explicitly detailed in the Contract of Sale that Mr. Akinbo signed, stipulates that clients must formally indicate their readiness to build through a written notice before the allocation is finalized. This policy is designed to facilitate a well-planned development process and to prevent the occurrence of undeveloped or abandoned plots across our estates.
Additionally, it is crucial to point out that Mr. Akinbo voluntarily requested that Adron Homes manage the construction of his building project. Following his request, he selected a design for his building, and we prepared a detailed Bill of Quantities (BOQ) for his review. At no point were either Mr. Akinbo or his legal representative coerced into accepting this proposal, as they have inaccurately claimed. We uphold a policy of allowing all our clients the freedom to engage any registered builder or construction engineer of their choice.
The allegations that Adron Homes solicited additional payments from Mr. Akinbo are entirely unfounded. Such statements are simply untrue and reflect a blatant intent to defame our company. We encourage the public to disregard these inaccurate claims in their entirety.
Concerning the matter of the refund request, it is important to highlight that Adron Homes has a transparent refund policy explicitly outlined in the same contract signed by Mr. Akinbo. This policy requires him to submit a written refund request. Upon receipt of such a request, Adron Homes will provide a Refund Form for him to complete, sign, and return. Moreover, Mr. Akinbo is expected to return all contractual documents currently in his possession before we can proceed with the closure of his account and the issuance of his refund cheque. Regrettably, despite multiple official communications reminding him of these requirements, both he and his legal representative have not complied.
It is particularly disheartening that FIJ chose to publish the report without giving space for Adron Homes to present its side of the story. Despite their claim of prior outreach, the publication did not reflect our official position nor did it verify the facts before going to press. This one-sided approach contradicts the principles of ethical journalism and has resulted in the propagation of false and damaging narratives about our company and its reputation.
In light of these developments, we formally demand the immediate removal of the misleading article from all FIJ platforms. We also request a formal retraction along with a written public apology. Additionally, we seek the publication of a follow-up article that accurately presents our perspective and rectifies the misinformation that has been circulated.
Adron Homes & Properties Ltd. remains steadfast in its commitment to transparency, professionalism, and upholding the highest standards of service for all our clients. We will continue to work diligently to protect our reputation and to serve our clients with integrity and trust.
For further media enquiries or clarification, please contact clientservice@adronhomesproperties.com or publicrelations@adronhomesproperties.com
Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has ruled out the possibility of his political group entering into any coalition ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.
Aregbesola made this known on Sunday while addressing supporters at a reception organised by the Omoluabi Progressives—a political group he founded—in celebration of his 68th birthday in Osogbo.
The former Minister of Interior expressed confidence that his group would be well positioned for victory in the next election, noting that by his next birthday, the group would be closer to occupying the Governor’s Office in Abere.
“By this time next year, we will all be close to Abere (Osun Governor’s Office). May God make it so. So people are having untrue impression that we will align with anyone (in the governorship poll).
“We are not going to align with anyone. We are going to pursue our political interest separately. No alliance with anyone or group. By the grace of God, this group will win.
We will contest and we will win. The election that will follow that of next year…”, Aregbesola said.
He also used the occasion to reflect on the importance of acknowledging one’s mother during birthday celebrations, emphasising the sacrifices made during childbirth.
“I am happy for this honour. I pray for you all, may you continue to succeed in all your endeavours.
“Whenever you are celebrating birthday, during the celebration, always remember to pray for your mother. The pains they endure during childbirth is enormous. So whether alive or late, birthday celebrations should be dedicated to prayers for mothers,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Moshood Adeoti, who served as Secretary to the State Government during Aregbesola’s administration, urged members of the Omoluabi Progressives to remain steadfast and committed to the group’s ideals.
Representing Governor Ademola Adeleke at the event, Biyi Odunlade praised Aregbesola for his contributions to the development of the state, describing his legacies as enduring and commendable.
“I celebrate you because you left a good template for good governance in Osun State that cannot be faulted by anybody. Your legacy of service is exemplary and remarkable, one that stands you out among your contemporaries,” Odunlade said.
The event was attended by numerous members of the Omoluabi Progressives, Aregbesola’s political allies from Lagos, and former appointees from Osun State.
The Katsina State Police Command, on Sunday, arrested a 25-year-old housewife in connection with the death of her co-wife.
The incident occurred behind Dadi Primary School, Sabon Gari Area of Daura town, Daura Local Government Area of the state when a domestic dispute between co-wives escalated into a fatal confrontation.
This is contained in a statement by the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Katsina.
The statement reads, “On May 24, 2025, at about 2300 hours (11pm), a report was received at the Sabon Gari Division through one Nasir Yusuf, the husband, that he had returned home from the market and found his first wife, namely, Zainab Lawal ‘F’, 30 years old, lying in a pool of blood; she had been stabbed multiple times with a knife.
“Upon receipt of the report, quickly, the DPO led a team of operatives to the scene and subsequently rushed the victim to Federal Medical Centre, Daura for medical attention, where she was pronounced dead by the doctor on duty.
“During the investigation, her co-wife, one Rabi’a Labaran ‘F’, 23 years old, of the same address, was arrested in connection with the offence, where she confessed to the commission of the offence, stating that a misunderstanding with the deceased led to a scuffle and the tragic incident. Investigation is ongoing.
“The Commissioner of Police, Katsina State Command, CP Bello Shehu, urges members of the public to shun all acts of domestic violence and refrain from taking the law into their own hands, instead seeking legal means for redress in cases of disputes, as vigilantism only perpetuates harm and undermines the rule of law.”
Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Shehu Dikko, has explained that the power outage which occurred during the men’s 10,000m final of the 2024 National Sports Festival at the MKO Abiola Sports Complex on Saturday was caused by a technical glitch, The PUNCH reports.
The men’s 10,000m final was the last race on the second day of athletics at the 22nd edition of the games, which is hosted by Ogun State.
The stadium was thrown into darkness midway through the event, and it lasted for about 20 minutes as the athletes completed the race in the dark.
Plateau State’s Francis James won the race in a time of 30:36:50, but the long-distance specialist said that the unexpected power outage during the final significantly disrupted his rhythm and denied him a chance to clock a much faster time.
Coincidentally, the lights were restored after the race was completed.
At a World Press Conference in Abeokuta on Sunday, Dikko excused the situation on the new state of the renovated stadium.
“We had just left the stadium when that happened,” Dikko responded when asked by The PUNCH.
“Basically, what happened was a technical glitch that can happen at a new infrastructure like this, which has worked for many days continuously. It could have been worse if it had taken the whole day to get it back on track. It was resolved immediately, and that showed we were on top of it.
“Unfortunately, it happened when an event that couldn’t be stopped was going on. They were doing the men’s 10,000m race and we couldn’t have stopped them.
“In the long term, probably we will have some contingency plans like solar, depending on the load and other conditions that we have to factor.”
The race is also getting intense on the medals table with a total of 2,150 medals on offer in 549 events.
The multi-sport event, regarded as Nigeria’s version of the Olympics, is poised to be one of the most expansive in the festival’s history, with 626 gold, 626 silver, and 898 bronze medals up for grabs.
A major new feature of NSF 2024 is the introduction of the Invited Junior Athletes category. This will allow junior athletes to compete alongside more experienced athletes, offering them an opportunity to exhibit their talent on a national stage.
US President Donald Trump called his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin “crazy” on Sunday after Moscow launched a deadly barrage of drones against Ukraine, even as the warring countries completed a large-scale prisoner exchange.
At least 13 people were killed when Russia launched a record number of drones against Ukraine overnight to Sunday.
”I’ve always had a very good relationship with Vladimir Putin of Russia, but something has happened to him. He has gone absolutely CRAZY!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform.
”I’ve always said that he wants ALL of Ukraine, not just a piece of it, and maybe that’s proving to be right, but if he does, it will lead to the downfall of Russia!” he added.
His comments marked a rare rebuke to Putin, who he often speaks of with admiration. The US leader has, however, expressed increasing frustration with Moscow’s position in deadlocked truce negotiations with Kyiv.
Earlier Sunday, Trump told reporters he was “not happy” about the latest attack on Ukraine and that he was “absolutely” considering increasing sanctions on Moscow.
”I’ve known him a long time, always gotten along with him, but he’s sending rockets into cities and killing people, and I don’t like it at all,” he said.
- ‘Terror’ –
Ukraine’s emergency services described Sunday an atmosphere of “terror” in the country after a second straight night of massive Russian air strikes, including on the capital Kyiv.
Those killed in the latest Russian strikes included victims aged eight, 12, and 17 in the northwestern region of Zhytomyr, officials said.
”Without truly strong pressure on the Russian leadership, this brutality cannot be stopped,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on social media.
”The silence of America, the silence of others around the world only encourages Putin,” he said, adding: “Sanctions will certainly help.”
In his social media post, Trump also criticized Zelensky, a frequent target of his ire, accusing him of “doing his Country no favors by talking the way he does.”
”Everything out of his mouth causes problems, I don’t like it, and it better stop,” he said.
The European Union’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, also called for “the strongest international pressure on Russia to stop this war.”
”Last night’s attacks again show Russia bent on more suffering and the annihilation of Ukraine,” she said on social media.
- Call for sanctions –
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul also denounced the attacks.
”Putin does not want peace, he wants to carry on the war and we shouldn’t allow him to do this,” he said. “For this reason we will approve further sanctions at a European level.”
Ukraine’s military said on Sunday it had shot down a total of 45 Russian missiles and 266 attack drones overnight.
Air force spokesman Yuriy Ignat said 298 drones were launched, adding that this was “the highest number ever.”
Four people were reported killed in Ukraine’s western Khmelnytskyi region, and four in the Kyiv region.
Two people were killed in the southern Mykolaiv region.
”We saw the whole street was on fire,” a 65-year-old retired woman, Tetiana Iankovska, told AFP in Markhalivka village just southwest of Kyiv.
Russia said its strikes were aimed at Ukraine’s “military-industrial complex” and that it had brought down 110 Ukrainian drones.
The previous night, Russia had launched 14 ballistic missiles and 250 drones, wounding 15 people, according to Ukrainian officials.
Flights at Moscow airports suffered temporary closures due to Ukrainian drone activity on Sunday but no injuries were reported, officials said.
Ukrainian officials also reported Russian strikes overnight to Monday, but not on the same scale.
Two people were injured and a house was destroyed in the Zaporizhzhia region when “the enemy struck the village of Yurkivka”, Ivan Fedorov, the governor of the region, said in a Telegram post.
- Major prisoner exchange –
The massive strikes on Ukraine came as Russia said it had exchanged another 303 Ukrainian prisoners of war for the same number of Russian soldiers held by Kyiv — the last phase of a swap agreed during talks in Istanbul on May 16.
That marked their biggest prisoner swap since Moscow launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022, with 1,000 captured soldiers and civilian prisoners in total sent back by each side.
Zelensky confirmed the swap was complete.
An AFP reporter saw some of the formerly captive Ukrainian soldiers arrive at a hospital in the northern Chernigiv region, emaciated but smiling and waving to crowds.
One former captive, 58-year-old Viktor Syvak, told AFP he was overcome by the emotional homecoming.
Captured in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, he had been held for 37 months and 12 days.
”It’s impossible to describe. I can’t put it into words,” he said of the release.
Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, on Sunday, paid a visit to the Federal Medical Centre in Katsina, where he checked on members of the Community Watch Corps, who were injured during a recent bandit attack in Marhaba village, Matazu Local Government Area.
He also took time to greet other patients, offering comforting words and prayers for their recovery.
While speaking during the visit, Radda reassured the wounded officers of the government’s full support and commended their courage in the line of duty.
“Your sacrifice will never be forgotten”, he told the injured officers.
The governor was accompanied by Sarkin Alhazai, Alhaji Kabiru Bature; the Chairman of the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board; Sarkin Kuraye, Alhaji Usman Darda’u; several district heads; and the Special Adviser on Security and Community Watch, Alhaji Yusuf Ibrahim Safana, who led the hospital tour.
The Nigerian Navy will unveil three ships, three helicopters, several accommodation plots, and office blocks as part of its 69th anniversary celebrations.
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, disclosed this on Sunday at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church, Navy Town, Lagos.
The service marked the event in commemoration of the Nigerian Navy’s 69th anniversary and its achievements over the years.
Ogalla stated that the navy remains focused on capacity building, platform acquisition, infrastructure, and welfare of both personnel and civilians under his strategic objectives.
“While we maintain development and infrastructure, we must remain fair, secure, and stable through professional conduct,” he said.
He added that welfare remains a priority, alongside boosting efficiency through infrastructure, platforms, and tools needed for operational effectiveness.
Ogalla stressed the importance of remaining peaceful and law-abiding while upholding principles that promote national unity and harmony.
He acknowledged accommodation challenges in the Navy, saying shelter remains a basic human need and efforts will be made to address the issue.
To enhance national security, Ogalla said the Navy established a Special Operations Command in Makurdi and also formed the Nigerian Navy Marines.
“These initiatives aim to create an agile force for expeditionary warfare, addressing maritime threats and supporting land operations,” he said.
He assured continued improvement of operational strategies to tackle criminal activities both at sea and on land.
Ogalla also reaffirmed the Navy’s role as a regional power in the Gulf of Guinea, ensuring safe maritime communication routes.
He credited President Bola Tinubu for unwavering support, noting that all Navy-related requests had been treated with urgency and importance.
“We’ll keep supporting land-based security operations under the president’s agenda for economic growth and national sovereignty,” Ogalla added.
Rev. Father Richmond Diala, who gave the sermon, urged naval personnel to stay united, protect one another, and always thank God for His protection.
“It’s by God’s grace we’re alive today. Others, more deserving, are not where we are,” he said.
He encouraged continued prayers for Nigeria and the Navy, asking God to strengthen their efforts in securing land and maritime domains.
The Presidency on Sunday described as fake and malicious a widely circulated statement claiming that President Bola Tinubu rejected a working visit invitation from the White House due to domestic priorities and aircraft constraints.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, debunked the viral statement via his official X (formerly Twitter) page, dismissing the claims as the handiwork of “disinformation agents, hoax peddlers, fake news propagators, and clickbaiters.”
“Whoever you are, one day, the law will catch you,” Onanuga warned in a strongly worded post, as he shared the image being circulated with a “FAKE NEWS ALERT” overlay.
The forged document, disguised as a “State House Official Statement,” claimed that the Tinubu administration had declined a White House invitation for a working visit to Washington, D.C., citing “critical domestic priorities” and “logistical constraints, including the unsustainability of presidential aircraft for long-distance travel.”
The statement was falsely attributed to Onanuga himself, bearing his name and official designation as the signatory.
However, Onanuga distanced himself from the statement entirely, emphasizing that neither the White House nor the Nigerian Presidency had issued or acknowledged such communication.
The fake release stated that “the Nigerian government remains committed to fostering strong bilateral relations with the United States and looks forward to future opportunities for collaboration.”
