The Gombe Police Command has confirmed the death of a 45-year-old man, Ahmed Aliyu, who was fatally attacked by unidentified assailants in Hammadu Kafi, in the Akko Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement signed by Public Relations Officer, Buhari Abdullahi, the incident was reported at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday by a relative of the deceased, Bashir Umar, while the attack occurred around 8:00 a.m. that day.
Abdullahi said, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was attacked with a knife and sustained fatal injuries to the left side of his chest and back.
“He was rushed to the Specialist Hospital in Gombe, where a medical doctor sadly confirmed him dead.”
The Police Command described the act as “senseless and unwarranted,” and has launched an intelligence-driven investigation to track down those responsible.
“We strongly condemn this heinous crime.
“An intelligence-based investigation has commenced immediately, and every effort is being made to identify, trace, and apprehend the perpetrators so they can face the full wrath of the law,” Abdullahi added.
In its appeal for public cooperation, the command urged residents to remain calm and assist in the investigation by volunteering any information that could aid in solving the case.
“We call on members of the public to support the police by providing credible information that can help unravel the circumstances behind this tragedy,” the police spokesperson said.
The command in the statement reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents, adding, “We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to safeguarding the lives and property of everyone in Gombe State.”
Is MTN Nigeria Running a Data Empire or a Criminal Scheme?
MTN CEO
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s effort to open up the digital economy is facing serious challenges, which are coming in the form of data exploitation. The move is having a negative telling effect on many, especially at a period when the economy is obviously struggling. It is obvious that data is the currency of participation in the government-planned digital economy drive.
It is therefore surprising that MTN Nigeria, a company that promises to be a partner in this revolutionary drive, has been engaging in underhand tactics to derail the growth of the country’s digital growth drive, as investigations have revealed it is manipulating usage metrics to inflate data consumption and extract more value from unsuspecting Nigerian users.
A growing body of evidence suggests that Africa’s largest mobile operator, valued at over ₦5.98 trillion as of May 2025, has been neck-deep in practices that amount to consumer fraud on a national scale, and at the center of the unfolding controversy is Mojisola Savage, a computer science student and aspiring AI engineer whose personal investigation is now exposing what she believes to be systemic manipulation by MTN.
Her journey began on May 1, 2025, when she purchased 165GB of data from MTN to support her studies in technology and machine learning. Surprisingly, the telecommunication company sent her a message within just seven days that the data was fully exhausted despite what she describes as minimal usage.
MTN Service Center
Systematic Testing on MTN Router That Uncovers MTN Discrepancies
Annoyed and determined, Mojisola Savage on May 9 repurchased 165GB of data, but this time, she decided to conduct a detailed test, monitoring her data usage through three independent sources available:
Actual usage logs from her Huawei 4G router,
Daily SMS usage summaries sent by MTN, and
Data balance readings from the official MTN mobile app.
Initial findings of her investigation revealed inconsistencies; SMS alerts were erratic, with missing updates, especially on May 10, when no update was sent, and, as anticipated, it was declared on May 16 that the data she purchased about seven (7) days earlier was depleted, even though her logs showed far less usage. The contradictions of the recorded data usage were so obvious and alarming; for example, on May 16, when MTN claimed her entire 165GB was used up, her router logs indicated only about 17GB had been consumed.
Date MTN SMS MTN App
May 9 22GB 22GB
May 10 (No SMS) 77.98GB
May 11 4GB 4GB
May 12 2GB 2GB
May 13 6.9GB 6.7GB
May 14 6.1GB 5.9GB
May 15 48GB 47GB
May 16 (No data) 17GB
The Confrontation
Believing she had gathered enough evidence to demonstrate a major fault in MTN’s system, Savage visited the MTN service center at Shoprite, Victoria Island, presenting full screenshots of her router logs, MTN SMS alerts, and app records.
But to her surprise, the MTN staff claimed that on May 10, the exact day no usage alert was sent, Apple Services alone had consumed 80GB of data. What the staff is saying is that despite the fact that she’s not using Apple TV or upgrading her Apple phones, her phone was said to have consumed a whopping 80 GB in a day, which incidentally was the day they skipped sending usage SMS.
This further confirmed her suspicion of a carefully orchestrated data fraud racket by the telecommunication company, as it seems more than just a billing error but a manufactured justification to cover up a much deeper problem.
MTN Service Center
In the course of seeking clarification on the initial discrepancies, Mojisola Savage later discovered another contradiction in the readings of the 3rd independent monitoring source while still at the MTN center: when her MTN-issued router dashboard showed zero, the MTN mobile app reported she still had 19 GB remaining, whereas the two (2) sources are both being operated by MTN, and the fact that they completely contradicted each other means there is indeed something fishy.
“Right there, I realized something was very wrong,” she said. “MTN’s claims didn’t just fail to add up; they actively canceled each other out.” She concluded.
A Controlled Experiment: The 200GB Test
Determined to remove any remaining doubt, Mojisola Savage takes her investigation a notch higher. While still at the MTN service center, she purchased 200GB of data and configured her Huawei MTN-issued router with precise internal bandwidth management rules:
Limit total usage to 50GB out of the 200GB.
Trigger a notification once 80% of that limit (40GB) was reached.
Automatically cut off internet access when 50GB was fully consumed.
This setup would ensure that no more than 50GB could possibly be used under any condition.
According to her, “This time, I wanted to monitor every byte directly from the device, isolated from any external interference, especially from MTN.”
But like the proverbial witch that cries a day before a death occurs, just five (5) days later, MTN once again claimed that the full 200GB had been consumed. Whereas, the router’s own dashboard reported a mere 12GB of actual usage, making it convincing that data usage fraud is actually being perpetrated by the telecommunication company.
Below is what the daily breakdown from data reading that MTN SMS and App showed:
Date MTN SMS MTN App
May 16 2GB 212MB
May 17 (No SMS) 47GB
May 18 28GB 28GB
May 19 (No SMS) 27GB
May 20 (No SMS) 112GB
“According to MTN, I used over 40GB per hour between 1am and 3am on May 20,” Savage said. “That’s impossible. What can one person possibly do to burn through 40GB in an hour? Stream? Maybe I was watching 100 8K movies simultaneously?” she queried.
Suspicious and frustrated, Savage did what any basic network engineer would do: she pulled the internal usage logs directly from the router.
What she found was damning, because as of the time of writing this article, the router shows just 28GB total usage, a far cry from MTN’s claim of 200GB consumed. And unlike MTN’s invisible systems, the router’s logs can be audited, verified, and tested.
To validate her findings, we reached out to a network infrastructure expert, a certified Cisco and Huawei systems engineer with 12 years of experience in enterprise-grade broadband networks, to give us an expert and independent opinion about contradictions, and he explained that the routers are reliable.
In his words, “If properly configured, routers with bandwidth controls are highly reliable. They don’t just track traffic; they enforce limits.” He explained further. “In a case where the router shows 28GB and the provider claims 200GB, I would trust the router, especially when there’s a hard cutoff configured. For MTN’s numbers to be right, either the router is lying or something more concerning is going on.” He concluded.
Mojisola Savage, when contacted about the expert’s opinion, also gave her view. “We all know that a router can be audited. But can MTN’s accounting be audited the same way?” Savage asked. “Because if the router is right and all signs point to that, then MTN has some serious explaining to do.”
MTN Head Office
A Pattern of Evasion and Silence
Since the discrepancies first emerged, Mojisola Savage has made multiple formal requests to MTN, asking for a detailed breakdown of her data usage, something that includes timestamps, application logs, IP addresses, and traffic volumes. Till the time of publishing this report, the telecommunication company has refused to provide any such report.
All efforts to get the side of MTN have also proved futile, as the company is maintaining total silence; even messages sent to their social media handles were left unattended. This, we believe, is with the hope that the discovered fraud will die with the silence, but rather Savage keeps pressing on, seeking answers on their continuous silence. In her statement, “Why won’t they release a breakdown?” she asks. “Because it would have to match the router’s bandwidth logs, and it won’t. That’s why they’re hiding behind silence.” She suggested.
In the process of her investigation, she had meticulously preserved every piece of evidence: SMS alerts, screenshots from the MTN app, daily usage reports, and router bandwidth logs directly from the admin interface. She even maintained a full timeline of her activity, down to the minute.
She further revealed that “Since this started, I haven’t touched the router. I’ve kept everything intact,” she said. “If MTN tries to challenge me, I have the facts. I can show exactly what happened.”
Despite repeated follow-ups, MTN’s only responses have been generic messages and contradictory claims, none of which address the specific evidence Mojisola Savage has documented. The silence, in her view, is no longer just frustrating; it is a confirmation of a misdeed by the company.
Fraud, Incompetence, or Both?
At the heart of this controversy lie two questions. Savage argues that
Either the Huawei router’s bandwidth tracking is severely flawed, which is improbable, given the device’s global reliability and its complete independence from MTN’s internal systems,
Or MTN is knowingly fabricating usage data, attributing inflated consumption to vague background processes like the “Apple Services” to justify premature data depletion.
The question is why MTN is not releasing the logs if they are sure they have nothing to hide. It is expected they will treat her case as an example by releasing the logs to counter the claim together with a powerful press statement to back it up and clear the image of the company, but instead, they were hiding behind silence to shrug off accountability.
Another point is taking into cognizance the fact that Huawei’s routers have been tested by governments, corporations, and telecom providers worldwide, and they were found to be dependable and hardly a candidate for arbitrary failure. Whereas in contrast, MTN has offered no third-party verifiable data, no access to internal traffic reports, and no plausible explanation for the discrepancies.
Thinking about the MTN staff’s explanation, a bemused Mojisola Savage quipped, “Apple Services? On a non-Apple network setup? That’s not just suspicious; it’s absurd,” she said. “This isn’t a glitch. It feels like a system that’s been optimized for silent overcharging.”
Not an Isolated Case
Savage’s story is far from unique. Across social platforms like X (formerly Twitter), thousands of Nigerians have reported eerily similar experiences: abrupt data exhaustion, conflicting usage reports between the MTN app and SMS notifications, and a deafening silence from MTN when pressed for explanations.
“I bought data on March 19. No usage. No refund. MTN is ripping Nigerians off,” wrote one user on June 2.
Others were more blunt, calling the telco’s operations “digital extortion,” and one even described it as “a Ponzi scheme with airtime.”
Even public figures aren’t exempt. Afrobeat musician Seun Kuti recently took to Instagram to complain about losing over 1 terabyte of data. While he was out of the country
Since beginning her investigation, Savage claims to have uncovered at least 10 friends and acquaintances with similar unexplained data losses often dismissed by MTN without accountability or remedy.
“This isn’t anecdotal anymore. It’s systemic,” she said.
Regulatory Inactions: Aiding or Ignoring?
What makes this situation even more troubling is the deafening silence from the very institutions meant to protect Nigerian consumers. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the nation’s telecom regulator, has yet to issue a single public statement, let alone demand accountability from the telecom company, despite a growing volume of complaints and evidence.
“How can millions of Nigerians complain, and the regulator say nothing? Either they’re complicit, or they’ve abandoned their role.” Savage retorted in anger.
Critics argue that the NCC’s failure to act is not just negligence; it’s enabling. Without routine audits of telecom data systems, independent verification of consumer usage, or mandatory public disclosures, mobile operators are effectively left to self-regulate.
And in an environment where transparency is optional, exploitation becomes inevitable.
The Case for a Forensic Audit
In light of mounting discrepancies and public outcry, Mojisola Savage, along with a growing number of Nigerians, is calling for a full forensic audit of MTN Nigeria’s data billing infrastructure. The demand is simple: transparency, accountability, and truth.
This audit, she insists, must be conducted independently, under the supervision of a coalition that includes digital rights organizations, consumer protection agencies, and certified cybersecurity experts.
At a minimum, such an investigation should:
* Cross-examine MTN’s claimed data usage with actual router-level bandwidth logs.
Identify and explain inconsistencies between SMS/app usage reports and real-world consumption.
Review the basis of so-called automatic consumption by background services like “Apple Services.”
* Determine whether discrepancies are due to technical faults or deliberate overbilling.
Every Nigerian deserves to know the truth. Is our data being stolen byte by byte, or are they truly unable to explain where it’s going? For a country with one of the world’s most vibrant digital populations that truly wants to open up the digital economy in line with the goals of the President, the answer has never mattered more.
Legacy at Risk
For decades, MTN has positioned itself as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s digital evolution, powering commerce, education, and innovation across the country. But this unfolding crisis raises a stark and uncomfortable question:
Can a company claim to be a driver of digital progress while facing credible allegations of digital exploitation?
For Mojisola Savage, the answer is unequivocal.
“If they can’t explain where my 530GB went,” she said, “then they’ve already lost something more important than data trust.”
As the evidence mounts and public pressure intensifies, MTN now stands at a crossroads: defend its integrity with transparency or watch its reputation unravel byte by byte.
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, has commended President Bola Tinubu’s newly proposed forest guard security structure.
Ogunwusi gave the commendation when he paid a courtesy visit to the President at his Ikoyi residence in Lagos on Sunday.
While speaking with journalists after the visit, the Ooni expressed optimism about the Tinubu administration’s efforts to improve security.
He hailed the President’s push for grassroots security reinforcement amid ongoing national challenges.
He said the proposal on restructuring of the Forest Guard system is a critical step toward lasting peace and investor confidence.
“We’re very happy with the Forest Guard structure and the new platform to bring in more police force to continue to comb the entire forest, both in the north and in the south.
“Once security is addressed, there will be a solid platform for investment to flow into Nigeria,” he said.
The Ooni also said he visited the President to appreciate the great things he was doing for the country.
“I went to Kazakhstan and came back with feedback. The good things he’s doing are opening Nigeria up to so many nations that now want to work with us,” he said.
Ogunwusi highlighted how Nigeria’s international standing is improving under Tinubu’s leadership, especially in terms of foreign investment and macroeconomic policy stability.
“In history, there is no arbitrage again. You bring dollars to Nigeria to do business, and you take it out, no dual exchange between the central bank and the parallel market.
“The world is watching us as a nation, and we don’t need to leave everything to the government,” he said.
The traditional ruler also emphasised the evolving and increasingly important role of traditional rulers toward nation-building.
“Traditional rulers should lead by example, work in tandem with the government, and give hope to our youth. This is another testimony of hope for Nigerian youths,” he said.
The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Creative Economy, Hanatu Musawa, on Sunday said that President Bola Tinubu is committed to making Nigeria the greatest black nation on earth with the export of the country’s rich cultural heritage to the outside world.
Musawa equally said that the Federal Government is ready to collaborate with the state government to develop its tourism sector to boost job creation, economic expansion, and accelerate national prosperity.
The minister stated this while speaking at this year’s Ojude Oba festival held at the Awujale pavilion, Ijebu Ode.
The annual cultural celebration, which is held three days after the celebration of Eid-el-Kabir, provides an opportunity for the people of Ijebu land, who usually dress in various beautiful attires to pay homage to the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
Musawa said, “President Bola Tinubu is strongly committed to making us the greatest black nation on earth, to making us one of the strongest economies. One of the ways he wants to do it is for us to leverage and tap into the opportunities that abound in the cultural and creative landscape.
“Recently, President Bola Tinubu announced a collaboration between the federal and subnational governments whereby we will do a collaboration and partnership so that… we will also work with the private sector to tap into the unique peculiarities of every single state.
She hailed the people of Ijebu land for putting together such a beautiful cultural festival, lauding the Awujale, Oba Adetona, for doing so much to preserve the cultural heritage even for the generation yet unborn.
The minister noted that Ojude Oba is a huge economic expansion, applauding the collaboration between the FG and Ogun State.
She said, “We can increase our visibility, we can bring job creation by looking at what the culture and tradition have to offer. This culture is your ideal, it’s your tradition, it’s who we are as a people, and we are extremely proud.
“This is a beautiful culture. This is a culture that we must continue to export and use as a form of economic expansion.
“For me, as a Nigerian, I’m proud to be part of this community. I feel honoured to be here and I am looking forward to enacting that important vision that President Bola Tinubu has by tapping into the rich resource of Ogun State.”
Also speaking, Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, said that Ojude Oba has grown beyond just a festival but a living heritage, a catalyst for economic growth, and a platform that helps to promote national unity despite the country’s diversity.
Abiodun said, ‘Ojude Oba is more than a festival; it is a living heritage, it connects us to our roots, and offers direction for a rapidly changing world. In an era marked by social fragmentation, this festival stands as a flagship symbol of communal harmony where religion, tradition, and modernity coexist beautifully under a shared identity.
“From the beautiful parade of the Regberegbe to the majestic display of the horse riders, Ojude Oba festival is a vibrant display of our beautiful culture, our pride, values, and our continuity.
The governor stated that his government will continue to promote the cultural heritage not only for the benefit of the Ijebu people but for the enrichment of humanity at large.
He added that festivals like Ojude Oba are crucial to his administration’s vision to develop the tourism sector to create more economic opportunities and attract global visibility.
The governor said that the global festival, as a veritable platform to promote national cohesion, has equally become a dynamic engine of tourism, youth empowerment, and entrepreneurship, and therefore, his government will leave no stone unturned to ensure that the growth and development of the festival is not hindered.
Meanwhile, the Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Rite Foods, Mr Ekuma Eze, said that the food company and one of the sponsors of this year’s celebration fed over 21000 of the guests and tourists who came to savour the rich cultural celebration.
Ekuma said that the magnanimity of the company stems from its commitment to helping in preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Nigerian people while also fulfilling its core mandate of giving back to the people.
He said, “We are passionate about enhancing the socio-economic well-being of our communities and preservation of the beautiful culture of our dear nation.
“So our sponsorship and support for the Ojude Oba festival comes from all of these, and by my record, we have fed over 21000 with our various brands of drinks and sausage. So, we are here to thrill the Ijebu people and all who have come from all over the world to be part of this celebration of global ranking.”
The highly revered 91-year-old monarch, who was conspicuously absent at this year’s celebration, was, however, represented by his wife, Olori Kemi Adetona.
The absence of the traditional ruler, according to an impeccable source who preferred to remain anonymous, was due to old age.
Dignitaries at this year’s celebration included the governor of Ondo State, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, represented by his deputy, Dr Olayide Adelami; Former governor of Ogun State and Senator representing Ogun East, Gbenga Daniel; Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaib Salisu; and the deputy governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele.,
Others were the wife of the state governor, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, former governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba, the Asiwaju of Ijebu land and Chairman of Rite Foods, Alhaji Sulaiman Adegunwa, Ogbeni Oja of Ijebu land, Dr Sunny Kuku, Speaker of the state assembly, Daisi Elemide, among others.
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused the state governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, of deliberately abandoning all the uncompleted projects left by his immediate predecessor, late Rotimi Akeredolu.
The PDP accused the governor in a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mr Leye Igbabo, on Sunday.
According to the statement, the opposition party said it had a strong conviction that the governor was attempting to destroy all of Akeredolu’s legacies in the state.
However, the state Director of Media and Publicity of the All Progressives Congress, Mr Steve Otaloro, in a statement, reacted that the allegation was untrue, stating that Aiyedatiwa was making efforts to complete the projects.
He described the PDP as an attention seeker.
The PDP in its statement said, “We are worried about the unwillingness and inability of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to complete all the ongoing projects left behind by his benefactor and predecessor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
“The available facts showed that Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa was not ready to go on with the projects because of his clear intention to destroy his predecessor’s legacy on the altar of political vendetta, against the late governor and his camp who allegedly did all within their power to strive to deny him ascension to the office of the governor when the late governor was clearly incapacitated by ill-health and even after the ultimate death of the immediate past governor.
“Aiyedatiwa was said to have boasted of his powers as the executive governor to stop any projects that do not catch his fancy, and that those who had benefited from the projects by way of monetary or material rewards should also go ahead to look for means of financing the said projects to completion.
“Our party has sufficient reasons to suspect very strongly that these allegations of an attempt to abandon and destroy his predecessor’s legacy could be very true. We have to come to this conclusion because one has to know why a governor who has huge resources at his disposal would be going back and forth to simply complete projects left behind by his predecessor when the government is regarded as a continuum.”
On the other hand, the APC media director, who denied the allegation of the PDP, said, “It is apparent that the PDP is resorting to a desperate attempt to regain relevance by fabricating claims that lack any basis in fact. “Since the victorious governorship election won by our party, the PDP has emerged as a vocal antagonist, seemingly more interested in creating discord than offering constructive criticism.”
He further stated, “While we typically refrain from engaging in the blame games of opposition parties, it has become necessary to clarify the truth for the public, who deserve to be informed about the PDP’s misleading narratives.
We would like to emphasise that all projects initiated under the previous administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu are receiving the attention they deserve. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa views the past administration as an extension of his own, as he served as deputy governor during that time.
It is, therefore, nonsensical for the PDP to suggest that Governor Aiyedatiwa would undermine the legacy he helped build by neglecting ongoing projects.
“In fact, Governor Aiyedatiwa has recently commissioned several road projects and infrastructure developments, including the Oda Road ( in Akure) and its extensions, which were foundationally laid by the late Governor Akeredolu. These actions reflect our commitment to continuity and progress, rather than the abandonment of vital projects.
“It is ironic that the PDP, a party that sought to overturn the people’s mandate granted to Governor Aiyedatiwa during the November 16, 2024, governorship election but dismissed at the tribunal, now resorts to a campaign of disinformation. Their attempts to discredit the governor through baseless propaganda are not only misguided but also reflect their internal struggles and declining relevance.”
The APC advised the opposition party leaders to focus on addressing the challenges within their party, “which has seen significant defections, including that of sitting governors, rather than concocting lies to mislead the public. It is time for them to engage in meaningful dialogue and contribute positively to the development of Ondo State.”
Legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, has revealed he wants to show his love for Celtic by opening a burger van outside the home of the Scottish champions.
The American music icon has previously expressed interest in buying a stake in the Glasgow club after being inspired by the success of Hollywood celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney at English second-tier side Wrexham.
But the 53-year-old has now set his sights on a more modest connection with a team he has long admired.
Snoop Dogg, who has published a recipe book called ‘From Crook to Cook’, once described Celtic supporters as “special” and said he identified with the club’s mascot, Hoopy the Hound.
He told the Sunday Mail that Celtic fans would flock to the burger van and that it would become a foodie “Paradise”, the nickname given to the club’s Parkhead stadium.
“I would love to bring a pop-up burger van to a sports stadium to show fans that food at stadiums can be good,” he said.
“It’s got to be Celtic Park, man. The secret to a good burger is the love in the preparation. The ground beef has got to be mixed with some secret spices, then add a good quality cheese and some maple-cured bacon.
“The Celtic fans are gonna love it, and to make sure they are just right, Snoop is going to be serving them himself.”
Snoop Dogg worked as a correspondent for NBC at the Paris Olympics last year, has launched two youth football leagues, and has been a vocal advocate for pay equality for female athletes.
He claimed he would not be taking his culinary ventures to Celtic’s arch rivals Rangers.
“Am I going to bring my burgers to Rangers as well? Nah, I think we will give that a miss,” he said.
President Bola Tinubu would on June 12 confer national honours on selected legislators in commemoration of Democracy Day.
This is contained in a statement by the House Spokesman, Akin Rotimi Jr., in Abuja on Sunday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the leadership and members of the House of Representatives will participate in a Special Joint Sitting of the National Assembly on Thursday, June 12.
The President who is expected to be the special guest of honour will address the joint sitting of the legislators.
“The programme will also feature goodwill messages from former presiding officers of the National Assembly and the conferment of national honours on select legislators by Mr President,” Rotimi said.
The House spokesman said that the theme for this year’s celebration is “26 Years of Democracy: Renewing Our Commitment to National Development.”
Rotimi explained that the joint sitting represents a significant moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
He said that it underscores the pivotal role of the National Assembly in safeguarding democratic values, fostering accountability, and advancing national development over the past 26 years of uninterrupted civil rule.
Rotimi urged Nigerians to embrace the spirit of Democracy Day as a time for reflection, renewed patriotism, and commitment to building a more inclusive, prosperous, and united nation.
The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Benue State chapter, on Sunday, raised the alarm of intimidation, cattle rustling, and a threat to life in some communities in the state.
The leaders of the association in the state, Ardo Risku and Ibrahim Galma, chairman and secretary, respectively, raised the alarm in a statement made available to journalists in Makurdi on Sunday.
The leaders of the association said that already, one of their members, identified as Sanni Hassan, was killed at North Bank, Makurdi, last Tuesday by suspected Tiv youths.
They also alleged that a total number of 1,185 cows were rustled between the middle of May and June 2, in Agatu and Guma Local Government areas of the state, out of which they said that police have recovered 162 cows.
The statement read partly, “In the middle of May, 2025, 150 cows belonging to Umar Rabiu and another 130 cows of another herder were rustled in Agatu LGA of Benue State.
“Recently, a total number of 905 cows and 54 sheep belonging to Abubakar Abdullahi, Babangida Hassan, Samaila Baba and Sanni Hassan were rustled on June 2, 2025, close to Yogbo community in Guma LGA of Benue State.
“Benue State Police Command intercepted the rustlers and recovered 162 cows, of which 33 were injured, leaving 743 cows and 54 sheep unrecovered.”
The association regretted that while the owners of the cows came to Makurdi to claim the recovered ones by the police last Tuesday, “they were attacked along the expressway close to Laafia garage in North Bank by suspected Tiv youths, leading to the death of Sanni Hassan.”
They called on the state government, Benue State Police Command, and other security agencies in the state to investigate and arrest the killers of their member and the rustlers.
They also solicited support from the state government for their members whose cattle were rustled and the family of the deceased.
When contacted, the Chairman of Agatu LGA, Melvin James, said that he received the report and that security operatives were already investigating the matter and urged the association to be patient until the outcome of the investigation.
He said, “We received such reports that the police is investigating the matter, I urge the MACBAN to be patient until the outcome of the police investigation.”
Also contacted the spokesperson for the state command, DSP Udeme Edet
confirmed the killing of a member of the association and rustling and recovery of some cows, but she did not give the total number of rustled and recovered cows.
She said, “It is true, the command has recovered some cows from rustlers and the killing of their member at North Bank.”
While appealing to criminals to desist from rustling of cows so as not to further heighten tension in the state, the PPRO, however, warned that the command would make sure that such people are made to face the wrath of the law.
Ukraine said on Sunday that a planned exchange of captured soldiers would start “next week”, after both sides accused each other of trying to thwart and delay the swap.
“The start of repatriation activities based on the results of the negotiations in Istanbul is scheduled for next week,” the head of Ukraine’s defence intelligence Kyrylo Budanov said on social media.
Ukraine and Russia on June 2 agreed to a fresh exchange of POWs. They also agreed to take back the bodies of killed soldiers.
The Peoples Democratic Party is set to overhaul its South-South zonal and state structures in a sweeping move aimed at flushing out disloyal members and forestalling further defections.
A member of the PDP’s National Working Committee, who spoke to Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said the planned restructuring was part of renewed efforts to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the source, the party is “clearly displeased” with the spate of defections in recent weeks and is ready to take firm action.
“This will not be business as usual. When the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and former governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, left, the NWC met and resolved to challenge their defection in court. That process is ongoing. As for Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, who defected on Saturday, the party will act after the Sallah break,” the source said.
“These defections damage the party’s internal structure because most of these leaders have their loyalists occupying key positions at state and zonal levels. The party must now clean the house. We will overhaul the South-South leadership to ensure only committed members remain in charge. No more space for political opportunists who will jump ship at the slightest discomfort.”
The PDP has faced internal turbulence since the 2023 general elections.
With no clear resolution in sight, the party has continued to lose high-profile members to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
On April 23, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and other key party leaders dumped the party.
After months of behind-the-scenes talks with APC leaders, Governor Eno and several officials also formally defected last weekend.
The wave of defections has dealt a major blow to the party’s image and weakened its electoral base ahead of the 2027 polls.
Reacting to Eno’s defection, the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, urged disloyal members planning to jump ship to do so quickly, so loyalists could focus on rebuilding the party.
“No political party, whether big or small, will be happy to lose assets, especially priced assets like a sitting governor from a critical state such as Akwa Ibom. So yes, the PDP received the news with mixed feelings,” Osadolor said.
“But at this stage in our national life, what Nigeria needs are sincere patriots committed to nation-building, not political merchants chasing personal gains. It is sad that the men we once looked up to as beacons of integrity have turned out to be nothing but overhyped figures, big men in oversized shoes and garments who cannot meet the basic standards of integrity.”
Osadolor criticised Eno, a cleric, for prioritising political survival over public welfare.
“The truth is, given his background, many had hoped his worldview on governance would be shaped by compassion, service, and truth. But it appears the welfare of Nigerians is not his concern. His focus, clearly, is securing a second term,” he said.
The PDP deputy national youth leader, however, expressed optimism that the defections would make it easier for Nigerians to reject the APC in 2027.
“In an interview earlier this year, I said those looking for transport fare to leave should hurry up. And if they need help, they can come to Wadata Plaza, we’ll be glad to escort them out. Let them go quickly so the party can heal and rebuild.
“It’s better they leave now than linger as saboteurs. Those of us who truly believe in this party are ready to reposition it. All hope is not lost.”
