Former President Goodluck Jonathan has mourned the passing of former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, describing him as a true African patriot and a symbol of democratic struggle on the continent.
Jonathan, in a statement titled “Adieu H.E. Raila Odinga” shared on his official X account on Thursday, paid glowing tribute to the late Kenyan statesman, whom he hailed for his courage, resilience and unwavering commitment to democracy in Africa.
PUNCH Online, in an agency report titled “Kenyan opposition leader Raila Odinga dies in India”, reported that Odinga, 80, died in India after collapsing during a morning walk, leading to widespread mourning across Kenya and the continent.
Reflecting on Odinga’s legacy, Jonathan described him as a leader who placed service above self and who embodied the hope of a united, progressive Africa.
“I am saddened by the news of the passing of H.E. Raila Odinga, former Prime Minister of Kenya and a distinguished African statesman whose life symbolised resilience, courage, and democratic struggle in Africa.
“Kenya has lost a patriot, and our continent has lost a great leader, one who understood that leadership is not about self, but about service; who believed and looked forward to Africa’s greatness and ascendancy”, the statement partly read.
The former Nigerian president further celebrated Odinga as a fellow advocate of democracy and a devoted pan-Africanist whose impact would continue to resonate across generations.
He prayed for history to remember Odinga kindly and for Africa to draw continued inspiration from his legacy.
“I honour him not just as a brother in the cause of democracy, but as a committed pan-Africanist whose light will continue to shine.
“May history remember him kindly, and may Africa continue to be blessed by his hope, wisdom and sacrifice”, Jonathan’s statement concluded.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency has predicted sunshine and cloudiness from Monday to Wednesday across the nation.
NiMet`s weather outlook released in Abuja envisaged sunny skies on Monday with patches of clouds over the northern region.
It anticipated prospects of isolated thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Taraba and southern Kebbi states during the morning hours.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are expected over parts of Taraba, Adamawa, Kaduna, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe, Kebbi and southern Sokoto states.
“For central region, cloudy skies with spells of sunshine are expected with prospects of morning thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Niger, Benue, Plateau and Kogi states.
“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Niger, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states,“ it said.
According to NiMet, a cloudy atmosphere is anticipated over the southern region with prospects of morning thunderstorms and light rains over parts of Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Imo, Ebonyi and Abia states.
It forecast isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains over most parts of the region later in the day.
NiMet predicted sunny skies on Tuesday with patches of clouds over the northern region during the morning period.
It envisaged isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Kaduna, Taraba, Bauchi, Southern Kano, Southern Jigawa and Adamawa states later in the day.
The agency anticipated sunny skies with patches of clouds over the central region.
NiMet forecast morning thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Nasarawa, Kwara, Kogi, the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Benue states.
According to it, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over part of Nasarawa, the Federal Capital Territory, Niger and Kogi States later in the day.
“For southern region, cloudy atmosphere is anticipated over the southern region with prospects of morning rains over parts of Ogun, Ondo, Ebonyi, Lagos, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom states during the morning hours.
“Later during the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Imo, Ebonyi, Abia, Oyo, Ekiti, Osun, Cross River, Rivers and Akwa Ibom states,“ it said.
NiMet predicted sunny skies on Wednesday with patches of clouds over the northern region and thunderstorms with light rain over parts of Taraba State during the morning hours.
The agency envisaged isolated thunderstorms with Light rains over parts of Kaduna, Adamawa and Taraba States later in the day.
According to the forecast, a cloudy atmosphere with intervals of sunshine is anticipated over the central region with chances of thunderstorms and light rains over parts of Niger, Kwara and Benue States during the morning period.
The agency predicted isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains over parts of Kogi, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa and the FCT later in the day.
“Cloudy atmosphere is anticipated over the southern region with prospects of thunderstorms with light rains over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Bayelsa during the morning hours.
“Later in the day, thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over most places in the region,“ it said.
NiMet urged the public to drive under the rain with caution, ensure that loose objects are fastened to avoid collision and disconnect electrical appliances from electrical sockets.
It further urged the public to stay away from tall trees to avoid impact from falling branches and broken trees.
“Farmers should avoid leaching of nutrients by refraining from applying fertiliser and pesticides right before the rains.
“Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations,” the statement added.
Three years after the tragic passing of Big Brother Naija star and singer, Patrick Fakoya, popularly known as Rico Swavey, his management and fans have paid emotional tributes to his memory.
In a heartfelt post shared on Monday on X, the management described Rico as a beacon of love and creativity, saying his memory “blooms like a garden of everlasting flowers.”
“On this 3rd anniversary, we remember not just your departure, but the life you lived and the love you gave. Keep resting, Rico,” the post read.
Rico Swavey, who featured in the 2018 Double Wahala edition of BBNaija, died on October 13, 2022, from injuries sustained in a car accident in Lagos.
The incident, which occurred along a poorly lit section of the Lekki-Ajah Expressway, drew widespread grief across the country.
His mother in an interview with Journalist Chude Jideonwo emotionally recounted watching her son die in her arms at a Lekki hospital, pleading for him to “come back to her.”
Amid public speculation at the time, an eyewitness, Sunday Michael, the Uber driver who was with Rico in his final moments clarified that the late reality star was not intoxicated before the crash.
Doren Specialist Hospital, where the deceased was initially treated, also denied allegations of negligence and dismissed claims that its staff filmed him on his sickbed.
Earlier this year, Big Brother Naija Season 10 honoured three late former housemates , Francisca Owumi, Joseph Ada, and Rico Swavey, with a tribute segment and a minute of silence.
Rico Swavey, remembered for his calm demeanour and artistic flair, remains one of the show’s most loved alumni, with his legacy still celebrated across the entertainment industry.
The Kano State Fire Service has confirmed the death of two children who drowned on Thursday while swimming in a stream at Hayin Yawa Gada in the Tudun Wada Local Government Area of the state.
Similarly, the agency also confirmed the death of a man whose body was discovered in a well at Jaba Masaka Shago Tara.
The Public Relations Officer of the agency, Saminu Abdullahi, disclosed the incidents in a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday.
“On Thursday, 09th October 2025, the Emergency Response Unit of the Tudun Wada Fire Service received a call for emergency assistance from CG Hisba reporting an incident at Hayin Yawa Gada in Tudun Wada LGA at about 14:00 hrs.
“Our men from Tudun Wada attended the scene of incident and on arrival they found two children, by names Habu Sani and Haruna Isah, all about 15 years old, who had entered into a stream passing through a major road that crossed the main road bridge,” it read.
According to Abdullahi, the children drowned “in the water way with the intention of local swimming.
“Our men successfully rescued them unconscious and later confirmed dead and men handed over the victims to Inspector Usaini Iliya of Tudun Wada police division.”
He further explained that another tragedy occurred the following morning.
He said, “The second incident occurred on Thursday, 10th October 2025, at about 08:15 am, when the central control room received an emergency call from P & G Kwalli police division reporting the discovery of a human body in a well at Jaba Masaka Shago Tara.
“Our men from the state headquarters were mobilised to the scene of the incident, on arrival they successfully removed the victim from the well. The victim was handed over to the Ward Head of the area, Ado Idris.”
Abdullahi appealed to parents and communities to be vigilant.
He, therefore, appealed to parents and the community to prevent children from going near puddles and any place where water collects.
In a similar tragedy, a 17-year-old boy, Lurwanu Suleiman, in July, drowned in open water in Dandalama village, located in Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.
A middle-aged man has lost five children in a boat mishap that happened in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, on Sunday evening.
According to sources in the local government, the man and his six children were reported to be returning from the farm when the canoe conveying them capsized.
It was gathered that the family of seven had gone to the farm to harvest cassava, and on their way back, the canoe sank, but one of the children was said to have survived.
A source who simply identified himself as Ameh told journalists in a telephone chat on Monday that rescue efforts were immediately launched by local divers and community members.
He added that the incident has thrown the Obagaji community into mourning.
The Chairman of the local government, Melvin James, who confirmed the incident, said that the seven people were on board the canoe when it capsized, and five children died in the boat mishap.
He said, “The man and six of his children had gone to the farm to harvest crops, but on their way back home, the canoe conveying them capsized and they drowned.
“Though the canoe was overloaded, which might have caused the mishap, the father and one of the children survived.
The council chairman said that the wife was not in the canoe when the incident happened.
While describing the incident as unfortunate, James extended his condolences to the family.
Boat mishaps have been a recurring incident in Benue State, especially in coastal communities in Logo, Buruku, and Agatu LGAs.
For instance, in 2024, some mourners returning from a burial in Logo Local Government Area capsized in River Buruku, resulting in 14 deaths, while 26 passengers were rescued approximately two years ago.
Also in December 2024, another boat mishap was recorded in Agatu, with 20 traders, mostly women and children, losing their lives when a wooden boat capsized in the Benue River.
Meanwhile, the State Command Police Public Relations Officer, Udeme Edet, could not be reached for comment as her phone rang out.
Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, has dismissed reports that the Ministry demanded payments from property owners to stop the demolition of houses at Oral Estate, Ikota.
The commissioner was reacting to a viral video wherein a woman was heard saying Wahab and other officials from the ministry had agreed to stop the demolition after requesting ₦1 billion and later settled for N700 million.
She said, “Thank God for today. We have peace of mind. We’re not hearing an excavator tearing people’s houses down, people crying. The Commissioner, Ministry of Environment came and we had an agreement that my estate is going to pay N1 billion for shit piling, It ended in N700 million for shit piling. My estate is trying to gather the money and give them this month.”
However, in a statement posted to his official social media accounts on Sunday, the commissioner said neither he nor any official from the ministry requested or received money, “whether ₦1 billion, ₦700 million, or a single kobo.”
He described the video as a deliberate attempt to blackmail the government and a dangerous distraction from efforts to prevent flooding and protect Lagos residents.
He said, “My attention has been drawn to a circulating video containing false and malicious allegations that the Ministry demanded money from property owners to pause the ongoing removal of structures on drainage setbacks at Oral Estate, Ikota.
“I must state categorically that these claims are entirely false and a deliberate attempt to blackmail the government.
“Neither I nor any official from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has ever requested nor received any payment, whether ₦1 billion, ₦700 million, or a single kobo, from any property owner.”
Wahab explained that “the operation to clear the Right of Way and Setbacks to different channels, and canals of illegal obstructions is a public safety imperative, and it has not been paused for any form of negotiation or payment. Our work continues.
“This propaganda is a dangerous distraction from our critical mission to prevent flooding and protect the majority of Lagosians.”
He added that the ministry takes the defamatory allegations “with the utmost seriousness” and will pursue the matter through the courts.
“We shall be pursuing this matter legally, and the individual behind these claims will be required to provide proof to the appropriate authorities,” the commissioner said.
The denial comes amid visible enforcement action in parts of Ikota and neighbouring estates, where government teams have removed structures found within river setbacks and drainage corridors, actions Wahab said are necessary to prevent recurrent seasonal flooding.
The state ministry of environment has warned residents against entertaining intermediaries or paying money to forestall statutory enforcement.
A section of the First Bank building located on Library Avenue in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, has collapsed.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday afternoon sent panic across the busy commercial area that houses several financial institutions, offices and shops.
As of the time of this report, details about possible casualties or the extent of damage remain sketchy, but emergency responders and security operatives are said to have arrived at the scene to assess the situation and ensure public safety.
An eyewitnesses described the collapse as sudden, noting that parts of the building gave way during off working hours, forcing nearby traders and passersby to flee the area.
The bank authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
A blaze has ravaged a Solar and Electrical Company in the Iwo Road Area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The incident was said to have occurred on Thursday.
PUNCH Online learnt that the fire destroyed the Training Office of Sun Watt’s Solar and Electrical Company located on the upper floor of the Salinsile building.
Our correspondent also gathered that electrical appliances and other equipment valued at several million naira were lost to the incident.
The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as of the time of going to press, while the post-fire incident investigation is still ongoing.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Fire Service Reform and Agency Chairman, Hon. Moroof Adebayo Akinwande, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
“The fire incident was reported on Thursday, 2nd October, 2025, at exactly 18:12 hours through emergency line 112 to the above-mentioned commercial building.
“The Firemen, led by CFS Olayiwola T.K., promptly responded and deployed to the scene of the fire incident. Upon arrival, it was a Training Office of Sun Watt’s Solar and Electrical Company located on the upper floor of the Salinsile building engulfed by fire.
“Officers of the Agency swiftly swung into action, and the fire was curtailed and restricted from spreading to other parts of the building. The fire was completely extinguished, and properties worth millions of naira were saved by the fire service.
“No casualty was recorded, and the root cause of the fire incident could not be established, but post-fire incident investigation is ongoing to ascertain the cause of the fire incident.”
He advised the public to be conscious of fire while stressing the importance of having extinguishers to prevent fire incidents from spreading.
Akinwande also urged the general public to contact emergency lines in case of urgent attention: 08067439223 and 08054353501, or 615.
Fire outbreaks have become a recurring challenge in Oyo State, especially in Ibadan, where several markets, business centres, and public facilities have been gutted in recent years.
Incidents such as the 2020 Dugbe market inferno and the 2023 Bodija plank market fire led to losses running into billions of naira, with victims often lamenting the lack of preventive safety measures in public and private buildings.
Dozens missing, three dead in Indonesia school collapse
Agency report
Searchers raced Tuesday to rescue at least 38 people still believed trapped after the collapse of an Islamic school building in Indonesia that has already left three dead, authorities said.
The building gave way on Monday on Indonesia’s main island, Java, where students were gathered for afternoon prayers, said local reports, citing a witness.
Families desperate for news of their loved ones and rescuers were crowded around the multi-storey building in the town of Sidoarjo.
“The number of victims is 102 people, consisting of 99 survivors, 3 deaths,” National Search and Rescue Agency head Mohammad Syafii said.
He added that rescuers were working urgently to save the lives of survivors who are thought to still be trapped under the rubble.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Abdul Muhari said rescuers were still searching for 38 people thought to be trapped under the rubble.
Atok Irawan, the head of a local hospital in Sidoarjo, told reporters that two people died of their injuries on Tuesday while they were treated in the hospital’s emergency room.
Lax construction standards have raised widespread concerns about building safety in Indonesia.
Earlier this month, at least three people were killed and dozens were injured after a building hosting a prayer recital collapsed in West Java.
Schools, libraries, and parks were closed on Monday in Valencia in eastern Spain after heavy rains prompted a red alert and fears of a repeat of deadly floods that hit the area last year.
Spain’s national weather agency, AEMET, warned of a “very complicated situation” in the Mediterranean region.
The overnight downpours caused localised flooding and a ravine to overflow in Aldaia, one of the towns hardest hit by October 2024’s floods that killed more than 230 people. No injuries have been reported.
AEMET warned of “extraordinary danger” in the provinces of Valencia and Castellón, as well as the province of Tarragona in the neighbouring region of Catalonia.
Schools and universities will stay closed in the city of Valencia on Monday, as well as public spaces including libraries, parks, gardens, markets, and cemeteries, local officials said.
Last year’s disaster sparked public anger over warning systems and emergency response, fuelling tensions between Spain’s left-leaning central government and conservative regional authorities.
Residents continue to protest, accusing officials of failing to provide timely alerts.
Because a warmer atmosphere holds more water, climate change increases the risk and intensity of flooding from extreme rainfall.
