Author: Naija Daily News

By Deborah Nnamdi The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has expressed deep concern over what he described as an alarming escalation of insecurity and institutional decay across Nigeria in recent days. In a post shared on his official X account on Monday, Obi said the past 10 days had been marked by “unprecedented negative news,” adding that the level of chaos in the country should trouble the conscience of every leader. “The past 10 days in Nigeria have witnessed unprecedented negative news, a level of chaos, insecurity, and institutional decay that should trouble the conscience…

By Deborah Nnamdi A 31-year-old man, Abdullateef Seriki-Sanma, has died after jumping into a surface well early Sunday morning at Bolarinwa Compound in the Centre Igboro area of Ilorin, Kwara State. Abdullateef, said to be under the influence of banned substances, was the only surviving child of the late Madam Idiah, who had lost her other two children before this incident. Family members told reporters that the deceased jumped into the well at about 4:00 a.m. A relative said they had noticed unusual behaviour in him for days and feared he might attempt suicide. “We started noticing strange behaviour in…

A major controversy has erupted in the Bayelsa State Civil Service following the decision of the Head of Service (HoS), Dr Wisdom Sawyer, to bar about seven non-indigene directors from participating in a scheduled competency test held over the weekend in Yenagoa. The affected directors were reportedly already seated at the Rooftop Auditorium of the Bayelsa Medical University, the venue of the examination, when Sawyer ordered that non-indigenes were not permitted to take part in the test. The examination, held on Friday and Saturday between 9am and 4pm, was organised for directors on Grade Levels 16 and 17 as part…

By Deborah Nnamdi President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate withdrawal of police personnel from VIP protection assignments, ordering that officers be redeployed to strengthen security across communities nationwide. The directive was issued during a security meeting held with key service chiefs, including the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun; and Director-General of the Department of State Services, Tosin Adeola Ajayi. The meeting followed a surge in abductions and other security threats across several parts of the country. According to the President, the…

By Deborah Nnamdi An Islamic cleric in Toro Local Government Area of Bauchi State, Alhaji Muhammad Bakoshi, has been killed following a late-night attack by bandits on Saturday. Bakoshi, who served as the Discipline Officer of the Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS), Zalau, was shot dead after armed men invaded his residence in the early hours of the morning. The number of attackers has not yet been determined. The bandits also abducted his wife—who reportedly gave birth two weeks ago—and their daughter, whisking them away to an unknown location. The incident has plunged the Zalau community into deep…

File photo: Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq By Deborah Nnamdi The Kwara State Government has announced the release of 38 worshippers abducted last Tuesday by bandits who attacked the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Eruku, in the Ekiti Local Government Area of the state. Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, confirmed that the victims had regained their freedom after days of security operations. The statement, however, did not specify the circumstances under which the abductees were released. “After many days of hard work by security forces and government representatives, Governor AbdulRahman…

File photo: 2Baba and Natasha Osawaru during their traditional marriage By Deborah Nnamdi Veteran Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2Baba, and his wife, Edo State lawmaker Natasha Osawaru, have welcomed a baby boy. Osawaru announced the birth on her Facebook page on Sunday, expressing joy over the arrival of their child. “Congratulations to Mr & Mrs Idibia. We joyfully welcome our bouncy baby boy into the world. May this precious little one bring endless laughter, happiness, and blessings to our beautiful family,” she wrote. “With love, strength, and unforgettable moments as we begin this wonderful new chapter. Welcome,…

By Deborah Nnamdi Two communities in Delta State have demanded 50 billion naira ($32.5 million) in compensation and a halt to operations in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 40 over what they say are years of unchecked oil spills and improper waste disposal by Nigeria Exploration and Production Ltd (NEPL) and its partner, Elcrest. The Opuama and Polobubo (Tsekelewu) communities are also asking for immediate clean-up and remediation within three months, according to a statement issued by the Warri-based NGO Save the Earth and Secure the Future (SESF). The group accused the companies of repeated spills and the dumping of drilling…

By Deborah Nnamdi Fifty of the more than 300 children kidnapped from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools in Papiri, Agwarra Local Government Area of Niger State, have escaped from their captors. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, announced the development in a statement on Sunday, explaining that the children found their way to safety between Friday and Saturday. “We have received some good news as fifty pupils escaped and have reunited with their parents,” said Daniel Atori, media aide to CAN Chairman in Niger State, Most Rev. Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, who is also the Catholic…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has recorded a major breakthrough in its intensified war against drug trafficking, dismantling six criminal syndicates, arresting nine suspected drug kingpins, and seizing large quantities of illicit substances in a sweeping series of intelligence-led operations across the country. NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed the development in a detailed statement on Sunday, said the operations were part of a coordinated nationwide offensive targeting drug networks ahead of the festive season — a period the agency says traffickers often exploit to increase their activities. According to Babafemi, one of the operations saw NDLEA operatives…