Author: Naija Daily News

A serving police corporal and a civilian accomplice have been sentenced to death for abducting a secondary school principal in Akwa Ibom State, 10 years ago. Justice Nsemeke Daniel of the High Court in Uyo handed down the death penalty by hanging to Corporal Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday and Isaac Eddy Ndeesor after finding them guilty of kidnapping Elder Akara Johnson Mendie in 2015. The incident occurred on July 5, 2015, when Mendie was ambushed while returning from church with members of his family in Ukanafun Local Government Area. Armed men intercepted their vehicle, seized the principal and drove off, leaving…

A most-wanted terror suspect linked to the horrific 2022 Owo church massacre has finally been captured after nearly four years on the run. Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) swooped on Sani Yusuf, said to be a top commander of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), in Edo State — bringing fresh hope of justice for the families of more than 40 worshippers slaughtered at St. Francis Catholic Church in Ondo State. The bloodbath stunned the nation when gunmen stormed the church during Sunday Mass, killing dozens and injuring many more in one of Nigeria’s most chilling…

By Deborah Nnamdi Former governorship candidate of the Labour Party in the 2024 Edo State election, Olumide Akpata, has defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Akpata was formally received into the party by the Edo State Chairman of the ADC, Kennedy Odion, alongside prominent party leaders including former Edo State governors John Odigie-Oyegun and Oserheimen Osunbor. Also present at the event were former Senate Chief Whip Roland Owie, House of Representatives member for Egor/Ikpoba-Okha Federal Constituency Murphy Omoruyi, and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi. Speaking after receiving his ADC membership card, Akpata said his decision to join…

By Deborah Nnamdi The Federal Government has dismissed reports alleging that it paid N10 billion and released militant commanders to secure the freedom of abducted schoolchildren in Niger State, describing the claims as false and baseless. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the government’s attention had been drawn to a media publication attributed to international wire services, which claimed that a “huge” ransom was paid to facilitate the release of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Boarding School in Niger State. Idris said the allegations misrepresented the facts and undermined the…

By Deborah Nnamdi Tension flared in Benin City, Edo State, on Tuesday following a reported armed attack on supporters of former presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Edo State governor John Odigie-Oyegun, raising fresh concerns over political violence. In a video circulating online, suspected hoodlums were said to have stormed the premises, firing sporadically. The footage showed visible bullet holes on the gates and extensive damage to vehicles parked within the compound. “Hoodlums came, shooting. If you look at the gates, everything — you can see the bullets at the gates. You can see it. They damaged everything. That is…

The administration of President Bola Tinubu allegedly paid billions of naira in ransom and released two senior Boko Haram commanders to secure the freedom of pupils abducted from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Niger State, according to a report by Agence France-Presse. More than 300 pupils and staff were kidnapped in November when gunmen stormed St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, triggering national outrage and renewed concerns over mass abductions across the country. In its report published on Monday, AFP alleged that the Nigerian government paid Boko Haram militants a “huge” ransom amounting to millions of dollars to secure the…

All weather forecasting equipment belonging to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) was destroyed in Monday’s fire outbreak that engulfed the old terminal of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos. The Federal Government has also reiterated plans to pull down the entire structure following the incident. The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this on Tuesday during an inspection of the burnt terminal in Lagos. The fire, which broke out around 3:30 p.m., did not claim any lives, but at least six persons sustained serious injuries. No fewer than 12 Air Traffic Controllers (ATCs) and other airport…

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has warned that the current administration will be held accountable if anything happens to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following reports that he suffered a nosebleed while in detention. Atiku described the development as deeply troubling and unacceptable in a democratic setting, stressing that El-Rufai’s health and welfare are matters of grave concern to his family, friends and associates. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the former vice president said the Federal Government owes Nigerians clarity regarding the circumstances of the former governor’s detention. He called on authorities to clearly state which agency is…

No fewer than six final-year nursing students of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) have been confirmed dead in a tragic road accident while travelling to sit for their final examinations. The victims, all 500-level candidates in the institution’s Open and Distance Learning Bachelor of Nursing Science programme, were reportedly on their way to Ogbomoso, Oyo State, for what was meant to be the final phase of their academic journey when the fatal crash occurred. Among those who lost their lives was a student said to be heavily pregnant at the time of the accident, further deepening the grief surrounding…

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been forced to resign from office, prompting the immediate appointment of a successor by the federal government. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Presidency confirmed that the resignation takes immediate effect and thanked the outgoing police chief for his service to the nation. However, Naija Daily News learnt that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu invited Egbetokun to the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, and directed him to resign immediately. The statement did not elaborate on the reasons for the resignation but noted that the decision was taken in the interest of the Nigeria Police…