News

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Yoruba nation activist Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, has threatened to publicly reveal the names of politicians he accuses of sponsoring kidnapping gangs operating in parts of Oyo State.

Igboho specifically alleged that some political figures are backing the abductors who recently seized students and teachers in the Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.

In a strongly worded warning, the activist declared that he would expose the sponsors’ identities unless they immediately cease their criminal activities.

“The sponsors behind these kidnappings will no longer hide,” Igboho said. “If they do not stop now, I will make their names known to the public.”

His threat comes amid growing concerns over rising insecurity and abductions for ransom across southwestern Nigeria.

By Uzair Adam

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Kenneth Okonkwo, has argued that any vote cast for former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi in the 2027 election would ultimately work in favour of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election.

Speaking during an interview on Symfoni TV, Okonkwo said the opposition must unite behind a single candidate if it hopes to defeat the incumbent president in the next general election.

According to him, a divided opposition would only increase Tinubu’s chances of securing another term in office.

“Whether directly or indirectly, anyone dividing opposition votes is helping Tinubu. When coalition and opposition votes are split, it places Tinubu in a stronger position to win,” he said.

Okonkwo also criticised Obi’s reported withdrawal from coalition discussions within the ADC, alleging that the former Anambra State governor was unwilling to participate in a competitive primary election.

“Nobody compelled Peter Obi to join the ADC. He joined voluntarily, but just a week before the deadline, he withdrew and explained his reasons.

“You cannot avoid a primary election and still expect to lead a country facing serious challenges. Leadership requires confronting challenges, not running away from them,” he stated.

The former Labour Party spokesperson further claimed that Senator Victor Umeh had previously suggested that the South-East’s best chance of producing a Nigerian president would be through a political alliance with northern leaders.

“When we were joining the ADC, Victor Umeh told me clearly that the best opportunity for the Igbo to produce a president was to align with the North, with Peter Obi serving as vice president,” Okonkwo alleged.

He further claimed that Umeh had informed him that Obi was not receptive to such advice.

“I asked him if he had discussed it with Obi. He said yes, but described Obi as stubborn, saying he would rather continue pursuing his own approach,” Okonkwo added.

Reiterating his position, Okonkwo urged opposition supporters to carefully consider the implications of their choices ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

“To be clear, anyone voting for Peter Obi in 2027 is indirectly voting for Tinubu. Remember that I said this,” he maintained.

His remarks come amid ongoing consultations and coalition talks among opposition parties and political stakeholders seeking a united front ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

A tragic road accident involving a military vehicle and a commercial Hummer bus has claimed six lives along the Girei–Song Highway in Adamawa State.

The fatal crash occurred on Wednesday afternoon and involved a military gun truck travelling from Gombi to Yola and a commercial bus heading from Yola to Mubi with five passengers on board.

Witnesses said the collision happened at about 1:50 p.m. and caused the bus to overturn before it caught fire. The flames reportedly consumed the vehicle and killed all its occupants.

Among those who lost their lives were four members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a soldier and another passenger.

The Adamawa State Police Command confirmed the incident through its spokesperson, SP Suleiman Ngurore. He said the accident took place around the Narehi area in Girei–Song Local Government Area.

According to him, “Tragically, all five passengers aboard the Hummer bus were burnt to death after the vehicle caught fire following the collision.

“Preliminary identification shows that four of the deceased were members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) posted to Adamawa State.”

Ngurore identified two of the deceased corps members as Suleiman Juliet and Usman Shuaibu, both natives of Kaduna State. He added that authorities were still working to establish the identities of the remaining victims.

The police spokesperson also disclosed that a soldier travelling in the military vehicle died as a result of the crash.

He said police officers and emergency personnel responded promptly to the scene, while the remains of the victims were taken to the Specialist Hospital in Yola.

Ngurore stated that efforts were ongoing to identify all those affected and notify their relatives. He added that more information would be released as the investigation progresses.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

At least one person was killed and 63 others sustained injuries after an Iranian drone struck a passenger terminal at Kuwait International Airport on Wednesday, amid renewed hostilities involving Iran and US forces in the Gulf region.

Indian authorities confirmed that the victim was an Indian national, while several other citizens were among those injured in the attack.

Kuwait’s military strongly condemned the incident and described it as an act of “criminal Iranian aggression”. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, however, blamed US actions for the escalation. The group alleged that American forces had targeted a tanker and a communications tower on Qeshm Island, prompting a response.

The latest violence has raised concerns about the stability of the April 8 ceasefire that halted more than a month of fighting triggered by US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran. Although the truce has largely remained in place, occasional exchanges of fire have continued.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Tehran of “playing with fire”.

“Iran surely knows what the (US) president has said, that if necessary, there’ll be a full-scale return to military action,” Netanyahu warned in an interview with US channel CNBC, referring to threats made by Donald Trump.

Kuwaiti health ministry spokesman Abdullah al-Sanad said 63 people received medical treatment for injuries sustained in the attack. He noted that the casualties suffered “including head wounds, cerebral haemorrhages, amputations and injuries resulting from explosions”.

Following the strike, Kuwaiti authorities temporarily suspended air traffic and redirected incoming flights to alternative destinations. Flight operations later resumed through Kuwait Airways.

The airport has come under attack on several occasions during the conflict and had only returned to full operations earlier this week.

Kuwait said it detected 30 ballistic missiles and drones launched during what it described as “heinous Iranian aggression”. The country also rejected claims from Tehran that its territory and airspace had been used for attacks against Iran.

A resident living near the airport, Hassan Sheikh, recounted hearing multiple explosions overnight.

“For the first time, my children felt how serious the situation was,” he said.

Bahrain also reported overnight drone attacks, while the United Arab Emirates called for a “cohesive Gulf stance” among neighbouring states in response to Iran.

Although Iran’s Revolutionary Guards did not claim responsibility for the airport strike, they accused Kuwait and Bahrain of assisting US military operations. The group said it had targeted “the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait, which hosts helicopters”.

Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the United States, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that any “aggression will be met with a decisive, regrettable, and proportionate response”.

Meanwhile, the US military said it had “successfully defeated” several Iranian missile and drone attacks directed at Kuwait and Bahrain. It also confirmed carrying out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Island.

Bahraini authorities reported intercepting three Iranian missiles and several drones.

The escalation coincided with diplomatic efforts in Washington, where US, Israeli and Lebanese officials held discussions aimed at ending the parallel conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to the Lebanese embassy in Washington, a proposed US-backed arrangement would initially cover Israeli attacks on Beirut and Hezbollah operations against Israeli territory.

Neither side has publicly endorsed the proposal. Senior Hezbollah official Mahmud Qomati said in a written statement that the group “will not accept a partial ceasefire”.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington wanted the Lebanon talks to remain separate from negotiations involving Iran, although Tehran has repeatedly linked both conflicts.

Israeli forces have expanded ground operations in Lebanon, marking their deepest advance into the country in two decades.

Lebanese authorities said Israeli strikes on Wednesday killed at least nine people in southern Lebanon, including two paramedics. Another airstrike reportedly targeted a vehicle near Beirut.

Hezbollah claimed responsibility for a rocket attack against Israeli troops in northern Israel, stating that the action was a response to what it described as Israeli violations of an existing ceasefire.

A truce intended to halt fighting in Lebanon was scheduled to take effect on April 17, but both sides have continued military operations.

Israeli officials have maintained that attacks on northern Israeli communities by Hezbollah could trigger strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. They say the position is supported by Washington.

Netanyahu also said Trump shared his objective of disarming Hezbollah in order to “save Lebanon”.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government has taken delivery of the report submitted by an independent investigative panel that examined allegations of corruption, abuse of authority, torture and other forms of misconduct within the Nigerian Correctional Service.

Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the development in a statement published on his official page. He explained that the panel was inaugurated in November 2024 and completed its work after spending 18 months investigating the allegations.

The panel was headed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.

Tunji-Ojo said the report would provide a roadmap for reforms aimed at improving correctional facilities and strengthening the rehabilitation of inmates across the country.

“The findings will serve as a strong foundation for transforming our correctional facilities from mere places of incarceration into true centres of rehabilitation, reformation, restoration and reintegration,” he stated.

The minister also pointed to progress recorded through rehabilitation initiatives in correctional centres. He said the number of former inmates who returned to custody after release had fallen sharply over the past few years.

According to him, recidivism cases reduced from 11,616 inmates in 2023 to 1,382 inmates in 2025.

He further disclosed that 62 inmates are currently enrolled in postgraduate programmes, while 261 are pursuing undergraduate degrees. In addition, 1,125 inmates are involved in various educational programmes and 9,582 others are undergoing vocational and skills acquisition training.

“As a government, we are committed to ensuring that no Nigerian, whether free or in custody, is left behind,” the minister said.

Tunji-Ojo added that the government would begin the process of implementing the panel’s recommendations through monitoring and evaluation mechanisms aimed at improving correctional administration nationwide.

“Our goal is clear. Never again should our correctional centres be associated with dehumanisation, corruption, or discrimination,” he added.

By Dahiru Kasimu Adamu

Rice farmers in Kebbi State are in a dilemma as quila birds, locally known as Buwa, continue to threaten food security by devouring their farm produce.

During a visit to rice clusters in the Argungu fadama land, including Dankwalli, Kuyar Masama, Janduma, Kwalaga, and others, farmers were seen shouting, wielding sticks, and using other materials to make loud noises to scare the birds away from their farms.

The farmers described the situation as disastrous. “Quila birds need only a short time to finish what farmers spend months cultivating. This forces us to move early to the farms and prevent the birds from ending our farming,” said Lauwali Usman, a farmer at the Dankwalli rice cluster.

Another farmer, Usman in Kuyar Masama,  explained how the quila bird “has caused some farmers to harvest their rice early because they can no longer keep moving to their farms every morning and evening to prevent the birds from eating their produce. They are afraid of losing what they spent months cultivating.”

Many farmers have stories to tell about the quila bird and how it threatens rice farming. What they share in common, however, is an appeal to authorities to assist them by spreading chemicals to eliminate the birds, arguing that traditional methods are too weak.

In a previous interview, Dr Aminu Aliyu, an agriculturalist who teaches at the Department of Agricultural Education, Adamu Augie College of Education, Argungu, said the best and most scientific method of addressing the quila bird problem is “locating their nesting environment and spreading chemicals. This can be achieved by collaborating with local farmers and extension agents, and is normally done by the state government or in conjunction with the federal government.”

Dr Aliyu described quila birds as “migratory birds that travel long distances and can cause havoc to any farm they stay on, even within a short period.”

Apart from rising input costs and the petrol price hike due to subsidy removal, the quila bird has been a major problem affecting rice farmers since the beginning of dry season farming, known locally as Katashi in Kebbi State.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Three former members of the Osun State House of Assembly have ended their membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking another development within the party in the state.

The politicians, Lekan Oyediran, Aleem Bakare and Folorunso Oladoyin, submitted separate resignation letters to APC local government chairmen between June 1 and June 2.

Bakare attributed his decision to what he described as a lack of internal democracy within the party. However, Oyediran and Oladoyin did not state any reasons for their departures in their letters.

Oyediran represented Odo Otin State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003. Bakare served as the lawmaker for Ejigbo State Constituency between 2003 and 2007.

Oladoyin represented Ife South State Constituency from 2011 to 2019. He later served as Osun State Commissioner for Education during the administration of former Governor Adegboyega Oyetola until the government left office in November 2022. Bakare also worked in Oyetola’s administration as Special Adviser on Land Matters.

The three former lawmakers are known associates of former APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who has maintained a distance from party activities since the conclusion of the APC governorship primary in December 2025.

Speaking on the development, spokesperson for the Senator Iyiola Omisore Campaign Organisation, Jamiu Olawumi, acknowledged that the former lawmakers were close to Omisore. He, however, denied suggestions that the former deputy governor directed them to leave the party.

According to Olawumi, the politicians may have made the decision after assessing their political prospects.

He also dismissed speculation that Omisore was preparing to leave the APC.

“The anxiety is unfounded and baseless. We support Iyiola Omisore for his governorship ambition. Anyway, we went for him, we saw his capacity and capability, that is why we went to invite him to come and contest.

“So, if the outcome of the contest amounts to our strongest defence line being removed, people who cannot withstand the shock could leave the party, and could also leave his camp to join the winning camp.

“That does not mean Omisore is leaving the party, because Omisore was not our breadwinner. We are political associates. So, people who want to be mischievous, and who are taking the animosity that far, they say his men are leaving, that he was going to leave.

“Those who left are Oyetola’s men too. Bamisayemi (Oladoyin) was a Commissioner for education under Oyetola. While Oyetola is losing his cabinet member, Omisore is also losing his supporters. These are the inner members of the caucus of Oyetola now who are leaving the party. It is not about Omisore but about their conviction that the party had not fulfilled their dreams and they cannot realise their dreams and aspirations within the party.”

Responding to the resignations, Osun APC spokesperson, Kola Olabisi, said the party was not worried by the development. He noted that members have the constitutional right to join or leave any political party.

Olabisi also argued that the APC had attracted several prominent politicians, particularly from the Peoples Democratic Party, in numbers that exceeded those leaving the party.

By Muhammad Abubakar

U.S. Representative Thomas Massie has called for a temporary suspension of American aid to Israel, arguing that such a move would quickly reduce tensions in the Middle East and lower energy prices.

Massie’s remarks came in response to reports that President Donald Trump angrily confronted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over Israel’s military actions in Lebanon. According to Axios, Trump warned Netanyahu that Israel’s operations were undermining U.S. diplomatic efforts in the region and risked escalating the conflict.

Reacting to the report on social media, Massie wrote that Washington should “just withhold foreign aid to Israel for a month,” claiming the move would prompt Israel to halt military operations against its neighbours, help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and reduce U.S. gasoline prices. He also described Israel as “the biggest welfare recipient from American taxpayers.”

Massie’s comments add to ongoing debates in Washington over U.S. military and financial support for Israel amid heightened regional tensions and concerns about the broader economic impact of instability in the Middle East.

By Uzair Adam

A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has warned that Tehran would respond with a massive wave of missile and drone attacks if the United States carries out further military strikes against the country.

Mohsen Rezaei, a military adviser to Khamenei, issued the warning on Wednesday in a post on X, declaring that any new aggression by Washington would trigger an immediate and forceful response.

“Every shot fired and every attack will be met with a deluge of missiles and drones,” Rezaei wrote, adding that “the aggressor will swiftly be punished.”

The warning comes in the wake of recent US strikes targeting an Iranian tanker and facilities on Qeshm Island.

The attacks reportedly heightened tensions in the region and were followed by retaliatory strikes on Kuwait and Bahrain.

The latest exchange of threats has further raised concerns about a wider escalation of hostilities in the Middle East.

By Uzair Adam

Unknown gunmen have abducted the wife and twin children of the younger brother of former Minister of Power and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Adelabu.

The victims were reportedly kidnapped on Wednesday morning at Elewura in the Challenge area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Confirming the incident, one of Adelabu’s media aides, Femi Awogboro, said the woman, identified as Laide, and her twin sons, Peter and Paul, were travelling within the city when they were intercepted and taken away by the attackers.

According to Awogboro, the family was heading from Elewura to connect to the expressway when the gunmen struck.

“Adelabu’s younger brother’s wife, Laide, together with her twins, Peter and Paul, was kidnapped this morning by unknown gunmen at Elewura, Challenge, Ibadan,” he said.

He added that the victims were forcefully taken away by the kidnappers during the attack.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Oyo State Police Command, CSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said he could not immediately confirm the development.

“I cannot independently verify this for now. Please hold on,” Ayanlade stated.

Further details were still being awaited as of press time.