Nelson Ugwuagbo

At least 30 people, including women and children, were killed on Monday in separate Boko Haram attacks in Chibok and Kala Balge local government areas of Borno State.

In Chibok, suspected Boko Haram terrorists opened fire on a group of mourners gathered for the third-day prayer of a late community leader around 6:00 p.m., killing seven men on the spot. Local sources said the attackers stormed the venue and began shooting indiscriminately. Several others sustained gunshot injuries during the attack.

An update on Tuesday revealed that additional bodies were recovered, bringing the total number of deaths in Chibok to 14. The attackers also reportedly set several houses ablaze before fleeing the area.

In a separate incident, an improvised explosive device (IED) believed to have been planted by Boko Haram exploded near Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government Area, on Monday morning.

The device detonated when vehicles traveling to Gamboru Ngala ran over it approximately 11 kilometers from Rann, close to the Lake Chad border region. The blast killed at least four women, six children, and an unspecified number of men, according to members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

Three other passengers — a woman, a man, and a child — sustained injuries and were evacuated to medical facilities in Gamboru Ngala and Rann for treatment.

The explosion brought the total death toll in the Kala Balge attack to 16.

Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, has sentenced Peter Nwachukwu, husband of the late gospel singer Osinachi Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.

The judgement, delivered on Tuesday, follows the court’s finding that Nwachukwu was guilty of culpable homicide in connection with Osinachi’s death on April 8, 2022. The court ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022, by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF) on behalf of the Federal Government. He faced a 23-count charge including culpable homicide, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, spousal battery, and related offences.

During the trial, the prosecution presented 17 witnesses, including two of the couple’s children, and tendered 25 documentary exhibits. Nwachukwu testified in his own defence, calling four additional witnesses and submitting four exhibits.

Ahead of sentencing, defence counsel Reginald Nwali pleaded for leniency, while prosecuting counsel, Mrs. Aderonke Imala, urged the court to apply the full weight of the law.

In addition to the death sentence on Count 1, Justice Nwosu-Iheme imposed two years’ imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8, 9, 12, 13, and 18; six months on Count 10; and three years on Count 11. The defendant was also fined N500,000 and N200,000 on Counts 6 and 7 respectively.

Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris, has dismissed reports suggesting he is involved with a political coalition linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, the governor described the reports as false and the work of “mischief makers and attention seekers.”

“I will be the last man standing in APC; I can’t and I will never even harbour the thought of leaving my party to join any coalition belonging to Atiku or anybody,” the statement read.

Governor Idris emphasized his loyalty to the All Progressives Congress (APC), noting that the party was instrumental in his political rise and election as governor. He stressed that he remains committed to the APC regardless of political pressures.

The governor also stated that his priority is delivering good governance and developing Kebbi State across all sectors. “I refuse to lose focus on good governance in my state; political jobbers should have a rethink because I will not succumb to their imagination,” he said.

The Federal Government has announced the completion of repair works on the runway of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, ahead of schedule. The airport is set to reopen on Monday, April 28, 2025.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed the development on Sunday via his official X handle. He stated that the repair works were completed earlier than the initially projected date of May 6.

“Dear compatriots, we worked extra hard to meet the deadline we gave on the repair of the runway of Akanu Ibiam International Airport in Enugu and finished way ahead of the scheduled date. It will now be open for use as from tomorrow (the 28th of April, 2025),” Keyamo wrote.

The reopening is expected to restore full operations at the airport, which had been closed for maintenance.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal has upheld the $220 million fine imposed on Meta Platforms Incorporated by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Friday by the FCCPC Director of Corporate Affairs, Ondaje Ijagwu.

According to the statement, the tribunal also awarded an additional $35,000 to the commission to cover the cost of its investigation.

Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has described the recent mass defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other elected and party leaders to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as painful and disappointing.

Damagum made the remarks in Abuja during the presentation of the Certificate of Return to Mr. Jude Ezenwafor, the PDP governorship candidate for the upcoming Anambra State election.

He expressed dismay over the defection, citing the party’s unwavering support to Delta State in previous elections.

“It is very sad and unfortunate because, to me, if there’s any state that should think that way, not Delta, because the party has been very magnanimous,” he said.

Damagum noted that the defectors did not cite any wrongdoing by the party, adding, “I thank God that in their message, they didn’t say the party did anything wrong to them other than good.”

He described the decision as painful, emphasizing the support the PDP had extended to Delta State, including the emergence of the current governor and his predecessor, who was also the party’s vice presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.

“We least expected this action from them. All the same, this is a party that has seen more than that, but it’s still standing,” Damagum said.

He also announced plans by the party to take immediate action in reorganizing its structure in Delta State.

“I want to use this opportunity to say we’ll take over our structures immediately,” he added.

Damagum further stated that the 2027 general elections would not be determined by the number of governors a party has but by the support of Nigerians

Reverend Father Ibrahim Amos, the priest in charge of Saint Gerald’s Quasi Catholic Parish in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, has regained his freedom after being abducted by bandits on Thursday morning.

His release was confirmed in a statement issued on Friday by the Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan, Reverend Father Jacob Shanet.

According to the statement, Father Amos was released by his abductors at about 10 p.m. on Thursday.

The Diocese expressed gratitude to security agencies and members of the public for their prayers and support during the period of the abduction.

Reverend Father Shanet described the outpouring of concern as evidence that the church is not alone in its commitment to uphold the dignity of human life.

Father Amos was taken from his residence in the early hours of Thursday at Saint Gerald’s Quasi Catholic Parish in Kauru LGA.