Headlines

A gang of suspected terrorists, on Thursday morning, kidnapped a Chinese national and killed one officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Obangede, Okehi Local Government Area of Kogi State.

Information made available to LEADING REPORTERS revealed that the the NSCDC officer who lost his life was part of the security detail assigned to protect the abducted Chinese road engineer.

At the time of reporting, the identities of both the abducted individual and the deceased officer could not be confirmed. When contacted for confirmation and updates on the incident, the state police spokesperson, William Ovye Aya, stated that he would provide further information later.

This incident comes amidst a similar occurrence on February 3, where approximately 14 passengers of God Is Good (GIG) Motors and ABC Transport were abducted in Kogi while en route to Abuja. The incident took place in Inyele Eteke, Olamaboro LGA.

The abducted passengers, who were reportedly traveling from the southeast region, were later released after a few days in captivity.

Reports indicate that the gunmen intercepted the vehicles and forcibly took the passengers captive, demanding a ransom of N15 million from each individual for their release.

Governor Sim Fubara has expressed his willingness to give up his office for peace in Rivers State.

The political crisis between Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, currently the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has been ongoing.

Despite an intervention by President Bola Tinubu, the crisis has persisted.

Speaking to AIT, Governor Fubara stated, “No sacrifice will be too big for me to pay for the success of this administration.

The reason is very simple: it is not political love. It is not because I want to gain any favour from anybody. My interest and love for our dear state are genuine.”

He emphasized that his concern lies with the millions of Rivers people who have made sacrifices, and he worries that their hopes are being dashed.

Governor Fubara clarified that if resigning from his position would bring more peace to the state, he is willing to do so.

He underscored that his decision is not about personal interests but about the well-being and stability of Rivers State.

Governor Fubara also acknowledged the importance of maturity in leadership, highlighting his restraint in the face of crisis despite having the power to take specific actions that could have escalated tensions.

“I am the governor. No matter what it is, there are things I could have done, and there would have been a total crisis, but the ability to restrain in the face of crisis when you have the power to do things is maturity,” he added.

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike to set machinery in motion to ensuring emergency distribution of grains to residents to ameliorate living condition.

The directive came barely four days after the looting of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Agricultural warehouses by angry residents of the nation’s capital.

Tinubu who gave the directive in a memo addressed to the FCT Minister on Tuesday, instructed that a strategic committee be constituted to ensure a transparent and equitable distribution of the grains to vulnerable Nigerians through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

The FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud while announcing the constitution of the committee yesterday at a maiden meeting with area council chairmen and other stakeholders, said the committee has less than two weeks to carry out the presidential directive.

Mahmoud who expressed disappointment at the area council chairmen for treating the invitation to the maiden strategic stakeholders meeting with levity, warned them against any act that will sabotage the good intention of the president towards the residents of the territory.

She listed members of the committee to include chairmen of the six area councils, FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), traditional rulers, Department of State Service (DSS), Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and faith-based organisations.
 
Others are representatives of the National Union of Local Government Employees, Nigeria Red Cross Society, women association, persons living with disabilities, youth associations, principals of boarding schools, civil society organisations and the media.

A fresh graduate of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Miss Ezekiel Mary Ogechi was on Tuesday, crushed by a fast moving tanker in front of the institution.

Ogechi, who studied accounting in the Polytechnic, came to the school to carry out academic clearance, in preparation to go for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, but met her tragic end.

It was gathered that after carrying out the clearance, she exchanged pleasantries with her classmates, expressing joy that she would soon be mobilized for the NYSC.

The late student was said to have made distinction in accounting and was seen as a shining light in her department.

It was learnt that she already received a scholarship from an organization to do a post-graduate course.

“Unfortunately, she was hit by a tricycle while trying to cross to the other side of the road; before she could get up, she was then crushed by a fast moving truck,” a source disclosed.

On realizing that Oge, as she was fondly called, was lying dead under the truck, infuriated students of the Polytechnic mobilized for a protest.

“The management of the Abia State Polytechnic and the Students Union Government of the institution saved the day as the angry students were begged to calm down,” the source further stated.

No statement had been issued by the Polytechnic about the development as of the time of filing this report.

The chairman of the All Progressives Congress(APC), Ekiti State, Paul Omotosho, is dead.

It was gathered that the APC chairman died in the early hours of Wednesday after battling an undisclosed ailment.

Recall that Omotosho was kidnapped in 2023 along Imesi-Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government Area of Ekiti State and released in July 2023.

It was gathered that the APC chairman had not been feeling well since he was freed by his abductors.

Confirming his death, the publicity secretary of the party, Segun Dipe, said, “It is true that he is dead but I can’t confirm to you the cause of the death.”

A protest by the members of the Truck Drivers Association in Etsako West Local Government of Edo State left many road users stranded on Tuesday.

The drivers were said to have barricaded the busy Benin-Auchi-Abuja road making it impossible for vehicles to proceed to their various destinations.

The protesting drivers barricaded the Jattu junction of the highway with their trucks over the alleged delay in commencing the reconstruction of the road by the federal government.

The blockage of the road resulted in a long queue of vehicles stretching from Auchi to the Agbede axis of the road.

The barricade impeded the movement of vehicles on the highway as motorists moving towards the South-South, South East and North were not able to access the road.

The protest, organised by a group under the aegis of Concerned Citizens of Edo State, was to draw the attention of the federal government to the deplorable condition of the roads.

The Nigerian Government on Tuesday debunked reports that the United Arab Emirates, UAE, has resumed visa services for Nigerian citizens wishing to visit the country.

LEADINGREPORTERS earlier reported that Emirati authorities lifted the visa restriction on Nigerian travellers.

It was also reported that the visa ban was lifted on March 4, 2024.

The statement also claimed that the commencement of visa issuance was a “milestone, reflecting the successful outcome of in-depth talks between the two nations and underscoring.

But the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, on his X page said the document didn’t emanate from the Nigerian government.

“UAE has not resumed visa issuance to Nigerians.

“The document in circulation is not authorised either by the Nigerian government or the UAE,” he wrote.

Senators, on Tuesday, experienced a blackout as they waited for electricity to be restored to the National Assembly complex before the commencement of sitting.

A video revealing the red chamber in partial darkness circulated on social media, drawing reactions from netizens.

According to Channels TV, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, later commenced plenary after power was restored some minutes later.

Akpabio apologised for the outage and the heat in the Chamber, disclosing that about nine offices still experienced outage as work was ongoing to rectify the situation.

Commenting about the video on X, a user, #sweetheartadecx, wrote, “Breakfast na National cake. They should also feel what Nigerians are passing through.”

Another user, #KinginglyGeorge wrote, “#aedcelectricity if they haven’t paid their bills do not restore anything… they should go home.”