Police arrest gun runners, arms suppliers, kidnappers in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, Taraba 5:43 AM (3 minutes ago)
By Kingsley Omonobi
The Nigeria Police Force has arrested nine suspects and dismantled several gun-running and arms supply syndicates operating across Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna, and Taraba States in the past month.
Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja, noting that the operations led to the recovery of a large cache of firearms and ammunition.
Recovered items included seven AK-47 rifles, two AK-49 rifles, five pump-action rifles, fifteen magazines, one locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, one short rifle, one locally made pistol, one axe, six machetes, 615 rounds of live ammunition of various calibres, and fourteen expended cartridges.
According to Hundeyin, operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) arrested the suspects following credible intelligence.
On August 30, 2025, police operatives arrested Bello Lado (40), alias Bingel; Jafar Adam (25); Adamu Yusuf (46), alias Alh. Bete; and Yusuf Ibrahim (52), alias Chairman Doka in Nasarawa and Plateau States. Two AK-47 rifles and 21 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from them.
Investigations revealed that the group had conspired since 2022 to trade nearly 4,940 rounds of live ammunition. Efforts are ongoing to track other members of the syndicate still at large.
In another operation, acting on a petition from concerned citizens of Nasarawa State, IRT operatives arrested Alhaji Bature Manya (46) of Okpatta Village, Doma LGA. He was found with an AK-49 rifle and a magazine.
Similarly, on September 27, 2025, operatives arrested Yunana Iliya (34), alias Bado, in Kanrafi Village, Kaduna State. Investigations revealed he and three accomplices, currently on the run, were involved in the illegal supply of arms to bandits.
On September 18, 2025, IRT officers apprehended Yusuf Musa (alias Dare) and Mohammadu Jafaru (alias Mu’a’fe) in Taraba State. The suspects were part of a network supplying arms to criminal gangs across Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, and Benue States. Police recovered an AK-49 rifle and 30 rounds of 7.62mm ammunition.
Hundeyin said further investigation showed that the weapons were used for armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and inter-communal attacks.
On October 6, 2025, police arrested Alhaji Jibrin Abubakar (40), alias Alh. Majoye, of Dogon Ruwan Jahr Village in Plateau State. A fabricated AK-47 rifle was recovered from him. He is reportedly a member of a notorious syndicate operating across Plateau, Bauchi, and Nasarawa States.
Hundeyin assured that investigations are ongoing to apprehend other members of the criminal networks and recover additional arms in circulation.
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Wike demands end to Africa’s aid dependency, seeks home-grown solutions 5:40 AM (6 minutes ago)
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has urged African leaders to abandon the continent’s overreliance on foreign aid.
Delivering a stirring keynote address at the 2025 Innovate Africa Conference held Thursday at the ECOWAS Conference Hall, Abuja, Wike urged African leaders to embrace visionary, accountable and people-centered governance that will unlock Africa’s vast potential for self-sustaining development.
He declared that Africa’s transformation will not come from donor-driven interventions but from indigenous innovation, bold leadership and productive investment in infrastructure, youth and human capital.
Speaking on the theme, “Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment,” the FCT Minister said it was time for the continent to “rise beyond the rhetoric of aid and dependency” and chart a new course of economic sovereignty built on courage, vision and collaboration.
“Foreign aid, once embraced as a bridge to development, has too often become a crutch that weakens resolve and distorts priorities. Development cannot be donated; it must be built. Africa must now be defined not by grants and conditionalities, but by ideas, innovation and indigenous strength”, Wike declared.
The former Rivers State governor called for urgent, collective action to redefine Africa’s narrative from one of dependency to one of dignity and self-determination.
He said; “Africa’s future will not be given to us. We must build it. And we must build it now. The question is not whether Africa can rise, but whether we possess the courage to lead, the wisdom to invest, and the will to unite.
“The future of global prosperity will be written here on African soil, by African hands, and for the glory of Africa and all humanity”, he stated.
The Minister, who was honoured with the Innovate Africa Leadership Award 2025, dedicated the recognition to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people, describing the award as a testament to purposeful governance and infrastructural renewal in the FCT.
He commended the organizers for what he described as “a fair-minded recognition of leadership anchored on vision and accountability,” adding that Abuja’s recent infrastructural transformation under his watch demonstrates “what is possible when leadership dares to dream and deliver.”
The minister argued that Africa’s greatest challenge is not a lack of resources but a deficit of quality leadership.
“How can a continent so richly blessed remain so constrained? Leadership is the fulcrum upon which the destinies of nations turn. When leadership is visionary, accountable, and courageous, even the most daunting obstacles become opportunities”, he said.
He condemned what he called “the plague of poor and mediocre leadership” that has stifled Africa’s development for decades, insisting that the 21st century demands a new generation of prepared, principled, and passionate leaders who embody moral character and resilience.
“True leadership is not about position or power, but about inspiring, serving, and journeying with those you lead. The leadership Africa needs must care rather than control, must guide rather than command”, he said.
Wike also praised President Tinubu’s “bold and difficult” reforms, especially the removal of the fuel subsidy and decentralization efforts aimed at devolving development closer to the people.
According to him, Tinubu’s policy direction reflects “leadership that understands sacrifice for the greater good,” noting that the reforms are already yielding fiscal stability and renewed hope in the nation’s economy.
The Minister called for a paradigm shift in Africa’s investment philosophy—from extractive to productive and inclusive investment.
“Our greatest resource is not oil, minerals, or fertile soil—it is our people,” he said. “When leadership builds the enabling environment—stable power, strong institutions, and transparent policies—investment follows”, he said.
He stressed that with 70 percent of Africa’s population under 30, the continent is sitting on a demographic goldmine that must be harnessed through education, digital literacy, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Wike also cited the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA as a beacon of renewed hope for economic self-reliance, describing it as “the modern reawakening of the Lagos Plan of Action” and a “cornerstone of Africa’s second liberation – the liberation of its economy.”
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PSC to probe AIG Aina as protesters storm headquarters in Abuja 5:37 AM (10 minutes ago)
By Kingsley Omonobi
The Police Service Commission (PSC) has said it will investigate allegations of bribery and abuse of office leveled against Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Emmanuel Aina, who heads the Legal Services Department.
This follows a protest on Thursday by members of the Centre for Human Rights and Advocacy in Africa Network (CHRAAN) at the PSC Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
The protesters, who carried placards, accused AIG Aina of soliciting and receiving bribes from police officers and private individuals to influence postings and promotions within the Force. They also alleged that he used his position to intimidate subordinates and interfere in internal investigations.
CHRAAN said its petition to the PSC included documented evidence of misconduct against the senior police officer.
In response, PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani said the Commission would look into the complaints and ensure justice is served.
“The Commission wishes to state that it will look into the complaints and ensure that justice is served to both parties,” Ani said. “The Commission will continue to hold the Police accountable for its actions and inactions but enjoins Nigerians to also give the Police the required support and cooperation to deliver its best.”
Ani added that the PSC has introduced a whistleblowing policy and urged Nigerians to report any cases of official corruption within the Police or the Commission’s oversight activities.
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Oyo Govt denies imposing tax on burial, wedding ceremonies 5:30 AM (16 minutes ago)
Oyo State Government has refuted a viral online post suggesting it has concluded plans to impose a tax on certain social activities, such as burial, naming, and wedding ceremonies.
A statement on Thursday in Ibadan by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, urged members of the public to discountenance the viral post.
Oyelade said the post was a calculation to malign the state government.
According to him, any official statement of such will have the ‘revenue code’ for payment of any tax or levy and must statutorily have the signature of the Chairman of the State Internal Revenue Board.
“None of these conditions have been fulfilled in the viral post.
“Equally important is the address, which must read OYO STATE INTERNAL REVENUE OFFICE , which was clearly absent in the mischievous post,”he said.
The commissioner reiterated that as the next elections draw nearer, politicians will adopt various tactics to mar the enviable achievements of Seyi Makinde’s administration over the last seven years.
He also cautioned bloggers and other news outlets against spreading unverified information, urging them to always confirm their stories before publication.
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Naira could be devalued after 2027 elections, ICAN boss warns 5:28 AM (18 minutes ago)
By Chinedu Adonu
President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Chidi Ajaegbu, has expressed fears that the country’s currency, the naira might be devalued further, probably after the 2027 general elections.
Ajaegbu who is the 50th President of ICAN, made the assertion at the maiden edition of Colloquium/Public Lecture organised by the Department of Accounting and Finance, Godfrey Okoye University, with the theme: “Harnessing the Capital Market for Catalyzing Infrastructure Development & Economic Transformation in Nigeria: Prospects, Challenges & Roadmaps,” said government had indulged in excessive borrowing capable of plunging the nation into more economic woes.
He said that the government should soft pedal in the bid to borrow loans which are often difficult to repay, pointing out that during the Buhari administration, Nigeria borrowed recklessly.
“Excessive borrowing scares away investors. Government has to be careful with taking loans. Buhari was reckless with taking loans,” he said, lamenting that this might further lead to devaluing the naira that has been relatively stable in recent times.
As a result of the possible economic downturn for Nigeria, Ajaegbu, who is also the CEO of Heritage Capital Market Ltd, had this to say: “Few days after 2027, they might devalue the currency. Naira has been stable in the last five to six months but this might change after the election in 2027,” he declared.
He lamented that there is rapid underdevelopment, ageing infrastructure, rising population, among others, pointing out that unless these things are tackled, Nigeria could be plunged into economic doldrums.
The ICAN also lamented that America was tilting towards economic woes, though at the moment it seems all is well, pointing out that America cannot afford Sovereign Wealth.
“America is technically bankrupt but nobody is saying it. They are consuming more than what they are producing,” he said, adding that only Norway and Saudi Arabia at the moment can afford Sovereign Wealth for its citizens.
Ajaegbu counselled against taking World Bank loans, saying that it mortgages a people economically because when the loans are given, out of it 40% will go to consultants which the bank would prescribe on how to manage the loan.
He therefore suggested that to make headway, Nigeria has to seek recourse to the stock market. “For us to make progress and raise funds from the stock market, we must ensure that people are held accountable,” he said and called for the strengthening of the judiciary to ensure that corruption does not jeopardise investment.
Also speaking, the Vice Chancellor, GOUNI, Prof. Christian Anike, noted that the lecture was partly designed to give the students of the department practical knowledge of what is obtainable in the larger society, other than theory and urged the students and the lecturers alike to pay rapt attention to the colloquium and the goodwill messages.
Chairman of the occasion and Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Uche Ugwu, stressed the importance of the capital market which he said helps in growing business and improving infrastructure development in any given society.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, who is the President of Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, CMAN, who spoke on Zoom, suggested that literacy about the capital market should be increased so that people can invest wisely and improve their economic well-being, but expressed the view that the colloquium would proffer solutions.
“The level of capital markets literacy in Nigeria is very low and in particular, the South East region. The deliberations that will emerge from this colloquium will go a long way in boosting the capital market awareness in the South East Region of Nigeria.
“I look forward to a time when a lot of people from the South East will participate in the capital market. Development is all about long-term funds and the capital market means long-term funds and the capital market provides the means for long-term funds. So in terms of development, I expect to see individuals, I expect to see companies from the South East becoming part of the capital market.
“As we all know, people from the region are all hard working, are known to be industrious, so we also need to embrace the capital market such that both the government and individuals can benefit from the market.
‘As I said earlier on, I am the President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, and we shall support any effort by your university and department to ensure that the capital market awareness is promoted in the South East region of Nigeria. So I want to thank you for the opportunity given me to deliver a paper in this colloquium,” he said.
Speaking earlier, the Head of Department, HOD, Accounting/Finance Department of the Godfrey Okoye University, GOUNI, Dr. John Odo, Associate Professor, stressed the importance of the capital market, saying that through it the economy could be stimulated for growth.
“In recent years, we witnessed the urge by the state and federal government to stimulate the economy and also increase the internally generated revenue so as to withstand the downturn of economic situation ravaging the whole world.
“Capital Market remains a vital tool for economic growth by channelling savings from investors and platform for risk management. It helps to fuel economic development by funding business expansion, creating jobs, and facilitating the efficient allocation of resources.”
The chairperson, Organising Committee of the Public Lecture, Prof. Uche Lucy Onyekwelu, said that with the capital market, Nigeria would achieve its economic targets and goals.
“Nigeria is gradually but decisively steering towards a better economic future through sound policy activation, fiscal reforms, infrastructure renewal, and an intensified commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. The capital market, as we all know, remains an indispensable instrument in promoting transparency, investor confidence and market efficiency,” she said.
Onyekwelu said that the South East could key into the capital market with the requisite knowledge from a forum like the colloquium.
“As scholars, we are concerned that many enterprises in the South East remain unlisted, relying heavily on sole proprietorship funding models. This limits their access to long-term capital and hinders intergenerational sustainability. There is also a persistent information gap – a limited understanding among local business owners of how the capital market can serve as a vehicle for expansion, risk management and liquidity creation,” she noted, pointing out that there is limited representation of the South East-based companies on the Stock Exchange Market. “Statistics showing that just about 2-3 or three out of the 151 companies listed on the Nigeria Stock Market leave much to be desired and more can be achieved,” she points out.
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Updated: Tinubu swears in Amupitan as new INEC chairman 5:25 AM (22 minutes ago)
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Amupitan took the oath of office at 1:50 p.m. inside the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
During the ceremony, President Tinubu urged the new INEC Chairman to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and work to strengthen the commission’s institutional capacity in delivering credible elections.
Amupitan succeeds Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure recently came to an end.
He becomes the sixth substantive chairman of the electoral body since its establishment.
Details shortly…
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Why we arrested Sowore – Police 5:16 AM (30 minutes ago)
The Nigeria Police Force said it arrested the human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, for luring protesters into a restricted area to protest in contravention of an order of a court.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said this during a media conference on Thursday in Abuja.
“Sowore has been arrested by the Nigeria Police Force, and the reason is that the 13 people that were arrested previously in connection to the “FreeNnadiKanu” protest gave their statements.
“From the statements, every one of them mentioned that one Sowore led them into the restricted area in contravention of the court order.
“So it would be most unfair to charge some people to court and leave the person that led them to commit the offence.
“And that’s why, in the spirit of fair play, and to ensure that justice is served, Sowore was arrested today,” he said.
According to the police spokesman, like the others too, Sowore will not spend up to 24 hours with the police because we will arraign him as soon as we wrap up his charges.
“In fact, if everything goes right, our plan is to ensure that he’s arraigned today,” he said.
Hundeyin said 13 suspects had earlier been arrested in connection to the protest for violating an order of a court restricting protest in some areas in Abuja.
He said eight of the suspects were arrested on Monday around the Transcorp area of Abuja, while five others were arrested around the Ministry of Finance.
According to him, they were arrested because they contravened the court order that restricted movements within those areas despite several warnings.
He said the suspects were arraigned in court within 24 hours. (NAN)
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King Charles, Pope Leo pray together in historic first 5:15 AM (31 minutes ago)
King Charles III on Thursday became the first head of the Church of England to pray publicly with a pope since the schism with Rome 500 years ago, in a service led by Leo XIV.
The 76-year-old monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, joined the US-born pope in the Sistine Chapel for a 30-minute service mixing Catholic and Anglican traditions.
The highlight of the royals’ state visit to the Holy See, the ceremony under Michelangelo’s spectacular ceiling frescoes marked a significant rapprochement between the two churches.
It was the first time a reigning English or British monarch has prayed publicly with a pope since king Henry VIII broke with the Roman Catholic Church in 1534.
Triggered by the then pope’s refusal to annul Henry’s marriage so he could marry another woman, the schism made the monarch head of the separate Church of England.
Charles, who is officially supreme governor of the Anglican mother church, earlier had his first meeting with Pope Leo, who took over as head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics in May following the death of Pope Francis.
He and Camilla were greeted at the Apostolic Palace by a ceremonial guard of honour by the Swiss Guard, the pope’s colourful security detail, before a private meeting with Leo in the papal library.
The pope led the Sistine Chapel service with the archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, currently the senior cleric of the Church of England, while Charles and Camilla sat next to them.
Attended by Catholic and Anglican clerics, politicians and diplomats, the service centred on conservation and protecting the environment, a cause long championed by Charles.
The Sistine Chapel choir was joined by that from Saint George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, one of the king’s residences.
The visit comes at a delicate time for Charles following new revelations about his brother Prince Andrew, who is mired in a scandal surrounding late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Andrew announced on Friday he would relinquish his title as Duke of York, reportedly under pressure from Charles. He had already stepped back from royal duties in 2019.
Schism
William Gibson, professor of theology at Oxford Brookes university, said the Vatican service was a “historic event” in a slow resumption of ties.
“From 1536 to 1914 there were no formal diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See,” he told AFP, noting that London only opened an embassy at the Vatican in 1982.
In 1961, the Queen Elizabeth II, Charles’s mother, became the first British monarch to visit the Holy See since the split.
The law was changed in 2013 so that marrying a Catholic would no longer disqualify someone from becoming monarch — although they still have to be a Protestant themselves.
The rapprochement is important because “Anglicanism was born in reaction to the Catholic Church, and therefore in opposition,” said Hyacinthe Destivelle, a French priest and member of the Vatican’s dicastery (department) for promoting Christian unity.
This is no longer the case, despite “theological differences in recent decades”, he told AFP.
Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, the Church of England — the mother church of the world’s 85-million-strong Anglican community — ordains women and allows priests to marry.
Sarah Mullally was recently named the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church’s top cleric, although she has yet to officially take up her post and so was not present Thursday.
Her nomination has been strongly criticised by conservative Anglicans.
Royal Confrater
Charles and Camilla are to attend a service at the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, one of four major papal basilicas, which has historic links to the English crown.
The king will be made a “Royal Confrater” of the basilica and presented with a specially designed seat for use by him and future British monarchs.
Charles has visited the Vatican several times and met privately with Pope Francis on April 9, just days before the pontiff’s death.
The visit comes as the Catholic Church celebrates the Jubilee, a year-long event held every 25 years which has drawn millions of pilgrims to the Vatican.
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Postings: PSC to probe allegations of bribery against AIG Aina 4:59 AM (47 minutes ago)
By Kingsley Omonobi
The Police Service Commission (PSC) said on Thursday that it will investigate allegations of bribery brought against AIG Emmanuel Aina, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Legal Services, by a group of protesters who stormed its Corporate Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja.
The protesters carrying placards and operating under the umbrella body of Centre for Human Rights and Advocacy in Africa Network (CHRAAN) demanded a probe of the AIG whom they accused of abuse of Office.
He was alleged to have solicited and received bribes from some police officers and private individuals to influence postings and promotions within the Force.
The group also accused him of using his position to intimidate subordinates and interfere in internal investigations.
The civil society organisation said its petition to the PSC contained documented evidence of misconduct.
Spokesman of PSC, Ikechukwu Ani, said: “The Commission wishes to state that it will look into the complaints and ensure that justice is served to both parties.
“The Commission insists that it will continue to hold the Police accountable for its actions and inactions but enjoins Nigerians to also give the Police the required support and cooperation to give its best.
“He said the Commission has since launched a whistle-blowing Policy and called on Nigerians to feel free to blow the whistle on official corruption in its activities and on the institutions it has oversight control.”
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Matawalle receives 15 top PDP members into APC 4:56 AM (50 minutes ago)
By Idris Salisu, Gusau
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, has received fifteen top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Zamfara State who have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement on Thursday, the spokesperson of the APC in Zamfara, Malam Yusuf Idris Gusau, said the defectors were presented to the Minister in Abuja by the State APC Chairman, Alhaji Tukur Umar Danfulani, Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, and former State APC Chairman, Lawal M. Liman.
Matawalle welcomed the new members, assuring them of equal treatment and opportunities within the party. He described their defection as “bold and timely,” given the growing popularity of the APC across Zamfara and Nigeria.
The Minister commended the state party leadership for its grassroots mobilisation efforts, which, he said, had strengthened the APC’s acceptability across the state. He added that the party remains united and focused on delivering welfare programmes to the people.
Presenting the defectors, State APC Chairman Hon. Tukur Umar Danfulani said the fifteen key PDP officials, including state and zonal executives, joined the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Those who defected include PDP Youth Leader, Isiyaka M. Dabo; Zonal Treasurer, Zamfara West, Nasiru Mohammed Anka; Organising Secretary, Zamfara North, Junaidu Magaji Kiyawa; Assistant Organising Secretary, Zamfara West, Hon. Musa Halilu Faru; and PDP Zonal Secretary, Zamfara North, Lawali Aliyu Shinkafi. Others are Hajiya Rabi Bakura, Hajiya Amina Duniya, Bashar Mohammed Dogon Kade, and Rilwanu Bello.
Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, who received the defectors on behalf of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, said an elaborate ceremony will soon be held to formally welcome them. He noted that their defection would further strengthen the APC’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections.
Danfulani dismissed reports of internal crises in the APC, insisting that the party remains strong and united. He added, “With our recent victory in the state by-election and the calibre of people joining us, it is clear that APC will reclaim Zamfara in 2027.”
Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Isiyaka M. Dabo said he left the PDP because it “favours only the rich,” noting that he was inspired by Senator Yari and Matawalle’s leadership. Hajiya Amina Duniya, a PDP member for 25 years, urged APC leaders to ensure fairness and pledged to mobilise more supporters.
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Lagos rescues 4,753 trafficking victims in two years 4:55 AM (51 minutes ago)
By Adenike Ayodele
The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN), says a total of 4,753 victims of human trafficking were rescued and supported in the state between 2022 and 2024.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the victims were supported through coordinated efforts by the state and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
Pedro said this on Thursday in Ikeja at the 2025 opening ceremony of the Africa Colloquium Against Human Trafficking, in partnership with Pepperdine University, California, United States of America.
The theme of the colloquium was: ” A United Front Against Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice.”
He said the achievement reflected Lagos State’s strong commitment to ending human trafficking and ritual-related crimes through enforcement, protection, and coordination.
He said the Lagos State Task Force Against Human Trafficking had worked tirelessly with relevant agencies and partners to provide counselling, psychosocial support, and rehabilitation for survivors, including minors and persons with disabilities.
He added that the state had expanded its shelters for rescued victims, trained 109 local government focal persons as community anti-trafficking advocates, and reached more than five million residents through statewide awareness campaigns.
Pedro highlighted that the state enacted the Lagos State Organ Harvesting Prohibition Law 2024 to criminalise organ trafficking and impose strict penalties on offenders, including medical professionals and criminal syndicates.
He noted that human trafficking had become a highly profitable transnational crime linked to organised criminal networks, generating illegal profits of about $236 billion annually.
“There is a need for African countries to unite in combating the menace.
“It is both our moral and continental obligation.
“Africa must rise not in rhetoric but in responsibility.
“Let history say that from Lagos in 2025 Africa took a stand and never turned back in the fight against human trafficking,” Pedro said.
Earlier, the Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr Hameed Oyenuga, while welcoming delegates to the colloquium, urged them to express their commitment to collective action rather than mere rhetoric.
Oyenuga said the two-day event was designed to move participants from conversations to concrete commitments and coordinated actions across sectors to curb the growing menace.
He said human trafficking and ritual-related crimes were complex and deeply rooted in social, cultural and economic systems that made them difficult to detect and prosecute.
According to him, the crimes are sustained by transnational and local networks that pose grave risks to vulnerable populations.
Oyenuga said addressing them required not just criminal justice interventions but a collective responsibility involving investigators, prosecutors, lawmakers, researchers, faith leaders and international partners.
He emphasised that success in the fight against such crimes depended on collaboration beyond government boundaries.
Oyenuga urged participants to go beyond speeches and focus on developing structural frameworks, tools, partnerships, and resources to protect women, children, and young people from exploitation.
“Africa does not need new declarations.
“We need implementations and an Africa-free system,” he said.
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Wike demands end to Africa’s aid dependency, seeks home-grown solutions 4:10 AM (last hour)
By Omeiza Ajayi
ABUJA – Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Nyesom Wike, has urged African leaders to abandon the continent’s overreliance on foreign aid.
Delivering a stirring keynote address at the 2025 Innovate Africa Conference held Thursday at the ECOWAS Conference Hall, Abuja, Wike urged African leaders to embrace visionary, accountable and people-centered governance that will unlock Africa’s vast potential for self-sustaining development.
He declared that Africa’s transformation will not come from donor-driven interventions but from indigenous innovation, bold leadership and productive investment in infrastructure, youth and human capital.
Speaking on the theme, “Reimagining Africa’s Leadership and Investment,” the FCT Minister said it was time for the continent to “rise beyond the rhetoric of aid and dependency” and chart a new course of economic sovereignty built on courage, vision and collaboration.
“Foreign aid, once embraced as a bridge to development, has too often become a crutch that weakens resolve and distorts priorities. Development cannot be donated; it must be built. Africa must now be defined not by grants and conditionalities, but by ideas, innovation and indigenous strength”, Wike declared.
The former Rivers State governor called for urgent, collective action to redefine Africa’s narrative from one of dependency to one of dignity and self-determination.
He said; “Africa’s future will not be given to us. We must build it. And we must build it now. The question is not whether Africa can rise, but whether we possess the courage to lead, the wisdom to invest, and the will to unite.
“The future of global prosperity will be written here on African soil, by African hands, and for the glory of Africa and all humanity”, he stated.
The Minister, who was honoured with the Innovate Africa Leadership Award 2025, dedicated the recognition to President Bola Tinubu and the Nigerian people, describing the award as a testament to purposeful governance and infrastructural renewal in the FCT.
He commended the organizers for what he described as “a fair-minded recognition of leadership anchored on vision and accountability,” adding that Abuja’s recent infrastructural transformation under his watch demonstrates “what is possible when leadership dares to dream and deliver.”
The minister argued that Africa’s greatest challenge is not a lack of resources but a deficit of quality leadership.
“How can a continent so richly blessed remain so constrained? Leadership is the fulcrum upon which the destinies of nations turn. When leadership is visionary, accountable, and courageous, even the most daunting obstacles become opportunities”, he said.
He condemned what he called “the plague of poor and mediocre leadership” that has stifled Africa’s development for decades, insisting that the 21st century demands a new generation of prepared, principled, and passionate leaders who embody moral character and resilience.
“True leadership is not about position or power, but about inspiring, serving, and journeying with those you lead. The leadership Africa needs must care rather than control, must guide rather than command”, he said.
Wike also praised President Tinubu’s “bold and difficult” reforms, especially the removal of the fuel subsidy and decentralization efforts aimed at devolving development closer to the people.
According to him, Tinubu’s policy direction reflects “leadership that understands sacrifice for the greater good,” noting that the reforms are already yielding fiscal stability and renewed hope in the nation’s economy.
The Minister called for a paradigm shift in Africa’s investment philosophy—from extractive to productive and inclusive investment.
“Our greatest resource is not oil, minerals, or fertile soil—it is our people,” he said. “When leadership builds the enabling environment—stable power, strong institutions, and transparent policies—investment follows”, he said.
He stressed that with 70 percent of Africa’s population under 30, the continent is sitting on a demographic goldmine that must be harnessed through education, digital literacy, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Wike also cited the African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA as a beacon of renewed hope for economic self-reliance, describing it as “the modern reawakening of the Lagos Plan of Action” and a “cornerstone of Africa’s second liberation – the liberation of its economy.”
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#FreeNnamdiKanuNow: Court to hear police suit against Sowore, others October 29 4:08 AM (last hour)
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed October 29 for the hearing of the suit filed by the police against Omoyele Sowore and other conveners of the #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest held on Monday.
The suit, originally scheduled for Monday for the respondents in the ex parte motion to show cause why the interim order made by the court should be vacated, could not proceed.
The hearing was stalled as a result of the protest, which held on the same day, crippling the court activities at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Mohammed Umar issued an interim order restraining Sowore and others from protesting for the release of Nnamdi Kanu in some sensitive areas in Abuja.
Justice Umar barred the protesters from demonstrating around the Aso Rock Villa, National Assembly, Force Headquarters, Court of Appeal, Eagle Square and Shehu Shagari Way, pending the hearing of the motion on notice.
The judge also made an order of abridgement of time “within which the respondents will respond to the application on notice to cause the ex-parte order be set aside on Monday, the 20th of October, 2025 at 9.00am,” before adjourning until Oct. 20 for hearing of the motion on notice.
The order followed the ex parte motion moved by the police lawyer, Wisdom Madaki, on behalf of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN), on Friday.
The Police Force, in the ex parte motion, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2202/2025, had sued Sowore, Sahara Reporters Ltd, and Sahara Reporters’ Media Foundation as 1st to 3rd respondents.
The force also joined the Take It Back Movement (TIB) for the Transformation of Nigeria, Or Any Form of Organization or Person (s) acting with Either Express or Implied Instruction, or Any Other Organization or group with a similar intention; and Unknown Persons as the 4th to 5th respondents, respectively.
In the affidavit supporting the ex parte motion, Bassey Ibithan, a police officer attached to the Directorate of Legal Services at Force Headquarters, Abuja, averred that if not granted, the protest might threaten national security.
NAN reports that Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters, had planned to organise the protest for the release of Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Sowore, the 2019 and 2023 presidential candidate of African Action Congress (ACC), had mobilised for what he called a planned peaceful protest against Kanu’s detention on Oct. 20.
A number of persons were reported to have been arrested during the protest, including Kanu’s special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, who is billed for arraignment on Oct. 24 at a Kuje Magistrate Court in Abuja.
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Life after Big Brother Naija is expensive, laments Thelma Lawson 3:58 AM (last hour)
By Favour Osah
Former Big Brother Naija Season 10 housemate, Thelma Lawson, has opened up about the financial pressure that comes with fame, saying her lifestyle has become more expensive since leaving the show.
In a recent interview, Thelma said the need to maintain her image and meet fans’ expectations makes her spend more than before.
“Because you are showing up for events,” she explained. “I came out of the house and found out that I was named ‘the most fashionable.’ Now, I have an audience that wants to see what Thelma is wearing.”
She added that running her business adds to the pressure. “It’s expensive. Also, because I have a business that requires constant restocking, it’s very, very overwhelming.”
Thelma, who gained attention for her bold style during the show, said staying relevant in the public eye comes with both visibility and heavy financial demands.
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Injured MotoGP champion Marquez to miss rest of season 3:35 AM (2 hours ago)
MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez will miss the rest of the season due to an injured shoulder, his Ducati team announced on Thursday.
“Marc will have to spend four weeks with the arm completely immobilised before beginning rehabilitation, so it’s impossible to think about his return to competition this year,” Ducati said in a statement.
Marquez, 32, suffered a fracture and ligament injury after crashing on the opening lap of the Indonesia Grand Prix at the start of the month and underwent surgery in Madrid a week later.
He has since missed the Grand Prix in Australia but has now been ruled out of the final three races of the season in Malaysia, Portugal and Valencia.
An emotional Marquez had already secured his seventh MotoGP world title — and first since 2019 — with five races to spare when finishing second in the Japan Grand Prix last month.
“This must not overshadow or make us forget the great goal we achieved this year: becoming World Champions again, and soon we will all celebrate it together,” Marquez said in Ducati’s statement.
The Spaniard dominated the MotoGP season, winning 11 races.
Ducati had hoped he could make a comeback for the season finale in Valencia but said that “the priority is to recover and return 100 percent fit for the next season”.
He will be replaced by Italian Michele Pirro in Malaysia.
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LASG, NDLEA move to curb drug peddling in housing estates 3:34 AM (2 hours ago)
The Lagos State Government says it will partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to stop the sale and use of hard drugs in government-owned housing estates.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Housing, Mr Abdulhafis Toriola, made this known in a statement issued by Mr Ganiu Lawal, Deputy Director of Public Affairs in the Ministry, on Thursday.
Toriola gave the assurance when he received an NDLEA delegation led by the Lagos State Commander, Mr Abubakar Liman Wali, on a courtesy visit to his office in Ikeja.
He commended the NDLEA for its efforts in tackling drug abuse and related crimes across the country.
He also praised the agency’s work in creating awareness and helping to rehabilitate drug users.
He said the ministry was ready to work with the NDLEA to curb drug peddling and support rehabilitation of drug addicts.
According to him, the administration of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu is determined to end illicit drug-related activities among youths as part of its plan to promote healthy communities and sustainable development.
In his remarks, the NDLEA Commander, Wali, thanked the ministry for its readiness to collaborate with it.
He said the agency would continue to promote discipline, patriotism, and service to humanity in the fight against drug abuse.
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Oil spikes as Trump targets Russia giants, US-China hopes lift stocks 3:25 AM (2 hours ago)
Crude prices spiked more than two percent Thursday after US President Donald Trump said he would impose heavy sanctions on two Russian oil companies.
Meanwhile equity markets rallied after Beijing said it would hold tariff talks with Washington from Friday, tempering trade fears over reports of potential US curbs on software exports to China.
Both main oil contracts jumped more than three percent — having climbed more than two percent Wednesday — on news of the measures after Trump said Ukraine peace efforts with Russian President Vladimir Putin “don’t go anywhere”.
The move was joined by another round of punishments by the European Union as part of attempts to pressure Moscow to end its three-and-a-half-year invasion of Ukraine.
Trump decided on the sanctions after plans for a fresh summit with Putin in Budapest collapsed this week.
“Every time I speak with Vladimir, I have good conversations, and then they don’t go anywhere,” the US president said in response to a question from an AFP journalist in the Oval Office.
But he hoped the “tremendous sanctions” on oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil Oil would be short-lived, and that “the war will be settled”.
Brent and WTI were both sitting at near two-week highs after the spikes, helped by claims by Trump that India agreed to cut its purchases of the commodity from Russia as part of a US trade deal.
New Delhi has neither confirmed nor denied any policy shift.
Bloomberg on Thursday cited unnamed Indian refinery sources as saying that flows from Russian crude were expected to plunge almost to zero as a result of the US sanctions.
Equity market fortunes were not as good in the morning but bounced as the day progressed as Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng said he would hold talks with top US officials in Malaysia on October 24-27.
The news helped soothe recent concerns about China-US relations, with a report Wednesday saying the White House was looking at curbing shipments of software-powered exports to China, including laptops and jet engines, owing to Beijing’s rare earths controls.
Those mineral controls sparked a round of tit-for-tat exchanges between the superpowers that sparked fresh trade war worries, including Trump’s threat of 100 percent tariffs on China.
The negotiations came amid expectations Trump will meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping next week at the APEC summit in South Korea.
“Everything is on the table,” US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent replied when asked about limits on software exports to China.
“If these export controls, whether it’s software, engines or other things happen, it will likely be in coordination with our G7 allies,” he added, according to Bloomberg News.
The talk of software curbs “inject a degree of doubt into the collective’s consensus position that we will ultimately see a positive resolution in the US–China trade negotiations,” said Pepperstone’s Chris Weston.
But he added: “The ingrained belief remains that Trump’s threat of 100 percent additional import tariffs on China is unlikely to take effect on 1 November — or, if they do, that they’ll be rolled back soon enough — and that China is unlikely to retaliate with punchy tariffs of its own.”
Hong Kong rose one percent, while Shanghai, Sydney, Singapore, Wellington, Manila and Mumbai were also up, though Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei and Jakarta all retreated.
London, Frankfurt and Paris opened higher.
Gold was up almost two percent at around $4,110, recovering some of the previous two days’ losses but still well down from the record high above $4,381 touched earlier in the week.
– Key figures at around 0715 GMT –
Tokyo – Nikkei 225: DOWN 1.4 percent at 48,641.61 (close)
Hong Kong – Hang Seng Index: UP 1.0 percent at 26,039.82
Shanghai – Composite: UP 0.2 percent at 3,922.41 (close)
London – FTSE 100: UP 0.3 percent at 9,545.05
Euro/dollar: DOWN at $1.1594 from $1.1606 on Wednesday
Pound/dollar: DOWN at $1.3350 from $1.3356
Dollar/yen: UP at 152.58 from 151.99 yen
Euro/pound: DOWN at 86.55 pence from 86.90 pence
West Texas Intermediate: UP 3.3 percent at $60.44 per barrel
Brent North Sea Crude: UP 3.2 percent at $64.58 per barrel
New York – Dow: DOWN 0.7 percent at 46,590.41 (close)
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Super Eagles goalkeeper Ojo Olorunleke withdraws court case against wife 3:21 AM (2 hours ago)
By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja
Super Eagles goalkeeper, Ojo Olorunleke, has withdrawn the divorce case filed against his wife.
Ojo, who earlier admitted to committing adultery in his petition, had filed for divorce because his wife publicly accused him of infidelity.
However, his wife, Tosin Olorunleke, the respondent in the case, pleaded with the court not to dissolve their marriage, stating that she does not want their children to become products of a broken home.
The case, which was scheduled to begin hearing on Tuesday, October 21, was struck out after Ojo filed a motion for withdrawal, indicating that both parties have agreed to settle the matter amicably out of court.
In his motion, Ojo further appealed to the court to treat the petition as if he had never taken his wife to court, signalling his intention to reconcile and move forward in peace.
The couple has two children.
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APC to ADC: Stop hallucinating about persecution, we do not silence opposition 3:20 AM (2 hours ago)
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has described as unfounded claims by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that the President Bola Tinubu-led ruling party is silencing opposition.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the ADC has accused Tinubu of trying to silence the opposition ahead of 2027.
Reacting, the APC Spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Thursday, said, “you can’t silence what Nigerians have already tuned out.”
According to him, the ADC’s statement is the political equivalent of a mosquito accusing a lion of roaring too loudly.
Oladejo said that ADC had started making excuses for its imminent defeat before the polls.
“Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the APC is too focused on results to be distracted by professional complainers.
“The only thing being silenced in Nigeria today is failure, confusion, and the politics of bitterness that the opposition has perfected as an art form.
“The ADC should stop hallucinating about persecution and start learning basic political arithmetic,” he said.
Oladejo said that President Tinubu and the APC “are too busy reshaping Nigeria’s destiny to bother with political spectators who only appear during election season to make noise and vanish after the count.”
He said that while the APC was building stronger structures, refining strategies, and consolidating internal unity for more result-oriented governance, the opposition– led by the ADC – was preoccupied with compiling the names of members to expel.
“It is laughable that a party which exists only on newspaper pages and WhatsApp groups claims to be “under threat.”
“From whom, exactly? Nigerians have long moved on from empty political vessels.
“The ADC’s brand of politics has no base, no followers, and no relevance – just a press release and a logo that might soon need a missing person’s announcement.
“The ADC’s strategy seems to be to blame its opponents in advance while ignoring its own tragic flaws, internal chaos, and complete lack of grassroots connection.
“You don’t lose elections because your opponents silenced you – you lose because the people don’t believe in you,” he said.
He said that APC remained unwavering in its mission to build a nation of opportunities, unity, and prosperity under President Tinubu.
“We will not be distracted by political comedians seeking attention through cheap drama.
“As for the ADC – stop crying wolf; the nation has moved on,” he added.
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Varsity lecturer killed by ‘hit and run’ driver in Kogi 3:13 AM (2 hours ago)
By Boluwaji Obahopo, Lokoja
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Kogi has confirmed the killing of a female lecturer by a hit-and-run driver in the state.
Mr Tenimu Etuku, FRSC Sector Commander, who confirmed the demise of the lecturer of the Federal University Lokoja (FUL), Mrs Kemi Emmanue, described her death as very sad and unfortunate.
Mrs Emmanuel was a well-respected and admired lecturer in the Department of Theatre Arts of the university.
Etuku said that the accident occurred around 3.30p.m. on Wednesday, when the lecturer fell off a commercial motorcycle, a.k.a. Okada, when hit by a running truck along the highway at Crusher in Lokoja metropolis.
“When the accident happened, our rescue operation team responded timely and quickly rushed the victim to Kogi State Specialist Hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
The corpse of the deceased has been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary, ” he said.
He expressed shock over the attitude of the said okada rider, who reportedly zoomed off under the guise of chasing the said hit-and-run truck.
The sector commander cautioned okada riders against contesting with enclosed vehicles on the highway to avoid such unfortunate incidents and save the lives of innocent passengers.
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