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The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has congratulated Nigerians on the country’s 65th Independence Anniversary, urging leaders to ensure that progress is felt in every home and not just reflected in statistics.

CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, said this in his independence message on Wednesday in Abuja.

He encouraged Nigerians to set aside ethnic, religious, and political divisions and work together for the common good.

According to him, government reforms have come with temporary hardship, with many households struggling under rising costs of living, food insecurity, unemployment, and inflation.

‘We must be honest about the unfinished business of nation-building, economic reforms are necessary, but they have brought temporary hardship for millions of Nigerians.

‘The rising cost of living, food insecurity, unemployment, and inflation continue to weigh heavily on households.

‘True progress must be measured not only by statistics, but by the food on every table, the security of every community, and the opportunities available to every child.

‘We pray that God will grant our leaders the wisdom, courage, and strength to drive the reforms to a point where Nigerians will rejoice, and may He protect them from sycophants who do not mean well for our nation,’ he said.

Okoh also noted that insecurity-ranging from banditry and kidnapping to communal conflicts-remains a serious challenge, calling for stronger cooperation between security agencies, communities, and faith-based organisations.

He expressed concern over the brain drain, stressing that the country continues to lose its brightest talents to opportunities abroad.

‘We also recognise that young people are Nigeria’s greatest asset. Their energy, creativity, and determination hold the key to a better tomorrow.

‘Yet, the persistent brain drain, where many of our brightest minds leave for opportunities abroad, remains a critical challenge.

‘Nigeria must create the enabling environment that encourages its citizens, especially the youth, to stay, thrive and contribute meaningfully to national development.

‘Investment in education, innovation and youth empowerment must remain a national priority, ensuring that no young Nigerian is left behind,’ he said.

Marking the anniversary, Okoh urged citizens to renew their commitment to justice, equity, and good governance.

‘Let us embrace hard work, pay our taxes faithfully, support local production, and show love to one another as one people under God.

‘The dawn of a new Nigeria is possible. With God’s help and our shared determination, we shall build a nation where peace, prosperity, and unity flourish for generations to come,’ he added.

‘BI o l’aya osika, bi o r’iku Gaa o yio s’otito. If you have the heart of a cruel man, take note of Gaa’s death and be true’

I have always wondered, how exactly did the notorious Basorun Gaa of the Old Oyo Empire think all his wickedness and heavy-handed ways would end? Did he actually think he would live forever and get away with it? How did he sleep at night, each night, knowing that he was causing a king, a whole Alaafin awake and in pains. History recorded Basorun Gaa as a Kingmaker and a King Destroyer, a Basorun who ‘raised five kings to the throne, he murdered four, and was himself murdered by the fifth.’ Did the man ever thought, even just once, that he was inflicting pain or that one day, all his evils would come back to bite him? How did a man grow so powerful he forgot he had not always been powerful? How do men of power, in power, forget where they were coming from? No matter how long a snake is, if it has a head, it will have a tail. Even good reigns come to an end, least of all bad ones.

All those centuries ago, did anybody tell Gaa his ways were evil and would lead him to perdition? I am sure they did. I am almost sure the ‘busybodies’ were beheaded at Gaa’s ‘gbagede’ for their disrespect and blasphemy.

Gaa, he was famous for his powerful charms. He had powerful medicine men. There were even records of him possessing abilities to transform into a leopard, an elephant at will and returning to the human form. Who would not fear such a man? But reading through a version of his story (oh yes, the story of Basorun Gaa has many versions), the day he died, he tried transforming into an elephant. He couldn’t. His charms failed. Gaa had ordered four mortars to be placed in position to serve as his fore and hind legs (don’t laugh), two pestles (yes, like the ones we use to make pounded yam) to serve as elephant’s tusks. Then he launched into a long incantation session. If those mystery lines were to magically lift him on to the four mortars and install the pestles in his face as elephant’s tusks, they did not work for him that day. One, he could not help himself up because he was old, feeble and trembling. Two, the discouraging words of his son, Olaotan further weakened his withering muscles. Watching his father’s futile attempts to hold on to a glory that had long left him, Olaotan said: Father, have I not always said it were better you should secure a charm for ensuring perpetual youth? It was because I was strongly convinced that these charms will be of little avail to you when old age has set in ‘.

Can you see Gaa in your mind’s eyes, trying to get up and falling, repeating same lines of incantation over and again without any magical result? Power, physical or magical will fail one day even when it is used for good.

Moving forward, eventually, the warriors who had laid siege to Gaa’s residence gained access and arrested the once powerful Basorun, along with his last man standing, Gbagi. They were both dragged off to the palace of Alaafin Abiodun. Gaa was made to prostrate in the sun for hours. As he sweated, he pleaded for his life. As he pleaded, even women and children approached him to pull at his beard and a growth on his face, a face nobody dared gaze at until that day. There was dance and drinks, drums and more dance at the fall of the one they all once dreaded and pretended to revere.

Gaa’s end was a dreadful one. He was put to death like a common thief in the centre of the city, his flesh made to sizzle on a burning stake. Another account of Gaa’s last day said he was buried up to his waist while Oyo people went with knives to get their pounds of flesh, Gaa’s flesh at Akesan market.

This is history, not a folk tale. Is this why I have not met a Dr Gaa, Professor Gaa? Is that why there is no former or serving Senator Gaa or did I miss them? Have you met a Yoruba someone whose surname is Gaa? An interview with him would most certainly be interesting.

Lesson from today’s class? I leave it to you.

The Edo State Police Command, on Wednesday said its operatives neutralised two suspected kidnappers in a gun duel in Ubiaja, Esan South East Local Government Area on September 30.

Spokesperson of the Command, Moses Yamu who stated this in a statement, noted that other suspects escaped with varying degrees of injury, while guns and mobile phones were recovered from the scene.

He said, ‘On 30th September, 2025 at about 09:50hrs, acting on credible intelligence, operatives of the Amedokhian Tactical Division,

‘In synergy with local Hunters and the Vigilante group, led by SP Peter Ogah, embarked on a bush combing operation along the railway track leading to Ubiaja in Esan South East Local Government Area.

‘During the operation, the team encountered a gang of suspected kidnappers who opened fire on the operatives.

‘In the ensuing gun duel, two of the suspects were neutralised, while others escaped with varying degrees of injuries.

‘One AK-47 rifle with breech number 4148, 33 rounds of live ammunition, and two mobile phones were recovered at the scene.

‘The neutralised suspects were immediately taken to the hospital where they were confirmed dead.’

Yamu also said that on the same date, operatives of the same Tactical Division recovered an English-made double-barreled shotgun with breech number 03273286 and two live cartridges in the forest around Idumogun Community in Ukoni area of Esan South East LGA during a bush combing operation.

He said the Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, commended the gallantry of the operatives, hunters, and vigilante groups for their swift response and synergy in combating crime.

Agbonika assured members of the public that the Command remains resolute in its commitment to rid the State of criminal elements.

He urged members of the public to support the command’s Community Safety Partnership initiative and informal policing efforts in ensuring a safer Edo State.

He added, ‘For emergencies, the public can contact the Command through the following lines: 08037646272/08077773721.’

In a decisive and unprecedented crackdown that caught all actors unaware, the Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Binta Adamu Bello, today led a high-powered special operation at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, resulting in the dramatic rescue of 24 victims of human trafficking and the arrest of five suspected trafficking agents.

Among the suspected human traffickers arrested at the airport was a retired Senior uniform Officer with one of the foremost Law Enforcement Agency in Nigeria who is alleged to be a prominent member of the trafficking syndicate operating within the South West region of Nigeria.

The well-planned action, which was hailed by other travelers at the airport, was a continuation of the newly unveiled anti-human trafficking efforts and onslaught against human trafficking by the Director General, targeting recruitment hubs, trafficking spots, and routes within Nigeria.

It would be recalled that following reported increased cases of recruitment and trafficking of Nigerians for various forms of exploitation both within and outside the Country, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, had, few months ago, ordered a step up surveillance and monitoring of all parts of the Country with greater attention on motor parks, water ways in the coaster States as well as International airports.

The latest raid followed a tip-off from concerned stakeholders and partners who alerted to an influx of suspected human trafficking victims at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, and the unwholesome activities of some suspected traffickers.

At the end of nearly 6 hours of operation, the human trafficking activities were completely disrupted, leading to the arrest of five suspected traffickers and the rescue of 24 suspected victims.

The victims whose ages range between 15 years to 26 years were recruited from Kano, Kastina, Oyo, Ondo and Rivers States, and were heading to Iraq, Sudan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Afghanistan.

While a good number of the victims could not communicate in any other language apart from their dialect, others do not even know the location of their intended Country of destination.

‘They told my mother that they are taking me to Europe, where I will work and earn dollars. My parent were happy and they allowed me to follow them’, one of them said.

It was another mild drama at the Headquarters of NAPTIP as one of the victims vowed to ensure the prosecution of her father for deceiving her into embarking on the journey.

This was after the Director General had personally counselled the victims and enlightened them with a series of video clips of some stranded Nigerians and those on life support after being exploited at the destination Countries.

The victim said, ‘I struggled to hold my emotions while watching the video of those girls who were being maltreated and beaten by the traffickers. If that is what awaits me there, I will not go. I am seriously annoyed with my father because he deceived me. My father told me that his friend has a job for me at a supermarket in Baghdad.

He did not tell me that it is in Iraq. I know that Iraq is not a good place to work for now to work due to the crisis there, but I did not know that Baghdad is in Iraq.

I thank DG and her Officers for rescuing me, pls, I just need my Passport, I want to go back to my town and settle. I will certainly make it here rather than suffer in another country’, the victim, whose father was among the traffickers arrested, yielded in her local dialect.

Speaking on the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Binta Adamu Bello, expressed sadness over the activities of some suspected human traffickers and unregistered labour recruiters who have continued to deceive, recruit, and traffic Nigerians for various forms of exploitation.

‘I am impressed with the outcome of the operation today because we were able to arrest five suspected members of the trafficking gang that have been recruiting and trafficking our citizens to various tension-soaked countries, especially in the Middle East, for exploitation.

‘We observed that the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport is becoming a comfort zone for these traffickers, and that is why we have decided to shift attention to this airport.

We will sustain this raid until they stop this unpatriotic and illicit trade in human beings.

‘I was amazed that a father, who is a retired Law Enforcement Officer of senior Cadre, deceived his daughter and packaged her to be trafficked to Iraq for exploitation.

This is incredibly unbelievable. Well, all of them will be thoroughly investigated, and they will face the law.

‘I sincerely thank and appreciate the Director General of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport Manager, and all the wonderful personnel of the authority for their support for us at NAPTIP.

I also appreciate the collaboration of the Department of State Service (DSS) operatives at the Airport, the Airport Security Personnel, Immigration Officers, and airline operators for their support.

‘Human trafficking is a visible national concern, and we all must be on the same page to turn the heat on the traffickers. Our resolve to ensure the protection of Nigerians from all forms of exploitation is firm and resolute’, the Director General of NAPTIP declared.

Niger State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intercepted a truck loaded with a telecommunication mast valued at several million of naira, along with a Sharon vehicle carrying mining products.

Parading the suspects at the command headquarters in Minna, the State Commandant, Suberu Siyaka Aniviye, said operatives of the anti-vandal unit arrested two suspects along the Tafa-Suleja axis following credible intelligence.

The suspects, identified as Mustapha Aliyu and Abubakar Safyanu, have since been arraigned in court for prosecution.

In a related development, the command also apprehended a mining team of seven men allegedly engaged in illegal mining activities at Kataeregi, along Bida road.

A Sharon vehicle loaded with illegally mined products was also impounded.

One of the suspects, identified as Mahmoud Idris, a self-acclaimed mining marshal from Zuzungi in Katcha Local Government Area, admitted during interrogation that he had yet to obtain an operating license. He confessed that he had been hiring labourers and selling Zico mineral to dealers before his arrest.

Commandant Aniviye vowed to make Niger State uncomfortable for vandals, illegal miners, and other criminal elements.

He pledged to strengthen collaboration with other security agencies to ensure a crime-free society.

He further reaffirmed the commitment of the corps to safeguarding the state’s assets and critical infrastructure while commending the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, and Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago for their continued support to the command.

The Government and people of Kogi State received with deep sadness the news of the boat mishap which occurred on the River Niger, involving traders travelling from Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State to Ilushi Market in Edo State.

According to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, reports indicate that the unfortunate incident has allegedly claimed the lives of no fewer than 26 passengers.

‘This is a heartbreaking loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the deceased, as well as the entire Ibaji Local Government Area, in this moment of grief.

‘His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, the Executive Governor of Kogi State, has expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families and has directed relevant agencies, including the State Emergency Management Agency, to work with local authorities to provide immediate support and relief to those affected.

‘The Governor further assured that the State Government will intensify ongoing efforts, in collaboration with federal agencies, to improve safety measures on our waterways in order to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy.

‘We call on our people, especially riverine communities, to always prioritise safety by avoiding overloading and by using life jackets and other precautionary measures whenever they travel by water.

‘The Government of Kogi State stands with the people of Ibaji Local Government Area and will continue to support them through this difficult time.’