Category: Nigerian Tribune

More than ?1.6 billion in federal payments has already been released for the reconstruction of the 17-kilometre Ayegun-Oleyo Road in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State, a sum that exceeds the entire ?1.5 billion budgeted for the project in 2023. Yet the road remains visibly unfinished, its identifying project signboards have disappeared from both ends, and residents along the corridor say they are left battling dust, mud and worsening transport conditions.

Now, the 2026 Appropriation Bill lists the project as ‘ongoing’ once again, with a fresh allocation of ?2.1 billion-bringing the total federal funds earmarked for the road to about ?3.8 billion, without any public accounting of how the first ?1.6 billion was spent.

On February 12, 2026, Senator Yunus Akintunde, who represents Oyo Central and lobbied for the road’s inclusion as a federal project, posted footage of the site on Facebook with the caption: ‘Work in progress… Promise made and kept to the glory of God.’ The video showed graded earth and drainage works along the route.

However, during repeated visits to the site by the Saturday Tribune since then, no contractor personnel or active construction work were seen. The project signboards, which once displayed President Bola Tinubu’s photograph alongside the contract details (information that enables citizens to verify who is executing a public project and at what cost), had also disappeared.

The Ayegun-Oleyo Road, Project Code SUP2023116, received a ?1.5 billion allocation under the 2023 Supplementary Budget. The Federal Executive Council awarded the main construction contract on March 25, 2024.

Records on the Federal Government’s GovSpend transparency portal show the following payments linked to the project:

September 24, 2024: ?1,279,800,055.81 (Part payment for road construction)

September 30, 2024: ?359,069,767.44 (Part payment for road construction)

September 8, 2024: ?61,526,734.88 (Engineering design consultancy)

March 8, 2023: ?38,137,740.62 (FERMA rehabilitation of Taska Junction-Ayegun Oleyo-Baare Road)

December 15, 2023: ?24,255,877.72 (FERMA rehabilitation, listed on the payment record as Ogun State although the described route is in Oyo State-a discrepancy in the government’s own documentation).

Together, the two payments to the main contractor alone total ?1,638,869,823.25. Both were recorded as ‘part payment’, not final settlement, and together exceed the project’s original appropriation by about ?138 million. Both payments were made within one week in September 2024. Including the two FERMA rehabilitation payments made before the main contract was awarded, federal agencies have disbursed close to ?1.73 billion on a road whose construction has stalled and whose identifying signboards have vanished.

A fresh ?2.1bn, with no accounting for the first ?1.6bn

The project has now resurfaced in the 2026 Federal Government budget. Under the Federal Ministry of Works, the Appropriation Bill lists ‘Construction of Ayegun-Oleyo Road’ (Project Code ERGP12231274) as an ongoing project with a fresh allocation of ?2.1 billion.

That allocation appears alongside dozens of other ongoing federal road projects, including the Illara-Iselu Road and the Ilesha-Etioni-Atakumosa Road in Osun State. Ordinarily, such entries would attract little attention in a 2,790-page budget document. But this case is different. The road has already absorbed more than its original appropriation, remains unfinished on the ground, and neither the contractor nor the sponsoring lawmaker has publicly explained how the earlier funds were utilised.

Living with the road

For residents living along the corridor, the figures on GovSpend mean little compared with the daily reality of the road.

Baba Hikmah, a welder who has lived in the area since 1992, recalled that residents initially widened and graded the road themselves long before government intervention.

‘The road was narrow then, and it was gradually expanded by the people themselves. We contributed money and helped grade it,’ he told the Saturday Tribune. It was, he said, Senator Akintunde who later facilitated its adoption as a federal road.

Residents say that community effort has now been undone by the reconstruction project. Another resident, Babawale Hammed, said residents had previously built drainage channels ‘area by area,’ only for contractors to block much of them after claiming they could not work around the structures. According to residents, granite had been spread on parts of the road in preparation for asphalting, but work stopped at that stage, leaving long stretches covered with loose stone and earth.

When rain does not fall, dust remains residents’ biggest complaint. Usama Akindele, a student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, said returning home from school had become an ordeal.

‘Entering home, the first thing I do isn’t greet my parents; I go straight to bathe and shake off the clay dust from my clothes. The road is a choking hazard.’

Trader Temitayo Olawale put it differently.

‘I clean my shop every day, only for it to be covered by dust minutes later. Clothes, skin-everything is affected. The road itself does the ‘make-up’ for everyone.’

Hammed added that the dust penetrates vehicles even with the windows shut, causing coughing and eye irritation. He said contractors should regularly wet the road to minimise the problem.

Whenever it rains, dust gives way to mud with pedestrians and motorists struggling to move on the road.

Danger, health, and no emergency care

Beyond the dust and mud, residents say the condition of the road has become a matter of life and death.

In Abodan community, Mrs Lola Oladokun described a community that becomes virtually isolated during the rainy season.

‘During the rainy season, we find it difficult to move within the community,’ she said. ‘Many people have left their homes and rented houses in town because of the poor condition of the road.’

According to her, many motorcycle and tricycle operators now avoid the route, making it difficult for traders to transport their goods.

‘I had to drop my goods somewhere and walk to my shop. My children have to do the same.’

With no hospital or health centre nearby, she said ordinary medical emergencies often become life-threatening.

‘We fear emergencies because they can feel like a death sentence,’ she said, recounting one incident-an account the Saturday Tribune could not independently verify-in which a woman reportedly died after she could not be transported for urgent medical care.

She added that accidents and delays linked to the road’s poor condition had also claimed lives. Even attending church on Sundays, she said, sometimes requires spending up to three hours searching for a commercial motorcycle willing to ply the route. A journey home after closing at work at 2 p.m. can extend until 5 p.m.

‘The government needs to take action,’ she said. ‘They do some work on the road and then disappear for a long time without any progress. They have stopped working altogether.’

Getting to Abodan itself illustrates the problem. During a visit by this reporters, a motorcycle trip that would ordinarily cost about ?1,200 eventually cost ?6,000 for a return journey after nearly an hour’s wait for a rider willing to take the risk. The rider said his motorcycle was less than one year old. It did not look it.

The agencies respond

Presented with the GovSpend records and asked about the missing project signboards, officials at the Federal Ministry of Works’ field office at the Federal Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, declined comment and referred all enquiries to the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. As of press time, no response had been received, including on the fresh ?2.1 billion allocation in the 2026 budget.

FERMA’s Zonal Director in Ibadan was also unavailable to explain the rehabilitation payments made in 2023 on a road that now shows no active construction.

A fresh legal dispute has emerged over the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket for the Kogi West Senatorial District, with Hon. Samuel Bamidele Aro filing a suit at the Federal High Court in Lokoja against the APC, Senator Sunday Steve Karimi, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In the originating summons, Aro is asking the court to determine whether the APC complied with its constitution, electoral guidelines, and the Electoral Act in nominating its candidate for the 2027 Kogi West Senatorial District election. He is also challenging the party’s submission of Senator Karimi’s name to INEC.

The plaintiff is seeking a declaration that the APC primary election conducted on May 18, 2026, validly produced him as the party’s candidate.

He argues that the subsequent submission of another candidate’s name to INEC on July 11, 2026, is unlawful, null, and void. Aro further contends that, since he has not withdrawn his candidacy, the party is obligated to recognise him as its legitimate flag bearer.

Among the reliefs sought is an order directing INEC to accept and recognise his name as the APC candidate for the Kogi West Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.

The lawsuit marks the latest chapter in the lingering controversy surrounding the APC senatorial primary in Kogi West. Although Senator Karimi has enjoyed the backing of the party leadership and many stakeholders, Aro’s legal action signals that the dispute over the ticket is far from settled.

Senator Karimi was officially declared the winner of the May 18, 2026, primary election after the returning officer, Isah Haruna, announced that he secured 51,665 votes.

Reports at the time indicated that Aro and several other aspirants had withdrawn from the contest before the exercise. The primary was also conducted following Karimi’s endorsement as the APC consensus candidate by party stakeholders, with the support of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo.

Following allegations of irregularities in the primary election, the APC National Working Committee (NWC), acting on the recommendations of the Election Appeal Committee, reaffirmed Karimi as the duly elected candidate and forwarded his name to INEC through the party’s nomination portal. The appeal panel reportedly reviewed more than 700 petitions nationwide, resulting in changes across nine states.

Aro’s decision to challenge both the outcome of the primary and the APC NWC’s resolution has generated mixed reactions within the party. While many acknowledge his constitutional right to seek judicial interpretation, some APC stakeholders and political observers have criticised the move, describing it as an unnecessary prolonging of internal disagreements.

According to some party members, reopening the contest after the party leadership accepted Karimi’s candidacy could divert attention from preparations for the 2027 general election and undermine party unity. One APC chieftain, who spoke on condition of anonymity, argued that the litigation reflects the determination of some political actors to sustain internal divisions rather than promote cohesion within the party.

As the case proceeds before the Federal High Court, political observers say the outcome could have significant implications for the APC’s internal cohesion and electoral strategy in Kogi West ahead of the 2027 general election.

An atmosphere of grief has enveloped family members, friends, and associates following the passing of Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi, whose death has left a deep void within the Ogunwusi family and among those privileged to have known him.

Since news of his demise became public, tributes have continued to pour in from across the country, with many remembering him as a man of honour, humility, and remarkable generosity. Friends and associates described Prince Ogunwusi as a dependable confidant whose warmth, wisdom, and willingness to support others endeared him to people from all walks of life.

Members of the Ogunwusi family paid glowing tribute to the late prince, recalling his unwavering devotion to family, his respect for tradition, and his commitment to fostering unity among relatives and friends. They noted that his life was defined by compassion, integrity, and a quiet strength that inspired everyone around him.

Business associates and longtime friends also celebrated his legacy, describing him as a gentleman whose sincerity, professionalism, and genuine concern for others earned him widespread admiration. Many recounted fond memories of his kindness and the positive impact he made both in his personal relationships and within the wider community.

Condolence messages have continued to flood in from traditional rulers, community leaders, captains of industry, and prominent personalities, all praying for the peaceful repose of his soul while asking God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Though his passing has brought immense sorrow, those who knew Prince Adetunji Ogunwusi have taken comfort in the legacy of a life well lived, one marked by dignity, selfless service, and an enduring commitment to humanity. As preparations begin for his final rites, he will be remembered as a beloved family man, a loyal friend, and a respected member of the Ogunwusi royal family, whose memory will continue to live in the hearts of many.

My journey has moved from learning how computers work to understanding how technology can improve decisions and institutions. Computer science gave me the foundation to build software. Information systems taught me to connect technology with organisations, people, and processes. Data science showed me how evidence can be extracted from complex data, while my PhD allows me to study trustworthy AI in high-impact settings. It taught me that technology is never separate from society. A system may be impressive and still fail if it ignores local realities or human needs. It should solve meaningful problems and remain accountable to the people it affects. This perspective has made social impact, accessibility, and accountability central to the way I approach both engineering and research.

Why did you choose AI as the focus of your doctoral research, and what inspired your interest in AI for healthcare?

I chose AI because it is increasingly involved in decisions about health, work, education, security, and public services. I want to understand when it is dependable enough to be trusted. Healthcare made that question urgent. An unreliable clinical prediction can affect diagnosis, treatment, and a patient’s future. This inspired my focus on trustworthy healthcare AI. My research examines fairness, calibration, uncertainty, security, and deployment readiness. My goal is to help move AI from impressive demonstrations to systems that can be used responsibly.

For people who may not have a technical background, how do AI systems learn, reason, and make decisions?

Modern AI learns by analysing large amounts of data and identifying patterns. A healthcare model may study patient histories, laboratory values, or medical images and learn which combinations are associated with particular outcomes.

What people call ‘reasoning’ in AI is usually a sequence of mathematical comparisons and learned steps. The system does not understand illness or responsibility in the human sense, and it can be confidently wrong. That is why AI should be treated as a decision-support tool. Human experts must still interpret the result, consider context, and decide what action is appropriate.

Your research often goes beyond measuring AI accuracy to evaluating fairness, calibration, uncertainty, security, and governance. Why are these dimensions essential before AI systems can be trusted in real-world environments?

Accuracy tells us how often a model is correct overall, but it can hide serious weaknesses. A model may perform well on average while being less reliable for certain groups. Fairness examines whether performance is equitable. Calibration asks whether confidence matches actual reliability. Uncertainty helps users recognise when human review is needed. Security protects the system from manipulation, while governance defines responsibility and acceptable use. These dimensions matter because deployment introduces people, institutions, changing data, and real consequences. My research asks whether a model is safe, reliable, understandable, and accountable enough for its intended environment.

Your recent research publications explore topics such as demographic fairness in breast cancer prediction, deployment readiness for chronic kidney disease prediction, security-by-design for clinical AI, and oversight of autonomous AI agents. How do these projects fit together, and what is the central research question they are trying to answer?

These projects form one connected programme on trustworthy AI. The breast cancer work investigates whether risk predictions are equally calibrated across demographic groups. The chronic kidney disease study examines uncertainty and whether strong test performance truly means a model is ready for clinical use. My security-by-design research studies adversarial threats, while StepShield examines when oversight should intervene as autonomous agents move toward unsafe behaviour.

The central question is: What evidence should be required before society relies on an AI system in a high-impact environment? Together, they support evaluating AI before deployment and monitoring it afterwards, rather than assuming accuracy alone proves trustworthiness. The work is therefore less about isolated models and more about building a complete evidence base for responsible deployment.

How do you see AI transforming healthcare delivery, and what impact do you hope your research would have on patients, clinicians, and health systems?

AI can support earlier disease detection, help clinicians interpret complex information, personalise care, and improve how hospitals allocate limited resources. These benefits depend on systems being clinically useful, fair, secure, and designed around real workflows. My work on healthcare resource optimisation reflects this focus. Allocation decisions cannot be based only on efficiency; they must respect clinical priorities, safety constraints, and ethical considerations. AI should provide recommendations that professionals can understand and override.

I hope my research helps patients receive safer and more equitable care, gives clinicians dependable tools, and helps health systems use resources more effectively. The goal is better healthcare supported by carefully evaluated technology.

You have previously published research on AI, ethical hacking, and healthcare cybersecurity. As AI becomes increasingly integrated into critical sectors, how important is cybersecurity in ensuring trustworthy AI, especially in healthcare settings?

Cybersecurity is essential because an accurate AI model can still become dangerous if its data, software, or outputs are compromised. In healthcare, attackers could manipulate information, disrupt services, expose records, or influence clinical recommendations. Trustworthy AI therefore requires protection of the entire system, not only the model.

My work supports proactive testing. Healthcare organisations should assess threats before deployment, test adversarial inputs, control access, maintain audit trails, and monitor performance continuously. Hospitals also need clear responsibility and response procedures when an AI system behaves unexpectedly. Technical safeguards, governance, human oversight, and regular reassessment must work together.

Many African countries, including Nigeria, largely rely on AI technologies developed elsewhere. From your perspective, what are the biggest barriers to building world-class AI research and innovation in Africa, and what practical steps should governments, universities, and industry take to change this?

Africa does not lack talent. The larger barriers are inconsistent research funding, limited computing infrastructure, weak links between universities and industry, restricted access to quality local data, and the loss of skilled professionals to better opportunities elsewhere.

Progress requires sustained investment. Governments should fund research programmes, shared computing facilities, and responsible public datasets. Universities should strengthen postgraduate training and interdisciplinary research. Industry should sponsor laboratories, provide internships, and help turn promising ideas into products.

Africa should not simply import AI systems without asking whether they fit local languages, institutions, or social conditions. The continent should build technology around its own priorities, including healthcare, agriculture, education, financial access, and public administration.

Based on your research and professional experience, what are three major challenges facing Nigeria that could be addressed using AI and data science, and how would you approach solving them?

The first challenge is healthcare access. AI can support earlier screening, clinical decision-making, disease surveillance, and better allocation of scarce hospital resources. The second is agriculture and food security. Weather, soil, market, and farm data can help predict crop risks, improve irrigation, identify disease, and deliver timely advice to farmers. The third is public service delivery. Data science can improve infrastructure planning, detect billing or procurement anomalies, support emergency response, and direct resources where needed.

My approach would begin with clearly defined local problems, reliable data, and collaboration among communities, experts, government, universities, and engineers. Small pilots should be evaluated before expansion. The objective should be measurable public value.

Beyond your academic research, you also work as a Senior Software Engineer. How has your industry experience influenced your research? And how has your research, in turn, shaped the way you build and evaluate AI systems?

Industry has shown me that an AI system must do more than perform well in a controlled experiment. It must integrate with existing software, handle unclear requirements, remain reliable under changing conditions, and produce results people can verify. In evaluating AI coding systems, I have seen outputs that appear convincing but contain hidden errors, invented functions, incomplete fixes, or unsupported claims.

I treat AI outputs as claims that must be tested rather than accepted because they sound confident. My research also shapes my engineering practice by making me more attentive to uncertainty, failure modes, data quality, security, and deployment consequences. Industry exposes practical weaknesses, while research provides better methods for building and evaluating systems responsibly.

Outside your studies, are you involved in mentoring, leadership, entrepreneurship, or community initiatives that help develop the next generation of AI professionals?

Yes. Mentoring and leadership are important parts of my work. As a leadership coach with Braven, I have supported early-career professionals in problem-solving, adaptability, and professional development. Through NPower, I have mentored people developing technical support skills and preparing for technology careers. I am also involved in entrepreneurship through projects exploring AI in healthcare, document understanding, decision optimisation, and information services.

I see mentorship as part of responsible innovation. A strong AI ecosystem requires people who can think critically, work ethically, and understand the communities they serve. I hope to keep sharing what I learn while creating opportunities for others, especially professionals and researchers connected to Africa.

Where do you see your research over the next five years, and what legacy do you hope to leave in the fields of AI, healthcare innovation, and technological development?

Over the next five years, I want to build a recognised research and innovation programme focused on trustworthy AI for healthcare and other high-impact sectors. I hope to develop practical evaluation frameworks, deployment tools, and software that help organisations determine when an AI system is ready for use and when human intervention is required.

I also want to deepen collaboration among researchers, hospitals, technology companies, and policymakers. I want the work to produce tested systems, useful standards, intellectual property, and measurable improvements. The legacy I hope to leave is responsible innovation: helping AI become not only more capable, but also fairer, safer, more secure, and more accountable. I also want to mentor researchers and strengthen AI capacity in Nigeria and across Africa, showing that locally grounded work can have global value. I want that work to connect scientific quality with practical benefit for patients, institutions, and communities around the world.

Rice meals are not fattening. In fact, they are perfect for dieting! The calorie of rice is not high compared to other foods. For example, a bowl of rice has 160 kcal, equivalent to a slice of 6 loaves of bread.

On top of that, it is digested slowly, so it is difficult to accumulate as fat, and it can be said that it is a food that is difficult to gain weight. The main nutrients of rice are 77% carbohydrates and 7% protein, which are sources of energy for the body. In addition, it contains various nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre.

Veteran Nollywood actress, Bukky Wright, has defended women who make financial demands in relationships, saying they should not feel ashamed of having high standards or being labelled ‘gold diggers.’

Speaking on a recent episode of The Morayo Show, Wright criticised what she described as the hypocrisy of some men who shame women for expecting financial stability from their partners.

According to the actress, there is nothing wrong with being called a ‘gold digger.’

She encouraged women not to lower their standards and urged men to pursue relationships with women whose expectations they can meet.

‘I hate it when I hear men calling women Gold diggers. What do you expect her to dig before? I won’t advise any woman to dig anything less than gold.

‘If you can not afford a woman, don’t go for it. Go for the one you can afford,’ she said.

Reflecting on her younger years, Wright explained that many women preferred dating older men because they were more financially established than their peers.

‘I remember when I was growing up, we would not date our age mates because what can you offer?

‘As a man, if you are dating somebody that her level is higher up, then you are in trouble. That is why I said cut your clothes according to your materials,’ the actress added.

Seeing a man approaching a stall where household items are being sold to purchase a pestle, the trader and others in the area are likely to harbour the thoughts of the buyer being a very good husband who must have cherished his family so much as to spare time to purchase a damaged item which is usually attached to a woman. But to 35-year-old Aliu (surname withheld), who went to purchase one, his plan was sinister – to strike down any okada rider who might try to stop him from dispossessing him of his motorcycle. It was the weapon he and his gang member, Toheeb (surname also withheld) chose to use gain power over targeted motorcyclists until their cups became full recently.

The two armed robbery suspects were arrested by the operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) in Oyo State Police Command after they started their criminal operations in different parts of Ibadan City, in Oyo Town, and even extended it to Iwo Town in Osun State. Their operation in Oyo Town was said to have been unsuccessful, while they hijacked two motorcycles from their owners in Iwo Town.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, who spoke on the arrest to Saturday Tribune, said that the VCRU operatives had been on the trail of one of the suspects, Toheeb, who had been initially arrested in February by a surveillance team for phone theft.

The PPRO said that the operatives, on intelligence gathering, learnt that Toheeb was frequently seen with a sack, moving out of an area, at nightfall. Thinking that it could be a gun, the operatives kept trailing the suspect until he was arrested along with his partner in crime after their last operation at Oki area, Olodo axis in Ibadan.

He was eventually trailed and apprehended, followed by the arrest of Aliu, and, during preliminary investigation, both confessed to being serial armed robbers who were pretending to be passengers, but would end up dispossessing the owners of their bikes.

Saturday Tribune gathered that Aliu a.k.a Ibadan, from Lalupon in Oyo State, was the one who introduced the armed robbery style to Toheeb. Their modus operandi was to move out at night, armed with a pestle cut to a size that would make it club-like, but bigger in size. After putting it in a sack, they would target a motorcycle, wave down its rider and ask to be taken to a destination. Aliu would sit behind the rider while Toheeb would be at the back, holding the pestle hidden in a sack. On getting to a quiet or deserted spot, they would stop the driver as if they would want to disembark, only to land the pestle on the rider’s neck and escape with his motorcycle while he would be writhing in pain or running away to escape being killed. The riders who tried to fight back to prevent being dispossessed of their belongings reportedly suffered most, as they would receive more blows from the pestle to weaken them physically, leaving them no choice but to give up. From that spot, the suspects would speed off and end up selling their loot.

Saturday Tribune further learnt that Aliu was once an ex-inmate in Ilaro Custodial Centre in Ogun State after committing an offence, and had spent four years before he regained freedom. According to information gathered, their outings every month were more than 10 times, and were always successful except the one in Oyo Town.

In a bid to disguise the atrocities they were perpetrating, each of the suspects started running a gas station from the proceeds of their criminal operations, but told VCRU operatives that they continued hijacking motorcycles because of low returns from the business.

Further investigation led to the discovery of transactions between the suspects and the buyers of the robbed motorcycles, with one of them always paying for the purchased motorcycles in cash while another was so benevolent that he even gave N200,000 to Aliu as a monetary gift to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday, while he would loan them money or a dash of N10,000, N20,000 for outings.

In his confession, Aliu disclosed that he learnt how to use pestle on their victims from the experience he also once had in the hand of such a criminal.

Aliu, who made it known that he learnt furniture as a vocation, said: ‘I was arrested because my gang member, Toheeb, and I, used to dispossess motorcyclists of their bikes while armed. Our mode of operation was to flag down a motorcyclist and ask to be taken to a destination. I would sit directly behind the rider while Toheeb would be at my back. Whenever we got to the targeted spot where we could attack, I would get down and pretend as if I wanted to pay. At that time, Toheeb would pull out the pestle kept in the bag he was holding and smash it on the rider’s neck.’

Disclosing that his gang began its operation in December 2025, Aliu explained how he fell victim to the method of robbery he adopted: ‘Following my learning furniture making, I was doing the job in Lagos before moving to Igbesa in Ogun State. While there, I bought a motorcycle which I was using to convey frozen turkey from Seme Roundabout to Ijanikin Otto or Okokomaiko. On my return, I would pick passengers.

‘One day, I picked a passenger, and as he was dropping off, I didn’t know what happened to me. By the time I became conscious, I saw people surrounding me, asking questions. I felt pain on my neck as if I was hit with something. When I became a lit bit calm, I realised my motorcycle had disappeared. My attacker was unable to go with his weapon and we found it to be a pestle cut into a sizeable shape like a big club. That was what later gave me an idea of hijacking motorcycles from owners.

‘I suggested the idea to Toheeb in December 2025. We were working together at a block-making industry at Oloje in Ibadan which I joined in June the same year. He was the machine operator while I was a sand and cement mixer.

‘One day, we were discussing and I told him of my experience in Igbesa. Some days after, I brought up the issue and suggested we start the same operation to get money. This was because our boss used to deny us the payment of our wages whenever concrete blocks got broken due to rainfall. Sometimes, we would not get paid for two, three days, so, that brought the thought to my mind. Toheeb agreed with me. We left our employer that December and went to purchase a pestle for N5,000.’

Our first operation

‘It was at Iwo Road. We flagged down a motorcyclist at about 8:30 p.m. and just told him to go along the road. We directed him towards a deserted spot and asked him to drop us off. I had already told Toheeb what he would do, so I made as if I wanted to pay the transport fare to the rider. Toheeb suddenly landed the pestle on the back side of the man’s neck who yelled in pain and started running away. I mounted the bike, with its engine still running. Toheeb quickly joined me and we sped off.’

However, according to Aliu, all they got as payment for the first bike was N50,000. He narrated what happened: ‘Immediately we dispossessed the owner of his motorcycle, we moved to Sabo at Mokola area of Ibadan, sourcing for a quick buyer. We saw a Hausa guy and inquired on how to get a buyer. The guy called another Hausa man whose name we didn’t know, and he said he would ride the motorcycle to a place to get a buyer. To our shock, on his return, he brought N50,000. We started dragging issues with him but he said that the motorcycle was old. It was while the altercation was going on that another Hausa man came in and told Toheeb and I to take it easy, as the bike would not be returned to us. He promised to link me with someone who would buy from us at a reasonable price.

‘About a week later, we went for another operation at Alakia area and the Hausa man took us to another man from his tribe. He was living among the Hausa at Bodija. He bought it for N300,000. We gave our link N20,000 and shared the remaining equally.

‘Later, we didn’t see the buyer again, and our Sabo link connected us with another person, who is also a Hausa man. In that December alone, we hijacked 10 motorcycles.

‘I cannot say precisely the number of operations we carried out. We started using the money to make purchases of household items. I also started a gas station. I’m only left with about N100,000.’

Aliu claimed that none of their victims was killed as they usually ran away to save their lives, while the stubborn ones also capitulated when they got more blows on their hands from the pestle. He confirmed that one of the buyers also used to hand out free money to them whenever they had anything to celebrate such as birthday ceremony. He said that one of the buyers used to pay in cash.

Aliu spoke on what led to his being remanded in prison for four years before he regained freedom: ‘I was involved in a fight. We were in a bar in Igbesa when a fight broke out and someone was stabbed. And the person stabbed was the son of an influential figure. Though I was not the one who stabbed him, I was present at the time, and I was pointed at when people were being picked. I was an Awaiting Trial Inmate (ATM). My parents didn’t know of what happened to me because I lost my phone and couldn’t contact them. The case was eventually struck out after four years of awaiting trial.’

On why he went into crime on his return to Ibadan, paving the way for another stay in the prison, Aliu said: ‘It was not my desire. I pray for God’s mercy.’

Toheeb a.k.a Tboy Alaso, and aged 27, in his own story, told Saturday Tribune: ‘I learnt motor spare parts trading before I started working as a machine operator at a block-making industry when there was no one to help in taking care of my kids. I have two daughters, but my wife got missing in 2023 when our second child was 15 months old. I sent her to her bank during the time of no-cash, because I was using her account, and we didn’t know what happened to her. My in-laws blamed me for it and I started going to spiritualists to seek her return home, but was told that we should forget about her. Till today, we have yet to set her.

‘I met Aliu at the block-making industry and we were working together. Sometimes, I would go and sleep in his apartment. One day, he told me of a particular work we could be doing together that would yield more than we were getting as wages at the industry. He didn’t open up to me immediately. He made a mistake by saying that I followed him to buy the pestle. We didn’t go together. On a day, he took me to Iwo Road. He was the one who carried the sack with the pestle. We boarded a bike, and as we got down and I was paying the bike man, Aliu hit him with the pestle. As the man wanted to raise the alarm, Aliu handed the pestle to me to deal with the motorcyclist while he mounted the bike.’

He confirmed keeping the pestle in his mother’s rented but abandoned room which he had a key to. He also disclosed that the motorcycles they sold to one of the receivers were more than 12 pieces in December 2025. According to Toheeb, the highest amount the gang got from the receivers of the stolen motorcycles was N650,000 while the lowest was N300,000.

He said when he was arrested in February, he admitted stealing phones as a diversion from the armed robbery he was carrying out with Aliu, but was fortunate to have been pleaded for by a personality. Toheeb stated further that though Aliu escaped arrest at that time, they continued the bike hijacking after he was released until his latest arrest in his residence at Apata Area of Ibadan. He however admitted his wrong.

The PPRO said that the VCRU operatives are making efforts to apprehend the receivers of the stolen motorcycles, after which they would face the full weight of the law.

Benue State Government is investigating a reported suspected case of Mpox in Konshisha Local Government Area of the state.

The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday and made available to journalists in Makurdi.

He was reacting to reports of a suspected Mpox case allegedly discovered at the residence of Tyokula Achihi in Korinya, Konshisha Local Government Area.

The commissioner said that immediately the ministry received the report, it activated its surveillance system in line with established public health protocols and deployed a team to the area.

Dr. Ogwuche explained that skin rashes and fever could result from several medical conditions, adding that laboratory confirmation is required before any diagnosis of Mpox can be made.

The statement read in part: ‘The Director of Public Health was directed to liaise with the State Epidemiologist, who in turn immediately deployed the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer (DSNO) for Konshisha Local Government Area to the reported location for on-the-ground assessment, case investigation, and collection of appropriate clinical samples for laboratory testing.

‘At this stage, no Mpox outbreak has been confirmed in Benue State. It is important to emphasise that skin rashes and fever can result from several medical conditions, and laboratory confirmation is required before any diagnosis of Mpox can be made.’

The commissioner said the state’s disease surveillance system remains active across all 23 local government areas, adding that the ministry maintains close collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and other development partners to ensure prompt detection of and response to any public health event.

Dr. Ogwuche appealed to members of the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information capable of creating unnecessary panic.

‘We encourage anyone experiencing fever accompanied by unexplained rashes or blisters to report immediately to the nearest health facility for proper medical evaluation and to avoid close physical contact until assessed by healthcare professionals,’ the statement read in part.

The commissioner assured residents that the ministry would continue to keep the public informed as soon as the investigation and laboratory findings become available.

He added that appropriate response measures would be implemented immediately, in line with national guidelines, if the laboratory results confirm Mpox or any other disease of public health importance.

I was filled with joy when I heard that the abducted pupils and teachers had been released. It was one of the happiest pieces of news I have heard this year. Many people thanked God in schools and churches because we had all been praying for their safe return. I appreciate the efforts of the security agencies and everyone involved in securing their release. I hope the government will continue to strengthen security and create more opportunities for young people so that our country will become safer for everyone.

Hannah Ojeyemi, 11 years old, JSS 1

I was very happy when I heard that the children had finally been released. When I first heard about the kidnapping, I was very sad and prayed every morning and night for their safe return. I felt sorry for their parents and teachers because they were worried and heartbroken. I followed the news closely and kept hoping for good news. Now that they are back home, I thank God for protecting them. I pray that no child will ever have to experience such a terrible situation again.

John-Precious Akinloye, 13 years old, JSS 3

The news of the victims’ release filled me with relief because many families had lived in fear and uncertainty for weeks. I imagined the joy of parents and loved ones seeing their children again after such a difficult experience. At the same time, I remembered those who lost their lives during the ordeal. I appreciate everyone who worked tirelessly for the victims’ freedom and pray that such incidents will never happen again in Nigeria.

Sofiat Ibrahim, 14 years old, SSS 1

I was almost moved to tears when I heard that the abducted people had been released because I had been praying and hoping for their safe return. I often thought about the fear and hardship they must have faced while away from their families. I also remembered those who lost their lives, and I prayed for God to comfort their loved ones. I hope the survivors fully recover, and that peace and security will continue to reign in our nation.

Emmanuella Awotoye, 11 years old, JSS 1

I was very happy when I heard that the abducted children had finally been released. When I first heard about the kidnapping, I was very sad. My family prayed regularly for their safety. I felt sorry for the children because they spent many weeks away from their loved ones and endured hardship. I thank God that they are now back home, and I pray that every child in Nigeria will always be safe and protected.

Olusola Aduragbemi, 15 years old, SSS 2

I felt joyful when I heard that the abducted pupils and teachers had been released. Throughout the period, I was saddened whenever I saw reports about what they were going through. It was painful to imagine the suffering they experienced while in captivity. I thank the security agencies and everyone who played a role in securing their freedom. I pray that kidnapping will become a thing of the past and that our country will enjoy lasting peace.

Damilola Akinbo, 15 years old, SSS1

I was very happy when I heard the good news. I almost cried because I remembered how frightened everyone was when the kidnapping happened. I felt sorry for the victims and prayed every day that they would safely return to their families. I also remembered those who lost their lives during the incident. I pray that God will comfort their families and help the survivors recover from the experience.

Michael Awotoba, 12 years old, JSS 3

I was very happy when I heard that the abducted children and their teachers had been released. During the period they were in captivity, I prayed for them every morning and night because I wanted them to return home. I also felt sorry for their parents, who were worried and anxious. I thank God for answering our prayers and hope every child can go to school without fear.

Imole Kuforiji, 12 years old, JSS 2

I was filled with joy when I heard that the abducted people had been released. It brought great relief because many people had been praying for them. I was especially happy for the children who had spent many days away from their families. I thank God and everyone who contributed to their release. I pray that peace, safety, and justice will always prevail.

Daniel Afolabi, 10 years old, JSS 1

I was very happy when I heard that the abducted children had been released. I thank God for protecting them and bringing them home safely. I pray that kidnapping will end in Nigeria so that every child can attend school without fear.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described the presidency’s attempt to invoke China in attacking him as a ‘monumental own goal,’ saying the comparison has only exposed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to greater public scrutiny.

In a statement issued on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it was ironic that while the presidency has been ‘parading the United States government’s routine reply to its diplomatic correspondence as though it were a love letter, a trophy, and a certificate of innocence rolled into one,’ its spokesman carelessly introduced China into the debate.

‘It takes a peculiar kind of unintelligence for a spokesman to set out to drag an opponent before a hypothetical Chinese court, only to end up dragging his own principal into the dock.

‘Perhaps the spokesman did not realise that the maximum penalty under Chinese law for the most serious drug trafficking offences is death. Having chosen China as his benchmark, he unwittingly invited Nigerians to examine the very standard he thought would embarrass Atiku Abubakar,’ the statement said.

Atiku stressed that he has ‘never been indicted or convicted by any court in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world for corruption, narcotics offences or, indeed, any criminal offence whatsoever. That is an incontrovertible matter of public record.’

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said if the Presidency insists on using China as the yardstick for accountability, then Nigerians are entitled to ask what Chinese authorities would do in a case involving the $460,000 forfeited to the United States government in a civil forfeiture proceeding alleged to be connected to narcotics trafficking and money laundering.

‘China is renowned for its uncompromising approach to narcotics-related offences and public accountability. It is not a jurisdiction where the forfeiture of suspicious proceeds ordinarily marks the end of official scrutiny. More often than not, that is where scrutiny begins.’

Atiku further argued that the Tinubu administration should also acquaint itself with China’s treatment of corruption and abuse of office.

‘Not in China would a President sign into law a national budget immersed in scandals, padding and duplicitous appropriations. Not in China would a President look the other way while a senior presidential aide faces grave allegations of creating a fake government agency.

‘Not in China would a government campaign on Renewed Hope only to deliver renewed hardship to its citizens. These are precisely the reasons the Presidency should have been more circumspect before invoking China.’

The former Vice President also faulted the Presidency for ‘brandishing the United States Government’s reply to its diplomatic correspondence as though it were a judicial acquittal.’

‘Diplomatic correspondence between sovereign governments is routine. It is neither a judgment of a court, nor a declaration of innocence, nor an instrument for rewriting history.’

He said that the lesson is clear: ‘Those who invoke China must be prepared to accept the Chinese standard-not selectively, not rhetorically, but completely. Accountability is not a buffet from which governments choose only the dishes they find palatable.’

Atiku urged the Tinubu administration to focus on ‘confronting the economic hardship, rising hunger, insecurity and institutional decline afflicting Nigerians instead of manufacturing diversions that collapse at the slightest contact with the facts.’

He urged the Presidency to elevate the quality of its public communication, noting that while propaganda may dominate a news cycle, facts ultimately prevail.

In a statement on Thursday titled ‘When Will Atiku Abubakar Report Himself to President Trump?’, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has said that, ‘A man with such a dismal record as a public servant certainly has no business asking for our votes. Indeed, if Atiku Abubakar were a Chinese, he would be rotting away in jail for his crimes against the Nigerian people.’