Category: PM News

Officers of the Niger State Police Command have neutralised three suspected kidnappers and recovered two AK-47 rifles along with 49 rounds of live ammunition during a clearance operation in the Kokolo Forest area of Magama Local Government Area.

The operation, which occurred in the early hours of September 12, 2025, was carried out by the Command’s Special Task Team (STT), FID-STS, in collaboration with local vigilante groups, following credible intelligence on the location of criminal hideouts.

Spokesman of the command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the development in a statement released Monday, noting that the operatives engaged the kidnappers in a fierce gun duel.

‘During the operation within Kokolo Forest, via Kawo-Auna village in Nasko, Magama LGA, the team stormed a kidnappers’ camp and engaged them in a gun battle. Three suspects were neutralized, while others fled with gunshot wounds. One kidnapped victim was successfully rescued,’ Abiodun stated.

A thorough search of the hideout led to the recovery of two AK-47 rifles and 49 rounds of live ammunition. Abiodun added that efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the fleeing gang members.

He called on residents of nearby communities to report anyone seen with unexplained injuries.

‘Members of the public, especially in neighbouring villages, are urged to report anyone found with gunshot injuries to the nearest police station or security agency,’ he said.

The Rivers chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has concluded arrangements to embark on a seven-day warning strike.

A letter signed by the union’s Secretary, Mr Sunday Adeniran, and directed to branch offices across the state, said the move protests the alleged dismissal of Emohua council workers.

Adeniran explained that the union, at its state executive congress on Sept. 29, resolved to strike in solidarity with the disengaged employees.

He noted the action became necessary following what he described as unlawful treatment, which also resulted in salary denial for the affected council staff.

‘Effective from midnight of Sept. 30, 2025, all local government employees across the state are directed to withdraw their services until further notice.

‘We count on your solidarity in ensuring full compliance with this directive,’ Adeniran said.

A 22-year-old graduate, Femi Ayoade has been sentenced to life imprisonment for defiling a four-year-old girl inside a tricycle at Eti-Osa area of Lagos State.

Ayoade was jailed by an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court presided over by Justice Abiola Soladoye on Tuesday.

The court ruled that the prosecution had proven the one-count charge of defilement against Ayoade beyond reasonable doubt.

Soladoye described Ayoade as a ‘criminally audacious man who turned a child’s vagina into a playground.’

‘It is indeed a shameless act.

‘The prosecution has successfully presented compelling evidence against the defendant.

‘Consequently, the defendant is hereby found guilty of the charge of defilement and is sentenced to life imprisonment,’ she held.

The judge further ordered that the convict’s name be entered into the Lagos State Sexual Offences Register.

Lagos State Counsel, Mrs Olufunke Alebiosu, presented two witnesses during the trial, the survivor and her father, while the convict testified as the sole witness for the defence.

The prosecution had submitted that the convict committed the offence in September 2021, at about 11.10 a.m., at No. 19, Milestone Close, Infinity Estate, Skido Bus Stop, Eti-Osa, Lagos.

According to the prosecutor, the offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law, Chapter C17, Volume 3, Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

As the nation prepares for her 65th independence anniversary, no less than 20 people have been confirmed dead in a boat mishap that occurred on Tuesday at about 4:30pm. in the Ibaji local government area of Kogi State.

An eyewitness who is also a farmer in the area, James Otoga told journalists that the sad incident occurred in the evening of Tuesday, 30th September 2025.

According to him, the boat that was fully loaded with people departed from the Onugwa community in Ibaji heading to the Ilushi market, but it capsized on the way, leaving yet to be known numbers of people dead.

‘The boat was fully loaded with our people going to market for the first of October celebration. Only five survival have surfaced while 20 bodies have been recovered so far, and more of our people are lying lifeless beneath River Niger.

‘Even those who came for a burial in Onugwa and returning back to Ilushi were also missing, we are yet to confirm the number of people onboard and those who survived,’ he stated.

Confirming the incident the Chairman, Ibaji local government area Honourable Ugeh Emmanuel through a telephone conversation with journalists described the incident as the most disastrous in the history of the local government, saying many people have lost their lives in the accident.

‘As I am speaking with you now , nobody can authoritatively say this is the actual number of casualties. Again, we can not even ascertain the number of people onboard right from their departure destination.

‘This is a very serious accident , the boat have not even near Ilushi when the mishaps occurred around 4:30pm. Most of the victims were moving to Ilushi for the cerebration of first October, which has been a tradition in the community before they met their untimely death. ‘

It would be recalled that in the last year, there have been numerous boat mishaps in Kogi, Niger and other riverine states where many people lost their lives.

Effort to reach the Managing Director of National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Bola Oyebanji and Assistant General Manager (AGM), Corporate Affairs, Suleiman Makama proved abortive as their cell phone could not be reached .

Former Super Eagles defender, Samuel Sodje, has said it is ’embarrassing’ for Nigerians to celebrate FIFA’s decision to punish South Africa.

On Monday, FIFA announced that Bafana Bafana lost three points and three goals for using an ineligible player, Teboho Mokoena, in their March 2025 World Cup qualifier against Lesotho.

The deduction means Nigeria, who are third in the group with 11 points, are now just three points behind South Africa. Some Nigerians celebrated the news, seeing it as a lifeline for the Super Eagles.

Sodje, however, disagrees. He told Soccernet:

‘South Africa broke the rules, and FIFA punished them. That is normal. What I find surprising is that Nigerians are treating this as a big achievement. To me, it is embarrassing.’

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that the construction of new roads in Abuja is an important part of Nigeria’s plan to host the next Commonwealth Games.

Wike made this known on Tuesday during the flag-off of the Access Arterial Road S1 project, which runs from Ring Road 2 to the FCT Fire Service Station in Kaura District, Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

According to him, good roads will make Nigeria’s bid stronger. ‘I hope you know that Nigeria is bidding to host the next Commonwealth Games. We cannot succeed without a good road network,’ he said.

He explained that modern infrastructure would impress the international committee when they visit. ‘If the committee comes and sees that we are providing the basic infrastructure, it will help us get the hosting right,’ he added.

The minister also stressed that the new road will help the Fire Service respond faster to emergencies.

He said that poor road access in the past slowed down fire trucks during incidents.

The 2-kilometre road project includes a 3-span bridge. Wike expressed confidence that it would improve emergency services and make life easier for residents.

He also urged the company handling the project to employ local youths from the area. ‘Please give residents the opportunity to participate by employing our young people,’ he appealed.

Wike further noted that the FCT Administration is working on several other road projects, including the Airport-Kuje Expressway and the Kuje-Gwagwalada dualisation, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘The hope is that before the end of President Tinubu’s first term, Abuja will look very different and compete with other world-class cities,’ he said.

The FCT Minister of State, Mariya Mahmoud, also spoke at the event. She said the road project supports President Tinubu’s vision for better infrastructure.

She added that it would improve fire response times, boost public safety, and open up Kaura District for more businesses, investments, and a better quality of life.

President Bola Tinubu is reportedly considering Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, as the next Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

This comes as the current chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, nears the end of his 10-year tenure.

A presidency source confirmed that Amupitan is being strongly considered. A close associate of the professor also confirmed the development, although no official announcement has been made yet.

Yakubu, appointed in 2015 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, was expected to step down in June but stayed on while the presidency searched for a replacement. His time as chairman saw both innovations and controversies.

He introduced BVAS, the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and simultaneous accreditation and voting. However, he faced criticism for frequent inconclusive elections.

If confirmed, Amupitan will oversee major upcoming polls, including the Anambra governorship election in November 2026, the FCT council elections in February 2026, the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections in 2026, and the 2027 general election.

Who is Amupitan?

Professor Amupitan, born in 1967 in Kogi State, is a legal scholar and Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

He studied law at the University of Jos, where he graduated as the best student in 1987.

He later obtained his Master’s and PhD in Law.

He has worked at the University of Jos since 1989, becoming a professor in 2008. He is currently the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) of the university and also serves as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Joseph Ayo Babalola University.

Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Corporate Governance, and Law of Evidence.

He has written several books and published more than 70 academic papers.

He has also served on boards of companies, worked as a government consultant, and been involved in several important legal cases.

He was made a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and has held various leadership roles in academia and law.

Would you like me to make this even shorter, like a news brief of under 300 words, or keep the full profile style?

Afrobeats artist Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu, popularly known as Burna Boy, has been named as the top Afrobeats artist of the year by Spotify.

The list which is dominated by Nigerian artists, ranked Rema as the number two spot. Balogun Ayodeji popularly known as Wizkid was ranked at the third place while Asake and Ayra Starr were ranked at the 4th and 5th spot.

The list, however, became controversial when fans discovered that Davido was missing despite being regarded as one of the top 3 biggest Afrobeats artists.

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic chapter, Zaria, Kaduna State, has declared an indefinite strike effective Tuesday.

The branch Chairman, Malam Usman Suleiman, announced this in a statement issued on Monday in Zaria.

Suleiman said the decision followed a meeting with the Kaduna State Government where the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education appealed for patience, saying that Gov. Uba Sani had ‘impliedly approved’ their demands.

He explained that the union resolved to withdraw its services until a formal approval was granted by the Governor.

The chairman recalled that the congress had earlier mandated the leadership to embark on an indefinite strike should the Polytechnic Salary Structure (PSS) not be implemented after payment of the September 2025 salary.

The union’s demands include the implementation of CONPCASS/CONTEDISS salary structures for staff of state tertiary institutions and the extension of the 65-year retirement age to non-academic staff, as approved for academic staff.

‘After due deliberations, the unions unanimously resolved that members shall withdraw their services until the governor’s approval is officially granted,’ Suleiman said.

Veteran Fuji musician, Dr. Adewale Ayuba, has dismissed reports alleging that he divorced his wife, Azuka Ego, over a paternity dispute.

The speculation began after a YouTube channel, Nigerian News, claimed Ayuba had secretly conducted a DNA test that exposed his wife’s alleged infidelity, leading to divorce.

In a statement issued by Bonsue Fuji Entertainment and shared on his Instagram page, Ayuba described the story as ‘baseless and malicious,’ stressing that his marriage remains intact.

‘We want to state this clearly to everyone who supports Dr. Adewale Ayuba, that there is absolutely no truth-not a single iota-in this cooked-up story,’ the statement read.

‘For the record, they have been happily married for over thirty years. This is nothing more than a cheap, despicable attempt to embarrass Dr. Ayuba’s family, malign his character, and bring his united family to public ridicule. We are currently consulting with our lawyers to pursue all available legal remedies against the irresponsible individual.’

Ayuba further emphasized that the paternity of his children has never been in question, warning that he would not allow his integrity to be attacked without consequences.