Category: PM News

Ex Big Brother Naija star, Ikechukwu Okonkwo, better known as Cross, has opened up about the spiritual encounter that convinced him his fiancée was destined to be his wife.

In an exclusive chat with Saturday Beats, the reality TV star shared that he first met his partner not on earth, but in a divine revelation.

‘When I had that encounter with God last year, I also saw her spirit in heaven,’ Cross said. ‘She winked at me. That’s how I knew she was the one. It’s something God has ordained. It’s all about timing.’

For Cross, who rose to fame in BBNaija Season Six, his love story feels nothing short of miraculous.

He revealed that when he finally met his fiancée in Abuja, he instantly recognised something familiar about her, though they had never spoken before.

‘I met her in church,’ he recalled with a smile. ‘She was standing outside after service, waiting for her sisters and cousins. I was in the car with my sister and a friend, and I pointed her out, saying, ‘Look at that tall girl, she’s so beautiful.’ My friend told me to go say hi. I was shy, but I went over. We exchanged pleasantries and numbers – and here we are today.’

Beyond the initial attraction, Cross said what truly drew him to her was her character and her faith.

‘She’s sweet, calm, and calculated. She loves God deeply – she can pray and fast. That’s a quality I’ve always wanted in a woman. I know if anything ever happens, she’ll take care of my home and family. She’s just like my mum – capable, caring, and beautiful inside and out.’

The former reality star described his relationship as one built on faith, patience, and spiritual grounding – lessons he said he had to learn the hard way.

‘In my past relationships, communication and patience were big problems. I didn’t understand God’s principles then like I do now. But this time, everything feels different. There’s peace. God is at the centre.’

Cross said he had long believed his life’s journey – including his love life – was divinely mapped out.

‘When I was younger, I saw myself at 40, 50, and 60 in a dream. I saw the woman I would marry – tall, light-skinned, beautiful. I didn’t see her face clearly, but my fiancée embodies all those features. When I met her, my spirit felt at peace.’

For Cross, that peace is proof enough. He believes his love story is not just romantic – it’s a testament to divine timing.

‘God showed me who she was long before I met her,’ he said simply. ‘When you allow God to lead, He writes the best love stories.’

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed that 10 people died and 11 others were injured in a road crash that occurred on the Obajana-Lokoja route in Kogi State on Friday night.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Malam Shehu Mohammed, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Abuja by the Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Mr Olusegun Ogungbemide.

Mohammed said the crash, which happened at about 11:30 p.m. at Apamaru, involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus with registration number KTG 100YL.

According to him, the bus was conveying 21 male passengers.

Preliminary investigations by the FRSC revealed that the crash was caused by excessive speeding and wrongful overtaking by the driver, who subsequently lost control of the vehicle.

The injured victims were evacuated to Fisayo Hospital, Obajana, while the remains of the deceased were handed over to their families.

Expressing grief over the tragic loss of lives, Mohammed warned against night travel, excessive speed, and dangerous overtaking – factors he described as persistent causes of fatal crashes in Nigeria.

He urged passengers to remain vigilant and proactive by cautioning or reporting reckless drivers, stating: ‘Silence in the face of recklessness is complicity in tragedy.’

Mohammed reminded all road users that road safety is a shared responsibility. He encouraged the public to report dangerous driving by dialling the FRSC toll-free number 122 or alerting the nearest FRSC patrol team or any available security agency.

He also reiterated the Corps’ commitment to enforcing regulations against overloading and to strengthening public awareness campaigns discouraging night travel – especially along high-risk transport corridors.

ARISE News has announced the burial arrangements for its late anchor, correspondent, and producer, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who was tragically killed during an armed robbery at her Abuja residence on September 29, 2025

According to the station, an evening of tributes will hold on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at the THISDAY Dome, Central Business District, Abuja. This will be followed by a service of songs on Wednesday, October 15, at Corpus Christi Cathedral, Kaduna Street, Port Harcourt.

Her funeral mass will take place at St. Theresa Catholic Church, Agulu, Anambra State, on Saturday, October 18, after which she will be laid to rest.

The 29-year-old broadcaster was also a trained lawyer and model before joining ARISE News, where she built a reputation for her brilliance and poise on air.

Maduagwu’s death, which also claimed the life of a security guard, Barnabas Danlami, has sparked outrage and calls for justice across the country.

Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command says it has arrested 12 suspects linked to the brutal attack.

Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh confirmed in a statement on Friday that the gang allegedly sourced their weapons from a supplier in the Niger Republic.

‘Preliminary investigations showed that the syndicate procured its firearms – including a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle, a pump-action gun, and a pistol – from an arms dealer operating across the Nigeria-Niger border,’ Adeh said.

She added that all suspects, who hail from Kaduna and Katsina States, have confessed to obtaining their weapons from a yet-to-be-identified supplier.

The Commissioner of Police, Ajao Adewale, reportedly deployed a special investigation team led by DCP Aliyu Abubakar and ACP Victor Godfrey, who tracked and dismantled the network responsible for the attack.

Former U.S. President Joe Biden, 82, is set to undergo radiation therapy after doctors confirmed that his prostate cancer has aggressively spread to his bones.

According to a statement from his spokesperson on Saturday, the former president will also begin hormone therapy alongside the radiation treatment, which is expected to last five weeks. Biden has already started taking hormone medication in pill form.

The development follows his May announcement revealing the cancer’s spread, coming just weeks after doctors found a ‘small nodule’ on his prostate during a routine medical examination.

‘President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason Score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone,’ his office stated.

A Gleason Score of 9 indicates one of the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer. However, Biden’s medical team noted that the disease appears to be hormone-sensitive, making it potentially manageable with treatment.

In recent months, Biden was also treated for skin cancer, and he was spotted at public events with a visible bandage on his forehead.

Now nearing his 83rd birthday, Biden remains the oldest man ever to have served as U.S. president. Health experts note that prostate issues are common among men of his age, with over half of all cases diagnosed in those older than 65.

The former president’s health has long been a topic of political discussion. Concerns over his age and fitness for office reportedly influenced his decision to drop out of the 2024 re-election race, paving the way for his former vice president, Kamala Harris, to lead the Democratic ticket.

Insiders within the party have since admitted that Biden’s advisers shielded his declining health from the public, maintaining that he was fit to run. Reports from The Washington Post suggest that the ex-president still feels bitter about stepping down, often debating with his aides about how to respond to current President Donald Trump’s actions and policies.

Since leaving office, Biden has focused on writing his memoir and laying plans for a presidential library.

His personal battle with cancer carries painful echoes of his late son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. The elder Biden has previously linked his son’s illness to exposure to military burn pits during his service in Iraq.en

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said defection of Enugu Governor, Mr Peter Mbah to the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not affect its fortunes in the state.

Reports on Friday indicated that Mbah will formally join the APC on Tuesday.

According to Ben Nwoye, Enugu APC caretaker chairman, Mbah would be accompanied to the party by 260 councillors, 24 members of the State House of Assembly.

Reacting to the impending defection of Mba, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba told journalists a new conference on Friday in Abuja that the party was stronger than any individual.

He described the PDP as a grassroots party anchored on sound policies, solid programmes, and enduring democratic processes.

‘The defections you hear about are not based on principles or policies. They are driven by coercion, intimidation, and harassment,’ he said.

According to him, the 2027 general election will not be determined by defecting governors but by ordinary Nigerians facing economic hardship.

‘It is about parents whose children go to bed hungry and patients unable to pay hospital bills,’ he noted.

He added that Nigerians seeking real change would gravitate toward the PDP, known for prosperity and hope.

Ologunagba urged the Senate to ensure due diligence in screening Prof. Joash Amupitan, nominated as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He urged Prof. Amupitan to prioritise the sustenance of democracy and rebuild public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

He stressed the need for strong institutions, saying effective systems ensure that leadership transitions remain credible and process-driven.

‘I believe the Senate and the nominee understand that INEC is vital to the preservation of democracy in this country,’ he said.

He expressed hope that the Senate would perform its duty responsibly, and that Amupitan, if confirmed, would be guided by integrity and public interest.

‘INEC must address Nigerians’ concerns and ensure elections are free, fair, and credible,’ Ologunagba added.

He said Amupitan should recognise that Nigerians would no longer tolerate the excuses of the past.

‘Democracy remains the best form of government, despite its challenges,’ he said.

Ologunagba confirmed that the PDP would hold its national convention in Ibadan on Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.

He said the party anticipated possible legal challenges but had ensured that all preparations for the convention were constitutional and inclusive.

The Yoruba Self-Determination Movement (YSDM) has urged Federal Government remove the name of Yoruba Nation agitator, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, from its wanted list as part of efforts to tackle insecurity across the South-West zone.

Leaders and members of the group said this during a peaceful protest on Friday in Lagos.

Speaking during the protest, which was held under police watch at the 7Up Tollgate, Mr Opeoluwa Akinola, a leader of the group, said many farmers in rural areas still live in fear of kidnappers and bandits.

He stressed the need for urgent and decisive government action against criminal attacks, adding that the crisis between herders and farmers had persisted for too long.

‘As we speak, no fewer than 24 communities have been affected,’ Akinola said.

On Adeyemo, he described the agitator as a ‘son of the soil’ who had shown unwavering commitment to protecting the region.

According to him, Adeyemo could contribute significantly to community-led security initiatives if given institutional backing and recognition.

Mrs Funmilayo Ogunniyi, a women leader in the Ifelodun Apapo Omo Yoruba group, commended the efforts of security agencies but said more must be done to protect families and livelihoods.

‘Many kidnappings are happening around South-West borders,’ she said.

Mr ‘Loluwa Ologun, a youth leader, urged political leaders to rise above partisan divides to confront what he described as a ‘national monster.’

‘Insecurity has grown into a monster. This is not the heritage our forebears left us.

‘We refuse to accept a Nigeria where Yoruba sons and daughters live as strangers in their own land,’ he said.

The protest follows President Bola Tinubu’s recent approval of a state pardon for 175 Nigerians, an exercise described by the Presidency as part of efforts to promote national reconciliation.

Among those pardoned were the late nationalist Herbert Macaulay and former FCT Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (rtd.), who was executed in 1986.

Also granted posthumous clemency were environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight members of the Ogoni Nine executed under the Abacha regime in 1995.

In addition, 65 inmates had their sentences reduced, seven death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment, and 82 inmates received presidential clemency.

According to the presidency, the move reflects the government’s commitment to restorative justice and the rule of law.

Analysts say YSDM’s demand for Adeyemo’s delisting from the wanted list aligns with the spirit of forgiveness reflected in the presidential pardon.

They note that extending clemency to the Yoruba agitator could strengthen trust between the government and communities seeking greater security and autonomy.

For many protesters, such a gesture would combine justice with compassion and reinforce Tinubu’s image as a leader committed to peace and inclusion.

As insecurity continues to challenge the region, YSDM says only decisive leadership and reconciliation can guarantee lasting safety for the people of the South-West.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has described party leaders remaining in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as undertakers waiting for the final burial of the opposition party.

The APC Spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Saturday in Lagos, said this while reacting to the recent defection of some PDP leaders into APC.

Oladejo urged the former ruling party to stop downplaying ‘the wave of defections currently rocking its already fractured structure’.

He said: ‘The PDP’s claim that defections cannot break it is not only laughable but also betrays the party’s chronic state of denial , delusion and self-deception.

‘What is happening to the PDP today is not mere political migration, it is the inevitable consequence of years of internal deceit, lack of ideology, and serial betrayal among its leaders.

‘When a house is built on quicksand, it does not take much for it to collapse.

‘The ongoing exodus from the PDP is only a confirmation that even its loyalists have lost faith in a party that has consistently failed to reform itself or offer a credible alternative to Nigerians.

‘The few remaining members of the PDP are perhaps the undertakers – staying behind only to perform the final rites and fittingly dispose of what remains of a once-dominant but now lifeless political carcass.’

According to him, the APC is not surprised at the wave of defections from PDP as the opposition party has only thrived on propaganda and empty rhetoric.

He claimed that the former ruling party had mismanaged the nation for 16 years before the coming of APC.

Oladejo said that PDP could not suddenly reinvent itself as a credible opposition ‘when it remains a cesspool of confusion and leadership vacuum’.

‘The recent defection of key figures from the PDP to the APC is a testament to the growing confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

‘It will serve the PDP’s best interest to start learning to walk alone on the dark, bumpy road to 2027.

‘The party is obviously over for the former ‘largest party in Africa,’ and the sooner it confronts that reality, the less humiliating its final exit will be,’ he added.

According to him, PDP should look inward, conduct an honest post-mortem of its failures, and come to terms with the reality that its relevance in Nigeria’s political space has drastically waned.

‘The opposition cannot claim to be unshaken when its members are fleeing in droves to a party that represents progress, stability, and genuine leadership.

‘For the APC, these defections are not just political victories – they are endorsements of our party’s enduring commitment to national renewal and people-centered governance.

‘The Nigerian people are speaking loudly and the message is clear: the era of deceitful opposition politics is over,’ Oladejo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a number of PDP governors and members of the House of Assembly as well as other key figures have recently dumped the party for APC.

On Thursday, two remaining PDP members in the Ondo State House of Assembly,defected to APC, citing internal crisis in the opposition party.

They are former House Minority Leader,Mr Olajide Oguntodu, representing Akure South 1 Constituency, and his deputy, Mr Oluwatoyin Daodu, representing Akoko South West 1 Constituency.

Veteran Nigerian singer 9ice has reflected on his journey in the music industry, sharing an emotional account of the highs of fame and the loyalty he once enjoyed from friends and colleagues.

In a resurfaced interview clip making rounds online, the Gongo Aso crooner reminisced about the golden years of his career when he dominated the Nigerian music scene, selling out shows across the country and beyond.

‘When I was on top, everybody was with me. Cabasa was with me, Jahbless, 2Phat – they all used to go on tour with me,’ 9ice said.

A police officer was shot and killed during a violent clash between personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and soldiers in Bauchi State on Friday.

The Bauchi State Police Command confirmed the incident in a statement issued Saturday by its spokesperson, Ahmed Wakil, who identified the slain officer as Constable Ukasha Muhammed.

According to the police, the confrontation occurred in the Bayan Gari area of Bauchi metropolis during a routine patrol led by Inspector Hussaini Samaila.

Wakil explained that the patrol team responded to an assault on Constable Muhammed by two individuals outside Padimo Hotel. Officers managed to apprehend one suspect, while the other fled the scene.

The arrested suspect was later identified as Private Usman Mubarak (23NA/84/5346), a soldier attached to the Joint Task Force, Operation Safe Haven, in Jos, Plateau State.

Tensions escalated when two other soldiers-Private Yakubu Yahuza (23NA/85/10185) and Private Godspower Gabriel (23NA/84/5654)-arrived at the scene, reportedly armed and partially dressed in military uniforms.

‘They approached the team and fatally shot Constable Ukasha Muhammed in the left side of the chest before fleeing the scene,’ Wakil stated.

The injured officer was rushed to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead. His body has been deposited at the hospital mortuary.

Following the incident, the Bauchi State Police Command launched a full-scale homicide investigation. The two soldiers involved in the shooting have reportedly been taken into custody.

‘The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, has assembled a team of experienced homicide detectives to ensure a thorough and timely investigation to bring those responsible to justice,’ Wakil said.

He urged police personnel to remain calm and exercise restraint as investigations continue. The Commissioner also extended heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased officer.

‘May his soul rest in peace, and may Aljannatul Firdausi be his final abode. We pray Almighty Allah grants his family the strength to bear this great loss,’ the statement concluded.

Police said their operatives have rescued 18 children suspected to be stolen with arrest of 10 suspects for alleged conspiracy and child theft in two different recent operations in Abia State.

Abia Police Command spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, Abia revealed this in a statement.

According to the statement, the first incident was triggered on September 24, with report to the police division in Ohuru Isimiri a man allegedly lured a woman and her two children from Ebonyi state to Abia state under the pretext of marriage.

The man, according to the report made to the police, disappeared with the two children while the woman was not around.

‘On arrival in Aba, the man asked her to get food for herself and the children while he stayed with the children. On her return, she did not see the man and her children, and all efforts to reach him proved abortive,’ the police spokesperson said.

‘Acting on credible and actionable intelligence, officers of the command on 08/10/2025 stormed a residence where stolen children were suspected to be kept, and apprehended five suspects.’

The police spokesperson said eight stolen children were rescued during the raid.

The police, according to the spokesperson, on Thursday, operatives stormed another residence along Aba/Owerri road, where children suspected to be stolen were being housed.

The Abia police spokesperson said the operation led to the arrest of four suspects and rescue of 10 ten stolen children.

The arrested suspected were identified as Best Ndubusi, Charles Enyinnaya, Eunice Ezekiel, Nnena Kalu, Gideon Esther, Obiegbunam Von, Ezeoma Rejoice, Ngozi Owoh, Favour Ernest, and Brittney Oyemuwa Zion in the statement.

Danladi Isa, the Abia state commissioner of police, was quoted in the statement as urging the people of Abia to remain security conscious and to ensure proper supervision of their wards and children.

The Police Commissioner also urged them to promptly report any suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station or through the command’s emergency hotlines.