Category: PM News

Plateau Commissioner of Police, Bassey Ewah has warned personnel of the command that they have no legal authority to search mobile phone of any citizen a court warrant.

Ewah, the Commissioner of Police in the state gave the warning while addressing the Command’s personnel in Jos.

He therefore warned the personnel against unlawfully demanding and searching of citizen’s mobile phones.

Mr Alfred Alabo, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Jos.

‘No personnel of this command has the legal authority to search mobile phone of any citizen on the road without a court warrant,’ Alabo quoted Ewah as saying.

The PPRO said that the commissioner, who reiterated the command’s commitment to professionalism, warned personnel against unprofessional conducts.

He added that the commissioner advised residents to politely decline any unlawful attempt by personnel to search their phones and report such to the nearest Police station.

Alabo also advised residents of the state to report any incident of harassment through the following phone numbers: 08034448617, 08060545670, 08037681026, 09016146804, and 09051145757.

The PPRO further reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting the lives, property and rights of law abiding residents in line with global best practices.

A chieftain of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has taken legal action against his party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its failure to recognise him as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 14, 2026, to hear the case.

In the suit, Olawepo-Hashim is asking the court to order the Accord Party to officially recognise him as its presidential candidate and submit his name to INEC.

He argued that he emerged as the sole candidate and winner of the party’s presidential primary held on May 30, 2026, but the party failed to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal.

According to him, the party’s action violates the Electoral Act 2026, the Nigerian Constitution and INEC’s guidelines for political parties.

Olawepo-Hashim is seeking a court declaration that the party breached the law by refusing to forward his name to INEC. He also wants an order compelling the party to submit his name as its presidential candidate.

As an alternative, he asked the court to direct the Accord Party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate if the court declines to order the submission of his name.

In an affidavit filed before the court, Olawepo-Hashim said he is a registered and financially active member of the Accord Party. He stated that he contributed ?7 million to support the party’s electronic membership registration programme.

He also said he paid the required ?50 million nomination fee to contest the presidential primary and emerged as the only aspirant and winner of the exercise.

According to him, the primary election was monitored by INEC officials in line with electoral laws.

He further alleged that the party did not provide aspirants with the guidelines required for the primary election, as stipulated by INEC regulations, but he participated based on assurances from the party leadership.

His lawyer, Henry Akunebu (SAN), argued that political parties must obey the Electoral Act, their constitutions and INEC guidelines when selecting candidates. He told the court that once a valid primary election has been conducted, the party is legally required to submit the winner’s name to INEC.

During the proceedings, INEC’s lawyer, H.S. Danjuma, requested more time to file the commission’s response to the suit. The request was granted by Justice Mohammed Umar.

The judge accepted INEC’s documents as properly filed and served after the commission explained that its legal team was only instructed on July 6.

Although the Accord Party did not oppose the request for more time, Olawepo-Hashim’s lawyer urged the court to prevent INEC from participating in the case, arguing that the commission failed to respond within the time allowed under the rules governing pre-election cases.

However, Justice Umar adjourned the matter until July 14, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive suit.

The case is expected to clarify how the Electoral Act 2026 applies to the nomination of candidates by political parties and could have implications for internal party democracy ahead of the 2027 general election.

Two minors were killed while several properties were destroyed by a devastating windstorm that hits Gashua Local Government Area of Yobe on Wednesday.

The windstorm was accompanied by heavy rain, the Council Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Babagana, disclosed this in an interview in Gashua on Thursday.

According to him, the children died when a tree fell on a building sheltering them during the storm.

He said the windstorm, which started at about 5p.m. on Wednesday, destroyed many buildings, electricity poles, and communication towers.

‘The windstorm lasted for about 15 minutes, but the destruction was devastating.

‘I cannot give accurate of figures yet, as we are still compiling them,’ Babagana added.

The chairman said many injured persons were treated at the hospital and discharged.

He added that officials of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) are in Gashua to ascertain the level of destruction and render immediate support.

‘They are preparing to distribute relief materials to victims,’ he said.

Babagana appealed to philanthropists and well-placed individuals to extend helping hands to the affected persons.

He urged them to assist victims with food and non-food items.

The Federal Government has revealed why security forces could not immediately move against the bandits holding dozens of schoolchildren and teachers abducted in Oyo State, with Defence Minister Christopher Musa disclosing that the kidnappers threatened to kill all the captives if troops advanced towards their hideout.

Musa, in a preview of an interview with News Central, said the bandits were using the abducted pupils and teachers as leverage in an attempt to force the release of their commanders currently in military custody.

According to the minister, the criminals issued a deadly warning when security forces prepared to take action against them.

‘They are threatening that if we come any closer, they are going to kill all the kids,’ Musa revealed.

The revelation comes nearly eight weeks after gunmen stormed Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, and other schools in Esinle, Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, abducting 39 pupils and seven teachers.

Musa explained that the bandits’ demand was linked to the arrest of some of their commanders by security agencies, saying the criminals wanted to use the children as bargaining chips.

‘For whatever reason, they are looking for leverage because we have some of their commanders with us and they feel taking these kids and holding them to ransom will make us release their commanders,’ he said.

The Defence Minister’s disclosure has raised fresh concerns over the growing tactics of criminal groups, who increasingly target vulnerable civilians to pressure security agencies and government authorities.

Speaking on measures to tackle kidnapping and banditry, Musa backed tougher punishment for offenders, including the death penalty, arguing that weak sanctions have encouraged criminals to continue their activities.

‘I think we should do that. There must be deterrence. The laws are soft, and that’s why people take advantage,’ he said.

The government has continued efforts to secure the release of the abducted pupils and teachers, while security agencies face pressure to balance rescue operations with protecting the lives of hostages.

Some prominent leaders of the Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi State have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a move described as a major boost for the ruling party and second term ambition of Governor Francis Nwifuru.

The former LP’s leaders announced their defection during a meeting at the APC State Secretariat in Abakaliki on Wednesday.

They attributed their decision to dump Labour Party for APC to what they described as the governor’s good performance in office.

The defectors, led by the LP State Secretary and Coordinator of the Labour Movement in Ebonyi, Mr Igiri Innocent were received by the APC State Chairman, Okoro Emegha.

Emegha described the defection as a major boost for the ruling party, adding that the new members voluntarily joined the APC after assessing Nwifuru’s administration performance in infrastructure, peace-building and good governance.

He said no one compelled the former LP members to leave their party, adding that their decision reflected growing public confidence in the APC-led government.

Emegha expressed optimism that the new members would strengthen the party’s grassroots structure and urged them to remain committed to its ideals.

Igiri said the group placed the overall interest of Ebonyi above partisan politics, adding that Nwifuru’s leadership and policies motivated them to support the administration.

Igiri also unveiled a political mobilisation platform, ‘FON All the Way,’ describing it as a network of experienced grassroots politicians dedicated to mobilising support for the APC and Nwifuru across the state.

He further said that members of the platform played active roles during the 2023 general election.

Also speaking, the Deputy National Leader (South-East) of the movement, Ijeoma Chukwu, commended the governor for creating an atmosphere that encouraged residents and investors to carry out their activities without fear.

Chukwu urged other political stakeholders to put the interest of Ebonyi above party affiliation by supporting initiatives that promote peace, economic growth and sustainable development.

A man has been arrested in the Ada George area of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital for allegedly killing his father identified as Davide Nwoke with a cutlass.

Spokesperson of Rivers Police Command, ASP Blessing Agabe, confirmed the arrest of the suspect to journalists in Port Harcourt on Thursday.

Agabe said the suspect, believed to be in his mid-30s, allegedly attacked his father with a machete, inflicting multiple fatal injuries.

According to her, the incident occurred on Sunday, and the suspect has been arrested and is currently in police custody.

‘Investigations have commenced with a view to ensuring that justice is served,’ she said.

Agabe added that further details would be made available as investigations progressed.

An eyewitness familiar with the incident said the victim was a retired marine captain, identified as Davide Nwoke.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, alleged that the incident stemmed from a dispute over family property.

He said that Nwoke had concluded arrangements to relocate to his village in the Southeast and had invited his children to share portions of his estate.

He claimed that the suspect, said to be the son of the deceased’s second wife, received his share but later demanded his father’s car.

‘The boy, after being settled by his father, also demanded the car, insisting that his father should not retire to the village with it,’ the source alleged.

The eyewitness further claimed that the suspect later hid inside the family residence and waited for his father to return from his routine morning exercise.

‘When Nwoke returned and went upstairs, his son allegedly emerged from hiding and attacked him with a machete,’ he said.

He alleged that domestic worker in the house who intervene and attempted to rescue Nwoke was also attacked and forced to flee.

According to the source, the injured victim managed to run downstairs but was pursued and attacked again.

‘The son repeatedly attacked him with the machete until he died.

‘He then collected the car key from Nwoke’s body and locked himself in one of the rooms in the house,’ the source claimed.

He said the housekeeper alerted neighbours, who subsequently contacted the police.

‘Following the distress call, officers from the Rumuokpani Police Division arrived at the scene and arrested the suspect,’ the source added.

Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Policy Communication to the president, has urged Nigerians to hold their governors accountable for the state of security in their respective states.

While speaking on the Morayo show, Bwala argued that governors should be held responsible for every kidnapping that happens in their states.

He explained that funds are being allocated into the Safe School Initiative which aims at making schools safer for children. He urged Nigerians to demand transparency and responsibility from their governors regarding the funds.

‘Every time someone is kidnapped or taken against their will in any part of Nigeria, the governor of that state should be held responsible. And I will say, and I want it to be the memorable word. Every local government area, all the kidnappings have happened in local government areas. There was a program called the Safe School Initiative that began, and money was given to states to build fences around schools, set up early science warnings, and carry out all those safety checks. Ask your governor where that money was spent,’ he stated.

Aliyu Mohammed, a kidnapped staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been rescued by the Zamfara State Police Command in collaboration with military personnel.

Zagazola Makama, a security expert, announced this vis his X handle. He revealed that the security operatives thwarted coordinated bandit attacks, and recovered hundreds.

Makama also disclosed that kidnapped INEC staff was said to be on official assignment with the National Examinations Council, NECO. He was kidnapped along the Gummi-Sokoto Road.

‘The combined security team engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle that began at about 2:45 a.m. on July 8. The superior firepower of the joint force overwhelmed the bandits, forcing them to flee into the forest with significant casualties, while several escaped with gunshot wounds. During the operation, the kidnapped INEC official and another abducted victim were rescued unhurt. Security operatives also recovered hundreds of rustled cattle, which were subsequently returned to their rightful owners,’ he said.

A 55-year-old suspected land speculator, Ayotunde Atiroko, has been arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly forcefully reclaiming a two-acre parcel of land he had earlier sold to a buyer in Epe, Lagos State.

Atiroko was arrested by operatives of the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, following a petition by the buyer, Adepeju Arinto, who accused him of unlawfully taking over the property despite having sold it to her years earlier.

According to the police, the disputed property, measuring 6,796.283 square metres, equivalent to two acres, is located at Abodo Poika area of Epe, Lagos.

The prosecution alleged that Arinto had purchased the land from the defendant several years ago. However, when she mobilised workers to commence development on the property in June 2026, she allegedly discovered that the perimeter fence and gate she had erected had been demolished and replaced with a new fence and gate.

Police further alleged that the property had been occupied by suspected hoodlums armed with dangerous weapons.

When Arinto reportedly questioned the men about their presence on the land, they allegedly informed her that the property no longer belonged to her, claiming they had taken possession of it. They were also said to have warned her not to return to the land or risk being attacked.

Fearing for her safety, Arinto petitioned the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Command, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, who directed a special team of detectives to investigate the matter and apprehend those responsible.

Police said Atiroko, a resident of Badore, Ajah, Lagos, was subsequently tracked to his hideout and arrested, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend other suspects who remain at large.

Following investigations led by Inspector Taiwo Abass and his team, the defendant was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on forcible entry, encroachment and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.

Prosecuting counsel, Superintendent of Police Reuben Solomon, told the court in Charge No. N/15/2026 that Atiroko and his accomplices committed the alleged offences between 2017 and June 2026 at Abodo Poika, Epe.

Solomon alleged that the defendant unlawfully repossessed the land by destroying the complainant’s perimeter fence and gate, erecting new structures on the property without her consent and deploying armed hoodlums to prevent her from accessing the land.

He told the court that the actions were driven by greed and constituted offences punishable under Sections 411, 52, 350 and 168(d) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Presiding Magistrate T.A. Abayomi admitted Atiroko to bail in the sum of N150,000 with two sureties in like sum.

The magistrate adjourned the case for mention and ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre pending the perfection of his bail conditions.

Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has urged residents not to sell their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the Aug. 15 governorship election.

The call is contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Osogbo by his spokesperson, Malam Olawale Rasheed.

Adeleke alleged an ongoing coordinated and illegal operation by opposition elements to buy voters’ cards and extract their Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to disenfranchise voters.

He warned against what he described as anti-democratic activities aimed at compromising the voter register and manipulating the outcome of the poll.

The governor said reports from across local government areas indicated that some agents were inducing residents with money to part with their PVCs.

He urged residents to safeguard their cards and resist any attempt to sell them.

‘Opposition agents are extracting PINs on voter cards through monetary inducement, targeting areas with strong support for our party,’ he said.

Adeleke described the development as criminal and a violation of the Electoral Act, and called on the electoral body to investigate the allegations.

‘I urge the electoral body not to look the other way. We have reports of possible insider collusion, which are being investigated. Any link between the extraction of PINs and manipulation of the voting process is a serious concern. We expect the electoral body to act,’ he said.

He reiterated that PVCs remain the citizens’ means of exercising their democratic right to vote and choose their leaders.