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Mr Adekunle Omoyele, the Commander of the Osun Amotekun Corps, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt following an ambush by gunmen in Osogbo on Monday.

This was revealed in a statement issued by the spokesperson for the corps, Mr Abass Yusuf, and made available to journalists on Tuesday in Osogbo.

Yusuf said the ambush occurred at about 10:05 p.m. on Monday, along Ikirun Road, opposite Charity Hotel, Osogbo.

He explained that the commander was driving home alone after official duties when gunmen opened fire on him, leaving his vehicle riddled with bullets.

‘It is deeply troubling that the Amotekun Commander could be targeted in such a coordinated and vicious manner.

Apart from the attack on the road, the same day, 15 unidentified armed men, all masked, reportedly stormed Omoyele’s private residence. Witnesses claimed the attackers arrived in a Hilux van and a Toyota Highlander SUV,’ Yusuf disclosed.

According to him, the attack on such a high-ranking security official raises concerns about the growing insecurity faced by those tasked with protecting the people of the state.

He added that the corps urged citizens to remain calm and to report any suspicious activities to local security agencies for prompt response and action.

‘The attack is not just an attack on one man, but on the symbol of a localised security structure,’ Yusuf stated.

He further revealed that the commander sustained gunshot injuries and is currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed medical facility under protective watch.

Yusuf confirmed that the incident has been reported to the Ota-Efun Police Division and that investigations are ongoing.

Students from several Yoruba groups took to the streets of Ibadan on Tuesday to show their support for the Dangote Refinery amid its dispute with major oil unions.

Members of the National Association of Oduduwa Students, the Coalition of Yoruba Students, and the Yoruba Movement gathered at the Iwo Road Roundabout along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway before marching through key areas of the city.

The demonstrators, wearing shirts with the message ‘Don’t Kill Dangote Refinery,’ carried placards with slogans such as ‘Stop Sabotage,’ ‘Protect National Assets,’ and ‘End PENGASSAN.’

Speaking during the rally, the President of the National Association of Oduduwa Students, Olalere Adetunji, appealed to President Bola Tinubu and relevant agencies to step in and safeguard the refinery.

He warned that actions by some labour groups and marketers could undermine Nigeria’s progress toward fuel independence.

Security personnel, including police officers and Federal Road Safety Corps officials, were on the scene to ensure the protest remained peaceful.

Keystone Bank Limited has unveiled its year-end nationwide promo that will reward its loyal customers with weekly cash prizes running into several millions of naira.

The campaign, themed ‘Mega Milli Giveaway,’ was unveiled during a press conference held at the bank’s headquarters in Lagos on Monday.

The lender disclosed that the promo will run from October 1 to December 31, 2025.

Speaking at the launch, Olayemi Sule, Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Keystone Bank, said the Mega Milli Giveaway was introduced as a strategic initiative to deepen customer engagement and promote financial inclusion.

According to her ‘With the growing shift toward cashless transactions and digital financial services in Nigeria, this campaign is designed to encourage customers to embrace more convenient, secure, and technology-driven banking solutions.

‘It also aligns with our broader goals of promoting financial inclusion, rewarding loyalty, and supporting the Central Bank’s drive toward a more digitally inclusive economy.’

‘By linking participation to simple account opening, savings, and use of our digital platforms, we are bringing more people into the formal banking system. This is a practical way of driving inclusion in underserved communities.

‘The Mega Milli Giveaway is not just a promotion, it is a strategic tool that empowers and rewards customers while positioning Keystone Bank as a trusted partner in their financial journey.’

‘Through initiatives like Save and Win, we also promote saving habits and foster long-term financial well-being,’ she said.

Rukayat Olatunji, Unit Head, Mobile and Internet Banking, Keystone Bank, added that all customers with savings accounts are eligible to participate in the Mega Milli Giveaway.

‘For existing customers, simply carry out as many transactions as possible through our digital channels – the KeyMobile app, USSD *7111#, or with any of our cards – to qualify for the Transfer and Win category.

‘Alternatively, save at least ?10,000 monthly to stand a chance to win in the Save and Win category.’

‘New customers can also participate by downloading the KeyMobile app from the Google Play or Apple Store to open an account, perform transactions via the bank’s digital platforms, or save ?10,000 monthly during the campaign period.

‘Customers can qualify by conducting transactions such as fund transfers, airtime and data purchases, bill payments, POS transactions, and web payments,’ Olatunji explained.

Speaking on the prizes and rewards, Tina Ebuehi, Department Head, Retail Products and Value Chain Management, Keystone Bank, announced that all prizes in the promo will be awarded in cash.

‘Mega Win: A top customer will receive ?1,000,000 at the end of the Transact and Win segment after the sixth week.

Mega Win: Four lucky customers will win a total of ?4,000,000 – one winner each in October and November, and two winners in December.

For the Save and Win category: Monthly Draw: Five winners will receive ?100,000 each month.

‘For the Transact and Win category: Tier 1: Top 10 customers with the highest number of qualifying transactions will each win ?100,000 weekly.

‘Tier 2: The next 80 customers will each receive ?20,000 weekly.

She noted.

Keystone Bank is a technology and service-driven commercial bank offering customer-centric banking, convenient and reliable solutions to every customer’s needs.

Former Big Brother Naija season 10 housemate, Kuture, has spoken up about Imisi winning the grand prize of the reality TV show.

Kuture, in a video, expressed his excitement over her win, stating that it is well deserved. The former housemate also claimed that many of the contestants in the house were fake and judgy.

‘I was very happy Imisi won. Most of these housemates are fake and rate you according to wetin deh your pocket, but God no be man,’ he said.

The 23-year-old winner of the reality TV show, Imisi, is currently the second youngest winner in the history of the TV show.

Governor Dapo Abiodun described the commencement of operations at Gateway International Airport, Illisan, in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state as a major milestone in the actualisation of his administration’s vision to transform the state into an investment-friendly and economically viable state.

Abiodun spoke on Tuesday after the Gateway International Airport recorded its first commercial flight take-off, as a Value Jet airplane conveyed passengers from the airport to Abuja.

The plane took off at 10.02 a.m. , in the presence of Abiodun, and other government functionaries.

Speaking with newsmen , the governor explained that the new airport was a strategic component of the state’s multi-modal transportation master plan designed to integrate road, rail, air, and water transport systems, thereby boosting trade, tourism, and industrialisation.

‘It’s a delightful honour to witness the inaugural flight of a commercial aircraft taking off from Ogun state.

‘This is not like Artificial Intelligence (AI), this is real , commercial operations starting from Ogun state in the lifetime of an administration.

‘We came here 2021, some people said it was just politics, some said it was just a dump site but we are here today and you have seen what can be achieved when there is vision, passion and diligence.

‘Building an airport is one thing , having an airport to become operational is a totally different thing, it is a highly regulated industry,’ he said.

Abiodun commended the Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA), Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and security agencies for their support and professionalism throughout the airport’s certification and approval process.

According to the governor, the Gateway International Airport is expected to serve as a key driver for investment inflow, job creation, and improved connectivity.

He appreciated the people of the state for their support, noting that his administration since inception had transformed the socio-economic status of the state by making it investment destination of choice.

Abiodun also appreciated God for making it possible, noting that God had given the team the grace to envision, to implement and to see it happened.

Also speaking, Mr Oludaisi Elemide, the Speaker, Ogun House of Assembly, expressed joy at the latest development in the state.

‘I feel elated, excited and on top of the world that this is happening in Ogun state, in a government in which I am part of.

‘The economic gains, the comfort and the convenience are some of the advantages of this airport in Ogun state. I don’t need to go to Lagos. Within 20 to 30 minutes, I am here,’ he said.

In an interview before boarding the aircraft, the Senator representing Ogun Central, Shuaib Salis, expressed excitement at the new development.

‘The Senate is resuming plenary today, there is nothing more exciting than to take a flight from your own state in an airport built by the state government, in an airplane operated by another son of Ogun state.

‘History is being made, we are grateful to God and the governor. It is a great opportunity,’ he said.

The state’s Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya, described the event as historic and a giant step toward economic development.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has said that more than 33 million Nigerians are currently facing acute food insecurity, adding that the situation requires quick legislative actions on agriculture, rural infrastructure, irrigation, and mechanisation.

Akpabio made the call in his welcome address at the resumption of plenary on Tuesday in Abuja.

The President of the Senate therefore called on the lawmakers to perform their legislative duties with courage and urgency to help stabilise Nigeria’s economy and improve the lives of citizens.

‘Hunger cannot be defeated with words; it requires policy, budget and political will,’ Akpabio said.

He noted that Nigerians are facing rising living costs, insecurity and unstable power supply, urging lawmakers to work closely with the executive arm to find lasting solutions.

‘These trials summon us to service with uncommon urgency and in partnership with the executive arm so that together we can rewrite the story of our nation,’ he said.

The senate president stressed the need for economic reforms to attract investment, broaden the tax base and promote growth.

He also called for stronger education and healthcare systems to give young Nigerians real opportunities to excel.

Akpabio said that the senate would review the 1999 Constitution to strengthen federalism, improve governance and make democracy more inclusive.

He urged lawmakers to exercise their oversight powers responsibly to ensure the prudent use of national resources.

‘Our relationship with the executive shall remain frank and firm. Where policies lift our people, we shall lend our support; where they endanger them, we shall speak up,’ he said.

Akpabio pledged that the senate would remain open, accountable and responsive to the needs of Nigerians.

‘To the citizens of Nigeria, we say this: we hear you and understand your expectations. You ask not for excuses but for results.

‘This Senate will not shrink from scrutiny; we welcome it because accountability is the lifeblood of democracy,’ he said.

He also urged Nigerians to elect leaders of integrity; competence and genuine commitment to service, stressing that democracy would thrive only when voters chose wisely.

‘Let history record that in our time, we did not shy away from the truth or our responsibilities, but worked as leaders worthy of the people’s trust,’ Akpabio said.

He called on senators to return to their duties with renewed commitment and make the 10th Senate a beacon of hope and national transformation.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, on Friday commissioned newly built 100 bed Mother and Child Specialist Hospital in Gombe State, a major healthcare facility designed to enhance maternal and child survival across the North East region.

The ultra-modern facility, named the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Mother and Child Specialist Hospital, was constructed and fully equipped by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs).

Describing the project as ‘more than just a structure,’ the First Lady said the hospital ‘represents care, compassion, and a commitment to the well-being of women and children.’

‘This hospital is a symbol of care, compassion, and commitment to the well-being of women and children,’ Mrs. Tinubu stated. ‘It aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises access to quality healthcare, particularly for the most vulnerable groups in our society.’

The First Lady commended Gombe State Governor Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya and his wife Hajiya Asma’u Yahaya for their continued investment in healthcare infrastructure and for naming the hospital in her honour. She also expressed gratitude to Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs), for spearheading the initiative and driving Nigeria’s progress toward achieving the global goals.

In her remarks, Princess Orelope-Adefulire emphasised that the new facility stands as ‘a vital step in Nigeria’s journey towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-being for all.’

‘Today, we are not merely unveiling a health facility,’ she said. ‘We are reaffirming our collective commitment to delivering quality healthcare to the most vulnerable segments of our society. This hospital is not just a building; it is a promise fulfilled, a sanctuary of care, and a symbol of renewed hope.’

She further noted that the hospital, fitted with state-of-the-art equipment including operating theatres, recovery rooms, laboratories, and maternity wards, was built as part of efforts to actualise the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu – ‘a vision grounded in social inclusion, equity, and the strategic acceleration of national development outcomes across the country.’

‘Every mother deserves a safe delivery. Every child deserves a healthy start to life,’ she stressed. ‘A baby’s first breath should never be their mother’s last. The sacred moment of birth must be a celebration, not a tragedy.’

In a statement released by Desmond Utomwen, the Special Assistant to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs on Media, Publicity and Strategic Communications, Orelope-Adefulire called on the Gombe State Government and local communities to ensure the sustainable use and maintenance of the facility, noting that it represents a shared investment in its people, which are the nation’s most valuable asset.

‘This hospital is directly linked to the achievement of SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being, as well as other cross-cutting SDGs,’ she said. ‘Our duty is clear: to safeguard the lives of mothers and children, restore dignity to families, and build a future where no woman pays the ultimate price for giving life.’

According to the SSAP-SDGs, the Gombe project is part of a broader series of Mother and Child Hospitals established across the federation. These facilities are designed to reduce maternal and infant mortality, improve access to essential healthcare services, and strengthen Nigeria’s progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

‘The hospital is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment. These include, among others: Operating Theatres; Recovery Rooms; Private and General Wards; a Scanning Room; Consultation Rooms; and a Laboratory. Others include an Ultra-Scan Machine; Vacuum Extractor Delivery Set; and an Emergency Cart with full complements. This facility is directly linked to the achievement of SDG 3 on Good Health and Well-being for All, as well as other cross-cutting SDGs.’

‘OSSAP-SDGs has worked tirelessly to construct and furnish this state-of-the-art facility as a strategic tool for healthcare service provision,’ Orelope-Adefulire said. ‘It is expected that the beneficiaries will make judicious use of it in a sustainable way for the benefit of mothers and children.’

She reaffirmed her office’s commitment to prioritising impactful projects and partnerships that advance human capital development, social inclusion, and equitable growth across Nigeria.

‘Together, and with God’s help, we will continue to prioritise interventions with potential impacts on the lives of the poor and vulnerable members of our society, so that no Nigerian is left behind,’ she concluded.

The commissioning event was attended by government officials, traditional rulers, and representatives of women’s groups, reflecting a united front in support of maternal and child health.

Nigeria’s presidency has fired back at U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore after he labelled the country ‘the deadliest place in the world for Christians.’ Presidential aide Olusegun Dada called the claim ignorant and detached from reality.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, Dada described the lawmaker as ‘ignorant’ of Nigeria’s religious dynamics.

‘Firstly, let me say, Congressman Riley, you are ignorant, if not more ignorant than Ted Cruz, about Nigeria,’ Dada wrote.

He further asserted that Nigeria is a ‘proud, sovereign nation built on the faith and resilience of its people,’ emphasising that ‘no faith is under siege, no community is excluded.’

‘Our churches, mosques, and traditional shrines stand side by side – not as rivals, but as symbols of the unity that binds us,’ he added.

Dada’s remarks came in response to a series of posts made by Congressman Moore on Monday, in which he labelled Nigeria ‘the deadliest country in the world for Christians.’

Moore had called on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate Nigeria a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’ o

He had said, ‘Since Boko Haram’s insurgency in 2009, more than 50,000 Christians have been murdered and more than 5 million displaced,’ while also claiming that ‘at least 250 priests have been attacked or killed in the last decade’ and that ‘more than 19,000 churches have been attacked or destroyed since 2009.’

Further, Moore alleged complicity on the part of some Nigerian state and federal officials, citing enforcement of anti-blasphemy laws and other incidents as evidence of state tolerance for religious violence.

A U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, had made a similar allegation in September as he accused Nigerian authorities of ignoring and facilitating the mass murder of Christians by Islamist jihadists.

But in a pointed response, Dada said: ‘I hope #TuckerCarlson can ask #TedCruz these same questions again – but this time about Nigeria. Ted Cruz wanted the U.S. to go to war with Iran, but he didn’t even know its population or cultural makeup. Same level of total ignorance now applied to Nigeria.’

The 17 passengers abducted by gunmen along Calabar waterway have regained their freedom after 12 days in captivity.

A top Naval officer who pleaded anonymity disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar on Monday.

The Naval officer said that the 17 victims were rescued from the creeks on Monday without payment of ransom.

He said that the victims were successfully rescued by the Nigerian Navy following an intelligence report.

According to him, the Navy swung into action and blocked the only entrance to the creek, thereby preventing the kidnappers from taking away their victims to another location.

‘The kidnappers who had run out of foodstuff by this time had no choice than to let go of their victims.

‘We were careful not to engage them in order not to jeopardize the safety of the victims.

‘As I speak, the victims are presently at the Naval Reference Hospital in Calabar, while we are after the kidnappers.’

The source assured that the Calabar water remained safe for movement of goods and services.

NAN recalls that the victims were traveling from Calabar to Oron in Akwa Ibom state when their ferry was hijacked and the passengers taken away by the gunmen.

It also recalls that some passengers, including the Akwa Ibom Police command spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, were with the 17 victims but were not abducted due to lack of space in the kidnappers’ boat.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Oba Maduabuchi, has described the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking to stop former President Goodluck Jonathan from contesting the 2027 presidential election, as ‘an abuse of court process.’

Maduabuchi made this assertion on Tuesday during an interview on Arise TV’s Morning Show.

‘An abuse of court process occurs when someone tries to relitigate an issue that has already been settled by a court of competent jurisdiction,’ he explained.

According to him, the question of Jonathan’s qualification or disqualification had already been adjudicated in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. ‘Nobody has taken that issue on appeal,’ he said. ‘Until that judgment is set aside, it remains the law.’

The senior lawyer stated that any party attempting to reopen that settled issue in another court of coordinate jurisdiction was merely ‘abusing the process of the court,’ describing such litigants as ‘busy bodies.’

Maduabuchi further explained that what governs any legal situation is the law in force ‘when the act in question was done.’ He queried whether Section 137(3) of the Constitution existed in 2010 when Jonathan took the oath of office.

He noted that the provision was only enacted in 2018. ‘When Goodluck Jonathan was taking the oath of office, there was no statutory limitation that could inhibit him from running for two constitutionally guaranteed terms,’ he said.

The SAN questioned whether Jonathan took any oath after the 2018 amendment, comparing attempts to apply the new law retroactively to punishing someone under a law that did not exist at the time of the act.

Illustrating his point, Maduabuchi recalled that judges’ retirement age was previously 65 before being raised to 70, asking whether a judge who retired before the amendment could return to the bench under the new law.

He stressed that ‘the law demands certainty,’ adding that ‘in 2010 and 2011, when Goodluck Jonathan took the oath of office, the prohibition in Section 137(3) was not in existence and therefore not binding on him.’

He concluded that no ‘pyrotechnic argument’ could give life to a law that did not exist at the time, referencing a decision of the Court of Appeal which affirmed that Jonathan had the right to contest and that retrospective laws could not be applied against him.