Members of the Taraba State House of Assembly elected under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among the defectors is the Speaker of the House, John Kizito, who read the letters from each of the lawmakers, all indicating their decision to leave the PDP and switch allegiance to the APC.
The defection, according to the members, was because of the prolonged crisis in the PDP at the national level and the need to align with the centre for federal presence in Taraba.
The defection is in the wake of the intention of the State Governor, Agbu Kefas, to join the APC on Wednesday, November 19, 2025.
With the defection, all 24 members of the state assembly are now on the platform of the APC.
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested four suspected members of a gang involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, and ritual practices at Ogbese in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Olayinka Ayanlade, the spokesman for the police command, disclosed the arrest of the suspects in a statement issued to journalists in Akure on Monday.
Ayanlade said that the suspects, led by one Ifeoluwa Julius, had long been on the command’s watch list for alleged involvement in violent crimes in the area.
He revealed that operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit tracked the suspects to the outskirts of Ogbese following intelligence that they had returned from a location where they allegedly procured charms to fortify themselves for future attacks.
According to him, the coordinated operation led to the arrest of Julius and three members of his gang.
Ayanlade said the items recovered from the ringleader included an expended cartridge, fetish materials, and blood-stained red and white cloth.
He added that during interrogation, Julius allegedly confessed to being a ritualist and admitted, along with his gang members, to involvement in several kidnapping incidents in the Ogbese area.
He also confirmed that he and his gang had travelled to obtain more charms to bolster their criminal activities.
Ayanlade, however, added that the suspects would be charged in court following the completion of investigations.
A new indigenous brand, Captain Cool, has entered Nigeria’s air conditioning market with a mission to raise standards of professionalism, technical quality and reliability across the HVAC sector.
Launched in mid-2025 as a subsidiary of Sabiwork, the company was created in response to the rising demand for skilled cooling system services observed during major construction projects nationwide.
According to the Founder of Captain Cool, Olatayo Ajiboye, the brand emerged to fill a service gap that had long frustrated both residential and commercial clients.
“We consistently saw clients who had invested in quality air conditioning systems but suffered from poor installation and irregular maintenance. This often led to inefficiency and discomfort. Captain Cool was conceived to bridge that service gap with a commitment to technical integrity and customer satisfaction,” Ajiboye said.
Within its first week of operation, Captain Cool secured a contract to supply and install air conditioning units for a hotel project in Benin City — an early milestone the company says reflects growing client awareness about the need for skilled hands in HVAC installations and maintenance.
Captain Cool offers end-to-end cooling system services, including sales, installation, maintenance, system upgrades and repairs.
Its team of trained technicians is equipped to tackle long standing industry issues, such as improper installation, inefficiency, and delayed service response.
Nigeria’s air conditioning sector is expanding rapidly due to urbanisation, rising temperatures and increased construction activities. However, challenges remain, including erratic power supply, forex-driven fluctuations in equipment prices and a shortage of certified technicians. Captain Cool says it aims to address these gaps through continuous staff training, transparent processes and the introduction of energy-conscious innovations.
The company emphasises structure, accountability and technology-driven monitoring, which it says will boost client confidence and support broader skill development within the HVAC workforce.
Looking ahead, Captain Cool plans to expand into major cities across Nigeria while exploring energy-efficient cooling solutions suited to the country’s climate conditions.
Ajiboye said the broader vision is not only business growth but raising the overall professional benchmark for HVAC services.
“Our vision is to help redefine how cooling services are delivered in Nigeria; through competence, honesty and a culture of quality that benefits both clients and technicians,” he added.
It was a triumphant entry for the immediate past federal commissioner representing Enugu State in Federal Character Commission Abuja, Hon Ginika Tor-Ijeomah, as she returned to Enugu State after the completion of her tenure.
A huge crowd gave her a rousing welcome in Amoli, her hometown over the weekend.
The former commissioner paid homage to the Late Igwe of Amoli Kingdom, Igwe Emeaba Chikwaku in appreciation of the traditional ruler support for her political career.
The residents were excited to see Ginika as they rushed out from their various areas to catch a glimpse of the former commissioner who was on her open roof jeep acknowledging cheers from the people.
By noon, the Amoli primary school arena had transformed into a sea of color and excitement, as supporters and well-wishers from across the region thronged the venue to received her.
Traditional dances, masquerade displays, and chants filled the air as locals came out en masse in a show of solidarity.
Hon Ginika arrival, accompanied by her husband and her OPI group in a spirited procession, sent the crowd into a frenzy of cheers and celebrations.
For many in attendance, the occasion was more than a political statement; it was a heartfelt endorsement of a daughter of the land who has consistently championed the people’s interests.
Her deep grassroots appeal, combined with her record of public accomplishments, has solidified her status as a respected political figure across Enugu State.
In her emotional address, Ginika expressed deep appreciation for the overwhelming show of affection.
“This is not just a political journey; it is a mission of service. I am deeply grateful to the Enugu state for this honor and I assure you that I will continue to work diligently to meet your expectations and to advance the vision of a greater Enugu State,” she declared.
Ginika reaffirmed strong support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Peter Mbah, urging the people to back both leaders in the 2027 elections.
She declared: “The President’s policies are already stabilizing the economy. Food prices today are far better than they were last year, and things are improving steadily. If our people want more federal presence, it begins with their votes. Support the President and our Governor, and the government will have every reason to consider me worthy to serve again at the national level.”
Ginika noted that she has not yet been rewarded but the President has recognized her contributions during the previous election and assured she would be rewarded.
Among the dignitaries present were Governor Peter Mbah ably represented by Hon. Amb. Mrs Amaka Nweke JP, Commissioner for Poverty alliviation, APC Enugu Caretaker Chairman Dr. Ben Nwonye, Rt. Hon. Miriam Onuoha, member representing Okigwe federal constituency, Hon. Anayo Onwuegbu Member Representing Awgu/Aninri/Oji River Federal Constituency His Excellency John Bosco, Member representing Awgu North State Constituency at the House of Assembly ,Rt. Hon. Jane Eneh,Hon. (Dr.) Oby Ajih, Hon. Amb. Mrs Amaka Nweke JP, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, Sir Humphrey Osita, Hon. Osita Udeh,Hon. Diyiokeh Uchenna, Hon Princess Peace Nnaji, HRH Isiaka, King of Yoruba in Enugu state.
The event came to a close with an energetic chants, praise songs, and political reaffirmations led by Hon. Ginika. She electrified the crowd with her closing declaration:
No vacancy in Aso Rock, and no vacancy in the Lion Building in Enugu come 2027.
For the people of Amoli Kingdom, the day was not just a celebration, it was a declaration of hope, unity, and the promise of leadership rooted in love for the people.
Under the sun of Diani Beach, at Boma Banda Cottage on Beach Road a quaint rental pushed amid palm groves, the kind of spot expats flock to for escape. Elwin Ter Horst, a 45-year-old Dutch national long based in Nairobi, had been holed up there with his Kenyan girlfriend, Angela Atieno Onduru, a 32-year-old woman.
What began as a private argument spiraled into chaos when Horst, turned violent. Witnesses later described how he damaged furniture, shattered glass, and barricaded himself in the bedroom, refusing entry to the caretaker and a security guard who rushed to Atieno’s help. Bruised and shaken, she was whisked to Diani Beach Hospital, her injuries a plain testament to the beating.
Police arrived amid the standoff, but Horst’s insolence only grew. For hours, he held out, shouting threats from behind the door until, finally, officers broke into the room. Inside, they uncovered about three grams of a suspicious white powder, believed to be drugs.
The story outspread at Diani Police Station, where a rough video captured on a bystander’s phone and exploding across social media showed Horst in a wild state, eyes wild and voice slurred, as if the drugs had stripped away any pretense of restraint. He ran toward officers, spitting at police officer’s face, all while bellowing confused demands in a mix of English and Dutch. “Get this monkey off me!” he reportedly snarled, his words slicing through the tense air like a blade.
The clip, shared thousands of times on platforms like X and TikTok, captured not just the grotesquery of the act but a raw nerve of frustration among Kenyans and Africans watching from afar. Comments flooded in: “This is why we fight,” one user wrote, while another fumed, “Deport him yesterday.” The outrage swelled, with calls for swift justice and expulsion echoing from Mombasa to the diaspora, a collective howl against what many saw as unchecked entitlement.
To those who know Elwin Ter Horst from his professional life, this eruption might not shock as much as it saddens. On paper, he’s a fixture in Kenya’s development and tech scenes, a Dutch emigrant who’s climbed through roles that paint him as a hero, not burner. His LinkedIn profile, a neatly curated timeline of achievements, lists him as CEO of FarmDrive, a Nairobi-based agritech firm since 2017, where he champions data-driven loans for smallholder farmers, many of them in rural Kenya. Before that, from 2014 to 2017, he served as managing director at Friyay, a creative agency blending marketing with social impact projects across East Africa.
Wind back further, and you find him as project manager at SolarNow from 2012 to 2014, rolling out solar energy solutions in off-grid communities, followed by a stint as senior project manager at Aid for Africa in the Netherlands from 2010 to 2012, coordinating international aid initiatives.
It’s a resume that speaks to purpose: sustainable energy, financial inclusion, cultural exchange. Yet, beneath the gloss, whispers from former colleagues paint a different portrait one of a leader whose control covered brutality, especially toward Black staffers who bore the brunt of his tempers.
Through our long investigation, our team gained access to internal company emails and private messages from many former employees who worked directly under Elwin Ter Horst at FarmDrive and later ventures. Each person we contacted insisted on total anonymity. One of those sources, an ex-employee from FarmDrive, a Kenyan data analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity, recalls a team meeting in 2019 where Horst, frustrated by a delayed report, She says. “He leaned over the table, red-faced, and said, ‘If you people could just think like Europeans, this wouldn’t happen lazy bones from the village, always dragging us down.’ I was the only Black woman in the room, and he made sure everyone knew it was aimed at me. We all held no one dared call him out.”
Another, Ugandan software developer who left Friyay in 2016, described a “performance review” that devolved into humiliation. “He locked the door, poured himself a whiskey, and told me, ‘You’re good with code, but let’s be real you Africans are built for manual labor, not leading. Stick to what your ancestors did, herding goats.’ It wasn’t just words; he’d dock pay for ‘cultural misunderstandings,’ like if we didn’t laugh at his jokes.”
A third voice, from a SolarNow logistics coordinator in 2013, echoes the pattern: “During a site visit in Kitui, he yelled at me in front of the whole crew ‘These savages don’t deserve our tech they’ll just sell it for beer.’ I quit weeks later, but not before he emailed the team saying I was ‘ungrateful cargo’ unfit for white led projects.” These aren’t isolated slips, say the sources; they form a thread through his career, a quiet erosion of dignity that Black employees often the majority in his teams endured in silence, fearing visa ties or job scarcity in a foreigner’s Kenya.
It’s a thread that arguments into something larger, a behavior that leaves many people asking: When does an immigrant become the master in a foreign country? Kenya’s beach reserves, from Diani to Malindi, have long drawn Europeans seeking sun and warm water, but lately, the stories of excess feel less than a holiday but something uglier. Take the shadowy underbelly of sex tourism, where sites like those peddling “Kenya Horn Hub” fantasies online lure Western men with promises of exotic encounters, often blurring into exploitation of locals desperate for a dollar.
Poverty-stricken families in places like Mtwapa have been known to send daughters beachward, where aging expats prowl for companionship that rarely feels equal girls as young as teens, falsifying ages to enter the fray, their futures traded for fleeting cash. It’s normalized enough that aid workers in Kwale report children chanting “Mzungu wangu” my white person as cars roll by, a heartbreaking stenography for survival.
Viral screenshots of the “Kenya Horn Hub” website raised questions about predatory attitude of British men towards Kenyan women
Then there’s the British Army Training Unit Kenya, or BATUK, established in the dusty plains of Laikipia since the 1960s, a relic of post-colonial pacts that’s meant to be a short term alliance but too often spreads dissonance. Recent inquiries reveal British soldiers skirting bans on paid encounters, with dozens of allegations surfacing since 2022 women in Nanyuki left with bruises, pregnancies, or worse, their claims twisted in jurisdictional knots that favor the foreigners.
Compensation trickles in for some harms, like artillery maiming herders, but sexual wrongs? They melt in the heat, troops rotating home while locals pay the price. Just last October, a Kilifi court set free a German tourist accused of tainting a Rwandan minor, the case collapsing on “insufficient evidence,” leaving the girl’s family to wonder if justice bends for passports.
These aren’t anomalies; they’re echoes, reminders that for some arrivals, Kenya remains a playground unbound by the rules that bind its people. The video of Ter Horst’s spit-take at the station hit like a gut punch because it laid bare the helplessness cops, outnumbered and outmaneuvered by one man’s meltdown, fumbling for control as he loomed over them, untouchable in his fury. Kenyans watching from their phones weren’t just mad at him; they were gutted by the familiar script: the white interloper who rages, resists, and walks away lighter than he should. “How many times?” one viral post lamented, tallying similar dust-ups in Watamu bars or Mtwapa nights, where expats like Horst rumored to have left trails of complaints from Nairobi dives to Malindi motels test limits without consequence.
Elwin Ter Horst will be detained at Port Police Station for 14 days pending the conclusion of investigations. Photo: Grace Kathanje
It’s not about one arrest; it’s the colonial ghost in the room, that lingering notion of Africa as a sandbox for European whims, where locals serve, suffer, and stay silent. Outrage boils because change feels glacial deportations promised but rare, laws enforced unevenly. Yet, there’s a quiet resolve: voices rising, not in revenge, but in demand for a reckoning. When, Kenyans ask, will the past truly loosen its grasp? In Diani’s, as Atieno heals and Horst faces charges, the question stays, unanswered but unignorable. Perhaps this time, it breaks differently.
Survivors of sexual assault in Lagos are set to receive faster, more professional and better-documented medical care as the state government intensifies training for healthcare workers handling rape and defilement cases.
The two-day training organised by the Ministry of Health in Alausa is expected to significantly strengthen Lagos’ frontline response, a critical step in a state that records some of the country’s highest reports of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
Officials said the programme aims to ensure that no survivor is turned away, mismanaged, or denied justice due to poor documentation or lack of clinical expertise.
Declaring the training open, Dr Oluwatosin Onasanya, speaking on behalf of the Director of Family Health and Nutrition, Dr Folasade Oludara, stated that upgrading the skills of health workers would directly improve survivors’ chances of healing and securing justice. “Healthcare workers are often the first responders. When they do their part well, survivors are protected, and offenders are held accountable,” she said.
The state has supplied specimen-collection tools to facilities, but the training, she added, “ensures personnel can correctly identify, document and manage cases”, especially in LGAs with high incident rates.
SGBV Programme Manager, Dr. Juradat Aofiyebi, explained that building the capacity of 25 experienced doctors across general hospitals would improve prosecution outcomes.
She noted that accurate medical reporting is often the difference between conviction and acquittal. “This training strengthens our entire response chain, from care to courtroom,” she said.
At the session, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mrs Adebanke Ogunde, underscored the life-changing impact of proper medical documentation. She told participants, “A survivor’s hope for justice rests on the quality of your report. Many convictions have been won, or lost, because of it.”
Medical experts also addressed the emotional toll on health workers. Consultant Family Physician at LASUTH, Dr. Oluwajimi Sodipo, said timely care within 72 hours could prevent infections and produce usable forensic evidence.
He praised Lagos’ inter-agency approach but urged further investment in DNA capacity, insurance, and health worker motivation to sustain the impact.
The Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA) reinforced the state’s safety net for survivors, explaining that under the ILERA EKO scheme and the Equity Fund, survivors are entitled to full medical coverage, from tests to follow-up care. Claims Officer Mrs. Anyebe Margret said this ensures “no survivor is denied treatment because of money.”
Another facilitator, Mrs. Ololade Babarere, emphasised self-care for health workers to prevent compassion fatigue. “When caregivers burn out, survivors suffer,” she warned.
Participants described the training as transformative. Dr. Odiawa Ijeweme of General Hospital, Apapa, said she can now handle cases “more confidently and in line with Lagos State’s protocols,” while Dr. Charity Eferaro of the Lagos State University Health Centre said the sessions strengthened her ability to support student survivors “medically, emotionally and psychologically.”
With the training completed, Lagos strengthens its position as a national leader in coordinated SGBV response, ensuring that survivors receive dignity, justice and comprehensive care each time they walk into a health facility.
American rapper Nicki Minaj is set to speak at a United Nations event in New York on Tuesday, addressing jihadist violence against Christians in Nigeria.
Time senior political correspondent Eric Cortellessa disclosed this via X.
Minaj will be joined by US Ambassador to the UN, Michael Waltz, and Alex Bruesewitz, a senior adviser to former President Donald Trump.
Ambassador Waltz praised Minaj, saying she’s “not only arguably the greatest female recording artist, but also a principled individual who refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice”.
He added, “I’m grateful she’s leveraging her massive platform to spotlight the atrocities against Christians in Nigeria, and I look forward to standing with her as we discuss the steps the President and his administration are taking to end the persecution of our Christian brothers and sisters”.
Minaj expressed gratitude for the opportunity, stating she won’t “stand down in the face of injustice” and believes her influence serves a greater purpose.
She wrote, “Ambassador, I am so grateful to be entrusted with an opportunity of this magnitude. I do not take it for granted. It means more than you know.
“The Barbz & I will never stand down in the face of injustice. We’ve been given our influence by God. There must be a bigger purpose”.
The event followed Trump’s claim of an ongoing “Christian genocide” in Nigeria, leading to the country being designated a “Country of Particular Concern”.
The Nigerian government denies allegations of religious violence, attributing insecurity to criminal activities.
Maureen Ifada, Marketing Director at FrieslandCampina WAMCO, has been named the Nigeria Marketing Amazon at the 2025 Nigeria Marketing Awards, adding yet another major honour to a year marked by exceptional professional recognition.
Ifada, who has built a remarkable two-decade career in brand building and consumer marketing, is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s marketing landscape.
Her leadership has strengthened the positioning of Peak, Three Crowns and other dairy brands, driving campaigns that resonate deeply with Nigerian households and reinforcing FrieslandCampina WAMCO’s dominance in the sector.
This latest award joins an impressive list of honours she has received recently. Earlier in the year, she was celebrated as the Outstanding Marketing Amazon of the Year by Marketing Edge.
She also won Marketing Director of the Year at the Brand Handlers Awards, and was named twice among WIMCA’s top 50 most influential women in marketing and communications in Nigeria.
Her rising global profile was also acknowledged through her appointment as a judge for the International Content Marketers Award (ICM).
In her acceptance remarks, Ifada dedicated the Nigeria Marketing Amazon award to her team, describing the recognition as “a celebration of shared vision, creativity, and relentless dedication.”
Her win is seen as a strong reaffirmation of the growing influence of women shaping the future of marketing in Nigeria.
Deacon Banjo Omole’s twin publications, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership, land with the weight of a man rounding off a successful political chapter and stepping confidently into a creative renaissance. As he concludes his two-term tenure as APC Chairman in Ifako-Ijaiye, these books function not merely as commemorative works but as statements of identity, political, cultural, and artistry.
They reveal a man who has lived inside the engine room of Lagos politics, watched its rhythms up close, and chosen to document its leading figures in a language that blends admiration, spirituality, symbolism, and history.
Destined Destiny is the more forceful of the two, a focused tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Omole writes with the certainty of someone who believes Tinubu’s journey has been less accidental and more divinely crafted. He leans heavily into numerology, destiny, and metaphor, weaving a portrait where Tinubu becomes more than a political actor
He becomes a symbol of endurance, transformation, and national possibility. The imagery is deliberate: “eagles that soar above storms”, “leaders who carry the weight of nations”, and the recurring spiritual undertones that speak to Nigeria’s deeply religious political psyche. Omole’s devotion is unmistakable, and the poems are steeped in that conviction.
Where Destined Destiny delivers a single beam of focused praise, Extolling Leadership scatters the light across a wider field. Omole turns his poetic gaze toward Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Deputy Governor Hamzat, Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, and an impressive list of APC stalwarts.
Each individual is celebrated through carefully constructed metaphors such as timber, iron, gold, lions, and other natural imagery drawn from Yoruba cosmology and classical leadership narratives. Omole positions these leaders as custodians of Lagos’ progress and the APC’s vision, capturing their roles in the state’s political evolution.
The language throughout is unapologetically ornate, echoing traditional praise poetry while embracing modern political commentary. Omole writes with a performer’s voice. He is dramatic, rhythmic, and confident. His poems read like ceremonial speeches, the kind delivered before large audiences, meant to stir pride and reaffirm loyalty. Readers seeking subtle literary critique will find little here; these books are not exercises in neutrality. They are declarations of admiration, written by a man who has shaped, and been shaped by, the political landscape he describes.
Yet beyond the praise lies something more intimate: Omole’s transition into a new creative path. Through these works, he signals his intention to become not just a political actor but a cultural storyteller, poet, chronicler, and advocate for what he considers exemplary leadership. This shift is evident in his willingness to use poetry as a vehicle to record political memory, bind identity, and celebrate legacy.
Together, Destined Destiny and Extolling Leadership operate as both personal testimonials and political documentation. They capture a moment in Lagos and Nigerian politics through the eyes of an insider who chooses to honour his leaders with poetic devotion. Supporters of Tinubu, Sanwo-Olu, and the APC tradition will find these collections deeply resonant, while literary observers will see in them a distinctive blend of political praise poetry and cultural narration.
Ultimately, the two books stand as fitting signatures to Omole’s tenure. It is bold, expressive, and anchored in loyalty, faith, and the enduring belief in leadership that shapes destinies.
Ijebu advised Imisi to visit her mother, apologise, and seek forgiveness, emphasising that her mother is her “mini god”.
He urged Imisi to end the online dispute, stating, “Imisi, I know you are a good girl. The Bible said we should honour our parents. This evening or tomorrow morning, I want you to visit your mother, go on your knees, hold her legs, and tell her you are sorry.
“Let her pray for you. No matter what she might have done to you, she is still your mini god on earth. After this, I don’t want to hear any dragging again online. If I hear anything again, I will be so mad at you.”
