The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • NAF strike hits ISWAP commanders, fighters in Borno

    NAF strike hits ISWAP commanders, fighters in Borno

    Strike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets have killed several housing Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) leaders and fighters in Southern Tumbuns in Borno State.

    The strike was carried out on July 27 after a series of credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sorties that confirmed the return of terrorists to the area after recent inter-factional clashes, NAF’s spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, announced in a statement yesterday.

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    According to Ejodame, ISR data indicated significant terrorist activity, including the movement of foot soldiers, reactivation of structures, and concealment of possible command centres and logistics depots beneath dense foliage.

    He said: “Acting on credible intelligence, NAF air assets were dispatched to undertake focused strike missions. Aircrew on arrival, acquired and prosecuted pre-selected targets using precision-guided munitions, achieving devastating effects.

    “Preliminary battle damage assessment reveals the destruction of several structures housing key ISWAP leaders, fighters, and logistics storage facilities, effectively disrupting the group’s operational planning and resupply efforts in the region.”

  • Gunmen abduct seven farmers in Ondo

    Gunmen abduct seven farmers in Ondo

    Bandits have abducted seven farmers at Itaogbolu in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The victims were reportedly working on their farmland over the weekend when the gunmen launched a surprise attack and whisked them away.

    A source who spoke under the condition of anonymity told The Nation yesterday that the farmers were harvesting palm fruits when the assailants struck.

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    “They were in the farm harvesting when the kidnappers suddenly appeared and abducted them,” the source said.

    He further disclosed that the kidnappers have contacted the families of the victims, demanding a ransom of N100 million for their release.

    State Commander, Amotekun Corps, Adetunji Adeleye, said his men have begun a search operation in the surrounding forests to secure the victims’ safe return.

    “We are aware of the kidnap case, and our operatives are combing the forest in a bid to rescue the victims unhurt,” he stated.

    Also, the spokesperson for the state Police Command, Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the abduction and assured that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.

    He said: “A joint operation involving security agencies has been launched, and we are working tirelessly to apprehend the culprits and ensure the safe release of the victims.”

  • Youths protest ravaging gully, kidnappings in Auchi

    Youths protest ravaging gully, kidnappings in Auchi

    Youths of Auchi community, headquarters of Etsako West Local Government, Edo State yesterday, caused heavy vehicular traffic on the Benin-Abuja highway during a protest against gully erosion and incessant activities of kidnappers.

    The protesters stormed the popular Jattu Junction with placards demanding government’s action on the gully ravaging parts of the community and an end to kidnapping for ransom.

    Spokesman of the Auchi Youth Council (AYC), Mr Chalaman Momoh, said the protest was to draw attention of government and relevant authorities to their sufferings.

    “We are here to cry out to the government on the issue of gully erosion that is ravaging our community.

    “We have written to the government and we have not got a response. We are also having the issue of kidnapping everyday.

    “We have these kidnappers going into the homes of our people to kidnap them.

    “So, we are here to show solidarity and we are calling on the government to come to Auchi to salvage the gully erosion menace and put an end to the incessant kidnapping of our people in the community,” he lamented.

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    Coordinator, Edo Take It Back Movement, Mr Hafiz Lawal, said over 15 persons were abducted in Auchi within the last few weeks and over N70 million paid as ransom.

    He listed areas affected by gully erosion to include Utsokhwilli gully, water tanker road and Auchi-Igarra road

    “The demands we are placing before the government is the erosion ravaging Auchi.

    “The issue of insecurity with 15 persons from Auchi so far kidnapped.

    “And we are doing the protest to draw the attention of the government to come to our rescue,” Lawal said.

  • Deaths in Yola flood hit 23

    Deaths in Yola flood hit 23

    • Fintiri visits scenes   
    • Governors’ Forum consoles victims

    The number of deaths in the floods in the Adamawa State capital on Sunday, has risen to 23.

    The number was put at between two and five by the evening of Sunday after the rains earlier on that day.. But many were declared missing.

    By the time Governor Ahmadu Fintiri visited scenes of the floods in the late afternoon yesterday, however, the number increased drastically, according to officials who received the governor.

    Fintiri, who was outside the state at the time of the floods, visited the scenes upon his return yesterday afternoon and commiserated with the victims.

    Addressing the victims at the temporary camp at Aliyu Mustafa College Yola, after inspecting several affected areas, the governor described the situation as tragic, 

    “We will constitute a technical committee to carry out a thorough assessment, in collaboration with the state Emergency Management Agency (ADSEMA) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). From there, we will take the necessary steps,” he assured.

    The governor was accompanied on the tour by his Deputy, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta; Speaker, House of Assembly, Bathiya Wesley; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Awwal Tukur; and other top government officials.

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    The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has expressed its grief over the loss of lives and properties as well as displacement of residents occasioned by heavy flooding in Yola North and South Local Government Areas, Adamawa State.

    Chairman of the forum, who is also the Kwara State Governor, Abdulraman AbdulRazaq, in a statement said: “The Forum identifies with the people and government of Adamawa State under the leadership of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri as the state mobilises resources to mitigate the effect of this incident. ‘‘

    “The forum, similarly, commends the Police and Nigerian Army for their swift deployment of marine units on the invitation of the state government to help residents who are caught in this unfortunate situation.

    “The forum stands in firm solidarity with Fintiri and the people of Adamawa at this difficult moment, and will offer its own support to complement the various help that the state can get and deserves to cope with this humanitarian situation.”

  • Police recover body of Kogi journalist murdered by colleague

    Police recover body of Kogi journalist murdered by colleague

    The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the recovery of the body of Mr Ayo Aiyepeku, a photo journalist, allegedly murdered by his colleague, Oluwapelumi Adebayo.

    The command’s spokesperson, Superintendent of Police Williams Ovye-Aya, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lokoja.

    Ovye-Aya explained that Ayobami’s body was found on Sunday evening at a location around WAEC office, Crusher Zone 8 axis in Lokoja.

    The command’s spokesperson said Aiyepeku was murdered by his colleague, Oluwapelumi Adebayo last Tuesday night in an office near the Government House/GRA area of Lokoja.

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    “Yes, the body of the photo-journalist has been found. It was discovered on Sunday evening somewhere around WAEC office, Zone 8 axis of Lokoja.

    “The body has been deposited at Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja,’’ he added..

    “The discreet investigation will help us uncover what truly happened,” Ovye-Aya said.

    He appealed to the victim’s family, colleagues and the public to provide credible information to aid the investigation.

    Meanwhile, the deceased’s family has made a passionate appeal to police authorities and the Kogi government for justice.

     The deceased’s elder brother, Mr Timothy Aiyepeku,and his uncle, Dr Ibikunle Jide, who spoke to NAN, appealed for justice.

    They pleaded with Governor Ahmed Ododo and security agencies to help unravel the mystery behind Ayobami’s murder, and punish the perpetrators.

    “Now that the body has been found, we once again appeal to the Federal and Kogi State governments and police authorities to uncover the mystery behind the killing.

    “We commend the Police for their effort so far, and the media for ensuring the incident receives wide coverage and public attention,” they added.

    Aiyepeku’s assailant had after killing him, loaded his body into a deep freezer and disposed of it.

    It was gathered that Ayobami’s body was found by residents of the area who raised an alarm.

    Residents were said to have been attracted to a nearby bush in the area by foul odour from the decomposing body of the photographer.

    On sighting his body, residents alerted the Chairman of Lokoja Local Government, Abdullahi Adamu, who arrived at the spot in company of some security agents to recover the body.

  • Police escort killed in attack on FMC Owerri MD’s convoy

    Police escort killed in attack on FMC Owerri MD’s convoy

    Gunmen have ambushed the convoy of Dr. Kingsley Achigbu, the Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Owerri, killing his security escort and leaving three others critically injured.

    The ambush occurred around 4 pm on Saturday on the Okigwe-Owerri Road, near Umuhu in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area.

    It was learnt that the convoy, which included two police officers, Inspector Uwem Samuel, and Inspector Obinna Egege, was escorting the FMC Medical Director, his wife, and daughter back to Owerri when the attackers opened fire on their vehicle, a Toyota Hilux belonging to FMC Owerri.

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    It was gathered that the Commissioner of Police in Imo, Aboki Danjuma, deployed tactical rescue teams, in collaboration with troops from the Military Forward Operating Base (FOB), Okigwe, to the scene.

    The injured officers were evacuated to FMC, where one of the escorts was confirmed dead, while the others were reportedly receiving treatment.

    “There was no loss of arms or ammunition during the incident. The director’s wife and daughter were unhurt, though the civilian driver of the vehicle remains missing,” the source said.

    When contacted, Achigbu said he would call back, but he had not done so by the time this report was filed.

    The state Police spokesman, Henry Okoye, couldn’t be reached.

    It was, however, gathered that security operatives had launched a manhunt for the attackers and were combing the surrounding areas to locate the missing driver.

  • Suspected self-kidnapper, two accomplices held in Delta

    Suspected self-kidnapper, two accomplices held in Delta

    • Customer allegedly murder female cement seller

    The Delta State Police Command has arrested a suspected self-kidnapper and two accomplices involved in kidnapping in Asaba, the state capital.

    The command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent of Police (SP) Bright Edafe, said in a statement yesterday that the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, directed the Commander Special Anti-Kidnapping and Cybercrimes Squad, Chief Superintendent of Police Godwin Osadolor, to wade in.

    Osadolor apprehended one Alfred Elisha, and another suspect, Ugochukwu Adim, in Asaba, on July 22.

    Edafe said suspects confessed that it was a plot between the victim and themselves.

    Their revelation, according to him, led to the arrest of the other suspect,  Merit Eleh, 29. who confessed that she spent the loan of about N3.6million from her brother, on her wedding in March.

    Worried about the payment, she orchestrated her kidnap to get the money.

    Edafe said: “She (Merit) further stated that she faked her kidnap and received a ransom of N3 million and gave her accomplices N500,000, and she took N2.5million.”

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    Also,a female cement seller, Miss Happy Odhegba, has been allegedly murdered by a customer, simply identified as Mr. Mayor of Owhelogbo community in Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.

    The Nation gathered that the horrific incident occurred on Sunday at the residence of the suspect

    Sources claimed that Mr. Mayor, said to be a native of Imo State, but resident in Owhelogbo, had invited the deceased to his apartment.

    The two were reportedly acquainted through her business, as Happy supplied cement for the building project Mayor was undertaking in the area.

    According to reports, neighbours recounted hearing a heated argument and shouts from the apartment shortly after Happy arrived.

    But, after a while, there was silence.

    It was learnt that the confrontation turned violent, leading to Mayor allegedly strangling and stabbing the young woman multiple times.

    Following the suspected murder, the assailant was said to have fled the scene, abandoning the victim’s lifeless body in the house.

    Security operatives were said to have been alerted of the incident and later assisted the family in depositing the remains of the deceased at a morgue.

    When contacted yesterday, the state Police Command’s spokesman, Superintendent of Police Bright Edafe, promised to “revert” on the matter. But he was yet to do so as of press time.

  • ‘Why journalists must embrace AI’

    ‘Why journalists must embrace AI’

    As technology continues to rapidly change how things are done, journalists have been urged to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) or risk fading into irrelevance in the coming months.

    Senior Manager, Architecture and Engineering at MTN Nigeria, Chukwuebuka Ezewuzie, made the appeal at the School of Media and Communication, Pan-Atlantic University, where he delivered a lecture to the MTN MIP-4 cohorts, last week.

    Ezewuzie noted that AI offers a wide range of possibilities to journalists including generating headlines, summarising lengthy articles, crafting interview questions based on existing data and producing multimedia content for diverse platforms within minutes.

    Acknowledging the challenges journalists face such as tight deadlines, multiple content formats and the need for accuracy; the tech expert said AI would reduce these burdens if adequately deployed.

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    “You can upload entire documents and ask the AI to provide a simplified summary tailored to your tone and style,” he explained.

    However, he warned against blind reliance on AI outputs, stressing the need for fact-checking due to potential errors, hallucinations and biases in the technology.

    He also spoke about the visual storytelling power of AI particularly in generating images and videos that match the tone of a story.

    “You can instruct the AI to create visuals that are appropriate and avoid injurious content,” he said.

    While acknowledging ethical concerns such as deep fakes, Ezewuzie pointed out that AI is also being used to detect such manipulated content, with tech giants like Facebook already deploying tools to flag deep fakes and copyright breaches. He concluded by urging journalists to develop AI skills, noting that very soon, proficiency in AI will be a basic professional requirement, just like computer literacy.

  • Gunmen abduct seven farmers in Ondo

    Gunmen abduct seven farmers in Ondo

    Armed bandits have abducted seven farmers at Itaogbolu in the Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    The victims were reportedly working on their farmland over the weekend when the gunmen launched a surprise attack and whisked them away.

    A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Nation on Monday that the farmers were harvesting palm fruits when the assailants struck.

    “They were in the farm harvesting when the kidnappers suddenly appeared and abducted them,” the source said.

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    He further disclosed the kidnappers have contacted the families of the victims, demanding a ransom of ₦100 million for their release.

    Confirming the incident, the Commander of the Amotekun Corps in the State, Adetunji Adeleye, said his men have begun a search operation in the surrounding forests to secure the victims’ safe return.

    “We are aware of the kidnap case, and our operatives are currently combing the forest in a bid to rescue the victims unhurt,” he stated.

    Also, Ondo police spokesperson Ayanlade Olayinka, confirmed the abduction and assured that efforts were underway to rescue the victims.

    He said: “A joint operation involving security agencies has been launched, and we are working tirelessly to apprehend the culprits and ensure the safe release of the victims.”

  • FCT Operation Sweep arrests 210 ‘robbers’, beggars

    FCT Operation Sweep arrests 210 ‘robbers’, beggars

    To curb crime and restore order in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the joint security taskforce code named Operation Sweep has arrested 210 One-Chance operators, street beggars and scavengers.

    The suspects comprising 80 men, 58 women, and 72 children were arrested within three days of the launch of the operation.

    This was disclosed by the FCT Director of Security, Damy Gwary, after a meeting with security commanders where the multi-agency operation was reviewed.

    The meeting, which took place at the FCT Police Command headquarters in Abuja, was convened to evaluate field reports, identify operational issues, and devise proactive strategies to consolidate on early gains. 

    In attendance were high-ranking officials from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), among others.

    A statement by the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh, said the review session underscored the importance of improved intelligence sharing, enhanced patrol coordination and joint enforcement efforts across the territory.

    “Operation Sweep was initiated to sanitize the city and ensure law-abiding residents can go about their legitimate activities without fear. What we are seeing already is a demonstration of inter-agency synergy working effectively,” she said.

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    The initiative is in line with the directive of the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who has repeatedly emphasized the need to rid Abuja of criminal elements and those constituting environmental nuisance.

    Speaking on the arrests, the Acting Director of Social Welfare Services, Mrs. Gloria Onwuka, confirmed that the beggars were being profiled for evacuation to their states of origin, while the suspected criminals are currently in police custody undergoing investigation.

    “Some of the arrested individuals belong to organized criminal networks, including the ‘one chance’ syndicates. Others are scavengers operating without any form of regulation,” Mrs. Onwuka earlier told journalists.