News
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Our local hunters should be allowed to secure our bushes and farmsteads – Prophet Sam Olu- Alo
Christian cleric, Prophet Sam Olu-Alo, has called on the federal government to engage local hunters in protecting Nigeria’s farmsteads, worship centres, and forested areas currently under attack by bandits and terrorists. Speaking in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, Olu-Alo said that true local hunters possess the knowledge, experience, and traditional methods needed to confront the criminals destabilising rural communities and faith-based institutions. “He further appealed to the government, religious bodies, and traditional rulers to partner with these hunters, noting that they hold vital grassroots intelligence capable of strengthening security in their communities. Insecurity always starts at the grassroots.…
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My Dad discovered banana island – Kiddwaya claims
Former Big Brother Naija star, Kiddwaya, has stated that his father, Terry Waya, was the one who discovered the renowned Banana Island in Lagos. He made this revelation during a recent episode of the Off The Record podcast. During the conversation, the host asked, “I heard that your dad discovered Banana Island. Is that correct?” Kiddwaya responded, “Yeah, I didn’t even know until I heard it during one of my trips.”
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“My Father called comedy a Useless business” – Sabinus opens up after his father wanted him to become a lawyer
Nigerian comedian Emmanuel Ejekwu, widely known as Sabinus, has shared that his father initially disapproved of his dream to pursue comedy. During an open conversation with VJ Adams, Sabinus revealed that his father had hoped he would study Law. However, after being unable to secure admission into the programme, he opted for Linguistics and Communication Studies instead. He said it was during his time at the University of Port Harcourt that he discovered his flair for comedy and began creating skits. According to him, when his father eventually learned that he had become a skit maker, he expressed regret over…
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Single mother stigma only applies to poor women – Reality TV Star, Mercy Eke says she won’t mind having children outside marriage
Reality TV star and Big Brother Naija Season 4 winner, Mercy Eke, has opened up about her views on motherhood and marriage, saying she has no problem having a child outside wedlock if life unfolds that way. Speaking on a recent podcast, Mercy said she isn’t intentionally trying to get pregnant before marriage, but if it happens, she would keep the baby. She shared her desire to have three children, preferably girls, and made it clear that marriage is not a prerequisite for her to start a family. Mercy also pushed back against the stigma society places on single mothers,…
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FG Didn’t Pay Ransom for Kebbi and Niger Kidnap Victims — Senate Spokesman, Adaramodu
Senate spokesman Yemi Adaramodu has insisted that the Federal Government did not pay ransom for the release of individuals recently abducted in Kebbi and Niger States. Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, Adaramodu addressed growing public concern over the lack of visible evidence showing clashes between security forces and the kidnappers during the rescue operations. “From our side at the National Assembly, we believe the Federal Government did not pay any ransom to anybody,” he said. He noted that engagements with abductors can take different forms, either “through force or persuasion”, and that not all security operations…
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Bandits haven’t enjoyed city life, combine amnesty, military action – ACF’s Dalhatu to FG
Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Bashir Dalhatu, has urged the Federal Government to adopt a combined strategy of negotiation and military force in addressing insecurity across northern Nigeria. Speaking on ARISE Television’s Morning Show on Friday, Dalhatu argued that the dual approach has worked in other regions and could yield similar results in the North. He suggested that a model similar to the Niger Delta amnesty programme, which rehabilitated militants through education and reintegration, could be explored. Dalhatu noted that many bandits grew up without access to schooling or exposure to urban life. While insisting that crime must…
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UniPort student sentenced to death for murder of girlfriend
A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has sentenced 26-year-old Damian Okoligwe, a 400-level Petrochemical Engineering student of the University of Port Harcourt, to death by hanging for the murder of his girlfriend, Justina Otuene, a 300-level Biochemistry student. Justice Chiwen Nsirim Nwosu delivered the judgment on Friday, ruling that the prosecution led by Charles Obediah-Mbaba, proved beyond reasonable doubt that Okoligwe killed Justina in October 2023 at his Ozuoba residence. The court held that her death resulted directly from his actions. Okoligwe was arrested after neighbours alerted police to a foul smell coming from his room. Officers forced…
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I might have been a math teacher if I wasn’t a musician – Tems
Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has shared what her career path might have looked like if music hadn’t worked out. During an interactive Q&A with fans on X on Tuesday, a follower asked what she would be doing today if she wasn’t an artist. Tems replied: “I might have been an accountant or a mathematics teacher.” Before her rise to global fame, the Grammy-winning singer worked as a digital marketer, a job she quit in January 2018 to pursue music full-time. She released her debut single Mr Rebel in July 2018, gaining early attention in Nigeria. Her…
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‘’We know their locations, but these areas are places where direct strikes could endanger civilians” – Minister of Defence speaks on the challenges of fighting bandits
Minister of Defence Mohammed Badaru Abubakar has shed light on the military’s challenges in confronting bandit groups, saying the main obstacle is the risk posed to civilians in areas where the criminals operate. Speaking to the BBC Hausa Service, Badaru explained that the military often identifies the locations of bandits but cannot launch immediate attacks due to the danger to nearby communities. “This is how guerrilla warfare works. There will be periods of calm, then an attack that shakes the nation. Yes, we know their locations, but some areas are places where direct strikes could endanger civilians, or forests where…
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Insecurity: ‘Let’s tell President Tinubu the truth’- Senator Seriake Dickson tackles colleagues for commending President Tinubu despite abductions
Senator Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa West) has called on the Senate to be honest with President Bola Tinubu about Nigeria’s worsening security situation instead of offering praise. During Wednesday’s plenary, Dickson warned against “sugarcoating” the crisis, saying leaders must avoid political correctness and sycophancy. “The President needs to be told the true situation. Sugarcoating is hypocrisy and a disservice to the country,” he said. He criticised a proposal to commend the President on security efforts, calling it insensitive and ill-timed, especially to victims of banditry, insurgency, and kidnapping. “If things were going well, we wouldn’t be here. How will victims, grieving…
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We are in this fight together – Tinubu Declares Nationwide Security Emergency, Orders Massive Police and Military Recruitment
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday declared a nationwide security emergency, directing the Nigerian Police and Armed Forces to immediately recruit more personnel to combat rising insecurity. In a statement from the State House, Tinubu authorised the police to recruit an additional 20,000 officers, raising the total planned intake to 50,000. He also approved the use of NYSC camps as temporary training centres and ordered officers withdrawn from VIP duties to undergo crash retraining for deployment to high-risk areas. “In view of the emerging security situation, I have decided to declare a nationwide security emergency and order additional recruitment into…
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Bandits whereabouts known, attack risky – Presidential aide, Bayo Onanuga says
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has defended the federal government’s response to the wave of insecurity troubling northern Nigeria.Speaking on ARISE News’ Prime Time on Monday, Nov. 24, he said security agencies already know the identities and hideouts of the bandit groups behind recent mass abductions — including the attack on St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State. According to Onanuga, the challenge isn’t lack of intelligence but the operational risks involved. He explained that many of the bandits operate from enclaves where abducted civilians are used as human shields, making direct…
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