The dramatic rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted from schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State after 56 days in captivity was the result of a month-long intelligence-driven operation led by the Nigerian Army and supported by multiple security agencies.

Residents of Ogbomoso and surrounding communities celebrated as news of the victims’ release spread, with travellers and locals breaking into spontaneous jubilation.

The operation was coordinated by Maj. Gen. Chinedu Nnebeife, General Officer Commanding 2 Division, Nigerian Army.

He supervised the intelligence-led mission that dismantled the kidnappers’ network around Old Oyo National Park, cutting off their logistics routes and camps.

Key Highlights of the Rescue

Maj. Gen. Nnebeife: Assumed command of 2 Division in August 2025 and has since led several successful operations, including rescues in Kwara State.

Multi-agency collaboration: The mission involved personnel from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, DSS, NIA, NSCDC, Amotekun Corps, local hunters and vigilantes.

Elite units: Special Boat Service, Defence HQ Special Operations Forces, Army SOF snipers, Police IRT, and DSS tactical teams played critical roles.

Casualties: The Army confirmed losses among security personnel but withheld details, stressing the operation was carefully planned to avoid harm to the victims.

Victims’ care: The freed pupils and teachers were taken to hospital for treatment before being handed over to the Oyo State Government for reunification with their families.

The Presidency confirmed that eight suspected kidnappers were arrested and several neutralised during the operation. Importantly, the rescue was achieved without ransom payments or concessions, despite demands for the release of a detained Boko Haram suspect.

President Bola Tinubu commended the security agencies, noting that the children and teachers were freed unharmed and without ransom.

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At least one person is feared trapped after a two-storey building under construction collapsed on Sultan Road in Kano metropolis around 9 a.m. on Friday.

As of the time of reporting, rescue workers had successfully pulled three people from the rubble, while efforts continued to locate and rescue a fourth victim believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

Eyewitnesses reported that construction workers on the upper floor noticed warning signs of an imminent collapse and quickly fled the site. However, four individuals, including a security guard and a commercial tricycle (Keke Napep) driver were trapped when the structure gave way.

One of the construction workers, Shu’aibu Yaro, confirmed the sequence of events. “The engineer noticed signs that the building was about to collapse, so the workers immediately ran for safety,” he said.

Three of the victims, including the security guard and one of his friends, were rescued and rushed to Sir Muhammadu Sanusi Specialist Hospital in Kano for treatment after sustaining injuries. Rescue officials were still searching for the fourth person.

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Minister of Works, David Umahi, has said nobody is threatening the life of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC,.presidential
candidate, Peter Obi.

Umahi while inspecting some legacy projects in Ebonyi State, dismissed Obi’s statement that political opponents want him dead.

He attributed Obi’s statement to frustration, saying the former Anambra governor is worried about President Bola Tinubu’s acceptance in the South-East.

The minister said: “Nobody wants Obi dead, it’s not just reasonable. We all want him alive to contest this election and watch himself lose again.

“What he is afraid of is because he said South-East is his catchment area because of the last election which I call accident of history, but we have come with visible development in the zone and our people have now agreed with us that we are better off with President Tinubu to complete the good works he is doing for us than playing Artificial intelligence kind of politics.”

Umahi reiterated his readiness to debate with Peter Obi on the many gains of the Tinubu administration and reason the South-East should be grateful for inclusion in national politics.

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President Bola Tinubu has submitted his All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form and retained Kashim Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Ibrahim Masari, the president’s special adviser on political affairs, announced the development on Tinubu’s behalf.

Masari submitted the nomination forms for Tinubu and Shettima during a brief event attended by APC leaders at the Continental Hotel in Abuja.

The submission formally confirms Tinubu’s decision to retain Shettima as his running mate for the 2027 general election.

In June 2022, Tinubu selected Masari as his running mate, in placeholder capacity. The “placeholder” designation was intended to keep the joint ticket in place while Tinubu and the APC decided on the final VP nominee.

The president later named Shettima as his substantive running mate.

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo and chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, led APC governors to the event.

Also in attendance were members of the APC national working committee (NWC), the party’s caucus in the national assembly, members of the federal executive council (FEC), and other party leaders and stakeholders.

The submission of the nomination forms marks the formal commencement of Tinubu’s bid for a second term on the APC platform, with Shettima again completing the party’s presidential ticket.

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President Bola Tinubu says the rescue of the abducted pupils and teachers from schools in Oriire LGA of Oyo state has brought relief to the entire nation.

Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, said in a statement on Friday that Tinubu “expressed profound joy” over the successful rescue of the victims.

Onanuga said the president commended the military, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the police “for working round the clock in the last 56 days to secure the release of the abducted children and their teachers without any collateral damage and for arresting eight of the abductors and neutralising others.”

Onanuga said Tinubu also expressed regret over the suffering endured by the children, their teachers, their families, and the nation since the abduction.

The president praised the Oyo state government for working closely with the federal government throughout the rescue operation and urged the state to strengthen security around schools.

“I am profoundly happy that our security forces successfully rescued the abducted pupils and teachers from Orire, Ogbomoso in Oyo State today after a military, police and intelligence-driven operation that neutralised some of the terrorists that perpetrated the evil act and the arrest of eight of them,” the statement reads.

“This successful military operation has ended the siege and standoff of over 50 days and has brought relief to the entire nation and the affected families in particular.

“On behalf of the country, I express my gratitude to the officers and men of our armed forces, the intelligence agencies and the police for the safe rescue of the children and their teachers.

“My government will get justice for these children and their teachers and for the family of Mr Oyedokun, who the terrorists gruesomely murdered.

“I must commend the government of Oyo State for working cooperatively with us in bringing this unfortunate incident to a successful end.”

The president also directed emergency agencies to work with the Oyo state government to provide the rescued children and teachers with all necessary medical care and relief support.

It is understood that the pupils and their teachers were rescued during a joint operation involving personnel of the Nigerian Army and the police, backed by intelligence from the DSS.

A security source said at least nine of the bandits were killed during the operation, while eight were arrested and are in the custody of the DSS.

On May 15, gunmen attacked Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota; Community Grammar School, Esiele; and LA Primary School in Ogbomoso, all in Oriire LGA.

The Oyo police command said two people were killed during
the attack on the schools. At least 45 schoolchildren and teachers were
reportedly kidnapped during the incident.

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The kidnapped pupils and teachers from Orire, Oyo State, have been freed by their abductors.

The development comes after more than 50 days in captivity.

Their release was announced in a post on X on Friday by Bayo Onanuga, spokesman for the presidency.

“Finally, the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo, have been freed by their abductors,” Onanuga wrote.

Details to follow…

The Federal Government has announced plans to implement 112 as Nigeria’s nationwide emergency telephone number, aiming to unify and strengthen the country’s emergency response system.

The initiative was disclosed in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), following a meeting between Vice President Kashim Shettima and a delegation from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) at the Presidential Villa.

The move comes days after the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Shettima, approved the adoption of 112 across all levels of government and agencies.

Shettima directed the NCC to develop a roadmap for implementation and to collaborate with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to improve coordination nationwide.

“The Vice President assured the delegation that the project would be sustained, with funding mobilised through NEC and private sector support,” the statement read.

NCC Chairman Idris Ibikunle Olorunnimbe noted that about 35 Emergency Communications Centres had already been established across the country, but urged greater support from governors, the police, ambulance services, and NEMA to keep them operational.

He stressed that the success of the initiative would depend on collective commitment:“Everyone is expected to buy into this initiative. It is a patriotic duty to ensure that anyone in distress can get help swiftly.”

The adoption of 112 is expected to streamline emergency response, reduce delays, and provide Nigerians with a single, reliable number for police, fire, medical, and disaster-related emergencies.

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By Tony Ezike

Distinguished Senator Uche Ekwunife, CON, has been appointed as a Member of the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria (SESN), a recognition of her outstanding leadership, integrity, and unwavering commitment to science, technology, innovation, and sustainable national development.

The appointment was communicated in an official letter dated May 1, 2026, and signed by the President of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria, Dr. Sunny Akpoyibo, FSESN. According to the Society, Senator Ekwunife’s wealth of experience in public service and her remarkable contributions to national development make her a worthy addition to its highest decision-making body.

As a BOT member, Senator Ekwunife will provide strategic direction and oversight, help safeguard the Society’s mission, support research and advocacy in renewable energy, promote the adoption of solar technologies, and contribute to policy decisions aimed at advancing Nigeria’s clean energy transition.

The appointment, which took effect on April 15, 2026, is for an initial two-year term, subject to the provisions of the Society’s constitution. Senator Ekwunife formally accepted the appointment on May 11, 2026, pledging to faithfully discharge her responsibilities in line with the Society’s ideals and constitutional provisions.

Established in 1980, the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria remains one of the nation’s leading professional organizations promoting solar and renewable energy through research, advocacy, policy engagement, public enlightenment, and professional collaboration.

Senator Ekwunife’s appointment is widely regarded as a testament to her impactful service as Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation during the 9th National Assembly. During her tenure, she played a significant role in strengthening the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), championing legislative reforms that secured first-line charge funding for the agency from the Federation Account, thereby boosting technological innovation and industrial growth.

Her inclusion on the SESN Board of Trustees further underscores her enduring commitment to national development. Stakeholders believe her experience and leadership will strengthen the Society’s efforts to expand renewable energy access, promote sustainable energy policies, and support Nigeria’s journey toward a cleaner, greener, and more resilient energy future.

A federal high court in Abuja has remanded Bello Bodejo, president of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged $2.63 million money laundering case.

Inyang Ekwo, presiding judge, on Thursday, ordered that Bodejo remain in the anti-graft agency’s custody pending the determination of his bail application.

The judge adjourned the matter to July 20 for ruling on the bail request.

Bodejo was arraigned on charges bordering on alleged money
laundering and pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Following the arraignment, Wahab Shittu, counsel to the EFCC, asked the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant.

Ahmed Raji, counsel to Bodejo, informed the court that a bail application had already been filed and urged the court to hear it.

Moving the application, Raji said the motion, filed on June 30, was supported by several grounds.

The senior advocate argued that the offences alleged against his client are bailable under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) and urged the court to grant bail.

Shittu opposed the application, relying on a 28-paragraph counter-affidavit filed by the EFCC.

“We adopt all our processes in opposition to the application my lord,” he said.

The prosecutor argued that Bodejo had previously been “a guest at the Department of State Services (DSS) for other offences” and could commit further offences if released on bail.

Shittu also dismissed the defendant’s claim of ill health, arguing that the injury he referred to was not recent and that he did not appear to be in poor health.

He further submitted that Bodejo could interfere with witnesses if granted bail, but urged the court to impose stringent conditions should it decide otherwise.

According to the charge, the EFCC alleged that Bodejo, on January 21, 2022, accepted $200,000 in cash from Sa’idu Abubakar, a former accountant-general of Bauchi State, in a transaction that exceeded the threshold permitted by law.

The commission also alleged that he received another $100,000 in cash from Abubakar on October 26, 2022, and a further $980,000 in separate cash transactions.

The EFCC said the alleged offences contravene Section 19(1)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and are punishable under Section 19(2)(b) of the same Act.

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