Residents of Igboho in Oyo State erupted in celebration after a kidnapped family, including a pregnant woman, her children, and a sibling, were released following a two-hour ultimatum issued by Yoruba activist Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

Videos circulating on social media showed large crowds singing, dancing, and rejoicing at the victims’ return to the community.

The release came shortly after Igboho addressed community leaders and traditional rulers, expressing outrage over rising kidnappings and insecurity in the area.

He accused some elements within the Fulani community of involvement in the abductions and referenced a recent case where a ransom bearer was allegedly killed.

“I am Sunday Igboho. I am calm because my fathers asked me to be calm with you. Let this be the last time such a thing will happen,” he warned, while giving a two-hour deadline for the release of the victims.

Igboho had earlier shown restraint at the request of traditional rulers but threatened decisive action if his ultimatum was ignored. Details of exactly how the victims were freed remain unclear, but the swift development has been widely attributed to his intervention.

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President Bola Tinubu has congratulated Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji on his landslide victory in Saturday’s governorship election.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu commended the people of Ekiti State for conducting a peaceful and orderly election and for reposing their trust in the governor.

The President also praised security agencies for ensuring law and order during the poll. Tinubu described Oyebanji as the first governor in Ekiti State’s history to secure back-to-back re-election, noting that the victory represents a strong vote of confidence in continuity and people-centred governance.

He urged the governor to remain magnanimous in victory and to carry all stakeholders along as he consolidates on his achievements in infrastructure, agriculture, education, healthcare, and youth development.

The President called on other candidates and political parties to rally behind Oyebanji for the overall interest of Ekiti State.

INEC declared Oyebanji winner after he polled 319,224 votes, defeating his closest rivals from the PDP and ADC.

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The Japanese government has approved a sharp increase in visa application fees for Nigerians and other foreign nationals, marking the first revision in 48 years.

Under the new structure, effective from July 1, 2026, the fee for a single-entry visa will rise from ¥3,000 ($18.60) to ¥15,000 ($92.99). Similarly, the multiple-entry visa fee will increase from ¥6,000 ($37.20) to ¥30,000 ($187.97).

The hike, approved at a Cabinet meeting, is attributed to inflation, rising costs, and the need to adjust fees set since 1978.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stated that the government does not anticipate a significant negative impact on inbound tourism.

The increase primarily affects applicants from countries requiring visas, such as Nigeria, China, and India. Nationals from visa-exempt countries (including many from Europe and the US) are not affected by the new fees.

This development is expected to make travel to Japan more expensive for many Nigerians planning short-term visits.

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The Osun state police command has dismissed claims of an assassination attempt on Oba Jimoh Olanipekun Larooye II, the Ataoja of Osogbo.

The clarification comes a week after Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, alleged that the monarch was attacked by political thugs in
his palace.

A statement issued on Friday by Abiodun Ojelabi, spokesperson of the Osun police command, said findings from an investigation
panel led by Suleiman Bayonle, deputy commissioner of police in charge of the criminal investigation department (CID), did not support claims of an assassination attempt.

According to the police, the incident occurred on June 3 when Semilola Monday, a 26-year-old man also known as “Ankara”, scaled the
fence of the Ataoja’s palace and gained entry into the premises.

The command said palace staff and residents challenged the suspect, who was unable to provide a reasonable explanation for his presence
and attempted to flee.

“In the course of ensuring pursuit he sustained bodily injury and was rushed to Uniosun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo where he was admitted for medical attention,” the statement reads.

The police said the suspect later admitted entering the palace through the fence but denied any intention to assassinate or attack the
monarch or anyone else.

“He attributed his conduct to excessive admission of substance,” the command said.

The investigation further revealed that the suspect was not carrying a firearm or any offensive weapon at the time of his arrest, the force added.

The police said he was subsequently arraigned before Magistrate Court II in Osogbo on June 8 on a charge of attempted felony and remanded in a correctional facility.

The command added that investigations remain open and urged the public and palace representatives with additional information on the
incident to come forward.

The development follows allegations by Adeleke that the monarch was shot at by thugs allegedly sponsored by the All Progressives
Congress (APC).

The governor, who is seeking re-election on the Accord party platform, had claimed that Ataoja was targeted for publicly endorsing his
second-term bid.

The incident comes amid heightened political tension between supporters of the governor and the APC ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

On June 4, Asimiyu Ajibola, chairman of Accord in Osun, was shot by gunmen in Osogbo in what was described as an assassination attempt.

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The Oyo state fire service says six persons lost their lives in a multiple-vehicle accident involving tankers, articulated trucks and cars at the Ibadan toll gate section of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway on Friday night.

The crash, which triggered a fire outbreak, also left many commuters stranded for hours on Saturday as traffic built up along the busy highway.

In a statement, Moroof Akinwande, chairman of the Oyo state fire service, said eight other persons were rescued from the wreckage and
handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) for medical attention.

Akinwande said the agency received a distress call at about 9:29pm from Sola Rotimi, a police officer, and immediately deployed firefighters to the scene.

According to him, emergency responders arrived to find six vehicles involved in the accident, including gas tankers, articulated trucks and two cars, with parts of the scene already engulfed in flames.

“The crew quickly swung into action, and the fire was restricted from causing further damage to other vehicles and nearby properties,” he said.

Preliminary investigations, he added, indicated that brake failure may have been responsible for the accident.

The fire service boss urged motorists to exercise caution on highways and ensure their vehicles are equipped with functional fire extinguishers to help contain emergencies before they escalate.

Videos circulating on social media showed hundreds of vehicles trapped in gridlock as burnt tankers obstructed one section of the
road.

Charred vehicle parts and burnt tyres littered the highway, while commuters expressed frustration over the prolonged delays.

“We have been on the road since 7am. We are still here. We have spent more than necessary. Lagos-Ibadan Expressway needs urgent rescue,”
one stranded passenger said.

Bayegun Oluwatoyin, the comedian and pastor popularly known as Woli Arole, also lamented the situation in a video shared online.

“If you are planning to come to Ibadan today, just stay home. People have been here for between three to four hours. I learnt there are
cars burnt on the way since yesterday. It’s serious,” he said.

Damilare Ogundoyin, a gospel singer known as Dare Justified, advised travellers to plan their journeys carefully and consider alternative
routes, warning that movement along the affected stretch remained extremely slow due to the incident.

“If you are travelling from Lagos to Ibadan or from Ibadan to Lagos today, please plan accordingly,” he wrote.

“There is currently a major traffic gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway following a collision involving four tankers and two
vehicles.

“The incident has caused a complete blockage of traffic in both directions.

“Many commuters have reportedly been stranded in traffic since as early as 7:00 a.m., and movement along the affected stretch remains
extremely slow.”]

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Popular cleric and leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has warned Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is planning to rig or snatch his expected victory in the forthcoming Osun governorship election.

In a fresh prophetic message, Primate Ayodele urged the governor to remain vigilant and take proactive steps to prevent any form of electoral manipulation by the opposition party.

The cleric stressed that while victory has been divinely ordained for Adeleke, the APC would make desperate attempts to overturn the will of the people through rigging.

He advised Governor Adeleke not to accept any suspicious results and to stay alert against electoral malpractices.

The warning comes as political activities intensify ahead of the Osun State governorship poll.

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The federal government will launch FreeTV, a national digital television platform, on June 17 as part of efforts to expand access to
digital broadcasting across the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, the government said the platform would provide Nigerians with free access to more than 100 national, regional
and state television channels without monthly subscription charges.

According to the federal government, the initiative is part of Nigeria’s Digital Switch-Over (DSO) programme and aligns with “President
Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises digital inclusion, job creation and access to opportunities”.

FreeTV will offer a range of programming, including news, sports, movies, music, children’s content, educational programmes, and
dedicated Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo language channels.

The service will be accessible through satellite and terrestrial transmission, as well as the FreeTV mobile application, enabling
users in urban and rural communities to access digital television services.

The government said Nigerians would not need to purchase new television sets to access the platform, provided they have compatible DVB-T2 or DVB-S2 decoders.

Households already using compatible free-to-air decoders may not need additional equipment.

Speaking ahead of the launch, Charles Ebuebu, director-general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said the platform would improve access to digital content while creating opportunities for local creatives and media professionals.

“FreeTV speaks directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of Renewed Hope towards expanding access, creating opportunity and
ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of location or income, can benefit from the digital economy,” Ebuebu said.

“With FreeTV, families across Nigeria can enjoy quality digital television without a monthly subscription, while our local content producers, technicians and young creatives gain new platforms and new jobs.”

The NBC said the platform would also support Nigeria’s creative economy through regional production studios in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kano and Benin.

The studios are expected to create opportunities for content creators, editors, camera operators, sound engineers, technicians and other
professionals within the broadcast value chain.

The commission added that Nigeria’s final analogue switch-off remains scheduled for December 31, 2028, and encouraged citizens to
confirm decoder compatibility and download the FreeTV mobile application ahead of the rollout.

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Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has responded to reports alleging that he is shielding the convicted
leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

In an interview with Nevon News hosted by Rufai Oseni, the former Anambra Governor said he openly criticises every wrong done in Nigeria,
including the South East.

During the interview, Rufai told Obi that his critics are alleging that he does not criticise Kanu

Rufai said, ” Your critics allege that you don’t come out openly to criticise whatever is done wrong by Nnamdi Kanu because he is from
your place.”

But Obi responded saying, “that is nonsense, absolute nonsense. They don’t follow me because if you follow me, I criticise whatever
things that are wrong, whether in the East, North, or anywhere.

“But in criticising it, I keep saying that we should look at it holistically”.

On whether Nnamdi Kanu has done anything wrong to deserve his sentencing, Obi said “Nobody is perfect.”

According to him, “we all have the wrong side of us but I’m saying that in building the future, we use the experiences of things we didn’t
do well to do it better.

“Every human being has done wrong things in the past, whether it is Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho or Peter Obi, we have all done
something wrong.”

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An Imo North senatorial aspirant, Isaac Nwachukwu, has dragged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the Federal High Court in Owerri, seeking to be declared the party’s authentic candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Nwachukwu, in a suit filed on Wednesday through his counsel, Cajethan J. Oguzie, accused the NDC of unlawfully substituting his name with another aspirant despite his emergence as the consensus candidate and substantial financial contributions to the party.

According to court documents, Nwachukwu paid ₦25 million to the NDC ₦20 million as party support and ₦5 million for the nomination/expression of interest form for the Imo North Senatorial District ticket.

He claimed that after being screened, cleared, and ratified as the consensus candidate, his name was inexplicably replaced.

Key reliefs sought by the plaintiff include:

A declaration that he is the rightful consensus candidate of the NDC for the Imo North Senatorial Zone ahead of the 2027 election.

An order restraining the NDC from fielding any other candidate for the zone.

A perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising or accepting the candidacy of any other person except Nwachukwu for the position.

In an affidavit in support of the originating summons, Nwachukwu alleged irregularities in the handling of funds, claiming that his ₦20 million contribution was wrongly allocated to another aspirant, Matthew Omegara, while Omegara’s payment was credited to him.

He stated that he participated fully in the party’s screening exercise and was declared the winner of the primary process before the substitution occurred.

The aspirant further claimed that he was invited to a meeting by the NDC’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, where he was informed that some Imo State party leaders considered him not popular enough to fly the party’s flag.

When contacted, the NDC’s Imo State spokesperson, Dr Charles Akano, said he needed authorisation from party leaders before commenting on the matter. He later stated that he had not yet received approval to speak on the issue.

The case is seen as one of the early legal tussles within the relatively new NDC as opposition parties position themselves for the 2027 polls. The court is yet to fix a hearing date.

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