A military transport plane crashed Monday when taking off in Colombia, officials said, with at least 80 people aboard though there were conflicting reports about how many troops were dead and injured.

As many as 50 people may have survived when the Hercules aircraft went down shortly after departure from Puerto Leguizamo, near the southern border with Ecuador, a military source said.

The troubled border area has been the scene of heavy military activity in recent weeks, as the Colombian and Ecuadoran militaries try to tackle drug-running cartels and militias.

The cause of the crash was not immediately known. State broadcaster RCN broadcast images of a badly damaged fuselage aflame in a forest clearing.

Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez expressed “deep sorrow” at the accident.

“Military units are already at the scene,” Sanchez posted on social media, adding that “the number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been confirmed.”

“It is a deeply painful event for the country. May our prayers bring some measure of comfort,” said Sanchez.

The crash is the second by a C-130 Hercules aircraft in South America in under a month.

A Bolivian military cargo plane carrying banknotes crashed while landing near La Paz on February 27, leaving at least 24 people dead.

The Hercules is a four-engine turboprop plane built by Lockheed Martin.

Renowned for its ability to operate from makeshift airstrips, it is widely used by militaries around the world and can carry everything from troops to vehicles.

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The National Emergency Management Agency on Monday received 708 stranded Nigerians from Niamey, the Niger Republic.

The Head of Operations, NEMA Kano Office, Dr. Nura Abdullahi, made this known while briefing newsmen, shortly after receiving the returnees at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano for profiling.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the returnees, conveyed in 12 luxurious buses, arrived at about 4:08 pm. and are currently undergoing physical verification.

The returnees comprised 292 male adults and children, 416 female adults and children from different parts of Nigeria, particularly Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Benue, Borno, Yobe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Kogi and Niger states.

Abdullahi said the returnees were brought back by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said the returnees have been fed, and arrangements have been made for temporary shelter.

“They have also been given blankets, mosquito nets and dignity kits containing toiletries, wrappers, sanitary pads and other essentials.

“By tomorrow morning, after necessary profiling, they will be transported to their respective states,” Abdullahi said.

He noted that medical personnel from the Nigerian Red Cross were on the ground to provide treatment for sick returnees, while severe cases would be referred to appropriate state health facilities.

He advised the general public and Nigerian youths to avoid endangering their lives by travelling to seek greener pastures in other countries.

Also speaking, the Kano Field Coordinator of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Hajiya Luba Liman, described the exercise as a “whole-of-government approach” to evacuate stranded Nigerians.

She said the evacuation was facilitated by the Federal Government in collaboration with the Nigerian Embassy in Niamey and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“This is a voluntary return. Many of them could not afford to come back on their own, so the government arranged for their evacuation,” Liman said.

Recounting their ordeals, one of the returnees, Malam Kamalu Abdullahi from Kaduna State, said he had lived in Niamey for 12 years before violence forced him to flee.

“I woke up one morning, hearing people shouting ‘fire, fire’. My house and those of other Nigerians were set ablaze. When I came out, I was attacked and told to leave the country,” he said.

He commended the Federal Government for providing shelter and facilitating their return to Nigeria, stressing that he would not return to Niger even if offered financial incentives.

Rabi’a Inusa, a mother of three from Jigawa, said family challenges pushed her into traveling to Niamey with two of her children, where she spent five months in hardship.

“My husband in Nigeria sold our house and threw my belongings on the street. I decided to travel to Algeria to seek greener pastures, rent a house in Nigeria, and provide for my children.

“I was sleeping on the streets. I was directed to a camp for voluntary returnees. I spent over N100,000 on transport when I was travelling to Niamey and returned home with nothing,” she said.

NAN reports that many of the returnees, mostly women and children, appeared unkempt and distressed on arrival.

The representatives of NEMA, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and IDPs, Kano SEMA Executive Secretary, Alhaji Isyaku Abdullahi-Kubarachi, and the Nigeria Immigration Service, among other stakeholders, were on the ground to receive the returnees.

NAN

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Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has approved the appointment of a new set of officials and special advisers to strengthen governance, enhance policy implementation, and improve service delivery across the state.

The appointments, which take effect immediately, cover senior civil service positions and advisory roles critical to the administration’s strategic objectives.

The appointees include:

Barrister (Mrs.) Ngozi Iwouno — Head of Service

Barrister Joachin Peters Anetoh — Principal Secretary to the Governor

Dr. Ben Nwankwo — Chief of Staff to the Governor

Professor Frank-Collins Okafor — State Chief of Protocol

Barrister Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN — Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice

Mr. Christian Aburime — Chief Press Secretary to the Governor

Dr. Vincent Egbuna Okechi — Deputy Chief of Staff

Ms. Ngozi Lucy Okoye — Deputy State Chief of Protocol

Dr. Godwin Nnadozie — Special Adviser on Medicals and Pharmaceuticals

Ms. Chinwe Okoli — Special Adviser on Innovation and Business Incubation; Chief Executive Officer, Solution Innovation District

Professor (Engr.) Ebuka Nwankwo — Special Adviser on Special Projects; Director, Project Evaluation and Monitoring

Mr. Ken Emeakayi — Special Adviser on Community Security

According to a statement signed by Mr. Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the appointments are part of the administration’s ongoing efforts to institutionalize effective governance, strengthen oversight, and deliver results that benefit the people of Anambra State.

Oil price plunged on Monday to $96 a barrel after Donald
Trump, United States (US) president, said he would postpone any military
strikes against Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure for five days.

Brent crude, global oil benchmark, dropped by 9.47 percent
to $96.33 per barrel.

US West Texas Intermediate dipped by 8.99 percent to $89.40
a barrel.

In a Truth Social post earlier today, Trump said the
decision to postpone the military strikes followed “very good and productive
conversations” between the United States and Iran.

Trump’s decision came a day after Iran warned it would
completely close the Strait of Hormuz if Trump carried out his threat to bomb
Tehran’s power plants.

The US president had issued the 48-hour ultimatum on
Saturday, which would have expired on Monday.

On March 12, the US approved a short-term authorisation
permitting the sale of Iranian oil currently stranded at sea.

Scott Bessent, US treasury secretary, said the permit
applies only to the sale of Iranian-origin crude oil and petroleum products
that are already loaded on vessels.

Petrol prices in Nigeria rose further to record levels on
Monday as the Middle East rages on.

On March 22, Mohammed Idris, minister of information, said
Nigeria was ready to support global stability, particularly in the energy
sector, amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.

Aprokorepublic

King Mitchy, the influencer, has opened up about her ordeal
after consuming a substance known as sniper.

The influencer recently took to social media to share a video wherein she described how dangerous it was to consume the insecticide and the toll it took on her body.

king Mitchy advises people not to drink H¥P0 or Sn!P3r after she said she took 1 gallon of oil after taking sniper & had to go for full body detox to get it out of her system 😂 pic.twitter.com/lEwrwabxMH

— D3VID 🐢 (@DurkioWiz) March 23, 2026

“Now, I am totally clean, my blood and everything is clean,
nothing is in my system again,” she said.

Mitchy recalled that despite drinking “one gallon of oil,”
her liver was still affected.

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She thanked God the situation was noticed quickly, and she
underwent what she described as a “super detox,” noting that it was no minor
ordeal.

She also issued a warning to others, urging them not to
attempt such an act.

“No do am ooo, if you’re going through something, send me a
request, let’s talk about it together. Don’t drink hypo or sniper,” she said in
a mixture of English and pidgin.

The controversy began weeks ago after an online clash
between Mitchy and activist VeryDarkMan over her charitable activities,
including a school renovation project she claimed was completed in just six
days.

The situation escalated when VeryDarkMan alleged that Seyi
Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, was secretly funding Mitchy’s
philanthropic efforts — a claim that ignited widespread debate online. Seyi
later denied the allegation.

The drama reached a turning point when an emotional Mitchy
appeared on a live stream and consumed a substance believed to be bleach and
sniper.

Her management initially claimed she had died before later
retracting the death announcement.

Aprokorepublic

Princess Ntuk Williams, the Nigerian disc jockey better
known as DJ Pretty Play, has completed her bid to set a new world record for
the longest marathon club DJing.

The entertainer began the 288-hour challenge on March 11 at
Bay Lounge in Lagos’s Lekki area and reached the milestone on Monday.

Ahead of the attempt, she described it as a mission to push
beyond limits and showcase the power of discipline and determination.

“I step out with one mission – to push beyond limits and
attempt history. This is more than a challenge; it’s about discipline, passion,
and proving that with determination, anything is possible,” she wrote.

“I’m officially attempting to break the Guinness world
records for the Longest Marathon Club DJ-ing, and every second counts.”

Several celebrities, including film stars Anita Joseph,
Charles Okocha, Ini Edo, and singers D’banj and Slimcase, were spotted cheering
her on during the feat.

The successful attempt came after an earlier try, which
began on March 3, was halted on the third day due to a rule breach.

According to Guinness World Records, a song cannot be
repeated within four hours; she accidentally repeated songs, leading to
disqualification.

“It’s rather unfortunate that I have to restart my 288-hour
DJing attempt. According to GWR guidelines, you can’t repeat a song within four
hours, and it means instant disqualification. So, as it stands, I have been
disqualified and have to start all over,” she said.

Her achievement now awaits official verification from
Guinness World Records.

The current record stands at 10 days and 4 hours — exactly
244 hours and 2 minutes — set by Italy’s DJ Faber Moreira on May 26, 2024.

Aprokorepublic

Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah of Enugu State has charged senior civil servants in the directorate cadre to sustain the state’s ongoing reforms by embracing disruptive innovation and entrenching a results-oriented approach to governance.

The governor gave the directive on Monday in Enugu while declaring open a three-day workshop for Directors and Deputy Directors in the Enugu State Civil Service. The workshop is themed “Fiscal Stewardship, Strategic Oversight, and Institutional Integrity in the Era of Disruptive Innovation.”

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Barr. Ifeanyi Ossai, Mbah emphasised the critical role of top-level civil servants in driving policy implementation, stressing the need for them to internalise emerging governance models anchored on innovation, accountability, and service efficiency.

He noted that the state’s reform agenda, particularly in the area of e-governance, requires a paradigm shift in public service delivery.

“Disruptive innovation and the adoption of e-governance are about rethinking processes, leveraging technology, and relying on empirical data to achieve improved outcomes,” he said.

The governor disclosed that his administration had undertaken a comprehensive restructuring of key sectors of governance, adding that the success of these reforms depends largely on the buy-in and capacity of senior civil servants to effectively communicate and implement government policies.

“We have virtually restructured all facets of governance in Enugu State. It is imperative that you understand these reforms and are able to articulate government programmes clearly to the people,” he added.

Mbah further revealed that the civil service is undergoing a total overhaul aimed at enhancing productivity and ensuring sustainable growth, noting that full adoption of digital systems would streamline operations and improve service delivery timelines.

In his welcome address, the Head of Service, Dr. Godwin Anigbo, described the workshop as a strategic initiative designed to actualise the administration’s reform-driven governance philosophy.

According to him, the state has embarked on a deliberate transition towards a more agile, transparent, and technology-driven civil service.

“We are recalibrating the civil service into an efficient engine of growth. This digital transformation is already reshaping our bureaucratic structures and improving institutional performance,” Anigbo said.

He commended Governor Mbah for providing the leadership, infrastructure, and institutional support necessary to reposition the state’s public service for contemporary governance demands.

Anigbo added that the workshop specifically targets directors as key custodians of fiscal discipline and budgetary oversight, underscoring their strategic importance in ensuring institutional integrity.

Speaking on behalf of participants, the Director of Administration, Ministry of Chieftaincy Matters, and Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Mr. Robinson Ezea, lauded the initiative, noting that continuous capacity building is essential for aligning the workforce with the government’s development vision.

He stressed that improved productivity within the civil service would strengthen the basis for enhanced welfare and better working conditions for public servants, particularly in view of the administration’s target of growing the state’s Gross Domestic Product to $30 billion.

Also speaking, the Director of Legal Services, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Juliet Okonkwo, expressed appreciation for the government’s sustained investment in human capital development, including training programmes in e-governance and digital skills.

The workshop was organised by the Enugu State Government through the Office of the Head of Service, in partnership with Citihoms Finance Limited.

Abuja, Nigeria – It was a vibrant and impactful morning today, Monday, March 23, 2026, as members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) gathered at Eagle Square for a high-energy environmental sanitation walk tagged “Walk for a Cleaner & Safer Environment.”

The exercise, organized by the Environment & Sanitation Sub-Committee of the APC 2026 National Convention, commenced at exactly 7:00am, drawing a massive turnout of party faithful and volunteers clad in green-branded outfits, symbolizing unity and commitment to environmental sustainability.

Leading the initiative were the Chairman of the sub-committee, Ahmed Usman Ododo, and the Secretary, Uche Ekwunife, both of whom were actively involved in coordinating activities and ensuring the smooth execution of the exercise.

The event also attracted several high-profile dignitaries, including former Senate President Pius Anyim, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, and former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari, alongside other notable APC leaders and stakeholders.

Participants moved in well-coordinated groups along designated routes within Abuja’s city center, carrying banners and spreading awareness messages focused on environmental cleanliness, public health, and civic responsibility.

A major highlight of the walk was the resounding slogan:
“When you see something, say something, do something.”

The message echoed strongly throughout the exercise, reinforcing the need for individual and collective responsibility in maintaining a cleaner and safer environment.

Beyond its political significance, the sanitation walk served as a civic engagement initiative, encouraging residents of Abuja to take ownership of their surroundings while fostering a culture of environmental consciousness.

The event marks a significant step in the build-up to the APC 2026 National Convention, showcasing the party’s commitment to sustainability, public health, and grassroots mobilization.

The impressive turnout, presence of top political figures, and seamless organization all contributed to making the exercise a resounding success.

AprokoRepublicmedia Reporting live from Eagle Square, Abuja.

See more pictures below

Leonid Radvinsky, the CEO of OnlyFans, the adult content
platform, has died at the age of 43.

In a statement released on Monday by the company, the
spokesperson said the Ukrainian-born businessman “passed away peacefully after
a long battle with cancer”. It also asked for privacy for his family.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Leo
Radvinsky. Leo passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer. His
family have requested privacy at this difficult time,” the statement reads.

Radvinsky, who grew up in Chicago, United States, acquired
OnlyFans in 2018 from its UK-based founders and built it into one of the most
profitable digital subscription platforms in the world.

Founded in 2016, OnlyFans allows creators to share videos
and photos behind a paywall, earning through subscriptions, tips, and
personalised content.

While the platform hosts a wide range of material from
fitness tutorials to cooking videos — it became widely known for adult content
and its direct creator-to-fan interaction model.

The site’s popularity surged during the COVID-19 pandemic,
as lockdowns pushed more creators and audiences online.

The boom significantly increased Radvinsky’s wealth, earning
him a spot on Forbes’ annual billionaires list within three years of acquiring
the company.

OnlyFans takes a 20 percent commission from creators’
earnings, a model that has contributed to its rapid financial growth and global
reach.

Leonid Radvinsky, the CEO of OnlyFans, the adult content
platform, has died at the age of 43.

In a statement released on Monday by the company, the
spokesperson said the Ukrainian-born businessman “passed away peacefully after
a long battle with cancer”. It also asked for privacy for his family.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the death of Leo
Radvinsky. Leo passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer. His
family have requested privacy at this difficult time,” the statement reads.

Radvinsky, who grew up in Chicago, United States, acquired
OnlyFans in 2018 from its UK-based founders and built it into one of the most
profitable digital subscription platforms in the world.

Founded in 2016, OnlyFans allows creators to share videos
and photos behind a paywall, earning through subscriptions, tips, and
personalised content.

While the platform hosts a wide range of material from
fitness tutorials to cooking videos — it became widely known for adult content
and its direct creator-to-fan interaction model.

The site’s popularity surged during the COVID-19 pandemic,
as lockdowns pushed more creators and audiences online.

The boom significantly increased Radvinsky’s wealth, earning
him a spot on Forbes’ annual billionaires list within three years of acquiring
the company.

OnlyFans takes a 20 percent commission from creators’
earnings, a model that has contributed to its rapid financial growth and global
reach.

Aprokorepublic