Unknown gunmen have abducted a traditional ruler in Kogi State, Oba James Ogunyanda, the Obalohun of Okoloke, from his residence in the early hours of Thursday.
The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. in Okoloke, a quiet community in Yagba West Local Government Area, when a group of heavily armed men invaded the monarch’s palace.
A source, who identified himself as Lucky Omoyele, said the attackers overpowered palace guards before whisking the traditional ruler away to an unknown destination.
He revealed that the kidnappers have yet to make contact or issue any ransom demands.
READ ALSO: Bandits Kill Three In Taraba Community
Omoyele added that concerned residents have since gathered at the palace to pray for the monarch’s safe return and are calling on the government to take urgent action.
The abduction is one of several recent incidents that have heightened insecurity in the area and left residents in a state of anxiety.
The Kogi State Police Command has confirmed the incident and said an investigation is ongoing.
A joint task force comprising security operatives and local vigilantes has reportedly launched a manhunt to locate and rescue the monarch.
Also reacting, the Chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Tosin Olokun, condemned the abduction in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Adeyemi Sunday.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service swiftly contained a minor fire outbreak on Wednesday afternoon at Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital, located on Iju Road, Ifako Ijaiye, in Lagos.
The director of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, confirmed the incident and the emergency team’s response.
The fire, which broke out in a nursing room on the second floor of the hospital’s main three-storey building, was reported at approximately 15:20 hours.
Emergency responders arrived promptly and successfully doused the flames, preventing the fire from spreading and causing further damage to the facility.
READ ALSO: 10 Killed In Fresh Plateau Attack Linked To Cattle Rustling, Farm Destruction
According to the statement, the incident was confined to the room where it originated due to the rapid intervention.
No casualties were recorded, and there was no disruption to healthcare services.
Normal operations have since resumed, with medical services to the public continuing without interruption.
The director noted that an investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway.
Fire Alert!
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service has successfully doused a minor fire incident that occurred in a nursing room on the second floor of the main three-storey building at Ifako Ijaiye General Hospital, located on Iju Road, Ifako Ijaiye, Lagos.
The Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has disclosed that cement manufacturers in Nigeria have agreed to freeze the price of cement for Renewed Hope Projects.
He disclosed this after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in the State House, Abuja on Thursday.
Rabiu added that the initiative, which is to support the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, will apply to any contractor that is involved with renewed hope projects.
He said, “Alhaji Aliko Dangote of Dangote Cement approached me, and I concurred with him that we should do everything to support Mr President Renewed Hope Agenda, and we have decided that we are going to freeze the price of cement for any contractor that is involved with the renewed hope project, or projects.
“So, what it means is that any company or anybody that is involved or that is doing a project that is under renewed hope, the price of cement will be frozen. There will be no increase for the foreseeable future. We are doing that to support Mister President’s renewed hope initiative. And that is something that Alhaji Aliko Dangote actually proposed.
“I must say, I must give him credit, and I concur with him. So we’ve agreed. We are going to do that. We are going to send out the letter sometime next week to the ministry. And I also want to commend the Honorable Minister of Works, Engineer Umahi, for the initiative he took to ensure that all the roads are concrete roads.
“Because concrete roads are more durable, they take much longer, you know, in terms of durability and the price is going to be, the cost is going to be cheaper than even bitumen.”
‘We Will Keep Crashing Rice Prices’
The BUA Chairman also promised to keep the price of rice down, commending President Bola Tinubu for granting waiver on imported food items. He said that his “foresight” helped crash food prices in the country.
Rabiu said BUA Foods keyed into that policy and was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.
“At the time food prices were really very high last year. For example, the price of rice was about N100,000 or thereabout per 50 kilo bag. The flour was about N80,000 per bag and maize was about N60,000 per 50 kilo bag, and pasta above N20,000 per Carton. So what we did was, we keyed into that policy and BUA was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.
“And the moment the shipment started coming, we started processing, we crushed the prices of some of these commodities. And today I’m happy to inform you that the price of rice is about N60,000 from what it was last year at N110,000. Flour is today N55,000 Naira per 50 kilo bag.
The Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has pledged to further lower the prices of rice and other food items, which he said have already decreased over the past year.
He commended President Bola Tinubu for granting waiver on imported food items, saying that his “foresight” helped crash food prices in the country.
In July 2024, the Tinubu administration announced the suspension of customs duties on imported food items to stem food inflation.
Speaking to State House Correspondents after meeting with President Tinubu on Thursday, Rabiu said BUA Foods keyed into that policy and was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.
READ ALSO: Cement Prices Will Remain Stable For Renewed Hope Projects — BUA
“At the time food prices were really very high last year. For example, the price of rice was about N100,000 or thereabout per 50 kilo bag. The flour was about N80,000 per bag and maize was about N60,000 per 50 kilo bag, and pasta above N20,000 per Carton. So what we did was, we keyed into that policy and BUA was able to import quite a lot of wheat, maize and rice.
“And the moment the shipment started coming, we started processing, we crushed the prices of some of these commodities. And today I’m happy to inform you that the price of rice is about N60,000 from what it was last year at N110,000. Flour is today N55,000 Naira per 50 kilo bag.
“Maize is about N30,000. And this happened because of Mr President’s foresight and vision by introducing that one-off duty waiver for a period of six months, and with that, we’ve been able to bring down the prices of these commodities,” Rabiu said.
READ ALSO: Nigeria’s Inflation Dropped To 23.71 Percent In April – NBS
The billionaire businessman further explained the causes of the food price increases and how the President’s policy helped to curb the trend.
“So, what has been happening and a lot of people probably don’t know this, is that Nigerians, a lot of companies in Nigeria usually buy a lot of paddy. That is rice paddy. Rice Paddy is what you use to process rice. So, the moment the harvest season starts, a lot of people will now buy a lot of these paddy and hold it for a period of three to four months. The moment the season finishes, then the price will double. So a lot of people don’t know that, but that has always been the problem.
“That does not really in any way affect the farmer, because the farmer is getting his four to N500,000 per ton of paddy. But the people that are buying and holding for three to four months, once the season finishes, it goes back up to N800,000. Hence why you are getting N110,000 per bag. “So, what that intervention did at the time when we brought in was to create an issue for those hoarders. Because the moment we imported, we were selling, and those orders had a lot of paddy, they could not sell, and the price now came down, and it is still down. So a lot of those holders are actually crying now and losing money.”
He said that the Rice Millers Association has come together to address the issue of hoarding by some companies, adding that the association will not allow any of its members to hoard rice.
“What we are doing as rice Millers is that we want to ensure that rice Millers are not buying and hoarding Paddy, although at the end of the day, it’s quite difficult to stop that. But what is happening is that once they know that there is rice availability imported, because BUA has imported enough rice to last us until the end of the year, for example.
“So, they know that if they try to hot rice and try to take it up, Bucha is there and will crash the price. So I am hopeful that at the end of the day, the price of rice going forward is not going to go any higher than what it is today.
“And I’m sure as soon as the season starts, the farmers will get the price they’ve always gotten, and the price of rice is going to stay the same, because people will be wary of hoarding, because if they hoard it is going to be a problem for them, because they might lose money. So that is on rice.
“And again, let me use this opportunity to thank His Excellency, for his foresight, for his vision, because I actually didn’t see that. I didn’t know that that was going to work, but we keyed in. We imported and we have supported, and now prices are down. So that is what we did, and we will continue to do to support the efforts of the government to ensure that food prices continue to come down. And I’m sure prices will come down.
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted 10 Thai sailors for smuggling 32.9 kilograms of cocaine into Nigeria.
The convicts were prosecuted alongside their vessel, MV Chayanee Naree, which was found to have been used in the unlawful importation of the prohibited drug.
Both the crew and the ship were apprehended on 13 October 2021 at Apapa Port, Lagos, upon their arrival from Brazil.
The convicted sailors are Krilerk Tanakhan, Boonlert Hansoongnern, Jakkarin Booncharoen, Thammarong Put-tlek, Worrapat Paopinta, Marut Kantaprom, Werapat Somboonying, Urkit Amsri, Panudet Jaisuk, and Amrat Thawom.
READ ALSO: Ex-Convict Arrested For Attempted Robbery, Three Months After Release
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) initially arraigned the sailors in February 2022, along with nine Nigerians accused of being their local accomplices.
The Nigerians, whose trial is ongoing, include Samuel Messiah, Ishaya Maisamari, Ilesanmi Ayo Abbey, Osabeye Stephen, Gbenga Ogunfadeke, Kayode Buletiri, Rilwan Omotosho Liasu, Saidi Sule Alani, and Jamiu Adewale Yusuf.
According to the NDLEA, the actions of the accused contravened Sections 11(a), 11(b), and 14(b) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which criminalise conspiracy, unlawful transportation, and importation of narcotic substances.
The crew and vessel were also accused of collaborating with three other individuals — Kehinde Enoch, Ayo Joseph, and one Tunde — all of whom are currently at large.
The case, prosecuted by NDLEA counsel Theresa Asuquo, A. Adebayo, and Paul Awogbuyi, was initially met with a no-case submission by the defence team, led by Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) Babajide Koku, Femi Atoyebi, and Tunde Adejuyigbe.
The defence argued that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against the crew.
However, in his ruling, Justice Daniel Osiagor, upheld the prosecution’s arguments, holding that a prima facie case had indeed been established against the vessel and its crew. The court consequently ordered the defendants to open their defence.
READ ALSO: NDLEA Destroys Largest Drugs Seizure Of 1.6 Million Kilograms
Following the court’s decision, the convicted sailors entered into a plea bargain with the NDLEA.
At the resumed hearing on Thursday, Justice Osiagor adopted the terms of the plea bargain.
He ordered MV Chayanee Naree to pay a fine of $4 million or its equivalent in Nigerian naira.
Additionally, the three captains — Krilerk Tanakhan, Boonlert Hansoongnern, and Jakkarin Booncharoen — were each fined $50,000, while the remaining crew members were fined $30,000 each.
Other convicted sailors were ordered to pay a fine of ₦100,000 each.
President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja for Rome, Italy, on Saturday at the invitation of Pope Leo XIV.
In a statement he issued on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced that President Tinubu will travel with senior Catholic leaders to attend a special Mass marking the beginning of Pope Leo XIV’s tenure as the 267th Bishop of Rome.
According to Onanuga, Cardinal Pietro Parolin sent the invitation from Pope Leo XIV, who said the ceremony reflects “a moment of particular importance for the Catholic Church and the world afflicted by many tensions and conflicts”.
READ ALSO: [‘No More War!’:] Pope Leo XIV Calls For Peace In First Sunday Address
The Pope also expressed a personal connection to Nigeria, stating, “Your great nation is particularly dear to me as I worked in the Apostolic Nunciature in Lagos during the 1980s.”
According to the statement, President Tinubu’s delegation will include the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; Archbishop Lucius Ugorji of Owerri and President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria; Archbishop Ignatius Kaigama of Abuja; Alfred Martins of Lagos; and the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Hassan Kukah.
Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, will be formally installed as Pope on Sunday, 18 May, at St Peter’s Square in the Vatican.
Pope Leo, who is the first Pope from the United States was elected by the Cardinals during Conclave 17 days after the death of his predecessor, Pope Francis, on 21 April. He is to lead the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics.