Category Nigeria News

Gunmen have kidnapped 15 travellers along the Utonkon–Okpoga Road in Benue State.

The travellers were in a bus, plying the road situated in Utonkon axis, Ado Local Government Area of the North-Central state, before the gunmen struck. The incident happened around 7 pm on Monday along the road linking Ado and Okpokwu local government areas of Benue State.

A youth leader in Utonkon district, Jude Onwe, narrated to Channels Television how the incident happened.

According to him, the commercial bus conveying 16 passengers was outward bound from Utonkon through Okpoga in Okpokwu local government area.

Onwe said the passengers departed from Iheijwo market, Oju Local Government Area, enroute to different destinations in South West Nigeria, before they were intercepted by the gunmen, who stopped the vehicle and forcefully took the passengers into the bush.

“The gunmen collected the passengers’ phones to prevent them from contacting their relatives,” he said, adding that the abandoned bus was later moved to the Utonkon police station.

READ ALSO: Gunmen Abduct Nine Catholic Church Worshippers In Benue

According to the chairman of Oju Local Government Area, Jackson Ominyi, the incident involved sixteen persons. Two were killed, while two others were rescued.

Ominyi explained that the rescue of the two victims was achieved through a joint effort with the chairman of Okpokwu LGA, adding that security agencies were still searching for the remaining passengers.

However, the spokesman of the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, said one traveller was killed while 15 others were kidnapped.

Edet said that the Benue |State Commissioner of Police, Ifeanyi Emenari, has again deployed a tactical team to pursue the perpetrators.

The incident came barely 48 hours ago after gunmen stormed Saint John’s Catholic Church, Ojije in the Utonkon district of the North Central state.

They kidnapped nine worshippers who were attending a church vigil. No arrest has been made yet.

Benue has been experiencing a series of attacks by non-state actors who kidnap people at will, kidnap others, and wreak havoc.

Former Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has said she has no regrets over her removal from office, insisting that President Bola Tinubu could not have deliberately acted to hurt her.

Kennedy-Ohanenye made the remarks on Tuesday while speaking on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm, where she reflected on her time in office, her leadership style, and the circumstances surrounding her dismissal.

“I have no regrets to date. If I could go back in time, I think I didn’t do enough; I should have been harder. It is even difficult to rule Nigerians.

“The president is working, the governors are working, but what are Nigerians doing in between? If you want to work in this country, you must go offline and be very firm. If you don’t, you will end up achieving nothing,” she said.

She added that while she was not the President, she ensured that nothing improper occurred within the scope of her responsibilities.

“The particular office I was given, I did not allow anything anyhow to happen there,” she said.



Responding to criticism of her conduct while in office, Kennedy-Ohanenye defended her approach, saying she could not pretend or compromise her convictions in the name of diplomacy.

“There is no way I could have held that portfolio pretending. What you saw was who I am. I would not say I was erratic or undiplomatic. Being diplomatic does not mean agreeing to things that are destroying your country. I cannot agree to things I know are harmful,” she said.

According to her, she remains at peace with her actions and decisions while in office.

“That is why I am looking fresher. I am out now, and whatever they are doing there is none of my business. When I was there, I did what made me happy, and my conscience is clear,” she added.

‘Tinubu Proud Of Me’

When asked whether she felt President Tinubu was unfair in removing her despite her performance, the former minister said political decisions often involve factors beyond public knowledge.

“In politics, many things go on behind the scenes. All I can assure you is that the President cannot do anything purposely to hurt me. He is proud of me, he loved the way I worked. There must have been something beyond what he could manage at that time,” she said.

The ex-minister stressed that she does not consider her removal a mistake and maintained that she remains on good terms with the President.

“I wouldn’t call it a mistake. There must be more than what he could handle behind my removal. I am still on very good terms with him,” she said.

Kennedy-Ohanenye also disclosed that she is “not thinking” or actively “seeking another political appointment” but remains committed to her advocacy against gender-based violence.

Speaking further, the former minister criticised inefficiencies within the civil service, attributing a significant portion of Nigeria’s challenges to systemic issues.

She stated that “About 70 per cent of Nigeria’s problems come from the civil service,” while noting that the system itself enables such behaviour.

‘₦400m Personal Funds’

The former minister alleged that budgets approved for her ministry were done without her involvement and claimed that some funds were not released to her during her tenure.

“I carried out some cases with my own funds. I spent about ₦400 million of my personal money after seeing no evidence to show that the $100 million Nigerian women project was done. I did not feel good about it,” she said.



She claimed the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against her over an alleged ₦138 million fraud.

“₦138 million, is that the kind of money they steal?” she queried, while insisting that the Federal Government still owes her reimbursement for funds she personally expended.

Tenure In Office

Kennedy-Ohanenye was appointed Minister of Women Affairs in August 2023 by President Tinubu. During her tenure, she actively focused on women’s economic empowerment and social inclusion.

On October 23, 2024, the President dismissed five ministers, including her, in a cabinet reshuffle. She was notably a female aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries before stepping down for Tinubu.

In September 2023, she drew criticism after suggesting that schoolchildren should have Fridays free to engage in production activities, a proposal widely condemned as promoting child labour.

She also accused the United Nations of collecting funds on Nigeria’s behalf without proper accountability and threatened legal action if detailed financial records were not provided.

Another backlash followed her handling of a proposed mass wedding of 100 girls in Niger State. While she initially opposed the event, citing violations of the Child Rights Act, she later reversed her stance after stating that the girls were of legal age and not forced.

Kennedy-Ohanenye also faced criticism after a leaked phone conversation revealed her threatening female students who testified in a sexual harassment case involving a University of Calabar professor. She later apologised for the remarks.

In addition, she disrupted several events in Abuja, alleging they were organised without approval from her ministry, including one where she claimed the organiser was impersonating the Ministry of Women Affairs and had been taken into custody by security operatives.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Monday held a closed-door meeting with former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd.), at his hilltop residence in Minna, the Niger State capital.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Atiku said his visit to Niger State was aimed at strengthening the structures of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, stressing that the visit had nothing to do with contesting the 2027 presidential election.

According to him, the focus of his engagement was on the demand by Nigerians for real-time electronic transmission of election results, which he said would reduce confusion and electoral disputes.

“At this point, this is not about me contesting elections. It is about Nigerians who want electronic transmission of election results,” Atiku said.

He explained that electronic transmission of results would ensure transparency and reduce chaos during elections, adding that the controversial amendment to the Electoral Act was deliberately mixed with manual processes, thereby creating confusion.

“The preference of Nigerians is clear. They want real-time electronic transmission of results. What we have now is a mixture of electronic and manual uploading, which only causes confusion and chaos,” he stated.

Atiku called on all opposition political parties to unite and reject the decision of the Senate to opt solely for manual transmission of election results.

“We need all opposition political parties to pursue this issue. We should not allow it to rest the way they want it to rest at the Senate,” he said.

He disclosed that as a member of the ADC, the party is currently focused on grassroots mobilisation and strengthening its structures nationwide.

“I am a member of the ADC, and we are working to ensure our structures are firmly rooted from the ward level to local government, state, and national levels. We are mobilising and registering members across the country,” Atiku added.

Although Atiku did not disclose the specific reason for his visit to General Babangida, he noted that it was not his first visit to the elder statesman.
On his part, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde declined to speak with journalists.

He reportedly remained in the inner chamber of Babangida’s residence after Atiku had left, and journalists were informed that the governor was on a private visit and would not grant any interview.

Reporters were subsequently asked to leave the premises, though some waited outside to observe his departure.

Atiku arrived in Minna at about 1:30 p.m. and proceeded directly from the Minna Airport to Babangida’s residence. Governor Makinde arrived later at about 2:10 p.m., approximately 30 minutes after Atiku had departed.

An officer of the Ondo State Security Network Agency, Amotekun, has told a Federal High Court Abuja, that he engaged in a gun battle with one of the attackers behind the June 5, 2022 massacre at St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, and later identified the man in court as the second defendant.

The witness, code-named SSG, an Assistant Commander with Amotekun and a resident of Owo, said he and his team encountered the fleeing attackers in the bush shortly after the church shooting, following intelligence from eyewitnesses.

According to SSG, he was initially responding to a separate kidnapping incident at Shagari Village in Owo when he received a call from his commander to abort the mission because an attack had just occurred at St. Francis Catholic Church.

Continuing his testimony, he said he saw spent AK-47 shells scattered on the ground, and inside the building, he met lifeless bodies of men, women and children, as well as several injured worshippers, when he got to the church.

He said the injured were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, while the corpses were deposited at St. Louis Hospital.

READ ALSO: Senate Reverses Stance To Allow E-Transmission Of Election Results, Retains Manual Backup

SSG told the court that he later gathered intelligence from a corn seller and a motorcycle rider, who said the assailants escaped in a blue Nissan vehicle towards the Achievers University axis along Ute Road.

He said his team chased the attackers and found the vehicle abandoned along the road at Ijebu area.

He noted that the vehicle was blue, with registration number AKR 895 AG. He added that they found sachet water inside the car.

The vehicle was taken to the Amotekun office in Owo, after which the team tracked the suspects’ footprints into the bush.

At a cocoa farm area, SSG said the trail became unclear, and while observing the surroundings, he noticed movement in a nearby bush.

“I saw the mouth of an AK-47 rifle pointed at me,” he said.

He explained that as he tried to respond with his pump-action gun, he realised it was on safety mode. After disengaging the safety, a gun battle ensued.

During the exchange, the witness said the other attackers escaped into the bush, while one hid behind a tree and shot the hunter accompanying the team, killing him on the spot.

He added that he was focused on evacuating the dead hunter to the mortuary at FMC, Owo.

SSG was asked in court to identify the person he saw during the shootout. He pointed at the second defendant and reaffirmed his identification during cross-examination.

He said the suspect was later arrested through the joint efforts of the police, civil defence, the DSS and other security agencies.

The witness also identified photographs of the recovered vehicle and told the court that the car is still in the custody of security agencies.

Earlier, a pathologist, code-named SSF, testified that he conducted post-mortem examinations on victims of the Owo church attack in June 2022.

He said he was invited by the Ondo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Awo Ajaka, and carried out the autopsies in Owo.

SSF told the court that all the bodies examined showed multiple gunshot injuries from firearms fired from different directions, leading to massive internal bleeding and death.

He identified several victims by name and body numbers in the forensic report tendered in evidence, and said the original copy was submitted to the Ondo State Government.

During cross-examination, he said he could not determine the exact type of gun or bullets used, explaining that he is a pathologist and not a ballistic expert.

The court upheld the prosecution’s objection, and the witness was discharged.

Nigeria’s ambition to build a digitally inclusive economy is being powered from the ground up, with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members emerging as frontline drivers of digital literacy across communities nationwide.

From classrooms and market squares to camps, motor parks, and rural settlements, young corps members are taking essential digital skills directly to everyday Nigerians as part of the country’s Digital Literacy for All (DL4All) Initiative.

In recognition of their growing impact, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, paid a visit to the NYSC National Headquarters to commend corps members who have gone beyond their statutory service duties to champion digital education at the grassroots.

Receiving him, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, underscored the expanding role of youth in national development, particularly in bridging Nigeria’s digital divide.

Abdullahi praised the corps members for bringing practical technology skills to underserved and vulnerable populations, noting that their work is enabling citizens to engage safely and productively in the digital space. He said the initiative is helping Nigerians unlock economic opportunities while reducing exposure to online fraud, misinformation, and other digital risks.

As part of efforts to sustain and scale the programme, NITDA presented laptops and cash awards to selected corps members recognised as outstanding Digital Literacy Champions. Abdullahi described the gesture as a strategic investment in youth leadership and a catalyst for expanding community-based digital training nationwide.

He reaffirmed that digitalisation and inclusivity remain central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic agenda, stressing that digital literacy is the foundation for a diversified, innovative, and inclusive Nigerian economy.

NITDA also assured of continued collaboration with the NYSC and other stakeholders to ensure that digital skills reach Nigerians of all ages and locations, leaving no community behind in the country’s digital transformation journey.

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, has reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to supporting the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) in its drive toward an artificial intelligence–enabled transformation.

Abdullahi made this pledge while delivering a goodwill message at the CAC’s 35th anniversary celebration in Abuja, where he commended the Commission for its resilience, consistency, and sustained growth over the years.

He observed that many organisations tend to experience stagnation or decline after periods of success, but noted that CAC has continued to evolve and improve its performance.

According to him, the Commission’s journey is one marked by continuous progress, which he described as an ability to “thrive, thrive, and thrive.”

READ ALSO: Senate Holds Emergency Session As Electoral Act Debate Persists

Reflecting on his early engagement with the Commission, the NITDA Director General highlighted that institutional transformation was prioritised from the outset of the current Registrar General’s leadership, laying a strong foundation for innovation and reform.

Abdullahi stressed that genuine progress in today’s digital economy requires the deliberate integration of artificial intelligence into organisational processes. He praised the Registrar General’s vision and resolve to embed AI across CAC’s operations, describing it as both timely and strategic.

Assuring the Commission of NITDA’s full backing, he stated that the agency would work closely with CAC to deploy AI solutions across its diverse processes.

He explained that AI integration would introduce intelligence into workflows, simplify company registration and business management for Nigerians, and significantly enhance cybersecurity measures to guard against hacking and fraud.

He further noted that equipping CAC staff with advanced AI tools would enable the Commission to stay ahead of increasingly sophisticated fraudsters.

Abdullahi added that NITDA would also ensure that all deployed AI systems adhere strictly to principles of ethics, responsibility, and accountability, in line with global best practices.