Category Nigeria News

Four people were abducted from Yagba West Local Government Area of Kogi State’s Okoloke, an agrarian community, for the third time in seven days.

An unidentified number of armed men stormed the area on Tuesday morning in the early hours of the incident.

The attackers allegedly entered Ezekiel Durojaiye’s residence, which is a retired and well-known community leader, in nearby Okunran village.

READ MORE: Gunmen Abduct Traditional Ruler in Kogi

At gunpoint, the attackers kidnapped Pa Durojaiye and three others before shooting them in the bush. Residents are now more enraged and in fear as a result of the incident.

Recently, Yagba West has become a hotspot for kidnapping. Oba James Dada Ogunyamda, the village’s traditional ruler, was kidnapped on Thursday by gunmen.

Two vigilante members and a third person were also abducted three days after the monarch was taken.

Eight people have been abducted from the same community in a single week as a result of the most recent attack.

The 90-year-old monarch’s kidnappers reportedly demanded a ransom of N100 million, which was later reduced to N50 million. Since then, his family has contacted the government, businesses, and the general public for assistance in raising the funds.

Iduma Igariwey, a member of the House of Representatives, has demanded that the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) be canceled due to what he described as a “catastrophic institutional failure” that has undermined the integrity and fairness of the procedure.

Igariwey, who also leads the South-East Caucus in the House, claimed the recent admission of error by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) was insufficient to justify continuing with the entrace test in an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, which aired on Tuesday.

He claims that the integrity of the entire examination procedure has been compromised.

The entire situation has lost its integrity, the statement read. It no longer represents fairness. He claimed that those who took the time to study and study for exams were no longer able to take those exams.

“We primarily stated that the exam must be administered properly and properly. Therefore, we are arguing that the exam must be canceled in order to ensure that everything is done right. Because we think JAMB cannot simply go ahead and pass an exam, we believe.

READ ALSO: [Jammer:] Responsible Parties Should Be Punished – Ex-Provost

Igariwey reacted to JAMB’s claim that the issues were caused by a “technical glitch” and “human error,” calling the rescheduling of the exams within 48 hours an “unreasonable and poorly thought out” situation.

If you recall, you can see that our decision-making was very restrained. According to him, the caucus responded to Professor Ishaq (Oloyode)’s statement on May 14 that Nigerians should know.

He accepted the invitation to retake the nearly 400, 000 students who took exams in April to a catastrophic institutional failure, according to what we have described as a catastrophic failure. That has never occurred in this country’s history. And I’m certain that Nigerians were shocked by it.

Two days later, or the same day, or the following day, JAMB made the announcement that students would have to return to classrooms and wait 48 hours later to retake those same exams. According to Igariwey, those exams were now conducted on May 16th.

He noted that reports from the South-East revealed that many candidates were unable to access their designated centers as a result of the sudden rescheduling and logistical uncertainty.

“We received reports from all of our constituents.” Many students had to travel to the examination rooms. Therefore, many people were unable to take those re-sit exams. And he claimed that that was our main concern.

So JAMB is unable to simply schedule another set of exams after two days. You haven’t even informed Nigerians that whatever caused the initial issue has been fixed. An investigation is being requested by the public. An investigation of what transpired is being demanded by the people. Then you have immediately started those exams. “

He continued, “Students cannot have access. So either they will leave or they will learn that the other center will not be where it’s going to be once more. Many people chose not to take those tests.

Caucus Demands Resignation and a New Exam

The South-East Caucus of the 10th House of Representatives previously demanded that the 2025 UTME be canceled and that the JAMB Registrar, Oloyede, resign.

The lawmakers referred to the conduct of the exam as a “national shame,” in a statement signed by caucus leader Igariwey, citing systemic failure and widespread technical issues.

They demanded the resignation of JAMB’s digital operations and logistics officials, stressing that the head of the organization must bear the consequences. We request that Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the JAMB Registrar, do the necessary resign. “That’s the way to go in any civilized democracy,” said the statement.

The lawmakers from the South-East demanded full accountability and claimed that the issue had had a significant impact on all five of the region’s five states. They cautioned against accepting JAMB’s apology as the only way to restore trust.

Oloyede apologized at a press conference on May 14th, saying, “We are human, we are not perfect.

He stated that 379 out of 997 affected candidates who had complained of low scores and technical errors at 157 of 887 centers nationwide would retake the exam starting on May 16.

Over 78% of the 1.95 million candidates, according to JAMB, received scores below 200, and only 12 (414) received 300 or higher.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), led by Nyesom Wike, the FCT Minister, has designated 19 days for projects commissioning in celebration of President Bola Tinubu’s second anniversary.

This was one of the decisions made today at the FCTA’s 14th Executive Committee meeting, which the Minister presided over.

Lere Olayinka, Wike’s Senior Special Assistant for Public Communications and Social Media, stated in a statement that “the commissioning of projects will begin on June 10, 2025, and will last 19 days.”

The recently completed Abuja International Conference Center, Bus Terminals in Kugbo and Mabushi, and Apo-Wasa Road are some of the projects that are scheduled to be put into commission.

Other options include the N16 interchange and roads connecting Maitama with Katampe, the Inner Northern Expressway from Ring Road 3 (Idu to Kubwa Road), the CN8 from N5 (Obafemi Awolowo Way) to the Court of Appeal, and the N20 Flyover Onnex Kubwa Road and Life Junction to Ring Road III.

Read more: Umahi Tells Peter Obi to Join South-East Leaders to Work With Tinubu.

Access roads in Giri District, Kabusa-Ketti Access Road, and the Kwali Area Council’s 15 km Road from A2 Junction Abuja-Lokoja Road to Pai, as well as the Ushafa, War College, and Army Checkpoint Roads, are also being commissioned.

Additionally, the FCT Executive Committee approved the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway (Ring Road I) streetlight upgrade contract award.

The project was included in the list of seven memos that the FCDA had approved for consideration, according to Richard Dauda, acting executive secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).

He explained that the 14-kilometer, 10-lane Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway, which is a 14-kilometer expressway between Maitama and Gudu, needs to be upgraded to reflect the outdated streetlights.

Because the streetlights have been in place for close to 15 years, if you drive by it at night, you’ll realize that the majority of the road is in darkness.

The lights were turned off and no longer bright enough to illuminate the road when the project was finished, he claimed.

He claimed that the upgrade was necessary as a result of the advancement of street lighting technology.

After the old perimeter wall at the facility’s entrance collapsed, seven inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Center in Ilesa, Osun State.

Their escape came on the heels of a heavy overnight rainfall on Tuesday, which caused the wall’s structural failure during the storm to cause the breach, which occurred around 2:00 am.

Umar Abubakar, a spokesman for NCoS, made the disclosure in a statement, claiming that authorities have since launched a manhunt to find and take the escapees into custody.

Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, the corrections’ controller general, has mandated that the incident be investigated right away.

He further stated in the statement that he would work with local community leaders and other security organizations to increase their efforts.

Read more about the workers’ protests at the welfare ministry.

Following the heavy rains that damaged the security of the facility at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ilesa, Osun State, the Nigerian Correctional Service launched an extensive manhunt.

Seven (7) inmates were able to escape as a result of the force majeure that occurred on May 20 at around 0200 hours. NCOS DEVELOPES A MANHUNT AFTER RAINFALL WRECKS HAVOC ON OLD PERIMETER WALL

“Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, the controller general of corrections, , has ordered an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape.

The statement read, “The service is collaborating closely with community leaders, sister security organizations, and other interested parties to bring the escapees back to justice.”

Additionally, NCoS urged the public to provide any information that might aid in the recapturing of the fugitives.

The agency encouraged citizens to contact the nearest security agency or reach out via the following hotlines: 07087086005, 09060004598, or 08075050006.

See the following statement in its entirety:

PRESS ELEASE

MANHUNT IS LIVED AFTER RAINFALL WRECKS HAVOC ON OLD PERIMETER WALL, AFTER RAINFALL WRECKS HAVE PASSED ON.

Following the torrential downpour that damaged the security of the medium security custody facility in Ilesa, Osun State, the Nigerian Correctional Service conducted an extensive manhunt.

Seven (7) inmates were able to escape as a result of the force majeure that occurred on May 20 at around 0200 hours.

The escape’s circumstances have been the subject of an immediate investigation, according to the CGC’s (CGC), Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche.

The service is collaborating closely with community leaders, sister security organizations, and other interested parties to bring the escapees back to justice.

However, the Service requests that the general public assist in providing information that might lead to the capture of the fugding prisoners. Anyone with information should please contact the nearest security agency or call the NCoS Response Desk lines as follows: 07087086005, 09060004598, 08075050006.

Umar Abubakar , ANIPR

Deputy Corrections Controller

The Labour Party’s candidate for president in the South-East, Peter Obi, has been invited to join governors of the South-East to work with President Bola Tinubu, according to Works Minister Dave Umahi.

In a feature-review of a upcoming State House documentary about President Tinubu’s second anniversary, he made the call.

Despite their political affiliations, Umahi claimed that the regional governors backed the President.

Under President Tinubu, the region is experiencing a new wave of federal attention and infrastructure development, according to the minister.

Also read: After Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration, Tinubu makes a comeback to Nigeria.

Leadership is not about the individual; it is about the group. Support someone else if they are already pursuing your ideals. His Excellency Peter Obi, my brother, and I are requesting that they work together. According to a statement from the president’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, he stated, according to a statement from him.

He must attend this summit to support President Tinubu’s 2027 election campaign. The South East is content with the President, he declared boldly.

Umahi emphasized that leaders must work together to advance the country’s common good for the sake of the country.

The minister also made it known that Section 1 of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway will be toll-free beginning in December, marking a significant milestone in one of the country’s most ambitious infrastructure projects.

He emphasized that the area is experiencing a brand-new era of infrastructure development under Tinubu, with major projects under construction like the Port Harcourt-Enugu and Enugu-Onitsha corridors.

The South-East did not have a federal presence before. However, we are seeing actual projects right now. The President’s commitment to ensuring fairness in all sectors is demonstrated by the Second Niger Bridge alone, he added.

Umahi claimed that Section 1, which extends 47 kilometers, covers over 80% of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway. The completion of 47 kilometers of the Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Junction is.

He noted that the project’s 10-year project would begin tolling in December.

The Igbo man has God-given wisdom, and he is entrepreneurial. He argued that what Ndi Igbo seeks is fairness and that every region is treated equally.