News October 08, 2026 Heavy-duty drivers shutdown Bida Roads over deplorable Bida-Agaie-Lapai Road

Heavy-duty vehicle drivers have blocked all major entry roads into Bida, Niger, in protest against the deplorable condition of the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road.

The drivers, who barricaded the roads, said they were protesting the government’s alleged failure to commence reconstruction of the road.

One of the protesters, Buhari Aliyu, said the government should either commence the reconstruction of the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road or reopen an alternative Bida road to ease the hardship being experienced by motorists.

According to him, the condition of the road has deteriorated to the extent that vehicles frequently break down or overturn while attempting to navigate the damaged portions.

“If the government is not ready to reconstruct the Bida-Agaie-Lapai road, they should open the Bida road for us to follow.

“The road is completely deteriorated. Our vehicles are falling on a daily basis,” Aliyu said.

Also speaking, another driver, Suleiman Kaduna, who said he was travelling from Kaduna to Lagos, explained that the blockade was intended to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the condition of the road.

“We blocked the road because the Federal Government has refused to reconstruct the road. There is no justice and fairness.

“We lose lives and property worth millions of naira on a daily basis because of the deplorable state of the road.

“Until the government begins the reconstruction work, we cannot open the road,” he said.

When contacted, the Niger Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Aishat Sa’adu, confirmed that the agency had engaged the protesting drivers in an effort to persuade them to reopen the road.

She, however, said the intervention was unsuccessful as the protesters insisted on meeting a representative of the Federal Government before ending the blockade.

“We pleaded with them, but they said until they see the Federal Government representative, they will not reopen the road,” Sa’adu said.

 

News October 08, 2026 University lecturer dies in hotel room after encounter with sex worker

A senior lecturer at Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Edo State, Dr Matthew Uwuigbe, has died after reportedly collapsing in a hotel room following a sexual encounter with a 21-year-old woman identified as Angela Defa Jacob.

The incident occurred on Sunday at a hotel in the Mosco area of Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of the state.

According to reports, Uwuigbe had checked into the hotel with the woman and reportedly collapsed shortly after the encounter.

The Edo State Police Command confirmed the incident on Wednesday, saying three persons had been arrested in connection with the lecturer’s death.

The command’s spokesperson, Eno Ikoedem, said the police received a report on October 5, 2026, that the lecturer had lodged at the hotel and engaged the services of the 21-year-old woman.

She said Uwuigbe later asked the woman to get him some water, but upon her return, she found him lying motionless in the hotel room.

“On October 5, 2026, at about 8pm, the command received a report that Matthew Uwuigbe, a lecturer at Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, had lodged at a hotel in Ekpoma and engaged the services of a 21-year-old sex worker, Angela Defa Jacob.

“He subsequently sent the woman to purchase water for him, and upon her return, she found him lying dead in the room,” Ikoedem said.

The police spokesperson disclosed that the hotel owner, manager and the woman were being held in connection with the incident as investigations continued.

She added that the deceased’s remains had been deposited at the Oriaifo Memorial Hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile, the university confirmed Uwuigbe’s employment but distanced the institution from the circumstances surrounding his death.

The university’s Public Relations Officer, Otunba Mike Ade Aladenika, said the incident occurred outside the university premises and involved people who were not connected to the institution.

“We are not denying that he was our staff member, but whatever he did and what happened, it is his private life. The girl in question is not our student, and everything happened outside our institution,” he said.

The police are expected to establish the circumstances surrounding the lecturer’s death as investigations continue.

PUNCH

News October 08, 2026 Soldiers, 25 terrorists killed as troops repel ISWAP attack in Borno

The Nigerian Army says its troops killed more than 25 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists who launched a “coordinated multi-directional assault” in Kukawa, Borno state.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mohammed Goni, acting military information officer at the headquarters of the joint task force (north-east) Operation Hadin Kai, said some soldiers were also killed during the encounter.

“The terrorists, who attacked troops of 101 Special Forces Battalion in large numbers from four different flanks, met stiff resistance as the troops responded decisively with superior firepower, tactical manoeuvre and effective battlefield coordination,” the statement reads.

“Supported by the Air Component, the troops overwhelmed the terrorists, inflicted heavy casualties and forced the surviving elements to flee in disarray.

“Preliminary assessment indicates that over 25 terrorists were neutralised, with 14 bodies recovered so far.

“During exploitation of the area, troops recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including six AK-47 rifles.

“Further exploitation is ongoing to recover additional weapons, track the fleeing terrorists and prevent them from regrouping.

“Regrettably, some gallant soldiers paid the supreme sacrifice during the encounter.”

While sending condolences to the families of the slain soldiers, Goni said, “their courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty will remain an enduring testament to their service to the nation.”

News October 08, 2026 EFCC strengthens media ties with Matashiya TV to combat economic crimes

The Zonal Director of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Kano Directorate, Assistant Commander of the EFCC,  ACE1 Friday S. Ebelo, has reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to leveraging media collaboration as a critical tool for crime deterrence and public education. He stated this in Kano on Wednesday, while receiving the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Matashiya TV, an online television platform, on a courtesy visit to his office.

Speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, Ebelo emphasized that the media remains a core stakeholder in the EFCC’s mandate to investigate, prevent, and prosecute economic and financial crimes.  He noted that the Commission’s vision is to achieve a Nigeria free of economic and financial crimes, a goal that cannot be realized without the active partnership of the media.

“Whatever we do, if it is not properly reported to the populace in the form of education and crime deterrence, we will not be able to go further.  The media is a core partner in progress.   From the beginning, our Public Affairs Department has coordinated the media angle of our operations, and it is on this premise that we seek to further reaffirm our support and partnership.”

The Zonal Director highlighted that the EFCC’s mandate covers a broad spectrum of offences, including cybercrime, fraud, money laundering, public sector corruption, and economic sabotage. He stressed that publicizing these efforts is essential to deterring potential offenders and enlightening the public, particularly the youth.

In his remarks, the Chairman/CEO of Matashiya TV, Abubakar Murtala Ibrahim, expressed the platform’s desire to establish a working and sustainable relationship with the Commission.

He noted that Matashiya TV focuses on journalism, community development, and youth empowerment, having trained over 3,000 youths in various professional skills since its establishment ten years ago.

He explained that the platform has designed programs specifically aimed at enlightening the youth to steer them away from cybercrime and violence. “We have ideas and programs to enlighten the people, especially the youth, because we believe this will reduce their engagement in cybercrime and related violence,” the CEO stated, soliciting the EFCC’s partnership in this regard.

The visit concluded with both parties agreeing to foster a robust working relationship to advance the fight against economic and financial crimes in Kano and beyond.

News Politics October 08, 2026 ”I’ll reduce petrol price to N300 per litre if elected president”-Donald Duke

The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) Presidential Candidate, Donald Duke, says he will reduce the price of petrol to about N300 per litre if elected president in 2027.

Duke, a former governor of Cross River State, spoke during an interview on Channels Television’s “Morning Brief” on Wednesday.

“I’ll try and bring it to about N300,” the former governor said when asked what the price of petrol would be under his presidency.

“I’ve told you, it sounds so outlandish, but I’ve given you the arithmetic.

“Allocate 600,000 barrels, if that’s what you consume daily. Allocate that to yourself. The other one million, you can sell.”

Duke’s comments come as other presidential candidates continue to criticise President Bola Tinubu over the removal of the petrol subsidy in 2023.

The removal of the subsidy triggered an immediate increase in the cost of living, with the prices of goods and services rising across the country.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar said in August that he would restore the petrol subsidy if elected president in 2027.

Speaking during an interview, Atiku, Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), said the government had failed to account for the funds saved from the removal of the petrol subsidy.

He said the removal could have been justified if the savings had been channelled into development projects across the country.

Peter Obi, Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), also said in September that his administration would restore the petroleum subsidy after tackling corruption in the country.

The former governor of Anambra had reiterated his support for the removal of the petrol subsidy.

Speaking at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) 2026 conference in Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital, Obi said the mismanagement of the gains from the removal of the subsidy by the current administration was not enough reason to bring it back.

News Politics October 08, 2026 Gov Yusuf reconciles DSP Barau, Abba Bichi

Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, has facilitated a reconciliation between the Deputy Senate President, Sen. Barau I. Jibrin, and the Chairman House Committee on Appropriations, Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi, Member Representing Bichi Federal Constituency as part of efforts to strengthen unity and cohesion within the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director General, Media and Publicity, Government House, Kano.

The reconciliation meeting, which took place in Abuja in the early hours of Wednesday, lasted for two hours and provided an opportunity for the two prominent APC leaders to address their differences and discuss the need to work together for the collective interest of the party.

Governor Yusuf urged Senator Barau, Hon. Bichi and their teaming supporters to sheathe their swords and drop all grievances, stressing that the success of the APC at all levels requires unity, mutual understanding and collective commitment among its leaders and members.

Ahead of the 2027 elections, the Governor emphasised the importance of working together for the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, the Kano State Government and all APC candidates, while calling on party members across the state to put the overall interest of the APC above individual differences.

He noted that political disagreements are part of democratic engagement, but such differences should not be allowed to undermine the unity, stability and progress of the party.

He called on supporters of both leaders to embrace the spirit of reconciliation, avoid inflammatory statements, character assassination or any other negative action capable of disuniting the party members.

The Governor further stressed that the APC remains one family and that all stakeholders have a responsibility to ensure that internal crises are resolved through dialogue, consultation and mutual respect.

The party leader in Kano also expressed confidence that the reconciliation would contribute to greater unity among APC leaders and supporters in Kano State and strengthen the party’s collective efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Henceforth, I do not expect any of your supporters to come out and abuse one another. We must put a stop to this unnecessary distractions.” Said Governor Abba Yusuf

The reconciliation process, which was blessed with the endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR has brought to an end a major misunderstanding between the two political figures in Kano State.

Gov. Abba K. Yusuf further assured the President and National Leader of the party, the National Chairman, the State Chairman and all critical stakeholders that the APC is set to win all elective positions in Kano come 2027 by God’s Grace.

In their separate responses shortly after the meeting, Sen. Barau Jibrin and Hon. Abubakar Kabir Bichi cautioned their supporters against fueling the internal conflicts within the APC family in Kano State, assuring their continued support, loyalty and commitment to the success of the party at all levels.

They also expressed appreciation to the Governor for his timely intervention to wade into the situation, offer a truce and lasting reconciliation to the ongoing crisis.

News October 07, 2026 BREAKING: Abducted 20 prospective corps members regain freedom in Imo

The 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and one other abducted along the Owerri-Onitsha Road in Imo State have regained their freedom.

The victims are currently receiving medical attention at the Department of State Services (DSS) Hospital in Owerri.

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, is presently at the DSS Clinic in Owerri addressing the rescued victims.

He’s in the company of the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Director, DSS and Brigade Commander, 34 Artillery, Imo State.

Details soon….