A local teachers’ union has told the BBC of its “relief” – but families say the ordeal has been harrowing and they are still waiting to be reunited with their loved ones.

The military said that several soldiers died in the rescue mission.

The freed captives are currently receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed hospital and will return home at a later date, army spokesman Danjuma Jonah Danjuma said in a statement issued on Friday evening.

A renewed wave of mass kidnappings has hit Nigeria in recent months, and insecurity remains a major issue ahead of next year’s general election.

The government says it is stepping up security around schools and vulnerable communities but critics say it is not enough.

In this case, the victims were kidnapped by gunmen on 15 May from three schools in the district of Osiire, in Oyo state: Baptist Nursery and Primary School, LA Primary School, and Community Grammar School.

No official confirmation has been given of the victims’ ages, but children at such schools in Nigeria are typically aged between two and 18 years old.

For their families, it has been an agonising wait.

“It was a harrowing experience… but we thank God that it ended well,” Prof Wole Alamu tells the BBC. His wife Rachael Folawe Alamu is the headteacher of Community Grammar School, and he said his family had found it especially difficult to see videos released of her and other teachers and pupils by their abductors.

“We are happy that they are out and we are grateful to everybody who has contributed in one way or the other for the release,” Prof Alamu added.

Speaking to the BBC, Hassan Ajibola, who leads the Teachers’ Union in Oyo State, said he was “happy and elated” and felt huge “joy”, but urged the authorities to fully implement stronger security measures as outlined in their Safe School Initiative that was launched over a decade ago following the infamous Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.

“I am very much convinced that should that [if the] program be fully implemented and as initiated, our schools will be very, very secured,” he said.

He added measures should include deploying security personnel to schools, CCTV, regular patrols, fencing school premises and using local security groups to support areas facing shortages of personnel.

In Nigeria, continued school kidnappings have led to calls from lawmakers and rights groups for an investigation into how the Safe School Initiative funds have been used.

The Oyo state abductions caused widespread concern in Nigeria because of their scale and because it took place in the predominantly Christian south-west of the country – as opposed to the predominantly Muslim north where such attacks are more commonplace.

The army said the month-long rescue operation involved the military, police, intelligence agencies and local vigilante groups.

It said they identified those behind the abduction and dismantled their support network, including informants and hideouts in the Old Oyo National Park forest. It is one of several large, difficult-to-access areas that have become hideouts for criminal gangs and jihadist groups.

The military acknowledged that some of its personnel were killed during the operation but did not give any more details.

It announced on Friday that it had arrested a number of suspects, but did not say how many remain at large. The army says more operations are planned.

The disclosure was made on the DHS website on Wednesday as part of what the agency described as its updated “worst-of-the-worst” criminal register.

Although the names and photographs have been released, US authorities did not indicate when the affected Nigerians would be deported.

The US immigration authorities said the move forms part of ongoing immigration enforcement efforts, noting that those listed had been convicted of serious crimes. However, the agency did not provide details of the offences committed by each individual or a timeline for their removal.

The statement read, “The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is highlighting the worst of the worst criminal aliens arrested by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

“Under DHS leadership, the hard-working men and women of DHS and ICE are fulfilling President Trump’s promise and carrying out mass deportations – starting with the worst of the worst – including the illegal aliens you see here.”

The published list includes Sunday Adediora, Sunday Kunkushi, Mkpouto Etukudoh, Marcus Unigwe, Olaniyi Ojikutu, Boluwaji Akingunsoye, Ejike Asiegbunam, Emmanuel Mayegun Adeola, Bamidele Bolatiwa, Ifeanyi Nwaozomudoh, Aderemi Akefe, Solomon Wilfred, Chibundu Anuebunwa, Joshua Ineh, Usman Momoh, Oluwole Odunowo, Bolarinwa Salau, Oriyomi Aloba, and others.

Others listed are Oludayo Adeagbo, Olaniyi Akintuyi, Talatu Dada, Olatunde Oladinni, Jelili Qudus, Abayomi Daramola, Toluwani Adebakin, Olamide Jolayemi, Isaiah Okere, Benji Macaulay, Joseph Ogbara, Olusegun Martins, Kingsley Ariegwe, Olugbenga Abass, Oyewole Balogun, Adeyinka Ademokunla, Christian Ogunghide, Christopher Ojuma, Olamide Adedipe, Patrick Onogwu, Olajide Olateru-Olagbegi and Omotayo Akinto.

Also on the list are Kenneth Unanka, Jeremiah Ehis, Oluwafemi Orimolade, Ayibatonye Bienzigha, Uche Diuno, Akinwale Adaramaja, Boluwatife Afolabi, Chinonso Ochie, Olayinka A. Jones, Theophilus Anwana, Aishatu Umaru, Henry Idiagbonya, Okechukwu Okoronkwo, Daro Kosin, Sakiru Ambali, Kamaludeen Giwa, Cyril Odogwu, Ifeanyi Echigeme, Kingsley Ibhadore, Suraj Tairu, Peter Equere, Dasola Abdulraheem, Adewale Aladekoba and Akeem Adeleke.

The list further includes Bernard Ogie Oretekor, Abiemwense Obanor, Olufemi Olufisayo Olutiola, Chukwuemeka Okorie, Abimbola Esan, Elizabeth Miller, Chima Orji, Adetunji Olofinlade, Abdul Akinsanya, Elizabeth Adeshewo, Dennis Ofuoma, Quazeem Adeyinka, Ifeanyi Okoro, Oluwaseun Kassim, Olumide Bankole Morakinyo, Abraham Ola Osoko, Oluchi Jennifer and Chibuzo Nwaonu.

The latest action forms part of the immigration enforcement measures introduced by the administration of President Donald Trump following his return to office on January 20, 2025.

On his first day back in office, Trump signed a series of executive orders declaring illegal immigration a national emergency and directing federal agencies to strengthen border security and accelerate the deportation of undocumented migrants.

One of the executive orders, titled Protecting the American People Against Invasion, directed immigration authorities to prioritise the arrest and removal of deportable migrants, particularly those considered threats to public safety and national security.

Defending the policy, the DHS said the administration was fulfilling Trump’s campaign promise to carry out mass deportations, beginning with what it described as the “worst of the worst” criminal offenders.

The department added that officers of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been instructed to intensify operations nationwide against non-citizens convicted of serious crimes.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has also defended the immigration crackdown, saying the administration remained committed to enforcing US immigration laws and removing undocumented immigrants with criminal records in line with President Trump’s immigration agenda.

Official US immigration data show that Guatemala has recorded the highest number of deportees since the renewed enforcement campaign began, followed by Honduras, Mexico and El Salvador.

The United States has also expanded deportation flights to countries across Africa, Asia and the Caribbean as enforcement operations continue.

Nigeria has also come under increased scrutiny by the Trump administration. In June, Washington imposed partial visa restrictions on Nigerian citizens, citing concerns over identity management, information sharing, visa overstay rates and security screening.

The refinery, East Africa’s largest refining project, is expected to take up to three years to build and would supply refined petroleum products to Kenya and ​neighbouring countries, helping to reduce East Africa’s dependence on imported fuels.

It ​would also fulfil Dangote’s ambition to expand fuel-processing capacity ⁠across Africa following the start-up of its 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Lagos.

“The site ​has been selected, soil tests are under way, and design and engineering ​work has commenced. Kenya was the choice from the beginning,” Edwin Devakumar, Dangote Industries’ vice president for oil and gas, told Reuters.

The refinery, which would be built ​on the island of Lamu, off the coast of Kenya, would ​mark Dangote Group’s biggest refining investment outside Nigeria.

Devakumar said the refinery would be financed ‌through ⁠a mix of internally generated cash, bonds and proceeds from a planned initial public offering. He did not disclose the project’s exact cost, but said it would be comparable to that of the Lagos refinery.

Built ​by Aliko Dangote, ​ranked as Africa’s ⁠richest man by Forbes, the Lagos refinery had cost more than $20 billion by the time it began ​operating in 2024.

The initial estimate had been about $9 billion ​in 2013, ⁠but the cost was driven up by a site relocation, engineering challenges, currency weakness, the COVID-19 pandemic and global inflation.

Dangote has for months expressed ⁠interest ​in building a major refinery in East ​Africa. The company previously considered Tanzania’s port city of Tanga before switching to Kenya, citing ​infrastructure, logistics and market considerations.

The agency said the suspect, who works as a caregiver in the United Kingdom, was arrested at the departure hall of Terminal 2 of the airport on Sunday, June 28, while attempting to board a Virgin Atlantic flight to London.

According to a statement released on Sunday by the NDLEA Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, a thorough search of the suspect’s luggage led to the discovery of 31 large wraps of cocaine disguised as hands of plantain and packed alongside other food items.

Babafemi said, “A thorough search of her bags resulted in the discovery of 31 big wraps of cocaine which were packaged to appear like plantain hands, weighing a total of 13 kilograms. In her statement, the elderly woman admitted full ownership of the recovered cocaine exhibits.”

He also announced the arrest of a 45-year-old PhD student at the University of Putra, Malaysia, Nwabueze Felix Onyeka, over an attempt to export cocaine concealed inside cartons of Orijin Bitters bound for Kuala Lumpur.

Babafemi said Onyeka was arrested in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State on June 29 after investigators traced him as the alleged leader of a drug trafficking syndicate.

He disclosed that operatives had earlier intercepted 36 parcels of cocaine weighing 5.80 kilograms hidden within the walls of nine cartons of the herbal drink that formed part of a consolidated cargo destined for Malaysia.

According to him, four suspects were initially arrested in Lagos during investigations, including the cargo agent, Alalade Taiwo Azeez; the driver who conveyed the consignment, Ndem Ogbonna Kelechi; a trader at ASPANDA Market, Trade Fair Complex, Okeke Tochukwu Chimezie; and Igwilo Chidi Henry, who allegedly supplied the cartons used to conceal the drugs.

Babafemi said, “The efforts eventually paid off, leading to the unmasking of Nwabueze hiding in his village Aziora, Ozubulu, Anambra State, as the leader of the syndicate.”

In Taraba State, the NDLEA said its operatives arrested a 30-year-old suspect, Daniel Harrison Ugwuoke, along the Zaki-Biam Road in Wukari Local Government Area on Saturday, July 4.

The agency said 43,980 capsules of Tramadol were recovered from two vehicle fuel tanks specially modified to conceal the drugs.

Similarly, NDLEA operatives arrested Boniface Agu, 65, and Monday Nwaeze, 50, during a raid in Gwantu Local Government Area of Kaduna State on July 2, where they allegedly recovered 1.7 kilograms of methamphetamine.

In Ebonyi State, a 65-year-old suspect, Francis Ifara Eja, was arrested with 231.7 kilograms of skunk at Ikwo on July 4, while a 75-year-old suspect, Alhaji Babani, was apprehended with 15 kilograms of skunk at Kurgwi in Qua’anpan Local Government Area of Plateau State on July 3.

The agency also reported that two suspects, Dahiru Mohammed, 65, and Isiya Lawan, 36, were arrested in Gombe State on July 1 with 587 blocks of cannabis sativa weighing 556 kilograms at Kuri village in Yamaltu-Deba Local Government Area.

Beyond enforcement operations, the NDLEA said its commands nationwide sustained the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) campaign through sensitisation programmes in schools, workplaces, worship centres and communities.

According to Babafemi, the awareness activities were conducted at Girls Secondary School, Abagana, Anambra State; Government Technical College, Obe, Enugu State; Adeola Odutola College, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State; and the FCE Staff Demonstration School, Kabuga, Kano State, among other locations.

Commending officers involved in the recent operations, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), praised the commands for combining enforcement with public enlightenment.

Babafemi quoted Marwa as saying he “commended the officers and men of MMIA, Taraba, Kaduna, Ebonyi, Plateau, and Gombe Commands for the arrests and seizures,” noting that “their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitisation activities,” while charging them and other officers across the country to continue to raise the operational bar.

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The actress posted the video on social media on Saturday, July 3, after days of reflection, writing, “I have been contemplating posting this for a while. Anyways, here it is.”

According to Regina, she marked the birthdays of Munir, who turned six, and Khalifa, who turned four, on June 29 by organising a celebration with children, rather than a private family gathering.

The event featured large framed photographs of her sons, birthday cakes, and the distribution of packaged meals and gifts to children who joined in the celebration.

A video from the event also captured an emotional moment as the actress became overwhelmed while reflecting on the occasion.

“This birthday definitely felt very different, special, extremely emotional for me and I give all glory to God,” she wrote.

Regina used the occasion to offer prayers for her children, expressing hope that they would grow in good health, kindness, compassion and under God’s grace.

“My precious jewels, I pray for the grace of God upon your lives. You will grow in good health, kindness, compassion and God’s unfailing grace. Mama will forever adore you,” she wrote.

She also expressed gratitude to her mother, Rita Daniels, describing her as her greatest source of inspiration.

The post comes days after Ned Nwoko shared his own video on June 29 showing how he celebrated the boys’ birthdays.

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Myjoyonline learnt on Wednesday from a report by The New Indian Express that the three Nigerians allegedly entered the country on medical and tourist visas before engaging in the illicit drug trade.

According to the report, operatives of the Anti-Narcotic Wing of the Indian Central Crime Branch arrested the suspects after they allegedly obtained the drugs from another Nigerian based in Delhi.

The Nigerian suspects were identified as Ambemo Victor, 37; Chime Moses, 36; and Karikari Ames, 33.

The report stated, “The Anti-Narcotic Wing of CCB has arrested four people, including three Nigerian nationals, in two cases of drug peddling in the city.

“Sleuths of the ANW seized 10.27 kg of MDMA crystals and 2.044 kg of hydroponic ganja worth around Rs 23 crore from the accused.

“Acting on a tip-off, the sleuths raided a house within the Madanayakanahalli police limits and arrested the suspects.

“The sleuths seized 10.27 kg of MDMA crystals valued at Rs 21 crore from their possession.

“The accused had come to India on medical and tourist visas. Preliminary investigations revealed that they procured the drugs from another Nigerian national based in Delhi.”

The latest arrests come barely two months after four other Nigerians were apprehended in India over alleged fraud and impersonation offences.

PUNCH Metro reported in May that three of the suspects, identified simply as Chinedu, Sunday and Jules, were arrested by the Gurugram Police over an alleged social media fraud scheme in which they reportedly impersonated women to defraud victims.

The fourth suspect, 49-year-old Uchenwa, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force.

According to the earlier report, police recovered 19 mobile phones, one laptop, and 18 Indian and international SIM cards from Chinedu, Sunday and Jules.

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Foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa told the BBC that the issue would be discussed between the two governments “at the highest levels”.

Acting High Commissioner to South Africa Alexander Ajayi said on local television on Tuesday that the government had begun documenting businesses and properties left behind by Nigerians.

One Nigerian trader waiting to be repatriated told the BBC he had lived in South Africa for nearly a decade and had abandoned his business and home because he feared for his safety.

Oghodero Erejor Wilson, 32, said he was losing “everything because of fear”.

“I left everything in my house including clothes.”

He is among hundreds of Nigerians still waiting to be evacuated from South Africa. More than 600 Nigerians have already been repatriated in recent weeks.

The South African authorities say those who have been flown home were in the country illegally – though this is disputed by Nigeria.

About 25,000 nationals of other African countries have left South Africa following a wave of protests in recent weeks by groups demanding that the government does more to curb illegal migration.

Some anti-migrant groups had given undocumented foreigners a deadline of 30 June to leave the country and organised marches attended by thousands of people on Tuesday. These were largely peaceful but there were isolated incidents of violence against foreigners.

The South African police say that about 900 people were arrested, mostly for immigration-related offences and looting.

The BBC has asked South Africa’s government for comment on Nigeria’s compensation demand.

Nigeria’s acting high commissioner said he had asked all of those who had left South Africa “to document very accurately those things they were leaving behind in terms of businesses, in terms of even cars, movable and immovable properties”.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Ebienfa told the BBC that all claims would be verified before any formal request was made.

“We have not severed ties with South Africa, we are still engaging them at the highest level, we will sort those details using our usual diplomatic channels,” he said.

Wilson, the trader, said he had run a clothing business in the South African city of Centurion in Gauteng province for several years.

But he said he had now closed his shop and fled to stay near the Nigeria High Commission in South Africa’s capital, Pretoria.

Scheduled to leave on the next repatriation flight to Nigeria on Friday, he estimates the goods left in his shop are worth more than 16,000 rand ($975; £735).

Wilson said his residency documents had expired in 2021 and he had been unable to renew them.

He said he was not very hopeful about the prospect of getting compensation.

“If South Africa government can compensate it, it will be nice, but I know they won’t,” he said.

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Elegbeje Ado, who is also a pastor, died on Monday, June 29, 2026, after a brief illness.

He was 66.

The founder of Best of Nollywood Awards, Seun Oloketuyi, confirmed his passing in an Instagram post on Tuesday.

Oloketuyi wrote, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Pastor Taiwo Adeshina, a beloved Nollywood legend.

“Your remarkable contributions to the Yoruba movie industry and the lives you touched will never be forgotten. May God grant you eternal rest and comfort your family, friends, and fans. Rest in peace, legend.”

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Military Response and Rescue Operations

Security forces mobilised rapidly following the initial assault. Troops from Operation HADIN KAI engaged the attackers in a firefight near the DAGGU area. Military officials confirmed that ten victims, including students and teachers, were successfully rescued and remain unharmed. During the intense exchange, one soldier and a member of a local paramilitary support force were killed. Military spokesperson Captain Mohammed Goni stated that troops successfully outmaneuvered the fleeing terrorists, inflicting casualties and capturing seven motorcycles used by the assailants. Ongoing efforts are underway to locate any remaining missing individuals and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Challenges in Assessing Casualties

The exact number of students abducted remains uncertain as officials continue their efforts to account for all those present during the attack. Borno police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso indicated that the situation remains fluid. “For now, we don’t have the number of how many students were abducted. We have about 10 victims who have been rescued,” Daso said. While the military reported the successful recovery of ten individuals, Amnesty International Nigeria provided a different account, claiming that two teachers and one student were killed during the raid. Security agencies are currently scouring nearby forests to track the attackers and ensure the safety of any remaining victims.

Persistent Insurgency in Northeast Nigeria

This incident highlights the ongoing security volatility within northeast Nigeria, a region that has served as the epicenter of a militant insurgency for over 15 years. Major groups, including Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province, frequently operate in this territory. The United Nations reports that the broader regional conflict has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions. Recent military activity has been intense, including a successful operation earlier this month that rescued 300 people from the town of Ngoshe. Additionally, joint operations with international partners recently led to the reported deaths of 175 ISWAP fighters in May.

Calls for Educational Security

The attack has drawn sharp condemnation from human rights organizations regarding the safety of academic environments. Amnesty International Nigeria issued a formal statement following the event, emphasizing the vulnerability of the region’s youth. “Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between their education and their life,” the group stated. They further urged the Nigerian government to prioritize the safety of the educational sector. “The protection of children’s lives is paramount, and the Nigerian government has a duty to ensure that the country’s educational sector is not further threatened by armed groups on rampage across northern Nigeria.” Security measures have since been reinforced across the Lassa area to prevent further incursions as officials work to stabilize the community.

The Wider Context of Security Threats

The recurring nature of these abductions underscores the severe security challenges facing Nigeria’s northern regions. Beyond the immediate impact on the victims and their families, these attacks disrupt the fundamental right to education and instill widespread fear in vulnerable communities. As federal and state authorities continue to coordinate responses, the persistent threat posed by militant factions serves as a stark reminder of the complexities involved in restoring long-term stability and ensuring that classrooms remain sanctuaries for learning rather than targets for conflict.

Regional Implications for West Africa

The crisis in Borno is part of a broader trend affecting West and Central Africa, where thousands of schools have closed due to violence. Beyond Nigeria, countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger face similar threats that dismantle local educational infrastructure and endanger millions of students. Regional bodies, including the Lake Chad Basin Commission and the Multinational Joint Task Force, are increasingly emphasizing that military solutions alone are insufficient. There is a growing consensus among regional policymakers that sustainable peace requires integrated strategies combining security operations with community-led development and psychosocial support for displaced children. This holistic approach remains critical to preventing a lost generation across the Sahelian belt.

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The military said troops rescued 10 students and ​teachers after tracking the attackers and engaging in a ​firefight, in which one soldier and one member ⁠of a paramilitary support force were killed.

Other students were still ​unaccounted for, and officials were trying to work out how ​many were missing, Borno police spokesperson Nahum Kenneth Daso said.

The attackers had fired sporadically as they charged into Government Day Secondary School in the ​town of Lassa in the morning, where students were taking national ​examinations usually sat by 16- and 17-year-olds, Daso said.

The military, police and ‌other security ⁠agencies were searching nearby forests to try to rescue the students, Daso said.

The 10 who were rescued were unharmed and receiving care, while efforts to find others still missing were ongoing, ​military spokesperson Captain ​Mohammed Goni ⁠said.

Nigeria is grappling with overlapping security crises that stretch far beyond the jihadist insurgency in the ​northeast, where Boko Haram and Islamic State ​West Africa ⁠Province (ISWAP) have waged a conflict for more than 15 years.

Borno is the epicentre of the Islamist insurgency, while other parts of ⁠Nigeria ​face mass kidnappings for ransom by ​armed gangs and recurring sectarian violence.

She stated this while discussing privacy and boundaries in marriage on the ‘Thanks For Coming’ podcast.

Emphasising how she values privacy and boundaries, the actress noted that her earnings are off-limits in her relationships, and she does not expect him to discuss his either.

While insisting that she sees no reason for financial disclosures between couples, she revealed that, unlike other young ladies, she has never daydreamed about getting married.

“Tell a man how much I earn, for what? I can never. And I don’t want him to discuss his earnings with me either. I don’t want to know how much he is earning. I’ve no problem with him going through my phone, but for what?

“I would never ask to check his phone. You know, when young girls sit down and daydream about getting married, I have never done that. All I daydream about is working, making money and being independent,” she said.

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Onifade, whose full name was Onifade Emmanuel Pelumi, went missing on October 24, 2020, after he was reportedly arrested by police officers while covering demonstrations against police brutality in the Agege area of Lagos.

According to accounts at the time, the young journalist had identified himself as a member of the press and was wearing clothing that clearly indicated his profession when he was allegedly taken into custody.

Days after his disappearance, an unidentified body was deposited at a mortuary in Ikorodu, raising suspicions among family members and rights advocates that it could be Onifade. However, the remains remained unidentified for years, leaving his loved ones searching for answers.

A breakthrough came in July 2024 when a Federal High Court in Lagos ordered the Lagos State Government to conduct a coroner’s inquest into the circumstances surrounding his death. The court also directed the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) to carry out a post-mortem examination on the unidentified body.

LASUTH later disclosed that efforts to identify the remains had been complicated by the destruction of DNA samples stored at the Lagos State DNA and Forensic Centre during the 2020 #EndSARS unrest.

Following years of legal proceedings and investigations, a fresh DNA test was conducted using a sample provided by Onifade’s mother.

The magistrate overseeing the case has now confirmed that the results established a DNA match between the unidentified body and the sample submitted by his mother, finally ending years of uncertainty over his fate.

The confirmation brings a painful measure of closure to Onifade’s family, who have continued to seek answers and justice since his disappearance.

The family’s legal representatives are now demanding a full autopsy to determine the exact cause of death and establish accountability for the events that led to his demise.

The matter has been adjourned to July 7, 2026, for further proceedings.

• Plateau is one of several ethnically and religiously diverse hinterland states known as the ​Middle Belt, where communal conflict has ​claimed hundreds of lives in recent years.
• Plateau police ‌spokesperson ⁠Alfred Alabo said officers, working with other security agencies, engaged the attackers in a “fierce gun battle” early morning ​on Sunday ​before ⁠they fled.
• Eighteen people were killed at the scene, and two ​died later in the hospital, Alabo ​said.
• Plateau ⁠police commissioner Bassey Ewah has ordered additional deployments to the area, including ⁠more ​tactical and mobile police ​units, Alabo said.

The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court, where Alison-Madueke faced five counts of accepting bribes and conspiracy to commit bribery. The trial had begun in January.

Speaking exclusively to the BBC following her acquittal, the 65-year-old said the investigation had inflicted lasting damage on her life.

“I’ve not been allowed to travel. I’ve not been allowed to work. They destroyed my reputation and my integrity,” she said.

Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 and made history as the first female president of Opec, the oil exporters’ group. She was first arrested in 2015 but was not charged until 2023.

Prosecutors had alleged she received kickbacks from wealthy oil tycoons who held government contracts, including goods worth £2 million from Harrods, chauffeur-driven cars, and the use of multi-million-pound properties in London and Buckinghamshire.

Her older brother, Archbishop Doye Agamas, 69, was also acquitted of conspiracy to commit bribery. Oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, was found not guilty on all counts — despite having faced prosecution even though she had served as an informant in a Nigerian anti-corruption investigation.

The NCA told the BBC it had “conducted a long-running, in-depth and complex investigation” that was regularly reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service, and said it “respected the decision of the jury.”

A pair of twin brothers – Taiwo and Kehinde Oguntoye – were marrying twin sisters Taiwo and Kehinde Adediran in a joyous joint ceremony.

The Yoruba people, who predominate in south-west Nigeria, are known for having an unusually high number of twin births, but it is not every day that two sets of twins tie the knot.

“We know many twins, but this marriage feels like it was arranged by God. We have always dreamed of marrying twins,” Taiwo Oguntoye told BBC Yoruba on his wedding day.

“With God’s grace, we pray for twins in our first and second children. That is our heart’s desire.”

Twins are considered a blessing in Yoruba culture, and their names are predestined. The older child is called Taiwo, meaning “the one that tests the world”, while the younger is called Kehinde, meaning “the one that came after”.

The Oguntoye-Adediran love story began a decade ago, when all four were studying at the University of Ibadan.

A lecturer told the Oguntoyes that she knew a set of twin sisters they should meet, which piqued the brothers’ interest.

“It’s not that we haven’t met other twin sisters before. We did date some, but sometimes things just didn’t work out,” Taiwo Oguntoye said.

The Adedirans initially resisted an introduction and did not answer the lecturer’s phone calls. Then, eventually, a meeting was set up.

Taiwo Oguntoye, now in his early 40s, remembers: “We eventually visited them, we had a talk, but they were not interested in a relationship then.”

Instead, the foursome became friends. Life took them in different directions, however.

The sisters, who had been studying for master’s degrees in Ibadan, moved abroad to continue their studies, while the brothers travelled and worked in several countries, including the United States and South Africa.

Years passed before the brothers reached out again.

Over time, despite some initial scepticism, their connections became undeniable.

The couple’s families were thrilled by the relationships – Taiwo Oguntoye recalls bonding with his in-laws instantly.

“Everyone was so happy to see us, it felt like we had known them all our lives,” he said. “We were treated like sons in our own father’s house.”

Proud relatives showed up in style to the wedding, where the couple coordinated their outfits.

Several other pairs of twins were in attendance – perhaps unsurprising as the grooms are well known locally for promoting twin culture. Known as the Oguntoye Twins, the brothers are active in culture and tourism initiatives.

The Oguntoyes have some physical differences, being fraternal twins, but their wives are identical.

“Our wives look so alike that even their family members sometimes confuse them. We don’t mix them up; we know our own wives very well,” Kehinde Oguntoye said.

The brothers say they share similar personalities to their wives, describing themselves as ambiverts – sometimes quiet, sometimes outgoing, depending on the situation.

Although they are very close, the married couples will live apart, Taiwo Oguntoye said.

“We have our unique plan about that; over time, people will get to know about that.”

For now, the newlyweds are enjoying a new chapter of their love story, which began with a near-perfect meeting but was paused for years before eventually blooming into two of the area’s most talked-about unions.

Kwadwo Akofena Safo, two others arrested over Adwoa Safo shooting incident

• Death toll from the outbreak that began in early May rose from ​74, with about 7,800 ​infections reported.
  
• OCHA said aid agencies were ‌scaling ⁠up treatment, surveillance and access to clean water to support government efforts to contain ​the ​outbreak.
  
• A $4 ⁠million injection from OCHA-managed funds was bolstering ​the emergency response, but ​more ⁠resources were urgently needed to strengthen prevention and treatment, ⁠OCHA ​said.

However, it warned that more resources are urgently needed to strengthen prevention measures and expand treatment capacity as the situation worsens in the conflict-hit region.

“I heard the first gunshots at 06:00 local time (05:00 GMT) while I was at the mosque. But the current situation is under control,” one person said.

The gunfire, which lasted for two hours, came from the entrance at the Diori Hamani international airport, a witness told the AFP news agency.

Niger has been fighting an Islamist insurgency for a decade and in January suspected jihadists launched an attack on the same airport.

Like its neighbours, Burkina Faso and Mali, Niger is run by a military junta that came to power in part because of a failure to deal with the violence.

Residents have told the BBC that Thursday’s attack was repelled by the army, which is now hunting down the fleeing assailants who reportedly abandoned their weapons.

The authorities have not yet commented and no group has said it was responsible but an affiliate to the Islamic State group said it had carried out January’s assault.

Niger’s defence ministry said that in January’s attack, four military personnel were injured and 20 attackers killed.

At the time, the head of Niger’s military government, which has been in power for three years, thanked Russia for its help in foiling the attack. Abdourahamane Tiani also accused the presidents of France, Benin and Ivory Coast of backing those responsible.

He did not give details of what help Russia had provided, or provide any evidence to support his accusations against the other countries.

In recent weeks, authorities in Niger have demolished neighbourhoods near the airport, citing “terrorist risks”.

They have also extended the airport’s perimeter fence and installed more than 350 surveillance cameras, AFP reports.

Mohammed Saidu was taken to court in the city of Kano after residents reported the foul smell to environmental officials.

Magistrate Halima Wali ordered that he be detained for 14 days and fined 100,000 naira (£55; $74). She described his actions as highly inconsiderate and a threat to his neighbours’ health.

Saidu, whose job is to empty sceptic tanks, is believed to have been selling the faeces to farmers to use as fertiliser – a common practice in the region, but which is rarely publicly acknowledged.

“I think he had close to 50 bags of faeces the first time the complaint reached me,” local chief Musa Abdullahi told the BBC.

Neighbours said the stench from the property had become so overwhelming that it was impossible to relax at home.

One of those who complained, Samaila Inuwa, told the BBC that they had initially tried to resolve the matter privately.

“We spoke to him about it but he didn’t stop,” Inuwa said.

In court, Saidu pleaded guilty to the charge of endangering public health.

Before delivering her ruling, Magistrate Wali visited the property to see the bags of faeces for herself.

She ordered Saidu to clear all the waste from the premises and promise never to repeat the offence.

Inuwa said life had already improved for residents since the case was brought to court.

“Finally, our neighbourhood is enjoyable once more without any bad smell,” he said.

The local chief said he had intervened when Saidu started storing the waste.

“When he first started it, I spoke to him about it and he packed them out [removed them] and stopped,” he said. “I did not know when he resumed.”

He added that neighbours had chosen to bypass him this time and go directly to the authorities.

Abdullahi said his own home was far enough away that he had not been affected by the smell, but he understood the residents’ frustration.

“My mission is for everybody in this area to live in peace,” he said. “When he is released, we will talk to him and the neighbours again.”

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Mohammed Saidu was taken to court in the city of Kano after residents reported the foul smell to environmental officials.

Magistrate Halima Wali ordered that he be detained for 14 days and fined 100,000 naira (£55; $74). She described his actions as highly inconsiderate and a threat to his neighbours’ health.

Saidu, whose job is to empty sceptic tanks, is believed to have been selling the faeces to farmers to use as fertiliser – a common practice in the region, but which is rarely publicly acknowledged.

“I think he had close to 50 bags of faeces the first time the complaint reached me,” local chief Musa Abdullahi told the BBC.

Neighbours said the stench from the property had become so overwhelming that it was impossible to relax at home.

One of those who complained, Samaila Inuwa, told the BBC that they had initially tried to resolve the matter privately.

“We spoke to him about it but he didn’t stop,” Inuwa said.

In court, Saidu pleaded guilty to the charge of endangering public health.

Before delivering her ruling, Magistrate Wali visited the property to see the bags of faeces for herself.

She ordered Saidu to clear all the waste from the premises and promise never to repeat the offence.

Inuwa said life had already improved for residents since the case was brought to court.

“Finally, our neighbourhood is enjoyable once more without any bad smell,” he said.

The local chief said he had intervened when Saidu started storing the waste.

“When he first started it, I spoke to him about it and he packed them out [removed them] and stopped,” he said. “I did not know when he resumed.”

He added that neighbours had chosen to bypass him this time and go directly to the authorities.

Abdullahi said his own home was far enough away that he had not been affected by the smell, but he understood the residents’ frustration.

“My mission is for everybody in this area to live in peace,” he said. “When he is released, we will talk to him and the neighbours again.”

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Federal High Court judge Peter Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to strike the African Democratic Congress and others from its register, backing claims by former lawmakers that they did not meet minimum electoral performance thresholds.

Nigerian law requires a party to either win at least one elective seat at any level or secure at least 25% of the vote in a state in a presidential election, failing which it risks deregistration.

The ruling poses a hurdle for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC’s presidential candidate and a leading challenger to President Bola Tinubu, and could narrow the opposition field.

ADC ⁠spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi rejected the ruling, calling it “a direct invitation to anarchy”. The party ⁠will ​appeal the ruling through all ​legal and constitutional channels, he said.

Source: Reuters

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A coronial inquest into the death of her 21-month-old son, Nknau, at Euracare hospital in January had been due to start in April, Adichie said.

The author now alleges that Euracare has “stalled and muddied and obfuscated” over the inquest and has requested Nigeria’s Federal High Court block the inquiry.

The BBC has approached Euracare for comment. An investigation panel set up by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria had previously found evidence of possible medical negligence by the hospital.

Adichie recently published a letter on social media which she had sent to the hospital’s director in April.

It was her first public comment since the death of her son, who was one of twin boys born in 2024, using a surrogate.

“If Euracare cares about the truth, then why create delays and distractions and now, finally, try to stop an inquest?” she wrote in her post.

Explaining why she posted the letter, she wrote: “The ultimate and utter loneliness of grief is that only you can know the true depth of your despair.

“I long for, at least, peace to mourn, but Euracare Hospital has robbed me even of that.”

In her letter, Adichie said that the hospital noted her son’s death was from bacterial meningitis, to which she responded: “There was no medical evidence to make such a claim on his death certificate.”

Adichie and her family have accused Euracare of negligence, saying medics denied Nkanu oxygen and gave him too much sedation, causing a cardiac arrest.

The hospital has expressed its “deepest sympathies” over the death but denied wrongdoing, saying its care had been in line with international standards.

In the letter, she accuses the hospital of providing incomplete medical records, which she described as “strikingly unprofessional”, adding that “one was inaccurate”.

According to submissions made to the court by Adichie’s legal team, Nkanu had initially been admitted to Atlantis Hospital in Lagos with what was described as a worsening but mild illness.

Plans had been made to transfer him to the United States for further treatment at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Hospital, before the toddler was referred to Euracare for a pre-flight inspection, including an MRI and a spinal tap, or lumbar puncture.

Nkanu died on 7 January after undergoing the various diagnostic tests at Euracare hospital.

Adichie has authored multiple award-winning novels, including Half of a Yellow Sun (2006) and Americanah (2013), and has recently hosted panels of world leaders, including former US Vice-President Kamala Harris while she was promoting her autobiography and ex-Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel.

She lives in the US but was in Nigeria for the Christmas holidays.

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A flight carrying 268 Nigerians has landed in Lagos after leaving Johannesburg on Thursday morning. The passengers were part of around 1,000 people who the Nigerian consulate in South Africa says have registered to be repatriated.

Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi have already carried out evacuations, ahead of a 30 June deadline set by some campaigners for undocumented migrants to leave.

Many people from other parts of Africa moved to South Africa around the time white-minority rule ended in 1994, hoping for a better life.

But with South Africa facing an unemployment rate of more than 30%, anti-migrant sentiments have risen, with protest marches being held in major cities and people facing xenophobic attacks.

At the main international airport in Johannesburg, Justin, one of the Nigerian passengers, told the BBC that he had lived in South Africa since 1998.

“I’m leaving because of the conditions they’ve given us here. They say we must leave on or before 30th June. And because of the way they are killing people, killing our brothers, so I’m not safe,” Justin said.

Justin told the BBC that he had already been targeted.

“Recently they attacked me in a taxi. I ran away and left my things. I left my phone and everything.

“They call us names and say you must leave this country. When we tried to beg them, they started insulting us.”

There have been no official figures regarding the number of deaths caused by xenophobic violence in recent weeks.

The police have said two Mozambican men were killed in Western Cape province earlier this month but have not given a motive.

The Mozambican authorities said the death toll was higher, and their citizens have been killed as a result of xenophobia.

Some of the protesters have pointed the finger at migrants for South Africa’s high unemployment rate, and putting pressure on public services like schools and hospitals.

However, Nigeria’s Consul General in South Africa, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, told the BBC that migrants made up less than 10% of South Africa’s population, and could not be “blamed for broken systems in education, health care, policing, unemployment”.

“They are not and cannot be the problem. So, migrants are basically being scapegoated,” Okey-Uche added.

A spokesman for South Africa’s Border Management Agency told local TV station Newzroom Afrika that none of the passengers on the flight had documents to live in South Africa legally.

Okey-Uche said she did not have the figures, but delays in processing applications could lead to some people ending up as undocumented migrants.

She added that the South African authorities need to do more to act against people “propagating these xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments”.

“There are a lot of top South African politicians who have spoken up against what’s happening, saying it’s absolutely wrong.

“But down on the street, we need to see arrests. We know the people in charge. They’re not hiding. They’ve caused mayhem in people’s lives, but they’re walking free. Some of them are running for election,” Okey-Uche said.

South Africa is due to hold local government elections in November, with some analysts believing that migration is being turned into a major campaign issue.

On Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa made a televised address responding to the protests, announcing new measures to crackdown on illegal migration.

These include jailing employers who hire undocumented workers, setting up dedicated courts to speed up the deportations and having a biometric database for everyone in the country to avoid identity theft.

He also warned South Africans not to take the law into their own hands by targeting those they suspect of being in the country illegally.

The participants, mainly Nollywood stars, praised the administration’s achievements in infrastructure and security, while also calling for an end to kidnappings across the country.

The rally, organised by the Re-elect Tinubu For Inclusive Nigeria (RTIFN) movement under the slogan “Relax, Tinubu Is Fixing Nigeria,” followed a major medical outreach programme that provided free consultations, treatment, and medication to hundreds of residents, particularly low-income earners.

Orji, who serves as Deputy Director-General of the movement, addressed journalists during the event and urged Nigerians to support President Tinubu’s reform agenda ahead of the 2027 elections.

The demonstration comes amid growing public concern over insecurity, with recent abductions reported in parts of Oyo and Borno states, as well as continued economic hardship linked to rising inflation and the high cost of living.

However, attention on social media quickly shifted from the rally itself to Orji’s appearance during the march. Videos and photographs circulating online showed the actor walking slowly and appearing physically frail, prompting a wave of reactions on X.

Several users questioned why celebrities were publicly supporting the administration despite widespread economic challenges.

One user, identified as @AdenolaOla…, wrote: “Nollywood actors declaring Tinubu is fixing Nigeria while millions of Nigerians are eating garri with no sugar and fuel is ₦1,200 per litre. Is this ‘fixing’ or paid PR?”

Another user, @Dammyse…, dismissed the rally as “fake support,” alleging that some entertainers were seeking political relevance rather than addressing issues such as inflation and kidnapping.

Another commenter, @CHILDwitGrace, accused celebrities supporting the president of misleading struggling Nigerians, while others suggested the actors were motivated by political interests.

While many on social media reacted negatively, some users defended public figures’ right to openly support candidates and political causes of their choice, arguing that political affiliation should not be grounds for personal attacks.

The debate reflects the deep divisions that continue to shape public discourse around President Tinubu’s administration.

While supporters point to ongoing infrastructure projects, economic reforms, and security interventions as evidence of progress, critics argue that many Nigerians have yet to feel the benefits amid rising living costs and persistent insecurity.

The controversy surrounding Orji’s appearance and political activism has further highlighted the increasingly prominent role celebrities play in Nigeria’s political landscape, where endorsements often generate as much debate as the policies being promoted.

The circumstances of how they were freed are disputed. The army says it had launched an unprecedented intelligence-led operation that had been weeks in the planning and taken the Islamist militants by surprise.

But a local group, the Borno South Youth Initiative, says it mediated the unconditional release, putting the number of those freed at 416.

Mass abductions by groups for ransom have become a common tactic in Nigeria. Boko Haram gained notoriety in 2014 for kidnapping more than 200 schoolgirls from Chibok.

That spawned a range of groups that use kidnapping to raise funds, focusing on soft targets such as schools, churches, mosques and remote villages.

It is illegal to pay ransoms in Nigeria, but analysts say payments by desperate families, intermediaries or, in some cases, state authorities have fuelled the abductions.

Military spokesperson Lt-Col Haruna M Sani described the assault on Boko Haram’s Mandara mountain hideout, “under cover of darkness”, as one of the military’s “most significant hostage rescue operations” in the north-east.

“Faced with the speed, precision, and overwhelming combat power of the advancing troops, several insurgents abandoned their positions and fled into surrounding mountainous terrain, while others surrendered,” he said in a statement.

The authorities say the hostages are receiving medical care.

“Sadly, two infants died due to exhaustion from prolonged captivity and harsh terrain,” Daniel Bwala, a special adviser to President Bola Tinubu, posted on X.

He said the government, which has been coming under fierce criticism for the widespread insecurity across Nigeria, commended the troops.

The captives are from around Ngoshe, a mainly Muslim community near the border with Cameroon.

In early March, the area came under attack from Boko Haram fighters reportedly as people were breaking their Ramadan fast.

Samaila Kaigama, president of the Borno South Youth Alliance (Bosaya), told journalists that his group had been advocating for their release and had been in contact with the militants.

In a video posted on Facebook he hit out at “government boys” who he said were “claiming glory for our efforts”.

On Sunday morning, the military released videos and photos of the freed captives as they sat under trees overnight.

Several news outlets also had a video of a local government official telling them that the authorities were doing their utmost to secure the area so that they could go home to their farms.

He also explained that it was thought some of those captured were believed to have escaped into Cameroon and efforts were being made for their safe return.

Boko Haram began its military campaign to impose Islamic rule in northern Nigeria in 2009. It no longer controls the huge swathes of territory it once did, but it, and other splinter groups, remains active and dangerous.

Earlier this year, a small contingent of US soldiers deployed to Nigeria to train the West African nation’s armed forces and help them with intelligence in their battle against growing security threats.

These are complex, overlapping and include the Islamist insurgency, kidnapping gangs, clashes over land and separatist unrest.

Last month, Nigeria and the US said they had killed a senior Islamic State (IS) leader in a joint-operation.

Forty-one worshippers were killed and more than 100 others injured when they opened fire at the St Francis Catholic church in the town of Owo during a Pentecost service.

The court in the capital Abuja also sentenced the men – Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza, Al Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdulmalik and Abdulhaleem Idris – to 20 years in prison for belonging to a terrorist group.

Presidential assent is required before any death sentence is carried out in Nigeria. There have not been any executions in the country for several years.

Judge Emeka Nwite, who presided over the case, said the evidence presented against them was “neither shaken nor contradicted during cross examination”.

He had ordered an accelerated hearing after the high-profile trial commenced in August 2025.

In his judgement, Justice Nwite said that the prosecution had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt as they had brought before the court witnesses who saw the attack, including one who testified to recognising two of the defendants as attackers.

“Hence this court finds the first to fourth defendants guilty of all nine counts,” he added.

One of the witnesses the court heard from was a woman who had her legs amputated from the knees, and had lost her left eye as a result of a dynamite explosion which the attackers had detonated.

The nine counts included joining a terror group, and planning and carrying out killings.

Prosecutor Ayodeji Adedipe said: “Justice has been served, justice has been done to the deceased who were murdered in cold blood.”

The men’s defence lawyer said they would appeal against the sentence.

During the trial, the defendants said they had been tortured, including being hung from the ceiling, beaten countless times, and using electric shocks on their genitals.

A fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar, was discharged and acquitted by the court due to insufficient evidence against him.

He was accused of having financed the attack, by allegedly receiving 800,000 naira (£440; $590) twice from another suspect – who is still at large – and then disbursing the funds to the attackers.

During cross examination, however, Abubakar said the money in his account was the proceeds of his farming business, as well as activities from his cooperative society. He denied that the four other defendants were beneficiaries of the money.

Since the Owo attack, Nigeria has witnessed many more attacks on churches across the country as it continues to grapple with rising insecurity.

US President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect its Christian population from jihadist attacks.

On Christmas Day, the US hit two camps run by a jihadist group in north-western Nigeria, and threatened more if attacks continued.

Claims of a genocide against Nigeria’s Christians have been circulating for some time in right-wing US circles, but organisations monitoring political violence in Nigeria say most victims of the jihadist groups are Muslims.

The Nigerian government also denies that Christians are being persecuted in the country.

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Girls Tag, described as an all-in-one period care pack designed for girls aged nine and above, recently launched with Mercy Johnson and her daughter, Purity Okojie, as brand ambassadors.

Shortly after the launch, Regina Daniels was also announced as an ambassador for the brand.

However, the product launch has sparked backlash on social media, with critics describing the price as unrealistic and insensitive. They argue that many Nigerian women and girls struggle to afford basic menstrual products and are often forced to resort to unsafe alternatives or miss school during their periods.

“PHIL, not everyone is a philanthropist! Nigeria’s problems are not everyone’s problem. She knows who her customers are… she is not interested in the average Nigerian lady or every girl child. Again, not everyone is a philanthropist. We don’t tell Dangote to sell fuel at ₦100 to support poor or small business owners. This is business… and again, Nigeria is not everybody’s problem,” @Lai stated.

@Ms Jorji said, “Mercy Johnson, you are an embarrassment to women. In a country where women are struggling to afford sanitary pads, you want to charge ₦25,000 for sanitary pads.”

“The target audience had to be baddies,” @A Tall Edo Girl said.

@Rebekah wrote, “Dear @realmercyj, Nigeria is a poor country. Elitism should never extend to the basic rights and dignity of girls and women. Sanitary pads are not luxury items. How many Nigerians can realistically afford ₦25,000 monthly for a basic necessity? What is wrong with us Nigerians?”

@Ara stated, “The way some of you kiss celebrities’ ass is annoying. In a country where sanitary pads are meant to be free, someone is selling them for ₦25,000 and I’m seeing, ‘oh, the packaging is worth it’—yen yen yen. Hypocrites! Since when did pads start having a target audience?”

“To be honest, sanitary pads shouldn’t cost this much. I believe it should be a basic amenity just like food,” @Matt wrote.

@Okafor Gift said, “Selling pads for ₦25,000. As how???”

@Olaámi wrote, “Most Nigerian celebrities don’t actually stand for anything; all they care about is their bottom line. Greedy people.”

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Kwara, in Nigeria’s north-central region, has in recent years faced a spillover of violent attacks linked to armed groups often referred to ​locally as bandits, who operate across forested border regions and ​are known for kidnappings for ransom.

The attackers struck around 2 ⁠a.m. (0100 GMT) in Yashikira, a community in Baruten local government area near ​Nigeria’s northwestern border, in what authorities described as a coordinated assault.

When the ​police divisional headquarters came under attack, officers on duty repelled the gunmen, the Kwara State Police Command said in a statement.

During the same raid, the assailants set ​sections of the Emir of Yashikira’s palace ablaze and kidnapped 10 residents, ​taking them to an unknown location.

Police Commissioner Ojo Adekimi said security forces had launched ‌a ⁠joint operation involving the military, forest guards and local vigilantes to search nearby forests and suspected hideouts, with the aim of rescuing the victims and arresting those responsible.

Separately, police confirmed a second attack in the state ​in which gunmen ​targeted a prayer ⁠gathering in the Ekiti local government area late on Friday. Armed assailants opened fire at worshippers holding a ​night vigil at Ori-Oke Ajaiye, killing three people and ​abducting ⁠15 others, according to police.

The incident was reported by a local pastor, who said the attackers stormed the gathering at about 8:30 p.m. (1930 GMT), shooting ⁠sporadically ​before taking victims away.

Police said tactical teams, ​including a drone unit and specialised mobile force personnel, had been deployed to carry out search-and-rescue ​operations and track down the attackers.

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said Mamman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday in the northern Kaduna state after “weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering”.

In a statement, the agency said the former minister had gone into hiding after being convicted by a court in the capital, Abuja, earlier this month.

Mamman was found guilty on 12 counts related to the diversion of funds meant for two hydroelectric power projects.

The court ruled that prosecutors had proved their case beyond reasonable doubt. He was sentenced in absentia after failing to appear in court.

His arrest on Tuesday marks a rare follow-through in the fight against high-level corruption, with convictions of top officials uncommon in the West African nation.

EFCC chairman Ola Olukoyede said authorities were determined to ensure the former minister served his sentence.

“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices,” he said.

The judge who ruled on his case said during the trial that the EFCC had shown that Mamman and his associates diverted at least 22bn naira ($14m; £10m) intended for critical electricity projects.

The judge described the diversion of public funds as a gross abuse of public trust and said proxy companies and associates were used to siphon money from the projects.

The former minister was sentenced for multiple prison terms across the charges, which are to run consecutively, making it to a total of 75 years.

He also faces a separate corruption trial in Abuja over allegations of fraud involving 31bn naira. Earlier this month, another judge issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court in that case.

Mamman served as Nigeria’s power minister between 2019 and 2021 under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

His conviction has sparked outrage over Nigeria’s lingering electricity problems, especially as he had promised to improve power supply while in office.

Despite being one of Africa’s biggest energy producers, Nigeria still faces frequent blackouts and power cuts which affect homes and businesses.

Many people rely on fuel generators for electricity, but rising fuel costs have made this increasingly difficult.

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Dangote last week filed a fresh suit against the Nigerian government, Reuters reported, challenging permits issued to marketers and the state oil firm NNPC to import refined products, arguing they undermine Dangote’s $20 billion refinery and risk entrenching inefficiencies.

The refinery has previously ⁠sought limits on imports, saying it can meet domestic demand.

However, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN) said on Sunday that the licences granted by the regulator, the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, were “not administrative courtesies” but legal tools underpinning the country’s fuel supply chain.

DAPPMAN said the Petroleum Industry Act empowers the regulator to issue ​licences where necessary to ensure supply security. “These licences exist to protect supply, not ‌to ⁠disadvantage any single producer,” it said in a statement.

The group also warned that retroactively voiding permits could destabilise the downstream sector, where companies have invested heavily in storage and logistics networks based ​on existing approvals.

“We ​respect Dangote’s ⁠right to pursue legal remedies,” DAPPMAN added. “What we do not accept is that a private refinery’s ​commercial interests should override a regulator’s mandate.”

Nigeria has long ​relied ⁠on imports despite being a major crude producer.

The Dangote refinery, which began processing crude in 2024, is seen as key to reducing that dependence, though supply dynamics and pricing remain contentious.

DAPPMAN said it would engage legal counsel and relevant authorities, arguing the market ​should remain competitive and open to multiple participants.

The sentencing was announced in a press release on Wednesday by the Office of the US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan.

The sentencing was delivered by Chief US District Judge Hala Y. Jarbou, who also imposed a concurrent 60-month sentence for tax evasion and ordered Ezeh to pay $1.4 million in restitution and $390,174 to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service.

Ezeh, 61, of Kent County, Michigan, was the founder and former CEO of Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative, a West Michigan nonprofit that provided early childhood services in underserved communities.

She is also a former Associate Professor of Education and Director of Early Childhood Education Program at Aquinas College.

She was immediately remanded into federal custody after sentencing.

During the proceedings, Judge Jarbou described Ezeh as “a fraud and a thief,” adding that the scheme was “brazen and widespread,” and involved funds intended for some of the region’s most vulnerable children.

US Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Timothy VerHey, said Ezeh diverted money meant for low-income children for personal use.

“Nkechy Ezeh’s greed is beyond reprehensible.

“She stole taxpayer and private-donor dollars meant for low-income children in our community. Instead of helping kids, she spent that money on herself.

“The stolen money could have supported hundreds of West Michigan children and their families. Judge Jarbou’s sentence was perfectly appropriate,” VerHey said.

According to court filings, Ezeh used stolen funds to finance personal expenses, including travel to Hawaii, Europe and Africa, as well as a family wedding.

Prosecutors also said she placed relatives on a “ghost payroll,” enabling them to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars for little or no work.

She was further accused of using intermediaries to transfer stolen funds to family members in Nigeria.

The nonprofit, ELNC, was funded by US federal programmes including Head Start, the Department of Education, and private donors. It provided meals, transport and support services to children in low-income communities.

Following the fraud, ELNC shut down in 2023, leading to the loss of funding for several preschools and the layoff of 35 employees.

A former bookkeeper at the organisation, Sharon Killebrew, who was identified as a co-conspirator, was earlier sentenced to 54 months in prison for her role in the scheme.

US authorities said the case highlights the abuse of federal grants and its impact on vulnerable communities, particularly children in low-income neighbourhoods.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation unit, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Clay Stiffler prosecuted the case.

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Abubakar Gamandi Usman, chairman of Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, said several of the union’s members were missing and estimated more than 40 had died.

No bodies have yet been recovered, but Usman believes some fishermen were hit by the strikes, while others drowned after attempting to flee in overloaded boats.

Authorities in Chad and Nigeria have not commented, but on Sunday, Chad’s presidency said it had carried out retaliatory “intensive air strikes” on Boko Haram strongholds.

In a statement on Facebook, the presidency said it had responded to “unjustified attacks” by Boko Haram, which took place last Monday and Wednesday and targeted Chadian military bases near Lake Chad, reportedly killing at least 24 soldiers and two generals.

The Lake Chad basin is a huge region of waterways and swampland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon. It has long been a stronghold for Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap).

“After Boko Haram attacked Chadian forces, they retreated to islands they operate from. Fishermen also inhabit these islands,” Usman told the BBC.

After Chad’s air force began circling overhead on Friday, panic broke out, with both Boko Haram fighters and fishermen attempting to flee.

The search for the missing fishermen has been slow, Usman said, as some parts of Lake Chad are very deep. The local community also has limited access to canoes, as many are controlled by Boko Haram, Usman added.

“Boko Haram controls access to the fishing grounds, transporting fishermen to and from the fish market to the fishing site. Boko Haram collects taxes from these fishermen,” he said.

Recently, the region has seen a rise in attacks on security forces, as well as kidnappings and raids on communities.

Chadian military operations have been accused of causing civilian deaths before – in October 2024, the air force was said to have killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen during air strikes targeting Boko Haram fighters on Tilma Island in Lake Chad.

Nigeria’s military has also been accused of claiming civilian lives during operations against armed groups and jihadist fighters, though authorities often describe such deaths as unintended collateral damage.

Most recently, the armed forces denied media reports that civilians were killed during a series of air strikes in the central Niger state on Sunday.

Military spokesperson Maj Gen Michael Onoja said the operations were “executed based on credible, actionable intelligence”.

Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, who finished third and fourth respectively in the 2023 presidential race, have both joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), raising the prospect of a joint ticket to challenge President Bola Tinubu.

They were previously in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), along with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who came second in the last election.

While this could be seen as a fragmentation of the opposition, supporters of Obi and Kwankwaso say it will give their alliance greater focus.

Both men are former governors and command significant grassroots followings.

Obi is hugely popular among young voters across the south, while Kwankwaso wields considerable influence in the north.

The move comes just nine months after Obi, Kwankwaso and Abubakar joined the ADC but that alliance quickly became mired in legal battles over party leadership – something Obi blamed on the government.

“The same Nigerian state and its agents that created unnecessary crises and hostility within the Labour Party that forced me to leave now appear to be finding their way into the ADC,” Obi said on Sunday.

He was the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 election.

Allies of President Tinubu have denied that they have been trying to sabotage opposition parties.

Obi, 64, and Kwankwaso, 69, were formally received at the NDC’s national headquarters in Abuja by the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, on Sunday.

Speaking afterwards, both men called for national unity, greater opportunities for young people, and an end to the infighting that has plagued Nigeria’s opposition.

However, their decision risks upsetting allies within the coalition built around the ADC, which had been positioning itself as the main vehicle for opposition unity.

Some figures within the bloc have privately expressed a sense of betrayal, raising fresh doubts about whether Nigeria’s fragmented opposition can sustain a coordinated challenge against President Tinubu, 74.

In a statement, the Nigerian presidency played down the significance of the defections, suggesting they reflected “the normal fluidity of democratic politics” rather than any fundamental shift.

A presidential spokesperson said the government remained focused on governance.

“Political alliances will come and go,” the spokesperson said. “But our priority is delivering economic reforms, improving security and ensuring stability for all Nigerians.”

Tinubu is widely expected to seek a second term, although he has not yet confirmed it. His supporters recently paid the 100 million naira (£52,000; $73,000) fee needed for the form to contest the primary elections for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party.

Political analyst Bala Yusuf told the BBC the move could reshape Nigeria’s electoral landscape.

“If the NDC fields Obi as its presidential candidate and Kwankwaso as vice-president, they will definitely give the ruling APC a run for their money at the polls,” he said.

They have not yet said who the presidential candidate will be – an issue that has broken up several previous Nigerian political alliances.

It remains to be seen how Abubakar will respond, given that he was a key figure who went to great lengths to bring opposition heavyweights into the ADC.

Meanwhile, the party’s leadership crisis continues to play out in the courts.

The Supreme Court last week ordered that the dispute over who runs the party be sent back to the Federal High Court for another hearing – a decision that further reduces the time available for the ADC to get its house in order before the election campaign begins in earnest.

Elections are scheduled for early January next year – they will be the country’s eighth since the end of military rule in 1999.

The criticism comes after a recent altercation involving Burna Boy and DJ Tunez at a club in Lagos, which also sparked an online feud between Burna Boy and Wizkid.

Reacting to the controversy, some Nigerians accused Burna Boy of frequently getting into physical confrontations and described him as arrogant.

However, speaking in an interview with Ebuka Obi-Uchendu on Channels TV, Bose Ogulu dismissed the criticism, stating that she does not mind being perceived that way.

When asked about the perception of her son, she said if knowing his worth and carrying himself accordingly is seen as arrogance, then it is not a bad thing.

“And I can’t apologise for that,” she added.

Ebuka asked: “Do you mind that Burna Boy is seen as arrogant? Do you mind that you are seen as arrogant in the way you run the Burna brand?”

She responded: “I don’t mind, honestly, I don’t mind at all. I mean, any adjective they want to attach to you is okay. The thing is, who are you? If knowing your worth and carrying yourself as such is arrogant, then it is a good thing. And I can’t apologise for that.

“Because I think we were born into a world where we were expected to put our heads down.

“First is the colour of your skin, the colour of your passport, and for me, my gender. So, I don’t understand the concept of that life. I understand that if I know something, I know it, and I expect you to realise that I know it. And if you don’t realise that I know it, then put me to the test,” she said.

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Taiwo Oyedele, previously minister of state ​for finance, replaced Wale ​Edun as minister of finance ‌and ⁠coordinating minister of the economy.

Housing and urban development minister Ahmed Musa Dangiwa ​also ​exited ⁠the cabinet, with Muttaqha Rabe Darma ​named ministerial nominee for ​the ⁠role, the statement said.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals exported 44,000 barrels per day of petrol in March 2026, outpacing domestic imports and producing a surplus of roughly 3,000 barrels per day. It is the first time in Nigeria’s history that Africa’s largest oil producer has crossed into net exporter territory on refined fuel.

The reversal is striking. Nigeria has long held the uncomfortable distinction of being a major crude exporter that could not refine enough for its own population. Fuel imports were a given, a structural fixture of the economy that drained foreign exchange and left the country exposed to global supply disruptions. That era appears to be ending.

Dangote himself credited the policy environment under President Bola Tinubu’s administration for creating the conditions that made large-scale domestic refining viable, including reforms that restored investor confidence in the energy sector. The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery, the largest single-train facility of its kind in the world, received about 565,000 barrels per day of crude in March, the second-highest intake since it began operations in late 2023.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s petrol imports collapsed. Market intelligence firm Kpler put March imports at 41,000 barrels per day, the lowest level ever recorded. The numbers tell a clean story: as the refinery ramped up, imports fell, and the surplus started flowing out.

Some of that surplus is now reaching places it never has before. The Dangote Refinery shipped a 317,000-barrel petrol cargo to Mozambique in March, its first delivery to East Africa. A follow-up cargo is scheduled to arrive in Beira in April, reflecting growing appetite from East African buyers who are moving away from Middle East supply amid ongoing geopolitical disruptions.

The implications spread well beyond Nigeria’s borders. Analysts say the export milestone should strengthen Nigeria’s external balance by pulling in foreign exchange earnings and easing pressure on the naira. Nigeria’s entry into global refined product markets also adds a new competitive voice to trade flows, with potential ripple effects in Europe’s already oversupplied petrol market.

The Dangote Refinery has been building toward this moment since it processed its first crude. It began by cutting Nigeria’s import bill, then displaced traders who had built businesses around the country’s refining gap, then started reaching into West Africa, and now East Africa. The trajectory points in one direction.

Nigeria is no longer just an oil producer that happens to need fuel shipped back to it. That shift, after decades of delay, has a name attached to it.

By the time a neighbour alerted police, and he was taken to hospital, the damage was irreversible.

“The herbalist brought charcoal, put something on my hands, tied my hands [along] with my leg, put pepper there inside the charcoal, then covered me with a bedsheet,” recalls Friday, now aged 19.

Doctors were forced to sedate him and operate on him. Friday woke up to find his left hand amputated, while the fingers on his right hand were either amputated or permanently scarred.

“I cried, and I cried,” Friday tells the BBC.

In the years that followed, people stared at him on the streets or taunted him.

“I wish they knew me, like, when I was born,” he says.

Alongside his grief was a steely determination to keep going.

Yet his academic ambitions were nearly interrupted two years ago, when he tried to sit Nigeria’s university entrance examination, run by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).

The system’s biometric fingerprint process could not accommodate someone like him, as it could not capture his scarred thumbprint or the prints of the other two scarred fingers.

Thankfully, he got lucky as one of his guardians, along with disability rights campaigners, pushed officials to accept his toe print as verification of his ID.

Friday is now studying English and literary studies at a university in Nasarawa, a state which borders the capital, Abuja.

He is the first in his family to enrol at university.

“Not everyone has someone to push for them,” he says. “Some people will just stop trying,” Friday says.

Scarlett Eduoku, a radio presenter in the northern state of Kano, has faced similar obstacles and says most identity verification apps fail to scan her face. She lost her left eye when she was 18 months old.

This is a constant headache and also means she could not upgrade her SIM card from 3G to 5G remotely.

Instead, she had to travel to the headquarters of her phone provider in Kano’s city centre.

More than 35 million Nigerians, roughly 15% of the population, are estimated to live with some form of disability, according to the executive secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD), Ayuba Burki-Gufwan.

Landmark legislation was passed by parliament in 2019, prohibiting discrimination against disabled people and guaranteeing them access to public services.

The legislation led to the establishment of the NCPWD to advocate for their rights, but change has been “more or less at snail’s speed”, Burki-Gufwan tells the BBC.

He remains optimistic, however, saying that “the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step”.

Burki-Gufwan points to some gains – Jamb has dropped examination fees for people with disabilities and has created dedicated centres for students with different needs.

A university in Nasarawa, the Federal University of Lafia, has also waived up to 75% of all fees for students living with disabilities.

“All of a sudden, the university witnessed a huge upsurge [in enrolment],” Burki-Gufwan says, “because every person with a disability wanted to benefit.”

Lagos-based special educator Chukwuemeka Chimdiebere says Nigeria has to step up efforts to address the needs of disabled people.

“Inclusion is not a favour. It is a responsibility,” he tells the BBC.

Accessibility, he explains, goes far beyond things like building ramps.

It means sign-language interpreters in classrooms, learning materials for visually impaired students, trained teachers and digital platforms designed with different users in mind.

“Many persons with disabilities are not limited by their impairment. They are limited by systems that were never designed with them in mind,” Chimdiebere says.

Abiose Falade, 48, an author in the south-western city of Ibadan, uses a wheelchair and says that disability “is part of the circle of life”.

“It can happen to you earlier, it can happen to you later. Sometimes it can be permanent, sometimes temporary. But disability is part of the dynamics of how God created us.”

Falade did not see herself as being different from anyone else until she enrolled on school at the age of 10.

“I was introduced to the world and its intricacies,” she says. “Persons with disabilities were not exactly part of what the world wanted.”

She feels like this to this day: “There’s a list of places I can go and a list I can’t.

“When I want to go out, I take someone with me so that when people start staring, sointing, I don’t notice. It’s easier than facing it alone.”

The physical environment compounds the challenge.

In many Nigerian cities, pavements are uneven or interrupted by features like the wide gaps in open drainage channels designed for maintenance access, while dropped kerbs are few and far between, making them difficult or impossible to navigate. In rural areas, the absence of pavements means wheelchair users must rely on roads that are often unpaved or unsafe.

Public buildings rarely have ramps, and wheelchair users struggle to enter banks, hospitals or government offices without assistance.

Making things worse is the fact that Nigeria has to import every wheelchair, hearing aid and mobility device.

“If nine out of every 10 people with disabilities require some form of assistive device and none are locally manufactured, then we have a huge challenge on our hands,” Burki-Gufwan says.

Advocates are calling for 1% of budgets to be reserved for persons with disabilities at every level of government. They say limited public funding and competing priorities affect how quickly accessibility measures can be implemented, even where there is willingness.

Expanding inclusive infrastructure and assistive technologies would require significant investment, though advocates say that stronger commitment and enforcement of existing laws are just as critical as funding.

Opeyemi Ademola, 28, a project manager in Lagos, has a disability which is not visible.

He lives with mixed hearing loss. So every meeting requires intense concentration, and noisy environments leave him mentally drained.

“People assume that if you can speak fluently, you don’t experience communication challenges,” he says.

“But accessibility is not about ability. It’s about support.”

Simple adjustments, like written summaries after meetings and captions on video calls, could make a big difference, he says.

Burki-Gufwan hopes that one day there will be “true accessibility” for people with disabilities.

“It means no one is left behind – in employment, in education, in political participation,” he says.

Back on campus, Friday is settling down as a student.

Between lectures and assignments, he is learning new ways to write again, to live independently away from home and to make new friends.

He is showing Nigerians that obstacles and prejudice can be overcome, and people with disabilities can succeed like everyone else if given the opportunity.

According to reports, the suspect is believed to have carried out similar thefts at several mosques over an extended period, although the total number of shoes stolen remains unknown.

A witness, Muhammed Sani Yusuf, said the suspect was caught in the act on Saturday, April 11, 2026, at a mosque along Maje Road in Hadejia.

He explained that the arrest followed increased suspicion among worshippers after repeated disappearances of footwear during prayer periods, leading to heightened vigilance.

The suspect was eventually apprehended on the mosque premises, bringing what is believed to be a long-running pattern of theft in the area to an end.

Authorities are expected to continue investigations into the incident.

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The convicts were given sentences ranging from five years to life imprisonment after being linked to Boko Haram or a rival splinter group, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

The trials came at a time when the government is under intense pressure to curb rising insecurity in Africa’s most populous state. Security forces are battling multiple armed groups, from militant Islamists to separatists and kidnapping-for-ransom gangs.

Boko Haram launched an insurgency in the north-east in 2009, killing tens of thousands of people and displacing more than two million, aid groups say.

On Wednesday, the US urged its citizens to reconsider travelling to the country because of the deteriorating security situation.

More than 500 suspects were put on trial in the federal high court in the capital, Abuja, on charges of either taking part in attacks or supporting the militants through funding, supplying arms, or giving logistical support.

On Friday, judges convicted 386 of them, acquitted two, discharged eight, and adjourned the cases of 112 suspects, officials said.

Five of the accused had pleaded guilty at the start of the trials to charges that included selling livestock, supplying food and information to the militant groups.

The US carried out airstrikes in northern Sokoto state on Christmas Day to target a militant Islamist group known as Lakurawa after President Donald Trump alleged that Christians were being persecuted in Nigeria.

The government denied Trump’s claim, saying that people of all faiths and no faith were victims of violence.

The state department’s travel update on Wednesday added that specific Nigerian states that pose an increased risk have been placed under the most severe warning that advises against all travel in the affected areas.

Washington also authorised the departure of “non-emergency” staff and their families from the US embassy in Abuja, following what it calls a “deteriorating security situation” across the country.

The advisory comes amid a fresh surge in deadly attacks across parts of the country, and despite an expanding security partnership between the two nations.

According to the US State Department, Washington has been working with Abuja on counter‑terrorism, maritime security, intelligence sharing and military training.

Recent cooperation has included surveillance and reconnaissance support, and the use of US‑supplied aircraft and helicopters by Nigerian forces against Islamist insurgents and armed groups.

The decision to scale back embassy staffing underscores the gap between strategic military cooperation and the reality of daily insecurity faced by civilians in many parts of the country.

In the travel advisory, US citizens were warned that attacks could occur with little or no warning in public spaces, including markets, hotels, places of worship, schools and transport hubs.

While, in Washington’s classification, the country remains at “level 3” – to reconsider travel – in the updated advisory, at least 23 states have been placed under “level 4”. “The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain,” the advisory said, adding: “Do not travel to these areas for any reason.”

States from the north-west and central Nigeria have been added to the most severe category, including Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger and Taraba. These join states such as Borno and Yobe in the north-east, long affected by an Islamist insurgency.

In Plateau and Benue, weeks of violence blamed on a mix of armed banditry, communal clashes and reprisal attacks have left dozens of people dead.

In the northeast, the Boko Haram group and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province, continue to mount attacks on civilians, military convoys and aid workers, particularly in Borno.

With violence spreading beyond traditional flashpoints and public frustration growing, some Nigerians say the US warning highlights the urgency of restoring security and rebuilding confidence – both at home and abroad.

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The gunmen raided Kurfa Danya ​and Kurfan Magaji villages in the Bukkuyum ​area on Thursday, opening fire on vehicles and ⁠homes before sweeping through the communities, a ​local official said.

Umar Abubakar Faru, the local council ​chairman, told Reuters more than 150 people, mostly women and children, were abducted and taken toward surrounding forest ​areas, forcing residents to flee and leaving villages ​largely deserted.

Zamfara state police confirmed the attack but said the ‌number ⁠of abducted people was still being verified.

The police in a statement said a joint team of police, military and other security agencies had ​been deployed ​and were ⁠actively pursuing the attackers.

Some residents who escaped into surrounding areas were taken ​to the hospital, police said, adding that ​rescue ⁠operations were ongoing.

Northwest Nigeria has struggled for years with bandit violence, including mass kidnappings for ransom ⁠and village ​raids, with armed groups ​operating from vast forest hideouts across the region.

Nkanu Adichie-Esege, one of the twins, died on 7 January after complications arose during preparatory medical procedures at Euracare Hospital in Lagos.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) investigation panel established a prima facie case of medical negligence against Euracare and Atlantis Hospital over the child’s management.

The three doctors have all been suspended from practising medicine pending the determination of their cases by a disciplinary tribunal.

Dr Munir Bature, publicity secretary for the Nigerian Medical Association, confirmed the suspensions to the BBC.

“What will ultimately happen to those affected will be determined after another panel sits on their case,” he said.

He added that they could permanently lose their licences. The doctors have not commented.

Butare encouraged Nigerians to report any perceived wrongdoing by medical personnel so the council could intervene.

The family of Adichie had accused the hospital of negligence, alleging that medics denied oxygen to her son and administered excessive sedation, which they say led to cardiac arrest.

In a statement, the hospital expressed its “deepest sympathies” over the child’s death but denied any wrongdoing.

An inquest into Nkanu’s death is due to begin on 14 April at the Yaba Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

The coroner will hear from medical experts and hospital representatives to establish the circumstances and cause of death.

The case has sparked a wider debate about patient safety in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Following a public outcry, Nigeria’s health ministry admitted there were “systemic challenges” and announced the creation of a national task force on “clinical governance and patient safety” to improve the quality of care.

Adichie is an award-winning writer known for novels including Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah.

Her 2013 essay We Should All Be Feminists was sampled by Beyoncé on her track Flawless, while the author was named among Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2015.

She explores themes around gender and immigration in her works, establishing her as a leading voice in postcolonial feminist literature.

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The counsel to the late singer’s father, Oladayo Ogungbe, announced the development after the court session.

Ogungbe disclosed that the court authorised one laboratory in the US and two in the UK.

While explaining that all parties will be present for the collection of samples, he noted that the singer’s widow, Wunmi, and Joseph Aloba, his father, picked one laboratory each, while the court also picked an independent one.

The development came after Mohbad’s father demanded a DNA test on Liam following the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death in September 2023 at his residence.

“The court has eventually picked three DNA Laboratory centres, two in the United Kingdom and one in the United States. One from us, one from them, and the court picked an independent one,” he said.

The matter was, however, adjourned to April 7 2026, for the collection of samples, which will be monitored by welfare officers.

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U.S. President Donald Trump has accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from Islamist militants in the northwest.

Nigeria denies discriminating against any religion, saying its security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims.

The U.S. carried out strikes targeting Islamic State-linked militants in December, and a small U.S. military team has been operating on the ground to boost Nigeria’s intelligence capabilities.

In recent days, several planes carrying U.S. troops and equipment have departed for Nigeria’s northern states, according to flight-tracking data reviewed by Reuters.

Major General Samaila Uba, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters, said the troops would train and advise local forces, but not take part in combat.

Earlier this month, Nigeria’s military said it expected around 200 more U.S. troops.

Presidential spokesperson Sunday Dare said Nigeria needed “massive support from the U.S. government” in the form of fighter jets and munitions, but declined to provide numbers or a timeframe.

Nigeria’s 240 million people are evenly split between Christians, mainly in the south, and Muslims, mainly in the north.

It acknowledges serious security problems, including those from Islamist fighters, but denies that Christians face widespread or systematic persecution.

Saturday’s assault in Kauru district highlights persistent insecurity in the region, and came days after security services rescued all 166 worshippers abducted in attacks by gunmen on two churches elsewhere in Kaduna.

Such attacks have drawn the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused Nigeria’s government of failing to protect Christians, a charge Abuja denies. U.S. forces struck what they described as terrorist targets in northwestern Nigeria on December 25.

The Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan named the kidnapped clergyman as Nathaniel Asuwaye, parish priest of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Karku, and said 10 other people were abducted.

Three residents were killed during the attack, which began at about 3:20 a.m. (0220 GMT), the diocese said in a statement.

A Kaduna police spokesperson confirmed the incident, but said five people had been abducted in total and that the three people killed were members of the security forces.

“Security agents exchanged gunfire with the bandits, killed some of them, and unfortunately two soldiers and a police officer lost their lives,” he said.

Rights group Amnesty International said in a statement on Sunday that Nigeria’s security crisis was “increasingly getting out of hand”. It accused the government of “gross incompetence” and failure to protect civilians as gunmen kill, abduct and terrorise rural communities across several northern states.

A presidency spokesperson could not immediately be reached for comment.

Pope Leo, during his weekly address to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square, expressed solidarity with the victims of recent attacks in Nigeria.

“I hope that the competent authorities will continue to act with determination to ensure the security and protection of every citizen’s life,” Leo said.

The incident reportedly occurred on February 3, 2026, at the residence of the tenant, Anozie Tochukwu, who lives in the apartment with his pregnant wife and two children.

According to Tochukwu, he moved into the apartment in January 2024 and had consistently paid his rent. He said problems began in the last quarter of 2025 when Frimpong served him with a notice to vacate, explaining that he intended to renovate the property and directing him to hand over the keys by the end of January 2026.

Tochukwu explained that on February 1, he met with his landlord and pleaded for an extension until February 14 to allow him time to complete arrangements to relocate. He said he showed Frimpong proof of payment for a new apartment he had secured, believing the matter had been amicably resolved.

However, he said he was shocked when, two days later, the landlord allegedly arrived at the premises and began removing the roof of the apartment while his family was still inside.

Shortly after the roof was removed, a heavy rainfall reportedly destroyed most of the family’s belongings.

Tochukwu estimated his losses at about ₦25 million, listing damaged items to include household furniture, electronic appliances, official documents such as degree and NYSC certificates, professional credentials, clothing, food items, baby and pregnancy medications, and savings accumulated over several months.

He further alleged that some items, including a ceiling fan and his savings box, went missing during the incident.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of Frimpong on Wednesday, February 3.

Confirming the arrest, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said the suspect is currently in police custody and investigations are ongoing.

The attackers set fire to shops and homes, along with the residence of the traditional leader, forcing the residents of Nuku and Woro to flee, he added.

The death toll is unclear, with Ahmed saying at least 35 people had died, while a Red Cross official told the AFP news agency the figure had gone up to 162.

The attack, one of several across Nigeria in the last 24 hours, comes as the defence minister confirmed to the BBC that a small team of US troops was in the country to help with intelligence and training.

It is the first official acknowledgement from Nigeria of an American troop presence since US President Donald Trump ordered the military in November to prepare for action in Nigeria to tackle Islamist militant groups.

Defence Minister Chrisopher Musa did not provide details on the team’s size, arrival date, location or duration of stay.

His comments follow those made on Tuesday by Gen Dagvin Anderson of US Africa Command (Africom), who said the deployment followed a Nigerian request and was focused on intelligence support.

“Our partnership with Nigeria is a great example of a very willing and capable partner who requested the unique capabilities that only the US can bring,” he said.

Nigeria faces an array of security challenges including criminal gangs – known locally as “bandits” who loot and kidnap for ransom – an Islamist insurgency, clashes over land and separatist unrest.

Kwara police spokesperson Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi told the BBC that the attack on the neighbouring villages of Nuku and Woro began at 17:30 local time on Tuesday – and she blamed suspected bandits.

She added that various security forces had now been deployed to the area but details of casualties were still unclear as were reports that people were missing.

“Reports said that the death toll now stands at 162, as the search for more bodies continues,” a Red Cross official in Kwara, Babaomo Ayodeji, told AFP.

The whereabouts of the traditional king are reportedly unknown.

Ahmed, the local MP, said the attack on Woro came after several smaller attacks in the area in recent days.

“They started shooting sporadically, they burnt shops, at least 35 bodies have been retrieved – more bodies could be retrieved because people ran into the forest with gunshot wounds,” he told BBC Hausa.

“It was complete chaos… Everybody is terrified.”

For years the bandits have mainly targeted those in the north-west of Nigeria – but they have been moving to other parts of the country, like Kwara and Niger states, more recently.

Some jihadists – suspected to be from a Boko Haram splinter faction – have also been active in Kwara, carrying out targeted killings, often riding in on motorcycles and attacking markets and vigilante groups set up to protect villagers.

Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said Tuesday’s attack was a result of recent counter-terrorism operations in the region.

AbdulRazaq belived the attack was “apparently to distract the security forces who have successfully hunted down several terrorist and kidnapping gangs”, his press secretary Rafiu Ajakaye said in a statement.

Also on Tuesday, in the north-eastern Borno State, 17 people were killed in a series of attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants.

The US and Nigerian forces have conducted joint training programmes and exercises for decades.

But the US military has recently become more involved – launching airstrikes on Christmas Day on two camps run by an Islamist militant group in north-western Nigeria.

Late last year, the White House pressed Nigeria’s government to improve security and strengthen protections for Christian communities.

Trump had previously claimed there was a “Christian genocide” under way in Nigeria – an allegation strongly rejected by Nigeria’s government, which said Muslims, Christians and people of no faith were victims of attacks.

There are more than 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, which is roughly divided into a mainly Muslim north, a largely Christian south, with intermingling in the middle.

Nigeria’s Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar said the Christmas-Day strikes were approved by President Bola Tinubu and involved Nigerian forces.

Since then security co-operation between the two nations has increased – with the US saying last month that it had delivered critical supplies to support Nigeria’s security efforts.

Nigeria’s military then told the BBC the equipment had been purchased earlier to aid counter-insurgency operations.

In recent weeks, Nigerian forces have stepped up operations against armed groups.

On Sunday, the army said it had killed a senior Boko Haram commander and 10 other militants during an operation in Borno state.

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The crash occurred when two commercial Volkswagen Golf vehicles travelling in opposite directions reportedly lost control and collided head-on.

One of the vehicles was conveying wedding guests from Dutsinma, while the other was transporting passengers from Kano.

The impact of the collision caused both vehicles to burst into flames, leaving several occupants trapped.

Sources say three passengers were severely burnt in the crash. Sixteen people were said to have died instantly at the scene, while others succumbed to their injuries later, bringing the death toll to 18.

Among those who lost their lives were the groom, his bride and several of their friends.

According to a friend of the groom, Zakari Haradu Aboro, the victims were travelling from Dutsinma to Kafin Soli shortly after the wedding fatiha when the accident happened.

Aboro, who shared his account of the incident, described receiving a distressing phone call moments after the group departed, informing him that the vehicle carrying the newlyweds and their entourage had been involved in the fatal crash.

The bodies of the deceased were transported to the General Hospital in Dutsinma.

The deceased, identified as Suleiman Rahama Onono, was discovered on Monday by relatives with the support of local security personnel, following days of searching after her disappearance.

According to the family, Rahama was last seen on Saturday, January 24. All efforts to reach her afterward were unsuccessful, prompting concern among relatives, friends, and members of her college community.

The family said they were devastated to find that parts of her body, including her breasts and private areas, were missing, raising suspicions of foul play.

Police have conveyed the body to the morgue for preservation and autopsy, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding her death continue.

Residents of the area have expressed growing fear and renewed calls for improved security, including the installation of streetlights and increased patrols.

The location, known as Camp 2, has previously been associated with criminal activity, including recent violent attacks and the killing of two commercial motorcyclists, whose motorcycles were allegedly stolen.

Authorities have assured the public that investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend those responsible for the incident.

Police say the suspect, a native of Delta State, allegedly hired a 21-year-old man identified as Samuel Daniel to carry out the attack. Daniel is said to be a member of the Greenlanders cult group.

The Bayelsa State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Musa Mohammed, confirmed the arrest in a statement, saying it followed credible intelligence.

According to him, the two suspects were arrested on January 28, 2026, at about 10:35 a.m. Samuel Daniel, from the Nembe Ogbolomabiri Community, and Pastor Elijah Oro, 59, from Ozoro in Delta State, were picked up in connection with an alleged attempt on the life of a prophet, whose name was withheld.

DSP Mohammed said preliminary investigations revealed that Daniel was apprehended at the premises of the intended victim.

He reportedly admitted to being a member of the Greenlanders cult and claimed he was hired by Pastor Oro to carry out the attack.

Police sources indicate that the alleged plot may have stemmed from a dispute involving church membership and property.

The police say investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances and motive behind the alleged assassination attempt, while the suspects remain in custody.