Author: Opalim Lifted

75 killed as terrorists storm Kwara communities

At least 75 residents were killed and dozens of homes destroyed on Tuesday evening when suspected terrorists attacked Nuku and Woro communities in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. The assault reportedly began around 6pm, according to the Kwara State Police Command. Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, the police spokesperson, confirmed that security forces have been deployed to the affected areas, although the exact number of casualties is still being verified amid reports of missing persons. However, Rauf Ajakaye, Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq said that no fewer than 75 people were confirmed dead. He said the victims were moderate…

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Tunisian lawmaker Ahmed Saidani arrested amid Saied criticism

Tunisian police have arrested outspoken lawmaker Ahmed Saidani in what appears to be a fresh escalation in the crackdown on critics of President Kais Saied. Two of Saidani’s parliamentary colleagues confirmed the arrest on Wednesday, saying security agents detained the legislator without publicly disclosing the charges against him. Saidani has emerged in recent months as one of the fiercest critics of President Saied, repeatedly accusing the government of authoritarianism and political repression. His arrest comes amid growing concern over shrinking political freedoms in Tunisia. On Tuesday, the lawmaker mocked the president in a Facebook post, describing Saied as the “supreme…

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Yahaya Bello facing political trial, not money laundering — Lawyer

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, took a sharp political turn on Wednesday as his lead counsel, Joseph Daudu, SAN, told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the case before it was “a political trial, not a money laundering charge.” Daudu made the assertion before Justice Emeka Nwite while responding to comments by Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), during the cross-examination of the prosecution’s seventh witness. The witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer with Access Bank Plc, had been subpoenaed by the EFCC in the ongoing trial over…

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Yahaya Bello facing political trial, not money laundering — Lawyer

The trial of former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, resumed on Wednesday, February 4, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, with fresh exchanges during the cross-examination of the seventh prosecution witness. Bello is standing trial before Justice Emeka Nwite on a 19-count charge filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged money laundering involving ₦80.2 billion. At the resumed proceedings, prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, told the court that the case was scheduled for the cross-examination of Prosecution Witness Seven, noting that three prosecution witnesses were available. The witness, Olomotane Egoro, a compliance officer…

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Benue declares lassa fever outbreak as health workers test positive

Four frontline health workers have tested positive for Lassa fever in Benue as the state declares an outbreak and activates emergency response measures. The Benue State Ministry of Health has confirmed that at least four frontline health workers have been infected with Lassa fever, amid a growing outbreak across the state. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Health, Paul Ogwuche, said three nurses and one community health worker tested positive for the viral disease following a steady rise in suspected and confirmed cases. Ogwuche announced that the state government has officially declared a Lassa fever outbreak and…

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US deploys troops to Nigeria after security talks

The United States has dispatched troops to Nigeria following recent joint security cooperation between both countries. Dagvin Anderson, the general in charge of the US Africa Command (AFRICOM), disclosed the development during a press briefing on Tuesday. This marks the first public acknowledgement of US boots on the ground in Nigeria since the Donald Trump administration launched missile strikes targeting terrorists in Sokoto on Christmas Day. Anderson said the deployment followed a meeting he held with President Bola Tinubu in Rome late last year. “That has led to increased collaboration between our nations, to include a small US team that…

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EFCC arrests Kannywood actress Inuwa over alleged naira mutilation

The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a Kannywood star, Samha Inuwa, over alleged naira mutilation. Dele Oyewale, Head of Media and Publicity at the EFCC, said in a statement that Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms in which she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose with naira notes. Following the circulation of the video, the commission swung into action, traced the suspect and subsequently arrested her for questioning. She is currently being held at the commission’s detention facility while investigations are ongoing. The suspect…

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Arsenal edge Chelsea to reach Carabao Cup final with late Havertz goal

Arsenal took a step closer to winning their first major silverware since 2020 as they beat Chelsea to reach the Carabao Cup final. Leading 3-2 from the first leg, the Gunners had to wait until the 97th minute to seal their progress on a tense evening at the Emirates Stadium. Substitute Kai Havertz scored the only goal of the night deep into injury time, rounding goalkeeper Robert Sanchez before slotting home. Mikel Arteta’s men, who are top of the Premier League and still involved in three cup competitions, will face either Manchester City or Newcastle in the final at Wembley…

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Ebonyi community begs Nwifuru to lift ‘siege’ after Amasiri sanctions

Traditional institutions in Amasiri, Afikpo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, have thrown their weight behind steps taken by Governor Francis Nwifuru to resolve the long-running land dispute between their community and Oso-Edda in Edda LGA. The backing follows the governor’s decisive action on Sunday, when he dissolved the political and traditional leadership structures of the Amasiri clan after a violent clash over disputed farmland claimed the lives of three people. In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the traditional rulers condemned the killing of four Edda indigenes, the burning of houses, and the destruction of property in Okporojo,…

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Police arrest govt official, monarchs over beheadings in Ebonyi

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested the coordinator of the Amasiri Development Centre, Anya Baron-Ogbonnia, alongside two traditional rulers, in connection with the killing of four people in Edda Local Government Area of the state. The police spokesperson, Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the arrests on Monday, identifying the traditional rulers as Onyaidam Bassey and Godfrey Oko-Obia. Ukandu said the arrests followed a coordinated security operation involving the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). According to him, 10 other suspects had earlier been taken into custody,…

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