Category: News

Suspected bandits launched a deadly late-night attack on Jargaba community in Bakori Local Government Area of Katsina State on Thursday, killing six men and abducting two women. According to eyewitness accounts, the gunmen stormed the village and headed straight to a popular meeting spot where local men usually gather. Without warning, they opened fire, killing six men on the spot, including an aide to the local Community Watch Corps (CWC) commandant. Two children were also reportedly injured by stray bullets during the chaos. Following the massacre, the attackers invaded a nearby residence and abducted two women, whose whereabouts remain unknown as of the time of reporting. The Katsina State Police Command confirmed the attack. Spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq said, “Yes, bandits attacked the community and shot people. Two died on the spot, while four others who were injured yesterday were confirmed dead today, making a total of six people killed.” However, he added that he could not confirm the abduction case yet, stating, “I will contact the DPO to verify that.” Reacting to the attack, Hon. Abdulrahman Ahmed, who represents Bakori in the Katsina State House of Assembly, condemned the violence, describing it as another grim reminder of the state’s worsening security challenges. “In Jargaba community, bandits attacked a group of six men who were seated and interacting. All six were killed. Two children were also injured, and two women were abducted from a residence,” Ahmed said, expressing sorrow over the tragedy. He extended condolences to the grieving families and called for divine intervention, while assuring that he had contacted security agencies to respond to the crisis and support the affected community. Katsina, like several other states in Nigeria’s northwest, has experienced a surge in deadly attacks and kidnappings by armed groups in recent years.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has dismissed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project as a scam, citing a lack of transparency and visible impact on Nigerians. Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, Lawal said he does not believe the project addresses the developmental needs of the country. He criticized the current administration for what he described as nonexistent or minimal infrastructure delivery across regions, particularly in the North. “If you ask me, ‘What projects has this government implemented so far that are visible to Nigerians and have impacted their lives?’ I cannot see any,” Lawal said, adding, “In the South-West, I don’t think there is any either. They are still talking about the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway — a project every government mentions, funds, but never completes.” He was especially scathing about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, calling it a premeditated fraud: “Even before they started, we knew it would be a scam, and it has become a scam.” The highway’s first 30-kilometre phase — from Ahmadu Bello Way to Eleko Village in Lagos — was commissioned by President Bola Tinubu in May 2025. The entire project spans 700 kilometres and is estimated to cost about ₦15 trillion, with the Federal Government securing a $747 million loan in June to support its execution. Lawal questioned the value of such loans, suggesting that borrowed funds are often exhausted overseas before any real development occurs locally. “You borrow money from Europe, and before it comes, it is spent over there. What can Nigerians see? What are they doing with our money?” he queried. The project has faced widespread criticism, including from opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, as well as from property owners affected by demolitions along the construction corridor. Despite the backlash, Minister of Works David Umahi has insisted the coastal highway is a “catalyst for economic growth”, promising it will benefit all regions of the country. “When people stop the suspicion and digest the coastal road project very well, they will know it’s a catalyst for the growth of every state in this country,” Umahi told the Senate Committee on Works in December 2024. As debate over the project continues, public skepticism remains strong, especially amid Nigeria’s mounting debt profile and the lack of visible progress on major infrastructure.

Many Nigerians are raising eyebrows over the whereabouts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, days after the conclusion of the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which ended three days ago. President Tinubu had embarked on a two-nation trip to Saint Lucia and Brazil starting Saturday, June 28, 2025, according to an official statement issued by the Presidency prior to his departure. The itinerary listed no further engagements beyond the BRICS summit and commemorative events in Saint Lucia, leaving many wondering why the President has yet to return — or even be seen publicly — since the summit ended. Despite mounting curiosity, no statement has been released by the Presidency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or any senior government official to clarify the President’s current location or activities. “Is it possible that the Nigerian President’s aircraft is passing through a zone where time is standing still?” a concerned X user sarcastically asked, tagging @grok and other monitoring platforms. The silence has further fuelled speculation on social media, with some questioning whether the President may have extended his trip for undisclosed reasons, or if something more serious is being kept under wraps. This is not the first time President Tinubu’s international travels have sparked opacity concerns. Previous trips have drawn criticism for lack of timely updates, unclear objectives, and absence of media briefings — trends that continue to worry citizens eager for transparency in governance. As of now, the Presidency has remained tight-lipped, and Nigerians continue to wait for answers on where their President is — and why he hasn’t returned home or addressed the nation.

Some aggrieved loyalists of the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairmanship candidate in Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government, Lagos State, reportedly assaulted the Labour Party (LP) polling agent, Spencer Dominic, on Saturday at polling unit 027 along Yaya Abatan, Ogba. The incident occurred during the local government elections, moments before the APC candidate, Usman Akanbi Hamzat, arrived to cast his vote. According to eyewitnesses, APC supporters confronted the LP agent and ordered him to move away from behind the electoral officers. When he refused, insisting on staying to monitor the process for transparency, the situation escalated. The loyalists allegedly dragged, slapped, and shouted at him in full view of security personnel who reportedly failed to intervene. Narrating the incident, Dominic said: “I was standing behind the electoral officers to ensure transparency and verify voter cards as people arrived to vote. Suddenly, the APC supporters told me to leave the spot. I refused, and they began beating me.” In response, an APC leader, Gbenga Adebowale, defended the action, stating that the LP agent had no right to stand behind electoral officials and question the credentials of voters, especially the sitting council chairman. “You don’t question the chairman of the council as a polling agent. There are rules. Polling agents are expected to maintain a certain distance. When you stand behind the electoral officers, it’s seen as an attempt to disrupt the process,” Adebowale said. The election in Lagos was generally marked by low voter turnout, with reports of voter apathy across several polling units in the state. The Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) is yet to officially comment on the incident.