Category: Community

Tragedy Deepens: Death Toll Hits 5 in Warri–Itakpe Train Crash

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Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) Managing Director, Dr Kayode Opeifa, has confirmed that the death toll from the Warri–Itakpe train derailment on Monday, June 8, has risen to five. The fatalities occurred along the vital South-South and North-Central transit corridor. Emergency teams responded swiftly, rushing injured passengers to nearby medical facilities. Authorities have launched a full-scale probe to uncover what triggered the fatal crash. On board the ill-fated train were 442 passengers and 40 operational staff, including crew, security, and third-party personnel. To prevent future tragedies, the NRC is intensifying safety…

Abuja Turns Back to Firewood as Gas Prices Rise

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By Prosper Okoye Shortly after dawn, before the heat settled over Abuja, Rejoice Jika stepped outside with a small metal stove and a handful of charcoal. The thirty-year-old mother of two had once cooked almost exclusively with gas. Now, as she crouched over the stove, coaxing a flame from blackened lumps of charcoal, the blue cylinder in her kitchen sat mostly unused. “The last time I bought gas, it was about one thousand six hundred naira per kilogram,” she said. “Now it is two thousand.” The increase had happened quickly.…

NDLEA Intercepts Opioids Hidden in Building Materials; Arrests Septuagenarian, Nabs 4 Female Dealers.

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A relentless nationwide offensive by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dealt a major blow to drug cartels, resulting in the interception of massive opioid shipments hidden within building materials. According to a Sunday statement by Femi Babafemi, the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, the crackdowns spanned multiple states, netting a 75-year-old suspect in Ebonyi and four notorious female dealers across Edo, Imo, Kano, and Gombe. Items recovered from the truck included 320,840 capsules of tramadol, 600 ampoules of pentazocine injection, 4,500 pills of rohypnol, and 299…

Outcry in Ibadan: Mass Protests Erupt Over Kidnapped Teachers and Students

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A peaceful protest hit the streets of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Friday, May 29. Concerned citizens, teachers, and civil society groups united to demand urgent government action following the abduction of teachers and pupils in the Oriire Local Government Area. Demonstrators cautioned authorities that the safety of teachers and students across the state must be prioritized immediately. The peaceful rally was organized by the Oyo State Teachers Action Group, alongside the Nigeria Teachers Congress (NTC), a non-governmental organization. The abduction took place on May 15, 2026, tearing through…

Apapa Port Cleanup: PEBEC DG Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu Targets Extortionists to Ease Trade Bottlenecks

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To boost trade facilitation and slash the cost of doing business, PEBEC Director-General Princess Zahrah Mustapha Audu stormed the Lagos ports complex on Thursday. The high-impact raid dismantled illegal checkpoints and notorious extortion hotspots that have crippled operations along the port corridor for years. Scattered across strategic access routes into the Apapa port corridor, these checkpoints had long served as cash cows for corrupt security personnel and port officials, who routinely extorted hundreds of thousands of naira from drivers. The sudden raid caught the operatives off guard, sending many fleeing…

Bauchi Adolescents’ Rogue Marriage Lands Them with Police

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State Action Committee on Gender-Based Violence, led by the Chairperson and First Lady of Bauchi State, Aisha Bala Mohammed, has handed over adolescents involved in an unauthorized marriage. A statement by Zainab Garba Musa, Press Secretary to the First Lady, Bauchi State said the incident involved a young girl and boy who allegedly conducted marriage rites without parental consent or approval. Friends of the youths reportedly assumed the roles of guardians (Al-Wali) and Imam during the process. The youths were apprehended by the Commander…

25 Cattle Markets Shut in Four Bauchi LGAs Over Security Concerns

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State Government has ordered the immediate suspension of operations in selected cattle markets across Alkaleri, Bauchi, Kirfi and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas, citing rising insecurity.A statement from Government House said the decision, approved by Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, affects several markets identified as hotspots for criminal activities. According to the government, the affected markets have been linked to cattle rustling, killings, kidnapping, extortion and illegal arms transactions, posing serious threats to lives, livelihoods and food supply chains. The identified markets based on the…

Victory for Health Advocates as Bauchi Considers Anti-Home Birth Bill

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By Bashir Hassan Abubakar The Bauchi State House of Assembly has recorded a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to curb maternal and newborn deaths. This follows the introduction of a bill seeking to prohibit unsafe childbirth practices and unregulated medical procedures across the state. The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman, on Wednesday presented the bill during plenary, where it received unanimous support from lawmakers and scaled second reading—signaling a decisive legislative response to a long-standing public health concern. The proposed legislation is aimed at addressing the high rate…

Ensuring a Seamless Transition: Protecting Staff and Retirees in the RUGIPO Conversion

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By: Dr. Phillip Bamiji Olusola(Lead City University, Ibadan) The proposed transformation of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic (RUGIPO) into a University of Agriculture, Science and Technology reflects a bold and forward-looking initiative by the Ondo State Government. As articulated by Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, the vision is to position the state at the forefront of innovation in agriculture, technology, and sustainable development. The proposal, as presented, highlights important aspirations – modernized agriculture driven by technology, enhanced research capacity, and the creation of a globally competitive institution. These goals are commendable and align…

Bloodshed Averted: Troops Foil Terrorist Incursion in Plateau; Two Injured

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“Bloodshed was narrowly averted in Plateau State as troops from OPEP Sector 9 intercepted a terrorist incursion in Shendam LGA. Following a high-stakes distress call near the Yelwa cattle market, the Nigerian Army’s rapid response forced the gunmen into retreat, though two residents are currently receiving medical attention for injuries sustained in the crossfire. As reported by Zagazola Makama, security forces responded to a 7:30 a.m. distress call Friday along the Yelwa cattle market axis. The intervention followed reports of sporadic shooting by suspected insurgents in the Lake Chad region…