Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticised President Bola Tinubu over the country’s worsening insecurity following the death of former House of Representatives member, Abba Adamu in kidnappers’ custody. Adamu, who represented Guri, Kiri-Kasamma and Birniwa Federal Constituency from 2007 to 2011, was kidnapped on May 3 along the Kaduna-Abuja highway while travelling from Kano to Abuja for a political meeting. Reports claimed he died nine days later while being held by his abductors despite efforts by his family to secure his freedom. Reacting through a statement released in Abuja by his aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the incident showed how insecurity had continued to worsen across Nigeria under the current administration. He said, “Adamu’s death is yet another grim reminder of the worsening collapse of security under the Tinubu administration.” Atiku added, “Let us be brutally honest: Nigeria is under siege, and this administration appears either overwhelmed, indifferent, or dangerously incompetent in the face of this national emergency.” He questioned how a former lawmaker could be kidnapped on a major highway and still die in captivity, asking what chance ordinary Nigerians have when trapped in such a situation. “When a former member of the National Assembly can be abducted on one of the country’s most strategic highways and die in captivity, what hope remains for the ordinary Nigerian who lacks visibility, influence, or protection?” he asked. The former vice president said kidnappings and attacks have become common across the country, with people no longer feeling safe on roads, in their homes or even on their farms. “This is no longer about isolated incidents. It is now a horrifying pattern,” he stated. Atiku also criticised the continued insecurity along the Abuja-Kaduna road despite repeated promises from security agencies and huge spending on security. “A government that cannot secure its highways cannot claim to govern. A government that watches citizens get hunted like prey has failed the most elementary test of leadership,” he said. He questioned the Federal Government’s security strategy and demanded accountability. Atiku said Nigerians were tired of condolence messages and wanted real action from the government to address insecurity.

Human rights lawyer, Maxwell Okpara, has challenged various state governors in Nigeria to a public debate to explain how they made their wealth. Okpara threw this challenge on Wednesday during a live appearance on Arise Television. He questioned how Nigerian politicians made their wealth, alleging that they use public funds to build empires for themselves and generations yet unborn. “Have you ever seen any thief who agrees that he is a thief? Have you ever seen one, especially in Nigeria? Are you expecting them to agree? We know that these guys are thieves, for goodness’ sake. “I challenge them to a debate. I’m a lawyer and a lecturer. I can comfortably tell you how I made my money. Let them come and tell us how they made their money. “So, you have been in government since 1999 up to this extent and watched over N500 billion, if not trillions. You are a thief. How much is your monthly take-home that you have real estate all over the place? “Let these politicians also explain the source of their wealth after spending decades in government and controlling hundreds of billions in public funds. “In any serious society, such unexplained wealth should automatically trigger investigation and accountability,” he said.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has announced that Nigeria’s long-awaited Digital Switch Over, DSO, project is now fully ready for nationwide launch. He described it as a major milestone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reform agenda for the broadcast industry. The Minister made this known during a tour of facilities at NIGCOMSAT located at the Obasanjo Space Centre, on Wednesday, alongside the Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen. Describing the development as a turning point for Nigeria’s broadcasting sector, the Minister said, “I think this is a new dawn for our country. The promise that President Tinubu made to reform all sectors is now being seen in action in the broadcast industry.” He noted that after many years of delay, Nigeria is finally set to complete the transition from analogue to digital broadcasting, adding that the DSO platform is scheduled for official commissioning on June 17, 2026. Speaking further on the benefits of the new digital broadcasting ecosystem, the Minister stated, “This is going to bring a lot of advantages to broadcasters, viewers, and advertisers. If you are viewing any particular station, you know who is viewing, what they are watching, and how many people are watching.” According to him, the new system will provide accurate audience measurement and analytics that will help advertisers and broadcasters make informed programming and investment decisions while improving content delivery to Nigerians. The Minister also highlighted the broader economic and technological impact of the initiative, stressing that the platform would deepen competition in the broadcasting industry, expand access to free television services, and improve viewing quality across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. He said, “The monopoly has been broken. Everybody is going to compete. Content is going to grow, viewership will grow, and Nigeria is now moving from SD to HD broadcasting.” He added that Nigerians will now enjoy cleaner television signals through satellite and mobile applications powered by NIGCOMSAT technology. The Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission, Charles Ebuebu, said the upgraded DSO framework was designed to align with emerging technologies and modern viewing habits. He explained that the new system leverages satellite broadcasting and mobile applications to ensure wider accessibility beyond the pilot cities previously covered under the earlier DSO experiment. He said, “We’re going to have 100 channels by the day of launch and even more because more content producers are talking to us. We want to create one market and one platform for Nigeria.” He also highlighting the establishment of regional production studios and multilingual customer support centres across the country. Also speaking during the tour, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Jane Egerton-Idehen, described the collaboration between NIGCOMSAT and NBC as a strategic partnership that has strengthened service delivery and raised operational standards within Nigeria’s digital broadcasting ecosystem. According to her, ongoing investments and satellite expansion plans under the current administration will guarantee reliable and continuous service delivery. “The work has only just started. The work has only just begun,” she said. Among those who accompanied the Honourable Minister on the tour were the Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Salihu Abdullahi Dembos; Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, VON, Jibrin Baba Ndace; Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Mohammed Bulama; and Director-General of the National Orientation Agency, NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, alongside other senior government officials and dignitaries.

The Bauchi State Police Command says it has arrested four men in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area, over allegations of criminal conspiracy, adultery and inciting public disturbance. A report by a security expert, Zagazola Makama said the suspects were brought to the Azare Division by the Zonal Commander of Hisbah, Katagum Zone, Mallam Rilwan Khairan. He identified the suspects as one Bashir Adamu of Comprehensive Area; Auwalu Mohammed of Gadum Area; Mohammed Mohammed of Sabuwar NEPA Area; and Salisu Mohammed of the same locality. Quoting police sources, Makama said the men were alleged to have entered into an agreement among themselves to exchange their wives for sexual intercourse. According to him, authorities said the act could lead to public disorder. “The suspects were brought to the station by Hisbah officials following intelligence on their alleged arrangement to exchange spouses, which may likely cause breach of peace in the community,” the source said. Police said the case was under investigation, adding that appropriate legal actions would be taken upon completion of inquiries.

Popular Nollywood actor, Alex Ekubo, is dead. He was 40. His death was confirmed on Tuesday by his colleagues, Funke Akindele, Bolanle Ninalowo, and Godwin Nnadiekwe, who claimed to be his ally. Sharing on her Instagram story, Akindele wrote, “Hmmmmmm. Rest in peace, Alex. I tried to reach out to see you one more time, but I guess you knew best. May your kind soul rest in peace, Alex. ‘Ore mi like you fondly called me, I will always remember and cherish the good times we shared together. Rest in Peace, Alex.” Meanwhile, Ninalowo, who is now in the United States, also mourned on his page, writing, “Rest on, Alex. May God heal your family and us all.” Nnadiekwe, on the other hand, shared, “I’m struggling to find the words. This news has truly broken me. Nollywood has lost a rare soul, and I’m lost for words because this wasn’t the plan, Alex Ekubo. To think you already prepared your Will — It’s heartbroken, I can’t quite describe. Rest well, my friend.” As of the time of filing this report, his family has not issued a statement on his death. Recall that fans across social media recently expressed concerns for Ekubo following his first public appearance after months of social media silence. The light-skinned movie star had been absent from Instagram since December 30, 2024, sparking speculation about his well-being. However, a recent video that surfaced online brought him back into the spotlight, though it also raised further questions. In the viral clip, Ekubo was seen interacting with a group of children, appearing noticeably slimmer and subdued. The video, posted by user @AsakyGRN on X (formerly Twitter), was captioned, “Alex Ekubo spotted for the first time since disappearing from social media.” The footage triggered a wave of emotional reactions from fans, many of whom noted a significant change in his appearance and questioned his wellbeing. Before his demise, the actor dismissed marriage in favour of his quest to earn more money in the film industry. In January 2023, his then-lover, Fancy Acholonu, in an interview, revealed that she dated the late actor for five years without them having any intimacy. The US-based model also called off her wedding to Ekubo in December 2021, after apologising to the film star a year later for calling it off. Acholonu affirmed her love for the actor, saying that “like our shirt says, Nothing makes sense when we’re apart @alexxekubo you still have my heart. “I miss you, I love you, and I’m truly sorry for all the hurt & pain you and your family went through with our breakup.” She noted that her actions were out of character, and she has realised she could have controlled her emotions and not been so overreactive. However, in a post on his Instagram page, Ekubo implied that he was aware that some people were curious about why he has not yet been married. The film star said he was more interested in making money. He urged people not to bother about his marital status.

A graduate of the University of Jos, John Arum Azi, has recounted his traumatic experience after spending 11 days in captivity following a fake job offer that allegedly lured him into the hands of kidnappers in Zamfara State. Azi narrated his ordeal during a testimony at a church in Tudun Wada, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Sunday. According to him, he was abducted on April 11, 2026, shortly after travelling from Jos to Zaria, Kaduna State, for what he believed was a legitimate welding job opportunity. He explained that the suspected kidnappers had persistently contacted him by phone, offering him welding work and even sending him transport fare to convince him the offer was genuine. “They kept calling me, asking me to come and work for them. They even sent transport money, so I believed it was a real job,” he said. Azi said after arriving in Zaria, he contacted the individuals, who instructed him to board a motorcycle heading to a village. Although he became suspicious during the journey, he ignored the warning signs because he desperately needed work. “I started having doubts, but I told myself maybe it was a connection that could help me. I did not know they were kidnappers,” he said. According to him, moments after arriving at the village, a man approached him claiming to be the person who had contacted him about the job. He said he was then taken on a motorcycle into a remote forest where he noticed another heavily armed man waiting for them. “I saw a gun I had never seen before in my life. The man told me not to be afraid and claimed the person was a hunter, but deep down I knew something was wrong,” he recounted. Azi said he was immediately forced to kneel while the kidnappers searched him, seized his phone, bag and work tools, and handed him strange clothes and a face mask to wear. He added that the abductors later moved him from Kaduna through Giwa Local Government Area into Zamfara State after several hours of travelling on motorcycles through forests and isolated routes. “We spent almost six hours moving through the bush on motorcycles. There was no security anywhere,” he said. Mob razes suspected kidnappers’ hideout after Anambra doctor’s rescue Police arrest 55 suspected kidnappers, rescue 58 victims in Edo Gunmen abduct three family members in Ogun community File: John Arum while in the kidnappers’ den According to him, upon arriving at the camp, the kidnappers tied his hands and legs before contacting his family and demanding a ransom of N30m. “I gave them my elder brother’s number. They called him and demanded N30m,” he said. Azi further narrated how he was repeatedly tortured and interrogated about his religion while in captivity. “They were shooting guns everywhere and asking questions. Out of fear, I initially denied being a Christian because I thought they would kill me,” he said. However, he said severe beatings by the abductors eventually forced him to confess his faith. “While they were beating me, I suddenly shouted ‘Jesus.’ That was when they discovered I was a Christian,” he added. According to him, the kidnappers thereafter nicknamed him “Pastor” throughout his stay in captivity. Azi said constant prayers and faith in God kept him alive during the ordeal. “The only thing I kept doing was praying and asking God to save me,” he said. He explained that after negotiations, the kidnappers reduced the ransom demand from N30m to N6m. However, even after receiving the money, the abductors allegedly delayed his release and demanded an additional N4m. “They started beating me again and said my family should add another N4m. At that point, I thought I would not survive,” he said. According to him, support from relatives, friends and sympathisers eventually secured his freedom after several days in captivity. The UNIJOS graduate said he returned home traumatised but grateful to be alive.

Peace Ibiyeomie, the wife of the Presiding Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has cautioned married women against maintaining close friendships with divorcees who have refused to reconcile with their estranged husbands or seek remarriage. She gave this warning during the church’s Mother’s Day celebration service held on Sunday. In a video from the service currently trending on social media, Ibiyeomie stressed that the company a woman keeps determines her marital stability, insisting that even biological sisters who are divorced should be kept at arm’s length if they refuse to follow biblical counsel. “Do not follow a divorcee as your friend, even if she is your sister. Teach her, either she reconciles with her husband, or she remarries,” she wrote. She further claimed that many women who publicly claim that men are “unimportant” often lead double lives, engaging in secret affairs while discouraging their married friends from staying in their homes. Ibiyeomie said, “They will tell you that men are not important, but at the same time, she goes back. I have seen so many examples of single ladies, some of them told me the truth that it is a lie, that even as they are in church, they follow men. One opened up so much to me, that is why she wants to remarry. “They keep saying the man is not important. If he is not important, why are you sleeping with him? So stay on your own if you say a man is not important.” Speaking on the issue of infidelity and broken homes, Ibiyeomie invoked a series of curses on women who deliberately “break” other people’s marriages to reap where they did not sow. “That your marriage is broken doesn’t mean that you break another person’s marriage,” she said. “Every woman who has taken your husband, the lady who took your husband is cursed in the name of Jesus. It will never be well with her. She will not eat the fruit of your labour,” she declared. Amidst resounding ‘amens’ and applause from the female congregants, the cleric continued,, “Cancer will ravage her. She will die a premature death. The children will be vagabonds. “If you are a woman in this place breaking homes, you are cursed in the name of Jesus. Incurable diseases will follow you. Go and look for your own husband. You don’t want to suffer, you want to eat the fruit of another person’s labour.” Closing her address, she challenged the women to be mindful of their legacies and the impact they would leave for future generations. “The company you keep will either push you up or pull you down. Desire to make a generational impact. Leave a meaningful legacy that you will be remembered for,” she said. THENEWSCREDIT reports that David Ibiyeomie had similarly stirred reactions online after cautioning worshippers against chewing gum, drinking water, and using phones during church services.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, has said most federal colleges of education in Nigeria now operate a dual-mandate system that allows students to earn both the Nigeria Certificate in Education and a Bachelor of Education degree concurrently. Alausa disclosed this on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today. He explained that the initiative was introduced in 2025 to strengthen teacher education and improve enrolment in colleges of education. According to him, students admitted into the institutions begin with the NCE programme and, upon meeting university admission requirements after three years, proceed to complete a degree programme within an additional two years. “From last year alone, dual-mandate colleges of education and all federal colleges of education today, most of them, except the ones that were founded five years and below, now offer dual-mandate degree. “That student will now go, they’ll enter as an NCE, they’ll do three years. After three years, if they meet the requirement to go to universities, which is five credits, they’ll continue and do another two years and get two degrees. “Five years, you get NCE, National College of Education Diploma, and you get a Bachelor of Education degree,” he said. The minister said the reform had improved the sustainability of colleges of education and increased student enrolment into the institutions. “That has really now put colleges of education into sustainability for the future. So we’ve had more traction of students going. We need a better pool of more teachers, high-quality teachers,” he added. Alausa explained that the arrangement was similar to the pathway from national diploma programmes in polytechnics to university degrees. According to the minister, about 28 federal colleges of education have already commenced the programme, while state-owned colleges are expected to begin implementation from the 2026 academic session after amending relevant state laws. “Now, for the state colleges of education, they now have to change their individual state legislation to make that happen. “I think, as of the last count, we have almost 18 states or 17 states that have done that. “They would also be doing that from this 2026 academic session. That’s a huge change in our colleges of education,” he said. He further clarified that students who fail to meet the O’level requirements for university admission after completing the NCE programme would exit with only the NCE qualification. “If you don’t meet those requirements, you terminate at NCE. But the key thing, beyond opening up more access, is to now create pool,” Alausa stated.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Monday announced that candidates seeking admission into Education programmes and Agriculture-related non-engineering courses will no longer be required to sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. JAMB announced this in a post on its X handle during its ongoing policy meeting on 2026 admissions. “Candidates seeking admissions into Education Programmes and Agriculture non-Engineering Courses are now exempted from UTME,” the board wrote on X. The development comes as the heels of Nigerian government announcing the scrapping of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, as a requirement for admission into Colleges of Education. The federal government said candidates seeking admission into Nigeria Certificate in Education, NCE, programmes, will no longer be required to sit for UTME.

Reverend Niyi Adebayo, the Lead Pastor of True Worshippers Church in Ogbomoso, has issued a stern advisory to the public regarding the consumption and dissemination of online content targeting politicians and traditional rulers in the city. In a recent communication shared via his Facebook handle, Rev. Adebayo hinted at impending political or social alignments, urging social media users to exercise caution in their public commentary. "Be careful what you post about politicians and matters of the Obas in Ogbomoso," Adebayo stated. "These people will soon come together. Enough said." Rev. Niyi Adebayo, known for his engagement in community matters and his role as a spiritual leader, has previously emphasized the need to respect royal authority and avoid actions that could destabilize the city. While he has often advocated for transparency and good governance, this latest warning suggests an awareness of behind-the-scenes developments in Ogbomoso`s power dynamics. The warning follows a trend of heightened social media activism in the region, with various stakeholders closely monitoring the activities of both political officeholders and traditional rulers. Key Points from the Warning: Focuses on digital content about local politicians and Royal Fathers (Obas). Predicts a coming together (unity/alignment) of these influential figures. The message serves as a cryptic but strong advisory against premature or damaging commentary. The pastor’s message highlights the delicate intersection of social media freedom, traditional authority, and political maneuvering in Ogbomosoland.