The Mediterranean Knights of Libya have arrived Nigeria ahead of Friday’s AFCON 2025 qualifier against Nigeria’s Super Eagles in Uyo Township stadium.

In a post on X, the Libyan players were pictured on arrival at the Murtala International Airport in Lagos.

From the Lagos airport they will connect a flight to Uyo, where the match will be played.

Meanwhile, all the invited players of the Super Eagles have arrived except Victor Osimhen who is injured.

This is the second time Libya will come up against the Super Eagles in the AFCON qualifiers.

Both teams were in the same group during the qualifiers for the 2019 AFCON hekd in Egypt.

In the first leg in Uyo, the Eagles won 4-0 and won the return leg 3-2.

Libya’s only win against the Eagles was in the 2004 LG invitational tournament, recording a 2-1 win.

The High Court of South Africa, Northern Cape Division, sitting in Upington, adjourned the trial of a 35-year-old Nigerian national, Emmanuel Chidi Okafor, who allegedly stabbed a South African police officer to death during an argument.

The spokesperson of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Northern Cape Division, Mojalefa Senokoatsane, in a statement on Wednesday, October 9, 2024, said the trial had to be stopped after the accused informed the Judge that he was no longer happy with his Legal Aid-appointed representative.

“The accused is facing a charge of murder, attempted murder, and the Contravention of Sections 1,22(12) and 22(14) of the Refugees Act. He is accused of killing an off-duty member of the South African Police Service,” the statement read.

The State’s case emanates from an incident on 08 January 2020, when Okafor had a verbal altercation with his neighbour, Ryno Renee van Wyk.

Okafor and van Wyk lived as neighbours in the small farming town of Keimoes, near the town of Upington in the Northern Cape.

On the fateful day, Police Officer Stefano Nico Visagie and other people were visiting van Wyk and drinking.

It is alleged that Okafor who was also in his house drinking and smoking with his friends informed them that he was going to kill everyone who was in the van Wyk household.

During the trial, the court heard through witnesses, that during the night when everyone was sleeping in the van Wyk household, the accused entered the house through a door that was unlocked, armed with a sharp object and stabbed the deceased, Constable Stefano Nico Visagie who was sleeping on the floor.

The court heard, that after the accused had killed the officer, he continued with his merciless rampage by attacking van Wyk, whom he stabbed in his upper leg.

During the tussle for the weapon between van Wyk and Okafor, the accused was also injured in the process.

Other people who were sleeping in the house heard the victim screaming and one of the people attacked the accused with a spade, and van Wyk managed to escape. The accused began attacking other people, but they also managed to escape.

It is alleged that the accused returned to his home, where he took some of his belongings before running away.

The weapon that was used by the accused was later found in a lorry that had given the accused a lift.

It is believed the weapon fell from his trousers during transit. Through intelligence-driven and multi-disciplinary investigations led by the Investigating Officer, the accused was traced and arrested in Krugersdorp, Gauteng.

He was brought back to the Northern Cape, where he was remanded in custody and is expected to be incarcerated until the conclusion of the matter.

The trial was ongoing, and it was about to be concluded before the accused fired his legal representations, therefore the matter will only be heard on 28 October 2024.

The preliminary date is for the accused to hear if Legal Aid will be able to appoint a new legal practitioner to represent him until the trial is concluded.

On that date, the State, led by Senior State Advocate, Jaques Rosenburg and the defence will also have an opportunity to agree on a suitable date for the matter to continue.

The absence of Justice Emeka Nwite of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Wednesday stalled the ruling in a fresh bail application filed by the detained Binance Holdings Limited’s executive, Tigran Gambaryan.

The matter, which was fixed for ruling on Mr Gambaryan’s bail request, could not proceed as Mr Nwite was said to have gone for a seminar at the National Judicial Institute, Abuja.

The ruling was subsequently fixed for October 11.

EFCC’s counsel, Ekele Iheanacho, had, on September 4, vehemently opposed the bail application moved by Mark Mordi on Mr Gambaryan’s behalf.

Mr Iheanacho, who argued that the Binance executive was being given the best medical treatment by the Nigerian Correctional Service, alleged that Mr Gambaryan once rejected the medical intervention by the State House Clinic in Abuja.

The lawyer drew the court’s attention to the State House Clinic’s medical report.

He stated that even though Mr Gambaryan’s ill health was not as bad as it was being portrayed, the report showed that the defendant was dissatisfied with the medical attention being offered and rejected it.

The anti-graft agency’s lawyer urged the court to dismiss the fresh application.

He explained that the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, wrote to the management of the NCoS, requesting Mr Gambaryan’s medical records.

He said that a response from the NCoS was received by the NSA on August 29 with the attached report of Nizamiye Hospital, among others.

According to him, the report indicated that Mr Gambaryan has been receiving adequate medical care from the NCoS and has been taken to several hospitals, including the State House Clinic.

Mr Iheanacho insisted that NCoS could take Mr Gambaryan to any hospital in Nigeria, adding that surgeons cannot force surgery on the defendant without his consent.

He said Mr Gambaryan “cannot suddenly become sick,” as is allegedly commonplace with some suspects facing trial.

Earlier, Mr Mordi had asked the court to admit his client to bail on liberal terms or for six weeks based on ill health.

He argued that though the EFCC purportedly denied Mr Gambaryan had a serious health issue, the exhibits, including the medical reports, showed that he needed medical care.

The lawyer argued that Mr Gambaryan’s health challenge cannot be adequately managed in Nigeria.

Kenya’s Senate Speaker, Amason Kingi, said on Wednesday that the Senate would next week debate whether to dismiss Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua after the national assembly voted to impeach him.

Lawmakers voted by 281 to 44 late on Tuesday to impeach Mr Gachagua, with one abstention. That was far more than the two-thirds majority needed to carry the motion to the Senate.

Mr Kingi said the Senate would investigate the allegations on October 16 and 17, and if at least two-thirds of the Senate vote to uphold the impeachment, Mr Gachagua would be dismissed.

Mr Gachagua has denied all 11 charges against him, which include enriching himself and stirring ethnic hatred. He called the impeachment process a “theatre of the absurd.”

His rift with President William Ruto, whom he backed in a 2022 election, spilt into the open after deadly protests this year against proposed tax increases and the cost of living.

Mr Ruto has not commented publicly on the impeachment proceedings.

Mr Gachagua outraged many in Mr Ruto’s coalition for likening the government to a company and suggesting that those who voted for the coalition had first claim on public-sector jobs and development projects.

The push to impeach Mr Gachagua has divided Kenyans, with some saying that parliament should focus on the economy instead of politics and others calling for both Mr Ruto and his deputy to quit.

“They should both be removed. After two years, there has been no positive effect. We have had more crises. They came as a package, so they should leave as a package,’’ said Melissa Kagondu, who sells beauty products.

A Nairobi-based analyst, Robert Shaw, told Reuters that the impeachment would add to concerns about Kenya’s economic stability after protests in June and July.

He said, “It is bound to get worse, if I was an investor, I would be looking at how to consolidate my position ready for a storm.’’

The Court of Appeal sitting in Enugu has upheld the sack of Hon. Simon Atigwe of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the House of Representatives by Election Petition Tribunal.

The court also affirmed the declaration of Hon. Dennis Nnamdi Agbo of the Labour Party, LP, as the winner of the 3rd February, 2024 re-run election for Igbo-Eze North/Udenu Federal Constituency.

The judgement was unanimously delivered by the three members of the panel and read out by the chairman, Justice J.O Ekanem.

One of the Labour Party lawyers, Ifeanyi Ogenyi confirmed this in a post on Wednesday.

“Congratulations to the people of Igbo Eze North/Udenu Federal constituency.

“The wheel of justice turns slowly, but it grinds. Truth and justice has prevailed, no matter the wait. Dennis Agbo has prevailed!,” he wrote.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Atigwe the winner of the re-run election.

But Agbo, who had earlier won the February 25th, 2023 election but was sacked by the appellate court, proceeded to the tribunal to challenge Atigwe’s declaration and won the case. He also won at the Appeal Court.

About 21 passengers are feared dead in a boat accident that occurred at Imore town in the Amuwo-Odofin area of Lagos State.

The state police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this on Tuesday in Lagos.

Mr Hundeyin said that the police received a distress call about the accident on Monday.

He said, “A distress call was received at Ilashe Division that two unregistered passenger boats, both having 16 passengers onboard, collided at the middle of the lagoon at Imore Town. In the process, the boats capsized and passengers got drowned with the goods.’’

The spokesperson said that emergency responders consequently stormed the scene.

“Teams of conventional/marine policemen, local divers and other emergency responders were swiftly mobilised to the scene where 11 of the passengers were rescued with injuries. The injured were rushed to the Navy Hospital, Navy Town, Alakija, for medical attention, while search and rescue operation is being intensified with a view to recovering bodies of victims,” the spokesperson said.

According to him, investigation is ongoing in the matter.

Indonesia authorities have arrested a 36-year-old man in Tangerang, West Jakarta, for allegedly selling his 11-month-old baby online for 15 million rupiah, approximately US$955.

The man, identified only as RA, reportedly used the proceeds to fund his online gambling activities and cover personal expenses, as reported by local media.

According to Tangerang City Metro Police Chief, Zain Dwi Nugroho, the case came to light on October 1 when the child’s biological mother returned from work in Kalimantan and discovered her child missing.

“She pressed RA to share the whereabouts of their child until he eventually confessed that he had sold the newborn,” Mr. Zain explained. Distressed by the revelation, she accompanied RA to file a report at the Tangerang City Police Department.

When questioned by authorities, RA initially claimed he sold the baby to relieve his financial difficulties.

However, further police investigations revealed that the money was spent primarily on online gambling, contradicting RA’s claims of financial necessity, according to news platform detiknews.

The buyers, identified by the initials HK and MO, were also arrested and are suspected of being part of a human trafficking network.

“RA saw on Facebook that the buyers were looking to purchase a toddler, so he sent them a message and arranged the purchase,” Mr. Zain elaborated, as quoted by Kompas.com.

Authorities apprehended HK and MO at a rented residence in Tangerang, where they found the baby in their possession.

The three individuals are now under investigation for suspected involvement in human trafficking.

This incident has drawn condemnation from the Indonesian Child Protection Commission.

Chief Ai Maryati expressed deep concern over the case, stating, “It is worrying that he (RA) is using his financial situation to engage in activities that are being eradicated by the state, and with children being sold, he is also violating basic human rights.”

Maryati further highlighted that such actions represent a severe violation of children’s rights, which should be met with strict legal repercussions.

Under Indonesian law, human trafficking is punishable by up to 15 years in prison and a fine of 600 million rupiah, while violations of child protection laws carry similar penalties, including a maximum prison term of 15 years and a fine of 300 million rupiah.

The sale of children due to economic hardship is not an isolated incident in Indonesia.

Ms. Maryati mentioned another recent case she handled in which babies were sold from Depok, Jakarta, to Bali, citing poverty as a major factor.

In September, Depok police dismantled a baby trafficking ring, arresting eight suspects involved in the illicit sale of newborns via Facebook.

According to Depok Police Chief Arya Perdana, these infants were being bought from parents in Depok and later sold for higher prices in Bali.

Ms. Maryati emphasized that there are no justifications for exploiting children in such a manner.

“There is no excuse to be treating children this way, and violation of their rights has to be punished severely,” she remarked.

She urged the government to take decisive action against human trafficking and online gambling, advocating for long-term solutions focused on education and public awareness.

The rise of online gambling has become a growing concern in Indonesia, with an estimated 4 million Indonesians engaged in these activities, according to Communications and Information Minister Budi Arie Setiadi.

He described online gambling as “a serious threat to the country,” particularly among the 30 to 50-year-old age group.

Minister Setiadi’s comments underscore the broader societal issues contributing to cases like RA’s, where economic desperation leads individuals to take extreme and illegal measures.

The Asian Development Bank estimates that over 9.4 percent of Indonesia’s population was living below the national poverty line in 2023, a statistic that illustrates the economic challenges facing many Indonesian families.

Over 19 persons on Tuesday escaped death in Asaba, the Delta State capital, when a truck loaded with items fell on two buses along Nnebisi Road.

The accident, which occurred in front of the Bishop’s Court, St. Peters Anglican Church, Asaba, left some travellers injured.

An eyewitness, who did not want to be named told PUNCH Metro that the accident occurred due to the failed section of Asaba-Onitsha Road, noting that the truck fell on a bus belonging to Peace Mass Transit coming from Lagos and a shuttle bus, pressing the two buses.

“In fact, God has done a marvellous thing for us this morning and averted what would have been described as a bloodbath in Asaba. The 18- passengers of the Peace Mass Transit bus are alive, nobody died, and they only sustained minor injuries.

“You know that for over four months, the Asaba-Onitsha expressway has been totally bad. In fact, the road has collapsed, so vehicles including trucks are currently plying inside the town.

“And this inside town roads have also collapsed, it is very difficult to navigate, so this morning, while the truck was trying to navigate the bad road, it eventually fell and pressed the two buses. The two drivers sustain injuries,” an eyewitness narrated.

When the correspondent visited the scene of the accident, it was observed that items in the fallen truck were being transferred into another truck even as policemen were seen on ground controlling traffic.

Similarly, another truck that was trying to avoid Asaba-Onitsha’s failed road and navigating through St. Bridges Road killed a tricycle operator.

An eyewitness said that the truck driver ran away after killing the victim and abandoning the vehicle.

Efforts to reach the office of Federal Road Safety Corp failed as calls put across were not picked up as of the time of filling this report.

A group of 40 fishermen has successfully hunted down a mother hippopotamus responsible for the death of Usman Maigadi, a guard at Orchard Farm owned by the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Muhammad Zayyanu-Abdullahi.

The incident occurred on September 22, prompting the community to take action against the dangerous animal.

According to reports from the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday, the fishermen armed with bows and arrows executed the hunt in Yauri River, located in the Yauri Local Government Area of Kebbi State, on Monday.

The Chairman of Yauri LG, Alhaji Abubakar Shu’aibu, confirmed the development and noted that the initiative followed a directive from the Emir of Yauri.

“If you could recall, the hippo killed Yauri Emir’s guard and another farmer in September. We can’t keep an animal that is killing people anyhow. All the people it killed were not after the animal; they were doing their own fishing business,” he stated.

After successfully killing the hippopotamus, the fishermen transported it on a large canoe from the river to the palace of the District Head of Gungu, Alhaji Kasimu Aliyu, where they were met with applause from a gathering crowd.

“The brave fishermen subsequently butchered the animal into pieces and shared the meat with the people,” Shu’aibu added, highlighting the communal spirit in the aftermath of the incident.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack has re-introduced the civil service anthem for workers in the Federal Civil Service.

According to Walson-Jack, the anthem aims to encourage civil servants and drive reforms in the service.

The anthem was initially introduced in 2018.

Speaking at a meeting with media executives in Abuja according to a transcript released on Tuesday, the Head of Service stressed the need for the civil service to deliver on the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“You will recall that the office has the federal civil service strategy and implementation 2021-2025 and that is the plan that we are still driving. However, we have resolved to bring on board creativity and innovation to accelerate that plan.

“The six pillars which represent the ongoing reforms require adequate coverage so that the implementation can be fast tracked so that the federal civil service delivers on the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“I want to use this opportunity to appreciate President Bola Tinubu for the support especially as regards the ongoing reform. We have quite a few things we are working but I must say what we are actually looking forward to is our 100 days in office.

“The civil service anthem has been reintroduced to drive the reform. It is expected that the anthem will be sung by all civil and public servants and indeed Nigerians. And it will be an anthem that will encourage every public servant to imbibe the lyrics of the anthem which is just saying to us that we must be efficient, productive, incorruptible, and citizen-centered.”

The Police Command in Lagos State says it has detained a 32-year-old man, Wahaab Ibrahim, for allegedly defiling a four-year-old girl.

The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest on Tuesday in Lagos.

Hundeyin said that the incident happened on September 3 in the Ibeju-Lekki area of the state.

He said that a complaint reported the case at the Elemoro Division and was transferred to the Gender Unit in Ikeja.

“The complaint reported that, while she was away, her four-year-old niece was sexually assaulted by the suspect.

“The police visited the scene and recovered and registered some exhibits,” he said.

Kenya’s parliament was set to vote on Tuesday on impeaching Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a political drama that has exposed a rift in the governing party.

Lawmakers have accused the 59-year-old deputy to President William Ruto of corruption, undermining the government and practising ethnically divisive politics, among a host of other charges.

At a press conference on Monday, Gachagua denied the accusations as “outrageous” and “sheer propaganda”, saying it was a scheme to hound him out of office.

Gachagua is a businessman from Kenya’s biggest tribe, the Kikuyu. He weathered previous corruption scandals to become deputy leader as Ruto’s running mate in a closely fought election in August 2022.

But in recent weeks, he has complained of being sidelined by his boss and been accused of supporting youth-led anti-government protests that broke out in June.

Political tensions have been running high since the sometimes deadly demonstrations erupted over unpopular tax hikes, exposing divisions between Gachagua and Ruto.

Several MPs allied with Gachagua were summoned by police last month, accused of funding the protests.

No formal charges have been lodged by prosecutors and no judicial inquiry has been opened against Gachagua.

But lawmakers have listed 11 grounds for impeachment, including accusations that he amassed assets worth 5.2 billion shillings ($40 million) since the last election, despite an annual salary of just $93,000.

Among the listed assets was Kenya’s renowned Treetops Hotel, where Britain’s then-Princess Elizabeth was staying when she became queen.

Gachagua says his wealth has come entirely through legitimate business deals and an inheritance from his late brother.

He has warned his removal would stir discontent among his supporters.

Kenyan lawmakers initiated the impeachment process on October 1, with 291 members of parliament backing the motion, well beyond the 117 minimum required.

Two-thirds of the lower house, the National Assembly, must back the motion for it to pass on Tuesday. It would then move to the upper house, the Senate.

If impeached, Gachagua would become the first deputy president to be removed in this way since the possibility was introduced in Kenya’s revised 2010 constitution.

The Israeli military said on Tuesday it had launched targeted raids against Hezbollah in South West Lebanon, expanding its ground operations along the country’s coastline after deploying more troops.

On its Telegram channel, the military said its 146th Division began “limited, localised, targeted operational activities” against Hezbollah targets and infrastructure in southwestern Lebanon.

While the military has not disclosed how many troops are operating inside Lebanon, the Times of Israel newspaper reported the number likely exceeds 15,000.

The 146th division is the first reserve division to operate in southern Lebanon as part of the ongoing operations against Hezbollah, the military said.

It previously served in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank.

Israeli ground operations inside southern Lebanon began on September 30.

The military described them as “limited, localised, and targeted raids” aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s infrastructure.

Initially concentrated in the south and southeast of Lebanon, the Israeli military operations have now been extended to the southwest.

The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed, on Monday, that court orders have prevented the commission from pursuing investigations on corruption cases in 10 states.

Olukoyede on this note called for a collaboration between the commission and the judiciary in the fight against corruption.

Olukoyede made the call in Abuja, at the 6th EFCC/National Judicial Institute capacity-building workshop for justices and judges, themed ‘Integrating Stakeholders in Curbing Economic and Financial Crimes’.

He also complained about the frequent adjournments of high-profile cases and conflicting court orders secured by suspects to frustrate the commission in the prosecution of corruption cases.

Olukoyede said, “In spite of the energy and commitment of our judges in resolving corruption cases across the country and measures such as practice direction and designation of courts and judges to hear corruption matters, there are still some areas of concern that need to be addressed urgently.

“The spectre of frequent adjournments of high-profile corruption cases arising from frivolous applications, conflicting orders by courts of coordinate jurisdiction in corruption cases, intemperate contempt orders hauled at the commission’s leadership, and undue reliance on technicality in deciding serious corruption cases, unwarranted orders of injunction restraining the commission from investigating graft cases, are among a plethora of issues that bother the EFCC, which should be on the table for frank conversations over the next two days.

Katsina State Police Command has intercepted kidnap attempts by suspected bandits in Faskari and Danmusa Local Government Areas of the state.

The command’s Spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq-Aliyu, stated this in a statement in Katsina on Monday.

He said operatives of the command rescued eight kidnapped victims during the operations.

“On October 7, 2024, at about 11:00 pm, information was received at the Danmusa Divisional Police Headquarters that armed bandits numbering about four, abducted two women at the outskirts of Matarau village via Danmusa LGA.

“Similarly, on the same date, distress calls were received at the Faskari Divisional Police Headquarters that armed bandits, armed with dangerous weapons, blocked Marabar Bangori – Unguwar Boka along Funtua-Gusau road and kidnapped four persons.

“Also, some suspected armed bandits blocked Unguwar Kafa junction along Yankara – Faskari road, kidnapping another two women along with their children.

“Upon receipt of the reports, instantaneously operatives were dispatched to the scenes, where they engaged the assailants in a gun duel and successfully rescued all the kidnapped victims unhurt as the assailants fled the scenes with various degrees of bullet injuries,” Sadiq-Aliyu said.

According to him, the Commissioner of police in the state, Mr Aliyu Abubakar-Musa commended the officers for their exceptional display of bravery.

He reiterated the command’s commitment in the ongoing fight against all forms of crime and criminality in the state.

North Korean soldiers are likely fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian troops, with some believed already killed and more expected to be sent, Seoul’s defence chief said Tuesday.

Ukrainian media reported this weekend that six North Korean military officers were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack on Russian-occupied territory near Donetsk on October 3.

Seoul’s defence minister, Kim Yong-hyun, told lawmakers Tuesday that it was “highly likely, considering various circumstances” that the report was true.

“We assess that the occurrence of casualties among North Korean officers and soldiers in Ukraine is highly likely, considering various circumstances,” he said.

North Korea is expected to send more regular soldiers to support Russia’s war effort, he added.

“The issue of deploying regular troops is highly likely due to the mutual agreements that resemble a military alliance between Russia and North Korea,” Kim said.

Experts have long said North Korean missiles are being deployed in Ukraine by Russian forces — something both Moscow and Pyongyang have denied.

South Korea also claims Pyongyang has sent thousands of containers of weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine.

The nuclear-armed North has publicly bolstered military ties with Moscow in recent years.

President Vladimir Putin made a rare visit to Pyongyang in June, where he signed a mutual defence agreement with leader Kim Jong Un.

Analysts have warned that the recent ramped-up testing and production of artillery and cruise missiles by the North could be in preparation for shipments to Russia.

North Korea is barred by UN sanctions from any tests using ballistic technology.

But Moscow used its UN Security Council veto in March to effectively end UN monitoring of violations, for which Pyongyang has specifically thanked Russia.

North Korea is expected to scrap a landmark inter-Korean agreement signed in 1991 at a parliamentary meeting this week as part of Kim’s drive to officially define the South, Washington’s security ally, as an enemy state.

Moscow and Pyongyang have been allies since North Korea’s founding after World War II and have drawn even closer since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Alejandro Arcos, the newly elected mayor of Chilpancingo, was found murdered on Sunday, just six days after assuming office. His death is part of a wave of violence gripping the region, widely attributed to drug cartel activity.

The discovery of Arcos’s remains came just days after his administration’s new secretary, Francisco Tapia, was also shot and killed.

Guerrero’s state governor, Evelyn Salgado, expressed sorrow and outrage, stating the killing “fills us with indignation” as the city now mourns two officials lost to violence in less than a week.

Authorities have not released any details regarding suspects or motives, but Guerrero, located on Mexico’s Pacific coast, is notorious for drug cartel activity and power struggles between local gangs. Chilpancingo, a city of around 280,000 people, has long been a focal point for violent turf wars between rival gangs, including the Ardillos and Tlacos.

Arcos, who had only recently begun his term, had been actively involved in disaster relief efforts following last month’s Hurricane John, which caused widespread flooding in the region. In the hours before his death, his social media accounts showed him meeting with local relief workers and residents.

Senator Alejandro Moreno called Arcos and Tapia “young and honest officials who sought progress for their community.” He urged the federal government to take control of the investigation, citing Guerrero’s deep-rooted problems with lawlessness.

Arcos’s political party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), condemned the violence, demanding justice and safety for the people of Guerrero, who “do not deserve to live in fear.”

The state has seen a surge in political violence, particularly during election periods, with at least six candidates killed in the lead-up to Mexico’s June 2 elections.

Since the government’s militarized crackdown on drug cartels began in 2006, over 450,000 people have been murdered, with thousands more missing, as the violence continues to ravage Mexico.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has revealed that 84 of its members died between May and August 2024 due to economic hardship and unpaid salaries.

The President of the union, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, made this disclosure on Channels Television’s socio-political programme ‘Inside Sources’ with Laolu Akande.

He said, “In the past three months, from May to August (2024), Nigerian universities lost 84 academics to death. In three months, because of what our people are going through.

“Despite this crisis, you are holding somebody’s three-and-half or more salaries on the no-work, no-pay, you are owing this money. People are trying to survive, you introduced fuel increase, you introduced electricity increase, and everything is gone now.”

The President of the ASUU, who demanded increased funding for university education in Nigeria, said that to get the sector functioning optimally, lecturers must be motivated, adding that he earns N420,000 per month despite being a professor for 15 years.

According to him, Nigerian lecturers can’t compete globally if they are not well-paid.

Recall that on September 25, 2024, ASUU issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum to resolve several lingering issues including the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement as well as the release of withheld salaries due to the 2022 industrial action.

In 2022, academic and non-academic unions in Nigeria embarked on an eight-month strike to press home some of their demands including a better welfare package.

The administration of then President Muhammadu Buhari subsequently invoked a ‘no work, no pay policy’ against the unions but President Bola Tinubu, in October 2023, approved the release of four of the about eight months withheld salaries.

Suspected bandits have abducted a consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Abidemi Oyaromade.

The bandits stormed Oyaromade’s residence in Mareri area of Gusau, Zamfara State metropolis in the early hours of this Monday and whisked him away.

The bandits said to have been well-armed stormed their victim’s residence at about 4 a.m. and abducted him to an unknown location.

Oyaromade was the Head of Clinical Services (CMAC) at the Ahmad Sani Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital, Gusau between 2016 and 2017, and he continued to work with the hospital until late 2023 when he left to join the Federal Medical Centre, Gusau.

AIT News reports a reliable source on the condition of anonymity said he contacted the family via telephone and they confirmed the development to him, when he heard the news.

According to the report, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), who could not be reached, was said to be attending a meeting which may be connected to what happened to their colleague.

The police authority in Zamfara State has not confirmed the incident.