Community members of Matusgi village in Talata Mafara local government area of Zamfara State, on Wednesday, foiled an attack by armed bandits who stormed the community to kidnap residents and rustle cattle.

It was gathered that the armed bandits in their large numbers, faced stiff opposition from the villagers who were earlier informed about the invasion, as they came out en masse with local weapons, including fabricated guns against the bandits.

According to one of the villagers, identified as Usman Matusgi, unlike previous bandits’ operation, when everybody would be running for safety, this time, the bandits had unexpectedly received fire power from the villagers, from various angles saying that the situation forced the bandits to retreat.

“The bandits, while struggling to escape into a nearby forest, returned fire on the locals during which three people were killed.

“We killed over 30 of them and many were injured before they retreated; they were faced with the locally-made ammunition that were fired by the ambushing locals in defense of the community”, he added.

According to him, many villages would borrow a leaf from them and banditry activities would gradually come to an end in the state.

“The community members should assist the military and security operatives by engaging the terrorists in operation fire for fire.

“They are human beings like us and we should not leave everything about security only in the hands of the security operatives,” he stated.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said it has apprehended a four-man fraud syndicate for allegedly impersonating and blackmailing the Executive Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ola Olukoyede in a $1 million deal.

In a statement by the EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale on Thursday, the suspects were arrested on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at Gimbiya Street, Garki and Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

According to him, “the alleged fraudsters contacted a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Port Authority, NPA, Mr. Mohammed Bello-Koko claiming his indictment in some phony investigative activities of the EFCC during his tenure as the MD of NPA.

“They alleged that Olukoyede was ready to give him a soft landing for $1 million or risk being arrested and prosecuted.

“On receipt of intelligence regarding the moves of the impersonators, operatives of the Commission were deployed to play along with the alleged fraudsters. They were successfully arrested and are in the custody of the Commission.”

He said the suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.

Jake Sullivan, the National Security Advisor to President Joe Biden, on Thursday, said the U.S was not seeking a new Cold War or looking to change China’s system.

Sullivan made this known during a meeting with President Xi Jinping of China in Beijing.

He explained that the revitalisation of U.S. alliances especially in Asia was not against China.

The presidential aide also conveyed the regards of President Biden to President Xi.

He recalled that since the San Francisco Summit between the two world leaders, the duo had earnestly implemented their common understandings and achieved positive progress.

According to him, the earlier round of strategic communication with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi in China was “in-depth, candid, substantive and constructive.”

“The U.S. does not seek a new Cold War; it does not seek to change China’s system.

“The revitalisation of U.S. alliances is not against China.

“The U.S. does not support Taiwan’s independence and it does not seek conflict with China.

“The One-China policy of the U.S. has not changed and it has no intention to use Taiwan as a tool to contain China,” Sullivan said.

He said the U.S. hoped to maintain strategic communication with China and find a way for the duo to coexist in peace.

The National Security Advisor expressed confidence that U.S.-China relations would develop in a sustainable way.

Sullivan further said Biden was looking forward to having communication again with Xi soon.

Earlier, Xi stated that in a changing and turbulent world, countries needed solidarity and coordination, not division or confrontation.

According to him, people want openness and progress, not exclusion or regress.

The Canadian government has rolled out a policy preventing Nigerians and other holders of Canadian Visitor Visa from applying for a work permit within the country.

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

The policy is expected to kick off immediately, the Canadian government stated.

“While the temporary policy was set to expire on February 28, 2025, IRCC is ending the policy as part of our overall efforts to recalibrate the number of temporary residents in Canada and preserve the integrity of the immigration system,” the statement read.

Recall that the policy was introduced in August 2020 to assist visitors in Canada who were unable to return home because of border closures related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The policy implies that Visitors could apply for a work permit without having to leave Canada.

However, the IRCC in a fresh move said “some bad actors were using the policy to mislead foreign nationals into working in Canada without authorization.”

The fresh policy comes amid strict measures by the Canadian government to tighten its immigration policy.

This comes from the country’s recent immigration reforms that have sparked protests, especially among international students.

Tensions heightened earlier this week when several international students hit the streets across Canada to protest against new immigration policies introduced by the country’s government that could see about 70,000 of them deported.

As of 2023, international students made up 37 percent of study visa holders in Canada.

However, the recent limitation on student visas is expected to reduce the intake of foreign students by 35 percent, a move the government argues is necessary to alleviate pressures on housing, unemployment, and public services.

Barely two days ago, the Canadian government further tightened regulations by announcing that foreign nationals would no longer be able to apply for a PGWP at the border.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mazi Afam Osigwe, has been inaugurated as the 32nd President of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos.

Osigwe takes over from the immediate past president of the association, Yakubu Maikyau, SAN, whose tenure ended, Thursday.

In his inaugural speech, Osigwe stated that under his watch, the NBA will hold the federal and state governments to account.

He also commended his opponents, Tobenna Erojikwe and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chukwukwa Ikwazom, for their decorum during the electioneering process and extended a hand of fellowship to them to join him in moving the association forwards

He promised to run an all-inclusive bar that keeps the association not only united but moves the NBA forward.

The inauguration of the new President and National Officers of the NBA will bring to a close the week-long annual general conference of the association which began on August 23rd.

A coalition of Southern Kaduna youths has condemned an alleged smear campaign against Senator Sunday Katung, accusing the detractors of selfish motives.

The Coordinator of the group, Luke Augustine, urged the critics to stop their attacks and allow the senator to continue his work in the senatorial district.

Mr Augustine highlighted the senator’s achievements within his first year, including security improvement, healthcare initiatives, and educational support.

He praised Mr Katung’s collaboration with the security agencies, efforts to combat diseases, and his push for the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre in Kafanchan and a Science University in Manchok.

”We have been keenly following events of the last few months where some individuals or a group of individuals have decided to launch a campaign of calumny against our respected senator by trying to smear his name and his hard earned reputation. We have decided that we will not sit back and watch insignificant, bitter minded and political businessmen who have not contributed anything to the development of their communities. All the insults and smear campaigns against the senator are for their selfish political interests,” the group stated.

French authorities have charged Telegram founder, Pavel Durov, with allegedly allowing his messaging app to be used by child sexual abusers, organised crime gangs, drug traffickers and fraud, Sky News reports.

The Russian born billionaire who was arrested in France on Saturday after landing at Le Bourget airport outside Paris, on his private jet, was also alleged to have refused his app to share information or documents with investigators.

Judges in France have stopped the 39-year-old entrepreneur from leaving the country until completion of investigation but released him on a €5 million bail, thereby avoiding being held in custody.

Telegram in a statement on Monday denied any wrongdoing, insisting that it didn’t violate any European Union laws, because its moderation is “within industry standards and constantly improving.”

“It is absurd to claim that a platform or its owner is responsible for abuse of that platform. Telegram’s CEO Pavel Durov has nothing to hide and travels frequently in Europe. We’re awaiting a prompt resolution of this situation. Telegram is with you all,” the statement added.

However, France President Emmanuel Macron, on his X handle on Monday, defended Mr Durov’s arrest, stating that the country “is deeply committed to freedom of expression and communication, to innovation, and to the spirit of entrepreneurship. It will remain so.”

The French president said freedoms are upheld within a legal framework, both on social media and in real life, to protect citizens and respect their fundamental rights, in countries governed by the rule of law.

He said, “It is up to the judiciary, in full independence, to enforce the law,” explaining that Mr Durov’s arrest “on French soil, took place as part of an ongoing judicial investigation. It is in no way a political decision.”

Investigators of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Gombe Zonal Directorate, have commenced an investigation of one Solomon Yohana for allegedly impersonating as an official of the commission.

The commission’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to him, the suspect was arrested on August 19, in the Guyuk Local Government Area of Adamawa State by the State Security Services and handed over to the EFCC.

He said, “Items recovered at the point of arrest include: one fake EFCC ID card, some fake EFCC letterheads, one fake EFCC polo shirt and a fake Special Control Unit against Money Laundering, SCUML shirt. He will be charged to court as soon as investigation is concluded.’’

A university lecturer, Stella Aririguzuh, says banning under-18 students from sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will lead to capital flight.

Ms Aririguzuh, who is the Head, Department of Mass Communication, Covenant University at Ota in Ogun, stated this on Wednesday while speaking with journalists in Sango-Ota.

The don was reacting to the federal government’s move to ban students under 18 from sitting for WASSCE and the one conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).

She said the proposed policy by the federal government would force Nigerians to send their children to overseas countries for further studies.

“More parents will send their children to schools outside Nigeria, further depleting our resources,” Ms Aririguzuh said.

She explained that the policy would kill the zeal of students to push themselves to achieve more in their younger days.

Ms Aririguzuh, however, noted that the advantage of the policy was that the country would have matured students coming into the universities.

The minister of education, Tahir Mamman, had Sunday said the federal government had given directives to both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and NECO on this.

He said they are to stop those below 18 years from writing their examinations.

Ten foreigners were killed when a bus they were travelling in overturned in South Africa’s Limpopo Province Tuesday night, local authorities said Wednesday.

The bus was en route to Johannesburg from neighbouring Zimbabwe when the accident happened on the N1 highway near Makhado, the Limpopo Provincial Department of Transport and Community Safety said.

“All the deceased, five males and five females, are reportedly foreign nationals,” said the department in a statement.

“According to reports, the bus drove over a roundabout, the last traffic circle from Makhado towards Polokwane, at high speed, lost control and overturned, killing and injuring its passengers in the process.

“The bus driver is reportedly new in his job and not familiar with the surroundings,” it said.

According to a separate statement issued by the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), three people were seriously injured while 20 others suffered slight injuries in a separate accident.

“Preliminary reports indicate that the bus was travelling southbound when the driver allegedly failed to negotiate a traffic circle, leading to the vehicle overturning,” the RTMC said.

“The exact cause is still under investigation. We urge all road users to exercise caution, especially when approaching traffic circles.”

Limpopo province witnessed two major road accidents earlier this year.

In May, 13 people died in a head-on collision involving a heavy motor vehicle and a minibus taxi.

In March, 45 people travelling from Botswana to South Africa were killed in another bus accident.

A 30-year-old man has been arrested by the Enugu State Police Command for murdering his neighbour’s 4-year-old daughter.

The incident, which occurred at the Nsukka area of Enugu State was confirmed by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Enugu Police Command, DSP Daniel Ndukwe.

He disclosed in a statement on Tuesday that “on August 18, 2024, around 10:30 pm, Police Operatives serving in the Nsukka Sector of the Enugu State Command’s Anti-Cultism Tactical Squad hastened to a compound at Orba Road in Nsukka Local Government Area, upon receiving a distress call alleging the murder of a 4-year-old girl.

“The Operatives consequently arrested one Nweke Chukwuemeka “m” aged 30, alleged to have gruesomely murdered the female child, Zinachukwu Ugwu, in cold blood while she was sleeping.

“The lifeless body of the child was taken to the hospital, confirmed dead, and deposited in the mortuary.

“Additionally, the knife used by the suspect to commit the crime, quantities of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp, and an object suspected to be a charm were recovered from him.”

Ndukwe further stated that “a preliminary investigation reveals that the suspect hails from Umuagu-Ozalla in Nkanu West Local Government Area, but resides in the said compound with the child’s parents and others.

“He initially attempted to attack other neighbours who resisted him and escaped before going into the victim’s apartment, where he saw the helpless child sleeping, and used the knife to cut through her throat.

“This was after the mother of the child had run out to take the other of her children to safety before coming back for the victim.”

He said the suspect confessed to the crime, claiming that he acted alone but under the influence of Indian hemp, methamphetamine (locally known as “Mkpuru-mmiri”), and Action Bitters alcoholic drink, which he consumed earlier.

“He also confessed to being a member of the Vikings Confraternity and that in 2022, while residing in Jos, Plateau State, he was involved in a cult clash during which he murdered a male member of the rival cult group.

“The suspect will be arraigned and prosecuted once investigations are concluded,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Kanayo Uzuegbu has described the act as barbaric and unthinkable.

“He condoles the victim’s parents, siblings, and friends, assuring that everything possible will be done to secure justice for the innocent child.

“Hence, he orders the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State CID Enugu to ensure that ongoing investigations are concluded, and the case prosecuted within record time.

“Moreover, the CP has urged the citizenry to, as much as possible, be conversant with the behavioural patterns of their neighbours to avert senseless incidents of this nature,” the police spokesman further stated.

The Nigerian Navy has handed over 72 bags of Cannabis sativa, each weighing 40kg and four arrested suspects to the Marine Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Base Information Officer, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS BEECROFT, Lt. Hussaini Ibrahim, on Tuesday, adding that the Navy handed over three Ghanaian and one Beninese.

The commander of NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Rafiu Oladejo, represented by Navy Capt. Mutalib Raji, said the consignments were intercepted on August 25, 2024, by the Quick Response Team.

According to him, the operation followed credible and actionable intelligence received by NNS BEECROFT on suspicious activities of some criminal elements taking place around the Lekki Beach axis.

This, he said, prompted the deployment of the team to the area for an intensive operation, resulting in the interception of 72 bags of cannabis sativa weighing over 2,880 kg.

He said the effort was sequel to the Strategic Directive of the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, to ensure a safe and secured maritime environment for economic activities to thrive.

“The team arrested three Ghanaians, namely Godswill Zevor, Monday Kpomeja, Gbega Agbeko and a Beninois, Elugbe Philip.

“Perpetrators of illicit drugs are warned to desist from such acts as NNS BEECROFT will continue to pursue every criminal element operating within its area of operation

“This successful operation is a testament to the unrelenting efforts of NNS BEECROFT to curtail the spread and use of illicit drugs among teeming youths, which negatively affect their health and threaten national security,” he said.

The Kaduna Police Command operatives have intercepted 15 unsewn military camouflage uniforms and detained two suspected car thieves.

The command’s spokesperson, ASP Mansir Hassan, said in a statement on Tuesday that officers on patrol and stop-and-search on the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna highway stopped a vehicle where they found a leather bag containing camouflage materials on August 25.

He said the suspect admitted that he was to deliver the materials to someone in Udawa village, who would then give them to bandits in the Chukuba area under Shiroro LGA of Niger for their operations.

“The suspect is currently cooperating with the police to arrest other accomplices at large,” he said.

Mr Hassan also disclosed that on Tuesday, while on a routine divisional patrol at about 12:00 p.m., the police patrol team of Makarfi encountered a group of armed robbers who blocked the road using logs of wood and stones.

” Upon arrival at the scene, a shootout ensued between the police and the armed robbers.

“The superior firepower of the police patrol team forced the robbers to flee into the surrounding bushes.

“During the exchange, one of the robbers was neutralised, and his locally made pistol and one cartridge were recovered,“ he said.

Mr Hassan said the police were combing the surrounding bushes in an ongoing operation to apprehend the remaining suspects.

The spokesperson said that one Abdulaziz Abdulmumin reported to the police that his blue-black Toyota had been stolen.

He said following the report, the vehicle was spotted in the Hayin Dan Mani area of Igabi LGA of the state.

”At about 20:00 hours on Monday, the police moved in and jointly arrested two suspects,” Mr Hassan added.

He said Abdul Mukhtar and his accomplice, Mamman Ahmad, a resident of Zoo Road, Kano, were nabbed.

”Ahmad was found driving a Mercedes Compressor with registration number AKD 547 GY, which is also suspected to have been stolen,“ Mr Hassan said.

According to him, during interrogation, the suspects confessed to using a master key to steal cars.

He added that further investigation was ongoing to determine the full extent of the suspects’ activities and to identify other potential accomplices.

Mr Hassan said the commissioner of police, Audu Dabigi, commended the officers for their excellent work.

He assured the public that the command would continue to ensure that criminals have no breathing space within the state.

Three men, were on Tuesday, arraigned before an Ikorodu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly stealing an electricity transformer valued N50 million.

The defendants, Kehinde Akinkugbe, Tope Salisu, and Isiaka Amusa, whose addresses were not given, are being charged with conspiracy, stealing and malicious damage.

The defendants, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Prosecutor, ASP Aminu Isaac, told the court that Akinkugbe, Salisu and Amusa, committed the offences at about 2.30a.m on August 22, at Ajeri Street, Ijede, Ikorodu, Lagos.

Mr Isaac said that the defendants maliciously damaged an electricity transformer, belonging to the Federal Government.

The prosecutor said that the defendants were apprehended by residents of the area, who later reported the matter to the police.

He said that the offences contravened Sections 411, 287 and 339 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, A.B. Olagbegi-Adelabu, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million each, with two sureties in like sum.

Mrs Olagbegi-Adelabu, ordered that one of the sureties must own a landed property, and should present evidence of three years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

The magistrate adjourned the case until October 10 for mention.

Plans are being perfected for President Bola Tinubu to travel to China by the first week of September 2024.

According to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, the trip will afford Tinubu an opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister, Xi Jinping, during which bilateral matters will be discussed.

Tinubu will also meet with the management of China’s construction giants, the Chinese Rail Construction Company (CRCC) with a view to concluding contract terms for the Ibadan to Abuja rail project.

The Presidential spokesman also explained that the trip will attract other foreign direct investment to Nigeria, especially in the areas of agriculture, power, commerce and communications, as several MOUs would be signed.

A Texas judge on Monday ordered a temporary pause on a policy that would streamline the process for spouses of US citizens to obtain legal status in the country, a blow to one of US President Joe Biden’s biggest immigration reform policies.

Judge J. Campbell Barker granted a 14-day administrative stay in a case brought by the Republican attorneys general of 16 US states challenging the Biden administration’s policy.

In June, Biden announced the new policy, which streamlined a pathway to citizenship for an estimated half a million immigrants married to US nationals.

The 16 states bringing the lawsuit, however, say the policy is costing them millions of dollars in public services — including healthcare, education and law enforcement — used by the immigrants.

“The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date,” Judge Barker wrote in his order.

“This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law,” said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose state is party to the case, in a post on social media platform X after the order.

The Biden administration has been struggling to address immigration, a hugely divisive issue for many Americans ahead of November’s presidential election, which will see Vice President Kamala Harris take on Republican Donald Trump.

The Democratic Party is walking a fine line of seeking to be tougher on illegal migrants while also introducing reforms to the country’s inefficient immigration system.

Trump’s campaign for the White House has centred on portraying the United States as under assault by what he calls a migrant “invasion.”

The new rules would streamline the process for those who already qualify for permanent residence by removing a requirement that they leave the country as part of the application process.

The rules applied to those in the country for at least 10 years and married to a US citizen before June 17, 2024, and also applied to an estimated 50,000 stepchildren of US citizens.

Those approved would be granted work authorization and the right to stay in the United States for up to three years while they apply for a green card, which is a pathway to full citizenship.

Monday’s ruling suspends the granting of this “parole in place” status, but does not halt the government from continuing to accept applications for the status.

In a statement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services confirmed it would continue to take applications but would not grant any until the stay was lifted.

“The District Court’s administrative stay order does not affect any applications that were approved before the administrative stay order was issued,” USCIS said.

Immigrant rights group Justice Action Center said the order was an “extreme measure.”

“To halt a process for which Texas has not been able to provide an iota of evidence that it would harm the state is baffling,” said group founder Karen Tumlin.

“This is heartbreaking for our clients and the thousands of couples who hope to benefit from this process and be able to live without fear that their family will be separated.”

The Justice Action Center earlier Monday filed a motion seeking to intervene in the lawsuit to defend the programme.

Barker wrote that the court did not “express any ultimate conclusions about the success or likely success” of the plaintiffs’ case while the stay is in place.

The court announced an expedited hearing schedule in the case, but Barker noted that the two-week stay would likely be extended while proceedings are underway.

At least 60 people have died after a dam burst in war-torn Sudan due to heavy rainfall, adding to the growing humanitarian crisis in the region.

The Arbat Dam, located in Red Sea State, collapsed under the pressure of torrential rains, leading to catastrophic flooding that swept away farms, villages, and vehicles downstream.

The dam, which has a capacity of 25 million cubic meters, was a crucial source of drinking water for Port Sudan, where the military government is headquartered.

The collapse has left the city and surrounding areas without a stable water supply, further complicating the lives of residents already battered by 16 months of civil war.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway, but authorities fear the death toll may rise as efforts continue to locate missing persons. Local residents have reported harrowing scenes, with people trapped in vehicles and homes being washed away by the floodwaters.

Ali Issa, a local resident, described the desperate situation: “People were stuck in seven cars—they tried to get them out but couldn’t.”

Another resident, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, reported that entire communities had been wiped out: “All the houses and everything was swept away.”

The flooding has also damaged a major fiber-optic cable, causing a widespread communication outage across several parts of the country. The disruption has hampered coordination of rescue efforts and left many communities isolated.

The Sudanese Air Force has been deployed to rescue people who sought refuge in the mountains, according to reports from local newspaper Merdameek.

The director of the Red Sea State’s Water Authority, Omar Issa Tahir, confirmed to local news site Akhbar that the flooding had “wiped out the entire area.”

Army chief Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan visited the flood-stricken areas, and the military issued an urgent appeal on social media for federal and state agencies to provide immediate assistance to those affected.

Sudan has been mired in conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army.

The ongoing war has displaced millions and led to widespread famine, with the recent extreme weather only worsening the dire situation.

Russia has attacked Ukraine for the second consecutive night with heavy airstrikes involving various weapon types, initial reports from Ukrainian authorities said on Monday morning.

At least five people were killed, two due to a rocket strike on a hotel in Kryvyi Rih and three others due to drone attacks on Zaporizhzhya, they said.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, the Russian army once again used long-range bombers, launching cruise missiles. Hypersonic missiles of the Kinzhal (Dagger) type were also fired.

The attacks were primarily aimed at Ukraine’s energy system, analysts observed.

On Monday, Russia launched an attack on Ukraine involving 127 missiles and cruise missiles, along with over 100 combat drones.

This was the highest number reported by the Ukrainian military in two and a half years of conflict.