The United Nations says many seriously injured children in the Gaza Strip are dying because ambulances are hardly ever allowed to transport patients to hospitals outside the region.

“Those who barely survived the ruthless bombardments are then condemned to die from their injuries,” James Elder, a spokesman for the UN children’s fund UNICEF, said in Geneva.

The number of evacuated children has dramatically decreased to fewer than one child per day since the closure of the Rafah border crossing in May, said Mr Elder.

Despite their perilous situation, those affected are at the mercy of an indifferent bureaucracy, the UNICEF spokesman said.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimated that between 12,000 and 14,000 patients of all age groups in the Gaza Strip required urgent transfer to hospitals outside the area for treatment.

A WHO spokesperson has called for the urgent re-establishment of medical corridors to save the lives of civilians.

The Israeli military has been bombing the coastal strip and also deploying ground troops to retaliate against Hamas since the Palestinian militant group carried out its deadly terrorist attack on Israel in October 2023.

Gaza’s Hamas-controlled health authority says tens of thousands of people have been killed so far.

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has commenced an investigation into the accident involving a Sikorsky SK76c helicopter with registration 5N-BQG, operated by Eastwind Aviation.

This was announced in a statement by Bimbo Oladeji, NSIB’s spokeswoman, on Thursday.

According to her, the helicopter, carrying eight individuals – six passengers and two crew members – went down into the Atlantic Ocean near Bonny Finima, off the coast of Calabar.

She said the incident occurred during a routine flight at approximately 11:22 a.m. local time on Thursday.

Ms Oladeji said, “The aircraft was en route from the Port Harcourt Military Base (DNPM) to the Anton Offshore Facility when it lost contact with air traffic controllers around 10:52 a.m.

“Operating under Visual Flight Rules (VFR), the helicopter did not transmit an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal, prompting authorities to manually plot the accident’s location to expedite search and rescue efforts.

“Search and rescue operations were activated immediately, with the NSIB collaborating closely with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Armed Forces and other relevant agencies.”

According to her, emergency response teams are actively working to locate survivors, with three bodies recovered so far.

She said the search continued with support from neighbouring aerodromes, military units, and low-flying aircraft.

NSIB director-general Alex Badeh said, “We are fully committed to uncovering the circumstances surrounding this accident. We will work diligently to ensure that all necessary information is collected.

“The public must avoid speculation during this sensitive time, as our focus is on providing clarity and accountability through our investigation. The NSIB is actively preparing to dispatch a go-team to the scene to gather evidence and conduct a comprehensive analysis.

“A preliminary report will be issued in due course to provide updates on the investigation’s progress.”

Mr Badeh said that NSIB remained dedicated to promoting transparency and accountability through the independent accident investigation process, ultimately enhancing transportation safety in Nigeria.

The NSIB is a multimodal transport agency charged with the mandate of promoting transport safety and conducting objective, thorough, and accurate investigations into transport accidents and incidents in Nigeria.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s trip to Samoa to represent Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit has been cancelled after a foreign object hit his plane during a stopover at JFK Airport, New York.

The foreign object damaged the cockpit’s windscreen of the plane, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said in a statement.

“President Tinubu, acting promptly, has approved a ministerial delegation to represent Nigeria at the summit in Samoa, capital of Apia, while the plane’s repair has commenced.

“The delegation, which will now represent Nigeria at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting in Samoa, is being led by the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abass Lawal,” said the statement.

The summit, which began on the Pacific island on October 21, will end on October 26.

Mr Shettima and foreign minister Yusuf Tuggar have left New York for Nigeria.

There was panic on Thursday as the Five-Star foot pedestrian bridge on the ever-busy Oshodi-Apapa Expressway in Lagos collapsed on Thursday.

It was gathered that the bridge partially collapsed around 6:30 a.m., blocking a part of the road.

Fortunately, no lives were lost in the incident.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) said preliminary investigations revealed that an articulated truck carrying heavy equipment collided with the bridge earlier in the day, causing cracks and subsequent collapse.

LASEMA cordoned off the entire bridge and initiated decommissioning efforts to remove remaining concrete members to ensure public safety.

LASEMA’s heavy-duty equipment was deployed to evacuate the impediment and prevent secondary incidents.

As of the latest update, recovery operations were ongoing, with efforts focused on completely removing all concrete debris from the road.

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has seized jerry cans and drums of petrol totalling 33,595 litres, meant for smuggling to neighbouring Cameroon Republic.

The Adamawa/Taraba Area Command headquarters of the NCS made the disclosure in Yola on Thursday, saying the seizures were effected between August and September 2024.

Addressing newsmen at his office, the Adamawa/Taraba NCS Area Comptroller, Garba Bashir placed the monetary value of the seized petrol at over N71 million.

He gave breakdown of the seized commodity as 1,115 jerry cans of 25 litres each and 26 drums holding 220 litres each.

Bashir listed other confiscated items as three vehicles which were means of conveyance of the seized petrol, 200 50kg bags of foreign flour, 57 50kg bags of parboiled rice, and 10 bales of second hand clothes.

According to Bashir, the confiscated containers of petrol, which were impounded from various borderlines in Adamawa and Taraba states, would be auctioned to members of the general public.

Justice Maryann Anenih of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday, adjourned till November 14, for arraignment of the defendants and response to the summon issued by the Court for the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello.

He is to appear before it for arraignment on the fresh 16-count charges brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

The adjournment was fixed on the request of the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), who stated that at the last adjourned date, the court had issued a public summons against the 1st defendant (Bello), directing that same be published and that the charge be pasted.

Justice Anenih, however, interjected, stating that she did not ask that the charge be pasted, only the summons.

Oyedepo explained to the court that he expected the 1st defendant to be in court on November 14, making reference to the 30-day duration of the summons, and therefore sought adjournment till November 14 for the arraignment of all three defendants.

Counsel to the 2nd defendant, JB Daudu (SAN), however, objected, stating that the matter was scheduled for arraignment and that if the prosecution is not ready to read the charge to the defendants, he will have to ask that they be discharged and they have been in custody for over one month.

He added that the defendants were all independent and shouldn’t be used as a shield for the sake of one who is absent.

“My Lord, we are here for arraignment. I don’t think the prosecution should use them as a shield as they are individually here on their own. I will ask for their discharge if he (the prosecution) is not ready for arraignment. We either take plea or their discharge.

“You cannot be using somebody as a human shield when they are not in hostage. I don’t like this practice,” he said.

The counsel to the 3rd defendant, A.M. Aliyu (SAN), agreed with the submission of the 2nd defendant’s counsel, adding that he would be asking the court to take his client’s application for bail.

“In the alternative, my Lord, I have filed an application for bail which was duly served on the complainant,” he said.

Oyedepo, however, said that the application for bail could not be taken as the charge was a joint charge. According to him, there are counts of conspiracy in it.

He insisted that the court should adjourn to November 14.

He further stated that the defense counsel has served the EFCC with an application for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the 2nd defendant on him and that the oral application cannot be taken.

The 2nd defendant’s counsel, Daudu, however, insisted that this was against the principles of fair hearing.

He said, “Fundamental human right is not about freedom alone but fair hearing. I urge my Lord to take a global look at the matter. They left their family for over a month now.

“We urge the court to release the two on bail and that keeping them will not have any impact on the case.

“His argument is persuasive but does not go by what the law says. That is until one individual appears before they can be arraigned. I don’t understand this kind of practice.

“It is an affront to fair hearing because the privilege of fair hearing allows us to raise any issue. Keeping them for 10 years will have no impact.

“They have enjoyed administrative bail before with the EFCC, so it won’t hurt their pride if they give it to them.”

The 2nd defendant’s counsel also asked for a date for a fundamental rights application for his client.

After taking the submissions of the parties involved, Justice Anenih rejected the defendants’ oral application for bail.

She ordered the defendants to come with a formal application as their oral application was not accepted.

She said, “I have considered your application for bail; it is noted that, as rightly stated by the prosecution, the defendants are at liberty to make proper application for bail in this court; otherwise, the oral application made today is hereby refused.”

She subsequently adjourned to November 14 and 20 for the response of the 1st defendant to summons and/or arraignment.

Bushra Bibi, the wife of Pakistan’s ex-prime minister Imran Khan, was released from jail on Thursday, his party said, nine months after she was imprisoned alongside him in the runup to elections.

In the days before the February polls, Bibi was convicted of graft and illegal marriage alongside opposition leader Khan in what he claimed was a campaign to sideline him from the vote.

The illegal marriage case collapsed on appeal and Bibi’s graft sentence was suspended, allowing her to walk free from Adiala Jail, where Khan remains imprisoned.

Bibi was bailed on a separate pending case on Wednesday.

The chairman of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Gohar Ali Khan, said that after her release, Bibi was travelling to her Islamabad residence.

“She was kept in jail to put pressure on Imran Khan,” he told reporters. “I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all PTI supporters on the release of Bushra Bibi, and we offer our gratitude to God.”

It was reported in January 2024 that Khan was sentenced to 14 years in jail on a graft charge, a day after he was given a 10-year prison term in verdicts handed down just a week before national elections.

Khan and his wife were found guilty of graft in a case involving gifts he received while premier after he was handed 10 years in a case related to leaking state secrets.

The pair married in 2018, months before Khan was elected prime minister.

Meanwhile, in June 2024, a Pakistan high court overturned the treason conviction against Khan, who remains in jail on other charges.

The conviction was one of three slapped on Khan in the runup to the February elections, which he claims were orchestrated to prevent his return to power.

The decision by a two-member bench at Islamabad High Court was announced by Chief Justice Aamer Farooq, an AFP court reporter stated.

“This is the first big case that was part of the political victimisation against Imran Khan and Shah Mahmood Qureshi, which has been dashed to the ground,” Salman Safdar, a lawyer for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, told AFP outside of court.

Italy’s leading bank, Intesa Sanpaolo, has reached a deal with trade unions for 9,000 voluntary job cuts — around 10 per cent of its workforce — due to the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalisation.

At the same time, the bank plans to hire by mid-2028 some 3,500 young new employees to work in wealth management, it said in a statement late on Wednesday.

The plan “aims at enabling generational change at no social cost” and the “further strengthening of future sustainability of the Group’s results… with a resilient business model in the digitalisation and artificial intelligence scenario”, Intesa Sanpaolo said.

The changes should lead to 500 million euros ($540 million) of savings annually on staff costs from 2028.

Some 7,000 of the job cuts are to fall in Italy and the rest in international units.

The bank said it would take a 350-million-euro charge against fourth-quarter earnings to finance the departures but that the provisions would not affect its guidance for a net profit above 8.5 billion euros in 2024.

Intesa Sanpaolo shares were flat in midday trading in Milan.

The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday called countries around the world to strengthen their commitment to multilateral cooperation in addressing global challenges.

Guterres made the call on the occasion of UN Day, celebrated on October 24, 2024.

In his message, Guterres underscored the UN’s role since its founding in 1945 as a platform for nations to work together on peace, development, and humanitarian issues.

He highlighted the importance of the United Nations in finding solutions to today’s most pressing issues, including poverty eradication, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and the fight for equality, particularly for women and girls.

“The United Nations was built by the world, for the world. Since 1945, it has been the place for countries to unite behind global solutions to global problems,” he said.

The Secretary-General also pointed to the growing need for the UN to tackle modern challenges such as climate change, artificial intelligence, digital technology, and space exploration.

Guterres drew attention to significant milestones achieved during the General Assembly in September, notably the adoption of the “Pact for the Future, the Global Digital Compact, and the Declaration on Future Generations.

“Together, these milestone agreements will help ensure that the United Nations system adapts, reforms, and rejuvenates so it is fit for the changes and challenges around us and delivers solutions for all.”

While the organisation continues to reform and modernize, the Secretary-General reaffirmed that the UN’s core mission remains rooted in the values of the UN Charter and the protection of human rights and dignity for all people.

“In today’s troubled world, hope is not enough. Hope requires determined action and multilateral solutions for peace, shared prosperity, and a thriving planet.

“Hope requires all countries to work as one. Hope requires the United Nations,” Guterres said, calling for concrete, collective action to achieve peace, shared prosperity, and a sustainable future.

The Secretary-General concluded by urging all nations to continue supporting the ideals of the UN.

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has convicted and sentenced a 41-year-old Canadian woman, Adrienne Munju, to 11 years in prison for importing 74 parcels of “Canadian Loud,” a potent strain of synthetic cannabis, weighing 35.20 kilograms into Nigeria.

The spokesman for the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Wednesday, said Munju’s conviction followed her arraignment on a two-count charge before Justice Dehinde Dipeolu.

The NDLEA had arrested her at Terminal 1 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday, October 3, 2024, during the inward clearance of passengers on a KLM flight at the ‘D’ Arrival Hall of the airport.

Munju, in her post-arrest statement, confessed that she was recruited to traffic the illicit consignment through an online platform for a payment of 10,000 Canadian dollars upon successful delivery in Lagos.

Upon her guilty plea to the charges brought against her by the NDLEA, Justice Dipeolu convicted and sentenced Munju.

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Mohamed Marwa applauded the NDLEA officers involved in the case and the judiciary for the swift adjudication.

According to him, the conviction serves as a strong warning to foreigners and others contemplating to smuggle illicit drugs into Nigeria.

A Chief Magistrate in Ondo State, Olateju Odenusi-Fadeyi, has remanded a 15-year-old female student of Anglican Grammar School, Arigidi Akoko, for allegedly stabbing her 17-year-old colleague, Habib Salau, to death.

The magistrate ordered her remand at the Ondo State Juvenile Home in Akure, pending advice from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The magistrate, however, did not take her plea.

The student is standing trial for allegedly stabbing the 17-year-old deceased, Habib Salau, with a knife during a scuffle between them after school hours.

The defendant was brought to court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

The Prosecutor, Josephine Awana, told the court that the young offender and one other, currently at large, conspired to commit murder on October 3, around 3:30 p.m., at Imo, Arigidi Akoko.

Awana alleged that the defendant killed Salau by stabbing him with a knife during a fight.

The prosecutor informed the court, “The defendant accused the deceased of accosting her on the way home after a misunderstanding between them.

“It resulted in a fight, and the defendant said someone gave her a knife and ordered her to stab the deceased in the neck.”

The offences, according to the prosecution, contravene Sections 124 and 319(1) of the Criminal Code Laws of Ondo State, 2006.

The Nigerian Navy said its troops of Forward Operating Base BONNY, while acting on credible intelligence, discovered and apprehended a suspect in possession of one AK-47 rifle, three AK-47 magazines, and thirty-six rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm ammunition.

This was made known in a statement on its verified Facebook page.

According to the statement, “On Wednesday, October 23, 2024, Forward Operating Base BONNY, acting on credible intelligence, discovered and apprehended a suspect in possession of one AK-47 rifle, three AK-47 magazines, thirty-six rounds of 7.62mm x 39mm ammunition, three smoke grenade launchers, and one locally made rifle in Eleme-Ifoko Community, Degema LGA, Rivers State.

“The suspect is currently in custody undergoing investigation.”

A 31-year-old Alfa, identified as Jubril Dalamun, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl (name withheld) in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Police, Omolola Odutola, told the DAILY POST on Thursday that the arrest followed a report from the mother of the child.

According to Odutola, the victim’s mother, Kehinde Kafayat, a resident of Adekoja Street in Abobi, Ago Iwoye, reported that Dalamun had forcibly assaulted and defiled her daughter.

She said, “On October 22, 2024, the Divisional Police Officer received a report of a sexual assault involving a minor at 9:40 a.m.

“One Mrs. Kehinde Kafayat, a resident of Adekoja Street in Abobi, Ago Iwoye, accompanied her 12-year-old daughter to report at the station.

“She reported that on Saturday, October 19, 2024, around 1:00 p.m., a 31-year-old man, Alfa Jubril Dalamun, residing at No. 8 Imososi Street in Ago Iwoye, had forcibly assaulted and defiled her daughter.”

The PRO stated that the suspect had been arrested, and the victim was taken to Love and Care Hospital in Ago Iwoye for medical examination and treatment.

Odutola noted that the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation and likely prosecution.

A federal judge has ordered former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani to surrender his Manhattan apartment and other personal assets for his false claims about the 2020 election.

The former President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer was also ordered to hand over sports memorabilia and luxury watches to two Georgia election workers, Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.

The order comes as part of a $140 million (£106 million) defamation lawsuit the two women won against Mr Giuliani last year.

The lawsuit stemmed from Mr Giuliani’s false accusations that Freeman and Moss tampered with votes during the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

These claims led to widespread harassment and threats against the two women, ultimately resulting in their successful lawsuit.

As part of the ruling, Mr Giuliani must also hand over additional valuables, including his vintage Mercedes-Benz and a jersey signed by baseball legend Joe DiMaggio.

However, the judge deferred a decision on some of Mr Giuliani’s prized possessions, such as three New York Yankees World Series rings, while his son, Andrew Giuliani, claims they were gifted to him.

In addition, the judge ruled that Mses Freeman and Moss are entitled to the $2 million that Mr Giuliani claimed Mr Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign still owes him for legal services.

Should they succeed in collecting these assets, they will begin to recover some of the damages awarded in their defamation case.

The 80-year-old, stripped of his legal credentials and filing for bankruptcy after the case, remains embroiled in a separate trial concerning a “fake elector scheme” in Arizona.

Though Mr Giuliani’s legal team has indicated they plan to appeal the defamation ruling, it is unlikely to alter the outcome unless they can reduce the damages to less than $10 million, approximately the value of his reported assets.

Until then, Mses Freeman and Moss will begin selling the assets to compensate for the damage done to their reputations.

The chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, has expressed the forum’s support to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in its anti-corruption crusade.

This is coming as the Supreme Court reserved a ruling on the suit against the EFCC by 19 governors over the constitutionality of its establishment.

The NGF chairman expressed this commitment at the 2024 National Cybercrime Summit held in Abuja.

The NGF chairman called for synergy on cyber-security in the country to enhance national development.

”You have our full support in this endeavour,” he said.

Mr Abdulrazaq emphasised the need for a shift in the public perception of crimes.

He expressed delight at the efforts of the EFCC, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, and the National Orientation Agency in educating young Nigerians on issues related to crime, drug abuse, and patriotism.

Governor Dauda Lawal, in a chat with journalists, expressed readiness to support the commission in its anti-corruption crusade in Zamfara and the country as a whole.

Mr Lawal said that he was not afraid of the EFCC’s investigation, and would give the commission the required assistance.

According to him, people elected to leadership positions should be accountable and transparent.

“I am not scared of the EFCC. Why would I be scared of the EFCC? We are here to serve, and this is the way forward. People should be accountable. People should be transparent. That is leadership.

“My coming here is also to give my support to the commission, especially at a time like this when Nigeria is facing many negative challenges related to cybercrime. So, this is a very good opportunity, and I believe this is the way forward so that we can redeem the image of Nigeria in the comity of nations,” he said.

The governor said he was unaware of the suit brought by some of his colleagues against the EFCC.

Governor Inuwa Yahaya emphasised the importance of collaboration in combating the growing threat of cybercrime. The Yahaya commended the EFCC for organising the national cybercrime summit.

Mr Yahaya said the event was a timely initiative toward addressing the growing challenge of cybercrime. He emphasised the importance of multi-level cooperation, including leveraging technology and youth involvement, to promote positive alternatives to cyber activities.

The Rivers State Police Command has arrested four persons in connection with the sudden disappearance of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member.

A corps member serving in Ikuru Town, Andoni Local Government Area of Rivers, Yahaya Faruq, mysteriously went missing after reporting for work at his part-time job at LDM Chinese Mining Company in the area.

The State Police Spokesperson, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the corps member’s disappearance in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

“Yes, I am aware of it (Faruq’s disappearance).

“No fewer than four persons have been arrested and transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for a discreet investigation,” she said.

Some concerned Nigerians had earlier asked the security agencies to determine the whereabouts of Faruq, who was declared missing on October 14.

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), a student union based in Edo, had released an unsigned statement drawing the attention of Nigerians to his disappearance.

The group urged the police to carry out a thorough investigation to ascertain Faruq’s whereabouts.

It stated that Faruq was a dedicated corps member serving at Mixed Secondary School, Ikuru Town, and also worked part-time at LDM Chinese Milling Company in the area.

“The alarming fact is that he (Faruq) signed in for his shift (at LDM) but did not sign out, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions.

“Surprisingly, while Faruq’s family, friends, and colleagues were confused and worried over his mysterious disappearance, LDM returned his bag and phone.

“Faruq’s properties were returned to his place of primary assignment, Mixed Secondary School, which further fueled our fears and deepened the mystery of his disappearance,” the MSSN stated.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo says the principle of regionalism has continued to plague the country, describing it as the root of Nigeria’s problems.

Obasanjo stated this on Tuesday in Abeokuta when the League of Northern Democrats paid him a courtesy visit.

He noted that the principle of regionalism, which was adopted at Nigeria’s independence in 1960, is still being craved today.

Speaking to the group led by former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, the ex-president said where a leader hails from does not matter, but what he brings to the table in terms of development and governance.

Obasanjo, who faulted the name of the group, advised it to become a national league rather than a sectarian group, noting that the group was right to be concerned about Nigeria.

“One of the things that led us to where we are today, and we haven’t gotten out of, is regionalism.

“Whenever I hear ‘North,’ ‘East,’ or ‘West,’ I get frightened.

“Your name would have been ‘National League of Democrats’ instead of ‘Northern League of Democrats.’ But you must start somewhere,” he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Shekarau had explained that the group was an amalgamation of like minds of Northern extraction.

He disclosed that the group, which has a membership of 400, came into existence three months ago as a result of various consultations and discussions.

The former state governor said the group seeks to influence political decisions and the process of recruiting leaders at all levels in Nigeria.

Vice President Kamala Harris of the United States has said that America is absolutely ready to elect its first woman president.

This is as she downplayed her historic bid, saying she simply wanted to turn the page for a nation exhausted by Donald Trump.

With few days to Election Day, Harris and Trump are saturating swing states with rallies and taking to the airwaves and podcasts on the hunt for an advantage in a race that polls suggest is effectively tied.

When asked if America was ready to elect its first woman, Harris responded, “absolutely”, noting that her candidacy was about turning the page.

“People are exhausted with Donald Trump and his approach, because it’s all about himself,” she said.

Trump, while speaking to supporters in North Carolina, had pitched a very different message.

“This election is a choice between whether we will have four more years of incompetence, failure and disaster, or whether we’ll begin the four greatest years in the history of our country,” he said.

He repeatedly called Harris and her running mate Tim Walz stupid during the rally.

Kano Pillars Football Club on Tuesday confirmed that the bus conveying players to Plateau State for their Matchday 5 fixture in the inaugural U-19 Youth League against Plateau United was involved in an accident.

The Sai Masu Gida disclosed this in a series of tweets via their official X account today.

The NPFL club noted that the driver and several players sustained injuries as a result of the accident.

This is coming just less than three days after Kano Pillars’ first-team played a 1-1 draw with Kwara United in the NPFL.

“It is with deep sadness that we announce that the Kano Pillars FC U-19 team bus was involved in a road accident earlier today while en route to the New Jos Stadium for their Matchday 5 fixture in the inaugural U-19 Youth League against Plateau United U-19,” Kano Pillars tweeted.

“We extend our heartfelt thoughts and prayers to everyone affected and will provide further updates as more information becomes available.

“Thank you for your understanding and support during this difficult time.

“Several players and the driver sustained injuries in the unfortunate incident and have been promptly taken to the hospital for medical attention. Thankfully, no fatalities have been reported at this time, and the medical team is closely monitoring the situation.”

The Kogi State Police Command has banned the use of vehicles with covered number plates, as well as unregistered vehicles and motorcycles across the state.

According to a statement on Tuesday by the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) SP William Ovye Aya, the Commissioner of Police Bethrand Onuoha stated that the order became necessary following intelligence that criminals hide under covered plate numbers to carry out criminal activities in the state.

“It has become an obstacle in checkmating crime and criminality in the state by the law enforcement agents,” the statement noted.

The Commissioner of Police advised owners of vehicles with covered number plates to remove them and those without registration number to register or have their vehicles impounded.

“It is illegal for vehicle owners and drivers to cover their number plates or drive without registration number. The Commissioner of Police urged the general public to comply with this order as the Police will commence the clamp down and impounding of vehicles and prosecution of offenders

“The Commissioner of Police advised members of the public to register their vehicles, remove covered number plates and replace the defaced number plates, among others,” the statement said.