The police command in Lagos State has confirmed the death of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Ijanikin Police Station, CSP Bolaji Olugbenga.

The command spokesman, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this to journalists on Friday night.

Mr Hundeyin, however, did not give details of the officer and what led to his death.

The DPO was said to have slumped in the office and died before he could be rushed to a hospital on Thursday night.

It was learnt that the news of his death threw the officers attached to the station into mourning.

A source from the division said the body of the officer had been moved to a mortuary.

Kenya’s President William Ruto nominated interior minister Kithure Kindiki as his new deputy president a day after the Senate voted to impeach Ruto’s previous deputy, Rigathi Gachagua.

“I have received a message from … the president, regarding the nomination of Prof. Kithure Kindiki to fill the vacancy which has occurred in the office,” Speaker Moses Wetang’ula said in parliament on Friday.

In an unprecedented move that risks pushing the country towards a political crisis, Mr Gachagua was removed from office by impeachment on Thursday of five out of 11 charges levelled against him.

The National Assembly voted last week to impeach Mr Gachagua, who helped President William Ruto win an election two years ago but has been assailed by the president’s allies over alleged disloyalty and a series of provocative public comments.

Fifty-four out of 67 senators voted to dismiss Mr Gachagua on the first count of “gross violation of the constitution,” more than the two-thirds majority required under the law.

That makes him the first Kenyan president or deputy president forced out of office by impeachment.

“Accordingly, His Excellency Rigathi Gachagua… ceases to hold office,” said Senate Speaker Amason Kingi.

The process, however, is unlikely to stop there as Mr Gachagua has filed several petitions challenging the push to oust him, and the chief justice has appointed a panel of three judges to examine them.

Mr Gachagua, who has denied the allegations, had been due to defend himself against the charges in the Senate on Thursday afternoon ahead of the vote.

When he failed to show up, his lawyer Paul Muite said the deputy president had been hospitalised with intense chest pains, urging the Senate to pause proceedings for a couple of days.

But the senate declined to do so, prompting Gachagua’s legal team to leave the chambers in protest.

Dan Gikonyo, a doctor treating Mr Gachagua, told reporters the deputy president was admitted to a Nairobi hospital with heart trouble on Thursday afternoon but was now stable and would likely have to remain in hospital for 24 to 72 hours.

Some senators questioned the decision to proceed with the vote in Mr Gachagua’s absence.

“We are to try a man in hospital because the only crime that Rigathi Gachagua has committed is a political crime, so he has to be removed out of the way, whatever it will take,” said Senator John Methu.

But Senator Moses Otieno Kajwang defended the move to impeach Mr Gachagua, saying, “We must drain the swamp.”

The new deputy president, Mr Kindiki, a close ally of Mr Ruto, has held the interior ministry post.

He previously served as senator for Tharaka Nithi County and was a top contender to be Mr Ruto’s running mate during the 2022 election.

Parliament will later have to vote to approve Mr Kindiki’s appointment before he is sworn in.

Activist politician, Omoyele Sowore on Friday described President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a sadistic government.

Sowore was reacting to the planned arraignment of 75 #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria protesters by the Federal Government.

The Nigerian government is set to arraign the protesters, who are minors, before Justice Egwuatu of the Abuja Federal High Court on November 1, 2024.

Sowore said most of the protesters had spent 80 days in detention.

Posting on X, Sowore wrote: “The sadistic regime of @officialABAT is set to prosecute 75 individuals affiliated with the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria movement on treason charges before Justice Egwuatu on November 1st, 2024.

“Several of these individuals -several of them minors- have spent 80 days in unjust incarceration before the sham trial is to commence. #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria #RevolutionNow.”

Nigerians took to the streets to protest against the hardship in the country from August 1 to August 10 under the hashtag, EndBadGovernanceInNigeria.

The protest was however hijacked by hoodlums who wreaked havoc on some of the protesters and vandalized some infrastructure across the country.

A team of combined security operatives arrested some of the protesters.

The management of the Abuja National Mosque has appointed Professor Iliyasu Usman as the first-ever Igbo Muslim to serve as an Imam at the mosque.

Usman is set to deliver his inaugural khutbah (sermon) on Friday, today, during Jumm’at prayer, marking a significant moment for the Muslim community in Nigeria.

This appointment has been celebrated widely, especially among the South East Muslim Organisation of Nigeria, SEMON, which views it as a testament to Usman’s commitment to Islamic scholarship and leadership.

In a statement, SEMON praised the inclusiveness of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, under the guidance of the President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar.

SEMON emphasized that this appointment is not only a personal milestone for Usman but also a divine duty to lead the Muslim community in worship and service to Allah.

The organization expressed hope that his leadership would enhance the Igbo Muslim community and foster unity within the larger Nigerian Muslim population.

The statement reads, “We, the South East Muslim Organisation of Nigeria (SEMON), extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor Ilyasu Usman on your recent appointment as an Imam of the National Mosque, Abuja.
“This prestigious role is not only a testament to your unwavering dedication and scholarly excellence but also a divine blessing and responsibility to lead the Ummah in worship and service to Allah.

“We pray that Allah (SWT) grants you the wisdom, strength, and steadfastness to discharge this sacred duty with diligence, integrity, and humility. May your leadership inspire unity, peace, and piety.”

A building comprising four rooms and 23 shops has been gutted by fire in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.

The incident occurred on Thursday, along Onimamayin Street, in the Agbo-Oba Taiwo Oke area of Ilorin metropolis.

A statement by the spokesman of the state Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle disclosed that the quick response of firefighters saved the building from total destruction.

“Only nine shops were affected by the inferno. Unfortunately, a provision store and several industrial sewing machines were lost in the incident.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the fire was caused by a power surge,” the statement added.

Director of the Fire Service, Prince John Falade Olumuyiwa, expressed sympathy to the victims, praying for the restoration of their losses.

He urged the public to remain vigilant and safety-conscious, ensuring that all electrical appliances are unplugged when not in use.

A baby died when an overloaded migrant boat headed for Britain sank in the Channel off the coast of France on Thursday night, French maritime authorities said Friday.

The accident occurred off the French town of Wissant, the maritime authority in charge of the Channel and the North Sea told AFP, adding that 65 people were rescued but a “baby was found unconscious and sadly declared dead”.

Troops of the 6 Brigade of the Nigerian Army have again apprehended three individuals suspected of collaborating with terrorists’ elements in Taraba State.

The operation, which according to the soldiers, was driven by intelligence reports, took place on October 15, 2024, in Landey Jessy village, Lau local government council of the state.

In a statement made available to journalists in Jalingo in the early hours of Friday by the Acting spokesperson of the Bridge, Captain Oni Olubodunde, he said the operation was launched after reports of bandit activity in the Kona mountain range, which spans Jalingo and Lau council.

“The troops moved swiftly, arresting three suspects identified as Ahijo Sulaiman, Abdulrahman Isah, and Aisha Mohammed.

“During questioning, Aisha Mohammed, the wife of Ahijo Sulaiman, revealed that their residence was used to hide weapons after terrorist operations.

“Abdulrahman Isah was also identified by a victim he allegedly attempted to kidnap in September 2024 in Iware, Ardo-Kola local government council,” he stated.

The three suspects, at the time of filing this report, were said to be currently cooling off their heels in the troops’ custody.

The Army reaffirmed its commitment to protecting lives, property and preserving the nation’s territorial integrity.

Bauchi State Police Command has apprehended two teenage students in connection with a robbery at a mobile phone shop in Wunti Market, in the Bauchi metropolis.

The suspects, both 15-year-old students of Bakari Dukku Comprehensive Secondary School, were said to have been involved in the alleged theft of 100 mobile phones, 75 MP4 players, 30 cell phone batteries, 50 external memory cards, and a Bluetooth headset.

They were arrested following an investigation conducted by the Operation Restore Peace (ORP) unit after the shop owner alerted the police about the missing items.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmed Wakil, revealed that the incident occurred October 1, 2024.

According to the statement, CSP Kim Albert, under the directive of the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Musa, led the ORP team to investigate the crime.

The suspects, identified as Hamza Sadiq and Adamu Ahmadu, were said to have confessed to obtaining the shop’s key and exploiting the shop owner’s absence to repeatedly steal items during the day.

”They sold the stolen goods at reduced prices, using the proceeds to buy personal items such as clothes, food, and a smartphone.

“The Police recovered 21 mobile phones, 5 MP4 players, a mobile phone charger, and a metal key from the suspects while efforts are ongoing to recover the remaining stolen items,” Wakil revealed in the statement.

He further revealed that the teenagers will be remanded in a rehabilitation facility following the completion of the investigation.

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a POS operator for receiving the sum of N4 million from kidnappers.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday,

He said the POS operator received just N40,000 as profit for the transaction.

The Police spokesman warned POS operators against getting themselves involved in such criminal transactions.

“My message to POS operators, transaction above five hundred thousand naira (N500,000) can get you into trouble,” he warned.

Edafe said the POS operators should be wise in doing their businesses, saying, “You may argue that you are doing business, but before your lawyer will get you out, you may spend sometime cooling off in prison.”

There was panic on Thursday morning in Benin, the Edo State Capital when a Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, powered vehicle exploded at NIPCO filling station along the Benin-Auchi Expressway.

The vehicle, in a video making the rounds, was smashed while people ran for dear lives as the loud sound from the explosion created panic among residents in the vicinity.

It was gathered that three persons sustained various degrees of injuries and have been rushed to a private hospital for medical attention.

The incident comes in the wake of safety concerns raised about the conversion of petrol-powered vehicles to CNG as advocated for by the Federal Government as a measure to lower the cost of transportation following the removal of fuel subsidies.

Former Mexican secretary of public security Genaro García Luna has been sentenced to over 38 years in prison by a New York court for his role in collaborating with the Sinaloa cartel led by notorious drug lord Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.

The sentencing follows his conviction in February, where a jury found him guilty of accepting millions in bribes to protect the cartel’s drug trafficking operations for more than a decade.

The judge also imposed a $2 million fine, the U.S. Department of Justice said on Thursday.

“After years of destructive narcotic trafficking and deceit, Garcia Luna will spend nearly 40 years where he belongs: federal prison,’’ said Breon Peace.

The U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement.

“Garcia Luna accepted millions of dollars in bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel to allow millions of kilograms of cocaine to flood the streets of the U.S.,’’ it added.

Drug Enforcement Administration Administrator Anne Milgram said.

“Instead of protecting the citizens of Mexico, Garcia Luna was protecting drug cartels,’’ she added.

Mr García Luna, 56, was Mexico’s top law enforcement official between 2006 and 2012 under then-President Felipe Calderón, responsible for leading the fight against drug cartels.

He was arrested in Dallas, Texas, in 2019.

His defence had claimed he was a victim of revenge by criminals he helped incarcerate with U.S. cooperation.

The same judge had sentenced “El Chapo’’ to life imprisonment in 2019.

A total of 15 people were sentenced to prison in central China’s Hunan Province on Thursday for their roles in a deadly building collapse that claimed 54 lives in 2022.

The defendants, including the owner of the illegally built and extended building and officials found of dereliction of duty, received jail terms ranging from two years and nine months to 12 years.

This is according to their first-instance verdicts by local courts.

The incident occurred in Wangcheng District in the provincial capital of Changsha on April 29, 2022, leaving 54 dead and nine wounded.

The State Council set up an investigation team to look into the incident shortly after it occurred.

Wu Zhiyong, the owner of the building, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for negligence leading to the fatal collapse.

He had hired unqualified construction workers to illegally construct and extend the building, which he then leased as an accommodation and catering venue, according to the verdict.

Despite clear signs of the building’s imminent collapse, Mr Wu failed to organise emergency evacuations, resulting in heavy casualties.

He was also convicted of conspiring with others to destroy other people’s property repeatedly, the verdict showed.

Zhou Zhengmao, former deputy head of Wangcheng District, was handed a jail term of 12 years for dereliction of duty and accepting bribes.

Others convicted include inspectors from urban management and market regulation departments and shareholders and testing personnel from a company that issued fake documents for the building project.

Hunan Xiangda Engineering Testing Co., Ltd. was fined one million yuan (about $140,400).

Lawmakers, political advisors and relatives of the victims and defendants attended the sentencing.

A Wuse Zone 6 Magistrates’ Court Abuja has affirmed Julius Bobi as the National President of motorcycle operators union of Nigeria.

The Chief Magistrate, Emmanuel Iyanna, in a ruling, issued an order compelling the motorcycle operators to recognise Mr Bobi as the authentic national president of the association.

In the Certified True Copy of the ruling, the magistrate said:”it is only expedient in the interest of justice to so grant this application and this I do hold , the application is hero granted as prayed in the interim.’’

He held that Mr Bobi remained the national president of the union and to the exclusion of any other person, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in the court with suit no CV/85/2024.

The union and nine others had sought the order of the court due to a leadership crisis ongoing in the union.

Counsel to the union, Femi Ekundayo, had sought for an order of the court stopping the defendant, Sotayo Olusola, from parading himself as the union president, as servant or private agent to Mr Bobi.

He prayed the court to stop the defendant from printing illegal tickets and to remit all revenue already generated from sales of tickets paid into his personal account to be moved into the union corporate account.

He sought an order of the court that revenues should be remitted to the union’s Eco Bank account prohibiting the use of personal account for remittance of any revenue generated by the union.

The court however, considered the prayers of the counsel to the union and ordered the parties maintain status quo pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice already filed in the suit.

The police have said three people were killed and two others injured in an explosion accident on a motorway near Pakistan’s Islamabad.

The accident happened on Wednesday night near a toll plaza on the M1 motorway where an explosion occurred in a passenger van, motorway police said in a statement.

The statement indicated, “Preliminary reports suggest the accident occurred due to a cylinder burst.’’

It also noted that the deceased and injured people had been shifted to a nearby hospital.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on Thursday, expressed his condolences to the victims of Wednesday’s tanker fire incident in Ibafo, which resulted in significant loss and devastation.

The tragic event led to the destruction of properties, including vehicles and buildings

Abiodun described the inferno as unfortunate, even as he commiserated with the affected.

He said, “My heart goes out to those impacted by the inferno. We stand with you in this difficult time. Unfortunately, property worth millions of naira was destroyed, but we take solace in the fact that no lives were lost.”

The governor urged tanker drivers to adhere to safety regulations related to fuel transport and storage to prevent similar tragedies from occurring.

The fire began when the tanker, loaded with petrol, overturned in front of a commercial bank along the Ibafo section of the expressway.

Eyewitnesses disclosed that the driver of the tanker was suspected to have fallen asleep at the wheel, causing him to lose control, which led to the tanker’s fall and eventual explosion

The impact of the fire was reported to be evident, with some buildings suffering shattered windows, damaged roofs, and cracked walls while vehicles worth millions of naira were equally burnt.

Giving updates on the incident on Thursday, the Spokesperson of the Ogun State Sector of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Florence Okpe said “We carried out this rescue operation, and three people were involved and rescued to the hospital immediately. No life was lost. The affected vehicles were the ones packed along the road”.

Nigeria is set to receive its first consignment of the highly anticipated malaria vaccines on Thursday, marking a significant step in the country’s fight against one of its deadliest diseases.

The National Primary Health Care Development Agency announced that the vaccines would be received in Abuja by health minister Muhammad Ali Pate.

The arrival of the vaccines is an initiative by the World Health Organisation to distribute the vaccines to high-burden countries across Africa, including Nigeria.

The NPHCDA said the country would officially unveil the malaria vaccines on Thursday to help protect children from life-threatening diseases.

The introduction of the malaria vaccine is expected to significantly reduce malaria cases and deaths, especially in vulnerable populations.

The government has developed a strategic distribution plan to prioritise regions most affected by malaria, particularly in rural areas with limited access to healthcare.

The rollout will begin in these high-burden regions before expanding nationwide.

The expected vaccines, known as RTS,S/AS01 (Mosquirix), have been proven to reduce malaria cases and mortality among young children in large clinical trials across Africa.

Nigeria will be the third African country to introduce the vaccine, following Ghana and Kenya, which began using the vaccine in 2023.

Meanwhile, malaria remains a serious public health issue in Nigeria, affecting 97 per cent of the population.

Nigeria accounts for 27 per cent of global malaria cases and 31 per cent of global malaria deaths, making it the country with the highest malaria burden in the world.

The prevalence of malaria among children under five years dropped from 42 per cent in 2010 to 23 per cent in 2018.

Significant disparities exist between rural (31 per cent) and urban (13 per cent) populations, as well as socioeconomic groups.

The National Malaria Elimination Programme launched the High Burden High Impact (HBHI) approach in response to the ongoing malaria crisis. The goal is to reduce malaria prevalence to below 10 per cent and malaria-related deaths to fewer than 50 per 1,000 people by 2025.

Efforts have included switching to injectable artesunate for severe malaria treatment and increasing coverage of preventive malaria treatments for pregnant women.

The percentage of pregnant women receiving at least three doses of intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine increased from 16.6 per cent in 2018 to 31 per cent in 2021.

Death toll has risen to 153 with 100 people hospitalized in a tanker explosion in Majia local Government area of Jigawa State.

It was earlier reported that the death toll rose to 105, while 70 others sustained various degrees of injuries.

In a fresh statement, the police spokesman, DSP. Lawan Shiisu Adam confirmed the increase in the number of victims.

He said those that have lost their lives have been buried in a mass grave, while those injured were currently receiving medication at Aminu Kano, Jahun, Nguru, Hadejia, and Gumel hospitals.

Meanwhile, Governor Mallam Umar Namadi has expressed his deep sorrow over the tragic incident.

Governor Namadi, who swiftly visited the place of the accident and joined in performing the funeral prayer and mass burial of the deceased.

According to him, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims during this painful time.

“We stand in solidarity with those who have lost loved ones and those injured in this tragic incident.”

Governor Namadi also said the state government will cater to the treatment of all those injured in the inferno who are now receiving treatment in various hospitals across the state and beyond.

He said the State Government will ensure that “the affected families receive the needed assistance as we continue to work on preventing such tragedies in the future.”

According to the latest figures by the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), 107 people have so far died in the accident, while 57 have been hospitalised with various degrees of burn.

Governor Namadi urged the public to always prioritize safety during such emergencies and avoid gathering at accident sites to prevent further tragedies.

Worried by the casualties of the tanker explosion in Jigawa State, President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday dispatched the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, to lead a Federal Government delegation to the state.

Nigerians have been grieving since news filtered in on Tuesday night, following an inferno in Majia town, Jigawa State, which has claimed over 90 lives.

Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said in a statement that the government delegation will comprise the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar; Minister of Transportation, Senator Saidu Alkali; Corps Marshall of the Federal Roads Safety Commission, Mr Shehu Mohammed; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North West), Abdullahi Tanko Yakasai.

He confirmed that while in Jigawa, the delegation will visit the scene of the incident to assess the situation and visit injured persons in the hospital.

“The President further directs that emergency aid, including medical supplies, food, and shelter, be extended to the 50 victims receiving treatment and others affected by the fire.

“The President, with a heavy heart, joins the Vice President in extending his deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this devastating incident.

“He expresses his heartfelt prayers and support to the government and people of Jigawa during this time of tragic loss and grief,” the statement added.

According to Onanuga, President Tinubu prayed for divine comfort for the bereaved families and the peaceful repose for the souls of the departed.

He reassured the nation that the Federal Government, in collaboration with states, is committed to the swift and comprehensive review of fuel transportation safety protocols across the country.

He restated his directive to the Federal Roads Safety Corps to strengthen nighttime travel measures, such as increased patrols, stricter enforcement of safety regulations, and other highway safety mechanisms.

He said those found responsible for breaches of safety standards will be held accountable, reaffirming the government’s unwavering commitment to ensuring such incidents do not recur.

The Nigerian government has denied a report claiming that it apologized to Libya, over their maltreatment of the Super Eagles, when they arrived in the North African country for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

This follows a story published by The Libya Observer on Tuesday, which claimed their country has received an apology.

But Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has dismissed such claims.

In a statement released on Wednesday by Tuggar’s Special Assistant on Media and Communication Strategy, Alkasim Abdulkadir, the minister described the report as a deliberate attempt to gain political leverage and mislead football administrators and fans across Africa.

According to him, the publication distorted the details of a phone conversation between him and Libya’s Eastern-based Foreign Minister, Abdelhadi Lahweej.

“The fact of the matter was that the CDA of the Government of National Unity was summoned to the Ministry to seek an immediate end to the unfortunate incident.

“However, not much diplomatic headway was made during the meeting with the Acting Charge of Affairs, Imad Mohammed Matooq Aboud, as they insisted that it was not under the jurisdiction of Tripoli, which they represented but that of the Eastern Government in Benghazi.

“This prompted the Minister to take immediate action by contacting the Foreign Minister of the Eastern Government, Abdelhadi Lahweej, to intervene and ensure that the detention ended,” the statement read.

Tuggar further debunked false allegations made by Lahweej concerning the mistreatment of Libyan players in Nigeria, correcting the record but refusing to apologise for any actions, as the claims were inaccurate.

He claimed that while Lahweej suggested issuing a joint statement, Nigeria rejected the idea because it misrepresented the facts of the incident.

The Nigerian delegation had flown into Libya ahead of the second leg of their AFCON qualifier against the Mediterranean Knights, only to be subjected to inhumane treatment upon arrival.

They were locked in at the airport for over 20 hours without food, water or Internet.

The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has opened an investigation into the matter.

The Benin Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has secured the conviction and sentence of 15 internet fraudsters before Justice A. N. Erhabor of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin City.

The convicts include Nosa Gift, Igbinosa Eghosa, Nosazee Nosakhare, Imumonlen Jude, Promise Ogheneghere, Osadiaye Osasenaga Perfect, Ugiagbe Miracle, David Julius, Nosakhare Godswill and Ajayi Precious.

Others are Idowu Olumayokun Omotoyo, Amina Kabiru, Martins Onos Iboyirode, Benson Amengbeivie Blessing and Alabi Etinosa.

They were prosecuted by the anti-graft agency on separate one-count charges bordering on obtaining by false pretence, retention of proceeds of crime, impersonation and possession of fraudulent documents

Justice Erhabor convicted and sentenced Omotoyo, Kabiru, Iboyirode, Blessing, Etinosa, Gift, Eghosa, Nosakhare, Jude, Ogheneghere, Perfect, Julius, Godswill and Precious to two years imprisonment respectively or to pay a fine of N200,000.00 each, while Miracle bagged three years imprisonment or to pay a fine of N200,000.00.

All the convicts forfeited their phones, laptops, and money traced to their bank accounts to the federal government.