The family of Adekolure has been thrown into mourning after their daughter, Idowu Glory’s remains was dropped close to her parent’s house.

Glory is said to be a recent graduate of the University of Benin.

She was said to have left home for the institution for her clearance on June 13, 2024, but returned lifeless.

A social media user, who tweets from @softbaba24, claimed the deceased, who was his younger sister, was returning home from school when the incident happened.

He claimed she was beaten, raped, and killed in the Iyowa community area of Benin, the Edo State capital and her remains were dropped close to their house.

In a series of posts on X.com on Monday, the user sought help from Nigerians, particularly the police to unravel the mystery surrounding her death.

He wrote, “Justice for my younger sister Adekolure Idowu Glory, who was raped and killed in lyowa community, Benin, Edo State on her way back from school (UNIBEN). She went for her clearance and her corpse dropped close to her mother’s house.

“Help us seek justice for my kid sister that just graduated from the University of Benin in April 2024 and still processing her projects and clearance and was raped to death on her way back from school on Thursday, June 13, 2024, at just 22 years.

“Her lifeless body has been deposited at UBTH mortuary on 15/6/24 with the help of the Nigeria Police from Ekiadolor Division. She was beaten, raped, and killed. Please Nigerians, come to my rescue. The help I need now is just for my innocent sister, my mum can’t hold herself.

“Please everyone should help me to retweet and tag those that can help me get justice.”

Four Philippine policemen were found guilty Tuesday of killing a father and son, court officials said, in a rare case of law enforcement officers being prosecuted for taking part in former president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war.

The four low-ranking officers were all sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for the shooting deaths of the two victims at a Manila slum during an anti-drug police operation in 2016, Manila regional trial court judge Rowena Alejandria said in her written verdict that was read in court Tuesday.

“It must be worthy to note that the accused themselves did not deny their presence and participation in the police operation conducted, the same event where the victims Luis and Gabriel (Domingo) were killed,” Alejandria wrote.

Thousands of drug suspects were killed by police and unknown gunmen in a campaign that became the centrepiece of Duterte’s 2016-2022 rule, a crackdown that critics described as state-sponsored extrajudicial killings and is now the subject of an investigation by the International Criminal Court.

Luis Bonifacio’s partner, Mary Ann Domingo, cried on her son’s shoulder as they listened to the verdict on two counts of homicide each being read at the cramped northern Manila courtroom.

Manila policemen Virgilio Cervantes, Arnel de Guzman, Johnston Alacre and Artemio Saguros were also ordered to pay 300,000 pesos ($5,120) each in damages to the victim’s heirs.

The family has alleged more than a dozen police officers took part in the nighttime raid at the northern Manila slum community.

The family insisted the two were not involved in drugs and were unarmed when police opened fire.

The defendants pleaded self-defence, alleging the suspects were armed and had shot at them.

But state prosecutors went with the lesser charge of homicide against only four officers, instead of murder, which involves deliberate intent to kill and which carries a heavier penalty.

Official data shows more than 6,000 people died in police anti-narcotics operations.

But rights groups estimate tens of thousands of mostly poor men have been killed by officers and vigilantes, even without proof they were linked to drugs.

Duterte had openly ordered police to shoot dead suspects during anti-drug operations if officers believed their lives were in danger.

While the crackdown has been widely condemned and sparked an international investigation, only five other policemen have been convicted for killing drug suspects.

Three Manila police officers were convicted in 2018 of murdering a 17-year-old boy in 2017. Two other narcotics police officers were found guilty last year for separate killings in 2016 and 2017, the latter victim a South Korean businessman.

Lawyers say most families are too scared to go after their relatives’ killers or do not have the money or time to pursue a case in the Philippines’ creaky judicial system.

The Philippine drug crackdown is being investigated by the International Criminal Court, which said in 2021 that it appeared “a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population took place pursuant to or in furtherance of a state policy”.

Duterte pulled the Philippines out of the ICC in 2019, so only cases before that date are covered by the investigation.

President Ferdinand Marcos, who succeeded Duterte, has refused to cooperate in the ICC probe, saying Manila has a functioning judicial system.

A student of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Modupe Ayandare, was found dead outside the campus of the university on Monday.

Ayandare, who was a 500 level of the Department of Agronomy of the institution, was found hung beside the church she attended, located off the campus of the state-owned institution.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the institution’s Students Union Government, Olaogbebikan Noble, in a statement, said all hands were on deck to unravel the cause of the incident.

The statement read, “We express in strong terms our dissatisfaction and agony concerning the death of one of our students, Ayandare Modupe.A 500L student of the Department of Agronomy (Agronomy Departmental President).

“According to the report, the deceased was said to have committed suicide in the early hours of today, around 4 am, after they finished vigil in her church. The incident happened beside the church she attended around the Spotless Vlla.

“The law enforcement agency has been informed already, and all hands are on the desk in getting to the root of the situation. Rest assured that justice will be served, and the law enforcement agency will do a thorough investigation. Should you have any information to supply regarding the incident that happened, kindly reach out to the Students’ Union. Stay tuned for further updates as further investigations are underway.”

The state police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, who confirmed the incident, said the command was working to unravel the cause of the incident.

In a related event which occurred in January 2023, a 300-level student of the Federal University of Technology Akure, Olona Oluwapelumi, committed suicide at his residence in the Aule Area of Akure, the Ondo State capital.

The deceased, who was popularly called ‘Black’, was said to be in the Department of Industrial Design at the university. He was said to have hung himself in his room outside the campus.

A source in the school stated that the deceased’s friends went to his room and discovered it was locked. After several calls without response, the door was broken, and he was found dead.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday met with the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu.

Obasanjo’s meeting Mrs Tinubu was made public by the First Lady’s Media Aide, Busola Kukoyi via X.

Sharing photos of the two individuals, Kukoyi wrote: “Former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu after receiving the Former President who came felicitating on the Sallah Celebration on Monday 17th June.”

This is coming barely 48 hours after Obasanjo was seen donning a cap with President Bola Tinubu’s insignia.

A video of Obasanjo wearing a cap branded with Tinubu’s insignia at an event attended by some African dignitaries.

Obasanjo and Tinubu are known to belong to different political affiliations despite coming from the same Southwest geopolitical zone.

During the 2023 presidential election, the former President supported the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

Before the election, Tinubu had visited Obasanjo at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, while seeking an endorsement, but the former President opted for Obi.

The former President had criticised the Tinubu’s administration’s handling of its ongoing reforms and the coup d’etat in Niger Republic.

An unspecified number of bandits have attacked the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Command in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.

It was gathered that the assailants invaded the Command’s headquarters in the early hours of Monday amid sporadic gunshots.

Operatives of the Command, however, repelled the attack by opening fire on the hoodlums, leading to a gun duel.

It was gathered that the terrorists were on a mission to free some high-profile suspected criminals in the custody of the Command.

According to the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Jerry Victor, the bandits invaded the Command’s headquarters with sophisticated weapons.

He said the gunmen attempted to break some part of the fence to gain entry into the offices while some of them took different positions around the building.

“The operatives of the NSCDC swiftly responded by opening fire on the hoodlums whose mission was to release some high-profile suspected criminals, including informants of kidnappers in the custody of the Command.”

He also confirmed that no casualty was recorded during the gun battle between the gunmen and the NSCDC operatives.

A 40-year-old notorious criminal has been arrested by operatives of the Yobe State Police Command.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Dungus Abdulkarim disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Monday which also indicated that, the suspect, Haruna Mohammed, specialised in demanding money and other valuables from victims through menacing phone calls, threatening death or harm.

“Haruna Mohammed, a 40-year-old resident of Lantewa village, Tarmuwa LGA, has been apprehended by the State Intelligent Department (SID).

“The Command had been tracking Mohammed for his involvement in terrorizing towns, villages and neighbouring states.

“A victim from Siminti village, Lantewa, Tarmuwa LGA, reported that Mohammed demanded N3,000,000.00 or threatened to kill him and his family,” the statement said.

The statement further disclosed that the suspect confessed to the crime and implicated other syndicate members, who are currently being trailed by the Police.

“The Commissioner of Police warned that anyone with a criminal tendency will face stiff resistance,” the statement added.

The Chief Imam of Mista Ali community in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Imam Abdulkadir, has cried out the theft of his sacrificial ram.

The incident occurred during a heavy downpour in the area on the eve of the Ed-el-Kabir.

An Imam in the community, Malam Haruna Yaqub, revealed this during the sermon right after the two Raka’at prayers, denouncing the act and labelling it as insensitive.
“The Ram of our Chief Imam, which he purposely bought to sacrifice, was stolen in the night.

“We are really shocked by the incident. We were surprised to hear this story.

“This means that people are not God-fearing. It is scary that people have gone to the extent of stealing ram meant for religious activity,” Yaqub said.

Yaqub, however, urged the people to fear God and steer clear of theft or any criminal behaviour, stressing that everyone will answer for their deeds in this life and the next.
He said, “It is high time people repented and took the path of Allah. It is not too late. People should stop committing bad things and act according to Allah’s commandments.

The Nigerian government has disclosed that the visa ban restricting travellers to the United Arab Emirates, UAE, will soon be lifted.

The Minister of Aviation, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this during a 44-minute interview with the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, Otega Ogra, published on the official YouTube page of the State House.

Keyamo assured Nigerians that resolutions have been reached between President Bola Tinubu, and UAE President, Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to lift the ban.

He said the resolution was reached during Tinubu’s visit to UAE in September 2023.

The Minister said the Nigerian government has since completed all processes, paving the way for an imminent announcement from the UAE government.

According to Keyamo: “After that high-level meeting, Mr. President, credited to him, made things very easy for us all. We did our follow-ups as his ministers.

“We have done everything. We have resolved everything. Just wait for the announcement from the UAE government, and that announcement is imminent.”

Keyamo further mentioned that he is aware of the specific date when the travel restriction will be lifted but he emphasised that it is up to the UAE government to make the official announcement.

France began a frantically short election campaign Monday, with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance facing an uphill struggle to avoid a new defeat at the hands of the far right.

Macron called the snap parliamentary polls three years early in a dramatic gamble to shake up politics in France after the far right trounced his centrists in EU elections.

But with less than a fortnight before the vote, his alliance risks being squeezed by new coalitions on the left and right.

Many in France remain baffled over why Macron called an election just weeks before the country hosts the Olympics, risking the far-right National Rally leading the government and 28-year-old Jordan Bardella becoming prime minister.

“Emmanuel Macron, who triggered this dissolution to trap the parties, has ended up trapping himself,” said Le Monde daily, warning that the RN risked winning the election.

Candidates had until Sunday evening to register for the 577 seats in the lower house National Assembly ahead of the official start of campaigning from midnight. The first round of voting takes place on June 30, with the decisive second round coming seven days later.

The political tremors have reached the Euro 2024 football tournament in Germany, where France’s star player Kylian Mbappe said he was “against extremes and divisive ideas” and urged young people to vote at a “crucial moment” in French history.

“Today we can all see that extremists are very close to winning power and we have the opportunity to choose the future of our country,” Mbappe said.

“I hope I will still be proud to wear this shirt after July 7.”

Macron’s dissolving of parliament after the French far right’s victory in the EU vote has undoubtedly redrawn the lines of French politics.

“The aim is to create a new parliamentary majority,” former prime minister Edouard Philippe, who leads a party allied to Macron’s bloc, told BFMTV.

But perhaps to Macron’s surprise, a new left-wing alliance — the New Popular Front that takes in Socialists, Greens and hard-leftist France Unbowed — has emerged.

On the right, Eric Ciotti, the leader of the Republicans (LR), has agreed to an election pact with the RN, provoking fury inside the party and a move by its leadership to dismiss him, which a Paris court blocked on Friday.

In a further twist, the new left-wing alliance has already shown signs of cracking, with the LFI’s raucous figurehead Jean-Luc Melenchon too divisive a figure for some to contend for prime minister.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is leading the campaign for Macron’s bloc, said voters had three choices.

“There’s the alliance led by (hard-left) LFI, there’s the alliance led by the (far-right) RN — extremes that would be a disaster for the country,” he told the RFL broadcaster.

And “there’s a third bloc… that we are leading”.

Macron is this week due to return to the domestic campaign fray from engagements abroad at the G7 summit in Italy and the Ukraine peace conference in Switzerland.

The personal stakes are huge for the president, who risks becoming a lame duck until his term expires in 2027. He then faces handing over power to the RN’s Marine Le Pen who is likely to run for the Elysee for a fourth time.

Former Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin, who famously bowed out of politics in 2002 after Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine’s father, knocked him out of the presidential elections run-off, warned of the perils for Macron.

He said the president had forced the country into a “hurried” campaign and was “giving the RN a chance to come to power in France”.

“It’s not responsible,” he told Le Monde, accusing Macron of “arrogance” and witheringly adding that “surprise is not enough to be master of the game”.

In an interview with the Journal du Dimanche newspaper, former president Nicolas Sarkozy also warned that Macron was taking a risk for himself and the country, saying the move “could plunge France into chaos from which it will have the greatest difficulty in emerging”.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has stopped pilgrims from proceeding to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of throwing stones from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. due to extreme heat

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, Dr Abdulfattah bin Sulaiman, issued the directive in a statement on Monday in Mina, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Sulaiman stated that the measures became necessary to ensure the well-being of pilgrims amidst high temperatures and to prevent heat stress.

“Accordingly, the following measures have been implemented: Pilgrims are prohibited from proceeding to the Jamarat Bridge for the ritual of throwing stones from 11. a.m to 4.pm.”

Speaking further, he said security personnel would be stationed at camps to enforce the restriction and prevent any pilgrim from departing before 4 p.m.

He urged the Office of Hajj Affairs and service providers to ensure compliance, adding that they would be held responsible for any violations thereof.

“We pray for Allah’s protection over the pilgrims and the acceptance of their Hajj.”

Meanwhile, the official of Nigeria’s Hajj Commission has intercepted two illegal migrants of Nigerian descent ( Muhammed Umar and Nazifi Tasi’u GARBA), over infiltration of pilgrims’ tents amidst concerns regarding overstretched accommodation and petty theft.

Consequently, the suspects were handed over to the Saudi Police, where their biometrics were obtained and a fine of 10,000 Saudi Riyals was imposed on them to be paid whenever they were leaving the country.

NAN reports that the Jamarat are three pillars located in Mecca and are an important part of the Hajj pilgrimage for Muslims.

As part of their pilgrimage to Mecca, pilgrims throw pebbles at the pillars to symbolically “stone the devil.”

The Stoning of the Devil—or rajm al-jamaat, translated as throwing pebbles—is a way for Muslims to reject temptation, affirm their faith in Allah, and honour the Prophet Ibrahim.

Over 1.83 million pilgrims performed this year’s hajj, according to the Saudi Gazette.

A total of 1,833,164 pilgrims came from within the Kingdom and abroad to perform the annual pilgrimage and they included 1,611,310 foreign pilgrims and 221,854 domestic pilgrims, both citizens and expatriates.

An Indian man accused of an alleged plot to assassinate an American citizen in New York has been extradited to the US, the Washington Post reports.

Nikhil Gupta was charged by the US government last year with trying to hire a hitman to assassinate US-based Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Mr Gupta was arrested by authorities in the Czech Republic last year on Washington’s request and jailed in Prague.

Last month, Czech Constitutional Court rejected his petition against his extradition to the US.

Prison records show he is currently being held at the federal Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn.

He is expected to be produced in a federal court in New York on Monday. The charges against him carry up to 20 years in prison.

In November, US prosecutors had charged Mr Gupta with a plot to kill at least four Sikh separatists in North America, including Mr Pannun.

Mr Gupta paid $100,000 (£79,000) in cash to a hitman to assassinate Mr Pannun, prosecutors said. The hitman, they added, was an undercover federal agent.

US authorities alleged Mr Gupta was directed by an Indian government official who was not named or charged in the indictment.

The Indian government denied it had anything to do with the murder plot.

Mr Pannun is a dual US-Canadian citizen living in New York.
He is the general counsel for Sikhs for Justice, an organisation based in the US that supports the broader Khalistan movement, which calls for an independent homeland for Sikhs who make up about 2% of India’s population.

Mr Pannun was designated a terrorist by the Indian government in 2020, an allegation he denies.

He was also an associate of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a Sikh separatist leader who was shot dead in Canada in his car last year.

The murder had led to a deterioration in India-Canada ties after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged there were “credible allegations” that Delhi had been involved. India denied the accusations.

In November, the White House said it had raised the alleged assassination plot against Mr Pannun with India at the most senior level.

Indian officials distanced themselves from the alleged plot, saying such actions were against government policy.
Delhi said it had formed a committee to investigate the allegations against Mr Gupta.

In January, India’s Supreme Court rejected a plea from Mr Gupta which asked it to aid his release and help him get a fair trial. The petition in India claimed Mr Gupta was arrested by “self-claimed” US federal agents and had not yet been given a fair trial.

India’s top court said it would not intervene in the case, adding that it was up to the government to take action.

Eight people have died and around 25 have been injured in a train crash in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

The accident occurred when a goods train hit a stationary passenger train, the Kanchenjungha Express, in the New Jalpaiguri area on Monday morning.

Dramatic footage from the accident site showed one wagon of the express train suspended in the air.

It’s not clear yet what led to the crash but authorities say a detailed investigation will be held.

Authorities say ambulances and disaster teams have been sent to the site for rescue efforts.
“We are trying to complete the rescue operation as soon as possible,” Railway official Sabyasachi De told reporters.

“The preliminary information we have is that the Kanchenjungha Express was hit from the rear by a goods train,” he said, adding that the reason would only be confirmed after investigation.

A passenger rescued from the Kanchenjungha Express said he had suffered a head injury in the crash. “I was travelling in B1 coach when the train was hit,” he told ANI news agency.

Federal Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that relief teams were working in close coordination with railway officials to carry out rescue operations.

“The injured are being shifted to the hospital. Senior officials have reached the site,” he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The railways have set up a control desk with a helpline number at Rangapani station, near which the collision took place.

Last year, a devastating crash involving three trains in the eastern state of Odisha had killed around 290 people and left more than 1,000 injured.

Three persons have died in an accident that occurred in Aagba town, Osun State on Sunday.

It was gathered that the accident involved a motorcycle and a private car.

The driver of the private car reportedly fled the scene of the crash.

The fatalities were three passengers being conveyed by the motorcycle.

The spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Osun State Command, Adeleke Kehinde, confirming the accident, said officers from the command had visited the accident scene

“The accident involved a Toyota Camry pencil light and a motorcycle with the number plate AKD 810 QX. The accident claimed the lives of three persons on the motorcycle on the spot,” he said.

Also, 22 people sustained various degrees of injuries in another accident which occurred in Sekona town.

It was gathered that the accident occurred along the Osogbo-Gbongan Road.

Adeleke, while giving details about the accident said, it was caused by a Toyota Hummer bus which had veered off its lane and had a head on collision with a vehicle coming from the opposite direction.

“It was discovered that the Toyota Hummer bus driver slept while driving. Adult men and women including children sustained varying degrees of injuries/fractures while the Toyota Hummer bus driver sustained fractures on both legs.

“Three persons were involved in the Fiat Van, while 19 were injured in the Toyota Hummer bus.

“The victims were evacuated and taken to Sekona Government Clinic for first aid and were later moved to Uniosun Teaching Hospital by Government Ambulance for proper medical attention,” he added.

Excitement enveloped Kogi State at the weekend as Governor Usman Ododo surprised the state workers by paying their June salaries in the middle of the month.

Many of the workers were surprised as it was the first time they were getting such a gesture.

A top government official said that the gesture was to enable the people to celebrate the Eid-el Kabir festival with joy.

There were reports that the governor also distributed food items and other palliatives to the workers and other residents of the North-Central state.

Some of the civil servants during an interview expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture which, they said, would help them to enjoy the Muslim festival.

“The governor’s early payment of June salaries, alongside the distribution of food palliatives to workers, is a huge blessing to us,” said a civil servant, Hajiya Fatima Baba.

Another civil servant, Bala Adejoh, who was full of praise for the governor, said that the payment of the June salary was a “huge relief.”

Mr Adejoh said, “It’s a great relief getting June salary to celebrate this Sallah. My prayer for the governor is for him to enjoy God’s grace, guidance and blessings as he rules Kogi in this trying time.’’

Mr Ododo had, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Relations, Onogwu Muhammed, said that the peoples’ vote for ‘consolidation and continuity’ in Kogi, was not a mistake.

According to him, before 2016, Kogi State was burdened with a bogus and ineffective civil service system with salaries always irregular.

“Unfortunately, efforts to sanitise the system and ensure timely wage payments for genuine workers were hindered by lack of political will and various obstacles. It was the bold initiative of ex-Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration that tackled this cumbersome system. The civil service reform initiated by Bello’s administration was arduous and demanding for both the civil servants and the government. Since 2017, the government policy has ensured that workers’ salaries are paid between the 25th and 27th of every month, a policy that the current administration is sustaining. The civil service reform was one of the five key thematic areas of the ‘New Direction Administration’ of the previous government, focusing on education, health, agriculture and infrastructure. Part of the fulfilment of the promise of sustainable welfare is paying the June salaries and pensions of workers and retirees in Kogi ahead of the Sallah celebration,” the statement said.

The statement quoted the governor as saying that prompt payment of salaries and the distribution of the second quarterly food palliative to vulnerable populations were part of efforts to ensure people enjoyed the festivities with their families.

He was also quoted as reassuring the people that his administration would continue to prioritise welfare of workers, pensioners and all residents.

The statement said that the reforms in the public and civil service sectors made Kogi one of the most attractive public employers in Nigeria.

The lawmaker representing Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odefa Federal Constituency, Olumide Osoba, has distributed bags of rice and cash to members of his Constituency including party faithful to celebrate eid-el-kabir.

The development was said to aim at easing the economic difficulties faced by hundreds of his constituents.

In a statement issued by Osoba’s media team on Saturday in Ogun State, it was revealed that over 400 constituents benefited from the initiative.

“Over 400 constituents and party faithful including all ward vice chairmen, treasurer, organizing secretary, financial secretary, PRO welfare officer, legal adviser, and physically challenged leaders received 50,000 each as their share of the largesse.

“Hon. Osoba also extended his Eid-El-Kabir generosity to all wards in his constituency. Leaving no one behind, Hon. Osoba distributed bags of rice to all wards. And also doled out cash gifts to all government executives,” the statement reads.

On Friday, the Federal Government declared Monday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 18, 2024, as public holidays to mark this year’s Eid-el-Kabir festival.

Over 2 million Muslims from around the world have converged on a sacred hill, “Mount Arafat” southeast of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for intense, daylong worship and reflection.

The ritual at Mount Arafat, known as the hill of mercy, is considered the peak of the Hajj pilgrimage, one of the most sacred rituals in Islam.

According to Andolu Ajansi on Friday, pilgrims made their way to the Grand Mosque, then headed towards Mina, a valley located 7 kilometers northeast of the mosque. This marks the start of the Hajj rituals, following in the footsteps of the Prophet Mohammed.

Mina holds a crucial position between Mecca and Muzdalifah. This valley, flanked by mountains to the north and south, is populated only during the Hajj period and lies within the boundaries of the Haram or Great Mosque.

To ensure a safe and successful pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia has made extensive preparations to welcome Hajj pilgrims at the initial stages of the rituals, including setting up four hospitals ready to deal with any contingencies and departments for combating heat stress and sunstroke, the Saudi News Agency said on Thursday.

Additionally, multi-story residential towers have been built in Mina to house over 30,000 pilgrims, featuring modern designs inspired by the urban identity of the holy sites.

Saudi Arabia has announced plans to host 1,000 family members of Palestinians killed or wounded in Gaza for the Hajj pilgrimage, under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program.

The initiative is organized by the Saudi Islamic Affairs Ministry under a directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as part of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Guests Program, according to SPA.

The king’s directive follows a similar one issued in May, bringing the total number hosted from Palestine for this year’s Hajj to 2,000, Arab News reported.

Hajj is the fifth pillar of the Islamic faith, a ritual that must be performed by all Muslims who are financially able at least once in their lives. The pilgrimage includes various rituals that symbolize essential Islamic concepts and commemorate the trials of Prophet Abraham and his family.

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The Plateau command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has deployed 1,408 personnel ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir festive period in the state.

The command’s public relations officer (PRO), Ruth Rimvyok, disclosed this in a statement in Jos on Saturday.

Mr Rimvyok said that the state corps commandant, Alexander Barunde, who approved the deployment, charged the personnel to ensure safety of lives and property.

”Our commandant has approved the immediate deployment of 1,408 personnel to beef up security in Plateau and its environs before, during and after the sallah season

”While briefing officers and men, Barunde ordered a complete beefing up of security across all the flashpoints and praying grounds across the 17 local government areas of the state.

”We are committed to protecting critical national assets and infrastructure, as well as life and property.”

The PRO noted that the corps would leave no stone unturned in dealing decisively with all miscreants, criminals, and vandals who wanted to disrupt the relative peace in the state.

President Bola Tinubu has urged Muslim faithful to reflect on the occasion of Eid-el-Kabir, an event that denotes sacrifice, faith, and obedience to the will of the Almighty.

“The President congratulates the Muslim faithful and prays that Allah accepts their supplications and acts of obedience,” Ajuri Ngelale, special adviser to the president, media and publicity, said in a statement in Abuja on Saturday.

Mr Tinubu enjoined Nigerians to reflect on the essence of the occasion, which bears strong meaning and significance for the nation.

The president emphasised that sacrifice and duty were essential ingredients to nation-building, “noting that it takes collective purpose, will, and action to bring about great change.”

He called on citizens to pray for the nation’s continuous peace and stability while working according to purpose to promote unity, peace, and progress.

“The President acknowledges the sacrifices that Nigerians have made in the past one year as his administration sets the nation on a firm pedestal of growth and development.

“President Tinubu affirms that the sacrifices and great expectations of citizens will not come to nought as already propitious outcomes are beginning to manifest with the economy strengthening and vibrancy returning to critical sectors.

“The President reassures Nigerians that his administration is prioritizing their physical, social, and economic security and will not relent on this noble endeavour,” Mr Ngelale said.

The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), on Friday, rescued a commercial bus alongside the driver who recklessly swerved into a ditch to avoid the Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) officials.

The agency’s permanent secretary, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said a female sustained a minor injury during the accident at Obadore along LASU-Isheri road.

“Upon arrival at the incident scene at about 11.01hrs, it was observed that a commercial bus, with registration number FKJ 870 YG, was involved in a lone accident at the aforementioned location.

“Further investigations revealed that the accident occurred when the vehicle’s driver swerved recklessly in attempts to avoid a VIS checkpoint,” he said.

He added that the reckless driving caused the vehicle to lose control and fall into a ditch.

“No loss of lives was recorded during the incident. However, an adult female sustained minor injuries in the process.

“The bus was recovered with the help of the LASEMA response team, the Lagos State Fire Rescue and Service and the Nigeria Police Force, who were all in attendance,” he said.

About 15 passengers sustained injuries in a multiple accident that occurred at Ketu, inward Ojota, in Lagos State.

The permanent secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed this in a statement on Friday.

Mr Oke-Osanyintolu said the accident was reported via the state’s toll-free emergency numbers, 767 and 112.

He added that LASEMA’s response team from the Command and Control Centre, C3, Alausa, swiftly swung to the scene.

“They arrived at the scene of the multiple collision, which involved three vehicles under the Ojota Interchange Bridge, at 11:40 a.m.

“Upon arrival, it was discovered that the accident involved a BRT bus, with registration number EXY-167XY, an articulated truck, with an unknown registration number and an 18-seater commercial bus, with registration number JJJ-439YG.

“The articulated truck was laden with a 40-feet container.

“Further investigations revealed that the articulated truck, while heading inward Ketu, suddenly lost control of motion,” he said.

He added that the truck skidded off its lane and collided with the BRT bus, which was headed toward Ojota from the opposite direction.

“The BRT subsequently skidded off its lane into the service lane and collided with the yellow commercial bus.

“Fifteen people were injured. No critical injuries were sustained and fatalities were recorded.

“The BRT bus suffered significant damage to the front and rear ends, and the tractor head of the truck was also damaged,” he said.

He added that the injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. The LASEMA official said the agency’s pre-hospital care team attended to four at the accident scene.

“The articulated truck was recovered off the road and towed to LASTMA yard at Oshodi.

“The BRT bus was recovered off the road to the BRT yard in Ojota, while the yellow commercial bus was driven off by its owner,” he added.

He said the road had been set free for vehicular activities.