The Ogun State Government has commenced rehabilitation work on the Laderin-Olokuta road, leading to the Professor Wole Soyinka Train Station in Abeokuta South local government area of the state.

The road, which connects over 40 communities and serves as a main link to the popular Wole Soyinka Train Station, had been in a deplorable state for the past two years, leading to protests by residents of the communities.

The residents lamented that the deplorable condition of the road had paralysed socio-economic activities in the area.

Also, the bad state of the road had made it impossible for commuters to access train services.

Last month, the State House of Assembly passed a resolution, directing the state government to immediately commence rehabilitation work on the road to ease human and vehicular movements along the axis, especially for commuters who depend on the railway as a means of transportation.

Responding to the Assembly’s directive, the state government, in a statement posted on its X handle, said the state needed the permission of the minister of works before reconstruction could begin.

But speaking to our correspondent over the weekend, Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Media, Kayode Akinmade, said the state had commenced the reconstruction of the road.

Akinmade said contractors on Friday moved their equipment to site and commenced the rehabilitation of the road.

“Yes, the contractors have been mobilized and they have moved into site. By this time next week we would have done a lot of work on the road.

“The governor has restated his commitment to ensure that he continue to build roads across all the senatorial districts.

“He has also assured that no area of the state will be marginalised, and that development will be even and fairly distributed across the 20 local government areas of the state and he will continue to do this,” Akinmade said.

Some youths in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Monday protested against the invasion of some night clubs in the state by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The protesters, who kicked against the commando style in which the anti-graft agency invaded the clubs, stated that the destruction of facilities in the clubs was not necessary.

At the weekend, EFCC operatives stormed the popular Signatures and Alba Royale clubs, where 127 suspected internet fraudsters were arrested, including a groom-to-be.

The Ibadan zonal office of the Commission, which confirmed the raid, disclosed that the arrested suspects were picked based on intelligence reports.

Condemning the raid, the protesting youths emphasised that the brutality meted on the suspects by EFCC operatives was uncalled for.

One of the protesters, Oluwaseun Ogunmola, who spoke with journalists, said the raid by the EFCC was contrary to the agency’s ban on night operations.

Ogunmola demanded that those arrested and profiled as internet fraudsters in the Akure clubs be released unconditionally.

Another protester, Tobi Akinnubi, said, “In Nigeria now, youths cannot use phones or laptops; they can’t drive cars because the EFCC sees them as fraudsters.

“Our ladies have been taken away; have they committed any offenses? This is pure brutality. Enough is enough, and we must put an end to this.”

Israel’s centrist War Cabinet Minister, Benny Gantz, has announced his resignation from Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu’s emergency government, calling for new elections.

In response, Netanyahu released a statement saying that “Israel is in an existential war on several fronts.

“Benny, this is not the time to abandon the campaign.”

In a televised press conference, Gantz accused Netanyahu of prioritising his political survival over a ceasefire deal that would secure the release of about 100 hostages held in Gaza.

“Unfortunately, Netanyahu is preventing us from advancing toward the real victory,” said Gantz.

“Strategic decisions are met with hesitation due to political considerations.”

Echoing increasing public protest against Netanyahu’s government, Gantz called for a new round of elections in the fall.

He urged Netanyahu to set an agreed date to hold them.

“Don’t let our people be torn apart,” he said.

Gantz’s decision to withdraw his centrist party from Netanyahu’s far-right coalition left it with extremist ministers, including Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who advocate for reoccupying the Gaza Strip and expanding Israeli settlements there.

Gantz’s resignation followed a May ultimatum he issued to the right-wing prime minister, demanding that Netanyahu develop a clear post-conflict strategy for Gaza, where Israel has been conducting a fatal assault, and agree to a hostage-ceasefire agreement.

Iran on Sunday announced the six candidates, mostly conservatives, approved for the June 28 election to replace President Ebrahim Raisi, who was killed in a helicopter crash.

The candidates announced by the interior ministry were selected from 80 registered hopefuls by the Guardian Council, which oversees elections in the Islamic Republic.

Among those approved are the conservative speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and the ultraconservative former nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili, who is known for his inflexible negotiating stance.

Just one reformist candidate, Massoud Pezeshkian, who is a lawmaker representing Tabriz in Iran’s parliament, has been approved.

Pezeshkian, 69, has been outspoken against the government’s lack of transparency during nationwide protests which were triggered by the September 2022 death in police custody of Mahsa Amini.

The conservative former interior minister Mostafa Pourmohammadi has also been authorised to run.

Others on the list include conservative Tehran mayor Alireza Zakani and incumbent vice president Amirhossein Ghazizadeh-Hashemi, the ultraconservative head of the Martyrs’ Foundation.

In a Sunday post on social media site X, Zakani said he would “compete until the end to continue the path of” Raisi.

According to Iran’s electoral law, campaigning should officially start from Sunday until 24 hours before the elections.

Former hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was previously disqualified from entering the presidential races in 2017 and 2021, was again excluded from the list.

Others including moderate ex-parliament speaker Ali Larijani and Vahid Haghanian, a former commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, were also barred from standing.

Four women had also registered their candidacy but were disqualified, as has been the case for all presidential elections since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Iran’s presidential elections were originally slated for 2025 but were brought forward following Raisi’s unexpected death on May 19.

Raisi and seven members of his entourage, including foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, were killed when their aircraft came down on a fog-shrouded mountainside in northern Iran.

In Iran, ultimate authority is wielded by the supreme leader and not the president. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 85, has held the former post for 35 years.

Following Raisi’s death, Khamenei assigned vice president Mohammad Mokhber, 68, as caretaker president in accordance with the constitution.

In the 2021 elections, the Guardian Council disqualified multiple reformist and moderate figures ahead of the presidential elections which brought the ultraconservative Raisi to power.

Those elections had a record low turnout for a presidential poll, at just 48.8 per cent.

This month’s vote will be held during a turbulent time, as the Gaza war rages between Iran’s arch-foe Israel and Tehran-backed Palestinian militant group Hamas, and amid continued diplomatic tensions over Iran’s nuclear programme.

The Kano State Government has established a clinic in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, as part of an effort to provide adequate medical care for its Pilgrims.

The clinic, which is aimed at complementing the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON clinic, will provide the required medical attention to the state’s pilgrims.

The State Amirul Hajj and Deputy Governor of Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, is scheduled to visit the clinic immediately upon his arrival from Madinah to assess the level of commitment of the state pilgrim board to the pilgrims.

The Head of the Media Team for Kano State Pilgrims and also the Deputy Governor’s Spokesperson, Ibrahim Shuaibu, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, a copy of which was made available to PUNCH Online.

According to Ibrahim, the Coordinator of Health Matters for the State Pilgrims Board, Binta Yusuf revealed that approval has been given for the clinic, which will operate in House Number 5 in Makkah.

“NAHCON officials have visited the site and given their approval for the clinic to commence operation,” she said.

Binta noted that Governor Yusuf had earlier sponsored a team of 11 health professionals, led by Prof. Abdurrahman Sheshe, to provide medical care to the state’s pilgrims.

She said the establishment of the clinic is a further demonstration of the state government’s commitment to the welfare of its citizens in the holy land.

She noted that Kano is the only state in Nigeria that NAHCON allowed to open a clinic for its pilgrims in Makkah.

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi was sworn in on Sunday for a third term after worse-than-expected election results left him reliant on coalition partners to govern.

Modi, flanked by officials from his Hindu nationalist party and leaders of his coalition members, vowed in a ceremony marking his formal assumption of power to “bear true allegiance to the constitution of India”.

Modi’s Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party ruled outright for the past decade but failed to repeat its previous two landslide wins this time around, defying analysts’ expectations and exit polls.

He was instead forced into quick-fire talks with the National Democratic Alliance, a 15-member coalition, to gather the parliamentary numbers needed to govern.

Honour guards lined the steps of the presidential palace and a military brass band played as he made the oath.

But with Modi yet to announce his new cabinet, the line of lawmakers also taking the oath of office was keenly watched for an indication of who will be in government.

Modi was followed immediately by top BJP aides Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah and Nitin Gadkari – the defence, interior and transport ministers in his last government respectively.

Larger coalition parties have demanded hefty concessions in exchange for their support.

Modi described recent days as “very busy” in an article published on his website Sunday ahead of the ceremony, saying he was in the “midst of preparations of government formation”.

Wearing a gleaming white kurta flowing shirt and trousers, Modi was the first of several ministers and deputy ministers sworn in by President Droupadi Murmu at the ceremony attended by several thousand people.

The crowd included adoring BJP loyalists, as well as South Asian leaders, Bollywood celebrities such as legend Shahrukh Khan, and billionaire tycoons Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani, key Modi allies.

About 60 people have been killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo during several attacks by an affiliate of the Islamic State terrorist group, authorities said on Saturday.

The attacks took place in Béni, a territory in the province of North Kivu.

“This week alone, they killed 29 civilians on Tuesday in Mamove and then yesterday, Friday, they executed 28 other civilians near Masau,” a civil society leader in Beni, said Kambale Gerve.

A Red Cross source in Kinshasa said that “around 60 bodies have been taken in, while others are lying on the ground in areas that are still unsafe.”

From its propaganda channels, the Islamic State Central Africa Province claimed the deaths of more than 60 “Christians.”

The Islamists released shocking videos and photos of the bound bodies of victims floating on the Loulo River in Béni territory.

Mr Gerve said the attacks were carried out by Allied Democratic Forces rebels.

The ADF, a Ugandan rebel group, pledged allegiance to the Islamic State in 2019.

Sokoto state governor, Ahmad Aliyu, has come under public criticism for naming a road in the state after Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.

The road formerly called “Pepsi Road” was supposed to be commissioned on Jun 3 by Katsina state governor, Umaru Dikko Radda, but was postponed.

On Saturday, a photo of the renamed road, “Seyi Ahmed Bola Tinubu Road,” went viral on social media, ahead of its rescheduled commissioning which date is yet to be announced.

A resident said the governor did not have a basis for the decision since Mr Tinubu has not played any worthy role of commemoration in Sokoto or Nigeria at large.

“The governor left many illustrious indigenes of Sokoto and instead named a road after the president’s son who is not even from Sokoto or anywhere in the northern region,” a resident, Salisu Ahmadu, told Peoples Gazette on Saturday afternoon.

Sharing a photo of the newly rechristened road, an X user, @UncleAnass said, “This is how @Ahmedaliyuskt is denigrating the name of Sokoto with his lack of capacity and sheepishness. Imagine naming a road after Seyi Tinubu. Not even the Tinubu self. Mtschew. This is so denigrating. This is really pathetic. Allah ya isa.”

Another X user, Heinz_Gunner, said “Road to North Korea. This is how it begins!!,” while @jnraib2 said “Even Lagos didn’t name a road after Seyi Tinubu, but Sokoto governor must impress Tinubu.”

@AsIngawa001 said “Seyi Tinubu road in Sokoto State stands as a testament to Nigeria’s practice of celebrating individuals with little or no contribution to the country’s progress.”

Abubakar Bawa, spokesperson for Sokoto governor, could not be immediately reached for comments.

Though Mr Tinubu holds no official position in his father’s government, he appears influential in the APC as he has been on his father’s entourage on foreign trips.

Mr Tinubu was barred from attending the Federal Executive Council meeting a few months ago.

French President Emmanuel Macron will receive his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden as a state guest in Paris on Saturday.

Following an official welcome ceremony, the two are scheduled to hold bilateral talks at Mr Macron’s official residence, after which Mr Biden and Mr Macron are expected to appear before the press.

A state banquet is scheduled for the evening.

Unlike regular working visits, official state visits are accompanied by special pomp and protocol.

The U.S. President is currently on a visit to France lasting several days.

He arrived on Wednesday and took part in commemorations in Normandy on Thursday to mark the D-Day landing of Allied troops 80 years ago.

The White House said in advance that the state visit reflected the close ties between the two countries.

Mr Biden and Mr Macron plan to discuss a wide range of global challenges and bilateral issues.

The French government said that it would discuss further support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia.

This would also serve to prepare for next week’s G7 summit in the Italian city of Bari and the NATO summit in the U.S. capital, Washington, in July.

Mr Biden received Mr Macron as a state guest in Washington in 2022.

At the time, the French leader was the first foreign guest to be honoured in this way during Mr Biden’s term of office.

About ten Nigerian teenage girls, between the ages of 15 and 16, have been rescued by the Nigerian authorities from human trafficking and prostitution.

The girls were forced into prostitution after being reportedly lured to Ghana with promises of a better life.

Three of the victims are from the same parents, while the suspect, a Nigerian man, has been arrested and is currently in police custody.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, the Chairman of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, explained that the girls were rescued after a tip-off by NIDO, the umbrella body of Nigerians living in Ghana.

According to him, the victims were said to have revealed that they were beaten, molested, and forced into prostitution without pay, saying that their phones were reportedly seized, and they were unable to contact their parents.

According to one of the girls, “They give us out to men, and they don’t give us money; they collect everything.”

Chief Callistus Elozieuwa, the Chairman of NIDO, appealed for support to ensure the girls’ safe return to Nigeria.

Dabiri-Erewa called on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons to take decisive action, describing the situation as “very, very heartbreaking.”

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Saturday stormed some clubs and lounges in Akure, the Ondo State capital, where suspected internet fraudsters were arrested.

Among the suspects arrested by the anti-graft agency was a groom-to-be who was picked while having his bachelor’s eve with some of his friends in one of the popular clubs in Akure metropolis.

During the sting operation, which was carried out in the wee hours of Saturday, no fewer than 50 suspected individuals were apprehended by EFCC operatives.

According to sources, the EFCC personnel who arrived in various vehicles fired gunshots into the air while raiding the fun spots.

With the suspects taken away, vehicles, laptops, smartphones, and other items were also seized during the operation.

One of the sources stated, “we were all having fun when we suddenly saw the EFCC people entering the nightclubs. Then they tear-gassed everyone, beating them up and arresting them.

“They don’t care who they are, as they shot tear gas canisters inside one of the clubs.

“They also went away with a groom and his friends at a club; he was there for his bash eve, so sad as they profiled everyone as an Internet fraudster.”

Some properties have been destroyed in a fire outbreak that occurred at a soap factory and plastic waste dump site along Amanato Street, Ugwagba Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The cause of the fire incident has yet to be ascertained, but it was gathered that the fire started at about 1 am on Saturday before the arrival of the state firefighters.

An eyewitness and one of the workers at the factory said the fire and thick flames were noticed from a corner of the building and firefighters were immediately alerted.

He said some properties had been damaged before the arrival of the men of the state fire service, who battled to control the fire and prevented it from escalating to other structures around the premises.

The state Fire Service Chief, Chukwudi Chiketa, who confirmed the incident, said firefighters were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident at about 1:40 am on Saturday and they battled to contain the fire.

He said, “The Anambra State Fire Service received a distress call at 01:40 hours of today, Saturday, June 8, 2024, of a fire outbreak in mini soap factory and plastic waste dumping ground at Amanato Street, Ugwagba Obosi, in Idemili North LGA of Anambra State.

“The firefighters and a fire truck were deployed immediately to the scene of the incident. They fought and contained the fire and prevented it from affecting a very closed-by four-storey building.

“The cause of the fire is still unknown. Also, no life was lost. The firemen departed the scene of a fire at 03:40 hours of today. Fire kills but it can be prevented.”

Recall that a fire incident had reportedly occurred at the top floor of a one-storey building inside GMO Company, situated at Atani road, by Uga junction, Okpoko, on Friday.

The Adamawa State Police Command has successfully recovered a stolen Lexus Jeep RX 330 and arrested two suspects in connection with the crime.

According to a statement posted by the command on X.com on Friday, the victim, Daiso Kyrian, lodged a complaint that armed robbers shot him and stole his car on April 12 in Awka, Anambra State.

The statement partly read, “Upon receiving the report, a thorough investigation was carried out by the command’s surveillance team. Luckily, one Saidu Mohammed, aged 30 and from Gombi LGA, was arrested in possession of the said vehicle.

“Investigation further conducted led to the arrest of another 25-year-old Rabiu Idris of the same address in connection with the case.”

In the statement, the state’s Commissioner of Police, CP Dankombo Morris, commended the officers and reaffirmed the command’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the state.

The federal government has offered N62,000 as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers after the rejection of its proposed N60,000 by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NlC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State said this while addressing journalists at the end of the tripartite committee negotiation meeting on Friday in Abuja.

However, the labour unions reduced their demand to N250,000 after the federal government and the private sector viewed its proposed N495,000 as unrealistic.

“In the wisdom of the committee, it has put together a recommendation that will be forwarded to Mr President for further action,” said Mr Uzodimma, who is also the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum.

He added, “The organised private sector and the federal government have agreed on N62,000 while the organised labour is asking for N250,000.”

Also, Festus Osifo, TUC’s president, noted that the organised private sector and the federal government had recommended N62,000 as the minimum wage.

“But for us, we felt that with the current economic hardship and the difficulty in the land, the sum of N250,000 should be what will be okay for the minimum wage.

“We will sign a report and forward this position to Mr President. This committee is to make recommendations to him.

“We will keep pushing to ensure that we have a wage that stands the test of time in Nigeria,” he said.

This comes a few days after organised labour suspended the nationwide strike for five days to allow for continuous negotiations with the federal government on the new minimum wage.

The NLC and TUC had rejected the current administration’s proposal of N60,000. They demanded N495,000, citing the hardship that trailed President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies that saw prices of food and commodities skyrocket by per cent cent.

While the government, organised private sector, NLC, and TUC had agreed that the current minimum wage of N30,000 was no longer sustainable due to the present economic reality, agreeing on a figure for the new minimum wage had long proved difficult.

The organised labour began a nationwide strike on June 3, pausing economic activities as banks, airports, public schools, and courts were shut. The strike was soon suspended for five days and was expected to continue on Monday, June 10.

Meanwhile, during the negotiations for the new minimum wage, state governors rejected the initially proposed N60,000, saying it was “unattainable” and “cannot fly.”

The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Friday sentenced a butcher, Jelili Moshood, to 14 years’ imprisonment for attempting to rape a 78-year-old woman who had dementia.

Mr Moshood was sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment by Justice Rahman Oshodi following his plea bargain agreement to attempted sexual assault by penetration.

Mr Oshodi held that he considered the facts of the case and the plea bargain agreement reached between the prosecution and the defence.

He added that he considered the convict’s guilty plea to the amended charge of attempt to commit sexual assault by penetration.

Consequently, the court convicted Mr Moshood and sentenced him, as agreed in the plea bargain, to commence on January 2, 2019, the date of his remand.

The judge said the facts established in the case were that the convict, under the guise of helping, isolated the vulnerable 78-year-old woman suffering from dementia and proceeded to assault her, causing her physical injury and trauma sexually.

He said, “The victim’s impact has been severe; though the victim has since passed away, one can only imagine the fear, anguish, and suffering inflicted upon her in the final months of her life by the convict’s heinous actions.

“Her family will have to live with that painful reality, and this sentence considers the convict’s guilty plea and the sparing of the victim’s family from the ordeal of testifying in court.

“However, it must also send a clear deterrent message that sexual violence against society’s most vulnerable will be met with severe consequences.”

Mr Oshodi said the agreed 14 years sentence reflected the egregious breach of trust, the physical and emotional harm caused, and the need to protect the public from the convict, who would be registered as a sex offender.

The Lagos State government had initially charged the convict with rape, and the medical report and the result of the medical examination were received in evidence as Exhibit F.

It revealed documented physical trauma and forceful penetration of the victim’s vagina.

The court had held that the preceding factual matrix was distilled from the testimonies of one ASP Babatunde Asifat, Prosecution Witness One (PW1), and one Insp. Olakunle Orebe, Prosecution Witness Two (PW2), and the defendant’s confessional statement (Exhibit B1).

The court had also held that the extensive cross-examination by the learned defence counsel did not unearth any contradiction of PW1’s evidence.

The judge said that instead, it strengthened it.

“Seeing the strong evidence against him and after PW2 had given his evidence-in-chief, the defendant applied to the Hon. Attorney-General of Lagos State for a plea bargain through his counsel, Mr Yusuf Oyebanji,” the court held.

The state counsel, Bukola Okeowo, had on May 31 informed the court that the parties had entered a plea and sentence agreement dated and filed on May 30.

The convict’s charge was, thereafter, changed from rape to attempt to commit sexual assault by penetration, which contravened section 262 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2015.

The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of some armed robbers alleged to have been terrorising several parts of the state in separate operations during the week.

The Command also announced that it had recovered different weapons the suspects used in perpetrating their illegal activities.

The arrest and recovery were disclosed in a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, which was obtained by our correspondent on Friday.

According to the PPRO, on Wednesday, the Command’s Special Squad acting on credible intelligence about suspected miscreants who had terrorising the residents of Ughelli, Warri, and Sapele, stormed their base in Sapele and arrested the suspects while recovering arms and ammunition.

The statement further read, “The team led by ASP Julius Robinson stormed Sapele town on the said date and effected the arrest of one Blessing Atima aged 23 (the gang leader), Destiny Okpako, 19, and Wisdom Akpohiro, 20.

“The following exhibits were recovered from them; one Beretta pistol, one locally cut-to-size gun, three cutlasses, phones and ATM cards belonging to victims. Some of their victims have identified the suspects and their valuables recovered from them.

“On 3/05/2024, RRS Operatives, while acting on credible information that some suspected robbers were sighted in an uncompleted building along Issele-Asagba Express Way. The operatives stormed the uncompleted building and arrested one Usman Bello, 40, and one locally made fabricated Beretta Pistol recovered from him. The suspect who pretended to be a mentally unstable person is in custody

“On 04/06/2024, the Area Commander, Asaba, acting on intelligence report on the activities of some suspects who come from across the Niger to Asaba at night, break into and loot the shops of their targeted victims, the Area commander immediately deployed undercover operatives who embarked on a discreet operation which eventually paid off when the duo of one Ameachi Micheal, 42, and Ogochukwu Ogbode, 38.”

The statement noted that the arrested suspects are in custody and investigations are still ongoing.

The Lagos State Police Command said it has arrested two men for allegedly producing adulterated alcoholic drinks at Oko-Arin Market on the Lagos Island.

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

Hundeyin said that police detectives arrested the suspects at about 6.00 pm on Tuesday, following credible information “that a group of boys were sighted at the Oko-Arin Market allegedly producing fake alcoholic drinks”.

He said that the Commissioner of Police Tactical Team, Eko, immediately mobilised to the scene.

According to him, the team affected the arrest of the two suspects, aged 31 and 41, in the act, while other members of the gang escaped.

“Items recovered from the suspects included five cartons of Jack Daniels Drinks, two cartons of Black Barrel drink, one carton of Williams Lawson drink and one carton of Jameson drink.

“Police also recovered one carton of Black Label drink, one carton of Remy Martins, six cartons of empty and Glenfiddich bottles

“Others are one carton of empty Divin Bardar drink, one carton of empty Volka drink, as well as quantities of assorted labels and corks for producing drinks.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects often sold the illegal adulterated drinks to their customers in Cotonou, Benin Republic,” he said.

Hundeyin said that investigation was ongoing.

Five hunters have been arrested in connection with the killing of a 14-year-old teenager in Maiha local government area of Adamawa State.

The suspects were alleged to have tortured the victim on suspicion that he stole N20,000.

A statement from the state Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje, said they were arrested on Wednesday, June 5, “for the unlawful arrest and torture” of the teenager who they accused of stealing the 20,000.

“The suspects are currently under investigation and would be charged to court for the law to take its course,” the Police statement said.

The Commissioner of Police, CP Dakonmbo Morris, who condemned the actions of the hunters, warned members of the public against taking the law into their own hands.

US President Joe Biden has apologised to his counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky for delays in military aid to Ukraine and has pledged $225m (£191m) in support.
The pair met for talks in Paris, a day after they both attended the 80th anniversary commemorations of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France.
The US Department of Defense said the new aid package would include ammunition and anti-aircraft missiles.
Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
Mr Biden said previous delays in aid had been caused by some Republicans in Congress, but reiterated US support for Ukraine.
“The United States will stand with you,” Mr Biden told Mr Zelensky. “You haven’t bowed down. You haven’t yielded at all. You continue to fight in a way that is just remarkable, just remarkable.”
In response, Mr Zelensky stressed the importance of his country’s relationship with the US, saying it was crucial in the fight against Russia.
“It’s very important that you stay with us,” he said. “We count on your continuing support in staying with us shoulder to shoulder.”

Earlier in the day, Mr Zelensky addressed the French parliament, saying the current conflict with Russia meant Europe was “unfortunately no longer a continent of peace”.
He also expressed hope that a summit hosted in Switzerland later this month could help bring an end to the war.
The Ukrainian president is due to meet with French President Emmanuel Macron during his visit.
Speaking on French TV on Thursday evening, Mr Macron said Paris would send Mirage 2000 fighter jets to Ukraine and train Ukrainian pilots. He said training could begin this summer.
“You need normally between five, six months. So by the end of the year there will be pilots. The pilots will be trained in France,” he said.
Mr Macron also said Western allies would consider a request to send military instructors to train Ukrainian forces on the ground.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the French president’s comments showed that he was willing to take a “direct” role in the Ukraine conflict.
Friday’s developments come a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned that Moscow could arm countries with a view to attacking Western targets.
Mr Putin made the statement while criticising the West’s delivery of long-range weapons to Ukraine. He did not specify which countries Moscow could supply with weapons.
Several countries including the US have given Ukraine the green light to strike targets inside Russia.
Mr Biden has given Ukraine permission to use American-supplied weapons to strike targets in Russia, but only near the Kharkiv region. The White House has said Ukraine cannot use long-range ATACMS missiles on Russian soil.

The authority of Saudi Arabia’s Kingdom has arrested seven Nigerian pilgrims performing this year’s holy pilgrimage in Makkah for failure to be in possession of NUSUK identity cards.

The seven Nigerian pilgrims from two states were said to have been arrested in front of their hotels on June 5 and 6 over the Nusuk ID cards, otherwise known as hajj permit.

In Saudi Arabia, not having Hajj permits, harbouring or aiding those without it attracts a SR10,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, deportation and banning from Saudi Arabia for 10 years as penalty.

Names of the arrested pilgrims were not yet made public and it could not be ascertained yet if retrieves have come their way through the intervention of Nigeria’s hajj commission.

Reacting to the development, the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, re-iterated its appeal on the collection and use of the cards for their Hajj exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In a circular issued to all the state pilgrims welfare boards, agencies and commissions, as well as licensed Hajj tour operators, the commission disclosed that seven Nigerian pilgrims from two states were arrested in front of their hotels on June 5 and 6 over the Nusuk ID cards.

This activity, NAHCON warned in the circular signed by its Makkah Coordinator, Dr. Aliyu Tanko, on behalf of the chairman, Malam Jalal Arabi, is expected to intensify as the month of Dhul Hijjah begins soon.

The commission requested all State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and all tour operator companies to intensify awareness to their pilgrims on the mandatory possession of Nusuk ID cards, saying “all pilgrims must collect their cards on arrival in Makkah from the Mutawwif officials.”

It added that after possessing the Nusuk cards, “it is imperative to carry these cards at all times, as they are the recognized means of identifying pilgrims and also having access to key areas during Hajj.”

“Pilgrims with smartphones can download the Nusuk app from Playstore or iTunes stores, use their passport and visa numbers to activate and access digital copies of their Nusuk cards,” the commission advised.

On the penalties, NAHCON warned that “not having Hajj permits, habouring or aiding those without it attracts SR10,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, deportation and banning from Saudi Arabia for 10 years.”

“We urge all SMPWB’s and tour operators to ensure that their pilgrims adhere strictly to these guidelines to avoid any inconvenience or disruption in their spiritual journey,” the commission stated.

NAHCON had a few days ago urged pilgrims to ensure the use of NUSUK cards (identification and access card) to avoid being arrested by the Saudi Arabian Authority.

Its chairman, Jalal Arabi, made the call in a statement by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Hajia Fatima Sanda-Usara.

He said: “The commission wishes to address the recent concerns and complaints regarding pilgrims being arrested or prevented from accessing the Masjidul Haram in Makkah for not being in possession of their NUSUK ID cards.

“NAHCON had at different fora with State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards and Hajj Tour Operators in Nigeria before the commencement of transportation of pilgrims stressed the importance of the card.