No fewer than 56 people, mostly traders, are feared de@d, while 14 others have been hospitalized following an airstrike on a weekly market at Jilli market located between Gubio and Geidam Local Government Areas of Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday, April 11. DailyTrust reports that the airstrike was suspected to have been carried out during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents. The weekly market usually attracts traders and buyers from surrounding communities, including Gubio, Chiweram, and Benisheikh in Borno State, as well as Gurokayeya and Geidam in Yobe State. Multiple sources said the fighter jet that carried out the operation was tracking a group of suspected insurgents believed to have visited the market to collect levies from traders and obtain supplies. However, the strike reportedly missed its intended target and hit the unsuspecting traders. An eyewitness said at least 56 people have been confirmed dead, while 14 ...
AKINYELE CONSTITUENCY 1: DIVISION DEEPENS AS RUKAYAT BALOGUN REJECTS FALSE CLAIMS, STANDS ON GOVERNOR MAKINDE’S PROMISE
Political tension continues to rise in Akinyele Constituency 1 of Oyo State as the contest for the 2027 House of Assembly seat begins to take shape, with clear divisions emerging among stakeholders. Hon. (Mrs.) Rukayat Tolani Balogun has strongly dismissed claims suggesting she once stepped down for the incumbent lawmaker, insisting that such narratives are false and misleading. According to her camp, these claims are being circulated by Lekan Abiola Monsuru and a small group of his supporters in a bid to gain political advantage. Balogun maintains that she never withdrew or stepped down her ambition at any point, stressing that she has remained consistent and committed to her aspiration. She insists that her position is rooted not only in her political standing but also in what she describes as a prior understanding with Governor Seyi Makinde regarding the succession of the seat after the incumbent’s tenure. The controversy has sparked debate within the constit...