SOUTH-WEST NGR NEWS

The Ogun State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps has confirmed that the tragic accident involving the convoy of renowned British-Nigerian boxer Anthony Joshua claimed the lives of two people on the Makun axis of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. The Ogun Sector Command confirmed that the accident happened at Sinoma, near Sagamu, involving two vehicles. In a press release, FRSC PRO in Ogun State, Afolabi Odunsi, blamed the crash on overspeeding and wrongful overtaking by the driver, who overtook from the right-hand side and rammed into a stationary vehicle. The accident occurred when the Lexus SUV conveying Joshua, with registration number KRD 850 HN, collided with a stationary truck along the road on Monday, December 29. In the accident involving five persons, Anthony Joshua sustained injuries, while two fatalities were recorded, and two others were rescued unharmed. Anthony Joshua, who was in one of the vehicles, was taken to an undisclosed hospital by his securit...

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State is reportedly set to defect from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the first week of January, according to Daily Nigerian. Governor Yusuf currently controls 25 of the 27 NNPP members in the Kano State House of Assembly, following the deaths of two members. The defection is set to take place without the backing of the former Governor of Kano State and NNPP leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, who has rejected the move. Sponsored Ads In a related development, Governor Yusuf is said to have initiated steps to remove his deputy, Aminu Abdulsalam, through impeachment. This is reportedly to clear the way for Murtala Sule-Garo, the APC deputy governorship candidate in the 2023 governorship election, to assume the deputy governorship position. The political maneuver has stirred discussions among Kano State political observers, highlighting ongoing realignments ahead of upcoming elections.

Two police inspectors have lost their lives after g¥nmen suspected to be members of IPOB/ESN att@cked a Distress Response Squad (DRS) patrol team in Enugu State. According to security sources cited by Zagazola Makama, the att@ck occurred around 8:30 p.m. on december 27, 2025, along Zik Avenue near Good Shepherd Specialist Hospital in Enugu. The a§§ailants, numbering about six and operating in an ash-coloured Lexus RX 350 SUV, reportedly opened fire on the patrol team and set their Hilux vehicle on fire. The officers k+lled in the att@ck were identified as Inspectors Valentine Iheme and Ani Anayo, both attached to the DRS unit. During the operation, the att@ckers seized three AK-47 rifles, each loaded with 30 rounds of live amm¥nition. Promoted Contents Sources disclosed that the Enugu State Police Command has deployed all tactical teams and available assets to track down the suspects, recover the stolen w£apons, and neutralise the thr£at. The command has also as...

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Saturday arrested the leader of the gang that kidnapped and m8rdered a renowned professor of neurology, Ekanem Philip Ephraim.  LIB reported that Professor Ekanem, a consultant at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), was abducted on 13th July, 2023 by unknown gunmen who posed as patients at her private clinic at Atimbo Road, Calabar.  Nine suspects were arrested in connection with the kidnap and are currently in prison custody awaiting trial.  A credible security source confirmed to security analyst Zagazola Makama on Monday, December 29, 2025 that the gang leader, Patrick Essien Etim, 23, and his accomplice, Bassey Antiha Asuquo, 40, were apprehended at a medical facility in Cross River State while planning to kidnap another medical bigwig.  According to the source, the DSS had been tracking the kidnap ring since Ephraim’s killing in July 2023, when gunmen posing as patien...

I am a resident of Ibadan and a direct victim of the January 16th bomb blast incident that affected Adeyi Street and adjoining streets including Dada Oyelese, Ibikunle, Ekiti, and Osun Streets. I state clearly that I am not politically affiliated, nor do I engage in partisan discussions. Like many affected residents, I am career-focused, law-abiding, and intentionally detached from political chaos. However, tragedy has forced my voice into the public space. On the night of the incident, lives were lost including close friends. Properties were destroyed. My apartment and vehicle suffered severe damage. Families and neighbours fled through smoke and confusion. This is not hearsay; this was a real life experience. It has now been publicly stated that ₦50 billion was released and expended as intervention and compensation relating to this incident. ₦50 billion is not a small figure. Even ₦1 billion is substantial. As a direct victim, I respectfully and lawfully request enumerati...

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency NDLEA have arrested a notorious drug trafficker identified as Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil who was previously convicted of dealing in 30.10kg methamphetamine in 2023. A statement released by Femi Babafemi, spokesperson of the agency today December 28, says Basil was re-arrested following the seizure of 75 parcels of cocaine weighing 1.50 kilograms concealed in factory sealed sachets of cold-water starch heading to the United Kingdom at the export shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos. Babafemi mentioned that three cargo agents identified as Jubrin Firdausi Hassana; Kuku Daniel Oluwasegun; and Igwe Chioma Jane involved in the attempt to export the consignment to the UK were swiftly arrested on Saturday 20th December 2025 before further investigations unraveled 37-year-old Nwobodo Chidiebere Basil as the mastermind.  ‘’He was arrested in a follow up operation on Sunday 21st December at a po...

A former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdul-Rasak Ademola Abdullahi, popularly known as Omo Sheu, has passed away. Hon. Abdullahi, who served in the 9th Oyo State House of Assembly representing Ibadan South East State Constituency 1, died on Sunday night after a prolonged battle with a kidney-related illness. During his time in the Assembly, Omo Sheu was known for his grassroots connection and commitment to the welfare of his constituents, particularly in Ibadan South East. His legislative tenure was marked by advocacy for community development and improved social services. His death has thrown the political circle in Oyo State, especially Ibadan South East, into mourning, with colleagues, constituents, and party faithful remembering him as a dedicated public servant. Details of burial arrangements are yet to be announced by the family. Promoted Contents 

The United States has resumed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations over Nigeria’s north-east, focusing on militant activity in the Sambisa Forest, days after airstrikes on ISIS fighters in Sokoto State. The development was disclosed on Saturday by Sahel-focused t+rrorism tracker Brant Philip, who shared flight-tracking data showing a US aircraft operating over Borno State. According to the data, the aircraft was a Gulfstream V — a long-range jet often modified for ISR missions. “The United States resumed ISR operations today on ISWAP in the Sambisa forest, Borno State in northeast Nigeria, after a pause of one day following the strikes in Sokoto State,” Philip wrote on X. He explained that Saturday’s operation targeted the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the ISIS affiliate active mainly in Nigeria’s north-east and the Lake Chad basin. Flight-tracking records reviewed by open-source analysts show that the US began its current ISR missio...

Popular personal shopper on X Aunty Esther who was diagnosed with cancer and ‘refused’ blood transfusion has d!ed. The deceased trended earlier this month after new updates revealed she allegedly declined a blood transfusion recommended by her doctors. She had earlier informed her followers that her test results were out, confirming cancer in her breast and armpit. She also thanked everyone who contributed financially to her treatment. However, one of the coordinators handling donations, Sir Dickson, announced that he and another medical volunteer have stepped away from her case.  According to him, doctors advised that she needed a blood transfusion before starting chemotherapy, but she rejected it due to her Jehovah’s Witness faith. According to Dickson, her church allegedly warned she would be disfellowshipped if she accepted blood, and some family members insisted that “whatever happens is God’s will.”  In an upda...

The Special Adviser on Media and Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju has confessed that Oyo State Government received a sum of N30billion out of N50billion claim by former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose over the Bodija blast in 2024. Dr Sulaimon made the revelation in his article titled: “Makinde: Truth Is Not a Casualty of Political Desperation”. He described Fayose’s position that Governor Makinde is saving up money for his presidential ambition as as misleading. He clarified further that; The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde ₦50 billion. This is why Fayose was unable to provide evidence to show the disbursement when asked to do so. In fact, the memo he shared shows what was not disbursed. The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde ₦50 billion. This is why Fayose was unable to provide evidence to show the disbursement when asked to do so. What exists on record is a request and a promise, ...

The explosion is said to have happened around the Mai Aya Aya, before the Kwankelai junction, along the old Danguibi Road. It was close to the Ruwan Dawa village and Magamin Maitarko. According to Daily Trust , bandits were suspected of having planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) at three different locations. Malam Yunusa Isah, an eyewitness and resident of Malele village, disclosed that the first explosion killed four people immediately. He further explained that another explosion happened when a trailer ran over the second IED, and five people died on the spot. Mal. Nuhu Ibrahim Dansadau, another resident in the village, disclosed that the first two explosions killed nine people, and the number of casualties in the third explosion is still being compiled. Promoted contents Nuhu alleged that the Dansadau community had come under bandit attacks since Governor Dauda Lawal visited the area. He explained that the attackers were working to ensure ...

A casual staff member attached to the Gombe State Government House has been m8rdered under suspicious circumstances.   It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 3:50 p.m. on December 26, 2025 when Mallam Umar , also known as Baba Usama, who worked as a borehole operator at the newly renovated Taraba House, was discovered lying motionless.    The victim was found with his trousers tied around his neck and a local intoxicant, rubber solution, inserted in his mouth. He was rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Gombe, where he was confirmed d3ad.    The spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, who confirmed the incident said that a suspect, Shuaibu Adamu, was arrested in connection with the m8rder.    According to the PPRO, Adamu, a casual watchman attached to a construction company handling projects within the Government House, was seen assaulting the deceased prior to his d3ath.    “The Gombe Stat...

The Taraba State Police Command has detained an inspector and his girlfriend following the reported loss of an assault rifle along the Wukari–Jootar Federal Highway.  According to security analyst Zagazola Makam, the missing firearm belonged to Insp. Joshua Charles, aged 45, attached to the Safer Highway Patrol team.  It was gathered that on December 25, 2025 at about 3:00 p.m., the inspector reportedly left his duty post to Wukari town, leaving behind three other officers Insp. Haruna Galadima, Insp. Isah Waziri and Insp. Umar Mohammed who remained on duty.  “At about 8: 30 p.m., the inspector’s girlfriend, one Ruth Alphancis of Sabon Gari area in Jalingo, who has been cohabiting with him since August 2025, returned from Jootar village in Benue and claimed to have seen an unidentified person breaking out of the house,” a source said. He added that on the inspector’s return from Wukari town, allegedly in a drunken state, he discovered that his Type 06 assault ...

.......says initiative a game changer to strengthen security architecture Deployment is immediate, respect RoE: NSA About a thousand forest guards had their passing out parade in Kwara State on Saturday ahead of full deployment to curtail the activities of terrorists, kidnappers, and illegal miners, among others.  Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq called the initiative a game changer, which he said would leave the terrorists and kidnappers with the option of either leaving the state or paying a heavy prize.  He commended President Bola Tinubu for “thinking out of the box” to repossess Nigeria’s forest resources, expel all the bad faith actors occupying the forests, and strengthen public safety.  Governor AbdulRazaq also thanked the security forces for their commitment to protect lives, saying a synergy with the new auxiliary forces who were all drawn from local communities will strengthen the campaign to fight terrorists and kidnappers.  “Today opens a new ...

One of the areas targeted by a US airstrike in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria, is a “primary route” for terrorists and is most likely to have led to the death of many of them, a local official said on Friday. The airstrike targeted areas believed to be hideouts of terrorists along the Nigeria-Niger border in Sokoto State, the official said. The Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Isa Salihu, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the strike hit a known hub for insurgents. However, Mr Salihu noted that casualty figures remain unconfirmed pending a formal security briefing. “That area serves as their primary route when entering from the Niger Republic,” Mr Salihu explained. “They frequent these zones and have established camps in the dense forests near the border.”

Former military Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), has advised the Federal Government to disregard any appeals for surrender from bandits operating in different parts of the country, insisting that the criminals must first be completely dealt with. Babangida made his position known in a post on his verified X handle, formerly Twitter, where he called for a decisive military response against armed groups terrorising communities nationwide. According to the former leader, security agencies should prioritise the full neutralisation of bandits before considering dialogue or negotiations of any kind. He maintained that accepting surrender prematurely could undermine efforts to end insecurity. “While the bandits are pleading for surrender, we must not accept their plea until every one of them is neutralised and eliminated,” Babangida wrote. He added that once this is achieved, individuals he described as negotiators and sympathisers, including Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and ...

The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a significant operational breakthrough with the arrest of two notorious bandits and kidnapping kingpins responsible for violent crimes across Katsina, Zamfara, Niger and Kwara States. A sttement from the force spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, said on Friday, December 19, operatives of the Force Intelligence Department–Intelligence Response Team (FID–IRT), attached to Kwara State, in a covert operation carried out in collaboration with operatives of the Kwara State Police Command, intercepted and arrested two members of the dangerous banditry and k!dnapping gang along the Komen–Masallaci axis in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State. Hundeyin gave the names of the suspects as Abubakar Usman, alias Siddi ‘m’ aged 26 and Shehu Mohammadu, alias Gide ‘m’ aged 30. He mentioned that both suspects were arrested in Komen–Masallaci village, Kaiama LGA of Kwara State at the time of arrest. Items recovered from the suspects incude one bra...

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes. Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty. Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday. He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record. According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives. Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into...

The United States has released Nigerian entrepreneur and convicted fraudster Obinwanne Okeke, widely known as Invictus Obi, after he spent about six years in prison for his role in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme .   Checks on the website of the United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP) show that Okeke was no longer in custody as of Wednesday, December 23, 2025. The BOP record stated that he was “Not in BOP Custody as of: 12/23/2025.”   Okeke, who was arrested in 2019, has been released from U.S. custody, with deportation arrangements reportedly underway in line with the terms of his plea agreement. He had been sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment in February 2021 after pleading guilty to charges linked to an $11 million fraud.   Based on the original sentence, Okeke was expected to remain in custody until September 3, 2028. However, the circumstances surrounding his early release remain unclear. It is speculated he may have been placed on supervised release or ...

A governorship hopeful and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Hon. Olayinka Segelu, has felicitated Christians across the state on the occasion of Christmas, urging them to embrace the virtues of love, kindness, unity, and selfless service as exemplified by the birth of Jesus Christ. In a Christmas goodwill message made available to newsmen on Thursday, Segelu described the festive season as a period of deep reflection, renewal of faith, and collective responsibility toward building a more harmonious and inclusive society. He congratulated Christians in Oyo State for witnessing another Christmas celebration, noting that the season offers a unique opportunity to strengthen bonds within families, communities, and the nation at large. “Christmas reminds us of the enduring power of love, sacrifice, humility, and compassion. As we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I urge all Christians to allow these values to guide their daily interactions and co...