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African News Digest, lagos, Owerri (2025)

21/09/2025

Zamfara: One injured as a bandits ambush vehicle on the Gusau–Keta route.

One person has been injured after armed bandits attacked a passenger vehicle along the Kwaren Ganuwa–Keta road in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Security a**lyst Zagazola Makama revealed the incident in a post shared on X on Sunday.
He said the attack happened on Friday at about 6:10 p.m. when the bandits blocked the road and tried to abduct the passengers.
According to Makama, the gunmen intercepted a Volkswagen Golf vehicle driven by Aliyu Hassan of Keta village, who was taking passengers from Gusau to Keta.

“Most of the passengers managed to escape unhurt, but one person, identified as Babangida Ibrahim, sustained gunshot injuries,” Makama wrote.
The injured victim was taken to Nakowa Hospital in Kwaren Ganuwa, where he is receiving treatment.
Makama added that troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA have intensified patrols in the area to prevent further attacks and ensure the safety of travellers.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Insecurity: Act beyond rhetorics on killings, kidnapping – ACI to Nigerian government

The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, ACI, has appealed to the federal government to act beyond rhetoric on the killings, kidnappings, and destruction of livelihoods in the northern region, arguing that insecurity must no longer be met with empty statements.

The Director General of ACI, Dr Abdullahi Idris, while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday, to mark the 2025 International Day of peace said, it rejects division, insisting that diversity must be celebrated, grievances addressed constructively, and communities brought together in mutual respect.
For centuries, northerners have lived side by side across faiths, ethnicities, and cultures. We cannot allow selfish politicians or profiteers of conflict to trump brothers against brothers. Dialogue must replace exclusion.”

He warned that history would not forgive Northern leaders if they fail to act decisively to halt the wave of killings, kidnappings and violent conflicts plaguing the region, noting that silence and selective engagements by leaders have worsened insecurity across states such as Zamfara, Kaduna, Katsina, Plateau and Benue.

He noted it was disturbing that while armed groups continue to terrorize communities, some elites prefer staging flamboyant ceremonies instead of convening serious, solution-driven summits to end the crises.
“The time for complacency is over, the time for action is now, history will not forgive inaction when action was most needed.”
Idris said the group was particularly worried by what it described as the refusal of security agencies to act decisively on intelligence at their disposal, leaving state governors handicapped and citizens abandoned.

He further called on Northerners to reject division, stressing that for centuries, people of diverse faiths and ethnicities had lived peacefully side by side.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

2 Brazil Returnees Excrete 116 Wraps Of He**in, Co***ne At Lagos Airport.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja Lagos, have arrested two Brazil returnees, Ofoma Sunday and Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, who excreted a total of 116 wraps of he**in and co***ne.
One of the suspects, 46-year-old Ofoma was arrested on Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at terminal 2 of the Lagos Airport upon his arrival from Laos, Brazil on an Ethiopian airlines flight.

Ofoma was taken for body scan which confirmed ingestion of illicit drugs.

NDLEA’s spokesperson Femi Babafemi said Ofoma had left Nigeria for Brazil on September 3rd to courier the consignment to Lagos for a reward of $2,500 upon successful delivery.

A swift follow-up operation was conducted at Eliata Hotel in Amuwo Odofin area of Lagos where Ofoma was instructed to meet one Nweke Jude Chuckwudi who was designated to oversee the excretion of the drugs at the hotel and recover them.
The 55-year-old Nweke was arrested in the process.

“A total of 111 wraps of he**in weighing 1.452 kilograms were egested in eight excretions by Ofoma,” the NDLEA stated.

Similarly, another Brazil returnee Ukachukwu Frank Ikechukwu, was arrested at the Lagos airport during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airlines passengers from Brazil via Addis Ababa on Friday, September 19th.

A body scan conducted on Ikechukwu confirmed the insertion of the illicit drug.

The NDLEA said under excretion observation, Ikechukwu expelled five big wraps of co***ne weighing 145 grams.
In his statement, he confessed to have bought nine wraps of the Class A drug in Brazil and inserted all into his a**s, a process he claimed took him nearly two hours.

“During his transit through Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, he said he began to experience severe a**l pain and decided to remove the wraps from his body.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Kaduna Thrown Into Darkness As TCN Transmission Line Collapses.

Many parts of Kaduna state have been thrown into darkness following the collapse of a major electricity
transmission line belonging to the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to TCN spokesman, Ndidi Mbah, the incident occurred at Tower Number 7 along the Kaduna Town Lines One and Two in the Rigasa area of Igabi Local Government.

The collapse, which happened after a heavy downpour and windstorm, was further worsened by acts of vandalism, as critical structural members of the tower were discovered to have been removed.

As a result, bulk power supply to several load centres in Kaduna South was disrupted, leaving thousands of homes and businesses without electricity.
The tower collapse caused a cut in the transmission of bulk power to some Kaduna Electric distribution load centres, particularly the ones through which they supply some parts of Kaduna South,” the statement read.

“While inspecting the site of the incident, however, TCN’s linemen discovered that vandals had carted away some of the tower members, making it susceptible to collapse.

“However, to ensure that the impact of the incident is curtailed, TCN has advised Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company to link its 33kV Mogadishu feeder with 33kV Abakwa feeder to enable electricity customers in Mogadishu to have access to power supply.”

However, TCN said that other parts of Kaduna metropolis, including Kinkinau, Yan Tukwane, Kabala West, Unguwan Muazu, and Kaduna North, remain unaffected.
TCN also said that it’s team of engineers have moved to the site to clear the wreckage and commence the process of re-erecting the tower.
To cushion the impact of the outage, TCN said that it has directed Kaduna Electric to link its 33kV Mogadishu feeder with the 33kV Abakwa feeder to restore partial supply to affected areas.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Starmer set to announce UK recognition of Palestinian state.

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state in a statement on Sunday afternoon.
The prime minister said in July that the UK would shift its position unless Israel met several conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and committing to a long-term peace process leading to a Palestinian state co-existing alongside Israel.
The Israeli leadership has ruled this out since the start of the war following Hamas's attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023 in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.
The PM's move has drawn fierce criticism from the Israeli government, families of hostages held in Gaza and some Conservatives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu previously said recognition of a Palestinian state "rewards terror".
The decision to recognise a Palestinian state represents a major change in UK foreign policy, after successive governments said recognition should come as part of a peace process and at a time of maximum impact.
However, ministers argue there was a moral responsibility to act to keep hopes of a long-term peace alive.
Efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza - let alone a long-term solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict - have faltered. Israel recently sparked international outrage when it carried out an air strike on a Hamas negotiating team in Qatar.
Government sources said the situation on the ground had also worsened significantly in the last few weeks. They cited images showing starvation and violence in Gaza, which Sir Keir previously described as "intolerable".
Israel's latest ground operation in Gaza City, described by a UN official as "cataclysmic", has forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

EPL: Why I substituted Cole Palmer in 2-1 defeat to Man Utd – Maresca

Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, has explained why he took off Cole Palmer after 20 minutes against Manchester United on Saturday.
Maresca, speaking reporters after the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford, revealed Palmer was not fully fit before the match.

With the Blues a man down after Robert Sanchez’s red card, the England midfielder was taken off.
Maresca has now admitted he took a risk with Palmer’s fitness.

“It’s a problem that is already a long time for him, he’s groin again,” he said.

“He did, this morning, a test. He wants to play this game for the team to be close, so the effort has been huge from him.
But then after 20 minutes he started to feel something, so we decided to change him.”

Palmer disappeared down the tunnel after being substituted, but returned before the first half ended with an ice pack at the top of his thigh.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Insecurity: Reps Deputy Speaker advocates urgent need for state police.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Benjamin Kalu, has emphasised the urgent need for state police as a solution to Nigeria’s insecurity challenges.
Kalu said this while addressing newsmen in Abuja after returning from Geneva, Switzerland, where he represented Nigeria at the 55th WTO–Inter-Parliamentary Union Public Forum.

Kalu said that the country’s current centralised policing system was inadequate and lagged behind global best practices.
He explained that the state police bill before the National Assembly seeks to improve response time and align policing with international standards.

“The only way we can achieve this is by unbundling the centralised structure, just as other countries operate municipal and state policing systems,” he said.
The deputy speaker announced that a national public hearing on the bill will hold on Monday to give Nigerians the opportunity to air their views.
While acknowledging fears of misuse, he maintained that the need to guarantee security for the majority outweighs such concerns.

Kalu said that Nigeria and other African delegations are pressing for Afrocentric issues to feature prominently at the WTO Ministerial Conference scheduled for Yaoundé in March 2026 saying that Africa and its problems must be on the table, not outside the room.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Benue youths block highway over killing of two IDPs

Irate youths in Daudu, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State in the early hours of Saturday blocked the ever busy Makurdi/Laafia federal highway.

The youths were protesting the killing of two displaced farmers by armed herders.

A youth, who identified himself as Akhir, said that the two displaced people from Garuba camp were on their way to farm on a motorcycle and were killed by suspected armed herders.

Akhir, who spoke to our correspondent on Saturday, said, “Two farmers from Garuba camp near Daudu left the camp early this morning on okada (motorcycle) and going to their farm but they were killed by herdsmen.
This is what triggered the protest by youths in Daudu who thronged the Makurdi/Laafia road and displayed the corpses, calling on the government to end the killings.”

Another source in the area who spoke on condition of anonyity also that the rampaging herders attempted invading the mega Internally Displaced Persons camp but were engaged by the combined team of security personnel stationed in the area

One of the protesters who simply identified himself as Ushahemba, told journalists that the armed herders attacked the victims in their farms, killed three and took several others hostage.
He said: “Our people went to the farm this morning and at about 8:30am there were cries for help from the farms after they got attacked. There was pandemonium, people started running with their families.
Three bodies have so far been recovered while search for more corpses is ongoing because several persons are still missing.

“Just yesterday two others were killed at Tse Adaa village, not far from here in neighbouring Guma LGA. The question is when will all these killings stop?”

The protest was said to have caused pains to motorists who had to wait endlessly before the Divisional Police Officer of Guma appealed to the youths to clear the road.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

US:H-1B visa fees news live update: As the H-1B visa deadline ended today amid anxiety, the White House clarified that the $100,000 fee for H-1B visas will only apply to new applicants and not to current visa holders

The White House on Saturday clarified that the new $100,000 fee for H-1B visas in the United States will apply only to new petitions and not to existing H-1B visa holders in US re-entering the country. The changes came into effect early this morning.

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on Saturday introducing the $100,000 H-1B visa fee, sparking confusion and concern among visa holders, including Indians who make up over 70% of the total. Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick had at that time indicated that the fee might be charged annually, noting that the details were "still being considered."
However, the White House statement later in the day marked a correction of that claim."This is NOT an annual fee. It’s a one-time fee that applies only to the petition," spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X.

Leavitt stressed that current H-1B visa holders outside the US would not be charged the $100,000 H-1B visa fee when re-entering. "H-1B visa holders can leave and re-enter the country as they normally would and the new fee will only apply in the next H-1B lottery round and not to current visa holders or renewals," she said.
A White House fact sheet stated that the government may allow an H-1B visa application without the $100,000 fee "if in the national interest."
Meanwhile, the Indian government on Saturday expressed humanitarian concern that the Trump administration’s move would sharply increase the cost of visas bringing tech workers from India and other countries to the United States.

H-1B visa fees: Key points

- Petition invalid without fee: Under the proclamation titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers," new H-1B visa petitions must include the $100,000 fee to be considered valid. Petitions submitted without.

21/09/2025

Katsina Anti-Corruption Commission Uncovers Multi-Million Naira School & Fertilizer Fraud

The Katsina State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (KTPCACC) has launched a sweeping investigation into alleged fraud schemes involving school principals, local government officials, and state departments, with suspected misappropriations running into hundreds of millions of naira.
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Katsina Anti-Corruption Commission Uncovers Multi-Million Naira School & Fertilizer Fraud
Date: 21-09-2025 6:41 am (1 hr ago) | Author: Mister Jay Wonder
HomeLaw and Crime
bohlah at 21-09-2025 06:41 AM (1 hr ago)
Online (m)

The Katsina State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (KTPCACC) has launched a sweeping investigation into alleged fraud schemes involving school principals, local government officials, and state departments, with suspected misappropriations running into hundreds of millions of naira.

In a statement released by the commission, four secondary school principals in Danja, Rimaye, Maigora, and Kurami are currently under probe for the alleged diversion of ₦6.6 million in school funds. One of them is also accused of illegally selling government-owned property valued in the millions.

The inquiry forms part of a broader corruption investigation estimated at ₦188.6 million, covering fertilizer subsidy allocations, school finances, and state-level accounts.
According to the KTPCACC, councillors and Community Development Officers allegedly diverted ₦46 million during the distribution of subsidised fertilizer under a government-backed scheme. Ward officials across Musawa, Malumfashi, Matazu, Faskari, and Funtua local government areas were also implicated in financial misconduct.
African News Digest

21/09/2025

Low Turnout, Violence Trail Edo LG By-Elections As EDSIEC Shuns Court Order

The by-elections conducted across 59 wards in 15 local government areas of Edo State on Saturday were marred by poor voter turnout, legal controversy, and reports of violence against journalists.

African News digest understands that only the All Progressives Congress (APC) took part in the exercise, as other political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), boycotted the polls.

Despite the boycott, the Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC) went ahead with the election.

The decision to proceed with the by-elections came in defiance of a restraining order issued by an Edo High Court presided over by Justice Mary Itsueli.
The order followed a motion filed by the PDP, which argued that the tenure of elected councillors remained valid until September 2026. The party insisted that any attempt to declare the seats vacant or conduct elections before then would be illegal.

Justice Itsueli ruled that the PDP had presented sufficient grounds for judicial intervention and ordered that all steps toward conducting the proposed by-elections be suspended.

However, the EDSIEC ignored the ruling and conducted the polls.
Reports from across the state indicated that very few voters were at the polling units. In several locations, delays in the arrival of electoral materials further slowed down proceedings.

At Asoro Primary School, Oredo Ward 9, turnout was described as minimal, with only a handful of voters present when journalists visited.
According to The Nation, the election also witnessed violence as journalists covering the polls were assaulted.
The media reported that eyewitnesses said some thugs accused the reporters of working for the PDP, seized their phones, and deleted all pictures and videos related to the election coverage.

The incident has raised concerns about press freedom and the transparency of the process.
African News Digest

20/09/2025

Former Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, surprised attendees at Mr. Rotimi Amaechi's son wedding in Abuja with his unexpected presence. The event attracted several high-profile guests, showcasing the intersections of politics and personal celebrations.
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