Three employees of the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, Oyo State, have regained their freedom six days after they were abducted by gunmen while working on a farm within the institute’s premises.

The victims were identified as Eunice Babalola, Kehinde Gbalajobi and another employee known as Nelson.

They were kidnapped last Thursday when armed men stormed the farm at about 1pm and whisked them away to an undisclosed location.

Sources familiar with the incident said the abductors initially demanded N40 million for each of the victims before the ransom demand was allegedly reduced to N50 million for all three workers following negotiations.

The workers regained their freedom in the early hours of Wednesday after security operatives traced them to a bush near Globus Farm, also known as Triton.

The Oyo State Police Command confirmed the rescue but did not disclose whether any ransom was paid to secure their release.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, said security agencies were continuing efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the abduction.

The rescue came amid ongoing efforts by security operatives to track down the suspected kidnappers and bring them to justice.

The Airport Police Command has arraigned a 47-year-old suspect, Mark Agbor, over impersonation and unauthorised access to restricted areas at the Murtala Muhammed Aiport (MMA), Lagos.

Th suspect had attempted to sell military combat helicopter on social media.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, Airport Police Command, Adeola Mohammed, said that the suspect, a staff member of Pathfinders International Limited, was handed over to the International Division of the Airport Police Command by the Provost Investigation Unit of the Nigerian Air Force, Ikeja, for further investigation and necessary action.

Investigations by the police, revealed that the suspect, on October 7, 2026, allegedly posted a video on social media platforms in which he presented himself as the owner of two military combat helicopters and claimed that one of the aircraft was available for sale, apparently seeking interested buyers online.

Following the conclusion of investigations, the suspect was arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction and the case has been adjourned to 18 November 2026, the statement said.

Commenting on the issue, the Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, Olufunke Ogunbode, in a report, said that such conduct had serious security implications and could undermine the operations of security agencies.

She stressed that the matter would be pursued in accordance with the law and commended the effective collaboration and coordination between the Airport Police Command and the Nigerian Air Force.

Ogunbode noted that the successful outcome was made possible through joint efforts and inter-agency cooperation.

She further urged companies and stakeholders operating within the airport environment to strengthen employee screening, vetting and background checks to minimise the risk of security breaches and other acts capable of endangering airport operations.

President Bola Tinubu has told members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council not to expect him to accompany them to every campaign event ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he must remain focused on governance and the country’s economic responsibilities.

Tinubu spoke on Wednesday at the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, where he urged members to take the party’s message to Nigerians across the states and local government areas while he attends to matters of governance.

The president said he agreed with concerns that the demands of the campaign should not distract him from running the country, adding that Nigeria needed his attention at the moment.

“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance, I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now,” Tinubu said.

He told council members to excuse him from accompanying them to every campaign event, noting that his administration had bills to pay and international financial obligations to meet.

“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you, we have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait,” the President said.

Tinubu also said the government needed to attract investors who would commit to long-term investments in Nigeria and contribute to the future of the country’s children.

“We want those investors to come in, be here to stay, to invest for the future of our children,” he said.

The president, however, assured Nigerians that he would continue to engage them directly even as the campaign council took charge of mobilisation across the country.

“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians, even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas,” he said.

Tinubu described the inauguration of the council as more than a campaign activity, saying it represented a renewed commitment to Nigerians and the responsibilities of the ruling party.

“We have not gathered merely to inaugurate a council. We have gathered to renew a covenant. A covenant with Nigerian people and the historic responsibility they have entrusted to us as Nigeria’s governing party,” he said.

He added that the council was expected to communicate the administration’s vision, achievements and agenda to voters nationwide.

“This council will carry our vision, our records and our agenda to every Nigerian, and it will carry them to victory every ward of this country,” Tinubu said.

The president also commended APC members for completing the party’s congresses, recalling that some had predicted internal crises during the process.

He said the party had overcome the challenges and emerged united, crediting members for participating in the process from the ward level to the national leadership.

“ They said there will be implosion. We passed through it. We did not fail. You didn’t let us down. We got here together,” he said.