A Soldier, Private Utim Terwase, has bagged a monetary reward of N500, 000 for turning down a bribe of the same amount, from a suspected kidnapper,

The reward is in recognition of his honesty and commitment to duty.

The soldier, who reportedly rejected the money offered in exchange for the suspect’s release, has been rewarded with N500,000 by the Commander of Operation Enduring Peace (OPEP), Maj. Gen. Maxwell Dangana.

Terwase was said to have apprehended the suspect following an attempted escape. When the suspect allegedly offered him N500,000 to secure his freedom, the soldier turned down the offer and handed him over to the appropriate authorities.

Impressed by his conduct, Dangana approved a cash reward equivalent to the amount he had refused to collect, describing his action as an example of the integrity, discipline and professionalism expected of military personnel.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued at the weekend by the Media Information Officer of the Joint Task Force, 3 Division, Nigerian Army, Rukuba Barracks, Jos, Capt. Chinonso Polycarp Oteh.

Presenting the reward through the Commander of Sector 6, OPEP, Col. Philimon Malgwi, Dangana said Terwase’s decision to resist the temptation of personal gain reflected the highest standards of military professionalism, loyalty and commitment to duty.

He said the soldier had demonstrated that his responsibility to the nation and the values of the military were more important than personal financial benefits.

According to him, the commendation is intended to encourage other personnel to uphold similar standards of honesty, accountability and selfless service.

Oteh said the reward also sent a strong message that integrity and professionalism remained values worthy of recognition, particularly at a time when corruption continued to undermine public trust.

He described Terwase’s action as proof that integrity was a personal choice, even when faced with temptation.

“A soldier who refused N500,000 in dirty money has earned N500,000 in honour. Indeed, integrity pays,” he said.

A Kano State High Court on Friday sentenced Umar Auwalu and Yakubu Dayyabu, to death by hanging for the gruesome murder of a housewife, Fatima Abubakar, 35, and her six children at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano.

The court also sentenced the two convicts to life imprisonment with hard labour each for conspiracy and armed robbery.

The third defendant, Isyaku Yakubu, 21, of Sabon Gida Sharada Quarters, was, however, discharged and acquitted for lack of credible evidence linking him to the murder.

Justice Nasiru Saminu found the two person guilty of the two count charges filed against them, insisting the prosecution proved charges against them beyond reasonable doubt.

Justice Saminu described the killing of the housewife and her six children as a horrific crime that challenged the conscience of the society.

He said the victims were entitled to the protection of their home but were attacked by people who ought to have protected them, particularly as the first defendant, Auwalu, was a nephew of the deceased.

Justice Saminu lamented that seven lives, which could have grown into responsible members of society, had been permanently lost.

“How I wish there is a punishment heavier than this. My emphasis is not to administer vengeance but justice,” the judge said.

On the third defendant, Justice Saminu held that although there were telephone conversations between him and the first and second defendants, the prosecution failed to establish the contents of the conversations or demonstrate that they amounted to conspiracy.

The judge further noted that evidence before the court showed that Isyaku was attending a Qur’anic graduation ceremony at the time of the incident.

Earlier, the prosecution counsel and Attorney-General of Kano State, Abdulkarim Kabiru-Maude, told the court that the defendants committed the offences on January 17, 2026, at about 11:30 a.m. at Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters, Kano.

He said the defendants allegedly conspired, armed themselves with sticks, iron rod and a sharp cutlass before trespassing into the residence of Fatima. According to him, they robbed the deceased of two mobile phones, an Infinix and an Itel, as well as N200,000 in cash.

The Attorney-General told the court that the defendants attacked Fatima with sticks and iron rod, hitting her on the neck before striking her head with a sewing machine, which resulted in her death.

He further alleged that the defendants attacked her six children, identified as Maimuna, 17; Aisha, 16; Bashir, 13; Abubakar, 10; Faruk, seven; and Abdulsalam Haruna, a toddler, with sticks, knives and cutlasses, inflicting injuries on their faces, bodies and heads.

The prosecution said Faruk and Abdulsalam were subsequently thrown into a well within the premises after the attack.

During the trial, Auwalu pleaded guilty to the charges but denied throwing the children into the well, while Dayyabu and Isyaku pleaded not guilty.

The prosecution presented eight witnesses and tendered 30 exhibits, including medical reports from Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, confessional statements, a bloodstained broken iron rod, a stool, bloodstained trousers, N200,000 cash, two mobile phones and a flash drive containing audio-visual recordings.

The prosecution maintained that the offences contravened Sections 97, 221 and 298(c) of the Penal Code.

Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña has been impeached and placed under house arrest.

Peña was arrested on Friday minutes after lawmakers, including from his own party, voted to remove him from office due to a crisis triggered by the collapse of Ueno Bank earlier this week.

He had offered to step down on Thursday, but the move to impeach him and charge him with misconduct rather than accept his resignation meant he was stripped of his lifetime Senate seat and the immunity granted to ex-presidents.

Peña, who until last year held shares in the company that owned the bank, has denied any wrongdoing.

The demise of the digital bank has left more than half of Paraguay’s population without access to their savings after it was seized by Paraguay’s central bank.

An estimated three million depositors remain unable to access their savings and pensions prompting widespread protests particularly in the capital, Asunción.

The impeachment charges that led to Peña’s removal alleged he had conflicts of interest, manipulated regulatory oversight, diverted pension funds, and participated in an institutional cover-up involving the central bank.

Peña is due to be questioned today (Saturday) over allegations of breach of trust, influence peddling, and misappropriation of funds, prosecutor Silvia Margarita Gonzalez Vester said.

Peña’s impeachment passed with 44 out of 45 senators voting in favour of it. One lawmaker was absent.

Afterwards, senate president Basilio Núñez said Peña was found guilty of “dereliction of duty”.

Paraguay’s Vice-President Pedro Alliana was then sworn in as interim President.

“Compatriots who are now going through a difficult time as a result of the financial collapse will be fully compensated,” said Alliana, who will serve as President until 2028.

Pedro Alliana takes the oath of office as interim President

Senator Rafael Filizzola said: “We are facing the biggest corruption scandal in our democratic history – a tremendous blow to the state, to private citizens, and to the country’s credibility and image.”

Analysts say Peña is likely to now be prosecuted over the bank’s collapse.

His defence lawyer Ricardo Preda described the allegations as a “reckless accusation” that was “irresponsible and opportunistic”.

In an address to the nation on Thursday, Peña said that he was sorry and that “it was never my intention to betray the trust you placed in me”.