News
Bandits Invade Kogi School, Abduct Principal, NECO Supervisor, Students
Suspected bandits have attacked Government Secondary School, Opada-Olowa in Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, abducting the school principal, a National Examinations Council (NECO) supervisor, and four students.
The attack reportedly occurred around 2 p.m, on Tuesday, while students were sitting for the examination.
Residents said the heavily armed assailants stormed the community, firing sporadically to scare people before invading the school.
A community leader, Sunday Alkali, said residents were relaxing under trees when the gunmen suddenly appeared.
“The gunmen seemed surprised to see many people outside at that time of the day and initially retreated. They later returned, shooting indiscriminately, forcing everyone to flee for safety,” he said.
According to residents, it was only after the gunfire subsided that they discovered the school had been attacked.
“We initially did not know what the gunmen were after. After the shooting stopped, some of us went to the school and found examination papers scattered across classrooms and the school premises. There were no students or school officials in sight,” another resident said.
The victims were later identified as the school principal, Mr. Nyada Daniel; the NECO supervisor, Mr. Solomon Audu; and four students.
Residents noted that the number of abducted students could have been higher but for the fact that only a limited number of candidates were writing Literature in English at the time, unlike core subjects such as English Language and Mathematics, which attract larger attendance.
The kidnappers were also said to have contacted some relatives of the victims on Tuesday evening, demanding ransom for their release.
“At least four families have received calls from the abductors demanding huge sums of money for the victims’ freedom,” Alkali alleged.
Following the incident, soldiers, police officers, local vigilantes and hunters were mobilised to the area to track the abductors and rescue the victims.
“As I speak with you, soldiers, policemen, vigilantes and hunters are combing the surrounding forests in search of the kidnappers,” a resident, who requested anonymity, said.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Police Command said the attackers abducted the school principal, a NECO ad hoc staff member and four students while the examination was in progress.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, said a combined team of security agencies immediately launched a rescue operation.
“A combined team of the Police and other security agencies immediately launched a search-and-rescue operation and is currently on the trail of the assailants.
“So far, one of the abducted students has been rescued, while efforts are ongoing to secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims and apprehend the perpetrators.
“The Commissioner of Police, Kogi State Command, CP Naziru Bello Kankarofi, the Brigade Commander and the State Security Adviser to the Governor are currently en route to the scene for an on-the-spot assessment,” she said.
Afusat added that the command would issue a more detailed statement as additional verified information becomes available.
Meanwhile, residents linked the latest attack to the worsening security situation in the area, recalling that a farmer was killed on his farm a few weeks ago.
The incident reportedly prompted the community to ask herders to leave the area amid rising tensions.
News
Court Arraigns Journalist In Benue
A Benue State High Court, presided over by Justice Mary Abounu, has arraigned the Benue State correspondent of Aljazirah Newspaper, Henry Ibya, in Makurdi over alleged cyberstang.
The trial judge had sought the prosecution’s response to the defendant’s argument that the journalist was reliable and should be granted bail.
The absence of the prosecution counsel in court did not stop the proceedings, as the defendant’s counsel, Tom Uja, Esq., notified the court of his bail application for his client.
He stated that the prosecution had taken the journalist to two other courts in the state on the same charge and that his client had never failed to appear in court whenever required.
Although the prosecutor’s absence did not affect the judge’s decision to proceed and grant bail, which was also believed to be in the interest of justice, the matter was adjourned until November 5, 2026.
One Terna Abuul, said to be the Director of ICT at Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, reported Henry Ibya to the Nigeria Police Force, Benue State Command.
The director had accused the journalist of allegedly reporting mismanagement in the institution’s ICT department.
According to Abuul, Ibya’s report accused him of wrongdoing.
On the strength of the said report, the journalist was arraigned before the High Court in Makurdi.
News
64 Dead, 80 Injured As Two High-Speed Trains Collide
At least 64 people have been killed and dozens seriously injured after two high-speed trains collided near Urda, south of Madrid, in one of Spain’s deadliest rail disasters in more than a decade.
The Castilla-La Mancha regional government confirmed the death toll as emergency crews continued rescue operations at the crash site. More than 500 passengers were travelling on the two trains involved, according to a regional government spokesperson.
The BBC reports that the collision of the two trains involved a Renfe high-speed train and an Iryo service operating on the Madrid-to-Seville route. Aerial images analysed by the broadcaster showed parts of the Renfe train leaving the tracks, while carriages of the Iryo train also derailed.
The cause of the collision had not been officially confirmed. However, Spanish media cited preliminary accounts suggesting that the Renfe train struck the Iryo service, which may have been stationary following a problem on the tracks.
The scale of the disaster prompted a major emergency response involving ambulances, helicopters, rescue teams and police officers. At least 80 people were reported injured, with about 50 believed to be in serious condition and 15 in critical condition, according to regional officials.
Several victims were transported to hospitals in nearby areas, while others were taken to Madrid for treatment. Hospitals in Toledo, Ciudad Real and Alcázar de San Juan reportedly suspended planned surgeries to accommodate casualties from the crash.
Blood transfusion centres in Madrid and Toledo also appealed for urgent donations to meet a possible surge in demand.
Survivors described scenes of panic and severe destruction. One passenger, Sebastián Herrero, told Spanish newspaper El Mundo that he felt a powerful impact that threw him into the seats ahead. He said injured passengers had broken noses and arms, while smoke spread through the carriages.
Another passenger, Iñaki, told El País that the impact sent him rolling across the floor. After escaping, he saw injured people and bodies around the wreckage.
BBC Verify also examined images and videos appearing to show a section of railway track piercing through a Renfe carriage, with approximately 10 metres of rail protruding through its roof.
The disaster has revived concerns about railway safety in Spain, which suffered another deadly high-speed rail accident near Córdoba in which 46 people died. The country’s previous worst rail disaster occurred in July 2013, when 80 people were killed in a derailment near Santiago de Compostela.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, said he was shocked by the crash and remained in contact with the transport minister. The Spanish royal family also expressed condolences to victims’ relatives and praised emergency workers.
Meanwhile, the Royal Spanish Football Federation postponed 24 Copa del Rey matches in solidarity with the victims, while most political parties suspended campaign activities.
Rescue and recovery operations continued as authorities worked to establish the full circumstances surrounding the collision.
News
Police Arrest Suspected Eiye Cultist, Recover Two Pistols, Cartridges In Ogun
Operatives of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Squad of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 26-year-old suspected cultist and recovered two locally made pistols, three live cartridges and a battle axe in the Atan area of Ado-Odo/Ota Local Council of the state.
The suspect, identified as Okiki Muhammed Adewusi, popularly known as “Baba Obo”, was arrested in the Ore area of Atan on October 26, 2026, following intelligence received by operatives of SWAT Base 7, Abule Iroko, Sango-Ota.
The Police Spokesperson, Oluseyi Babaseyi, confirmed the arrest in a statement in Abeokuta yesterday.
According to Babaseyi, a search of the suspect’s residence after his arrest led to the recovery of a locally made pistol and three live cartridges.
He added that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had allegedly admitted to being a member of the Eiye Confraternity.
Babaseyi said information obtained from the suspect led to a follow-up operation at about 6.30 a.m. on October 27, 2026 during which operatives recovered a second locally made pistol and a battle axe from a separate location.
The recovered items have been secured as exhibits, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other suspects believed to be involved in the activities and recover additional weapons.
The police spokesperson said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the case.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the SWAT operatives for their vigilance, professionalism and effective use of intelligence.
Ojajuni reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks, curbing cult-related activities and tackling the illegal possession of firearms across the state.
He urged residents to provide timely and credible information about suspected criminal activities, assuring them that the Command would act on actionable intelligence to protect lives and property and maintain public safety.
-
Health & Wellness1 year agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
News2 years ago
CBN Debunks Fake Circular on New ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 Notes
-
International News7 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
Business7 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Business7 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price
-
Opinion2 years agoChampioning the People’s Voice: Obasa’s Dedication to Grassroots Representation By Dave Agboola⁰
-
Trending News1 year agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
