About 60 worshippers are believed to have been kidnapped from the Central Mosque in Dekara town, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Report says the victims were kidnapped from worship place when terrorists, in a large number, struck while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing.

According to some sources, the terrorists shot sporadically before assembling some of the worshippers and leading them out of the mosque into the forest.

One of the residents, who spoke on condition of anonymity said that Borgu LGA recorded various incidents on insecurity, on Friday.

“So many things have happened in Borgu LGA today.( Friday,) Terrorists attacked three communities, including Dekara. In Dekara, they went to the Central Mosque while Jumu’at prayer was ongoing and kidnapped more than 60 people. But they did not injure anybody,” the resident said.

The Edo State Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, has commenced the harvesting of over 500 hectares of maize cultivated at the Udomi Farm in Esan Central Local Government Area of the state.

The massive harvest is part of the state government’s drive to boost agricultural production, ensure food security and create a sustainable supply of raw materials for industries and other agricultural value chains.

Addressing journalists during an inspection of the farm, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Jerry Nwangue, said the development was evidence that the state government had the capacity to produce food in commercial quantities for consumption and industrial use.

Nwangue said the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo had demonstrated a strong commitment to agriculture, stressing that the governor had consistently encouraged residents, particularly young people, to return to farming.

According to him, the government’s agricultural programme is not limited to the Udomi farm, as several other large-scale agricultural projects are ongoing across the state.
He disclosed that the government has established a massive cassava farm and a rice farm at the Ekpoma settlement, while similar rice and cassava production activities are ongoing in Warake and Iguoriakhi.

“This is way way bigger than what we saw last year, we are expanding . This is just one phase. What we are seeing here today is something that has not been done before”.

The commissioner described Governor Okpebholo’s approach to agriculture as “practical governance,” noting that the administration was focused on taking concrete steps to increase food production and strengthen the state’s agricultural economy.

The Imole Campaign Council has dismissed speculation that Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, is planning to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing his recent visit to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a customary courtesy visit following the conclusion of the state’s governorship election.

The council said the meeting between Adeleke and Tinubu was focused on the peace, security and development of Osun State, insisting that the issue of the governor joining the ruling APC did not arise during the visit.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the council said Adeleke’s visit was in keeping with the political tradition associated with off-cycle elections.

“The Imole Campaign Council wishes to state that the visit by Osun State Governor, Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke to His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday is in line with customs and political tradition at the conclusion of off cycle elections in Nigeria,” Salam said.

According to the council, Adeleke, having emerged victorious in an off-cycle election, had a responsibility to show respect and appreciation to the President, particularly given Tinubu’s pre-election statements urging the electoral umpire and security agencies to ensure a free and fair election in Osun State.

The council said the meeting also provided an opportunity for the President and the governor to discuss issues relating to peace, security and the development of Osun State following a closely contested and politically charged election.

The clarification came amid speculation in political circles that Adeleke’s visit to the President could signal a possible move to the ruling party, a development that would have significant implications for the political landscape in Osun ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Imole Campaign Council, however, rejected the speculation, insisting that the governor’s visit had no connection with any plan to join the APC.

The Council expressed appreciation to Tinubu for granting the governor and members of his team an audience, while assuring Adeleke’s supporters of his continued commitment to governing the state, while urging
Its supporters to disregard reports suggesting that the governor’s visit was connected to an impending defection, maintaining that the engagement was undertaken in the interest of peace, stability and the development of Osun State.