Eight k!lled as terrorists bomb bridge in Niger State

Eight persons were k!lled after a vehicle they were travelling in was hit by an improvised explosive device IED in Niger State.

The incident occurred in Borgu Local Government Area of the state on Monday, March 23, 2026.

It was gathered that the vehicle moving between Nuku and Woro stepped on the IED, which exploded and k!lled the seven occupants and the driver. 

According to punch, the IED was planted by terrorists who used a similar IED to destroy a bridge along Luma road, connecting Luma-Babana-Agwara communities.

The bombed bridge connected people moving from  one town to another, particularly the Babanna major border market that holds every Monday.

The spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, who confirmed the bombing of the bridge, said a clearance operation was ongoing.

“On 23rd March 2026 at about 6.30 am, a report received revealed that on the same date at about 2 am, suspected terrorists within the park forest used an explosive device and bombed a bridge located along Luma road, Borgu LGA, connecting Luma-Babana-Agwara communities," the PPRO said. 

“It was discovered that the bridge was damaged by the hoodlums during security operations in the area.

“However, monitoring continues while clearance operation is intensified.”

 

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President Trump announces halt to any plans for strikes on Iranian power plants

U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a five-day halt to planned military strikes on Iranian power plants and energy infrastructure, saying Washington and Tehran have held "very good and productive" conversations aimed at ending the war.

In a Truth Social post, Trump said the two sides had engaged in "in-depth, detailed and constructive" discussions over the past two days on achieving a "complete and total resolution of our hostilities in the Middle East".

He said further meetings would continue this week and that the pause in military action was conditional on the "success of the ongoing meetings and discussions".

He wrote: I AM PLEASED TO REPORT THAT THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND THE COUNTRY OF IRAN, HAVE HAD, OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS, VERY GOOD AND PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS REGARDING A COMPLETE AND TOTAL RESOLUTION OF OUR HOSTILITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. BASED ON THE TENOR AND TONE OF THESE IN DEPTH, DETAILED, AND CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATIONS, WHICH WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, I HAVE INSTRUCTED THE DEPARTMENT OF WAR TO POSTPONE ANY AND ALL MILITARY STRIKES AGAINST IRANIAN POWER PLANTS AND ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE FOR A FIVE DAY PERIOD, SUBJECT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ONGOING MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

Trump's announcement marks a sharp shift from his weekend ultimatum demanding Iran fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours or face immediate strikes on its power infrastructure. Iran responded by threatening to destroy oil facilities and other critical infrastructure across the Middle East "in an irreversible manner" if the US attacks its power plants.

Traffic through the Hormuz Strait has been heavily restricted since major US-Israeli strikes on 28 February triggered Iranian retaliatory attacks on ships and energy infrastructure across the Mideast Gulf, severely disrupting exports of crude, oil products, LNG, fertilizers, and other commodities from the region.

Earlier today, Iran's Defence Council warned that any attack on its coasts or islands would prompt it to lay naval mines across the Gulf, putting the wider region in a position similar to the strait of Hormuz "for a long time", according to state media. Tehran has also said the strait would only be open to vessels from "non-belligerent" countries co-ordinating passage with Iran.

“Fame was all I wanted” — Kim Kardashian admits using Britney Spears’ name to chase spotlight in early 2000s

 

Kim Kardashian has admitted that in her early years, she went as far as using Britney Spears’ name just to get noticed.

The SKIMS founder made the revelation while speaking on her sister Khloé Kardashian’s podcast, Khloé in Wonder Land. According to Kim, this happened in the early 2000s when fame was all she cared about.

She recalled having dinner in New York City with her longtime friend Jonathan Cheban when he discovered that pop star Britney Spears was staying at a nearby hotel. That information, Kim said, became an opportunity.

Kim openly admitted that at the time, being famous was her only goal.

“Fame was all I wanted. I lived for it,” she said.

9 soldiers k!lled, several missing in Borno ambush

At least nine Nigerian soldiers were k!lled and over a dozen are missing after IS-aligned jihadists ambushed a military patrol in northeast Borno State, military and militia sources told AFP on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. 

Fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) on Friday used explosives and guns to attack a column of more than 30 troops on foot patrol outside the town of Damask near the border with Niger, the sources said. 

“We lost nine soldiers in an ambush by ISWAP terrorists and many others are still missing,” a military officer said.

The soldiers, who were 25 kilometres (15 miles) from their base, dispersed in all directions following sustained gunfire from the jihadists, said the officer who asked not to be identified

“The terrorists detonated an explosive device they had planted on the road in advance, increasing the casualties and confusion among the soldiers,” he said.

Eight soldiers managed to return to base while the rest remain missing, including their commander with the rank of a major, the officer said.

“A man who identified himself as an ISWAP terrorist keeps answering the call to the commander’s mobile phone, suggesting he is in the hands of the terrorists,” he added.

Ya-Mulam Kadai, a spokesman for government-funded anti-jihadist militia assisting the military in Damask, gave the same casualty toll

The nine bodies of the slain soldiers were recovered by a military search team deployed at the scene of the attack, he said

The military did not respond to AFP’s request for comment. (AFP)

DSS rescues two kidnapped Kaduna pastors, arrests three suspects

Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) in Niger State have rescued two ECWA pastors and a church member abducted by armed bandits in Kaduna State.

The victims, Rev. Idi Buhari, Rev. Emmanuel Jacob, and Suleiman Adamu, were kidnapped on January 9, 2026, at the Gwagwada area of Chikun Local Government Area while travelling through Kugosi to Sarkin Pawa in Niger State to officiate a wedding ceremony. 

 

Receiving the rescued pastors, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, Rev. Joseph John Hayab, said the victims were safely rescued from the bush by DSS operatives during ongoing security operations in Niger State.

 

Hayab commended the DSS for what he described as courageous, timely, and selfless service to the nation, noting that the successful rescue brought immense relief to the church and families of the victims.

 

He said the safe return of the abducted pastors had renewed hope that criminal elements could be defeated through sustained and coordinated security efforts.

 

The CAN chairman noted that insecurity could only be effectively tackled through cooperation among security agencies, faith leaders, and the general public, warning that criminals thrive when communities are divided.

Meanwhile, DSS operatives of the Niger and Kaduna State Command, in a joint operation, also arrested three suspects linked to the incident. 

The suspects are also involved in arms and ammunition courier, and they operate along the Kwara–Niger–Katsina–Kaduna axis.

According to one of the suspects, Kwalo, they transport the ammunition through motor parks and rural routes to evade security checkpoints.

He said they received a consignment from a courier at Tegina Motor Park in Niger State and handed it over to Kawu, who subsequently passed it to Iro Malam Iro for onward delivery.

Iro was said to have conveyed the ammunition from Tegina to Sabuwa Local Government Area of Katsina State, where it was allegedly delivered to an unidentified recipient after he was directed to use specific routes to avoid detection.

No more negotiation, ransom payment to terrorists — Defence Minister, Gen. Musa

Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa, has declared that there should be no negotiation or ransom payment to terrorists, insisting that such practices only strengthen criminal groups and prolong insecurity.

During his ministerial screening at the Senate, Musa warned that paying ransoms allows terrorists to regroup, re-arm and launch new attacks. He said communities that previously negotiated with criminals still suffered attacks afterward. According to him, Nigeria’s banking system has the capacity to trace suspicious financial flows if the right tools are fully activated.

Musa emphasised that military action alone cannot defeat insecurity, noting that kinetic operations contribute only about 25–30 percent of the overall effort. He identified poverty, illiteracy, weak governance and ineffective local government structures as factors feeding criminal networks. He called on state and local administrators to take responsibility for intelligence gathering and early intervention, stressing that security agencies cannot carry the entire burden alone.

He expressed concern about Nigeria’s slow judicial process, especially in terrorism and kidnapping cases that drag on for years. Musa recommended urgent legal reforms, including special courts for terrorism, stricter penalties and accelerated hearings to strengthen national security efforts.

The new minister warned that renewed criminal activity is emerging across maritime corridors linking Akwa Ibom to Cameroon, including sea robbery, piracy and coastal kidnappings. He confirmed that Operation Delta Safe is expanding into areas that were previously calm but now show signs of infiltration.

Musa also demanded a total ban on illegal mining, describing it as a major funding source for armed groups operating within forest regions.

He announced plans to reduce routine military checkpoints nationwide, allowing more troops to return to field operations in forests and ungoverned spaces. Restoring safe access to farmlands, he said, remains a top priority because food security is a key element of national stability.

“A hungry man is an angry man. Protecting farmers means protecting the nation,” he stated.

Musa revealed that more than 70,000 Nigerians apply for military recruitment yearly, but many resist deployment to conflict zones. He stressed that a unified national database would help verify identities, eliminate recruitment fraud and improve the tracking of criminals across states.

He described Nigeria’s fragmented data systems as a serious obstacle, noting that separate databases held by immigration, quarantine and other agencies create loopholes exploited by terrorists, kidnappers, cybercriminals and illegal miners. He urged the creation of a single national database to streamline tracking, disable bank accounts linked to crime and boost intelligence work across agencies.

The House of Representatives adopted extensive national security reform resolutions following a special three-day debate. Members called for open and transparent prosecution of all terrorism-related cases, saying this would help reduce violent crimes and restore public trust.

Two men arrested for allegedly gang-r3ping 15-year-old hawker in FCT

Vigilantes have arrested two men, Rabiu Bala and Nasiru Shehu, for allegedly gang-r3ping a 15-year-old hawker in the Kusaki community of the Kuje Area Council in the FCT.

Samaila Yakubu, a vigilante member from the area, who confirmed the incident to daily trust said the suspects were apprehended on Wednesday, October 29, 2025 following a report from the victim’s parents.

He stated that the victim’s mother and her son brought the girl to the vigilante office to report the incident.

He explained that the girl returned home crying, which made her mother suspicious.

Yakubu said the parents later discovered that the victim, who hawks a local rice delicacy known as Garau-Garau, was allegedly r3ped by the two suspects at an apartment in the area.

According to Yakubu, the victim went to demand payment from the suspects who had bought the Garau-Garau from her on credit, adding that during the interaction, one of the suspects lured her into an apartment and allegedly raped her.

“On getting to where the suspects, who are commercial motorcyclists, reside, one of them picked up his bike and zoomed off but was flagged down,” he said. 

He confirmed that both men confessed to the crime during interrogation. They were immediately arrested and handed over to the police in Kuje.

He added that vigilantes later joined the police at a hospital where doctors confirmed that the girl had been penetrated.

A police source at the Kuje division, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident but said the matter is still under investigation. 

Tenant bags jail sentence for k!lling landlord for trying to evict him over unpaid rent

A tenant in Kwekwe, Zimbabwe, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for fatally stabbing his landlord during a violent eviction attempt over unpaid rent. The High Court in Bulawayo found Victor Moyo guilty of killing his landlord, Prayer Banda, during a midnight confrontation on 5 July 2021.

According to The Herald, the altercation occurred at House Number 1953 in Mbizo when Banda stormed into Moyo’s room demanding that he pay his outstanding rent and vacate the property immediately. Eyewitnesses said Banda was shouting and threatening to remove Moyo by force if he failed to pay. The confrontation escalated into a scuffle, during which Moyo drew a knife and stabbed Banda once in the chest, killing him instantly.

Moyo denied intentionally killing his landlord, claiming he acted in confusion. He told the court, “I thought he was an intruder. I did not know it was my landlord. I only pushed an unknown man out of my room.”

Justice Lucy Mungwaru dismissed Moyo’s defence, calling it a fabrication. She said his testimony was riddled with contradictions and lacked sincerity. “The court observed the offender engaging in a sequence of performances, preaching to the gallery, playing the victim, and then displaying rebelliousness, all aimed at avoiding responsibility,” she stated.

The judge also noted that Moyo showed no remorse during the trial. The deceased’s sister, Grace Banda, delivered a moving victim impact statement, describing the pain the family continues to endure following her brother’s death.

Two cousins shot d3ad by unknown gunmen

 

Two young women were found m8rdered in Mamelodi East, Tshwane, South Africa. 

 

The victims, both cousins, Tshiamo Moramaga (22) and Baleseng Moramaga (21), were discovered with gunshot wounds to their heads on Sompisi Street, Extension 17, on Sunday morning, October 26, 2025. 

 

Both women were dressed similarly, wearing white skirts and black shirts, suggesting they were together shortly before the attack.

 

According to police spokesperson Captain Johan van Dyk, officers from SAPS Mamelodi East responded to the scene at approximately 6h15 a.m. Upon arrival, they found the bodies of the two women, and a double m8rder investigation was initiated.

 

The motive for the k!llings remains unknown, and authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.

 

Family members are devastated by the loss. 

 

Itumeleng Moramaga, mother of Tshiamo, expressed her heartbreak.

 

“I’m so hurt. I’m shattered because she was the only daughter I had. I’m now left with two sons,” she said. 

 

She added that neighbors reported hearing arguments and gunshots around 4 a.m. on the night of the incident.

 

A message found on Baleseng’s phone indicated that the two had been communicating shortly before the shooting, but Tshiamo’s phone was missing, possibly stolen .

 

The South African Police Service is appealing to the public for any information that may assist in the investigation.

 

Donald Trump refuses to rule out third term as President

President Donald Trump has refused to rule out running for a third term, despite the U.S. Constitution clearly barring anyone from serving more than two terms as president.

Speaking aboard Air Force One on Monday, October 27, while en route to Tokyo, Trump was asked about recent comments from his ally Steve Bannon, who claimed last week that Trump would be president again in 2028. When asked if he would challenge the two-term limit in court, Trump responded, “I haven’t really thought about it. We have some very good people as you know, but I have the best poll numbers I’ve ever had.”

Pressed further on who he meant by “good people,” Trump mentioned Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, before adding, “I’m not sure if anybody would run again. I think if they have a form to grip it would be unstoppable, I do. I really believe that. I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever.”

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits anyone from being elected president more than twice. However, Trump appeared to entertain the possibility, suggesting that his leadership record warranted consideration. “I mean, I just solved eight wars and a ninth is coming. I believe Russia-Ukraine will happen,” he said. “I mean it’s millions of people we saved. I saved the lives of millions of people. That’s what’s important.”

When asked directly if he was ruling out a third term, Trump replied, “Am I not ruling it out? I mean, you’ll have to tell me.” He continued, “All I can tell you is that we have a great group of people, which they don’t,” seemingly referring to Democrats.

Last week, Steve Bannon, Trump’s former chief strategist, told The Economist that Trump would “get a third term,” claiming there was already “a plan” to make it happen despite constitutional restrictions. When pressed on how that would be possible under the 22nd Amendment, Bannon said, “There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we’ll lay out what the plan is, but there is a plan, and Trump will be the president in ‘28.”

This isn’t the first time Trump has floated the idea. Shortly after winning the 2024 election, he told House Republicans, “I suspect I won’t be running again unless you say, ‘He’s so good, we got to figure something else out.’”