Family loses 23 members in herdsmen attack in Benue attack

Families are still reeling from the loss lf loved ones after armed invaders, suspected to be herdsmen, attacked Yelwata community community in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State. 

The attack began late Friday night, June 13, and continued into the early hours of Saturday,  June 14, leaving over a hundred people de@d. Some unconfirmed reports suggest around 200 people were k!lled. 

Tsegba Gbam Ayua lost his wife and four children to the attack. 

The grieving husband and father expressed fears that he may never recover from the trauma. 

“I had been displaced from Ayua in Nasarawa State for over two years and was taking refuge with my family in Yelewata. A few days before the incident, I travelled back to Nasarawa to do menial jobs so I could support my family,” Ayua told DailyTrust in Makurdi on Sunday, June 15. 

He continued, “Then, around 11 pm on Friday, I got a call that our host community was under attack. I rushed back early Saturday morning, only to find the worst nightmare of my life. My wife and four children had been burned to ashes inside the market stalls where they were sleeping. Over 100 corpses were recovered in the area.” 

He said he buried his family the same day and is now struggling to come to terms with the tragedy. 

Prince Aondona Isaka Ornguga also spoke on how he lost at least 23 family members in the attack. Initially, he took to Facebook to disclose that he lost "over 15 members" of his family. He has now revealed that a total of 23 family members d!ed in the mass@cre. 
 

Ornguga, a former Senior Special Assistant to ex-Governor Samuel Ortom on Local Government Administration, said the 23 victims were all related to him through his maternal lineage. 

“I spoke with two of the victims -Victor Utim and Mathew Iormba – about three weeks ago. They are my first cousins from Tse Tarbee, my mother’s village. While Utim just wrote JAMB, and we were working on getting admission for him. Iormba told me he went to check his business around there,” he narrated. 

He expressed worry that the victims were k!lled in the most inhumane manner. 

“Iormba was a pharmacist. He had a tall dream, but look at how it all ended for them. And for Utim, this is not what we discussed,” Ornguga lamented. 

A survivor of the attack, Mama Victoria Tyobee, said she still could not fathom how she escaped from the armed men. 

She said, “We were sleeping when, about midnight, I heard a gunshot, and looking through the window, I saw one of the attackers with a weapon standing right by my house. As I was wondering what to do next, there were sporadic gunshots, and the man fled into the nearby bushes. 

“It was after a while that I mustered the courage to step out of the house. I later discovered that my relatives were not so fortunate. We lost three of them. It’s indeed a very sad experience.”

Protesters gather in Lagos, Abuja, and Ondo state for June 12 demonstration (photos)

Nigerians have taken to the streets to demand better governance and an end to economic hardship in the country. 

The demonstration took place today, June 12, being Democracy Day in Nigeria. 

The demonstrators, made up of civil society organisations and pro-democracy activists, assembled at the Ikeja Under Bridge in Lagos. 

In Akure, Ondo State, protesters also gathered to make similar demands. 

Videos from the protest grounds were shared by Take It Back Movement, one of the groups organising the demonstration. 

The protesters carried banners and placards with their demands printed on them. 

In Lagos, a large number of police officers, including personnel from the Nigeria Police Force’s Area F Division, were deployed on Thursday morning as protesters began to gather at the Ikeja Underbridge in Lagos to commemorate June 12 Democracy Day. 

Your good work has killed coalition - Wike tells Tinubu

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s developmental efforts, particularly in the FCT, have effectively dismantled any opposition coalition aiming to unseat the current administration in 2027.

Wike made the remarks on Wednesday during the commissioning of major infrastructure projects in Abuja, including the Maitama-Gishiri Bridge and the Katampe, Jahi, and Mabushi link roads.

In recent months, opposition leaders, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, have been exploring the formation of a united front ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, internal divisions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and challenges in building consensus across party lines have stalled efforts to create a viable coalition.

Addressing the crowd at the event, Wike said the president’s performance, especially in delivering capital projects, has undermined the opposition’s agenda.

“The coalition is bound to fail and it has failed. Your good works have killed coalition,” Wike said, directing his comments at President Tinubu.

Reaffirming his support for the administration, the minister added, “Some people will not be happy; many of them were born not to be happy. Under Tinubu, contractors now have confidence in the government. Your good works have killed the coalition in Nigeria.

NAFDAC alerts Nigerians on circulation of unregistered skin lightening soap for children

The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has raised alarm on the presence of unregistered ‘Fair Child Soap’ in Nigeria. 

In a statement released, the agency said a complaint was received regarding the unethical marketing and use of skin-lightening products among minors.

NAFDAC said that during a routine post-market surveillance, it discovered that an unregistered imported cosmetic product, “Fair Child Soap’’ is being sold in multiple retail outlets across Lagos. The soap is targeted at children and marketed with deceptive and misleading labelling.

‘’At a consultative meeting with the marketer (Lexmart Cosmetics Ltd), it was confirmed that the product was imported, with plans for local manufacturing. Due to this discovery, the company has been sanctioned and instructed to stop further distribution as the product is not authorised for distribution in Nigeria and does not fall under the scope of a validly registered product with NAFDAC.''the statement read

The agency says given the skin-lightening claims and the target demographic of children, there is a significant potential for serious health hazards, including skin damage or sensitivity, exposure to harmful or banned substances, and long-term dermatological effects.

‘’Fair Child soap is a skin-lightening product particularly for children.

Product Details:

Product Name: Fair Child Soap

Produced for & marketed by: Lexmart Cosmetics Ltd.''the statement added

The agency advised healthcare professionals and consumers to report any suspicion or sale of unregistered, substandard, and falsified products (medicines or medical devices) to the nearest NAFDAC office, call 0800-162-3322 or send an email to sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng.

 

President Tinubu’s senior aide resigns

The Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to President Bola Tinubu, Aliyu Audu, has resigned from his position. Audu’s resignation is contained in a letter dated June 8, 2025, and submitted through the office of the president’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The Sun reports that in the letter, Audu said he refuses to be a tool for turning Nigeria into a one-party state, while adding that the present administration still has his support.

“I write to formally tender my resignation as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, effective immediately.

Though I do not align with the PDP, I refuse to be used directly or indirectly as an instrument to reduce Nigeria to a one-party state. That would be a betrayal of both divine favour and democratic principle.

After all that God has done for us as a nation, especially in these times, we owe it to Him and to posterity to uphold values that reflect justice, balance, and liberty. True democracy thrives on healthy competition, not political domination.

If we now begin to silence or crush opposition simply because we have the upper hand, then we are no different from the very system we once criticised under Obasanjo in 2003. Such a path is not only politically reckless; it is spiritually dangerous.

And it runs contrary to the divine order, which upholds freedom of choice and diversity of thought. God, in His wisdom, allows even belief and disbelief to coexist. Why then should we, mere mortals, fear ideological pluralism?

Let us build a Nigeria where our strength lies not in uniformity, but in the maturity to compete with ideas, vision, and integrity. Only then can we truly say we are progressing. May Allah SWT forgive us our shortcomings and direct us on the path of righteousness.

I will continue to support our government in power, not just because I helped in bringing it but also because I believe in the success recorded in the area of economic reforms.

We just differ on political views as I pride myself with being a progressive and a promoter of democratic values, which seems to be lost in the unholy alliance of PBAT with Wike.

That does not mean our gbas gbos will seize o. We still here for the attacks and counterattacks. Oya Agbadorians over to you,” he said

Human skull and ritual items discovered by police during raid in Enugu ‘church'

A team of security operatives, led by the Divisional Police Officer of Igbo-Eze South local government area in Enugu State, raided an ongoing church building and recovered a human skull in the process.

The structure, named Synagogue, is to be owned by one Prophet Chinedu Solomon Ezedike who is allegedly linked to the heartbreaking m#rder of four little siblings.

Four children were weeks back gruesomely m#rdered in the council area, attracting outrage from Enugu people and beyond. Following the incident, the structure where the incident occurred was immediately demolished by the government.

But to further probe the pastor’s activities, the government widened its scope to his other properties, leading to the latest discovery.

Chairman of Igbo-Eze South Local government area, Barr Ferdinand Ukwueze, confirmed the latest discovery in a post shared on his Facebook page oday June 9.

He wrote

“Two days ago, yet in the course of combing locations reasonably suspected to be solitary sites and camps of divers shades of criminal activities, acting on intelligence, I visited a site at Abile Hill, Isi-Agu, Ibagwa-Aka, in the company of the Divisional Police Officer of Igbo-Eze South, and other security operatives.

The location, currently being used for the construction of Prophet Chinedu Ezedike’s so-called Synagogue, was discovered to be a suspected site for ritual activities.

To our greatest dismay, a human skull and a ritual staff were discovered from the site, lending further credence to the disturbing and tragic circumstances surrounding the claims and allegations against Ezedike. The recovered items were duly handed over to the Police for further examination as investigations continue.

More of these hidden locations will be discovered and visited, as we remain relentless in our pursuit against all forms of criminality in our Local Government Area.

I reassure you; under the administration of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, there will be no hiding place for crimes of any form. We are pursuing an egalitarian society where sons and daughters of Enugu State can aspire and become anything of their choices legitimately without any fear of criminal molestation.

I deeply appreciate the coordinated support of the Nigeria Police, Department of State Services (DSS), the Military, the gallant men of Igbo-Eze South Neighbourhood Watch, the Forest Guards, and all well-meaning individuals who have provided intelligence and cooperation over the past weeks.

Society will keep deteriorating when good people keep mute in the face of crime. Together, we must protect our land.”

Victor Osimhen rejects €75m (N135b) move to Al Hilal

Super Eagles striker, Victor Osimhen has rejected a massive €75 million (N135b) offer to join Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.

According to a post by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano on his X account, “Despite agreement between club to club with Napoli for €75m fee, Osimhen says no to the Saudi Pro League club. Galatasaray will insist on signing him with the race now open again.”

Osimhen has been a key figure during his loan spell at Galatasaray, scoring 37 goals in 41 appearances. His impressive performances have made him a fan favorite, and the Turkish club remains hopeful of retaining him permanently.

Reports indicated that Al Hilal had scheduled a medical for the Nigerian forward after meeting Napoli’s demands. However, with Osimhen rejecting the move, his future remains undecided and the race for his signature is now wide open.

Al-Hilal had been pushing to bring Osimhen to the club in time for the start of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off on June 14.

The Saudi giants, now coached by former Inter tactician Simone Inzaghi, had also offered an enormous €30m-per-season contract offer to the 26-year-old, who has since decided to reject the offer.

Netherlands to hand over 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria on June 21

The Netherlands will return 119 looted Benin bronzes to Nigeria this month, marking one of the most significant repatriations of cultural artefacts to the country.

The Dutch embassy in Nigeria confirmed on Thursday, June 5, that the artefacts will arrive during the week of June 16. A formal handover ceremony is scheduled for June 21 at the National Museum in Lagos.

Following the ceremony, the bronzes will be transferred to the National Museum in Benin City, Edo State—their place of origin. This return is believed to be the single largest consignment of Benin bronzes handed back to Nigeria by any country to date.

The bronzes were among thousands of sacred and ceremonial objects looted by British forces during the 1897 punitive expedition against the Benin Kingdom. Many of the items ended up in European and North American museums and private collections.

In a previous statement made in February, the Dutch embassy acknowledged that the artefacts should never have been taken to the Netherlands. Bengt van Loosdrech, the ambassador-designate to Nigeria, noted that the country had been demanding the return of the bronzes for over five decades.

The return of the bronzes is part of a broader global reckoning with colonial-era looting, as nations and institutions face growing calls to return stolen cultural heritage to their rightful owners.

Davido mocks Hon. Timothy Owoeye after he said APC ticket "is not for sale to the Adelekes" following the family's visit to Tinubu

Davido has risen in his family's defence after APC party chieftain, Hon. Timothy Owoeye stated that the APC ticket is not for sale to the Adeleke family. 
 

Recall that Davido, his father Dr. Adedeji Adeleke and his uncle Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu earlier this week. 

Following the visit, Hon. Owoeye made it clear that the Adelekes are not welcome to the ruling party, APC. 
 

After the video of Owoeye's speech went viral, Davido mocked him, writing: "No be this guy naked for bush?" 
 

His cousin Bred responded with laughing emoji. 
 

The speech by Owoeye that Davido was reacting to was made during a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, June 4. 

Timothy Owoeye, the immediate past Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, maintained that the governorship ticket of the APC is not for sale to the Adeleke family. 

Owoeye said, “APC ticket is not for sale for the Adeleke family categorically. 

“As a matter of fact, as of today, we don’t see Governor Ademola Adeleke as part of the APC.” 
 

While insisting that the APC is the party to beat in the state, Owoeye hinted that the “fear of the unknown”hunting Governor Adeleke is the reason for his intention of coming over to the APC. 

He said, “The APC in Osun State remains the party to beat I want to tell you that if not because of the fear of unknown disturbing the Adeleke’s and PDP, they won’t show the intention of coming to the APC. 

“APC is fully on ground in Osun. If not for brigandage after the 2022 governorship and 2023 general elections, PDP will not have their way in Osun State.” 

“The tenure of PDP is already terminated in Osun State. Come August 8, 2026, we will chase them away. There is no space for PDP and Adeleke in the APC.” 

Football legend, Jay-Jay Okocha advises Victor Osimhen on summer move after successful loan spell with Galatasaray

Nigerian football legend, Jay-Jay Okocha, has offered some words of advice to Victor Osimhen over the forward’s next move following his successful loan spell with Galatasaray.

Speaking to Turkish broadcaster TRT Spor via Haberler, the former Fenerbahçe playmaker urged Osimhen to continue plying his trade in Turkey by staying with Galatasaray, even if it means making personal sacrifices.

“Turkey is a great place to play and live football,” Okocha said.

 

“Sometimes, you may need to make sacrifices when making decisions in football. Osimhen had a great season at Galatasaray. Ultimately, he is happy there. Why shouldn’t he stay with the team? I love Turkey. He loves it too.”

 

Asked whether he had any inside knowledge on Osimhen’s next destination, Okocha said: “I don’t know,” he replied.

 

“Wherever he decides to go, I wish him the best.”

 

Okocha, who played for Fenerbahçe between 1996 and 1998, also reflected on his own time in Turkey, calling it “a wonderful two years” and fondly remembering the fans and local cuisine. He concluded his remarks with a nod to his old club, telling fans, “The greatest is Fener.”

 

Osimhen, who recently concluded his loan spell from Napoli, scored his 37th goal of the season in Galatasaray’s 2–0 win over İstanbul Başakşehir on Saturday, ending a sensational campaign with the Turkish Cup and Turkish Super Lig.

 

He also won Player of the Season and Süper Lig top scorer gong.