The Harbingerngr News

The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu (right), when he visited Oyo communities over school attack .  •Communities list names, ages of victims  •25 pupils, teachers still missing in Oyo — Police •IGP deploys additional detectives •We’re deploying resources to secure return of victims — DHQ •It’s a national disgrace — PFN •Atiku to Tinubu: You can’t govern by obituary statements •Nigeria losing its humanity — Peter Obi •OPC to FG, govs: Equip us to confront perpetrators  A two year old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, is among the 46 persons kidnapped by terrorists in some communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State last Friday. According to community leaders, a total of 46 persons – seven teachers and 39 students – were abducted from Community High School Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Four motorcycles were also snatched from villagers (three from the Yawota community and one from...

*NAAT to FG: Your 30% salary increase offer provocative THE federal government has officially approved the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, following intense pressure and threats of industrial action by organised labour. This came as the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, yesterday rejected the 30 per cent salary increment offer, describing it as provocative. The approval of the peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, Vanguard gathered, came after a marathon meeting on Tuesday personally presided over by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack, in Abuja. A peculiar allowance is a special extra payment approved for federal civil servants to address unique job-related conditions or economic challenges not fully covered by their basic salary. It is called “peculiar” because it is meant to cater for the specific or peculiar nature of public service work and welfare needs. For federal civil ...

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the furore over his visit to the All Progressives Congress APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, on Tuesday, declaring that he does not practice “politics of enmity” and owed no one public account of his private associations. Wike, who spoke with journalists during an inspection of ongoing road construction in Karu, Apo-Karshi and Kubwa yesterday, dismissed the controversy as a misreading of a straightforward personal gesture between two former ministerial colleagues. He said:  “We were all colleagues before he left for the chairmanship of APC. So what I should do anytime I see him is to hide? Anytime he sees me, he should run away, so people will not say something.’’ The minister revealed that the visit was, in fact, a reciprocal one, as Yilwatda had made several unsuccessful attempts to see him in his office. Wike said since the APC chairman could not secure a formal appointment, he decided to cal...

THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday,  took over 4,173.5 kilograms of cannabis indica valued  at over N10.4 billion, intercepted through a joint operation involving the agency and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, at the Tin Can seaport in Lagos. Speaking during the handover ceremony, Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics,  Archieabia Ogboba, disclosed that the traffickers adopted multiple shipping routes in an attempt to evade security checks and frustrate security agencies from tracking the consignment. According to her, “The criminals intended to distort and frustrate law enforcement from monitoring their deadly container by creating multiple layers of movement.  The container originated from Toronto by truck on March 28, 2026, and was further conveyed by rail to Montreal before it was loaded onboard vessel Jakarta Express Voyage from Montreal. “It arrived at Tanger Med Port on April 15, 2026, where it was discharged and reloaded onto vess...

* Orders seizure of his property, refund of N22bn project funds   A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, sentenced a former Minister of Power, Mr. Saleh Mamman, to 75 years in prison for stealing public funds totalling about N33.8 billion. Trial judge, Justice James Omotosho, convicted and sentenced him on all the 12-count fraud and money laundering charge preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mamman was handed seven years each on 10 counts of the charge, three years and two years on counts four and five of the charge.  Justice Omotosho held that the sentence should run consecutively without option of fine except on count four, which he allowed the payment of N10 million fine.  The court ordered the forfeiture of various foreign currencies that were recovered from the convict, as well as four choice property in Abuja that were traced to him.  The court directed the convict to pay back to the national treasury the sum ...

A Federal High  Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered seizure of property and funds in several bank accounts that were linked to a former acting Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Anamekwe Nwabuoku, who was earlier convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison. Nwabuoku was found complicit in an N868.4 million fraud on March 23. The court convicted him on a nine-count money laundering charge that was filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.  Meanwhile, in the ruling, Justice James Omotosho granted an order for the convict’s property and funds to be forfeited to the government. Funds in the different accounts contained in Schedule 1 of documents the anti-graft agency attached to the forfeiture application, include N12,526,206.55 in Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited’s Zenith Bank account number: 1016901286; N4,102,570.25 in Turge Global Investment Limited’s Zenith Bank account; 1016901279 and N682,904.36 in Laptev Bridge Limited’s Zenith Ba...

The Anambra State Police Command has recovered the stolen Toyota Land Cruiser belonging to slain cleric, Bishop Chinedu James of End-Time Reconciliation Ministries, Asaba, Delta State, and arrested two suspects linked to his murder. The development followed a coordinated intelligence-led operation by operatives of the Intelligence Response and Rapid Response Unit, IRRT, led by Orede Matthew, after credible intelligence indicated that the stolen vehicle was being moved into Anambra State for sale. Bishop James was reportedly abducted and shot dead during an attack on May 12, 2026, in Delta State, after which the assailants fled with his Toyota Land Cruiser, prompting a multi-state investigation by security operatives. Confirming the development, the Anambra State Police Command said the operation was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen proactive policing and intelligence gathering in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu. Culled from Vanguard

Following the conviction of former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, over a N33.8 billion fraud case, operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, over alleged money laundering involving more than N500 billion. EFCC investigators, who made the arrest, yesterday, it was gathered, were examining financial transactions linked to the alleged fraud. A source, who spoke to Vanguard, said the Energy Commission boss was picked up by operatives of the anti-graft agency and is currently being held for questioning. “He was arrested in Abuja on Wednesday and is in the custody of the EFCC. Investigators are grilling him over alleged money laundering involving more than N500 billion, and he is expected to spend the night at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja,” the source stated. Attempts to get an official reaction from the EFCC were unsuccessful at press time. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyew...

Gunmen have killed a young couple, Mr. Iliya Gyang, 30, and his pregnant wife, Grace, 25, in a fresh attack at Angwan Ishaku community, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State. The incident, which occurred, yesterday evening, also left two other persons injured, while the attackers reportedly fled the scene immediately after the assault. A resident of the community, Kacholom Ayuba, confirmed the incident to journalists, saying it occurred about 5:30p.m. The Berom Youth Moulders Association, BYM, also confirmed the attack in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Rwang Tengwong, describing it as gruesome and inhumane. According to the statement, the assailants, who arrived on a motorcycle, opened fire on the victims and other residents before escaping through a route leading toward settlements in Fass along the Rakung-Sho road. It explained that Mr. Gyang was killed while working on his farm close to his residence, while his wife was shot dead at the scene.  The...

*Wike, Turaki’s camps flex muscles *Ex-president has 24 hours to obtain nomination form *Jonathan didn’t buy our form, we’re not expecting him — Wike-backed PDP   FORMER President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan’s 2027 presidential ambition, was caught in the web of muscle-flexing by the two factions battling for the soul of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The rival camps clashed over Jonathan’s place in the party’s unfolding 2027 calculations, after reports that he could purchase a presidential nomination form before the close of the day. This was as proceedings in the suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility to contest the 2027 presidential election took a new turn amid allegations of bias against the presiding judge, yesterday. The PDP faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Nyesom Wike, will stop selling of nomination forms today, while the Kabiru Turaki-led  Interim National Working Committee, INWC, will stop selling forms on May 13, with deadline for submission ...

•Operators lose N100bn due to congestion — NCJTFLCA •AMATO blames Strait of Hormuz disruption •Gridlock under control — TTP FRESH concerns have emerged over the return of the Apapa gridlock as key stakeholders in the maritime and logistics sector passed the buck over the persistent congestion choking access roads to the country’s busiest ports. The renewed traffic crisis has reportedly cost operators an estimated N100 billion, according to the National Compliance Joint Task Force of Licensed Clearing Agents, NCJTFLCA, while the Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, attributed the situation to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite these claims, the Traffic Transit Point, TTP, engaged to manage truck movement in the Apapa corridor, insisted that the situation was under control. Recall that the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, in 2021 entered into a five-year agreement with TTP as part of efforts to ensure seamless traffic. The electronic call-up system, popularly known as “E...

THE governor of Kwara State and Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum, Abdullah and Abdulaziz, and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Maruf Alausa, yesterday joined their Katsina State host, Governor Dikko Umar Radda, to commission the Radda Special Model Secondary School, Radda, Charanchi LGA. The over 2,000 capacity institution is one of three such smart schools already completed in the three senatorial districts of the state which act as the pilot of an educational model that raises the bar in the free education agenda of the Radda administration. According to Radda in his address during the commissioning, the school, which is a coeducational boarding school, is open for children of the state, irrespective of the financial incapacity of their families.  In an interview with newsmen, the principal of the school, Lawal Shehu, said:  “All that parents need to do is bring their admitted children here. We cater for their school uniforms and dormitory  wears, feeding, tuitio...

From left: Peter Obi, Seriake Dickson and Rabiu Kwankwaso . *ADC, NNPP lose three seats in Senate as Abaribe, Umeh, Hanga defectl18 Reps defect from ADC, 17 to NDC, one joins APC *Senate Configuration: APC 88, ADC 8, PDP 4, NDC 3, APGA 1 and Accord 1, vacant 4 *Reps: APC 260, PDP-38, LP-21, NDC-17, NNPP-14, APGA-5, others-4 *ADA distances self from Ardo’s fight against NDC’s registration *I think ADC is dead — Akpabio THE re-invigorated Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has reaped no fewer than 20 defectors and became the fourth force in the National Assembly.  Currently, it has overtaken the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in the House of Representatives and is pursuing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, closely, in terms of National Assembly slots. The All Progressives Congress, APC, is leading all the opposition parties with a very wide gap. In the Senate, yesterday, former Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Abia South, dumped the ADC for Labour Party, LP.  Also ...

Nyesom Wike (left) and Seyi Makinde. •Appoints Turaki interim NWC chairman •We’ll stabilise PDP, win 2027, Turaki declares •Wike bloc declares action null and void THE crisis rocking Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, worsened as rival factions moved to assert control of the party. A bloc aligned with Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, announced the constitution of an Interim National Working Committee, NWC, following what it described as the party’s 103rd National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting in Abuja. But a rival faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, swiftly disowned the meeting, declaring it illegal and rejecting all decisions reached, including the emergence of a caretaker leadership. The development comes days after a Supreme Court ruling voided the PDP’s previous leadership, deepening internal divisions and triggering a scramble for control of party structures. At the Abuja meeting, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, sai...