In a tragic turn of events, a 300-level student from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Christiana Idowu, who was kidnapped between Ikorodu and Yaba in Lagos State, has reportedly been killed by her abductor.

Christiana left her home in the Itaoluwo area of Ikorodu to travel to the University of Lagos in Yaba, where she was undergoing her industrial training when she was abducted by kidnappers.

The suspect has since been arrested after combined efforts from security agencies.

In a now-viral post on X, a user named @letter_to_jack shared that intelligence agents were able to track down the abductor using the BVN and bank account information associated with the ransom payments made by the family.

The tweet read, “On the 19th of August 2024, Christiannah Idowu was declared missing after her parents were contacted by her abductors using her own WhatsApp contact.

“The first contact with the parent was established around 8:49pm after which they sent photos of the victim in captivity to them using the WhatsApp ‘view once’ feature.

“The abductors requested for a ransom fee of N1,500,000. Christiannah’s parents raised N350,000 immediately. The abductor then requested that the money be sent to a bet account through a bank deposit channel. (Info reserved for now)

“After receiving the money, on the 22nd of August, the abductor requested that bank statement of the sender be forwarded to his email (withheld).

“On the 23rd of August, family complied. Immediately after that, the abductor stopped communicating with the parents.

“Meanwhile, on the 22nd of August, some amount was sent to the GTB account of Christiannah and the amount was then withdrawn into the wema bank account belonging to the main suspect ( Name withheld for now).

“Investigation by intelligence operatives began on the 26th to unravel details of the account number.

“By the 29th, intelligence operatives had confirmation from the bank that the BVN linked to the masked Betting account allegedly belonged to the account owner (name withheld for now) who also operates the Wema Bank (account no withheld for now).

“Further investigation revealed that he was able to withdraw the sum of 100,000 from the betting account before agents got the bet company to lock the account.

“Armed by these information, operatives began investigation into the suspect whom they observed to have a mutual relationship with Christiannah Idowu, especially judging by Instagram posts as they both commented on each other’s pages.

“The crazy thing is: the same account number used to launder some amount directly from Christiannah’s account has been posted on Twitter once to “beg for a give away free money.

“With all these information at hand, the operatives began to track down his cell phone activities and text messages. The cell phone tracking led them to his parent’s house, somewhere in IKORODU.

“Operatives then got confirmation of his presence in the building through active tracking of his mobile device. Immediately, gallant personnel of the Nigerian army 174bn swooped in on the suspect to conduct arrest.

“After the arrest, damning evidences were seen with the suspect and this includes the victim blue ITEL A56 with IMEI:35230.

“Also, in his phones are details of the money moved and also details confirming he owns the Betting account that was locked. It was registered with his phone number.

“On his phone, they found an interaction between his personal email and the email address that has been interacting with the family of the deceased.

“After reviewing the evidence, the suspect was then taken into custody to enable the operatives conduct further investigations. Upon reviewing this evidence, suspect was successful taken into custody for necessary action.

“On September 3, the suspect reportedly confessed to the father and the soldiers that he killed the girl and buried her in their house.

“There is also a new story awaiting further confirmation that in 2018, the suspect’s ex-girlfriend was killed in same manner. Also that in 2020, the suspect’s own biological sister met the same fate, and the same thing has happened to Christiannah in 2024.”

The horrifying incident has ignited widespread outrage across Nigeria, especially on social media. Many Nigerians have taken to Twitter to demand justice for Christiana, with the hashtag #JusticeForChristianah trending.

Gunmen have reportedly kidnapped a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and one of Governor Seyi Makinde’s key supporters, Hon Benedict Akika, popularly known as “Bene” in his home on Wednesday night.

The gunmen wearing masks reportedly stormed the Idi Ape, Olorunda-Aba residence of Mr Akika in Lagelu local Government Area of the state and abducted him.

Unconfirmed report also indicated that a life was possibly lost during abduction on Wednesday night.

The Oyo State Police Command is yet to issue an official statement on the matter but in a message via the phone, the command’s spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, indicated that investigation has commenced into the matter and details would be provided accordingly.

The Oyo state government have also not issued any statement concerning the unfortunate incident.

Dangote Refinery has announced that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), is yet to lift Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol from its refinery.

It also added that the refinery is yet to announce any price for the sale of petrol from its refinery to members of the public.

The Chief Branding and Communications Officer of Dangote Group, Anthony Chiejina, made the clarification in a statement on Thursday where the company reacted to a report which claimed the NNPC has lifted fuel from Dangote refinery and is selling it at ₦897 per litre.

Dangote said it is yet to finalize contractual agreements with the NNPC nor announce a price for its products, hence members of the public should disregard any misleading information on the subject matter.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a headline “NNPC lifts Dangote Petrol, sells at ₦897 per litre” published in the BusinessDay Newspapers of Wednesday, 4 September 2024.

“We would like to state that NNPC has not commenced lifting of refined Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, from our Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

“Therefore, the issue of fixing the price of petrol lifted from our refinery does not arise, as we are yet to finalize our contract with NNPC.

“The PMS market is strictly regulated, which is known to all oil marketers and stakeholders in the sector, hence we can not determine, fix, or influence the product price, which falls under the purview of relevant government authorities.

“We urge the public to disregard the headline as it is misleading and does not represent the true position in this matter.

“We are guaranteeing Nigerians of exceptionally high quality petroleum products that will be readily available all over the country.”

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ibrahim Modibbo, has said Advisers and Ministers of President Bola Tinubu are incompetent and deserve to be sacked.

The Taraba State APC chieftain, Ibrahim Modibbo, said ministers of President Tinubu are newspaper tigers.

He accused them of relying solely on textbook economics as solution to Nigeria’s hunger and hardship problems than the people.

Modibbo, in an interview with Arise TV on Wednesday, stated that Tinubu advisers are giving him wrong advice that is responsible for the economic hardship.

He appealed to Nigerians to give the President time, stating there would be light at the end of the tunnel.

“I’m a Nigerian and I also feel the pains just like Mr. President also feel the pains and the pulse of Nigerians.

“I don’t want to defend some of these conditions. I’m not here as a government spokesperson. Therefore as a caveat, I’m not going to defend that because to me it will show sensitivity and compassion. That is why I said people around Mr. President are giving him wrong advice.

“If I were a president today I would have sacked almost virtually all the ministers and what have you, to get new people, new advisors because some of this economic team, they are just mere newspaper tigers as far as I’m concerned.

“They can only limit themselves towards the textbooks econometrics without looking at the proper inventory of Nigeria’s economic system, looking at the poor masses as a ladder,” Modibbo said.

He added that President Tinubu made wrong decision in getting a new presidential jet without selling the old one in the fleet.

He, however, assured Nigerians that the President would find a solution to the current economic hardship caused by his administration’s policies.

“With all these problems, must we buy a new jet? If you ask me, I’ll say yes, and I’ll say no. Yes, because recently we’ve seen how some of the former presidents, Iran President had air crash.

“Therefore I would have sold some of the fleets and get a new one. No, in the sense that for us to be very sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of Nigeria and 2027 is just by the corner, elections coming up, the way Nigerians today in terms of aggregation of opinion, in terms of sensitivity with the current economic temple, Nigerians are not finding it funny.

“But Tinubu has history by his side, he has two more or three more years to change the whole economy to the dynamics of governance.

“Therefore looking at every parameter of democratic practice, we know that there is no democracy that will be able to give you a hundred percent satisfaction.

“And this is where we are as painful as Mr. President’s decision to take some of these policies which he knows to his heart that is painful. I am sure he’s looking for a way out to see to the possibilities of maybe finding solutions,” Modibbo added.

The Executive Vice President (Downstream) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Adedapo Segun, has urged Nigerians to brace for more fuel scarcity.

This warning follows a recent surge in fuel prices, which has significantly impacted citizens nationwide.

Naija News recalls that the NNPC, on Tuesday, adjusted the pump price per litre of petrol to ₦855 across its filling stations.

Segun, while speaking on Thursday on Arise Television’s Morning Show, emphasized the importance of establishing a competitive market to stabilize fuel prices and ensure a steady supply.

“The pump price today is not market reflective. NNPCL is the sole importer of PMS in the country, which is abnormal. We should be moving towards a situation where the free market determines prices,” Segun emphasized, highlighting that pricing should be dictated by competitive forces rather than a single entity.

Segun elaborated that NNPCL’s position as the exclusive importer of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) was not by design, but rather a reaction to shifting market dynamics. He made it clear that the company did not intend to monopolize the market.

“Let me put it in the proper context. NNPCL is not a regulator. We didn’t choose to be the sole importer. We don’t determine who plays in the market. We stepped in when others reduced their participation. It’s not about wanting to be monopolists,” Segun clarified, underscoring that the company’s role emerged due to a lack of participation from other market players.

Additionally, Segun pointed out that for fuel prices to stabilize, there must be ideal market conditions, especially concerning foreign exchange availability.

“Market conditions need to be perfect, and there must be FX liquidity,” he remarked, implying that resolving the pricing issue would likely involve broader economic reforms to improve liquidity and competition in the market.

The scarcity, already visible across the country, is linked to NNPCL’s challenges in managing fuel imports and debts to suppliers.

Additionally, experts have called for more strategic borrowing by the NNPCL to address supply issues and prevent further disruptions in fuel availability.

This spike in fuel costs has further strained the pockets of Nigerian citizens, many of whom are already grappling with the high cost of living.

The situation has also sparked concerns about the potential impact on transportation costs and the prices of goods and services, which are likely to rise as a result.

Burkina Faso has officially removed the logo of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) from its new biometric passports, a move that underscores the country’s decision to withdraw from the 15-member regional bloc.

This development follows the decision of Burkina Faso, along with Niger and Mali, to sever ties with ECOWAS after the organization imposed sanctions on them in response to military coups.

The bloc has consistently called for the return to constitutional order as a condition for lifting the sanctions.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Mahamadou Sana, Burkina Faso’s Minister of Security, confirmed the move, stating: “On this passport, there’s no ECOWAS logo, and no mention of ECOWAS either. Since January, Burkina Faso has decided to withdraw from this body, and this is just a realisation of the action already taken by Burkina Faso.”

Burkina Faso’s decision to omit ECOWAS from its passports further signals the country’s growing estrangement from the regional organization.

All three nations — Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — have accused ECOWAS of prioritizing selfish interests over the spirit of pan-Africanism.

ECOWAS has warned that the withdrawal of these countries could negatively impact the bloc’s common market and the freedom of movement for the 400 million people living within the region.

Despite these tensions, President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria, who serves as the current ECOWAS chairman, and his team continue to seek diplomatic avenues to bring Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali back into the fold.

Tinubu emphasized that the bloc remains open and friendly to the nations despite the current situation.

According to the Henley Passport Index, Burkina Faso’s passport ranks 78th globally, with access to 60 visa-free destinations, including many ECOWAS member states.

Whether this change will affect Burkina Faso’s visa agreements within the bloc remains to be seen.

One of the travellers kidnapped on Saturday along the Emure-Eporo Road in Emure, Ekiti State, has been killed, PUNCH gathered on Wednesday.

The victim, identified as Shile Ogunmolasuyi, a recent secondary school graduate, was abducted alongside her mother, Mrs Yemi Ogunmolasuyi.

The kidnappers later released Yemi and another woman, Caroline Taiwo, whose husband, Oluwole Taiwo, was killed during the abduction last week Wednesday.

According to family members, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, the victims were released after a N10m ransom was paid.

A community leader in Emure, who spoke with one of the victims, said Shile was killed after being repeatedly raped, which left her unable to walk.

“The kidnappers made them walk for 24 hours nonstop without food or water. Shile, who had been raped several times, became too weak to continue and was subsequently killed by the kidnappers,” the community leader said.

The victims were abducted around 5:30 PM on Saturday near Oyimo River, along the Emure-Eporo Road.

The kidnappers shot and killed Taiwo Oluwole, who was driving the car transporting the victims to Akure after an event in Emure.

Sources revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded a N30m ransom around 8 PM on Sunday.

However, the families were able to raise N10m, which was delivered at a spot on the Owo-Ikare-Benin Road in Owo, Ondo State.

The captives were later released around 1:30 AM on Wednesday in Owo.

“Efforts are reportedly underway to locate Shile’s body and recover her remains”, said one of the family members.

The Secretary of Emure Progressives Association, Niyi Awopetu, confirmed the release of the victims, stating, “Two people were released at midnight, but a girl among them was killed. I learnt the kidnappers collected N10m ransom.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, did not respond to calls or messages from our correspondent seeking his reaction to the development.

PUNCH Metro reported that some pupils and teachers of Apostolic Faith Children School were kidnapped at the same spot on January 29.

Five pupils, three female teachers and a driver of the school bus were kidnapped.

Mrs Atinuke, wife of a retiree, Albert Adanikin, was also kidnapped on July 13 around the same area.

The National Economic Council (NEC) on Wednesday, imposed a deadline of September 9 for four states to submit their reports on the establishment of state police.

The NEC will review comprehensive reports from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on that date. States that do not meet this deadline will be subject to the NEC’s decisions regarding the state police.

Additionally, the Federal Government has allocated ₦3 billion in aid to states affected by severe flooding.

At the conclusion of the NEC meeting, chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, Acting Oyo State Governor Abdulraheem Lawal reported that all states were expected to submit their reports for NEC’s review.

The discussion on state police was driven by ongoing security challenges across regions, including the Northeast, Northcentral, Southwest, Southeast, and Southsouth.

Lawal emphasized that the initiative aims to enhance national security. He noted that last year, the NEC had asked states to provide reports on the establishment of state police. States that fail to meet the September 9 deadline will be bound by the NEC’s decisions.

He said, “An update on the establishment of State police was considered and this was as a result of the security challenges that we have across the nation, in Northeast, Northcentral, southwest, Southeast and South south so that we would have a robust security in our nation.

“For that purpose, sometimes last year NEC considered the establishment of state police and asked states to make submissions of considerations

“Today (Wednesday), all the states were supposed to submit for consideration of NEC. Incidentally, four states couldn’t submit, and for that purpose, NEC decided that those states must make their submissions on or before Monday next week, otherwise, whatever decision next date on the establishment of State Police will be binding on those states that reused to submit them to make submissions.

“So that is the resolution as of today’s NEC meeting.”

Although the specific names of the four states that have yet to submit their reports were not disclosed, sources identified them as Adamawa, Kwara, Sokoto, Kebbi, and the FCT.

According to Vanguard, the source said one of the four states claimed it had already submitted its report.

Also briefing, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed provided insights into the flood situation, highlighting the federal government’s ₦3 billion relief fund.

Mohammed described the severe impact of the flooding, especially in the Northeast, where critical infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, has been damaged, affecting households, schools, and other essential services.

He said, “The flood was more devastating along the Northeast axis where a major artery between Kano and Maiduguri has been cut off with devastating effects on households, schools, bridges and other means of livelihood. Lives were lost and a lot of properties were also destroyed.

“Of course, that has really provided a big challenge to us as a government and as a people in our states because we need to provide more of food security. Already, farmlands are submerged and therefore there’s need for collaboration between all the tiers of government to ensure food security.”

Mohammed noted that this year’s harvest is expected to be significantly affected due to the floods. He called for coordinated efforts between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and state ministries to ensure a comprehensive response to the crisis.

An inventory of the damage, including impacts on agriculture and infrastructure, is required by Monday to facilitate timely support.

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule supported this perspective, noting that a new governance structure has been established to manage flood relief efforts.

The reconstituted Flood Committee now includes governors from Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi, and Jigawa states, as well as key federal ministers and agency directors. The Committee will oversee the assessment of flood damage and ensure effective relief measures.

He said: “The Flood committee has to be reconstituted and the new members of the councils are governors of Kogi, Bayelsa, Oyo, Ebonyi, Bauchi and Jigawa states.

“Others are Minister of Water of Resources, minister of state Water of Resources, Minister of State for Environment, DG Nigeria Sovereignty Investment Authority (NSIA), DG NIMET, DG NWRI, MD/CEO NIWA, MD if NNDC, MD NEDC, and DG NEMA.

“The council has decided that Monday will be the deadline for all the states of the Federation to submit details damages including farms, schools, barges that have been affected by the last flood and Mr. chairman mentioned it will be taking into consideration for appropriate support to the various states.

“So these are the new very strong membership of the flood committee that will continue to address council henceforth.”

The NEC has mandated that all states submit detailed damage reports by Monday, including impacts on farms, schools, and infrastructure, to enable appropriate support for the affected regions.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has attributed Nigeria’s current challenges to a lack of effective leadership, asserting that the country is not inherently difficult to govern.

Obasanjo made this observation during the inaugural memorial lecture in honor of the late Akintola Williams, titled “Leadership Dynamics: Current Realities And Way Forward.”

The event was organized by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) in Lagos.

While acknowledging the country’s complexities, Obasanjo emphasized that strong leadership is crucial for national progress.

“I always say Nigeria is a complex country, you must understand that but Nigeria is not a difficult country to manage. You have to be honest with yourself, Nigeria and your God,” he said.

Reflecting on his presidency, Obasanjo claimed that he managed the nation’s resources effectively, leading to notable economic improvements.

“When I was there, I did everything I should do for Nigeria and I can beat my chest and say that.

“I took over as the affairs of Nigeria as elected President with ₦3.7b in reserves and we were spending ₦3.5b to service debt, so I decided we must debt relief and I went out from it even though we were fifth country in all exporting in the world and we got debt relief.

“Not only did we not get relief from a quantum debt of ₦3.36b we came to a quantum debt of N3.6bn and I left with over ₦25b in what we call excess crude that is the money we saved from the budget and what we actually received and we had a reserve of over ₦45b,” he said

He praised Akintola Williams as a visionary who contributed significantly in various sectors.

“He deserves every honor that we can confer posthumously not for what he did for this country but what he did politically, socially and economically,” Obasanjo remarked.

The co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill Gates, has said that Nigeria’s Value Added Tax is among the lowest worldwide.

Bill Gates disclosed this on Tuesday during the Nutrivision 2024, dialogue held in Abuja.

The billionaire said this while responding to a question on potential financing mechanisms for large-scale public health interventions.

According to him, there are plans for the government to fund more health-related programs.

“Over time, there are plans for Nigeria to fund the government more than it does today. The actual tax collection in Nigeria is pretty low.

This comes as Bill Gates participated in Nigeria’s National Economic Council on Wednesday.

Recall Meanwhile, Taiwo Oyedele, the Chairman Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms announced that plans are on the way to propose a law that would increase VAT from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.