The Ondo State Police Command has denied that a vehicle in the convoy of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, was responsible for the death of a seven-year-old girl, Saratu Lawal, in Akure on Thursday.

Earlier reports alleged that Saratu, a pupil of Islamiyar Arabic School in Shasha, was struck by a butter-coloured Hilux vehicle reportedly part of the First Lady’s convoy during her visit to the state.

A security source was among those who confirmed the incident.

According to one eyewitness, the tragic event occurred in Oba Ile, just before the Oba Ile Central Mosque.

“It claimed the life of the child as every effort to save her could not yield the desired result even when she was rushed to the primary healthcare in Oba Ile,” the source said.

The grieving father, Malam Lawali, a trader in the Oba Ile market, expressed his sorrow, stating he has “handed everything to God.

However, in a statement, DSP Olushola asserted that the vehicle involved in the accident did not belong to the First Lady’s convoy.

He stated that eyewitnesses and preliminary investigations indicated that a hit-and-run driver operating an unregistered white Lexus was responsible for the incident.

“A witness who observed the hit-and-run pursued the fleeing vehicle on a motorcycle immediately after the incident, which occurred around the Oba Ile area of Akure,” Olushola said.

“These accounts have been corroborated by several individuals at the scene as well as by the parents of the deceased.”

Olushola also took issue with part of SaharaReporters’ coverage, saying, “SaharaReporters inaccurately claimed the deceased girl to be 9 years old,” although the platform had reported her as seven in both its headline and story.

He further noted, “The Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, was personally present and met with the grieving family to ensure a full and transparent investigation.”

“At no point was the First Lady’s convoy involved in this tragedy,” Olushola maintained.

The Concerned Christian Youth Forum has voiced strong condemnation of the continued violence and killings in Benue and Plateau States, calling on the Federal Government to urgently intervene.

Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the group’s convener, James Adama, expressed deep frustration over the persistent attacks in the North Central region, which he described as a “national tragedy.”

“We are tired of mass burials. We are tired of digging graves for our people week after week,” Adama said.

“This human carnage must stop, and the perpetrators must be brought to justice without further delay.”

According to him, the unrelenting violence has resulted in the deaths of countless innocent people, including women and children, and continues to endanger Nigeria’s unity and collective existence.

Adama further criticized what he called the Nigerian government’s sluggish response to the worsening security crisis, emphasizing the need for urgent, proactive steps to protect lives.

He appealed to security agencies to redouble their efforts in shielding vulnerable communities from ongoing attacks.

At the same time, he acknowledged the bravery of personnel already deployed in the crisis zones.

“This is not just about Benue and Plateau, it’s about the future of our nation. Every Nigerian deserves to live in peace and dignity,” Adama stated.

The forum called on faith-based organizations, civil society bodies, and international human rights groups to raise their voices against what it termed “the ongoing carnage and silent genocide” in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

Additionally, the group urged the Federal Government to provide more humanitarian assistance and commit to rebuilding communities destroyed by violence.

The Bayelsa State High Court has finally moved to accelerate the trial of 15 domestic workers who have spent nearly six years in detention without conviction over allegations surrounding missing jewellery belonging to former First Lady, Patience Jonathan.

The defendants, arrested in 2019, have been held at the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa without bail, as their case dragged on amid consistent reports of interference in the judicial process.

SaharaReporters learned that during Thursday’s proceedings, the prosecution and defence reached a rare agreement to fast-track the case.

“The court proceeded well today, and both parties have agreed to finish the case as soon as possible, with an accelerated hearing. So victory is coming,” a source close to the defence told DAILY GAZETTE.

Throughout the years, the case has been marred by accusations of manipulation, allegedly led by Patience Jonathan’s private legal representatives, Ige Asemudara and Samuel Chinedu Maduba.

“The prosecutors are Ige Asemudara and Samuel Chinedu Maduba,” confirmed one source.

“One of them comes from Lagos while the second travels in from Port Harcourt. They’ve been handling this case from day one, presenting witnesses who come to tell lies. One witness took almost two years,” another insider recounted.

There have also been allegations that Mrs Jonathan directly instructed delays in the proceedings.

“The aim is to frustrate the process and keep these innocent people in prison as long as possible. It’s an abuse of the legal system,” a courtroom source stated.

Delay tactics reportedly included frequent health excuses, absentee witnesses, and adjournment requests.

“Sometimes, Ige Asemudara would claim he is sick or his witness has work. Other times, he just asks for long adjournments,” the source said.

The judiciary has also faced criticism. One source alleged that the presiding judge declined early bail applications, saying she preferred to hear some of the prosecution’s evidence first before making a decision.

“When the case started in 2019, they all applied for bail,” the source said. “But the judge told their lawyers to wait so she could hear some evidence. After that, she shockingly denied bail, saying the offences were capital and therefore not bailable.”

While the court denies complicity, it has stated that multiple defence counsels and cross-examinations slowed the case. It reaffirmed its commitment to timely justice.

Despite that, the accused—Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, Tamunokuro Abaku, Sahabi Lima, Emmanuel Aginwa, Erema Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Tamunosiki Achese, Salomi Wareboka, Sunday Reginald, Boma Oba, Vivian Golden, and Emeka Benson—remain in prison, entangled in a legal saga shaped by power and delay.

A deadly new militant group known as Mahmuda has emerged in North Central Nigeria, unleashing terror across rural communities, particularly those around the Kainji Lake National Park.

The group on Thursday killed over 15 vigilantes and civilians in Kemanji, a village in Kaiama Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The group’s reach spans multiple local government areas, including Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, and Nanu in Kaiama LGA and villages within Yashikira District in Barutein LGA—all in Kwara State.

Their influence also extends to Babana and Wawa districts in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State.

Sources confirm that the Mahmuda group, led by an individual whose voice note has been circulating among local communities, threatens residents, kidnaps people for ransom, and carries out deadly attacks without resistance.

“They called themselves Mahmuda group. Their leader in a voice note is threatening all the communities. They kill and kidnap victims and also demand ransom,” one source told newsmen.

Another added, “The surge of insecurity in Nigeria has been a source of concern to the citizenry because of its destructive factor to livelihood, and unfortunately, new militant groups continue to emerge and occupy the ungoverned spaces in the country.”

“With the Kainji Lake National Park left unguarded, the loggers, fishermen, and hunter groups take the opportunity and start enjoying the common good of the citizens for their personal gain.”

Initially, there were conflicts between the militants and local loggers, hunters, and vigilantes.

However, reports say that loggers eventually negotiated with the group, allowing them free access to the forest for tree harvesting, which has also become a financial lifeline for the militants.

“Currently, the community of Kainji National Park (KLNP), which includes Kaiama LGA (Kemaanji, Tenebo, Baabete, Nuku, Nanu) and Barutein LGA (villages in Yashikira District that share a border with the park), all in Kwara State, part of Babana and Wawa District in Borgu LGA in Niger State, have been under siege for years, and the world does not know what is happening to the Borgawas (Borgu people),” another source stated.

The group’s occupation dates back over five years, beginning with the expulsion of park rangers during a raid.

Originally displaced from Mokwa LGA by former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu—who identified them as Boko Haram members—they settled in Welele, Kaiama LGA. Local and security authorities later expelled them again, prompting their relocation to a forest in Kaduna State.

From there, they reappeared in the Kainji Lake National Park, more organized and heavily armed.

“Thus, who are these new militant groups? Some people claim that the militant group came from the Benin Republic or Niger Republic.”

“This claim is also similar to a report from BBC Radio that there was an influx of militant groups to Kainji Lake National Park. Further study of them will reveal the true identity of this faceless group.”

The group has described itself as a moderate Islamist sect in a recent audiotape, identifying as a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, diverging from the Shekau-led wing.

Local recruitment is reportedly on the rise, with many community members allegedly serving as informants.

They refer to themselves as the Mahmuda Group or Mallam Group, led by a man known only as Mallam, said to be promoting Sunni jihadist ideals.

“The militant group mainly speaks Hausa. The saddened reality is that the activities of these militants, controlling a vast territory of 3,970.29 sq. km of the Nigerian state, have resulted in the community members living at the mercy and dictates of the non-state actor. Living at the mercy and dictates of the militants manifests in a number of ways.”

“First, the herders within the park pay dues (zakah) to the militants to allow them to graze their cattle. Second, the farmers to whom the militant allocates farmland within the forest also pay farming levies to the militants. Third, the militants forced the residents to work on their farm as sadaka.”

“Fourth, members of the community are kidnapped and made to pay ransom. Fifth, illegal mounting of roadblocks along the community, and regulating the social activities, particularly the sale of alcohol and all forms of smoking, and even settling disputes among the community’s members.”

“Sixth, the militants threaten the existence of herbalists that they assume are fortifying the community vigilante members to confront them. Unconfirmed reports also have it that the Mahmuda Group or Mallam Group is into illegal mining in the park environment.”

Under the guise of religious messaging, the militants organize gatherings to preach Islamic ethics while subtly encouraging disloyalty to the Nigerian state.

Community members are required to report all disputes to the group rather than recognized authorities.

“The loss of trust in the security agent to address the insecurity challenges in the area makes the vigilante group work hand in hand with the Mahmuda Group to rescue kidnapped victims from the bandits.”

“The group was able to force out all the bandits from the park area, and their collaborators within the communities were kidnapped to their place, and ransom was collected, or those judged to be more involved in the act of banditry were slaughtered.”

The fear among many locals is that such a powerful group operating with heavy weaponry must have tacit support from certain higher powers, although no one can say for sure.

“The assumption among the locals is that the militant group present in the National Park is known to the authority above, but by whom? Guess time will tell.”

“To some, it’s simply because of the sophisticated weapons in their possession, which makes it practically difficult for them to be dislodged from the national asset.”

By Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D

Just like Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, this is not a tenure of ticking boxes, but one of rewriting the rulebook on local governance.

Six months may seem too short a time to judge a leader, yet for the people of Nkanu West LGA, it has been more than enough to witness a quiet revolution steadily unfolding. Like a sculptor chiseling away at marble, Hon. John Ogbodo and his team have approached governance not as a ceremonial routine, but as a sacred duty; to rebuild trust, restore dignity, and reimagine leadership from the ground up.

At a time when local government administration is often written off as ineffective or inconsequential, Hon. Ogbodo is making a compelling case that real transformation begins at the grassroots.
His leadership; disciplined, people-focused and vision are turning the tide for communities long stranded at the periphery of progress.

The story of Nkanu West under the current administration is not merely one of projects and policies, but a tale of possibilities awakened and dreams dusted up.
With uncommon clarity and conviction, Hon. Ogbodo is scripting a new narrative, one that places people at the heart of development.

Barely half a year into his tenure, his administration has begun to leave visible footprints, touching lives, reviving public institutions and breathing new life into forgotten corners of the LGA.
It is both heartening and inspiring to see Chairman Ogbodo not only embrace his mandate, but execute it with the precision of a surgeon and the passion of a patriot.

One of the most striking hallmarks of his administration is the ongoing construction of access roads leading to Smart Green Schools and Type-two hospitals across various wards in the local government.

This is more than just infrastructure, it is a bold statement of intent.
In alignment with Governor Peter Mbah’s visionary reforms in the education sector, Ogbodo is helping bridge the gap between aspiration and access. By connecting schools with quality roads, he is paving literal and metaphorical paths to knowledge and opportunity.

In the same spirit of civic hygiene and environmental consciousness, waste disposal bins now dot strategic points across the council area.

The clearing of debris along Umueze, Obe and Ozalla roads, soon to be adorned with flowers, heralds a renaissance of environmental pride and communal aesthetics. It is a gentle reminder that a clean environment is not just a luxury, but a lifestyle.

Perhaps one of the most commendable feats is the resurrection of the long-abandoned Eke Agbani abattoir. It is now undergoing a comprehensive transformation into a modern slaughterhouse, equipped with public toilets, solar-powered boreholes, and overhead tanks, the project strikes at the heart of public health and economic revitalization.

A similar initiative is simultaneously underway at the Four Corner (Ozalla) Park, aimed at curbing the age-old scourge of open defecation, a silent but deadly threat to community wellbeing.

In an age when many leaders sidestep the daunting task of environmental rehabilitation, Hon. Ogbodo has taken the bull by the horns. The clearing of blocked drainages along the Enugu-Agbani road, caused by years of indiscriminate building, marks a bold reclamation of order and a preemptive strike against perennial flooding.

Not to be left out is the ongoing construction of the Ngene-Ukwa bridge at Achikpa in Ndegu Akpugo as well as the grading/asphalting of the Mbogodo Agbani-Obinagu Uwani Akpugo roads, a project that promises to do more than connect communities, as it is set to open up trade routes, ease mobility, and cement the social and economic fabrics of the area.

Yet, the true measure of a leader lies not only in cement and steel, but in character, accessibility, and compassion. Hon. John Ogbodo’s open-door policy has earned him widespread respect across all social strata.
He listens, engages, and includes regardless of status, tribe, or creed.

In a terrain where local governance is often hijacked by political thuggery and patronage, he has instead placed a premium on competence and capacity.

His mantra “peace toward all, malice toward none” is more than just a slogan; it is a lived reality in Nkanu West. The peace and internal cohesion currently enjoyed across the LGA stand as testament to his unifying leadership.

No one is excluded; no voice is too low to be heard. In Hon. Ogbodo’s Nkanu West, everyone has a place at the table.

Indeed, while Rome wasn’t built in a day, it was built with vision, intention, and integrity.
In like manner, Hon. John Ogbodo is laying the cornerstones of a new Nkanu West, one paved with inclusion, shaped by foresight, and driven by an unrelenting spirit of service.

Six months may be brief in the timeline of administration, but for the people of Nkanu West, it already feels like the breaking of a new dawn, where promises no longer sleep on paper but walk boldly on the streets.

Hon. Johnpaul Anih, Ph.D