🇳🇬NigeriaWest Africa
Presidency highlights military successes, cites Benue kidnap rescue as proof of progress in anti-terrorism war
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, has asserted that Nigeria's armed forces are making significant, though often unacknowledged, progress in the country's asymmetric wars. Onanuga cited the recent rescue of 13 kidnapped passengers in Benue State as evidence, arguing against what he described as selective reporting that focuses on isolated incidents of insecurity while overlooking military achievements. The rescued passengers, including students traveling for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, were abducted from a Benue Links bus and later rescued by troops of Sub-Sector 1B of Operation Whirl Stroke. Onanuga also clarified that security sources attributed the Benue attack to local criminal elements, not Fulani bandits, expressing concern about inaccurate threat attribution fueling ethnic tension. Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia met with the victims and appealed for the rescheduling of examinations for the traumatized students. Beyond Benue, Onanuga detailed military operations across at least seven states within a single week, including arrests of militiamen in Plateau, neutralization of Boko Haram/ISWAP fighters in Borno, apprehension of ISWAP logistics suppliers in Yobe, repulsion of terrorist attacks in Sokoto, destruction of a suspected terrorist camp in Kogi, defusal of IEDs in Imo, and the foiling of a kidnap attempt in Edo. While acknowledging ongoing challenges, Onanuga emphasized
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe Kaduna State High Court has postponed the bail hearing for former Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the first week of June 2026. Justice Darius Khobo moved the date in a case where the former governor faces multiple charges related to alleged financial crime and abuse of office, filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. Ukpon Akpan, counsel to the former governor, criticized the repeated adjournment, calling it "politically motivated." El-Rufai was present in court, arriving with ICPC and Department of State Services operatives, while security was tight around the premises. Supporters of the former governor also gathered outside. This adjournment follows El-Rufai's earlier claims of a "fresh plot" to implicate him and prevent his release on bail, warning of "malicious orchestrations" to ensure his continued detention. He also referenced an alleged plan to arrest him at Abuja Airport in February 2026 as "the beginning of a troubling pattern." The court had previously set April 21 for a ruling on the bail application before this latest adjournment.
The Edo State Police Command has initiated a coordinated rescue operation following an attack on a commercial bus along the Lagos–Benin Express Road in the Iguobazuwa area. The incident, which occurred on April 18, 2026, at approximately 6:00 p.m., involved suspected kidnappers opening fire on a GUO Transport Company bus, killing the driver. Of the five passengers on board, one female sustained gunshot injuries and is receiving treatment, while three others were forcibly taken into a nearby forest. Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, has ordered an immediate escalation of rescue efforts, deploying the Anti-Kidnapping Unit and tactical teams to work with local hunters and vigilantes in intensive bush combing operations. The Command has reassured the public of its commitment to safely rescuing the victims and bringing the perpetrators to justice, urging public support with credible information.
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has clarified its decision not to publicly name the forensic cybersecurity expert who investigated partisan social media posts allegedly linked to its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan. According to Lawrence Bayode, INEC's Director of Information and Communication Technology, the decision is deliberate because the case has been formally handed over to the National Cybercrime Center NCCC under the Nigerian Police Force. This measure aims to prevent interference with the ongoing investigation. Bayode stated that INEC had already subjected its initial findings to "multiple layers of technical verification" before escalating the matter. The NCCC is responsible for prosecuting cybercrime-related cases and will conduct an independent review. INEC emphasized that its involvement does not end with the initial findings, as the case has been transferred for further scrutiny. This development follows online controversy sparked by screenshots claiming the INEC chairman operated an X account and made a partisan post. Additional screenshots circulated, purporting to show emails, phone numbers, BVN records, and data breach links connecting Professor Amupitan to the account. A statement signed by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, indicated that a detailed forensic investigation had exonerated Professor Amupitan, concluding that the claims were "fabricated, technically impossible and part of a coordinated disinform
A disturbing video circulating online shows a woman being assaulted by a masquerade during a cultural festival in Delta State, Nigeria. The incident, believed to have occurred during the Urheovware, an Urhobo Cultural Festival in Edjeba, Warri South, depicts a masquerade repeatedly striking a barefoot, distressed woman with a cane-like object as she attempts to crawl away. Onlookers are seen watching the assault. The video has sparked widespread outrage on social media, with many Nigerians calling for an investigation and stricter regulation of traditional festival practices. Users expressed anger, shock, and criticism, questioning the cultural implications and calling for government intervention. Commentators referenced previous incidents in Delta State, including the Alue-Do fertility festival in Ozoro, where women were reportedly chased, stripped, groped, and sexually assaulted. Authorities had arrested suspects in connection with the Alue-Do festival incidents, which drew condemnation from the Delta State Government, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, and various groups.