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President Tinubu holds closed-door meeting with Speaker Abbas and House of Representatives members
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
President Bola Tinubu held a closed-door meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, and other members of the House at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The meeting occurred shortly after lawmakers joined the President for Jummah prayers at the State House mosque. Officials confirmed Speaker Abbas's arrival with other lawmakers, including the Chief Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Usman Kumo. The substance of the discussions was not disclosed by officials. This meeting follows a similar closed-door session held by the extended leadership of the Senate with President Tinubu on Wednesday. Sources indicated that senators had lobbied for automatic return tickets for the 2027 general elections, a request the President reportedly rebuffed, reaffirming the authority of state governors in candidate selection. President Tinubu also met with APC governors, ceding to them the power to conduct primaries in their states. This decision has reportedly caused anxiety among federal lawmakers, particularly those with strained relationships with their governors, despite the President's earlier suggestion to support the return of serving legislators.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadFifty elders from Magamin Diddi village in Zamfara State were abducted by bandits during a peace meeting. The elders, from the Magami/Faru Ward of Maradun Local Government Area, were reportedly taken captive on Sunday after being delegated to meet with the bandits in the forest for dialogue. A local resident, Musa Sani, stated that the community sought reconciliation to allow residents to return to their farms, but the bandits instead kidnapped the elders. The Chairman of Maradun Local Government Area, Bello Dosara, confirmed the incident on Monday, noting that the community did not inform authorities about the reconciliation effort. Dosara expressed concern, emphasizing that both local and state governments oppose reconciliation with bandits, citing Governor Dauda Lawal's stance. He also mentioned that bandits had recently blocked roads to the community market due to the killing of their members by security operatives. Dosara questioned the community's decision to meet with the bandits, who he suggested were seeking retaliation. He confirmed that 11 of the abducted elders have since been released, while 39 remain in captivity.
Neymar is "recovering well" from a calf injury, according to a statement from the Brazil team on Monday. An MRI scan showed he is "making good progress in his treatment." The Brazilian Football Confederation stated he will continue his recovery and fitness program as planned. Neymar, who sustained the injury late last month, is in a race to regain fitness for the World Cup, where Brazil will play Morocco in New Jersey on Saturday. The 34-year-old, now with Santos, has been a key player in Brazil's last three World Cup campaigns, though injuries have kept him from playing for his country since 2023. Coach Carlo Ancelotti previously indicated Neymar would be ready for either Brazil's first or second game and was "in no rush" for his return.
The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested seven suspected bandits as part of ongoing investigations into criminal activities in the Bagudo Local Government Area, including the recent killing of three Federal Road Safety Corps personnel. The arrests, made on June 5, resulted from intelligence-led operations targeting criminal networks in the Soda Forest axis and surrounding border communities. Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, stated that Mobile Police operatives intercepted three suspects, Muhammadu Bande, Aliyu Abubakar, and Muhammadu Aliyu, on a motorcycle from the Soda Forest area, allegedly on a mission to procure food supplies for criminal elements. In a separate operation, four other suspects, Haruna Abubakar, Abubakar Lawali, Anme Shehu, and Yahaya Shehu, were arrested along the Bakin Ruwa–Ka’oje axis. All suspects are in custody, and investigations are continuing to determine their full involvement in criminal activities, particularly the attack on FRSC personnel. The Commissioner of Police in Kebbi State, CP Umar M. Hadejia, described the arrests as a significant breakthrough in combating banditry and violent crime, commending the operatives and public for their support. He reaffirmed the command's commitment to intelligence-driven operations to restore peace and urged residents to remain vigilant.