Gunmen have abducted a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. John Inalegwu Otache, in Benue State, triggering a security operation to secure his safe release.

Fr. Otache, the Parish Priest of St. Margaret’s Parish, Ajegbe-Awume, in Ohimini Local Government Area, was reportedly kidnapped on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, while returning from Otukpo along the Otobi Amejo-Ajegbe Road.

The abduction is said to be the second reported kidnapping involving a priest serving at the parish.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Benue State Police Command, DSP Aondogu Orchia, said tactical teams had been deployed to track down the kidnappers and rescue the priest.

Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo Diocese, Most Rev. Michael Ekwoyi Apochi, has appealed to the public to intensify prayers for the safe and unharmed return of the abducted cleric.

The police have commenced efforts to locate the perpetrators and secure the priest’s release.

The Senate on Thursday called for an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of a corps member, Etimbuk Daniel, at an NYSC orientation camp in Enugu.

The resolution followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Sen. Aniekan Bassey (APC-Akwa Ibom North-East) during plenary.

Bassey said the Senate received with shock and profound grief the news of Daniel’s death while undergoing the mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme in Enugu.

Etimbuk Daniel

He described the deceased as an outstanding student leader and former Students’ Union Government (SUG) president of Akwa Ibom State University who had embarked on national service.

Bassey expressed concern over reports that Daniel died following complications from a minor headache after allegedly experiencing delays in receiving adequate medical attention at the camp’s clinic.

He said the incident raised concerns about healthcare services in NYSC orientation camps, particularly the availability of qualified medical personnel, functional facilities and effective emergency referral systems.

The senator said the reported lapses highlighted the need to review healthcare delivery in orientation camps to prevent similar tragedies and protect corps members.

He emphasised that the government had a constitutional responsibility to safeguard citizens’ welfare, adding that young graduates mobilised for national service deserved adequate medical care throughout their service.

Bassey said Daniel’s death had plunged his family, the Akwa Ibom State University community and the entire state into mourning.

Seconding the motion, Sen. Mohammed Monguno (APC-Borno North) supported the call for an investigation, emphasising the importance of establishing the circumstances surrounding Daniel’s death and ensuring accountability.

The Senate observed a minute of silence in honour of the deceased and prayed that God would grant his family the strength to bear the loss.

It also called for a thorough investigation to establish the facts surrounding Daniel’s death and determine whether negligence contributed to the incident.

The Senate directed its committees on Police, Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Youth Development, and Health to investigate the matter alongside the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the proceedings, thanked Bassey for bringing the matter before the Senate and urged the relevant committees to conduct a thorough investigation. (NAN)

Senator Abdul Ningi has recounted how his colleague, Bello Mandiya, reportedly died after slipping in his bathroom and hitting his head, with his body discovered about 72 hours later in his Abuja residence.‎

‎Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central Senatorial District, said neighbours discovered Mandiya’s lifeless body after a foul smell began emanating from his apartment and residents became concerned about his prolonged absence.
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‎Speaking during a Senate plenary session, Ningi said he was in Saudi Arabia when he received a telephone call from his son informing him of Mandiya’s death.
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‎He said his son was among those who discovered the former lawmaker’s body on Monday, September 7, 2026.
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‎Recounting the events leading to the discovery, Ningi said a colleague had last seen Mandiya at about 11am on Friday, September 4, before the former senator returned to his residence, where he lived alone.
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‎According to him, Mandiya was preparing to attend the Friday congregational prayer when he reportedly slipped and hit his head after bathing.
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‎“He brought out his cap, his phones, and put them on the bed, and went into the bathroom to take his bath,” Ningi said.
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‎“After taking his bath, when he was out of the bathroom, then he slipped and knocked his head in the bathroom.”
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‎Ningi said nobody realised what had happened until the stench from Mandiya’s apartment began spreading to neighbouring properties.
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‎“For 72 hours, Mr President, nobody knew where Bello Mandiya was,” he told the Senate.
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‎He said the chief imam of Apo also raised the alarm after noticing that Mandiya, who regularly joined other Muslims for the five daily prayers, had been absent for three consecutive days.
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‎The combination of the imam’s concern and the foul smell prompted residents to investigate the apartment.
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‎Ningi said those who went to the residence eventually broke open the door and found Mandiya’s body in the bathroom.
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‎“And there lies Bello Mandiya in the bathroom, lifeless. Seventy-two hours, and that’s a simple tragedy,” he said.
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‎Expressing sadness over the circumstances of his colleague’s death, Ningi said the incident highlighted the uncertainty of life, noting that nobody could predict when death would come.
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‎He also expressed condolences to Mandiya’s family, the people of Katsina State and the constituents he represented in the Senate.
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‎Before his election to the Senate, Mandiya served as chief of staff to former Katsina State Governor Aminu Bello Masari.
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‎He was elected in 2019 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress to represent Katsina South Senatorial District and served in the ninth National Assembly until 2023. He also chaired the Senate Committee on Water Resources.
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‎Mandiya’s death prompted tributes from political leaders and former colleagues, who remembered him for his contributions to public service in Katsina State and at the national level.
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‎Ningi, who said he had known Mandiya since 2002, described the loss as a reminder that political office, wealth and social status could not shield anyone from the fragility of life.
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‎“There is nothing permanent about anything. Nothing permanent about our position, nothing permanent about our wealth,” he said.
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‎He prayed for Allah to grant the deceased eternal rest and give his family the strength to bear the loss. (Daily Trust)