Connect with us

News

South East loses N4trn over sit-at-home – Report

Published

on

Spread the love

The report was made available to the public by DevEast Foundation, a non-profit, issue-based policy and business advocacy organisation with emphasis on the development of Eastern Nigeria, by SBM Intelligence, a leading research firm.

The study which focused on two categories of businesses – transporters and traders/artisans – also found that trading ventures lost between N655 billion and N3.8 trillion over 24 months.

It said large-scale losses can be traced to specific factors including loss of between four and five working days per week; job losses due to cutbacks by business owners in response to the reduced working hours as well as other lost opportunities; loss of clients and customers who find alternatives because of the unstable business environment in the South East; increased cost of service delivery because of extra logistical costs, etc.

“The obvious negative impact of insecurity in the zone which was escalated by the enforcement of the sit-at-home protest has been the subject of much discussion and speculation for a long time, but this is the first investigation of the phenomenon.

“In addition to the activities of official and non-state actors of various stripes – “Unknown Gunmen”, Eastern Security Network (ESN) and Ebube Agu and military operations in the zone, agitations by IPOB as well as the #EndSARS protests of 2020 – have also worsened the security situation in the region and contributed to the losses.

“But perhaps the most dramatic finding is the revelation that transporters plying inter and intra highways and other roads in the five states of the South-East Nigeria lose between N10 billion and N13 billion EVERY day of the sit-at-home protest.

Maduka College Advert

“Although all the states are affected by violence and threats of violence, the study found that Ebonyi is the most impacted by violence.

“Another notable finding is that, despite the many complaints by businesses, nongovernmental organizations and individuals regarding the losses occasioned by the situation, there has been no government intervention or support of any kind to help those impacted.

“The study was conducted using qualitative and quantitative methods including surveys, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions.

“The research also found that the effect of the violence on all stakeholders has a compounding impact on businesspeople, traders, community leaders and similar groups. Another fallout is dwindling of public trust in political and community leaders due to their apparent helplessness,” the report signed by Ifeanyi Ikegwuani revealed.

The Sun

News

Security guard kidnaps employer’s two children, demands ransom

Published

on

The abducted children
Spread the love

A private security guard has escaped with two kids from his employer in Minna, with the police suspecting abduction.

The security guard, named Sani Abdulrahaman, a Fulani by tribe, on Sunday, reportedly took Umaru and Anas, both six years old, on Sallah picnic without the knowledge of their father, Alhaji Danjuma, a businessman, and failed to bring them back home.

The father of the children raised the alarm asking the public and security agencies to help him locate the fleeing security guard and his children.

Danjuma said someone called him on Sunday evening and said he was in Erena forest in Shiroro Local Government Area with the children.

According to him, the caller asked for undisclosed ransom before his children who were in their custody would be released.

When contacted, Niger State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, confirmed the incident, which he said occurred about one o’clock on Sunday, May 31.

Maduka College Advert

Abiodun explained that the security man pretended that he was taking the children for Sallah celebration in the town, but did not return.

He said the police suspected abduction but disclosed that “investigation has commenced and efforts to locate the children are ongoing.”

Continue Reading

News

Police arrest suspect behind AI-generated Tinubu voice note

Published

on

Ifechukwu Dennis, the suspect
Spread the love

The Nigerian Police Force has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis, the man identified as the originator of an AI-generated voice note that was widely circulated online as a leaked recording of President Bola Tinubu.

Presidential Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the arrest on Thursday in a post on his official X account.

“The IGP crack team has arrested Ifechukwu Dennis who originated the fake voice that he passed on to his gullible targets as President Tinubu’s voice,” he said.

The arrest closes a week-long controversy that began on May 27, 2026, when a video of social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, went viral.

In the clip, an AI-generated voice resembling Tinubu’s was heard making inflammatory statements — including that insecurity in the South-East was deliberate, that he had pressured Peter Obi to step down ahead of the 2023 election, and that he was indifferent to Nigerians’ suffering.

Investigations by multiple news organisations, however, established that VDM had not posted the doctored audio.

Maduka College Advert

An unidentified individual had extracted footage from VDM’s original Instagram video and superimposed the AI-generated voice notes before recirculating the manipulated version online.

Despite this, the Presidency had initially called for VDM’s prosecution.

Onanuga had described the incident as “a clear case of egregious abuse of the social media platform,” drawing criticism after fact-checkers confirmed VDM’s original video contained none of the fabricated audio.

Further details on the circumstances of Dennis’s arrest and the charges he may face were not immediately available at the time of filing this report.

Continue Reading

News

Five abducted Kwara worshippers killed, one escapes, others still held

Published

on

Spread the love

Terrorists have killed five out of the eight worshippers abducted at ECWA Church Omugo in Ifelodun local government area of Kwara state, says one escaped abductees.

Rev Sunday Omole had urged federal government to expedite action on the release of the abductees from the captivity of the terrorists.

The clergyman said government intervention had become necessary after the community paid the terrorists N20 million and provided additional items worth more than N300,000, yet the abductors refused to release the worshippers and instead demanded an additional N300 million ransom.

He added that from the action of the terrorists it was clear that they just wanted to be exploiting the community.

Recall that eight of the worshippers including the Pastor’s wife were kidnapped in the morning of March 22,2026 during a Sunday service.

The death of the five worshippers including the Pastor’s wife was disclosed in a statement issued by the Pastor of the church, Rev Sunday Omole, Wednesday evening.

Maduka College Advert

The statement reads:

“It is with deep pain in my heart that I inform the church, families and individual concerned in regard to the 8 people that were abducted from ECWA OMUGO on 22nd of March, 2026.

“We received one of our son’s, Mr Sunday Bakare also abducted over a month ago, he escaped and brought the following news that only 3 out of 8 of our people are remaining with the kidnappers. The remaining 5 have gone to be with the Lord.

“They are; Elder Chief David Omopariola,
Chief Joseph Ibitoye Afariogun,
Mrs Iyabo Aniyi,
Elder Joshua Akanbi Adeyemi and
Mrs. Rachel Oluwaremilekun Omole(his wife).

“Brethren, let’s know that God knows why He allows this to happen. The great comforter will comfort us in Jesus name, amen.

“The prayers of the saints in the beginning of the church also worked and answered still they had martyrs. John 16:33 says (NIV) “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace . In this world you will have trouble . But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Heaven is our home and Gain. Let’s reason as child of God as we navigate this moment. God bless you, and comfort you all in Jesus name, amen.”concluded the statement.

It was also gathered that the three remaining worshipers are in terrible health condition, while a member of church who escaped from the terrorists captivity is currently receiving an urgent medical attention in a private hospital in OmuAran.

Continue Reading

Trending

Maduka College Advert