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Just In: CBN orders banks to pay new notes over the counter

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reversed itself and directed banks to commence paying customers new Naira notes Over The Counter (OTC).

The apex bank said the order was to reduce queues around Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) across the country.

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele gave the directive in Abuja on Thursday.

A statement from CBN’s Director Corporate Communication Osita Nwanisobi, explained banks can only pay N20,000 of the new notes over the counter per day to individuals.

The statement reads: “The Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has directed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to commence the payment of the redesigned Naira notes over the counter, subject to a maximum daily payout limit of N20,000”.

To ensure the effective distribution of the newly introduced naira banknotes, the CBN urged Nigerians “to exercise patience as the CBN is working assiduously to address the challenge of queues at ATMs”.

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Speaking to the long queues at ATM points, Nwanisiobi lamented the queues at ATMs across the country “and an upward trend in the cases of people stocking and aggregating the newly introduced banknotes”.

He said these people “serially obtain cash from ATMs for reasons best known to them. Also worrisome are the reported cases of unregistered persons and non-bank officials swapping banknotes for members of the public, purportedly on behalf of the CBN”.

The CBN spokesman appealed to Nigerians “to embrace and adopt other payment channels for their transactions.

“There are moves now by the CBN and security agencies to go after party goers who abuse the Naira. In the same statement, Nwanisiobi said “it is unlawful to sell the Naira, hurl (spray), or stamp on the currency under any circumstance whatsoever” describing those engaging in these practices as “unpatriotic persons”.

The CBN particularly frowned at those “who sell the newly redesigned banknotes and those who flagrantly abuse the legal tender by hurling wads of Naira notes in the air and stamping on the currency at social functions”.

To stop this practice, Nwanisiobi said “the CBN is collaborating with the Nigeria Police, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) to address the unpatriotic practice”.

He warned Nigerians, “particularly those at social functions such as birthdays, weddings and funerals, to desist from disrespecting the Naira or risk being arrested by law enforcement agencies”.

According to him, “the Naira is our legal tender and symbol of national pride. Therefore, let us respect it and handle it with care”.

For emphasis, Nwanisiobi drew party goers’ attention to “section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act 2007 (As amended) which stipulates that “spraying of, dancing or matching on the Naira or any note issued by the Bank during social occasions or otherwise howsoever shall constitute an abuse and defacing of the Naira or such note and shall be punishable under the law by fines or imprisonment or both.”

Also, Section 21(4) states that “It shall also be an offence punishable under Sub-section (1) of this section for any person to hawk, sell or otherwise trade in the Naira notes, coins or any other note issued by the Bank.”

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Security guard kidnaps employer’s two children, demands ransom

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The abducted children
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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.

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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.”

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Police arrest suspect behind AI-generated Tinubu voice note

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Ifechukwu Dennis, the suspect
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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.

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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.

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

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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.

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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.

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