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Gunmen shoot Ebonyi worshippers at crusade ground

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Businessman shot dead, body set ablaze in Ebonyi
 • A worshipper injured due to the sporadic shooting
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An attempt by Mgbalukwu people in Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State to seek the face of God over alleged misfortunes and stagnation that had befallen them has turned tragic.

No fewer than five people are now in hospital following bullet wounds inflicted on them by yet-to-be identified gunmen during a crusade organised by a man of God popularly known as Prophet Okunerere in the area.

Spokesperson of Ebonyi State Police Command, Onome Onovewakpoyeya did not pick calls placed to his phone to confirm the incident. Also, the State Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Scamb Nwokolo declined to speak on the issue, saying that he had not received complaint over the dastard incident.

However, the Ebonyi State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) was reportedly investigating the matter.

Saturday Sun gathered that Paul Nwite, Mgbage Friday, Ominyi Mathias, Angelina Onwoshi and Onuvu Ukamaka sustained injuries when suspected assailants stormed the Onwonwiya market square in Mgbalukwu Community on September 10, 2023 and sprayed bullets on the congregants.

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Christian faithful at the religious programme said they were not apprehensive of any problem before they were attacked. Three of the victims were taken to Sudan Mission Hospital at Iboko, the Council headquarters, for medical treatment while two others with severe cases were referred to the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki (AE-FETHA).

It was alleged that a cleric from Mgbalukwu community (names withheld) masterminded the attack following his grouse that a man of God from another village, Ndieoke Inyimagu in the same council area, was brought for the crusade instead of an indigenous minister.

Village Chairman, Monday Nkwegu informed the reporter that the decision to engage Prophet Okunerere for the crusade was taken by the stakeholders of the community.

He also disclosed that the people of the community made financial contributions towards the success of the programme. Nkwegu, however, expressed shock that on the second day of the crusade, five gunmen invaded the place with a tricycle, attacked the worshipers and disrupted the event.

“Everywhere was peaceful before the programme and in the cause of planning, no one objected to the idea of holding the crusade but while everyone was busy praying, the men started shooting at us without any known reason. It was after some people had run away for their lives that we discovered that five of our brothers and sisters had been wounded,” he said.

Leader of the village vigilante group, Augustine Ede disclosed that it was the suspicious movement of the attackers with their tricycle that aroused his men’s curiosity. The eagle-eyed security squad immediately stopped them at the venue of the event without knowing that the people were on an evil mission.

One of the victims, Nwite told the reporter at the hospital that the gunmen accelerated dangerously in such a way that they almost injured some of the worshipers. This jolted the vigilante men who approached them for identification, but surprisingly, the invaders immediately opened fire on the innocent worshippers.

Another member of the vigilante group, Mgbage Friday, who also sustained bullet injuries, in his account said that his team was trying to find out from the people at the barricade in the market place, venue of the crusade, but in the process, a heated argument ensured between the two groups. Friday recounted: “As vigilante members, we stopped the people to know where they were going at that period of the night between 8:30 and 9:00pm but instead of them to identify themselves, they rather opened fire on us and along the line, shot at my two thighs.”

Another resident who did not want to be mentioned fingered a pastor from the area who according to him, was not happy over the choice of the villagers in bringing the prophet from another area.

“The attack was a by-product of envy from one of us who is also a pastor. The so-called man of God purposely wants to stop the crusade and in the long run, he had achieved his nefarious act after causing serious havocs to his own people,” he lamented.  Saturday Sun gathered that Nwite and two other affected persons had been discharged by the Sudan Mission Hospital, Iboko after treatment but were held back following their inability to clear the medical bill of N213, 190. The management of the hospital insisted that the trio must settle the hospital bill. (Saturday Sun)

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Enugu Air Launches New Website

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…moves online services to www.enuguairlines.ng

Enugu Air has announced the launch of its new official website, enuguairlines.ng, as part of efforts to provide passengers and customers with a better, safer and more convenient digital experience.

The airline said the migration to the new website is designed to improve how passengers connect with Enugu Air and access its services online, including flight bookings, schedules and the latest updates.

Announcing the development, the airline said: “We’ve moved! We’re innovating! We’ve migrated to a better, safer and convenient website to connect you to the world.”

Passengers can now access Enugu Air’s online services through its new web address, enuguairlines.ng, which the airline described as its new digital home.

The airline urged passengers and prospective travellers to save the new web address and use it for flight bookings, checking schedules and obtaining the latest information about its operations.

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“Same Enugu Air. New web address,” the airline stated, emphasising that the change represents an improvement in its digital platform while retaining the Enugu Air brand and services.

The airline further encouraged customers to visit, www.enuguairlines.ng for all flight-related information and online services.

It further stated that the old website, enuguairlines•com has been discarded and no longer in use.

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Kidnapped female Police officer found dead in Ebonyi

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A kidnapped female police officer has been found dead in Ebonyi State after a suspected member of a kidnapping syndicate was arrested and led police operatives to the scene where her remains were recovered.

The Nigeria Police Force disclosed this in its state-by-state operational update issued by Force Public Relations Officer
Force Headquarters, Ani Iniedu on Monday, detailing several arrests, rescues and recoveries recorded across the country between September 19 and 20, 2026.

According to the police, the suspect was arrested following a sustained intelligence-led and technology-based investigation into the kidnapping of the female officer.

The suspect reportedly led combined police teams to the crime scene, where the remains of the officer were recovered.

The police said the case is being investigated by the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.

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In a separate operation in Adamawa State, police operatives rescued two kidnapped victims from a suspected kidnappers’ hideout in Shako Forest, Toungo Local Government Area.

The operation, carried out on September 20 following actionable intelligence, also led to the recovery of two magazines containing 10 rounds of 7.62×39mm live ammunition.

A National Identification Number (NIN) card, mobile phone, passport and chain were also recovered from the suspected hideout.

In the Federal Capital Territory, police arrested 334 suspects during coordinated raids on criminal hotspots, black spots and uncompleted buildings across several locations.

The operation, conducted on September 19, also resulted in the recovery of various quantities of substances suspected to be illicit drugs.

Meanwhile, police in Anambra State arrested a suspected child trafficker who was allegedly intercepted while travelling with a six-month-old baby boy.

The baby was recovered and handed over to the appropriate authorities for necessary action, according to the police.

In Kaduna State, four suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate were arrested following intelligence-led operations.

Police said the suspects confessed to their alleged involvement in kidnapping and provided information about fleeing accomplices. A locally made Dane gun was recovered.

Another suspected kidnapping syndicate member was arrested at Soba Market in the state. Police said the suspect also confessed and gave information implicating five fleeing accomplices.

In Ogun State, police arrested a suspect linked to a fatal shooting incident in Isara, Remo North Local Government Area.

One single-barrel gun, one live cartridge and one expended shell were recovered during the operation.

In Imo State, a suspect was arrested during a raid on a suspected criminal gathering at Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, with police recovering a locally made cut-to-size single-barrel gun.

Police in Ekiti State also arrested two suspects linked to multiple shop-breaking and stealing incidents in Ado-Ekiti and recovered suspected stolen iron rods.

In another operation in Ado-Ekiti, police recovered an abandoned white sack containing a pump-action gun loaded with two live cartridges and a locally made single-barrel gun from a farmland.

In Benue State, police tactical teams, supported by personnel of the Police Mobile Force and military, intervened in a renewed communal conflict at Akpa-Mbakor Community in Tarka Local Government Area.

The security teams dispersed the rampaging youths and restored normalcy in the area, according to the police.

In Oyo State, police arrested a truck driver allegedly involved in a fatal road traffic incident along the Ijebu-Ode/Idi Ayunre Road.

The truck was impounded for further inspection and investigation.

The police said all the cases remain under investigation by the respective State Criminal Investigation Departments.

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UK excludes Nigerian, Ghanaian-trained teachers from teaching qualification list

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Teachers trained in Nigeria and Ghana are no longer eligible to apply for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in England under the United Kingdom’s overseas-trained teacher application route.

The change took effect on September 9 and means teachers trained in the two West African countries can no longer use the route to obtain QTS, a status recognised by many schools in England.

The UK Department for Education said countries included in the scheme must meet specific requirements to ensure that applicants’ qualifications, professional standing and teaching experience can be properly verified. One of the requirements is that a country must have a national regulator capable of confirming a teacher’s professional status and providing authenticated references.

According to the department, Nigeria and Ghana did not meet the reference-verification requirement.

“Our data shows that more than 70% of applications from teachers in Ghana and Nigeria include work history references that use public email addresses, such as Gmail or Hotmail, rather than a school’s official email domain. This means assessors spend additional time and resources trying to verify information provided in applications,” the department said.

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The UK department said about 90 percent of applications are assessed within 12 months.

India was also removed from the eligible list because it does not have a national regulator capable of confirming teachers’ professional standing.

South Africa is now the only African country remaining on the list of countries whose teachers can use the QTS application route.

The department said the verification process was necessary to ensure that information provided by applicants was genuine and that teachers awarded QTS possessed the required skills and experience to teach in England.

To apply for QTS, overseas-trained teachers must have a valid passport, an undergraduate degree equivalent to a UK bachelor’s degree and professional recognition as a teacher in the country where they trained.

Applicants must also have completed any mandatory induction requirements needed for full teacher registration in their country of qualification.

They are required to demonstrate that they are qualified to teach children aged between five and 16 and have at least nine months of teaching experience gained after qualifying as a teacher.

Applicants must also provide employment references that verify their work history and use an email address linked to the school’s official domain.

Depending on the country where a teacher trained, additional requirements may include qualifications to teach pupils aged between 11 and 16 and a specialism in subjects such as mathematics, science, biology, chemistry, physics, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Mandarin, Russian or Spanish.

However, because teachers in England are employed by individual schools rather than the Department for Education, schools may consider alternative routes into teaching.

The department said teachers who are no longer eligible to use the QTS application service can explore other routes into teaching in England.

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