News
Tension in Kogi as thugs seize Lokoja INEC office to prevent election material inspection
Over 500 persons, most of them thugs, have taken over the main gate and premises of INEC office in Lokoja in order to prevent lawyers and forensic experts of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) from examining documents and materials emanating from the Kogi State November 11 Governorship Elections.
The SDP accused the state governor, Mr Yahaya Bello of deploying the thugs wearing SDP T-shirts and carrying posters allegedly procured by the APC, whose candidate, Usman Ododo was declared winner of the governorship election.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday by Faruk Adejoh-Audu, Spokesman, Muri-Sam Governorship Campaign Council of the SDP, the party said the thugs were reportedly detailed “to attack and sack the (INEC) office to ensure the materials needed for our party to prosecute its petition at the tribunal are compromised,” adding, “Right now, they have seized on the entire Marine Street housing the Lokoja INEC office and several other adjourning Streets, threatening the security of INEC and the entire sensitive materials there.”
The SDP campaign council spokesman further said: “They are chanting war slogans claiming they are “SDP members” who are against the movement of Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) Machines to Abuja for security reasons and the forensic examination of electoral documents.
“Bello’s desperate resort to this extreme plan of overrunning INEC through an insurrection of rented thugs was after our campaign raised alarm at the weekend to forestall his earlier plan to burn down the Lokoja INEC office housing the materials.
“Curiously, the INEC office shares proximity with the State Police Headquarters, where Bello’s notorious accomplice, one Bethrand Onuoha, is the Commissioner of Police. Onouha’s police did absolutely nothing as hundreds of thugs arrived in buses to take over INEC from the very early hours of this morning.
“We are shocked that other security agencies particularly the Directorate of State Security (DSS) also did nothing to secure the INEC office and the materials despite our official statements in the past few days raising alarm on the plot to attack INEC office by Mr Yahaya Bello who has never pretended about his preference for violence and extra- legal criminal tactics to gain advantage in his dealings.
“Mr. Yahaya Bello must not be allowed to crudely and brazenly rig the November 11th elections in favor of his puppet cousin and thereafter compromise the judicial process by renting thugs to attack INEC and compromise materials needed for evidence.
“We are told that most of the sensitive materials needed for inspection may have even been already compromised by INEC Staff who are his agents and accomplices and are now waiting for this orchestrated attack to claim the materials were lost to the mob.”
The party, however, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately order the quelling of “this rented insurrection to safeguard our fragile democracy,” warning that if “this extreme criminality” was not quelled then a very dangerous precedent would have been set.
“Our country must demonstrate that no desperate outlaw sitting in an office covered by statutory immunity will be allowed to undermine the very foundation of our constitutional democracy – even if he belongs to the ruling party,” the SDP said.
The Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said a government led by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, would reintroduce fuel subsidy, but through a different approach.
Kwankwaso, a former Kano State governor, said this during an interview with Arise News while discussing fuel pricing and the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He said the NDC would seek ways to reduce the cost of petrol for Nigerians, including increased investment in domestic refining.
“No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said when asked whether the party’s position on subsidy would affect its campaign in the North-West.
Explaining the proposed approach, he said government could establish more refineries to boost local production and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.
According to him, the expansion of domestic refining capacity would help ensure that Nigerians can purchase petrol at what he described as a reasonable price.
“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why government, under certain circumstances, will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement,” he said.
Kwankwaso said the NDC would prioritise measures aimed at lowering fuel prices.
“What is the minimum requirement? The minimum requirement is for the people across the country to go to the filling stations and buy fuel at a reasonable price,” he added.
“We, in the NDC, will do whatever it takes, really, to put the price of oil down.”
The NDC chieftain also criticised how Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office in 2023.
He noted that the major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had supported subsidy removal but faulted Tinubu for implementing the policy immediately.
According to him, the decision was taken without adequately addressing the consequences associated with subsidy removal.
“And not only he decided to remove the subsidy, what he did was to remove it immediately — in fact, day one — without looking at all those possible issues that were associated with that,” Kwankwaso said.
…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.
“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.
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.
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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