An Anglican priest, Rev. Emmanuel Ezeokwe has been murdered by rampaging gunmen.

He was the Vicar of the Anglican Church, Zinai, Cathedral Archdeaconry in the Anglican Diocese of Yola.

The priest was reportedly killed in the early hours of Tuesday by bandits.

According to a statement posted on the social media platform of the church, his demise was announced by Ven. Andrew Izuakor, who is the Admin to the Bishop of Yola Diocese, the Most Rev Markus Ibrahim.

He said the gunmen invaded Zinai community, under Song Local Government Area of Adamawa State, and shot at the priest.

The clergyman died in the process.

The statement asked for prayers for the immediate family, Zinai Church, Cathedral Archdeaconry and the Diocese of Yola over the tragic moment.

… Commends Mbah’s Development Strides

• Says FG to Speed-up Work on PH-Enugu Rail Line

• As Mbah declares Enugu’s support for Tinubu’s re-election_

President Bola Tinubu has commended the governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Mbah, for his development strides in Enugu State, saying that with leaders like the governor, a new Nigeria of the people’s dream is possible.

This was even as Governor Mbah declared total support of the people of Enugu Stats for the president come 2027.

Tinubu spoke when he received an Mbah-led delegation of Enugu State leaders, who were on an appreciation visit to him at the Executive Council Chambers of the Aso Presidential Villa on Tuesday.

“The work you are doing is extremely important for our democracy to grow and for people to flourish. The future of this country rests on people like you with commitment, great vision, and seriousness that you have embarked upon since you assumed the office.

“I thank you very much on behalf of the country, the great people of this nation, and Enugu State in particular.

“You have been a transformative leader, and we genuinely appreciate what is evolving in Enugu today in a manner that we have witnessed a rapid development of the state.

“I can assure you that we will continue to work together, think together, and build together a nation that will be a proud place for all our citizens,” he said.

The President urged Governor Mbah to remain focused on the job and ignore distractors.

“Democracy will survive despite all the intimidations. I ignore, and I will advise you—as I will advise myself—stay focused. When you are succeeding and they are angry, leave them in their corner. Stay focused and believe in yourself, as you have been doing. Don’t pay attention to them, because I will not. We stay in our lanes. We stay focused.

“Nigeria of our dream is achievable, and we will definitely build that together. We will not let you down. We will continue to work hard. It is not easy, but we are navigating the rough waterways. We will land this ship very well to steady Nigeria and bring prosperity to our economy,” Tinubu stated.

The President also promised to expedite action on the Port Harcourt – Enugu rail line and other infrastructure to enhance economic growth in the South East region, harping on team work and sustainable funding to grow the nation’s economy.

“We have not embarked upon serious long-term outlook for our country before now. But with people like you—a leader that is so committed, so visionary—Nigeria is on the right trajectory to becoming a very successful, leading African nation.

“But it’s not a one-man orchestra. It’s a collective effort at the national, subnational, and the local government levels,” the President emphasized.

Earlier in his remark, Governor Mbah thanked the president for his inclusive leadership, which had greatly benefitted the people of Enugu State even long before they declared for the ruling party.

He stressed that the president broke a long-standing political distance between this region and the federal government, and crossed party lines when he visited Enugu State to commission projects on January 4, 2025, adding that the visit had since resulted in resolving challenges that had lingered for decades.

“The concessioning of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport means Enugu now has a functioning international gateway, and in doing so, it opens up the Southeast – over 30 million people – to the world.

“With the South East Development Commission, you have established a structure for coordinated regional development.

“The extension of the gas pipeline to Enugu will connect the state to the national gas grid and, critically, unlock our own gas reserves, making power generation viable, and shifting Enugu from sitting on stranded resources to becoming an energy hub for the South East.

“On these bases, we will stand proudly with you on election day in January 2027,” Mbah declared.

He equally appreciated the president for the extensive works on the Enugu–Port Harcourt Expressway and Enugu Onitsha Expressway, the swift reconstruction of the collapsed New Artisan Bridge, the 700-metre flyover at Eke Obinagu along the Enugu – Abakaliki Expressway, among other interventions by his administration.

He further thanked ths president for demonstrated trust in Enugu people through key national appointments such the position of the Chief of the Air Staff occupied by Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke.

The high-powered delegation included Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh; Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke; former President of the Senate, Senator Ken Nnamani; former Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla; former Governors of Enugu State, Barr. Sullivan Chime and Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and former Governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo.

Others on the delegation were serving and former members of the National Assembly, former ministers, traditional and religious leaders, and academics. Some of the leaders came with their spouses to an event described by the president as one of the remarkable moments in his administration.

The Federal government has filed a 13-count charge against seven persons linked to an alleged plot to forcefully overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, terrorize the citizens, and sack democratic governance.

Six of the alleged coup plotters were nabbed by the Department of State Services (DSS).

The seventh, former Governor Timpre Sylva of Bayelsa State, is on the run and is being tried in absentia.

In the suit filed on behalf of the Federal government by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had retired Major-General Mohammed Ibrahim Gana,
retired Navy Captain Victor Erasmus Ochegobia, a former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timpre Sylva, a serving police Inspector, Ahmed Ibrahim. The others are Zekeri Umoru, Bukar Kashim Goni, and Abdulkadir Sani.

The charges filed against them include treasonable felony, conspiracy to overthrow the government, conspiracy to commit terrorism and other offenses related to national security threats.

The charges are:
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -(RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large) and
others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, conspired with one another to levy war against the state
to overawe the President of the Federal Republic o f Nigeria and thereby
committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 37(2) of the code cap 38 LFN 2004.

COUNT 2
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR – (RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large) and
others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, knowing that COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN
MA’AJI (N/10668) and others intended to commit treason, did not give
the information thereof with all reasonable despatch to either the President
of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, or a Peace Officer and thereby committed
an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 40(b) of the Criminal
Code Cap C38 LFN 2004.

COUNT 3
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR – (RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA(still at large) and
others, sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this
Honorable Court, knowing that COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN
MA AJI (N/10668), and others intended to commit treason, did not use
any reasonable endeavours to prevent the commission of the offence and
thereby committed an offence contrary t o and punishable under Section
40(b) of the Criminal Code Cap C 38 (LFN) 2004.

COUNT 4
MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA -(RTD), CAPTAIN
(NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -(RTD), INSPECTOR AHMED
IBRAHIM(AP776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM GONEy
ABDULKADIR SANI, TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large) and others, sometime in the year 2025 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honorable court conspired with one another to commit an act of Terrorism Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26(1) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 5
That you, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM (AP 776373) AND ZEKERI
UMORU, sometime in the year 2025 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this
Honourable Court, in a bid to further a political ideology which may seriously
destabilize the constitutional structure of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
knowingly participated in meetings connected with an act of terrorism and
thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Sections
2(3)(d) and 12(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 6
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR -(RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP 776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large), sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly and indirectly, rendered support to COLONEL
MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJI (N/10668) and others, to commit an act of terrorism, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 13(1) (a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 7
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR – (RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP 776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large), sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court had information which you knew would be o f material assistance in preventing the commission o f the act o f terrorism by COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJI (N/10668), and others, failed to disclose the information to the relevant agency as soon as practicable, and
thereby committed a n offence contrary to and punishable under Section 16(1)(a) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 8
That you, MAJOR GENERAL MOHAMMED IBRAHIM GANA – (RTD),
CAPTAIN (NN) ERASMUS OCHEGOBIA VICTOR – (RTD), INSPECTOR
AHMED IBRAHIM(AP 776373), ZEKERI UMORU, BUKAR KASHIM
GONI, ABDULKADIR SANI, AND TIMPRE SYLVA (still at large), sometime in the year 2025, in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court had information which you knew would be of material assistance in
securing the apprehension of COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJI (N/10668), and others for a n offence o f terrorism, failed to disclose the information t o the relevant agency as soon as practicable, and
thereby committed a n offence contrary t o and punishable under Section 16(1)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

COUNT 9
That you, ABDULKADIR SANI, on o r about the 23rd day of September, 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the sum of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) only in
your Jaiz Bank Account Number 0005620270 from A & A Express Link
Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the
proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 1 8 (3) of the same Act.

COUNT 10
That you, BUKAR KASHIM GONI, in September, 2025, In Abuja, with in
the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N50,000,000.00 (Fifty Million Naira) only in your First Barık Account Number 3021511166 from A & A Express Link Concept, which sum you reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of
u n unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) o f the
same Act.

COUNT 1 1
That you, ZEKERI UMORU, in September, 2025, in Abuja, within the
Jurisdiction o f this Honorable Court, without going through a financial
institution accepted a cash payment o f the sum o f N10,000,000.00 (Ten Million Naira) only from Colonel Mohammed Alhassan Maa’aji and thereby committed an offence contrary t o Sections 2(1)(a) and 19(1)(d)
o f the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 19(2)(b) o f the same Act.

COUNT 12
That you, ZEKERI UMORU, in September, 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, indirectly retained the aggregate sum of N8,800,000.00 (Eight Million, Eight Hundred Thousand Naira)
only in your Zenith Bank PIc Account Number 2006041878, which sum you
reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: terrorism financing, and thereby committed a n offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) o f the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) o f the same Act.

COUNT 13
That you, INSPECTOR AHMED IBRAHIM, in September, 2025, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction o f this Honorable Court, directly took possession of the sum of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) only from COLONEL MOHAMMED ALHASSAN MA’AJI (N/10668), which sum you reasonably
ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to terrorism financing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.