
News
Nine Christian worshipers kidnapped during vigil in Benue
No fewer than nine worshipers were abducted on Sunday by suspected bandits during a vigil at St. John’s Catholic Church in Ojije, Utonkon District of Ado Local Government Area, Benue State.
Local sources said on Monday that the attack occurred around 2 a.m., when the church was holding a vigil as part of a 30-day programme.
The National Publicity Secretary of the Ufia Development Association in the LGA, Comrade Jude Onwe, told our correspondent that, “Around 2 a.m., nine worshipers, including women and youths, were abducted from St. John’s Catholic Church while they were at the vigil.”
Confirming the incident, Chairman of Ado LGA, Sunday Oche, lamented that the church failed to involve security operatives despite prior advice.
“That is what we have been battling with. We received the sad news of the abduction, and I have mobilised all the security agencies. We are working seriously,” Oche said.
He urged residents to involve security personnel in night activities, adding that ignoring such warnings puts people at risk. “Our concern is that people refuse to adhere to advice to involve the police whenever a night activity, whether a marriage, burial, or festival, goes past 9 p.m.,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Benue State Police Command, Udeme Edet, in his reaction, said tactical teams had been deployed to the area to rescue the victims. “Security personnel are on the trail of the abductors, and efforts to rescue the worshippers are ongoing,” he added.

The latest abduction highlights the growing insecurity in the state, which has faced multiple violent attacks, including the June 2025 massacre in Yelwata that claimed about 200 lives and drew national and international condemnation.

News
Billionaire trader Habby Forex hospitalized in Canada, undergoes surgery
Award-winning Nigerian forex trader, Damilare Ogundare, has been hospitalized in Canada after a sudden medical emergency.
The trader, widely regarded as one of the highest-earning figures in Africa’s forex space, had reportedly left Nigeria just days earlier in good health before the unexpected incident occurred.
Sharing an update via his Instagram page on April 16, 2026, 25-year-old Habby Forex disclosed that he was feeling fine and active upon arriving in Canada when he suddenly developed complications that led to his admission into the emergency unit.
According to him, the situation escalated quickly, requiring urgent surgical intervention to save his life.
He revealed that he was taken into the surgical ward shortly after arriving at the hospital, where doctors carried out the necessary procedure.
Despite the scare, the forex trader expressed gratitude to God for his survival and also appreciated the Canadian healthcare team for their swift response and professionalism in handling the emergency.

HabbyForex informed his fans that he will be trading in Canada for a while now till he fully recovers.
He wrote; “I was fine and active as usual… suddenly in the ER needing emergency surgery to save my life ,Still unbelievable. I survived this , Thank you GOD & Thank you to the Canadian healthcare team 🇨🇦. Everything in life is a risk , trading from here for now stay active on telegram 📈🔐. Thanks to everyone checking up on me , ❤️❤️🙏.”
See the post below;
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Damilare Ogundare (@habbyforex_)
His post has since drawn reactions from fans and celebrities, many of whom have taken to social media to wish him a speedy recovery.
Reacting, Don Jazzy wrote, “Ahh get well soon bro.”
goldtradernoelreys commented, “Thank you God, get well soon Ogo ❤️💪 You’re healed 🙏🏽.”
smart_money_rich shared, “God is GOOD. Your recovery is swift 💜💜.”
pickpipsfx shared, “The Lord Almighty is the strength of your life, @habbyfx_academy … Quick recovery Boss 💪💪.”
ganajoshua_danlami uttered, “By his stripes you are healed Brody 🙏🏽❤️ Thank God for life 🙏🏽.”
blaqmayor_ shared, “Quickest recovery biggest na star you be dem Dey shine forever 🙏🏽🙏🏽 God is the greatest.”
thetdo reacted, “God of mercy. Get well soon Fx prof.”
In similar news, A debate has erupted online after award-winning Nigerian forex trader, Habby Forex boasted about having more expensive wristwatches in Nigeria.
Don Jazzy challenged the claim and urged the trader to rank Afrobeats superstars Burna Boy and Davido ahead of him in terms of expensive wrist watches.
Don Jazzy’s reaction has since sparked widespread reactions, with many netizens echoing his stance and questioning the trader’s comparison, particularly highlighting Burna Boy’s global success and financial strength.

News
JAMB: Gunmen abduct UTME candidates, others
Gunmen have abducted passengers, including candidates of the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination, along the Makurdi-Otukpo road in Benue State.
The victims were said to be travelling in a Benue Links bus from Makurdi to Otukpo when the vehicle was attacked on Wednesday night.
A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the incident, said the bus, which was conveying about 18 passengers, was intercepted near Otukpo around 8 pm by suspected bandits who took most of the occupants into the bush.
According to the source, the passengers were mainly young persons heading to Otukpo to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for Thursday.
“Two people, the driver and one passenger, managed to escape. Incidentally, the passengers were mainly young men and women who travelled to sit for the JAMB examination scheduled for today (Thursday),” he said.
However, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Ifeanyi Emenari, said 14 passengers were abducted, adding that one victim escaped.

Emenari, who spoke on Thursday, said he was in Otukpo coordinating the rescue operation.
“I am in Otukpo now with all my team and DPOs who are here in the bush and am heading the operation.
“What happened was that one Benue Links bus carrying passengers coming to Otukpo was stopped and attacked by hoodlums and 14 passengers were kidnapped but one was able to escape,” he said.
He added that the command had commenced an investigation into the incident, particularly the circumstances surrounding the journey.
According to him, the Benue Links management has a policy against night travel, but the driver allegedly picked up passengers after official hours.
“But as we are investigating, we are on the ground to make sure that the victims are rescued,” the CP said.
The Chairman of Otukpo Local Government Area, Maxwell Ogiri, also confirmed the incident, saying security operatives had been deployed to the area.
Ogiri said, “It is true, I’m just coming out from a security meeting, and security operatives have been moved into the forest to help rescue the kidnapped victims.
“The victims are mainly young boys and girls coming to Otukpo to write JAMB.”
Passengers travelling along the Makurdi-Otukpo road have faced repeated attacks by gunmen in recent months.

News
Gov Mbah, French Ambassador Flag off 14.5km High-Capacity Water Pipeline
…Reinforce partnerships in aviation, education, agriculture, others
… You are a transformer and an entrepreneur – Ambassador hails Mbah
The Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, and the Ambassador of France to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, on Wednesday, flagged off the construction of 14.5 kilometres of high-capacity transmission pipelines from Nsude to the Terminal Reservoir at Miliken Hill to significantly strengthen water supply to Enugu city.
This was even as the two leaders reinforced the commitment of the governments of France and Enugu State to stronger partnerships in the areas of education, aviation, agriculture, agro-industrialisation, and culture, among others.
The water project is in line with Governor Mbah’s determined efforts to get water to the last mile across the state capital.
Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Governor Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the project, supported by the French Development Agency (AFD) under the Third National Urban Water Sector Reform Programme, represented a bold step in his administration’s determination to deliver on his administration’s promise to provide reliable and sustainable water supply to the people of the state.
“For too long, access to clean water has been a challenge. But we are currently changing that story permanently.
“The construction of this critical transmission pipeline will significantly strengthen our water distribution backbone, ensuring that potable water reaches homes, businesses, and institutions across Enugu metropolis efficiently and consistently.

“But beyond the infrastructure, this project is about people. It is about improving public health by reducing waterborne diseases. It is about supporting businesses and driving economic growth. It is about restoring dignity by ensuring that every resident of Enugu has access to safe and reliable water,” he stated.
Also, while personally receiving the Ambassador in his office earlier, Governor Mbah said that while his administration had significantly addressed the upstream challenges by successfully increasing water generation from 2 million litres daily to 120 million litres in 180 days, it was still aggressively dealing with the downstream by laying ductile iron pipes in place of old, asbestos pipes, which had gravely failed to withstand increased water pressure.
He also said his administration had compassionately braved the cost of laying new pipes instead of pulling down so many buildings constructed on major water pipelines.
“However, we are never interested in inundating the people with excuses. We are rather determined to get water to the last mile.
“If you tell them you are generating 80m litres or 120m litres, but they turn their taps and nothing flows, it will not work. When they turn their tap and get water, that is the only time you will make sense to them.
“So, for the upstream, we will continue to generate the water. But we need private sector participation in the downstream. We are happy to work with any of the companies you can recommend to us. This is an area we truly want action,” Mbah said.
On his part, the French Ambassador said the Government of France, through the French Development Agency, had supported the urban water sector across Nigeria to the tune of $340 million over the past decade.
“So, this particular project reflects the strength of Franco-Nigerian cooperation. It brings together expertise from both countries, with Nigerian and French companies working hand in hand— from design to implementation. This partnership ensures not only high-quality infrastructure, but also knowledge transfer and local capacity building,” Mr. Fonbaustier stated.
He lauded Mbah’s sterling leadership qualities, expressing the readiness of the French Government to partner with Enugu State in many areas the Mbah Administration had blazed the trail.
“I commend you for who you are and what you have achieved to date. I am impressed by your profile, but also your result-oriented action.
“You are a man obsessed with time, timelines, roadmaps, and measures of impact. You want to transform Enugu State. You are a transformer and an entrepreneur. And this has been detected in various areas: railways, roads, airlines. I mean, how did you do that?
“To shape and build up an airline, which is already certified, with a concession for the Enugu airport in a short spell of time, is completely amazing and out of the usual standards in Nigeria.
“Let us be honest, you are obsessed with supplying basic services to your people,” he stated.
Meanwhile, in their remarks, the Commissioner for Water Resources, Enugu State, Engr. Ben Collins Ndu Jr.; Managing Director, Enugu Water Corporation, Dr. Michael Nwachukwu; and the Chairman of Udi Local Government Area, Hon. Hyginus Agu, thanked the French Government for its goodwill and support towards the development efforts in Enugu State.
On his part, the Managing Director of the construction firm, TLD Global Services Ltd., Engr. Hilary Abaratu, assured of excellence, timely delivery, and adherence to the highest standards.

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