Popular Nigerian gospel singer, Bolaji Olarewaju, known as Big Bolaji is dead. Big Bolaji passed on following after a brief illness. This came not long after he celebrated his 50th birthday. His death was confirmed by his family on Saturday. “It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Bolaji Olarewaju, affectionately known as “Big B,” a cherished father, husband, brother, and an esteemed figure in both the church community, an ordained Pastor in the RCCG and a giant in the music industry and our community. "Bolaji left us on Easter Saturday, 19th April 2025, after a brief illness," the family said, adding that details of his obsequies will be shared in due course.

Air Peace, on Saturday announced that it has suspended all flights scheduled to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Enugu State. It blamed the decision on the deteriorating airport infrastructure which it said has continued to raise safety concerns. Before now, there have been rumour that the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, was planning a shutdown of the airport for a repair of the runway. Speaking, Air Peace complained about the airport runway, stating that it had been causing a major disruption to its flights. Necessitating the decision to suspend further flights into the airport until further notice. “At Air Peace, we prioritise safety first over convenience. We believe that if flights are not operated into this aerodrome for the next few days, it will allow the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria the opportunity to perform the necessary repairs on the runway. “Please be informed that all flights scheduled into and out of Enugu will now be operated into and out of Asaba. “We regret any inconvenience this change may have caused,” the airline stated. Meanwhile, there are indications that other airlines would follow suit in the coming days.

Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia has confirmed the loss of 20 lives in a renewed attack by herdsmen in the state. Alia made the confirmation in a post on his Facebook Page on Friday night. The governor, who expressed sadness over the latest killings, assured the people of the state that efforts were on to end the brutal killing of residents of the state. He said, “It is with a heavy heart that I address the people of Benue State regarding the recent coordinated attacks by suspected herdsmen on our beloved communities in Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas. “As of this moment, we have confirmed the tragic loss of twenty (20) precious lives in the Sankera axis. “Five corpses were initially recovered in Gbagir and taken to the mortuary. Two more were later found by residents searching for their loved ones. “One family, devastated by their loss, insisted on an immediate burial of their relative in Gbagir, and our security forces stood by them, ensuring their safety as they laid their relative to rest. “Simultaneously, in Logo, the police recovered twelve more bodies, bringing the total number of lives lost to twenty. These are not just numbers; these are fathers, mothers, children, brothers, and sisters whose lives were cut short by senseless violence.” “I have spoken directly with our security operatives and I want to assure you, we are not backing down. We remain committed to protecting every Benue life and will continue to work relentlessly to restore peace and order to our communities. “To our people, I appeal once again: speak up. Share information with our security agencies. Help us fish out the perpetrators of these evil acts. Our strength lies in our unity. “Benue will not bow to fear. We will rise, rebuild, and remain unshaken,” he assured. It could be recalled that suspected herdsmen have repeatedly launched a series of attacks on Benue communities for weeks now. Despite efforts of government and security agencies, the attacks have continued, forcing some natives to desert their ancestral homes and farm lands.

The Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, during the 2023 presidential election, Mr Peter Obi has vowed to pursue justice for Quadri Yusuf Alabi who was detained for several months at the Kirikiri prison. NATIONAL POST recalls that Alabi was released by the court on Thursday, as confirmed by his legal representation, Barr Inibehe Effiong. Obi, thereafter, met with the teenager on Friday, during which he assured that those behind his ordeal would be held accountable. He wrote on his social media page: “Today, I had the opportunity to meet with Quadri Yusuf Alabi, the young boy whose story moved us all. After enduring unjust and illegal incarceration, he is finally free, and I am very grateful to the lawyers led by @inibeheeffiong, who fought for his release and also @DeleFarotim and Ms Hassana Nurudeen,, whose constant intervention was instrumental in securing justice for the young lad. “I listened to Quadri today, and one thing stood out clearly: his unwavering desire for education. Despite all he has been through, his only dream is to return to school and complete his education and I will make sure he gets it. “His determination is not just inspiring; it is a call to action, and I am committed to ensuring that he gets the education he desires and deserves. “In addition, we must not stop at his release. Those responsible for his illegal incarceration must be held accountable. As we strive to build a Nigeria where fairness and integrity prevail, we cannot afford to allow such acts of criminality to go unpunished. “I once again thank the lawyers and everyone who stood and remained unrelenting for justice. “Together, we will build a Nigeria where education, freedom, rule of law, equity and justice, care and protection of the less privileged in our midst will stand as the foundation of our democracy. A new Nigeria is Possible. - PO.”

Former Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has advised President Bola Tinubu not to seek re-election. He was of the opinion that Tinubu and his ruling All Progressives Party would lose in 2027. Baba-Ahmed said if Tinubu is truly a smart politician, he should not seek re-election. He made the remarks when he appeared on Arise Television’s political program, ‘Prime Time,’ on Friday. The LP chieftain said, “I expect Tinubu to throw in the towel if he is that smart politician that he turns out to be.” While describing Tinubu as a smart politician, he added, “He skipped 2007 and jokingly made Atiku (presidential) candidate, made Ribadu and somebody 2011, made Buhari in 2015, Buhari won, and then skipped 2019 and they stole 2023. “If he is that smart, everything is there for him that he’s going to lose 2027.” He said further: “it has been proven that APC is a lie. “Buhari did not develop Nigeria, Buhari did not provide security, Buhari did not fight corruption. Neither will Tinubu ever do this. “I see APC losing this election. I see Nigerians somehow uniting, listening to what someone like me is saying that if you cannot practice this, democracy is not for you, and then Nigerians will decide to come out and practice democracy for the first time, and then bad leadership will begin to have no hiding place in Nigeria.”

The Chairman, Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Hon. Uche Anya, has denied an online report claiming that he was grilled and detained for a day over an alleged N417 million fraud at the agency linked to him. Anya explained that his agency is a task-based agency, not a contract-awarding institution. He noted that although he was aware of a “frivolous petition,” which he understood was authored against him to the ICPC by “one town planner, Alex Ogbodo” for his refusal to appoint him the Head of Development Control, he only paid a friendly courtesy call on the new Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner in the State and used the opportunity to explain the background to the ECTDA letter investigating the approval status of over 500 properties, which also includes the anti graft agency’s office at Plot JQ/4 Bisala Road, Independence Layout, Enugu. “I paid a courtesy call on the new Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner, and in the course of the visit, the animosity over their property came up. I went with a friend, Hon. Augustine Nnamani, around 11am and left after about two hours of friendly conversations. "I went to reassure the ICPC that we wanted to be sure that every property is in line with our masterplan and that the letter demanding for the necessary documents regarding the approval status of their office was a generic one that was sent to over 500 other properties. “On the frivolous petition by one disgruntled town planner, Alex Ogbodo, there was absolutely nothing to it. It is not only false, but wicked, malicious, and unfounded. "To start with, our agency is a task-based agency. We do not award contracts. My job entails enforcing the masterplan of Enugu, not to award any contracts,” he stated. He also said that he used the opportunity of his visit to reassure the new Resident Anti-Corruption Commissioner of the commitment of the state administration to transparency and traceability and total war against corruption. “I further advised that they can always have any government functionary or documents necessary for their statutory function by simply routing such invitations and requests through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, who is in a position to authorise such on behalf of the governor. “So, I do not know where all the fake reports about my alleged detention over a so-called embezzlement are coming from,” he added. He said that the said Ogbodo’s fretting over his appointment of Arc. Emike Ikechukwu as Head of the Project and Physical Development Control Unit at ECTDA would not change anything as he would still not appoint him in the latter’s stead even in his dream. “He is disgruntled because he was not made Head of Development Control, hence the story in the report that I appointed Ikechukwu instead. Just to put the record straight, Arc. Ikechukwu holds a Master’s Degree and was seconded from the Ministry of Works to ECTDA under Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede over 10 years ago. “Ogbodo, on the other hand, has so many disciplinary issues. In fact, my predecessor, Josef Onoh, sent him back to the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development in the last administration, but he was rejected by the then Commissioner, Barr. Chidi Aroh. “That was why he kept filing petitions against Onoh even as a civil servant, and I am not surprised by his antics. It is true to type. But it won’t change anything. The bottom line is that there was no fraud whatsoever and, of course, nothing like detention. It only exists in his mind and the imagination of his co-conspirators,” Anya concluded.

Three suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, (IPOB), have been arrested by men of the Imo State Police Command. They were arrested during a raid on an alleged terror hideout located on Cameron Street, Ubahu, in the Okigwe Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were paraded, alongside items recovered from them at the command’s headquarters in Owerri on Friday. Spokesperson of the Imo State Police Command, Henry Okoye, announced that the raid, which took place in the early hours of Thursday, April 17, 2025, was carried out by the command’s tactical teams in collaboration with local vigilante groups, acting on credible intelligence. The operation led to a gun battle, during which two suspects reportedly fled into the surrounding bushes, while three others were captured. The arrested suspects were identified as: Onyekaba Ikenna Innocent (21), Ugwu Ikenna (31) and Ofor Kasarachi (37) The announcement of this operation and the subsequent arrests was made by the Imo State Police Command, underscoring their commitment to tackling suspected criminal elements within the state. According to Okoye, the successful raid marks a notable step in the ongoing efforts to maintain law and order and address security concerns in the Okigwe Local Government Area and the wider Imo State. Further details regarding the investigation and any recovered items are expected to be disclosed by the police command. Items recovered include: One AK-47 rifle, Two pump-action shotguns, Eighteen live cartridges, Multiple mobile devices and laptops, N10.3 million in cash. “The recovered cash, based on preliminary investigations, is believed to have been contributed by IPOB members to finance acts of terrorism,” Okoye said. He stated that the command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police CP Aboki Danjuma, remained committed to sustaining the ongoing crackdown on criminal elements threatening public safety in Imo State.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, came under attack in Abuja on Thursday night. The attack has left three officers hospitalized for gunshot injuries they sustained. It was gathered that they came under attack from some armed men during a raid operation in Jahi area of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The incident was confirmed by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media & Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters. Babafemi disclosed that the incident occurred when a team of NDLEA operatives acting on intelligence and surveillance report raided an uncompleted building at NNPC area of Jahi where 74 bottles of codeine, 10 litres of codeine syrup, 48grams of tramadol 225mg and 4.9kilograms of skunk, a strain of cannabis, as well as five android phones were recovered. "As the NDLEA team made their way out of the location, they came under gun attack. "Three of the NDLEA personnel involved in the raid sustained gunshot injuries: one in the rib and two others on their back and leg. "The wounded officers were initially stabilized at the Police Clinic in Garki Area 1 before they were transferred to the National Hospital Abuja for further medical attention," he said. Reacting to the development, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), expressed appreciation to the staff of the Police Clinic for their prompt support. Marwa also thanked the Chief Medical Director of the National Hospital who was personally reached by him for overseeing the treatment of the wounded officers. The NDLEA boss who is in Kano on official engagements also spoke on phone with the injured officers to wish them quick recovery. He further assured them that the Agency will deploy every means at its disposal and work in collaboration with other security agencies to fish out those responsible for the attack on them.

Suspected herdsmen have again attacked Benue community, leaving at least 10 persons dead. The incident occurred at Mbayam Council Ward of Logo LGA of Benue State on Friday. Some of the victims included: Angyoom Kwembe, Orterse Dajo, Negema Kyenge, Ahembe Shawa, Chieyol Shawa and Hangeior Ukor. It was gathered that the assailants, who operated severally hours unchallenged, also razed several houses in Tse-Ankon.

Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has described Mr Peter Obi as a social media candidate. Wike, who supported President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, said Obi has no capacity to win the presidential election. Atku and Obi trailed behind Tinubu in the election. Speaking at a media parley in Abuja on Friday, he also ruled out support for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 election. When asked about Obi, Wike said, "He has no chance of winning the election; you people like this kind of social media candidate. "I don't do social media candidates. I sit down as a politician and analyse candidates who are likely to win an election."

Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has expressed displeasure over the state of emergency declared in the state by President Bola Tinubu. Wike, who addressed journalists on Friday, said he had wished for outright removal of his successor, Siminalayi Fubara. It could be recalled that as the face-off between Wike and his estranged political son worsened, Tinubu declared a state of emergency in the state and appointed a sole administrator. Both Fubara, his deputy and members of the House of Assembly were moved. But speaking during the media parley, Wike, current FCT Minister, said he wanted the outright removal of Fubara. “As a politician, I am not happy with the declaration of Emergency Rule in Rivers state. "I wanted the outright removal of the governor. But for the interest of the state, the president did the right thing to prevent anarchy in the state,” he said.