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By Florencemary Nwabueze

A wave of fear and outrage has gripped Nigerians following the emergence of a disturbing video showing a kidnapped student of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), identified as John Arum.

According to reports, the student was abducted by armed bandits while travelling along the Kaduna–Jos highway, a route that has increasingly gained notoriety for insecurity and kidnappings. The kidnappers are reportedly demanding a ransom of ₦30 million for his release.

The situation took a more alarming turn when the abductors allegedly used the victim’s phone to record videos of him being tortured and shared the footage in his class group chat.

The video, which has since circulated online, shows the student in distress, pleading for his life while being subjected to physical abuse.

A fellow student, Ezikima Asunga, confirmed the incident in a message shared publicly. He stated that the victim was his coursemate and raised concerns that the student’s family might not be aware of the kidnapping, as there has been no direct line of communication with them.

The footage has triggered widespread condemnation, with many Nigerians expressing anger over the continued deterioration of security across the country. Social media users have also pointed out that the kidnappers were not masked, raising questions about the possibility of identifying and apprehending them.

Public reactions have been intense, with citizens calling on security agencies, including the police and military, to act swiftly to rescue the victim and bring the perpetrators to justice. Many have also decried the increasing frequency of such incidents, describing the situation as a national emergency.

“He was kidnapped on his way to Kaduna from Jos. His captors are torturing him severely and using his phone to send pictures and videos to his class group. When asked if he’s a Christian, he denied it, hoping to save himself from pain, but the torture only got worse. He started calling on Jesus, which made his captors mock him and Jesus”.

As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from security authorities regarding the incident or any ongoing rescue efforts.

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The Vice President, Sen Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday paid a condolence visit to Kebbi following recent killings in parts of the state and the death of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Alhaji Muhammad Usman-Zuru.

Shettima, who visited the Government House in Birnin Kebbi, conveyed the sympathy of President Bola Tinubu to Gov. Nasir Idris, families of the slain security personnel, and the people of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the late speaker died on April 6 in a hospital in Cairo, Egypt, after a prolonged illness.

Speaking during the visit, the vice president said he was in the state at the instance of President Tinubu to commiserate with the government and people of Kebbi over the tragic incidents.

“We are here at the behest of President Bola Tinubu to express our profound condolences to the families of the gallant soldiers who paid the supreme price in the line of duty, as well as over the death of the Speaker.

“The attacks on communities in Shanga Local Government Area and the loss of our gallant soldiers in Giron Masa are deeply painful.

“We are here to condole with you, the people of Kebbi, and the security agencies in the state. Our hearts are with you,” he said.

Shettima said the federal government delegation included the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Hajiya Zubaida Umar, to ensure adequate support for communities displaced by the attacks.

He prayed for the repose of the souls of the deceased and for strength for their families, as well as the state government, to bear the losses.

The vice president also commended the Kebbi government for its efforts in education, infrastructure, and inclusive governance, noting that the state remained dear to the federal government.

Responding, Idris thanked President Tinubu for the condolence visit, describing it as a strong demonstration of concern and solidarity with the people of the state.

“We are grateful for this visit. It shows that Mr President shares our grief and stands with us at this difficult time,” the governor said.

Idris disclosed that about 11 persons, including security personnel, were killed in an ambush while responding to a distress call in Shanga LGA.

He, however, commended security agencies for their prompt response to distress situations across the state.

On the death of the Speaker, the governor said the state government did its best to ensure that he received adequate medical attention, but ultimately submitted to the will of Allah (SWT).

He further told the vice president that the state government had donated N100 million to support persons displaced by banditry and N60 million to families of fallen security personnel.

Also speaking, the Emir of Zuru, Alhaji Sanusi Mika’ilu, commended the governor for his sustained support to families of victims and affected communities in the emirate.

NAN reports that the vice president was accompanied on the visit by the NEMA director-general, Zubaida Umar; deputy chief of staff to the vice president, Sen. Ibrahim Hassan; and the special adviser on general duties, Dr Aliyu Umar-Modibbo, among other dignitaries. (NAN)

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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has explained the reason for adjusting the arrival time for candidates writing the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) starting on Thursday., April 16, 2026.

Clarifying the issue on Tuesday, the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, stated that the time was slightly adjusted for security reasons.

“We adjusted the time of arrival slightly for security reasons,” he said.

Recall that JAMB in its X handle announced that the time will be adjusted. The Board stated, “Attention 2026 UTME Candidates: This is to notify you of a slight adjustment to the arrival scheduled time, particularly for the first session, which is now 7:00am as against the earlier published 6:30am, while the scheduled start time for the session is now 8:30 am and end time 10:30 am. Please note that you need not reprint your slip. Thank you.”

Meanwhile, JAMB disclosed that it has finalised all arrangements to conduct the UTME slated to hold between 16th – 22nd April, 2026.

According to JAMB, no fewer than 2.2 million candidates are expected to sit the UTME in about 966 Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres across the country following the deletion of 23 centres for poor performance in the recently-concluded Mock-UTME.

“ It is expected by now that all the candidates must have printed out their examination slips for the exercise. Candidates who have not done so are to visit the Board’s website at https://www.jamb.gov.ng and click on 2026 Slip Printing to print.

“The slip contained vital information such as the date of examination, time, venue and other critical data that would facilitate a seamless examination and biometric verification exercise,” JAMB said.

It added that necessary arrangements have been made for candidates living with disabilities to be processed through the machinery put in place by the JAMB Equal Opportunity Group (JEOG) headed by the erudite scholar and former Executive Secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Prof. Peter Okebukola.

JAMB noted that the 2026 examination features enhanced security measures designed to curb all forms of malpractice and warned candidates and centre owners to desist from any form of misconduct, as strict sanctions will be applied.

“Candidates are also to note that prohibited items are not allowed in the examination hall as the Board will not hesitate to invoke all extant laws on examination malpractices and unwholesome behaviours during and after the examination.

“ Similarly, adequate provisions have been made for candidates with other challenges to sit the examination as the Board has all it takes to conduct an all-inclusive examination in line with international best practices just as relevant technology has been deployed to safeguard the sanctity of the examination,”JAMB added.

Why We Adjusted Arrival Time For UTME Candidates – JAMB is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has visited communities affected by recent attacks in Akure North Local Government Area, assuring residents of steps to tackle insecurity.

The development was disclosed in a statement shared on the official page of the Ondo State Government.

According to the statement, the governor visited Imafon, Igushin and Ilado communities following reports of deadly attacks in the area.

He condemned the killings and disclosed that more than 100 suspected kidnappers have been arrested as part of ongoing security operations.

The governor added that security agencies are working with local hunters and vigilante groups to track down criminal elements hiding in forest areas.

He further noted that the government plans to establish Amotekun posts and strengthen security presence across vulnerable locations.

“Security agencies are working with local hunters and vigilantes to flush out criminals hiding in forests. The government will also establish Amotekun posts and strengthen security presence in affected areas,” the statement read.

Aiyedatiwa also urged residents to cooperate with authorities and avoid harbouring criminal elements, noting that some local youths have been linked to the activities.

Community leaders, while commending the governor’s visit, called for improved security infrastructure, better-equipped personnel and stronger collaboration to address the situation.

Ondo Attacks: Aiyedatiwa vows action as over 100 suspects arrested

CBC News, a CNN affiliate, projected the Liberals would pick up two more seats in Parliament on Monday that would take them to 173 seats in the House of Commons — one seat past what’s required for a majority. One other tight race in Quebec, where the Liberal previously won by a single vote, still hasn’t been called.

Spain’s government has approved a sweeping plan to grant legal status to up to 500,000 undocumented migrants, a move aimed at formally integrating them into the country’s workforce and broader society.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez defended the decision, describing it as both “an act of justice” and a practical necessity for Spain. In a letter shared on social media, the socialist leader said the initiative seeks “to acknowledge the reality of nearly half a million people who already form part of our everyday lives”.

Under the proposal, eligible migrants will receive a one-year residence permit that can be renewed.

Applicants must demonstrate they have lived in Spain for at least five months and possess a clean criminal record. The application window runs from 16 April to the end of June.

Sánchez also emphasised the broader contribution of migrants, saying they help “build the rich, open and diverse Spain that we are and to which we aspire”. He added that regularising their status would support the economy and sustain public services, particularly as Spain faces an ageing population. The prime minister further noted that Spain’s history of emigration makes the policy a morally appropriate step.

The Funcas think-tank estimates there are about 840,000 undocumented migrants currently in Spain, most of them from Latin America.

The policy has drawn mixed reactions. The conservative opposition People’s Party (PP) has vowed to challenge the plan, arguing it rewards illegal migration and could encourage more arrivals. The party claims the government’s projections are too low, suggesting as many as one million migrants could seek legal status, and labelled the proposal an “outrage”.

Support has come from other quarters, including the Catholic Church, which has backed the legislation.

For many migrants, the scheme offers a pathway to stability. Ricardo, a Bolivian graphic designer who has struggled to secure consistent work, said: “This is going to benefit a lot of people, give them access to work and to a better quality of life. And it means more money for the Spanish state and more workers will be legally available for employers.”

Spain has previously implemented similar regularisation programmes under both Socialist and PP governments. The most recent was in 2005, when 577,000 people were granted residency under a Socialist administration.

Vanguard News

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President Bola Tinubu has joked about sending the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to ‘the other side” (the opposition) to “scatter them”.

Read Also: Insecurity rising over 2027 elections, to distract Tinubu — Akpabio

President Tinubu said this on Tuesday during his speech at the inauguration of the Nigeria Revenue Service, NRS, headquarters in Abuja.

Tinubu said: “Senate President, I will send you to the other side to represent me. And then you can scatter them to any way you want.

“They’re confused!”
Also, he ended his speech with: “God bless Nigeria, God bless Federal Republic of Nigeria and the tax collectors.”

Meanwhile, during his speech, Senator Akpabio alleged that the recent surge in insecurity across Nigeria is politically motivated and linked to the 2027 general elections.

Furthermore, Akpabio commented on the reactions provoked by an alleged social media post by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan.

He said: “How do you win an election when you don’t have a structure? No political party is stable again in this country.

“Then they changed and attacked the people going to do the election. Then they brought out a tweet where the INEC chairman (allegedly) said, ‘Victory is sure’. But he didn’t say victory is sure for APC or PDP.

“But the man said it’s manipulated and nobody wants to hear.

“For me, whether manipulated or not, he said victory is sure. He was not chairman of INEC then; he was just a lecturer, and anybody can support whoever he wishes to.”

Vanguard News

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Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola will leave the club at the end of this season, the Premier League side announced Tuesday.

The Spaniard joined the south coast club in 2023 and led them to their equal highest top-flight finish of ninth last season, earning their highest points tally of 56, and reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals.

“It has been an honour to manage AFC Bournemouth and I am proud of what we have achieved together,” said Iraola in a club statement confirming his departure.

The 43-year-old Spaniard joined in 2023, replacing then head coach Gary O’Neil.

But his contract expires after the end of the current campaign and talks over a new deal were unsuccessful despite Bournemouth reportedly wanting to keep Iraola at the Vitality Stadium.

The Spaniard, one of the most highly-regarded coaches in Europe, may now leave the Cherries for free at the end of the campaign.

Iraola has been linked with a return to Spanish side Athletic Bilbao as well as Manchester United.

He spent 12 years at Bilbao as a player, making over 500 appearances for the club.

Tuesday’s announcement came just days after Iraola, who has six games left at Bournemouth this season, oversaw a superb 2-1 win away to Premier League leaders Arsenal last weekend.

Iraola’s final home game will be against Manchester City on Sunday, May 17, ahead of a trip to Nottingham Forest on the last day of the Premier League campaign.

He could bow out on a high by securing the first European qualification in Bournemouth’s history.

The Cherries are currently 11th, two points adrift of a seventh-placed finish, which would get them into next season’s Conference League.

Vanguard News

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The Police on Tuesday, dragged two men before a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos, for allegedly stealing an iphone worth N250,000.

The defendants are: Awoyemi Fawaz, 27; and Ibukun Akode, 28.

The duo whose addresses were not mentioned, are standing trial on charges bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

They each, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, ASP Edet Ekpo told the Court that the defendants committed the offences on April 3, at about 6.00.p.m, at Ilogbo-Eremi community, Oko-Afo, Badagry expressway, Lagos.

He alleged that the defendants conspired to steal an iphone 7 belonging to a complainant’ one Basirat Lapado.

According to the prosecutor, the defendants were later caught and handed over to police for prosecution.

The offences contravene the provisions of sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr Nurudeen Layeni, granted the defendants bail in the sum of N100,000 each, with two sureties each in like sum

He held that one of the sureties must be a community leader.

The court consequently, adjourned the case until May 20, for mention.

Two Docked Over Stolen N250,000 iPhone is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Segun Sowunmi, convener of The Alternative, has reacted to the emergence of a consensus candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 governorship race in Ogun State

On Monday, Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, was announced on Monday by Governor Dapo Abiodun during a strategic caucus meeting of party leaders and stakeholders, where succession plans ahead of the 2027 governorship election were discussed.

Reacting in a statement posted on X on Tuesday, Sowunmi raised concerns about the political arrangement that produced the lawmaker as the party’s guber candidate.

In the statement titled “From Magbon to Now: We Will Not Be Conquered. Ogun’s Line in the Sand,” he suggested that the process was more of an imposition than a genuine consensus.

“Yes, a political party has the right to choose its internal mechanisms, even if that means adopting ‘consensus’ as its preferred pathway. But across every serious political system where consensus has credibility, it rests on one indispensable foundation: integrity. Without that, consensus degenerates into imposition,” he said.

He further stated, “That is precisely the issue before us. Those now attempting to foist this arrangement on Ogun State bring with them no demonstrable record of integrity… In such circumstances, what is being presented as consensus is, in reality, a crude instrument of control.”

He warned that the development signals a broader threat to democratic values in the state.

“This is how state capture begins. And it must be resisted,” he said, adding that the situation presents “a defining test… of the resolve or complicity of a people once known for their independence.”

Drawing historical parallels, Showunmi referenced past resistance movements to underscore his argument.

“The decline of the Oyo Empire reminds us that no system, however entrenched, is beyond challenge. The legacy of the Egba United Government affirms that our people built institutions of governance strong enough to command respect even from external powers. And the Ijebus themselves demonstrated this fiercely guarded independence in the Anglo-Ijebu War the so-called Magbon War where they chose resistance over submission in the face of imperial pressure.,” he noted.

He concluded by urging citizens to reject what he described as political imposition, saying “We cannot, in this generation especially within the framework of a democracy accept the status of a conquered people.

What is unfolding may be presented as process, but it is experienced as humiliation,” he said.

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