Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Tuesday reportedly invaded a school in Olowa, Dekina Local Government Area of Kogi State, kidnapping the school principal, four students, and an ad hoc National Examinations Council (NECO) staff member.

​The development was disclosed recently by a counter-insurgency and security analyst covering the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama.

​According to him, the incident occurred at a school identified as Government Secondary School (GSS) while students were sitting the ongoing NECO examination.

​The armed assailants allegedly stormed the school premises at around 5.25 pm while candidates were in the examination hall.

​Makama said: “They abducted four students alongside the principal of the school and an ad hoc NECO official before fleeing to an unknown destination.”

​He went on to report that a combined security team immediately launched bush-combing operations, intelligence gathering, and surveillance across the area to locate the kidnappers’ hideout and rescue those still in captivity.

​Makama further noted that security sources had confirmed one of the abducted students had been rescued, while efforts had been intensified to secure the release of the remaining victims.

​He concluded that investigations into the incident were ongoing as security agencies tried to restore normality to the area.

A local Islamic teacher in Kano State, Kamal Abdulmumini, risks being sentenced to life imprisonment if found guilty of the alleged rape of four siblings.

Abdulmumini, a tutor at Alhadid Nursery and Primary School, Ungogo Local Government Area is accused of raping twin sisters and two other females, all siblings in the area.

When brought before Justice Suleiman Baba Na Mallam on Tuesday, the prosecutor Barrister Abdullahi Mohammad alleged that the defendant had sexual interactions with the four sisters on different occasions in his office.

The prosecution counsel, who doubles as Director Public Prosecution (DPP) in Kano State Ministry of Justice, told the court that he has five witnesses who are ready to testify on the alleged criminal act.

However, the arraignment eventually stalled when defense counsel, Barrister Nasir Abdurrahman, requested access to facilities and other relevant documents to enable him to prepare his defense.

The defense counsel insisted that until he was granted access to those vital records and evidence, it may be difficult for justice to be served, just as he sought the court to grant his request.

Although, the prosecution counsel did not object the request of the defense, Justice Na Mallam ordered the prosecution to provide the defendant with the necessary materials related to the case.

The court thereby adjourned the matter to October 13 and 14, 2026, for the arraignment and subsequent hearing of Kamal Abdulmumini.

Section 126 of Kano state Penal Code clearly spells out the conditions that can be considered for finding someone guilty of rape. Subsequently, section 127 of the same provisions clearly identified penalties for any one find guilt of rape to include minimum of 14 years imprisonment and maximum of my life in jail without fine.

However, the same offence under the Shari’a Penal Code of Kano State, if found guilty attracts death penalty by stoning.

Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited has reinforced its commitment to community impact through an employee-led blood donation drive in partnership with the Lagos State Blood Transfusion Service (LSBTS) and Gbagada General Hospital.

Held recently, the initiative extended this year’s World Blood Donor Day campaign, themed “One Drop of Humanity. Give Blood. Save Lives.” It brought together Hydrogen employees in a collective effort to strengthen blood reserves for patients across Lagos State.

The drive recorded strong participation, with employees voluntarily donating blood to support critical healthcare needs, including emergency care, surgical procedures, maternal health, sickle cell treatment, and assistance for accident victims. The contributions will help bolster the state’s blood bank and improve access to life-saving interventions.

Medical teams from LSBTS and Gbagada General Hospital supervised the exercise and engaged participants on the importance of regular voluntary blood donation.

They also addressed common misconceptions, reinforcing the role of consistent donors in maintaining a safe and adequate blood supply.

Dr. Folashade Tawak, Senior Medical Practitioner with the Lagos State Government, commended the initiative
“Voluntary blood donation remains one of the most impactful ways individuals can contribute to saving lives. We commend Hydrogen for driving this initiative and encouraging active employee participation. Efforts like this are critical to sustaining the blood reserves needed for patients in urgent need,” she said.

Fiyinfoluwa Olorunsola, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Hydrogen, said the initiative reflects the company’s broader purpose.

“At Hydrogen, our responsibility goes beyond building payment infrastructure. We are committed to making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve.

This drive brings our people together around a cause that directly saves lives, and I am proud of the culture we are building, defined by purpose, compassion, and service,” she noted.

Also speaking, Obinna Ojekwe, Head of Marketing and Communications, highlighted the personal impact of the initiative: “While we enable the seamless movement of value every day, this initiative allowed us to give something more personal. Knowing that a simple act can save lives makes this deeply meaningful, and it reflects the kind of organisation we are proud to be part of.”

The blood donation drive underscores Hydrogen’s commitment to creating value beyond financial transactions by empowering its employees to contribute meaningfully to society. It forms part of the company’s broader 2026 employee volunteering and CSR programme, with additional community-focused initiatives planned throughout the year.

About Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited (Hydrogen) is Africa’s institutional payments infrastructure partner, enabling financial institutions and large organisations to process, move, and settle payments at scale with trust and operational integrity.

Through resilient, Africa-focused infrastructure, Hydrogen helps institutions manage payment complexity, improve efficiency, and deliver reliable services across the continent.