News
Lagos Police Arrest Four Suspected Armed Cultists
Police operatives attached to Ejigbo Division, have based on a tip off, arrested two suspected armed robbers at the Ejigbo area of Lagos, while consulting one Lawrence Adeniji, (OPC Abore) at his Shrine to appease the god of Iron, Ogun.
At the shrine, the Abore and some members of the community quickly informed the Divisional Police Officer, Ejigbo Division, of the antics and suspicious moves of the suspects for being in possession of locally-made pistols, live cartridges and ammunition to appease the god of Iron, Ogun, which is strange to their usual practice in the shrine.
The suspects arrested are Opeyemi Adegboyega, m, 28, and Dernard Ahor, m, 35 while Items recovered from them included two (2) locally-made pistols, six (6) live cartridges, one hand chain, one ring, two (2) iPhones, one Nokia phone, one Tecno phone and assorted charms.
The suspects and their exhibits have been moved to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba for proper investigation on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu.
In another development, Police operatives attached to Owutu Division in Ikorodu, on Sunday at about 11pm arrested two (2) suspected cultists at Damis Palace Hotel Igboolomu area, Ikorodu.
The police had been informed of the gathering of some suspected cultists, planning to foment troubles in the area, when the police operatives, in conjuction with some Vigilante men, raced to the hotel and picked up the suspects while others escaped.
The suspected cultists are Lucky Ibaye, m, 23, and Kazeem Sherif, m, 34. Two (2) locally-made pistols and assorted charms were recovered from them.
The suspects have been transferred to State CID Panti for investigation and possible prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, has applauded the efforts of the members of the community to call the attention of the police to such suspicious acts of the suspects at Ejigbo and Owutu respectively. He however appealed to the general public to embrace the principles of community policing and support the police in providing adequate security for all and sundry in Lagos State.
By Eric Elezuo
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has announced the kickoff of the 2026 West African Second-term School Certificate Examination, saying it would be computer-based, and decrying the decline of male participation as against their female counterparts.
The Council made the disclosure on Monday, while addressing the media at its National Office in Yaba, Lagos, on steps so far taken to ensure a hitchfree 2026 Examination.
In his address, the Head of National Office, Mr. Jacob Josiah Dangut, remarked that the 2026 computer-based WASSEC, started on April 21, 2026 with practical test papers, stressing that the nitty gritty parts of the exercise will kick off on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, therefore the reason for the sensitization of the Nigerian public on the exams.
He noted that nearly two million candidates registered to sit for the examinations.
In his words, “A total of 1,959,636 candidates from 24,207 schools enrolled for the examination.
“Of this number, 958,564 candidates (48.92%) are male, while 1,001,072 candidates (51.08%) are female. This reflects an increase in female participation and a decline in male participation compared to last year.”
Dangut called on policy formulations to take the matter serious so as to reinvent the urge for education among the malefolks.
Meanwhile, Dangut informed the public that candidates are being tested in 37 subjects across 97 papers, supervised by about 29,000 senior secondary teachers nominated by state ministries of education.
Dangut said the rise in computer-based entries followed the successful debut of the format in 2025, with more schools and offshore institutions adopting it for its efficiency and alignment with global standards.
The 2026 exercise will run through to June 19th.
The simmering political battle in Rivers State appears to have taken a fresh turn, following the screening of aspirants for the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly primaries, with several loyalists of Governor Siminalayi Fubara failing to make the party’s final list.
In a development already stirring political intrigue across the state, former Obio/Akpor council chairman Chijioke Ihunwo and serving lawmakers Sokari Goodboy and Victor Oko-Jumbo — all widely regarded as strong allies of Governor Fubara — were among those not cleared by the party’s screening committee for various reasons.
Political observers are interpreting their failure to scale through as more than just a routine internal party exercise. They say it is the latest signal of the deepening political fault lines in Rivers, where Governor Fubara and his predecessor, Minister Nyesom Wike, remain locked in a prolonged struggle for political supremacy.
On the other side of the divide, the list of cleared aspirants appears to favour established political figures and returning lawmakers, largely seen as loyal to the Wike camp.
Among those cleared are:
Maol Dumle
Major Jack
Enemi Alabo George
Tonye Smart Adoki
Tekenari Granville
Their emergence is being viewed as a reinforcement of the influence of the former governor within the APC structure in Rivers State.
The screening exercise, announced by Rivers APC publicity secretary Chibike Ikenga, comes at a politically sensitive time, with alignments already forming ahead of future elections and control of the Rivers State House of Assembly remaining a critical battleground.
For many political watchers, the outcome raises fresh questions: Is the APC in Rivers consolidating into a single power bloc? And does this effectively shut the door on Fubara’s loyalists seeking alternative political platforms?
Fubara, elected under the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023, joined the APC last year, following a political dispute with Wike.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has been factionalized ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The rival factions emerged after its chairman, Governor Hope Uzodimma, was reportedly removed on Thursday.
While Uzodimma insists that he remains PGF chairman, Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun and his Kwara State counterpart, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, are reportedly leading a separate faction.
Another bloc within the forum has reportedly queued behind the duo of Abiodun and AbdulRazaq.
The development, which comes amid growing political realignments within the ruling party, marks a significant crack in the ranks of APC governors ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to reports by Arise TV, details surrounding the disagreement remain unclear, but sources within the party said tensions have been building over internal leadership control and strategic positioning ahead of the next election season.
As of the time of filing this report, none of the factions had made an official clarification regarding the alleged division.
