Author: Aliyu Hamagam

THE High Court sitting in Minna, the Niger State capital, has sentenced a teenage housemaid, Joy Afekafe, to death for her role in the murder of Dr. (Mrs.) Funmilayo Sherifat Adefolalu, a senior lecturer with the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna. Justice Mohammed Adishetu Mohammed of High Court No. 4 delivered the judgment on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, after finding the defendant guilty on two counts of armed robbery and culpable homicide, contrary to Sections 221 and 298 of the Penal Code. It stated that Dr. Adefolalu was brutally killed on October 28, 2023, at her residence in the…

THREE persons were killed and two rice farmers were abducted in a bandit attack on Sunday in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State. The attack took place around 9:00am between Bangi and Kotonkoro. The assailants believed to be bandits, blocked the road, shooting at vehicles travelling along the route. Among the victims were the driver of a car, a young girl, and a passenger identified as Alhaji Ibrahim. Reports had it that they were travelling to the market when the attack occurred. Shehu Kotonkoro, the owner of the vehicle confirmed the incident, expressing his concern about the lack…

FOUR more corpses have been recovered from the mining pit that collapsed in Galkogo, Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State more than 2 months after the incident. This newspaper reported how the mining site managed by the African Minerals and Logistics Limited collapsed on June 3, 2024 trapping many labourers. Speaking to this newspaper in Minna, the Niger State capital, the District Head of Galadima-Kogo, Mallam Umar Aliyu, said four more bodies were recovered on Wednesday and deposited at the mortuary of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida Specialist Hospital. Aliyu revealed that the burial for two of the victims had been…

WORKERS across the 36 state and the national assemblies say they have concluded all arrangements to lock up their respective workplaces pending when their demands for financial autonomy of the legislative arm of the government would be granted. This newspaper reports that the workers, under the auspices of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) are demanding that state governors should commence immediate implementation of financial autonomy for state assemblies in line with the 1999 Constitution. Recall that parliamentary workers had on several occasions embarked on a series of street protests to press home their demands. In separate letters sent to…

THE Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has announced the declaration of N16.18 billion in liquidation dividends to depositors, creditors, and shareholders of 20 banks in liquidation. This follows impressive recoveries from debtors and realisation of assets of banks in liquidation, a statement by the corporation’s Director, Communication and Public Affairs, Bashir Nuhu, said Monday. To this end, the NDIC said it had commenced verification and payment of stakeholders covered by the declarations within 30 days, starting from September 28. “It is instructive to note that the ongoing payment is sequel to earlier payment of various sums which cumulatively amounted to…