A resident of Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, identified as Mr Destiny Uguru, met his untimely on Wednesday when a heavy advertising billboard fell on a tricycle where he was taking shelter from a rainfall.

The incident, which happened around the popular Aba Salad Market junction on the Aba-Owerri Road, also injured eight other people who are currently hospitalised, PUNCH Metro gathered.

Our correspondent learnt that the deceased, who was an indigene of Izzi, Ebonyi State, left behind a heavily pregnant widow.

One of his relatives, Mr Chinedu Nwaibo, who witnessed the tragic incident, said the tragedy occurred during a downpour that came with a heavy wind.

He said, “When the rain came with wind on Wednesday, I and my kinsmen (community men) had to take refuge in his small shanty shop, not knowing that a tragedy was closer to them.

“I went into my small shanty with my brothers when the rain started. We were seven inside the shop when the heavy wind and rain got stronger.

“They complained that my shanty wasn’t a comfortable place for them to take refuge, that they preferred staying inside their tricycles near the fallen billboard.

“I refused to go into the tricycles with them. It wasn’t up to a long time, the billboard fell and injured seven people and killed one person.”

He said the deceased’s corpse had been deposited in a mortuary.

Nwaibo further pleaded with the Abia State Government to come to the help of his kinsmen, who were only out in the streets, struggling to make ends meet.

“I beg the government to please come and help us. Let them help my brothers, who are victims of this tragedy. They were only out here to make ends meet.

“They never knew that such a tragedy awaited them. The dead guy, Destiny Uguru, had two children and his wife is heavily pregnant. He was a young man of just 27 years old.”

The MD/CEO Abia State Structures for Signage and Advertising Agency, Mrs Victoria Onwubiko, said the incident brought a sad experience to the state.

After moving around the ward where the victims were admitted at the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Onwubiko said the Abia State Government would take care of every bill of the victims.

She stressed she had seen the survivors, and that they were recuperating as the doctors were doing everything possible to keep them stable.

“The governor has given an order for everything to be done without looking back. There will not be any other death because, from what we’re seeing, they’re all recovering well.

“They’re about eight. Five are currently at the ABSUTH, while about three have been discharged.”

Mrs Onwubiko said the government had contacted the family of the deceased and is currently talking to them.

Speaking on the quality of the billboard, she said, “The board was erected about five years ago, and apparently, it was not well-done. That’s why it fell.

“Going forward, strict methods are applied for all boards of such heights. No matter how low it is, it can still hurt people.

“Everything is being done to ensure that things are done properly. So, we will make sure that we’ll do more than we’re doing now. 

“Apparently, nobody technically sound in construction of such was there when they erected that billboard or else, it wouldn’t have happened.

“What we’re currently doing is that any site that must come up, all our technical people must be there to evaluate things before it’ll be allowed to stand. So, the government is doing all it can to ensure the right thing is done.”

On further measures to stop a recurrence of such incident, Onwubiko said, “Structural inspection of every site will start henceforth. All those who have such billboards must submit the technical drawing used for the construction.

“If we don’t see such, then that site must come down. Besides that, we do an inspection of all the sites in the state to make sure that they’re sound no matter the height. Anyone that’s not sound will come down.”

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured the conviction of Emmanuel Ogunyemi, a civil servant in Lagos State, for unlawfully collecting salaries from two separate government agencies.

Investigations conducted by the ICPC revealed that Ogunyemi was concurrently listed on the payrolls of both the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and the Agbado Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA). This arrangement led to an illegal financial benefit amounting to ₦3.49 million.

According to the commission, his actions were in violation of Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

Based on these findings, the ICPC brought an eight-count charge against Ogunyemi before the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja (Charge No: ID/25541C/2024).

However, the defendant entered into a plea bargain agreement, which saw the charges reduced from eight to three.

Ogunyemi pleaded guilty to the amended charges before Justice Ismail Ijelu, who subsequently convicted him.

As part of the plea bargain, the court imposed non-custodial sanctions. He was ordered to pay a ₦1.5 million fine and perform three days of community service under the supervision of the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.

The court also required him to sign a ₦5 million bond of good behaviour, to be forfeited if he commits any future offence.

Before his arraignment, Ogunyemi had voluntarily refunded the full ₦3.49 million to the ICPC recovery account. The court subsequently ordered the forfeiture of the refunded sum to the federal government.

Additionally, Ogunyemi submitted a written undertaking to the ICPC, pledging to comply with all laws going forward.

The prosecution team was led by Yvonne William-Mbata, assisted by Roseline Eze and Oluwayemisi Pereira, while the defence was represented by Kehinde Adeleke.

According to the ICPC, this conviction underscores its commitment to promoting accountability and integrity within the public service.

Parents of students taking the 2024/2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in Warri, Effurun, and surrounding communities have expressed deep concern over a potential mass failure due to the repeated late delivery of examination materials.

The Nation reports that several students did not return home until nearly midnight on Wednesday, May 28, after spending long hours waiting to write the day’s papers.

Others were dismissed between 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., depending on when the question papers arrived at their respective centres.

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) attributed the delays to efforts aimed at preventing exam question leaks.  

Students sat for the English Language examination that day, with the first paper reportedly beginning as late as 11:00 a.m.

“We just pray the students will pass. The fact that it was a core subject, English Language, makes it worse,” said a concerned mother and hairdresser in Warri. “My son’s school had to run a generator so they could write. He told me it’s an experience he’ll share with his children someday.”

Another parent, whose child wrote the exam near the railway tracks in the Uvwiama community of Agbarho, expressed fear not just over the academic impact but also the safety risks: “Apart from the fear of moving around so late, I was also afraid the children could be kidnapped.”

The Imo State Police Command, through its X-Squad Unit, has uncovered a child-stealing syndicate, arresting four of its members and rescued a stolen 20-month-old girl.

The rescued baby identified as Chimamanda Joy is the daughter of a visually impaired 35-year-old Mrs. Joy Ekwennaya from Amuri Omanze in Isu local government area of the state. 

The arrests followed an intensive investigation into a case reported by the mother, Mrs. Ekwennaya, on April 8th, 2025.

Police said Mrs Ekwennaya was lured to Umuahia in Abia State, with false promises of financial aid from a fake charity organisation, with a ploy by the syndicate to abduct her child.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Imo State Command, Henry Okoye made the disclosure through a statement he made available to newsmen on Thursday. 

According to the statement, while acting on credible intelligence on May 23, 2025, detectives of the unit arrested two key suspects including a 63-year-old Maria Nwaeze of Ariam Oboro and Rejoice Odimba, 29 years old from Ahai Eke, both from Abia State, in Aba. 

Police said their arrest provided crucial insights into the syndicate’s mode of operations.

“Upon interrogation, the suspects provided actionable intelligence, leading to a follow-up operation in Aba.

“On 27th May 2025 at about 1700hrs, operatives rescued the stolen child and arrested another suspect, Chioma Theresa (42) of Aboh Mbaise, Imo State.

“During questioning, Chioma confessed to buying the child for ₦1,500,000 from Gabriel Amarachi (41) of Ngwa, Aba South, Abia State who had falsely posed as a Social Welfare officer,” the PPRO said.

He added that further investigation revealed that the entire scheme was masterminded by a woman identified as Precious and her husband, who were currently at large.

“The couple orchestrated the deceitful invitation that led Mrs. Ekwennaya to Aba, exploiting her vulnerability under the guise of offering assistance,” the statement said.

The Command stressed that efforts were underway to arrest the remaining suspects.

Meanwhile, the rescued infant has been medically examined and safely reunited with her mother on 28th May, 2025 after due documentation.

Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Aboki Danjuma, assured of the Command’s commitment to protecting vulnerable persons, especially children.

He warned that there will not be hiding place for criminals in Imo State and urged residents to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities through the Command’s emergency lines.

Operatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have arrested a native doctor, Levi Obieze, popularly known as “E de play, e de show”, who was wanted for a string of heinous crimes, including kidnapping and ritual killings in Enugu State.

The arrest was confirmed on Thursday in a statement issued by the Service Public Relations Officer, Akinsola Akinlabi, on behalf of the Comptroller General of the NIS, Kemi Nandap.

According to the statement, Obieze was apprehended by NIS personnel attached to the Lagos State Border Patrol Command at the Gbaji checkpoint along the Badagry-Seme Road while attempting to flee the country on a motorcycle.

“Through credible intelligence, Obi Levi Obieze was apprehended by vigilant men of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Lagos State Border Patrol Command, at Gbaji checkpoint along Badagry-Seme Road while attempting to flee the country on a motorcycle,” the statement read.

Obieze, a resident of Umuojor village in Isiagu Community, Enugu State, is alleged to have masterminded the abduction of a 13-year-old girl earlier this week. His arrest followed disturbing reports from Enugu where two decomposing corpses of pregnant women were discovered in soakaway pits within his compound, an incident that plunged the community into shock and outrage.

Sidi Ould Tah from Mauritania has been elected ninth president of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Tah was elected by the Bank’s Board of Governors, comprising finance and economy ministers or central bank governors of the Bank Group’s 81 regional and non-regional member-countries on Thursday in a stiff contest. 

The board is the highest decision-making authority for the Bank Group.

Tah will assume office on September 1, 2025, for a five-year term, following the end of the second mandate of current President, Nigeria’s Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

He pulled the highest number of votes to defeat four other contenders for the position. Other contestants for the position were: Amadou Hott (Senegal), Samuel Munzele Maombo from Zambia, Mahamat Abbas Tolli (Chad) and South Africa’s Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala.

Urges More Commitment To Serving Edo People

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has congratulated the governor of Edo State, Monday Okpebholo, on the Appeal Court judgement which affirmed his electoral victory in the September 2024 governorship poll.

In a statement on Wednesday by the Minister’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, Wike urged the governor to “remain focused and committed to good governance and provision of democracy dividends to the people.”

The Minister described the Appeal Court judgment as a further confirmation of the mandate freely and genuinely given to Okpebholo by the people of Edo State.

He reiterated his belief in Governor Okpebholo’s ability to continue to provide good governance, saying; “I have watched him since he assumed office and I can say that he has been doing well for Edo State and its people.

“For me, I believe in him, and I am confident that his government will have sustainable impact on Edo State.” 

While urging the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerime Ighodalo, to accept the Appeal Court judgement in good faith, the FCT Minister said he (Ighodalo) should in the collective interest of Edo State accept the judgement and allow the sleeping dogs of the election to lie.

The United States says it will begin revoking visas of Chinese students and tighten screening for future applicants from China and Hong Kong, the US State Department said on Thursday.

“The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media platform X.

In a press release, the State Department stated that it would also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.

It was not immediately clear how many students currently in the United States would be affected or whether any exemptions would apply.

According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), about 277,000 Chinese students were enrolled at U.S. universities during the 2023-2024 academic years, making them the second-largest group of international students after those from India.

The U.S. already applies strict visa rules for Chinese nationals in certain academic disciplines, particularly in science and technology.

China’s Foreign Office said it filed a complaint against the unjustified step.

Washington’s discriminatory actions expose the lie of freedom and openness that the U.S. has always boasted about, said spokeswoman Mao Ning in Beijing.

The new measures come amid reports that the State Department has halted new visa interviews for international students and exchange visitors while it reviews screening procedures, including expanded checks on social media activity.

The pause reportedly affects F, M and J visa categories, including those for students, interns and au pairs, with further instructions expected in the coming days.

However, relations between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated further since U.S President Donald Trump took office in January.

The two economic powers are engaged in a deepening trade dispute and competing for global influence across multiple fronts.

With the official birth of the opposition coalition spearheaded by the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, there are permutations over how the movement would transform into a force within the next one year.

The coalition came to limelight at a time when Nigeria is experiencing a gale of defections to the All Progressives Congress, APC, as part of efforts to ensure Tinubu returns to power in 2027.

Amid the defections, the coalition has been able to pull together other bigwigs like Atiku, Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, among others. 

During its meeting in Abuja under the aegis of National Political Consultative Group (NPCG) North, the coalition brought together imminent Nigerians like Obi, Amaechi, former Kogi State governor, Captain Idris Wada, former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami.

Others were a former Senate president and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; the Labour Party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed; a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali; a former Minister of Police Affairs, Adamu Maina Waziri, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; a former All Progressives Congress’ national vice chairman (North), Salihu Lukman; Senator Ben Obi and a former Minister of Youth Development, Bolaji Abdullahi.

The gathering of these imminent politicians has brought to the fore the seriousness of the movement, just as the group is shopping for a political party to adopt.

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Ralph Okey Nwosu, hinted that discussions over the choice of the party as the vehicle for the coalition will be concluded in the next one or two weeks.

Nwosu said various committees set up by the party have met with those involved in the talks.

Peter Obi’s one step in one step out

From the onset, Atiku, Obi, and El-Rufai are the “poster boys” of the coalition but the former Anambra State governor had declared that he would continue to run under the Labour Party “for now.”

Despite insisting that he is an LP member, Obi has remained a very important figure in the coalition movement.

Speaking to DAILY POST, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Tanko Yunusa had said: “He spoke at a coffee party in Abuja where he was asked if he will still run under the Labour Party and he said he’s still a member and will run under the party ‘for now,’ he put it under a caveat ‘for now.”

Obi’s involvement confusing, an affront – LP

Frowning at Obi’s involvement, the Labour Party, LP, described the coalition project as an affront to its leadership.

Obiorah Ifoh, the National Publicity Secretary of the LP, said the party is confused as to Obi’s stance regarding the platform he wants to use for the 2027 election.

A statement Ifoh shared with DAILY POST, reads partly: “His Excellency, Peter Obi, hours after he spoke of his intention to run under the Labour Party, was on Sunday (yesterday) seen in a meeting of a pro-coalition group in Abuja without the permission and consent of the Labour Party leadership.

“This to us is really confusing and we think that Peter Obi has not come to terms with his intentions for the 2027 presidential race.

“We have consistently said that the Labour Party will not go into any coalition or merger of any sort ahead of the 2027 general election, therefore Obi’s continued association with the coalition is not only distasteful but unacceptable to the party.

“It is also an affront to the party’s leadership and we view his position as a total disregard to the party’s right to make decisions binding its affairs.

“We are therefore by this statement letting Nigerians know that the presidency for 2027 is open to anyone who wants to run under the platform of the party.”

Coalition can become a force ahead of 2027, push Tinubu into concession – Ononuju

The former Special Adviser to Obi on Public Affairs when he was governor of Anambra State, Katchy Ononuju, said the coalition can become a force that will wrest power from Tinubu in 2027 if it’s willing to avoid the pitfalls that led to crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Ononuju said the members should trust Obi who has the largest movement backing him while bringing together all parties within.

He told DAILY POST that: “The idea of a coalition for me is the final waking up period for the opposition, if they understand why the opposition was torn apart, they can fix it and everybody will come back together.

“The opposition died in Nigeria due to the inability of Atiku and other leaders to respect zoning, that was why the Southerners broke out of the PDP and they could not come together.

“It’s a good thing to come together to talk and call it an alliance, but you also need to go back to fundamentally resolve this problem.

“It’s eight years and Tinubu has it now, meaning it’s only two years in the South – the coalition can find Southern members they can trust and go behind such people.

“What killed opposition in Nigeria is the refusal of the PDP to zone and that’s why they broke into different branch – Peter Obi left to start the Obidient Movement, Kwankwaso left and started NNPP, so by the time elections came the party has gotten so weak, the party’s problem has continued to the extent that people now have to come outside the party to be able to call meetings with other politicians from different parties and different persuasions in Nigeria.

“If they can come together, it will be a very good thing for this democracy because every democracy needs a good opposition but to come together peacefully, they need to understand the real reason why the opposition split.

“If they can assist to find a Southerner who is very popular and all of them will join hands, then we can talk of fixing the opposition. That also will force concessions from the hands of President Tinubu because his nepotism is replicating Buhari’s bad ways and I don’t think that is good for our country.

“Nepotism should not be a state policy and I condemn it. The coming together of the opposition will force Tinubu to lose his nepotic replay of Buhari’s exclusion policy against the rest of the country.

“If well organized – you saw what Obi did with just eight months to elections – if you now have such a force established two years to election – people will start coming together and that would make the president sit up, not minding the thoughts of somebody writing results.

“Look at the Kano principle, how many people are on the streets of Kano? The word says they are up to 500,000 people, the government won’t go out to kill them? You see, rigging persists because of the people, if the people say no we would stay on the streets, they won’t kill them all.

“I see the region that is very known for putting the people on the streets – the North – are not very much with Tinubu.

“It wouldn’t be very easy for him but one good thing I believe will come out of this is that Tinubu will start reacting towards inclusion, he would make appointments from the North, from the East, and that may not be good enough. He needs to reshuffle his cabinet and bring in more people to build a better Nigeria.

“I’m surprised Tinubu is such a failure in the issues of inclusion, nepotism may have worked under Buhari, he used it to flood the security services, now the police and Army can’t stop the Fulani war.

“Politicians from the North who are impressed with the work Obi has done, they will have to find a way to accommodate him because you need to understand the fundamental reason why we left the PDP to start the youth movement.

“After eight years from the North, it was time to zone but PDP refused to zone and that was why Obi left, I left, Doyin Okupe left, if we need to solve the problems outside the mechanism of the party, it does not change the issues or fundamental reason why we left, so for us to come back, there has to be trust.

“Now that the presidency is already in the South, I’m sure they can trust Obi because he has some capacity. He had nobody but got more than six million votes, while Atiku had all the structures with him, that tells you that Obi has momentum; we should begin to find people that will work with him – Atiku is good but at 80-year-old, no, let’s get the younger people to do this thing.

“Peter Obi has said when he is 76, he will get out of politics, we won’t expect a man of 80 to rule, if they can trust Peter, we will be able to form a formidable opposition.”

Obidient movement rejects VP slot

While there is uncertainty over the possible flag bearer and his running mate for the coalition when a political party is finally adopted, the choice of Atiku and Obi continues to stand out among the imminent personalities.

But, Ononuju, a founding member of the Obidient Movement has declared that they won’t accept the Vice presidential slot for Obi.

Ononuju insisted that the Obidient Movement will only back Obi if he becomes the presidential candidate.

He said: “The members of the Obidient Movement will not agree to work with Obi if he is not the presidential candidate on any ticket he runs on. And because he will not dare to disobey the wishes of the movement, he will not hurt them and I think that is the biggest problem they have.

“Having him around, him being quiet while you talk doesn’t mean he’s afraid – no – he has to answer to the people who follow him.

“I don’t think our laws allow that, with the current momentum, I don’t know if the laws allow Atiku to do Vice Presidency for a third time, he has done it twice, I don’t know what the law says. If two of them get there, Atiku will be VP for a third time.

“Now that we have momentum within the political space, Obi is the most popular politician in Africa, let us run with it, it’s a collective nation building effort. Let him be meeting all those people so that they can see his capacity for power.

“If they can support him, we can correct the fundamental problem that was the mistake of the PDP when they refused to zone the presidency to the South and that’s where the party got it wrong. The movement will support Obi if he is at the top of any ticket.

“Obi draws adrenaline from the frenzy in the crowd, he is just the face of a masquerade which is the people. Like you saw the alliance meeting, those were people gathered in numbers with regards to the decrees of the military.

“Peter owns the crowd on the streets. Let us work with that because we have something that if you put it in front of the masquerade, people will know that we are coming.

“Southerners who mostly support Peter will not join in removing the presidency from here. One thing Nigeria has gained is the slow down in the deaths in the East, Tinubu’s government has stopped the funding and support for the elements that are responsible for unknown gunmen sting operations.

“Nobody has a movement like the Obidient Movement, they will not support Peter at all if he is not at the top in any alliance. His movement is like a cult, nobody amongst them has the cult followers Peter has, which has surpassed the Buhari followership.”

Coalition: Obi’s involvement a calculated shot at winning presidency

On his part, activist lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam, has described it as a calculated political move to win the Presidency.

As a solo politician from the Southeast, Idam said the closest Obi can get to the Presidency under the current Nigerian electoral system is his performance at the last election because the APC-led government will not allow him replicate his feat in the last election.

He said: “Peter Obi’s involvement in the Coalition may not go down well with the Obidients, but his move remains a calculated political option, if he must take a shot (win) at the president.

“He is today, the most adorable political bride. No doubt!

“Many, including me, believe he would have won the 2023 election if INEC exhibited the minimum standard of electoral integrity. Unfortunately, the BIVAS and IREV failed to load.

“Today, if the election is conducted again, Peter Obi would hardly score half of his last votes. The ruling party would deploy every fraudulent style this time to rig him out before ballot materials are distributed on the election day.

“He wouldn’t win Lagos again and will hardly be able to win the FCT and many other states that he won in the last election.

“The mercenaries of the ruling party would not let that happen again. They are more audacious and reckless now than ever before, with their desire to remain in power.

“And they are determined to achieve that against every odds.

“With Peter Obi’s alliance with the coalition, he will at least enjoy the umbrage of a likely winning team and would stand a chance at the Presidency, if not now but later.”