DSS operatives and the five suspected kidnappers. Credit: Uche Okere.
Good day. Here is your afternoon news recap, featuring the major developments and top stories making headlines across politics, metro, business, entertainment and sports.
1. DSS arraigns five suspects over abduction of 20 corps members, others in Imo
The Department of State Services on Tuesday arraigned five persons before the Imo State High Court over the alleged abduction of 24 persons, including 20 prospective National Youth Service Corps members.
The defendants face charges of conspiracy, hostage-taking and unlawful
of firearms in two separate cases.
Three of them, Usman Aliyu, 25, aka Chonge; Babangida Aliyu, 21; and Mohammed Ali, 23, aka Smallie Pepper, were accused of abducting the prospective corps members on Independence Day, October 1, 2026.
Read the full story here
2. APC PCC dismisses plot against Atiku as opposition rabble-rousing
The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council has challenged a member of the African Democratic Congress, Timi Frank, to substantiate his allegation that the Federal Government is plotting to assassinate former Vice President and African Democratic Congress Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
In a statement on Tuesday, the PCC spokesperson and Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, dismissed the allegation, insisting that neither President Bola Tinubu nor the APC campaign council was involved in any plot to assassinate Atiku or any opposition figure.
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3. Police disperse Lekki tollgate memorial with teargas
Police officers on Tuesday morning fired teargas to disperse residents, journalists and political figures gathered at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos for a memorial in honour of victims of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Among those affected were the African Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate, Funso Doherty.
The memorial was organised by the Enough is Enough movement as part of activities to commemorate those who lost their lives during the #EndSARS protests.
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4. I never asked Nigerians abroad to abandon families — Obi
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi, has defended his remarks urging Nigerians living in the United Kingdom to reject requests for money from people back home..
He accused his political opponents of twisting his message to Nigerians living abroad, insisting that he never asked them to abandon their families back home.
Obi said his concern was that Nigeria should not remain a country where millions of citizens depended on relatives abroad to meet their basic needs.
In a post on his X account on Tuesday, the former Anambra State governor said his message had been distorted despite a clarification issued by his media office.
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5. Okoya’s son seeks forgiveness after 40-year separation
Fatai Okoya, who identifies himself as the first child of billionaire businessman Razaq Okoya, has appealed to his father for forgiveness after decades of estrangement, attributing their disagreement to a money dispute and his marriage to a woman his father reportedly disapproved of.
Fatai made the appeal during a TikTok Live session with blogger Yeye Kudi Court Room on Monday, recounting his attempts to reconcile with the founder of Eleganza Group and his disappointment over an alleged encounter at the businessman’s 86th birthday celebration.
He said the rift began when he was younger, after he took a small amount of money from his father’s company, adding that he did not consider the sum substantial enough to warrant years of separation.
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6. Ronaldo let Man United down – Ten Hag
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has claimed Cristiano Ronaldo let the team and him down during their time together at Old Trafford.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Ten Hag said, “He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him. I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United.
Read the full story here
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