Lagos State Government has appealed for calm following panic in the Ojokoro area of the state over reports of an alleged bandit attack at a school complex, which prompted anxious parents to rush to the premises to check on their children.

Reacting to the incident, the Lagos State Education District I, which supervises 99 public junior and senior secondary schools across the Agege, Alimosho and Ifako-Ijaiye areas, clarified that no case of banditry or kidnapping occurred, describing the situation as a misunderstanding caused by a poorly communicated educational exercise.

According to the district, the incident originated from a weekly co-curricular programme at Ijaiye Ojokoro Junior College, one of the four schools located within the Ojokoro school complex.

The authorities explained that the exercise was designed to educate students on contemporary security issues and often incorporates practical demonstrations to enhance learning and engagement.

However, during Wednesday’s session, a member of the teaching staff reportedly adopted an overly dramatic approach while illustrating the dangers of kidnapping and banditry, inadvertently triggering panic among students and members of the surrounding community.

Officials said the demonstration involved the use of a vehicle and simulated security-style operations, including costumes and behaviour intended to resemble those of criminal elements.

The realistic nature of the exercise reportedly caused confusion, with many students believing the school was under attack and fleeing the premises in fear.

The resulting alarm quickly spread beyond the school environment, leading concerned parents to make frantic inquiries about their children, while residents of nearby communities, including the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation, LSDPC, Estate in Ojokoro, reacted to reports circulating on social media.

In a statement, the Residents Association of the LSDPC Estate acknowledged that the exercise may have been conceived as an educational role-play but criticised its execution, describing it as inappropriate given prevailing security concerns across the country.

The association noted that the teacher involved failed to notify school authorities, staff members and students about the planned dramatization, which included realistic special effects.

“Furthermore, the teacher failed to inform the school authority, other staff, and the rest of the student body about his proposed drama, which included the use of realistic special effects. This lack of communication resulted in severe panic within the school,” the association stated.

“In the ensuing rush to escape what they believed to be a real threat, a large number of students fled into our estate, causing the rowdiness and alarm that many witnessed.

“We want to assure all residents that there was no actual security breach, kidnapping or bandit attack within or around our estate. The police were immediately contacted and are fully involved. The teacher responsible for the false alarm has been taken to the police station for questioning, and the situation has been completely brought under control.”

Authorities maintained that the incident was the result of miscommunication rather than any security threat and reassured parents and residents that students and staff remained safe.

Meanwhile, a visit to the police station where the teacher was reportedly taken showed the staff member present at the facility. However, inquiries into the matter were declined by the Divisional Police Officer, who referred journalists to the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command for further information.

Operatives of the Department of State Services and troops of the Nigerian Army on Wednesday foiled a major attempt by members of the outlawed Eastern Security Network to kidnap scores of students writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination in some South-East states.

The targeted schools for the abductions were located in Enugu, Anambra and Imo states.

According to a statement on Thursday, acting on credible intelligence from the DSS, operatives of the secret police and soldiers raided an ESN armoury in the Agbani axis of Enugu State.

The statement added that intelligence revealed that ESN members planned to launch the attacks while wearing National Youth Service Corps uniforms.

“The raid led to the recovery of a cache of high-calibre arms, including eight AK-47 rifles, 12 AK-47 magazines and 323 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition.

“Also recovered were one smoke grenade launcher, two teargas canisters, 10 NYSC trousers, eight NYSC T-shirts and four NYSC lanyards.

“Intelligence further revealed that members of the terrorist organisation were to attack selected schools in the Southeast region to create the impression that bandits had invaded the region.

“Several members of the organisation were reportedly arrested. Earlier on Tuesday, a team comprising DSS operatives and soldiers, around the Garki area of Enugu, raided another ESN armoury,” the statement read.

It added that a rocket launcher, two rocket-propelled grenade warheads, three RPG chargers and three AK-47 rifles were among the arms recovered by the security team.

“Also recovered by the team were six AK-47 magazines, two handheld grenades, one teargas gun, a baton, two teargas canisters, 270 rounds of NATO 7.62x39mm ammunition, 478 rounds of 7.62x39mm special ammunition, a bandolier and a baton.”

The recoveries came barely a week after DSS operatives arrested five suspected arms couriers linked to gunmen who abducted students and staff of St. Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri Village, Niger State, on November 21, 2025.

Had the planned abduction been carried out, it would have further heightened concerns over the resurgence of school kidnappings in Nigeria, where students have repeatedly been targeted by criminal and terrorist groups in recent years. Several mass abductions from schools across the country have drawn national and international attention, prompting increased security measures around educational institutions.

A former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Reagan Ufomba has officially quit the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and defected to the Labour Party, LP.

Receiving Ufomba and his supporters into LP on Wednesday at Okpuala Ngwa, Abia State Governor,  Alex Otti said the defection is a major boost  to the Labour Party  and to the development of the State.

The Governor described the Labour Party as one founded on equity, inclusiveness and equal opportunities for all members and assured the new entrants that they would not be subjected to discrimination  by old LP members.

“The interesting thing about Labour Party is that there is no discrimination.

“We don’t have old and new members,” Governor Otti said.

The Governor commended Chief Ufomba for his commitment to the development of the State and acknowledged his support for the administration’s reform agenda.

Earlier in his speech, Ufomba pledged his commitment to contributing to the growth and progress of Abia State under the platform of the Labour Party.

He  thanked Alex Otti and the leadership of the LP in Abia State for receiving him into their fold.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed June 16 to June 25, 2026, for the conduct of political party primaries in restored state constituencies across Benue, Delta, Jigawa and Kogi states ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The commission announced the decision in a press statement issued on Wednesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

According to INEC, the action followed court judgments directing the restoration of several previously suppressed constituencies and was carried out in line with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act 2026.

In Benue State, the restored constituencies are Nyamatsor, Ukum Afia, Konshisha III (Shangev-Tiev), Makurdi III (South East), and Gboko III State Constituencies.

INEC said the special primary elections would enable political parties to nominate candidates for the restored constituencies in preparation for the 2027 general election.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all other timelines and activities contained in the already published revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election shall apply to the restored constituencies,” the commission stated.

The electoral body also directed political parties to submit notices of their primaries to the commission before the scheduled dates, citing the peculiar nature of the arrangement.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting credible, inclusive and transparent electoral processes as preparations for the 2027 general election continue.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, has called for urgent and long-term action to address poverty and inequality in the North-West.

According to him, no child’s future should be determined by the circumstances of their birth.

He made the statement while delivering a keynote address at the High-Level North-West Policy Dialogue held in Kano State, where he urged leaders to focus on practical solutions rather than speeches and promises.

“The measure of any society is found in how it expands opportunity and protects the vulnerable. No child’s future should be foreclosed by the poverty of their birth.”

Sanusi warned that poverty in the region remains deeply rooted and is reflected in poor education outcomes, weak health systems, and high levels of child malnutrition and unemployment.

He said addressing the crisis requires strong political commitment and consistent investment in people, especially children and young people.

Among his key recommendations was a call for the creation of a long-term social investment framework in each state, with protected budget lines for health, education, social protection, and youth development.

He also proposed a minimum social package that guarantees basic services for citizens at different stages of life, from early childhood to adulthood.

Sanusi stressed the importance of early childhood development, saying the first years of life are critical to a child’s future learning and wellbeing.

He urged states to invest more in nutrition, early learning, and parental support, adding that what happens in those early years determines what a child becomes.”

The Emir also recommended stronger programmes for out-of-school children, adult literacy, and youth skills development to reduce unemployment and improve livelihoods.

He further called for better use of traditional institutions in community data gathering and programme delivery, saying they are closer to the people and understand local needs better.

Sanusi also pushed for improved accountability, urging governments in the region to publish results of social investments and track progress annually.

He warned that without honest leadership and sustained action, poverty in the region would continue to deepen and affect future generations.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal Directorate 2, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Wednesday, June 10, 2026,  arraigned a social media influencer,  Okoro Blessing Nkiruka,( a.k.a Blessing CEO) for  alleged N13,000,000 (Thirteen Million Naira)  Cancer  fraud before Justice Yelim Bogoro of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos.

The EFCC filed a fresh six-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence and retaining the proceeds to the tune of N13,000,000 against her, following the receipt of several petitions from individuals and groups, including the Nigeria Cancer Society.

The petitioners allegedly made donations to the defendant after her social media posts claiming that she was battling Stage 4 breast cancer and seeking financial support for treatment.

She was, however, later discovered to have allegedly falsified the document she presented to members of the public.

One of the counts reads:

“That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA (A.K.A. BLESSING CEO), female, adult, sometime in 2026 in Lagos State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did obtain the total sum of N13,000,000 (Thirteen Million Naira) from unsuspecting citizens under the false pretence of being diagnosed with a terminal illness, to wit: left breast lump and invasive ductal carcinoma with lobular feature, which representation you knew to be false, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.”

Another count reads: “ That you, OKORO BLESSING NKIRUKA (A.K.A BLESSING CEO) (female), adult, sometime in 2026 in Lagos State  within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court,  knowingly forged a medical report titled “Histopathology/Cytopathology Report”, purported to have emanated from Xinus Medical Diagnostics knowing same to be false with intent to gain advantage for yourself from unsuspecting citizens and you, thereby committed and offence contrary to and punishable under section 1(2) (c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, CAP M17, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

The defendant pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to her.

Following her plea, the prosecution counsel H. U. KofarNaisa, asked the court for a trial date and prayed that the defendant be remanded in a correctional centre.

Responding, counsel to the defendant, Stanley Ofoegbu, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him file a bail application on behalf of the defendant.

Justice Bogoro, consequently, adjourned the matter till September 24, 2026, for the commencement of trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in a Correctional centre.