The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Component of Operation Hadin Kai, launched a devastating air strike against terrorists in Kukawa, Borno.

This is contained in a statement by the Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Akinboyewa said the NAF fighter jets destroyed a gun truck and neutralised several fighters in the first strike while the second was to provide close air support to repel an attack on ground troops.

He said that the first operation began with credible intelligence on the location of a terrorists’ gun truck, approximately five kilometers west of Kukawa.

According to him, the NAF fighter jets swiftly responded, acquiring and attacking the target with precision, destroying the gun truck and crippling the terrorists’ capacity.

“In the second operation, the air component responded to a distress call from ground troops in Kukawa, who were under intense attack by terrorists on motorcycles.

“The NAF air assets rapidly responded, engaging the terrorists at various intervals.

“The strike neutralised many terrorists, and our ground troops recovered over 20 abandoned motorcycles. Following the strike, ground troops are capitalising on the momentum, pursuing wounded and fleeing terrorists.

“The NAF reaffirms its commitment to the collective effort to restore peace and security in the country, and will continue to provide airpower in support of our ground forces and other security agencies,” he said.

 The organised labour in Cross River has directed state civil servants to return to work on Wednesday.

The directive is contained in a statement issued by the state chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Mr Monday Ogbodum, and made available to newsmen on Tuesday.

Ogbodum stated that the directive followed the success of the two-day warning strike over the government’s non-implementation of the new minimum wage.

According to him, negotiations between the state government and labour would resume on Thursday.

“The strike committee wants to thank all workers for their total compliance in the just concluded warning strike from Sunday midnight, November 24 toTuesday, November 26.

“This demonstrates our collective resolve to ensure that our workers get their due.

“We appreciate your resilience, not minding the excruciating working conditions we are subjected to.

“It is our firm belief that together we can move mountains,” the statement added.

It would be recalled that the workers had embarked on the warning strike, after the negotiation between labour and the government brokedown.

A fake doctor, Martins Ugwu, has been jailed for using his friend, George Daniel Davidson’s, certificate to operate.

A federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Jabi, Abuja, convicted Ugwu for impersonation, thereby, securing a job at the federal ministry of health.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) spokesperson, Demola Bakare, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

According to Bakare, the ICPC said the commission filed a seven-count charge against Ugwu in February 2016.

“Ugwu was charged in court for making a false statement to the federal Civil Service Commission chairman, through which he secured employment in 2006,” he said.

“For 10 years, Ugwu earned N17.2 million in salaries and allowances while falsely presenting himself as a qualified medical doctor.

“The offence contravenes section 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.”

According to him, Ugwu also used the forged documents to obtain a staff identity card, apply for annual leave, and enroll in a postgraduate programme in epidemiology, which could have earned him a master’s degree.

During the sentencing hearing, Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, the counsel to the ICPC, urged the court to order Ugwu to return the N17.2 million he fraudulently earned.

The presiding judge, Abubakar Idris Kutigi, condemned Ugwu’s actions and sentenced him to six months imprisonment on each of the seven charges, to run consecutively, totalling three and a half years while ordering him to refund the N17.2 million he had earned illegally.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello after honouring the invitation of the commission over an alleged misappropriation of funds.

Bello went to the office with his lawyers on Tuesday morning, following the Supreme Court judgment which dismissed states’ cases on the constitutionality of the anti-graft agency.

The former governor drove himself in a black Hilux to the EFCC office with his lawyers and was still being held by operatives of the commission at the time of this report.

At the last hearing on November 14, the EFCC sought an adjournment until November 27 in the fresh case it instituted against Bello, saying that the 30-day window was still running for the summons issued earlier.

The Delta State Police Command has arrested three suspects accused of targeting ‘runs girls’ in clubs, robbing them, and sexually assaulting them.

The command’s spokesperson, Bright Edafe, disclosed this on Tuesday, revealing that the suspects use a deceptive strategy to lure their victims.

According to Edafe, the suspects approach young women, most especially prostitute commonly referred to as runs girls, in clubs.

Edafe revealed that the suspects would engage with their victims by dancing, drinking in clubs, negotiate prices, and pretend to take them to a hotel.

He added that instead, they would divert the girls to a bush, rob them, transfer money from their bank accounts, and rape them.

“These three suspects operate in two folds. They go to clubs, carry runs girls, dance and drink with them, negotiate prices and take them out pretending that they are going to the hotel, they later divert these young girls to the bush, Rob them, transfer all their money from their bank account and Rape them. As usual, they regret their actions and pray for a second chance.” Edafe tweed.

In a video shared alongside his tweet, Edafe also explained that the suspects operate as a one-chance syndicate, targeting only young girls.

“They operate in two dimension. One is they pretend like they are transporters. Look for vulnerable young girls. They don’t target men. They target young girls. Pretend like they want to carry them. They will carry them as passengers. When they get to about 100 meters, another of their gang member will be waiting.

‘ They will now enter and they will now put the girl, the lady in their middle, drive them to a lonely road at times, to the bush, collect their phone, enter their mobile app, transfer all the money they have, collect their phones at times. They even rape these ladies.”

Edafe noted that one victim, although unwilling to speak publicly due to fear, had been identified.

“We have one of the victim with us, though she’s scared that she does not want to talk, and you know, we cannot compel her to talk. No, we have the suspect here, and they will tell us what they do what they do, how they do it and why they do it.”

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has suspended his Senior Special Assistant on Print Media, Wale Ajetunmobi for misrepresenting facts.

The Special Adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

“Ajetunmobi was suspended following the misrepresentation of facts on his personal X account on a past incident,” Akosile said.

Akosile then reiterated that the Sanwo-Olu administration frowns at any form of extrajudicial punishment and will not be a part of any such action, adding, “That is not who we are. That is not our way.”

Ajetunmobi had shared on X that some of the hoodlums who burnt down TVC headquarters in Lagos during the #EndSARS protests of October 2020 have been “hunted down and executed.”

When an X user asked to know if he meant that extrajudicial killings were carried out against the arsonists, Ajetunmobi denied making such a claim.

“Lol… you want to create a narrative in your head. What is extrajudicial killing here? Some of the people were chased by soldiers and exchange of fire occurred.

“Then, arsonists were overpowered and killed in the process. Others ran away. Is that an extrajudicial killing to you?” he replied.