News
Death toll in Niger flooding rises to 150
The death toll in the Niger State flooding rose to at least 150 on Saturday, according to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Channels Television, is reporting.
Citing confirmation by Ibrahim Husseini, spokesman for the agency, the report marked a sharp increase from the previous death toll of 115, as bodies were recovered nearly 10 kilometres (6 miles) away from the town of Mokwa, the epicentre of the floods.
A total of 3,000 persons have also been displaced, levelling more than 250 homes and washing away two bridges, with President Bola Tinubu directing the activation of the National Emergency Response Centre in the state.
“Some bodies were recovered from the debris of collapsed homes,” Husseini was quoted as saying, adding that his teams would need excavators to retrieve corpses, as many were still missing, citing a family of 12 where only four members had been accounted for as of Friday.
In an overnight statement, the President said his directive was necessitated by a briefing from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the need to scale up urgent humanitarian responses to meet the needs of victims.
“This tragic incident serves as a timely reminder of the dangers associated with building on waterways and the critical importance of keeping drainage channels and river paths clear,” the NEMA spokesman was quoted as saying, adding: that rains had washed away and submerged dozens of homes in and around the town of Mokwa, located near the Niger River, sweeping many bodies into the river and carrying downstream, complicating efforts to compile a death toll.
“I have received with deep concern the distressing reports of severe flooding in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, which has resulted in the tragic loss of lives and the displacement of families.
“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the affected families and the good people of Niger State at this difficult time. Upon receiving initial reports, I immediately directed the activation of the National Emergency Response Centre.
“I have also been briefed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on the scale of the disaster and the urgent humanitarian needs. Search-and-rescue operations are ongoing, and all relevant federal agencies have been mobilised to support the state government’s efforts.
“Relief materials and temporary shelter assistance are being deployed without delay. We will ensure that no Nigerian affected by this disaster is left behind or unheard of,” Tinubu said while mourning the victims.
He assured that all those impacted by the incident would receive support from the Federal Government, adding: “I assure all those impacted that your government stands with you. We will continue to coordinate with the Niger State Government to ensure a swift, coordinated, and compassionate response, one that prioritises lives, restores dignity and accelerates recovery.
Bemoaning the situation, the President, added: “I call on all Nigerians to keep our fellow citizens in Mokwa in our thoughts and prayers. In times of adversity, we draw strength from our unity, resilience, and shared humanity.
“I have also directed our security agencies to assist in the emergency efforts while NEMA and the National Emergency Response Centre have been tasked with coordination and providing updates as necessary.”
It was another day of misery in Kwara State, when daredevil terrorists reportedly stormed Yashikira Community in Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, and as has been the case in many of the attacks, abducting scores of residents including women and children.
But, apparently to register their authority, the gunmen, who were said to have operated for hours without challenge from the security operatives, were said to have torched the palace of the Emir.
The attackers, which reportedly occurred late Sunday night were said to have announced their presence through heavy firing and after storming the palace of the monarch during the period, set it on fire before whisking away their victims, but a similar attempt at the police station in the community, was repelled.
While some of the residents, narrated how the spent hours without resistance, leaving behind destruction and fear in the border community, another account said the villagers were caught unawares as the gunmen invaded the town under the cover of darkness.
However operatives made up of the police and military personnel, were said to have launched a manhunt immediately for the immediate rescue of the victims, including throwing a cordon in the area as part of the mission.
“The suspect offered ₦500 million to the SPU commander in an attempt to make the team stand down and allow him to contact his associates to move the consignment elsewhere. The offer was rejected immediately and properly documented for further investigation.”
These were the exact words of Olohundare Jimoh Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), with which he detailed how operatives of the Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) scoffed at a N500million bribe to turn their eyes off the importation of a huge consignment of drugs imported into the country.
This was part of the details of a major breakthrough by the operatives after bursting a major drug trafficking syndicate in Lagos, which led to the seizure of suspected illicit drugs estimated at ₦7.8 billion and arresting several suspects, including the alleged kingpin.
In the operation, reportedly carried out by officers of the Special Protection Unit (SPU) in collaboration with divisional police detectives, the operatives, were said to have stormed a house in Mende, Maryland area of Lagos, following months of surveillance and intelligence gathering coordinated by the Zone 2 Headquarters.
The recovered drugs consisted of hundreds of bags of suspected Canadian Loud, allegedly stored in the residence of the prime suspect, Jimoh, said disclosing that the suspect was apprehended on May 19 after weeks of strategic monitoring by operatives.
Offering further details, he said the operation was executed with technical support and guidance from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, alongside coordinated efforts between the SPU and divisional police teams.
Jimoh revealed that during the operation, the suspect allegedly attempted to bribe the SPU commander with ₦500 million to compromise the mission and allow the movement of the drug consignment.
The AIG described the development as a reflection of the renewed professionalism and operational discipline being entrenched in the Force under the current policing strategy.
He noted that the success of the operation underscored the importance of deploying specialized police units alongside conventional divisional teams in tackling organized crime.
According to him, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid containment strategies, intelligence-led policing, and professional conduct among the operatives involved in the raid.
“Rapid containment was achieved as the Special Protection Unit worked with divisional teams to secure the perimeter and prevent escape or interference with evidence.
“The operation was intelligence-driven, following months of surveillance and technical monitoring before the raid was carried out.
“The immediate rejection and documentation of the bribe attempt also reflect the standard expected from redeployed personnel at the divisional level,” Jimoh added.
Reacting to the development, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, commended the operatives for their professionalism, saying the success of the operation validated the ongoing redeployment of personnel to divisions and units across Lagos and Ogun states.
The IGP noted: “Policing must be close to the people, and our specialized units must work side by side with divisional teams on the ground.
“The professionalism shown by the SPU commander in rejecting a ₦500 million bribe and following due procedure is the standard we expect. It shows that when you put your best foot forward at the grassroots, you get results and restore public trust.”
Disu further assured that the Force leadership would continue to reward integrity while holding officers accountable to the highest ethical standards.
Police authorities said exhibits recovered during the operation have been properly documented and will be tendered in court. The suspects are currently in custody while investigations continue to track down other members of the drug trafficking network.
Slavery is a wound on the memory of the Universal Church, Pope Leo XIV, said on Monday, as he issued a fresh apology over the participation of the the Catholic Church in the centuries-long delay in condemning slavery.
The pontiff stressed the position of the church after his predecessors had offered similar apologies, said: “For this, in the name of the Church, I sincerely ask for pardon.”
Writing in a major text that warned about “new forms of slavery” behind the digital economy, the joined John Paul II, who denounced slave trade in 1992 before issuing a sweeping request for forgiveness for historical injustices in 2000 and Pope Francis who also repeatedly denounced contemporary forms of slavery.
In his own vein, Pope Leo, pointed out that the Church owned slaves until the Middle Ages and it also advised European sovereigns on how to justify the enslavement of “infidels.”
He stressed in “Magnifica Humanitas” (Magnificent Humanity), a document focused primarily on the rise of artificial intelligence, that it was only in the 19th century that “a formal, absolute and universal condemnation of slavery was clearly articulated.”
Hear him: “It is true that past events cannot be judged anachronistically, as though the moral criteria that matured over time had always been available. Yet neither can we deny or diminish the delay with which both society and the Church came to denounce the scourge of slavery. This constitutes a wound in Christian memory, one from which we cannot consider ourselves detached.”
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