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Forty-two students and pupils are feared abducted after suspected Boko Haram terrorists attacked Mussa Primary and Junior Secondary School in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.
PUNCH Online reports that the attack reportedly occurred around 9 am on Friday in Mussa community, located on the fringes of the Sambisa Forest.
The member representing Askira-Uba/Hawul Federal Constituency, Midala Balami, confirmed the attack and described it as heartbreaking.
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Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 15.69 per cent in April 2026, from 15.38 per cent recorded in March 2026, as the surge in food, transport, hospitality, and healthcare costs pushed up consumer prices nationwide.
The National Bureau of Statistics disclosed this in its Consumer Price Index report released on Friday.
According to the report, “In April 2026, the Headline inflation rate rose to 15.69 per cent, up from 15.38 per cent in March 2026 and stood at 26.82 per cent in the same month of the preceding year (April 2025). Looking at the movement, the April 2026 Headline inflation rate showed an increase of 0.31 per cent compared to the March 2026 Headline inflation rate.”
The bureau stated that the Consumer Price Index increased to 138.3 in April 2026, representing a 2.9-point rise from the 135.4 recorded in March.
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Twenty-seven-year-old Delta-based makeup artist, Ruth Enakerakpo, speaks to TEMITOPE ADETUNJI about her battle with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, the emotional and financial toll on her young family, and her search for survival
What do you do for a living, and where are you based?
I’m a makeup artist. I’m 27 years old, married, and based in Delta State. I have a one-year-old daughter.
Do you have any siblings?
I’m the last child, and I have five siblings — three brothers and two sisters. One of my sisters has been my caregiver since I started treatment. My husband and my other four siblings have been the ones running around seeking funds for my treatment.
When did you get married?
I got married about three years ago, shortly after graduating from Delta State University, Abraka, where I studied Chemistry Education. I got married while serving in 2023.
What was life like before leukaemia?
Life wasn’t perfect, but it was good. Life was normal; I had just graduated, got married, and later gave birth to my daughter in April last year. Everything seemed normal at that time.
When did you first notice something was wrong?
A few months after giving birth, around August 2025, I started feeling very sick. At first, I thought it was just malaria. I went to the hospital, ran some tests, and was treated for malaria, but I didn’t get better.
As the weeks passed, I became weaker. I was losing weight rapidly, even though I was eating well. I couldn’t walk long distances, my joints hurt badly, and I constantly felt exhausted. At that point, I knew something was seriously wrong, so I had to visit the hospital.
What happened after you returned to the hospital?
When I went back in September, my blood count was very low, so I was admitted immediately. A haematologist later carried out a bone marrow aspiration test. A few days later, the results confirmed that I had leukaemia — cancer of the blood, Acute Myeloid Leukaemia.
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𝗩𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗢: 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗢𝗠 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮–𝗨𝗦 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗦 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿
The United States Africa Command has released footage of a coordinated military operation in northeastern Nigeria that it says led to the killing of senior Islamic State leader Abu-Bilal al-Minuki and other top ISIS figures.
In a statement on Saturday, AFRICOM said the strike was conducted on May 16, 2026, under the direction of the United States President and the Secretary of War, and in coordination with the Government of Nigeria.
The command said its initial assessment showed that “multiple terrorists, to include Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the director of global operations for ISIS, as well as other senior ISIS leaders, were killed during this operation,” adding that no U.S. service members were harmed.
U.S. Africa Command said the operation targeted a “significant presence of ISIS fighters in Northeastern Nigeria,” describing it as a coordinated effort between both countries’ forces.
Speaking on the operation, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, commander of AFRICOM, said the mission reflected strong cooperation between both militaries.
“As President Trump shared last night, AFRICOM, in coordination with the Armed Forces of Nigeria, bravely and valiantly conducted a successful mission that resulted in the elimination of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, and multiple other ISIS leaders,” he said.
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Video: X| USAfricaCommand
The pastor of the Evangelical Church of West Africa in Omugo, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Sunday Omole, has lamented that bandits are still holding his wife and other abducted residents despite receiving N20m ransom and other items from victims’ families.
Omole, who spoke with journalists on Friday, accused the abductors of repeatedly extorting families through fresh ransom demands while refusing to release the victims.
He called on the government to launch a coordinated military operation to clear forests linking Kwara, Kogi and Niger states.
The pastor said the abductors recently increased their demand to N300m after allegedly receiving N20m ransom last month alongside food items, petrol, red oil, seasoning and other supplies.
“Since we took N20m ransom to the terrorists together with five bags of rice, four kegs of 30 litres petrol, one keg of red oil, one packet of Maggi, and N40,000 worth of hard drugs, we have been expecting our people.
“It is almost a month now, precisely since April 29, 2026, and they refused to release them,” he lamented.
Omole said the kidnappers had continued to collect ransom from affected families without freeing victims.
He said, “Another young man was kidnapped three weeks ago. They collected ransom of N2m about three days ago and they still refused to release him.
“The young man was returning from his farm where he went to look for what to eat and they abducted him. That is what we are passing through. It has not been easy.”
The pastor urged the Federal Government to take decisive action against the armed groups by storming forest belts believed to be their hideouts.
“It is the government that can do it. If the government is ready, they can stop this menace happening in our area. Government can raid the forests and get rid of them with the help of the Air Force and the land army. They can do it easily.
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A British-Nigerian councillor, Celia Hibbert, has been elected as the leader of an opposition party, Reform UK in Wolverhampton.
Hibbert said on Wednesday via her social media platforms that she was unanimously elected the leader of the party on Wolverhampton City Council.
“I am deeply honoured to have been elected unanimously as Leader of Reform UK in Wolverhampton, a responsibility which now sees me serve as Leader of the official opposition on Wolverhampton City Council,” she said.
The Nigerian woman said the party had treated her fairly by her ability, character and commitment to public service.
“That has been a refreshing and profoundly different experience from my time in The Labour Party, which, in my opinion, is often more focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, rather than on talent, merit and commitment,” Hibbert stated.
She affirmed to remain focused, disciplined and attentive to the legitimate concerns of local residents.
“Every single day, I shall carry the heartbeat of the British electorate with patriotism, duty and pride,” she added.
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Nigeria and the United States have confirmed a joint military operation in the Lake Chad Basin that led to the killing of senior Islamic State leader Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, also known as Abu-Mainok.
President Bola Tinubu described the operation as a “daring joint operation” that dealt a heavy blow to ISIS ranks, while US President Donald Trump said the militant was “the most active terrorist in the world” and the “second in command of ISIS globally.”
Here are the things to know about Abu-Bilal Al-Manuki, according to the Counter Extremism Project:
1. Identity and aliases
He was identified as Abu Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Mainuki, also known as Abu Bilal Al-Minuki, Abor Mainok, and Abubakar Mainok.
2. Birth details and nationality
According to CEP, he was born in 1982 in Mainok, Benisheikh, Borno State, Nigeria, and is of Nigerian nationality.
3. ISIS leadership role
CEP describes him as a senior ISIS leader in the Sahel, operating within the Lake Chad division of ISIS’s General Directorate of Provinces.
4. Global terrorist designation
He was designated a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) by the United States Department of State on June 8, 2023, over his ISIS links.
5. Operational network
He was linked to ISIS’s al-Furqan office network, which provides operational coordination and guidance for ISIS affiliates across Nigeria, the Sahel, and Islamic State in the Greater Sahara.
6. Role in ISWAP structures
CEP notes that he rose to prominence after the 2018 killing of ISWAP leader Mamman Nur, becoming a key commander within ISIS-aligned structures in the Lake Chad region.
7. Influence in regional jihadist networks
He is reported to have been active in Lake Chad-based extremist operations and part of the wider ISIS-linked command structure in West Africa.
8. Rivalries within extremist groups
He reportedly had a strained relationship with Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, reflecting internal divisions among jihadist factions in the region.
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Former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, has explained that his decision to withdraw from the 2027 Sokoto South Senatorial race was aimed at promoting unity within the African Democratic Congress and creating room for younger politicians to emerge within the party.
Tambuwal, who is regarded as the leader of the ADC in Sokoto State, relinquished the party’s senatorial ticket to former Commissioner for Finance, Faruk Malami-Yabo, following days of consultations and disagreements over the selection of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Friday during a strategic stakeholders’ meeting attended by party loyalists, community leaders, youth representatives and political associates, Tambuwal described Malami-Yabo as “a committed, capable, and visionary leader” with the competence and integrity required to sustain progressive leadership and strengthen democratic values in the state and beyond.
Tambuwal said, “The time has come for experienced leaders to deliberately create room for emerging voices and fresh ideas in the nation’s political space.
“Leadership is not about personal ambition alone; it is about continuity, service, and preparing others to carry the torch.
“I have absolute confidence in Faruk Malami-Yabo’s ability to provide purposeful leadership and unite our people for greater progress.”
He further stated that his decision to step back from frontline local politics should not be interpreted as retirement from public service, but rather as a strategic transition toward mentorship, guidance and nation-building initiatives aimed at empowering young Nigerians to actively participate in governance and leadership.
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Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has described his time at Galatasaray as the most fulfilling spell of his professional career, after helping the Turkish giants clinch a fourth consecutive Süper Lig title last weekend, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Osimhen scored twice in the decisive 4-2 victory over Antalyaspor that sealed the championship, capping another outstanding individual campaign in which he registered 15 goals and five assists in 20 league appearances.
Speaking on Galatasaray’s official YouTube channel, the Nigerian forward was unrestrained in expressing his satisfaction with life in Istanbul.
“I’m experiencing one of the best periods of my career. I feel great. This is the best so far. I’m experiencing one of the most fulfilling periods of my career,” Osimhen said.
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The Senator representing Borno Central, Kaka Lawan, has disbursed one hundred and thirty-five million, six hundred and fifty thousand naira (₦135,650,000) to All Progressives Congress executives in his constituency ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Friday, the senator’s legislative assistant, Usman Alkali, said the gesture marks the third time Lawan has made such a donation since he joined the National Assembly.
The post, written in Hausa and translated by our correspondent, read: “Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan shares ₦135,650,000 to APC executives in Borno Central for Eid al-Kabir celebration.”
Alkali said the funds were distributed on Thursday to party executives across the senator’s constituency, noting that the intervention was to support preparations for the festive period.
“Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (SAN), on Thursday distributed cash to APC executives in his Borno Central constituency, totalling ₦135,650,000 to help them celebrate the upcoming Eid-Kabir festival,” he said.
He added, “This is the third time the Senator has given such a donation since becoming a member of the National Assembly.”
According to him, the gesture was intended to appreciate party executives for their commitment to strengthening democracy and upholding its principles.
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