Some ex-soldiers of the Nigerian Army who voluntarily disengaged in the third and fourth quarters of 2023 staged a peaceful protest on Monday in front of the Federal Ministry of Finance headquarters in Abuja, demanding the immediate payment of their outstanding entitlements.

The aggrieved ex-servicemen, who officially left the military on July 1, 2024, carried banners listing their demands, which include: complete payment of gratuity and Salary Deductions Allowance (SDA) based on the new national minimum wage, payment of housing scheme contributions, payment of NAWIS/BenFund, and settlement of their packing allowance.

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The protesters, many of whom said they had served the country diligently for years, expressed frustration over the delay, describing it as unfair treatment after years of service.

“We have fulfilled our part by serving this country faithfully. Now, it is the government’s duty to honour its promise and pay what is due to us,” one of the protesters said.

As of the time of filing this report, officials at the Ministry of Finance had yet to address the protesters.

Tragedy struck in the Idumoza community, Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction caved in, killing its owner, identified as Andrew Isesere.

The incident occurred last Friday while Isesere was reportedly inside the building.

Over 20 workers who were also at the site narrowly escaped death, according to eyewitnesses.

The lifeless body of the owner was recovered from the debris on Sunday morning.

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Neighbours in the area expressed concern over the quality of materials used in the construction, noting that warnings had previously been issued to the deceased.

Andrew Inegbebor, a resident who spoke to reporters, said, “The owner was told he was using low quality material. He used 12mm instead of 16mm rods for the pillars. There was no base basket at the pillars. Look at the result.”

“The building collapsed because of substandard materials that were used. There was no engineer on site. The dead owner supervised the house. The house later collapsed and killed him , but some workers escaped,” he added.

At the time of filing this report, the Edo State Police Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, said that he had not received a briefing on the incident.

The Imo State Police Command has dismantled a cult gang that specialised in phone theft, burglary, and altering the tracking device of phones in Eziobodo, in the Owerri West Local Government Area.

This is even as the Command has arrested several people linked to various phone robberies within the Owerri federal constituency.

Police spokesperson for Imo State command, DSP Henry Okoye, made the disclosure on Saturday morning.

Okoye disclosed that following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop was burgled on July 11th, 2025, within Eziobodo, operatives of the Anti-Vice commenced an investigation that led to the arrest of a suspect with four brand new but stolen phones.

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Intense investigation led the Police to the principal burglar behind the robbery and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI, which blocks the tracking of such phones.

Okoye said, “Following a complaint by a phone dealer whose shop in Eziobodo was burgled on 11th July 2025, operatives of the Anti-Vice Unit arrested a suspect in possession of four brand-new stolen phones. Investigations led to the arrest of the principal burglar and another accomplice who specialised in altering phone IMEI numbers to evade tracking”.

He disclosed that all the suspects arrested are currently in custody, while efforts have been intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate.

Okoye said in another development, operatives of the Orji Police Station on July 31st, 2025, at about 9pm (2100hrs) arrested one Ernest Nweke ‘m’ at Bishop’s Court roundabout, in the Owerri North LGA, following a distress call from concerned citizens.

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The suspect, who is a native of Umuoji in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State but resident in the World Bank area of Owerri, was arrested with a locally fabricated pistol after he and three others allegedly robbed one Emmanuel FearGod ‘m’ of Fountain of Knowledge Hostel.

Okoye said, “Nweke, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings cult group, was identified by the victim and arrested while the others fled. Based on his confession, four other suspects: Chamberlain Prince, Akujuobi Godwin, Ugwuelu Joseph, and Frederick Chigozie were arrested the next morning and also confessed to the crime. All suspects are currently undergoing investigation and will be duly prosecuted in court”.

Meanwhile, the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Aboki Danjuma, has commended the officers for their swift action and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to fight crime.

The Police boss urged residents to report suspicious activities to the nearest Police Station or through 0803 477 3600.