Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin has discharged and acquitted a 82-year-old man, Chief Olowofela Oyebanji, of criminal offences related to kidnapping and murder.

The trial judge, Umar Zikki Jubril, upheld a no case submission preferred before it by the defence counsels.

Oyebanji and 12 others were facing charges of criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide, kidnapping and giving false information contrary to Sections 97, 221 and 178 of the penal code law and Section 1 (Special Prohibition) Kidnapping Law of Kwara state 2010.

Oyebanji, who is a High Chief in Igbara-Odo, Ekiti state, has since denied involvement in the criminal allegations, particularly the killing of a traditional ruler, Olukoro of Koro, Oba Aremu Cole, in the Ekiti local government area of Kwara state.

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In her ruling on Tuesday, the trial judge discharged and acquitted Oyebanji, having proved his innocence beyond a reasonable doubt.

Justice Zikki held that the prosecution was not able to prove a prima facie case against the defendant and others alleged to be involved in the criminal act.

Speaking after the ruling, counsel to the defendant, Dr Solomon Afolabi, expressed joy and satisfaction with the ruling.

He commended the judge for being courageous and ensuring justice was done, amid heightened sentiments and the sensitive nature of the case.

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“It’s a big gift at the beginning of the new legal year that my client, the ninth defendant, who has been standing trial since February 2024, for an offence he knew nothing about, eventually got justice.

“It was just unfortunate that he had to go through this because, as you heard in the judgement, it was a case of random arrests for many of the defendants in this case”, he said.

Another defence counsel said the ruling came after the prosecution closed its case against the defendants.

“The prosecution presented evidence and called five witnesses during the case. But after thorough perusal of the evidence before the court, the court found it in its ruling that the prosecution failed to provide a substantial and compelling evidence against all the defendants and, in view of this, discharged and acquitted them”.

A Dangote Cement truck has crushed five people to death at the Alapoka axis of the Papalanto–Ilaro Road, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State.

It was learnt on Saturday from the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, that the accident occurred at about 8:30 p.m. on Friday.

The TRACE spokesperson noted that the truck had lost its brakes and rammed into a tricycle conveying the five victims.

He identified the vehicles involved as an unregistered tricycle and a Dangote truck with the number plate GRZ 767 XA.

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Akinbiyi said, “A fatal road traffic accident occurred at Alapoka Village, Papalanto–Ilaro Road, Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State on Friday at 8:25 p.m.

“The accident involved an unregistered tricycle and a Dangote truck with the number plate GRZ 767 XA. The tricycle was conveying five people. The five people died on the spot.

“According to an eyewitness, the truck lost its brakes and rammed into the tricycle, but unfortunately the driver was not observant that he had collided with the tricycle until its tyre crushed the tricycle and the passengers.”

He noted that upon receipt of the incident, the Acting TRACE Head, Adedayo Omonayajo, and the Ilaro Divisional TRACE Commander, Salako Idowu, led a rescue team to the scene.

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He added that residents of the community had attempted to attack the rescue team, but the intervention of sister security agencies brought the situation under control.

“The Acting TRACE Head and the Ilaro Commander led a rescue team to the scene and were almost attacked by angry residents, but the intervention of the Amotekun Corps doused the tension.

“The presumed dead were taken to the morgue by Federal Road Safety Corps officials,” Akinbiyi added.

This is not the first incident involving a Dangote truck in fatal crashes.

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Recently, Big Brother Naija reality TV star, Phyna, was at loggerheads with the Dangote group after one of the latter’s trucks crushed Phyna’s sister, an accident which eventually claimed her life.

In a November 2024 multiple-crash incident in Lagos and Ogun, a Dangote truck experienced brake failure, causing loss of control. Four people died and seven were injured.

Similarly, in June 2021, a Dangote truck in Ogun State crushed a commercial motorbike rider and passenger, prompting a mob to set the truck ablaze.

No fewer than four persons escaped death on Friday morning following a collision between a tipper truck and a tanker near Igbariam Junction along the Onitsha–Awka–Enugu Expressway in Anambra State.

The tanker, which was loaded with diesel, fell into a roadside drainage, spilling part of its content.

It was gathered from a traffic update on Friday by the Sector Public Education Officer of the Anambra State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Margaret Onabe, that the crash occurred at about 9:50 a.m.

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Onabe, who spoke on behalf of the Sector Commander, Corps Commander Bridget Asekhauno, confirmed that the incident involved a wine-coloured Mack tipper truck and a red HOWO tanker with registration number KWR 133 YQ.

She attributed the cause of the crash to loss of control by the driver of the Mack tipper.

According to her, four individuals were involved in the crash, with one male adult sustaining bruises and being taken to Chira Hospital in Awkuzu for treatment. Fortunately, no fatalities were recorded.

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She said, “A serious road traffic crash occurred on October 3, 2025, at approximately 9:50 a.m. near Igbariam Junction on the Awka–Onitsha road.

“The incident involved two vehicles: a wine-coloured Mack tipper truck and a red HOWO tanker with registration number KWR 133 YQ. Four persons were involved, with one sustaining injuries. He has been taken to hospital, and no deaths were recorded. The crash was caused by loss of control by the tipper driver.”