Metro
Edo: Police Arrest Three For Cultism, Recover Arms

The Edo State Police Command has paraded three suspected cultists in Benin City alleged to be members of the Maphite confraternity.
According to a statement by a media aide to the governor, Crusoe Osagie, on Friday, the police commissioner, Funsho Adegboye, paraded the suspects, identified as Eyefia Godbless (30), Imuetiyan Ewemade (30), and Emeka Okpaja (22).
The trio were reportedly apprehended at Ubiaza Community, Off Sapele Road in Benin City, where they were allegedly planning to avenge the killing of a fellow member.
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“We have the full backing of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun on the fight against cultism and we are not joking with it,” Adegboye was quoted stating.
He added that Governor Godwin Obaseki and his executive team are also supporting the initiative to rid the state of cultism and criminality.
The police recovered several items from the suspects, including an automatic pump action gun, 11 live carriages, three green berets, and a Maphite constitution.
According to the Commissioner, the suspects made confessional statements affirming their membership in the cult group.
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Adegboye emphasized the dangerous nature of the weapons seized, stating, “This is an automatic pump action gun which is as deadly as AK 47 which has a bullet that can kill several people, unlike AK-47 which can kill just one person. According to the suspects, the gun was purchased for about N700,000.”
The Commissioner used the opportunity to appeal to the youth, urging them to gainfully engage themselves in profitable and positive activities adding that crime, cultism, and internet fraud do not pay.
In addition to the three cultists, the police reported other recent arrests. These include five suspects apprehended at a cultist hideout along Siluko road, where two pump action guns, two locally made single barrel guns, and 20 live cartridges were recovered.
In a separate incident, one Osayande Tony was arrested with a pump action gun and two cartridges while driving a Mercedes Benz C300 Saloon car.
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The police also have in custody one Apalobi Daniel from Powerline, Ugbiyokho, Benin City, who allegedly strangled his wife to death during an argument. The suspect is expected to be charged in court soon.
“At same Siluko road, Rapid Response Squad intercepted one Mercedes Benz C300 Saloon car with registration number YAB 389 BG, driven by Osayande Tony ‘M’ 48 years and was arrested with one pump action gun and two cartridges,” Adegboye added.
Adegboye further reiterated the commitment of the Edo State Government and the police, in collaboration with other security agencies and the press, to continue sensitising the public about the dangers of cult groups and criminal activities.
Metro
18-year-old OAU Medical Student Dies While Sleeping

The management of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, has announced the death of an 18-year-old part-three medical student of the institution.
The student, identified as Timilehin Adetoye Toromade, was a student of the College of Health Sciences, Department of Medicine and Surgery.
According to a statement by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Abiodun Olarewaju, Timilehin with matriculation number CLI/2022/133, reportedly died in his sleep in the early hours of Tuesday, January 6, 2026.
The statement revealed that the “university received the news of the student’s passing with shock and deep sorrow”.
READ ALSO:OAU Student Electrocuted While Retrieving Ball
It also described the incident as devastating to the academic community.
According to the statement, “preliminary information suggested that the student might have died shortly after 2 a.m., as one of his roommates reportedly said the deceased opened the door for another student around that time.
“The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, expressed condolences on behalf of the Visitor, the University Council, Management, Senate, staff and students”.
The VC, Professor Bamire, described the incident as a painful loss, saying, “The loss of a young life filled with promise, purpose, and potential is a tragedy that words alone cannot adequately capture.”
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He added that the university community was united in grief over the passing of a student who had embraced the rigours of medical training with the aim of serving humanity.
According to him, the death had left a void among the student’s peers and all those who knew him within the university community.
The university management stated that it was working closely with relevant authorities to fully understand the circumstances surrounding the incident, in line with established medical and administrative procedures.
It also disclosed that appropriate support measures were being put in place to assist students and members of the university community who may have been emotionally affected by the loss.
The management called on students, staff, alumni and friends of the institution to remain calm and compassionate, while extending sympathy to the family of the deceased.
Metro
Panic As BRT Bus Catches Fire On Third Mainland Bridge

Panic gripped motorists on Tuesday afternoon following a fire outbreak involving a Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, vehicle on the Third Mainland Bridge, leading to massive traffic disruption.
The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. near the Adekunle section of the bridge, heading towards Iyana Oworo.
The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle.
According to the agency, the high-capacity BRT bus suddenly went up in flames, prompting anxiety among road users in the area.
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Footage shared online showed the bus completely consumed by fire, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky as motorists slowed down or sought alternative routes to avoid the scene.
While no injuries or loss of life were reported, the incident caused a heavy traffic buildup extending from Adekunle towards Iyana Oworo.
“A high-capacity bus is currently on fire on the Third Mainland Bridge by Adekunle, inward Iyana Oworo, and this is impacting traffic flow,” LASTMA stated.
“Our personnel are on ground managing traffic, while efforts are ongoing to extinguish the fire,” the agency added.
READ ALSO:Lagos Govt Begins Clearance Of Illegal Structures Along Lagos-Badagry Expressway
Subsequent updates indicated that officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service arrived at the scene and worked to control the blaze to prevent further damage.
Traffic officers were also deployed to redirect vehicles away from the affected area as emergency responders tackled the situation.
As of the time this report was filed, the cause of the fire had yet to be determined.
Metro
Kwara Vigilante Men Arrested By Soldiers In Edo State Released

Six Kwara State vigilante men arrested by the Nigerian Army on December 31,2025, along Auchi-Ikpeshi highway in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State, have been released after a thorough investigation by the authorities.
Spokesperson of the state police command, SP Adetoun Ejire Adeyemi, confirmed the development in a statement in Ilorin on Tuesday.
The statement read in part; “The Kwara State Police Command wishes to confirm that on Wednesday, 31st December, 2025, it received six vigilante members who were earlier arrested by personnel of the Nigerian Army along the Auchi–Ikpeshi Road in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of Edo State.
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“The Vigilantes, travelling in a vehicle belonging to Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, were formally handed over to the Kwara State Police Command by the Brigade Commander, 22 Armoured Brigade, Sobi Barracks, Ilorin, Brigadier General N.N. Rume, for the purpose of investigation and profiling.
“Following a thorough investigation, it was established that the individuals are legitimate members of a vigilante group operating in collaboration with recognised security agencies in the ongoing efforts to combat banditry and other forms of criminality.
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“Consequently, having been exonerated of any criminal wrongdoing, the vigilante members were released to their respective leaders,” the statement added.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, reiterated the command’s commitment to synergy among security agencies and community-based security outfits, while urging all groups to continually operate within the confines of the law.
He assured members of the public that the command remains steadfast in its resolve to ensure the safety and security of all residents of the state.
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