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Gunmen Abduct Catholic Priest, Two Others In Rivers

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Gunmen have abducted a Catholic Priest attached to Port Harcourt Diocese, Rev. Father Livinus Maurice, along with two others.

Maurice is the Parish Priest of St Patrick’s Catholic in Isokpo, the Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

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The identities of the two others abducted alongside the priest could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report on Saturday afternoon.

READ ALSO: Rivers Community Protests As Police Kill Father Of Three

The priest was reportedly abducted while returning from a hospital visitation along the Elele-Isiokpo Road in Ikwere LG of the state on Wednesday.

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According to a statement issued in Port Harcourt and signed by the Catholic Diocese of Port Harcourt on behalf of the Bishop by the Chancellor, Reverend Father Bernadine Anaele, the incident took place on Wednesday, February 12.

The statement partly read, “Although the matter has been reported to the security agencies, Christ faithful of Port Harcourt Diocese and Nigeria at large have been urged to intensify prayers for the safe and unconditional release of the priest and those with him.”

READ ALSO: Falana Clarifies Court Ruling On Rivers Assembly Crisis

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When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation is ongoing to ensure their release and the arrest of the culprits.

She stated, “Yes the command is aware of the incident and we are making frantic efforts to ensure the protest is released unhurt and the two others.

“Also the command has alerted all tactical units to ensure the suspects are apprehended and made to face the law. “

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Tragedy As UNIZIK Undergraduate Jumps From Three-storey Building, Dies

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Tragedy struck at a private lodge near Royal Kitchen Junction, Ifite-Awka, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, late Thursday, when a male student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, jumped from a three-storey building and died.

It was gathered that the student (name withheld) jumped from the balcony of the building located near the school after allegedly consuming some unknown substances suspected to be “mkpurummiri”.

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According to eyewitnesses near the scene, after the victim fell to the ground, all efforts to bring him back to life proved abortive, as he was later confirmed dead in a nearby hospital, where he was rushed.

One of the sources said, “We suddenly heard a loud thud yesterday (Thursday) evening, prompting a rush to the scene where the young man was found lying in a pool of his own blood, critically injured.

READ ALSO: UNIZIK Expels Student Who Assaulted Lecturer

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“The victim, whose name is being withheld pending notification of his family, was identified as a tenant in the lodge. Shockingly, when concerned residents checked his room, his roommate was found in an incoherent state, allegedly under the influence of the same substances they had taken earlier.

“Despite efforts to save him, the student was confirmed dead at a nearby hospital. Authorities are working diligently to contact the deceased’s family and investigate the full circumstances surrounding the incident.”

It was further gathered that the roommate of the victim is currently in custody and will be questioned further once he regains stability.

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READ ALSO: UNIZIK Female Student Allegedly Bites Lecturer During Fight

Contacted on the development on Friday, the Chief Safety Officer at UNIZIK, Ken Chukwurah, confirmed the incident, adding that the incident happened at a private lodge outside the school, and an investigation is ongoing.

Chukwurah said, “We are still investigating to be sure of what happened, how it happened and the proper identity of the victim.

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“It happened in a private lodge outside the school, and we don’t have control over who is admitted to such lodges.”

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Police Arrest 28 Suspected Cultists In Edo

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The Edo State Police Command has announced the arrest of 28 suspected involved in cult-related activities across the state.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Moses Yamu, the arrests were made during a raid on criminal hideouts.

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He stated that following thorough screening, 19 of the suspects were found culpable and subsequently charged to court.

Yamu also revealed that three of the suspects confessed to being members of cult groups and have already been arraigned.

READ ALSO: Edo Police Arrest 95 Suspected Cultists, Recover Firearms

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The statement reads, “The Edo State Command has sustained its fight against crime through visibility policing, community engagements and sustained raids of criminal hideouts in the State.

“On 4/6/2025 between 16:00 hours and 22:00 hours, operatives of the Command carried out raids of criminal hideouts within Benin-City.

“During the raids, twenty-eight (28) persons were arrested and professionally screened where nineteen (19) of them found implicated, were charged to court.

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READ ALSO: Police Arrest Woman For Stabbing Co-wife To Death In Katsina

“In continuation of its fight against cultism, the command has commenced the house-to-house arrests of identified cult members in the state to ensure that cultism is either eliminated or brought to its barest minimum.

“Three suspects who were arrested from various locations have confessed to being members of the Eiye and Aye confraternities respectively. They have been arraigned before the court accordingly.”

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Edo State Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, in the statement expressed confidence that the public would feel more secure as a result of the command’s efforts.

He further warned known cultists to either renounce cultism, leave the state, or face the full consequences of the law under the Edo State Secret Cult and Other Related Activities Prohibition Law.

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CBEX Fraud: EFCC Declares Two More Wanted

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday declared two more individuals wanted in connection with an alleged fraud case linked to a digital trading platform, Crypto Bridge Exchange, popularly known as CBEX.

The suspects, identified as Folashade Odelana and Bamidele Ayodele Abiodun, were accused of orchestrating fraudulent activities that reportedly led to significant financial losses for unsuspecting investors.

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12 persons had been declared wanted by the commission in connection with the same scheme.

READ ALSO: CBEX: EFCC Declares Foreigner Wanted

In a notice published across its official social media platforms, the anti-graft agency asked members of the public with useful information on the whereabouts of the suspects to come forward.

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The notice read, “The public is hereby notified that the persons whose photographs appear below are wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for fraud allegedly perpetrated on an online trading platform called Crypto Bridge Exchange (CBEX). FOLASHADE ODELANA. Odelana is 31 years old and her last known address is at No. 17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

“BAMIDELE AYODELE ABIODUN. Abiodun is 32 years old. His last known address is at No.17, Oremeta Street, Allen, Ikeja, Lagos State.

READ ALSO: CBEX Resumes Operations Despite SEC Ban, N1.2tn EFCC Probe

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“Anybody with useful information as to their whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices, or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 0706350724-5; its e-mail address: info@efccnigeria.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”

No fewer than 600,000 Nigerians reportedly invested in the scheme and lost N1.3tn after it collapsed in April 2025.

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