Some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ibadan North West and Ibadan South West LGAs on Saturday staged a protest at the party secretariat in Ibadan over alleged exclusion from the ongoing House of Representatives primary election.

The aggrieved party members accused organisers of denying them participation in the process, claiming that in Wards 1 to 12 of Ibadan South West, about 10 persons per ward were allegedly selected and taken to another location to sign documents.

They further alleged that in Ibadan North West, a similar arrangement occurred where another group of 10 individuals was reportedly picked and made to append signatures without a transparent electoral procedure.

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The protesters described the situation as unfair, insisting that it amounted to an attempt to impose preferred candidates on the constituencies rather than allowing a credible and inclusive primary election.

In response to the development, the Chairman of the APC Primary Election Committee in Oyo State, Mojeed Alabi, said disputes and complaints are common in electoral processes.

He advised dissatisfied members to formally present their grievances to the party’s primary election appeal committee after the conclusion of the exercise, where such issues would be duly reviewed and addressed.

The United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), has released footage showing the military operation in northeastern Nigeria that led to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as the global second-in-command of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

AFRICOM disclosed in a statement on Saturday that the operation was carried out under the directive of the President of the United States Donald Trump in collaboration with the Nigerian government..

Commenting on the development, Commander of AFRICOM, U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, said the mission highlighted the level of cooperation between both countries.

“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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He added that the operation demonstrated the strength of the partnership between both countries, noting that it was made possible through months of coordination.

“This operation underscores the exceptional value of the U.S.-Nigeria partnership and was made possible through the cooperation and coordination of our forces in recent months.

“Make no mistake, our two nations will relentlessly pursue and neutralise terrorist threats and are committed to protecting our people and interests,” Anderson said.

Tribune Online reports that Trump announced early Saturday that U.S. forces, alongside the Nigerian Armed Forces, carried out the operation that killed Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, whom he described as the global second-in-command of ISIS.

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Posting on his Truth Social account, Trump said the mission was strategically planned and executed with intelligence support that monitored the activities of the terrorist leader in Africa.

The U.S. president said the operation was aimed at eliminating one of the world’s most wanted terrorist figures, accusing him of coordinating attacks and supporting operations targeting Americans and African communities.

Trump further stated that the death of al-Minuki would weaken ISIS operations globally and reduce the terrorist group’s influence across Africa.

He also praised the Nigerian government and the Armed Forces of Nigeria for their support and collaboration during the operation.

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The Editorial Board of Info Daily Media Limited, publisher of Info Daily online newspaper, has condemned in strong terms the harassment of its Editor by a Benin-based Rev. Craig Omorotionmwan, General Overseer of Helpline Ministry International.

A statement made available to newsmen in Benin City on Saturday by John Akpos, Chairman of the Board said the publication involving the clergyman is already in court hence he should desist from using operatives of the Nigeria Police Force to harass the journalist.

The Editorial Board argued that the publication of which the journalist is invited by the Force Headquarters is already in court, urging the police to distance itself from the matter.

The Board insisted that the publication of which it was reported that the Benin-based General-Overseer hypnotised a 27-year-old NYSC member was not fabricated, adding that the mother of the said girl “cried out to us and we reported it, and not just that we reported it, we reached out to the man in question but he didn’t pick.”

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The newspaper team said: “A situation whereby the Force Intelligence Unit, Abuja, is inviting our hardworking editor for interrogation in disguise of investigation in a matter that is already in court, we regard it as harassment, intimidation, and an attempt to silence the media. We condemn this in strong terms.

“A woman cried to Info Daily that her daughter who was serving in the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), was flown from Abuja to Benin by the said Rev. Omorotionmwan, and that since then the daughter has been living with him. We reported it as said, so what is criminal about that?

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“After she spoke with us with the allegation that the said Rev. hypnotised her daughter, that she has been behaving strangely, we called the girl in question, she picked and denied being hypnotised, thereafter we called the Rev. he refused to pick several calls, thinking that the story will die since he refused to pick, but we went ahead to publish the story, indicating in our report that he refused to pick calls. Ordinarily, we expected him to call our organisation or any media organisation to narrate his own side of the story, but he chose to go to court, requesting N1bn as damages from us. The matter is already in court so what is the role of the police in a civil matter?,” the team questioned.

The Editorial Board, therefore, appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, to prevail on his men not to be used by the Benin-based General-Overseer.

The team added: “The IGP was in Benin yesterday and we saw how he spoke against impunity. He declared that impunity would not be tolerated under his watch, this is another impunity mission the operatives are about to embark on. He should not allow his men to be used by some persons who feel they are influential.”