The Police Command in Anambra says the Director of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the state, Mr Daniel Onyishi, who gunmen abducted on June 12, has been rescued.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Awka.

It would be recalled that Onyishi was abducted by unidentified persons along Winner Road, Awka, on June 12.

“He is currently in a safe custody and receiving medical attention,” Ikenga said.

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According to him, the police, in collaboration with sister security agencies, especially the high-powered covert operations of the NDLEA, led by the Zone-12 Commander, Mrs Florence Ezeonye, complemented the aggressive rescue efforts.

He said the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Ikioye Orutugu, had briefed the police high command on the issue.

Ikenga also said that the commissioner had activated the Inspector General of Police’s directive to ensure the perpetrators were brought to book through a manhunt.

Tension has gripped the ancient town of Owo in Ondo State following the demolition of a cenotaph erected in honour of victims killed in the terrorist attack on St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in 2022.

The cenotaph, constructed by the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu to immortalize over 50 worshippers murdered during the tragic incident, was pulled down on the orders of the current administration, led by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa. The move has sparked mixed reactions across the state.

A viral video circulating online shows bulldozers tearing down the monument and adjoining structure where the names of the slain victims were inscribed, drawing public outrage and rekindling painful memories of the gruesome massacre.

READ ALSO:Two More Suspects Linked To Owo Attack Arrested

Sources revealed that the decision followed persistent complaints from residents of Owo, particularly over the cenotaph’s location — directly opposite the palace of the Olowo of Owo, the town’s paramount traditional ruler. Critics had earlier described the location as a violation of Yoruba customs, referring to it as a cultural taboo.

While many residents welcomed the demolition, calling it a necessary cultural correction, others accused the state government of playing politics with the memory of the slain worshippers. Some alleged that Governor Aiyedatiwa was attempting to erase the legacy of his late predecessor.

Defending the decision, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said the demolition was a response to a formal request from the Olowo-in-Council, who argued that the cenotaph’s location was spiritually inappropriate.

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“It was a special request from the palace of the Olowo, as it is said to be against culture and tradition to site such a symbol of death near the palace — the sacred seat of life and authority in Owo,” Adeniyan explained.

He emphasized that the action was not an act of desecration but an effort to “restore cultural balance.” He also disclosed that a modern market would be constructed on the site, while the cenotaph would be respectfully relocated within the town.

Adeniyan assured residents that the government remains committed to preserving the memory of the victims and would soon begin work on a new memorial at a more appropriate location.

It will be recalled that on June 5, 2022, gunmen stormed the St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Owo during a Sunday Mass, killing over 50 worshippers — including children — and injuring many others in one of Nigeria’s deadliest church attacks.

A powerful windstorm that swept through Gwadabawa and Kware Local Government Areas of Sokoto State has left a trail of devastation, claiming five lives, injuring dozens, and displacing thousands of residents.

The disaster, which struck earlier in the week, was followed by a joint assessment visit on Saturday by officials from the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Preliminary reports revealed that over 1,400 homes were damaged across both local government areas, with critical public infrastructure—such as schools and government buildings—also affected.

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Gwadabawa LGA recorded the most severe impact, with 878 houses either completely or partially destroyed. A total of 1,306 households were affected, displacing an estimated 7,836 people. Eleven people sustained injuries, while five residents lost their lives in the Marabawa community. Among the deceased were two young children—an 18-month-old and a 3-year-old—belonging to a local resident, Mansur Salihu Talhi.

Members of the assessment team included DPM Shehu Muhammad, Councillor for Gidan-Kaya Ward Hon. Siba Sodangi, community elder Adamu Abdullahi Talhi, and SEMA Desk Officer Nafi’u Bello.

In Kware LGA, the storm destroyed 523 homes, affecting 1,403 households and injuring 18 people—several of whom are in need of urgent medical care. The storm also caused significant damage to educational infrastructure, notably Government Secondary School Kware, where fences and classroom buildings were severely impacted.

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The Kofar-Barga area was among the hardest hit, with resident Ahmad Abbas losing his entire home. In the 30-Quarters section of Kware, around 100 houses suffered varying levels of damage.

SEMA confirmed that documentation of affected households is ongoing, with data being compiled for submission to both state and federal authorities.

“This information will support timely humanitarian assistance for victims of the disaster,” the agency noted.

As residents continue to grapple with the aftermath, local efforts are underway to support displaced families, pending government intervention.