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The Headlines
- Oyo pupils: Rescue operation ongoing, says Army chief
- Anambra agency destroys ₦50m illicit drugs, arrests suspects
- Iran envoy says friendly nations to get ‘special’ Hormuz fee treatment
- France break Paraguay resistance 1-0 to earn quarter-final berth
The Details
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, says troops are making significant progress towards the rescue of 39 pupils and seven teachers abducted in Oyo State.
Shaibu disclosed this during an interactive session with media executives on Saturday in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as part of activities marking the 2026 Nigerian Army Day Celebration.
He expressed confidence that the operation would lead to the safe rescue of the victims and their reunion with their families.
The Anambra State Special Anti-Touting Squad, on Saturday, destroyed illicit drugs estimated at ₦50m during raids on various locations in Awka, the state capital, and its environs.
Speaking during the operation, the Managing Director of SASA, Monday Nwokoye, said that those arrested in connection with the illegal business had been handed over to officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
Nwokoye added that the raids followed credible intelligence, underscoring the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on illicit drug abuse and touting activities in the state.
He warned individuals involved in the sale or consumption of illicit substances to desist or risk facing strict legal consequences.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has approved the reconstitution of the Imole Campaign Council to accommodate prominent former members of the All Progressives Congress who recently defected to the Accord in the state ahead of the August 15 governorship election.
The development was announced in a statement issued by the Media and Publicity Committee of the Imole Campaign Council and signed by its Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam.
According to the statement, the reconstitution is aimed at integrating the new entrants into the campaign structure to enable them to play active roles in the party’s electioneering activities.
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, following the release of the Eda Oniyo kidnap victims, has directed the management of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, to provide comprehensive medical screening and treatment for the victims.
The governor, according to a statement in Ado Ekiti by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Yinka Oyebode, on Saturday, also instructed the State Ministry of Health and Human Services to take full responsibility for overseeing the welfare and wellbeing of the victims, with the State Government covering all medical expenses incurred during their treatment.
Oyebode stated that the freed persons, currently receiving care at the teaching hospital, “will remain under medical supervision until they are certified fit for reintegration with their families”.
He also commended heads of all security agencies in the state, the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers, leaders of the Eda Oniyo community, and the State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, along with other stakeholders, for their roles in securing the victims’ release.
Foreign News
Iran’s ambassador to China insisted on Saturday that new fees would be charged to ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz — an idea rejected by Washington — while assuring that “friendly” nations would receive special treatment.
The initial deal struck between Iran and the United States to end their war stipulated that commercial ships would transit the strait free of charge for 60 days, but it remains unclear what will be in place after that period.
“These new arrangements will be concerning guaranteeing the security of passage through the Straits of Hormuz, supervision of the passage of the vessels… and also guaranteeing and dealing with the environmental consequences of the massive number of ships,” he said.
“We will definitely consider special treatment for the countries that were friendly to us and specially stood by us during the hard times,” he added.
Sport News
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, advancing to the quarter-finals after a disciplined and patient performance.
The encounter was expected to test France’s attacking quality against Paraguay’s resilience.
France started brightly and controlled much of the possession in the opening exchanges, moving the ball confidently across the pitch and searching for spaces in Paraguay’s defence.