Man Fakes Own Kidnap, Collects Ransom From Family Before Police Arrest

 Detectives of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old man, Olawale Sikiru, and one of his alleged accomplices for reportedly staging his own abduction and extorting money from his family under the guise of a ransom demand.

The police said the scheme was uncovered after a woman identified simply as Iyabo reported on July 5, 2026, that her son had allegedly been kidnapped while travelling to Igbara-Oke for work.

According to the spokesperson for the command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, the report triggered an intensive investigation by detectives, who immediately began tracking those behind the alleged abduction.

Jimoh said forensic analysis of the phone number used to demand a ransom of ₦1 million from the family led investigators to Sikiru’s arrest on July 7

The police spokesperson disclosed that the suspect had already received ₦50,000 from his family as part payment of the ransom before the plot unravelled.

“Investigation revealed that he deliberately staged the abduction and succeeded in collecting ₦50,000 as part of the ransom paid by his family for his purported release,” Jimoh said.

Further investigations led to the arrest of a 23-year-old suspect, Agbelusi Ayomide, who allegedly assisted in carrying out the plan.

“Further investigation led to the arrest of one Agbelusi Ayomide, 23 years old, who allegedly conspired with the suspect and harboured him in his residence while the fraudulent kidnapping plot was being executed,” the police spokesman added.

The command said efforts are ongoing to track down and arrest other individuals believed to have been involved in the operation.

Jimoh noted that both suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

Tinubu Retains Shettima As Running Mate For 2027 Presidential Election

 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has retained Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, ending months of speculation over who would occupy the position on the party’s ticket.

The APC formally submitted the names of President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima as its presidential candidates for the poll.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja after receiving the nomination forms, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, expressed confidence that the APC would retain power in the 2027 general election.

Shortly after the party unveiled the Tinubu-Shettima joint ticket following a stakeholders’ meeting, Vice President Shettima met with President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The closed-door meeting, which took place at the President’s office, was aimed at expressing Shettima’s appreciation for being retained as the APC’s vice-presidential candidate for the election.

Shettima’s visit came after months of intense speculation about who would emerge as President Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 polls.

The APC’s decision to retain the Tinubu-Shettima ticket signals the party’s confidence in the same leadership pair that secured victory in the 2023 presidential election.

UK Demands FIFA Probe Into Argentina’s World Cup Falklands Banner

 

A British minister Thursday called for FIFA to investigate after Argentina’s players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine) after their 2-1 victory over England.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Downing Street office backed the calls by Business Minister Peter Kyle following the World Cup semi-final match.

Kyle called the flag waving an “egregious violation” of FIFA rules which ban political symbols on the field of play.

“The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are,” a Downing Street spokesperson said.

Argentina invaded the British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic in 1982.

But Britain regained the archipelago in a brief war after then prime minister Margaret Thatcher dispatched a naval taskforce.

Kyle urged football’s global governing body FIFA to “thoroughly” investigate the banner incident after Wednesday’s match in Atlanta.

“Politics needs to be separate from football. In fact, the World Cup has one of its central tenets that politics is separate from football,” he told BBC television.

“That is now a matter for FIFA … We expect FIFA to undertake an investigation into this,” he added.

FIFA has not yet commented on the incident.

Britain occupied the Falklands in the 19th century, but Argentina claims the islands are part of its territory.

Argentina’s vice president, Victoria Villarruel, upped the tensions ahead of Wednesday’s kick-off by calling the English “usurping pirates”.

The 1982 conflict ended with the deaths of 649 Argentines and 255 Britons.

Following their World Cup semi-final victory, Argentina’s foreign minister said Buenos Aires had filed a formal protest over a British warship near the Falkland Islands.

Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno posted on X to express “the strongest rejection” of the United Kingdom’s HMS Medway’s “unconsulted and illegal” passage through Argentine territorial waters, alleging a lack of proper notification.

Quirno said the Medway, which is based in the Falkland Islands, was accused of violating bilateral agreements in a July 13-dated diplomatic note of protest submitted to the UK embassy in Buenos Aires.

Senate Approves N11.074tn Customs Revenue Target For 2026

 

The Senate Committee on Customs and Excise on Monday, approved a revenue target of N11.074 trillion and an expenditure proposal of N1.235 trillion for the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for the 2026 fiscal year.
The panel expressed confidence that the agency would consolidate ongoing reforms and sustain its impressive revenue performance despite prevailing global economic uncertainties.
The approval followed the defence of the agency’s 2026 budget proposal by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, before the committee at the National Assembly.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Senator IsahJibrin, said the committee was impressed by the reforms introduced by the Customs management, particularly in revenue generation, anti-smuggling operations and trade facilitation.
He also commended President Bola Tinubu for extending the tenure of the Comptroller-General of Customs, saying the decision would enable him to consolidate reforms already yielding positive results.
Jibrin said, “I want to appreciate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the recent extension of service granted to the Comptroller-General of Customs.

“Since assuming office, he has introduced various reforms which today have manifested in improved revenue generation, improved anti-smuggling operations and enhanced trade facilitation. 
“I believe that within the next six months he will have fully consolidated these reforms and placed the Nigeria Customs Service on a sustainable path.”
The senator noted that the federal government’s ambitious infrastructure programme required enormous financial resources and described the Customs Service as one of the country’s foremost revenue-generating agencies.
“Customs remains one of the major drivers of revenue generation in this country. I therefore urge the Comptroller-General and his management team to work even harder in 2026 to actualise the ambitious revenue target before the Service,” he added.
Presenting the agency’s budget proposal, the Comptroller-General expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for extending his tenure and thanked members of the committee for sacrificing part of their recess to consider the budget proposal.
“We really appreciate you and we do not take this for granted. We have always relied on the support and guidance of this distinguished committee, and we believe our relationship will continue to be guided by those principles,” he said.
Reviewing the Service’s 2025 performance, the Customs boss disclosed that although the National Assembly approved a revenue target of N6.584 trillion, the Service generated N7.277 trillion between January and December 2025.
According to him, the figure exceeded the approved target by N674.1 billion, representing 10.24 per cent above projection.
He, however, explained that the Service could have generated even more revenue but for several government policy interventions and global economic challenges.
Among the factors he listed were the suspension of excise duty on telecommunications services, delayed implementation of the Green Tax, import duty waivers granted on compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles, healthcare equipment, raw materials and capital machinery, as well as extensive Import Duty Exemption Certificates issued by the Federal Government.
He also cited disruptions arising from the Russia-Ukraine war, which affected wheat imports and other international trade flows.
Despite the strong revenue performance, the Comptroller-General disclosed that Customs received only N808.86 billion, representing 71.46 per cent, out of its approved N1.132 trillion expenditure budget for 2025.
Looking ahead, he said the Service had proposed a revenue target of N11.074 trillion for 2026.
The projected revenue, he explained, comprises N5.542 trillion from Federation Account revenue, N1.491 trillion from non-Federation revenue, N2.773 trillion from Import VAT and N1.266 trillion from the four per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) cost of collection.
He attributed the ambitious projection to ongoing reforms, including the successful deployment of the indigenous Unified Customs Information System (UCIS), known internally as B’Odogwu, enhanced post-clearance audits, improved systems audits and stronger intelligence-driven anti-smuggling operations.
“Our technology platform is now fully operational after overcoming initial implementation challenges. It has significantly improved automation across our commands and strengthened revenue collection and trade facilitation,” he said.
The Customs chief also revealed that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) recently ranked the Nigeria Customs Service as the most improved government agency in trade facilitation and ease of doing business.
According to him, the Service has increasingly adopted intelligence-driven border surveillance using geospatial technology while strengthening collaboration with the private sector and international development partners.
However, he cautioned that external developments could affect the agency’s performance in 2026.
He identified the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, as a major concern.
“The crisis has affected global supply chains and reduced cargo throughput into Nigeria. These are some of the assumptions that may affect revenue performance in 2026,” he explained.
The Comptroller-General disclosed that Customs had generated about N4.043 trillion during the first half of 2026, falling short of the projected mid-year target of approximately N5.5 trillion.
He expressed optimism that easing geopolitical tensions and improving international trade conditions would boost revenue in the second half of the year.
“We are hopeful that the de-escalation of the crisis will continue and that international trade activities will gradually return to normal. June recorded our highest monthly revenue so far in 2026, and we expect that momentum to continue,” he said.
The Customs boss also briefed lawmakers on Nigeria’s implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), saying the Service was collaborating with the AfCFTA Secretariat, the African Development Bank and neighbouring customs administrations to improve cross-border trade and establish joint border posts.
He disclosed that Nigerian Customs officials would soon visit Zimbabwe to study the joint border management arrangement between Zimbabwe and South Africa with a view to replicating the model at Seme and other strategic borders.
During the interactive session, senators sought clarification on the proposed N210.64 billion earmarked for “Financial and Miscellaneous Services” under the agency’s overhead expenditure.
Responding, the Comptroller-General explained that the classification followed the federal government’s official Chart of Accounts issued by the Office of the Accountant-General.
He said the heading covered 84 approved expenditure items, including publicity, foreign missions, sports development, annual conferences, recruitment, promotions, advocacy programmes, laboratory services and other statutory administrative obligations.
“These are not vague expenditures. Every item is clearly captured in the detailed budget documents submitted to the committee. We merely presented them under the summary heading provided in the government’s Chart of Accounts,” he explained.
At the conclusion of the budget defence, members of the committee unanimously approved both the proposed revenue target and expenditure estimates.
Putting the recommendations to a voice vote, Senator Jibrin asked lawmakers to approve the 2026 revenue target of N11.074 trillion.
The proposal received overwhelming support.
The committee thereafter unanimously approved the N1.235 trillion expenditure proposal for the 2026 fiscal year.
In his closing remarks, Jibrin congratulated the Comptroller-General once again on the extension of his tenure and urged the Customs management to intensify efforts to surpass its 2026 revenue target.
“I want to commend you and your management team for what you have achieved so far. We urge you to work harder and ensure that you actualise the projected revenue figures for 2026. The committee is satisfied with your responses and remains confident in your ability to deliver,” he said.

Tinubu Inaugurates Gbajabiamila-Led Panel To Draft National Policing Bill For State Police Implementation

President Tinubu has inaugurated a seven-member panel to prepare the legal framework for implementing state police across Nigeria.
President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated a seven-member Presidential Working Group to draft the National Policing Bill that will provide the legal framework for the implementation of state police across the country.
The President, represented by his Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, inaugurated the panel on Tuesday at the State House, Abuja.
Gbajabiamila will chair the committee, whose members include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police and the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police. A secretariat will provide administrative support to the panel.
The inauguration follows the National Assembly’s recent passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026, which proposes a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.
According to the President, while the constitutional amendment establishes the framework for state police, the National Policing Bill will provide the legal structure for its implementation.
“The Constitution Amendment Bill establishes the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That work is left to the National Policing Bill,” Tinubu said.
He explained that the proposed legislation would address key issues required for the effective operationalisation of state police.
“The proposed National Policing Bill will include provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions,” he said.
Tinubu said the committee had been constituted to produce an implementation-ready draft bill immediately after the constitutional amendment process.
“The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly,” he said.
He added that the committee was established to prevent delays once the constitutional amendment process is completed.
“We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,” the President said.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun pledged the governors’ support for the speedy implementation of the reform.
He said all 36 governors would work towards accelerating the passage of the bill by their respective state Houses of Assembly once transmitted.
Abiodun described the proposed state police as a response to longstanding demands for community-based policing.
“This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List,” he said.
According to him, the initiative builds on the success of regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West.
He added that state police would significantly increase the country’s security personnel.
“If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police,” Abiodun said.
He commended President Tinubu for commencing implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process is completed.
“This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,” he added.
Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), described the initiative as timely given Nigeria’s security challenges.
“There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,” Fagbemi said.
He urged governors to ensure the speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment by their state assemblies.
“I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility,” he said.
Also speaking, President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, reaffirmed the association’s support for the establishment of state police.
“Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,” he said.
Osigwe, however, stressed the need for strong legal safeguards to prevent abuse of the proposed state police.
“We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,” he said.
He pledged the NBA’s support for the committee in producing legislation that strengthens security while protecting citizens’ rights.

 

 

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Neymar Retires From International Football After Brazil’s World Cup Elimination

Brazil’s forward #10 Neymar reacts after losing the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Brazil and Norway at the New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford on July 5, 2026
 Neymar came on as a late substitute at the MetLife Stadium and scored a penalty deep in injury time, but that was a mere consolation after Erling Haaland netted twice for Norway, and Brazil lost 2-1.

The 34-year-old is Brazil’s all-time top scorer and ironically he got his first goal for his country in the same stadium, in a 2-0 win against the United States back in 2010.

“I tried and I tried. Now it’s over. It began here and it ends here,” Neymar said in a brief exchange with a journalist from Brazil’s Globo Esporte after the game.

He collapsed in tears when the final whistle went, and had to be consoled by teammates.

Worn down by injuries in recent years, the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player, now back at first club Santos, was a surprise inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the World Cup.

Injury prevented him from featuring in Brazil’s first two group games at the tournament, but he did come on in the 3-0 win over Scotland in Miami which completed the opening round.

That was his first international appearance since October 2023, but his only other appearance in the United States came Sunday against Norway.

“I tried and I tried. Now it’s over. It began here and it ends here,” Neymar said in a brief exchange with a journalist.