Iree Chieftaincy Crisis: Osun Govt Battles Bribe-taking, Deception Accusations - Newstrends
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Iree Chieftaincy Crisis: Osun Govt Battles Bribe-taking, Deception Accusations

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Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola

Outgoing administration of Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State is now enmeshed in fraud allegations of siphoning millions of naira from contestants to the vacant royal stool of Aree of Iree, only to ‘backstab’ them afterwards.

The government’s conduit, according to The Factual News investigations, is the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Adebayo Adeleke, also known as Banik, who is from the community in Boripe North Local Council Development Area.

Sources in the ancient community recalled that all the 11 aspirants to the vacant stool were asked to pay N500,000 each to the Boripe local council, and N150,000 to the Osun State Government.

They were also reportedly ordered to pay varying amounts of money to cover their three-year tax clearances, respectively.

However, the contestants soon smelt a rat when the state government, having siphoned various sums of money from them, made a volte face by subverting the community’s convention through the appointment of a new female Chief, an Iyalode, to join the Iree kingmakers.

Meanwhile, sources in Iree revealed that it is a taboo for a woman to be a kingmaker as such had never been witnessed in the history of the community.

“What Banik and other people in the Oyetola government are doing is to impose a preferred candidate of the governor as Oba (monarch) of Iree, and they are so desperate that they want the candidate installed before the governor leaves office on November 26”, a community source who craved anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the issue, disclosed to The Factual News.

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Another prominent indigene of the community, Mr. Adebayo Afolabi, a prominent lawyer, while rationalising the scenario, described the hurried move to install a monarch by the Oyetola lame-duck administration as a product of desperation.

“We have six members as kingmakers; three from Oke Ogii, one from Isale Asa, one from Oke Aree and one from Oke Eesa, which is the late Eesa’s. If you want to substitute a Chief for Eesa, such Chief should come from Oke Eesa.

“What is the interest of the government in an Iyalode? Are there no Chiefs in Oke Eesa to be used as substitute for the vacant position of Eesa? Is Oke Eesa not qualified in the selection process of an Aree? Why is the government bent on creating crisis in our community? People should know that we are watching all that is happening.

“Judgement was delivered in June but government waited until October this before they started parading Iree with security agents every Friday, to disrupt the meeting of Aree-In-Council. People who were not born between 1972 and1980 when the crisis of Obaship engulfed Iree or people who were outside the community then should not drag us to such terrible period again for their selfish reason. We don’t pray for what is happening in Ikirun now to rear its ugly heads to Iree.

“Why the hurry to install an Aree now? Politicians will come and go, political offices will come and go but tradition remains and should be held sacrosanct. Everyone is writing his history, whatever history that removes peace from one’s community is an unpatriotic act,” Afolabi appraised.

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Already, however, other sources revealed that the state government, scared stiff that its preferred candidate to the ancient throne would be rejected by the community and could be liable to being stoned, reportedly held a secret selection meeting at the Boripe LCDA secretariat where six handpicked warrant officers, joined by the new Iyalode, were herded to endorse the governor’s candidate.

All the kingmakers in Iree boycotted the exercise, widely booed as a charade, sources further revealed.

The government also reportedly hoped to install its preferred Iree monarch inside the local council secretariat and make him operate from there till the state’s administration expires on November 26, this year.

Governor Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was defeated by Mr. Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic party in the recently held governorship election.

However, while speaking with journalists recently in Osogbo, the state’s commissioner for chieftaincy affairs, Banik, denied his alleged meddlesomeness in Iree chieftaincy brouhaha.

He also extricated his principal, Governor Oyetola, from any involvement in the imposition plot.

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Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

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Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

Nigerian TikTok sensation and streamer, Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, has narrowly escaped injury following a generator fire incident at his residence.

The social media influencer disclosed the incident on Saturday via his verified Instagram page, where he shared a video capturing the early-morning blaze. In the footage, flames could be seen engulfing his generator as Peller, visibly shaken, cried out for help while neighbors and occupants rushed to contain the fire.

After sustained efforts using buckets of water, the fire was eventually brought under control. The generator was completely destroyed, but the building itself and everyone inside the house were spared, preventing what could have escalated into a major tragedy.

Shortly after the incident, fans and followers flooded his comment section with messages of relief and gratitude, praising the swift response that prevented loss of life or further property damage. The video also circulated widely across other social media platforms, where viewers raised concerns about generator safety, ventilation, and fire preparedness in residential areas.

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As of the time of filing this report, the exact cause of the fire had not been independently confirmed, though preliminary reactions online speculated about possible fuel-related or electrical issues.

Earlier Lekki–Epe Expressway Incident

The generator fire comes months after Peller survived a separate and highly publicized scare along the Lekki–Epe Expressway.

During that earlier episode, which unfolded during a widely shared livestream, the influencer was seen driving while emotionally distressed. The broadcast, titled “RIP Peller,” sparked widespread concern after he made a series of alarming remarks that unsettled viewers.

At the time, Peller appeared agitated during a phone conversation believed to involve his girlfriend, amid online speculation about personal relationship challenges. The livestream ended abruptly after the vehicle was involved in a crash, though Peller later confirmed he survived the incident.

The back-to-back scares have renewed conversations among fans and industry observers about mental health awareness, content moderation during livestreams, and personal safety, particularly for young influencers who share real-time experiences with large audiences.

Despite the incidents, Peller has continued to engage his followers and has expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support he has received.

Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare

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Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

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Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

An Abuja-based church has expelled a newly married woman, Oyiza, after she allegedly refused to consummate her marriage with her husband, Isaac—an action that has sparked widespread debate over marital consent, religious authority, and women’s rights in Nigeria.

The couple, who were living in Ibadan, got married on September 6, 2025, following the completion of their traditional marriage rites in Okene and a court wedding in Ibadan. Oyiza is originally from Kogi State.

According to accounts presented by the husband and church officials, marital tensions began shortly after the wedding, with Oyiza reportedly declining all attempts at intimacy. She allegedly told her husband she did not love him and later accused her mother of pressuring her into the marriage.

Family members and church leaders reportedly intervened multiple times over several months in an attempt to resolve the matter. Despite repeated marriage counselling sessions, the woman was said to have maintained her position, insisting she was emotionally unprepared for the union.

Isaac claimed that prior to the wedding, Oyiza had expressed doubts about proceeding with the marriage but later reassured him and the church’s marriage committee that she was ready, leading to approval of the wedding plans.

Photos from the ceremony, later circulated on social media, showed Oyiza appearing cheerful among friends and church members. However, Isaac said the marriage quickly deteriorated after the wedding, describing the relationship as emotionally exhausting and restrictive.

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In February 2026, the controversy escalated after the church released a video on its YouTube channel announcing Oyiza’s expulsion and excommunication. The church’s International Director stated that five months of mediation had failed.

During the announcement, the cleric used strong and controversial language, accusing Oyiza of spiritual misconduct and urging members to pray against her, claiming she had disgraced the church. He also referenced traditional cultural practices, suggesting that emotional readiness should not prevent marital obligations—remarks that triggered intense backlash online.

The cleric further claimed that his wife received a spiritual revelation alleging that Oyiza was under a supernatural covenant preventing marital relations. These claims were made publicly but remain unverified.

Oyiza was not present during the announcement, and efforts to obtain her response have been unsuccessful.

The incident has since generated nationwide reactions, with many Nigerians, legal commentators, and rights advocates arguing that consent within marriage is non-negotiable and that religious institutions should not compel intimacy or publicly shame individuals over private marital disputes.

The case has reignited conversations around:

  • Forced marriage and family pressure
  • Consent and bodily autonomy
  • Limits of church authority in private relationships
  • Mental health and dignity of women

As of the time of reporting, the church has not released any further statement addressing the public criticism.

Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage

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Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

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Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

Prince Emmanuel Umoh, the resident pastor of Living Faith Church Chapel, Ifa Ikot Ubo–Ifa Ikot Okpon Branch in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has been sentenced to death by hanging for the murder of his landlord, Gabriel Bassey, a 500‑level civil engineering student at the University of Uyo.

Umoh was found guilty by Justice Gabriel Ette of the Akwa Ibom State High Court after evidence showed he fatally stabbed Bassey on December 21, 2020, inside the estate in Ifa Ikot Ubo, a community in Uyo Local Government Area. The judgment was delivered following a trial that lasted more than five years.

The prosecution established that Bassey had moved into his late mother’s property in Ifa Ikot Ubo to secure the family estate and be closer to school. The property previously housed a nursery school his mother built before her death in December 2019.

Court records show that part of the estate — a hall connected to a two‑bedroom apartment occupied by Bassey and his younger brother, Emmanuel Bassey — was leased to Living Faith Church for worship and community use at an annual rent of ₦150,000, with permission from Bassey’s father, Emana Bassey, a retired principal. The church began using the hall before the full rent was paid.

Umoh, who was later appointed the chapel’s first resident pastor, was given a spare key to the deceased’s apartment to allow access to church property stored inside. Evidence presented in court revealed that after this arrangement, personal items belonging to the deceased’s late mother — including clothing, dishes and valuables — began to go missing.

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The father, Mr. Emana Bassey, testified that he initially approved the spare key arrangement. However, when items started disappearing, he instructed his son to return the key. The defendant claimed he had lost the key, prompting concerns over security. The church’s senior pastor, Owoidoho Akpan, who testified for the defence, gave the Bassey family ₦5,000 to replace the locks. After the locks were changed, no further items were reported missing, the court heard.

Additional tensions arose between Umoh and Bassey over the use of rent funds supposedly meant for hall renovations, with disagreements escalating in the weeks leading up to the murder.

On the day of the incident, neighbours observed Umoh entering the premises shortly before cries of “Jesus” were heard. Minutes later, he was seen wearing a blood‑stained white garment, claiming he had fallen while fixing a banner. Bassey was not seen alive again.

Five days later, on December 26, 2020, Bassey’s decomposing body was found in his room, wrapped in a mat with multiple stab wounds and a butcher’s knife beside him. Forensic evidence and witness testimony linked Umoh to the crime, with bloodstains on his clothing and the fact that he was the last person seen with the deceased.

Umoh was arraigned on December 6, 2021, on a single count of murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the prosecution called six witnesses, including members of the Bassey family and church officials, to support its case.

In his lengthy judgment, Justice Ette described the crime as deeply troubling and a betrayal of trust, particularly because it was committed by a religious leader on church grounds.

Life is sacred, and those who represent God on earth should teach that. It is an irony and quite appalling when a man who claims to be the representative of the divine on earth stoops so low as to denigrate the very essence of his calling and take someone’s life on the premises of the church,” the judge said.

He added that individuals who violate public trust in this way threaten society and must be punished in accordance with the law.

Having found the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt, the court pronounced sentence:

“I hereby sentence you to death by hanging.”

The conviction brings to an end nearly six years of legal proceedings and underscores the rule of law in Akwa Ibom State, even when the accused holds a position of religious leadership.

Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom

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