metro
Thugs set Gombe PDP campaign office on fire
Hoodlums early Monday morning set on fire the campaign office of Mohammed Barde, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 governorship election in Gombe State, has been set on fire.
A report by Daily Trust said the PDP had blamed it on the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement, Barde confirmed the attack, saying properties were destroyed.
“There was an attack on the building housing the Barde Campaign Organisation in the early hours of today by political thugs, suspected to be that of the sinking APC, setting ablaze the building and destroying properties.”
“The cowardly attack on this edifice, one of many in the last months further affirmed the present governments stand on violence and destruction, a threat to the fragile peace of the state, which must vehemently be rejected by all and sundry.
“The PDP governorship candidate, Alhaji Muhammad Jibrin Barde, has on different occasions rejected violence and political thuggery, stressing the need to engage the resourceful Gombe youth in a meaningful pursuit.
“The good people of Gombe State are hereby prompted to reject this act of oppression on the ballot comes 2023. The Barde Agenda rests on securing the lives and properties of the people, equal opportunities for the youth and women, rapid infrastructural development and providing a level playing ground for the opposition devoid of any undue oppression,” he said in the statement , Junaidu Usman Abubakar, Deputy Director-General of Media, Atiku/Dan Barde Campaign Management Council, issued on his behalf.
However, Daily Trust quoted Director General, Press Affairs to Governor Inuwa Yahaya, Ismaila Uba Misilli, as saying the PDP was just looking for cheap publicity.
Misilli said the opposition was in no way a threat to the APC, wondering how the governor could have given such order as alleged by Barde.
“There’s no any reason that the governor or any critical stakeholder in APC would instruct someone to attack the PDP campaign office. PDP is not in any way a threat to the APC because the party has consolidated its hold in the state.”
“The governor is a law-abiding citizen, and he can not instruct or allow someone to break law and order in the state. The PDP is just looking for a way to get cheap publicity and sympathy by torching its campaign office and blaming it on the government.
“APC has no reason to do that when we are 100% sure of a landslide victory in the forthcoming election.”
Police Public Relations Officer in Gombe, ASP Mahid Mu’azu Abubakar, said investigation had been launched and moves were being made to arrest the perpetrators.
Despite the Peace Accord signed by politicians, there has been an increase in violence in the buildup to the 2023 elections.
The torched PDP campaign office was vandalised in August and properties were also destroyed.
metro
Peller Escapes Generator Fire at Lagos Home, Recalls Earlier Lekki–Epe Scare
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
metro
Abuja Church Expels Newly Married Woman Over Refusal to Consummate Marriage
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
metro
Pastor Sentenced to Death by Hanging for Murdering Landlord in Akwa Ibom
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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- Lagos Police Arrest Officers After Fatal Alagbado Shooting Amid Public Outcry
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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