Benue varsity student arrested after allegedly pouring hot water on colleague

The Benue State Police Command has arrested a 500-level student of Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University (MOAUM), formerly known as Benue State University, following an alleged hot-water attack on a 200-level colleague after a disagreement.

The incident occurred on Friday, August 28, 2026, at a residence in Makurdi, where the two students were reportedly living together.

The victim, identified as Rose Adikwu, is a 200-level Political Science student of the university, while the suspect was identified as Agbo Felicia, a 500-level Chemistry student.

Police spokesperson in Benue State, DSP Peter Aondongu, confirmed the incident on Saturday and said the suspect had been arrested while an investigation was underway to determine what triggered the confrontation.

Aondongu said preliminary information indicated that both students were staying in the same room before a disagreement reportedly escalated.

“Yes, it happened yesterday, Friday, August 28, 2026,” the police spokesman said.

He explained that the suspect allegedly boiled water, added salt and pepper and poured the mixture on the victim before allegedly locking her inside the room.

According to the police account, people later became aware of the incident and intervened, rescuing the victim before taking her to a hospital for treatment.

The suspect was subsequently arrested.

Aondongu said investigators were still working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the dispute.

“I don’t have much information yet about the genesis of the disagreement or what led to the incident, but I can confirm that the incident happened,” he said.

The police spokesman also confirmed that both women are students of the university.

Further details emerged after members of the Students’ Union visited the injured student at the hospital.

The Students’ Union President, Akighirga Vitalis, led members of his executive to the hospital following the incident.

According to the union, Rose told its representatives that she and Felicia had been living together but had experienced disagreements over personal matters before the situation escalated.

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The victim reportedly said the relationship between the two students had become strained following repeated disagreements.

According to the account presented to the Students’ Union, the dispute eventually resulted in Felicia leaving the shared residence and subsequently returning with a hot mixture.

Rose allegedly told the union that Felicia boiled water and mixed it with ingredients before pouring the mixture over her.

She further alleged that she was locked inside the room after the incident and that her cries for help eventually attracted the attention of neighbours, who intervened and rescued her.

The victim was taken to a private hospital in Makurdi, where she is receiving treatment for injuries reportedly sustained during the alleged attack.

The Students’ Union expressed concern over the condition of the student and condemned the alleged assault.

Vitalis described the incident as a “grave and unacceptable assault on the life and well-being of a fellow student.”

“We are deeply concerned about this incident. The Students’ Union will follow this matter closely until justice prevails,” he said.

The union president said the organisation would engage the relevant authorities and monitor the police investigation as it progresses.

He also said the Students’ Union would follow any disciplinary process that may be initiated by the university.

Vitalis stated that if the allegations against Felicia are established through due process, the union would support the application of appropriate sanctions under the university’s regulations.

He said such sanctions could include expulsion if the circumstances and university rules warranted it.

“The Students’ Union will not condone violence or any conduct capable of endangering the life of another student,” Vitalis said.

The incident has raised concerns within the Benue university community over student safety, interpersonal disputes and the need for students to have effective mechanisms for resolving conflicts before they escalate into violence.

Roommate disputes can become particularly difficult when students share living spaces outside the university environment, making early intervention by student representatives, university authorities, families or security agencies important where conflicts become threatening.

In this case, however, the exact cause of the disagreement remains unclear.

The police have not announced any conclusion regarding what triggered the alleged attack, and the allegations against the suspect have not been tested in court.

The investigation is expected to establish what happened before, during and after the alleged assault and determine the appropriate legal action.

The suspect remains in police custody as the investigation continues, while the injured student remains under medical care.

The university community is now awaiting the outcome of the police investigation and any disciplinary proceedings that may follow.

The case is also likely to renew discussions around student welfare and safety in Nigerian universities, particularly the importance of accessible conflict-resolution channels and prompt intervention when disputes between students become serious.

For now, authorities are expected to allow the investigation to run its course while ensuring that both the victim and suspect receive due process.

Benue varsity student arrested after allegedly pouring hot water on colleague

You Can’t Reopen What Is Already Open — Tunji-Ojo Fires Back at Atiku

Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has responded to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 border reopening pledge, insisting that Nigeria’s land borders are already open and therefore cannot be reopened.

Tunji-Ojo’s response came shortly after the Presidency rejected Atiku’s claim that he would reopen the country’s borders if elected president in the 2027 presidential election.

Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, had described Atiku’s claim as misleading, arguing that the Federal Government had already reopened most of Nigeria’s land borders and had not subsequently ordered a general closure.

Dare said the government reopened most land borders on March 14, 2024, as part of efforts to facilitate legitimate movement and cross-border trade.

He also cited the reopening of the Kamba border in Kebbi State by President Bola Tinubu on February 14, 2026, as further evidence that Nigeria’s land borders remain operational.

Reacting on Saturday, Tunji-Ojo said describing Nigeria’s borders as closed failed to account for the different reasons certain border crossings had been restricted at different periods.

“As the Minister of Interior who supervises the Nigeria Immigration Service being an agency of government in charge of border and migration management, it is expedient to state that Nigerian borders are not closed and so cannot be reopened,” he said.

The minister recalled that Seme, Illela, Maigatari and Mfum borders were reopened on December 16, 2020.

He added that Idiroko and Ikom were reopened for goods and services on April 20, 2022, while the Kamba and Tsamiya border posts in Kebbi State were reopened under the current administration in February 2026.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the reopening of the crossings restored important links between Nigeria and its neighbouring countries, including Niger Republic and Benin Republic.

The minister also addressed Atiku’s references to Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, explaining that restrictions at some crossings were imposed for security reasons rather than as part of the country’s 2019 trade policy.

Tunji-Ojo specifically referred to the Banki and Amchidé crossings along the Cameroon border, saying they were closed in 2014 following Boko Haram attacks.

He said the crossings were reopened in 2019, while Fotokol and Gambaru followed in 2021 after joint military and stabilisation efforts involving Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad.

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The minister argued that treating these different episodes as one prolonged border closure wrongly combines trade policy with counter-insurgency operations.

“Folding this separate, security-driven history into one continuous 2019 shutdown misrepresents two distinct issues, trade regulation and counter-insurgency, as a single failure,” he said.

Tunji-Ojo nevertheless acknowledged that not every border crossing in northern Nigeria operates without restrictions.

He said tighter controls remain necessary in some areas affected by banditry and insurgency, stressing that such measures are intended to protect traders, residents and border communities.

The minister said effective border management cannot be reduced to a choice between completely closing borders and allowing unrestricted movement.

“Modern border management is not a choice between total closure and unrestricted movement; it requires security, documentation, customs compliance and controlled trade facilitation together,” he said.

He also challenged Atiku to provide details of his proposed border policy and explain what changes he intends to introduce if elected president.

“Political competition should not become a competition to rewrite recent history. If he has a new border proposal, he should set it out and explain how it differs from the current approach, rather than treating separate trade, security and infrastructure issues as one and the same,” Tunji-Ojo said.

Atiku’s proposal had centred on the economic importance of Nigeria’s land borders, particularly for businesses and communities that depend on cross-border commerce.

The former vice president has argued that restrictions affecting border trade have hurt entrepreneurs, traders and businesses, particularly young Nigerians who depend on regional commerce for their livelihoods.

He has also advocated measures to strengthen Nigeria’s ports and improve the movement of goods as part of a broader economic agenda ahead of the 2027 election.

The Presidency, however, maintains that an open border does not mean an uncontrolled border.

Dare said the government’s border policy is designed to facilitate legitimate movement, trade and economic activity while preventing terrorism, arms trafficking, smuggling, human trafficking and other transnational crimes.

He challenged Atiku to identify the specific controls he would remove and explain what safeguards would be put in place to prevent criminals from exploiting the country’s borders.

The disagreement has consequently shifted the debate from the simple question of whether Nigeria’s borders are open to the more complex issue of how effectively they are managed.

Nigeria shares land borders with Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroon, creating significant opportunities for regional trade while also presenting substantial security and migration challenges.

Border communities rely heavily on the movement of agricultural products, livestock, manufactured goods and other commodities across these routes.

However, authorities have repeatedly had to balance these economic interests against concerns over smuggling, irregular migration, trafficking, arms movement and activities by armed groups.

The current debate therefore raises broader questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s border infrastructure, customs procedures, immigration controls, surveillance systems and security arrangements.

For Atiku and his political platform, greater openness could boost trade and economic activity in border communities.

For the Federal Government, the priority is to maintain open and functional borders while ensuring that security and regulatory controls are not removed in ways that could expose Nigerians to greater risks.

The controversy is expected to remain part of the political conversation as parties and presidential aspirants develop their 2027 campaign policies.

Ultimately, the key issue may not be whether Nigeria should reopen its borders, but whether the country can make legitimate cross-border movement faster, safer and more affordable while maintaining effective security controls.

Atiku is now likely to face pressure to provide greater detail on what his proposed border policy would change, while the Federal Government will be expected to demonstrate that the existing system is genuinely facilitating legitimate trade and movement across Nigeria’s international borders.

You Can’t Reopen What Is Already Open — Tunji-Ojo Fires Back at Atiku

Borno: Troops kill 26 Boko Haram fighters, destroy 10 motorcycles in Kukawa

At least 26 Boko Haram fighters have been killed and 10 motorcycles destroyed after troops of the 101 Special Forces Battalion repelled an attack on their position in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

The attack occurred at about 10:50pm on Friday, August 28, 2026, according to the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North-East), Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni.

In a statement issued in Maiduguri on Saturday, Goni said the attackers launched an assault on the military position but were met with direct and indirect fire from the troops.

The military response reportedly forced the fighters to retreat towards the Cross Kauwa axis, with several of them killed during the encounter while others escaped with gunshot wounds.

Troops subsequently conducted an exploitation of the area and recovered some of the bodies of the fighters killed during the confrontation.

As the fleeing terrorists attempted to withdraw from the area, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai was deployed to track and engage them.

Goni said the operation was conducted despite challenging weather conditions, with military aircraft locating a group of the fleeing fighters taking cover under trees.

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The air component subsequently carried out a strike that reportedly killed an estimated 10 terrorists.

The operation was further supported by Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

According to Goni, the surveillance assets tracked about 20 motorcycles carrying fleeing terrorists towards the Tunbuns/Kangarwa axis.

The intelligence enabled the Air Component to conduct a follow-up precision strike, which reportedly killed an additional 15 terrorists and destroyed 10 motorcycles.

Ground troops continued operations in the area and reportedly killed another terrorist during subsequent exploitation.

They also recovered two motorcycles, assorted ammunition and other logistics items, according to the military.

The coordinated ground and air operations were aimed at preventing the attackers from regrouping after the failed assault and disrupting their ability to move fighters and supplies around the area.

The military said the operation further degraded the terrorists’ mobility and fighting capability, while denying them the opportunity to reorganise and launch another attack.

Following the engagement, troops were reportedly replenished by air with essential combat supplies to enable them to sustain the operation and maintain pressure on terrorist elements.

Four military personnel sustained injuries during the confrontation. However, the military said none of the injuries was life-threatening.

The wounded personnel were evacuated by air for medical treatment and were reported to be in stable condition.

Troops have since commenced reorganisation and extensive exploitation of the area, while battle-damage assessment remains ongoing.

Goni said the successful defence of the Kukawa military position demonstrated the ability of Operation Hadin Kai to integrate ground forces, air assets and intelligence capabilities in responding to terrorist threats.

The latest operation also underscores the strategic importance of Kukawa and the Cross Kauwa axis, which are located within the wider Lake Chad Basin security theatre where insurgent groups have continued to operate.

The area has witnessed repeated counter-insurgency operations as Nigerian forces and the Multinational Joint Task Force work to restrict the movement of Boko Haram and Islamic State-linked fighters around the Lake Chad region.

The Nigerian military has increasingly relied on a combination of ground operations, airstrikes and intelligence-led surveillance to track terrorist movements, disrupt their logistics and prevent attacks on military positions and communities in Borno.

The military said it would sustain offensive operations and intelligence-led surveillance aimed at degrading terrorist capabilities, denying them freedom of action and protecting communities across the North-East.

The casualty figures released by the military represent its assessment of the operation. Independent verification of the reported number of terrorists killed was not immediately available.

Borno: Troops kill 26 Boko Haram fighters, destroy 10 motorcycles in Kukawa