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Day one of Protest: Deaths, destruction, looting in states

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The #EndBadGovernance protest, which commenced early Thursday as planned has resulted in deaths and destruction of properties that could be valued at hundreds of millions of naira.

 

At least,14 people were reportedly killed in major cities of some states while the demonstrations were being held.

 

Besides, hoodlums took advantage of the protest to loot valuable items belonging to both public and private entities.

 

This occurred despite multiple appeals from federal and state governments, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders who had called for cancellation of the protest, or high level of restraint where it is held.

The protest was sparked by the cost of living crisis attributed to the removal of petrol subsidy and the floating of the naira.

 

The protest also disrupted business activities as shops, financial institutions and others were shut down, just as commuters were stranded for several hours due to road blockades.

 

In Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), those for and those against the protest clashed in some places.

 

For instance, as they were gathering at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, those planning for the protest reportedly saw some buses conveying different sets of people who were against the protest.

4 killed in Maiduguri

Four protesters were reported killed at Kime Filling Station, Bolori Junction in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital yesterday.

 

Officials at the petrol station, who identified the deceased as their workers, gave separate accounts of how they died.

“As I’m speaking to you now, they are still lying in the pool of their blood,” said one of the attendants who gave his name as Malam Musa.

 

Musa, who confirmed that he was with the victims, said they died from an explosion.

 

“I nearly got affected, but as God would have it, I escaped unhurt”, he said.

 

However, another source, who pleaded anonymity, said the deceased were hit by stray bullets.

 

“I was opposite the filling station when the incident happened. There was nothing like a blast. We just heard sporadic gunshots and the boys were down. Four of them died instantly,” he said.

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A curfew was later imposed by the Borno State Police Command, after consulting with the Chief Security Officer of the state, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum.

 

They cited a bomb blast that took place in Kawuri village, Konduga Local Government Area of the state, which claimed 19 lives as part of the reasons for the action.

 

3 killed in Jigawa

Also, three persons were killed and many others injured as policemen try to disperse hoodlums who were said to have infiltrated the protesters in Jigawa State.

 

Residents of Hadejia city confirmed two persons killed and four others hospitalised.

 

In Dutse, the state capital, one person was feared killed and five others rushed to Rasheed Shekoni General Hospital.

 

Two shot dead in Niger

Two persons were confirmed killed and others injured in Suleja, Niger State, during the protest. However, some sources said those killed in the town were up to six.

 

It was learnt that the incident happened as security operatives struggled to dislodge protesters who mounted barricades on a section of the Abuja-Kaduna Highway.

 

Among those killed was Yahaya Nda Isah, a resident of Hassan Dallatu Road, Suleja, who was allegedly hit by a stray bullet while on his bike in front of the Suleja Police ‘A’ Division where protesters had assembled.

 

A nephew of the deceased said: “He was not even protesting. He was passing in front of the Police ‘A’ division where some people were protesting when a stray bullet hit him on his chest and he died. As I speak with you, I am in his house alongside other mourners. It’s unfortunate.”

Another victim simply identified as Mallam Abu was said to have died on the spot.

 

One of the residents, who did not want his name mentioned, said that three other people were shot at the scene; and two others at the Suleja Junction on the Abuja-Kaduna Road.

The resident said he could not confirm if the other persons died.

 

Another resident who said his shop was not far from the Suleja Police “A” Division said he had to close and run for his life.

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“We heard people shouting and gunshots were heard for about 20 minutes at Emir Roundabout. The situation in Suleja is ugly,” Bala Abdullahi, another resident said.

 

The spokesman for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement he issued, was silent on the deaths, but said some hoodlums were arrested.

 

Kano records 1 casualty

One Ismael Ahmad Musa was killed during the protest in Hotoro, Tarauni Local Government Area of Kano State.

 

He was confirmed dead by his brother, Mubarak.

 

It was unclear if he was among the protesters. He was later buried in line with Islamic rites.

 

Another victim hit by a stray bullet was said to be battling for his life at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH).

 

One killed in Kebbi

The hunger demonstration was peaceful in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State capital but got bloody in Yauri, one of the major towns in the state, as one person was said to have been gunned down while he was rushing to lock his shop from being looted…

Many other shops were said to have been looted in the same town.

2 feared dead in Kaduna

Two protesters were feared dead in Kaduna yesterday. One of them was allegedly shot by security forces near the Government House.

 

 

An eyewitness said that he saw one of the bodies by the roadside near Panteka Market, close to the Government House.

A video clip showed one of the victims who died on the spot as protesters were being dispersed by security agents. In the video, some protesters were heard screaming that one person was shot in the stomach. The victim was wearing a white T-shirt.

 

It was gathered that a police officer was critically injured after being attacked by protesters near the Kaduna State Traffic and Environmental Law Enforcement Agency’s (KASTLEA) office. It was not clear whether the officer died.

Teenager shot dead in Abuja

Also yesterday, a stray bullet reportedly hit and killed a teenager at the NNPC Junction at Kubwa, Abuja, along the Abuja-Zuba Expressway.

 

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A resident, Sani Abdullahi, said police officers arrived the area around 2pm and dispersed the protesters.

 

“The youths, however, reassembled around Zenith Bank junction in the area, pelting the security men who tried to open the inner streets for free movement.

 

“The security men fired shots into the air, and in the process, the victim, who is yet to be identified, was reportedly hit around his neck”, the resident said. It was gathered that policemen took the victim’s body to the Kubwa General Hospital.

 

The FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, did not respond to a message sent to her on the incident.

 

NBA to probe security officers’ excesses

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday confirmed some of the killings in Suleja area of Niger State, vowing to take action.

 

The chairman of Suleja branch of the NBA, Abdullahi Liman, said, as directed by the national president of the association, he had gone to the residence of one of the deceased, Yahaya Nda Isah, to get credible information for further action.

 

He said: “The national level of the NBA has asked all the branches to constitute monitoring committees in respect of the protest.

 

“So, we are going round to see what is happening. I got information that a man was shot dead and I came to the house of the victim (Yahaya Nda Isah) to confirm things for myself, and I saw the corpse.

 

“So, what we are doing now is to gather information in respect of the incident and I will reach out to the national level so that we know what to do next in respect of the issue. This cannot be denied”, he said.

 

The NBA had promised to provide pro bono legal services for any peaceful protesters assaulted or intimidated during the nationwide protest.

 

NBA President, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN), had directed chairpersons in all 130 NBA branches across the country to monitor the protest, saying the measures were in recognition of the fundamental and guaranteed constitutional rights of citizens to assemble and protest.

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: 2027: S’West ADC leaders revolt against Atiku

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1. Many leaders of the African Democratic Congress in the South-West have expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the marginalisation of the party’s structure in the region by the ADC presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The ADC leaders, including some state chairmen and governorship candidates, alleged that Atiku had been conducting his political activities in the region through his friends and allies, while leaving the party structure sidelined as presidential campaign activities prepared to gather momentum.

2. A United States federal court has rejected an attempt to obtain discovery from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and DCI Group in an ongoing Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit involving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

3. The Zamfara State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Bello, has confirmed the “rescue of three of the six Islamic clerics kidnapped on September 12 while travelling to Talata Mafara, Zamfara State.” Bello gave the confirmation in an interview with select reporters in Gusau. He said the rescue followed a multi-agency collaboration and seamless synergy between the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, the Department of State Services, DSS, and police operatives.

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4. The Grand Patron of the PBAT Door-to-Door Movement, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, have set a target of at least 1.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election. According to a statement, the target was announced on Saturday in Osogbo during the inauguration of the movement’s state and local government structures.

5. Nigerians lose no less than N75bn annually to visa application expenses across foreign missions, with rejected Schengen visa applications alone accounting for an estimated €11.5m, equivalent to about N19bn in 2025.
This is according to a visa-cost analysis report obtained by Sunday PUNCH from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

6. With one accord, the governors of Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi, and Anambra States yesterday urged the people of the Southeast to avoid political distractions, and vote massively for President Bola Tinubu in next year’s presidential election. Governors Peter Mbah, Hope Uzodimma, Francis Nwifuru and Charles Soludo, said it was necessary for the zone to support Tinubu’s re-election bid to enable him consolidate the gains of his administration’s economic reforms

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7. Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has said Nigeria’s security challenges predate the administration of President Bola Tinubu, noting that terrorism, insurgency and banditry had been entrenched in the country before 2023 when Tinubu assumed office. He said the country’s security problems were rooted in years of porous borders, illegal arms proliferation, youth unemployment and the spread of extremist ideologies.

8. Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike has directed supporters of President Bola Tinubu to deliver their polling unit in the forthcoming 2027 general elections. Addressing the supporters, Wike framed the upcoming general elections as a critical opportunity for residents of the nation’s capital to rectify past electoral missteps and unite under a strategic development banner.

9. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has removed the name of the Kano State governorship candidate of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, from its updated list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. A check on the commission’s website shows that the names of Gwarzo and his deputy were conspicuously missing from the updated list.

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10. Four young men have been arrested by the Bauchi State Police Command for allegedly abducting and gang-raping a 12-year-old girl in Sakwa District, Zaki Local Government Area of the state. The suspects were arrested following a complaint by the victim’s 50-year-old father, who reported the incident at the Sakwa Divisional Police Headquarters on Thursday.

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Wale Tinubu, Rabiu, others Join President Tinubu in Makkah for Umrah

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The Group Chief Executive Oando Plc, Jubril Adewale Tinubu; Chairman of BUA Group, Abdul Samad Rabiu, and several other Nigerian business mogul have joined President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, for the performance of Umrah, the lesser Islamic pilgrimage.

The presence of the prominent Nigerian business leaders alongside the President in the holy city has drawn attention, bringing together three influential figures from Nigeria’s political and business communities in a moment of religious observance.

Tinubu and Rabiu, both prominent names in Nigeria’s corporate landscape, were seen alongside the President dressed in the traditional white Ihram garments worn by Muslim pilgrims performing Umrah.

Umrah, unlike the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage, can be undertaken at any time of the year. It involves a series of religious rites in Makkah and holds profound spiritual significance for Muslims across the world.

For the Nigerian business community, the appearance of the corporate leaders alongside the President also offers a glimpse into the intersection of faith, business and public life, particularly when influential figures come together outside the usual settings of boardrooms, corporate engagements and official functions.

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The development comes as President Tinubu undertook the pilgrimage to seek divine guidance and offer prayers for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

According to the Presidency, the President performed the Umrah rites early Friday, October 30, at the Grand Mosque, Masjid al-Haram, where he circumambulated the Holy Ka’abah.

Speaking after completing the spiritual exercise, Tinubu described the pilgrimage as significant, linking it to his commitment to Nigeria and its people. He also expressed gratitude to Allah for the opportunity to pray for the country.

The President’s prayers reportedly centre on national harmony, security, economic prosperity and the need for Nigerians to live together peacefully.

Rabiu also used the occasion to express his hopes for the country, describing it as an honour to accompany the President on the spiritual journey. He prayed for lasting peace, unity and prosperity in Nigeria.

For Tinubu, whose Oando Group occupies a prominent position in Nigeria’s energy industry, the journey offered a departure from the familiar world of corporate leadership and business engagements. Rabiu, similarly, is a major player in the country’s industrial sector, with interests spanning manufacturing, cement and food production.

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Their appearance in Makkah alongside the President underscores the presence of leading figures from Nigeria’s private sector at an important spiritual moment for the country’s leader.

Umrah, often described as the lesser pilgrimage, is a significant act of worship in Islam. Unlike Hajj, which takes place during a specific period in the Islamic calendar, Umrah can be performed throughout the year.

President Tinubu is expected to return to Nigeria next week after completing his spiritual engagements in Saudi Arabia.

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