Former Commissioner For Finance In Ondo State, Wale Akinterinwa has congratulated Honourable Festus Adefiranye on his emergence as the House of Representatives candidate for Ile Oluji/Okegbo and Odigbo Federal Constituency in the 2027 General Election on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC.

Adefiranye is the incumbent Member, House of Representatives, representing Ile Oluji/Okegbo and Odigbo and has recently emerged victorious in the keenly contested party primaries.

Describing his victory “as a confirmation of the huge confidence reposed in him by his constituents on account of his charismatic leadership and sterling performance in office”, the former Commissioner thanked the people of the federal constituency for standing by the Okeigbo-born politician.

A statement personally signed by Akinterinwa, challenged Adefiranye not to relent in his characteristic quality representation, people oriented services and regular engagement with his constituents in order to justify the renewal of his mandate.

Expressing deep delight and utmost satisfaction, Akinterinwa wrote: ” the victory of Honourable Festus Adefiranye represents the triumph of people’s will over personal prejudice, it symbolises the triumph of democracy over tyranny and it confirms the superiority of substance over emptiness…I celebrate you, my brother and associate. Your victory has vindicated us and set the records straight”

He, therefore, tasked party members and leaders of Ile Oluji/Okegbo and Odigbo Federal Constituency to mobilise massively ahead of the 2027 elections and vote for President Bola Tinubu and all APC candidates in Ondo State.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir el-Rufai, and six others on an 11-count amended charge bordering on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.

The six other defendants are Jimi Lawal, a former aide of el-Rufai; Singularity Network Security Limited; Solar Life Nigeria Limited; Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited; Intercellular Nigeria Limited; and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

In a statement on the website of ICPC, Bashir el-Rufai, an elder brother of the former governor, who is currently at large, is also mentioned in one of the counts.

The defendants were arraigned before Hauwa’u Buhari, a judge at the federal high court in Kaduna.

In the amended charge sheet, ICPC alleged that the former Kaduna governor “unlawfully approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna Metropolis in the reviewed sum of ₦8,682,574,054.94 to Singularity Network Security Limited, contrary to public procurement laws, a company alleged to lack the requisite experience and qualifications”.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that they “knowingly received or took possession of funds amounting to over ₦2 billion through various transactions involving Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited between 2017 and 2022”.

El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The case was adjourned to July 1, 2026 for ruling on the bail application.

El-Rufai served as Kaduna governor from 2015 and 2023.

Lawal was a senior adviser to the former governor and a counsellor at the Kaduna Economic Development Council from 2019 to 2023.

He also served as el-Rufai’s special adviser during his first term.

El-Rufai is currently being prosecuted on multiple charges in different courts by the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS).

The ICPC had previously arraigned the former governor at the federal high court in Kaduna and Kaduna high court on separate charges bordering on alleged corruption and money laundering.

The DSS is also prosecuting the former governor on five counts over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser.

At the federal high court in Kaduna, Rilwani Aikawa, the judge, granted bail in the sum of N200 million to the former governor.

At the Kaduna high court, Darius Khobo, the trial judge, denied the bail application of el-Rufai.

At the federal high court in Abuja, Joyce Abdulmalik, the judge, granted el-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.

The judge had ruled that the surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original certificate of occupancy (C of O) of a landed property with the court registry.

Criticisms have trailed the bail conditions imposed on the former governor with critics arguing that they are stringent.

The Ogun state police command says its operatives have killed two suspected kidnappers and recovered a firearm, cash and other items during a follow-up operation linked to the rescue of a kidnap victim in the state.

According to the command, the operation was carried out by its Anti-Kidnapping Unit as part of ongoing efforts to combat kidnapping and other violent crimes across the state.

DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the command’s spokesperson, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said the victim was abducted on June 11, 2026, at Ogbe village in Ogun State.

Babaseyi said that upon receiving the report, the command activated its Anti-Kidnapping Unit and deployed intelligence and tactical resources to secure the victim’s release and apprehend the suspects.

The statement noted that sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance and operational pressure on the gang led to the victim’s release on June 18 without harm.

The police spokesperson said efforts subsequently shifted to tracking down members of the kidnapping syndicate.

“Acting on credible intelligence, the operatives successfully traced members of the gang to their hideout within the state.

“On sighting the operatives, the suspects opened fire in a desperate attempt to resist arrest and escape.

“The operatives responded professionally, leading to a gun duel during which two of the suspected kidnappers were neutralised, while other members of the gang fled the scene with gunshot injuries,” the statement said.

It added, “A search conducted on one of the neutralised suspects led to the recovery of a single-barrel gun, while further examination of the scene yielded one expended cartridge, a mobile phone, and a cash sum of Two Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (₦2,200,000), reasonably suspected to be proceeds of criminal activities.”

The command said efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing suspects and expand investigations into the activities of the gang.

Commissioner for Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Anti-Kidnapping Unit for its gallantry, professionalism and operational effectiveness.

He said the success of the operation reinforced the command’s determination to pursue kidnappers and other violent criminals across the state.

Ojajuni assured residents that the command would continue to deploy intelligence-led policing and tactical operations to protect lives and property.

He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to security agencies to support efforts to curb criminality.