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Election violence: One Person Shot Dead At Polling Station in Ghana presidential Election
Ghana’s general electione have taken a violent turn, with one person fatally shot and another wounded at a polling station in Nyankpala.
The incident occurred when an opposition candidate attempted to file a complaint, but he was stopped by the ruling party’s supporters.
Four men have been arrested in connection with the shooting, and soldiers have been deployed to the area to restore calm.
Despite this incident, voting has been peaceful in other parts of the country, with many Ghanaians queuing up before dawn to cast their ballots.
The economy is a major concern for voters, with Ghana facing a debt crisis and high living costs.
The election marks the end of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s two terms in office, and voters will choose between former President John Mahama and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, among others.
If Bawumia wins, he will become Ghana’s first Muslim leader.
Elsewhere election day has been peacefully conducted, with some Ghanaians queuing before dawn to make sure they cast their ballots.
A debt crisis and high living costs mean the economy is uppermost in the minds of many voters.
The West African nation is guaranteed a new president as Nana Akufo-Addo steps down after reaching the official limit of two terms in office.
But he could be replaced with a familiar face, if former President John Mahama succeeds in his comeback attempt for the NDC party, BBC reports.
His main challenger is expected to be Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia, who would become the country’s first Muslim leader if he wins for the governing NPP party.
Other candidates include Nana Kwame Bediako, a businessman popular with young voters and Alan Kyerematen, who defected from the ruling NPP party last year.
Close to 19 million Ghanaians are registered to vote.
Despite Ghana recently bringing in tougher legislation to drive up the numbers of women in frontline politics, only one woman is in the running to become president – Nana Akosua Sarpong Frimpomaa of the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
The only other female presidential candidate in this election – Akua Donkor of the Ghana Freedom Party – died in October. Yet her name will still be listed on ballot papers because the candidate chosen to succeed her was disqualified.
Saturday’s general election also sees voters in 275 constituencies across the country choosing their members of parliament.
Since the return of multi-party politics to Ghana in 1992, only candidates from either the National Democratic Congress (NDC) or the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) have won the presidency.
No party has ever won more than two consecutive terms in power.
Voters have a 10-hour window on Saturday to cast their ballots – 07:00-17:00 GMT.
Ghana’s land borders have been closed until Sunday evening, in a move that correspondents describe as unusual.
Election results are set to be announced within three days.
In order to win in the first round, a presidential candidate must gain more than 50% of the vote. Failing that, the top two contenders will enter a run-off vote to take place by the end of December.
Voting for the first time, 18-year-old Serwaa Yeboah Joshebeth told the BBC “it is important for you to vote to choose the best for your country”.
The recent graduate wants to see more job opportunities, “not for me alone but for others who need them [too].”
Kojo Yeboah, 95, agrees.
“The next leader must focus on education and jobs for the youth,” the retired university worker told the BBC outside a polling booth in the city of Kumasi.
“I benefit from stipends from the state at my age already,” he adds.
As campaigns came to a close on Friday, Bawumia said of his main rival: “What is clear is that notwithstanding the challenges we’ve had, we have performed better than the government of John Dramani Mahama.”
While Mahama told supporters “it is a choice between the Ghana we have today and the Ghana we want together. A Ghana of opportunity, prosperity, and justice for all.”
Ghanaians have been hit particularly hard by inflation in recent years, which reached a peak of 54.1% in 2022. Although it has since come down, many thousands of people have been pushed into poverty and living standards have suffered, says the World Bank.
That same year, Ghana defaulted on its debt repayments and the government is still in lengthy negotiations with international lenders to try and restructure the loans.
All 13 passengers abducted along the Makurdi–Otukpo road in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State have been successfully rescued.
The victims were reportedly freed in the early hours of Sunday, following what sources described as a coordinated effort.
Meanwhile, official confirmation and operational details are still being awaited at the time of filing this report.
The abduction had earlier raised concerns among residents and commuters along the busy Makurdi–Otukpo axis, a route that has witnessed sporadic security challenges in recent times.
Security agencies are yet to issue a formal statement on the circumstances surrounding both the abduction and the subsequent rescue.
It also remains unclear whether any arrests were made or if ransom was involved.
Local sources, however, expressed relief over the safe return of the victims, describing the development as a significant breakthrough amid ongoing security concerns in the area.
The spokesperson of the Benue state Police command, DSP Udeme Edet could not be reached to confirm the story as at the time of filing this report.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has announced the arrest of two candidates and a parent for allegedly falsifying the 2026 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination results using Artificial Intelligence and other electronic tools.
The announcement was made on Friday as the board released the results of 632,788 candidates who sat for the examination on Thursday, April 16.
In a statement issued by JAMB spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin, the suspects were apprehended for tampering with official SMS result notifications to alter or fabricate scores with the intention of deceiving others, including parents and guardians.
“Currently, two candidates and one parent are in custody for engaging in result falsification using AI and other electronic means,” the statement said.
Benjamin emphasized that such actions constitute serious criminal offences and warned that the board would ensure that all those involved are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
He further cautioned candidates against interfering with result messages sent through JAMB’s official SMS platforms, 55019 and 66019.
Candidates who took the examination on Thursday can check their results by sending “UTMERESULT” via SMS to 55019 or 66019 using the phone number linked to their registration. Printing of official result slips is not yet available but will be enabled later.
The 2026 UTME commenced on April 16 and is scheduled to run until April 22 across examination centres nationwide. Results will continue to be released in batches as the exercise progresses.
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How NDLEA operatives uncovered cocaine, loud in food flasks, snacks, nabs fashion designer, others(Photos)
. Raids Edo, Cross River forests, destroys over 17,000kg skunk; recovers large consignments in Lagos, Delta, Kaduna operations
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have intercepted 12 large parcels of cocaine concealed in false bottom of food flasks heading to the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic Airline flight from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Ikeja, Lagos.
The cocaine consignment with a gross weight of 2.80 kilograms was intercepted on Thursday 9th April 2026 by NDLEA operatives attached to the export shed of the Lagos airport while two cargo agents involved in the export bid: Ama Obinna Ufeim, 33, and Ogabi Monday Akorede, 39, were swiftly arrested. Further investigation revealed a 52-year-old freight and forwarding agent Agoro Tajudeen Moninuola as the sender of the consignment and he was arrested in a follow-up operation.
In a similar operation, NDLEA officers at the import shed of the Lagos airport on Wednesday 8th April intercepted a consignment of Loud, a strong strain of cannabis, with a gross weight of 2.90 kilograms and concealed in snack food packs, which arrived from the United States of America aboard a Delta Airlines flight.
Two cargo clearing agents: Animashaun Moshood Adetunji and Mercy Gabriel Oluwasegun, were initially arrested in connection with the seizure before the consignee, Saheed Adeshina Adegoke, a 29-year-old fashion designer, was nabbed in a follow-up operation at 3 Oba Ogunji road, Ogba, Lagos, on Monday 13th April.
In Kaduna, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Kaduna-Zaria highway by Gwargwaje Zaria on Monday 13th April intercepted a trailer conveying cement heading to Hadeja in Jigawa state. A search of the truck led to the recovery of 760 blocks and 33 jumbo bags of skunk, a strain of cannabis, weighing 847 kilograms. The truck driver Umar Garba Haruna, 33, was arrested in connection with the seizure.
A 53-year-old female suspect, Alice Sunday Udoh, was arrested on Thursday 16th April when NDLEA officers supported by soldiers raided a forest in Uwet community, Akamkpa LGA, Cross River state, where 15,000 kilograms of skunk on six hectares of farmland were destroyed and 119kg of same substance recovered.
Another cannabis farm was raided on Tuesday 14th April at Saboro camp, Ovia North East LGA, Edo state where NDLEA operatives destroyed 2,281.43kg of same psychoactive substance, while three suspects: Nweke Smart, 27; Christopher Egbe, 62; and Monday Ayan, 45, were arrested, with the duo of Christopher and Monday caught with 38.5kg cannabis and its seeds. Two suspects: Sunday Odili, 49, and Ijenebe Joshua, 39, were nabbed with 87.838kg skunk and seeds at Powerline area of Okwo, Delta state on Friday 17th April.
In Lagos, two suspects: Chinedu Ogbekene and Zindozin Aloukou Bienvenu were arrested on Wednesday 15th April at Mile 2, Lagos/Badagry expressway while conveying 11,900 capsules of tramadol and 400 ampoules of phenobarbital injection in a truck to Ghana. Same day, NDLEA operatives raided a two-storey building at Petti, Lagos Island, where a total of 95.8kg skunk was recovered.
With the same zeal, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse, WADA, sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture for students and staff of Alfurgan Islamic School, Paiko, Niger state;
Edgerly Memorial Girls Secondary School, Calabar, Cross River; Heritage Model School, Ankpa, Kogi; Government Day Junior and Senior Secondary School, Kankia, Katsina; Government Senior Secondary School, Rano, Kano, and De Ambassador Secondary School, Epe, Lagos state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, and Lagos Commands of the Agency for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted their drug supply reduction efforts balanced with WADA sensitization activities while he charged them and their compatriots across the country to maintain the current tempo.
All 13 kidnapped Otukpo passengers, successfully rescued
Board cautions candidates after arrest of suspects over doctored UTME scores
How NDLEA operatives uncovered cocaine, loud in food flasks, snacks, nabs fashion designer, others(Photos)
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