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The Osun State Police Command,on Tuesday confirmed the killing of two civilians during an alleged attack on a patrol team while responding to a distress call in Ikire community of Irewole Local Council.

A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, stated that the killing occurred on Monday along the Ibadan–Ife Expressway.

According to Ojelabi, the patrol team, accompanied by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ikire Division, was responding to a distress call over alleged abduction of one Sunkanmi when they came under heavy gun attack by suspected political thugs.

The statement further stated that the police patrol vehicle, forcefully taken away by the assailants, was later abandoned and subsequently recovered with multiple bullet holes and a destroyed windscreen.

Meanwhile, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police (CP) of Osun State, Ibrahim Zungura, has visited the scene of the incident for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and subsequently directed a comprehensive investigation to be conducted by the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) over the incident.

MEANWHILE, Osun State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sooko Tajudeen Lawal, has raised the alarm over alleged plans to create fresh tension in local councils across the state, urging security agencies to protect council officials and workers.

Lawal’s allegation followed a statement by the Osun State Government alleging that some stakeholders were planning to cause crises at local councils and motor parks following the August 15, 2026 governorship election.

In a statement by Osun APC Director of Media and Information, Mogaji Kola Olabisi, the APC chairman cautioned Governor Ademola Adeleke against any action capable of plunging the state into another round of political tension.

On his part, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy and immediate past governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, yesterday, decried post-election violence allegedly recorded in some parts of the state, describing the development as a threat to democratic values, peace, and harmonious co-existence.

He, therefore, urged the police and other security agencies to rise to the challenge by restoring peace and tranquillity in the areas affected by alleged killings and violence.

In a statement by his Special Adviser, Dr Bolaji Akinola, Oyetola contended that the attacks on citizens constitute a threat to “peace, heritage and democratic values of the people of Osun State.”

He emphasised that no political ambition or commercial interest could ever justify the loss of human life, appealing to all stakeholders to reject violence and embrace dialogue in resolving disputes.

The minister also urged the security agencies to deploy adequate personnel to volatile locations, reclaim public spaces from hoodlums, and ensure that all those responsible for the killings and other acts of violence are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.

The statement stated: “We are expressing our condolences to the families of those killed in the violence, while charging the Osun State Police Command and other security agencies to act decisively to restore order and protect residents, particularly in areas affected by the unrest.

“Politics must be a vehicle for development, not a catalyst for bloodshed. We are appealing to residents across the state to prioritise peace and restraint. The progress and prosperity of Osun State must not be sacrificed on the altar of political or commercial interests.

“We are also affirming our commitment to the peace, security and development of Osun State, urging citizens to work together to preserve the state’s long-standing reputation for civility, enterprise and democratic values.”

The Nation

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The United States has paused immigrant visa applications as the Donald Trump administration moves to tighten screening and limit entry for applicants considered likely to depend on government assistance.

A US State Department official confirmed the development on Tuesday, saying the initiative was launched at American embassies and consulates in early August, per report by The Guardian UK.

The department said visa appointments had to be adjusted to accommodate “in-depth training” for consular officers as part of efforts to strengthen the assessment of applicants.

The State Department has been working on updated guidance and training since early this year, the official said, “to ensure all consular officers are fully equipped to evaluate every visa applicant comprehensively and consistently”.

Applicants who had already secured interview appointments were reportedly informed by email that their appointments had been cancelled and that they would be notified of new dates.

The move is intended to ensure that immigrants do not become reliant on US public benefits, according to agency officials. It is also part of a broader immigration crackdown by the Trump administration targeting both lawful and undocumented immigration.

The latest development comes amid several other measures introduced by the administration to tighten access to the United States.

This week, the Trump administration announced plans to revoke visas from some asylum seekers who initially entered the US on tourist or business visas. Up to 200,000 people currently seeking asylum could be affected by the move, which would potentially become the largest mass visa revocation exercise in US history.

The action is being carried out in coordination with the Department of Homeland Security.

Visa applicants have also faced additional requirements under Trump, including scrutiny of their social media histories and increased processing costs.

The immigrant visa pause follows an earlier attempt by the Trump administration to restrict applications on a similar “public charge” basis. That policy included a suspension of immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, but a federal judge recently overturned the measure.

Reacting to the ruling, Joanna Cuevas Ingram, senior staff attorney at the National Immigration Law Center, said: “The court made clear that immigration laws cannot be used to justify discrimination,”

She added: “We are determined to ensure every person and family this ban harmed receives appropriate relief and will continue to hold this administration accountable to its obligations under the law.”

The latest visa restrictions are expected to create further difficulties for applicants who have already spent significant amounts of money and made travel arrangements for interviews.

Brian Simmons, an attorney at immigration law firm Fragomen in Washington, told the Financial Times that many applicants affected by the pause likely “spent thousands of dollars and disrupted their lives to attend scheduled interviews, only to have their appointments cancelled at the last minute”.

It remains unclear when the cancelled appointments will be rescheduled, leaving many applicants facing further uncertainty over their immigration plans.

The development comes as the Trump administration continues to introduce stricter immigration policies, several of which have faced legal challenges in US courts.

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The Presidency has said the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council list for the 2027 election will be adjusted where necessary, but denied that the list has been withdrawn or subjected to a wholesale review.

Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, made this known on Wednesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

Dare was responding to reports that the APC had withdrawn the list following controversy over the inclusion and exclusion of some party leaders and other political figures.

He said the list remained valid, stressing that the party was yet to constitute all the subcommittees that would make up the campaign structure.

“As it is with every other list, there’s a room for subcommittees. Those subcommittees have not been formed, and so many other names will come into that subcommittee,” Dare said.

“So that list has not been withdrawn. The APC has issued a statement to that effect yesterday, that list stands. But of course, there will be adjustments. The list is not cast in stone, just like every other list.”

The APC had on Tuesday rejected reports that its 2027 presidential campaign council list had been withdrawn.

The list, announced over the weekend, named President Tinubu as chairman of the council, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima and APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda as vice chairmen.

Former Zamfara State Governor and Senator, Abdul’aziz Yari, was named Director-General, while Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma was designated secretary.

Asked whether the list was therefore open to review, Dare avoided the term “review”, describing the expected changes instead as adjustments.

“Not a review, just adjustments where necessary,” he said.

When pressed on whether his reluctance to use the word “review” meant the list was indeed being reconsidered, the presidential aide maintained that the expected changes did not amount to a comprehensive overhaul.

“Review is wholesale, this is not wholesale,” Dare said.

He explained that the creation of additional subcommittees would provide room for more party members and political stakeholders to participate in the campaign structure.