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By Gloria Ikibah

A member of the House of Representatives, Rep. Leke Abejide, has cautioned Nigerians against allowing economic strain to fracture their marriages, urging couples to remain grounded in shared values despite mounting pressures.

Speaking in Abuja during a thanksgiving service marking his wife’s 50th birthday alongside their 20th wedding anniversary, the Kogi lawmaker stressed that difficult times should not erode family stability.

He emphasised that enduring relationships are sustained through love, patience and mutual respect, noting that strong homes are built on understanding and a shared commitment to faith.

Abejide underscored the importance of staying united through hardship, warning that financial challenges, though real, should not outweigh the deeper foundations that hold families together.

“You sustain marriage with love as it is written in the book of Ephesians Chapter 5 — husbands should love their wives and wives should submit to their husbands. This principle has been working for us,” he said.

Abejide observed that despite widespread complaints about economic challenges, many Nigerians continue to make significant investments.

He said: “My message to Nigerians is: don’t allow hunger and hardship to take away your marriage. Let God be your foundation. When you have God, things will fall into place.

“You see people building houses, they say there is no money. You see estates springing up, people buying vehicles and travelling abroad. So we must not allow temporary hardship to destroy our homes,” he said.

In her remark, Deaconess Esther Abejide credited the strength of her two-decade marriage to a foundation built on patience, mutual understanding and genuine affection.

Reflecting on the journey, she highlighted the central role of faith and sacrifice in sustaining a lasting union.

“The secret is love and understanding. Couples must understand each other, know what their partner likes and dislikes. With that, the marriage will last.

“With God in the marriage, through prayer and even fasting, it will stand,” she said.

Speaking on balancing life as the spouse of a public office holder with her religious commitments, she described the experience as smooth and fulfilling, noting that her natural disposition has made the transition easier.

“It is easy for me because I love people and I am always happy to be around them, so it has not been difficult to cope,” she said.

Also at the event, Senator Sunday Karimi shared a hopeful outlook on the country’s economic trajectory, urging Nigerians to remain patient as reforms under President Bola Tinubu continue to unfold.

“There is hope. There is a renewed hope. Let me tell you what is happening, we are graduating from an economy that has no direction. When the country starts printing money, it’s a fake country. That was what was happening.

“But Tinubu came and said no. Let’s run a perfect economy. It’s not been easy. But I can promise you, we are moving to the promised land. Our economy is getting better. Don’t mind the borrowing they are talking about. Check the US and their debt. It’s in trillions of dollars but the economy is running well.

“Look at Lagos. Lagos is a shining example of a state that we ought to look up to in Nigeria. That is what Tinubu is doing for us. We need to be patient. Nigeria is getting better. By God’s grace, he is coming back to continue the work he is doing”, he said.

Karimi dismissed opposition coalition efforts, describing the actors as “the same old politicians” with nothing new to offer the country.

The celebration drew a mix of political allies, relatives and close friends, all turning out to mark the couple’s milestone. The occasion was further highlighted by the presentation of an 18-seater bus to the church as part of the festivities.

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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.

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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.