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Eight Former Ondo Council Chairmen Arrested, Grilled By EFCC For Alleged Misappropriation

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Eight former local government chairmen in Ondo State have been arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly misappropriating billions of naira.

The former chairmen were reportedly taken into custody at the EFCC’s Benin zonal office following petitions from concerned local government workers in their respective councils, according to Peoples Gazette.

They are currently being questioned over “fraudulent transactions” that allegedly took place in 2017.

Sources told Peoples Gazette that the financial irregularities occurred during the transition between the former governor, Olusegun Mimiko, who governed from 2009 to 2017, and the late governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, who assumed office in February 2017.

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“They are currently in the custody of the EFCC in Benin City to answer the case of misappropriation of funds in their respective councils.

“The petition dated when Mimiko was preparing to hand over power to Akeredolu in 2017. The fraudulent transactions were made in the various councils using phoney accounts and contracts to embezzle billions of naira without making recourse to the yearnings of workers in the councils.

“It’s expected that those documents for the deal are still available for investigation, and these council bosses would be able to assist the anti-graft agency in providing answers.

“Let me also tell you that I’m aware that the ongoing investigations of the EFCC spanned across the 18 LGAs of the state. It is interesting that they all have a case to answer,” a source told the online newspaper.

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The arrests came just weeks after the state conducted its local government elections, in which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) won all chairmanship seats and some councillorship positions.

Investigations revealed that EFCC operatives had earlier summoned heads of administration departments in the councils, but they failed to appear.

The agency later moved to Ifedore LGA last week to question some administrative staff members.

A source disclosed that treasurers and heads of local government administration allegedly involved in the financial racketeering were also taken in for questioning.

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“I think the news of the arrest of the LG chiefs has reached the government, and there is now an intervention effort even from the labour leaders in the state.

“They have been asked to write statements at the EFCC office, and I’m sure more arrests would still be made,” the source added.

A labour leader in the local government council confirmed the EFCC’s invitation to the former chairmen but declined to provide further details.

He stated that he was outside the state and had limited information on the arrests.

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The state government’s spokesperson, Ebenezer Adeniyan, was unavailable for comments. EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, also declined to comment when contacted on Saturday.

SaharaReporters’ calls and messages to EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale for comment went unanswered at the time of filing this report.

Metro

Fear grips RCCG Church members as pastor collapses, dies while preaching about sudden death

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What was meant to be a solemn farewell turned into a scene of horror and wailing at Aleto, Eleme, Rivers State.

A burial ceremony went silent, then erupted in screams, when the preacher himself became the message.

Deacon Steve Eyo, Resident Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Aleto, had mounted the podium with fire. His topic: “The Certainty of Death and Hope Beyond.”

More than 300 mourners sat in rapt attention. His voice was strong. His delivery, piercing.

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Death is certain. You cannot escape it,” he warned. “Death is like going to the market. Some leave early, some stay till late. Some die young, some live long. But it will come when you least expect it.”

He spoke at 1:10 p.m. By 1:25 p.m., prophecy met reality.

Mid-sentence, as he was rounding off with a final charge – “Number your days and prepare, for it can happen anytime” – his voice cut. The microphone crashed to the floor with a loud thud. The pastor collapsed on the stage.

For a few seconds, no one moved. Many thought it was drama – an illustration of sudden death.

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Then panic set in.

“Pastor! Pastor!” voices cried as people rushed forward.

The choir surged to the pulpit, praying loudly, hands stretched. Ministers surrounded him, shouting prayers. Others with medical knowledge battled to revive him, pressing his chest, calling his name. But his breath was gone.

In a heartbreaking twist, the same ambulance hired to convey the corpse for burial was used to rush the preacher to the nearest hospital.

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It was too late.

At the clinic, he was confirmed dead. His body was taken to the mortuary – just hours after he had told the living to prepare for death.

Before he fell, he had told the mourners that death is not the end, that judgment comes after, and that every day must be numbered and lived wisely.

He lived his last sermon.

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Aleto is in mourning. The burial ground that came to bury one, almost buried two.

Source: news platforming.ng

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Edo APC Chairman Tenebe Sparks Outrage Over ‘AK-47 Fire’ Threat Against Tinubu Vote Opponents

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The Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarrett Tenebe, has come under fire following a controversial threat involving AK-47 rifles against anyone who attempts to frustrate the party’s plan to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Tenebe made the remarks on October 2, 2026, in Benin City, while addressing APC supporters at a party gathering organised after the recently concluded local government council election in the state.

Speaking at the event, the APC chairman said Governor Monday Okpebholo had promised to deliver 2.5 million votes for Tinubu in Edo State, insisting that the party was determined to make good on the pledge.

He also claimed that the APC secured 2,158,600 votes in the recent local government election, describing the alleged result as an unprecedented achievement in the state’s political history.

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However, his address took a controversial turn when he issued a warning to individuals he accused of attempting to obstruct the party’s electoral ambitions.

“Those who do not wish us well, who want to create an obstacle for us, I have a prayer for you,” Tenebe said.

He went further, making an explicit reference to the use of firearms against anyone who might stand in the party’s way.

“So anybody who refuses, who wants to stand in our way, for us not to have those votes that we intend to give to Mr President, AK-47 fire,” he declared.

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Tenebe reportedly reinforced the controversial remark by comparing his statement to the use of a general-purpose machine gun, further repeating the phrase “AK-47 fire” in reference to those he accused of opposing the party’s objective.

His comments have drawn attention because of their apparent reference to armed violence in the context of political competition and the mobilisation of votes for the 2027 presidential election.

The remarks have also raised questions about the language political leaders use when addressing opponents and the implications of making threats involving firearms during political gatherings.

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‘I Hit Her With a Pistol, Hacked Her With Machete’ — Suspect Confesses to Killing Girlfriend in Enugu

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A 30-year-old man, Emmanuel Okpara, has allegedly confessed to killing his girlfriend, Chinyere, in Enugu State on September 19, recounting how a heated argument reportedly escalated into a violent confrontation that left her dead.

In a video recording, Okpara narrated how he met the deceased on Facebook in 2023 while he was living in Nekede, Imo State.

He said he later relocated to Enugu State in December 2025, while Chinyere was serving as a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Port Harcourt.

According to the suspect, their paths crossed again in March 2026 after Chinyere returned to Enugu following her service year. The two subsequently began a romantic relationship.

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Okpara claimed that Chinyere, who had recently completed her NYSC programme, visited him at his residence, where he allegedly told her he could cure sexually transmitted infections, including hepatitis, HIV and syphilis.

He alleged that the disclosure triggered an angry reaction from Chinyere, who accused him of being responsible for infecting her with HIV.

The disagreement reportedly degenerated into a physical altercation, during which Okpara claimed Chinyere struck him on the head with a pistol.

He said he managed to seize the weapon and repeatedly struck her on the head with it, causing her to collapse.

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The suspect further admitted to allegedly using a machete to inflict severe injuries on her wrist, head and neck.

Okpara also claimed he was under the influence of hard drugs at the time of the incident.

Recounting what happened after the alleged killing, the suspect said he wrapped Chinyere’s body in nylon and remained inside his apartment with the corpse, adding that fear and confusion prevented him from knowing what to do next.

He disclosed that he stayed with the body for three days before neighbours, reportedly alerted by a foul smell coming from the apartment, broke into the residence.

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The neighbours allegedly discovered Okpara inside the apartment with Chinyere’s decomposing body.

The suspect also revealed that he deliberately damaged the deceased’s phone to prevent anyone from reaching her.

The circumstances surrounding the killing, including the suspect’s allegations about the argument and his claimed drug use, remain subject to further investigation.

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