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A veteran Nollywood actor and respected cleric, Pastor Taiwo Adeshina, popularly known as Elegbeje Ado.

According to family sources, the beloved actor passed away on Monday, June 29, 2026, after a brief illness, leaving behind a legacy of remarkable performances and a lifetime of service to both the entertainment industry and the Christian faith.

Pastor Taiwo Adeshina was widely admired for his exceptional talent, humility, and dedication to promoting Yoruba culture through film. Over the years, he earned the admiration of colleagues, fans, and movie lovers with his memorable roles, which showcased his versatility and passion for storytelling.

Beyond the screen, he was alsoknown for his commitment to ministry, touching countless lives through his faith, guidance, and words of encouragement.

His passing marks the end of an era for the Yoruba film industry, where he remained a respected figure whose contributions helped shape and preserve indigenous filmmaking. Tributes have continued to pour in from fellow actors, filmmakers, friends, and admirers, all remembering him as a man of integrity, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to his craft and calling.

As family members, friends, colleagues, and fans mourn this painful loss, they also celebrate a life well lived and a legacy that will continue to inspire generations to come.
May God grant Pastor Taiwo Adeshina eternal rest and strengthen his family, loved ones, and the entire Nollywood community during this difficult time. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

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By Francesca Hangeior

The World Health Organization voiced concerns Tuesday about potential disease outbreaks in Venezuela with local health services overwhelmed following deadly earthquakes.

“The health services are under extreme pressure now, with facilities operating beyond the capacity,” spokesman Christian Lindmeier told a press conference in Geneva, noting the surge in trauma cases.

By the latest official count, some 1,700 are dead and 5,000 are injured, with no governmental word on the number of missing. Other estimates place these in the tens of thousands.

The WHO also said there were problems with adequately registering casualties and tracking missing persons following the 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday.

“There’s an increased risk now of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases” such as measles and diphtheria, said Lindmeier, due to low pre-earthquake vaccination coverage, as well as yellow fever, and other vector- and water-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue, chikungunya and Zika.

He said Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez had reported that 38 hospitals had been affected by the twin earthquakes.

As of Saturday, the WHO has gathered data from 21 health facilities across Caracas La Guaira, Miranda and Falcon.

Of those, three are in critical condition; six have structural damage or are only partially functional, while the others remain operational but under “significant strain”, said Lindmeier.

“Preliminary findings reveal chaotic service delivery and patient flow, marked by overcrowding; growing surgical backlogs especially under mainly trauma, orthopedics, and neurosurgery; breakdown in biosafety measures; and severely stressed staff,” he said.

“Critical gaps include the collapse of forensic and morgue services, and inadequate casualty registration and tracking of missing persons.”

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, warned that community tensions were rising in quake-hit areas due to constrained aid access.

UNHCR said it needs an estimated $14.85 million to scale up protection, and provide core relief items and temporary shelter support for 30,000 earthquake-affected people over the next six months.

And Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said it was planning assistance for thousands of people left homeless.

“As the acute search-and-rescue phase comes to an end, both the number of people killed and the needs of survivors continue to rise.”

It said psychological support services were being scaled up, as the needs in this field were “extremely high”.

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By Francesca Hangeior

Residents of several Idoma communities in Benue State are expressing growing fears over what they describe as a significant reduction in security presence along the Agatu–Apa–Otukpo corridor following the killing of the Chairman of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Benue State, Alhaji Ardo Risku Mohammed.

Credible sources told NaijaBlitzOnlineNews  that several security checkpoints along the corridor have either been dismantled or abandoned in the aftermath of the incident, raising concerns about the safety of residents and travellers.

According to the sources, Mobile Police officers deployed to strategic flashpoints, including Ataganyi, Oweto, Ikobi and Ikor, have either been withdrawn or have left their duty posts, allegedly without the knowledge of higher authorities.

Before the killing of the Fulani leader, there were seven active security checkpoints between Agatu and Otukpo. However, as of Monday, only two checkpoints were reportedly still operational.

The reported reduction in security personnel has heightened anxiety in communities such as Ikobi, Akpete, Ogodumu, Igah and several surrounding villages, where residents fear the area has become increasingly vulnerable to attacks.

Villagers and motorists who spoke on the development expressed concern that the apparent security vacuum could be exploited by armed Fulani ethnic militia to carry out kidnappings or launch attacks on Idoma communities and road users along the corridor.

The residents appealed to both the Federal Government and the Benue State Government to urgently restore the withdrawn security personnel and reinforce security operations in the affected communities before the situation deteriorates.

They also called on security agencies to intensify surveillance along the Agatu–Apa–Otukpo route to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

In addition, the residents appealed to the international community to closely monitor developments in the area and encourage the relevant authorities to strengthen security measures to avert further violence.