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Gunmen abduct Amotekun officer, 3 others in Ekiti

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

There was confusion in Ikere Ekiti on Monday as unknown gunmen reportedly kidnapped a member of the South West Security Outfit, popularly called Amotekun, Mr. Thomas Aruleba, along with his wife and two children.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening along Ijare Road in Ikere Ekiti while they were returning from their farm.

It was gathered that the Amotekun officer and his family had taken a driver to the farm to transport timber needed for building his house.

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Unfortunately, the driver’s vehicle broke down while carrying the timber. The Amotekun officer and his family decided to return home to bring a mechanic to fix the vehicle. On their way back, the gunmen attacked them and marched them into the bush.

The kidnappers have contacted the victims’ family and demanded ₦10 million for their release.

A family member who spoke to Newsflash Nigeria, Mr. Johnson, revealed that the kidnappers initially demanded ₦10 million but later reduced the ransom to ₦5 million after pleas from the family.

Mr. Johnson stated that the family has reported the case to the police and other security agencies, as well as to the chairmen of the two local government councils in the community.

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Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ikere West LCDA, Hon. Rufus Olorufemi, said that after receiving information about the distressing incident, he swiftly mobilized security teams to take action. The operation is ongoing to ensure the safety and security of the community.

According to a press release issued by the chairman’s media aide, the security team successfully apprehended four suspected kidnappers in the bush along with their motorcycles. During the arrest, they were found with incriminating items, including:

Indian hemp
Various types of ropes
A motorcycle
Charms
One of the security staff reportedly confronted one of the kidnappers, expressing dismay at their actions. The kidnapper responded with a shocking remark: “I think you have your way of stealing with your pen; this is my way. Let me be.”

The investigation is ongoing, and security forces have been instructed to prevent anyone from taking pictures of the kidnappers to avoid compromising the investigation, the chairman said.

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Celebrity boxing: Speed Darlington wants rematch after losing to Portable

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigerian singer Speed Darlington is calling for a rematch against Portable after losing to him in a celebrity boxing match.

Speed Darlington was knocked out in the second round, and he’s unhappy about the outcome.

In a video, he claimed Portable didn’t deserve the win and the prize money, saying he had plans to use the money to build a swimming pool for his community in Imo State.

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Portable, I want a rematch. E dey pain me say you dey carry all that money dey go. E dey break my heart.

” I want a rematch. It’s so unfair. You have up to two experience before me and you fight. I never enter ring before. I did not come from poverty,” he said.

“You don’t deserve that money. E dey pain me. I want to build swimming pool for my villagers. I need a rematch, Portable”, he said.

According to Speed Darlington, Portable had an unfair advantage due to his experience, accusing him of using supernatural means to win the fight.

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He also claimed he suffered a shoulder injury during the match despite not feeling tired.

Speed Darlington, who wants a rematch, said he needs 30 days to prepare better

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Israel’s remote controlled bulldozers breaking ground in Gaza war

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At first glance, there is nothing unusual about the bulky bulldozer turning up soil at a testing site in central Israel, but as it pulled closer it became clear: the driver’s cabin is eerily empty.

This is the Robdozer, a fortified engineering vehicle manned remotely, and in this case operated from a military expo halfway across the globe in Alabama.

Army engineers and military experts say that the Robdozer — the robotic version of Caterpillar’s D9 bulldozer — is the future of automated combat.

The Israeli military has used D9 for years to carry out frontline tasks like trowelling roads for advancing troops, removing rubble and flattening terrain.

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But since war in Gaza broke out in October 2023 and later in Lebanon, the Israeli military has increasingly deployed this robotic version in a bid to enhance its field operations and reduce the risks to its troops.

“The idea is to eliminate the person from the cockpit of the dozer,” said Rani, whose team at the state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries developed the Robdozer.

An unmanned D9 bulldozer digs up a field during a demonstration to the press at the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) quarters near Tel Aviv on March 26, 2025. Israel’s increasing use of advanced technology on the battlefield, from air defence systems to a broad range of AI-driven intelligence tools, has been well-documented but also criticised for inaccuracies, lack of human oversight and potential violations of international law. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP)

During the Gaza war, the military has increasingly opted for the unmanned version, which can carry out a full range of tasks “even better than a human”, said Rani, using his first name only for security reasons.

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While such vehicles and other systems are currently operated by humans, future versions could be autonomous, raising ethical and legal concerns over the unchartered future of warfare being shaped by the Israeli military in the Gaza war.

‘Changing the paradigm’
Israel’s increasing use of advanced technology on the battlefield, from air defence systems to a broad range of AI-driven intelligence tools, has been well-documented but also criticised for inaccuracies, lack of human oversight and potential violations of international law.

Analysts say the growing Israeli deployment of the Robdozer reflects broader global trends towards automation in heavy combat vehicles, like remote-controlled personnel carriers that operate much like drones.

An Israeli military official, who requested anonymity to discuss sensitive matters, told AFP that the army has been using “robotic tools for over a decade, but in very small numbers. Now it is being used in large-scale warfare”.

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70-hour Chess Marathon: Onakoya reportedly breaks record set by Norwegians

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Nigerian chess sensation and founder of Chess in Slums Africa, Tunde Onakoya, has broken the chess marathon record of 61 hours, 3 minutes, and 34 seconds, set by two Norwegian players, Hallvard Haug Flatebø and Sjur Ferkingstad, in June 2024.

Onakoya and his chess partner, Shawn Martinez, are currently aiming to complete a 70-hour chess marathon in Times Square, New York.

The marathon, a four-day non-stop gameplay, started on April 17.

In a post shared on X shortly after surpassing the current record, he expressed fulfillment and called for action to educate and create opportunities for street children in Nigeria.

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For all the dreamers! We’ve officially BROKEN THE RECORD with my brother,” he wrote.

Although the official confirmation from Guinness World Records is still being awaited, Nigerians and chess lovers from different parts of the world have congratulated the chess master on his latest achievement.

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