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Couple arrested at Abuja Airport for child trafficking

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The issue of child traficking keeps on taking different dimensiona daily in the country. it is an established fact that nearly all trafficked victims are children.
According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) report, more than a half of child trafficking victims are trafficked within their own country according to the new report.
It was therefore a dramatic scene that was witnessed at the Nnamdi Azikwe international airport last Wednesday, June 26th 2024, when one Mr Godfrey Ayodele Iyama and his wife Mrs Stella Iyama tried to smuggle a 6-year-old child (name withheld) away from the country without the consent of the father and in blatant disobedience of court order (contempt of court)–that the child in question should not leave the shores of Nigeria.
According to private investigator who had been put on the trail of the couple, “in order to perfect their criminal activities the identification of the innocent little girl was changed from the name is was given at birth and in the international passport I had earlier procured for her to Mr Godfrey Ayodele Iyama claiming that the father of the little girl has died while the father is still alive. The surprising things is that the little girl is having two valid passport bearing different name”.
However, if what Mr Godfrey claimed is right, why change the name of the child, which is totally different from the name on the first passport issued to her? Even if the father is dead, does that automatically change the identity of the girl in question? A lot of questions are begging for answers.
He said: “If not God and quick intervention of immigration officer and proactiveness of the local investigator at the airport they would have boarded the Qatar Airway flight going to Birmingham international airport with the child. The immigration officer at the airport after arresting and detaining them handed them over to the airport security who investigated them and established that they were guilty of child trafficking.”
He added that: “This singular incident should open our eyes as a citizen of this country Nigeria to irregularity in our data system and how those saddle with the responsibility of keeping record should be on top of their job. In a country where the system is working, how possible for same person to have two different identification, but in a country where anything goes it is very possible.”
Our correspondent met with the biological father of the child who narrated the whole story.
He said, “I got married to Shulamite November 28, 2017. We had our child in August 16, 2018. In 2021, many times I confronted her over my feelings that she was being unfaithful to me but she denied it. Finally In April of 2021, she confessed to sleeping with her ex-boyfriend. Because we haven’t slept together for over a year , we did a pregnancy test and she tested positive. A few weeks later she told me she had removed the child and when I reported the matter to the church they invited her and she ran away from my house with my three years old girl while I was still at work”.
He added, “For over a year she refused to tell me where she is with my baby. I was forced to file for custody of the child. She also filed for custody. In the court, she alleged that I use to beat her but the court found no such evidence but rather found evidence of her finger nails on my neck when she held me on the the neck while I was asleep. The judge ruled that we should both have custody of the child. That the child will be with her during school period but will be with me during holidays. And that none of us should take the baby outside Nigeria. They have failed to obey the court injunction as they have consistently denied me access to my child up till now”.
He alleged that: “In addition, my father-in-law Mr. Godfrey Ayodele Iyama conspired with his wife Stella Iyama and their daughter Shulamite Ewoma Ozo-iyama to change my daughter’s NIN and fraudulently obtained another imternational passport for her.”
All effort to talk to the Mr Godfrey Ayodele Iyama to hear his own side of the story proved abortive.
The case is now being handled by NAPTIP
News
Naira Nosedives Against Dollar

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
On Monday The Naira depreciated to N1,629 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM). Data published by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, showed that the indicative exchange rate for the naira rose to N1,629 per dollar from N1,600 per dollar last week Friday, indicating N29 depreciation for the naira.
Likewise, the naira depreciated to N1, 570 per dollar in the parallel market from N1,565 per dollar last weekend. Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NFEM rate widened to N59 per dollar from N35 per dollar last weekend.
News
2Baba’s Lover Natasha Osawaru Fired As Edo Assembly Minority Leader

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Natasha Osawaru, the lover of singer 2Face Idibia, has been removed as the minority leader of the Edo state house of assembly.
Osawaru is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was a lawmaker representing the Egor constituency.
Her removal follows a shift in the party’s majority status after four PDP lawmakers defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), giving the latter majority control.
The lawmaker was removed alongside Charity Aiguobarueghian, the former majority leader and Yekini Idaiye, who served as chief whip of the house.
Blessing Agbebaku and Maria Edeko, who are also members of the PDP, however, retained their positions as the speaker and the deputy speaker respectively
The development followed a letter from Jarret Tenebe, acting chairman of the APC in Edo state, notifying the assembly of the party’s new majority status.
In response, the speaker announced the appointment of APC members, including Ibhamawu Aigbokhan from Esan west as majority leader, Addeh Isibor from Esan north-east I as deputy leader and Lecky Hussein Mustapha from Etsako west I as chief whip.
Agbebaku said PDP leadership in the state would submit a list of nominees for the remaining principal offices. He added that his position as speaker and that of the deputy speaker may be reviewed.
Natasha has been in the spotlight since 2Baba announced his split from Annie Idibia in January and confirmed his relationship with her a few days later.They are both engaged at the moment.
News
DHQ: Military operation rescued ex-NYSC DG, no ransom paid

The Defence Headquarters has dismissed claims that senior military officers contributed money to secure the release of a former Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Maharazu Tsiga (retd).
The DHQ insisted that his freedom was achieved through sustained military operations and intelligence efforts.
Tsiga was abducted on February 6, 2025, in Tsiga, the Kafur District of Bakori Local Government Area, Katsina State.
A trending WhatsApp message by Brigadier General Ismaila Abdullahi claimed that some retired and serving military officers contributed money to pay the ransom demanded by Tsiga’s abductors.
The message further stated that the funds were paid into his account which was provided by Tsiga’s son, Kamal and thanked everyone who contributed.
However, in a statement issued on Monday, the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, described the claims by Abdullahi as “misleading” and “a calculated attempt to undermine the military’s dedicated efforts” to combat terrorism and rescue abducted citizens.
Gusau said troops of 17 Brigade responded within hours and launched a series of search-and-rescue operations under Operation Fansan Yamma, in conjunction with air components.
According to him, troops combed several hideouts across Katsina and Zamfara states, including Jeka, Areda, Zango, Ruwan Lafiya, Mununu, and Pauwa Hills.
He added that though no direct contact was made with the abductors initially, the operations led to the abandonment of rustled animals and captives by fleeing terrorists.
Gusau said, “It is important to note that the unfortunate abduction of the former DG of NYSC occurred in the wee hours of 6 February 2025, in Tsiga, Kafur District of Bakori Local Government Area in Katsina State.
” Immediately, troops of 17 Brigade were alerted; they responded to the situation around 0300 hours the same day and, in a commendable show of professionalism, swiftly went on pursuit in conjunction with the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma.
“These combined efforts led to troops combing the assailants’/bandits’ hideouts within Jeka, Areda, and Zango, all in Kankara Local Government Area, in search of the former DG. The operation extended to Ruwan Lafiya, Mununu, Matallawa and Bakkai in Faskari Local Government Area.
“Although no direct contact was made with the abductors, the troops successfully pressured the criminals, who abandoned rustled animals and some captives in their hasty retreat.
“The troops nevertheless sustained the pursuit of the terrorists with unwavering determination, despite facing difficulties due to challenging terrain.”
Gusau said intelligence-led air raids on Dunya Hill—a known stronghold of terrorists—disrupted the kidnappers and enabled the escape of several captives.
He noted that while Tsiga was unable to flee due to health complications, another captive, Barau Garba, a local teacher, was rescued and reunited with his family.
He further disclosed that 84 kidnapped victims were freed in a separate assault on Pauwa Hills and surrounding areas, with several bandits neutralised and three soldiers sustaining injuries.
He said, “On February 8, leveraging credible intelligence, troops intensified their manhunt for the abductors and conducted dawn attacks at Yankuzo and Gidan Dankaka in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State where terrorist kingpin Ado Aliero hibernates. More so, intelligence confirmed that he had links with the abductors. Unfortunately, the operations did not result in locating the terrorists.
“However, subsequent air operations at Dunya Hill, a suspected bandit stronghold where General Tsiga was held, disrupted the terrorists, leading to the escape of several captives. Regrettably, the former DG was unable to escape due to health concerns. One of the captives, Barau Garba, a teacher at Government Secondary School in Tsiga and who was with General Tsiga, was rescued by troops, and he shared his experience via the attached video.
“Barau has since been reunited with his family in Tsiga town. In another instance, troops assaulted Pauwa Hills and Matallawa area of Kankara Local Government Area in search of Brigadier General Tsiga.
“However, they were only able to rescue 84 kidnapped victims from the area without locating him. In the process, several terrorists/bandits were neutralised, while three personnel sustained gunshot wounds.
“Since Brigadier General Tsiga’s abduction on 7 February 2025, troops have remained relentless in their pursuit, conducting both air and ground operations within Danmusa, Kankara and Faskari Local Government Areas, where he was supposedly held captive at different times, and these operations kept pressure on the abductors.
“It is thus only fair to recognise the significant sacrifices made by these troops who have worked day and night, often at great risk to their own lives in their search of the senior officer. The disparaging online is, therefore, nothing but presumably an act of mischief which is calculated at undermining the dedicated efforts of a military effort to eradicate terrorists/bandits and other criminal elements from the North West region.’
DHQ emphasised that a mix of kinetic and non-kinetic strategies facilitated the release of the senior officer, reiterating that no ransom was paid.
He said, “It is noteworthy to add that the military operations comprising both kinetic and non-kinetic strategies facilitated the rescue of General Tsiga as his life is invaluable and anything that needed to be done to ensure he was safe was adopted in ensuring a successful search and rescue effort.
“Troops will continue to support all efforts in ensuring peace and security across the country. The general public is therefore encouraged to continue supporting troops by providing credible intelligence to assist in this regard.”
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