By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The embattled ex- Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa, made a quiet return to Abuja Sunday evening, fueling speculation about his desperate bid for reconciliation and a political lifeline.

Sources at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport confirmed to our correspondent that Obasa arrived under the cover of darkness, without the usual entourage of aides or security detail that once accompanied him during his tenure as the third most powerful figure in Lagos politics.

Obasa’s arrival in the nation’s capital comes on the heels of a failed attempt to meet with President Bola Tinubu in the United Arab Emirates. The ex-Speaker, who was impeached on January 13 after a majority of lawmakers voted to remove him, was reportedly hoping for an audience with the President to salvage his political future.

The former Speaker’s recent travels have taken him to multiple international destinations. On January 8, he flew to Atlanta, Georgia, with a group of loyal lawmakers and the ousted Clerk of the House, Olalekan Onafeko, alongside a woman known as “Madam Speaker.” However, sources reveal that Obasa left his supporters stranded in various locations around the globe as he sought to save his own skin, further alienating those who once stood by him.

Obasa’s impeachment, which saw more than two-thirds of the House vote for his removal, marked a significant shift in the Lagos Assembly. His successor, Rt Hon Mojisola Meranda of Apapa 1, was swiftly elected by 32 members, signaling the successful overthrow of Obasa’s political reign.

Obasa, the former strongman of Agege and Lagos politics is facing a plethora of challenges post-impeachment. He is reportedly seeking a reprieve from EFCC and ICPC investigations and hoping for a political compromise. His legal consultant has advised that his impeachment is constitutionally valid, urging him to accept the House’s decision and issue a public statement acknowledging the development.

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.

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.

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.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

US immigration authorities will be able to arrest migrants at schools, churches and hospitals after the Trump administration overturned policies banning immigration enforcement from so-called “sensitive areas”.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) and Customs and Border Protection had been restricted from doing so for more than a decade. The US Department of Homeland Security, which oversees both agencies, said in a statement: “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.

“The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense,” the statement said.

The directive was one of two issued on Tuesday from Benjamine Huffman, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The second directive reinstates with immediate effect so-called “expedited removal” nationwide.

Under this authority, US Ice can quickly deport any undocumented person arrested inside the country who can’t prove they have been here continuously for more than two years.

The changes come as Donald Trump’s administration executes a major crackdown on immigration in the US.

The president signed a slew of executive actions on Monday that included cutting off access to an app that facilitated the entry of hundreds of thousands of people as well as suspending the refugee system and promoting greater cooperation between Ice and local and state governments.

Administration officials vowed to immediately begin rounding up people in the US illegally, as part of the president’s promise to carry out “mass deportations”.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, said in an interview late on Monday that immigration agents would fan out across the United States on Tuesday to arrest and deport undocumented people.