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PHOTOS: Hamas begins handing over Israeli hostages

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The first seven of the remaining 20 living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas after more than 783 days in captivity in Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

Under a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump after two years of war, Hamas is due to release all surviving hostages on Monday in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

The releases came as Trump headed to the region for a peace summit, having declared the war “over”.

“According to information provided by the Red Cross, seven hostages have been transferred into their custody, and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip,” the Israeli military and security service said.

“The IDF is prepared to receive additional hostages who are expected to be transferred to the Red Cross later on.”

In Tel Aviv, hundreds of people gathered on Hostages Square erupted in joy as news broke of the first releases.

Among them, Noga shared her pain and joy with AFP.

“I’m torn between emotion and sadness for those who won’t be coming back,” she said.

On October 7, 2023, militants seized 251 hostages during Hamas’s unprecedented attack on Israel, which led to the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians.

All but 47 of the hostages were freed in earlier truces, with the families of those that have remained in captivity leading lives of constant pain and worry for their loved ones.

In Gaza, too, the ceasefire has brought relief, but with much of the territory flattened by war, the road to recovery remains long.

“I returned to Sheikh Radwan with my heart trembling,” 38-year-old Fatima Salem told AFP after she returned to her neighbourhood in Gaza City.

“My eyes kept searching for landmarks I had lost — nothing looked the same, even the neighbours’ houses were gone.

“Despite the exhaustion and fear, I felt like I was coming back to my safe place. I missed the smell of my home, even if it’s now just rubble. We will pitch a tent next to it and wait for reconstruction.”

Under the US president’s proposed roadmap, once the Palestinian militants have handed over the surviving hostages, Israel will begin releasing around 2,000 detainees in exchange.

Israel expects all 20 living hostages to be released to the Red Cross “early Monday morning”, according to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One at the start of the “very special” visit, Trump brushed off concerns about whether the ceasefire would endure.

“I think it’s going to hold. I think people are tired of it. It’s been centuries,” he said of the fighting.

“The war is over. Okay? You understand that?” the US president added.

In Israel, Trump is due to meet the families of hostages, before addressing the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem.

 

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Veteran labour activist, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, d!es after hit-and-run in Ota

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Veteran labour activist, Comrade Abiodun Aremu, 65, has been k!lled in a hit-and-run in Ota, Ogun State.

The renowned activist and Secretary of the Joint Action Front, JAF — the umbrella body for pro-labour civil society organisations — was reportedly knocked down by a vehicle while crossing the road to his residence in Ota, Ogun State, around 6 p.m. on Sunday, October 12.

He was said to have been rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors tried to resuscitate him with oxygen, but he was later confirmed de@d.

Aremu was initially scheduled to be buried on Monday, October 13

However, the family of the late foremost activist, Abiodun Aremu, has agreed with the Labour Movement to shift his burial to October 23 to enable the movement give him a befitting farewell.

In a statement issued on behalf of the Nigeria Labour Movement, the former Secretary-General of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity ,OATUU, and ex-Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Owei Lakemfa, said: “The Aremu family has agreed with the Labour Movement that the interment of our leader, Comrade Abiodun ‘Aremson’ Aremu, be moved by about two weeks. This is to allow for proper mobilisation and attendance.

“Consequently, Comrade Aremu will now be interred on Thursday, 23rd October 2025, at Number 30, Kabiru Fatoye Street, Opposite Alaka Field, Ijako Sugar Bus Stop, Ifo Road, Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway.”

He added: “Our hearts are with the dear family of our departed Comrade.”

Earlier, Lakemfa had described Aremu in a statement as “one of the greatest revolutionaries and internationalists of our time.”

He said: “Comrade Abiodun ‘Aremson’ Aremu joined the pantheon of revolutionaries on Sunday, October 12, 2025. He was an inimitable leader of the working class in Nigeria who developed enduring structures for collaboration and growth within the labour movement, including the Labour–Civil Society Coalition, LASCO, and the Kolagbodi Memorial Foundation.

“The Comrade-Leader also built the Amilcar Cabral Ideological School ,ACIS-M, to conscientise the youth, provide them with praxis, and nurture their development into full revolutionaries capable of changing the world.

“Aremu also served as Secretary of the Nigeria Movement for the Liberation of Western Sahara and the Nigerian Movement of Solidarity with Cuba.

“He was a recipient of the Friendship Medal awarded by the Cuban government to outstanding internationalists.

“The greatest honour we can give our fearless teacher and leader is to continue in his footsteps and build a world founded on social justice.”

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Nigerians are superlatively safer today under Tinubu’s government than they ever were – Presidential aide, Daniel Bwala

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The Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, has said that Nigerians are ‘superlatively safer’ today under Tinubu’s government than they ever were.

In a chat with Channels TV last night, Bwala said before 2023, there were prison breaks everywhere in Nigeria, daylight kidnappings, and everyday k!llings but that such acts of insecurity have reduced since the coming of the Tinubu administration.

‘’Nigerians are superlatively safer today than they were….You know before 2023, there were prison breaks everywhere in Nigeria, even in Abuja, in daylight they would come and kidnap people. Before President Tinubu came onboard and then you saw those everyday k!lling in every part of this country but after he became President, we have not had prison, breaks, people are going about their businesses all across the country. We see skirmishes of insecurity every now and then which is usual. If you look at the world crime record now, the crime committed on an average in a day in America is more than the ones committed in Nigeria right now”

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Renowned Evangelist Uma Ukpai Dies at 80

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Renowned Nigerian evangelist and spiritual leader of Uma Ukpai Evangelistic Association, Rev. Dr. Uma Ukpai, is dead.

This was confirmed in a statement on Monday by his family, who said he passed away on October 6 2025 at the age of 80.

The family described his passing as a “glorious transition” from a life of devoted service to eternal rest.

Ukpai, widely recognised as a spiritual general and founding father of faith, dedicated over six decades of his life to evangelism, dynamic teaching of the Word, and prophetic demonstrations of God’s power.

His ministry impacted millions of lives in Nigeria and around the world, shaping destinies and nurturing spiritual growth across generations.

“He was a faithful soldier of the cross who devoted his life to spreading the gospel with passion and integrity.

“His teachings, prophetic insights, and mentorship have left a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire believers for years to come,” his family said.

Over the course of his ministry, Ukpai became known for his fiery evangelistic campaigns, transformative teachings, and commitment to empowering both clergy and lay leaders.

Beyond his spiritual work, he was also celebrated as a loving husband, devoted father, and mentor to countless individuals who regarded him as a guide in faith and life.

The family expressed gratitude for the life and work of Ukpai, highlighting that while they mourn his physical absence, they rejoice that he has “finished his race and is now resting in eternal praise.”

They assured the public that details of his obsequies would be shared in due course.

Ukpai’s ministry, spanning over sixty years, leaves behind a profound spiritual and social legacy, with churches, educational initiatives, and humanitarian efforts that continue to influence communities globally.

His life, the family said, was a testament to the biblical truth that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

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