Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has called on the Federal Government to release detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.

Speaking to his congregation in a video sighted by DAILY POST, Primate Ayodele said if the Nigerian Government continues to keep Nnamdi Kanu, it should also arrest Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi.

He said, “The Nigerian government should release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Since you keep Kanu in prison, why can’t you keep Sheikh Gumi in prison too?

“You keep Nnamdi Kanu but Gumi is free. Then, how do you want to now manage the government.

“If Nnamdi Kanu is there, then go and take Gumi. Then Nigerians will believe that the government is serious. Protest will seize this Tinubu government,” he warned.

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United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres on Friday announced the appointment of Ahunna Eziakonwa of Nigeria as Special Adviser on Africa.

She succeeds Cristina Duarte of the Republic of Cabo Verde, to whom the Secretary General is grateful for her commitment and dedicated service to the Organisation.

Eziakonwa brings nearly three decades of United Nations (UN) leadership to her new role.

In her current role as UN Assistant Secretary General, Assistant Administrator and Director, Regional Bureau for Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), she oversees the organisation’s support to 46 African countries in pursuing Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Since 2018, she has helped shape UNDP’s strategic approach to economic and political development across the continent.

Eziakonwa’s experience spans the full breadth of UN work in Africa.

She has served as UN Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in three countries – Ethiopia, Uganda and Lesotho – where she coordinated humanitarian action, development strategy and political engagement.

As Chief of the Africa Section at the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) in New York, she managed humanitarian operations across 15 African countries and held senior posts in Liberia and Sierra Leone during critical periods in those nations.

At UN Headquarters, she contributed to peacekeeping and political analysis and strategic communications pertaining to UN engagement in Africa, working with the UN Departments of Peacekeeping Operations, Political Affairs and Public Information.

Prior to joining the UN, she held positions in several African civil society organisations.

Eziakonwa holds a Master’s degree in International Affairs with a focus on African economic and political development from Columbia University, New York, USA, and a Bachelor of Arts in Pedagogy, English and Literary Studies from the University of Benin, Nigeria.

In addition to her native Igbo and English, she speaks fluent Yoruba and has a working knowledge of French.

NAN

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Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has disclosed that schoolchildren and teachers abducted by suspected bandits in Oriire Local Government Area of the state are being held within the Old Oyo National Park.

Makunde made this revelation on Friday while giving an update on the rescue efforts of the kidnapped victims nearly four weeks after their abduction.

The governor said security agencies are actively working to secure the safe release of the victims, who were whisked away during coordinated attacks on schools in Yawota and Ahoro-Esinle communities on May 15, 2026.

According to him, intelligence reports indicate that the abductees remain within the expansive Old Oyo National Park area, which spans about 2,500 square kilometres across ten local government areas in Oyo State.

Makinde pointed out that the vast and difficult terrain of the park has created operational challenges for security personnel, requiring careful planning, coordination, and sustained efforts to achieve a successful rescue mission.

The governor, however, assured residents that every credible lead is being pursued and all lawful measures are being deployed to ensure the victims are rescued unharmed. He also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through the state’s toll-free emergency number, 615.

He also warned against the spread of unverified information, noting that misinformation could undermine ongoing rescue operations, calling on residents to continue supporting security agencies with useful information and to keep the abducted students and teachers in their prayers as efforts to secure their freedom continue.

“One thing I can say is that our security reports indicate that they remain within the wider Old Oyo National Park axis. This is a vast area that stretches across parts of 10 local government areas in our State, covering approximately 2,500 square kilometres.

“I mention this not to discourage anyone, but to help us understand the scale of the challenge before us. This is not an issue affecting only the Oriire Local Government Area.

“It is an issue that concerns all of us. The size and terrain of the area require patience, coordination and persistence. It also means that vigilance from members of the public remains extremely important,” he said.

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