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A Nigerian lady, Princess Nkem Azodo, has embarked on a search for her mother, Obioma Maria Ezike Azodo, who was banished from their village, Nawgwu in Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State, 20 years ago after being accused of stealing N5,000 by her aunt.

Nkem, who disclosed this in a Facebook post on April 30, 2025, said that her mother visited them secretly after the banishment.

Nkem said she left the village in 2018, but her mother continued seeing her younger siblings until 2011. Since then, all efforts to locate her whereabouts have proved abortive.

“Life is strange and painfully private. Many don’t know that back in 2005, my mother was falsely accused of stealing N5,000 by my aunt. No one believed her innocence. She was banished from our village—her own home—without any chance to defend herself,” she wrote.

I remember clearly that day, she had just returned from the farm with firewood. She went to Nkwo market to sell them. When she came back, my aunt showed up at our house with the vigilante group. Everything changed from that moment.

Even after the banishment, she kept visiting us quietly still checking in on her children. She came often until I finally left the village in 2008. She continued seeing my younger siblings until around 2011. During those years, she kept asking about me, but we couldn’t speak. There was no communication. No phone. No way to connect.

As I grew older and came of age, I began to search for her but I still haven’t found her. Her own family doesn’t seem to know her whereabouts either. I don’t know if she’s still alive. I don’t know where to look anymore. And the pain of not knowing never goes away.

Please help us find my mother.

Name: Obioma Maria Ezike Azodo
From: Nawgwu, Dunukofia LGA, Anambra State

She has been missing, and we are very worried. If you have seen her or have any information about her whereabouts, please contact me immediately. Kindly share this post to help spread the word. Thank you.

 

Popular Nigerian social media personality and influencer, Martins Vincent Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, has been arrested by the Nigerian police in Abuja on the orders of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), following his public complaints about alleged unauthorised debits from his mother’s bank account.

According to Saharareporters, on Friday, Barrister Deji Adeyanju, legal counsel for VeryDarkMan, said officers of the Nigeria Police Force apprehended his client at Area 3, Abuja.

The arrest was reportedly initiated by GTBank after VeryDarkMan made complaints about repeated debits from his mother’s account in the name of loan repayments.

Adeyanju said, “My client, VeryDarkMan, was arrested today in Abuja by the Nigerian police. His only offence was speaking out about suspicious and repeated debits from his mother’s GTBank account for loans she never took.”

Earlier, VeryDarkMan took to his social media platforms to express his concerns about multiple deductions from his mother’s account.

In a post that has since gone viral, he revealed that they visited a GTBank branch in Abuja to demand an explanation and obtain a copy of her bank statement.

“Myself and my mom just arrived at GTBank to get an explanation for the constant debit from her account by GTBank in the name of loan repayments that she never took. In this year alone, see the amount of times she has been debited with different amounts,” he wrote.

“We have requested her bank statements so we know when the debiting started. So far, in this year alone, there have been more than seven debits on loan repayments. GTBank staff are cooperating—hopefully, we’ll know why they keep doing this.”

 

In a related incident that happened on April 14, 2025, Ariyo Ahmed Adewale accused Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) of orchestrating his arrest after he staged a protest inside one of its Lagos branches over the alleged disappearance of funds from his account.

Ariyo said he had gone to the GTBank branch in the Kosofe area of Lagos to demand answers after discovering unauthorised transactions exceeding ₦2 million had been carried out on his account. He claimed the transactions were linked to the online shopping platform Jumia — a service he maintains he has never used.

“On Saturday, the 7th of last week, I discovered that N2,000,000 had been debited from my GTBank account without my authorisation,” Ariyo said.

“As soon as I noticed the transaction, I immediately called GTBank customer care to report the incident and request that my account be blocked. Unfortunately, before they could act, the unauthorised transactions had already increased.”

According to him, the bank claimed the transactions were made using his debit card on Jumia, but Ariyo disputed this.

“I have never used Jumia in my life. I didn’t authorise any purchases or payments, and my card was with me the entire time. My phone was also with me—nobody else had access to it,” he said.

 

 

The protests, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, were organised by workers who claim they are being treated like “slaves in their own country” by Indian expatriates managing the company.

Workers at the African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML), an Indian-owned iron ore mining and processing plant located in Gujeni village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have accused the company of inhumane treatment, discrimination, and using the Nigerian Army to intimidate staff members who staged a peaceful protest demanding better working conditions.

The protests, which took place on Wednesday and Thursday, were organised by workers who claim they are being treated like “slaves in their own country” by Indian expatriates managing the company.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the management called the military to disperse the protesting workers instead of addressing their demands.

A worker who spoke under anonymity due to fear of victimisation said the protest on Wednesday began peacefully at around 6 a.m.

“We started a peaceful protest yesterday (Wednesday) morning at around 6 a.m. to demand better pay and healthcare. We are asking the company to implement the new minimum wage and improve our conditions,” the worker said.

“We walk 30 kilometres daily to get here. We work six days a week. Meanwhile, foreign workers—many with just diploma certificates—earn between N1.5 million and N2 million monthly, paid in dollars, with accommodation and official cars. Nigerians earn only N25,000 to N50,000 with no housing allowance or health insurance.”

Another protester added that this was not the first time such grievances had been raised.

“This is the third protest since the company began operations. We’ve held meetings with management. They promised to implement the minimum wage increase in January during the annual performance appraisal, but nothing was done,” he said.

He further disclosed that the former Human Resources Manager resigned in protest earlier this year after repeatedly urging management to act on the salary and welfare issues.

“The HR manager tried to make the management understand the suffering of workers. When they ignored him, he resigned,” the source said.

Workers also allege the company has failed to provide basic safety and healthcare for its Nigerian staff despite the hazardous work environment.

“There’s no HMO (Health Maintenance Organisation), no proper medical unit. If you get injured on the job, they just terminate your contract and replace you. People have died trying to cross the highway to get to work. There’s not even an overhead bridge,” said one source.

According to the workers, expatriates enjoy fully funded housing, health insurance, and other benefits, while Nigerian employees receive none.

They also allege widespread discrimination, with foreigners favoured over local staff for key roles and privileges.

“There’s clear discrimination. Foreign workers are paid in dollars and given every comfort. Nigerian workers are left to suffer. They don’t care about our lives,” one of the sources said.

One of the protesters confirmed that a formal warning was issued to the management before the protest.

“We told them if they didn’t implement the new wage by April’s salary, we would protest. They usually pay between the 20th and 26th, but this time they paid on the 28th, possibly to delay or avoid the protest,” the source said.

However, the sources told SaharaReporters that the protest was peaceful and that workers were within their rights to demand fair treatment.

“They are not asking for too much—just a living wage, safety, and dignity,” one of them said.

When SaharaReporters contacted Jeremiah Joshua, spokesperson for African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, he said, “How did you get my contact? I will call you back, okay?”

However, SaharaReporters could not get his reaction to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.

ANRML is considered as one of Africa’s largest iron producers, with a significant presence in Nigeria.

The plant in Gujeni is reportedly one of the continent’s most extensive integrated mining and processing facilities.

 

Controversial Kenyan lawyer, Raymond Nduga has accused his former lover, Sylvia of damaging his private parts.

Recall that Nduga came to limelight after he was caught on camera viciously slapping his ex-girlfriend, Dorris.

The latest drama became the subject of online chatter after Nduga posted graphic photos on social media, showing injuries he sustained during a violent altercation with Sylvia.

In a Facebook post, Nduga shared disturbing details of an incident that left him hospitalised and nursing a serious injury to his private part.

According to the post, Sylvia allegedly bit him during an altercation, causing severe pain and rendering him semi-conscious.

The situation escalated further when Nduga accused Sylvia of taking advantage of his vulnerable state to transfer money from his phone to another number.

He claims that she and her sister, who was also present, attempted to flee the premises but were detained by the management of the establishment where the incident took place.

He accompanied the post with two photos—one of himself in a hospital bed, appearing to be in pain, and another posing with the woman accused of injuring him.

Nduga further alleged that Sylvia’s mother visited the hospital and footed part of his medical bill in exchange for him withdrawing a police complaint.

The women involved were reportedly taken into custody and held at Kileleshwa Police Station, pending further investigations.

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, the outspoken lawyer detailed the events that led to the now-public dispute, stating that what began as a romantic relationship turned into a nightmare.

“I took Sylvia in as my partner. She had a child and I embraced both of them. At the time, she wasn’t accustomed to the lifestyle I live. I reside in Kileleshwa and do shopping worth KSh 20,000 in one go — this overwhelmed her. My goal was to uplift her, but to her, I became a target,” Nduga recounted.

Nduga further claimed that his trust was betrayed when he learned that Sylvia was allegedly siphoning money from him to support her baby daddy, who reportedly resides in Eastlands, Nairobi.

According to the lawyer, a friend tipped him off about the arrangement, revealing that Sylvia was secretly financing her former partner using funds obtained from Nduga.

“I discovered she was channelling my money to support her baby daddy. This revelation shocked me, especially given the sacrifices I had made to provide for her and her child,” he said.

Upon confronting her, Nduga alleged that Sylvia became aggressive and retaliated violently and unexpectedly.

One of the most harrowing parts of the incident, according to Nduga, was the alleged physical assault.

He claimed that during an altercation, Sylvia bit his private part, causing serious injuries.

He later shared photos of the wound, which he says he sustained during the attack.

“She attacked me and bit a very sensitive part of my body. I was left nursing injuries and even passed out at some point. Later, I discovered that she had taken advantage of my state to swindle more from me,” he claimed.

Nduga initially reported the incident to authorities and pressed charges, but says he later withdrew the case following a plea from Sylvia’s mother.

He, however, made it clear that this was on strict condition that her family would pay for his medical treatment, a promise he now claims has not been honoured.

“I withdrew the case out of respect for her mother, who personally came and begged me. But I made it clear, they had to cover the treatment costs. Since then, they’ve gone silent. They don’t pick up my calls,” he said.

“If they continue dodging me, I’ll have no choice but to press new charges. I won’t let this slide, especially after suffering both emotionally and physically,” he warned.

 

The Securities and Exchange Commission has uncovered another suspected illegal investment platform identified as TOFRO.COM (Tofro).

The commission raised the alarm in a notice on Thursday made available to journalists.

The commission warned Nigerians against falling for their tactics to obtain money from them through the promise of unusually high returns.

SEC said that the suspected investment platform holds itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform, adding the investment scheme was not registered by the commission.

It said that based on its investigations, Tofro’s operations exhibited the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme.

According to the SEC, it promises unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain payouts, and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers.

SEC, however, strongly advised Nigerians to be wary of investing with Tofro, noting that any person who places such investment with the entity does so at their own risk.

The notice read, “The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the activities of an online platform known as TOFRO.COM (Tofro), which holds itself out as a cryptocurrency trading platform. The commission hereby informs the public that the Tofro is not registered by the commission either to solicit investments from the public or operate in any other capacity within the Nigerian capital market.

“Investigations have revealed that Tofro’s operations exhibit the typical indicators of a fraudulent Ponzi scheme, including the promise of unusually high returns, heavy reliance on a referral system to sustain pay-outs and failure to honour withdrawal requests from subscribers. Accordingly, the public is strongly advised to be wary about investing with Tofro, as any person who places such investment with the entity, does so at his/her own risk. The commission similarly reminds potential investors of the need to verify the registration status of investment platforms via the commission’s dedicated portal: www.sec.gov.ng/cmos before transacting with them.”

The SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, said that Nigerians needed to understand the dangers of putting their hard-earned money in ventures not registered or regulated by the commission.

 

The Israeli government has declared a national state of emergency as raging wildfires, described as the largest in the country’s history, edge dangerously close to the city of Jerusalem.

Emergency services, firefighters, and the military are battling around the clock to contain the infernos that have already scorched vast areas of land and disrupted daily life.

According to Mail Online, the fires erupted early Tuesday near Mesilat Zion, west of Jerusalem, and spread rapidly due to high winds reaching speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour.

The blazes have caused thick smoke to engulf major highways, forcing panicked motorists to abandon their vehicles.

“We are amidst a very large wildfire, maybe the largest there has ever been in this country,” said Shmulik Friedman, commander of the Fire and Rescue Service’s Jerusalem District. “We are far from having control.”

Fire Chief Eyal Caspi confirmed that poor weather conditions had grounded firefighting aircraft.

“Our goal is to save lives,” he said, stating the extreme difficulty of aerial operations under the current conditions.

At least 23 people have received emergency treatment for injuries, with fears that the number could rise. The military has been fully deployed to assist civilian firefighters, as hundreds of homes and critical infrastructure remain under threat.

In a televised address, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out the gravity of the crisis: “We are now in a national emergency, not just a local one. This wave of fires is a threat to human life, to communities—and to Jerusalem itself.”

Defence Minister Israel Katz echoed the Prime Minister’s concern and ordered the immediate mobilisation of all available forces, while Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has reached out to international allies, including France, Spain, and the UK, for aerial firefighting support.

Amidst the national response, the Israeli government is facing scrutiny over what critics say is a longstanding neglect of firefighting preparedness.

Dov Ganem, head of the Israel Fire and Air Rescue Association, claimed he has been warning about the country’s vulnerability for nearly two decades.

Former Internal Security Ministry official Tomer Lotan also revealed that previous requests to purchase Blackhawk firefighting helicopters had been dismissed.

Meanwhile, the cause of the fires remains undetermined, though police have arrested three suspects in connection with the blaze. Investigations are ongoing.

Social media platforms have also become battlegrounds of public opinion, with disturbing posts surfacing that appear to celebrate the disaster.

Far-right politician Zvi Sukkot has controversially called for curfews in Palestinian villages in the West Bank, suggesting the possibility of arson.

 

Four market women have been abducted after sea pirates attacked a passenger boat along the Lobia/Foropa Waterways in the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

According to reports, the boat was attacked a few minutes after it sailed off the Swali Market Jetty in Yenagoa, the state capital, on Tuesday.

Twelve passengers were dispossessed of their valuables and money before the four women were taken away into the bush.

Reacting to the incident, the member representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 4 at the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Selekaye Victor-Ben, condemned the rising cases of sea pirate attacks and the abduction of the four market women.

Hon. Victor-Ben, who is also the chairman of the State Assembly Committee on Human Rights, described the abduction as a cowardly attack on innocent citizens.

“This is a cowardly attack on innocent citizens who were simply trying to earn their livelihoods. It is not only an affront to our shared humanity but also a grave threat to the peace and economic well-being of our constituency and the entire state. I vehemently condemn this barbaric act in the strongest possible terms and stand in solidarity with the families of the victims during this agonizing time,” he said,

The lawmaker called on the Bayelsa State Government and all relevant security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police, to act swiftly and decisively to secure the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted women.

In August 2024, a tragic boat explosion in Bayelsa State claimed the lives of at least 20 people. The wooden cargo boat, ‘Godbless Dickson’, was carrying over 60 passengers from Ekeni to Swali market when its engine exploded near Ezetu 1 community, causing it to catch fire and sink.

Rescue operations were led by the Marine Police and Maritime Workers Union, but many passengers remained missing. Several bodies were recovered, and survivors described the chaos and lack of safety equipment during the incident.

Governor Douye Diri expressed sadness over the tragedy and urged strict enforcement of waterway safety rules. He called for proper maintenance of boats and mandatory use of life jackets to prevent future disasters.