News
Former Lawmaker Joan Onyemaechi Kidnapped in Asaba; Two Dead in Attack
Former lawmaker Joan Onyemaechi has been kidnapped by unknown gunmen in Asaba, Delta State. According to reports from Naija News, Onyemaechi was at her church, King Jesus and I, when the assailants attacked. The incident, which occurred on Tuesday night, resulted in the deaths of two police officers and her driver, who were present for her protection.
The gunmen opened fire on the security personnel upon arriving at the church and then abducted Onyemaechi and her children, fleeing the scene in her SUV. During the attack, a stray bullet struck and killed an innocent bystander. Local sources confirmed that the assailants fired indiscriminately as they made their escape.
Joan Onyemaechi, who recently stepped down as Commissioner for Technical Education to allow her brother to assume leadership in recent council elections, is reported to be the sole target of the kidnapping. The State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, confirmed the kidnapping and reported that only one police officer and another individual were killed in the attack, but did not confirm whether the other deceased was her driver.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
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