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Ghanaian Sets Record for 24-Hour Hugging a Tree
A 23-year-old journalist from Ghana, Abdul Hakim Awal, has made history by setting a new Guinness World Record for the longest tree-hugging session.
This remarkable feat was confirmed by Guinness World Records on its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday.
Awal successfully embraced a tree for an astounding 24 hours and 21 minutes, breaking the previous record of 16 hours held by Ugandan environmental activist Faith Ariokot earlier this year.
To achieve this impressive accomplishment, Awal had to stand continuously and keep his arms firmly wrapped around the tree without any breaks.
His focus and dedication were unwavering throughout the entire attempt, making the record-breaking hug not just a test of physical endurance but also of mental determination.
Awal explained that his motivation for the challenge went beyond just setting a record; he aimed to raise awareness about the importance of reforestation and nature conservation in Ghana.
By hugging the tree for such an extended period, he hoped to draw attention to environmental issues, particularly deforestation, and inspire people to take action in protecting natural resources.
His achievement highlights the critical role individuals can play in promoting environmental causes, and his record-breaking hug serves as a symbolic reminder of the need to nurture and preserve the planet’s forests.
Awal’s efforts have garnered widespread attention, and his accomplishment is being celebrated as both a personal triumph and a significant contribution to environmental activism.
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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