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Heroic homecoming: Mammoth crowd storm Okene streets to welcome Yahaya Bello

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…….Thank him for sterling achievements, making them proud

In what they described as a celebration of “eight years of unprecedented strides”, indigenes and residents of Okene in Kogi State, on Sunday, trooped out in their thousands to welcome the immediate past Governor of the state, Yahaya Bello, back home after two impactful tenures.

They treated the White Lion, as he is fondly called, to a heroic homecoming ceremony at the ancient town, Okene, where Bello hails from.

With loud cheers, pomp and pageantry, the jubilant residents heaped praises on the immediate past governor over his sterling performance in office, with different clans performing with their masquerades amid the thick crowd that thronged the streets.

Before former Governor Bello arrived Okene, a crowd of residents of Lokoja, the state capital, had assembled on the highway linking the former governor’s country home to bid him farewell after successfully handing over to his successor, Governor Usman Ododo.

They lined up at the roadside and expressed gratitude to Bello, saying he had successfully transformed Kogi beyond their expectations in his two terms in office.

Some of the citizens who spoke after Bello’s convoy pulled over to acknowledge their greetings, said the former governor had left an indelible mark of achievements in the Confluence State.


When Bello’s convoy arrived at the entrance of Okene town, enthusiastic and proud indigenes/residents were seen waving at their kinsman in excitement.

As the convoy journeyed deeper into the heart of Okene, the town erupted in jubilation as the former governor’s kinsmen who adorned in ceremonial attire, accompanied by drums and trumpets, danced along the streets, saying Bello had elevated Okene and Kogi State to an enviable height.

The former governor visited his maternal ancestral home, where special prayers were offered in honour of the memory of his departed mother, seeking divine blessings for him as he returned home.

Also, Bello stormed the palace of the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, along with the new Governor of the state, Usman Ododo, where he was given a rousing welcome. The mammoth crowd seen at the palace was unprecedented.

The traditional ruler, HRM, Alhaji Ahmed Tijani, hailed former governor Bello’s transformative impact on Kogi state’s infrastructure and economy and congratulated Governor Ododo on his inauguration.

Meanwhile, former Governor Bello expressed his profound gratitude to the people of his hometown and Kogi State in general for the overwhelming reception accorded him.

While addressing his admirers, he urged citizens of the state to support the administration of Governor Usman Ododo for the continued development and transformation of the state.

“I am filled with joy over this overwhelming show of gratitude, happiness and love. It further attests to the impacts our government has made in the lives of Kogites. I humbly return all thanks and praises to the Almighty God. He alone is the Doer of everything we can lay claim to have done in office as a government. Without His enablement we would have been both helpless. To God be the Glory!

“Now, we can live with a clear conscience, confident that we did our best for Kogites within the time and resources available to us.

“I have successfully handed over to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. Ododo will need our support to succeed in the overall interest of the state. Once more, I want to thank you for this honour,” the former governor stated.

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BREAKING: Private Jet crash Lands in Kano (Video)

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A private jet operated by Flybird has reportedly crash-landed at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport in the early hour of today.

The aircraft, was said to be flying from Abuja, and landed around 9:30 a.m with 11 people on board, including three crew members.

Reports says passengers were quickly and safely evacuated from the plane, and no deaths were reported.

More details are expected to come in later.

See video below:

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Botswana, Nigeria Explore Deeper Collaboration in Livestock Development (Photos)

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The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing evidence-based policies that will modernise Nigeria’s livestock sector and position it as a key driver of national economic growth.

The Honourable Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, reiterated this position on Friday, 12th December 2025, when he received Her Excellency, Philda Nani Kereng, High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana to Nigeria, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.

He emphasised that the nation can no longer rely on outdated systems but must embrace structured reforms that support productivity, enhance value addition, and create sustainable livelihoods for farmers and livestock value-chain actors.

“The Botswana experience is a major inspiration. Your nation has achieved in 50 years what the world continues to study, and we are interested in domesticating many of those lessons,” the Minister said.

“Nigeria, as the largest market in Africa, is ready to expand its livestock sector to compete globally, while also partnering with Botswana to accelerate the journey,” he added, noting the country’s unique success in exporting beef to Europe, managing transboundary diseases, and integrating technology in livestock traceability.

He stressed Nigeria’s readiness to learn from Botswana’s model, especially as the Ministry moves to rehabilitate and modernise 417 grazing reserves across the country into structured ranching ecosystems.

In her remarks, the High Commissioner highlighted Botswana’s five-decade success story in beef production and export to the European market, describing it as a product of deliberate policies, strong governance structures, and extensive farmer support systems.

She explained that Botswana’s livestock sector grew from a rural development model that prioritised agriculture, backed by policies and laws enabling farmers to produce high-quality cattle for livelihood improvement and national economic growth.

Her Excellency noted that Botswana’s beef sector, second only to diamonds in national revenue, thrives on strict disease-control systems, communal land management, targeted veterinary interventions, and highly subsidised farmer support programmes.

She outlined several areas where Botswana is prepared to collaborate with Nigeria, including beef quality improvement through enhanced genetics, modern abattoir practices, disease management, veterinary protocols, vaccine production, livestock traceability and grazing management.

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JUST IN: Supreme Court Reinstates Death Sentence for Maryam Sanda, Overrides President’s Pardon

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Nigeria’s Supreme Court on Friday overturned the presidential pardon granted to Maryam Sanda, the Abuja housewife convicted of stabbing her husband to death in 2018, reinstating her original death sentence by hanging.

Sanda, 37, was sentenced to death in January 2020 by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court for culpable homicide punishable with death after she fatally stabbed Bilyaminu Bello during a heated domestic dispute over alleged infidelity. The Court of Appeal upheld the conviction in December 2020, and the Supreme Court affirmed it in 2023, exhausting her appeals.

In October 2025, President Bola Tinubu initially granted Sanda a full pardon as part of clemency extended to 175 convicts, citing her family’s pleas for the sake of her two children, her good conduct in prison, and remorse. However, amid public backlash, the administration revised the decision, commuting her sentence to 12 years imprisonment on compassionate grounds.

The Supreme Court’s 4-1 majority decision, delivered by Justice Moore Adumein, dismissed Sanda’s final appeal as meritless. Adumein ruled that the prosecution had proven its case beyond reasonable doubt, affirming the lower courts’ findings that Sanda’s actions constituted intentional murder.

Crucially, the apex court held that the executive branch’s exercise of pardon powers under Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution was invalid in this instance, as Sanda’s appeal was still pending before the judiciary at the time of the grant. “It was wrong for the Executive to seek to exercise its power of pardon over a case of culpable homicide in respect of which an appeal was pending,” Justice Adumein stated in the lead judgment.

The dissenting justice argued for upholding the commutation, emphasizing humanitarian considerations for Sanda’s children and her time served—over seven years at Suleja Medium Security Custodial Centre.

The ruling has reignited national debates on the separation of powers, domestic violence, and the application of the death penalty. Sanda’s family expressed devastation, while Bello’s relatives hailed the decision as long-overdue justice. Rights groups decried the outcome, calling for legislative reforms on prerogative of mercy.

Sanda remains in custody pending any further legal maneuvers, though options appear exhausted. The Attorney General’s office confirmed investigations into the pardon process’s procedural flaws.

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