• Image : Governor Ododo

A truck carrying building materials this morning crushed four schoolchildren and injured several others at Egbolo, Igalamela-Odolu Local Government Area.

The accident occurred at about 8:30 a.m. Villagers wailed uncontrollably as the bodies of the victims were pulled from under the truck.

The pupils were reportedly on their way from Egbolo to Ofuloko when the truck lost control while struggling to climb a hill on the Idah route.

Residents who barricaded the road expressed anger and frustration, lamenting that the community lacks a functional school forcing their children to trek long distances through dangerous routes just to attend classes in neighbouring villages.

One grieving parent who lost his son accused the government of abandoning Egbolo for years.

He appealed for urgent intervention to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

At the scene, the Federal Road Safety Corps had yet to arrive as some pupils remained trapped under the overturned vehicle at the time of filing this report.

Some of the injured children have been rushed to a nearby hospital, while the bodies of the deceased have been taken home by the community for burial.

•Governor Dikko Radda

The convoys of Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda , and his Deputy, Faruk Lawal Jobe, were yesterday involved in a separate road accidents.

The accidents resulted in four deaths and left ten others with varying degrees of injuries.

A statement issued by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary confirmed that the Governor’s convoy recorded two incidents in Matazu and Charanchi Local Government Areas while returning to Katsina after a tour of several communities.

The accident in which the Deputy Governor’s convoy were involved occured accident along the Zaria–Kaduna highway, where six people including Buhari Ahmad of Katsina State Radio sustained injuries.

The statement adds that Governor Dikko Radda has condoled with the families of the deceased and assured citizens that his administration will continue to strengthen support systems that protect lives and ensure timely response during emergencies.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly condemned President Bola Tinubu’s recently submitted list of ambassadorial nominees, describing it as “scandalous” and a direct reflection of the administration’s values.

In a press release signed by National Publicity Secretary Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP criticized the inclusion of “disgraced propagandists, characterless politicians, and public officials” with “integrity deficits” and histories of “anti-democratic activities.”

The party called the nominations a “sad commentary” on Nigeria’s diplomatic representation, arguing they undermine the country’s global standing.

The PDP expressed particular outrage over the nomination of Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the immediate-past Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The party accused Yakubu’s tenure of being marred by “double-speaks, flip-flops, and undelivered promises,” which they claim facilitated the current administration’s rise. Offering him an ambassadorial post now, the PDP alleged, is a “skewed reward system” intended to incentivize the new INEC Chairman to deliver “flawed elections” in 2027.

“A nominee is a clear and direct reflection of the values and estimation of the nominator,” the statement read, asserting that the list—submitted nearly three years into Tinubu’s term—reveals a “paucity of excellent people” within the President’s circle.

The opposition party warned that appointing ambassadors with “tainted political profiles” would lead to a “diplomatic all-time low,” as a nation’s international respect hinges on the integrity of its representatives.

The PDP demanded that President Tinubu immediately withdraw the list and renominate candidates with “stellar democratic credentials and high moral standing” capable of commanding global respect.

The controversy erupts as the National Assembly prepares to screen the 32 additional nominees announced earlier this week, intensifying political tensions ahead of the 2027 elections. The Presidency has yet to respond to the PDP’s allegations.