News
“That’s pure land grabbing” – IPOB rejects FG’s ranching proposal
The Indigenous People of Biafra, has condemned the announcement by President Bola Tinubu, proposing the establishment of cattle ranches in Abuja, the ancestral homeland of the Gbagi people and other states across the country.
The pro-Biafran group said the move is nothing but Ruga repackaged and a sinister land-grabbing strategy cloaked in government policy.
In a press statement released on Tuesday, IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, said it is a shame that in the 21st century, the Federal Government is prioritising cow colonies over education, security, and innovation.
Powerful said what began as the “need for grazing” centuries ago led to the total subjugation of proud territories, adding, “the rise of alien emirates, and the transformation of indigenous owners of the land into strangers in their ancestral homes.
Abuja is about to witness the same fate if this madness is not stopped.”
The statement read in part, “President Tinubu unaware that no sensible country in the world keeps cattle around its capital city?
“Let him point to any major city—from Nairobi to New Delhi, São Paulo to Seoul—where cattle are granted permanent settlements around central governance zones.
“This absurdity is uniquely Nigerian, and disgracefully so.”
While saying that the land around Abuja belongs to the Gbagi people, Powerful said, “To dispossess them by executive fiat is an unforgivable act of aggression and cultural genocide.”
He added, “Today, the Gbagi are being pushed to the margins; tomorrow, there will be an Emir of Abuja. And in 60 years—just like what befell the Hausas—the Gbagi will be footnotes in history, reduced to relics of their own heritage.
“Let it be known that IPOB shall resist any attempt—direct or indirect—to impose this toxic expansionist agenda anywhere in Biafraland.
No inch of our territory will be given for herder settlements, cattle corridors, or so-called ranching. Our forests, our villages, our farmlands are sacred to us—not bargaining chips in a federal contract of death.
“Let them be transported by rail, just as is done in civilised societies. That’s how a serious nation handles its livestock economy—not by slaughtering indigenous peoples and seizing their homes under the guise of ranching.”
According to him, no progressive nation erects ranches next to homes, schools, and marketplaces. The fact that this administration cannot comprehend this basic logic is a reflection of its failure, not ours.
“IPOB stands with the Gbagi people and every other indigenous nationality facing existential threats from Fulani neo-colonial conquest dressed up as national policy.
Our diversity must be respected, our cultures preserved, and our ancestral lands protected. Let the killings in the name of cows stop. Let the bloodletting cease. Let Nigeria choose reason over ruin,” the statement added.
An angry mob has set a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus on fire after it reportedly crushed a commercial motorcyclist to death at Ogolonto Bus Stop along Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026. Eyewitness accounts and social media reports indicate that the motorcyclist was riding alone along the restricted BRT lane when the collision happened. He died at the scene.
Enraged residents and youths then attacked the bus driver and set the vehicle ablaze. Police officers and officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), who were nearby, intervened promptly and rescued the driver unharmed.
The identity of the deceased motorcyclist and the exact circumstances of the crash had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report. It was also unclear whether any arrests had been made in connection with the burning of the bus.
News
ARISE News Wins Seven Honours At Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
• ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female)
ARISE News has emerged as one of the major winners at the just ended Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA).
ARISE News won seven honours across television broadcasting, news reporting, presentation and production during the ceremony.
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
The network’s flagship breakfast programme, The Morning Show, also won the Best TV Talk Show award, further strengthening its recognition in television broadcasting.
ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female).
Rufai Oseni was named Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Male), while Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpeyong received the Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Female) award.
The recognition extended to the network’s newsroom, with Ovieteme George winning Best TV News Reporter (Male) for his contributions to television news reporting.
Behind the camera, Sam Adeyemi received the Best Camera Operator/Cinematographer award, recognising his work in television production and visual storytelling.
News
Meta removes 3.7 million accounts in West Africa scam crackdown
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to suspected scam networks operating in West Africa.
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The company announced the crackdown in a statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. It involved 14 technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency coordinated the operation with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Nigerian authorities were involved.
Other countries included Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.Tech companies that took part included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe.
Meta said the partnership let participants share intelligence across digital platforms, countries and financial systems to identify criminal networks.
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