Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have reportedly killed a personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and abducted three seminarians in Edo State.

OSUNDAILY NG gathered that a local vigilante sustained gun injuries during the incident.

The Civil Defence Corps officer and the three seminarians were reportedly killed and abducted during an attack on the Catholic Immaculate Conception Minor Seminary school located at Ivianokpodi, Agenebode in Etsako East Local Government Area.

It was also gathered that the security officer was attached to the Catholic school.

Reverend Father Peter Egielewa, the Director of Social Communications, Catholic Diocese of Auchi, confirmed the incident to newsmen on Friday.

Egielewa said the gunmen attacked the school at about 9pm on Thursday night.

He said the Thursday incident would be the second time in 10 months that the school had been attacked.

The priest, who said the Diocese condemned the attack in the strongest terms, however, expressed displeasure over the persistent attack on the Catholic school, personnel, and its facility.

According to him, this is the second time in 10 months that the school had been attacked. 10 months ago, a priest was kidnapped.

“And now three seminarians were abducted and a civil defense corps member was killed, while a local vigilante sustained gun injuries

“We call on the government to protect the lives of all those who work in Catholic institutions and our Diocese.

“We hope that the security agencies at the local, state, and federal levels will take up the responsibility for it, so that our people can be at peace and safe”, he said.

OSUNDAILY NG, however, gathered that two brothers were abducted last month and paid a ransom of N35 million.

A source in the community who spoke on condition of anonymity said after the payment of the ransom, the abductors refused to release the victims until they paid an additional N6 million.

OSUNDAILY NG recalls that a priest of the Seminary, identified as Philip Ekeli, and Peter Andrew, a seminarian, were abducted on March 3, 2025.

The kidnappers, however, killed the Seminarian, Peter Andrew while the Rev. Fr. Peter Ekweli was released after he reportedly paid undisclosed sum as ransom on March 13, 2025 about 4:52 pm in Amughe Community

The victims are of the St. Peter Catholic Church, Iviukha, Etsako East Local Government Area.

A former Governor of Adamawa State, Rear Admiral Muritala Nyako, rtd, has opted for an out of court settlement in a N29bn alleged fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, since 2015.

An indication to this effect emerged on Friday, at the Federal High Court in Abuja during the hearing of the ten-year-old corruption case.

At Friday’s proceeding, the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, informed the court that both parties were currently in discussions to ensure an amicable settlement of the case.

According to the senior lawyer, by the next adjourned date, the two parties should be able to resolve all the details of the settlement so that the court can dispose of this matter.

“If we get a week’s adjournment, we will be able to resolve this,” Jacobs expressed optimism.

Counsel to Nyako, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoaka, SAN confirmed to the court that discussions have reached an advanced stage for an out-of-court settlement in the alleged fraud case.

Aondoaka, a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, AGF, said he was positive that the matter would be resolved amicably.

Based on agreement of lawyers, Justice Peter Lifu who is conducting trial of the case fixed July 18 for the former governor and the anti-graft agency to file a report of settlement.

Admiral Nyako who is the husband of Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja division, is being prosecuted by the EFCC alongside his son, Abdul-Aziz on charges of criminal conspiracy and abuse of office to the tune of N29bn.

Others standing trial along with them are two companies, Sebore Farms and Extension Ltd and Pagado Fortunes Ltd as well as Zulkifik Abba, Abubakar Aliyu, Blue Opal Ltd, Tower Assets Management Ltd, and Crust Energy Ltd.

The trial which began on July 8, 2015 before Justice Evoh Chukwu was started afresh on September 12, 2016 before Justice Okon Abang following the death of Justice Chukwu on June 8, 2016 after the EFCC had called five witnesses to establish its case.

The trial had to again start afresh before Justice Peter Lifu following the elevation of Justice Abang to the Court of Appeal in 2023.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala, on Friday, claimed that internally displaced politicians in the opposition coalition are trying to create a conflict between the president’s supporters and those of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

Bwala made the remark noting that some of Buhari’s supporters misquoted former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Boss Mustapha.

Recall that reports had said Mustapha claimed that Tinubu was not instrumental in Buhari’s victory in 2015.

Mustapha was reported to have said Buhari’s 12 million votes made it possible for him to win the 2015 presidential election.

Reacting, Bwala who likened the coalition to a hydra-headed Octopus, said it was only trying to re-invent history.

Posting on X, Bwala wrote: “These coalition of internally displaced politicians are using their media goons to try to create a conflict between Buhari boys and Tinubu boys.

“That’s how they misquoted, misread and misinterpreted the Honourable Boss Mustapha’s, former SGF.

“They also attributed one article to Garba Shehu calling me names in order to get me to join issues with him. They failed, because Garba Shehu and I talked it out.

“Imagine a hydra headed coalition looking like octopus trying to re-invent the wheel, on a wild goose chase.”