Over 600 Homes Destroyed As Ocean Surge Devastates Ayetoro Community In Ondo

More than 600 homes and key community structures have been destroyed in Ayetoro, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, as a worsening Atlantic Ocean surge continues to erode the coastline. A video shared by civic group MonITNG shows collapsed buildings, wiped-out streets, and desperate efforts by residents to shield the historic community palace with concrete barriers. Locals say the ocean has advanced to within five metres of the landmark.

Residents accused authorities of neglect despite earlier federal warnings about rising sea levels. They called for urgent intervention, including coastal defenses and land reclamation, as schools, markets, churches, and farmlands have already been swept away, displacing hundreds of families.


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Council of State Approves Prof. Amupitan (SAN) as New INEC Chairman.

The National Council of State on Thursday approved the nomination of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

President Bola Tinubu presented Amupitan’s name to the council during its meeting at the State House, Abuja, following the exit of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 to October 2025.

In a statement by his Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu described Amupitan as an apolitical nominee and the first person from Kogi State in Nigeria’s North-Central region to be nominated for the position.

Council members unanimously endorsed the nomination, with Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo describing the nominee as a man of “proven integrity.”

Following the council’s approval, the President will transmit Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation in accordance with constitutional provisions.

Amupitan, 58, hails from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. A Professor of Law at the University of Jos and an alumnus of the same institution, he specialises in Company Law, Law of Evidence, Corporate Governance, and Privatisation Law.

He was conferred with the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in September 2014 and has authored several works on corporate and commercial law.

If confirmed, Amupitan will succeed Yakubu as Nigeria’s chief electoral umpire, overseeing the nation’s electoral reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Kogi Govt Laments Gruesome Murder Of Durowaye, Vows To Ensure Justice.

The Kogi State government has lamented the gruesome murder of Mr. Folusho Durowaye and has vowed to ensure that justice is delivered.

In a press statement signed by Kingsley Femi Fanwo, Hon. Commissioner for Information and Communications yesterday,
the government expressed sadness over what it described as the tragic and senseless killing of Mr. Durowaye which occurred on Friday at Ayetoro Kiri in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of the state.

The statement reads, ‘We extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, the people of Ayetoro Kiri, and the entire Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area in this difficult time. The loss of a valued member of the community under such violent circumstances is distressing, and we share in their grief.

“Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has directed all relevant security agencies to immediately intensify efforts to apprehend those responsible for this heinous act. He has also mandated a thorough and expedited investigation to ensure justice is served.

“The State Security Adviser has been instructed to beef up security around Ayetoro Kiri and neighboring areas to protect residents and prevent any recurrence of such incidents.

“The Kogi State Government condemns this act of violence in the strongest terms and assures the people that the safety and security of all citizens remain paramount in the administration’s priorities.

“We urge members of the public to remain calm and cooperate fully with security operatives by providing any information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators. It is also expedient to provide credible intelligence that is required to prevent isolated occurrences such as the one that happened this morning.

“The Government remains steadfast in its commitment to maintaining peace, security, and the rule of law across the State.”

I Have Been Working With Kidnappers To Set Up Members Of Their Own Community For Abduction- Suspect.

According to a report by the Punch, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, the Kogi State Government has confirmed the arrest of two suspected informants involved in kidnapping activities in the Okunland area of the state.

This development was announced by the Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo, who provided details in an official statement.

The arrests are part of an ongoing operation aimed at dismantling kidnapping networks operating within the region.

According to Fanwo, the breakthrough came after the confession of a previously arrested suspect, Babatunde Aledare.

Currently in the custody of security agencies, Aledare’s confession led authorities to two more suspects—Dare Okegbe and Lakutu Omobab Ajelesimi.

Both individuals were apprehended within the past 48 hours and are reportedly from Ayetoro Kiri, a community in Kogi State.

In a shocking revelation, Fanwo stated that the newly arrested suspects admitted to collaborating with kidnappers and betraying members of their own community.

“Following the confession of Babatunde Aledare, two more informants have been arrested in the last 48 hours: they are Dare Okegbe and Lakutu Omobab Ajelesimi. Both suspects are also from Ayetoro Kiri and have confessed to working with kidnappers to set up members of their own community for abduction,” the Commissioner said.

Fanwo emphasized that these arrests represent a major step forward in the state government’s campaign to combat insecurity.

He described the incident as a significant stride in the ongoing efforts to dismantle organized kidnapping operations, which have increasingly threatened peace and stability in the region.

The Commissioner also reassured the public that more arrests are expected as investigations unfold, indicating that security forces are actively pursuing additional leads.

MattersKogi Government Confirms Arrest of Kidnapping Informants in Ayetoro Kiri.

The Kogi State Government has confirmed that Babatunde Aledare, a suspected informant for kidnappers earlier arrested in Ayetoro Kiri, Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area, has made confessional statements revealing the identities of other collaborators involved in kidnapping activities in the region.

Following Aledare’s confession, two additional suspects — Dare Okegbe and Lakutu Omobab Ajelesimi — were arrested within the last 48 hours. Both individuals are also residents of Ayetoro Kiri and have reportedly confessed to aiding kidnappers by targeting and setting up members of their own community for abduction.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on July 15, 2025, by the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Femi Fanwo.

“This development marks another significant stride in our sustained efforts to dismantle kidnapping networks in Okunland,” Fanwo stated. “More arrests are expected as investigations progress.”

He reiterated the Kogi State Government’s unwavering commitment to public safety, emphasizing that the administration will “leave no stone unturned in the fight against criminality.”

Security operatives uncover bread sellers, sachet water factories supplying kidnappers in Kogi.

The Kogi state government says it has uncovered a network of criminal collaborators aiding kidnapping gangs across parts of the state.


In a statement on Sunday, Kingsley Fanwo, the state commissioner for information and communications, said joint security forces initiated a series of targeted operations in Kabba/Bunu, Ijumu, Yagba East, and Yagba West LGAs in response to recent spikes in insecurity.

He said the operations followed the kidnapping and subsequent death of a retired army officer from Odo-Ape, the abduction of a prominent farmer from Ponyan in Yagba East, and other similar incidents in Yagba West.

He said the abducted farmer and several others were freed within days through sustained security efforts.

“One of the key revelations from these operations emerged from the case of the late Samson Enietan, a notorious criminal informant who was alleged to have committed suicide after his activities were exposed,” the statement reads.

“While preliminary claims suggest he committed suicide, the Kogi State Government disputes this version of events, pointing instead to a likely internal execution by fellow conspirators, afraid he might expose more names.”

Fanwo said in a related operation, victims kidnapped from Kiri in Kabba/Bunu were also rescued.

He said their testimonies provided critical leads, including the arrest of Babatunde Aledare, a native of Ayetoro Kiri, who confessed to being a key informant within the criminal network.