President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Lagos after ending his working vacation in France.

The President arrived at the presidential wing of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on Tuesday, where Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other dignitaries were on hand to receive him.

The President’s arrival was confirmed by the Special Assistant to the President on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, who posted on X, “Landing. Welcome home, Mr President!”

Tinubu had departed Abuja on August 30 for the working vacation, spending one week in London before travelling to Paris.

According to a statement issued on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu departed Paris for Lagos, where he is expected to hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates.

“While in Lagos, President Tinubu will also hold strategic meetings with political leaders and associates over several days in preparation for the 2027 elections,” the statement read.

The Presidency said Tinubu chose to travel to Lagos first to honour the memory of the late Chief MKO Abiola, winner of the June 1993 presidential election and a prominent figure in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

On October 1, Independence Day, the President is expected to attend the premiere of a movie honouring Abiola at the Wole Soyinka National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

Tinubu’s working vacation also included a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

Details later…

The United States has commended Nigeria’s response to recent attacks in the Middle Belt.

The US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, in an X post on Tuesday, also urged the federal government to sustain efforts to protect communities in Barkin Ladi LGA of Plateau State.

“The United States commends Nigeria’s strong response to the latest attacks from Fulani militant groups,” the bureau said.

“We will continue to work with the Nigerian government to protect Christians in the Middle Belt.

“We urge Nigeria to continue the momentum and defend the Barkin Ladi communities in particular.”

Nigeria’s Middle Belt, particularly the north-central region comprising Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, among others, has witnessed varying levels of armed attacks, kidnapping, communal violence and farmer-herder conflicts in recent months.

The US comment comes amid renewed insecurity in parts of the country, particularly among communities in Barkin Ladi, where a series of attacks and reprisals have been reported in recent months.

On September 27, six people were killed and two others injured after gunmen attacked a mining site in Lajam Marit village, Ropp district, Barkin Ladi.

The victims were reportedly shot dead at the site, while the two injured persons were taken to the hospital for treatment.

Five days earlier, the Plateau government imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu LGAs following a series of attacks, attempted attacks and reprisals. Residents were ordered to remain indoors between 6 pm and 6 am until further notice.

The curfew followed an incident in which a resident, Andy Samuel, a priest, was reportedly shot dead at Marit Junction, while another person sustained injuries.

Troops later came under attack after leaving the hospital, with the assailants suspected of carrying out retaliatory strikes following earlier violence in parts of Barkin Ladi.

On September 20, at least five Fulani men were reportedly killed after suspected Berom militias attacked their vehicle in Barkin Ladi.

The victims were travelling to a market in Jos South when their vehicle came under attack near a security checkpoint. The assailants reportedly opened fire, killing all five occupants.

On September 10, two people were killed after suspected armed militia attacked Fulani herders along the Jong-Nyeriwei road and in Dorowa Babuje community, also in Barkin Ladi.

One of the victims was identified as 19-year-old Ishaku Yakubu, while another man, identified as Andata, was reportedly shot dead around Marit Junction in Dorowa Babuje. Several cattle were also reportedly rustled during the attacks.

The attacks have heightened security concerns in Barkin Ladi and other parts of Plateau, with authorities deploying troops and imposing restrictions in some affected areas to prevent further violence and reprisals.

The Edo State Special Criminal Court has sentenced four persons to death for their involvement in the kidnapping of a woman in the popular Vegetable Market, off Airport Road in Benin City.

Justice Aigbona Momodu gave the judgment bordering on 11 counts of kidnapping, conspiracy, armed robbery, cultism and unlawful possession of firearms, Channels TV reports on Tuesday.

The court, established under the directive of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, is mandated to handle kidnapping and cultism-related cases, according to the report.

The four sentenced persons – three males and one female — are Marvelous Isaac, 32; Wisdom Michael, 36; Rufus Michael, 30; and Gift Raphael, 27.

According to the court’s verdict, the exhibits recovered from the four sentenced persons — a pump-action rifle, two unexpended cartridges and two expended cartridges– were ordered to be handed over to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Edo State Police Command.

According to The PUNCH, the woman (name undisclosed) was at the market with her children and husband when gunmen reportedly came to the scene and whisked her away.

In a video online, a woman who claimed to have witnessed the incident described it as kidnapping, stressing, “Today, for the first time, I witnessed someone being kidnapped.”

She continued, “Who said kidnapping is not in Benin? A kidnapping happened in my presence right at Airport Road by the Vegetable Market. Just because it has not happened to you does not mean it doesn’t exist.

“I saved the woman’s children today. This is me. It happened in front of me. We were both buying something in the same place, at the vegetable market. This is me; I have bruises. These are my legs.”

The incident was subsequently confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officer, Eno Ikoedem.

See the full court verdict below
”Sentence: In count one, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck till you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”In count ten, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment. In count eleven, you, Marvellous Isaac, is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment.

“Second defendant, in count one, you, Wisdom Michael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine, you, Wisdom Michael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Third defendant, in count one, you, Rufus Emete Michael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In count two, three, four, six, and seven, you, Rufus Emete Michael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Fourth defendant, in count one, you, Gift Raphael, is hereby sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment. In counts two, four, six, and eight, you, Gift Raphael, is hereby sentenced to death by hanging or through the administration of a lethal injection. You shall be hanged by the neck until you are dead. May the Lord have mercy on you.

”Now, Exhibit M, the JoJef pump action, and two unexpended cartridges, and the two expended cartridges, Exhibit E and E1, are hereby confiscated to the Federal Government of Nigeria. Both exhibits shall be handed over to the Edo State Armourer of the Nigerian Police, State CID, Edo State Headquarters, by the Deputy Director of the Criminal Division for destruction 30 days hence. This shall be the judgment of the courts.”