Kidnapping Crisis: UTME Candidates, Traditional Ruler Abducted Amid Political Shifts

Security crisis deepens as 20 UTME candidates abducted by sea pirates along Calabar-Oron waterways Friday, while Oba Salman Olátúnjí Aweda, traditional ruler in Kwara State, was kidnapped Saturday with N400 million ransom. Benue Governor Alia urges JAMB to reschedule exams for kidnapped students.

Political landscape shifts as former Kano governor Ibrahim Shekarau defects to APC alongside PDP chieftain Bello Hayatu Gwarzo. National Assembly liaison officer Iheanyi Chinasa also joined APC, signaling 2027 realignments. Meanwhile, former Kaduna governor El-Rufai warns of new plot to implicate him in criminal activities.

NDLEA intercepted 2.8kg cocaine in food flasks bound for UK from Lagos, while Ogun Police arrested three cult suspects with firearms. UK-based Nigerian man Herbert found dead, family appeals for funeral and repatriation funds.

Will increased security measures protect Nigerians from these kidnappings, or should communities organize their own vigilance systems? What do these political defections mean for 2027 elections in your state?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/20/nigerian-newspapers-10-things-you-need-to-know-monday-morning-126/