Four people, including three men and one woman, have lost their lives following a fatal road accident that occurred on Saturday in Abuja’s Central Business District.

The crash reportedly happened at about 6:00 p.m., leading to a major traffic gridlock along the affected route.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), an eyewitness, who requested anonymity, disclosed that the victims were on their way back from Sallah festivities when the unfortunate incident occurred.

Stanley Gonji, Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) rescue team at the City Gate Unit in Abuja, confirmed that officials promptly responded to the scene and successfully evacuated the victims.

Meanwhile, attempts to obtain an official statement from the FRSC regarding the circumstances surrounding the crash were still ongoing at the time of filing this report.

The remains of the deceased were taken to the National Hospital, Abuja.

NAN further reports that investigations into the accident are expected to continue.

Unidentified men riding on motorcycles and wielding AK-47 assault rifles on Saturday invaded Ebenebe community in Awka North Local Government Area, forcing indigenes to close their shops in observance of the Biafra Day celebration.

The secessionist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), had declared May 30 every year as Biafra Day to mourn those killed during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war nearly 60 years ago.

An eyewitness from the community said the men, who were just five in number, entered the community on motorcycles at about 10 a.m., carrying rifles and urging shop owners to close their businesses in honour of those who died during the war.

The source said their arrival caused a huge stir in the community, with shop owners hurriedly shutting down for the day.

He said: “At first, the men were not violent. They just urged people to close, telling them they could reopen by 4 p.m. But because of panic, people were running helter-skelter.

“They later left on their motorcycles, but we subsequently started hearing heavy gunfire and everyone began running. We learnt that they were confronted by operatives of the Agunechemba Security Outfit, resulting in a fierce gun battle.

“Throughout today, there have been gunshots. It ceased at a point because we learnt that the Agunechemba operatives overpowered them, but later this evening, we learnt the gunmen regrouped and returned to confront the security operatives.

“They had been shooting from this evening until about an hour ago. Everyone is afraid and people have retreated into their homes for fear of being hit by stray bullets. Everywhere is deserted as I speak to you, and we do not know what will happen tonight,” the terrified source stated.

It was, however, not clear if any casualties were recorded in the incident, while the true identity of the men had yet to be ascertained.

Attempts to reach Comrade Nweke Nweke, spokesperson for the Agunechemba Security Outfit, were unsuccessful as both his phone lines were unreachable.

Police authorities in the state had also yet to comment on the incident as of the time of filing this report.

A Nigerian-born Roman Catholic priest, Anthony Odiong, has been convicted by a jury in Texas, United States, for sexually assaulting women who were under his spiritual care and guidance.

Odiong, 57, was found guilty of one count of first-degree sexual assault and two counts of second-degree sexual assault following a trial held in Waco, Texas.

The verdict was delivered by a 12-member jury comprising eight women and four men after approximately two hours of deliberation.

According to court proceedings, prosecutors accused the priest of exploiting his position as a spiritual leader to manipulate vulnerable women into sexual relationships while providing them with counselling and religious guidance.

Two women testified during the trial, alleging that Odiong used his authority as a Catholic priest to gain their trust before engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct.

One of the victims, identified in court as Mary Doe, told jurors that the priest initiated a sexual relationship with her while she was receiving spiritual counselling during a difficult divorce.

She further testified that her son once unexpectedly discovered her and the priest engaged in sexual activity inside her residence.

Another complainant, identified as Jane Doe, alleged that Odiong pressured her into sexual acts while presenting the encounters as part of his spiritual guidance.

Prosecutors argued that the priest took advantage of the women’s emotional vulnerability and the trust they placed in him as a religious figure.

Odiong, who pleaded not guilty to the charges, now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence, including life imprisonment on the first-degree sexual assault conviction. Sentencing proceedings are expected to commence on Monday.

The case gained wider attention following a 2024 investigation that detailed allegations of sexual misconduct and coercive behaviour involving the priest during his ministry in Texas and Louisiana.

Authorities said the publication of those allegations encouraged one of the victims to formally approach law enforcement with additional claims.

Investigators subsequently gathered further evidence, including DNA findings reportedly linked to a child fathered by Odiong during his time serving in Louisiana.

Odiong, a naturalised United States citizen, was ordained as a Catholic priest in Nigeria in 1993 before relocating to the United States, where he later served in several Catholic parishes across Texas and Louisiana.