A child playing with a lighter in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Thursday triggered a fire disaster in a three-bedroom flat, DAILY POST reports.

According to the spokesman of the state fire service, Hassan Adekunle, in Ilorin on Thursday, the incident occurred at about 5:08 p.m. at No. 38, Aduagbemi Street, behind Uniform Company, off Asa Dam Road in Ilorin metropolis.

He disclosed that “the incident involved a three-bedroom flat, where one room was affected by the fire.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the fire was caused by a child playing with a lighter and using it to ignite pieces of paper.

“The burning paper subsequently came into contact with nearby combustible materials, resulting in a fire outbreak.

“The fire had already escalated before neighbours noticed the incident and raised the alarm.

“Upon arrival, firefighters swiftly brought the situation under control and prevented the fire from spreading to other parts of the building and adjoining properties,” he added.

The Director of the State Fire Service, Alabi Muhammed, advised parents and guardians to keep matches, lighters and other ignition sources out of the reach of children.

He emphasised that children should be adequately supervised at all times and educated on the dangers associated with playing with fire.

The director further urged residents to install basic fire safety equipment in their homes and to promptly notify the service whenever a fire outbreak is discovered, as early intervention greatly reduces the risk of extensive damage and loss of life.

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The Edo State High Court in Benin City has sentenced five suspects to death by hanging for the kidnapping and murder of one Barrister Osiobase Omo-Iyoha.

DAILY POST reports that Justice Efe Ikponmwonba sentenced five out of the six suspects to death on Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

The convicts, who include Valentine Debbie, Solomon Onobu, Ambrose Amadi, Enoma Okunghae and Saturday Imagbe, were found guilty of conspiracy, abduction and murder.

They were also sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment, while the sixth suspect, Solomon Esuike, who was arrested alongside the five convicts, was discharged and acquitted.

The convicts reportedly assaulted the Benin-based Barrister Omo-Iyoha on May 9, 2020, and took him away following his intervention in a street quarrel between a local chief’s family and another individual in the Aduwawa area of Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of the state.

It was also reported that after being beaten to a pulp, the lawyer was whisked away to an unknown location, only for his lifeless body to be discovered by the police in a shallow grave in Aduwawa.

In its judgment in the suit marked B/CD/136C/22 between the State and Valentine Dibie and five others, the court found five of the six accused guilty and sentenced them to 14 years in prison for conspiracy and abduction, and death by hanging for murder.

The presiding judge, Justice Efe Ikponmwonba, said the sentence followed a detailed analysis of the statements of the accused persons and the arguments of both the prosecution and defence counsel.

She held that the prosecution proved its case against five of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt.

She said the 14-year jail terms are to run concurrently.

According to her, the prosecution successfully proved its case against five of the defendants beyond reasonable doubt and they were sentenced accordingly.

“However, the evidence presented against the second defendant, Solomon Esuike, was insufficient to sustain the charges against him and consequently, he is discharged and acquitted,” she said.

Speaking after the judgment, Barrister Douglas Ogbankwa, counsel to the discharged and acquitted defendant, Solomon Esuike, described the judgment as commendable.

Ogbankwa said his client was discharged and acquitted after the court found that he had no link to the incident.

It was alleged that the prime suspect in the abduction and murder case, identified as Osasu Osadolor, is still at large.

The Katsina State Police Command said it arrested 225 suspects linked to various crimes, including kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling and arms trafficking, in May 2026.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, disclosed this on Thursday while presenting the command’s operational scorecard for the month, adding that the command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police Ali Umar Fage, intensified intelligence-led operations, joint patrols and inter-agency collaboration to combat criminal activities across the state.

“Our approach remains proactive, and the results reflect measurable progress in restoring public safety across the state,” Sadiq said.

He explained that those arrested included seven suspected kidnappers, 10 armed robbery suspects, one suspected armed bandit, two suspected informants and 21 suspected drug peddlers.

Others include 10 suspects linked to murder and culpable homicide, 36 suspects arrested for rape and sodomy, 13 suspected social miscreants and 130 persons arrested for other offences.

“In total, 150 major cases were reported and acted upon, with 109 cases already charged in court for prosecution upon conclusion of investigations,” he stated.

He further added that 17 kidnapped victims were rescued during the period under review, adding that the victims have since been debriefed, medically examined and reunited with their families.

Sadiq said the command recovered several exhibits, including 20 laptops, two mobile phones, one master key and a scanner, among others.