Kebbi State Governor, Nasir Idris, on Thursday, inspected roads damaged by heavy rainfall in Dandi Local Government Area, with affected communities calling for urgent intervention to restore access and prevent further deterioration.

The affected roads include the Kingakwai–Fana–Dakingari Road and the Fana Township Road, which serves as a key link between Fana town and neighbouring communities.

During the inspection, the member representing the area in the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Suleiman Fana, and the Commissioner for Works, Abdullahi Umar Faruk, briefed the governor on the extent of the damage caused by the rainfall.

Officials said sections of the roads had been severely affected by erosion and flooding, disrupting movement in the area.

The Commissioner for Works recommended the construction of additional culverts and other drainage structures to facilitate repairs and reduce the risk of future damage.

Idris, accompanied by government officials, assessed the affected sites and assured residents that steps would be taken to address the situation.

The inspection comes amid concerns over the impact of seasonal rainfall on road infrastructure across parts of the state.

Meanwhile, the governor also visited Kamba town, where he paid a condolence visit to former Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Samaila Abdulmumin Kamba, following the death of his wife, Hajiya Fatima Abdulmumin.

The late Hajiya Fatima, who died at the age of 65, was buried according to Islamic rites and is survived by nine children.

The Lagos State Police Command have foiled an alleged cult initiation ceremony in the Egbeda area of Lagos and arrested four suspected cultists during a covert midnight operation that also led to the recovery of firearms, live ammunition and other dangerous weapons.

A statement issued by the command on thursday by the public relations officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said that the suspects were allegedly linked to cult-related violence and other criminal activities within Alimosho and surrounding communities.

The suspects were identified as Nurudeen Ganiu, 34; Oluwaleke Fagbula, 38; Emmanuel Silas, 41; and Nurudeen Abdullahi, 41.

According to the statement, the suspects were apprehended following credible intelligence about an alleged midnight cult initiation ceremony taking place in Egbeda.

Acting on the information, police operatives launched a covert operation which led to the arrest of the suspects.

During the raid, officers recovered one locally made cut-to-size pistol, one English Beretta pistol loaded with 10 live cartridges, and a jack knife.

The command said further investigations revealed that one of the suspects is an alleged cult gang leader and a rusticated student of a university in Ogun State who was reportedly expelled in 2022 over cult-related activities.

Police investigations also showed that the group had allegedly been involved in thuggery and terrorising residents of Egbeda and nearby areas for some time.

“The suspects reportedly confessed to being active members of the Eiye Confraternity, a notorious secret cult group,” the statement said.

The police added that the gang allegedly operated with motorcycles, using them to attack unsuspecting residents and disrupt gatherings at gunpoint.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CPTijani Fatai, commended the operatives for what he described as their professionalism and swift response which led to the successful operation.

He assured residents that the command remained committed to tackling cultism and other violent crimes across the state.

The police boss also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue supporting security agencies with timely and credible information through the command’s emergency lines.

The Niger State Police Command has arrested six suspects in connection with a violent clash between rival youth groups in Minna that left two persons dead following the recent Salah celebrations.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, saying the suspects were apprehended in connection with thuggery activities around the Kpakungu area involving youths from the Kutirko and Kulogbe communities.

According to the police, the clash occurred on May 28 and resulted in the deaths of two persons, prompting an intensive investigation by security operatives.

Those arrested include Nura Abubakar, 20, and Sufyanu Adamu, 20, both from Katsina State; Yunusa Ibrahim, 18, from Niger State; Yahuza Abdullahi, 30, from Sokoto State; Aliyu Abdulhamid, 20, from Bauchi State; and Musa Abubakar, 18, from Sokoto State.

Abiodun said the suspects had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation aimed at identifying and arresting other accomplices involved in the deadly violence.

In a related development, the police arrested an 18-year-old suspect, Mahmud Usman of Gbeganu, over a viral video in which he allegedly threatened residents of the Gurara, Albishir and Gbeganu communities with acts of thuggery.

The police spokesperson said the suspect had provided useful information on other members of the group, adding that efforts were ongoing to apprehend them.

Meanwhile, the command also announced the arrest of 26 suspected hoodlums during a raid on criminal hideouts around Malam Auwal Ibrahim Market and adjoining areas in Kwamba, Suleja.

Items recovered during the operation included 38 wraps of suspected cannabis, nine wraps of suspected marijuana, four machetes, an axe, a jackknife and charms.