Foreign
Nigeria Police Burst Cameroonian Kidnap Syndicate Posing As Visa Agent
The Ogun State command of the Nigeria Police Force has dismantled a notorious Cameroonian syndicate accused of kidnapping unsuspecting victims under the guise of processing international visas.
Command spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, said on Friday (today) that operatives of the anti-kidnapping unit arrested two members of the gang during a sting operation at their hideout in Mowe, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
She added that the gang leader is currently on the run.
According to Odutola, the crackdown followed a distress call from a Cameroonian woman, Kengne Maeva, who said she was deceived into travelling to Nigeria on September 29, 2025, by a man identified simply as Donald.
Investigations revealed that Donald had promised to facilitate a Canadian visa for Maeva. Instead, she and her 23-year-old sister were held hostage in a two-bedroom apartment in the Pakuro area of Ogun State.
“Shortly after she arrived at Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, she was received by the supposed ‘agency’ which provided transportation from Lagos to Mowe, Ogun State, where she and her younger sister were held hostage,” Odutola stated.
Maeva reportedly escaped from captivity on November 3 and immediately alerted the police, revealing that several other victims were also being detained.
Naija News understands that her escape prompted a swift police operation that led to the arrest of two suspects identified as Ndzana Kamga Isidore and Tingue Stephen.
According to the police, families of the kidnapped victims in Cameroon had already paid 3.6 million CFA francs into the bank account of the fleeing gang leader.
Odutola said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Ogunlowo, has ordered heightened intelligence and surveillance across the state to dismantle similar criminal networks.
She quoted him as directing tactical commanders to work closely with community leaders, especially in remote areas, to immediately report suspicious foreign nationals renting apartments or running unregistered “visa agencies”.
The command assured residents that efforts are underway to apprehend the fleeing ringleader and rescue any remaining victims.
Foreign
Elon Musk’s Net Worth Surges To $1.3 Trillion As SpaceX Stock Rally Continues
Elon Musk’s wealth jumped by about $165 billion in one day as SpaceX stock surged after its historic stock market debut. SpaceX briefly crossed a $3 trillion valuation, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies and further cementing Musk’s position as the richest person on earth. The company also holds 18,712 bitcoin, while some analysts warn that SpaceX’s rapid rise in value may be difficult to sustain over the long term.
Elon Musk has added an astonishing $165 billion to his personal fortune in just one day, pushing his estimated net worth to around $1.3 trillion after SpaceX shares continued their explosive run on the stock market.
The sharp jump came as SpaceX stock gained nearly 20% during its second full trading session following its historic Nasdaq debut. The rally briefly pushed the company’s market valuation above $3 trillion, cementing its position among the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies.
SpaceX entered the public market under the ticker symbol SPCX after pricing its initial public offering (IPO) at $135 per share. The company raised approximately $75 billion, making it the largest IPO ever recorded. Investor demand was reportedly overwhelming, with orders exceeding $350 billion, nearly four times the amount of stock available.
By Monday’s close, SpaceX shares had climbed as high as $229.40, giving the aerospace and satellite internet giant a market capitalization of about $2.52 trillion. At one point during trading, the company’s value crossed the $3 trillion mark.
The rally has had a massive impact on Musk’s wealth because he remains the company’s largest shareholder. According to estimates, his one-day gain exceeded the entire net worth of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Investor and entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano highlighted the scale of the surge in a post on X, writing:
Foreign
JUST IN: 12 Dead as Aircraft Crashes Near Airport
At least 12 people have been killed in a plane crash in Missouri in the midwestern United States, according to authorities.
The crash on Sunday was near Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, south of the state’s largest city, Kansas City.
“Troopers are on scene assisting the Butler Police Department & Bates County Sheriff’s Office of a Fatal Plane Crash near the Butler Memorial Airport,” the Missouri State Highway Patrol posted on X.
“At this time reports indicate all occupants (12 total) have perished,” it said.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing said the plane was taking people up to skydive.
Emergency responders received a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11:30 am local time (16:30 GMT) on Sunday, he said.
They were able to extinguish the fire shortly after the crash, he said, describing the scene as “brutal.”
“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they’re shutting down the roadway just as a precaution,” Ewing said.
The identities of those killed were not immediately released.
Ewing said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was on scene investigating the crash.
The cause was not immediately available.
Foreign
Relief as Marketers Release Cheaper Petrol Prices Nationwide
The cost of importing petrol into Nigeria dropped sharply following the recent decline in global crude oil prices, creating fresh competition for local refiners, including the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.
New data released by the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) showed that the landing cost of imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, had fallen to N1,117 per litre as of June 4, 2026.
The figure was significantly lower than Dangote Refinery’s gantry price of N1,250 per litre, leaving a difference of N133 per litre.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fuel market is facing renewed uncertainty after the Dangote Refinery reportedly reduced petrol production, prompting fuel marketers to increase imports of cheaper products amid concerns over supply stability.
The development comes at a sensitive period for global energy markets, with rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions already putting pressure on fuel costs worldwide.
According to industry monitor IIR Energy, the Dangote Refinery has reduced operating rates at its key gasoline-producing unit, the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), by about 34%.
The reduction is linked to technical issues affecting the unit, which plays a major role in converting heavy crude residues into valuable products such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
-
News2 days agoTinubu Makes Fresh Top Appointment
-
News1 day agoBREAKING: Mixed Reactions as Tinubu Announces Fresh Appointment
-
Politics24 hours agoBREAKING: APC Withdraws From Oyo Election; Reasons Emerge
-
News1 day agoNigerian Gov Announces Fresh Public Holiday for Workers Across State
-
Opinion2 days agoTinubu Approves Fresh Appointment; Details Emerge
-
Politics1 day agoEkiti Governorship: Fayose Alerts EFCC Over Alleged Plot by APC to Buy Votes
-
Opinion18 hours agoPCMM Appoints Innocent Duru as Regular Pathways, Trafficking in Persons Chairman
