Bishop Oyedepo Dares Kidnappers: "If You Are Kidnapped, Just Call Me" He Tells Congregation

    Founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo, has stirred fresh controversy after asking members to hand his phone number to abductors if they are kidnapped.

He said he has the spiritual authority to secure their release.

Speaking during a service at Canaanland, the cleric told worshippers not to panic in the face of abduction but to direct kidnappers to contact him.

“If anybody picks you, give them my number,” he told the congregation in a sermon that later circulated widely on social media.

The comment, delivered in a message tagged SupersonicSunday, quickly gained traction online, drawing attention amid persistent concerns over kidnapping across the country.

Oyedepo anchored the unusual instruction on what he described as previous interventions involving abducted church members.

Recounting one incident, he said a pastor linked to the church was kidnapped and the abductors allowed communication with him.

According to him, he warned the kidnappers to release the victim or face death within 24 hours, after which the captive was freed.

In another account, he spoke of a female church member who, while in captivity, declared by faith she would regain freedom by 7am.

He claimed the woman was later released after what he described as unusual developments among her captors.

The cleric said such experiences were evidence that his members possessed spiritual authority over fear and violence.

“You have been raised far above the devil,” he said, while urging members to confront threats with faith rather than terror.

Oyedepo further maintained that members of the church carry the same spiritual force and should learn to exercise it.

His remarks come at a time when kidnapping for ransom remains a major security challenge in parts of Nigeria, with religious leaders, traditional rulers and communities increasingly speaking on the crisis.

While the sermon was delivered as a message of faith and confidence to worshippers, its viral circulation has placed it at the center of public discussion over insecurity and the role of religious conviction in confronting violent crime.

  

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Woman Who Failed To Return N2k Mistakenly Paid Into Her Account Gets Bail Of Half A Million Naira

As Lagosians are confronted with the increasing incidents of people refusing to return money mistakenly paid into their bank account, the attention of the banking public has been drawn to a developing story from nearby Oyo state in which a woman is facing criminal charges for the same reason, and has been granted bail in the sum of half a million naira. A 40 – year-old woman, identified as Isoken Idunueko was on Friday arraigned on a one-count charge of theft for failing to return N2, 040 mistakenly sent to her bank account from a third party.

Idunueko was arraigned before Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ court in Ibadan

The prosecutor, ASP Foluke Adedosu, told the court that the defendant in February at Oke – Itunu, Mokola area, Ibadan, stole N2, 040, which was mistakenly sent to her Zenith Bank account No: 2111699080.

Adedosu alleged that she refused to return the money back to the owner when the complainant, Sandra Okwueze l, contacted her.

She said the offence contravened section 383 and punishable under section 390 (9) of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.

The defendant, who lives in Elebu area, Ibadan, is charged with theft.

She, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs A. T. Oyediji admitted her to bail in the sum of N500, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

Oyediji said one of the sureties must be landed property owner who lived in the house.

She, thereafter, adjourned the matter until June 2, for hearing.

The case has sparked nationwide interest, especially in Lagos state, where cases of people refusing to return money mistakenly paid into their accounts, are a regular occurrence.

  

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Blood Is Not Thicker Than My Peace - Peter Okoye

Singer Peter Okoye dismissed claims that women caused the renewed dispute within the Okoye family, linking the rift to long-standing disagreements over loyalty, trust, and the management of their music business.

In a series of posts on X, the former P-Square member said the issues began more than 20 years ago and predate the family’s marriages.

“Before you drag any woman into this! No woman directed or advised anyone to steal from what I worked for over the years. Stop pushing that narrative to suit your agenda. None of us were even married 20-something years ago when this whole betrayal and stealing started! I said what I said.”

He rejected public narratives tying women to the breakdown. Okoye said he set boundaries to protect his well-being and mental health.

“Even if my parents were alive and supported this kind of betrayal, I’d still choose to step back, cut them off, and protect my peace. Boundaries are necessary! Blood isn’t thicker than my peace of mind.”

He confirmed the dispute remains unresolved and is before the court.

“Now that I’ve uncovered the betrayal that has been going on for over 20 years plus, suddenly we’re blood? No… it doesn’t work like that. We are still in court,” he said.

P-Square, comprising Peter and Paul Okoye, first split in 2017 after disagreements over management control, finances, and creative direction.

The duo reunited in 2021, but tensions resurfaced over financial transparency and control of their music catalogue.

The dispute involves the brothers and their elder brother, Jude Okoye. Jude faces prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged money laundering and diversion of royalties, which he denies.

The case is before the Lagos State High Court and has been adjourned to May 15, 2026.

Recent court proceedings include Peter Okoye’s disclosure that he is a co-signatory to the Northside Entertainment Limited account.

Okoye said the situation has been painful, but boundaries became necessary.

“Yes, it’s painful. And yes, it’s my loss. But no one should keep reminding me that I was betrayed and used by my own blood for over 20 years plus,” he added.  

  

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Lagos Seals Off Toilets For Discharging Untreated matter And Raw Sewage Into Canals And Public Drains

The Lagos State Wastewater Management Office has sealed off two public toilets in Surulere and Lagos Island for discharging untreated faecal matter and raw sewage into canals and public drains.

A statement issued by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on X said, ”The first toilet, located at No. 68, Jinadu Street, Surulere, was sealed for discharging untreated faecal matter into the canal, thereby polluting the environment.”

He noted that the second toilet, situated at Marina under Bridge, Lagos Island, was sealed for the deliberate discharge of raw sewage and untreated wastewater into public drains using a pumping machine.

The act was described as constituting a public nuisance, environmental pollution and endangering human health.

“The Lagos State Government enjoins residents to adopt proper wastewater management and hygiene practices to support public health and promote environmental sustainability, as any act of environmental nuisance will attract appropriate sanctions and possible prosecution,” the statement added.

The development has drawn reactions on X, where many Lagos residents welcomed the enforcement.

Commenting on Wahab’s post, Umeh, who tweets as #UmehWrites, described it as a “good move” and called for sustained inspections and publication of approved toilet locations to make hygienic facilities easily accessible.

Another individual, #AlliOlabisi5, urged the government to “seal everything up and prosecute the offenders to the fullest extent of the law,” while others commended the commissioner for assuring a cleaner Lagos through consistent action.

The LSWMO has intensified enforcement against illegal wastewater discharge across the state in recent months, sealing several properties and facilities in areas such as Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Victoria Island and Lekki for similar violations.

 

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Another Dispatch Rider Dies In Fatal Crash

Barely 24 hours after a tanker crushed a dispatch rider to death in the Motorways Inward Estate area of Alapere, another dispatch rider has lost his life in a fatal collision involving a heavy-duty Volvo truck at Otedola Bridge inward Secretariat along the Ogudu Toll Gate corridor.

The Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed the incident in a statement issued by its Director of Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department, Mr Adebayo Taofiq.

According to the statement, the crash, which occurred less than 24 hours after a similar incident in Lagos, underscores growing concerns over the vulnerability of dispatch riders on major highways.

The statement read, “The fatal crash involved a heavy-duty Volvo truck and a dispatch rider. The devastating impact resulted in the immediate loss of the rider’s life at the scene.

“LASTMA operatives on routine patrol around Otedola swiftly responded to the accident scene, where they promptly secured and cordoned off the accident area to forestall any secondary incidents, particularly given the high vehicular density along the corridor.

“The remains of the deceased dispatch rider were respectfully handed over to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who were present at the scene in support of traffic management operations.”

It added that security reinforcement was provided by policemen from the Alausa Police Station to ensure orderliness during the rescue and evacuation process.

The agency noted that the articulated truck and the dispatch motorcycle were subsequently removed by a tow truck to restore normal traffic flow.

Despite the swift response, the incident led to significant traffic congestion, with a backlog stretching towards the Berger axis.

“LASTMA officials, however, worked diligently to mitigate the gridlock and restore seamless vehicular movement within the shortest possible time,” it stated.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased, describing the incident as tragic.

He stressed the need for stricter adherence to traffic regulations and greater caution among road users.

The incident follows Monday accident in which a tanker crushed a dispatch rider to death in the Motorways Inward Estate area of Alapere.

  

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Two Innovative Youths Seal Partnership Deal With Lagos Government On Public Toilets Mapping System Across The State

A 24-year-old Mathematics graduate from the University of Ibadan, Adetokunbo Ogunnoiki and his startup partner, a 24-year-old Mechanical Engineering student,

Ademola Gbadero, have sealed a partnership deal with

Lagos State

 Government to create a real-time mapping system for public toilets across the megacity.  

The collaboration follows a viral proposal Ogunnoiki pitched on X formerly Twitter on Saturday, which caught the attention of Commissioner for Environment

and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.

According to Wahab, the innovation—developed under the startup “LooPoint”—leverages geo-mapping technology to help residents locate clean and available

public toilets in real time.

Recently, the Lagos State Government had urged businesses such as filling stations, banks, eateries, and other public-facing facilities to make their restrooms

accessible to the public as part of efforts to eliminate open defecation.

This was as the government also announced that it has deployed 1,710 functioning public toilets across the state to serve both residents and visitors.

Responding to the thread, Ogunnoiki pitched his startup, arguing that the problem wasn’t just building toilets, but making them “findable.”

“It’s not just a matter of constructing toilets, but making them findable,” Ogunnoiki wrote.

“We can map 1710 public toilets operated by the Lagos government, live status and rating on LooPoint. Businesses that have accessible restroom points,

and include those that choose to be listed. 

“Residents can use the platform without having to download the app on any device. The ministry also gains a data dashboard showing usage patterns, cleanliness

feedback, and maintenance needs,” he added. 

Within hours, he was invited to pitch his ideas directly to the Ministry on providing “real-time tech solutions that will ensure seamless public access

to the installed public toilets.”

Accompanied by his partner, Ogunnoiki reportedly presented his proposal to a panel of top officials in about 30 minutes on Monday.

“The duo demonstrated how they developed a tech solution to solve similar challenges on their university campus, the University of Ibadan; the platform,

they said, has successfully helped students locate clean and available toilets within the school,” the Senior Special Assistant on Media to Lagos State

Governor, Wale Ajetunmobi, noted. 

“In their PowerPoint presentation, Adetokunbo and Ademola outlined their proposal for the development of an advanced model of their tech platform, which

would enable commuters in Lagos to easily find clean and available public toilets in real-time using geo-mapping.

“They explained how their platform would provide users with information about toilet availability at every location, cleanliness ratings, walking directions

and estimated time to walk to a toilet,” he added.

Wahab also expressed that the project will further bolster the drive for a cleaner Lagos and encouraged constructive engagement from the public.

“We welcome objective criticism that offers solutions, not outright condemnation, insults and curses. Governance is about collective solutions and empowering

the next generation”.

The Commissioner wrote: “They proposed a tech platform that uses geo-mapping to help Lagosians locate clean and available public toilets in real time,

with features like cleanliness ratings, walking directions, and estimated arrival times. They have already deployed a similar solution on their university

campus with success.”

  

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Navy Intercept Three Stowaway Suspects Off Lagos Coast

The Nigerian Navy has intercepted and rescued three suspected stowaways aboard the merchant vessel MSC STELLA (IMO No. 9279988) off the Lagos Fairway Buoy in efforts to strengthen maritime security and search-and-rescue operations.

The piece of information is in a statement issued by the Director of Naval Information, Navy Capt. Abiodun Folorunsho, on Monday in Abuja.

Folorunsho stated that the operation was carried out by personnel of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT following credible intelligence from the Western Regional Control Centre (WRCC) at about 5.05 p.m. on April 19.

He said the Quick Response Team deployed from Tarkwa Bay successfully rescued the suspects about five nautical miles off the Lagos coastline.

He indicated that preliminary investigations revealed the suspects illegally boarded the vessel at about 1am on April 17 while it was berthed at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos.

He identified the individuals as Aguru Michael (27), a national of Benin Republic; Soye Monday (25), from Ondo State; and Kentobou Peter (22), from Delta.

He said that the suspects intended to stow away to Europe.

The director noted that the operation underscored navy’s sustained commitment to safeguarding lives at sea and curbing irregular migration within Nigeria’s maritime domain.

He recalled previous successful search-and-rescue missions, including the rescue of seven persons following a maritime collision in Bayelsa, and the rescue and handover of three foreign stowaways aboard MT ANATOLIA in March 2026.

He added that “the suspects are currently in the custody of NNS BEECROFT undergoing investigation and administrative processing in line with extant laws.

“The Nigerian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to maritime safety, security and continuous surveillance of Nigeria’s territorial waters.”

  

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Dispatch Rider Dies In A Collision With Tanker At Alapere

A dispatch rider has lost his life in a fatal road accident in the Motorways Inward Estate area of Alapere, following a collision with a tanker.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Adebayo Taofiq, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the incident involved an empty NIPCO tanker with registration number TTN-776ZQ.

According to Taofiq, preliminary findings showed that the tanker driver, who was allegedly speeding, rammed into the moving dispatch rider, leading to his instant death.

Taofiq added that LASTMA officials responded swiftly to the scene, preventing a breakdown of law and order as aggrieved dispatch riders reportedly attacked the tanker driver.

The agency said its personnel, displaying professionalism and restraint, rescued the injured driver from the mob and handed him over to officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, who took him to a nearby hospital for treatment.

He stated, “In the immediate aftermath, officers of LASTMA exhibited remarkable alacrity and professionalism by arriving expeditiously at the scene.

“Their prompt intervention proved decisive in forestalling a potential breakdown of law and order, as a group of enraged dispatch riders had converged and launched an attack on the tanker driver.

“Displaying commendable composure and tactical restraint, LASTMA personnel successfully extricated the tanker driver from the hostile crowd.

“He was subsequently transferred to the officials of the Lagos State Ambulance Service, who conveyed him to a nearby medical facility for urgent attention as he had sustained severe injuries.”

Taofiq added that operatives of the Alausa Police Station were also deployed to the scene to restore calm and disperse the crowd.

Reacting, the General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed condolences to the family of the deceased rider and urged road users to prioritise safety.

He warned tanker drivers and other motorists against reckless driving and excessive speed, describing them as major causes of road accidents.

“This unfortunate incident accentuates the urgent need for heightened vigilance and a collective recommitment to road safety. Every road user bears a fundamental responsibility to act prudently and safeguard human life,” he stated.

The agency added that the tanker and the wreckage of the motorcycle had been handed over to the police, while investigations into the incident were ongoing.

  

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How Armed Men Invaded Ojo In Broad Daylight, Robbing And Looting ,

Residents and shop owners in Ojo area were thrown into panic on Friday after a gang of armed men attacked shops and dispossessed passersby of their valuables along LASU Road.

It was gathered that the incident occurred at about 11 am in the Iyana School and First Gate areas of the community.

According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants, who were about 15 in number, were heavily armed with guns and machetes.

A resident of the area who identified himself simply as Omowunmi said while some people ran for safety, others were not as lucky as they were robbed in the process.

She said, “We did not know where they emerged from; we just saw them all dressed in black and displaying different weapons, including guns and machetes.

“Some of them also wore nose masks. They started from First Gate down towards Iyana School. They were approaching people randomly while people ran for safety.”

Another eyewitness, who did not want his name in print due to security reasons, said the gang also stormed several shops, including a popular supermarket in the area, carting away goods and cash.

“While the robbery and assault were ongoing, some traders quickly locked up their shops, while others abandoned their businesses and ran for safety. They entered some of the shops, including a supermarket, and took away goods and cash,” the source added.

Residents in the area lamented that the hoodlums carried out the operation for several minutes unchallenged.

They also explained that there was no immediate security intervention despite the closeness of a police station to the location where the incident occurred.

“First, we were surprised that such an incident was happening in broad daylight. More worrisome is the fact that the operation lasted for several minutes without police intervention.

“A police station is just about three minutes away from where the incident happened, and no officer was in sight while the boys continued robbing,” a resident, Pius Oleme, said.

Oleme said business owners now operate in fear of a possible return of the armed gang to the area after the incident.

An X user, @ThatOjoBoy, posted a video of the incident, in which one of the armed men, wielding a machete, was seen harassing passersby while also trying to catch up with passengers in a commercial bus.

“A lady captured this video yesterday, crying and begging the bus driver to move as armed men with cutlasses and guns stormed Iyana School in broad daylight along LASU Road, Ojo, Lagos,” he wrote.

When contacted for a reaction on Monday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, said the incident stemmed from a clash between two factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in an attempted takeover of a bus park in the community. She added that this was later hijacked by hoodlums.

“It was the National Union of Road Transport Workers that was fighting. A section wanted to take over the park in the area, while the other section confronted them. We were able to take charge of the situation, but hoodlums took advantage at the 1st gate area. One person was arrested and handed over to Command Special Squad 1.”.

  

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International Miracle Service Debuts In Lagos

Renowned evangelist and senior pastor, Pastor Andrew Umoru, has unveiled the inaugural edition of the International Miracle Service (IMS), a global spiritual outreach that debuted in Lagos with a message centered on divine intervention, forgiveness, and transformation.

The maiden service, held on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the Paradise Event Arena in Ebute-Metta, attracted participants from across Nigeria and abroad. The gathering was described by organisers as a landmark event aimed at ushering believers into what the cleric termed a “new season of grace and manifestation.”

In his inaugural address, Pastor Umoru said the programme was more than a routine church meeting, describing it as a “divine appointment” with deep spiritual significance. He expressed confidence that the service would trigger “unusual testimonies, undeniable miracles, and supernatural shifts,” raising expectations of healing, deliverance, and breakthrough encounters.

The launch of IMS comes amid growing public interest in the pastor’s recent ministerial direction, including discussions surrounding his administrative status and reported transition from previous affiliations.

Pastor Umoru, widely regarded within and beyond Nigeria’s Christian community, reiterated the need for spiritual depth and doctrinal soundness in worship. He also advocated a return to hymn-based expressions, which he said “prepare the soul” and foster deeper encounters with God.

Organizers disclosed that the International Miracle Service would hold weekly, with worshippers gathering every Wednesday for intensive prayer sessions, prophetic ministrations, and teachings focused on faith, restoration, and divine empowerment.

Attendees have been encouraged to approach subsequent services with readiness and expectation. “Come hungry. Come expectant and come with faith in your heart,” the cleric urged.

The weekly programme is expected to attract increasing participation, particularly in Lagos, where faith-based gatherings continue to play a significant role in social and spiritual life. Organizers also noted that digital platforms would be utilized to enable global participation in the services.

 

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