A helicopter has reportedly crashed in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, with casualties feared.

The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, October 5, 2026, throwing the coastal community into panic as details surrounding the crash remained sketchy at the time of filing this report.

The number of persons who may have been aboard the helicopter was yet to be officially confirmed, while the condition of any possible survivors remained unclear.

Sources in the area said efforts were ongoing to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the extent of casualties.

Authorities are expected to release an official statement providing further details on the incident, including the cause of the crash, the number of people involved and the casualty figure.

The Ondo East Youth Council has commended Liyang Platinum Stones Limited for its prompt intervention on the deplorable roads linking Otasan, Itanla and Italuoworo communities in Ondo East Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The commendation followed the deployment of materials and workers by the company to some of the affected sections of the roads.

The intervention came shortly after a courtesy visit by the President of the Ondo East Youth Council, Comrade Tomide Akinkuolie, also known as Sir Tommy, and members of his team to the company’s quarry at Otasan on Thursday, October 1, 2026.

During the visit, Akinkuolie proposed a partnership between the youth council and the company while highlighting some of the challenges confronting the communities, particularly the poor condition of their access roads.

He appealed to the company to support efforts to rehabilitate the roads through the provision of materials and manpower as part of its corporate social responsibility to its host communities.

Responding, the Managing Director of Liyang Platinum Stones Limited, Barrister Ifeolu Fasoranti, assured the delegation that the company would look into the situation promptly.

Fasoranti also disclosed plans to establish a working committee for a Community Development Agenda, comprising representatives of the company, political and traditional leaders, as well as youths.

He called for continued unity and peaceful relations among stakeholders in the communities, stressing the importance of collaboration in addressing local development challenges.

The youth council said the company had since commenced work, with materials and workers deployed to some sections of the affected roads.

In a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Olumide Akintayo, popularly known as Egi Lumde, the council appreciated the company for what it described as a swift response to the concerns raised during the visit.

The council also urged other stakeholders, corporate organisations and public office holders to support development initiatives across Ondo East and contribute to addressing infrastructure challenges in the area.

…Says suspect holds no political appointment

The Ondo State Government has denied reports circulating on social media that an aide to Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa was arrested over alleged possession of illicit drugs and firearms.

The government described the report and accompanying image as misleading, clarifying that the young man identified in the report is not an aide to the governor and does not hold any political appointment in the present administration.

The clarification was contained in a disclaimer issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan.

The statement urged the Nigeria Police Force to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure that due process was followed in accordance with the law.

The government’s clarification followed the circulation of the report and image identifying the suspect as an “Ondo Governor’s Aide.”

…recover N1.5m suspected ransom, foodstuffs

The Ondo State Police Command has rescued two kidnap victims and arrested three suspected kidnappers following a gun battle in a forest along the Ifira–Idoani axis in Isua-Akoko.

The command also recovered N1.5 million suspected ransom proceeds during the operation.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abayomi Jimoh, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, CP Felix Ohagwu.

According to the statement, the operation began on Friday, September 11, following credible intelligence that suspected kidnappers hiding in the forest were planning to emerge to collect ransom.

Acting on the intelligence, operatives of Isua Division, in collaboration with personnel of the Ondo State Security Network, also known as Amotekun, and Agbe-Koya, launched a coordinated rescue and ambush operation in the forest.

The security operatives, who positioned themselves along the suspected route, maintained surveillance for several hours before the kidnappers, numbering about four and armed with firearms, emerged at about 11:30 p.m.

The suspects reportedly opened fire after sighting the security operatives, prompting the team to tactically repel the attack and rescue the two victims, identified as Mr Owolabi Patrick and Asoto Dada, unhurt.

The statement added that the security operatives recovered N1.5 million suspected to have been brought for ransom payment during the encounter.

It said the suspected kidnappers sustained gunshot injuries and escaped into the forest.

However, following sustained follow-up operations and credible intelligence, the suspects were sighted along Idoani Road at about 8:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 13.

The police subsequently arrested three suspects, two of whom had sustained gunshot injuries to their legs.

The suspects were identified as Abdullahi Abubakar, Ibrahim Abubakar and Oseni Abubakar, all residents of the Akunnu area.

The command said the rescued victims later visited the police station and positively identified the arrested suspects as the persons who abducted them.

A Bajaj motorcycle earlier recovered by the police was also identified by the victims as being connected to the criminal operation. The motorcycle remains in police custody as investigations continue.

The Commissioner of Police commended the officers and men of Isua Division, as well as the personnel of Amotekun and Agbe-Koya, for their courage, professionalism and effective collaboration.

CP Ohagwu has ordered the transfer of the case to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Akure for discreet investigation, with a view to uncovering the full criminal network and bringing all those connected with the operation to justice.

The command reiterated its determination to deny criminal elements access to forests and other hideouts in the state, assuring residents that intelligence-led operations against kidnappers and other criminals would be sustained.

…There’ll be no space for transnational drug cartels in Nigeria, Marwa vows

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled yet another industrial-scale methamphetamine laboratory and arrested a Mexican drug kingpin who was attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport, in a fresh operation that further exposes the desperation by transnational cartels to infiltrate Nigeria’s forests and rural communities.

Briefing the media on the latest development in Lagos on Tuesday 15th September 2026, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), said the breakthrough follows months of painstaking investigation into a wider criminal network behind a string of clandestine drug laboratories uncovered in parts of the country this year.

Marwa who was represented by the Agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, recalled that operatives had earlier this year arrested three Mexican nationals and seven Nigerian collaborators at a forest hideout in Ogun State on Saturday, 16th May 2026, and, on 17th June, arrested another Mexican national alongside four Nigerian collaborators at a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory hidden in a forested part of Tapa village, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, where field tests confirmed large quantities of methamphetamine and precursor chemicals.

Investigations by the Agency’s Special Operations Unit (SOU) into the Oyo State arrest led operatives to establish that the 56-year-old Mexican Methamphetamine expert, Jose Villa Ochoa arrested at the forest lab had been recruited into Nigeria by a Mexican kingpin Arturo Carrera Loaiza. Working with international partners, NDLEA investigators obtained a photograph of Loaiza, which the arrested suspect positively identified as the man who recruited and moved him into Nigeria. Intelligence further showed that Loaiza entered Nigeria on 10th June 2026, alongside another Mexican national, Jose Ceballos Perez.
According to the Agency, “On 19th August 2026, our operatives tracked down and arrested Arturo Carrera Loaiza attempting to flee the country through the Lagos airport. During interrogation, he claimed he had been invited to Nigeria by a Nigerian contact, identified only as “Henry,” under the guise of a restaurant business venture, and denied any knowledge of methamphetamine manufacturing or involvement with the Tapa village laboratory.
“However, our findings told a different story.

Investigators recovered images of Arturo dressed in a blue laboratory coat, standing amid equipment consistent with methamphetamine production. Analysis of the location metadata embedded in these images led our operatives to a property undergoing construction at Isiata Ugoni Okposi, Ebonyi State.

“On 30th August 2026, our operatives moved on the Ebonyi State property, linked to one John Samuel Ivo Okike. Interviews with persons found at the site, including the site engineer and a caretaker, revealed the erection of a suspicious temporary structure over the septic tank area at the rear of the building, and persistent strong chemical odours emanating from the premises.

“A CCTV memory card recovered from the property proved decisive. Forensic review of the footage showed a foreign national in a blue laboratory coat on the premises, matching the image of Arturo Carrera Loaiza earlier recovered, as well as repeated appearances by John Samuel Ivo Okike. Critically, the footage captured, at about 9:00 p.m. on 21st August 2026, the movement of chemicals and laboratory equipment out of the property, with John Samuel Ivo Okike seen directing the operation alongside others assisting in the relocation.

“Acting on further intelligence from a confidential source, operatives traced the relocated materials to an isolated house in a neighbouring community, kept under the custody of one Nwanja Obasi. A raid on this location led to the recovery of a substantial cache of methamphetamine-related chemicals, equipment and paraphernalia, including:
“A dehydrator containing a white cloth sieve embedded with loose methamphetamine, and three additional empty dehydrators; 442.8 kg of Acetone, 37.1 kg of Toluene, a 20 kg mixture of Acetone/Bromobenzene, 1.7 kg of Ethanol, 5.1 kg of Chloride Salt, 31.5 kg of Hydrochloric acid, 200 kg of P2B, and 1 kg of Tartaric acid; Condensing units, a condenser head, a condenser, and a fabricated reaction pot. Additional equipment including an access pump, weighing scales, mixers, drums, gas burners, gloves, and a blue laboratory coat matching the one recovered at the John Samuel property.

“This recovery, taken together with the CCTV evidence, other forensic evidence and eyewitness accounts, has significantly strengthened the case against all persons connected to this network.”

Speaking on the capacity and capability of the Agency under his leadership to root out every element of transnational drug cartels looking for a foothold in the country, Marwa warned that Nigeria will never become a safe haven for merchants of death.

“Let me be unequivocal, Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels seeking to relocate their laboratories from other jurisdictions into our forests and rural communities. The arrest of Arturo Carrera Loaiza and the dismantling of the Ebonyi State facility, coming so soon after the Ogun and Oyo State operations, demonstrate that this Agency’s intelligence and forensic capabilities are more than a match for these syndicates, however sophisticated they may believe themselves to be”, he stated.

The NDLEA boss commended the officers of the Special Operations Unit, Strike Force, Forensics and the Oyo, Ogun and Ebonyi State Commands for their diligence, professionalism and courage in the discharge of their responsibilities in the three spectacular operations. He vowed that the Agency would continue pursuing every lead until the full network, its financiers and local enablers are brought to justice.

A man identified as Mr Olorunwa Sunday has been remanded at the Olokuta Correctional Centre following his arraignment over the alleged transportation of substances emitting a highly offensive odour to an undisclosed destination.

The Ondo State Ministry of Environment disclosed this in a statement signed by its representative, Henry Johnson Olagundoye, and dated September 15, 2026.

According to the ministry, the suspect was arrested after the vehicle conveying the substances was intercepted over an alleged environmental infraction.

It said laboratory analysis conducted to ascertain the nature and composition of the substances revealed that they were faecal materials in substantial quantities.

The ministry stated that the suspect had been arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction and remanded pending the determination of the case.

It added that the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Kayode Ajulo, SAN, had provided the necessary legal support to the Ministry of Environment to ensure that the matter received appropriate legal attention and was prosecuted in accordance with extant environmental laws.

The ministry reaffirmed the commitment of the Ondo State Government to protecting the health, safety and well-being of residents, while ensuring strict compliance with environmental laws and regulations across the state.

Ondo workers groan under rising commuting costs, demand urgent government intervention

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ondo State Council, has called on the state government to introduce transportation support measures, including the provision of CNG-powered buses or transport allowance, to cushion the impact of rising transport fares on workers.

The call came as the organised labour raised concerns over the escalating cost of transportation, which it said was placing an increasing financial burden on workers across the state.

With the price of petrol reportedly rising to as much as N1,450, N1500 per litre, workers are facing mounting pressure as transport operators adjust fares to reflect the rising cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance.

The NLC made the demand during a courtesy visit to the Head of Service, Chief Olusegun Odusanya, in Akure, led by its State Chairman, Comrade (Prince) Ademola Olapade.

The visit was aimed at strengthening the relationship between organised labour and the state government, while providing an opportunity to present pressing issues affecting workers and the public service.

On transportation, the NLC said the continued increase in commuting costs was substantially eroding workers’ disposable income and making it increasingly difficult for many employees to travel to and from their workplaces.

The Congress appealed to the state government to consider immediate and practical interventions, particularly transportation allowance or the deployment of CNG buses, to reduce the burden on workers.

The labour body noted that the rising cost of transportation was coming at a time when workers were already contending with increased living expenses, stressing the need for measures that would protect their welfare and sustain productivity in the public service.

Other issues presented by the NLC included the prompt payment of the 2026 leave bonus to eligible workers and a review of the proposed or ongoing executive elongation for officers in the Executive Cadre of the state civil service.

The Congress also requested government sponsorship for workers to undergo professional and capacity-building programmes at the Public Service Training Institute (PSTI), emphasising that continuous training was essential to an efficient and modern public service.

The NLC further appealed for urgent intervention over the payment of August salaries to non-captured staff of the Federal University of Technology, Akure Teaching Hospital (FUTATH).

It expressed concern over the hardship being experienced by the affected workers and urged the relevant authorities to resolve the payroll-related issues to ensure that those who had rendered their services were not subjected to undue hardship.

The Congress congratulated Chief Odusanya on his appointment and expressed its readiness to work constructively with his office and the state government to advance workers’ welfare and improve the effectiveness of the public service.

It also commended the administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa for its disposition towards workers and pensioners, particularly its efforts in the regular payment of salaries and pensions and its engagement with organised labour.

The NLC expressed confidence in the leadership of the Head of Service and pledged to continue pursuing the issues raised through dialogue and consultation.

By Exclusive Reporters

The Ondo State Government has warned residents against consuming unapproved substances, herbal drinks, concoctions and other products not certified safe for human consumption.

The warning followed a recent incident in Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, which reportedly resulted in the loss of lives.

In a statement signed by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Idowu Ajanaku, on Thursday, the government urged residents to exercise caution and avoid patronising or consuming substances of doubtful origin.

Ajanaku said the government remained committed to protecting the health and wellbeing of residents, stressing that producers, sellers and distributors of uncertified substances must immediately stop the practice.

He warned that the production, sale and distribution of unapproved substances posed serious risks to public health and could attract sanctions in accordance with the law.

The government also cautioned residents, particularly youths, against drug abuse and the unauthorised use of substances capable of causing serious health complications or death.

It advised residents to obtain medicines and other consumable products only from authorised and regulated outlets and to seek professional medical advice rather than resort to unverified remedies.

According to the statement, the government is investigating the Odigbo incident to establish the actual cause of the deaths.

The government said relevant agencies were working to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident, while appealing to residents to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information capable of causing unnecessary panic.

It also commended the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government Area, Hon. Taiwo Adegboye, for his prompt intervention and support for efforts to protect the lives and wellbeing of residents.

The government reiterated its warning to residents, vendors, producers and distributors against drug abuse and the production, sale, distribution or consumption of illegal and uncertified substances.

It said appropriate measures would continue to be taken, in line with existing laws and regulations, to protect public health and prevent a recurrence.

Residents were also encouraged to report suspicious activities involving the production, sale or distribution of dangerous, illegal or unapproved substances to relevant authorities.

The government stressed that protecting lives and promoting a safe and healthy society remained a collective responsibility requiring the cooperation of all residents.

The Ondo State Government has announced that the August edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will take place across the state on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

As part of the exercise, movement of persons and vehicles will be temporarily restricted between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. to enable residents to participate fully in the sanitation exercise.

The state government urged residents to use the period to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels, desilt gutters, remove refuse and debris, and trim overgrown weeds.

The Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Tob Loko, Ph.D., in a notice, said the exercise was part of the government’s efforts to maintain a clean, safe and disease-free environment across the state.

The government appealed to residents to cooperate with the authorities and actively participate in the exercise.

Residents are therefore advised to complete necessary movements before 7:00 a.m. or after 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Odour linked to air pollution, organic compounds – Govt

Residents urged to use nose masks, report unusual emissions

The Ondo State Government has disclosed that the offensive odour currently being perceived in parts of Akure metropolis is not emanating from the Ala River, contrary to earlier speculation.

The government, in a statement on Wednesday, said preliminary findings from an investigation by the Ministry of Environment indicated that the odour was caused by air pollution resulting from the release of certain organic compounds into the atmosphere.

The investigation followed a directive by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Tob Loko, who constituted a team of professionals to work with environmental consultants to determine the source and nature of the offensive odour.

According to the government, efforts are still ongoing to identify the specific organic compound or compounds responsible, determine their characteristics and establish the exact source of the emission.

Residents advised to take precautions

As investigations continue, the government advised residents in affected areas to limit their exposure to the odour and make use of nose masks as a precautionary measure.

It urged residents to remain calm and continue with their normal daily activities, while assuring them that necessary steps were being taken to address the situation.

Govt seeks public cooperation

The government also called on residents to promptly report suspicious activities, including illegal waste disposal, unusual emissions and other environmental violations, to the Ministry of Environment.

Complaints can be made through 08030730479, 08033738102 and 08066144651.

The government reiterated its commitment to protecting the environment and safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of residents.

It also appreciated the cooperation and understanding of the public as investigations continue, assuring residents that all necessary measures are being taken to resolve the situation.