The National Association of Caterers in Nigeria has protested the alleged exclusion of their members from major catering jobs at the 2025 National Sport Festival.

Members of the association protested in Abeokuta on Thursday, armed with placards carrying inscriptions such as “Caterers Are Hungry”, “Gov Dapo Give Us Our Job”, “National Sport Festival Not State Festival”, “Our Job Is Not For Babcock University Is Meant For Caterers”, among others.

They noted that the caterers, many of whom are widows and struggling women, have relied on such jobs to support their families and also send their children to school.

Speaking on behalf of the association, the National President, Mrs Francisca Ojo, lamented that many members of the association had traveled from Lagos, Abuja, Kaduna, Imo, Calabar, Rivers and other parts of the country, bringing along foodstuff and other materials in preparation for the sports festival but were not accredited.

She called on Governor Dapo Abiodun to intervene, describing the situation as unfair and economically harmful to grassroots women entrepreneurs.

“We have spent our own money, paid for transportation and hotel accommodation, brought food supplies. Now we’re stranded. This is our fatherland. We’re not asking for favors; we’re asking for fairness. We beg His Excellency to use his good office to address this issue.

“All of us here have packed our belongings and travelled from across the country, Abuja, Calabar, Rivers, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, all states in the country, only to be told that we would not be participating,” she said.

Ojo also acknowledged that the commissioner for sports had met with them and urged patience while efforts were being made to resolve the matter.

However, she noted that no further communication had been received since then.

Ekwutosblog reports that the caterers also took the protest to the Ogun State House of Assembly, in Okemosan, Abeokuta.

Addressing the aggrieved members, the Speaker, Oludaisi Elemide, assured them that their request to provide service at the Gateway Games will be communicated to the relevant organs of government for necessary actions.

Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has confirmed that 21 villagers were killed during a recent bandit attack on Mansur village in Alkaleri Local Government Area, while security forces neutralised over 60 of the attackers in a fierce gun battle.

Speaking during a condolence visit to the affected community on Thursday, Governor Mohammed said the victims included 13 vigilante members and 10 civilians.

He described the attack, which occurred two weeks ago, as a major security threat but commended the bravery of the vigilantes and security forces who repelled the assailants.

“As they inflicted serious loss on us, over 60 of them died too in the fierce battle,” the governor stated.

“Despite their superior firepower, our young vigilantes and security agencies showed exceptional courage.”

Mohammed extended condolences on behalf of the state and the Federal Government, stating that he is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser to prevent further attacks in the region.

“We are here on behalf of the government to commiserate with this community, especially those in Alkaleri, Gwana, Duguri, Yelwan Duguri, and parts of Bauchi Local Government,” he said.

To support affected families, the governor announced N5 million for each family of the slain vigilantes and N3 million for the families of the deceased civilians. An additional N20 million will be disbursed for vigilante logistics.

Governor Mohammed also disclosed plans to recruit over 2,100 vigilantes before the end of the year, starting with 300 to 500 from the most affected areas.

He assured that the recruits would receive proper training and be placed on a minimum wage structure to ensure professionalism and avoid abuse.

He urged traditional rulers to expose informants aiding criminal activities in their communities assuring residents of the government’s commitment to protect lives and property.

“These people have come to the wrong place,” Mohammed declared. “If it comes to a point where I have to throw away this ‘Babanriga’ and join you, I will join you, In Sha Allah.”

Ekwutosblog reports that armed men suspected to be bandits launched a deadly attack two weeks ago, killing several vigilante members and civilians in a coordinated assault on three villages in Gwana District, Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State.

Our reporter gathered that the affected communities — Mansur, Digare, Sabuwar Sara, and Yalo — were attacked while residents were asleep.

Most of the victims were members of local vigilante groups from Gwana and Duguri districts, who had been safeguarding their communities from repeated attacks along the volatile borders with Gombe, Plateau and Taraba states.

There is palpable tension in parts of Ogun and Lagos States following rumours of deadly rice currently in circulation.

Rumours contained in several WhatsApp voice notes alleged that a foreign trader invoked the spirit of Ogun deity on her two trucks of rice after the trucks were allegedly stolen and smuggled into the country.

Speakers in the various voice notes making the rounds alleged that the two stolen trucks of rice were smuggled into Nigeria from neighboring country through the Idiroko and the Seme borders.

The female trader, according to the voice notes, contacted some Ogun worshipers in Ghana to lay curses on “anybody that buys or consumes” the alleged stolen rice.

Some Customs officers, an officer of the Nigerian Army and several others were rumoured to have died after buying or consuming the rice.

However, in a statement on Wednesday, the Nigerian Customs Service in Lagos and Ogun debunked the claims.

The Service declared that there was no deadly rice in circulation in any part of the country.

In a statement by the NCS, Seme Area Command, Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, described reports as entirely false, misleading, stressing that it did not reflect the reality of the matter.

“The attention of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area command, has been drawn to a widely circulated unfounded and baseless allegation claiming that the Command seized and distributed bags of rice without the knowledge of the purported owner, who then allegedly invoked traditional powers leading to the death of individuals, including a soldier at Badagry.

“The command wishes to categorically state that this narrative is entirely false, misleading, and does not reflect the reality of the matter,” the statement said.