Military Air Strike Kills '20 Bandits, Five Vigilantes' in Zamfara

The Nigerian army has reportedly killed over 20 bandits in a coordinated air strike in Maraya and Wabi villages, Maru LGA of Zamfara state.

The operation, which took place on Saturday, also resulted in the deaths of five vigilante members due to their failure to comply with withdrawal orders.

According to Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region, the air strike was followed by a ground exploitation mission on June 1 by troops of Operation Fansan Yanma.

Makama said the mission confirmed the neutralisation of over 20 bandits and the destruction of several motorcycles and other equipment.

“Unfortunately, five vigilante members were killed, while two others sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment in the hospital. A few others sustained minor injuries and did not require hospitalisation,” the publication said.

The leader of the vigilante group has taken “full responsibility” for the casualties, admitting that some members disregarded instructions to withdraw from the outskirts of the village before the air strike.

“He admitted that despite being informed of the imminent air operation, some of the vigilante youths insisted on pursuing the fleeing bandits and were still within the target area when the aircraft struck,” the publication added.

In February, a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet killed six members of a family following an air strike targeting armed gangs in Katsina state.

Sources told TheCable that the jet dropped a bomb on a cluster of huts on Saturday, on the outskirts of Zakka village, in Safana district.

Apart from the POP in bread, nothing wreaks havoc on your health like an abusive relationship.
Yes, I said it.
You’re avoiding gluten but sleeping beside your trigger.
You stopped seasoning cubes but you’re digesting verbal abuse every day.
You quit processed foods but stayed with someone who processes your peace into powder.
And then you wonder why your blood pressure is high.
Why your chest is tight.
Why you’re forgetting things.
Why your period has gone mad.
Why your skin is breaking out.
Why your immune system is weak.
Let me break it for you:
Abuse is not just emotional.
It’s metabolic.
That toxic relationship is cooking up:
– High blood pressure
– Stroke risk
– Infertility
– Chronic anxiety
– Inflammation
– Hormonal imbalance
– Cancer
And you’ll blame village people.
No.
It’s the person beside you killing you slowly.
Stop praying for them to change.
Most of the time, you will die before they do.
Leave the table where your peace is always the sacrifice.
Leave the room where your nervous system can’t breathe.
Leave the cycle where your health keeps paying the price.
Healing is not just about food.
It’s about the people, the patterns, and the peace you permit.

7 THINGS THAT CAN MAKE YOU BROKE FASTER THAN VILLAGE PEOPLE

Forget jazz, forget enemies from the village—some of you are going broke at lightning speed, and it’s not because of witchcraft. Your own lifestyle is the real problem!

If you're always wondering "Who is eating my money?"—relax, Oga. The answer is you.

BRUTAL THREAD:

1. CHASING EVERY WOMAN YOU SEE

You think you're James Bond, moving from one fine girl to another, sponsoring their hair, nails, and data? Brother, you are your own Yahoo boy.

One babe says “I need urgent 2K”—you send.

Another one says “My rent is due”—you pay.

Next thing, your account balance is calling for GoFundMe.

Meanwhile, the same girls are in group chats laughing at you: “This guy dey try sha.”

Solution: Stop being an ATM with no PIN code. Focus on one woman or yourself first.

2. LIVING LIKE A BIG BOY WHEN YOUR ACCOUNT BALANCE IS SHOUTING HELP

Your salary is 50K, but you're in clubs ordering Hennessy like Davido. You don’t even have a car, but you're buying drinks for strangers—WHO SENT YOU?

Rich men are saving, you are spraying money.

Dangote is investing, you are doing “Odogwu” at the bar.

Elon Musk is buying companies, you are buying bottles for slay queens who don’t know your surname.

When the landlord comes for rent, you’ll start saying “Boss, abeg, things hard.”

Solution: Cut down on fake luxury. Even Jeff Bezos wears simple T-shirts. Be wise.

3. SENDING MONEY TO FAMILY LIKE CBN

Your uncle calls: “We need money for burial.”
Your aunt calls: “No food in the house.”
Your younger brother: “School fees.”

Now your account is empty, but when you need help? Nobody picks your call.

Oga, you are not the Minister of Finance. Even government doesn’t share free money like you do!

Solution: Learn to say NO sometimes! Help when you can, but don’t let family turn you into their personal budget.

4. ALWAYS BUYING THE LATEST PHONE TO IMPRESS WHO?

Last month, you were using iPhone 12.
This month, you saw iPhone 15 Pro Max and sold your kidney to buy it.
Next month, iPhone 16 Ultra Mega Max will drop—what will you sell next? Your destiny?

Meanwhile, the person you’re trying to impress is using Tecno Pop 5 and doesn’t care.

Solution: If your current phone is working, rest. Your future is more important than “Dynamic Island.”

5. FALLING FOR EVERY FAKE INVESTMENT SCHEME

They told you "Invest 50K, get 500K in 2 days."

You ran like Bolt, deposited your money.

Now, they’ve blocked you, and you’re writing epistles on Facebook: “Dear Nigerians, beware of fraudsters!”

Oga, they didn’t scam you, you scammed yourself!

Any investment that sounds like magic money is a Ponzi scheme in disguise.

Solution: If you don’t understand the business, don’t put your money there. Learn to invest wisely!

6. GOING BROKE JUST TO IMPRESS SOCIAL MEDIA

Your house rent is due, but you're buying designer shoes to take pictures for Instagram. Who told you “likes and comments” can pay rent?

You posted “Soft life only.”

But in real life, you’re trekking and borrowing money for food.

If your phone falls, you’ll cry because you can’t afford to fix it.

Solution: Stop forming fake rich life. Invest first, flex later.

7. BEING TOO LAZY TO MAKE MORE MONEY

You sit at home, scrolling Facebook from morning till night, complaining: “No job, Nigeria is hard.”

Meanwhile, opportunities are passing you by! Are you expecting an angel to drop money from the sky?

People are making money online—you are watching TikTok videos all day.

People are learning skills—you are arguing about football.

People are opening businesses—you are waiting for your rich uncle to die so you can inherit land.

Solution: Get up and hustle! Even the Bible says “A lazy man shall not eat.”

BOTTOM LINE:

If you're always broke, stop blaming village people. Your habits are the real witchcraft!

Live within your means.

Invest before you flex.

Stop impressing people who don’t care.

Make smart financial decisions.

If this post hit you hard, don’t cry. Just change your ways!

Follow Abasiodu Ekpenyong for more brutal truths that will save your life!

Zubaida and the Forbidden Grove

Episode 2: The Grove Remembers

The Blood-water Eclipse arrived with an eerie hush. The Nile glowed crimson under the moon’s eye. Zubaida and Sayid, dressed in sacred white cloth, approached the Forbidden Grove. The trees parted like watching guardians, and the air shimmered with memory.

As they stepped deeper, visions surrounded them—echoes of lost villagers, fragments of time caught in a loop. Zubaida heard laughter, then a cry. Her sister’s voice.

They reached the heart of the grove—a mirror-lake, still as glass. Zubaida peered in and gasped.

Across the lake stood Safina, unchanged, barefoot, eyes glowing. But she was not alone—she was part of the grove, a keeper between worlds. Trapped, yet thriving.

“I didn’t vanish,” Safina spoke. “I was chosen. The grove called one twin to stay and one to remember.”

Zubaida’s heart ached. “I came to bring you back.”

“You already have,” Safina smiled, touching the surface of the lake. A swirl of energy surged, and Zubaida fell unconscious.

When she awoke, she was at the edge of the grove. In her hand: a golden leaf glowing with warmth. Sayid helped her up.

From that day on, Zubaida’s tapestries became portals of wisdom. Her weavings told truths no one dared speak. People journeyed from kingdoms afar to hear her stories and learn from her gift.

She never married, but with Sayid by her side, she lived fulfilled, whispering to the grove each night.

And it is said—when a brave soul enters the Forbidden Grove now, a twin voice sings from the trees, guiding lost hearts home.

Zubaida and the Forbidden Grove
Origin: Sudan (Nubian Influence)

Episode 1: The Shadow Beneath the Date Palms

In the ancient village of Karma, along the banks of the Nile, lived Zubaida, a skilled weaver known for her mesmerizing tapestries. Her fingers danced like whispers over thread, telling stories of gods, crocodiles, lost queens, and sky spirits.

But Zubaida was haunted.

When she was just a child, her twin sister, Safina, disappeared after wandering near the Forbidden Grove—a stretch of sacred land said to be cursed by the goddess Nyarai, guardian of balance and time. Since then, Zubaida had seen glimpses of Safina in her dreams—eyes glowing like stars, hair dripping with river reeds.

Their father, once a palace advisor, had forbidden any talk of the grove. The village had moved on. But Zubaida had not.

At 25, Zubaida was unmarried—a rarity in her land. She was feared for her visions and her refusal to marry. Secretly, she made a vow: She would find the grove, and if Safina was alive—or even a whisper in the wind—she would bring her back.

One day, a stranger arrived: Sayid, a traveling scribe who came seeking a legendary pattern Zubaida had once woven of a “twin sun.” He claimed it matched ancient texts about portals hidden in sacred places.

As the two bonded over scrolls and stories, Sayid revealed something more:
His great-grandfather had once wandered into the Forbidden Grove and returned... changed. He spoke of a mirror-world, of spirits trapped between memories and time.

Together, Zubaida and Sayid made a plan to enter the grove during the Bloodwater Eclipse, when the moon turned red and the Nile whispered its oldest songs.

But the grove was watching. And something—or someone—was waiting.

To be continued

Story Time
Title: Zubaida and the Forbidden Grove
Origin: Sudan (Nubian Influence)

Episode 1: The Shadow Beneath the Date Palms

In the ancient village of Karma, along the banks of the Nile, lived Zubaida, a skilled weaver known for her mesmerizing tapestries. Her fingers danced like whispers over thread, telling stories of gods, crocodiles, lost queens, and sky spirits.

But Zubaida was haunted.

When she was just a child, her twin sister, Safina, disappeared after wandering near the Forbidden Grove—a stretch of sacred land said to be cursed by the goddess Nyarai, guardian of balance and time. Since then, Zubaida had seen glimpses of Safina in her dreams—eyes glowing like stars, hair dripping with river reeds.

Their father, once a palace advisor, had forbidden any talk of the grove. The village had moved on. But Zubaida had not.

At 25, Zubaida was unmarried—a rarity in her land. She was feared for her visions and her refusal to marry. Secretly, she made a vow: She would find the grove, and if Safina was alive—or even a whisper in the wind—she would bring her back.

One day, a stranger arrived: Sayid, a traveling scribe who came seeking a legendary pattern Zubaida had once woven of a “twin sun.” He claimed it matched ancient texts about portals hidden in sacred places.

As the two bonded over scrolls and stories, Sayid revealed something more:
His great-grandfather had once wandered into the Forbidden Grove and returned... changed. He spoke of a mirror-world, of spirits trapped between memories and time.

Together, Zubaida and Sayid made a plan to enter the grove during the Bloodwater Eclipse, when the moon turned red and the Nile whispered its oldest songs.

But the grove was watching. And something—or someone—was waiting.

To be continued

*SOME NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER HEADLINES+, 29/05/2025*

Fed Govt to pay N45,000 monthly stipend to technical college students

Only $1.23bn external borrowing plan for 2025, says FG

DMO’s N300bn Sukuk attracts over N2.2tr in subscriptions

SEC warns Nigerians against unregistered Silverkuun investment scheme

African literature giant Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o dies at 87

4 Herders, Cattle Killed In Fresh Plateau Attacks

Motorists lament as ECOWAS summit grounds traffic in Lagos

Unity Cup: Dessers scores as S’Eagles beat Ghana 2-1 in London

Musk to exit US govt role after rare break with Trump

US suspends student visas as Harvard protests Trump’s cuts

Chile govt proposes to legalise abortion

S’Africa overtakes Nigeria as Africa’s top fuel importer – Report

Nigeria, Germany begin review of draft hydrogen policy

Nigerians hit as Canada announces new immigration cap

Over 100,000 Cameroonians, other asylum-seekers in Nigeria – Report

Nigerian Pilgrim Returns Missing N8.2m To Russian Owner In Makkah

*Our Error*
Yesterday, we said ECOWAS was established on May 28, 1975 with headquarters in Abuja. That is wriong. It was established on that date but had its headquarters in Lagos. The error is regretted.

----------------------------
*DID YOU KNOW?*

* About 75% of the Earth’s volcanoes are roughly arranged in the shape of a horseshoe in the Pacific Ocean. This zone is called the Pacific Ring of Fire and about 90% of all earthquakes also occur in this region.

* Black Sapote, a fruit native to Central and South America, tastes like chocolate and sweet custard.
----------------------------

Mid-term: Security, economy improving under my watch — Tinubu

ECOWAS at 50: Tinubu urges unity as Gowon seeks return of departed members

Tinubu hails Gov Abiodun at 65

Akpabio constitutes standing committees for SSDC, SEDC, NWDC, SWDC, NCDC

Tinubu saved Nigeria’s economy from collapse, says Kalu

N’Assembly set to transmit tax bills to president

Emergency rule: Rivers N1.48tn budget scales second reading in Senate

Senate passes N1.8trn 2025 FCT budget

Senate passes Nigeria Police Trust Fund’s N124.2bn 2024 budget

Senate seeks security beef up in Taraba, Bauchi, Plateau boundaries

Reps raise alarm over state of Nigerian missions in America

Bill seeking 15% women enlistment in Army advances

I’m ready for trial but police must probe Akpabio, Bello – Natasha

Emefiele appeals final forfeiture order of 753 housing units estate

Kanu admitted smuggling radio transmitter into Nigeria – DSS’ witness

127 foreign nationals arrested in Kano for alleged cybercrimes, others

Naira abuse: Kano TikToker, Murja Kunya, gets six-month jail term

NSA faults Amnesty, says report of 10,000 killed in violence false

Northwest safer now than before, says Theatre Commander

Military arrests four Pakistanis over alleged terror links

NSCDC seals Chinese security firm, six others in Abuja

Minister vows full WAEC CBT shift next year

FG’s Sukuk breaks record with 735% oversubscription

FG unveils digital village with free internet for Abuja community

Boat mishaps: FG presents 3,500 life jacks to Lagos waterways authority

It’s nonsense to accuse Tinubu of imposing one party system – Presidency

NERC issues guidelines on third-party electricity bill collections

Tinubu’s reforms will address energy debt crisis, says ECN

Over 4,000 teachers fail national qualifying exam

NEDC commissions 13 projects in Borno

Abuja residents not paying taxes my greatest challenge – Wike

Expect Ground Rent Hike, Wike Tells Abuja Property Owners

Menstrual Hygiene Day: First Lady canvasses end to period poverty

NUC accredits medicine, law, others at Benson Idahosa varsity

Teenager gets university scholarship, N5m for creativity

Mid-term: Buhari hails Tinubu, urges Nigerians to moderate expectations

Buhari cites medical reason for absence at ECOWAS 50th anniversary

Address security challenges, Onaiyekan urges Tinubu

Coronation Merchant Bank reports N13.4bn PBT

Kwale Gas honoured in China

S’Court judgment validates my tenure as PDP secretary, says Anyanwu

Secretariat: PDP decries continued closure despite Tinubu’s order

2027: Obi’s ally dumps LP, joins APC to work for Tinubu’s reelection

Osun 2026: NIWA boss blasts PDP, denies selling bank shares to Ponzi scheme

Aiyedatiwa sets up anti-land grabbing taskforce in Ondo

Edo gov considers amnesty for cultists, illegal arms possessors

Umahi not controlling me, says Nwifuru

Makinde hands over medical equipment to Adeoyo state hospital

Delta IGR rises from N83bn to N158bn in 2024 – Oborevwori

Jigawa Assembly demands financial prudence from LGs

Bayelsa seeks justice for slain 26-year-old

NSF: Ogun Athletes protest over delayed allowances

Ogun govt slams ‘impatient’ athletes after sports festival protest

Bauchi establishes 10 more fire stations

N8.5bn spent on cultural festivals sponsorship – LASG

Osun students, teachers lament nightfall WAEC exam

LASPPA registers 3,800 service providers, generates N3.5bn

30,000 Akwa Ibom youths to benefit from job initiative

Oyo Catholic Church sealed, fined N500,000 over sewage disposal

Bodies of three family members recovered from Lagos collapsed building

Rivers pastor in police net for defiling 10-year-old girl

Lagos farmer jailed 14 years for defiling daughter

Spinal cord patient seeks help, laments hardship for 22 years

Enugu community discovers underground pits where ritualist buries victims alive

----------------------------

*TODAY IN HISTORY*

* On this day in 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo became the civilian president of Nigeria after 16 years of military rule. The former Army general and military ruler ruled the country till 2007.

* On this day in 1953, Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay conquered Mount Everest. The first successful ascent of the world’s highest mountain came after Tom Bourdillon and Charles Evans had come within 100 meters of the summit just three days previously.

----------------------------

You can cut all the flowers but you cannot keep spring from coming. – Pablo Neruda

Good morning

*Compiled by Hon. Osuji George osujis@yahoo.com, +234-8122200446*

10,217 Killed, 672 Villages Sacked In Two Years Of Tinubu’s Government –Amnesty International | Sahara Reporters bit.ly/3StbVqR

Makena’s Dowry – The Price of a Brave Heart
Episode 2: The Trials of Kamau

The elders gathered at the village square beneath the mũgumo tree, their faces solemn. Kamau stood before them, barefoot but unshaken, as Baraka declared the three sacred trials.

Trial One: The Cursed River of Nyaki.
The river was feared. It whispered names of the dead and swallowed canoes whole. Kamau was to retrieve a calabash of water from its center by moonrise.

Makena watched him depart, heart thudding. By dusk, the villagers gathered, murmuring prayers. Kamau approached the river’s edge, whispered an old lullaby his grandmother once taught him—a song meant to calm angry spirits. The winds slowed. The waters stilled. With steady steps, he crossed on foot, as if the river bowed to him. He returned with the calabash full and the river silent.

Trial Two: The Leopard of Gituamba Forest.
This beast had terrorized farmers, killing goats and even warriors. Kamau had to either slay it or tame it. Armed only with a spear and courage, he entered the dense woods. Two days passed.

On the third morning, he emerged—not with the leopard’s head, but walking beside the beast, which followed him like a companion. He had removed a thorn from its paw, fed it, and shared his warmth through the cold night. The elders gasped.

“Even the wild bows to one with peace in his heart,” Baraka whispered.

Trial Three: The Question of Legacy.
Baraka’s voice thundered: “What makes a man worthy of a daughter whose spirit is bigger than a village?”

Kamau answered:
“I do not seek to own Makena or silence her fire. I seek to guard it, stand beside it, and be warmed by it. I will build with her, not ahead of her.”

The wind shifted. Drums began to beat.

Baraka stood, eyes moist. “Then take her, not with gold, but with honor.”

Makena ran into Kamau’s arms. And as the village sang and danced, it was said that even the prophecy bowed that day, for Makena’s brave heart had found its match—not in wealth, but in spirit.

Makena’s Dowry – The Price of a Brave Heart
Origin: Kenya (Kikuyu people)

Episode 1: The Weight of a Name

In the village of Ndaro-ini, nestled among Kenya’s highlands, lived Makena, the only child of Mzee Baraka, the respected village elder. Makena’s mother had died at childbirth, and her father had raised her with the fierceness of a lion and the tenderness of a weaverbird. Unlike the other girls, she hunted, debated with elders, and often mediated conflicts with uncommon wisdom.

By the time she turned 20, she was the pride of the village—beautiful, headstrong, and fearless. But Baraka, aging and mindful of his lineage, announced her hand in marriage at the annual harvest festival.

To the village’s shock, he demanded twenty bulls, ten ivory bracelets, and land near the sacred fig tree as dowry. It was an outrageous request. Even chiefs’ daughters never commanded such a price. The villagers whispered that Baraka sought to price his daughter out of marriage.

But Baraka had his reasons. He remembered a prophecy given at her birth:
"The child born under the blood moon will carry a fire that may burn or build a kingdom."
He feared for her. If she married weakly, she would be destroyed. Only a man of vision, courage, and wisdom could walk beside her.

Days turned into weeks as suitors came and failed. Some scoffed at the price. Others tried to bargain. Makena rejected all who didn’t carry heart or purpose.

Then came Kamau, a humble herder from a distant ridge. He arrived not with bulls or riches, but with a single white cow, a carved flute, and stories of helping unite his war-torn village.

When questioned by the elders, he said, “I have not wealth in cattle, but I bring peace wherever I walk. Let me earn her hand through the trials of honor.”

Baraka, intrigued, set three impossible tests for Kamau—one involving the cursed river, one the rogue leopard, and one, a question no man had yet answered.

Makena watched from afar, heart caught between hope and dread.

To be continued in Episode 2

Makena’s Dowry – The Price of a Brave Heart
Episode 2: The Trials of Kamau

The elders gathered at the village square beneath the mũgumo tree, their faces solemn. Kamau stood before them, barefoot but unshaken, as Baraka declared the three sacred trials.

Trial One: The Cursed River of Nyaki.
The river was feared. It whispered names of the dead and swallowed canoes whole. Kamau was to retrieve a calabash of water from its center by moonrise.

Makena watched him depart, heart thudding. By dusk, the villagers gathered, murmuring prayers. Kamau approached the river’s edge, whispered an old lullaby his grandmother once taught him—a song meant to calm angry spirits. The winds slowed. The waters stilled. With steady steps, he crossed on foot, as if the river bowed to him. He returned with the calabash full and the river silent.

Trial Two: The Leopard of Gituamba Forest.
This beast had terrorized farmers, killing goats and even warriors. Kamau had to either slay it or tame it. Armed only with a spear and courage, he entered the dense woods. Two days passed.

On the third morning, he emerged—not with the leopard’s head, but walking beside the beast, which followed him like a companion. He had removed a thorn from its paw, fed it, and shared his warmth through the cold night. The elders gasped.

“Even the wild bows to one with peace in his heart,” Baraka whispered.

Trial Three: The Question of Legacy.
Baraka’s voice thundered: “What makes a man worthy of a daughter whose spirit is bigger than a village?”

Kamau answered:
“I do not seek to own Makena or silence her fire. I seek to guard it, stand beside it, and be warmed by it. I will build with her, not ahead of her.”

The wind shifted. Drums began to beat.

Baraka stood, eyes moist. “Then take her, not with gold, but with honor.”

Makena ran into Kamau’s arms. And as the village sang and danced, it was said that even the prophecy bowed that day, for Makena’s brave heart had found its match—not in wealth, but in spirit.

It was a prank’ – Speed Darlington makes U-turn on rape admittance

Controversial musician, Speed Darlington, aka Akpi, has claimed that his recent admittance to rape was a prank.

DAILY POST reported that the rapper during a recent Instagram live session confessed to defiled a 15-year-old girl.

His confession sparked controversy, with many calling for the entertainer’s arrest.

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, also reacted, revealing that it has forwarded the case to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further action.

In a new video shared via his Instagram page, Speed Darlington claimed his rape admittance was a prank, intended to spark controversy.

He claimed that artists like himself, need controversy to make a living.

“This video is for all of you who are ranging because I said I had sexual encounter with a 15-year-old. I’m an artiste, we need controversy to eat. If you are not trending, you are not going to get booked for shows. I just dropped a song titled, ‘Village Girl.’ It’s about coitus. I don’t do Christian music. When we release a song like that, we make sexual content to promote it.

“So, that was what I was doing. Don’t give it more light that it is supposed to have. But if any of you is offended, apologies… For intending artists, you have to be controversial. That was what you saw me doing in that video, selling my market. That’s what it is. And I hope you guys understand. Peace!”