• 77 people allegedly abducted by a church in Ondo town
• Man burns his wife to death in Ogun State
• No room for Godfatherism in Labour party – Hembe
• Nigeria pays $300million amidst worsening revenue
• Reps plan seperate pension scheme for NASS

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

77 people allegedly abducted by a church in Ondo town

The Ondo police has said that they have rescued 77 persons from a church including 26 children, 8 teenagers, and 43 adults who were found locked in the basement of a church; Whole Bible Deliverance Church located at Valentino Area of Ondo town, Ondo State.

It was alleged that the victims were kidnapped and kept in the underground apartment of the church for over six months before they were rescued.

In a viral video, the victims were seen in a patrol vehicle on their way to the police station and a voice was heard saying, “There are kidnapped children found in the underground cell of a church in Valentino Area of Ondo. The pastor and some members of the church have been arrested and were also in the police patrol van.”

In a statement given by Funmilayo Odunlami, the police spokesperson in the state earlier on Saturday, she disclosed that the police arrested the pastors and other members involved and that an investigation was ongoing.

Man burns his wife to death in Ogun state

According to reports, a man identified as Ponle Adebanjo has allegedly burnt his estranged wife to death after she left him over domestic violence.

Lateefat, who was identified as the victim, was reportedly burnt to death on Saturday in the Otun-Akute area of Ogun State by her estranged husband.

DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, confirmed the incident on Sunday.

Oyeyemi noted that the husband had been arrested since Saturday after neighbours of the victim reported the incident.

In his statement, he said that the estranged husband, Ponle, was reported to have told many people in the area that the wife had no right to live alone and vowed that no other man would be with her, after she left him due to physical abuse.

The couple was married for three years and resided in Otun-Akute, until the woman, Lateefat, decided to leave him when she could no longer cope with the abuse.

“Mr. Ponle went back to the victim’s house on Saturday night and met her praying. He poured petrol on her in the room and set her ablaze but the woman managed to grab him to ensure they burned together until people intervened. They were rushed to a nearby hospital where the woman was confirmed dead”, the DSP said.

The PPRO further said the suspect had confessed and would be charged to court.

No room for Godfatherism in Labour party – Hembe

The Benue state governorship candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Heman Hembe, made an assertion over the weeked about godfatherism having no place in the party.

Hembe who made this declaration while commissioning his campaign organization in Makurdi called on party faithfuls to rally round his aspiration.

In his statement, he added that there was no one person that has gone to the National Assembly that would say they have done better than what he has done. He also said that though people may call him all sorts of names, you will never hear them say that he has not performed.

He then asserted that the Labour Party has no godfather and it is the party of the ordinary people, the party of the pensioners, the party of the civil servants a the party of the market women and traders.

“It is a party that takes pity in the ordinary people, the party that will bring you out of the situation where you are today.” Hembe said

Nigeria pays $300million amidst worsening revenue

According to a statement released by Nigeria’s Debt management office, DMO, Nigeria has redeemed a $300m diaspora bond, which matured on June 27, 2022.

In the statement, the DMO stated that the bond was issued on June 27, 2022, for a tenor of five years in the International Capital Market and added that the proceeds from the bond were partly used to finance the deficit in the 2017 Appropriation Act.

He then proceeded to assure bond investors of Nigeria’s commitment to honoring its debt obligation, urging the Nigerian Diaspora to invest more in the country.

Reps plan separate pension scheme for NASS

The House of Representatives has on Thursday last week, began the process of pulling out the National Assembly from the contributory pension scheme under the administration of the National Pension Commission.

The House is to create a separate body to administer matters relating to pensions for workers in the federal parliament.

At the plenary session, the House considered and adopted the report of its Committee on National Planning and Economic Development on the legislation titled ‘A Bill for an Act to Amend the Pension Reform Act, 2014 to Exclude/Exempt the National Assembly Service from the Contributory Pension Scheme and Establish the National Assembly Service Pension Board.’