The kidnappers of a group of Islamiyya students abducted in Niger State have demanded more than ₦100 million for their release, according to their teacher.

What the teacher said

Malam Aminu Bako, whose students were taken while helping him harvest maize on his farm in Rafi Local Government Area, said on Thursday, 5 November 2026, that the bandits had contacted village leaders with the ransom demand. He said 15 children were abducted, and called for urgent military action to rescue them. According to him, only the acting chairman of the local government and the divisional police officer had visited since the abduction, and families were relying on local vigilantes to track the kidnappers.

Where the children may be

Bako said information gathered by vigilantes suggests the children are still in Niger State, held in an isolated building guarded by heavily armed men, possibly without enough food. He said he was under intense pressure from worried parents.

Background

The students were abducted on 31 October from a farm in Tungan-Bako village near Pandogari. Police at the time said 14 students were taken and that a joint security operation had been launched. Rafi and surrounding areas have suffered repeated attacks by armed groups, and kidnapping for ransom remains widespread in north-west and north-central Nigeria. Paying ransom is illegal in Nigeria, although families often feel they have no choice.

What happens next

Families and community leaders are calling on the federal and state governments to step up efforts to rescue the children.

The Lagos State chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mustapha Adekunle, known as Sego, has declared an end to his dispute with the union's national president, Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly known as MC Oluomo.

What happened

In a video from a Lagos NURTW meeting on Thursday, 5 November 2026, Sego reportedly told members that the disagreement had ended. The announcement followed an intervention by Fuji music star Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, known as KWAM 1, who is said to have brokered peace between the two transport union leaders.

Background

The NURTW is one of the most powerful unions in Lagos, controlling motor parks across the state, and its leaders are influential in local politics. MC Oluomo was previously chairman of the Lagos State Parks Management Committee before becoming national president of the union. Details of the dispute between him and Sego were not made public. Earlier this week, the National Industrial Court in Lagos ordered the arrest of Sego and the union's Lagos secretary for failing to appear in a contempt case linked to a dispute with tricycle operators. MC Oluomo also made headlines this week after saying he was taking adult English lessons.

Why it matters

Peace between the two men is seen as important for stability in the union and in motor parks across Lagos, especially ahead of the 2027 elections.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has warned Nigerians about new tactics used by human traffickers to recruit victims.

What NAPTIP said

Speaking at a joint briefing by security and intelligence agencies in Abuja on Thursday, 5 November 2026, NAPTIP spokesman Adekoye Vincent said traffickers are increasingly exploiting social relationships, especially with women. He said they approach people at gyms, recreational centres and other social venues, first presenting themselves as service providers offering help with domestic needs, shopping or sourcing goods. Once they have built trust and familiarity, they lure victims with fake job offers and other promises.

Advice to the public

The agency urged Nigerians, particularly young women, to be cautious about strangers offering help or opportunities that seem too good to be true, to verify job offers, and to report suspicious approaches to the authorities.

Background

Nigeria is a major source, transit and destination country for human trafficking, with victims taken to other African countries, Europe and the Middle East for forced labour and sexual exploitation. This week, police in Mali rescued Nigerian women from a trafficking ring. NAPTIP has long warned that traffickers use fake job offers abroad, and more recently social media, to recruit victims.

Why it matters

Officials say awareness is one of the best defences against traffickers, who constantly change their methods.

Nigerians planning to fly home for Christmas and the New Year face sharply higher fares, according to booking data reported on Thursday, 5 November 2026.

The new prices

Economy tickets for flights departing on 20 and 21 December on routes linking Lagos and Abuja to cities in the South-East and South-South have reportedly risen to between ₦196,000 and ₦337,500, with some fares up by as much as 208 per cent. One airline was reportedly charging about ₦310,500 for a one-way Lagos–Benin flight, up from about ₦120,000. Air Peace, Aero Contractors and United Nigeria Airlines were among the carriers with the steepest increases.

Why fares rise

Demand for flights to the South-East and South-South surges every December as many people travel home for the holidays. Airlines say high costs of aviation fuel, foreign exchange for maintenance and leasing, and limited aircraft numbers push up fares. Senate President Godswill Akpabio said this week that even politicians are struggling to find aircraft to hire.

Background

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) previously accused some domestic airlines of fixing prices during the 2025 festive season. Airlines denied wrongdoing and blamed operating costs. Many travellers choose road travel instead, despite security concerns on some highways.

What it means

Consumer groups are urging regulators to monitor fares, while travel experts advise booking early to avoid the highest prices.