Lagos-based Nigerian pastor, Kingsley Okonkwo has criticized “junior pastors” who took issue with him for having a tattoo.

While preaching in church recently, the cleric said he felt insulted by people he described as ‘’junior ministers' condemning him for having a tattoo.

The clergyman who recently turned fifty, said there is ‘’ranking in the spirit'' and so it is an insult on him for junior pastors to be condemning him for having a tattoo.

In his words: ’Interestingly, it is only one or two ministers from the videos I saw about my tattoo issue that were grounded and sound enough to understand it, Most of them are the religious people.

"Every interpretation they gave, they couldn't say tattoo is a sin. Even if you are a basic Christian, you know tattoo is not a sin.

"What I noticed about those pastors is that they said ‘Oh, Tattoo is not a sin and then they used the popular scripture ’is it expedient?  why did you post it?' 

"Stupid talk!  and I am insulted because there is ranking in the spirit. My junior can't talk when I am talking. There is ranking in the spirit''.

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The Presidency of Nigeria has dismissed claims by former Nasir El-Rufai, saying he is merely attempting to stir tension in the country.

Senior Special Assistant to Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, made this statement in a post on his verified X handle on Monday.

He added that El-Rufai’s was equally diverting attention from his massive corruption allegations in Kaduna State.

He equally alleged that El-Rufai is trying so hard to damage the government through deliberate misinformation.

According to him, the ex-governor is drawing attention and to project himself as a victim of persecution.

Ajayi further noted that El-Rufai wants to nationalise his personal problems with his home state government, knowing that Nigerians will not be on his side over corruption charges.

“El-Rufai has two clear intentions behind his recent actions and tantrums. One, to create political tension in the country, create an atmosphere of fear and unrest

“Two, to divert attention from his domestic problems in Kaduna State, where he is facing massive corruption allegations,” Ajayi wrote.

Recall that El-Rufai during an interview on a national television slammed the All Progressives Congress, APC-led Federal Government upon his return to the country.

The Department of State Services, DSS, attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, a development which has triggered national debates.

A Nigerian man, Balogun Adisa Ridwan, previously reported de@d in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, has been found alive after being taken captive by Ukrainian soldiers.

Ridwan was listed among Nigerians allegedly k!lled in the conflict, having travelled to Russia in search of employment.

His name circulated in media reports in February, with claims that he and three others, namely Adam Anas, Akinlawon Tunde Kuyum, and Abugu Stanley Onyeka, had d!ed after being recruited under false pretenses and sent to the battlefield.

However, he had been taken prisoner by Ukrainian forces near the city of Lyman in the Donetsk region on January 13, 2026, after surrendering at the front lines.

From captivity, he would later learn that he had already been declared de@d back home in Nigeria.

According to his account, he was promised employment but later found himself at a military base where he signed documents he could not understand due to language barriers.

“The day we were signing the contract, I didn’t understand the language,” Balogun says. “They didn’t allow us to use our phones to translate, so we signed our contracts. I told them already about my job. Maybe they were going to put me in my field. I didn’t know they would use me.”

Faced with combat, Balogun said he and another foreign recruit made the decision to surrender immediately upon encountering Ukrainian troops.

“I was lucky to be captured by the Ukrainians. They are good people,” Balogun said.

He described his treatment in custody as humane, stating that Ukrainian soldiers did not harm him and instead provided clothing, warm shelter, and food. According to him, the capture ultimately saved his life.

Now confirmed alive, Balogun is seeking permission to return to Nigeria.

He insists he travelled abroad strictly in search of civilian employment and was misled into military service.

“I travelled to Russia on a tourist visa to find a job,” says Balogun. “The government of Russia grossly fooled me, turned me into a soldier, and sent me to war in Ukraine.”

“I appeal to my government, to my president, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Forgive your son. I left home to feed my family. It did not work out the way I wanted. I went to have a job as a mechanic or engineer. The Russian government totally fooled me,” he said.

Kenneth Okonkwo, the politician and veteran Nollywood actor, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to consider rescheduling the 2027 general elections in the country.

According to him, he is disappointed that INEC did not schedule all elections for 2027, including the presidential and governorship polls, to hold on the same day.

He argued that Nigeria doesn’t have huge financial resources to accommodate the logistics involved in having elections on two different days within two weeks.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain added that security and economic challenges may also make it difficult for Nigerians to return to vote two weeks after voting for the first time, according to the election timetable released by INEC.

Okonkwo therefore urged the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to reschedule all the elections to hold on one day.

He argued that this will also cut the “unacceptable budget” of ₦873b almost into half to prosecute the election.

“I am very disappointed in INEC for not scheduling all the elections to hold the same day. There’s nothing in the law that forbids it from doing that. Paragraph 2 of its Regulations and Guidelines is a rule it made, which it can override whenever circumstances demand.

“Nigeria doesn’t have huge financial resources to accommodate the humongous logistics involved in having elections in two different days within two weeks. Nigerians would find it difficult to return back to vote again two weeks after voting the first time because of security and economic challenges. Things are difficult now in Nigeria, and INEC should not add to it. Voter apathy will result if this is not done.

“Prof Amupitan should immediately reschedule all the elections to hold on one day. This will cut the unacceptable budget of N873b almost into half to prosecute the election,” Okonkwo wrote on Monday.

Recall that INEC ON Friday, 13th February, released the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.

Tensions flared at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja on Monday, as protesters and supporters of former Nasir El-Rufai reportedly clashed with security personnel.

Tear gas was reportedly deployed to disperse the crowd.

In a video cited by our reporter, voices of various protesters were heard saying; “We will come back; when it clears, we will come back,” signaling the group’s determination to return despite the disruption.

Earlier, Tori News reported that El-Rufai had arrived at the EFCC premises with hundreds of his supporters, following reports of his attempted arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport last Thursday.

Former Nasir El-Rufai has complied with an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, was earlier invited for questioning over alleged corruption linked to his administration.

He arrived the EFCC headquarters with hundreds of his supporters.

Recall that the former governor refused arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Thursday last week.

The Nigerian government is preparing to arraign former Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations of unlawfully intercepting the phone communications of the former National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

According to court documents filed on February 16, 2026, El-Rufai is facing three counts.

“Count One: Admitting, during a February 13 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time Programme, that he and his associates unlawfully intercepted the communications of the NSA, contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

“Count Two: Knowing and associating with individuals involved in the unlawful interception without reporting them to security agencies, in violation of Section 27(b) of the same Act.

“Count Three: Using technical equipment or systems to compromise public safety and national security by intercepting the NSA’s communications, an offence under Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.”

The charges were filed by counsel to the Department of State Services, including M.E. Ernest, O.M. Owan, U.M. Bulla, C.S. Eze, and E.G. Orubor.

The Federal High Court is expected to hear the case in the coming days, as the government moves to prosecute El-Rufai.

Justice Abubakar Adamu of the Sokoto State High Court has convicted and sentenced Rilwanu Yusuf to two years in prison for defrauding victims through a money-doubling scam.

Yusuf was jailed on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, after he pleaded guilty to separate one-count charges of cheating, according to the EFCC on Monday.

The court heard that the convict fraudulently obtained the sum of N430,000 from his victims under the false pretense that he possessed supernatural powers to double money.

He deceived the victims into parting with their funds on the promise of multiplying the amount, a claim the prosecution described as deliberate fraud.

The offence is said to contravene Section 310 of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law and is punishable under Section 311 of the same law.

Upon his guilty plea, the court convicted Yusuf and sentenced him to two years in prison.

The ruling highlights ongoing concerns over fraudulent schemes exploiting citizens with promises of quick wealth, particularly amid economic strain.

Authorities have continued to warn the public against falling for such deceptive tactics.