The Defence Headquarters has attributed the recent abduction incident in Oyo State to members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) terrorist group displaced from their former strongholds by ongoing military operations across the country.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, dismissed reports suggesting that the military had downplayed the presence of terrorist elements in the South-West. He said intelligence gathered by security agencies indicated that the attackers responsible for the Oyo kidnapping were insurgents forced out of other regions by sustained offensives by the armed forces.

The development has heightened concerns over the spread of insecurity beyond the North-East, particularly in parts of the South-West where kidnapping incidents have increased in recent months.

Meanwhile, political activities intensified across the country as the ruling All Progressives Congress concluded governorship primaries in 25 states ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The exercises, however, suffered setbacks in Kwara and Bauchi states after party leaders failed to secure consensus arrangements among aspirants. In Zamfara State, state assembly primaries in two constituencies were also postponed, while delays in the arrival of electoral materials disrupted voting in parts of Nasarawa State.

Despite the challenges, the party successfully produced governorship candidates in states including Oyo, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Rivers, Delta, Benue, Borno and Ogun. The APC also inaugurated committees to oversee its 2026 presidential primary process, naming former Senate President Pius Anyim as chairman of the primary committee and former Katsina State governor Aminu Masari as head of the appeal panel.

In another major development, President Bola Tinubu approved the appointment of Professor Segun Aina as the new registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

The appointment was announced on Thursday by presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga. Aina, a professor of Computer Engineering at Obafemi Awolowo University, will assume office following the expiration of the tenure of the current registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, on July 31, 2026.

The Presidency described Aina as a specialist in digital infrastructure and examination systems, noting that his experience in institutional reforms influenced his selection.

Elsewhere in Oyo State, preparations were underway on Friday for the burial of Adesiyan Adegboye, one of the teachers killed during last week’s attack on schools in Oriire Local Government Area.

Adegboye, 49, was among those murdered when gunmen invaded multiple schools in the area, abducting several teachers and students. Family members, colleagues and residents have continued to demand justice and improved security following the incident.

Also on Thursday, the Lagos State High Court admitted into evidence the written statement and interrogation video of Benjamin Nnayereugo, popularly known as Killaboi, in the ongoing trial over the alleged murder of his girlfriend, Augusta Onuwabhagbe.

An investigating police officer from the State Criminal Investigation Department testified before the court after the conclusion of evidence by the deceased’s mother, as proceedings continued in the high-profile murder case.