Operatives of the Command Anti-Cult Unit (CACU) of the Delta State Police Command, have arrested one Chukwuka Nzete (aka “Ododo”) of Isupe Community, Ndokwa West LGA, who was suspected of involvement in the illegal sale and proliferation of firearms.

The suspect allegedly operated a shrine where suspected criminal elements were fortified.

State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, said that the suspect was arrested following an intelligence-led operation on 9th September 2026.

Edafe said “A search of the suspect’s residence led to the recovery of one pump-action gun, four dagger knives, one battle axe and pots containing substances suspected to be charms.

“The suspect was taken into custody, while investigation is ongoing to unravel the full extent of his activities and possible links with other criminal elements”.

He said that operatives of the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU), acting on credible intelligence, also stormed a residence in Obiaruku following information that the occupant was in possession of a firearm and ammunition on 12th September 2026.

Edafe said that the suspect, Joel Iwomi, 36 years, of Umuebu, Obiaruku, resisted the operatives’ attempt to gain access to the premises.

“The operatives, however, successfully gained entry and conducted a search, during which one pump-action gun and eighteen (18) live cartridges were recovered. The suspect was arrested and taken into custody. Investigation is ongoing”, the statement reads.

The Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, Samuel E. Erale, in his remarks, reaffirmed the command’s resolve to deny criminal elements access to illicit firearms and other weapons capable of threatening public safety.

The CP further called on residents to remain vigilant and promptly provide credible information on suspicious persons, illegal firearms and criminal activities within their communities, assuring that all actionable information will be treated with the necessary confidentiality.

Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team, the Falconets, on Sunday thrashed New Caledonia 10-1 in their final Group F match at the 2026 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland.

The Director of Media and Communications of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire, disclosed the result in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.

The emphatic victory at the Stadion Miejski ŁKS Łódź secured Nigeria’s passage to the round of 16 and recorded the team’s biggest winning margin in the tournament so far.

Winner David led the scoring with a hat-trick, finding the net in the hour mark, 75th minute and stoppage-time.

Ramotalahi Kareem, Rebecca Adegbeimile and Tosin Rafiu also scored for Nigeria, while New Caledonia’s Joceline Kourevi scored a consolation goal in the 89th minute.

The Falconets dominated proceedings, particularly in the second half, creating a series of chances as they overwhelmed the New Caledonian defence.

From the hour mark, Nigeria mounted sustained pressure, with Janet Akekoromowei, Amber Ogbolu and Kareem among those threatening the opposition goal.

Set pieces also played a key role, with Tumininu Adeshina and Rafiu delivering a series of corners that kept New Caledonia under pressure.

Head Coach, Moses Aduku made changes to maintain the team’s intensity, introducing Ogbolu, Victory Lucky and Bright Effiong Etim in the 62nd and 79th minutes.

The substitutions helped Nigeria sustain the tempo and contributed to the late surge that produced more goals.

Nigeria had earlier lost 2-0 to Spain and played out a goalless draw against China.

The result took the Falconets to four points from three matches and confirmed their second-place finish in Group F.

Nigeria will face England, winners of Group E, in the round of 16 on Thursday.

Meanwhile, NFF’s Acting General Secretary, Dr Emmanuel Ikpeme, commended the Falconets for their performance against New Caledonia.

“The Presidency through the National Sports Commission, the NFF and Nigerian Football stakeholders, and I believe all Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, are very proud of the outing of the Falconets against New Caledonia.

“They showed the true Nigeria spirit and overcame the odds when it mattered most.

“The result has taken them to the Round of 16, and we believe the team can only get better.

“I charge them to sustain the win-mentality and go all the way,” Ikpeme said.

The result also ended New Caledonia’s campaign without a point.

The tournament debutants had already suffered heavy defeats against China and Spain and were unable to withstand Nigeria’s sustained pressure in their final group appearance.

Falconets’ 10-goal haul not only secured the required result but also transformed Nigeria’s goal difference, which proved crucial in determining their progression from a tightly contested group.

The result advanced Spain, Nigeria and China to the round of 16.

The ‌‍‍‍⁠⁠‌‍⁠‍‌‌⁠⁠‌results leave Spain at the top of Group F with nine points and 15-goal difference, while Nigeria occupy second  position with four points and plus seven  goal difference.

China dropped to third position with four points and plus three goal difference and New Caledonia are at the bottom with a minus 25 goal difference.

In another match played on Sunday, Spain beat China, 3-1.

The 2026 edition commenced on Sept. 5 and is expected to end on Sept. 27 (NAN)

Women farmers and petty traders in Bwari Area Council, FCT, have urged the government and stakeholders to provide affordable finance, storage facilities and market linkages to boost their businesses.

The women, who spoke in separate interviews on Sunday in Abuja, said an improved support mechanism would also boost their household incomes.

They said inadequate capital, rising cost of farm inputs, poor storage facilities, transportation challenges and unstable prices of farm produce remained major challenges to their livelihoods.

Theresa Elias, a vegetable farmer, said women farmers often invested heavily in production but struggled to make reasonable profits due to inadequate access to markets and post-harvest losses.

She noted that the absence of affordable storage facilities forced many farmers to sell their produce immediately after harvest, sometimes at prices below the cost of production.

“Some of us produce and sell these greens and tomatoes you see in the market and we transport them from interior communities far from the town where we live and farm.

“Farming is profitable but its major challenges are storage and transportation and sometimes, we bear the burden of losses if we do not sell off everything immediately,” she said.

Elias, who said she used the business to support her husband who is also a farmer, added that selling the farm produce after harvest helped sustain her family and meet other needs.

She appealed to relevant agricultural agencies to establish community-based storage facilities and strengthen linkages between farmers and bulk buyers to reduce waste and improve their bargaining power.

Another farmer, Grace Awoyi, said the rising prices of fertiliser, seeds, pesticides and other farm inputs had made farming increasingly difficult for women operating on a small scale.

According to her, access to low-interest loans and grants will enable women farmers to expand their farms, acquire improved inputs and increase food production.

She said: “Sometimes we have good harvests, but the challenge is where and how to sell them at a good price.

“Middlemen here often dictate prices because we have limited access to bigger markets and we can’t process or store the produce for future use, except for local drying.”

Awoyi called for measures to ensure fair and transparent pricing of farm produce, saying stronger farmer cooperatives and access to reliable market information would help women negotiate better prices and reduce exploitation by middlemen.

She further urged the council, private and government-related agricultural development organisations to prioritise and initiate programmes that support women farmers in rural communities.

Similarly, Shekwoyemi Daniel, a petty trader who sells food items at Zamayi Market in Bwari, said inadequate working capital and fluctuating prices had made it difficult to maintain sufficient stock.

According to Daniel, traders are also affected by transportation costs, low purchasing power among consumers and competition from larger businesses.

She, however, said women-friendly credit schemes, training in financial management and stronger connections between traders, producers and established markets would help many women grow their businesses.

She said: “In spite of all these challenges, some of us have recorded progress through personal savings, cooperative societies, skills acquisition programmes and support from community-based organisations.

“The cooperative group I belong to has helped some of us access small loans, purchase farm inputs collectively and support one another during periods of financial difficulty.

“This is why I believe that if we get bigger and stronger support from government or other development organisations, we can do better in business and support our families at the same time.”

Daniel added that supporting women farmers and petty traders would not only improve livelihoods but also contribute to food security, employment creation and economic development in Bwari.

She, therefore, urged the government to move beyond occasional empowerment programmes and establish sustainable interventions that would enable women to build businesses capable of surviving economic challenges.

Anna Yonah, a women leader in the Baran-goni community, also said improved access to mobile banking and social media platforms had enabled some women to advertise their products and reach customers beyond their immediate communities.

She, however, stressed that such progress remained limited as many women still lacked sufficient capital, business facilities and access to larger markets.

She appealed for regular capacity-building programmes on improved farming methods, food processing, packaging, bookkeeping and digital marketing to enable the women to compete more effectively. (NAN)