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Residents, Management of River Park Estate, Abuja deny planned gunmen attack
Residents and Management of popular River Park Estate in Lugbe axis of Abuja, have denied of planned gunmen attack on the estate which has gone viral, saying the report has been investigated and there was no such thing happening.
The management of the Estate was reacting to a viral video claiming that an armed attack was underway at River Park Estate earlier on Saturday the 20th, which sent panic through the community, adding that the truth behind the incident is far less dramatic – and far more disturbing. Residents, grappling with the fallout of the hoax, are now calling for, increased vigilance, responsible social media use, and a renewed focus on shared responsibility for security.
The video, titled “Gunmen At Riverpark Estate Right Now,” sparked panic among residents and beyond. However, a resident Moses Okezie-Okafor, a lawyer present at the police station during the subsequent investigation, revealed the shocking truth, saying, the supposed victim, who didn’t even live in the Estate, orchestrated an elaborate scheme to scam money from his friend, a River Park resident.
Mr. Okezie-Okafor’s lamented the irresponsibility of some persons due to pursuit of money, adding that it was a criminal act that the law must take its course.
He said: “From the account of the arrested persons, including the alleged ‘victim’, he had disappeared for days, checked into a hotel with a female companion, and claimed abduction by captors who were demanding money.
“His friend, believing the story, invited the ‘captors’ who turned out to be two young men – a taxi driver and his friend – to collect the ransom at the Estate entrance. Once they agreed and were en route, he quickly reported the matter to the River Park Division of the Nigerian Police which set up an ambush for the suspected kidnappers, resulting in the scene captured in the video.”
Also another resident who was identified as Mr Tunde expressed regreat at the panic caused by the hoax.
Mr Oghale, advised the alarmist not to put the lives of another residents at risk because “you want to resolve a personal issue. There are different stories flying around and the image of this estate has been tarnished”, he said.
Meanwhile, the legal practitioner, Okezie called on residents of River Park to unite when it comes to the issue of security, insisting security is everyone’s responsibility.
He wrote. “This incident serves as a valuable lesson in the importance of trust, critical thinking, and collective action in maintaining a secure and thriving community.”
“While the immediate threat may have been a hoax, the lessons learned from this incident will have long-lasting implications for River Park Estate and beyond. Only through vigilance, responsible action, and a renewed commitment to shared responsibility can communities effectively combat misinformation and maintain a safe and secure environment for all.
“The River Park Estate hoax exposed vulnerabilities beyond security systems. It revealed the need for trust within the community and the potential for social media to exacerbate panic and damage reputations.
“Residents now urge themselves and management to work together to rebuild trust, promote responsible information sharing, and prioritize proactive security measures.”
We are nearing the endgame leading to an attack on Iran’s nuclear program – or to serious new nuclear negotiations.
US President Donald Trump against backdrop of Iranian missile (illustration).(photo credit: Canva/DavorLovincic, Getty Images/Anna Moneymaker)
It’s been several weeks since US President Donald Trump sent a letter to Iran giving it two months to arrive with him to a nuclear deal or it would likely face military force.
No one knows exactly how Trump will calculate the deadline: two months from when the letter was sent, two months from when the Islamic Republic received the letter, two months from when it responded, or two months from when talks may start.
But after Trump’s deadline, European countries Germany, France, and England (the E-3), set June as a deadline for Tehran to reach a nuclear deal lest it face global sanctions being snapped back on it according to a provision of the 2015 nuclear deal it signed with the West.
So whether his deadline is early May or closer to early June like the E-3, we are down to one to two months for a new Iran nuclear deal or for some significant interim progress sufficient to extend the deadline.
Why is Iran facing increased pressure on its nuclear program?
The increased tensions are not just based on Trump’s deadline threat.
In recent days, including again on Sunday, Trump threatened Tehran more explicitly with being attacked, including, “bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.”
His latest threat was also unusually ambiguous in that some interpreted it not merely as giving Israel a green light to strike the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, but potentially having the US participate as well.
In a different atmosphere this might be seen as a bluff, but Trump has put forth a large and sustained series of airstrikes against the Houthis of Yemen now for multiple weeks.
This, and the fact that Trump ordered the targeted assassination of Qassem Soleimani, the former Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds Force chief, in 2020, makes the threat of US participation on some level suddenly real.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei not turning the other cheek
Meanwhile, Iran Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is not turning the other cheek.
He and his lieutenants have said unmistakably that if their nuclear program is struck by anyone, even if it is “just” by Israel, that they will retaliate by attacking every single US base in the region.
They then went out of their way to broaden that definition to even include bases the US shares with other countries, such as the UK Diego Garcia Base in the Indian Ocean and American bases even in countries like Turkey.
This would be in addition to the more obvious US troops in Middle Eastern countries like Syria, and in addition to attacking Israel and Gulf countries like the Saudis, all of whom Khamenei has ordered attacked in the past.
Iran is signaling in public that it will make no new concessions beyond what it was willing to make to the Biden administration and that it will not negotiate under pressure, but the fact is that it is saying it will consider indirect negotiations at a time that Trump is threatening it will bombing and instituting a host of tougher sanctions.
Khamenei knew that Biden would try to hold Netanyahu back from attacking Iran’s nuclear program as he did on April 19, 2024 and October 26, 2024.
However, he also knows that either Trump will definitely give Netanyahu the green light to attack at some point if there is no deal, or is deeply worried that Trump would approve such a dramatic game-changing strike.
Not only that, but with Iran’s five S-300 air defense systems all destroyed by Israel in 2024, it knows that the Israeli air force’s capability to destroy or deeply harm and delay the nuclear program has moved from a difficult challenge to being close to a certainty.
Also, Khamenei has seen that Israel was able to shoot down most of its hundreds of ballistic missiles on two separate occasions. Does Khamenei really think his threats of a ballistic missile response will block Israel or the US or both from acting?
All of this makes negotiations much more likely.
Real negotiations between US, Iran will have to begin next month
In terms of when Khamenei must start negotiations and by when he would need to agree to a sufficient enough interim deal to gain a further reprieve, this is harder to say.
Probably real negotiations need to start in around the next month.
Reaching an interim deal could drag out longer, until September, given that the global sanctions snapback does not expire until October and that Trump’s deadline was somewhat arbitrary.
But there is no question that we are either nearing the end game leading to an attack on Iran’s nuclear program or to serious new nuclear negotiations which will kick the can down the road a few months, but not much farther than that.
The clock is ticking.
The Honourable Minister of Defence, H.E. Dr. Bello Mohammed Matawalle extends heartfelt congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the occasion of his 73rd birthday. The Minister commended the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly in the realm of national security, which has been bolstered by the unwavering dedication of the Nigerian Military.
Dr. Matawalle acknowledged the President’s exceptional leadership and decisive actions that have significantly enhanced the safety and security of Nigerians across the nation in a remarkably short period. He stated, “President Tinubu has taken bold and transformative steps that are already yielding positive results in our collective pursuit of peace and safety.”
The Minister emphasized that history will undoubtedly recognize President Tinubu for his courageous and intentional efforts to reset and reposition the country across various sectors for a brighter future. The positive outcomes of these initiatives are becoming increasingly evident.
“On this special occasion of his birthday,” Dr. Matawalle continued, “I, on behalf of my family, the Ministry of Defence, and all Nigerians, wish the President long life, good health, and the fortitude to continue making the courageous decisions necessary for our nation’s development during this pivotal time.”
Your transformative policies strengthens our faith in Nigeria. Mr President, I salute your excellence.
Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo has arrived the ancient city of Kano on a condolence visit over the gruesome killing of 16 hunters on Thursday 27th March, 2025.
The governor was received by his counterpart inKano, Abba Yusugu o Monday afternoon.
Earlier, Governor Okpebholo visited the Deputy Senate President, Senator Jibrin Barau whomis also an indegene of Kano, disclosing that 14 suspects have been arrested in connection with the killing.
According to him, those arrested have been moved to Abuja for further interrogation.
Okpebholo was received in Kano by Governor Abba Yusuf and some of his cabinet members.
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