Gunmen ambushed a Toyota Sienna passenger vehicle heading to Offa from Abuja and abducted seven passengers.
The abduction occurred between 5pm and 6pm on Saturday, April 19, 2025 on Obbo-Aiyegunle/Osi Road in the Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The kidnappers, however, spared three children who were travelling with their abducted parents.
The eldest of the children who were spared reported the incident to the management of the transport company, Olumoh Express, Offa, that the victims boarded.
All attempts made so far by the local vigilante to rescue the victims were unsuccessful.
The secretary of the transport company, Mr Mukaila Ogunlade, confirmed the incident.
“The incident truly happened. In fact, we are just coming from Osi Police Station. The bus left the park with five passengers, but the oldest of the children that were left behind told us that two more people later joined them on the way. Presently, we are looking for seven people,” Ogunlade said.
Spokesperson for the state police command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, confirmed the abduction in a statement on Sunday.
“Armed hoodlums numbering about eight reportedly intercepted a Sienna bus registered FFA 50xd, heading to Offa from Abuja and forcefully abducted seven occupants, including the driver,” the statement read.
“Upon receipt of the information, police operatives in collaboration with local vigilantes responded swiftly to the scene.
“The vehicle was recovered to the nearest police formation. During a coordinated search of the surrounding bush, three children aged between two and 12 years were located and safely rescued.
“One of the children was able to give the police detailed information of her guardian, who was contacted, and the three rescued children have been reunited with their relatives.
The command said it has intensified efforts through discreet investigation, intelligence gathering and sustained bush combing to track down the perpetrators and secure the safe rescue of the remaining victims.
Commissioner of Police, Adekimi Ojo, reiterated the commitment of the command to the safety and protection of all residents, urging those with useful information to report through the established channels of the state police command.
An explosion rocked the Maximum Security Custodial Centre (MaSCC) in Maiduguri on Sunday night, April 20, 2025, around 9 pm, sparking a fire in the solitary confinement cell where Charles Okah, a prominent detainee, has been held since mid-March.
Initial reports from within the prison indicate that an object, likely a bomb, was lobbed into Okah’s cell through the open window bars.
Eyewitnesses report heavy smoke billowing from the cell, where Okah has been confined since March 16, 2025. The incident follows Okah’s open letter to Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi-Ojo, in which he exposed widespread judicial and official corruption in two custodial centres in Maiduguri.
According to accounts from the scene, Okah was heard coughing and choking amidst the growing smoke, with his screams echoing throughout the compound. He reportedly shouted that the explosive device had been thrown into his cell, sparking the fire that has engulfed his quarters.
At the time of reporting, no rescue efforts were underway. Sources inside the prison have revealed that prison security regulations require a lengthy bureaucratic process before a cell can be opened after hours, leaving Okah’s fate uncertain as the fire rages on.
“Shockingly, not a single fire extinguisher could be found anywhere within the prison compound,” a source said.
“Similarly, night-duty prison officers seem not to be around. Many inmates with medical emergencies, such as asthmatics, risk dying before help would arrive at dawn,” the source said.
With no immediate response to the fire or medical emergencies, there is growing fear among inmates that a larger crisis could be brewing.
Prison officials are also facing the possibility of a prison break if the situation is not addressed quickly. Inmates, reportedly alarmed by the fire and the lack of assistance, may be forced to break open their cell doors in an attempt to escape the flames and smoke.
SaharaReporters’ attempts to contact Abubakar Umar, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service, for comment were unsuccessful. He did not answer phone calls or respond to a text message.
Okah is serving a life sentence for his role in the October 1, 2010, Independence Day bombing near Eagle Square, Abuja, and a previous bombing in Warri, Delta State, on March 15, 2010.
NYT Wordle is a satisfying and tricky test of vocabulary and logic that challenges players to guess a new five-letter word every day. However, things can get a little too challenging at times, and that probably explains why you’re here. So, if you don’t want to break your word-guessing streak or get too frustrated, take a look at today’s Wordle hints and answer for puzzle #1402 for April 21, 2025, down below!
How to Play Wordle
Wordle is a word puzzle game by The New York Times. You are given six attempts to guess a five-letter word. The letters are highlighted in Yellow, Green, and Grey when you input a word. Yellow denotes that the letter appears in today’s Wordle answer, but it’s not at the right spot. Meanwhile, when a letter turns green, it means you have guessed the right letter in the right position. At last, a grey letter means the letter is not part of today’s answer.
While it may seem that winning at Wordle is easy, it is difficult to get that pesky five-letter word right. To help you out, here are some quick tips on how to play Wordle:
Open with a strong word – Using the right Wordle starting words rich with multiple vowels and consonants is important. While you can take a look at our dedicated guide, starting words like AISLE, SALTY, and DINER are my go-to choices.
Pay attention to colors – Keep track of the yellow, green, and grayed-out letters to eliminate incorrect positions and letters. To make every guess count, avoid accidentally repeating letters that have already been eliminated.
Isolate the vowels – There can be days when your usual starting words don’t help much. In that case, try to test the remaining vowels by using different words.
Repeating letters is good – Don’t be afraid of repeating letters as history is proof that there are chances the Wordle answer will have one or two letters that repeat themselves.
Use the Wordlebot – As described above, NYT’s Wordlebot is an intuitive bot that analyzes your responses and compares them against itself. Instilling some healthy competition can help you improve your own Wordle guessing and see what you could have done better.
If you still need more details, learn how to play Wordle and check out more Wordle tips and tricks to ensure you get the answer almost every time.
Hints for Today’s Wordle Answer for April 21
We know you are here for Wordle hints and clues, and we are eager to help you. Like always, to assist you with today’s puzzle, we list the starting word for today’s Wordle answer, whether it has any vowels or repeating letters, and more.
After that, we also provide an additional hint for today’s Wordle game to get one step closer to the answer. So scroll down if you’re ready. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Does Today’s Wordle Have Any Vowels?
Today’s Wordle answer for Monday, April 21, 2025, has two vowels.
If you guess the vowels correctly, there is a high possibility that you will guess the correct 5-letter answer in no time.
Does the Wordle Today Have Double Letters?
Well, there are no double letters in the Wordle answer today.
What Does Today’s Wordle Answer Start with?
Today’s Wordle answer starts with the letter “S.”
Spoiler Warning:
Scroll slowly past this point. Major hint and answer for today’s Wordle #1402 lie ahead.
Additional Hint for Today’s Wordle Answer
If the above-mentioned hints haven’t helped much, here’s the Wordle cheat hint that will definitely get you to the answer. The final hint for today is:
Rhymes with spare.
What Is Today’s Wordle Answer?
The answer for Wordle today on April 21, 2025, is SPATE.
Image Credit: NYT Games (Screenshot by Sagnik Das Gupta/ Beebom)
Meaning of Spate — A large number of similarthings or similar events appearing in quick succession.
My band of three came to the rescue yet again and nearly solved the Wordle for me today, keeping Monday blues from hitting harder. While I got a green “S” and “T” from SALTY, DINER and POUCH had a yellow “E” and “P” to offer. All stitched together, SPATE wasn’t a hard find and I uncovered the Wordle answer in no time at all.
Previous Wordle Answers
For regular Wordle players, we have curated the answers of all past Wordle answers in one place. If you are trying to find patterns in these word puzzles, check out our list of past Wordle answers.
Why Is Wordle Still So Popular?
Despite over 1,350 puzzles and nearly four years since its initial surge, Wordle is still going strong as a free-to-play word puzzle game that it is. What started as a simple game to pass the time during the pandemic has now become a daily habit for millions of The New York Times readers.
Just like reading your early morning newspaper, Wordle adds some productive value to your daily life as a brainteaser, which explains the incredible player base. Some avid Wordle players even stay up late to solve the puzzle as soon as it releases at 12:00 AM local time.
The fact that there’s a single puzzle on a daily basis that every player tries to solve makes it all the more competitive and challenging. According to a report by The Conversation, just in 2022, Wordle had around a whopping 3 million users across the world. As of 2025, one can only imagine where this number has soared.
That said, if you are one of them, hope the Wordle hints we shared today helped you figure out the answer without having to scroll to the answer.
What are the best 3 words in a row for Wordle?
While there are a ton of words to start your Wordle with, we suggest using, SALTY, DINER and POUCH today.
What are the NYT Wordle hints for April 21, 2025?
The NYT Wordle today starts with “S” and refers to a sudden burst of something. It has two vowels.
What is the NYT Wordle answer for April 21, 2025?
If you are unable to figure out puzzle #1402, then the Wordle answer today for April 21, 2025, is “SPATE.”
What was yesterday’s NYT Wordle answer?
The answer for yesterday’s Wordle #1401 on April 20, 2025, was “PATCH.”
Sagnik Das Gupta
Sagnik is a tech aficionado who can never say “no” to dipping his toes into unknown waters of tech or reviewing the latest gadgets. He is also a hardcore gamer, having played everything from Snake Xenzia to Dead Space Remake.
Alex Oyowah’s header from an Ismail Sodiq cross sealed a 1-0 win for Remo Stars over Shooting Stars at the Lekan Salami Stadium, keeping them top of the table with 65 points from 34 games.
In Port Harcourt, Suleiman Abba’s late goal gave Rivers United a 1-0 victory against Sunshine Stars, keeping the pressure on the league leaders.
Ikorodu City climbed to third after a 1-1 draw with El-Kanemi Warriors in Maiduguri. Emmanuel Solomon opened the scoring, but Sama’ila Bello responded four minutes later.
Read Also: NFF, billionaire gift Flamingos N6m after win over Algeria
At the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, Niger Tornadoes and Bayelsa United shared the spoils (1-1), with Rabiu Abdullahi’s late goal extending Bayelsa’s unbeaten run to nine.
Heartland and Kwara United played out a goalless draw in Owerri, while Plateau United edged Akwa United 1-0 thanks to Vincent Temitope’s strike.
Today Manchester United academy graduate Tyler Fredricson stepped out at Old Trafford, making his senior debut for The Red Devils against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Whilst Wolves emerged with a 1-0 victory, Fredricson put in an incredible showing, justifying his spot in the starting line-up, showing off what potential he holds.
But, who is United’s newest debutant and what can we expect from him?
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Tyler Fredricson and his rise through the Manchester United academy
Image Credits: Getty Images
Born and raised in South Manchester, Fredricson joined the United’s Under-18s side from the youth academy in 2021, helping the side win the FA Youth Cup in his debut season.
This cup run saw the defender line up with now first-team stars Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, however he missed the final through illness.
Unfortunately Fredricson also missed most of the second half of the season through injury, however this didn’t hinder United’s appreciation of him.
The following year, in 2022, Fredricson signed his first professional contract, joining the Under-21s side, however sustaining another injury ruling him out for a season and a half.
However last year in 2024, the centre-back bounced back, captaining the United Under-19s squad in the UEFA Youth League with the club’s only loss coming hen Fredricson wasn’t named in the squad, seeing them knocked out of the contest.
He’s also captained the Under-21s side in the Premier League 2, showing off his leadership skills and solid approach in defence, holding 5th place for the side.
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Tyler Fredricson’s growing involvement in the senior squad
Whilst today’s match-up was the 20-year-old’s first match for the senior side, it’s not the first time he’s been called up to the matchday squad.
Ruben Amorim has regularly used Fredricson in senior training, also taking him to games against Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester, however he didn’t make it off the bench.
The talented youngster has also been called up to the Europa League squads, once under Erik ten Hag in 2022 and once under Amorim last month, interestingly with both fixture against Real Sociedad.
With Fredricson’s natural leadership and strength on the pitch, we can expect to see the star’s name appear more in the matchday squads, especially if United are unable to make too many recruitments over the summer.
Also with injuries seemingly plaguing the club over the last two seasons, Fredricson could easily capitalise on the extent of defensive absences to establish his name even further as he did today, especially with Victor Lindelof and Jonny Evans set to leave in the summer.
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FDA Removing Big Pharma Representatives From Advisory Panels
Industry employees are welcome to attend FDA advisory committee meetings, along with the rest of the American public
Zachary Stieber via The Epoch Times
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is removing pharmaceutical company representatives from advisory committees in a bid to limit industry influence.
Dr. Marty Makary, the FDA’s new commissioner, issued a directive that eliminates the role of pharmaceutical representative.
Dr. Makary/Image/Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
“Industry employees are welcome to attend FDA advisory committee meetings, along with the rest of the American public, but having industry employees serve as official members of FDA advisory committee members represents a cozy relationship that is concerning to many Americans,” Makary said in a statement on April 17. “In fact, the FDA has a history of being influenced unduly by corporate interests.”
The FDA has 32 different advisory committees, including panels that advise the agency on vaccines, food, and medical devices. Members are primarily a mix of federal employees and experts who do not work for industries.
But each FDA committee has an industry representative and an alternate industry representative. The Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, for instance, had a Pfizer officer and a Dynavax officer listed on the roster for its most recent meeting.
The industry representatives do not vote on what advice to convey to the FDA, but “offer perspective of a pharmaceutical company,” Kim Witczak, who has served on several FDA advisory committees, told The Epoch Times in an email.
“Sometimes they will say something that could influence or sway the discussion. I always wondered why they were on the committee,” she said.
The FDA did not release Makary’s directive but described it as limiting people employed at companies regulated by the FDA, such as pharmaceutical firms, from serving as members of FDA advisory committees.
“Today’s action will not preclude employees of regulated companies from attending or presenting their views at advisory committee meetings or serving as representative members of the committee when required by statute,” the agency stated. “Also, exceptions can be made in rare circumstances (i.e., when the scientific expertise in an area is only available from an employee of an FDA-regulated company) provided that the official strictly complies with the applicable ethics requirements.”
Makary said the directive was issued to make sure scientific evaluation of new products is independent.
“Public trust in the healthcare-industrial complex is at an all-time low. We need to restore impeccable integrity to the process and avoid potential conflicts of interest,” he said.
PhRMA, a trade group for the pharmaceutical industry, did not respond to a request for comment.
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Luigi Mangione was indicted on federal murder charges in the shooting of a UnitedHealth Group Inc. executive, paving the way for U.S. prosecutors to pursue the death penalty against him.
Mangione’s federal case has now been assigned to a U.S. judge, who will rule on disputes in the case and oversee a trial. Mangione has separately been charged by New York state prosecutors with Brian Thompson’s murder and awaits trial.
Mangione, 26, is accused of shooting Thompson outside a hotel in midtown Manhattan before fleeing and touching off a manhunt that ended with his arrest at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
The four-count indictment by a federal grand jury in New York Thursday mirrors the original charges in a criminal complaint filed against Mangione in December. The charging document is a necessary step for federal authorities to prosecute Mangione for Thompson’s murder.
U.S. prosecutors said they would allow the state prosecution to proceed first. No trial date has been set for the state case and Mangione has pleaded not guilty to the state charges, which could lead to a life sentence.
Karen Friedman Agnifilo, a lawyer for Mangione, declined to comment.
The federal charges follow Mangione’s lawyers’ accusations that U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi was seeking to politicize the already high-profile case by seeking the death penalty. The move could pit federal prosecutors against the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Bondi announced on April 1 that the U.S. would seek the death penalty against Mangione for committing “a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination.” Days later, Friedman Agnifilo asked a judge to stop the government from pursuing the death penalty, arguing the Justice Department had not offered “even a modicum of process.”
The shooting of Thompson last year drew national attention because of the brazen nature of the crime and the national manhunt that followed. Mangione allegedly waited outside a midtown Manhattan hotel before shooting Thompson, the chief executive of UnitedHealth’s insurance unit, with a 3D-printed ghost gun. UnitedHealth was hosting its investor day at the hotel, where Thompson was slated to speak.
When police arrested him in Altoona, Mangione was carrying a manifesto decrying the health-care industry and a notebook discussing killing a CEO, authorities said.
The All Progressives Congress (APC), Enugu State Chapter, weekend, said it would take over Enugu Government House from the Peoples Democratic Party in 2027.
The party’s state Chairman, Barr Ugockuwu Agballa, stated this when some members of the PDP and the Labour Party formally decamped to APC in an event that was held at the state headquarters of APC in Enugu.
THE WHISTLER gathered that over 150 PDP and LP stalwarts joined APC during the event.
APC berated the PDP-led state government for not prioritising security of lives and property of the citizenry, citing insecurities in Uzo-Uwani and Isi-uzo local governments as case studies.
Agballa warned against indiscipline and anti-party activities, warning that stiffer sanctions face perpetrators. He attributed the failure of APC to win political positions in Enugu State to moles who pose as genuine members of the party, adding that such moles were being weeded out.
The communique read that, “The leaders note with excitement that our party has witnessed significant growth with influx of new members in the last one year.
“The number of new decampees that we received is evidence of such influx across the local government areas and wards.
“The party declared that the Peter Mbah-led government has failed in its primary duty of protecting lives and property of citizens of Enugu State.
“They wondered why the state prefers to engage in deceit of showcasing what they call Command and Control Center that could not resolve security breaches beyond 10 kilometres radius from the capital city.
“The huge population of the citizens in the rural areas is left at the mercy of killer herdsmen and other criminals.”
The stakeholders also endorsed the suspension of Senator Chukwuka Utazi and mandated the State Executive Committee to ratify the suspension in her next meeting and forward same to the zonal leadership of the party. Utazi, formerly of PDP, joined APC last year.
Some of the decampees are former Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in Enugu State, Barr Peter Okonkwo, who joined from PDP; Hon Nonso Ochi, LP House of Assembly candidate for Awgu North Constituency in the 2023 election; Hon Onyeka Chukwuedo, PDP House of Assembly aspirant, Awgu South Constituency in the 2023 election; Chief John Edeh, PDP House of Rep Aspirant from Nkanu West LGA, and Chief Tony Chigbo, former Chairman of Uzo-Uwani LGA and former member of Enugu State House of Assembly under PDP.
One of the decampees, Mr Peter Okonkwo, pledged to collapse the PDP structures in Nsukka zone in the forthcoming election, adding that he would make APC popular in the zone.
2027: APC Vows To Defeat PDP In Enugu Governorship Election is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
Dr. Makary/Image/Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times
