A Kogi State High Court on Tuesday struck out the charges filed against five persons who were accused of making an assassination attempt on the life of the senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye. Justice Fola Ajayi struck out the charges against the defendants for lack of diligent prosecution, noting that in spite of four adjournments the prosecution had failed to call any witness. The defendants in the case are the Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Alhaji Taofiq Isa; Ade Obege, Abdullahi Isah, Michael Bamidel and Ahmed Ajayi.

Rangers said on Tuesday they had stopped tourists entering Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park during investigations into the kidnapping of two Britons there last week.

Gunmen ambushed Robert Jesty, Bethan Davies and their driver in Congo’s volatile eastern borderlands on Friday and released them three days later.

Park ranger Rachel Makissa Baraka, 25, was killed trying to defend them.

“The suspension of tourism is being undertaken as an additional precautionary measure whilst an investigation is undertaken surrounding the recent events,” the park said in a statement. It said the suspension would remain in place until June 4.