Category: News

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, has issued a directive requiring all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, and heads of tactical units to step up intelligence-driven policing and reinforce security monitoring across the state. The order was given during a high-level security meeting held on Friday with senior officers, as announced by the command’s spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi. The gathering focused on evaluating the current security landscape in Lagos and examining how prepared various police divisions are to address new and emerging threats.

During the meeting, CP Tijani instructed commanders to keep close oversight of their personnel and ensure rapid reactions to criminal incidents and safety issues in their assigned zones. He highlighted the importance of professionalism, urging senior officers to set a good example and maintain high ethical standards while guiding junior staff to do the same. In a significant boost to operational capacity, the Lagos State Security Trust Fund donated 200 bulletproof vests and 200 bulletproof helmets to the police command. The equipment was handed over by the Fund’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, who reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to backing security agencies in protecting residents and upholding public order.

Ogunsan stated that this donation would further enhance law enforcement’s ability to fight crime effectively and secure lives and property throughout Lagos. In response, the Commissioner expressed gratitude for the Trust Fund’s ongoing support and collaboration in advancing security operations. He noted that the protective gear would greatly improve officer safety in the field, raise morale, and boost overall performance. CP Tijani also thanked Lagos residents for their cooperation with the police, especially for sharing timely and credible intelligence that has helped prevent crime and aid investigations. He urged the public to continue working closely with law enforcement and assured them of the command’s firm dedication to keeping everyone safe. Additionally, he encouraged citizens to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious persons, activities, or movements via the command’s designated emergency lines.

The Kogi State Government has launched a crackdown on an unauthorized trailer park in New Zango, Abobo, within Okehi Local Government Area, acting on intelligence that tied the site to criminal activities such as drug dealing and other illicit operations.

State Security Adviser Commander Jerry Omodara (Rtd) spearheaded the operation, coordinating a joint security force that included the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and other law enforcement bodies.

Omodara reported that multiple individuals were taken into custody during the sweep, and security agents uncovered illegal substances and hard drugs at the location.

“This area had turned into a refuge for lawbreakers and a hub for unlawful acts. Based on reliable intelligence, we assembled security forces to clear the site and reinstate law and order,” he stated.

He emphasized that the exercise is part of the state government’s broader push to combat crime and enhance public safety, especially after Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo launched the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU).

Omodara pointed out that the location was never officially approved as a trailer park and confirmed that all trailers present have been moved out.

“We had previously warned occupants to leave the area. Today’s action is merely enforcing that order,” he added.

The security adviser also revealed that buildings believed to be criminal hideouts would be leveled to prevent a resurgence of illegal activity.

Reiterating the government’s dedication to safeguarding lives and property, Omodara stressed that security remains a top concern for the Ododo administration.

“We will keep taking strong measures against criminals wherever they operate. The protection of all Kogi State residents is our utmost priority,” he affirmed.

He also praised local residents for supplying prompt and accurate intelligence that helped security forces carry out the operation effectively.

The cleanup operation is set to proceed as authorities ramp up efforts to dismantle criminal networks and bolster security throughout the state.

Prominent human rights attorney Femi Falana has leveled serious accusations against Nigerian state governors, asserting that they have neglected their constitutional obligations regarding the oversight of the nation’s police force. In a televised interview on Channels Television, Falana weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding the creation of state police, arguing that the governors’ dereliction of duty is at the core of the issue.

Falana clarified a common misconception: Nigeria does not operate a purely federal police system. Instead, the Nigeria Police Force functions as a federation police, involving both federal and state governments in its management. He pointed out that the Nigerian Police Council, which includes the president, the Inspector General of Police, the Police Service Commission chair, and all 36 state governors, is constitutionally mandated to oversee police operations. However, since 1999, this 39-member council has largely been inactive, with governors ceding their authority to the president.

According to Falana, this abdication has resulted in the president unilaterally controlling the police, bypassing the council’s intended checks and balances. For instance, the appointment or removal of an Inspector General requires council approval, but since the council never meets, this provision is ignored. Falana stated that the Police Council is the only security body in Nigeria that fails to convene, and governors’ failure to demand its proper functioning has exacerbated security challenges and fueled calls for state police.

While many advocate for new state police structures, Falana pointed out that such entities already exist in various forms across the country. Examples include Amotekun in the South-West, Neighborhood Watch in Lagos, the Civilian Joint Task Force in Borno, and Hisbah in Kano. He argued that the real problem is not the lack of agencies but inadequate funding, poor coordination, and insufficient equipment. He questioned how security personnel armed with locally made guns can confront criminals wielding AK-47 rifles in forests. Falana urged a focus on strengthening existing structures rather than creating new ones, emphasizing that proper resourcing and coordination are key to improving security.

The international human rights organization, Amnesty International, has issued an urgent appeal to the Nigerian government to take swift action to free schoolchildren kidnapped in Borno and Oyo states. In a statement posted on X on Friday, the group warned that the children are in grave danger and need to be saved without delay.

Amnesty highlighted that these abductions underscore the escalating threat to students and communities that are repeatedly subjected to armed assaults. The organization emphasized that all children held by armed groups must be rescued, and that attacks on educational institutions should be regarded as serious breaches of international law.

“The children abducted in Borno and Oyo are at serious risk of being harmed. Nigerian authorities must take all measures to return them to safety,” the organization stated. It further declared that “attacks on schools and abductions of children are war crimes.”

The group also pointed out that ongoing insecurity has forced many children to drop out of school, and teachers in affected areas have been displaced due to persistent violence. “Other children have had to abandon their education after being displaced by frequent violent attacks on their communities, and many teachers have been forced to flee to other states,” Amnesty added.

Amnesty stressed that schools should remain sanctuaries of safety, not sites of fear or danger. “Schools should be places of safety, and no child should have to choose between their education and their life,” the organization said. It called on Nigerian authorities to implement immediate and concrete measures to prevent further school attacks, protect children, and uphold their right to education.

In a unique display of faith and cultural devotion, female traditional worshippers from throughout Egbaland gathered on Friday to parade through key streets and sacred sites in Abeokuta, Ogun State. Their mission: to call upon divine powers for the safe return of those taken during the Oyo abduction incident.

Dressed in flowing white garments associated with their spiritual practice and bearing ritual objects, the women traversed prominent cultural and religious landmarks across the city. They chanted invocations and offered prayers to ancestral spirits and deities, appealing for an end to the escalating security crisis.

The ceremony was guided by Dr Omolara Fashola-MacGregor, who holds the titles Yeye Olokun Agbaye and Olori of Orile-Ilawo Kingdom. She emphasized that the procession was a solemn act of supplication and atonement, aimed at securing the protection of Yorubaland and the entire nation through the intercession of revered spirits and deities.

The worshippers made stops at several venerated shrines, including those at Olumo Rock, Lisabi Agbongbo-Akala, and the shrine honoring the legendary Egba warrior Sodeke. Their journey concluded at the Itoku shrine located at Orita Aje Junction in Abeokuta, where final rites were performed.

At each sacred site, participants engaged in prayers and traditional rituals consistent with age-old customs, seeking mercy and intervention.

Speaking to journalists during the event, Fashola-MacGregor explained that the spiritual exercise stemmed from profound worry over the safety of innocent schoolchildren, their educators, and other Nigerians currently in the hands of abductors. “We have come to implore the deities of our ancestors and the spirits of our heroes to step into this distressing situation. Our collective prayers are aimed at the safe return of all who have been kidnapped. We trust that when people unite with genuine faith and purpose, supernatural intervention can occur,” she stated.

Security forces in Plateau State have successfully dismantled a human trafficking operation, rescuing two pregnant women, a nursing mother, and seven minors from a makeshift transport hub in Jos South. The operation, which took place at Zawan Junction, targeted a syndicate that allegedly preyed on vulnerable individuals, luring them with false promises of employment in mining camps in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Olivia Dazyam, the Special Adviser on Gender to Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Chairperson of the Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission, led the rescue mission. She recounted that her team acted on a tip from a local resident who noticed unusual activity at an illegal motor park operating only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The informant suspected the park was being used to transport victims to Ibadan for forced labor in mining sites.

During a discreet investigation, authorities discovered that children as young as 11 were being recruited for grueling work. The victims were promised wages, but in reality, they were subjected to bonded labor—working six days a week for their handlers and keeping only the earnings from the seventh day. Dazyam described the conditions as exploitative, noting that the system enriched a chain of beneficiaries at the expense of the victims’ freedom.

On the day of the raid, Dazyam and her team found five vehicles preparing for a night journey. They intercepted the group, identifying minors among the passengers. Three suspected traffickers were arrested in connection with the ring. Dazyam emphasized that many parents were unaware of their children’s whereabouts, with one father expressing shock that his two children were about to be transported.

The rescue underscores the ongoing fight against human trafficking in Plateau State, where illegal mining camps have become a magnet for exploitative labor practices. Authorities have vowed to intensify efforts to dismantle trafficking networks and protect vulnerable populations.

The academic community is mourning the loss of Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, who passed away on Saturday, June 6, 2026.

Professor Ambali, who served as the 9th Vice Chancellor of Unilorin from 2012 to 2017, died in the early hours of Saturday after a brief illness. He was 68 years old.

The current Vice Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, confirmed the news in a statement released by the institution’s spokesperson, Kunle Akogun, in Ilorin.

According to Professor Egbewole, the death of Professor Ambali represents a significant loss not only to the University of Ilorin and the Kwara State University, Malete, where he served as Pro-Chancellor, but also to the entire nation and humanity at large.

Professor Egbewole expressed his condolences to the family of the late scholar and the people of the Ilorin Emirate. He urged sympathizers, particularly members of the Unilorin community, to attend the Janazah (funeral prayer) for the former Vice Chancellor at his residence in Oloje Housing Estate, Ilorin, by 4:00 p.m. on Saturday.

The Anambra State government has sparked widespread condemnation after it arrested and prosecuted Bishop Emeka Nwankpa, an aspirant for the Abia Central Senatorial seat under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), for allegedly orchestrating fake miracles and prophecies. The cleric, originally from Abia State and a bishop at an Onitsha-based Pentecostal church, appeared before the Anambra High Court in Awka alongside seven other Christian ministers accused of similar offenses.

Bishop Nwankpa’s media aide, Stanley Nduagu, expressed strong disapproval of the government’s actions, asserting that his principal has maintained a spotless record over 25 years of ministry and has never engaged in fraudulent activities. Nduagu argued that the allegations are baseless and unsupported by evidence.

Additionally, Nwankpa’s kinsmen from Isiala Ngwa in Abia State have voiced their concerns, demanding his immediate release. A native of the area, Ngozi Ahunanya, accused the Anambra administration of declaring war on Christianity and traditional religious practices. Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) House of Assembly candidate for Arochukwu constituency, Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya, criticized the arrest as a needless harassment of Christian clerics and worshippers.

The case has further fueled tensions, with many seeing it as an overreach by state authorities. The government, however, maintains that it is determined to crack down on deceptive religious practices that violate state laws.

Dr. Yusuf Bello Danbatta, who previously served as the deputy governorship candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State, has officially become a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement issued to media representatives in Kano on Friday, Danbatta disclosed his political realignment. He emphasized that the move followed thorough deliberation and extensive consultations with his mentors, political allies, backers, and key stakeholders.

“I am formally announcing my decision to align with the APC. This step was taken after weighing all options and seeking counsel from those I trust,” he stated.

Danbatta expressed confidence that the APC provides a more effective avenue for him to render service to the populace and foster progress within Kano State and Nigeria overall. He specifically cited Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s visionary guidance and the state administration’s developmental blueprint as major influences on his choice.

“I believe the APC offers a superior platform where I can meaningfully contribute to uplifting our people and advancing our state and nation,” he remarked.

The former PDP stalwart also commended the APC for what he termed its open-door policy and dedication to enhancing citizens’ well-being. He reaffirmed his commitment to championing unity, peace, and enduring growth.

In addition, Danbatta extended gratitude to his former party members and leaders for their collaboration and encouragement over the years. He expressed eagerness to collaborate with APC members and other stakeholders to propel Kano State’s continuous development.

Kunle Rasheed Adegoke, the APC candidate for Osun Central Senatorial District, has expressed strong confidence that former Senator Iyiola Omisore will not abandon the party. Speaking on Friday at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Osun State Council Guest Platform, Adegoke dismissed speculation about Omisore’s political allegiance, describing him as a seasoned politician who makes wise decisions.

“Senator Iyiola Omisore is not going anywhere. He is a shrewd politician, and I admire his political acumen. He will not take that path,” Adegoke stated.

He further argued that the APC commands strong support across Osun East Senatorial District, making it unlikely for Omisore’s supporters to shift loyalties. “The entire Osun East Senatorial District is firmly behind the APC. Why would any of Omisore’s followers leave a comfortable environment for an uncertain alternative?” he queried.

Adegoke also downplayed internal party disagreements, labeling them as minor and manageable. He emphasized that conflicts are common in any political organization and should not be blown out of proportion. “Disagreements are not unique to the APC. Every party experiences internal friction. Ours are minor and will not hinder our progress,” he said.

According to him, members who have resigned are merely signaling their grievances, and the party leadership is actively engaging them to resolve issues. “Those leaving are just giving us early warnings. We are already in talks to address their concerns,” Adegoke added.

Drawing a contrast with the opposition, Adegoke claimed the PDP is no longer a viable force in Osun State, as many of its members have defected to the Accord party. “The PDP is practically nonexistent here. They couldn’t manage their own affairs, yet they hope to win the state. Ironically, the same people who helped them win in 2022 are now with us in the APC,” he noted.

He concluded by asserting that the APC’s internal challenges are negligible and will not impact its electoral performance. “Our differences are trivial and will not affect our success at the polls,” Adegoke affirmed.