The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Police arrest ‘fake’ EFCC official in Lagos

    The police in Lagos have arrested a 29-year-old man Emeka Emmanuel alleged to have impersonated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Emmanuel was arrested on Saturday morning at Iyana-Iba in Ojo for allegedly defrauding innocent people under the guise of providing jobs for them at the EFCC.

    Police said the suspect was found with a fake EFCC identity card in his possession which he allegedly used to deceive his victims.

    It was gathered that his arrest followed complaint by one Olaposi Semiu at the Ojo Police Station that the suspect collected N51,000 from him over a month ago with a promise to secure his son an employment at the EFCC.

    Police spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said Emmanuel confessed to the crime, adding that detectives also discovered he was running an illegal medical facility at his premises.

    “Other items recovered include medical equipment and fake certificates. The command is advising the public, especially job seekers, to be mindful of the activities of such scammers to avoid falling prey of their antics,” he said.

  • Murder suspect, ‘cultist’ arrested

    The police in Lagos have arrested 23-year-old Kehinde Bakare alleged to be the prime suspect in the murder of a hotel worker Samuel Ladejo last October.

    Ladejo was stabbed in the chest on October 1, last year, while on his way to a party in Ikoyi.

    The victim was rushed to the Island General Hospital but died while receiving treatment.

    It was gathered that Bakare, who has been on the run since the incident, was apprehended around 4:15pm on September 12, at Obalende and a locally made pistol with two live cartridges recovered from him.

    Read Also: Five killed, seven injured in Lagos crashes

    The police had earlier arrested and charged to court, one Umukoro Otega in connection with the murder.

    Detectives also arrested an alleged notorious cultist Emmanuel   Olatunde, 31, alias Pastor said to be responsible for the murder of one Ahmed Karowi, an alleged kingpin of Aiye cult group.

    Olatunde, according to the police, was an ex-convict and a leader of Eiye cult group, had terrorised Bariga and environs for a long time.

    He was arrested at 27, Oremenunu Ibafo Street Bariga for his alleged involvement in series of robberies and deaths.

  • Mr Biggs expands

    Fast food outlet Mr Bigg’s has expanded its service base by remodeling its restaurants in a new initiative.

    Mrs. Ethel Mba, Marketing Manager, UACN Restaurants, which manages Mr Bigg’s, said the new initiative was to remodel the restaurants into an entertaining go-to restaurant of high value lifestyle.

    UAC of Nigeria Plc, she said is a leading diversified company, operating in the food and beverage, real estate, paint and logistics sectors of the economy.

    The Company’s brand portfolio includes leading brands such as Gala Sausage Roll, Mr. Bigg’s, Funtime Coconut Chips, among others, she added.

    Speaking in Lagos, the marketing manager said the new approach promised to sustain excellence offering a wide variety of dishes, pastries and confectionaries.

    She said, “The VGC Restaurant presents a cozy ambience backed up by excellent service delivery by professionals to give customers unparalleled experience in a friendly setting. The new restaurants will be patterned after the structure of the Northwest restaurant by VGC to deliver high-quality food and good ambience as the basic standard.”

  • Artiste Dammy Krane arraigned in Lagos

    Top star,  Johnson Oyindamola, also known as Dammy Krane, was on Monday arraigned before an Igbosere Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos over alleged threat to life and defamation.

    Oyindamola, 27, was arraigned on a three count charge  bordering on conspiracy,  threat to life, defamation, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace before Chief Magistrate Afolashade Botoku.

    The pop  star was said to have threatened the lives of staff of a betting company, Merrybet Gold Limited, on July 29, 2019, and also released a song in which he accused the firm of breach of contract.

    The prosecutor, Inspector J .I Enang, told the court that the musician threatened a sport betting company, Merrybet Gold Limited, by posting an audio and video, on the internet accusing the company of owing him.

    He said that the defendant attended a game show sponsored by the betting company but lost.

    ‘Dammy Krane’ was said to have, demanded some money for appearing on the show.

    It was said that the firm disagreed, insisting that the sum was only given to winners.

    The musician subsequently went on Cool FM radio where he allegedly accused the betting firm of owing him money and for breached of contractual agreement.

    He was also accused of conspiring with others at large to conduct himself in a manner likely to cause breach of peace.

    Dammy Krane was alleged to have threatened public peace when he posted an audio and video message on Cool FM 96.9.

    Read Also: Five killed, seven injured in Lagos crashes

    According to the charge before the court: “Oyindamola and others at large on July 29, 2019, at Cool FM in Lagos, conspired with others at large to commit felony to wit: Conduct likely to cause breach of peace and threat to life”.

    “Oyindamola and others at large on the same date, time and place, threatened  the life of the staff of Merrybet Gold Limited”.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    His counsel, Mr Adebayo Oniyelu, urged the court to grant him bail in liberal terms as  a first time offender.

    Oniyelu said that he would be produced whenever he is needed in court.

    Responding, the prosecutor, Enang opposed the bail, saying the offence is a national issue.

    When Chief Magistrate Botoku, asked to know the nature of the offence of the defendant, Enang insisted, ‘it is an International issue that is all over the media”.

    The defendant’ s lawyer told the court that the defendant and the complainant had a disagreement over a breach of contract.

    He said, “The defendant performed for the complainant and he was being owed the sum of N1million, and when he demanded for it, the next thing we saw was his arrest”.

    On enquiry by the court, one of the company’s representative, Mr Otemu Anaonye, told the court that the company is not owing the defendant.

    The company’s lawyer,  Mr N. Anachebe, who was also holding watching brief, for the company, said, ” The defendant posted audio and video messages on his Instagram page claiming that the company was owing him. He was asked to pull it down, but he refused.”

    Magistrate Botoku asked, if the crux of the matter was defamation, she said if so, it should be a civil matter.

    Anachebe, responded that  ” A case of defamation can be both criminal and civil”.

    Magistrate Botoku granted him bail in the sum of N50,000, with one surety in like sum.

    The case was adjourned until October 11.

  • Five killed, seven injured in Lagos crashes

    No fewer than five persons were on Monday confirmed dead and seven others injured in three accidents in Lagos, The Nation has learnt.

    The accidents occurred at Chevron Drive, Ijaiye Ogba and Agric bus stops.

    It was gathered that three men including a motorcyclist Michael Idoko, his unnamed passenger and a pedestrian Gbenga Oloruniyi died in the Chevron Drive accident which  around occurred around 11am.

    According to sources, a Mack truck with registration number KSF100XY at top speed lost control and crushed the victims.

    The motorcyclist, it was learnt, had slowed down to give way for the pedestrian only for the speeding truck to crush them.

    It was gathered that the accident halted traffic along the busy Lekki-Epe Expressway for hours until Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit at Lekki towed the truck off the scene.

    At Ogba several persons sustained serious injuries after a commercial bus rammed into a stationary salon car along Oba Ogunji Road, Pen Cinema Way in the area. It was unclear at press time if there were any casualties.

    The accident was said to have been caused by reckless driving, with the veering off and crashing into the parked car.

    Eyewitnesses claimed two persons died and several others sustained injuries, adding that they were all moved to the hospital before the arrival of emergency workers.

    Blood stains, shattered glass and other debris which were at the scene of the accident were washed off by LASEMA officials.

    Read Also: 17 die in Benue road accident

    Similarly, another truck on Sunday night lost control and killed a motorist and motorcyclist by Agric Bus Stop on Ikorodu Road.

    Five others were said to have sustained serious injuries in the accident that kept rescuers on their toes till about midnight.

    It was gathered that a truck carrying an unlatched 40ft container fell on some vehicles and motorcycles while escaping a mob action after causing a minor accident before Agric Bus Stop.

    The Nation gathered that the truck driver had hit a motorcyclist and refused to stop which prompted other motorcyclists to chase him.

    On getting to Agric Bus Stop, the truck swerved in an attempt to avoid a collision with another motorcycle and the container fell on a Toyota Corolla crushing it.

    About five motorcycles and a patrol vehicle belonging to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) were also damaged.

    Director General of LASEMA Dr. Femi Oke-Osayintolu confirmed the accidents, noting that no death was recorded in the Ijaiye Ogba accident.

    He said: “The rate of road traffic accident is alarming and that is why we are warning drivers to ensure their vehicles are in good condition and that they should always drive within recommended speed limits.”

    “We are putting measures in place to ensure that unavoidable deaths are not recorded in the state anymore. LASEMA as the coordinating agency for emergencies has already held meetings with relevant stakeholders especially because we are in ember month.

    “If you look at our statistics right now, you will discover that the major cause of death in Nigeria, Africa and all over the world is road traffic accident.

    “We want Lagos to be safe for all and that is why we are brainstorming on better ways to reduce deaths from road traffic accidents.”

  • Gbajabiamila resolves ABU-Nursing/Midwifery Council rift

    The lingering faceoff between Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria has been resolved.

    The disagreement over the leadership of the Department of Nursing Sciences under the College of Medical Sciences in ABU made the Council to withdraw the accreditation of the course from the university.

    The Council kicked against the renewal of the tenure of Prof. Hayat Gomma (an Egyptian), who it said had been practising illegally in the country for eight years. She headed the department.

    Following this, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, mandated the House Committee on Health Services, headed by Hon. Tanko Sununu, to resolve the rift.

    Speaking yesterday, Sununu said the issue had been amicably resolved after a meeting with both parties, adding that the Council had agreed to restore the accreditation of the department after the appointment of a new Head of Department, Dr. Mohammed Awal Ladan.

    Present at the session were the Provost of the ABU College of Medical Sciences, Prof. Abdullahi Randawa, and Secretary-General of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Faruk Umar Abubakar.

  • EFCC Quizzes Real Estate Mogul, Kelechukwu Mbagwu over fraud 

    One of the big names in Real Estate Industry of Nigeria, Mr. Kelechukwu Mbagwu is currently swimming in the water of trouble and the wind of petitions slammed against him may dent his image and the integrity that he had illustriously built for close to three decades if not curtailed.

     

    Mbawgu, the Chief Executive Officer of CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited, we gathered has been having it raw for over two months with investigators at the Ikoyi, Lagos office of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over fraudulent transactions with Wema Bank PLC.

     

    The successful House Builder who is the current President of Nigerian Rugby Federation is also answering questions from the anti-graft agency for fraudulently using some already sold out properties situated in Pearl Garden and Peal Nuga Estates built by CMB at Sangotedo, along Lekki-Epe express way, Lagos State to obtain bank loans.

     

    A reliable source at EFCC told our correspondent that the loans, totalling at about #250million has not been paid by Mbagwu’s firm, prompting Wema Bank to approach a Lagos division of Federal High Court presided over by Justice Olayinka Faji to seek for an order to take over the properties, a 7-unit detached duplexes 3 blocks located at Pearl Nuga Estate valued at #324million used as collateral for the loans pending the conclusion of substantial suit.

     

    The leadership of Pearl Nuga and Pearl Garden Estates had in a petition sent to EFCC, a copy of which has been obtained by our correspondent alleged that affected home owners namely; Bridget Eko, Osagie, Ainiehnoho Jude, Mr. Akinola Alabi, Mrs Oluwadara Alabi, Nosakhare Igbinobi, Mr and Mrs Micheal Bassey, Mr Oyeleke Jegede, Mr Larry Amaraibi and Amos Gaga had paid Mbagwu and his company 100% for their houses and had taken possession years ago.

     

    They alleged in their petition that Mbagwu fraudulently withheld the title deeds of the houses from the affected owners so that he could continuously be using them to carry out illegal bank transactions.

     

    The House Owners according to the petition said they got a wind of the matter when CMB started having issues with Wema Bank, prompting them to carry out due diligence investigation which revealed that all the properties inside the two estates paid for by them actually belong to Kelechukwu Mbagwu in the face of law.

     

    “Some of us have been here for one decade; Mbagwu has refused to give us the title of our properties. He has been using our properties to seek for bank loans unknown to us. The Last one that he has been unable to pay to Wema Bank is the one that opened our eyes to the fact that all the buildings inside the two estates built by us actually belong to Mbagwu’s company because the title belong to him as we speak”, the house owners stated in their fresh petition.

     

    Our correspondent confirmed that he sighted two weeks ago at EFCC office in Ikoyi looking distrust, gloomy and dejected.

     

    A reliable source at EFCC said Mbagwu has been reporting three times weekly at the Ikoyi office of the anti-graft agency since June this year. He stated that he has not been arraigned in court because some powerful people are begging on his behalf.

     

    “We may arraign him soon. He has been making moves to ensure that he is not arraigned in court so as to save his image but luck may soon ran out of him because we have established a strong case against him. He is still having his way because of some powerful people that are pleading on his behalf” a source at EFCC who doesn’t want his name mentioned because he’s not permitted to speak on the matter told our correspondent.

     

    Read Also: Man accused of hiring assassin

     

    Meanwhile, CMB in a statement signed by a Lawyer, Ifeoma Ogoh denied any allegation of wrongdoing against the aggrieved homeowners.

     

    Ogoh said: “The mission of the House Owners is to oust our client from continuing to serve as facility managers of the estates in question; a role that our client has played competently and effectively from inception.”

     

    She claimed that they also push their agenda by latching on to anything that will drive their faulty narrative, adding that the group of individuals behind the publication is already embroiled in scandal involving embezzlement and misappropriation of funds.

     

    “Allegations by this faceless group are false and unsubstantiated. It is instructive that they had approached the courts of law thrice and each time, the cases were struck out.

     

    “The false allegations appear to be an attempt to malign Mr. Mbagwu in the court of public opinion having constituted themselves prosecutor and judge, in the absence of a case in the court of law,” the firm claimed.

     

    Ogoh further stated that there is no possession order whatsoever on any of the company’s properties anywhere in Nigeria.

     

  • How to manage waste, by Lagos lawmaker

    Lagos State House of Assembly member, Mojisola Meranda, has urged residents to dispose waste properly.

    She spoke at a meeting with stakeholders in her constituency.

    According to her, the state plans to sensitise the public on how to separate waste that can be recycled.

    This, she said, will make it easier for waste collectors and recyclers.

    “At a time like this, when our community is being ravaged by flood as a result of improper disposal of waste, there is urgent need to organise a program like this to sensitise the public on how well to manage waste products,” she said.

    On how flooding can be reduced, Meranda said the drainages must be cleared.

    She said once the primary and secondary channels are cleared, flooding will reduce.

    She said the clearing must be a continuous exercise.

    “The safety of our environment is the collective responsibility of everyone in the community and should not be left out to the government alone,” she said.

    Meranda assured that the ninth Assembly would do everything possible within its capacity to bring governance closer to the people.

    To support less privileged parents, Meranda empowered 1,000 primary school students around Apapa 1 Constituency.

    She provided them with writing materials, books and mathematical sets.

    She also presented textbooks and library materials to schools in the community.

  • Yes, Ondo council Chairman bought four tyres but did not commission it!

    Claim: Media publication says Ondo state local government Chairman inaugurated four tyres of a refurbished hummer bus.

    MISLEADING: The Chairman did indeed buy tyres for a vehicle they were refurbishing which was posted on his Facebook page. However, the tyres were never commissioned or inaugurated.

    Full Text:

    On Monday, 9th September, a media report said the Chairman of Okitipupa local government council, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya inaugurated (commissioned) four tyres. The tyres were said to be used to refurbish a Toyota Hummer Bus.

    “The Chairman of Okitipupa LG, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya has purchased (4) brand new tyre of maxxix brand for the refurbished Toyota Hummer bus that has been abandoned for 7 years. Omo’ba is working, Okitipupa LG is moving”, he wrote on Facebook.

    The influential nature of Abayomi Adesanya is undeniable; he was the pioneer spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo state. This is perhaps one of the reasons the statement is facing heavy criticism in the media.

    When the news surfaced, the consensus from the majority of public response questioned the relevance of the post, as this would not ordinarily be considered as noteworthy. The people were of the opinion that buying tyres was not an achievement that should be publicized.

    It is standard practise for politicians in Nigeria to publicise their achievements, even when it is mediocre. Did you know that ‘VIP’ or ‘ultramodern toilets’ have been commissioned by politicians in the past and even added to the national budget? However, Nigerians are becoming more vocal on the ludicrousness of such projects.

    Verification

    The Nation did in fact confirm that the quote above originated from a Facebook page with the name “Omo’ba Adesanya Okitipupa LG”.

    The Chairman, Omo’ba Abayomi Adesanya when contacted on phone described it as publicity gone awry; adding, he bought the tyres as part of his activities in the council. He said that he never commissioned any tyres but admitted that he brought the tyres for a vehicle they were refurbishing.

    Interestingly, turns out the facebook page is managed by Abayomi Adesanya’s media aide. And according to Omo’ba, the aide in question posted the pictures on Facebook without briefing him; apparently he did so just to keep the people abreast of what he was doing.

    Regardless, we checked the post and it did not state anything about him commissioning or inaugurating tyres; nor were there any images to corroborate this claim. It only states that the Chairman purchased tyres.

    Conclusion

    This post is misleading because although the event happened (purchase of tyres and a post on Facebook celebrating it), the primary claim (commissioning of tyres) is not entirely true. The Chairman did indeed buy tyres for a vehicle they were refurbishing which was posted on his Facebook page; however, the tyres were never commissioned or inaugurated.

    This fact-check was done by a Dubawa Fact-checking Fellow in collaboration with The Nation Newspaper.

  • Aisha Isa leads ethical opioid reform in Nigeria’s public hospitals

    Aisha Isa leads ethical opioid reform in Nigeria’s public hospitals

    In Nigeria’s public hospitals, the management of pain has become one of the most overlooked aspects of healthcare. Patients undergoing cancer treatment, recovering from major surgery, or facing terminal illness are often left in avoidable agony, not because medicine cannot help, but because access to effective pain relief is blocked.

    One of the voices drawing national attention to this crisis is Aisha Isa, a public health researcher and clinical associate in the American Cancer Society’s Treat the Pain initiative at the National Hospital in Abuja. From her work alongside clinicians, Isa has described the lack of access to opioids as “a silent emergency that continues to deny patients dignity in their most vulnerable moments.”

    The statistics reflect the gravity of the problem. According to Human Rights Watch and Treat the Pain, Nigeria receives only 0.2 percent of the morphine equivalent opioids required to meet its medical needs. Meanwhile, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime reports that 14.4 percent of Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64 used drugs in the past year, nearly three times the global average.

    “This contradiction is heartbreaking,” Isa explained. “Inside hospitals, patients who desperately need morphine after surgery are denied access. Yet outside, tramadol, codeine, and other opioids are being misused widely. Patients are trapped in the middle of a broken system.”

    Her testimony is not theoretical. Isa recalls a patient recovering from abdominal surgery who rated his pain as “eight out of ten” on a standard pain scale. Despite his obvious distress, he was prescribed only paracetamol and a low dose of tramadol. “That experience stayed with me,” she said. “It reflects a larger systemic failure, not an isolated case.”

    Experts agree that morphine remains one of the most effective and affordable treatments for moderate to severe pain. Yet in Nigeria, fear of addiction often outweighs clinical judgment, leading many providers to avoid prescribing it altogether. Isa and other advocates argue that this hesitation undermines the ethical responsibility of healthcare professionals to relieve suffering.

    Her call is for Nigeria to adopt an ethical and evidence based opioid framework, one that ensures access for patients with genuine need while safeguarding against misuse. Such a framework would require opioid stewardship programs within hospitals, emphasizing rational prescribing, regular audit, and interprofessional collaboration between pharmacists, physicians, and nurses. It would also require provider education, standardized prescribing protocols, tighter supply chain oversight, and public awareness campaigns.

    Isa believes that opioid stewardship should be integrated into every level of Nigeria’s healthcare system, from medical education to hospital governance, ensuring that opioids are prescribed appropriately, monitored effectively, and used responsibly to balance compassion with control.

    There are proven models that Nigeria can follow. Uganda’s national morphine program, which empowers trained nurses to administer pain relief across both rural and urban communities, has been praised internationally for balancing access with safety. “Nigeria can adapt this model and save countless patients from needless suffering,” Isa noted.

    For Isa, the issue is not only about medicine but about justice. “A health system that allows patients to suffer in silence is not fulfilling its duty,” she told The Nation. “Relief should not be a privilege. It should be the standard.”

    Her call for reform reflects a broader truth: that pain management is a measure of humanity in healthcare. As Nigeria continues to expand its health system, Isa and other advocates insist that closing the pain gap must be a national priority. The knowledge, the tools, and the urgency already exist; what is needed now is the political will to act.