Category: City Beats

  • Police advisory

    Police advisory

    The Lagos State Police command has advised the public especially those who lost their vehicles to theft or abandoned around the city to report  at Satellite Division for identification and claim within 14 days.

    Read Also: ‘Nigerian varsities losing graduates to foreign countries’

    The vehicles are red Toyota Corolla marked MUS 239 XL and  Toyota Camry car – LE 899 KJA.

  • Pensioners protest unpaid increment allowance

    Pensioners protest unpaid increment allowance

    Dozens of aggrieved pensioners yesterday staged a protest at the Lagos office of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) over the non-implementation of a N32,000 pension increment approved by the Federal Government since July 2024, and the alleged mismanagement of palliative funds meant for senior citizens.what they described as continued neglect and injustice.

    NUP) Nipost Lagos Chapter Chairman, Mukaila Odumote, said: “The Federal Government approved the N32,000 increment in pension due to the hardship caused by subsidy removal, yet almost a year later, we have not seen a kobo. Many of our members are dying daily. They cannot afford basic medication. Some are owed up to 108 months of pension arrears.”

    According to him, the Federal Government had also promised N25,000 palliative funds for pensioners and other vulnerable groups since October 2023. While civil servants received theirs, pensioners were allegedly excluded.

    “The delay in monthly pensions is worsening our suffering. Instead of paying us at the end of the month, they now pay on the 8th of the following month. Our people are dying. PTAD claims they are doing backend publication, but what they are doing is unjust,” he said.

     Odumote also alleged that PTAD had paid a select few pensioners under the new increment of 20 per cent for junior officers and 28 per cent for senior officers, which was approved in January 2025, but even that came with unexplained deductions instead of increases.

    Read Also: I want to be remembered as a patriotic leader who loved Nigeria — Gowon

    “This is injustice mounted on us, and we cannot curtail it anymore. All Lagos pensioners have converged here today. If we don’t receive alerts, we will not leave this place,” he said.

    Chairman of Voice of Nigeria Pensioners, Oyeniyi Oluwole, called the situation “appalling” and “unacceptable.” He described how pensioners, many of whom have received the same stipend for over 15 to 20 years, are now facing deductions under unclear directives allegedly issued to PTAD.

    “You retire on the same grade and year with a colleague, yet deductions on your pensions are unequal. Someone gets deducted N20,000, another N40,000. What kind of irregularity is that? That’s injustice,” he said.

    According to him, the National Assembly had during plenary issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Minister of Finance to ensure payment. “That ultimatum has expired for over two months, yet nothing has been done. Why?”

  • Mokwa flood: ‘Non-indigenes from 15 states were affected’

    Mokwa flood: ‘Non-indigenes from 15 states were affected’

    The Niger State Deputy Governor, Comrade Yakubu Garba, has said that more non-indigenes were affected in the Mokwa floods as people from over 15 states who were living in Mokwa were affected.

    Garba, who stated this when he received a condolence team from Veritas University, Abuja, noted that it was because of the high number of non-indigenes that the state highlighted the disaster as a national disaster.

    “The Mokwa flood incident is a national disaster. People do not understand when we say this; they assume it is because it occurred in Niger state. If you take the statistics, I do not have it offhand; you will see that a lot of non-indigenes lost their lives in the flood.

    Read Also: Tinubu at 2025 PPP Summit: Nigerians want infrastructure, not promises

    “The non-indigenes that were affected are more than the indigenes. You have those from Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and other tribes there. That is why we called it a national disaster,” he explained.

    Garba called for prayers from the various incidents and disasters happening across the country calling on all religious institutions and leaders to pray for God’s mercy.

  • Agency arrests ex-Plateau Speaker,14 others over alleged N2.5b scam

    Agency arrests ex-Plateau Speaker,14 others over alleged N2.5b scam

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former Speaker of Plateau House of Assembly, Moses Sule, alongside 14 former lawmakers over allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.

    EFCC Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, said the suspects were arrested by operatives of the EFCC’s Makurdi Zonal Directorate on Tuesday, following petitions from concerned citizens in the state.

    Oyewale explained that the former legislators allegedly violated the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and were also implicated in procurement irregularities.

    He named the other lawmakers arrested alongside Sule as Gwottson Fom, Sani Abubakar, Jwe Gwom, Timothy Dantong, Happiness Akawu, and Cornelius Doeyok.

    Oyewale listed others to include Agbalak Ibrahim, Danjuma Azi, Fwangje Ndat, Salome Waklek, Namba Rimuyat, Nimchak Rims, Ishaku Maren and Paul Datugun.

    Read Also: Tinubu at 2025 PPP Summit: Nigerians want infrastructure, not promises

    He said: “Investigation showed that the former legislators spent only six months in office and the state government bought several luxury vehicles for them in their official capacities. Investigation further showed that the said vehicles are valued at N2.5 billion.

    “Upon leaving office, the vehicles were meant to be returned to the state government but were taken away by the legislators and all efforts to retrieve them have proved abortive.

    “The state government had to procure another set of vehicles for the present members of the House of Assembly valued at about N2 billion,” he said.

    Oyewale said the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

  • We won’t allow re-looting of recovered assets, says EFCC Chair

    We won’t allow re-looting of recovered assets, says EFCC Chair

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has assured Nigerians that, it will never allow looted assets by corrupt individuals to be relooted.

    Chairman of the Commission, Ola Olukoyede gave the assurance in Kachia, Kaduna State yesterday during a visit to the main campus of the newly established Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia.

    The University’s facility was taken over by the Federal Government following a court order for the forfeiture of the privately-owned institution.

    Nok University was a privately owned institution founded in 2021 by Anthony Hassan, a former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Federal Ministry of Health. However, in June 2024, a Federal High Court in Abuja, led by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, issued a final order of forfeiture, finding that Hassan used illicit public funds to acquire the university and related assets, including a water factory, hotel, and event center.

    Speaking during his visit, the EFCC Chairman said good governance is a possibility in Nigeria, and that, Nigerians must enjoy proceed of accountability.

    Read Also: Nigeria contributes 85,325 sq km to global seabed mapping initiative

    He said: “This is a testimony that good governance is a possibility in Nigeria. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given us a marching order to go and ensure delivery of good governance and he has provided the leadership directly and indirectly, by actions and by words.

    “Never in the history of this country are we going to allow recovered assets to be re-looted again. So, this is a testimony of accountability, it is a testimony of transparency, it is a testimony of judicious use of recovered asset.

    “Nigerians deserve to enjoy the proceeds of accountability and that is why we decided to give this back to the people. After recovery, we feel the people of the immediate community must be the first beneficiaries. So, it is important for us to appreciate the leadership of Mr President because this has not been happening before.

    “Just yesterday, I was in Bayelsa State to commission some projects. That ordinarily was not supposed to be in the mandate of the EFCC, but because those projects were built with proceeds of crime; from the money recovered from Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) strictly. And that is what we would be doing going forward.

    “The President directed that we handover this project in Kachia to the Ministry of Education which we did openly at the Villa and I did promised at that event that, we will make sure that, the facility is used for what the President has directed. And that is why we are here today to show Nigerians that, Federal University of Applied Sciences, Kachia is a reality.

  • Firm integrates practical sustainability into Estate design

    Firm integrates practical sustainability into Estate design

    As sustainability becomes central to urban development, Mshel Homes is taking tangible
    steps with its new project, Hutu Exclusive, located along Airport Road, Abuja. The estate is
    designed around long-term environmental responsibility, introducing features beyond
    surface-level “green” claims.

    The estate’s design prioritises integrated green zones and natural parks, strategically
    embedded as fundamental layout elements. These spaces fulfill dual ecological and
    communal roles, fostering biodiversity preservation, maintaining native vegetation, and
    offering residents serene recreational areas for relaxation and community engagement.

    Hutu Exclusive is committed to energy conservation, implementing solar-powered
    streetlights to significantly reduce its reliance on the national grid. These lights enhance
    nighttime visibility and safety while utilising clean, renewable energy, providing a sustainable
    and reliable solution.

    Read Also: Firm targets building, infrastructure for smarter future

    Additionally, the project incorporates low-energy building materials, including alternative
    cement blends and insulation, which reduce energy loss. Waste management systems will
    also be deployed to separate recyclable materials and manage household waste more
    efficiently, a rare inclusion in private estates.

    Hutu Exclusive reflects a growing shift in Nigeria’s real estate sector: a movement toward
    smart, responsible housing that meets the needs of both modern homeowners and the
    environment. Mshel Homes is positioning the estate as an ideal and practical blueprint for
    sustainable living.

  • Panic, gunshots as robbers attack, cart away cash, valuables in Ibadan

    Panic, gunshots as robbers attack, cart away cash, valuables in Ibadan

    Pandemonium was let loose on Wednesday when armed robbers attacked some shops in Mokola area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital city. 

    Shooting sporadically into the air to scare away innocent people, the operation was said to have lasted barely five minutes.

    It was gathered that no fewer than three people sustained gunshot wounds during the robbery, which took place near the Mokola bridge, Ibadan.

    A source said the incident happened around 11:30an with the robbers carting away undisclosed valuables, including cash.

    Eyewitnesses said the victims were attacked as they were about entering a store to buy provisions meant for retail, noting the robbers could have traced the victims to the store as they succeeded in carting away an unconfirmed amount of money at gun point.

    Another source added that the armed robbers shot sporadically for minutes and two people sustained gunshot injuries while another person lost consciousness before the arrival of the police.

    It was gathered while a middle-aged man sustained gunshot injury near his groins, another was hit in the leg and a teenager with a bullet wound on her wrist.

    As of the time of filing this repor, the victims were said to be receiving medical attention at Alaafia Hospital, Mokola with security surveillance around the vicinity has increased.\

    Read Also: Panic as gunshots rock Edo governorship tribunal sitting venue

     Oyo Police spokesman, Adewale Osifeso, a Chief Superintendent of Police, confirmed the incident, saying no fatality was recorded.

    He added although there were gunshots, two people sustained injuries.

     He debunked insinuations that the attack happened in a bank, stating it was under the Mokola bridge, cautioning residents from spreading panic and fear through their reports.

    He said further investigation has commenced into the incident, assuring that the Police will get to the root of it. 

    He called on the people to remain calm and go about their activities lawfully.

  • WOFAN, Mastercard Foundation launch support initiative for hearing-impaired youths in agriculture

    WOFAN, Mastercard Foundation launch support initiative for hearing-impaired youths in agriculture

    In a significant move towards inclusive development, the Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN), in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation and ENT specialists, has launched a hearing support initiative targeting young Nigerians with hearing impairments.

    The initiative, part of the WOFAN-ICON2 project, aims to identify and provide medical assistance, including hearing aids and counselling, to 1,200 individuals aged 18 to 35, to enhance their access to dignified employment opportunities, particularly within the agricultural sector.

    Speaking at the official launch in Abuja, Country Project Director of WOFAN-ICON2, Dr. Salamatu Garba, underscored the social exclusion faced by people with hearing loss. “When disability is discussed, focus often centres on physical impairments, while hearing-impaired individuals are left to battle communication barriers and societal stigma,” she noted.

    Dr. Garba clarified that the initiative is not just about distributing hearing aids but also involves thorough medical screening by ENT experts to determine the right support. “Some may need simple procedures like wax removal, while others genuinely require hearing devices. Accurate diagnosis is essential before intervention,” she said.

    Business Development Manager at WOFAN, Mr. Taiwo Olawale, disclosed that the pilot phase will begin with the screening of 60 individuals in the North Central region before scaling to other zones, including the North-East and North-West, covering states like Adamawa, Kano, and the FCT.

    WOFAN’s Gender Specialist and FCT Lead, Hajia Maryam Lawal, emphasised the need to include hearing-impaired youths in agricultural development, noting that disability inclusion is key to achieving national food security goals.

    “Imagine a deaf farmer being excluded from training sessions or safety briefings. Their productivity and ability to contribute to food security are compromised. That’s why we’re targeting this group,” she said.

    ENT consultant Dr. Bassey Adem from the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital described hearing loss as a pressing but underfunded public health issue. He commended the partnership, noting that many affected individuals cannot afford hearing aids, which can cost hundreds of thousands of naira.

    “This programme restores not just hearing, but dignity and opportunity,” Dr. Adem said.

    Read Also: Banks, BDCs recapitalisation laying foundation for stronger financial system

    Also lending support, Professor Abdulazeez Ahmed of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital and Dr. Manir Anka praised the initiative for spotlighting a “hidden disability.”

    “Hearing loss is invisible. Unless someone speaks, you might not realise they are deaf. That’s why public education and awareness are essential to end stigma and foster inclusion,” Prof. Ahmed said.

    He called on other organisations to replicate WOFAN’s inclusive model and urged for broader collaboration in addressing disability-related challenges.

    “This is not solely the government’s duty. All of society must play a role in uplifting persons with disabilities,” he stated.

    As the programme advances across the nine focus states of the WOFAN-ICON2 project, it aims to set a national standard for disability inclusion, merging medical intervention, public awareness, and economic empowerment to ensure no one is left behind.

  • Military, police, partner NigComSat for deployment of satellite assets against terrorists, others

    Military, police, partner NigComSat for deployment of satellite assets against terrorists, others

    The Defence Headquarters DHQ, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies have begun collaboration with the Nigerian Communications Satellite (NigComSat) Ltd, for deployment of Satellite assets to address the security challenges facing the country.

    The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Wednesday said deployment of satellite tools and other technology innovations has become necessary for Nigeria to effectively and decisively tackle security problems in the country.

    They spoke at the Digital Economy Complex, Mbora, Abuja, during the launch of phase two of the NigComSat Accelerator Programme, with the theme: Unlocking Nigeria’s Space-Tech Potential, building an innovation-driven ecosystem.

    Gen. Musa said deployment of satellite assets would be a determining factor for the future of military operations against the activities of insurgents, terrorists, kidnappers and other non-state actors threatening the peace of the country.

    Gen Musa who was represented at the event by Air Vice Marshall Vincent Nkem Aguiyi, the Chief of Defence Transformation and Innovation, Defence Headquarters, said, “For the Armed Forces of Nigeria, this (NigComSat event) translates to an opportunity to deepen partnerships with innovators who can help build tools and systems that enhance national resilience and security.

    “I am particularly pleased with the emphasis on AI, space technology and digital transformation. These areas are critical domains that will define the future of our defence and security architecture.

    “As threats become more asymmetric and complex, our responses must be more intelligent, data-driven, and adaptive.

    “Therefore, our Investments in innovation must be seen not just as economic initiatives but as strategic imperatives. In this regard, the Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirms its readiness to collaborate with technology-based enterprises, research institutions, and industry leaders in the co-creation of solutions that will help secure our borders, protect our national assets, and promote peace and stability across the country.”

    On his part, the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, represented by Police Commissioner in Charge of Digital Innovation and Cybersecurity at Police Headquarters, Mr Ahmed Sule, emphasised the deployment of digital solutions for security mappings, intelligence gathering and tracking of criminals.

    Read Also: NigComSat’s second phase of accelerator for July 18

    The IGP said the time has come for Nigeria’s technology advancement and space-tech capabilities to be deployed to bridge the gap in the nation’s security architecture, empower the people and ensure strategic economic growth and development.

    In her address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive of NigComSat, Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, said Nigeria should not be left behind in the race towards a one trillion dollar global space economy.

    She described the NigComSat Accelerator Programme as a national milestone aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s space-tech potential and nurturing a homegrown ecosystem driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and strategic collaboration.

    “In today’s digital economy, space is no longer a distant frontier. It is a domain of opportunity, anchoring everything from precision agriculture and environmental monitoring to disaster management, national security, fintech and connectivity.

    “NIGCOMSAT, as Nigeria’s foremost satellite communications company, stands at the intersection of technology and transformation. We are committed to building a vibrant space-tech economy that does not just serve us today but powers our collective aspirations for tomorrow.

    “This is why the Accelerator Programme was born, to create a launchpad for Nigerian startups, engineers, data scientists and innovators who dare to dream beyond Earth’s boundaries.

    “As the world races toward a $1 trillion global space economy, Africa must take its place, not just as a consumer, but as a creator of space-based solutions. Nigeria, with its large youth population, robust tech talent, and expanding digital infrastructure, is uniquely positioned to lead this charge.

    “But we must do more than invest in satellites. We must invest in ideas, talent and systems that convert raw potential into scalable innovation,” Mrs Egerton-Idehen said.

  • Lagos ‘Band A’ residents beg IKEDC over prolonged blackout, faulty transformer

    Lagos ‘Band A’ residents beg IKEDC over prolonged blackout, faulty transformer

    Frustrated by the prolonged blackout caused by a faulty transformer supplying power, residents and business owners on six streets — Raji Oba, Awoyemi, Folarin, Ajala, Olonade and Akinshola — in Alimosho area of Lagos State have decried and lamented the over three months’ power outage.

    According to them, the power outage which occurred in the second week of March 2025 is crippling businesses and severely impacting the quality of life in the communities.

    The residents called on Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to urgently look into the situation and address the prolonged power outage, especially by fixing the faulty transformer.

    Our correspondent understands that these streets are under the Band A consumers’ category, and they should enjoy 20 to 24 hours of power supply daily. However, these consumers complained that this has not been the case for over three months since the transformer was taken away.

    The residents said the prolonged absence of electricity has made them vulnerable to attacks from marauders who operate under the cover of darkness.

    One of the residents, Michael, said the lack of power supply had worsened commercial activities in the community, adding that access to water had also been affected.

    Michael said, “So, we are pleading as a community, as one, for Ikeja Electric and the appropriate authorities to listen to our cries to save our communities. Olonade-Akinsola and other streets have always been a good community, and we want it to remain like this.”

    “We have been struggling in darkness,” another resident who identified herself as Mama Chioma said.

    “We have been in total blackout for over three months, crippling businesses. We are pleading with IKEDC to urgently address this,” she further pleaded.

    In a letter dated March 16 and addressed to IKEDC by the Olonade-Akinsola community titled: “Urgent request for Band A intervention on prolonged power outage in our community”, noted that several efforts and reports have been made to IKEDC’s customer service and local office, but the situation remains unresolved.

    Read Also: Air Force vows to sanction officers over invasion of IKEDC’s office

    The community association noted that the sad situation had also grounded businesses and other activities that rely on electricity.

    It partly reads, “The power failure has severely impacted our daily activities, businesses, healthcare services and overall well-being in these six streets.

    “We are yet to receive a clear response regarding an estimated time for restoration. The continuous blackout has caused significant discomfort, economic losses, and security concerns within our community.

    “In the light of the above, we respectfully request urgent intervention and a directive to the appropriate department to expedite the resolution of this issue.”

    The community further called on the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to urgently intervene.