DIRECTOR of Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Mrs Margaret Adeseye has promised effective service delivery to justify government’s investment in the agency.
She spoke in a meeting with workers at the Ikeja Fire Station.
Advising officers to maintain ethics of the service, the director said “there is no room for indiscipline as bad eggs will be fished out and dealt with.”
She acknowledged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s support towards mitigating fire emergencies, rescue, public order and safety.
A LOCAL Government in Lagos State, Surulere, has distributed free GCE forms to 30 pupils that did well in the Summer coaching organised by the council.
Council Chairman Sulaiman Yusuf said the gesture was to reward excellence and reduce the burden on their parents.
“One of our goals is to impact knowledge in our youths. Since they are on holiday, we thought it wise that instead of staying at home and roaming the streets, we should keep them busy… As you can see, it has helped greatly to keep them focus,” he said.
He said more 20 free GCE forms would be distributed to indigent pupils in the community.
“The parents cannot do everything and it’s not every parent that has the capacity to enrol their children for JAMB. We took it as part of our responsibility to the community and to appreciate the children that did well in this summer coaching,” he said.
He advised the pupils to face their studies and do well in their exams.
“The best thing their parents can give them is education and for them to appreciate their parents is to excel in their academic work’’.
AFRICA Initiative for Governance (AIG), subsidiary of Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, has announced recipients of its annual scholarship to the University of Oxford. The 2021 scholars represent the fifth cohort of AIG scholars and will benefit from training on public policy at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.
Four of the scholars – Wuraola Babalola; Buari Abiodun; Ujunwa Ojemani and Godwin Mark are Nigerians while Salifu Abdul-Razaq is a Ghanaian.
Since 2017, 27 scholarships worth over £50,000 each have been awarded to those with passion for the public sector.
Addressing awardees, Founder and Chairman of Africa Initiative for Governance Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede said: “It is our fifth year of awarding at least five scholarships annually to high-calibre individuals who can influence best practice standards of governance in Africa, ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice.
‘’We believe the right leadership is a key driver of change and at the Africa Initiative for Governance; we are focused on building a critical mass of leaders passionate about transforming the public sector… We are intentional in awarding our scholarships to those with the capacity and grit to be game-changers.”
A director of AIG, Mrs Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, said the organisation would provide the next generation of public service leaders with a world-class public policy education to equip them with skills and knowledge to make positive change in their countries and elsewhere.
Ms Ojemeni, a first-class Banking and Finance graduate, thanked the organisation for the opportunity.
A non-governmental organisation, Citizens Aid and Advancement Foundation (CAAF), is to provide free health care to those who cannot afford hospital bills.
CAAF President Edward Nkemnacho said those to receive the free medical services, include the poor, everyone under 21 years, families of serving and retired police and military personnel as well as civil and public servants.
National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in its Poverty and Inequality Report 2019, estimated that one in 10 or more than 82.9 million Nigerians live in poverty.
Also, the World Bank said 96 million Nigerians would be living in poverty by 2022.
Nkemnacho said the organisation would assist Nigerians who could not afford to pay hospital bills and access free treatment by 2022.
The organisation further solicited the support of the leadership of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Emir of Bornu and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to encourage members of the various religious bodies to work towards bringing the vision to reality.
Nkemnacho said the donations from the religious bodies would assist in providing free healthcare services to Nigerians and citizens of other countries that visit Nigeria.
At the Annual Fire Safety and Leadership conference themed “Raising the Standard of Fire Safety and Emergency Response”, the Ogbomosho Fire Station was officially honored as the Best Fire Station in Southwest Nigeria for the year 2020.
The prestigious award, presented by Fire Service Nigeria, was announced during the high-level gathering held virtually on December 21, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, recognizing exceptional performance and leadership in public safety across the southwest region.
This distinguished award recognizes the station’s exceptional service in emergency response, disaster preparedness, and public fire safety education. The selection was based on measurable performance indicators such as incident response time, community outreach, inter-agency collaboration, and innovation in fire suppression practices.
The 2020 award is especially significant because it came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when emergency services across the nation were stretched thin. Despite the challenges of restricted movement, staff shortages, and increased community vulnerability, Ogbomosho Fire Station sustained full operational capacity throughout the lockdown. The station not only maintained emergency response services but also led public fire safety campaigns to prevent additional crises, helping protect both lives and property at a critical time for national stability.
The Controller General of the Federal Fire Service of Nigeria, Dr. Liman A. Ibrahim, commended the Ogbomosho Fire Station for setting a high standard in emergency service, highlighting the team’s “exceptional courage, operational discipline, and unwavering professionalism in delivering fire safety and rescue operations.”
In a statement issued by the station, the leadership expressed gratitude and reaffirmed their commitment to excellence: “This honor represents the daily sacrifices and courage of our officers. We are proud to serve and protect our communities with professionalism and dedication.”
The recognition by Fire Service Nigeria highlights the ongoing impact of Ogbomosho Fire Station’s work in safeguarding lives and property throughout the region. It reinforces the station’s status as one of the most respected and operationally vital emergency response units in Southwestern Nigeria.
Mayowa George, nicknamed “Mr. Fire” is a leading figure in firefighting operations across Oyo State, Nigeria. With years of hands-on experience and exceptional leadership in high-pressure fire incidents, he has earned a distinguished reputation for his role in saving lives, minimizing destruction, and protecting essential infrastructure throughout the region.
Mayowa’s expertise goes beyond routine firefighting operations. He specializes in handling fire outbreaks in residential, commercial, and industrial areas, ensuring swift response and effective fire suppression to protect lives and property.
He is also highly skilled in managing wildfires, which pose significant threats to both human life and the environment. Wildfires, especially in dry seasons, can spread rapidly across residential buildings, commercial, and industrial areas, as well as grasslands and forests, causing extensive damage to ecosystems, wildlife, and nearby communities. The devastating effects of uncontrolled wildfires are felt long after the fire has been extinguished, leading to loss of livelihoods, displacement of people, and destruction of vital resources.
As a result of his work, Mayowa has played a key role in addressing these challenges in Oyo State and beyond, leading various critical firefighting operations, including:
Petrol Tanker Fire, NTA Junction, Ikoyi Road, Ogbomoso: When a petrol tanker erupted in flames, Mayowa led the operation to control the fire using water jets from a fire tender, preventing further damage and safeguarding the surrounding area from catastrophic loss.
Studio Fire, Dimex Recording Studio, Sanu Aje Area, Ogbomoso: During Fire outbreak at the Dimex Recording Studio, Mayowa quickly directed his team to use water spray techniques to suppress the fire, effectively protecting valuable studio equipment from destruction.
ICT Building Fire, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso: In response to a fire at the ICT building in LAUTECH, Mayowa’s led team that utilized CO2 extinguishers to control the blaze, protecting critical technological infrastructure from further damage.
Bushfire, Blind Center, Iseyin Road, Ogbomoso: Mayowa’s leadership was crucial in containing a bushfire near the Blind Center using fire beaters, effectively controlling the spread of the fire and securing the facility from harm.
Hospital Fire, Bowen Teaching Hospital, Taki, Ogbomoso: Mayowa led the firefighting response during a fire at Bowen Teaching Hospital. His team’s rapid action prevented significant damage and ensured the hospital continued to serve the public without interruption.
Beyond direct firefighting, Mayowa’s work also focuses on fire prevention and awareness. Wildfires and fire outbreaks can occur unexpectedly, and Mayowa has been at the forefront of advocating for fire safety measures in local communities and schools. Through training programs and awareness campaigns, he has worked tirelessly to reduce the risk of fire outbreaks and to educate the public on how to respond in emergency situations.
Mayowa’s work is crucial in protecting both life and property, especially in areas vulnerable to wildfire outbreaks. His commitment to improving fire management strategies has set a high standard for firefighting efforts in Nigeria, earning him recognition as a critical asset in public safety.
Through his continued leadership and tireless work in fire safety, Mayowa George has not only become an invaluable resource to his community but a national asset. His efforts play a vital role in addressing fire-related risks across Nigeria, ensuring that communities are better equipped to prevent and respond to wildfires and other fire emergencies.
In August 2019, the Nigerian Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari declared a partial land border closure in order to halt the importation of food among other goods. The smuggling of rice – Nigeria’s staple food – remains business as usual despite the restriction order by the president. The Nation’s Investigative journalist Gabriel Ogunjobi went undercover between March 12 and 17 to expose the schemes of smugglers operating across the border between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
It was midday on March 12, Monday, popularly nicknamed ‘J-Boy’, a swift, street-smart motorcyclist flapped his cow-skinned, portable bag at the front of his motorcycle, ready to fire on.
J-Boy was not just a good rider, but also a great accomplice with the Kogi-born Mohammed Muktar, who is adept in the business of smuggling foreign rice from Benin Republic to Nigeria.
Street-smart Monday a.ka. ‘J-Boy’, a bike rider who makes a living as foreign rice carrier
It should ordinarily be a difficult task to dare travel out of the country with no valid proof of identity but it is more herculean to smuggle bags of foreign rice under the nose of men of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) – especially at this time when the borders are shut. But none of these security agents could stop Mohammed, a notorious smuggler, and his accomplices.
So, when Mohammed gave J-Boy a nod to ride on, the latter took the cue at once. “No qualms,” he said, bravely and gravely.
On his Bajaj motorcycle, he carried Mohammed and the reporter – and zoomed off, travelling the terrible roads that connect Towe de l’arrondissement (meaning ‘town’) in Benin Republic, from Nigeria – starting from Igan Alade road – Yewa North, Ogun State.
An undercover expedition into the world of smugglers
As we sped off on the crude terrain, I quickly expressed my anxiety about the dangerous journey we had just commenced. But my co-travellers, who knew how the system works told me to calm down, assuring me of safety and success in the journey.
However, the smugglers had no idea that I was a journalist working under cover. I had earlier presented myself to Mohammed as a newbie, who would love to invest in the smuggling of foreign rice from Benin Republic to Nigeria. However, before putting my money on the line, I told him I needed to experience how smugglers outsmart Nigeria’s security agents. I needed to gauge the risk involved in the business into which I was venturing.
Before finally crossing the Nigerian border to Benin Republic, we travelled through Igan Alade, one of the communities on the borderline of Ogun State and Towe, a neighbouring town at the French-speaking Republic of Benin – bypassing a police station at Igan Alade, an NSCDC Divisional Headquarters at Tata community, a Nigeria Customs Area Command at the Ijoun community, and at least seven checkpoints manned by different security agents.
Throughout my round trip to observe the smuggling expedition, I noticed that none of the officers at any of these checkpoints – usually barricaded with bamboo across two sides of the roads – was particularly interested in stopping any smuggling activity.
Instead, the officers greeted us with flashes of smiles and sometimes, hand-waves.
To clear foreign rice out of Benin Republic only costs N200, Rice retailer claims
As at 4:15 p.m., when we arrived at Towe, Coronavirus, the most ravaging pandemic of the century, was just beginning to take a toll on rice prices in Benin Republic.
Before then, a dollar was exchanged for N360/366 at Bureau De Change market, but it suddenly rose to between N405 and N420 that morning. The naira crash immediately influenced the price of foreign rice.
Twenty-four hours ago, a bag of rice was sold at N9,000 at any retailer’s outlet in Benin. It was already N10,200 on the morning of March 12.
“Your currency has no market value in our country yet you have too many greedy officers on the road,” said Mme (Ms.) Ramantou Akiyemi, a rice retailer, to spite Nigeria’s currency value.
A signpost in Benin Republic, near Towe
“When you are going back, our officers will clear you with just N200 – and that’s all! – no matter the numbers of bags of rice you carry on a bike. But, on your land, the taxes are overbearing.”
In a sudden plot-twist, Mohammed came up with a masterplan as this time around he was able to buy just about five bags.
Smugglers’ mafia tactics
“It isn’t worth it to waste any money on the road since it is just five bags I am now buying. Let’s make a booking today and come back to carry them,” Mohammed said, gradually unfolding how he intended to evade all securities without paying a dime.
He would later reveal that his usual scale of rice smuggling ranges from five to ten bikes, noting that each bike would carry around 10 to 15 bags at once – depending on how strong the rider is to control the wheel. Paying bribes on the road doesn’t bug him, but, for just five bags, there is a smarter way to cut the cost.
In the world of smugglers, four codified words are employed for communication – ‘settlement’, ‘booking’, ‘lead’ and ‘informant’. They typify how conveniently smugglers operate day in and out – before and after the federal government invoked a restrictive policy on borders.
Rice smuggler on the run
‘Settlement’ is the bribe of N1,000 at every checkpoint minus the police’s. This is so because the policemen at Igan Alade junction are ‘booked’ before any trip. Customs officers and soldiers will only collect bribe when they catch traders with illegal goods. With the police, the rule is different. Smugglers must disclose their mission ahead of their journey. That’s why theirs is called ‘booking’.
Four codes in rice smuggling
Apart from the bribe-taking security agents, it is usually a lucky day for the likes of J-Boy who risk their lives to smuggle rice. So, their charge is not open for negotiation: it’s a flat rate of N2,500 per bag to anywhere in Igan Alade.
Talk of the backbone machinery in smuggling, you think of the ‘Lead’. Through a hell-hole smuggling, the Lead runs ahead – like two miles – on his bike, looking unsuspecting but vigilant to a fault. He makes the settlements that will be required at each of the checkpoints. Also intermittently, he calls the actual carrier to keep track of their adventure or warn once he sights anyone parading suspiciously. The smugglers know their gangs and can easily spot one who does not belong to the clique. That enemy the Lead is looking out for is called ‘informant’.
The fear of informants…
As fearless as Mohammed appeared in countenance, he admitted that informants were his nightmare in the business.
He cursed them anytime he mentioned them. They just parade bushes on the border, and make a call to the Customs patrol squad the moment a smuggler is sighted, he told the reporter.
‘They may see you mapping plans and just keep trailing you without raising suspicion. They are the unfortunate people in this work. They don’t want us to prosper and for that they will never prosper too. I fear them,” he quipped, dropping a missile of rebuke for his anonymous foes.
FUN FACTS- Mohammed Muktar wore this very shirt for over three days. He is evasive to the securities but informant is his nightmare
It can be a bad day for the informants because sometimes they risk being hacked down, as I heard from J-Boy in one of my interactions with the smugglers.
“Sometimes, if we notice the same unfamiliar person keeps us on a bike, we can challenge him. On some tough days, we use charm and cutlass on them.”
From that point onward, I made up my mind never to be mistaken for an informant. Such misfortune will certainly jeopardise my assignment, or endanger my life.
How smugglers boycott security agents from Benin Republic to Igan Alade
N1,000 bribe to smuggle in five bags of foreign rice
At dusk of Friday, March 13, in Igan Alade, the reporter retired to Mohammed’s makeshift home. Interestingly, the shelter was less than a mile from the police station around the old post office in the border community.
After finalising arrangements with a police officer usually identified as Officer Sunday (also from Kogi, like Mohammed), we agreed that Saturday would be the day to witness how to evade all security agents manning the porous borders with five bags of rice.
(Picture 7: ‘It’s time for strategic planning between Mohammed and Officer Sunday, ahead of Saturday’s rice smuggling)
Mohammed made a bid for a new team of smugglers’ bike riders – J-Boy was no longer in the team. What made their resume more convincing was beyond just being brothers; they spoke French and they were vastly acquainted with all short-cuts.
That was Mohammed’s masterplan from day one.
The only activity this second time in Towe, which is rice mounting on a bike, was as swift as it can be. The two brothers rode fearlessly into the thick bushes, darting into all possible corners. A few times, we were trapped in the mud and at another time, it was the hurdles of crossing a bridge anchored by planks that broke the sweats for us. In total, our perilous crisscrossing lasted almost three hours within Igbo nla village known as Ile Komi.
Afterwards, we arrived in Idi Ori in Tata, a residential settlement in between Igan Alade and Ijoun communities.
The fetish fortification of rice smugglers
Baba Seun’s hut at Idi Ori in Tata This is where Ogun Smuggler’s Power Lives
Palpable fear enveloped me after bursting into Baba Seun’s hut at Idi Ori from Ile Komi bushes. That was Mohammed’s hideout and storehouse upon return from every Benin trip. Interestingly, the storehouse is just at the backyard of NSCDC Ketu Headquarters – a stone’s throw away.
Baba Seun, a herbalist, had no comely face to behold and so was his dreadful vicinity. By one side of his house was hung skull of a dog and on the ground was clotted-blood, with a littering bird’s feathers.
Next to this was an isolated hut, his power-room for consultations. I was not allowed in. I only peeped to see plain-white garments, small pods suspended to the roof, calabash flattened to the wall and the kinds of costumes I only see in Yoruba movies. It was a frightful sight.
After the long trip on Saturday, I briefly opted out of the field. With the five bags of rice in the hideout, Mohammed could not venture on another expedition.
By Tuesday, March 17, Baba Seun had fortified the region where he kept the smuggled rice before our return.
“You should have told me earlier before coming here. They are not yet ready for carriage. Anyone who steps into that place or speaks a word while carrying will slump and die,” he said.
A double-check on my confidence level flashed zero at this point. His enchantment on the surrounding was intended for enemies in case they burst in on them. They would die!
Now that we were there, it would take the herbalist around one hour to remove the spells.
Near the hidden bags of rice was a pot of herbs, with puffing smoke beneath. As long as the smoke remains alive there, no one dared talk, except to carry the rice to the open and pack for transport.
After the exercise, I was soon prepared for the final-leg of my covert operation. Next expedition would be from Idi Ori to Igbogila, another community ahead and then to Abeokuta, the capital of Ogun State.
But, there was just one unavoidable huddle to beat, and that is the police security checkpoint.
The checkpoint was at the market front of Igan Alade and by the very left was a bush-path leading to Igbogila.
Mohammed is seen giving Police officer bribe to transport smuggled foreign rice
With the quick call ‘go! go!’ like a parade commandant, we followed the cue of Officer Sunday to forge ahead. This time, Mohammed had hopped down from the bike and was already by the side of the police officer, enclosing one thousand naira to his left hand. With the five bags of rice, we were now off to Igbogila
N1,000 was all it costs!
At around 4:30 p.m on Tuesday, March 17, I alongside two rice transporters, were already on the way from Igan Alade to Igbogila – two Ogun communities tucked in-between the border of Nigeria and Benin Republic.
Thanks to Officer Sunday of the Police station branch at Igan Alade.
It’s time for strategic planning between Mohammed and Officer Sunday, ahead of Saturday’s rice smuggling
The reporter was no longer apprehensive of any difficulty on the way. After all, N1,000 was all it took to buy the protection of a corrupt Nigerian Police officer who allowed us to drive past border communities with smuggled rice worth N51,000.
At Igbogila, Kazeem Olakolade, a rice transporter in his 50s had been recommended to us. Popular for his shrewdness, he hoards smuggled rice in his house. His mantra read like these:
“There are places I do not cross to carry ‘Oja’ (the local parlance for foreign rice) no matter the money you offer to pay me – like Igan Alade, Ijoun. That’s the region for some boys’ business and I can’t trespass. But, from here to Abeokuta, they know me.”
“And, for your information, I don’t tell customers about my itinerary. You can’t follow me too. When I get to Abeokuta, I will be the one to call you. Just get my money ready,” he declared.
A few minutes after 6pm on Tuesday, we are at his place with the five bags of rice. The reporter would no longer be able to track how it gets to the final destination. Olakolade’s charge for the transportation from Igbogila to Abeokuta is N3,000 per bag which means he will make a total of N15,000 from the trip.
Mohammed was reluctant to pay that much but he made an effort to justify it.
‘It’s that much because I also settle too many operatives on the road. In this business, one cannot afford to be frugal otherwise you are doomed.’
So far, one or two things are now established: that high-level smuggling still thrives in Ogun State through borders and also that the efforts of some serious-minded Customs officers are sabotaged by a few greedy lots. The reporter can only testify to that of the Police (Officer Sunday in particular) which he witnessed.
Incidentally, on Saturday, May 14, the Customs operatives of the National Border drill intercepted some smugglers at Imasayi town in Yewa North Local Government during an anti-smuggling operation.
A Customs officer eventually died during the operation that turned violent between officers and smugglers and the neighboring towns experienced a few days of unrest over the bloody clash.
The spokesman for the Ogun State Command of NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada told this reporter that investigation has been initiated after one of the suspects was arrested.
Against all odds, foreign rice landed in Abeokuta
Because of the recent crisis, one did not expect Olakolade to successfully transport the ‘exhibit’ from Igbogila, less than five kilometers away from Imasayi, down to Abeokuta in spite of a recent bloody clash on that route.
But at around 12:30 pm on Thursday, March 19, he called us to say five bags of foreign rice are now in Abeokuta.
All it costs to smuggle five bags of rice
Between Igbogila and Ita-Oshin at Abeokuta, there are at least five checkpoints usually manned by officers of the Nigerian Customs, Importers Association of Nigeria (IMAN), Army and Police, but he does not pay a dime by himself.
His mode of operation is similar to that of other smugglers I had interacted with during the course of this undercover assignment.
His Lead, according to the foreign rice transporter, drove ahead to settle all security men at the checkpoints and monitored his distance through intermittent phone calls.
‘This is why I insisted that you shouldn’t call me during the trip to help my own concentration on the road’, he said.
WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY:
Mohammed is about to make it big?
Throughout days spent with him, Mohammed was high-spirited about how fortune will soon smile on him.
As soon he got through with my deal, he revealed his travel agenda to Akwa Ibom for a crucial deal with an ex-customs boss and the current Commissioner of Works in Akwa Ibom, Mr. Ephraim Inyang-Eyen.
“The current commissioner of works in Akwa Ibom, Ephraim Inyang, has fixed me up for an appointment. He wants to give me a letter personally signed by him that will ease my passage across any border in Nigeria”, says Mohammed.
“He was a top Customs officer before he joined politics. Once I get that signed letter, I am getting a huge loan for this job. That is my target and not all these petty smuggling anymore.”
The letter, according to him, will detail a request for 30 truckloads of foreign rice for the purpose of the politician’s constituency relief project.
Mr. Ephraim Inyang-Eyen was in the 1990s the Assistant Superintendent of Customs. He rose to become the Special Assistant to the Operations Commander, Apapa before his retirement.
However, when confronted with Mohammed’s claims, Inyang-Eyen denied them, saying he had never met the smuggler. Upon showing him Mohammed’s picture for identification, he denied knowing him.
“What will be my gain to issue a letter to a criminal to smuggle rice especially when I am no longer in Customs Service?” he first queried before saying “it is fraud! I don’t know that man from anywhere. I have never met him before, not even during the governor’s burial as he claimed.”
Mohammed, in a telephone conversation on May 4, however continued to express high hopes about his meeting with the former Custom boss, saying he missed the previous appointment because of the lockdown in the country.
But his allegation could not be confirmed since he is yet to obtain the letter he spoke about.
“Border complexity, limited resources are our biggest problems” – Customs PRO
Despite federal government’s lockdown imposed on the nation’ capital, Abuja, Lagos and Ogun states, Abdullahi Maiwada, the Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Command of NCS, in an interview with the reporter, stated that about 2,ooo bags of 50kg rice were confiscated from cross-border smugglers in Ogun State alone in April.
He, however, admitted to the challenges of border porosity, partly blaming it on limited resources. ‘Despite working in the most complex terrain in terms of the geography and porosity of the border, we are among the best NCS Commands in the country. We can not bring a total end to smuggling but our responsibility is to suppress the activities’, the NCS’ spokesman said.
‘Aside from the seven approved routes of movement of goods and persons in Ogun state, there are over a 100 unapproved routes these smugglers navigate to carry out their illicit business.
‘We just have to manage our limited resources to achieve the desired aim’, he added. Maiwada briefly established that there are internal mechanisms to discipline erring operatives caught conniving with smugglers while smugglers apprehended with accomplices are left to the judiciary to prosecute.
This, sometimes, does not happen as the latest arrest made is a chief smuggler within Ogun borders who has a past record of arrest by NCS Ogun Command, Maiwada revealed.
Unequivocally, Maiwada’s assertions confirmed two clogs in the wheels for Ogun State Command of NCS. The first is that ‘Ile Komi’ where Mohammed’s team had taken me through from Benin Republic and Igbokofi town in Yewa North LGA may continue to be strongholds of smuggling except security operatives are deployed to man the routes.
Another is that, until NCS is legally empowered to prosecute any accomplice in smuggling, including security operatives and the local residents in border communities, smuggling would continue to thrive.
**This investigation was done with the support of International Centre for Investigative Reporting, ICIR.
Olumide Adebayo, who served as the personal driver to the late Hon. Temitope Olatoye, popularly called “Sugar,” has shared chilling details of the violent ambush that claimed the lawmaker’s life on March 9, 2019, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Adebayo narrowly escaped the attack, saying he continues to live in fear the killers may come after him.
Olatoye, who was representing the Lagelu/Akinyele Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, was shot and killed in Elesu village located in the Lalupon area under Lagelu Local Government, shortly after taking part in the governorship elections.
In an emotional interview, Adebayo recalled that day as the most terrifying experience he has ever had.
“After we left the polling unit, my boss said we should go check on our party representatives in Lalupon. I had a bad feeling about it but I couldn’t object. As we drove toward Elesu, everything suddenly felt eerily quiet. Then, out of nowhere, we were ambushed,” Adebayo recounted.
He said the attackers were armed and opened fire without warning.
“My boss was shot in the face. There was blood everywhere. I panicked, jumped out of the car and ran barefoot through the bush. I knew they were trying to kill me too. I didn’t stop running until I found shelter in a nearby hut,” he said.
Olatoye was later taken to the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan but declared dead due to gunshot injuries to his head.
Even after managing to flee, Adebayo said his troubles didn’t end there. He lives in constant fear and remains in hiding.
“I believe the attackers also wanted me dead. I was very close to my boss and they may think I know something that could expose them. I’ve been in hiding ever since. I can’t go home or sleep in peace. I need protection,” he pleaded.
The killing sparked widespread outrage across political circles and among civil society groups, many of whom have called for a thorough investigation and justice for the late lawmaker.
The Oyo State Police Command confirmed that one suspect had been apprehended and investigations were ongoing.
Olatoye had run for the Oyo Central Senatorial seat in the 2019 elections under the Action Democratic Party (ADP), after leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2018 a move that stirred significant political tension in the state.
Now receiving psychological support, Adebayo is urging security agencies to provide protection, as he continues to fear for his life because of his close connection to the late politician.
“I relive that day constantly. I saw death with my own eyes and since then, every day feels like I’m reliving that horror,” he said.
Rave 91.7 FM dominated the 2018 Osun NUJ Professional Awards, clinching the coveted Best Broadcasting Station of the Year award, while its Head of Station, Femi Olanipekun, was named Best Newscaster of the Year.
The annual ceremony, organized by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Osun Council during her Press Week, celebrates outstanding journalism across seven categories, honoring excellence in Nigeria’s media landscape.
Rave 91.7 FM earned the Best Broadcasting Station award for its innovative programming, accurate reporting, and community engagement, for the second straight year.
The station’s redefinition of the broadcast landscape and its role in amplifying local voices impressed the awards panel, composed of seasoned media professionals. Femi Olanipekun, a respected broadcaster, and anchor of Frank Talk, the station’s flagship won Best Newscaster for his compelling delivery, clarity, and ability to connect with audiences, showcasing excellence in radio journalism.
The Osun NUJ Professional Awards is a prestigious platform recognizing journalists who uphold high standards in Osun State. Open exclusively to NUJ members practicing locally, the awards require entrants to submit evidence of impactful work, endorsed by a peer, and judged on criteria like originality, ethical reporting, and societal influence.
The Osun NUJ, a trusted voice in Nigeria’s media community, has earned a reputation for fostering professionalism, with its awards gaining prominence for spotlighting talent in a competitive field.
Seven awards are presented annually, covering print, electronic, investigative, and visual journalism, as well as organizational excellence. Past recipients, including journalists from outlets like The Punch and Nigeria Television Authority, have achieved national recognition, with some shaping public policy through their reporting.
The awards’ significance lies in their focus on local impact, celebrating journalists who inform and inspire Osun’s communities while adhering to global standards of excellence.
Rave 91.7 FM’s double victory within three years of its existence highlights her growing influence in Nigeria’s media scene. “We’re honored to be recognized by the NUJ,” said Olanipekun, dedicating the awards to the station’s team and listeners. “This motivates us to keep delivering quality journalism that matters.”
The ceremony, attended by media stakeholders and dignitaries, reaffirmed the NUJ’s commitment to recognizing excellence.
In 2012, more than 10,000 Nigerians competed for the prestigious Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Fellowship. Only seven were selected. Among them was Abiodun Sulaimon Banire, a young journalist and cultural advocate from Lagos, whose posting to New York University (NYU) became not only a personal milestone but a year-long experiment in cultural exchange, language teaching, and national representation.
The Fulbright Programme, established in 1946 by U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, is one of the world’s most prestigious international exchange initiatives. It aims to promote mutual understanding through education, research, and cultural engagement. Selection is highly competitive, with thousands of applicants worldwide but only a small number chosen each year. Recipients are recognized not only for academic excellence but also for leadership potential and their ability to serve as cultural ambassadors. For Nigerian scholars, it offers a platform to advance professionally while sharing the country’s intellectual and cultural richness abroad.
When Banire landed in New York in early 2013, he assumed his job would be to support a senior professor. Instead, the Chair of NYU’s Department of Social and Cultural Analysis welcomed him with unexpected news. “With your profile and ranking, you’re here to teach, not to shadow,” she told him. It was both daunting and liberating. He would carry Nigeria into the classroom on his own shoulders.
On his first day of teaching, Banire began with a simple greeting: “Ẹ káàárọ̀,” good morning in Yorùbá. The students echoed him hesitantly, the tones rising and falling like a new instrument in untrained hands. Over the weeks, the hesitation gave way to rhythm. Lessons on verb conjugation unfolded into conversations about etiquette, community, and respect. Proverbs became windows into African philosophy: “Ọmọ tó mọyà, á mọ̀we” (“A child who learns courage also learns wisdom”). Syntax lessons were paired with drumming patterns, showing that language, like music, has its own rhythm.
“It was important to me that students didn’t just learn words,” Banire said. “They had to feel the culture behind them.”
Food became another tool of instruction. The first-ever Yoruba Culinary Arts Workshop at NYU saw students pounding yam, stirring egusi soup, and laughing through the unfamiliar motions of handling a pestle and mortar. “Food doesn’t need translation,” he smiled. “Once they tasted Yoruba, they wanted to know more.”
Building community beyond the classroom
But Banire’s ambition extended beyond language lessons. Partnering with the Yoruba Cultural Institute in New York, he organised African Night, an evening of drumming, singing, dance, and storytelling that filled an NYU auditorium with colour and sound. Professional performers shared the stage with students, creating an atmosphere that one attendee described as “the first time African culture stepped out of a textbook and started breathing.”
Later that year, Banire curated NYU’s first Nigerian Cultural Week, a sprawling series of exhibitions, readings, and performances. Students encountered Nigerian literature through the works of Chinua Achebe, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Wole Soyinka. Musicians and DJs brought juju and Afrobeats to campus halls, transforming academic space into a festival of sound. Visual artists filled galleries with photographs and canvases capturing Lagos’ energy and contradictions.
The events were not spectacles but conversations. One evening paired a Nigerian historian with a Brooklyn-born poet to read each other’s cities, Lagos and Harlem, as parallel texts. Another explored the kinship between Yoruba praise poetry and African-American spirituals, tracing lines of resilience across the Atlantic.
Impact on students
The effect on students was measurable. For the first time in five years, Yoruba II was oversubscribed and ran into a second semester. Evaluations praised his “excellent pedagogy” and “creative teaching style.”
One student, an African-American graduate researcher, found in Banire’s class more than academic fulfilment. With his guidance, she applied for and won a Fulbright-Hays grant to continue advanced Yoruba study in Nigeria. “That was one of my proudest moments,” Banire reflected. “It showed me that a year of greetings, grammar, and culture could spark lifelong scholarship.”
The department chair later commended Banire’s “professional and creative approach,” citing his cultural events as models of enrichment that “greatly expanded the students’ experience.” For a young Nigerian fellow far from home, it was a validation that his experiment in cultural diplomacy had succeeded.
Nigeria in New York
Beyond the campus, Banire discovered the breadth of New York’s Nigerian community. By the early 2010s, tens of thousands of Nigerians lived across the city, their presence felt in church congregations, weekend schools, and open-air markets in Brooklyn and Queens. Yoruba thrived not only in academic settings but in storefront churches and family-owned restaurants. “Ẹ kú ìròlé,” good evening, could open doors in Flatbush as easily as in Ibadan.
Banire tapped into this ecosystem, inviting local pastors to discuss Yoruba hymnbooks, chefs to unpack the cultural layers of pepper soup, and artists to talk with African-American students about kinship across oceans. The result was a teaching style that connected NYU’s classrooms to the wider city, grounding theory in lived experience.
A counter-narrative to headlines
Banire’s timing was significant. Back home, international headlines about Nigeria were dominated by Boko Haram’s insurgency and kidnappings. In New York, he found himself repeatedly asked to explain Nigeria beyond its crises. He responded with context, telling stories of humour, resilience, and creativity that rarely made global news.
“I wanted people to see Nigeria beyond the crisis,” he explained. “Yes, we have our struggles, but we are also ideas, survival, and culture.”
He delivered guest lectures on Nigerian media and politics, participated in panel discussions at NYU’s Africa House, and engaged diaspora youth groups on the power of language to preserve memory and identity. For African-American students in particular, Yoruba became more than a subject. It was a tool of self-discovery, a way to stitch personal identity to ancestral history.
A transformational year
When the fellowship ended, Banire returned to Nigeria with a renewed conviction. The experience, he said, had been transformational. “It gave me the conviction that our languages, our stories, our culture belong on the global stage,” he reflected. “And it gave me the determination to keep telling them.”
A lasting legacy
Back in Lagos, Banire’s name has begun circulating not just as a journalist but as a cultural ambassador. Former students continue to email him, sharing how Yoruba proverbs still guide their research or how Nigerian music now fill their playlists.
