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Ondo State Government has deployed amphibious machines to clear waterways and channels as part of emergency measures to tackle the worsening flooding being experienced in some major parts of the state.

The intervention, which is being carried out particularly in riverine areas of Ilaje Local Government, is aimed at removing obstructions from waterways and improving free flow of water to reduce the risk of further flooding.

The development came amid growing concerns over the impact of heavy rainfall and rising water levels in communities, homes, offices and on roads across the state.

Confirming the development in an interview with The Nation, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Technical and Ecological Control, Elisha Ebijimi, said the government had begun the clearing and desilting of waterways, canals and drainage channels using the amphibious excavators.

He said Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa directed the immediate deployment of the amphibious machines in waterways to open up the channels and ease the impact of the flood.

He noted that the intervention was expected to help open blocked water channels, remove accumulated debris and vegetation and restore natural watercourses to facilitate the movement of floodwater.

‘Governor Aiyedatiwa has already directed us to deploy our amphibious machines back to our waterways in Ilaje. We are not here to pack any churning.

‘So, we are going to face our waterways because they are already full. So, we need to discharge our waterways before we come back to the communities,’ Ebijimi said.

He said the flooding had caused losses in some communities, adding that officials of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were expected to visit Ilaje and Ese-Odo local governments for an assessment.

The governor’s aide said the state government had earlier identified the clearing of waterways and drainage channels as part of its measures to mitigate flooding and protect lives and property across the state.

The latest deployment is coming on the heels of widespread flooding recorded in parts of the state, which has disrupted movement and caused damage to residential and commercial properties.

Recently, torrential rainfall led to severe flooding in parts of Odigbo Local Government, with sections of the busy Lagos-Ore-Benin Highway affected, leaving motorists and commuters stranded for hours.

Houses, shops, vehicles and roads were also submerged in some communities in the state, heightening calls for urgent and sustained intervention by the government.

The situation has renewed concerns about blocked drainage channels, indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the need for regular maintenance of waterways before and during rainy season.

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of two soldiers, Privates Onasanya Ifeoluwa and Ukpai Onyinyechi, for working as bouncers at the wedding of social media personalities Habeeb Hamzat, popularly known as Peller, and Jarvis in Lekki over the weekend.

Both soldiers were identified as personnel of the Nigerian Army’s Medical Services and Hospital at Obalende, Lagos.

Spokesman for the 81 Division, Lt.-Col Musa Yahaya, confirmed to The Nation that the soldiers were arrested on Tuesday and are in custody.

They were allegedly involved in an unauthorised deployment after footage of the wedding, which went viral across social media platforms, showed the soldiers in military uniform providing security and escorting guests.

One video allegedly showed a soldier escorting TikTok personality Ivanna through the crowded venue.

The videos sparked public debate, with many Nigerians questioning whether serving military personnel were authorised to perform security duties at a private celebrity event.

The videos particularly raised concerns because they flouted earlier directives by President Bola Tinubu, which withdrew police and military escorts from persons not entitled to them by law to beef up security across the country.

The Nigerian Army has consistently maintained that its personnel are prohibited from undertaking unauthorised private security duties or participating in deployments without official approval.

According to sources, preliminary investigations are underway to determine the extent of their involvement and identify any other personnel connected with the incident.

The wedding of Peller and Jarvis attracted entertainers, influencers and other guests, with videos from the ceremony dominating social media over the weekend.

The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) yesterday vowed to continue preaching in commercial vehicles across the country despite a controversial provision in the proposed Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) (Amendment) Bill, 2026, prescribing a ?50,000 fine for anyone convicted of hawking, trading or preaching in commercial buses.

Declaring that the church would not be intimidated, PFN President Bishop Wale Oke said Christians were prepared to face arrest and imprisonment rather than abandon what he described as their divine mandate to preach the gospel.

The proposed amendment has triggered nationwide debate, with religious organisations, lawyers and other stakeholders divided over whether the provision is a legitimate road safety measure or an infringement on the constitutional right to freedom of religion.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday, Oke insisted that no legislation could override the biblical command for Christians to evangelise.

‘We will preach in buses. If they want to imprison us, let them come and arrest us. We are coming. We will preach in buses; they cannot stop us,’ he said.

The cleric, who also leads Sword of the Spirit Ministries International, said preaching in public places, including commercial buses, remains one of the church’s most effective means of reaching people.

According to him, Christians would continue to proclaim the gospel irrespective of the consequences.

Defending comments he made in a viral video, Oke declared: ‘Make all the stadiums in Nigeria become a prison if you want to enforce that law. We are coming. We will preach in buses; we will preach everywhere.’

He described the proposed provision as an attack on the Christian faith rather than a genuine road safety initiative.

According to him, Nigeria’s Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and gives every citizen the right to profess, practise and propagate his or her faith.

The PFN president urged lawmakers to delete the controversial provision before the bill is passed.

However, the Senate has rejected claims that the amendment seeks to outlaw Christian preaching.

In a statement, the Upper Chamber explained that the provision is not new, noting that similar restrictions have existed since the enactment of the FRSC (Establishment) Act, 2007.

According to the Senate, the prohibition appeared as Item 36 of the Second Schedule to the 2007 Act and has merely been retained as Item 49 in the amendment bill currently before the National Assembly.

It also cited Regulation 220 of the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012, which contains similar provisions regulating activities considered unsafe inside commercial vehicles.

The Senate maintained that the objective of the amendment is to improve road safety by discouraging activities capable of distracting drivers, obstructing passengers or creating avoidable risks during transit.

It stressed that the legislation is not intended to prohibit street preaching, open-air crusades, evangelism in markets or any other lawful religious activity outside commercial vehicles.

The Senate also clarified that the bill did not originate from Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, explaining that it was passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

It urged religious bodies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to take advantage of the legislative process by presenting their views before the bill is finally considered.

The controversy has continued to elicit mixed reactions across the country.

While some religious leaders insist that preaching should not be criminalised under any guise, supporters of the amendment argue that commercial vehicles are confined spaces where passengers should not be subjected to unsolicited religious messages or activities capable of distracting drivers.

Legal practitioners have also urged lawmakers to ensure that any restriction imposed in the interest of public safety is narrowly tailored and consistent with the constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion, freedom of expression and freedom of movement.

Observers say the debate underscores the delicate balance lawmakers must strike between protecting the rights of citizens to freely practise their religion and ensuring the safety and comfort of commuters on Nigerian roads.

With the Senate still considering the bill, attention is expected to shift to public hearings where religious organisations, transport operators, legal experts and road safety stakeholders are likely to canvass divergent positions before the legislation is finalised.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Tope Ajayi, on Wednesday dismissed comments by former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, on the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the former governor was ‘arguing against reality’ because of ‘bad politics.’

Ajayi’s reaction followed remarks by Duke during an interview on Arise Television in which he expressed doubts about the flagship infrastructure project, claiming it would not extend beyond Lagos State and adding it was a misplaced priority.

Responding in a post on his verified X handle, @TheTope_Ajayi, Ajayi said political considerations were pushing some opposition figures into making claims they neither believed nor could substantiate.

‘Politics makes a lot of people say loads of what they don’t mean or believe in. They just talk for the sake of talking or because of bad politics. There is actually no sense in arguing against reality’, he said.

The presidential aide also took a swipe at Duke’s political ambition, describing the Peoples Redemption Party as ‘an unviable political platform’, while accusing the former governor of joining critics of the coastal highway project without acknowledging developments already recorded on the ground.

According to Ajayi, contrary to Duke’s assertion that the highway would not progress beyond Epe in Lagos State, construction has already advanced into neighbouring Ogun State, while work is simultaneously ongoing on sections of the road in Ondo and Akwa Ibom states.

‘While Duke was talking on TV that the Coastal Highway won’t go beyond Epe, the project has reached Ogun State, and work is going on in the Ondo and Akwa-Ibom states sections of the Coastal road,’ Ajayi stated.

The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is one of the signature infrastructure projects of the Tinubu administration, designed to link Nigeria’s coastal states through a major transport corridor aimed at boosting connectivity, trade and economic development.

The project has, however, attracted criticism from some opposition figures over its execution and feasibility, claims the Federal Government has consistently rejected.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, has given approval for a comprehensive renovation and upgrade of the NYSC Orientation Camp in the state, even as he restated his administration’s unalloyed commitment to youth development.

Governor Oyebanji disclosed this during a meeting with the NYSC State Coordinator, Mr Ige Adeola , in his office on Tuesday, where the state of the camp facilities were discussed.

Governor Oyebanji noted that the renovation became necessary to ensure that the camp, which serves as the first point of contact for over 6,000 Ekiti Corps Members annually, reflects his administration’s commitment to youth development, excellence and hospitality.

The Governor also promised to solicit support of some eminent citizens of the State to sponsor some projects within the camp. This, he said, will compliment efforts of the State Government and ensure that the orientation camp is comprehensively renovated within a reasonably short period.

The planned renovation may necessitate the deployment of the next batch of of corp members in October to any of the neighbouring states in order to allow for full concentration on the renovation work at the camp.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth development and pledged continued support for NYSC operations in Ekiti State.

The Governor also commended Corps Members for their contributions to Health, Education and Community Development across the state.

The State Director of NYSC, Mr Ige Adeola had earlier appealed to Governor Oyebanji for urgent intervention in the upgrade of facilities at the Orientation Camp and the State Secretariat as he presented a 3-phase implementation strategy to address the long-standing challenges facing the scheme in the state.

The Director used the opportunity to commend the Governor for his consistent support, particularly the approval of meal subsidies for Corps Members and previous interventions on camp toiletries. He expressed optimism that with the Governor’s intervention, the welfare of Corps Members in Ekiti will be greatly improved.

Ige hoped that the Corps members would continue to make significant contributions to Ekiti State in the areas of Health, Education, and Community Development.

The Delta State Police Command has foiled a planned kidnapping and arrested two suspects in separate operations across the state.

The command also recovered three locally made guns, 13 live cartridges and other exhibits.

The command said one of the suspects was allegedly involved in a plot to kidnap a pastor and a retired school principal in the Ughelli area of the state.

Police spokesman SP Bright Edafe said in a statement on Wednesday that operatives of the Ebrumede Division arrested a 28-year-old suspect, Benjamin Haruna, during a stop-and-search operation along Garki-Uti Road, Effurun, on August 4.

He said two other suspects, identified simply as Omelo and Alabanco, escaped on a motorcycle.

Edafe said a search of a bag in the suspects’ possession led to the recovery of two locally made double-barrelled guns, 11 live cartridges, one expended cartridge, an axe, two Android phones, two power banks, two wristwatches, a lighter and a military camouflage polo.

The spokesman said a preliminary investigation showed that the suspects were conveying the exhibits to their hideout along Sapele Road.

He added that Haruna remained in custody while efforts were ongoing to arrest the fleeing suspects.

He added that in a separate operation, operatives of ‘A’ Division, Ughelli, acting on credible intelligence on July 31, 2026, foiled a planned kidnapping and arrested 26-year-old Jeremiah Kwane.

Edafe asserted that Kwane attempted to recruit another person into a kidnapping syndicate to abduct a pastor and a retired school principal in Ughelli.

He said the suspect was arrested at his duty post, noting that a search led to the recovery of a locally made single-barrelled gun and two live cartridges.

He said the suspect was undergoing further investigation.

Commissioner of Police Yemi Oyeniyi reaffirmed the command’s resolve to sustain the fight against kidnapping, armed robbery and other violent crimes.

Oyeniyi urged residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the police to enhance security across Delta State.

University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) has deepened its global academic footprint with the signing of a landmark partnership agreement with Canada’s University of Waterloo and the securing of a fully funded Chinese Government PhD scholarship for one of its lecturers.

The twin milestones, university authorities said, are early dividends of the internationalisation agenda being driven by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Simon Ortuanya.

The latest breakthrough happened on Monday when Prof. Ortuanya received a four-member delegation from the University of Waterloo at the Vice Chancellor’s Conference Room in Nsukka, where both institutions signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The agreement provides a framework for joint research, workers and student exchange programmes, capacity building and academic collaboration across strategic disciplines.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prof. Ortuanya said the partnership was the product of strategic engagements he initiated shortly after assuming office as Vice Chancellor.

‘I was barely three months in office when I visited the University of Waterloo. I am happy that the journey I made is bearing fruits of partnership today,’ he said.

He described the agreement as a significant step towards positioning UNN as a globally-competitive institution.

‘By this agreement, we are telling the world that we are now one in research, innovation and partnership. Workers and students of UNN can now consider the University of Waterloo as an extension of their institution, and vice versa,’ he said.

According to him, the collaboration is in line with the university’s enduring mission of ‘To Restore the Dignity of Man’ by exposing its workers and students to world-class research, innovation and international academic opportunities.

Leader of the Canadian delegation, Mr. Grant Leach, hailed UNN’s leadership and vision, expressing confidence that the partnership would foster impactful research, innovation and mutually beneficial academic exchanges.

In another major boost to the university’s international engagement efforts, Mr. Henry Ugwu of the Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering has secured a fully funded Chinese Government scholarship to pursue a PhD in Computer Science and Technology at Hunan University, China.

The scholarship followed recent diplomatic engagements between Prof. Ortuanya and officials of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Abuja, where discussions centred on technology transfer, research collaboration and scholarship opportunities for UNN workers and students.

The university described the award as one of the first tangible outcomes of the Vice Chancellor’s engagement with Chinese authorities and a demonstration of the growing international confidence in the university.

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by principal officers of the university, senior academic officials and members of the visiting Canadian delegation.