Category: PM News

The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Nuhu Bamalli Polytechnic chapter, Zaria, Kaduna State, has declared an indefinite strike effective Tuesday.

The branch Chairman, Malam Usman Suleiman, announced this in a statement issued on Monday in Zaria.

Suleiman said the decision followed a meeting with the Kaduna State Government where the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education appealed for patience, saying that Gov. Uba Sani had ‘impliedly approved’ their demands.

He explained that the union resolved to withdraw its services until a formal approval was granted by the Governor.

The chairman recalled that the congress had earlier mandated the leadership to embark on an indefinite strike should the Polytechnic Salary Structure (PSS) not be implemented after payment of the September 2025 salary.

The union’s demands include the implementation of CONPCASS/CONTEDISS salary structures for staff of state tertiary institutions and the extension of the 65-year retirement age to non-academic staff, as approved for academic staff.

‘After due deliberations, the unions unanimously resolved that members shall withdraw their services until the governor’s approval is officially granted,’ Suleiman said.

Veteran Fuji musician, Dr. Adewale Ayuba, has dismissed reports alleging that he divorced his wife, Azuka Ego, over a paternity dispute.

The speculation began after a YouTube channel, Nigerian News, claimed Ayuba had secretly conducted a DNA test that exposed his wife’s alleged infidelity, leading to divorce.

In a statement issued by Bonsue Fuji Entertainment and shared on his Instagram page, Ayuba described the story as ‘baseless and malicious,’ stressing that his marriage remains intact.

‘We want to state this clearly to everyone who supports Dr. Adewale Ayuba, that there is absolutely no truth-not a single iota-in this cooked-up story,’ the statement read.

‘For the record, they have been happily married for over thirty years. This is nothing more than a cheap, despicable attempt to embarrass Dr. Ayuba’s family, malign his character, and bring his united family to public ridicule. We are currently consulting with our lawyers to pursue all available legal remedies against the irresponsible individual.’

Ayuba further emphasized that the paternity of his children has never been in question, warning that he would not allow his integrity to be attacked without consequences.

The Lagos State Government has announced that it will be shutting down both private and commercial terminals and jetties from the 3rd of October.

This closure is in preparation of the upcoming E1 Championship, which is the world’s first all-electric powerboat racing tournament.

In a statement released, LASWA explained that the action will take place from Friday, the 3rd of October till Sunday, the 5th of October.

They explained that there will be a partial closure from Falomo bridge to Oriental Hotel from 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Thursday. there will also be a total closure from Oriental Hotel to Mekwen Bridge between 10 am and 6 p.m.

LASWA further explained that the closure is to ensure the success of the tournament and ensure safety on the waterways and on the roads.

‘The waterways restriction is a vital safety and security measure to ensure seamless event operations, safeguard lives, and project Lagos as a world-class destination for international sporting events,’ the statement read in part.

Popular Nigerian comedian and television host, Teju Babyface, has stirred controversy after advising men against confessing infidelity to their wives or partners.

In a YouTube video shared on Monday, Teju described open confessions about cheating as ‘one of the most catastrophic and damaging things you can ever do in your life,’ stressing that such admissions cause more harm than healing in marriages.

‘If you cheat on your wife or your husband, but especially your wife – especially men – if you cheat on your wife, don’t tell her. Don’t confess. Do not ever do it,’ he said.

The entertainer argued that while many justify confession with biblical references, repentance and forgiveness should be directed to God, not to one’s spouse.

‘People will even quote the Bible to support the idea of confession. They will say that if we confess and repent, then our sins are forgiven. Excuse me, that is to God and from God, not to man. It is confession to God, not to man. Do not do it,’ he emphasized.

Teju further explained that most confessions are not acts of honesty but rather selfish attempts to ease personal guilt.

According to him, ‘You are not being honest; you are being manipulative. What you’re really doing is shedding the weight of your guilt, not helping your spouse. You’re looking for someone else to carry the burden of your wrongdoing.’

Sharing a personal story, the comedian admitted that before marriage, he once cheated in a serious relationship and confessed, a decision he now regrets.

He said the confession was less about integrity and more about subconsciously sabotaging the relationship.

‘I can see clearly now that I confessed because I wanted out of the relationship. If I cheated and then confessed, and she left by herself, I could justify it to myself. That was not honesty – that was cowardice,’ he said.

Teju concluded that confessions rarely mend relationships, instead leaving betrayed partners with long-lasting pain and distrust.

‘There is no benefit to your spouse when you confess. All the benefits are yours. What you give them is pain, heartache, and misery,’ he stated.

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday landed at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri, Imo State, for a one-day working visit. The presidential jet touched down at 12:52 p.m.

During the trip, Tinubu is set to inaugurate major infrastructure projects executed by Governor Hope Uzodimma, including the reconstructed 60-kilometre Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia Federal Road, the Assumpta Flyover, and the 6,000-capacity Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu International Conference Centre.

The President will also attend the public presentation of Uzodimma’s book, ‘A Decade of Impactful Progressive Governance in Nigeria,’ highlighting governance milestones under the All Progressives Congress over the past ten years.

Ahead of the visit, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the President’s itinerary underscores the Federal Government’s partnership with Imo State on infrastructure development, modernisation, and sustainable growth.

Other projects to be commissioned include the Imo Concorde Hilton Hotel and the state-of-the-art Imo Digital Learning Centre, reflecting a shared commitment to enhancing the state’s socio-economic landscape

Police said they have rescued a man abducted by suspected armed hoodlums in Umuru Village, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State seven hours after he was abducted.

The kidnappers had demanded a ransom of ?10 million before the rescue was carried out, Anambra Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday in Awka.

Ikenga said the victim was rescued by joint operatives from the Police Command and Tactical Team in a coordinated operation in the early hours of Sept. 30. in Oba/Ojoto, Idemili South Local Government Area, seven hours after his abduction.

‘The victim was rescued seven hours after he was abducted by armed criminals at Umuru Village, Nnobi,’ Ikenga said.

According to him, intelligence-led tactical teams were deployed immediately to comb the location extensively.

‘Under pressure from the advancing rescue team, the kidnappers hastily released the victim and fled into nearby bushes,’ he said.

The victim was rescued unharmed, debriefed, and has since been reunited with his family.

Ikenga said the command was pursuing leads for the possible arrest of the fleeing suspects.

He quoted the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Ortugu, as commending the operatives for their swift intervention.

Ortugu reassured residents of the command’s commitment to tackling crime and safeguarding lives and property across the state.

A Kaduna man, Solomon Ilemona Emmanuel, who presented himself as SANTI XII on Facebook for the purpose of internet fraud has been jailed and ordered to forfeit over N6.2 million to the Federal Government following his conviction for fraud.

According to EFCC, Ilemona who as a ‘picker’ in the internet fraud ecosystem, receives illicit money through a Chinese vendor and transmits to members of his syndicate was convicted by Justice M.J Zubairu of the Kaduna State High Court, sitting in Kaduna on Monday, September 29, 2025.

He was prosecuted by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on a one-count charge, bordering on impersonation and of internet fraud.

His charge reads: ‘That you Solomon Ilemona Emmanuel (a.k.a SANTI XII) sometime in June, 2025 in Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently presented yourself as one SANTI XII on Facebook (a social media platform) to unsuspecting victims and you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 142 of the Kaduna State Penal Code Law 2017.’

He pleaded ‘guilty’ to the charge, prompting the prosecution counsel, M.J.Argungu to urge the court to convict and sentence him accordingly.

Justice Zubairu, thereafter convicted and sentenced him to three years imprisonment or to pay N200,000.00 (Two Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited a Tecno Camon Pro mobile phone and had earlier restituted the sum of N6,057,488.13 (Six Million Fifty Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Eighty Eight Naira, Thirteen Kobo) to his victims.

Emmanuel was among those arrested in Kafanchan axis of Kaduna State by the Kaduna Zonal Directorate of the EFCC following intelligence that exposed their fraudulent internet activities. He turned out to be a picker who receives illicit money through a Chinese vendor and transmits to members of the syndicate.

A civil society group, the Alliance for Energy Stability and Economic Growth (AESEG), has urged Nigerians to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The group said Tinubu’s leadership has restored investor confidence in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.

In a statement by its president, Dr. Suleiman Garba Danladi, the group pointed to the recent deal where Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPco) and Nigerian Agip Exploration Limited (NAE) bought TotalEnergies’ 12.5% stake in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 118.

According to the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Shell paid $408 million for 10% while Agip paid $102 million for 2.5%.

Dr. Danladi said these transactions show growing confidence in Nigeria’s oil sector and praised Tinubu’s reforms.

‘President Tinubu’s reforms are bringing results.

Shell is strengthening its stake, Agip is showing commitment, and the regulator is protecting government interests. This progress needs continuity in leadership,’ he said.

The group also noted that last week, the NUPRC cancelled an $860 million deal involving TotalEnergies and Chappal Energies because of failure to meet financial obligations.

AESEG said this shows that only serious investors are now welcomed, which will boost revenue, jobs, and energy security.

Dr. Danladi highlighted the importance of the Bonga oilfield, Nigeria’s first deepwater project, which contributes greatly to crude oil output and foreign exchange.

He said keeping such assets in experienced hands will help Nigeria move towards producing 2 million barrels of oil per day again.

According to AESEG, Nigeria’s oil sector is at a ‘delicate stage’ where oil majors are leaving onshore but investing more in deepwater.

The group warned that changing leadership in 2027 could hurt investor confidence.

‘The oil majors are watching closely. They like the current reforms but also value stability. A change in 2027 could disrupt the progress,’ Dr. Danladi added.

AESEG stressed that Nigeria’s future growth depends on consistency, urging citizens to support policies and leadership that keep investor confidence strong.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has issued a strong warning to Goodluck Jonathan regarding his political future, particularly over reports that the former president may join the 2027 presidential race.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele cautioned Jonathan to tread carefully if he intends to contest under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to the cleric, the PDP is under a spiritual curse, and any aspirant who chooses to run on its ticket will face significant obstacles that demand extraordinary effort and divine intervention.

He stressed that while Jonathan has the option of considering other political parties with stronger prospects than the PDP, running under the PDP would require him to embark on intense preparation, spiritual dedication, and serious work to overcome the challenges tied to the party.

‘If Jonathan wants to come out of PDP, he will do a lot of work because there is a curse on the party already. There are other parties he can contest from that will give him better chances than PDP,’ Primate Ayodele stated.

The cleric further warned that Jonathan’s biggest challenge might not just come from the political platform but from the people around him.

He predicted that the former president would be surrounded by individuals who would give him misleading advice, which could derail his ambitions.

‘Jonathan will be blindfolded; wrong advisers will destroy his dreams. If he contests and eventually loses, he will be embarrassed by his past and face public disrespect,’ Ayodele cautioned.

Primate Ayodele therefore urged Jonathan to be certain of his decision before making any political move, emphasizing that his choice of platform, advisers, and spiritual preparation will determine whether his ambition strengthens his legacy or damages his reputation.

Commuters and motorists have expressed hope of relief from traffic jams following the reopening of Ogudu-Ifako Bridge following the completion of repair works on 400 metres of its four expansion joints by Lagos government on Tuesday.

A commuter, Ms Adebisi Adesesan, expressed relief, noting that the reopening would ease traffic. ‘We suffered long hours during the closure, but this is worth it,’ she said.

A commercial driver, Mr Taofeek Shittu, said the reopening would reduce fuel costs and travel time. ‘Traffic was terrible. This reopening is a big relief for us,’ he noted.

A section of the bridge was closed to vehicular traffic on June 28 to enable construction.

The Ogudu/Ifako Bridge inbound Alapere was originally expected to be ready in 100 days, but the repair works were completed in just 73 days.

The first four phases of the project, covering the Ogudu/Ifako inbound Alapere stretch, were completed between June 28 and Aug. 16.

The fifth to eighth phases, which covered the Ogudu/Ifako inbound Oworoshoki axis, commenced in August and have also been successfully completed and reopened to traffic.

Special Adviser on Infrastructure, Mr Olufemi Daramola, and Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Seun Osiyemi, led a team to inspect the project and certify the works.

Daramola stated that the project, initially scheduled for 101 days, was finished in 78 days due to cooperation from stakeholders and commitment from the contractors.

He explained that defects on the expansion joints, if left unattended, could have compromised motorists’ safety and further weakened the busy bridge.

According to him, the early completion was possible through combined efforts of contractors, security agencies, and the patience of Lagos residents throughout the repair period.

‘We undertook this repair to guarantee safety. Thankfully, with the cooperation of the people, we have been able to deliver ahead of schedule,’ Daramola said.

He commended residents for their endurance during the partial closure, stressing that the bridge is now fully opened to vehicular movement without restrictions.

The special adviser revealed that the next point of attention for government engineers would be the Maza-Maza area, where similar maintenance works are planned.

Also speaking, Osiyemi expressed gratitude to Lagos residents for their understanding, promising that the state government would continue its infrastructure renewal drive.

‘This success belongs to everyone. Lagosians endured the inconveniences and supported the process. We sincerely appreciate your perseverance and patience,’ the commissioner said.

He urged the people to protect the facilities, stressing that they are funded with taxpayers’ money and designed to provide long-term benefits.

Osiyemi recalled that the administration had delivered similar repairs at Odo-Iyalaro and Apongbon bridges, with several other projects currently underway across the state.

‘Our focus remains the delivery of safe, durable and sustainable infrastructure for a greater Lagos. We will need the same cooperation in future projects,’ he added.