Category: PM News

A 47-year-old man identified as Adetayo Adewodun, disguising as an officer of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), has reportedly confessed that he and members of his gang make an average of N65, 000 daily extorting unsuspecting motorists.

The fake LASTMA officer was arrested after extorting N7,800 from a motorist identified as Mr Stephen Ayano for making a wrong turn.

This was disclosed by Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, General Manager, LASTMA, in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos.

Bakare-Oki said that that the suspect was arrested on Tuesday, near the Itire Junction axis of the state.

According to him, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect, posing as an operative of LASTMA, accosted one Mr Stephen Ayano, the victim and demanded for the sum of ?80,000 from him for allegedly making an unlawful turn at the junction.

‘The suspect told his victim that the amount is the penalty for the traffic violation.

‘Unable to meet the outrageous demand, the victim pleaded and eventually parted with the only cash (N7, 800) in his possession and handed it to the fake officer.’

The LASTMA general manager noted that shortly after the transaction, the victim became suspicious of the suspect’s demeanor and promptly contacted the agency through its toll-free hotline (0800-00-LASTMA / 0800-005-27862) to verify the authenticity of the alleged officer.

He said that acting on the distress report, LASTMA’s Surveillance and Intelligence Unit, was swiftly mobilised to the location.

He said that on sighting the approaching enforcement team, the suspect attempted to flee but was pursued and apprehended and immediately conveyed to the LASTMA headquarters for interrogation.

‘During interrogation, the suspect confessed to being a member of a three-man criminal syndicate that routinely parade themselves as LASTMA personnel around the Itire axis.

‘He also said that the gang operates across several road intersections and makes an average of N65, 000 daily,’ Bakare-Oki.

The LASTMA boss commended the vigilance and prompt report made by the victim, describing it as a demonstration of civic responsibility.

He reaffirmed the agency’s unwavering dedication to integrity, professionalism, and transparency in traffic management operations in the state.

Bakare-Oki also reiterated the agency’s zero-tolerance policy towards impersonation and fraudulent practices.

He emphasised that all authentic LASTMA officers could be distinctly identified by their official uniforms, personalised name tags, and unique service identification numbers.

‘I can assure the public that the suspect will be arraigned before a Mobile Court.

‘This is to serve as a deterrent to other unscrupulous elements who habitually disguise as LASTMA officials to extort innocent members of the public,’ he said.

The General Manager further reaffirmed that LASTMA remains resolute in its mandate to entrench order, discipline, and sanity on Lagos roads, while safeguarding law-abiding motorists from fraudulent exploitation.

Afrobeats singer Slimcase has voiced his frustration over what he describes as the growing saturation of the Nigerian music industry, saying that artistes are now under immense pressure to release new songs and albums almost every week.

The ‘Oshozondi’ crooner took to his Instagram story to express concern that the constant flood of new projects is making Afrobeats lose its originality and excitement.

He wrote:

‘Too many songs, too many albums. Una too dey put una self for pressure for this Niger sha. Take a chill pill and be like Rihanna. Do other things and come back give us a fresh vibe.

Your sounds are getting boring cus dem be coming too much in a year. I owe dem a song this year and that’s it. It’s only God that is new every morning. Everyday every second singles and albums dey kiii Afrobeats gradually – it’s not fun anymore.’

Egypt secured its spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a convincing 3-0 victory over Djibouti in Casablanca on Wednesday, booking top position in Group A with one match to spare.

In the match, Mohamed Salah scored twice while Ibrahim Adel added the third, sealing Egypt’s qualification as the third African side after Morocco and Tunisia to punch a ticket to next year’s finals in North America.

The Pharaohs, who had already dominated their group, entered the game leading comfortably. With this win, Egypt finished their qualification campaign unbeaten in Group A, amassing an unassailable 23 points.

Salah, who has been pivotal throughout the qualifiers, further cemented his status as a talisman for the national team.

The win comes amid Africa’s expanded qualifying process, in which nine CAF nations will directly qualify for the World Cup.

Egypt’s success lifts the pressure off their remaining fixtures, allowing them to approach their final group match with less urgency.

As the 2026 World Cup draws closer, Egypt now joins Morocco and Tunisia as confirmed African representatives, and will await the official draw for the global tournament.

Africa is confronting unprecedented threats from violent conflicts and the continent needs conflict prevention to achieve peace and security, UN Special Representative to the African Union (AU), Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, has said.

Onanga-Anyanga was speaking at a Security Council meeting focused on the key issues faced by Africa and cooperation between the UN and the AU.

The UN envoy also said conflicts in Africa cannot be solved through military solutions.

According to him, peace and security on the continent ‘demands a proactive preventative’ approach.

He warned that ‘concerns remain in some parts of the continent about the number and complexity of conflicts.’

He said these conflicts were often worsened by ‘weak or ineffective state authority, violent extremism conducive to terrorist activities and the inequitable management of natural resources’.

The other reasons fuelling violent conflicts, he said, are ‘organised crime, the impact of climate change, acute food insecurity and, in some cases, denial of fundamental human rights’.

Conflicts in the Horn of Africa, Sudan, South Sudan and the Great Lakes region, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, have caused widespread displacement and multiple humanitarian emergencies.

‘No military solution whatsoever can resolve underlying causes of the conflict in the DRC or elsewhere in Africa,’ Onanga-Anyanga said.

‘I call upon this Council to continue to leverage its influence towards peaceful settlement of outstanding issues between the parties.’

The Special Representative highlighted two critical conflict-related issues to Council members: climate change as a conflict multiplier and the challenges faced by women and girls in battle-scarred regions.

He noted the consistent spillover effects of climate-induced insecurity across all these crises.

Speaking for the AU, Amb. Mohamed Edrees told the Council that ‘Africa is facing an unprecedented wave of threats to its security’.

The AU envoy added that ‘solutions are needed to achieve greater stability.’

The UN and the AU have long collaborated on issues affecting the continent.

According to the UN Special Representative, ‘significant progress has been made, particularly in supporting recent free, fair and credible elections across the continent.

Onanga-Anyanga said that fostering consensus was more important than ever.

‘The strong and enduring partnership between the United Nations and the African Union, as well as with other regional organisations, constitutes the foundation of effective and networked multilateralism.

He added that the partnership was ‘essential to address today’s complex, evolving and interconnected threats to peace, security, development and human rights, particularly in Africa’.

In December 2023, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution (2719) to enhance cooperation between the UN and AU.

Addressing the Council, Martha Pobee, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, said that the resolution was conceived ‘as a means to address a longstanding gap in the African Union’s peace and security architecture’.

Pobee added that the resolution aimed ‘to better respond to armed conflicts on the African continent, with the support of the broader international community, and this Council in particular.’

The efforts ‘seek to ensure that our collaboration is grounded both in strategic vision and in operational practicality,’ Pobee said.

Earlier in the year, the UN outlined financial rules for AU-led missions, now under legislative review.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has screened 176 exceptional underage candidates who scored very high marks in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

The screening, meant to assess talented students below 16 years old for possible university admission for the 2025/2026 academic session, was held in Abuja, Lagos, and Owerri.

According to Professor Taoheed Adedoja, Chairman of the Abuja screening centre and former Minister of Sports, the process included a written test, oral interviews, and face-to-face interactions with the candidates.

He said 22 candidates were screened in Abuja, and 176 nationwide, adding that JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, would decide when the results would be released.

Senator Mohammed Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, praised JAMB for giving gifted underage students a chance to prove their abilities.

He said it was necessary to test their maturity and readiness for university life, stressing that only those who perform well should be allowed to proceed.

Also, Hon. Oboku Oforji, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Examination Bodies, commended the students for their impressive performance, saying it showed the strength of Nigeria’s education system.

In Owerri, Professor Paulinus Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), led the screening for the South-East and South-South zones.

He expressed satisfaction with the candidates’ conduct and confirmed that the process followed JAMB’s strict guidelines.

In Nigeria, the official minimum age for university admission is 16, though most students are 18 or older when they gain entry.

Out of over 41,000 underage applicants for the 2025 UTME, only 599 scored 80 percent and above. After further checks, just 176 met all requirements and were selected for final assessment.

The screening panel included representatives from the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), Vice Chancellors, and the Gifted Schools that produced the applicants undergoing the screening.

African Democratic Party (ADC) has approved the constitution of its Rebranding and Constitution Review committees.

This was revealed by ADC National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi on Tuesday in Abuja.

Abdullahi who was speaking with newsmen after the inaugural meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) said the constitution of Policy Advocacy and Membership Registration committees were approved.

‘The NWC also approved dates for the Ekiti and Osun primary elections. The Ekiti primaries will take place from Oct. 10 to Nov. 20. Osun will take place between November and December,’ he said.

Abdullahi further stated that in view of the fact that many of the states have only the chairmen in place, the NWC would put in place transition operational guidelines for the running of the party affairs ahead of the forthcoming congresses.

Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the NWC, Senator David Mark, the chairman of the ADC said the party’s vision goes beyond winning power in 2027.

According to him, the aim of the party is to build a lasting legacy that future generations can be proud of.

‘Our mission is not only to attain power in 2027; it is to leave a legacy which the future generations will be proud to inherit. We are in a marathon we must compete and win. Failure is not an option.’

‘I am alarmed by attempts, subtle and crude to bend the legislature and judiciary to the will of the executive. The ADC will defend the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and strengthen oversight so that budgets serve the public interest, not private appetites.

‘We will end the culture of parallel budgets and extra-budgetary maneuvers by enforcing strict and transparent planning, timely appropriations, and rigorous auditing.

‘The judiciary must again be a refuge for every citizen. We will back an independent, efficient, and trusted bench-appointments on merit, transparent case management, time-bound rulings, and a bias for justice over empty technicalities.

‘Nigeria and Nigerians-will accept nothing less. The political class has too often served itself. We must change this outdated pattern. We must model a new attitude to leadership across every sphere-public, private, and civic. Let it be said of the ADC that we kept faith with the people, that we were steady under pressure, honest in our dealings, and relentless in delivery. We do not seek power for its own sake; we seek it to build a legacy worthy of our children.’

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called for an amendment to Nigeria’s constitution that would transfer the power to appoint the chairman, commissioners, and secretary of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the presidency to an independent body.

IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, made the appeal in Abuja during a meeting with the House of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Review. He argued that placing the appointment process in the hands of an independent panel would guarantee the neutrality of INEC and boost public confidence in the country’s electoral system.

According to Dantalle, the proposed Independent Appointment Committee (IAC) should include representatives from all registered political parties, civil society organisations, the National Judicial Council (NJC), and members of the National Assembly from both majority and minority parties in the Senate and House of Representatives.

He also called for the abolition of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), proposing that INEC should be responsible for conducting all local government elections nationwide.

‘IPAC has consistently championed local government autonomy,’ Dantalle said. ‘Politics is local, and citizens should be empowered to participate in credible grassroots elections that are free and fair.’

Additionally, the IPAC chairman urged the government to reinstate financial support for political parties to ensure a level playing field for all, regardless of size or resources.

The proposal aligns with growing calls for reforms to strengthen electoral integrity and reduce executive influence over the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Wednesday inaugurated its 24th housing estate in Badagry, underscoring its resolve to close the state’s housing deficit and ensure affordable homes for residents across all income brackets.

Located in Ajara, the newly completed estate comprises 420 fully built housing units and stands as a major milestone in Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s housing agenda to expand access to decent and affordable accommodation for Lagosians.

During the project’s construction phase, the estate generated over 1,300 direct and indirect jobs, with more employment opportunities expected to arise from facility management and other services once residents move in.

Speaking at the unveiling, Governor Sanwo-Olu said the project reflected his administration’s belief that communities thrive when citizens have access to essential needs such as food, shelter, healthcare, education, and security.

‘When people have access to decent housing, it reduces poverty, improves public health, and builds safer, more cohesive communities,’ the governor said.

He noted that the project is part of a broader strategy to strengthen economic growth, boost infrastructure, and alleviate poverty.

‘Today, we are commissioning Phase I of this project, which consists of 420 housing units, all ready for occupation. Our administration has delivered 23 estates in six years, providing over 10,000 homes across all income categories and divisions of Lagos,’ he added.

Sanwo-Olu also revealed that four additional housing schemes are currently underway, including: Lagos State Housing Estate, Ibeshe Phase II (192 units), Egan-Igando Mixed Housing Scheme, Clusters 2 and 3 (587 units), Epe Housing Scheme, Ita Marun (112 units) and LagosHOMS Sangotedo Phase II, Eti-Osa (524 units).

The Badagry estate, the governor explained, is fully equipped with modern infrastructure such as well-paved roads, an efficient drainage network, water treatment plants, secure fencing, a gatehouse, sewage systems, ample parking spaces, walkways, and full electrification with transformers.

To make the homes more affordable, Sanwo-Olu announced that the government would subsidise prices and reserve 20 percent of the units for members of the Medical Guild, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (Lagos Chapter), and other public and private sector unions.

Public servants will also receive special rebates as a token of appreciation for their service.

Acknowledging that the government cannot meet housing demand alone, the governor reaffirmed support for private developers and investors through enabling policies and favourable regulations.

He also expressed full backing for the Tenancy Bill before the Lagos State House of Assembly, which seeks to protect both tenants and landlords while promoting mass housing development.

‘I encourage Lagosians to take advantage of available mortgage services to ease the burden of home ownership. We will keep building partnerships that make housing more affordable and sustainable,’ he said.

Commissioner for Housing, Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, described the Ajara Housing Scheme as a landmark project under the T.H.E.M.E.S Plus agenda, designed to make Lagos a 21st-century economy.

He noted that Phase I occupies part of a 18.9-hectare land area and consists of 35 blocks of 12-unit residential buildings, offering one-, two-, and three-bedroom semi-furnished apartments equipped with kitchens, wardrobes, and lighting fixtures.

According to him, Phase II will feature high-rise buildings of up to seven floors to optimise land use through vertical development and deliver more housing options for Lagos residents.

‘The Ajara Estate is a bold statement of this administration’s commitment to housing, infrastructure, and security. It is a model of sustainable urban development that embodies the spirit of a 21st-century Lagos,’ Akinderu-Fatai stated.

The Federal Operations Unit, Zone A, Nigeria Customs Service, has listed 5,015 bags of foreign rice, equivalent to eight trailer loads, alongside 15 assorted used vehicles among the contrabands worth over ?1.2 billion it seized in the past within the last six weeks.

The Controller, Comptroller Mohammed Shu’aibu, disclosed this during a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday.

Shu’aibu listed other items intercepted by Customs operatives to 143 bales of used clothing, two jumbo sacks of used shoes, and one sack of assorted worn apparel 390 bottles of codeine, 310 foreign-branded drugs, 19 cards of tramadol, and 210 used tyres.

He also said a 20-foot container with number ONEU 2419369 FTC, containing 752 cartons of calcium lactate, was also seized for false declaration.

According to him, the total Duty Paid Value of the seized goods stood at ?1.188 billion, underscoring the magnitude of the operations.

The Customs boss further revealed that 640 parcels of cannabis sativa, weighing 431.8 kilogrammes, and 460 jerrycans of petrol, totalling 11,500 litres, were also intercepted.

Other seized items included expired pharmaceuticals, footwear, and clothing recovered across border communities in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Lagos states, highlighting the unit’s increased vigilance across the South-West.

The Customs’ boss also said four suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures and have been handed over to relevant agencies for investigation and prosecution.

Shu’aibu said the unit recovered ?39.2 million through demand notices issued against under-valuations between 1 Sept. 1 and Oct. 7.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to facilitating legitimate trade and supporting lawful businesses while maintaining strict enforcement of customs regulations.

Demonstrating inter-agency collaboration, Shu’aibu handed the seized drugs and cannabis to NAFDAC and the NDLEA for further investigation and disposal.

He reiterated the unit’s resolve to enforce the 2016 ban on the importation of foreign parboiled rice through land borders.

The controller warned smugglers to desist or face sanctions and commended Comptroller-General Bashir Adeniyi for his exemplary leadership.

NAFDAC Chief Regulatory Officer, Mr Taiwo Kareem, lauded Customs’ vigilance, disclosing that the intercepted drugs had expired between 2001 and 2023.

He cautioned Nigerians against purchasing medicines from roadside chemists, stressing the risks of consuming expired or counterfeit products.

Deputy Commander of Narcotics, NDLEA, Mr Nasir Bungudu, also commended Customs for their cooperation and promised to strengthen inter-agency collaboration.

A yet-to-be-identified motorcyclist was on Wednesday morning crushed to death by a truck after dropping his children in school along Oda Road in Akure, the Ondo State Capital.

According to the eyewitness, who simply identified himself as Kunle, said the speeding truck lost control and rammed into the motorcyclist.

He also confirmed that the incident occurred when the motorcyclist was returning home after dropping his children at school.

According to the eyewitness, the man died on the spot, leaving residents and passers-by in shock.

‘The man had just dropped his children at school and was on his way home when the tipper crushed him. It was a very sad scene,’ the eyewitness said.

The remains of the deceased were later taken to the mortuary, while the truck driver ran away.

When contacted, the Ondo state Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Dr Samuel Ibitoye and the Police spokesperson in the state, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, said they were yet to be briefed on the incident.