Category: PM News

Members of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, have removed three senior leaders over allegations of financial inducement, document manipulation and breaches of due process in the selection of the next Awujale of Ijebuland.

Those affected are the Chairman, Abdulateef Owoyemi; Vice-Chairman, Prof. Fassy Yusuf; and Deputy Chairman, Adeodokun Ajidagba.

The decision followed the adoption of a 25-page report by a nine-member Fact-Finding Committee set up by the ruling house to investigate petitions against the trio.

The committee, chaired by Olusegun Olusoga with Adeyemo Oduneye as secretary, was constituted in June 2026. Its report was presented at a meeting held at the Agunsebi Family House and presided over by the ruling house Secretary, Adeleke Adeyemi.

Oduneye said only Owoyemi appeared before the committee, while Yusuf and Ajidagba declined its invitation.

According to the report, the process of compiling and submitting candidates for the Awujale stool lacked transparency, proper screening and due process.

‘There is a manifest breakdown of unity, communication, and cohesion among the trio acclaimed Olori-Ebis. The chairman, deputy-chairman and vice-chairman, in utter disregard for the statutory classification of candidates as set out in the Awujale Declaration, refused and/or neglected to classify the candidates into either male line, female line or those candidates born through Awujale Folagbade before he ascended the throne.

‘This is an unpardonable and deliberate dereliction of sacred duty bestowed upon the Fusengbuwa ruling house anchored by the chairman, deputy-chairman and vice-chairman who usurped the powers of the whole ruling house,’ he stated.

The committee recommended that the three leaders step aside in the interest of peace and unity. The ruling house subsequently voted for their immediate removal.

Adeyemi said the decision was based on the committee’s findings on alleged bribery and other irregularities.

‘The fact-finding committee investigated issues within the ruling house and found that most of the Olorebis were involved in malpractices such as bribery.

‘The committee presented its findings at today’s meeting, and the ruling house reached a unanimous decision that they should be removed.’

He added that the family would notify the Ogun State Government and begin the process of appointing new leadership.

Oduneye said the allegations against the three leaders included ‘the issue of financial inducement, supporting candidates, and engaging in some manipulation of documents that had been submitted without following the due process.’

He said the selection could be restarted if necessary, stressing that the priority was to ensure an credible outcome.

‘It all boils down to the leadership failure, so the Ijebu people need to relax and be patient. It’s better we do it well than to rush at it and present wrong results,’ Oduneye said.

However, Yusuf rejected the allegations, describing those behind the decision as ‘a bunch of rabble rousers and confusionists.’

He said the allegations had no basis and threatened legal action for defamation.

‘How could somebody under you set up a panel to probe you? Probe you for what? Who are they?

‘If they defame me, I will take them to court. They will come to court and prove whatever allegation they have against me. I was not part of those who compiled the list of candidates.

‘They used my office; I did not even see them, I did not even step inside, deliberately, because that’s my life. They used my conference room for the compilation. They are rabble-rousers,’ he said.

Owoyemi also dismissed the report, calling those behind the action ‘a bunch of rebels’ and saying their decision ‘lacks substance’.

‘Their allegations are baseless, unfounded and should be ignored by members of the public,’ he said.

Attempts to obtain Ajidagba’s reaction were unsuccessful as his telephone was reportedly switched off.

The Awujale stool has been vacant since July 2025, following the death of Oba Sikiru Adetona, who reigned for 65 years.

The Ogun State Government suspended the selection process in January 2026 after receiving petitions from security agencies and other stakeholders. The process had earlier been suspended in December 2025 over procedural concerns.

Ninety-five aspirants, comprising 94 princes and one princess, emerged from the Fusengbuwa Ruling House nomination process.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced an extension of the deadline for submission of the list of candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for the February 2027 General Election. It also announced a suspension of PVC collection in Osun State.

This information was contained in a press release on Saturday by INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

According to the statement, INEC ‘wishes to inform political parties and the public that it has approved an extension of the deadline for the submission (upload on the dedicated portal) of the list of candidates for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections for the February 2027 General Election.

‘The submission window, which according to the revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the General Election was originally scheduled to close, Saturday, 8th August, 2026, has been extended to Tuesday, 11th August, 2026. The extension follows growing appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the process.

‘In a related development, the Commission wishes to notify voters who applied for replacement of lost, damaged or defaced PVCs, that the window to print downloadable copies of their cards will expire by midnight of Sunday 9th August, 2026. This is to allow the Commission compile the data of downloaded PVCs for final statistics of total PVCs collected ahead of the August 15th Osun Governorship Election.

‘It will be recalled that collection of PVCs in Osun State commenced at Registration Area (RA) level from 22nd to 28th July, 2026. Owing to complaints of large crowds and difficulties encountered by voters at collection centres, the Commission approved an extension of RA-level collection to 31st July, 2026, before collection moved to LGA level, running from 1st to 7th August, 2026.

‘The Commission also wishes to state that replacement Downloadable PVCs have been made available to voters in Odo-Otin and Ife Central local government areas whose cards were carted away by hoodlums who invaded the two centres. The Commission reiterates that the stolen cards cannot be used to vote.’

The electoral body reassured the people of Osun State of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and inclusive governorship election on 15th August 2026.

Operatives of the Lagos State Rapid Response Squad, RRS, have arrested more than 30 suspected miscreants during a midnight operation along the Lekki-Ajah Expressway.

The suspects were arrested on Sunday over alleged harassment and intimidation of motorists and other road users along the busy corridor.

Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed the arrests in a statement posted on Facebook.

Wahab said the suspects allegedly demanded money from motorists and, in some cases, damaged vehicles when their demands were rejected.

According to him, the operation was carried out as part of ongoing efforts by the state government to curb activities threatening public safety and the free movement of motorists.

He added that the RRS would continue intelligence-led operations and enforcement against individuals and groups involved in activities capable of disturbing public order across Lagos.

The Lagos Zonal Office of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has resolved more than 15,000 consumer complaints received through its online and offline channels.

The Zonal Coordinator of the FCCPC Lagos Office, Dr Olubunmi Otti, disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists at the Commission’s office in Ikeja, Lagos.

Otti said the complaints were received either through the Commission’s online platform or directly from consumers who visited the Lagos Corporate Office.

She explained that consumers have the right to seek redress whenever products or services purchased fail to meet their expectations.

According to her, consumers are expected to first engage the service provider or seller to resolve the issue before approaching the FCCPC if they are dissatisfied with the response or outcome.

She said consumers seeking the Commission’s intervention could submit their complaints through the FCCPC complaints portal at https://complaints.fccpc.gov.ng or visit its office at 17, Oremeta Street, Opebi Link Bridge Road, off Oregun Road, Ikeja.

Otti stressed that complaints must contain sufficient details to enable the Commission to investigate and resolve the matter.

She said consumers should provide the address and location of the service provider, receipt of purchase where applicable, the amount of money involved and the specific redress being sought.

The Zonal Coordinator said that of the 17,000 complaints received through the online portal and directly at the zonal office, more than 15,000 had been resolved, primarily to protect the interests and welfare of consumers.

She explained that the Commission’s mandate derives from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act 2018, which empowers it to promote fair business practices and safeguard the interests of consumers.

The FCCPC is also mandated to prevent practices capable of resulting in the abuse of market dominance or monopolies and to investigate anti-competitive practices.

Such practices, according to the Commission, include price fixing, bid rigging, market allocation and abuse of dominant market positions.

Otti encouraged consumers who experience violations of their rights to come forward and lodge complaints through the Commission’s channels.

She said complaints could cover issues including return and refund disputes, product labelling, pricing, hidden prices, the sale of substandard products, product tagging and improper labelling.

She also emphasised that product labelling must be done in English.

Consumers can submit complaints through the FCCPC’s complaints portal, while those seeking assistance can also contact the Commission on 08147170738.

Otti said the Commission resolves consumer complaints through various mechanisms, including direct engagement, negotiation, mediation, conciliation and administrative hearings, among others.

She urged consumers who are dissatisfied with products or services provided to them to approach the FCCPC for redress.

‘The satisfaction and safety of Nigerian consumers are paramount to the Commission and nothing more,’ Otti affirmed.

The Africa Centre for Tobacco Industry Monitoring and Policy Research (ATIM) has urged the National Assembly to urgently reconsider the proposed amendments to Nigeria’s National Tobacco Control Act 2015, saying the so-called ‘Tobacco Harm Reduction’ provisions sought to be inserted in the Act endanger the country’s hard-fought tobacco control gains.

In a statement seen by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA),on Sunday, ATIM backed the Nigerian tobacco control community’s rejection of the proposed changes, warning that the proposals could weaken the country’s tobacco control framework and create loopholes for the tobacco industry to addict Nigerians, especially the youth, with nicotine and other ‘so-called non-combustible products.’

The organisation said the development was particularly concerning given Nigeria’s progress in reducing smoking prevalence and its obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).

‘Nigeria should be strengthening the measures that have helped reduce smoking, not creating new policy openings that could undermine those gains,’ ATIM said.

According to the organisation, the amendment process was initially presented as an effort to strengthen implementation of the National Tobacco Control Act 2015, correct identified weaknesses and close loopholes affecting emerging tobacco and nicotine products.

However, ATIM noted that the harmonised Bill subsequently considered by the House of Representatives introduced ‘Tobacco Harm Reduction’ among the objectives of the legislation and created separate provisions for non-combustible products, including electronic nicotine products and nicotine pouches.

It said the significant shift requires greater transparency and public scrutiny.

According to tobacco control activists, Tobacco Harm Reduction is a discredited tactic through which the industry lobbies to openly market nicotine products, such as vapes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products (HTPs), smokeless nicotine pouches and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), by claiming that these addictive products will help tobacco users quit.

ATIM noted that adult smoking prevalence in Nigeria is now estimated at around 5-6 per cent, representing substantial progress compared with previous decades.

Rather than risk reversing this progress, it urged the Nigerian government to prioritise proven tobacco control measures, including comprehensive smoke-free environments, stronger taxation and health warnings, prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship, improved cessation support, measures against illicit trade and stronger implementation of Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC.

The organisation also warned that emerging nicotine products could provide a new pathway to nicotine addiction, particularly among young people.

‘Nothing prevents Nigeria from adopting evidence-based cessation or risk-reduction interventions where they are independently demonstrated to benefit population health,’ ATIM said. ‘But there is no need to embed a changing and contested commercial concept such as ‘Tobacco Harm Reduction’ as a statutory objective.’

ATIM said the National Assembly should also provide greater clarity on how the provisions relating to ‘Tobacco Harm Reduction’ and non-combustible products came into the harmonised Bill.

It stressed that it had not established that the tobacco industry drafted or caused the insertion of the provisions, but argued that their source should be publicly explained given the growing commercial importance of new nicotine products to multinational tobacco companies.

The organisation called for disclosure of stakeholders who proposed the relevant provisions, submissions received during the legislative process, meetings held with tobacco and nicotine industry representatives or organisations representing their interests, and the evidence relied upon in developing the differentiated regulatory framework.

It stressed that such transparency was particularly important under Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, which requires governments to protect tobacco control policies from the commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry.

ATIM also urged tobacco control organisations, researchers, professional associations and public health advocates across Africa to closely monitor developments in Nigeria, warning that the country’s legislation could set an important precedent for tobacco control policy elsewhere on the continent.

‘Nigeria has made important progress in reducing smoking. The task now is to accelerate that progress towards a genuinely smoke-free generation, not create new opportunities for nicotine addiction or reopen policy space for an industry whose commercial future increasingly depends on new nicotine products,’ ATIM said.

The organisation therefore called on the National Assembly to ensure that any amendment to the Tobacco Control Act strengthens, rather than weakens, Nigeria’s public health protections and remains firmly aligned with the WHO FCTC.

Last Thursday, CAPPA, the Nigeria Tobacco Control Alliance (NTCA), Gatefield Impact, Nigerian Cancer Society, Association of Resident Doctors, Abuja and other members of the Nigerian Tobacco Control Community demanded the immediate withdrawal of the Bill, and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to withhold assent should the text be presented for executive approval.

The Federal Government has deployed a special passport intervention team to the United Kingdom to clear pending applications and ease passport processing for Nigerians in the diaspora.

The team, drawn from the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, headquarters, is expected to arrive in the UK on Monday, August 10, 2026.

The deployment followed a directive by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Kemi Nandap.

According to the NIS, the team will work with the Nigerian High Commission in the UK to process pending applications as well as new and renewal requests.

It will also visit designated cities across the country to conduct passport enrolment and processing, allowing Nigerians outside London to participate in the exercise.

The intervention is open to applicants with pending applications, new applicants and passport holders whose documents have less than one year before expiration.

Applicants are required to present completed application forms and proof of payment during enrolment.

The NIS said details of the designated cities, dates, venues and enrolment times would be announced separately.

It warned applicants not to visit any location until the official schedule is released.

The Service advised Nigerians in the UK to monitor the official communication channels of the Nigerian High Commission for updates on the exercise.

For enquiries and complaints, the NIS provided [passport.london@immigration.gov.ng](mailto:passport.london@immigration.gov.ng) and a WhatsApp-only line, +234 916 087 8000.

It added that its digital passport platforms, including the Contactless Passport Application System and home delivery service, would remain operational throughout the intervention.

The NIS said it remained committed to efficient and responsive passport service delivery to Nigerians at home and abroad.

Nasarawa governor, Abdullahi Sule on Saturday applauded policies and initiatives of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for driving investments in infrastructure and businesses in his state and across Nigeria. Sule, who spoke at the beginning of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors enabled media tour of federal and state projects in Nasarawa said President Tinubu deserves credits for ongoing investments in infrastructure across states in Nigeria as they are direct result of his removal of subsidy and other policies that have led to increase in funds going from the federal purse to the subnational governments. Excerpts

By Ayorinde Oluokun

Nasarawa’s Monthly FAAC Allocation Boosted To Over N14 billion Under Tinubu

I have always asked for this kind of thing, for this verification. But let me tell you, you are doing just more than verification. You are also doing an assessment. I thank you for engaging in this because I’ve always challenged the media every time they ask questions – That, ‘okay, you have said you have withdrawn the subsidy. Okay, what are we seeing?’ Okay. So, I said, ‘Why don’t you go to these various places?’ That’s why I’m so happy to see the faces that are going with you because it will give them the opportunity to do that. For us in Nasarawa State, we are very transparent. I came from the private sector, so every contract I give, I give the amount that we are spending on that contract. And then, people can now make the difference with the kind of money we are receiving. n my first four years, everybody knows, Nigeria was sharing anywhere between maybe 590 billion to about 620 billion monthly. The total FAAC allocation for Nasarawa State was between maybe 3.8 to somewhere about 4.5 billion for the state. For the local government, anywhere between 1.9 to anywhere to 2.5 billion every month. With the removal of subsidy, Nasarawa State is receiving an average of 14 to 16 billion every month. That’s why when I said he took the bullet on our behalf. I think you have to be able to find a way to commend your leaders when they do right. Now, based on what we are receiving, you may go to a certain state that things do not relate with the kind of resources they are receiving. The media going with you will criticize you. I want you to remember that. And that is right also, because it wakes people up. There is nothing wrong with that. It will wake people up to say that ‘Ah, it doesn’t look like whatever I’m doing is meeting with the resources I’m receiving.’ So, the governors should be concerned about this trip that you are making. We should be concerned because it is time now to be accountable.

Give credits for Nasarawa’s investments In Infrastructure To Tinubu

All the projects we are doing in Nasarawa State today, at no borrowing from the bank, is as a result of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support. It’s very difficult for or you to say, I’m going to see federal government projects, and I’m going to state government projects. So which one is state government? Which one is federal government? All the projects we are doing in Nasarawa State today, at no borrowing from the bank, is as a result of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support. So, you must give him the credit for that. Without the reforms, we would not have had the resources to do what we are doing. So, I can’t take credit for those projects. I’m happy you are going to see some of them that everybody is talking about. You are going to our first-class secretariat. You go and see the office of the SSG is better than my own office. And there is nothing wrong with that, because at the time they built my own office, Tinubu was not there. Yeah, we didn’t have the resources that we have today. So, there is nothing wrong with me doing it better today because we are receiving the resources better today. And anybody coming in as the governor, if he like, he can build a new government house where he can now build based on what is happening today. But for now, I use the resources to do all that. We have the combined overhead and underground flyover. Our president came last year to commission it. We built it for 6.7 billion. Okay? Dualization of the Akwanga township. There are two of them. The real dualization itself, because Akwanga is a new town altogether. That town dualisation is actually done for 7.1 billion. Then we have an underpass also inside the same Akwanga. We built it for 6.6 billion. And then the Keffi Flyover, that’s where a lot of accidents have taken place. So many people died in that. So today, we are doing it 11.4 billion. And then, we constructed the twin flyover in Karu. That’s the one that a lot of you are happy with because maybe for those who live in Karu, you will see it. It is bringing economic advancement in the area. Just two days ago, we actually received 500 million naira from one of the real estates as our profit sharing for that same site where we invested only about 170 million. But you see, those are the businesses we do because I approach all these things purely like the way business is going to be approached. Now, Nasarawa State, no way in the past years could think of spending this amount of money. And you will not understand it until I dramatize it for you. Let me dramatize it for you – In the year 2019, I came in as a governor and we were looking for five billion naira bond in order to build a market because the total allocation coming to the state was less than 60 billion. Our budget was like 90 billion. We would do performance of about 66% with about 60 billion. That’s it. 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022. Those are the kinds of monies we are receiving. So, I was looking for five billion. And they said, ‘Well, if it is the time that you are in Dangote, we will give you. But this five billion for Nasarawa, we have to check it properly, sir.’ And so, I had meetings upon meetings. I had nothing less than 10 meetings for this five billion naira. And we had to go and also do ISPO because they have to ensure that they will deduct it directly from our money to build a market. Okay, so I couldn’t get that. Now, what I just counted projects that are worth up to 90 billion. We did it without borrowing one naira from anybody. And most of them have already been paid off.

‘We’re Focusing On Projects That Touch Lives’

We are doing so much in education, and education is key to me. Being an engineer, vocational and technical education, I strongly believe no matter your degree, PhD, MSF, BSc, whatever it is, you also need a skill. So, one of the approaches that we have in Nasarawa State is ensuring that we build skill acquisition centers. The skill acquisition center we have is teaching about 12 different trades, vocations – from electrical installation to metal machining, to carpentry and joinery, to cabinet making to welding and fabrication, to radio mechanics, to agricultural mechanization, all of them, we have them down there. And people actually who have degrees in other areas are going there to learn trade. And when they come out, I tell them, throughout my work in the US in the oil and gas sector, people are not interested in civil service work. When they have a trade, they are more interested in working for themselves. And that is the idea about it. So that is the center we brought, and from all over the country, people are coming there to acquire education for that trade. That is one thing we have done. When I was the managing director of African Petroleum, I learned something – people who have spent all their years working inside the company, and that’s the only thing they knew how to do – When I actually let them go and then give them their severance packages, a lot of them didn’t know what to do with the money because they had no skill to do anything else. So, what I do here is that I have post-retirement skill acquisition also at the center. It’s all part of the program that we are doing. So, it’s not just for the youth, it’s also for the old people like you and I, so that we can go and learn skill and be able to take it off from there. So that’s one good thing I think that we are doing. In the healthcare, Nasarawa, thank again to this administration – is of the few states in the federation that in each one of the three senatorial zones, we now also have a tertiary medical facility. We have the Teaching Hospital here in Lafia. We have the FMC in Keffi. But we also now have the Specialist Hospital, which is being built by us in Akwanga – the state government, through the resources that we are receiving. You need to do certain things that are touching the lives of the people. I come as the group managing director of Dangote Refinery. In the whole of businesses of Aliko Dangote, the one that was given the least amount of revenue is actually that of agriculture. But the one that is impacting the life of the people the most is also agriculture. So, for that reason, in Nasarawa State, we have 10,000 hectares of land where we are doing rice. Our own rice is not just for the media. It’s real rice that we are actually doing. Those are areas that we’re making that great impact.

Tinubu policy turns Nasarawa into hub of lithium processing

The lithium processing plant – it’s a private sector, so somebody may criticize it, just like they criticized our refinery to say that ‘Ah, it’s Dangote who solved the problem of refinery.’ Yes. However, what gave him the ground and everything to solve that problem is the policy of the federal government that we have. Today, the two lithium processing plant – it is because of the policies – ensuring that anybody who is coming to mine in Nasarawa State must also process in Nasarawa State. When we talked about it with President Bola Tinubu, he supported it. He took it abroad and they liked it. From the beginning, I criticized the appointment of Dele Alake as a minister of solid resources because I think he’s a media man. He doesn’t understand anything about this thing. But the man came in, he now is a better mining engineer than me. And he talks mining as if he’s an engineer, and he’s a media guy for God’s sake. And these are the things that happen. But why did he do that? It’s because he copied from his boss, he agreed with the direction of his boss, and he bought into it, he’s serious about it. He gave me all the support I needed, and that’s how we were able to build not only the biggest lithium mining facility in Nigeria, but the biggest in Africa. People love to buy lithium right now. So, you cannot take away the credit from this administration. It’s to understand that what is driving these policies? What are these governors doing with the resources that they are getting? How is it impacting in the lives of the people? Any leader that is doing well and is being encouraged, the leader gets on and do well some more. But when a leader is doing so well and you are criticizing the deed, criticizing all the time, criticize, it actually demoralizes the leader.

The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has called on the Lagos State Government to provide stronger institutional and logistical support for traditional rulers, while condemning land grabbing among some traditional leaders in the state.

Akiolu made the call on Sunday during a prayer session held at his palace on Lagos Island to mark the 23rd anniversary of his ascension to the throne.

The monarch said adequate support for traditional institutions would enable traditional rulers to discharge their responsibilities effectively and contribute more meaningfully to the development and stability of Lagos State.

He, however, expressed concern that while the majority of traditional rulers and chiefs remained committed to maintaining order and contributing to the progress of the state, some had allegedly turned to land grabbing.

‘Majority of the traditional rulers and reasonable chiefs in this state always ensure that things go in order.

‘But some of the incurably bad ones, for one reason or the other, best known to them, have chosen to turn themselves into land grabbers, which I didn’t like at all,’ Akiolu said.

The monarch urged the government to strengthen traditional institutions by providing the necessary logistical support to those occupying traditional offices.

‘I have pleaded and advised the government that you upgrade all these people, give them the logistic support to hold that office,’ he said.

According to him, inadequate institutional support could contribute to some traditional rulers resorting to activities such as land grabbing, which he described as contrary to responsible leadership and not in the interest of society.

‘It was in the absence of that they resort to land grabbing, which is not in the best interest of any human behaviour,’ he added.

Reflecting on his 23 years on the throne, Akiolu expressed gratitude to God for sustaining his reign and recalled his coronation 23 years ago at Enu Owa in Lagos.

He recalled that the late Chief Tajudeen Gbadamosi placed the traditional crown on his head during the coronation ceremony.

The monarch described his reign as one marked by ‘progress upon progress upon progress’, attributing the achievements to God’s blessings and the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was the Lagos State Governor at the time of his coronation.

Akiolu also stressed the importance of responsible leadership, urging traditional rulers to consider the consequences of their actions and seek divine guidance in the discharge of their responsibilities.

He said traditional institutions had an important role to play in maintaining peace, order and the cultural heritage of Lagos and should therefore be strengthened to perform those responsibilities effectively.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State Head of Service, Bode Agoro, described Akiolu as a father figure to all and commended his discipline, compassion and commitment to preserving the traditions and heritage of Lagos.

Agoro described the monarch as a firm but compassionate leader who supported people who did what was right and corrected those who deviated from established standards.

‘Kabiesi doesn’t suffer fools gladly. He stays on the path of the righteous. If you do well, he will support you. If you don’t do well, he will tell you off,’ Agoro said.

According to him, Akiolu’s background as a former police officer had contributed to his disciplined approach to leadership, while his deep knowledge of Lagos history and traditions had made him an important voice in the affairs of the state.

Agoro said the monarch had consistently reminded the government of the need to preserve Lagos’ traditional heritage, particularly during the celebration of Isese Day.

He disclosed that Akiolu had regularly written to the government advocating public recognition of Isese Day, noting that the monarch had remained firm in his commitment to tradition and religion.

Describing Akiolu as an institution in his own right with extensive knowledge of Lagos history, Agoro said the monarch possessed an exceptional ability to recall historical facts and events.

‘He has all the facts and figures in his head. Kabiesi will recite and quote dates, times, lawsuits, everything. It’s amazing,’ he said.

Agoro prayed for the Oba to enjoy many more years in good health and happiness, expressing optimism that Akiolu’s anniversary celebrations would continue for decades to come.

The Lagos State Chairman of Accord, Dele Oladeji, has rejected claims that the party has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term in 2027.

Oladeji, who is also Secretary of the Forum of Accord Party Chairmen in Southern Nigeria, described the claim as false and said it did not reflect any decision taken by the party.

He spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday while responding to comments attributed to Prof. Christopher Imumolen, a factional Accord presidential candidate.

Oladeji said no meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee had considered or approved support for Tinubu.

‘Accord did not and will not endorse Tinubu for a second term. Any person claiming otherwise is playing politics or engaging in anti-party activities,’ he said.

He added: ‘Accord has not at any time discussed any endorsement of President Tinubu at any of our NEC meetings.

‘So, there is no basis whatsoever for anybody to claim that Accord has endorsed President Tinubu.’

Oladeji accused Imumolen of presenting a personal position as that of the party, describing his claim as ‘political shadow boxing for media attention’.

‘Chris Imumolen is impersonating the Accord presidential candidate and declaring support for President Tinubu is political shadow boxing for media attention,’ he said.

The Lagos chairman also questioned Imumolen’s membership of Accord, claiming that his name was not on the party’s current register.

‘His name is not on the Accord membership register, as the register he was on had been phased out,’ Oladeji said.

He challenged Imumolen to produce evidence of his membership and participation in recognised party structures.

‘If Imumolen claims otherwise, let him publish his Accord membership register and pictures of any NEC meeting attended by INEC officials,’ he said.

Oladeji maintained that Accord would remain an independent political force and contest the 2027 elections at all levels, including the presidency.

‘Accord candidates will contest every elective position in the country, including the presidential election,’ he said.

He added: ‘Only an unserious person and political party will endorse the candidate of another party. Accord will not do such.’

The chairman urged party members and the public to disregard reports suggesting that Accord had agreed to support Tinubu’s re-election bid

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says an airstrike in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander.

The strike, carried out on Saturday, followed intelligence reports indicating the movement of suspected terrorists towards a hideout in the forest.

NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

He said a Remotely Piloted Aircraft was deployed for sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations, which enabled the military to track the terrorists before carrying out a precision strike.

‘Following positive identification and confirmation of the target, the NAF aircraft conducted a precision engagement on the location. Subsequent battle damage assessment indicated significant effects on the targeted compound, with several terrorists neutralised.

‘Further intelligence received after the strike confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others were wounded. Among those reportedly neutralised was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, described as a prominent ISWAP commander responsible for providing special security escorts for the movement of senior members of the terrorist group,’ Ejodame said.

The NAF said Al Muhajir’s knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements across the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas made his reported death a major setback for ISWAP.

It added that some of those hit in the operation were suspected to have been involved in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area.

According to the service, the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of combining persistent surveillance with precision airstrikes to disrupt terrorist activities.

The NAF said it would continue intelligence-led air operations alongside ground forces to weaken terrorist networks, restrict their movement and improve security across the North-East.