Category: PM News

The Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice Raymond Ozoemena, has granted bail and ordered the discharge of 86 inmates from Enugu prison.

Among those discharged included an 86-year-old man (name withheld) from Okpanku in Aninri Local Government Area, who was granted bail on health and humanitarian grounds.

Speaking during the flag-off of the 2025 Jail Delivery on Saturday in Enugu, Justice Ozoemena said that jail delivery was ‘a sacred judicial responsibility’ aimed at upholding the rule of law.

The chief judge noted that the exercise was meant to protect the fundamental human rights of persons awaiting trial.

He noted that the exercise allowed the judiciary to review cases of inmates whose trials had been delayed or stalled, ‘ensuring that no one is unjustly deprived of liberty.

‘This is a statutory duty imposed on the chief judge of every state to ensure that inmates at custodial centres are afforded the opportunity to have their cases reviewed where the wheel of justice has been slow.

‘I consider this a sacred obligation to protect the constitutional rights of every citizen and to ensure that justice is both fair and timely,’ he said.

The chief judge commended his predecessors for sustaining the tradition of jail delivery, adding that it remained an essential mechanism for maintaining public confidence in the justice system.

He appreciated the judges of the state, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Director of Public Prosecutions, and the management of Enugu Custodial Centre for their continued collaboration and commitment to justice delivery.

The chief judge thanked Gov. Peter Mbah for his administration’s unwavering support to the judiciary, particularly the financial assistance provided to facilitate the 2025 Jail Delivery.

He reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that justice remained accessible, fair, and humane, especially for the underprivileged and vulnerable members of the society.

Criminals have once again struck along the Ilorin-Egbe highway, attacking a commercial bus travelling between Eruku and Egbe, a border area between Kwara and Kogi states. It was not clear how many people were abducted.

The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the bus was ambushed by heavily armed assailants who emerged from the bush without warming and opened fire on the vehicle.

In a trending video online, bullet holes are visible across the bus with bloodstains on the driver’s side, indicating that he may have been hit by a bullet during the assault.

It was gathered that the injured driver hails from Isanlu, while among the passengers were a man from Egbe and another yet-to-be-identified Hausa trader.

Residents of the area have called on the Chairman of Yagba East Local Government Area to urgently collaborate with his counterpart in Yagba West to take decisive action against the rising banditry along the Kwara-Kogi border.

The highway, a major route connecting communities in both states, has witnessed repeated attacks in recent months, leaving travellers in constant fear.

Officials of the Kogi State Ministry of Works are putting finishing touches to the drawing and other technical details for a permanent solution to the deterioration of the access roads to Takete Ide, MopAmuro Local Government Area.

Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, who made this known, however, said he has directed the Kogi Road Management Agency, KOGROMA, to carry out a comprehensive palliative on the roads, pending its reconstruction.

The governor disclosed this on weekend when he was represented by his deputy Joel Salifu Oyibo at the annual Takete Ide Day festival. The event incorporated 200 million Naira fundraisers for development projects.

‘I am aware of some of the challenges confronting this community, particularly the state of your road, which links many communities and at least three Local Government Areas. Our administration is already working to address this. The engineers from the Kogi State Ministry of Works have completed all the necessary assessments, and I can assure you that work is in progress to ensure a lasting solution.

‘However, before the major construction begins, I have directed the Kogi State Road Maintenance Agency (KOGROMA) to make the Takete Ide-Amuro-Ayede Amuro road motorable through grading and filling of critical portions with laterite.’

Ododo also promised to engage the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, as well as the state’s development partners, to explore how the State Government can support the construction of a befitting palace of the Olude of Takete Ide.

The governor commended the people of Takete Ide for their remarkable communal efforts in providing basic infrastructure in their community.

‘Government cannot do it alone. We appreciate communities like yours that complement government’s developmental strides through self-help initiatives and unity of purpose.

‘In Takete Ide, we have remodelled the Government Day Secondary School, making it beautiful and conducive for learning. I have also approved the provision of befitting furniture for the school. In addition, the GYB Health Centre in Takete Ide is one of over 200 Primary Healthcare Centres being remodelled across the State. Work is ongoing there, and we will continue to do more for Takete Ide and its people.’

Previous speakers notably chairman of the Central Planning Committee and the state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy Kingsley Fanwo and the Ptesident of the Takete Ide Progressive Union, TIPU, Richard Fiki, in separate remarks had appreciated the governor for his attendance and appealed for his urgent intervention in the reconstruction of the access roads.

The carnival-like ceremony featured the decoration of eight individuals as the community’s cultural ambassadors and presentation of awards to deserving sons and daughters in recognition of their commitment.

Different groups like the Takete Ide Students Union, TISU, women, Egungun, Imole dancers, and hunters also made presentations.

The festival was attended by Royal fathers led by the Elulu of Mopa and Cjairmam MopAmuro Tradotional Council, Oba Muyiwa Ibeun, businessmen, religious leaders and politicians.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Sunday said that its Tower T347 along the Gombe-Damaturu 330 Kilo Volt transmission line was vandalised on Friday, at about 5:46 pm.

Mrs Ndidi Mbah, TCN’S General Manager, Public Affairs, made this known in Abuja.

Mbah said that TCN team that carried out routine inspection along the line route discovered that the tower’s legs had been cut off, causing it to buckle to one side.

According to her, this act had resulted in the partial disruption of the bulk power supply to Maiduguri, Borno and Damaturu, Yobe and its environs.

She said that the company however, noted that in spite of these challenges, the bulk supply was being maintained through the Maiduguri Emergency Power Plant (MEPP), which currently feeds the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) For onward distribution to consumers through major 33kV feeders, including Beneshiek, Damasak, Bama, University, Campus, Maiduguri Town, Monguno, and others.

‘Additionally, Damaturu and its environs will be supplied from the Potiskum Substation for the time being,’ she said.

Mbah also said that TCN Engineers were already on site, working to replace the damaged tower and restore normal transmission.

She said that the company strongly condemned the act of vandalism and appealed to the public to protect national assets and report any suspicious activities to the security agencies or the nearest TCN office.

Eberechi Eze came back to torment his former club as Arsenal defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 to tighten their grip at the top of the Premier League table, while Aston Villa marked Unai Emery’s third anniversary in charge with a hard-fought win over champions Manchester City.

At Selhurst Park, Eze who joined

Arsenal from Palace in a £67 million summer transfer struck the decisive goal with a stunning acrobatic finish from a set-piece routine midway through the first half.

Declan Rice’s curling free-kick was nodded down by Gabriel, allowing Eze to fire home and silence his old supporters.

Crystal Palace, still reeling from their midweek Europa Conference League loss to AEK Larnaca, fought bravely with Jean-Philippe Mateta offering their main threat, but the Arsenal defence stood firm as goalkeeper David Raya enjoyed a largely quiet evening.

The Gunners almost added to their lead after the break as Gabriel’s header rattled the crossbar and Bukayo Saka went close with a curling effort from the edge of the area. The result extended Arsenal’s unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 matches and opened up a four-point gap at the summit.

Meanwhile, at Villa Park, Unai Emery’s resurgent Aston Villa celebrated his three-year tenure in style by halting

Manchester City’s nine-game unbeaten streak with a gritty 1-0 victory.

Matty Cash’s precise left-footed strike from the edge of the box in the 19th minute sealed the points for the hosts, though City protested the corner that led to the goal.

Pep Guardiola’s men had their chances, with Erling Haaland denied by a sharp Emiliano Martinez save shortly after the opener.

City looked weary after their midweek Champions League exertions in Spain and never found their rhythm.

John McGinn saw a volley blocked, and Donnarumma produced a superb double save to keep out Jadon Sancho, while Haaland’s late effort was ruled offside.

The result lifted Villa’s spirits after their Europa League setback and underscored Emery’s remarkable transformation of the club while City’s defeat meant they missed the opportunity to climb into second place behind the relentless Gunners.

Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested over 100 partygoers, including controversial socialite and nightclub owner Mike Eze Nwalie Nwogu, popularly known as Pretty Mike, during a midnight raid at a drug-fuelled party in Lagos.

The dramatic operation took place in the early hours of Sunday, 26th October 2025, when NDLEA officers swooped on Proxy Nightclub, located at 7 Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, where a full-blown drug party was underway.

NDLEA’s spokesman, Femi Babafemi, in a statement on Sunday, confirmed that cartons of illicit substances, including Loud, a potent strain of cannabis, and laughing gas, were recovered from the party venue and the club’s storage area.

According to Babafemi, the raid followed credible intelligence that the upscale nightclub was hosting a ‘drug rave.’

Undercover NDLEA operatives reportedly infiltrated the party around 11 p.m. on Saturday, 25th October, before moving in at about 3 a.m. in line with the agency’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

Babafemi said all suspects, including Pretty Mike, were taken into custody for screening as investigations continue.

The Lagos bust was part of a series of coordinated operations across the country as the NDLEA intensified its clampdown on drug trafficking and abuse.

In Taraba State, operatives arrested Auwal Musa (26) and Salihu Bala (22) at Dan-Anacha checkpoint on 21st October with 450,000 pills of tramadol and exol-5 concealed in a truck loaded with building materials heading from Onitsha, Anambra State to Mubi, Adamawa State.

In Kogi State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene-Lokoja highway seized 162.2 kilograms of skunk on 24th October, while another 128 kilograms of the same psychoactive substance were recovered in Keffi, Nasarawa State, from Abubakar Muhammad, 55, on 22nd October.

The agency also arrested a mother of two, Oyonumoh Glory Effiong, a major distributor of Canadian and California Loud, during a raid on her Lekki residence on 17th October, recovering 500 grams of the high-grade cannabis variants. Effiong was said to have supplied elite areas including Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Victoria Island, and VGC.

In another Lagos operation at the Seme Border, NDLEA operatives on 22nd October arrested Jacob Ojugbele with 55 kilograms of skunk at Ashipa, Badagry, while Amusa Oluwabukola was caught with 121.3 litres of skuchies, a cocktail of blackcurrant drink, cannabis, and opioids, at Itoga, Badagry.

Meanwhile, in Zamfara State, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Gummi-Anka Road arrested Abubakar Ibrahim, 30, with an AK-47 rifle and 1,746 rounds of ammunition meant for AK-47 and GPMG rifles.

The suspect, who was moving the weapons from Sokoto to Bagega forest in Anka LGA, has been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.

NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd), lauded the officers involved in the successful operations and urged them to maintain the agency’s ‘balanced approach’ in its ongoing war against drug abuse and trafficking.

The House of Representatives has summoned key government agencies and private sector stakeholders as it begins an investigation into the growing problem of illicit drugs and substance abuse across the country.

Among those invited are the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and the Nigeria Police Force, Punch disclosed.

Others include the Federal Ministries of Health and Aviation, the Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration Service, Correctional Service, and top pharmaceutical companies such as Emzor, Fidson, May and Baker, Juhel, and Dana.

Brewing giants like Nigerian Breweries, Guinness Nigeria, and International Distillers Limited, as well as representatives of the tobacco industry, have also been asked to appear.

The probe will also involve professional and civil society groups such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Medical Association, Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria, and the National Youth Council.

International development partners including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, UNDP, and USAID were also invited to submit memoranda.

The Ad-hoc Committee, chaired by Hon. Oluwatimehin Adelegbe (Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, Ondo State), was set up to investigate drug trafficking, abuse, and regulatory lapses across Nigeria.

In a statement on Sunday, Adelegbe said the panel would examine the root causes of drug abuse, identify institutional weaknesses, and recommend stronger control measures to protect public health and security.

He added that the committee’s findings would guide a detailed report to be presented to the House for further legislative action.

Nollywood actress Uche Ogbodo has responded to the criticisms she received after following through with the second phase of her makeover surgery.

The actress on her Instagram story on Saturday, stated that people were pained that she survived the surgery.

Uche added that such people should focus on raising their kids and keeping them off social media.

‘E dey pan Witches say I survive my 2nd phase of mummy makeover and I’m thriving in good health.

You all will rot in the gutter you dug for me that I didn’t fall inside!. Enemies of other people’s good

lucks n Blessings. Face your miserable life and train your own kids well and keep them off Social media!. You wan use me trend!. Mtcheeeew!. I’m minding the business that feeds me oo and promoting the best hospital.If you can get brand deals yourself carry am enter house, don’t promote the brand and announce how good they are ooo. Everybody wan cry because GODDESS new body is banging already! Unah go Shed blood and water, this is just the beginning!,’ she wrote

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has inaugurated a comprehensive Strategy and Roadmap for Trans-Fatty Acid (TFA) Regulation in Nigeria to strengthen food safety and public health.

This is contained in a statement released Sunday in Abuja by NAFDAC’s resident media consultant, Mr Olusayo Akintola, who described the initiative as a milestone in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against unhealthy dietary risks.The statement emphasised that the inauguration reaffirmed NAFDAC’s dedication to protecting citizens from dangerous dietary components associated with heart disease, stroke, and premature death through stronger regulations and improved enforcement mechanisms.

Quoting NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the statement noted that Nigeria had taken bold action by setting limits of not more than two grams of industrially produced trans fats per 100 grams.

Adeyeye explained that the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognised Nigeria in 2023 as one of seven countries worldwide implementing best-practice trans-fat elimination policies aimed at safeguarding population health and promoting longevity.

She added that the newly inaugurated roadmap outlined a phased strategy focusing on food industry reformulation, laboratory strengthening, compliance monitoring, public education, and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure sustainable implementation.

Adeyeye further disclosed that with support from partners such as WHO and Resolve to Save Lives, NAFDAC had expanded its laboratory capacity to analyse trans fats, accelerating nationwide implementation efforts.

The Director-General urged government agencies, industry leaders, civil society, and consumers to collaborate toward WHO validation, stressing that eliminating industrially produced trans fats in Nigeria was both urgent and entirely achievable.

Adeyeye affirmed that the roadmap demonstrated Nigeria’s strong commitment to protecting public health, fostering healthier food practices, and creating a future where citizens were free from the harmful impact of trans-fatty acids.

Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has vowed that his team will give everything to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the CAF Playoffs, PM News has learnt

Nigeria missed out on automatic qualification after finishing second behind South Africa but now have another opportunity to book their place at the Mundial when they face Gabon in Morocco next month.

Speaking to Eagle7FM, Chelle emphasized the gravity of the challenge ahead.

‘We play or we die – that’s the reality of our situation,’ he said. ‘We need the warrior mindset; we have to be sharks. This is war.’

The coach noted that while the team has shown significant improvement since he took charge, limited preparation time remains a challenge.

‘It’s been game after game with little time to train, but the focus now is November.

That’s when the real job begins,’ he said. ‘We’ve done great work in 10 months. I knew we always had a chance, so I focused on the pitch and ignored the noise.’

Chelle assured fans that the Super Eagles will defeat Gabon to progress to the next stage of the playoffs.

‘Gabon are a strong side with players like Aubameyang and Lemina, and a good coach. But this is a final for us. We’ll stay focused and positive,’ he added.

‘Even with injuries, if we’re at 100 percent, there’s no reason we can’t win. We’ll keep our energy high because we want to go to the World Cup.’

Nigeria will face Gabon on November 13 in Morocco. The winner will play either DR Congo or Cameroon to decide who advances to the Intercontinental Playoffs in Mexico in March.