Category: PM News

The Nigerian Police Force has listed rescue of 34 victims from kidnappers, arrest of murder suspects and recovery of weapons among the achievements of its operatives nationwide in the past 24 hours.

Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, said this in a statement released on Saturday while detailing recent successes of the police across the country.

According to the statement, police operatives rescued the 34 kidnapped victims across three states.

Iniedu said 30 of the victims were rescued in Sokoto after operatives and military personnel engaged and overpowered armed bandits who attacked passenger vehicles.

The bandits, according to the statement, abandoned the victims and fled into the forest, abandoning the hostages.

Two injured victims were evacuated for treatment after the rescue operation.

Also, police operatives rescued three victims during a clearance operation at Ribado Ward, Funakaye LGA of Gombe state.

Four suspected kidnappers were arrested and three motorcycles recovered as exhibits during the operation while the gang members released one additional victim allegedly due to pressure from the operatives.

Police operatives also rescued one victim in Rivers State after they successfully intercepting a suspected kidnap gang, according to Iniedu.

He added that one suspect was arrested while an AK-47 rifle with three rounds of ammunition and a tricycle were recovered during the operation.

The Force Public Relations Officer also informed that operatives arrested murder suspect linked to the death of a victim who sustained severe burn injuries in Ebonyi State.

The corpse was deposited for autopsy.

In Ogun State, police detectives arrested a suspected murder suspect at a crime scene while another suspect was nabbed in connection with a case of manslaughter involving the death of a newborn after alleged medical intervention.

Iniedu also revealed that a blood-stained bedsheet was recovered as an exhibit in another suspected murder incident in Ogun State.

All corpses were deposited at hospital morgues for autopsy.

Other successes of the police across the country in the last 24 hours as listed by Iniedu include recovery of two stolen vehicles in Lagos after a foiled carjacking and arrest of one suspect with a locally-made pistol in Enugu.

He also revealed that operatives arrested two suspected cultists with a firearm in Benue while a suspected cable vandal was arrested in the Federal Capital Territory.

Police operatives responded to terrorist and bandit attacks in Adamawa and Kaduna States during which they recovered remains of three victims.

Iniedu said the various State Criminal Investigation Departments are investigating the cases.

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has contained a cholera outbreak at the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kano State, following the activation of emergency medical measures at the facility.

The Service Public Relations Officer, Jane Osuji, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

According to Osuji, laboratory tests conducted by the NCoS medical team in conjunction with state public health authorities confirmed the outbreak on Sept. 23.

She said the first case was identified on Sept. 17 after an inmate developed vomiting and diarrhoea and was admitted to the custodial centre’s medical facility for treatment.

‘By the next morning, the medical team activated emergency medical protocols while intensifying medical intervention and monitoring,’ she said.

Osuji said the measures taken by the service and health authorities had successfully brought the situation under control, adding that no further death had been recorded since the outbreak was diagnosed.

She, however, disclosed that two inmates died during the incident, with one death occurring at the custodial centre and the other at the state infectious diseases hospital.

The NCoS spokesperson said the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, was promptly informed of the development and directed that all necessary measures be maintained to safeguard the health and welfare of inmates and personnel.

Nwakuche also expressed condolences over the deaths and ordered the implementation of additional preventive measures in collaboration with the Kano State Government.

As part of efforts to prevent further spread of the disease, the controller-general directed that disease surveillance, early detection and prompt medical intervention be strengthened across custodial centres nationwide in partnership with relevant public health authorities.

He also ordered senior medical personnel from the service’s national headquarters to proceed to the affected facility to monitor the situation.

Nwakuche said qualified medical personnel continued to provide healthcare services in custodial facilities across the country.

He reaffirmed the commitment of the service to ensuring humane treatment of persons in custody and protecting their health, dignity and welfare in accordance with the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, and established correctional standards.

The controller-general urged members of the public to obtain information about the outbreak from verified official channels, saying the service would provide further updates when necessary.

The Lagos Police Command has identified and arrested a police officer who was seen in a viral video affirming that Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, or any Igbo person can never be elected the president of Nigeria.

The Policeman who was travelling in a commercial bus was heard saying no Igbo man can be president of Nigeria among other expletives thrown at the people from the South-East in the video.

He also claimed that only President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku are suitable to be elected Nigeria’s President in the viral video.

However, in a statement issued on Friday, the Lagos State Police Command identified the policeman as Inspector Osumah Frank.

Adebisi Abimbola, the spokesperson for the Command who issued the statement said Osumah has been arrested for as part of the Command’s commitment to transparency and accountability.

She described the remarks by the Inspector the viral video as careless, inappropriate and uncultured.

The Lagos Police spokesperson also revealed that the Command has commenced appropriate disciplinary action against Inspector Osumah in line with established regulations of the Nigeria Police Force.

She also emphasized that the statements made by the officer were made in his personal capacity and do not represent the position, views or official disposition of the Lagos State Police Command or the Nigeria Police Force.

Abimbola quoted the Lagos State Police Commissioner of Police, Tijani Fatai as reiterating that all personnel are expected to maintain professionalism, civility, discipline and respect for members of the public at all times.

CP Fatai, according to the statement also reaffirmed that wearing the Police uniform comes with a responsibility to uphold the dignity and integrity of the Force, and that the Command will not condone any conduct capable of bringing the Force into disrepute or undermining public confidence in the Police.

She added that the Command remained committed to transparency, accountability and policing with humility and integrity.

The Delta State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared an indefinite strike following the death of a deputy director in the state Ministry of Secondary Education.

The state NLC Chairman, Goodluck Ofobruku, announced the industrial action on Friday while addressing protesting civil servants at the Chike Edozien Secretariat in Asaba.

The deceased civil servant was identified as Unity Adedah.

Workers had gathered to protest over the circumstances surrounding Adedah’s death before the NLC announced the indefinite shutdown.

The strike is expected to affect activities across Delta State’s public service as workers withdraw their services.

The development comes a day after striking allied health professionals in the state suspended their own industrial action following an agreement with the state government over outstanding allowances and other welfare demands.

The health workers, who began their strike on September 10, gave the government until October 9 to implement the agreements reached with their unions.

Further details on the circumstances surrounding Adedah’s death and the specific demands of the NLC were yet to emerge at the time of filing this report.

Prof. Musa Maitafsir, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency, has inaugurated the rehabilitation of electricity supply lines in Yabo and Shagari Local Government Areas of Sokoto State.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the power lines, which was vandalised and had remained out of service for about six years, are expected to be rehabilitated within one month.

Maitafsir, the immediate past Director-General of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), disclosed this at the inauguration ceremony on Saturday.

He said he had paid N150 million to an indigenous contracting firm for the commencement of the project.

The APC candidate said the initiative was aimed at alleviating the prolonged hardship faced by residents of the two local government areas as a result of the power outage.

‘I have already paid N150 million to the contracting company and I will logically complete the project at whatever cost,’ Maitafsir said.

He urged residents to protect the rehabilitated power infrastructure and promptly report anyone attempting to vandalise the facilities to the appropriate authorities.

Maitafsir also appreciated residents of the two LGAs for their support for the APC, President Bola Tinubu and Sokoto State Gov. Ahmed Aliyu.

He assured them that more development projects would be delivered to improve their living conditions, if he was elected.

Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Jabbi Shagari, commended Maitafsir for the initiative, describing it as a significant intervention that would contribute to the socio-economic development of the two LGAs.

‘This project remains a great commitment to easing the burden on the state government and empowering the people for economic development,’ he said.

Shagari assured that the state government would continue to pursue the implementation of its nine-point SMART Agenda for the benefit of residents.

Some APC leaders, elders and stakeholders at the event also commended Maitafsir for the initiative, saying restoration of electricity supply would help boost economic and social activities in Yabo and Shagari LGAs.

Lagos State First Lady, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has acknowledged persistent challenges with refuse evacuation across the state, saying the government is working on new strategies to improve waste management and reduce delays in clearing collected waste.

Sanwo-Olu spoke on Saturday while monitoring the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Mafoluku, Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, alongside the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Engr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, and members of the state’s Body of Permanent Secretaries.

The First Lady’s comments followed complaints from some residents that waste managers were not evacuating refuse from their neighbourhoods promptly.

She explained that one of the major challenges was the long turnaround time for waste trucks at disposal sites, which often results in delays before the trucks can return to collect more waste.

‘The turnaround time for the truck to evacuate their waste at the dumpsites takes quite a while. They can queue for like two to three days before they dump and depart from the landfill site,’ she said.

Sanwo-Olu said the state government was developing a new approach to waste disposal and management to address the situation.

‘I am aware that the state is working very hard to bring up a new strategy and approach to its present waste disposal and waste management strategies,’ she said.

She described the challenges as teething problems that would be addressed as the government improves the system, expressing optimism that Lagos would continue to make progress towards maintaining a cleaner environment.

The First Lady also urged residents to pay greater attention to waste separation at the point of generation, stressing that recyclable materials and other categories of waste should not be mixed.

She said the participation of schoolchildren in the monthly sanitation exercise was deliberate, aimed at developing environmental consciousness among them from an early age.

Also speaking, Rotimi-Akodu said the monthly sanitation exercise had recorded gradual improvement in public participation.

He said residents were increasingly coming out voluntarily to clean their homes and streets, describing the development as a departure from the situation when the exercise began.

‘Our first goal is awareness, which will bring about cultural change. We need to discard the whole culture of being lackadaisical towards our environment. People are beginning to pick up now, and for us, it’s a good measure of progress,’ he said.

The special adviser, however, urged residents to stop dumping refuse indiscriminately at unauthorised locations and embrace waste separation from the point of generation.

Meanwhile, the Head of Service, Mr Olabode Agoro, who led another monitoring team to Lagos Mainland Local Government, urged residents to take ownership of their surroundings and make environmental cleanliness a daily responsibility.

Agoro said the sanitation exercise, which had been ongoing for more than six months, was gradually attracting increased public participation.

He commended residents for their turnout but said more needed to be done, urging Lagosians to begin cleaning their surroundings before government monitoring officials arrive.

‘We are very impressed with the turnout, but it could be a lot better. It is not supposed to be that we call for the exercise before people come out to clean. By the time we arrive, residents should already have commenced cleaning their surroundings,’ he said.

Agoro also commended the chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government for his advocacy and mobilisation efforts, which he said had contributed to improved participation in the exercise.

He said the mobilisation had helped bring more residents into the sanitation programme, although participation could still improve.

The Chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Mayor Emilagba Kolawole, also commended residents who participated in the exercise, saying advocacy and sensitisation efforts were beginning to yield results.

Members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), students and directors in the Ministry also participated in the monitoring exercise.

Residents and businesses in Suleja, Zuba and neighbouring communities will experience a brief power outage on Saturday as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) carries out preventive maintenance on its transmission equipment.

TCN announced on Friday that electricity supply would be interrupted for about 20 minutes during maintenance work on the Gwarinpa-Suleja 132/33kV Line 2 bay switchgears and associated equipment.

The maintenance is scheduled to take place between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, September 26, 2026.

Communities expected to be affected include Suleja Township, FCT College of Education, Field Base, Zuba, Sabon Wuse and surrounding areas supplied through the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

TCN explained that the temporary outage would allow engineers to transfer electrical load from the Gwarinpa-Suleja Line 2 to the Kubwa-Suleja Line 1 while maintenance is carried out.

The company said the arrangement was designed to prevent a prolonged power disruption during the exercise.

According to TCN, the work forms part of its annual preventive maintenance programme aimed at improving the reliability of transmission equipment.

The company apologised for the inconvenience and advised electricity consumers in the affected communities to take note of the scheduled interruption.

Yeye Moremi Olufunso Amosun and wife of former Ogun Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, has inaugurated an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Digital Training Hub in Ile-Ife to empower unemployed youths with digital skills.

The initiative is aimed at equipping young people with relevant digital skills and knowledge to enable them to participate meaningfully in the global digital economy.

Amosun said the hub was established out of the need to develop a generation of digitally skilled, innovative and responsible young people equipped to take advantage of opportunities in the digital space.

She said the training would provide accessible, practical and high-quality training in digital technology and artificial intelligence for youths.

According to her, the hub would expose learners to relevant digital tools, emerging technologies and practical opportunities that would enable them to thrive and contribute meaningfully to the digital economy.

She added that the opportunity would bridge the digital skills gap among young people and prepare them for the changing demands of the modern workplace.

Amosun urged the beneficiaries to take advantage of the opportunity by acquiring skills that would enhance their employability and enable them to create opportunities for themselves and others.

Also, a statue of Moremi was also unveiled at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to marked the silver jubilee of Moremi Hall, established in 2000.

The hub is expected to train Ife youths in coding and programming, graphic design and content creation, digital marketing and social media, among other programmes.

Responding, the wife of the Ooni of Ile-Ife, Mrs Afolashade Ogunwusi, appreciated Mrs Amosun for the opportunity to empower unemployed youths and give them reasons to be proud of themselves.

Ogunwusi said the hub would further create opportunities for thousands of youths to contribute to the digital economy in the state.

She urged the pioneer beneficiaries to take the opportunity seriously and do their best to become employers of labour.

Speaking with the beneficiaries, funmi Aduramigba and Abiodun Ojelusi, appreciated the wife of the former governor, Mrs Amosun , for the initiative which would help reduce self dependants and also create more jobs to the unemployed.

Former Chief of Staff to ex Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Alhaji Bashir Sa’idu, has vowed that he would demonstrate his political prowess by ensuring a total victory for the All Progressives Congress, APC in 11 Local Government Areas in Zazzau Emirate in the 2027 election.

Sa’idu, also a former Commissioner of Finance, recently defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to the APC alongside thousands of his supporters.

Speaking when the Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs, Isa Lawal, visited him at his residence, Sa’Idu vowed that he would demonstrate his political influence and counter claims that he joined the APC without significant followers.

Sa’idu said the APC would record a different result in Zaria Local Government during the coming elections, promising to surpass previous electoral records.

He said the party would secure more votes in Zaria than those recorded for former President Muhammadu Buhari in previous elections.

According to him, about 3,091 ADC members in Lere Local Government, who share his political views, are preparing to join the APC.

He added that about 4,000 like-minded supporters were also present in some other local governments, saying their strength would become evident during elections.

‘I will not boast about my capacity in other areas, but in the 11 local governments of Zazzau Emirate, we will show our strength,’ he said.

Sa’idu said he was also politically grounded in Igabi and Kaduna South Local Government Areas, in addition to Zaria Local Government.

He described his supporters as committed political followers, saying about 10,000 of them had already joined the APC with him.

‘We will prove that Allah has endowed us with supporters and that these people believe in us politically,’ he said.

Sa’idu said his supporters had been meeting to develop strategies and modalities aimed at securing victory for the APC in the coming elections.

He, however, said their political activities would not prevent the Kaduna State Government from developing its own plans ahead of the elections.

‘When the time comes, if there is a need to blend with us, fine. If we plan concurrently and meet at the polls, it is also okay,’ he added.

Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has unveiled an ambitious development blueprint for Ogun State, promising reforms in governance, agriculture, industrialisation, security, healthcare, education and youth empowerment if elected governor in 2027.

Adeola, the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress in Ogun State, while outlining his policy agenda at a meeting with journalists in Ogun State at the NUJ Secretariat in Abeokuta on Friday, pledged that his administration would fully comply with the Freedom of Information Act and maintain regular, substantive press briefings as part of efforts to promote transparency and accountability.

Adeola also promised to prioritise the welfare and safety of journalists, describing the media as a partner in governance rather than an inconvenience.

According to him, ‘a government that fears scrutiny has already told you what it intends to hide,’ while stressing that his administration would operate an open and accountable government.

Adeola said his proposed administration would be driven by six major catalysts: fiscal discipline and revenue mobilisation, legislative reform, civil service and justice reform, asset optimisation and commercialisation, and local government autonomy.

He also promised to translate his manifesto into measurable programmes, with heads of government agencies signing performance agreements and being subjected to public assessment.

‘From manifesto to action. A manifesto that stays on paper is a betrayal of the people who trusted it,’ he said.

On agriculture, Adeola promised to move Ogun from subsistence to mechanised farming, while developing a system that would enable farmers to produce throughout the year.

He said his administration would establish mechanisms for government to purchase farm produce from farmers, allowing them to receive payment and return to production without waiting until the next planting or harvest cycle.

Adeola said he had already distributed more than 40 tractors and other agricultural equipment to farmers, adding that mechanisation would receive greater attention under his proposed administration.

He also pledged to maximise the economic benefits of Ogun’s industrial base by encouraging companies operating in the state to establish regional offices in Abeokuta.

According to him, although Ogun is one of Nigeria’s major industrial hubs, the state does not receive commensurate revenue because many companies maintain their headquarters in Lagos, where senior executives pay their taxes on behalf of over 20 staffs.

He said his administration would seek stronger partnerships with industries to increase employment opportunities for Ogun residents and ensure that more economic value generated in the state remains within the state.

Adeola also promised to pursue greater state participation in the exploitation of Ogun’s mineral resources.

‘I will be the Chief Miner of this state. I will fight for every mining certificate in this state from the federal government, he declared, arguing that the state should have a greater role in determining how its natural resources are exploited.

On security, Adeola promised to strengthen the Ogun State Security Trust Fund, establish a cybersecurity and security operational centre, and create a Resident Identity Management Agency.

He said industries operating in Ogun should be brought into a structured security partnership with the government, similar to the model he referenced in Lagos State.

Adeola also proposed using part of revenue from gaming and lottery activities, alongside budgetary allocations and contributions from industries, to strengthen security infrastructure and equipment.

In healthcare, Adeola pledged to expand access to healthcare facilities, strengthen the state’s health insurance scheme, Ilera Dero, and target two million enrolled residents.

He said his administration would also invest in doctors, nurses and community health workers.

Adeola claimed that he had facilitated the construction of more than 100 primary healthcare centres across Ogun State over the past three years and supported ongoing projects involving general hospitals across the state.

He, however, promised to build on existing healthcare initiatives, including coverage for elderly residents, while improving the state’s health insurance system.

Adeola also promised to expand educational infrastructure, including classrooms, libraries, staff rooms and sanitary facilities.

He said his administration would focus on producing young people who are ‘work-ready, not just certificate-ready,’ with greater emphasis on skills and employability.

On sports, he pledged to revive football development in the state and establish an annual Governor’s Cup as a platform for identifying young talents.

He also promised to revive a state football club capable of representing Ogun at the national level.

Adeola said his administration would establish four major vocational centres across Ogun’s four divisions to provide young people with practical skills and improve their chances of employment.

He linked the initiative to his broader agenda of poverty reduction, youth empowerment and economic development.

On environmental sustainability and physical planning, Adeola promised greater attention to border communities and emerging estates, including areas around Arepo and the proposed Journalists Estate.

He said his administration would seek to address the growth of shanties and other informal settlements while demanding greater corporate social responsibility from companies operating along the state’s borders.

Adeola also welcomed the reported development of a $7 billion deep-sea port, describing it as an opportunity for Ogun to compete more effectively with Lagos in maritime and logistics activities.

He said the port’s proximity to the coastal road could create significant economic opportunities for the state and strengthen its position as an industrial and logistics hub.

Adeola urged journalists to hold him accountable to his proposed policies and programmes if given the opportunity to govern.

‘Gentlemen of the press, I do not come to you asking you to believe me. I come asking you to hold me to this manifesto, line by line, project by project,’ he said.

As part of the partnership he promised media, Adeola pledge to support the Nigeria Union of Journalist the sum of N50million its proposed permanent site.

Speaking on behalf of journalists, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju thanked the APC candidate for his continuous support for the union.

He also urged him to prioritize the media and hold the media as number one tools for information if he gets to government.