Category: PM News

A diesel-laden tanker carrying approximately 45,000 litres of fuel fell off Otedola Bridge in Lagos and burst into flames on Monday, prompting a coordinated emergency response by state and federal agencies.

The Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying preliminary reports indicated that the tanker plunged off the bridge before bursting into flames.

Oke-Osanyintolu said two adult males were rescued from the scene and given pre-hospital medical care by paramedics from LASEMA’s Lagos Response Unit and an ambulance team from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

He added that the rescued men were subsequently transported to the Trauma Centre by the Lagos State Ambulance Service for further medical attention.

The permanent secretary said personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service and the NNPC Fire Service were already at the scene battling the fire when LASEMA activated its emergency response.

According to him, the agency cordoned off the affected area, conducted a rapid risk assessment and provided operational support to the ongoing firefighting and rescue efforts.

Oke-Osanyintolu added that the fire had been brought under control, while dampening operations continued to prevent a possible resurgence.

‘The cause of the incident had yet to be established as investigations were ongoing,’ he said.

LASEMA advised motorists to avoid the affected corridor and use alternative routes while emergency operations continued.

The agency urged members of the public to exercise caution around the scene as responders worked to secure the area and manage the remaining risks.

Billionaire businessman Femi Otedola has revealed a longstanding personal bond with Lagos State Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, recalling how they shared a bunk bed at boarding school nearly five decades ago.

Otedola made the revelation on Monday after hosting a dinner in honour of Hamzat, who is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the 2027 Lagos State governorship election.

In a post on his X account, the businessman described Hamzat as a man of integrity and expressed confidence in his leadership qualities.

‘Yesterday, I hosted dinner in honour of @DrObafemiHamzat, the incoming Governor of Lagos State. A man of the highest integrity, with whom I shared a bunk bed at boarding school 49 years ago,’ Otedola wrote.

He also highlighted the qualities that, according to him, have characterised their relationship over the years.

‘My experience of his character over the years has been defined by his honesty, sincerity, fairness and strong moral principles,’ he added.

The dinner attracted some of Nigeria’s most prominent business figures, including Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, and industrialist Abdul Samad Rabiu.

Hamzat secured the APC governorship ticket in May after winning the party’s primary election in Lagos State ahead of the 2027 polls.

According to the announced results, he received 657,917 votes, while his challenger, Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, polled one vote.

The deputy governor has held the position since 2019 under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. He is now seeking to succeed Sanwo-Olu, whose second term in office is due to end in 2027.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) has announced that it will hold its inaugural meeting tomorrow, Tuesday, 20 October to deliberate on the flag off of the party’s campaign for re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Secretary of the Council and governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodimma said this in a notice to members of the APC-PCC on Sunday evening.

Uzodimma said in the notice that the meeting is strictly by invitation to the list of attendees which are the leadership and members of the campaign council.

The meeting will hold at the Presidential Campaign Council HQ Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District, Abuja.

‘You are hereby invited to the inaugural meeting of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, scheduled to hold as follows: Date: Tuesday, 20th, October 2026 Time: 2 PM Prompt Venue: PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN COUNCIL HQ Plot 781, Herbert Macaulay Way, Central Business District (Central Area), Abuja. Attendance: Directors and Secretaries of Directorates

‘Kindly note that the meeting is strictly by invitation and is open only to the 134 members of the Presidential Campaign Council listed below.

‘The meeting will formally commence the collective assignment of the Council and provide an opportunity to consider and adopt the Campaign Calendar, as well as to deliberate on other ancillary matters, including preparations for the flag-off of the campaign scheduled to hold in Kaduna on Saturday, 24th October 2026,’ the notice read.

The APC had earlier indicated that it will kick off the reelection campaign of President Bola Tinubu on Oct. 24 in Kaduna.

President Tinubu is expected to attend the campaign rally.

The Kaduna chapter of APC had also indicated that it is ready to host President Tinubu and other party leaders for the presidential campaign

The State Publicity Secretary, Mr Muhammad Sani at a news conference in Kaduna on Monday, 12 October said there no better city the president could have chosen to kick off his campaign for reelection than Kaduna.

With his choice of Kaduna, we have no doubt that the march to victory has started,’ Sani said.

‘We are proud that the march to Aso Rock in 2027 is beginning from Kaduna on Oct. 24, 2026.

‘We want to assure Mr President, all APC members and the whole of Nigeria that Kaduna State is well prepared to receive party members and to spearhead the campaign for the President’s victory,’ he said.

Sani the mobilisation, under the leadership of Gov. Uba Sani, was expected to attract hundreds of thousands of people.

‘We are going to mobilise, under the leadership of our governor, Senator Uba Sani, hundreds of thousands of people to welcome Mr President. We are going to show love and solidarity,’ he said.

The publicity secretary also expressed confidence in the party’s pledge to deliver two million votes for Tinubu in Kaduna State during the 2027 presidential election.

He claimed that the state had no opposition, insisting that the political atmosphere was united behind the APC.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has ordered Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, to disclose the state’s financial records dating back to June 2023, amid mounting questions over how his administration has managed public funds.

Justice Hamza Mu’azu of the FCT High Court in Maitama, Abuja, issued the order following a lawsuit filed by Joseph Waya, a former governorship aspirant of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

The court directed the governor to make available records of the state’s federal allocations, internally generated revenue, loans, grants, government contracts and other sources of public funding.

The disclosure also covers foreign donations, personnel costs and pension payments.

Waya had approached the court after accusing the Alia administration of failing to provide comprehensive financial information he requested under the Freedom of Information Act on September 8, 2025.

The court upheld his right to access the records and ordered the state government to comply.

The ruling comes amid controversy over claims by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, that Benue receives about ?30 billion monthly from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).

The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged Alia to explain how the funds have been spent or publicly dispute Wike’s figures.

The opposition party also alleged that combined federal allocations to the state government and its 23 local government areas had exceeded ?1.3 trillion since Alia assumed office in May 2023.

It demanded detailed accounts of expenditure on security, healthcare, education, agriculture and infrastructure, questioning what residents had gained from the increased allocations.

The court’s directive, however, arose from Waya’s freedom of information lawsuit and does not amount to a finding of financial misconduct against Alia or his administration.

The spokesman of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, has accused African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar of trying to discredit Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Mohammed made the allegation on Monday during an interview with Trust TV.

He criticised Atiku’s approach to political campaigning, accusing him of making statements aimed at misleading Nigerians rather than addressing important issues.

According to Mohammed, Atiku’s strategy is to damage the public image of Obi, whom he described as the presidential candidate, and Kwankwaso, his running mate.

He said Atiku’s statements were intended to discredit the two politicians and mislead Nigerians who were unhappy with the current administration.

Mohammed also questioned Atiku’s campaign activities, claiming that he had not made enough efforts to meet Nigerians directly or visit different states to seek their support.

He contrasted Atiku’s approach with that of Obi and Kwankwaso, whom he said had been travelling across the country to meet people and make commitments to them.

Mohammed maintained that Obi and Kwankwaso were making efforts to connect with Nigerians as the country prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has sworn in Mr Olayemi Sanusi and Mrs Adenike Ademokun as commissioners, charging them to place the interest of the state above personal considerations, political differences and sectional loyalties.

Abiodun gave the charge on Monday during the swearing-in ceremony held at the Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, where he urged the new commissioners to demonstrate integrity, humility, fairness and commitment to public service.

The governor charged them to remain accessible to the people, listen attentively to their concerns and exercise prudence in the management of public resources, stressing that their appointments must translate into tangible benefits for the people.

LLHe also emphasised the importance of continuity in governance, urging the commissioners to preserve institutional knowledge, maintain proper records and ensure that ongoing projects and programmes were completed.

Abiodun advised them to familiarise themselves with the priorities of his administration, understand the status of existing projects and bring fresh energy, sound judgment and a strong sense of responsibility to their assignments.

‘Public confidence grows when citizens can see that those they entrusted with leadership understand their needs and act to address them,’ he said.

The governor further urged the new commissioners to embrace teamwork, respect the professionalism of the public service and collaborate effectively with the ministries, departments and agencies under their supervision.

‘Your ability to listen, inspire confidence, make informed decisions and translate policies into outcomes will determine the contribution you make to our collective mission.

‘Bring your experience to bear, remain willing to learn and support your colleagues in the pursuit of common objectives,’ he said.

Abiodun noted that the value of public office should be measured by the problems it helps to solve and the opportunities it creates, adding that the responsibility before members of the State Executive Council was to consolidate existing achievements, address unfinished priorities and leave behind a stronger and more prosperous Ogun State.

Describing the period as the final lap of his administration, the governor said the remaining months required urgency, discipline, political maturity and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

‘We are now in the final lap of this administration. This period demands urgency, discipline, political maturity and a steadfast pursuit of excellence.

‘Your appointments, therefore, come at a very significant moment. You are joining a government with substantial achievements and important responsibilities still to fulfil.

History will assess our stewardship through the consequences of our decisions and the difference our service has made in the lives of the people.

‘Let us, therefore, approach the months ahead with a clear sense of purpose and a determination to make every opportunity count,’ he said.

Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in commissioners, Mrs Adenike Ademokun expressed appreciation for the confidence reposed in them, assuring the governor that they would not take the appointments for granted.

She pledged their commitment to giving their best in support of the administration’s efforts to sustain development and improve the welfare of residents across the state.

The Edo State House of Assembly has approved a supplementary budget of ?939.85 billion for the 2026 fiscal year.

The approval was granted during Monday’s plenary, presided over by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yekini Idiaye, following the consideration of a report by the House Committee on Supply.

Presenting the report, the committee’s chairman, Hon. Sunday Fada, outlined its findings to the lawmakers, after which the House dissolved into a Committee of the Whole to consider the bill clause by clause.

The lawmakers subsequently adopted the committee’s recommendations, paving the way for the bill to scale third reading and secure passage.

Under the supplementary appropriation, ?351.5 billion is earmarked for recurrent expenditure, while ?588.3 billion is allocated to capital projects, bringing the total proposed spending to ?939.85 billion.

Following the passage, Speaker Idiaye directed the Clerk of the House, Alhaji Yahaya Audu Omogbai, to forward clean copies of the bill to Governor Monday Okpebholo for assent.

In a related development, the lawmakers observed a minute’s silence in honour of victims of the Oluku fire incident.

The House adjourned plenary until November 9, 2026.

President Bola Tinubu has approved an 18-month extension of the tenures of the heads of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), allowing both service chiefs to remain in office until 2028.

Under the approval, the tenure of the Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, has been extended until May 26, 2028, while that of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nanna Nandap, will now end on June 30, 2028.

The presidency said the extensions followed a recommendation by the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to address a succession gap in the two services and give their respective boards sufficient time to appoint successors.

Tinubu commended both officials for the reforms recorded under their leadership and charged them to consolidate the gains made in their respective agencies.

The development was announced on Monday in a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

Nwakuche was nominated by Tinubu as Controller-General of the Nigerian Correctional Service in December 2024 and was confirmed by the Senate in March 2025.

Similarly, Nandap was nominated as Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service on February 21, 2024, and received Senate confirmation on March 1, 2024.

The extensions will allow both officials to continue overseeing their respective services while the process of appointing their successors is given additional time.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to respond to a suit seeking to compel the release of records of his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the order when the matter came up for hearing.

The Incorporated Trustees of Pathway to Equity and Charity Foundation had filed the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1812/2026.

The group prayed the court to compel the NYSC to disclose documents supporting the minister’s claim that he completed the mandatory one-year national service.

The foundation also sought an order of mandamus directing the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), the 2nd respondent, to produce records showing that the minister did his primary assignment at the FCTA.

When the case was called, counsel to the applicant, Chief Solomon Akuma, SAN, told the court he was ready to proceed with the hearing.

However, Abiola Olaniji, who appeared for the minister, said he had filed an application for Tunji-Ojo to be joined as the 3rd respondent.

Olaniji said the applicant (foundation) had responded with a counter affidavit raising serious issues, to which he needed time to reply.

The lawyer stated that the minister was ready to take part in the proceedings as an interested party.

But Akuma opposed the application, arguing that the minister was not a proper party.

He said the suit only sought an order of mandamus compelling the respondents (NYSC and FCTA) to produce documents that are not in the minister’s custody.

Justice Ibrahim directed the minister to file and serve his reply to the applicant’s counter affidavit, which opposed his application to be joined as a party in the suit before the next hearing date.

The judge then adjourned the matter until Oct. 18 for hearing.

The applicant had sought from the NYSC the mobilisation or call-up letter issued to Tunji-Ojo in 2006 or any other year; the posting letter to the FCTA in 2006 or any other year; and his application for mobilisation.

It also sought the evidence of approval of his remobilisation by the NYSC’s Director-General; evidence of payment of allowances to him; the record of his Community Development Service and his discharge certificate.

The foundation equally sought from the FCTA, the mobilisation or call-up letter, the posting letter, his attendance record during the service year, evidence of any allowance paid to him, among others.

It said the application was brought under Section 14 of the Federal High Court Act, Order 34 Rules 1, 2 and 5 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019.

It also cited Sections 20, 21 and 25 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.

Another confrontation erupted around human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday after a lawyer allegedly described him as a ‘tout’, provoking an angry reaction from his supporters.

The incident occurred before proceedings began in Sowore’s ongoing cybercrime trial over social media posts in which he described President Bola Tinubu as a ‘criminal’.

The lawyer, identified only as Yakubu, reportedly made the derogatory remark, triggering a heated exchange with Sowore’s supporters.

The confrontation quickly escalated into a shouting match, with some supporters allegedly threatening to teach the lawyer a ‘lesson’ after the day’s hearing.

The incident unfolded ahead of proceedings presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar.

Monday’s confrontation follows a similar incident on March 24, 2026, when Sowore engaged in a heated argument with Senior Advocate of Nigeria Musibau Adetunbi at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Adetunbi had challenged the activist for granting an interview to journalists inside a courtroom, insisting that the venue was not meant for press briefings.

Sowore rejected the objection, accusing the senior lawyer of attempting to intimidate him.

The confrontation subsequently drew criticism from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), which backed Adetunbi and called for respect for courtroom decorum.

Another heated exchange occurred on August 3 during Sowore’s trial, when his lawyer, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, SAN, clashed with prosecuting counsel Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN, over allegations that the defence was deliberately delaying proceedings.

Justice Umar cautioned both lawyers over their conduct before adjourning the case.

Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations arising from his social media criticism of President Tinubu.