Category: PM News

It was big gain for Kaduna chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, on Sunday as no fewer than 12,000 members of other parties defected to the party in Lere Local Government Area of the State.

The defectors were received on Sunday at Ramin Kura and Gure/kahugu wards by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Alhaji Abubakar Buba, who represented Gov. Uba Sani

The event drew party leaders, government officials, community leaders and supporters from Ramin Kura, Lere and Gure/Kahugu wards.

Buba said the administration of Gov. Uba Sani remained committed to justice, fairness and equal treatment of all citizens across Kaduna State.

He said the governor’s rural transformation agenda had endeared the administration to people across the state, regardless of political affiliation.

According to him, ongoing investments in roads, schools and other infrastructure had continued to attract support for the APC.

The commissioner assured the defectors of equal opportunities and full integration into the party without discrimination.

Chairman of Lere Local Government, Alhaji Jafaru Ahmad, described the defections as a demonstration of growing confidence in the APC led administration.

Ahmad commended the new members for what he described as a timely decision to join the ruling party.

Also speaking, APC Chairman in Lere Local Government, Mr Jonathan Shekarau, welcomed the defectors into the party.

Shekarau assured them of equal treatment, saying the APC was committed to delivering good governance and addressing the shortcomings of previous administrations.

Speaking on behalf of the defectors, Mr Nathan Azman and Mr Rayyanu Dauda, both former PDP members, said they joined the APC because of Gov. Uba Sani’s inclusive leadership.

They said the administration had demonstrated commitment to equitable development and improved the welfare of citizens.

The representatives appealed to the state government to rehabilitate roads in their communities.

They also called for the completion of a secondary school project abandoned in the area for decades.

The defectors pledged their loyalty to the APC and promised to support the administration’s development agenda in the state.

Police operatives in Anambra State have arrested three members of kidnapping gang targeting Point of Sale (POS) operators in Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

The arrest of the suspects identified as Chekwube Chukwu, 32, Amarachukwu Nwobosi, 34 and Sopuluchukwu Ifeakor, 30 years respectively were disclosed in a statement by the spokesperson for Anambra Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, on Sunday in Awka.

Ikega said the three were among four suspects arrested over separate kidnapping and robbery incidents across the state recently by the Command.

According to Ikenga, the three suspects were arrested when operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, in collaboration with detectives from the Ogbaru Divisional Police Station, foiled a suspected kidnap plot in Iyiowa, Odekpe, Atani in Ogbaru Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.

‘The team arrested three male suspected members of a kidnapping syndicate and recovered a black Toyota Camry with tinted glasses and Lagos Registration number LND 789HR, believed to have been used by the gang for its operations.

‘The suspects are Chekwube Chukwu, 32, Amarachukwu Nwobosi, 34 and Sopuluchukwu Ifeakor, 30 years respectively,’ he said.

He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects were intercepted while actively attempting to abduct a female POS operator at Atani in Ogbaru LGA, in the morning.

The Anambra police spokesman said that the victim raised an alarm, which attracted the attention of some residents and prompted a swift response by the police following a distress call.

The PPRO said that the timely intervention by the police frustrated the kidnap attempt, leading to the rescue of the victim and subsequent arrest of the suspects.

According to him, further investigation linked the suspects to the earlier kidnapping of another female POS operator, at Dominion Park, Head Bridge, Onitsha, on June 3, 2026, during which she was abducted.

He said that the suspects dispossessed the operator of two POS machines and Android phones and compelled the family to pay a ransom of N3.5 million, before she was released.

He said that during interrogation, the suspects confessed to their involvement in the crimes.

Ikenga said that the suspects were currently providing useful information to assist the police in identifying and arresting their criminal receivers and other members of the syndicate operating within the state.

The police spokesman further said that in the afternoon of July 15 2026, police operatives attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, arrested one Johnbosco Okoye (Bone), 32.

The Anambra Police spokesperson who did not mention the area the suspect was arrested said that the arrest was in continuation with the ongoing investigation into the kidnapping of a victim at Okpanam, Asaba, Delta state.

He explained that the victim was abducted, robbed, and forced to pay a ransom before regaining his freedom.

The PPRO said that during a search on the suspect, the operatives recovered one locally fabricated pistol, two live rounds of ammunition, one axe, and one Itel Android phone bearing the victim’s photograph as its screensaver.

He said that the suspect confessed to the crime and efforts were ongoing to apprehend other members of the gang currently at large.

Ikenga said that the operations underscore the Command’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and improving public safety in the state.

The Command urged members of the public to remain vigilant and continue to support the police with timely and credible information to enhance security across Anambra state.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Gombe State Command, says it has arrested 58 offenders since the launch of its ‘War Against Overloading’ campaign in the state.

The state Sector Commander, Mr Samson Kaura, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Monday.

Kaura said the campaign began in April as part of the corps’ efforts to reduce the high number of casualties resulting from road traffic crashes caused by overloaded vehicles.

He said overloading remained one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes in the state.

According to him, tackling the menace is essential, adding that reducing crash-related deaths requires strict enforcement of load limits, public awareness and responsible behaviour by drivers and vehicle owners.

The sector commander said avoiding overloading was not just a traffic rule but a lifesaving measure that protects drivers, passengers and other road users.

According to him, vehicles are manufactured with specific limits on the number of passengers and the amount of goods they are designed to carry.

‘But we neglect the authorised specifications and overload our vehicles.

‘When these vehicles are overloaded, movement becomes difficult because of the excess weight, which contributes to higher fuel consumption as they cannot move fast enough.

‘The lifespan of the vehicle is also affected because it will not last as long as it is supposed to.

‘If an overloaded vehicle that is designed to carry no more than five passengers is involved in a crash, there will likely be more casualties because it was carrying too many people and goods.

‘That is why we need to nip the issue of overloading in the bud to reduce the number of fatalities from road traffic crashes.’

Kaura urged passengers to avoid boarding overloaded vehicles because of the dangers involved. He also advised vehicle owners to desist from overloading their vehicles, especially during the rainy season.

‘When a vehicle is overloaded, its stability is compromised and controlling it becomes difficult, putting everyone on board at risk,’ he said.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has detained four officers accused of extorting N53,000 from the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Dr Musa Aliyu (SAN), during an unauthorised stop-and-search operation in Abuja.

Addressing journalists on Monday, the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Sanusi, condemned the officers, describing them as ‘thieves’ who had disgraced the police force through their actions.

Investigations showed that the officers allegedly abandoned their assigned duty posts, converged around the Banex area of Wuse and erected an illegal checkpoint where they targeted motorists for extortion. Unaware of the identity of their victim, they reportedly stopped the ICPC chairman and compelled him to obtain cash through a Point of Sale (POS) operator.

According to Sanusi, Aliyu withdrew N53,000, paid the transaction charges and handed over the money, which the officers allegedly shared among themselves.

‘I must say here too that we have about four policemen in custody as we speak who successfully extorted somebody of high importance, unknown to them that this person is a highly placed person in society. In clear terms, they extorted the Chairman of the ICPC.

‘They extorted him of N53,000. They took him to a POS, he withdrew the money, paid the charges and they shared the money among themselves.’

The police chief said the suspects operated as a criminal syndicate rather than law enforcement officers.

‘They are a gang of criminals who left various divisions, clustered together, moved to Wuse Banex and created a checkpoint where they perpetrated this act before fleeing.’

Sanusi disclosed that the command declared the officers wanted before tracking down their leader. His confession, he said, led investigators to the remaining members of the group.

‘We got all of them. We are going to make sure they are severely punished. Those that are going to be dismissed will definitely be dismissed.’

The commissioner also reminded officers and members of the public that the Inspector-General of Police had outlawed the indiscriminate search of citizens’ mobile phones during patrols.

‘You cannot stop anybody on the road and ask the person to bring out his phone for search. If any policeman stops you and asks to search your phone, don’t agree. Call the police emergency lines and we will ask them why.’

He urged residents to promptly report cases of extortion and other misconduct by police personnel, assuring them that erring officers would be identified and punished.

‘We will still enforce the IG’s directive. Some of them are on the task because they are criminally minded. They want to perpetrate such acts. If we get them, they will face disciplinary actions and will be made to face the consequences.’

Bullionmonie Limited has joined numerous well-wishers across Nigeria in celebrating the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the company, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, on the occasion of his birthday, describing him as a visionary leader whose passion for excellence, innovation and national development continues to inspire many.

In a goodwill message issued on Monday by the Business Manager of Bullionmonie Limited, Mrs. Olugbake Rosemary, the company congratulated Ambassador Ajadi on attaining another milestone, while praying for continued divine guidance, sound health and greater accomplishments in both his business and political engagements.

Rosemary noted that Ajadi’s exceptional leadership has remained the driving force behind the steady growth of Bullionmonie Limited, saying his unwavering commitment to excellence and capacity to empower people have earned him admiration within and outside the organisation.

‘On behalf of the entire management and staff of Bullionmonie Limited, I heartily congratulate our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, on the joyful occasion of his birthday,’ she said.

‘Your leadership, foresight and unwavering commitment to excellence continue to inspire everyone at Bullionmonie Limited. You have consistently demonstrated that true leadership is about creating opportunities, empowering people and building institutions that positively impact society.’

She further described Ajadi as a man whose influence extends beyond the corporate world into public service, noting that his emergence as the Senatorial Candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) for Oyo Central Senatorial District reflects the confidence many people have in his capacity to deliver purposeful representation.

‘Beyond your outstanding achievements in business, your commitment to public service and your aspiration to represent the good people of Oyo Central in the Senate underscore your passion for human development and nation-building. Your vision for a prosperous Oyo Central and a better Nigeria continues to resonate with many people,’ Rosemary stated.

She prayed that the new chapter of Ajadi’s life would usher in greater wisdom, renewed strength and more remarkable accomplishments.

‘Our sincere prayer is that Almighty God grants you long life, good health, greater wisdom, strength and abundant success in all your endeavours. May your noble vision for the welfare of your staff, the development of Oyo Central Senatorial District and the progress of Nigeria continue to flourish.’

‘As you celebrate another year today, we rejoice with you and appreciate your invaluable leadership, encouragement and unwavering support. Happy Birthday, Sir. We celebrate you today and always.’

Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo is a renowned entrepreneur, philanthropist and politician. Through his various business ventures and humanitarian initiatives, he has continued to create employment opportunities, support youth empowerment programmes and champion initiatives aimed at improving the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

His senatorial ambition under the Allied Peoples Movement has also been driven by promises of quality representation, economic empowerment, educational advancement, youth development and improved welfare for constituents across Oyo Central Senatorial District.

The Gombe State Coordinator of the Ajadi Rescue Movement, Abubakar Kalagal Muhammad, has congratulated Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo on his birthday, saying the celebrant possesses the qualities required to provide transformative leadership in Nigeria.

Muhammad noted that Ajadi’s humanitarian interventions, support for education and commitment to youth empowerment have made him a respected political figure across the country.

He expressed confidence that Ajadi’s political aspirations would continue to receive widespread support.

‘On behalf of Ajadi Rescue Movement in Gombe State, I sincerely congratulate Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo on this special occasion of your birthday. We celebrate your life of sacrifice, compassion and service.’

‘It is my earnest prayer that God grants you a convincing victory in the 2027 senatorial election and enables you to deliver exceptional representation that will make your constituents proud.’

‘I also pray that your successful performance in the Senate will prepare you for an even greater assignment. By God’s grace, may you contest the 2031 presidential election and emerge victorious as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.’

Muhammad reaffirmed the commitment of the Gombe chapter of the Ajadi Rescue Movement to strengthening the movement’s structures and mobilising support for Ajadi’s political aspirations across Nigeria.

Nigeria’s military says troops fighting insurgency in the North-East have arrested two foreign nationals in Borno State, including a Sudanese man suspected of collaborating with terrorists.

The arrests were made by personnel of the 115 Task Force Battalion under Operation Hadin Kai during a security operation in the Lassa, Dille general area of Askira/Uba Local Government Area on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Acting Military Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Capt. Muhammed Goni, said the operation formed part of intelligence-led efforts aimed at disrupting terrorist activities and preventing foreign infiltration into the region.

According to him, the Sudanese suspect, identified as 32-year-old Musa Fashir, is believed to have links with terrorist groups operating in the North-East.

The statement read: ‘Troops of Sector 4, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), while sustaining aggressive counter-terrorism operations across the North-East theatre, have apprehended another foreign terrorist fighter and an alleged illegal immigrant during a security operation in Lassa, Dille General Area of Askira/Uba Local Government Area, Borno State.’

Goni added: ‘During the operation, troops arrested one Musa Fashir, a 32-year-old Sudanese national suspected to be a foreign terrorist fighter and collaborator. Preliminary intelligence indicates that the suspect has established links with terrorist elements, further highlighting attempts by foreign actors to support insurgent activities in the region.’

He disclosed that the troops also detained a 36-year-old woman, Mary Florence, who identified herself as a Ghanaian national residing in Nigeria illegally.

‘Troops also apprehended Mary Florence, 36, who claimed to be an illegal immigrant from the Republic of Ghana. The circumstances surrounding her presence in the area, as well as the authenticity of her claims, are currently under investigation,’ Goni said.

The military spokesman stated that both individuals remain in custody while investigators verify their identities, examine their activities and determine whether they have connections with terrorist organisations or other transnational criminal networks.

According to him, the arrests underscore the impact of intelligence-driven operations in tracking down terrorist collaborators and preventing the movement of foreign fighters into the country.

‘The successful arrests further demonstrate the effectiveness of Operation Hadin Kai’s intelligence-driven operations and the vigilance of troops in denying terrorists and their collaborators freedom of action,’ he said.

He added that the operation reflects the military’s determination to dismantle terrorist logistics and support structures across the North-East.

‘Operation Hadin Kai remains resolute in its mandate to neutralise terrorists and dismantle their logistics, financing and support networks.

‘Members of the public are encouraged to sustain their support by providing timely and credible information to security agencies, as collective vigilance remains critical to the restoration of lasting peace, security and stability in the North-East,’ he added.

Yoruba Nation campaigner Sunday Adeyemo, widely known as Sunday Igboho, says more than 80,000 people have signed up for the Iru Ekun Security Network, exceeding the organisation’s initial recruitment target.

According to a statement from his media office on Monday, the security outfit has witnessed overwhelming public support across the South-West, a development Igboho described as evidence of the region’s determination to confront kidnapping, terrorism and other violent crimes through community-based initiatives.

The statement also claimed that communities where the network has become operational have recorded fewer cases of abduction. It added that every prospective member undergoes detailed screening to ensure that individuals with criminal backgrounds or questionable character are not admitted into the organisation.

Speaking on the recruitment exercise, Igboho said the response had surpassed expectations.

‘It is delightful to announce the impressive level of interest and enthusiasm demonstrated by our people in the Iru Ekun Security Network. We projected 50,000 personnel, but we have already registered over 80,000 in Yorubaland.

‘The security outfit has been officially launched in Oyo and Osun. We have also perfected plans to launch it in Kwara State on Thursday. Critical stakeholders, including Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, are partnering with us in the state.

‘While we forge ahead lawfully in combating crimes, especially kidnapping and other terrorist acts capable of breaching the peace and safety of our rural communities, Nigerians should continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s initiative to collaborate with local communities to tackle insecurity.’

Igboho further maintained that the South-West had experienced a sharp decline in kidnapping incidents, attributing the improvement to intelligence gathered by local communities and cooperation with federal security institutions.

He said the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces, the Office of the National Security Adviser and the Department of State Services had worked closely with the network, helping to strengthen public confidence in ongoing security efforts.

He said: ‘Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Director-General of the DSS, Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Commissioners of Police in the South-West, Kwara and Niger states have greatly supported our operations. Without their backing, the successes we have recorded would not have been possible.’

Igboho also acknowledged the support of South-West governors for the initiative and called on Nigerians, regardless of ethnic or religious background, to treat security as a shared responsibility.

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday affirmed the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission’s authority to regulate airtime and data credit services, but held that the Commission’s powers operate alongside those of the Nigerian Communications Commission, not in place of them.

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/760/2026, held that the DEON Consumer Lending Regulations 2025 are within the FCCPC’s statutory and constitutional powers. In the same ruling, the judge established that the relationship between the FCCPC and sector-specific regulators is complementary, holding that ‘concurrency means coexistence, not displacement.’

The court affirmed the FCCPC’s precedence in competition and consumer protection matters under Sections 104 and 105 of the FCCPA 2018, while explicitly preserving the NCC’s technical, licensing, and prudential responsibilities under the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.

The court also held that the FCCPC lacks the power to issue licences and that nothing in the DEON Regulations creates a telecommunications licensing regime. The NCC remains the sole authority responsible for licensing companies in the telecommunications sector.

The finding carries immediate practical significance: in April 2026, the FCCPC approved five companies to operate as airtime and data credit providers under the DEON framework. The court’s ruling raises a direct question about the regulatory basis on which those approvals were granted.

The finding is the first judicial pronouncement on how oversight of airtime and data credit services sits between the two regulators, in a market estimated at between N300 billion and N400 billion annually and used by approximately 40 million Nigerians daily.

Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria, welcomed the clarity the judgment provides.

‘The court has done something important,’ Adebayo said. ‘It has confirmed the FCCPC’s authority and, in the same breath, affirmed that the NCC’s role is preserved. Concurrency means coexistence. The industry now expects both regulators to establish the coordination framework that the court’s reasoning requires.’

Adebayo called on the FCCPC and the NCC to engage the industry in formal consultation before enforcement action is taken, noting that airtime credit services were suspended for three months earlier this year following an enforcement directive and were restored only recently.

‘Forty million Nigerians depend on these services,’ he said. ‘The court has made clear that both regulators have a role. The industry is asking them to define how that works before any action that could disrupt access again.’

Adebayo also noted that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council directive of 6 April 2026, which requires all federal agencies to conduct a Regulatory Impact Assessment before significant regulatory changes, remains in effect.

The judgment is expected to set a precedent for how sector-specific regulators and the FCCPC share oversight as digital products increasingly cross traditional regulatory boundaries.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), RS1 Zonal Command, has launched a special enforcement operation, codenamed ‘Operation Fushin Zuma,’ to strengthen compliance with road traffic regulations across the zone made up of four states.

The Zonal Commanding Officer, Assistant Corps Marshal Sanusi Gambarawa, disclosed this on Monday in Kaduna during the inauguration of the operation.

Gambarawa said the initiative followed a directive from the FRSC National Headquarters after a meeting involving the Assistant Corps Marshal in charge of Operations, zonal commanders and sector commanders nationwide.

He explained that the operation was part of efforts to decentralise key operational activities from the national headquarters to the 12 zonal commands, allowing each zone to address traffic challenges peculiar to its area.

According to him, the RS1 Zonal Command designed the operation to focus on major traffic offences prevalent in the zone.

He listed the targeted offences to include tyre violations, road hazard violations, overloading, and mixed loading involving the carriage of passengers and goods in the same vehicle.

The zonal commander said all sector and unit commands under the zone had been mobilised to implement the operation alongside sustained public enlightenment campaigns.

He said the exercise would reinforce compliance with traffic regulations while complementing the corps’ mandate of reducing road traffic crashes and saving lives.

Gambarawa urged motorists and other road users to cooperate with FRSC personnel, stressing that road safety remained a collective responsibility.

He added that the corps would continue to work with transport unions, relevant institutions and other stakeholders to improve safety on Nigerian roads.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the RS1 Zonal Command comprises Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states. ( NAN)