Category: PM News

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)

Mr. Joel Adoga, a defendant standing trial for fraud alongside former governor Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court, Kaduna has lost a fundamental rights enforcement suit he instituted against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)

Adoga had approached the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, alleging that the Commission infringed on his fundamental rights by denying him access to his family and legal representatives, and by allegedly compelling him to make statements during investigation.

The applicant sought various reliefs, including declarations of breach of his rights, an order of habeas corpus, damages, and injunctive orders restraining the ICPC from further investigation, detention, or prosecution in relation to the subject matter.

However, in its joint counter-affidavit, the ICPC categorically denied all allegations of unlawful arrest, detention, denial of access, coercion, intimidation, or inhuman treatment, maintaining that Mr. Adoga was lawfully invited and investigated based on a petition and reasonable suspicion of his involvement in corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving the alleged diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.

The Commission further stated that Mr. Adoga was granted administrative bail during the investigation and that his subsequent detention was pursuant to a valid remand order issued by a competent court.

The ICPC also explained that following the conclusion of investigations, Mr. Adoga was formally charged before the Federal High Court, Kaduna, where he was arraigned and granted bail.

Mr. Adoga’s continued detention, where applicable, was not due to any act of the ICPC, but as a result of his failure to fulfil the bail conditions imposed by the trial court.

The ICPC informed the court that Mr. Adoga was at no time denied access to his family members or legal representatives. The Commission also stated that all statements made by him during the investigation were voluntary, taken under caution, and in the presence of his chosen legal counsel.

Mr. Adoga is facing a 10-count criminal charge alongside Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai before the Federal High Court, Kaduna.

The charges include allegations that between 2016 and 2023, the former governor allegedly took control of various sums in United States Dollars through his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank, including $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Mr. Adoga, as well as other deposits amounting to $155,800, $305,300, and several smaller sums from different individuals, all reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

Mr. Adoga is also accused of conspiring with Mallam El-Rufai in July 2019 to disguise the origin of $10,000 deposited into the said account.

Delivering judgment in the fundamental rights suit, Justice M.S. Idris found no merit in the allegations made by Mr. Adoga against the ICPC and held that there was no infringement of the applicant’s fundamental rights.

The Court accordingly dismissed the suit in its entirety and affirmed that the actions of the Commission were carried out within the bounds of the law.

The ICPC reiterates its commitment to the rule of law, due process, and the protection of the constitutional rights of all persons, while diligently carrying out its statutory mandate of investigating and prosecuting corruption and related offences in Nigeria.

Three young men died on the spot on Sunday after a Toyota Camry with number plate ABC 833 CE lost control and crashed into the culvert of a bridge on Deidei- Idu- Karmo New Road in Abuja.

The accident occurred around 3:45 pm and involved four young male occupants, according to officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and eyewitnesses at the scene.

A FRSC Route Commander, Jubrin Lawal, who led the rescue operation said three of the four men in the vehicle died on the spot.

He said that one of the bodies was recovered, while two others remained trapped in the wreckage.

‘The fourth occupant survived and was rescued from the car by FRSC emergency responders who arrived shortly after the incident,’ he said.

According to him, the crash was caused by speed.

He said the driver lost control of the vehicle, which rammed into the culvert of the bridge with such force that the engine was thrown into the river.

‘The FRSC personnel had to cut through the wreckage of the car, to recover the trapped bodies in the wreckage.

‘The bodies recovered have been deposited at a nearby morgue, while the rescued victim is battling for survival at a hospital in the area,’ he said.

Traffic along the axis was disrupted for hours as rescue operations continued, with motorists advised to use alternative routes.

Speaking through telephone, the FRSC Head of Operations, FCT Command, Sabitu Abdu, confirmed the development.

He commended the Deidei Unit Command officials for their prompt response to the accident.

Abdu said the swift deployment of personnel to the scene helped in rescuing the survivor and in recovering the trapped bodies from the wrecked vehicle.

He said that such timely intervention was critical in reducing casualties and restoring order along the busy route.

‘It reflected the corps’ commitment to saving lives and ensuring safety on Nigerian roads,’ he said.

The Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, has described the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship election, Oladipupo Adebutu, as a trustworthy and reliable leader.

The monarch made the declaration on Sunday while receiving Adebutu, his running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, PDP leaders and supporters during a courtesy visit to the Ake Palace in Abeokuta.

Presenting Adebutu to members of the Egba Traditional Council, Oba Gbadebo praised the PDP standard bearer for his character, pedigree and commitment to public service.

‘I am pleased to present Oladipupo Adebutu to all of you as a man who is trustworthy and reliable. May God continue to stand by you,’ the monarch said.

The Alake also paid glowing tribute to Adebutu’s father, renowned businessman and philanthropist Sir Kesington Adebutu, recalling his generosity and contributions to the development of Egbaland and Nigeria.

Sharing a personal experience, the monarch narrated how Sir Kesington single-handedly purchased a permanent secretariat for a club to which they both belonged after members had struggled to raise the required funds.

‘The son of a lion must resemble the lion. In fact, he is an even better version of his father,’ Oba Gbadebo declared, expressing confidence in Adebutu’s leadership qualities and offering prayers for the success of his governorship ambition.

Speaking during the visit, the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Hon. Abayomi Tella, said the palace visit formed part of Adebutu’s statewide consultations with key stakeholders ahead of the 2027 election.

Tella criticised the state of local government administration under the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging that despite increased allocations to councils, grassroots development had remained stagnant.

According to him, an Adebutu administration would prioritise local government autonomy, restore effective governance at the grassroots, and ensure that councils deliver meaningful infrastructure and basic services to residents.

Adebutu’s running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, appealed to the people of Egbaland to support the PDP ticket, assuring them that the party would not betray their confidence if elected.

Former presidential adviser and PDP senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, also endorsed Adebutu’s candidacy, describing him as a visionary leader with the political will to transform Ogun State.

She said her decision to join the PDP was based on her conviction that Adebutu possesses the capacity to implement policies that would improve the lives of Ogun residents.

Obasanjo further urged traditional rulers and the people of Egbaland to rally behind the PDP, insisting that the party has assembled the strongest political team in the zone ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has confirmed that he and the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, signed a written agreement committing Obi to serve only one four-year term if elected president in 2027.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, Kwankwaso said he was confident Obi would honour the agreement, which provides for power to return to the North after the expiration of a four-year southern presidency.

Asked whether Obi’s one-term pledge was binding, Kwankwaso said he had no reason to doubt the former Anambra State governor.

‘I personally believe him. Based on what I know about him, I don’t think he will change his mind when the time comes. We are all gentlemen, and we have accepted to put it on paper,’ he said.

Kwankwaso disclosed that two separate agreements were signed-one by the party and another personally between him and Obi.

‘We have done one for the party, and we have done another one between the two of us,’ he said.

According to him, the agreement commits both leaders to work together to ensure a successful administration from 2027 to 2031 before the presidency returns to the North.

‘The agreement is that after four years, we will continue to work together as a party, as friends and brothers, so that after our four-year term, from 2027 to 2031, power returns to the North,’ he explained.

Explaining why he accepted the vice-presidential nomination despite previously seeking the presidency, Kwankwaso said the arrangement reflects the need for fairness and national balance.

He said both leaders agreed that the South should produce the president for one term before power shifts back to the North, describing the arrangement as a consensus capable of promoting national unity.

On whether he intends to contest the presidency in 2031, Kwankwaso said the party remains focused on winning the 2027 election while keeping its long-term political plans in view.