Category: PM News

Two operatives of Delta Police Command who were captured in a viral video receiving money suspected to be bribery from a motorist through a Point-of-Sale (POS) terminal in their station have been demoted.

The operatives who were identified as Inspector Augustine Jeremiah and Corporal Miracle Ehirim from Asaba C Division of the Command were captured receiving money from a motorist through a POS terminal within the station on 13 January 2026.

Their demotion followed the acceptance of the outcome of the orderly room trial they were put through after the video of the incident went viral by the Delta Commissioner of Police, Yemi Oyeniyi, the Command’s Bright Edafe said in a statement on Tuesday.

According to him, the officers were found guilty of Disobedience to Lawful Order, Extortion and Discreditable Conduct, contrary to the provisions of the Police Act, 2020 (LFN).

Edafe said the Commissioner of Police consequently upheld their punishment of reduction in rank, with Inspector Augustine Jeremiah reduced to Sergeant and Corporal Miracle Ehirim reduced to Constable.

The Delta Police spokesperson further quoted the Commissioner of Police as reiterating the Inspector-General of Police’s zero-tolerance policy on extortion and professional misconduct.

Oyeniyi also stressed that IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu unequivocally prohibits the use of Point-of-Sale (POS) terminals and other electronic payment platforms within Police stations and formations.

The Police Commissioner warned that no officer is authorized to demand or receive money from members of the public under any guise, adding that any officer found culpable will face appropriate disciplinary action.

‘The Commissioner urged officers and men of the Command to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and respect for the rights of citizens. He noted that the disciplinary action should serve as a deterrent and reaffirmed the Command’s commitment to discipline, accountability and public trust. He also encouraged members of the public to continue reporting cases of police misconduct through the Complaint Response Unit on 09155570008 and 09011112311,’ Edafe said.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise the Delta State House of Assembly’s declaration of Hon. Collins Egbetanah’s seat vacant.

Egbetanah, who represents Udu Constituency in the Assembly, had his seat declared vacant after he defected from the All Progressives Congress to the NDC.

But the NDC, in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, described the Assembly’s action as unconstitutional and an attack on Egbetanah’s right to freedom of association.

The party said INEC must not act on the declaration because the matter would be challenged through the legal process.

According to the NDC, Egbetanah was elected into the Delta State House of Assembly on the platform of the APC and initially served as a minority lawmaker.

The party said the political situation later changed after Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and several members of the Peoples Democratic Party defected to the APC.

It alleged that following those defections, Egbetanah became politically isolated and was denied salaries and other entitlements for several months.

The NDC said Egbetanah eventually resigned from the APC and joined the party on April 30, 2026, before the Assembly moved to declare his seat vacant.

The party rejected the decision, insisting that Egbetanah should be allowed to continue representing the people of Udu Constituency until the court determines the matter.

It urged INEC to ignore the Assembly’s declaration and avoid taking any action that could validate what it called an unlawful move.

The NDC also reaffirmed its readiness to seek legal remedy, saying it would not allow the mandate of Udu Constituency to be taken away through what it described as an unconstitutional process.

The Delta State House of Assembly has not publicly responded to the NDC’s latest statement.

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s determination to ensure that no region is left behind in the quest for a more developed and secured Nigeria.

Tinubu gave the assurance in Abuja on Tuesday, while inaugurating the Transitway N2, from Central Business District to Wuse District, with two bridges, constructed by the FCT Administration.

The President therefore promised to replicate the infrastructural stride being recorded in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in every part of the country.

Tinubu, who was represented by the Senate President, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, said that the move would ensure every part of the country is developed with roads, bridges, railways, and more.

The President noted that the Transitway project symbolised progress and a reflection of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, committed to building infrastructure that serves the people, unlocks economic potentials, and supports sustainable growth and development.

‘This infrastructure is a very important piece of the FCT’s Master Plan, designed to ease traffic flow, enhance connectivity, and improve urban mobility for millions of commuters, residents, and businesses alike in the territory.

‘For years, traveling between Wuse and the Central Area meant navigating bottlenecks, losing productive man-hours, and enduring frustrating traffic gridlocks. Today, all that has changed.

‘By cutting down travel times and bridging these two major districts, we are opening up new commercial corridors,’ he said.

The president commended the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, for the ongoing transformation of FCT in line with the Abuja Master Plan.

‘You have contributed to something larger than a roadway; you have contributed to the future of our capital city and therefore given pride to Nigeria,’ Tinubu said.

In his remarks, Wike described the Transitway as a critical road corridor that seamlessly connects Wuse with the Central Business District.

The minister attributed the successes being recorded in the delivery of infrastructure in FCT to the overwhelming support of Tinubu, particularly the removal of the Administration from the Treasury Single Account.

The minister said that on July 17, the last day of the projects’ inauguration, he would present what Tinubu had done for the people of the FCT and for Nigerians in the last three years.

‘There are so many things Mr president has done that we have not made public so that Nigerians will know why we must continue to pray and support him,’ he said.

He assured FCT residents that all roads that were not on the Google map would be captured to enable residents to navigate through the city with ease.

On her part, FCT Minister of State, Dr Mariya Mahmoud said that the newly completed corridor was a strategic investment in connectivity, economic growth and urban efficiency.

Mahmoud added that the road corridor also represents another fulfilled promise in the FCTA’s resolve to build a modern and inclusive capital city.

Earlier, Mr Richard Dauda, acting Executive Secretary, Federal Capital Development Authority, said that the project, the first major realisation of the construction of Transitways in Abuja city was awarded in October 2025.

Dauda described the Transitway as a mixed traffic corridor designed to carry both vehicular and rail traffic through the city and particularly connecting the sector centers.

‘The corridor is designed to support integrated mass transit infrastructure, including light rail in the median and dual carriage roads on each side of the rail to inter-modal terminals at intervals.

‘It is part of the larger mass transit system, which aims to connect the city center with other districts and satellite towns through the inner and outer transit loops,’ he said.

He added that the Transitway in the Abuja Master Plan was designed as a continuous transport corridor that radiates from the transportation centres located in the Central Area, runs through districts like Garki and Wuse in Phase I of the city.

He said that the corridor also runs through the four phases of the city, dissecting sector centres on both the northern and southern development corridors.

‘The road, if fully developed would cover about 52 kilometres (km) on the northern flank and 64km on the southern flank,’ he added.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has been hit by a fresh legal blow after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered one of its national officers, Nkemakolam Ukandu, to pay N100 million for filing a suit against two judges.

The order came as the ADC and four other political parties return to the Court of Appeal in Abuja today to continue their battle against a judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister them.

Ukandu, who is the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, was ordered to pay N50 million each to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Peter Lifu.

Justice Salim Ibrahim gave the order following an oral application by counsel to the two judges, J. U. K. Igwe.

The court also struck out Ukandu’s suit for lack of diligent prosecution after neither he nor his lawyer appeared in court when the case was called on Monday.

The court held that the N100 million cost must be paid within 14 days.

Ukandu had dragged the two judges before the court, accusing them of bias and disobedience of a Supreme Court directive in relation to the leadership crisis rocking the ADC.

He also listed the National Judicial Council, NJC, as a defendant in the suit.

In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026, the ADC chieftain asked the court to compel the NJC to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of judicial powers and bias against the two judges.

He specifically challenged the reassignment of the suit questioning the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the ADC from Justice Emeka Nwite to Justice Lifu.

But when the matter came up, the plaintiff and his counsel were absent, prompting the court to strike out the case and award punitive costs.

The development comes as the ADC faces another major test at the Court of Appeal, where it is seeking to overturn the Federal High Court judgment that ordered INEC to deregister it and four other parties.

The other parties are the Action Peoples Party, APP; Action Alliance, AA; Accord Party, AP; and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, is expected to hear the substantive appeals today.

The Court of Appeal had earlier ordered a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment, which barred INEC from recognising the five parties or accepting candidates from them for future elections, including the 2027 general elections.

The trial court had held that the parties failed to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration as political parties.

The case was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, NFFL, which argued that the affected parties failed to meet the performance benchmark set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The plaintiffs said the parties failed to secure the required percentage of votes in a presidential election or win at least one elective seat at the national, state or local government level.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, also supported the plaintiffs’ position before the trial court.

However, the affected parties and INEC have asked the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment.

The appellate court had also criticised Justice Lifu for going ahead to deliver judgment despite an earlier order directing him to stay proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal.

The court described the action as ‘judicial impertinence,’ citing previous Supreme Court warnings against conduct considered to amount to judicial rascality.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu moved forward with plans to establish police bill on Tuesday with the inauguration of the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill.

The Committee which is tasked with the task of preparing the legal framework for the implementation of state police across the country was inaugurated at the Presidential Villa, Abuja by Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila on behalf of President Tinubu.

The inauguration of the working group, according to Bayo Onanuga, the spokesperson of President Tinubu followed the National Assembly’s passage of the Constitution Alteration (State Police) Bill, 2026.

The President had in the executive bill proposed a dual policing structure comprising the Federal Police Service and 36 State Police Services.

Speaking while inaugurating the working group on Tuesday, Tinubu noted that while the constitutional amendment creates the framework for state police, the National Policing Bill would provide the legal structure for its implementation.

‘The Constitution Amendment Bill establishes the framework for dual policing, but it does not operationalise it. That work is left to the National Policing Bill.’

He said the proposed legislation would address issues necessary for a smooth operationalisation of the State Police system.

‘The proposed National Policing Bill will include provisions on minimum policing standards, state readiness certification, federal-state coordination, accountability, human rights safeguards and fiscal conditions.’

The President said that the committee will produce an implementation-ready draft bill immediately after the constitutional amendment process.

‘The Working Group has been constituted to produce a technically robust, implementation-ready draft National Policing Bill for transmission to the National Assembly,’ Tinubu said.

He said the committee was necessary to avoid delays after the State Police bill passed.

‘We must not wait until the constitutional process is concluded before beginning this important assignment,’ he said.

According to the statement by Onanuga, Gbajabiamila will serve as the committee’s chairman of the National Working Group.

Other members are the Attorney-General of the Federation, the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the National Security Adviser, the Inspector-General of Police, the Chairman of the NGF Committee on State Police. A Secretariat will offer some administrative assistance to the committee.

Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on behalf of the NGF, pledged governors’ support for the speedy implementation of the reform.

He said the plan is for the 36 state governors to accelerate work on the bill once it reaches their respective Houses of Assembly and is passed unanimously.

Abiodun described the proposed state police as a response to Nigerians’ long-standing demand for community-based policing.

‘This bill has answered the cries of Nigerians about cascading policing and removing it from the Exclusive Legislative List.’

He said the initiative validated the success of regional security outfits such as Amotekun in the South-West.

Abiodun said the state police would significantly increase the number of security personnel nationwide.

‘If each state deploys about 6,000 personnel, we will add nearly 200,000 officers to complement the existing federal police.’

The Governor commended President Tinubu for initiating implementation plans before the constitutional amendment process was completed.

‘This inauguration demonstrates the proactiveness of the Executive in preparing for effective implementation,’ Abiodun said.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, described the initiative as timely in view of Nigeria’s security challenges.

‘There is no denying the fact that we are in a critical moment security-wise, and all hands must be on deck,’ he said.

Fagbemi urged governors to ensure speedy ratification of the constitutional amendment by their respective state assemblies.

‘I appeal to the governors to do their utmost to ensure the early passage of the constitutional amendment because this is a shared responsibility,’ he said.

President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr Afam Osigwe, reaffirmed the association’s support for the state police initiative.

‘Nigeria can hardly be effectively policed by one national police. We fully support the constitutional amendment providing for state police,’ he said.

Osigwe, however, stressed the need for adequate legal safeguards to prevent abuse of state police.

‘We must ensure we do not create a monster. The right legal framework must guarantee accountability and prevent oppression,’ he said.

He pledged the NBA’s commitment to supporting the committee in producing legislation that will strengthen security while protecting citizens’ rights.

Also present at the inauguration were the Attorneys-General and Commissioners for Justice of Plateau, Lagos and Ondo States, the representatives of the Inspector General and the National Security Adviser and senior government officials.

The Kano State chapter of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has been thrown into a fresh leadership crisis after its state chairman, Musa Ungogo, rejected claims that the party’s executive committee had been dissolved.

Ungogo dismissed the reported dissolution as false and unconstitutional, insisting that no such decision had been communicated to the Kano leadership by the party’s national body.

He spoke on Monday while reacting to an earlier press conference addressed in Kano by the ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-West, Hajiya Najaatu Mohammed.

Najaatu had announced the dissolution of the Kano State executive and the setting up of a caretaker committee headed by Alhaji Umar Bala.

But Ungogo said the announcement had no constitutional backing and questioned why Kano was being singled out.

‘There is no truth in the claim that the Kano State executive has been dissolved. No such decision has been communicated to us by the party’s national leadership,’ he said.

He argued that if the ADC intended to dissolve state executives, the decision would not be limited to Kano alone.

‘There is no similar action taken in any other state. So why Kano? The claim is unfounded and does not follow the party’s constitutional procedures,’ Ungogo added.

The Kano chairman maintained that the existing state executive remained the authentic leadership of the party and would continue to perform its duties until a lawful directive was issued by the appropriate organs of the ADC.

Najaatu, however, had earlier said the dissolution was carried out in line with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and the need to preserve unity, continuity and constitutional integrity in the Kano chapter.

She said the national leadership had appointed Alhaji Umar Bala as chairman of the caretaker committee, with Isma’il Musa as secretary.

Najaatu also urged party members in Kano to support the transitional arrangement, saying the move should not be seen as a judgment on the loyalty or contributions of members who had worked for the party in the state.

The conflicting positions have now thrown the Kano ADC into uncertainty, with the state executive and the newly announced caretaker committee both laying claim to the party’s leadership structure.

The Lagos State Government has strengthened its emergency response capacity with the addition of 11 new fire stations, the deployment of 62 modern firefighting vehicles, the reconstruction of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service Headquarters, and the recruitment of 150 firefighters currently undergoing training at the upgraded Fire Academy.

Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu disclosed this on Monday at the opening of the Lagos International Fire Safety Conference 3.0, themed ‘Preventing the Preventable: Strengthening Fire Safety in Buildings and Business Hubs,’ held at the Marriott Hotel, Ikeja.

Represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, the governor also revealed that the state’s emergency responders saved an estimated ?118 billion worth of property and rescued more than 1,900 lives in 2025.

Sanwo-Olu said the government would continue to strengthen emergency response through sustained investment in personnel, equipment and technology, while placing greater emphasis on prevention, enforcement, public education and strategic partnerships.

According to him, Lagos has intensified enforcement of fire safety regulations through stricter inspections and implementation of the Fire Safety Levy, stressing that compliance must go beyond obtaining certificates to ensuring that safety equipment and systems remain fully functional.

The governor said the interventions have increased the number of fire stations in the state to 29, with additional stations under construction in Yaba, Ikotun and Oworonshoki.

He also highlighted the introduction of the Fire Marshal Programme, designed to train volunteers in homes, schools, markets, offices, worship centres and factories to identify fire risks early, coordinate evacuations and support emergency responders before incidents escalate.

Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Hon. Olawale Rauf Age-Suleiman, described safety as a shared responsibility and urged participants to develop practical solutions capable of reducing fire disasters across the state.

Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, said the conference was aimed at shifting attention from emergency response to fire prevention through innovation, lessons from previous incidents and improved risk management.

He disclosed that the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service saved properties valued at more than ?11 billion within the last year, attributing the achievement to sustained government investment in emergency response, fire prevention, public awareness and modern rescue operations.

Chief Executive Officer of Sadeco, Mr. Vincent Effiong, called for greater collaboration, technological innovation and community participation to improve fire detection, emergency preparedness and coordinated response.

In a presentation titled ‘Case Studies and Lessons Learned: Lagos Fire Incident Statistics Trends and Corrective Actions – Sanwo-Olu’s 7-Year Scorecards,’ Controller General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Abimbola Adeseye, praised the Sanwo-Olu administration for transforming the agency through sustained investment in infrastructure, equipment, manpower development and operational efficiency since 2019.

The Ogun State Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has reported a reduction in road crashes, fatalities and injuries across the state during the first five months of 2026.

Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Ota, the command’s spokesperson, Mr Afolabi Odunsi, said 415 road traffic crashes were recorded between January and May. The incidents claimed 161 lives, while 1,007 people sustained injuries of varying severity.

According to him, the figures represent an improvement over the corresponding period in 2025, when the state recorded 494 crashes, 212 deaths and 1,121 injuries.

Odunsi attributed the decline to sustained public education campaigns carried out by FRSC personnel across the state.

‘This feat couldn’t have been achieved if not for the intensive public enlightenment by the FRSC personnel educating the public on road safety measures.’

Despite the encouraging trend, he said motorists’ disregard for traffic regulations remains the leading cause of crashes. He identified speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, dangerous overtaking, using mobile phones while driving, overloading vehicles and tyre bursts as some of the major contributing factors.

He appealed to road users to exercise greater caution and comply with traffic laws.

‘We are appealing to the motorists to adhere strictly to traffic rules and regulations in order to prevent unnecessary loss of lives through road crashes.’

Odunsi reaffirmed the command’s resolve to improve road safety through strict enforcement of traffic regulations alongside continuous public awareness campaigns.

Electricity subsidy falls to N358bn as DisCos take less power

The Federal Government spent N358.32 billion on electricity tariff subsidies in the first quarter of 2026 to keep consumer tariffs below the actual cost of supplying power, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed.

The figure, contained in the Commission’s First Quarter 2026 report released on Monday, represents a decline of N60.46 billion, or 14.44 per cent, from the N418.79 billion recorded in the final quarter of 2025.

NERC attributed the reduction largely to lower electricity offtake by electricity distribution companies (DisCos), rather than any significant improvement in the recovery of electricity tariffs.

The Commission explained that because electricity tariffs remain below cost-reflective levels, the Federal Government continues to absorb the shortfall between the actual cost of generating electricity and the tariffs approved for consumers.

It noted that under the Distribution Companies’ Remittance Obligation (DRO) framework, DisCos are billed only a portion of generation costs through the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Plc, while the balance is paid directly by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

According to the report, generation companies issued invoices amounting to N689.72 billion for electricity supplied to the country’s 11 DisCos during the quarter. Of that amount, only N331.40 billion was billed to the DisCos, leaving the Federal Government to cover the outstanding N358.32 billion.

The subsidy represented 51.95 per cent of the total generation invoice during the period, slightly lower than the 52.03 per cent recorded in the previous quarter.

Explaining the decline, the Commission stated: ‘The key driver of this reduction in FGN subsidy obligation is the decrease in energy offtake of the DisCos by 8.56 per cent between 2025/Q4 and 2026/Q1.’

The report also highlighted a slight drop in revenue collection by the electricity distribution companies.

Out of N756.93 billion billed to consumers during the quarter, the DisCos recovered N597.56 billion, resulting in a collection efficiency of 78.95 per cent, compared with 79.36 per cent in the preceding quarter.

Among the distribution companies, Ikeja DisCo recorded the strongest performance with a collection efficiency of 90.0 per cent. It was followed by Eko at 89.64 per cent, Benin at 85.16 per cent, Port Harcourt at 81.22 per cent and Abuja at 80.90 per cent. Kaduna DisCo recorded the weakest performance with a collection efficiency of 45.81 per cent.

NERC further noted that Jos, Kaduna, Kano, Port Harcourt and Benin DisCos improved their collection efficiencies during the quarter. However, the remaining six distribution companies recorded lower performances, with Enugu DisCo posting the steepest decline.

Police operatives have arrested a suspect posing as an inspector during a routine stop-and-search operation in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Akwa Ibom police spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, who announced this in a statement in Uyo on Tuesday said the suspect was intercepted on Sunday at about 2:30 p.m. while riding on a Top Way motorcycle without registration number along Atiku Abubakar Way in Uyo.

According to her, on interrogation, the suspect introduced himself as an Inspector of Police, residing in Ikot Ekpene Local Government Area of the state.

She added that when the suspect was asked to establish his identity, he produced a Police Warrant Card bearing one Inspector Daniel.

John said the conduct and responses of the suspect raised reasonable suspicion among the operatives, prompting a more thorough search.

She said the search led to the recovery of another official identity card belonging to the Nigerian Correctional Service, further strengthening the suspicion that the suspect was fraudulently parading himself as security operative.

According to her, in a follow-up operation, detectives proceeded with the suspect to his residence in Ikot Ekpene, where a search warrant was executed.

The police spokesperson added that the search resulted in the recovery of several items, including; police beret, police buttons and insignia, inspector rank badges and PMF uniforms.

Other items recovered during the search according to the statement were; military camouflage sweater, lawyer’s wig, two pairs of desert boots and other security-related accoutrement.

The PPRO said the suspect was undergoing intensive interrogation as investigators work to determine the source of the recovered items, establish the full extent of his activities and identify possible accomplices.

She warned members of the public against purchasing, possessing or unlawfully wearing security uniforms, insignia, identity cards or other restricted accoutrements, stressing that such acts constitute serious criminal offences.

‘Citizens are encouraged to remain security conscious and promptly report suspicious persons, activities, or anyone falsely presenting themselves as security personnel to the nearest Police Station,’ she said.