Category: PM News

The presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress, ADC for the 2027 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has insisted that he will restore fuel subsidy if he is elected to office.

Atiku said this while disputing the claim of one of his spokespersons, Paul Ibe, in a television interview during a meeting with some members of ADC from Osun State.

Ibe had during his appearance on the television station said Atiku will restore the fuel subsidy temporarily and later phase it out if elected president in 2027.

But speaking while receiving the Osun ADC leaders, the former Vice President dismissed claim by Ibe.

He stated that the media was not speaking for him when he made the claim.

Atiku insisted that he will remove fuel subsidy as Nigeria as a country is rich enough to cater for its people.

‘On the question of subsidy, my position has not changed and will not change: I will restore it! A nation as blessed as ours has no business abandoning its citizens to hardship. Nigeria is rich enough to look after her own,’ Atiku said.

The former Vice President said his insistence on removal of fuel subsidy was borne out of his believe that the wealth of a nation is not measured by how much government collects, but by how much the money in the pockets of its people can buy.

‘I want wages to have value again. I want farmers to move produce without transport swallowing their profits. I want families to fill their baskets without emptying their pockets. I want businesses to produce, employ and prosper.

‘That is why I will restore targeted subsidy and put purchasing power back in the hands of Nigerians.

‘When fuel rises, transport rises. When transport rises, food rises. When food rises, families suffer.

‘I will break that wretched chain that has defined our national life in the nearly four years of Tinubu’s presidency.

‘I will support Nigerian production, reduce energy costs and restore purchasing power. I will not restore the import racket; I will restore relief.

‘I restated this commitment when I received the Osun State leadership of the ADC in Abuja on Tuesday.

‘I will make the naira in your pocket worth more, make daily living affordable again, and secure our people.

‘Economic security. Physical security. A better life for every Nigerian.

‘That is the Nigeria I intend to build,’

Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress Governorship Candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has extended warm greetings and felicitations to Muslims across Lagos State and Nigeria as they commemorate Milad an-Nabi, the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

Dr. Hamzat described the occasion as a significant period for Muslims to reflect on the exemplary life, teachings and enduring legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whose life remains a model of faith, compassion, honesty, justice, patience and peaceful coexistence.

The Deputy Governor urged the Muslim faithful to go beyond the celebration and imbibe the virtues that characterised the life of the Holy Prophet, particularly love for humanity, humility, truthfulness, forgiveness, kindness to the less privileged, respect for others and commitment to justice and peaceful coexistence.

According to him, the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) provide timeless guidance for building a society founded on mutual respect, compassion, integrity and responsibility.

He said: ‘The essence of Milad an-Nabi goes beyond celebration. It is an opportunity for us to reflect deeply on the life and teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and to recommit ourselves to the values he exemplified. His life teaches us that faith must be reflected in our character, our conduct and our treatment of one another.’

Dr. Hamzat called on Nigerians, irrespective of religious, ethnic or political affiliation, to promote peace, unity and understanding, stressing that the nation’s progress depends on the collective commitment of its citizens to live together in harmony.

He particularly encouraged Muslims to use the occasion to offer prayers for the peace, stability and prosperity of Nigeria and to extend acts of kindness and generosity to those in need.

The Deputy Governor reaffirmed the commitment of the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to promoting religious harmony, peaceful coexistence and an inclusive society where every citizen can thrive.

He prayed that the celebration would bring renewed faith, peace and blessings to Muslim faithful and their families, while asking Almighty Allah to continue to guide and protect Nigeria and its people.

Tunde Alao

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor (Media)

Office of the Lagos State Deputy Governor

Three people abducted by armed hoodlums in Enugu have been rescued by operatives of the state Police Command, following a swift response to intelligence on a carjacking and abduction incident.

The victims were rescued during an operation carried out by personnel of the Anti-Cultism Sub-Unit of the Violent Crime Response Unit, with assistance from members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and residents.

The incident occurred in the early hours of August 18, 2026, when the police received information about the abduction of occupants of a Lexus RX350 in Independence Layout, Enugu.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, the operatives were on crime-prevention patrol along the Port Harcourt Expressway when they received the intelligence at about 1:30 a.m.

Ndukwe said, ‘The operation followed credible intelligence received at about 1:30 a.m. on August 18, 2026, while the operatives were on crime-prevention patrol along the Port Harcourt Expressway, Enugu, concerning the carjacking and abduction of occupants of a Lexus RX350 within Independence Layout by armed hoodlums.

‘Acting swiftly, the operatives commenced a hot pursuit of the suspects, which continued to Hillview Road, Independence Layout. On reaching the area, the suspects abandoned the vehicle and their firearms before fleeing the scene. The three victims were subsequently rescued unharmed, with support from members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and law-abiding citizens, and taken to safety.’

The fleeing suspects left behind the Lexus RX350 and several items believed to have been used in the operation.

Among the recovered exhibits were a locally fabricated Beretta-like pistol containing five rounds of 9mm live ammunition, a locally made cut-to-size firearm and another live cartridge.

Police also recovered a mobile phone, a pair of hand gloves and a ski mask.

Ndukwe said the investigation had been intensified, with detectives launching a manhunt for the suspects.

‘Recovered from the scene were the said victim’s vehicle, one locally fabricated Beretta-like pistol loaded with five rounds of 9mm live ammunition, one locally made cut-to-size firearm, one live cartridge, a pair of hand gloves, one skimmask and one mobile phone, all abandoned by the fleeing suspects. Investigation has been intensified, with a manhunt launched to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects, recover further exhibits and establish their involvement in the crime.

‘The Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, psc, mspsp, smicm, commended the operatives, members of the Neighbourhood Watch Group and vigilant citizens for their swift and coordinated response. He reiterated the command’s commitment to sustaining intelligence-led and community-supported operations against kidnapping, armed robbery, car snatching and other violent crimes, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information to the police,’ the statement concluded.

African Democratic Congress chieftain and former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has said fresh efforts are underway to bring major opposition figures together ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Melaye said discussions among opposition leaders were continuing, insisting that the latest consultations could produce a broader political alliance before the election.

Speaking on ARISE News, he said the NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi remained part of the conversations, while former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke had also shown willingness to engage in the talks.

‘I want to let you know that the opposition parties are talking and working,’ Melaye said.

‘Even today, Peter Obi spoke here in Port Harcourt and said the talks are ongoing and he is part of it. I personally had an interaction with Donald Duke, who is also willing to have a discussion on the opposition coming together.’

According to Melaye, the objective is to build a sufficiently broad opposition front, even if every political bloc does not eventually sign on.

‘By the grace of God, we will have a headway shortly. Discussions are ongoing, and the opposition will work together,’ he said.

‘We may not get 100 per cent of everybody on board, but the majority of the opposition will come together.’

Melaye argued that such an alliance could pose a serious challenge to President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in 2027.

He also dismissed the APC’s early campaign mobilisation and nationwide political structure as guarantees of electoral victory.

According to him, public dissatisfaction over economic hardship and insecurity would play a major role in determining the outcome of the election.

‘The hunger in the land, the insecurity – we don’t even need to campaign. People are just waiting to go out there and vote out the APC,’ he claimed.

Melaye further said the opposition would rely heavily on voter mobilisation rather than the political machinery of governors, ministers and other government officials.

‘While Tinubu is depending on his ministers and government functionaries, we are depending on the people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,’ he said.

The former senator also cited the recent Osun election in arguing that the presence of senior ruling party figures on the campaign trail does not automatically guarantee victory.

INTERPOL has arrested 58 people and identified 263 suspects in a sweeping international operation targeting West African organised crime groups, including the notorious Black Axe network.

The eight-month crackdown, codenamed Operation Jackal IV, uncovered massive fraud operations, money-laundering networks and sextortion schemes targeting children as young as 14.

The operation ran from November 2025 to June 2026 and involved law-enforcement agencies from 22 countries across six continents, including Nigeria.

INTERPOL said the operation focused on tracking illicit financial flows, identifying high-value suspects, seizing criminal assets and supporting prosecutions.

According to the international police organisation, Black Axe and similar groups are responsible for a significant share of cyber-enabled financial crimes worldwide.

Their activities include romance scams, cryptocurrency and investment fraud, business email compromise, money laundering and other serious and violent crimes.

Director of the INTERPOL Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, Tomonobu Kaya, said the operation demonstrated the strength of international cooperation against organised crime.

‘By following illicit financial flows across borders, we are attacking the very lifeblood of organised crime and making it increasingly difficult for criminal networks to profit from their activities,’ Kaya said.

In Argentina, investigators identified 196 people allegedly connected to a major Crime-as-a-Service network suspected of supplying website domains and money-laundering support to West African criminal organisations. The investigation led to 17 arrests.

South African authorities raided seven locations in Johannesburg linked to a syndicate accused of running romance and investment scams targeting retirees in English-speaking countries.

INTERPOL said authorities seized $2.67 million and blocked 257 bank accounts during the South African operation.

In Italy, investigators identified a suspect linked to a pan-European money-laundering network that allegedly used shell companies, remittance services and cash withdrawals to conceal criminal proceeds.

One account connected to the network allegedly laundered pound 845,000 through 560 transactions involving 20 financial instruments.

Romanian authorities also dismantled an investment-fraud ring operating through a call centre and arrested 11 people.

About pound 330,000 in cash and cryptocurrency, six properties and several luxury watches were seized. INTERPOL estimated that the group had stolen and laundered pound 143 million worldwide.

The operation also exposed the growing use of sextortion by West African criminal groups against minors.

INTERPOL said offenders contacted children through social media, gained their trust and coerced them into sharing explicit images or videos. The victims were then threatened with public exposure unless they paid a ransom.

Some victims were as young as 14.

The agency also found that criminal syndicates increasingly outsourced money laundering and other illegal services to external providers operating through the dark web.

Other participating countries were Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Côte d’Ivoire, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Veteran Nigerian poet, Chief Alabi Ogundepo, has died at the age of 84

Ogundepo, a native of Saki in Oyo State, died on Monday, according to information from his family.

His death was announced in the early hours of Tuesday, throwing family members, friends, colleagues and admirers into mourning.

The veteran poet was regarded as an important figure in Nigerian literary circles, with his works contributing to the development and appreciation of poetry and literature in the country.

Dupe Ogundepo-Falana, who announced the death on behalf of the family, described the deceased as an icon whose contributions to Nigerian literary works would continue to inspire generations.

She said the family was deeply saddened by the loss and was taking time to come to terms with his death.

The family also appealed to friends, colleagues, associates and members of the public to respect its privacy during the mourning period.

According to the statement, funeral arrangements and other details concerning his burial would be announced by the family in due course.

The family also requested prayers for the deceased and his loved ones as they mourn his passing.

Ogundepo’s death marks the loss of another veteran voice in Nigeria’s literary community, particularly in the field of poetry, where he made contributions that earned him recognition among those familiar with his work.

His passing at 84 brings to an end a life devoted to literature, creative expression and the promotion of Nigerian literary culture.

Further details about his life, literary career and funeral arrangements are expected to be made public by the family.

Ethiopia has officially entered the race to host the 2028 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), in a bid to bring the continent’s biggest football tournament back to the country for the first time in more than 50 years.

The Ethiopian Football Federation has submitted its hosting bid to the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Ethiopia last hosted the tournament in 1976.

The country, Africa’s second-most populous nation with about 130 million people, is also home to the African Union headquarters in its capital, Addis Ababa.

However, Ethiopia’s bid faces major challenges, particularly over security.

Ongoing insurgencies in the Amhara and Oromia regions, as well as concerns about a possible return of conflict in Tigray, could raise questions about the country’s ability to safely host the tournament.

Ethiopia also faces challenges on the football side. The country is currently ranked 143rd in the world and last qualified for the AFCON in 2022, when it was eliminated in the group stage.

Despite these concerns, the Ethiopian Football Federation says the country is ready to host the competition.

The 2028 tournament will also mark the beginning of a new four-year cycle for the AFCON. Ethiopia is therefore hoping to make a historic return as host of the continental competition after more than five decades.

Oyo State Police Command has reacted to viral video of some police officers who were attempting to arrest a traditional religion practitioner, Tan Olohun in Ibadan, the state capital on Tuesday.

The Command issued the statement in reaction to controversies over a viral video in which some armed men in mufti were seen struggling to take away Tani Olohun in his home in Ibadan on Tuesday morning.

However, Tani Olohun resisted attempt to take him into the vehicle brought by the men with the help of the people in his community who also raised alarm.

Members of the community had also raised alarm, with some describing the men as bandits.

It was gathered that the men eventually abandoned their mission of abducting Tani Olohun to Ilorin following the intervention of Yoruba activist, Sunday Igbo, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Oyo governor and Olubadan of Ibadan.

However, in a statement released by its spokesperson, Ayanlade Olayinka on Tuesday evening, Oyo Police Command said the armed men in the viral video were indeed from Kwara State Police Command.

Olayinka also confirmed that they were in Ibadan on official duty to effect the arrest of one Mr. Tani Olohun based on an arrest warrant issued by the Upper Ilorin Magistrates’ Court, Ilorin.

He added that the warrant of arrest was issued in connection with allegations bordering on conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.

According to the Oyo Police Command spokesperson, the warrant was issued following the failure of the said Tani Olohun to honour the conditions of bail earlier granted to him, thereby prompting the court to order his arrest.

However, Olayinka said upon receipts of the upon receipt of the report, Oyo Police Commissioner directed the officers to return back to their base.

The Commissioner, according to the spokesperson, also advised the complainant to approach the appropriate court in Ibadan, being the alleged place where the offence was committed, in accordance with due process and the principles of territorial jurisdiction.

‘The Oyo State Police Command therefore urges members of the public to remain calm and law-abiding and to refrain from actions capable of disturbing the peace or escalating the situation.

‘The Command remains committed to upholding the rule of law, protecting lives and property, and ensuring that all complaints are handled professionally and in accordance with extant laws.

Presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has rejected African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate Atiku Abubakar’s proposal to restore fuel subsidy if elected in 2027.

Obi spoke at the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, conference in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where opposition presidential hopefuls also exchanged views on insecurity, policing, the economy and fuel subsidy.

Atiku, who advocated the removal of subsidy during the 2023 presidential election, has now promised to restore it if elected.

Obi, however, said subsidy removal remained necessary, arguing that the real problem was the mismanagement of funds saved from the policy.

‘I subscribe and I maintain that we need to remove subsidy. Mismanagement of the proceeds should not be the reason for not removing it.

‘What we should have done is that when we removed it, we should have given the people alternative usage for the subsidy.

‘What we have today is that that removal and the attendant resources being recovered is also being mismanaged and stolen,’ he said.

He added: ‘Go to my manifesto, I said it before, I said I will do it in an organised manner and whatever we recover would be invested appropriately,’ Obi said.

Former Rivers State governor and ADC vice-presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, called for increased production and job creation to strengthen the economy.

African Action Congress, AAC, presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore said Nigeria needed a change of government, while criticising the way subsidy had been administered.

He said: ‘If there is anybody that has been consistent in the removal of fuel subsidy, it has been me. The question about fuel subsidy is: who are you subsidising? You are subsidising the elite. You are subsidising the governors.’

Social Democratic Party, SDP, candidate Adewale Adebayo backed a three-tier policing system involving federal, state and local authorities.

Former Cross River State governor Donald Duke said effective leadership was key to resolving the country’s problems.

‘If we get the leadership right, everything else will fall into place,’ Duke said.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, defended the administration’s proposed state police system, saying it would address weaknesses in Nigeria’s centralised policing structure.

‘Centralised policing without safeguards will bring about more chaos,’ he warned.

On concerns that state police could be abused by governors, Gbajabiamila asked: ‘Who polices the police?’

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has congratulated Muslims on this year’s Eid-el-Maulud celebration, charging them to imbibe the good teachings of Prophet Muhammad.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the President said that beyond celebrating the birthday of the Holy Prophet, the faithful should use the occasion for introspection, prayer, and learning from the Prophet’s ‘exceptional virtues’.

‘The Muslim faithful should make deliberate effort to adhere to the teachings of Prophet Muhammad. There are great lessons of devotion, perseverance, tolerance, humility and selflessness that we can all learn from the life of the Prophet,’ he said.

The President urged religious leaders to use the period to pray for the country and to admonish their followers to translate the lessons from Prophet Muhammad’s life in their commitment to the country.

President Tinubu also urged those celebrating the Maulud festival to extend a hand of fellowship to the needy and vulnerable in the spirit of the season.

He called for prayers against the insecurity and other afflictions bedevilling some parts of the country.