Category: PM News

The newly appointed Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Force Headquarters Annex, Lagos, AIG Simon Udofia Akpanudom, has taken decisive steps to restore order around the Force Headquarters.

He dislodged illegal motor parks, street trading, and other environmental nuisances that had obstructed traffic and created security concerns, particularly at the main gate.

A police source told PM NEWS that the move was in line with directives from the Inspector General of Police, IGP Tunji Disu, aimed at ensuring maximum security and safeguarding properties within the headquarters.

Upon assuming office a few months ago, AIG Akpanudom reportedly observed that street traders, beggars, and commercial buses had encroached on the premises. He swiftly directed his men to clear the area and maintain round-the-clock surveillance to prevent a recurrence.

Since the enforcement, the headquarters has taken on a cleaner, more organised look, much to the relief of motorists and residents.

Residents of Moloney Street and road users have commended AIG Akpanudom’s proactive measures.

‘I have been wondering why buses, traders, and beggars were allowed to operate so close to the Kam Salem gate despite the insecurity in parts of Nigeria,’ said Mr. Lucky Okosun, a resident. ‘I thank AIG Akpanudom for making a difference. To sustain this sanity, officers who encourage such illegalities for personal gain should be redeployed.’

When PM NEWS visited the Force Headquarters on Monday, the area was free of street trading and bus loading activities, with traffic flowing smoothly.

The Kano Hisba Deputy Commander, Sheikh Mujahideen Aminuddeen, has said the mass wedding being sponsored by the state government is open to Muslims and Christians that are interested.

Aminuddeen made this known in Kano while speaking on conditions that qualified participants.

He said three Christians couples participated in the last one conducted in October 2023.

He said arrangements are ongoing for the upcoming one, and he cannot yet ascertain whether Christians intending couples are participating.

Aminuddeen said the mass wedding which is now known as ‘Auren Gata’ meaning ‘marriage for the privileged’ is opened to all intending couples like widows, widowers, divorcees, spinsters and bachelors.

According to him, the mass wedding is playing a key role in strengthening families and reducing immorality in the state.

He said one of the major objectives of the programme was to fulfil the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) injunction encouraging Muslims to marry and raise families.

According to him, the initiative also curbs street hawking by girls seeking money for marriage expenses, while reducing immoral behaviour associated with delayed marriages caused by financial hardship.

Aminuddeen said Gov. Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration was particularly targeting orphans and underprivileged families that could not afford to marry off their daughters, noting that all beneficiaries were selected after screening and verification.

A stakeholder, Sheikh Muhammad Lawan-Yakub, described the initiative as commendable, saying it would strengthen families, protect young people from immoral behaviour and contribute to social stability.

He expressed confidence that the counselling, screening and post-marriage guidance provided by the board would enhance the success of the marriages and reduce divorce rates.

A Kano resident, Jamila Suraja, said the programme had benefited many vulnerable families, and urged beneficiaries to approach marriage with sincerity.

She however expressed concern that some couples in previous batches allegedly entered the marriages mainly to access government support rather than build lasting families.

Another resident, Hassan Maikadara, said the initiative had created opportunities for many men and women who wished to marry but lacked the financial means.

He added that it would help many young people protect themselves from immoral acts.

An economist, Dr Abdulsalam Kani, said the initiative has potential to boost economic activities in the state if properly implemented.

Kani said the initiative, through empowerment of the beneficiaries, would translate into poverty reduction, one of the major root causes of rampant cases of divorce.

‘As Part of the initiative, the government will empower beneficiaries. The empowerment will assist to reduce poverty and unemployment.

‘One of the major root causes of rampant divorce in Northern part of Nigeria is poverty. You cannot get married if you don’t have means of livelihood.

‘We need to understand that empowerment will only succeed if those who are going to be empowered have a particular skill or are into a particular trade.’

Dr Muhammad Hadi-Musa, a sociologist, said the initiative should be evaluated not only as a ceremonial or welfare programme but as a broader social development strategy.

‘The mass wedding initiative sponsored by the Kano State Government has become one of the most visible social intervention programmes in Northern Nigeria.

‘The current Governor, Abba Yusuf, like his predecessors, demonstrated exemplary quality on Sharia implementation such as establishing marriages.

‘At its core, the mass wedding programme reflects a public policy response to social realities.’

According to him, by providing basic support packages, government intervention helps low-income individuals formalise relationships that might otherwise remain delayed.

‘Kano has arguably recorded several visible gains from such programmes. The initiative has helped normalise simpler and more affordable wedding models, challenging excessive ceremonial spending that often delays marriage.

‘It has also reinforced the idea that public institutions can participate in family-support policies rather than limiting interventions to infrastructure and economic sectors alone.

‘In addition, the programme has generated public conversations around responsible marriage and family values,’ Hadi-Musa said.

In his recent briefing on the upcoming mass wedding which scheduled date is yet to be fixed, the Commander-General of Hisba Board, Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, said Kano State Government has earmarked the sum of N1.5 billion for the conduct of the forthcoming mass wedding for 1, 500 couples.

Daurawa said the preparation was on top gear with expected couples subjected to screening of HIV and other tests.

He said the board would ensure that the couples are compatible, healthy and every groom has work to do and can provide accommodation for the bride.

Daurawa said the government would give each groom the sum of N100, 000 for onward presentation as dowry to their brides.

He said the government would also support each bride with N100, 000 as empowerment to start up a business while in the matrimonial homes.

‘The government will spend N1 million on each couple totaling N1.5 billion.

‘Each groom will be given the sum of N100,000 for dowry to their brides, N100,000 token for the brides as empowerment and also provide them with beds, mattress, furniture and food items.

‘5,000 applied for the programme. A total of 3,000 are to benefit from the initiative, that is 1,500 couples.’

He said couples were subjected to HIV, hepatitis B, pregnancy and genotype tests.

According to him, whoever engages in the mass wedding cannot divorce the wife without the consent of the board.

The NYSC Osun State Coordinator, Mr. Ekeng Ita Kubiangha, on Tuesday officially declared the 2026 Batch B Stream I Orientation Course closed on behalf of the Director-General of the Scheme, charging Corps Members to uphold integrity, discipline and professionalism as they proceed to their Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs).

The low-key closing ceremony, held at the Parade Ground of the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ede, was attended by the Camp Director, Camp Commandant, Assistant Directors, Heads of Collaborating Agencies, Camp Officials and Corps Members.

In his closing address, Kubiangha congratulated the Corps Members on the successful completion of the three-week Orientation Course, describing their conduct throughout the Course as exemplary. He commended their discipline, resilience and active participation in Camp activities, expressing confidence that they would remain worthy ambassadors of the Scheme during the service year.

He urged the Corps Members to maintain the values of honesty, integrity and dedication at their various Places of Primary Assignment, stressing that the image and reputation of the NYSC Scheme rest largely on their conduct. He further advised them not to absent themselves from their places of primary assignment without the approval of the State Coordinator.

Speaking on the forthcoming August elections, Kubiangha charged Corps Members who would serve as adhoc personnel for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain neutral, honest and committed to the ideals of free, fair and credible elections.

He also wished Corps Members deployed to Lagos State a safe journey as they proceeded to their new places of assignment.

A major highlight of the Ceremony was the presentation of awards to NYSC and non-NYSC personnel whose exceptional commitment and selfless service contributed immensely to the success of the Orientation Course.

Recipients in the non-NYSC staff category included the driver of the NHIA Ambulance from the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC); the Head Cook of the Camp Kitchen; and a Fan Milk marketer who has consistently supported Orientation Programmes through the sponsorship of football competitions.

In the NYSC staff category, Mrs. Bola Abioye of the Procurement Committee; Mr. Gbenga Oke of the Sanitation Committee; and Mr. Olunloyo Ayoola of the Camp Clinic Committee were honoured for their outstanding dedication, diligence and exemplary performance throughout the Orientation Course.

The Ceremony concluded with the formal declaration of the Orientation Course closed by the State Coordinator on behalf of the Director-General of the NYSC, followed by the rendition of the NYSC Anthem and the ceremonial march past by Corps Members, signalling the commencement of the second phase of their national service.

The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Navy, Hon. Yusuf Gagdi, has questioned the opposition’s criticism of the proposed creation of state police, saying their concern over its timing rather than its potential to address insecurity was difficult to understand.

Speaking Tuesday on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Gagdi specifically faulted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi for allegedly linking the initiative to the 2027 elections.

He argued that with insecurity worsening across the country, political leaders should prioritise measures capable of protecting lives instead of questioning when such reforms were introduced.

‘Who is talking about the creation of state policing? Who in his right sense will only analyse the creation of State Police to 2027 election only?’ he asked.

‘If those people that you called their names are patriotic Nigerians, is it time that is their problem, or the killings?’

Gagdi said the current constitutional framework before the National Assembly was significantly different from earlier proposals he had opposed.

‘I saw the policy framework of the state policing that was intended to be created then as an anarchy. But I am privileged to work on the present legal framework that seeks to establish the new State policing under the new Section 214 of the Constitution.’

According to him, the proposed arrangement introduces safeguards against political abuse by governors.

‘If prior to this time you wanted me to support state policing where governors would simply sit in their offices and appoint commissioners of police, I would not support it.

‘But today, the legal framework says governors will nominate candidates to the Federal Police Council, which will determine who is fit.’

He added that governors would no longer possess arbitrary powers to remove state police commissioners.

‘The clauses protect the proposed commissioners of police. No governor will sit within the comfort of his office and fire the commissioner of police.’

‘It means you have protected the person you are appointing.’

Gagdi said the transparent appointment process would reduce politicisation while strengthening accountability.

‘You have equally made the appointment so transparent that it will not be politicised.’

He explained that the establishment of state police would complement rather than replace the Nigeria Police Force.

‘We didn’t scrap the federal police. It still exists. The establishment of state policing doesn’t mean the federal police is going to be scrapped.’

According to him, state police would significantly expand Nigeria’s security architecture.

‘Now you have regional police. It increases the number of security agencies. It also instigates commitment from the regional governments to make serious investment in the security architecture of this country.’

He described criticism of the initiative’s timing as misplaced.

‘With the level of escalation of insecurity in Nigeria, everybody admits there is a problem.

‘Now, with the effort to create State Police with a proper legal framework, why are the opposition complaining?

‘Why is Atiku and Peter Obi concerned about the timing of creating a security outfit that will help in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians?’

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Kwara State has unveiled Reverend Cornelius Fawenu as running mate to its governorship candidate, Bolakale Kawu, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The party announced Fawenu’s selection in a statement issued on Wednesday in Ilorin by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara.

Adewara said the choice of Fawenu followed wide consultations with party leaders, stakeholders and members across the three senatorial districts of the state.

According to the PDP, Kawu formally communicated his choice of Fawenu to the state chairman of the party after what it described as extensive consultations with key party figures.

Kawu described Fawenu as a man of integrity, humility and leadership capacity.

‘Rev. Fawenu is a man of proven integrity, humility, compassion and exceptional leadership whose emergence reflects the party’s commitment to presenting a competent, inclusive and people-oriented ticket capable of restoring purposeful governance to Kwara State,’ he said.

Fawenu, an indigene of Babaloma in Ifelodun Local Government Area, is the current Kwara South Senatorial Chairman of the PDP.

He will run with Kawu, the Daniyan of Ilorin, who had earlier emerged as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 poll.

The PDP said the selection process was thorough and inclusive, involving the governorship candidate and critical stakeholders from Kwara North, Kwara Central and Kwara South.

‘The emergence of Reverend Fawenu followed extensive consultations, deliberations and a rigorous selection process involving the party’s governorship candidate and critical stakeholders from the three senatorial districts of the state,’ the statement said.

The party added that the Kawu-Fawenu ticket was designed to reflect competence, inclusiveness, grassroots reach and balanced representation.

‘The Kawu-Fawenu ticket combines experience, innovation, grassroots engagement and religious balancing. The party has positioned itself to rescue and secure Kwara and its people from the current misgovernance and insecurity,’ it added.

The PDP disclosed that the 53-year-old cleric was picked from among four prominent personalities considered for the deputy governorship slot.

It said Fawenu was selected because of his leadership credentials, loyalty to the party, commitment to its ideals and contributions to peaceful governance, religious harmony and community development.

Fawenu is a graduate of Biochemistry from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He is also the Presiding Pastor of Oasis of Wisdom Bible Church, Ilorin, and a former Secretary of the Christian Association of Nigeria.

According to the party, he has spent more than 23 years in ministry, promoting interfaith dialogue, Muslim-Christian coexistence and community peace.

The PDP expressed confidence that the Kawu-Fawenu ticket has the competence and integrity needed to govern Kwara State if elected.

‘The Kawu/Fawenu ticket embodies the competence, integrity, experience and inclusive leadership required to rescue Kwara State from the last eight years of hardship and insecurity and place it firmly on the path of sustainable development, economic prosperity, social justice and accountable governance,’ the party said.

It called on members, supporters and residents of the state to rally behind the ticket as the opposition party prepares for the 2027 election.

The Muslim-Christian ticket is expected to broaden the PDP’s appeal across religious and regional lines as the party seeks to reclaim power in Kwara State.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has officially announced the start of its 2026 recruitment exercise and is inviting qualified Nigerians to apply for available positions across different categories.

In a recruitment notice released by the agency, FRSC said online applications will begin on July 3, 2026, and remain open for four weeks through its official recruitment portal.

The agency emphasized that the recruitment process is completely free and warned applicants not to pay anyone for employment opportunities.

FRSC advised candidates to use their personal email addresses and phone numbers when registering. It also stated that shortlisted applicants will be required to present printed copies of their completed application forms during the screening process.

According to the corps, vacancies are available in three main categories: the Officer Cadre, Marshal Inspectorate Cadre, and Road Marshal Assistant Cadre.

The Officer Cadre is open to qualified professionals such as medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory scientists, lawyers, engineers, and graduates with B.Sc., BA, or HND qualifications, depending on the position being applied for.

The FRSC urged interested candidates to carefully follow the application guidelines and submit their applications within the specified period.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has dropped six senatorial and 19 House of Representatives candidates from the final lists of candidates forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Among those dropped were former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam and former Ondo State House of Representatives member, Gbenga Elegbeleye.

Also contained in the final lists of dropped and replaced candidates forwarded to INEC, are 19 House of Representatives candidates that emerged victorious in the party’s primary elections held in May 2026.

According to the document forwarded to INEC, the states affected were Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue,Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger and Kwara.

In the letter sent to INEC and signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and its National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, the party attributed the changes to the report of its Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The letter was titled: ‘Forwarding of approved list of senatorial and House of Representatives candidates’.

The letter read: ‘We write to formally forward the attached list of the party’s candidates for the affected senatorial and House of Representatives constituencies arising from the report of the Primary Election Appeal Committee.

‘Following the determination of appeals from the recently concluded primary elections, the reports of the Appeal Committee were reviewed and subsequently considered and approved by the party’s NWC as its final position on the affected constituencies.

‘In accordance with the amended Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations and guidelines, we hereby transmit the enclosed list of the approved candidates for seven senatorial districts and 19 House of Representatives constituencies for your records and necessary action.

‘Please accept the assurances of our highest regards.’

Sen. Godswill Akpabio, President of the Senate, his deputy, Sen. Jibrin Barau, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, Senate Chief Whip Mohammed Monguno and Sen. Adams Oshiomhole received their Candidate Affidavit Forms (EC9).

Four state governors are among the candidates whose names were uploaded by the APC to the INEC portal.

The four governors are AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa and Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe who had all been cleared by the party to contest Senate seats.

Also cleared are former Kaduna State Governor Mukhtar Yero, Sen. Shehu Sani and Sen. Sunday Katung to contest Senate seats in Kaduna State.

Former Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello secured the party’s ticket for the Kogi Central Senatorial District, he is among the 109 senatorial candidates running on the APC platform.

The uploading of candidates’ particulars, a continuous process, followed the ratification of the results of the April shadow polls and a review of the list in line with the outcome of the Primary Appeal Reports and INEC’S guidelines.

For the House of Representatives, Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, Mudashiru Obasa and James Faleke are among candidates to fly APC’s flag.

Political parties are expected to upload names and particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates on INEC’S nomination portal between 9 a.m from June 27, to 6p.m July 10, when the portal would be closed.

The documents to be uploaded include Form EC9, containing candidates’ personal particulars, and Forms EC9A, EC9B, EC9C, EC9D and EC9E, containing the names and lists of nominated candidates.

The commission had earlier conducted a two-day training for political party officials on the use of its Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) ahead of the exercise, after which parties were issued access codes.

The training was conducted by officials of the commission’s ICT Department in line with its established practice of ensuring that stakeholders were properly prepared for electoral processes.

Prof. Ibrahim Sani, the acting Director-General of the Electoral Institute, had earlier said that candidate nomination was a fundamental stage of the electoral process.

He said the success of any election began with the proper nomination of candidates, adding that political parties must fully understand and comply with the legal and procedural requirements guiding the process.

According to Mr Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, the party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members on the ongoing process.

He, however said that the party’s priority now, was for all its candidates to complete their INEC nomination forms and have them uploaded to the commission’s portal.

He said those who emerged as the party’s candidates, were being provided with the relevant forms for documentation.

‘They are to complete and return the forms to the party for upload to the INEC portal, so, making the list public is not our priority now.

‘Although we will eventually release the list, our immediate priority is to ensure that our candidates complete their forms and meet INEC’S deadline.

‘This is more important to us than the public release of the candidates’ list. Those who are our candidates have, by now, received their forms. They already know themselves, there is no tension about that,’ Morka said.

The Federal Government has announced plans to abolish the long-standing policy separating Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) from Senior Secondary Schools (SSS), following revelations that more than 20 million Nigerian children have dropped out of school before reaching the senior secondary level.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, disclosed the policy shift on Tuesday in Abuja during the inauguration of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee.

Alausa said the existing “disarticulation policy,” which requires junior and senior secondary schools to operate independently with separate principals, management structures and facilities, has failed to achieve its intended objectives and has instead worsened access to education.

According to him, the Federal Government will present a proposal to abolish the policy at the next meeting of the National Council on Education (NCE), the country’s highest education policymaking body.

“We have 20 million dropouts from primary school to JSS. Where are those students?” the minister queried.

“We also found we have 80,000 public primary schools and only about 15,000 junior secondary schools. That’s a one-to-eight ratio.”

He explained that the mismatch between the number of primary and junior secondary schools has created severe bottlenecks in the education system, leading to overcrowded classrooms at the junior secondary level while many senior secondary school facilities remain underutilised.

Alausa cited Kaduna and several northern states as examples where the policy has contributed to poor transition rates between basic and secondary education.

“This disarticulation policy has failed. We will phase it out. We can’t be creating positions because we want to create director-level appointments for people while we harm our education system. It’s about doing what is best for every Nigerian child,” he said.

The minister said the proposed reform forms part of broader efforts by the Tinubu administration to improve access to education, increase retention rates and enhance learning outcomes across the country.

He acknowledged previous shortcomings in tackling the out-of-school children crisis but expressed confidence that the current administration would reverse the trend.

“This government will not fail. We are fixing it,” Alausa declared.

At the ceremony, the minister also inaugurated the UBEC Ministerial Implementation and Monitoring Committee, chaired by Prof. Rashid Aderinoye, to supervise the execution of UBEC-funded Smart Schools, Bilingual Schools and Alternative Schools nationwide.

He said the committee had been tasked with ensuring that the projects are completed, handed over to state governments and opened for teaching and learning.

Although UBEC has invested in hundreds of Smart Schools and related educational projects across the country, Alausa lamented that many remain abandoned, unfinished or yet to admit pupils, describing the situation as an unacceptable waste of public resources.

He stressed that improving education requires more than constructing schools, insisting that completed facilities must become fully operational and accessible to learners.

The 2027 senatorial bids of former Senate President Ahmad Lawan and the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, have come under legal attack at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Justice Salim Ibrahim on Monday granted separate orders for substituted service of court processes on the two senators in suits challenging their emergence as candidates of their political parties for the 2027 general election, Arise News disclosed.

The orders followed two ex parte applications filed by aggrieved aspirants seeking to challenge the primaries that produced Lawan and Kingibe.

Hassan Kafayos is challenging Lawan’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Yobe North Senatorial District.

In a separate suit, Mubarak Tijani is asking the court to nullify the primary election that produced Kingibe as the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate for the FCT senatorial seat.

When Lawan’s matter came up, counsel to Kafayos, Francis Mgboh, told the court that the application for substituted service became necessary after the court bailiff was unable to serve the former Senate President personally.

Mgboh alleged that Lawan, who currently chairs the Senate Committee on Defence, had been evasive.

He asked the court to allow the claimant to serve the processes through any adult person found in the office of the Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence.

Justice Ibrahim granted the application and adjourned the matter until July 20 for hearing.

In Kingibe’s case, counsel to the plaintiff, Moses Awuru, also told the court that efforts to serve the senator personally had failed.

He asked the court to allow service through Kingibe’s legislative aide.

The judge granted the motion ex parte and adjourned the matter until July 21 for further mention.

In the substantive suit, Tijani is seeking the nullification of the result of the FCT senatorial primary election that produced Kingibe as ADC candidate for the 2027 poll.

The suits add to the growing wave of pre-election battles already trailing party primaries ahead of the 2027 general election.

By Uchechi Afonne

Residents of many Lagos communities on Tuesday recounted losses caused by flooding after persistent rainfall submerged homes and roads, displaced families and disrupted businesses and schools.

The affected areas include Ago Palace Way, Okota Road, Amuwo Odofin and Ilaje in Ajah, where floodwaters left many residents stranded and made movement difficult.

Some residents described the situation as a recurring nightmare and urged the government to implement lasting flood-control measures.

Mrs Stella, a resident of Ago Palace Way, said Greenfield Estate remained one of the worst-hit communities whenever heavy rainfall occurred.

“Greenfield Estate is prone to flooding. In spite of being an expensive estate, it is always badly affected whenever heavy rain falls,” she said.

She said Community Road, Supersaver, Kilimanjaro and the Ago Bridge-Apple Junction corridor were also severely flooded.

According to her, many motorists now avoid the route because of rising floodwaters.

“The water was so high that buses struggled to pass. You could feel the waves pushing the buses,” she said.

Stella added that many homes had been inundated, forcing some residents to pump water from their houses while others elevated their belongings to prevent damage.

She said some families had already been displaced and warned that continued rainfall could worsen the situation.

In Amuwo Odofin, Miss Sarah Onyeachonam, a resident, said flooding had kept many residents indoors and prevented them from going to work.

“I’ve not been able to go to work since Monday. Everybody’s just indoors. Everywhere is flooded,” she said.

She said several roads had become impassable, while many homes, particularly those located behind the estate, were flooded.

According to her, the flooding had become a yearly occurrence during the rainy season.

“We are tired of watching our homes flood every year. This is no longer a seasonal challenge; it needs to be addressed,” she said.

Another resident, Chiazo, said she almost fell from a commercial motorcycle while taking her children to school because floodwaters concealed potholes along Community Road.

“We can’t even tell where the potholes are because the whole place is flooded. Community Road is like a pond,” she said.

She blamed blocked drainage channels and poor road conditions for the persistent flooding.

In Ilaje, Ajah, another resident, Blessing, said the heavy rainfall had submerged roads across the community.

“Everywhere is flooded because of the rain. The streets are under water,” she said.

She, however, noted that residents had become accustomed to flooding during the rainy season.

Meanwhile, a private school in Ajah suspended academic activities on Tuesday over safety concerns.

In a notice sighted by NAN, the school said flooded roads and drainage systems had made access unsafe for pupils and staff.

It said the temporary closure was necessary to protect the lives of pupils and employees.

The residents appealed to relevant authorities to clear blocked drainage channels, rehabilitate damaged roads and implement sustainable flood-control measures in vulnerable communities. (NAN)