Category: PM News

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Northern Nigeria has nothing to fear about President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, urging regional leaders to support his bid for a second term.

Shettima made the declaration on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation from Arewa for Tinubu (A4A), a northern-based think tank.

He urged northern leaders and citizens to unite behind Tinubu’s re-election bid, describing the administration’s second-term agenda as crucial to the region’s prosperity and stability.

The Vice-President said the North’s progress and well-being remained priorities for the administration, citing appointments, projects and programmes that benefit the region.

He said, ‘The North has no reason to be scared of the re-election of President Tinubu.

‘Let’s unite as a people and work for the development of our region and the progress of our people through the re-election of this administration.

‘We are benefiting, and we stand to benefit more from this government in many ways.

‘The Bank of Agriculture has disbursed N450 billion to 700,000 smallholder farmers in Nigeria, and about 70 per cent of the beneficiaries are from the North.

‘The present administration is working towards completing landmark and groundbreaking projects in parts of the country.

‘I can assure you that the President loves the North and will work for the region.’

He thanked the group for its consistent support for Tinubu and urged its members to intensify mobilisation across wards, communities and local government areas.

Earlier, the group’s Director-General and former Jigawa Governor, Abubakar Badaru, said A4A would remain committed to securing northern support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Badaru said the organisation planned to engage religious leaders, including Muslim and Christian clerics, alongside other prominent Nigerians, to explain the need to support the Tinubu-Shettima ticket in 2027.

He said, ‘On discussions with high-profile individuals, we have gone far.

‘We have met them several times, and the Board of Trustees is meeting them again to consolidate our gains and explain why there is a need to support this ticket.’

He said A4A was also supporting the Presidential Campaign Council with specific grassroots mobilisation activities.

‘We are also supporting the Presidential Campaign Council with whatever they want us to do that is micro in nature because they are so big,’ Badaru said.

He added that the group intended to concentrate on grassroots engagement across local government areas and wards to complement the campaign council’s broader activities.

Also speaking, the organisation’s Board of Trustees Chairman and former Kano Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, said A4A had worked for Tinubu’s election in the 2023 general election.

Shekarau said the group would repeat the effort in 2027, adding that it had been engaging northern governors and other stakeholders to explore areas of collaboration.

He said the organisation had concluded plans to establish a full-fledged secretariat to coordinate its activities.

‘We will have offices for directors and state coordinators to compare reports, analyse them and give instructions to our members,’ he said.

Shekarau formally invited Shettima to commission the A4A office complex on Oct. 17.

The Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transporters of Nigeria (AUATON), Lagos State Council, says e-hailing drivers cannot continue to operate at a loss amid rising operating costs.

AUATON’s Public Relations Officer, Comrade Steven Iwindoye, said this on Monday in Lagos as the union declared the first day of its indefinite shutdown of Bolt and inDrive operations successful.

Iwindoye said the industrial action would continue until the platforms addressed the drivers’ demands.

He said drivers were grappling with rising expenses, including fuel, vehicle maintenance, repairs, insurance, mobile data and vehicle financing.

‘These expenses do not disappear simply because a driver receives a low fare or completes fewer trips. Drivers must still maintain their vehicles and meet their financial obligations,’ the PRO said.

He said the union was demanding fair and sustainable fares, a reduction in platform commissions to a maximum of 10 per cent, transparency in fare calculations and deductions, and improved driver welfare.

According to him, other demands include adequate insurance and safety protections, fair procedures before driver deactivation, and meaningful engagement between the platforms and legitimate driver representatives.

Iwindoye said fare structures should reflect operating costs, traffic conditions, trip distances and vehicle categories while allowing drivers to earn reasonable returns on their investments.

‘We cannot continue working like elephants while eating like ants. Technology must create opportunities, not turn hardworking drivers into victims of an unsustainable economic arrangement,’ he said.

The AUATON spokesperson said reports from the union’s mobilisation teams indicated widespread disruption to the availability of Bolt and inDrive rides in several parts of Lagos.

He listed the affected areas as Ikeja, Surulere, Festac Town, Yaba, Ikorodu, Badagry, Lagos Island, Lekki, Ajah and Ibeju-Lekki.

Iwindoye said the union’s task force and compliance teams remained active during the industrial action to monitor developments, communicate with members and document reports from different locations.

He urged participating drivers to remain peaceful, disciplined and law-abiding, advising them to avoid confrontations and respect the rights of other road users.

Iwindoye called on Bolt and inDrive to recognise the importance of drivers to their operations and engage constructively with their representatives.

‘The drivers who operate on your platforms are essential to the services you provide. They invest in vehicles, purchase fuel, maintain their cars, accept the risks of the road, and devote their time and labour to transporting passengers,’ he said.

He said the union was seeking practical measures rather than promises or meetings without tangible outcomes.

Iwindoye also appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), relevant government authorities and other labour stakeholders to support efforts to resolve the dispute.

He said the concerns raised by app-based transporters reflected broader challenges relating to fair remuneration, workers’ welfare and representation in the digital economy.

The AUATON spokesperson said the indefinite industrial action would continue until the platforms took meaningful steps towards addressing the drivers’ demands.

A Nigerian- American identified as Oluwatobi Adegoke has been arraigned before Special Offences Court, Lagos State, sitting in Ikeja, for an alleged cross-border vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000, approximately N434.88 million.

Adegoke was arraigned before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a one-count charge bordering on stealing.

Adegoke’s journey to the dock started in July 2026 when he was arrested by operatives of the Ilorin Zonal Directorate for an alleged cross-border vehicle import fraud involving more than $320,000, approximately N434.88 million.

Dele Oyewale, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency said Adegoke allegedly belonged to a syndicate based in the United States that specialised in defrauding unsuspecting Nigerians under the guise of purchasing and importing vehicles from the US.

According to him, further investigation revealed that while residing in the United States, Adegoke allegedly advertised and circulated photographs of a 2024 Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG to prospective buyers in Nigeria, claiming that he could purchase and ship the luxury vehicle to them.

He added that investigation further established that two victims allegedly paid a combined sum of more than $320,000 (over N434.88 million) in connection with the transaction.

The charge reads:

Oluwatobi Adegoke sometime in December 2024 at Lagos within the Ikeja judicial division, dishonestly converted to your own use, the sum of ($680000) property of Ikechukwu Osita Ifeabunike, being money transferred to the bank account of your company Omosco Auto Sales LLC for purchase of 2022 G Wagon from Mr Robinson’

The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following his plea, EFCC counsel, Arazeem Adebayo, urged the court to fix a date for trial and remand the defendant in a Correctional Centre.

Defence counsel, Olalekan Abiodun, who had earlier been overruled on his objection to the arraignment of the defendant, was again overruled when he applied that the defendant be remanded at EFCC custody pending the filing of his bail application.

Consequently, Justice Abike-Fadipe ordered that Adegoke be remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until January 13, 2027, for trial.

A member of the House of Representatives, Kafilat Ogbara, has attracted attention after refusing to shake hands with Dele Oshinowo, who defeated her in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary for Kosofe Federal Constituency.

The incident happened at the inaugural Seyi Tinubu Colloquium in Lagos when Oshinowo, a former chairman of Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area, approached Ogbara and extended his hand to greet her.

However, Ogbara remained seated and turned away instead of accepting the handshake.

In a video of the incident, the lawmaker was heard saying, ‘Well done, how are you? I cannot shake you.’

Oshinowo reacted before walking away.

The incident comes months after Oshinowo emerged as the APC candidate for Kosofe Federal Constituency in May 2026 ahead of the 2027 general election.

His victory was a major development in the political contest for the constituency, which Ogbara currently represents in the House of Representatives.

The two politicians have also been involved in previous political disagreements, including a dispute in 2025 over the demolition of the Owode-Onirin market.

The latest incident has drawn attention amid continuing political tensions in Kosofe following the APC primary.

Oshinowo is expected to contest for the constituency’s House of Representatives seat in the 2027 general election, subject to the relevant electoral processes.

Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, on Monday commissioned the PBAT/KOH Lagos Central Campaign Office, urging Lagosians to turn out in large numbers to vote for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all APC candidates in the 2027 General Elections.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony held on Harden Street, Lagos Island, Hamzat said Lagosians had a responsibility to support the President’s re-election, noting that Tinubu’s longstanding connection to Lagos made the State’s support particularly significant. He added that re-electing the President would ensure continuity in the work his administration had begun.

The Deputy Governor noted that Lagos has the highest number of registered voters in the country, stressing that mobilising residents to participate in the elections and vote for Tinubu and other APC candidates would be crucial to achieving the prosperity Nigerians desire.

My charge to you is that, as you are all seated here today, on Election Day, make sure you take someone along to the polling unit to vote for Asiwaju. It would be dangerous for us not to come out and vote for all our candidates if we truly say we love them,’ Hamzat concluded.

In his goodwill message, the Senator representing Lagos Central, Senator Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, described the commissioning of the Lagos Central Senatorial Campaign Office as a historic milestone and a symbol of unity, peace and the party’s determination to consolidate its achievements.

Eshilokun urged party members and supporters to remain united despite their differences, engage constructively with their neighbours and maintain discipline throughout the electioneering process. He emphasised the need to mobilise grassroots support and strengthen the party’s presence across communities, markets and households, expressing confidence that collective commitment and sustained engagement would secure victory for the APC in Lagos Central, Lagos State and Nigeria.

Similarly, in his goodwill message, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, said the campaign office would serve as a strategic platform for strengthening ties between the senatorial district and the State leadership, while facilitating the dissemination of the party’s policies and achievements across local governments, wards and polling units.

Ojelabi urged party members to serve as ambassadors of the party by taking the message of the achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, to the grassroots. He also encouraged members who are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to do so promptly, while calling for peaceful campaigns, constructive, issue-based engagement and effective voter mobilisation ahead of the elections.

In his address, Director-General of the PBAT-KOH Lagos Campaign Organisation, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, described the commissioning of the Lagos Central Senatorial Campaign Office as a reaffirmation of the district’s political significance and strategic importance to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He said the facility underscored the party’s commitment to strengthening its political structures and consolidating its presence across the senatorial district.

Obanikoro urged party members and supporters in Lagos Central to intensify their campaign activities and deepen grassroots mobilisation to secure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election and promote the electoral success of all APC candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Olusola Sanni, a strategic media associate to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has defended the former vice-president’s repeated reference to President Bola Tinubu simply as ‘Bola’, citing a song composed in honour of the president by a northern Nigerian musician.

Sanni made the remarks on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Monday, October 12, while responding to questions about Atiku’s refusal to address Tinubu by his presidential title.

During the programme, an anchor identified as Kelly questioned why the former vice-president repeatedly addressed Tinubu by his first name rather than acknowledging him as president.

‘Why is he refusing to refer to President Bola Tinubu as President Tinubu? Why is he having to call him by his name?’ the anchor asked.

Responding, Sanni argued that Atiku was not the first person to address the president informally, pointing to a song by a musician from northern Nigeria.

‘Atiku will not be the first to refer to him as Bola… there is a musician in some part of Northern Nigeria who created an album for him and called him Omo Ologo,’ he said.

‘Omo Ologo means ‘a boy’; the musician called him ‘a boy,” Sanni added.

The song, titled Omo Ologo, was performed in honour of Tinubu by popular northern political singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara.

The Yoruba expression is commonly translated as ‘child of glory’ and is generally complimentary rather than derogatory.

The exchange comes amid controversy over Atiku’s repeated use of Tinubu’s first name in his political statements ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The former vice-president has faced criticism from some political figures who consider the practice disrespectful to the office of the president.

Former presidential campaign director Akin Osuntokun and Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo are among those who have publicly criticised Atiku over the issue.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), and Rufai Oseni, co-host of Arise Television’s The Morning Show, have exchanged words over allegations of irresponsible journalism and an offensive social media post.

The disagreement started on Saturday in Lagos during a panel discussion at an event marking Kikelomo Atanda-Owo’s 20th anniversary in the media industry.

During the discussion, Dabiri criticised what she described as the declining standards and values in journalism. She said journalists must be responsible and held accountable for their actions.

She explained that she had been attacked repeatedly on social media by a woman who used the X account ‘Voice of Igbos’.

According to Dabiri, she investigated the account and discovered that it was operated by a woman named Stephanie.

Dabiri said she later reacted to a comment on one of the woman’s posts with a laughing emoji. However, Oseni interpreted her reaction as support for an offensive statement against the Igbo ethnic group.

The NiDCOM chairperson said Oseni wrongly reported that she had described Igbo people as monkeys and gorillas.

‘Somebody replies to her. Then I do a smiley. And then Rufai Oseni comes and says, Abike Dabiri calls everybody – Igbos – monkeys and gorillas,’ she said.

Dabiri insisted that she did not make such a statement and accused the journalist of irresponsible reporting.

She said journalists must be careful when interpreting statements made on social media, adding that they should maintain the same standards of accountability they demand from public officials.

‘We have to ensure that you hold people responsible, but you must be responsible yourself,’ she said.

Dabiri also expressed concern about the falling standards of journalism, saying the profession needed stronger values and professional discipline.

Oseni responds

Reacting to Dabiri’s comments, Oseni took to X to accuse her of using the public event to attack him instead of focusing on the responsibilities of her office.

The journalist claimed that Dabiri appeared uncomfortable when she noticed his presence at the event and eventually mentioned his name during the discussion.

He also alleged that the incident was not the first time the NiDCOM chairperson had confronted him publicly.

Oseni maintained that Dabiri’s laughing emoji amounted to an endorsement of an offensive post against an ethnic group.

He challenged her to a public debate, insisting that he was ready to defend his position.

‘Your problem is you can’t stand the truth. I will like to challenge you to a debate on this issue where I will speak the truth to your face and prove to the world you endorse bigotry,’ he wrote.

Oseni urged Dabiri to concentrate on the work of NiDCOM rather than their disagreement.

The exchange has brought renewed attention to questions about responsible journalism, social media conduct and the need for public figures and journalists to exercise caution when discussing sensitive ethnic issues.

Retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Frank Mba, has formally unveiled his law office, FRANK MBA LEGAL, in Abuja, marking a new chapter in his professional journey following his retirement from the Nigeria Police Force.

The unveiling, held on Friday, October 9, 2026, at the firm’s office in Wuse 2, Abuja, also coincided with Mba’s birthday celebration, bringing together dignitaries, friends, associates and well-wishers to celebrate the occasion.

The distinguished VIP guests at the event included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Her Excellency, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu; former Inspectors General of Police, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar (Rtd) and IGP Usman Alkali Baba (Rtd); Pastor Jerry Eze, Convener of the New Season Prophetic Prayers and Declarations (NSPPD); Chief Sir Emeka Offor, Chairman of Chrome Group; retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Sadiq Abubakar ; DIG Tijani Baba (Rtd); DIG Dan Kwara (Rtd); and members of the National Assembly.

Three serving DIGs were also in attendance. They are Ekene Onwuemeelie, Isiyaku Abubakar and Suleiman Mohammed.

The event marked the formal commencement of Mba’s legal practice after more than three decades of service in the Nigeria Police Force, where he distinguished himself in policing, public communication, training and institutional leadership.

Addressing guests at the event, the former police chief said his decision to establish the firm was driven by his desire to continue contributing to society by bringing his experience in policing, legal training and public service to bear on legal practice.

‘Retirement is not the end of service; it is an opportunity to serve in a different capacity. My years in the Nigeria Police Force provided me with invaluable experience in leadership, discipline, conflict management and the administration of justice. I intend to bring these lessons, alongside my legal training, into this new chapter.

‘For me, the law is not merely a profession; it is an instrument for protecting rights, resolving disputes, upholding justice and strengthening confidence in our institutions. At FRANK MBA LAW, our ambition is to build a practice that clients can trust and that consistently upholds the highest standards of professional conduct,’ he said,’ Mba said.

Mba retired as a deputy Inpector General of Police from the Force in March 2026 after 34 years of glorious service. He served three times as the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), earning recognition for his role in police communication and public engagement. He also served as Police Public Relations Officer in Lagos State and Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, among other strategic positions.

As a member of the Force’s management team, he was responsible for the Department of Training and Development, contributing to the professional development of police personnel.

His transition to legal practice builds on his academic and professional background. He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Lagos, attended the Nigerian Law School as an award winner and earned a Master of Laws degree from the University of Dundee, Scotland, where he graduated with distinction. He was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002.

Mba’s career also included international service as a member of the Nigerian Police contingent to the United Nations Mission in Liberia from 2006 to 2007, for which he received the United Nations Medal.

Troops of the Nigerian Army have rescued 26 suspected victims of human trafficking in Benue.

The troops also freed a kidnapped woman in Kogi and arrested a suspected terrorist leader in Kaduna in separate security operations.

This is contained in an operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja on Sunday.

The report revealed that the operations further led to the recovery of firearms and ammunition and the arrest of suspected criminals across several states.

According to the report, the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, working with the police and local vigilantes, raided a suspected human trafficking syndicate in Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue on Friday.

It said the troops arrested one suspect and rescued 26 victims, who were handed over to the police alongside the suspect for further investigation.

The report also said that in Kaduna, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma arrested a suspected terrorist leader, Yusuf Iliya San, at Maraban Kakini on Saturday,’ the report said.

It also said that the suspect was allegedly linked to several criminal activities in the Birnin Gwari area and was still in military custody for further action.

The report added that in a separate incident, troops repelled an attack by suspected terrorists along the Dogon Dawa-Takama axis in Birnin Gwari on Saturday.

According to the report, the attackers fled after troops engaged them. They abandoned an AK-47 rifle, 15 rounds of ammunition, two motorcycles and a mobile phone.

‘One soldier was however wounded and evacuated for medical attention.’

The report further said that the troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, working with forest guards, rescued a kidnapped woman at Ette in Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi on Friday.

It said that the kidnappers fled on sighting the troops, allowing the victim to be reunited with her family.

The report also said that troops recovered an AK-47 rifle magazine, 60 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition and other items during an operation along the Okene-Okpella road in Kogi.

‘In Abia, troops working with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested three suspected drug dealers during a raid at Obehie, Ukwa West Local Government Area, on Friday.

‘The suspects and recovered illicit substances were handed over to the agency for further action.

‘Meanwhile, troops of Operation Enduring Peace reported that a vigilante member was killed by suspected kidnappers in Magi Mbar village, Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau, on Friday.

‘The assailants fled on sighting the troops, while efforts to apprehend them continues.

‘The operations form part of ongoing military efforts to combat terrorism, kidnapping, human trafficking and other criminal activities across the country,’ the report concluded.

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) says its sugar development programme is expected to create 110,000 direct and indirect jobs across Nigeria.

The Executive Secretary of the council, Mr Kamar Bakrin, disclosed this at a news conference organised by the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN) in Abuja.

He said the programme would also support more than one million livelihoods across the sugar value chain.

‘When Nigeria grows and processes its own sugarcane, four national priorities move forward together,’ Bakrin said.

He identified foreign exchange savings, job creation, rural economic development and reduced greenhouse gas emissions as the programme’s expected benefits.

Bakrin said the council’s Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme was targeting 11,000 hectares of farmer-grown sugarcane around existing sugar mills.

‘The programme is expected to produce about 880,000 tonnes of sugarcane annually, with 7,000 hectares already identified with partners in Kwara, Niger and Adamawa states.

‘The first 1,320 hectares will be planted by 2027, with agreements being developed to guarantee markets for participating farmers.

‘The income is spread among many farmers rather than a few estates, and these are the expected benefits of the outgrower scheme,’ he said.

Bakrin said sugarcane would be ready for harvesting within 12 to 18 months, making the programme a faster route to increased production than building new mills.

He said the council was also investing in improved planting materials to boost productivity and support large-scale cultivation.

‘Around 222 hectares of seedcane farms have been established in Kwara, Kano and Oyo states, with an additional 122 hectares planned.

‘Together, the farms are expected to produce nearly 19,000 tonnes of certified seedcane for the 2026/2027 planting season,’ he said.

Bakrin said the council was developing four nuclear seed farms and providing outgrowers with clean starter seed stock for multiplication.

He also highlighted the adoption of bud-chip technology to reduce the land required for seedling production and accelerate sugarcane planting.

‘With that, a 20,000-hectare estate will only need about 260 hectares of nursery.

‘Before now, it needed about 6,000, so you can just imagine the huge difference,’ he added.

Bakrin said the council had developed the capacity to produce about 30 million seedlings using the technology.

He said the Nigeria Sugar Institute had trained 95 professionals in 2026, including 80 who were certified in basic sugarcane agronomy.

The NSDC executive secretary said another 15 graduate trainees had received practical training in field operations and laboratory work.

He said the programme was expected to strengthen rural economies, create employment opportunities and improve livelihoods through expanded sugarcane farming and processing.