Category: The Nation – Nigeria

Eighteen people have been confirmed dead and 21 injured after a heavy truck carrying several people and goods fell into a river in the Bida Local Government Area of Niger State.

The accident was said to have occurred late Tuesday night.

Eyewitnesses said that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Bida responded immediately after the crash but were unable to save those who died.

Confirming the incident, the Niger State FRSC Sector Commander, Aishat Saadu, said the vehicle was travelling from Lagos to Kano, adding that it was a ditch, not a river, as alleged by eyewitnesses.

‘The incident occurred at Wuya Village and it is not a river but a ditch. The ditch is big enough for the vehicle to submerge,’ she stated.

She said that only two people were not injured, and the deceased have been taken to the mortuary, while the injured were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, has charged officers and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps to foster a culture of safe road use across Ibadanland and Oyo State.

The monarch spoke while hosting officials of the Corps, who paid him a courtesy visit at his Palace at Oke Aremo, Ibadan, on Wednesday.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Solomon Ayoade, the monarch urged FRSC officials to continue operating with professionalism, discipline and respect for the people they serve, and to collaborate with traditional institutions, the state government, other security agencies, transport unions and other stakeholders for safer roads.

Olubadan, who described Ibadan as the home of all Yorubas, noted that nearly all past and present leaders have their residences in Ibadanland.

He therefore called on all residents to join him in taking Ibadanland to greater heights.

Earlier in his address, the Sector Commander of the Oyo State Sector Command, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Kehinde Dahunsi, expressed profound humility and honour at his management team’s historic royal visit to Olubadan Palace, where they were warmly received.

He said, ‘Ibadan is a city with a remarkable history not only in the political, cultural and socio-economic development of Nigeria, but also in the history of road safety administration in the country.’

According to the Sector Commander, the road remains the most important link between people, communities, and economic activities.

However, the increasing population, vehicle ownership and human movement in Ibadan and across Oyo State continue to create significant road safety challenges. Government agencies alone cannot solve these challenges; hence, the need for the support of traditional institutions as critical partners in achieving safer roads.

The FRSC Sector Commander sought the Olubadan’s collaboration in encouraging motorists, commercial drivers, transport operators, motorcyclists and pedestrians to embrace responsible road use, obey traffic regulations, avoid speeding and dangerous overtaking.

He also listed ensuring vehicle roadworthiness, using seat belts and crash helmets, avoiding driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and considering other road users to reduce road accidents and make a difference between life and death.

Present at the courtesy visit were the Otun Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Kolawole Adegbola; Aare Alasa of Ibadanland, High Chief Adewuyi Odunade; the President General of the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole; Mogajis and Baales.

A visually impaired student, Okeoghene Jane Akpaeva, has graduated with distinction from the QHSES Leadership Academy, highlighting the institution’s efforts to expand access to professional education for people with disabilities. Akpaeva was among 719 students who graduated at the academy’s fifth convocation and anniversary ceremony held in Lagos.

The tuition-free academy said it had graduated 1,966 students since its maiden class in 2022, with its human-capacity development programme aimed at removing economic and physical barriers to professional training.

Founder of the academy, Jamiu Badmos, an engineer, said the institution was established to identify potential and create opportunities for people who might otherwise be excluded from professional development.

‘Our philosophy is simple yet profound: when opportunity meets potential, lives are transformed, leaders are developed, and the future is strengthened,’ Badmos said.

He said the academy’s commitment to inclusion extended beyond admitting people with disabilities to creating an environment where they could develop their skills and compete with other students on merit.

‘There is ability in disability,’ Badmos said, urging employers to look beyond physical conditions when assessing qualified candidates.

The academy’s inclusion programme has expanded alongside its growth. In 2023, 10 visually impaired persons were among its 272 graduates.

For Akpaeva, graduating with distinction represented a significant personal achievement despite the challenges associated with visual impairment.

‘As a visually impaired student, now a graduate, my journey has not been easy,’ she said, adding that her achievement demonstrated that limitations should not determine a person’s destiny.

The 2026 graduating class also produced another milestone, with Oderemi Olufunke Mary emerging as the academy’s first female overall best graduating student in five years.

Mary, a mother of twins, combined the leadership programme with a master’s degree in biomedical engineering at the University of Ilorin.

She attributed her achievement to discipline, persistence and making the most of opportunities for personal development.

Prof. Simeon Adebayo Oladipo, immediate past Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, and convocation lecturer, said institutions such as the academy could contribute to national development by producing competent professionals.

‘Without competence capital, good character has good intentions but no means of execution,’ Oladipo said, stressing that national transformation required citizens who were both trustworthy and competent.

Also speaking, Agomeze Saint Chukwuemeka, known as Saint of Africa and National Leader for Gen Z in Nigeria, challenged the graduates to use the opportunities they had received to contribute to national development.

He urged them to shift from asking what Nigeria could offer them to considering what they could contribute to the country.

The academy said its training model combines professional skills with critical thinking, character development, social responsibility, innovation and leadership, with the goal of preparing graduates to create impact in their workplaces and communities.

More than N5 million in cash prizes were also presented to outstanding graduates at the convocation through contributions from sponsors and well-wishers.

The academy said the latest graduation reinforced its belief that investment in human capital could generate benefits beyond individual graduates by strengthening families, communities and industries.

Senator representing the Osun East Senatorial District, Francis Fadahunsi, was grilled for over two hours on Wednesday by the Osun State Police Command over an alleged inciting statement ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The Nation recalled that Governor Ademola Adeleke had called for Fadahunsi’s arrest following a viral video in which the senator was allegedly heard saying, ‘kill any Accord member,’ during a protest at the palace of the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland.

The protest followed the alleged killing of 12 All Progressives Congress (APC) members within 24 hours in Ilesa, an incident that heightened political tension in the state ahead of the election.

However, Fadahunsi denied making the statement, insisting that he had said APC supporters should ‘kill Accord Party in Osun with their votes,’ as he alleged that more than 40 members of the APC had been killed in his district within the last year.

He was invited by the Police authority on Tuesday after the video went viral.

Fadahunsi arrived at the Osun State Police Command at about 2:25 pm on Wednesday, accompanied by one of his aides, and initially headed towards the office of the Commissioner of Police.

He was, however, stopped along the way and redirected to the Department of Criminal Investigation (CID), where he was led into an investigation room by the Commissioner of Police in charge of election duty, Samuel Erale Etifo, alongside other senior police officers.

Journalists were barred from the investigation room, a separate building away from the office of the Commissioner of Police, where the senator spent about one hour and 57 minutes.

He was subsequently taken to the office of the Commissioner of Police, where he spent another 20 minutes before being returned to the CID.

He was later joined at the CID by Adebayo Adeleke, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, and by the legal practitioner Edmund Biriomoni.

Fadahunsi was subsequently released by the police.

Addressing journalists after his release, the senator said he had honoured the police invitation and clarified the statement attributed to him.

He said, ‘I came here to honour the police invitation. We have met, and I told them what I said, not the one manipulated by the mischievous interpreters of the Yoruba language.

‘I am a Yoruba man. If a Hausa or Igbo person is interpreting, it may not be correct. Yoruba means a lot of things. What I said was that between now and Saturday, we will kill them with our votes.’

The two-term senator also expressed concern about the security situation in Osun East, alleging that Governor Adeleke was turning the senatorial district into a battleground while his hometown remained peaceful.

He said, ‘It is worrisome, but we have left the whole thing to the owner of life. Come Saturday, you will see a marvellous turnout for APC.’

Fadahunsi expressed confidence that APC members would come out en masse to vote for the party’s governorship candidate, Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO), despite what he described as intimidation by political thugs.

He left the police command premises at about 4:58 pm.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised the alarm over alleged plans to arrest its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, ahead of Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, warning that any such action could heighten tension in the state.

In a statement on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said it had received ‘credible reports’ of plans to arrest Aregbesola in the days leading to the election.

The ADC said the allegation was particularly concerning against the backdrop of what it described as a pattern of ‘intimidation, harassment and misuse of state institutions’ against opposition parties by the Federal Government.

Aregbesola, a former Osun State governor and former Minister of the Federal Republic, is currently the National Secretary of the ADC and is expected to play a role in coordinating the party’s activities during the election.

The party said if any security agency had lawful grounds to invite Aregbesola, established procedures should be followed, arguing that arresting him on the eve of an election in which the ADC is participating could be interpreted as an attempt to disrupt his role in the party’s election activities.

‘We therefore put the Federal Government and the security agencies on notice. The eyes of Nigerians are on Osun,’ the statement said.

The ADC urged security agencies to exercise restraint and warned the Federal Government against actions that could trigger tension or undermine the electoral process.

‘Whatever happens before, during and after Saturday’s election will be judged not by the explanations offered afterwards, but by the actions taken now,’ the party said.

The opposition party also urged the Federal Government to avoid actions capable of plunging Osun State into what it described as a needless crisis, stressing that Nigeria remained a democracy and that all political actors should respect democratic processes ahead of the poll.

The Federal Government, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday expressed concerns over persistent fibre-optic cuts across Nigeria.

They warned against further damage, saying such acts negatively impact the economy.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Dr. Nadungu Gagare, and his counterpart in the Federal Ministry of Works, Rafiu Adeladan, said it had become imperative for stakeholders to address the phenomenon holistically in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration.

They spoke at the national workshop for the protection of fibre-optic cables at the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to the President.

The workshop was jointly organised by the two Federal Ministries, ONSA, NCC, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Speaking at the workshop, Gagare, represented by the Director of Communications and Poster Services at the ministry, Stanley Musa, said government institutions must come together to address the challenges posed to Nigeria’s digital infrastructure by fiber-optic cuts across the country.

He announced that the ministry had written memos to the Federal Executive Council on other critical issues regarding the telecommunications sector, especially on the Right of Way (RoW) and the need to get other stakeholders on board to fast-track policies that would change the narrative in the industry.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Works, Dr. Adeladan, congratulated the stakeholders for coming together to address challenges of fibre optic cuts, especially during road constructions across Nigeria.

He expressed the willingness of the ministry to collaborate and engage with other stakeholders to proffer lasting solutions to the problems.

NCC’s Executive Vice Chairman, Dr. Aminu Wada Maida, lamented that within the first six months of 2026, over 5,000 fibre-optic cuts were recorded across Nigeria.

‘In the first six months of this year alone, over 5,000 fibre cut incidents were reported from road excavation, construction, and related civil work. Many occurred because there was little or no coordination between works before they began, or before the first shovel entered the ground,’ Maida said.

Emphasising that telecommunications infrastructure has become a lifeline for the economy, the EVC enjoined critical stakeholders to work together to protect telecommunications infrastructure, especially as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu targets a $1 trillion economy for the country.

He said the workshop aimed to ‘clarify stakeholder responsibilities and strengthen coordination between work construction and network operators so that damage is prevented rather than repaired after the fact’.

Also, the Director of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure at ONSA, Air Vice Marshall Effiom Enebong Ewa, maintained that acts of damage to assets and infrastructure constitute an offence under the Nigerian law.

AVM Ewa said: ‘Your presence here today, despite your demanding status, is a strong demonstration of your commitment to the protection of Nigeria’s digital future. Thus, the objective of this engagement is to foster stronger collaboration amongst critical stakeholders whose collective actions have directly impacted, and have a direct impact on the future of Nigeria’s digital future.

‘As we deliberate today, let us recognise that every fatal cable damage is more than a disruption to a network, or simply a cable cut, as we hear in the field.

‘It is indeed a disruption to governance, economic productivity, public services, and the daily lives of millions of Nigerians. Accordingly, protection of fiber optic infrastructure is a shared national responsibility of every citizen, government institutions, private organisations, contractors, or operators residing here in Nigeria.

‘Let us also remind ourselves that fiber optics have been designated as critical national information infrastructure, and any damage due to negligence or interference with the assets or acts directly or indirectly which predisposes the assets to damage, constitute an offense under Nigeria’s legal framework.’

AVM Ewa highlighted the importance of institutional coordination and strict adherence to established protocol, and urged stakeholders to abide by guidelines and procedures, especially during construction and maintenance activities.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has deployed a high-powered monitoring team to Osun State ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

The commission warned police personnel against misconduct, partisanship, and any actions that could undermine the credibility of the poll. It stressed that it would maintain zero tolerance for unprofessional conduct, insisting that officers must remain impartial and respectful of voters’ rights before, during, and after the election.

The monitoring delegation is led by retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Taiwo Lakanu, a PSC member and Chairman of its Standing Committee on Police Matters. The team is tasked with monitoring the conduct of police personnel statewide to ensure strict compliance with the rules and guidelines governing election policing.

In a statement issued yesterday by PSC Head of Protocol and Public Relations, Torty Kalu, the Commission said the deployment was part of efforts to safeguard the integrity of the August 15 governorship election and boost public confidence in the process.

According to the statement, police officers on election duty must display exemplary conduct and remain apolitical. They are expected to protect citizens’ right to vote freely and peacefully while upholding professionalism, discipline, and respect for the rule of law.

The PSC emphasised that the police play a critical role in creating an atmosphere conducive to peaceful voting and in protecting electoral materials, officials, and citizens. It added that the monitoring team would pay close attention to compliance with established standards of conduct, warning that any officer found compromising the credibility of the election would face disciplinary action.

‘The commission reassures Nigerians that it will not hesitate to sanction any officer found compromising the credibility of the election,’ the statement read.

The warning comes amid heightened security and political activity in Osun ahead of the poll, with security agencies expected to maintain law and order while ensuring voters exercise their franchise without intimidation.

The PSC urged Nigerians to have confidence in the electoral process and assured the public that police conduct would be closely monitored throughout the election period.

Ahead of Saturday governorship election, a political group has embarked on door-to-door campaign in Ayedire Local Government of Osun State to mobilise support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).

The group under the aegis of Peculiar Peoples Progress, also distributed cash and food to over 200 households in the council.

The convener of the group, Mrs. Ige Adeyanju, said exercise is to ensure victory for AMBO, hence they embarked on door-to-door campaign and also shared food with cash to members of APC at the grassroot.

She said, ‘The gesture is a usual way reaching out to the people but for this phase, beneficiaries are members of the APC who will mobilise support for AMBO.’

Adeyanju said the event afforded the group to remind people of the need to participate in the Saturday governorship election.

‘it is just to appreciate our people for their loyalty, because despite the waves here and there, they remain steadfast and they are giving us their full support. So, just to appreciate them and let them know that we see them, and to appreciate them.

‘We did it for 200 women to empower them. And you know women hold the house. They are the builder of the nation, and we have belief on this on our AMBO, because he is a man of the woman. He promised women many things in Osun State.’

Adeyanju expressed optimism that the entire local government will be delivered to Oyebamiji because the women will influence their husband, children and dependants.

She promised that the administration of Oyebamiji will prioritise the wellbeing of women if elected.

‘Our leaders in this town gave us the assurance that there will be no hidden agenda on this. The administration that is coming will be an open one.’

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has included the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Francis Olugbenga Alaja, and his running mate, Faseke Babajimi Oladipo, on the ballot for Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Commission of the Commission, Mohammed Haruna, said in a statement that the inclusion of Ajala on the ballot followed a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The statement, issued a few days before the election, said, ‘The action has been taken in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on 22nd July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/344/2026, between Social Democratic Party and Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala on the one hand and the Independent National Electoral Commission on the other.

‘The Court ordered the Commission to forthwith recognise, accept, upload, process and publish the name and particulars of Dr. Francis Olugbenga Ajala as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party.

‘Consequently, the ballot papers for the election, scheduled to be held on Saturday, 15th August 2026, are being reproduced to reflect this addition, bringing to fifteen (15) the total number of political parties contesting the election. The result sheets for the election are also being reproduced alongside the ballot papers to reflect the inclusion of the SDP candidate.

‘The Commission wishes to inform the public that the reproduced ballot papers will arrive in Osun State on Thursday, 13th August 2026, and will, on the same day, be moved to Local Government Area offices across the State, in line with its standard distribution procedure ahead of the election.

‘INEC assures political parties, candidates, and the general public of its commitment to conducting a free, fair, and credible election in Osun State.’

Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Temitope Ajayi, has declared that the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, was the strongest performer at the recent candidates’ town hall meeting organised by Arise TV.

Ajayi said Oyebamiji distinguished himself through his understanding of public finance, policy formulation and the practical challenges facing the state, arguing that the APC candidate approached the debate from the standpoint of governance rather than political rhetoric.

The presidential aide made the assessment in a series of posts on his X handle on Wednesday, three days before the August 15 governorship election.

Oyebamiji is contesting against the incumbent governor and Accord Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking a second term, and the African Democratic Congress candidate, Najeem Salam.

According to Ajayi, the town hall provided an opportunity for voters to assess the candidates beyond their political affiliations and campaign activities.

He said, ‘On the evidence of what I saw at the town hall, Oyebamiji made the stronger case that he understands that job.’

Explaining his position, Ajayi said the APC candidate’s experience as a former Commissioner for Finance and banker was evident in how he addressed questions about the state’s economy and the management of public resources.

He said, ‘If the exercise is judged strictly on policy articulation, command of facts, fiscal realism and evidence of managerial competence, I will candidly say Oyebamiji came out ahead.’

Ajayi also highlighted Oyebamiji’s account of his previous government roles, including his tenure as Commissioner for Finance under former governors Rauf Aregbesola and Gboyega Oyetola.

The presidential aide said the candidate presented himself as having direct experience managing public finances rather than merely making promises about what he would do in office.

He added that Oyebamiji’s references to his work with Osun State Investment Holdings, including claims of turning around the organisation and developing assets in Lagos and Abuja, further reinforced his argument for managerial competence.

Ajayi argued that financial sustainability should be a major consideration for voters given Osun’s history of fiscal constraints.

‘Promising everything without convincingly explaining the financing is not social policy, but fiscal romanticism,’ he said, adding that Oyebamiji ‘played to his professional strength.’

While praising Oyebamiji’s performance, Ajayi criticised Adeleke’s approach to the town hall, saying the governor spent considerable time attacking former governors Olagunsoye Oyinlola and Gboyega Oyetola.

He argued that Adeleke, as an incumbent seeking re-election, should have concentrated more on his administration’s achievements and presented a stronger case for another term.

‘Political attacks may excite loyalists, but they are no substitute for a convincing account of stewardship,’ Ajayi said.

He also questioned the financial feasibility of some of Salam’s campaign promises, particularly those involving free services and expanded government intervention.

According to him, such promises may appeal to voters, but they must be backed by credible plans for funding and implementation.

Ajayi maintained that the election should ultimately be decided by candidates’ records, policy proposals and capacity to manage the state’s resources.

He said, ‘A governorship election should be an audit of competing records, plans and managerial capacity, not a popularity contest between personalities.’

The Osun governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, August 15, 2026.