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Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to unlocking the economic potential of the aviation sector to drive infrastructure expansion and sustainable growth across the state.

The Governor stated this on Wednesday while hosting members of the Women in Aviation International (WAI), Nigeria Chapter, at the Western Hall, Parliament Building, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, who were in the state capital for their annual conference themed ‘Connect, Engage, Inspire.’ The event, which runs from November 4 to November 7, 2025, brought together aviation professionals, policymakers, and advocates from across the country.

Governor Makinde, represented by his Deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal, commended the women’s organisation for its dedication to advancing gender equality, professional excellence, and youth development in the aviation industry.

He noted that women have played significant roles in the sector, ranging from pilots and engineers to administrators and air traffic controllers, adding that their contributions have been instrumental in shaping modern aviation in Nigeria.

‘Women in Aviation, comprising all segments of the industry, have demonstrated seriousness and professionalism by bringing this conference to Ibadan,’ he said.

‘Oyo State remains open and ready to collaborate and support the association in all possible ways.’

The Governor emphasised that the aviation sector is inherently global and that Oyo State is strategically positioning itself to become a major hub for both domestic and international flights.

‘Our decision to upgrade the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport to an international facility is a deliberate and strategic move to make Oyo State a centre for air transportation and commerce,’ he stated. ‘When completed, our aircraft will be able to take off from Ibadan to any part of the world. That is the vision of this administration.’

Makinde added that Oyo holds historical significance in Nigeria’s aviation story, as Ibadan once hosted the country’s first aerodrome. He said the government is determined not to lose track of this legacy but to build upon it through targeted investments and public-private partnerships.

He further disclosed that the state government is bankrolling the hosting of the 2025 Women in Aviation International Conference in Ibadan to underscore its readiness to collaborate with international organisations in promoting aviation development.

‘Your presence here is not an accident,’ he added. ‘It is an affirmation of our administration’s deliberate and intentional policies in promoting the aviation industry. The Samuel Ladoke Akintola International Airport stands today as evidence of our commitment to transforming Oyo into an investment-friendly destination.’

Governor Makinde assured the association of continuous government support in creating an enabling environment for women and youths to thrive through mentorship, training, and scholarship programs related to aviation and STEM education.

Earlier in her remarks, the President of Women in Aviation International (Nigeria Chapter), Dr. Rejoice Ndudinachi, expressed gratitude to Governor Makinde for hosting the conference and for his administration’s unwavering support for women’s empowerment initiatives.

She described the Ibadan conference as a call to action reflecting the association’s mission to ‘build bridges, spark ambition, and foster meaningful partnerships across sectors and generations.’

‘We are eager to collaborate with the Oyo State Government to promote aviation education, youth empowerment, and professional development opportunities for women and girls,’ Ndudinachi said.

She revealed that the association would engage local schools through mentorship and scholarship programs to inspire interest in aviation-related careers among students.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairperson of the association, Miss Seyifunmi Peace, encouraged parents to allow their children to explore career prospects in the aviation industry, which she described as ‘diverse, dynamic, and globally rewarding.’

The conference, which also serves as a preparatory meeting ahead of the International Women in Aviation Conference scheduled to hold in Texas, USA, was graced by several dignitaries, including the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Mr Williams Akin-Funmilayo; Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives, Hon. Adeniyi Adebisi; Commissioner for Works and Transport, Hon. Mojeed Mogbonjubola; Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade; and Chairman of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), Mrs Dotun Olaitan.

The 2025 Women in Aviation AGM underscored Oyo State’s growing recognition as a hub for aviation discourse and innovation, reinforcing Governor Makinde’s vision of positioning the state as a central player in Nigeria’s air transport development.

A Federal High Court in Lagos, presided over by Justice Musa Kakaki, has issued an interim injunction restraining the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and other security agencies from arresting, intimidating, or declaring human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, wanted.

The order was granted following an urgent application filed by Sowore’s legal team after reports emerged alleging that the Lagos State Police Command had declared him wanted in connection with unspecified, alleged plans to disrupt public peace in the state.

The police declaration, made on November 3, 2025, specifically cited Sowore’s alleged plan to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge in connection with protests against recent building demolitions.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Kakaki granted the interim injunction, specifically restraining the respondents from harassing, intimidating, threatening with arrest, or declaring the applicant wanted pending the determination of the substantive suit.

The order specifically prohibits the police from giving effect to any declaration made by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police on November 3, 2025, portraying Sowore as a wanted person.

Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope vision has received a significant lift with the commissioning of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON)’s new permanent office complex in Sokoto.

The modern facility, inaugurated on Wednesday by the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Hon. Muhammad Idris Gobir, on behalf of Governor Ahmed Aliyu, is designed to bring quality assurance and standardization services closer to manufacturers, traders, and consumers across the North-West region.

Governor Aliyu described the project as ‘an investment in the safety, well-being, and prosperity of our people.’ He said the establishment of the SON office aligns perfectly with the Tinubu administration’s push for industrial growth, transparency, and effective service delivery.

‘Standards are not just technical requirements; they are moral obligations,’ the governor said.

‘They ensure that every product made or sold in our country meets expectations of safety, reliability, and fairness. This facility will empower SON to better support our entrepreneurs and manufacturers to achieve excellence.’

The governor assured SON of Sokoto State’s full cooperation, pledging continued support for federal agencies working to promote industrial development, job creation, and economic diversification.

In his remarks, the Director-General of SON, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwunonso Okeke, said the new complex would decentralize the agency’s operations and eliminate the need for manufacturers and importers from the region to travel to Lagos or Abuja for certification and quality testing.

‘This facility brings our services directly to the grassroots,’ Okeke stated. ‘Manufacturers in Sokoto can now obtain certification and technical assistance without leaving the state. We are also finalizing Africa’s largest standardization laboratory in Lagos to enhance our national capacity.’

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh Owan, said the new office represents a crucial step in decentralizing federal operations and expanding industrial capacity across Nigeria.

‘This project is part of President Tinubu’s broader drive to diversify the economy beyond oil by supporting industrialization and value addition,’ the minister noted.

In a goodwill message, the Customs Area Controller, Aliyu Isa Ndako, described the project as a ‘game-changer’ that will facilitate trade and strengthen compliance with international standards.

Representing the Sultan of Sokoto, Aminu Bala Sokoto commended SON’s foresight and commitment, noting that the new office would play a vital role in consumer protection and industrial growth in the state. He pledged the Sultanate Council’s continued support for the agency.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi – represented by Umar Bala, Director of Industrial Development – reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting SON’s mandate.

‘We remain focused on ensuring Nigerians get value for every naira spent through effective standardization and quality control,’ Rimi said.

The commissioning attracted top government officials, industry stakeholders, and traditional leaders who hailed the project as a landmark achievement in advancing industrialization, promoting product safety, and boosting consumer confidence across the North-West region.

Seventy-nine inmates of the Nigeria Correctional Service’s Medium Security Custodial Centre, Agodi, Ibadan, Oyo State, were on Wednesday released by the Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Iyabo Yerima.

Among the inmates released were those awaiting trial on bailable/non-capital offences, and had been in custody for more than four months.

Others were those with capital offences and awaiting trial, but had been in custody for over two years, as well as those with serious sicknesses and diseases.

It will be noted that the exercise was the third to be carried out by the Chief Judge this year.

Justice Ladiran Akintola, who represented the Chief Judge, said that her responsibilities include supervising the Correctional Centre to review deserving cases of people, to ensure that it is not congested beyond reasonable limits.

He stated that attending to cases is to assist the officers and men of the Correctional Centre in reducing the burden on the limited facility and resources.

Noting that some of those brought to courts concerning cases are always sent to Correctional Centres, Justice Akintola said it was the reason behind the Chief Judge’s regular coming to look at the Agodi Custodial Centre where the facility does not have enough space for its inmates.

He also noted the likelihood of spreading infectious diseases among the inmates because of overcrowding.

‘The need for us to visit these facilities can never be overemphasised because it is a way to assist the Correctional Officers to manage the responsibilities entrusted to them,’ he remarked.

Addressing the released inmates, Justice Akintola admonished them that the discomforts, strains they had experienced with the four walls of the Correctional Centre were enough to correct their rascality.

He also encouraged them to live within their means and look up to their Maker who created them for a purpose.

‘I want to charge you today to turn a new leaf. Don’t go back to the ways of crime. Each of you has been endowed with peculiar talents. All you need to do is discover those strengths and build on them.

‘There is nothing to gain from crime. Make up your mind not to take the mercy you obtained today for granted,’ Justice Akintola advised the freed inmates.

In his remarks, the Officer-in-charge of Medium Security Custodial Centre, Agodi, Assistant Controller Abdulrahman Olayiwola, who noted that it was the third time the exercise was carried out in the year, enjoined the released inmates not to waste the slots they got by returning to crime.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Jos branch, has issued a fierce rejoinder to the Federal Government, accusing the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Maruf Alausa, of making ‘misleading statements’ regarding the fulfillment of agreements with university workers.

The escalating dispute comes as ASUU mobilises for a critical National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for November 8-9, 2025, to decide on resuming its suspended strike if outstanding issues remain unresolved.

The statement, signed by branch chairperson Prof. Jurbe Joseph Molwus, recalled the four-week ultimatum issued to the government on October 22, 2025, to meet its demands, lamenting that two weeks into the grace period, ‘not much progress has been recorded.’

The union stressed that members have yet to receive key entitlements, including 3.5 months’ withheld salaries, 25/35 per cent wage award arrears, promotion arrears, and unpaid salaries for some members. Expressing deep frustration with mere rhetoric, the statement was blunt: ‘What we need are credit alerts, not misleading statements.’

ASUU also raised alarm over the status of the N50 billion revitalisation fund, asserting that the fund, which the government claimed to have released weeks ago, has not reached any university.

The union specifically dismissed the Minister’s claim of disbursing ?2.3 billion to clear salary and promotion arrears across federal universities as ‘false and embarrassing,’ arguing that the sum is ‘grossly inadequate and almost insulting,’ capable of barely covering the needs of three universities.

ASUU further criticised Dr. Alausa for what it described as ‘inconsistent and contradictory statements’ and urged him to pursue ‘genuine engagement beyond words’ to resolve the demands, adding that ‘Palliatives do not cure diseases.’

The development places the public university system on edge, with the looming NEC meeting expected to determine whether Nigerian students will face a fresh, total industrial action.

Tragedy struck in two communities in Kano when two children lost their lives in separate well incidents.

The Kano State Fire Service confirmed the incidents in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, ACFO Saminu Yusif Abdullahi. A copy of the statement was made available to the press on Wednesday in Kano.

According to the statement, both incidents occurred in the Dawakin Tofa and Dala local government areas of the state.

According to the statement, ‘The first incident took place on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at about 8:53 a.m. in Kashirmo Village, Sarkakiya, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area. An eight-year-old girl identified as Zara’u Muhammad reportedly fell into a well while playing’.

However, residents of the area made desperate efforts to rescue the child before the arrival of firefighters, but were unsuccessful due to the depth of the well and the high level of water inside.