The chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu has donated ₦25bn to a Lagos State food security initiative.
Elumelu made this public on Wednesday during the launch of the Produce for Lagos Programme, an initiative of the Lagos Food Systems Infrastructure Company.
“We support this initiative with ₦25 billion,” Elumelu said.
“In a few years time, it will help us face the challenge of joblessness of our young ones.
“We believe that joblessness is a great problem of our young people. They shouldn’t be jobless, we have arable lands,” the chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA) said in Lagos.
The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Inspector-General of Police and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to pay ₦10 million in damages for violating the fundamental rights of peaceful protesters during the 2024 #EndSARS memorial.
Delivering the landmark judgment on Thursday, Justice M. Kakaki ruled that the actions of the police against the applicants during the October 20, 2024 protest were unlawful and a clear breach of constitutional rights.
“The applicants were unjustly harassed and their rights infringed upon,” the judge stated. He emphasized that while security agencies are empowered to enforce the law, such powers must be exercised within the bounds of democratic principles and the rule of law.
Citing Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Justice Kakaki reaffirmed the right of citizens to freely assemble and associate, particularly for peaceful protests.
The applicants in the suit include 22 individuals such as Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Uadiale Kingsley, Ilesanmi Kehinde, Osopale Adeseye, and Aisha Omolara, among others. The court also recognised the roles of three civic organisations: the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), the Take It Back Movement (TIB), and the Campaign for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).
The ruling has been widely hailed by human rights groups and activists as a major legal victory for civic freedom and accountability. Many see it as a strong message against police impunity and a step forward in protecting democratic rights in Nigeria.
Renowned human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has lashed out at British Conservative politician Kemi Badenoch over her claim that she cannot pass Nigerian citizenship to her children because she is a woman.
Badenoch, the former UK Secretary of State for Business and Trade and a leading figure in the Conservative Party, made the controversial remark during an interview with Fareed Zakaria on CNN on Sunday. Speaking about immigration and citizenship laws, she claimed Nigerian legislation does not allow women to confer nationality on their children.
“It’s virtually impossible, for example, to get Nigerian citizenship. I have that citizenship by virtue of my parents. I can’t give it to my children because I’m a woman,” Badenoch said. “Yet loads of Nigerians come to the UK and stay for a relatively free period of time, acquire British citizenship. We need to stop being naive.”
In a strongly worded response on Monday, Falana described Badenoch’s statement as “a display of utter ignorance” and accused her of misinforming the British public to score political points.
“In her desperate attempt to impress the British electorate, Kemi Badenoch keeps running down Nigeria,” Falana said in a statement issued in Lagos.
He cited Section 25(b) and (c) of the Nigerian Constitution to debunk her claims, stating clearly that a child born outside Nigeria to a Nigerian parent regardless of gender is entitled to citizenship.
“Contrary to her misleading claim, your children are Nigerians because you are a Nigerian,” Falana stated. “Her assertion that she cannot give Nigerian citizenship to her children because she is a woman is not in consonance with Nigerian law.”
He further referenced Section 42(2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits discrimination based on gender, birth, or class, saying, “Therefore, her two children are Nigerian citizens. The fact that she may not want them to claim it is irrelevant. For now, they are dual citizens of Britain and Nigeria.”
Falana also challenged Badenoch’s statement that Nigerian citizenship is “virtually impossible” for foreigners to obtain. He pointed out that Sections 26 and 27 of the Constitution allow foreigners to acquire Nigerian nationality through registration or naturalisation, once the legal requirements are met.
However, the senior advocate did acknowledge an area of concern in the law where gender inequality still exists.
“A woman married to a Nigerian man can be registered as a citizen, but the same privilege is not extended to a man married to a Nigerian woman. This reflects the patriarchal nature of the law. It should be urgently amended,” Falana said.
The debate has triggered reactions on both sides of the Atlantic, as Nigerians at home and abroad continue to challenge outdated gender provisions in legal frameworks.
The Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) has issued a fresh flood alert, warning that 28 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) face a high risk of flooding between Tuesday and August 5.
In a statement on Monday, NIHSA’s Director General, Mr. Umar Mohammad, said over 739 communities and 162 Local Government Areas are expected to be affected during this period.
The warning, he explained, is consistent with the agency’s 2025 Annual Flood Outlook (AFO) released on April 10.
States on the red alert list include Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, FCT, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.
NIHSA also warned that flooding could disrupt more than 100 major transportation routes, including critical economic corridors such as the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja Road, Birnin Kebbi-Bunza Road, Ibi-Wukari Road, and several key routes in Lagos, FCT, and the Niger Delta.
“There is an increased risk of property damage to homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, particularly in low-lying and flood-prone areas,” the statement read. “In addition, agricultural lands are under serious threat, which could impact food security in several regions.”
The agency urged emergency management stakeholders to activate their preparedness and response mechanisms, adding that at-risk communities should not delay in implementing evacuation plans.
NIHSA further advised Nigerians to monitor its weekly updates and forecasts through its Flood Dashboard at www.nihsa.gov.ng and other official social media platforms.
Tension has gripped the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following an incident involving a post-basic nursing student who allegedly attempted suicide after being suspended by the institution’s medical director and provost, Dr. Paul Agboola, amid claims of verbal threats and institutional intimidation.
The student, identified as Seyi Ogunjobi, was said to be preparing for his final hospital examinations at the School of Mental Health Nursing/Post-Basic Psychiatry when he was suddenly suspended under controversial circumstances.
Seyi was on the verge of becoming a certified psychiatric nurse — until this heartbreaking twist.
The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state have officially endorsed President Bola Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
This decision comes despite recent speculation that Governor Adeleke was considering defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that was reportedly met with strong opposition from within the Osun State APC.
The Adeleke and PDP’s decision to endorse Tinubu was formalised at a stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday at the Government House in Oke-Fia, Osogbo.
A communiqué issued after the meeting was signed by Governor Adeleke, his deputy Kola Adewusi, Speaker of the House of Assembly Adewale Egbedun, former governor Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and 24 other prominent party leaders.
The communiqué emphasised the importance of local politics and the sentiments of grassroots supporters in shaping their political decisions.
It noted that the rumored defection plan did not originate from Governor Adeleke himself and had faced “stiff opposition” from APC members in Osun, who had openly criticized him on social media and national platforms.
The communiqué also stated that while PDP members were initially uncomfortable with the defection idea, they had agreed to stand by the governor out of loyalty.
The party leaders reaffirmed that Governor Adeleke, his administration, and the PDP remain the most popular political force in the state.
The party leaders stressed that Adeleke, his administration, and the PDP remain the most popular and widely accepted political force in the state.
“That the majority of the members of the APC in Osun State are opposed to the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to the APC, which did not originate from the governor in the first instance. Some APC leaders based on entrenched interests, have demonstrated hostility and resentment towards Governor Ademola Adeleke. Some went on social media and national television to call Governor Adeleke all kinds of unprintable names.
“That the majority of PDP members in Osun State are not happy about the idea of the defection of Governor Adeleke to APC, but only reluctantly agreed to follow Governor Adeleke to wherever he goes to show their love, support and loyalty to his leadership.
“That the state governor, the state government, and the PDP as a political party remain very popular and acceptable above all other political parties in Osun State.
“Consequently, the leaders hereby resolve that the PDP in Osun State recognises the fact that Osun State is the ancestral home of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which makes the President the son of Osun State. Therefore, the PDP in Osun State hereby adopts and endorses President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for re-election in the 2027 presidential election.
“That PDP in Osun State reaffirms its adoption and endorsement of Governor Ademola Adeleke for re-election in the 2026 governorship election on the platform of the PDP.
“That Governor Ademola Adeleke and all members of the PDP in Osun State should remain in the PDP. That the leadership of the PDP in Osun State is directed to disseminate the resolution to all structures of the party in the state.
Former Kano State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, on Monday made a surprise appearance at the Presidential Villa in Abuja reigniting speculation about his possible defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kwankwaso was sighted at the Banquet Hall of the State House during the Nigeria Forest Economy Summit 2025, an event organised by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI).
While the opposition leader kept a low profile at the summit and declined media interviews, his presence in such a high-level government gathering has added fuel to ongoing rumours of political realignment.
In recent months, political insiders have suggested that Kwankwaso has held closed-door meetings with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other APC stalwarts. Speculations point toward ongoing negotiations for his defection, with talks of political compensation reportedly on the table.
Though no official statement has been made by either side, the former NNPP presidential flagbearer’s visit to Aso Rock comes at a time when Tinubu’s administration is consolidating support across party lines ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, on Monday led a protest to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, demanding improved welfare and the removal of police officers from the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS).
The protest, held in collaboration with the Nigerian Union of Retired Police Officers, attracted several aggrieved retirees who decried years of neglect and hardship under the current pension system.
Protesters were initially blocked from entering the Force Headquarters but were later escorted by police personnel to the National Assembly complex.
Chanting solidarity songs in the rain, they carried placards with messages such as: “Decent Salaries Now,” “End Police Slavery,” “CPS is a Death Sentence,” and “Dignity for Those in Uniform.”
Speaking during the protest, Sowore called the CPS “exploitative and unjust,” urging the National Assembly to initiate urgent reforms that would restore dignity to retired police officers.
He said many of the retirees live in poverty after years of serving the country and called on the government to act with urgency.
The retired officers vowed to continue peaceful demonstrations until concrete legislative action is taken.
In a decisive move against rising criminal activities, security operatives of the Ilorin South Local Government Council have apprehended three suspected serial kidnappers believed to be behind recent abductions along the Idofian Road axis.
The suspects were arrested during a pre-dawn raid on their hideout in Abelu, following actionable intelligence gathered by the council’s security team. Authorities disclosed that the hideout had served as an operational base for the gang, which has terrorized residents and commuters for weeks.
A bicycle, allegedly used by the suspects as a decoy to pose as harmless cyclists while scouting potential victims, was recovered during the operation. Security sources say the gang employed the strategy to evade suspicion before launching attacks.
Speaking on the breakthrough, the Executive Chairman of Ilorin South Local Government Council, Hon. Nuhu Majeed Podo, praised the operatives for their swift action, stressing that the council remains fully committed to safeguarding lives and property.
“This operation is a clear testament to the effectiveness of our renewed security strategy and the vigilance of our local security network,” Podo stated. “We will not rest until Ilorin South is rid of criminal gangs and residents can move freely without fear.”
The arrested suspects are currently being interrogated, with investigations underway to determine the full extent of their network and whether they are linked to other kidnapping cases in Kwara State.
Authorities have urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities, adding that community intelligence remains critical in the fight against crime.
The council also reiterated its pledge to continue strengthening local security architecture, including collaborations with state and federal agencies, to keep the area safe.
Fakayode emphasised the significance of adhering to traditional laws and customs, asserting, “Any actions contrary to this judgment and the laws of the land would be a disregard for the customs and traditions that have been the cornerstone of our heritage.”
“The burial was not in consonance with the law of the state, and it is obvious that the burial arrangement contravened Part 8, Section 55, Sub-section II of the Ogun State Chieftaincy Law.”
He stressed that the issue extended beyond mere burial rites, representing a challenge to the very fabric of Yoruba customs.
“The actions taken at the event were part of a larger agenda to erode the cultural practices that have defined us for generations.”
“We urge the sons and daughters of Ijebu-Ode and the entire Yoruba race to recognise that the institution of Obaship is not only a sacred tradition but also a choice that demands respect for our cultural heritage.”
“We condemn the disrespect shown to the Osugbo Confraternity during the event by the family of the late Oba, government officials, and the security agencies concerned. Furthermore, to prevent such occurrences in the future, we will take necessary legal actions.”
On his part, Barrister Opeodu, the legal representative of ICIR, echoed the sentiments, stating that the actions of the late monarch’s family, the Ogun State Government, and various law enforcement agencies posed a threat to democracy and infringe upon the fundamental rights of traditional believers.
“In consonance, the actions of these parties constitute a threat to the growth of democracy and an infringement on the fundamental rights of traditional believers to their own beliefs.”
“This is an aberration to the extant law regarding the installation and burial of Obas and Chiefs, leading to a state of anarchy.”
He criticised the Islamic clergies, led by the Chief Imam of Ijebu-Ode, for violating local laws, asserting that their actions reflect a lawless character inherent in their practices.
“The traditional institution, being a lawful entity, is guided by law, unlike the Islamic religion. The traditionalists will take appropriate legal action to seek remedy,” he affirmed.
