Category: Featured

EKITI State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has dissolved the State Executive Council with immediate effect.

The announcement was made late Sunday by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro, who directed all affected Commissioners and Special Advisers to hand over to the Permanent Secretary or the most senior civil servant in their respective ministries, departments, and agencies.

Governor Oyebanji expressed appreciation to the outgoing officials for their service and wished them success in their future endeavours.

However, the statement clarified that the dissolution excludes certain key members of the cabinet, including the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Commissioner for Health and Human Services; Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security; Commissioner for Education; Commissioner for Works; Commissioner for Trade, Investment, Industry and Cooperatives; Special Adviser on Special Education and Social Inclusion; and Special Adviser on Lands, Survey and e-GIS.

In addition, all Directors General who are members of the State Executive Council will retain their positions. These include the Director General, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD); Director General, SDGs and Project Monitoring; and Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP).

The Oluwo of Iwoland, Ọba (Dr) AbdulRosheed Adéwálé Akanbi, has commended the organisers of this year’s Iwo Egungun Festival for setting a standard in the celebration of Yoruba culture and traditions.

The festival, held yesterday in Iwo, was marked by peace, orderliness, and colourful cultural displays. Masquerades showcased their skills through dance competitions rather than violence, with no reports of rancour, weapons, or public disturbances.

The town remained clean and safe throughout the celebration, with improved costumes adding more glamour to the event.

Oluwo described the peaceful conduct as a victory for Yoruba culture and a model for how traditional festivals should be celebrated across Yorubaland.

The management of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta has accused operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of invading its premises in the early hours of Sunday, August 10, 2025, in what it described as a “Gestapo-like” operation.

In a statement issued on Sunday made available to POLITICS NIGERIA, the OOPL management alleged that at about 2 a.m., over 50 armed men, purportedly EFCC agents led by one “Olapade,” stormed the complex, shooting into the air and threatening to kill people.

The raid, they claimed, caused chaos and panic among guests and residents, leaving several people injured while trying to flee.

According to the statement, “This morning, at about 2 am, the OOPL premises were invaded by a Gestapo-like gang of over 50 armed men, shootng guns, threatening to kill people, and purported to be from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The invasion, led by one “Olapade” caused serious panic and chaos, leading to serious injuries among participants trying to escape the shooting and near carnage that resulted, and causing terror among residents on the site.

2.⁠ ⁠On inquiry by phone, the “Olapade” informed the Managing Director of the OOPL establishment, Mr. Vitalis Ortese, that they were acting on intelligence about a private event in the amusement facility of the complex. They also informed management that the police have been duly informed of the operation.

3.⁠ ⁠It should be noted that the event was a private event that had been widely attended by members of the public for days prior.

4.⁠ ⁠It should also be noted that both the police officers stationed at the OOPL gates and the additional police sent from the Kemta Police Station, as requested by the organizers of the event and management, stated that they were NOT informed of any planned operation by the EFCC, and neither did they present any warrant. And when the armed men were accosted by OOPL security and assisting police officers, they simply retorted, “We are doing our job”.

5.⁠ ⁠Management wishes to state that this action by the EFCC is a clear case of invasion of private property, infringement of OOPL rights as corporate citizens, and indeed stark and blatant violation of the rights of the people who so gathered for the event.

6.⁠ ⁠Management has commenced its investigation of the invasion and will take up the matter with the highest authorities, including the EFCC, the police, and the Department of State Security,DSS.

7.⁠ ⁠In the meantime, management demands an explanation of these impudent accounts from the Commission and an apology from the EFCC authorities for the infringement of its rights, to all those who gathered, and those who sustained serious injuries from the gangster like induced chaos. Failure for which the management will be compelled to seek redress and sanctions as appropriate.

After months of fleeing abroad to evade arrest, the founder and General Overseer of The Turn of Mercy Church, Prophet Adefolusho Aanu Olasele (alias Abbas Ajakaiye) has been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for masterminding multiple shipments of illicit drugs into Nigeria.

Prophet Adefolusho was arrested at his church located in Okun Ajah, Ogombo road, Lekki area of Lagos on Sunday 3rd August 2025 by NDLEA officers who waited for him since morning to conclude the Sunday worship service in the evening before moving in on him the moment he stepped out of the church premises.

The arrest came after he had evaded arrest twice and fled to Ghana to hide since June when operatives started trailing him following the seizure of two shipments of Ghana Loud, a strain of cannabis linked to him. The first seizure of 200kg of the psychoactive substance was made at Okun Ajah beach on 4th June 2025 while another consignment of 700kg of same substance was recovered from his delivery van on 6th July 2025.

In his statement, he admitted ferrying the illicit consignments through the waterways from Ghana into Nigeria, adding that he had fled to the West African country to hide after he escaped arrest twice in the recent past.

In another operation in Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Thursday 7th August raided an apartment at Kishi House 11 Layi Ajayi Bembe street, Parkview Estate Ikoyi where they arrested a suspect Benjamin Udo Ukoh and recovered 32 pouches of Canadian Loud, a strain of Cannabis with a total weight of 15.63kg.
In Nasarawa state, NDLEA operatives on Saturday 9th August recovered a large consignment of skunk, a strain of cannabis weighing 3,093 kilograms from the trio of Emmanuel Asoquo Johnny, 51; Okem Raphael, 33, and Chekwube Odo, 25, at New Karu area of the state.

While 29-year-old Nura Yahaya was nabbed at Geza area of Kumbotso Kano State with 639 blocks of skunk weighing 359kg on Friday 8th August, another suspect Umar Adamu Umar, 27,was taken into custody on Wednesday 6th August by NDLEA officers after seizing 9kg of Colorado, a synthetic strain of cannabis from him along Zaria-Kano road, Kano.

In another interdiction operation in Kano, 20,000 pills of tramadol and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection were recovered from a suspect Usman Musa, 30, at Gadar Tamburawa along Zaria-Kano road on Friday 8th August.
A raid at an uncompleted building located at Tudun Wadan Pantami in Gombe town, Gombe state on Friday 8th August led to the recovery of 550, 266 pills of opioids mainly tramadol while a suspect Usama Isah was arrested. The following day Saturday 9th August, another suspect Ibrahim Adamu, 23, was arrested by NDLEA officers along Potiskum road, Bajoga with 50,000 capsules of tramadol.

In Edo state, a white Toyota Hiace bus marked YAB 5522 K coming from Onitsha Anambra and heading to Isanlu in Kogi was Wednesday 6th August intercepted at Ewu junction, Edo by NDLEA operatives who after a search recovered 23, 940 capsules of tramadol, 1,100 tablets of same opioid and 400 ampoules of pentazocine injection with a suspect Taiye Jethro arrested.

In like manner, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities to schools, worship centres, work places and communities among others in the past week. These include: WADA enlightenment lecture to students and staff of Mind City College, Saki, Oyo; Gwagwarwa Primary School, Nasarawa LGA, Kano; officers of the Nigerian Army 241 Recce Model Battalion, Nguru, Yobe; members of Engine Grinders Association, Gboko, Benue; while the Ekiti state command of NDLEA paid WADA advocacy visit to the Nigerian Correctional Service in Ado Ekiti, just as the Anambra state command of the Agency paid a similar WADA advocacy visit to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly.

While commending the officers and men of the Lagos, Nasarawa, Gombe, Kano, and Edo Commands for the arrests, seizures and their dexterity, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) enjoined them and their colleagues across the country to continue with the ongoing balanced approach to the drug control efforts of the Agency.

Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 93 suspected internet fraudsters in Ogun State.

According to statement made available via its official X handle:

“They were arrested on Sunday, August 10, 2025 in a sting operation in Abeokuta, Ogun State, following credible intelligence about their suspected involvement in internet crimes.

“Upon their arrest, 18 vehicles and mobile devices were recovered from them.

“They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded”.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has come under heavy criticism for allegedly withholding the discharge certificate of Rita Ushei, popularly known as Raye, after she successfully completed her mandatory one-year national service.

Amnesty International has kicked against decision made by National Youth Service Corps NYSC for its decision to deny her a service certificate over her previous stance in condemning economic hardship in the country.

Observers say the decision may be linked to Ushei’s outspoken criticism of President Bola Tinubu’s economic policies, which she aired on social media. In March, her viral TikTok video highlighting the widespread hardship and inflation triggered by the government’s policies sparked online debate — and also drew threats to her life.

Rights advocates argue that the NYSC’s action amounts to an abuse of power and an attack on the constitutional right to freedom of expression. They maintain that expressing discontent over government policies is not a crime, and authorities should focus on tackling the economic crisis rather than silencing critics.

Since May 2023, policy changes have pushed millions of Nigerians — especially those on low incomes — deeper into poverty, making it increasingly difficult to afford food, healthcare, and education. Critics say punishing a citizen for speaking out only deepens concerns over intolerance and shrinking civic space in Nigeria.

The attention of the Ogun State Government has been drawn to a press statement issued by the Media Office of the Senator representing Ogun East and a former Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, on Saturday, August 9 and titled “Political Persecution as Governor Abiodun Issues Quit, Demolition Notices on Daniel’s Properties in Ogun State.”

The statement written in extremely bad taste and with intent to cause disaffection and foment chaos in the state alleges that Governor Dapo Abiodun posted Notices of Contravention, Quit and threats of demolition on the Asoludero Court Sagamu private residence of Gbenga Daniel,the Conference Hotels Limited, Sagamu and the hotel Annex of the former Governor of Ogun State, with intent to illegally demolish those properties.

The statement framed the said notices purportedly received on Friday, August 8, as a clear demonstration of “malicious and vindictive abuse of power, hiding behind a newly-enacted law retroactively to target a political opponent.” Nothing can be further from the truth.

Of course, in what has become a familiar pattern, Senator Daniel and his Media Office have been ascribing political motives to a routine procedure, suggesting that they have something to hide and do not mind using underhand tactics to achieve their sinister objectives.

Contrary to the blatant distortions of facts and egregious purveyors of falsehood been propagated by the statement in question, the Ogun State Government is not engaged in any untoward move against Otunba Gbenga Daniel in anyway.

The fact of the matter, quite simply, is that in his holistic approach to development efforts across the length and breadth of Ogun State, His Excellency, Governor Dapo Abiodun, has embarked not only on building new communities as exemplified by the affordable housing estates and the yellow roof revolution but also on the redevelopment of Ogun State’s towns and cities through urban renewal. This, he started with Ibara GRA in Abeokuta, the state capital, and is being extended to Sagamu and Ijebu-Ode GRAs. This initiative involves the auditing of existing developments within these areas in order to determine the permit status of all types of developments, including houses, schools, hospitals and other commercial buildings. This is a statutory and due process requirement which will provide information for any government intervention. And this informed the development audit exercise currently being carried out simultaneously both in Ijebu-Ode and Sagamu GRAs.

Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s building happens to be within the Sagamu GRA and among those that were served notices as required under the Town Planning Law and Regulation of Ogun State. Many other structures were also similarly served. The exercise is a continuous one until the objective of government for the exercise is achieved. This process is not new. It had been in existence and operated even during his tenure as Governor of the State. The GRA is a government designed and allocated estate and it is subject to regulatory and oversight functions of governmet in perpetuity. All Otunba Gbenga Daniel needs to do, like every other person’s in similar situation that have been served with such notices in that neighbourhood, is to present his planning permit and land title to the relevant government Agency office for verification within the time specified in the notices rather than resorting to cheap blackmail. There are no exemptions under the law except as permitted by that Law.

Did the distinguished senator not conduct a check around the neighbourhood before hastily rushing to the media to demonise Governor Dapo Abiodun and his administration, as usual? The statement in question jumped the gun by saying that the Government is focusing on Senator Daniel. That is a barefaced lie. It is the duty of the Government to carry out audits and for someone who has been in office as Governor and who is now a Senator to be crying wolf is highly unfortunate. It seems that Senator Gbenga Daniel and his crew will do anything they can to drag the name of Governor Dapo Abiodun into every issue imaginable just to score cheap political points. This is not a hallmark of statesmanship, a topic that the distinguished senator likes to talk about with flourish; it is a dark tactic.

Nobody is bigger than the State. Senator Gbenga Daniel is distinguished no doubt, but he is not bigger than Ogun State. He should submit himself unreservedly to the same laws he once swore twice to uphold. He should refrain from elevating every issue of his contact with government institutions to a personal vendetta by Governor Abiodun, who obviously holds him in high esteem. Since his referenced buildings must have conformed with government regulations, there should not be any problem. The distinguished Senator knows the law and has presumably abided by it, so why is he crying foul instead of simply complying with lawful directive, supremely confident in the knowledge that he has done no wrong, and knowing the rights afforded him by the Constitution and the courts?

No one should assign impure motives to a routine procedure. If anyone is after Senator Gbenga Daniel, it is certainly not the Governor of Ogun State.

Fuji music legend, Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, popularly known as K1 De Ultimate, has apologised over the controversy surrounding an incident involving him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on August 5, 2025.

In a statement personally signed on Friday, the veteran singer expressed regret but maintained that contrary to some reports, the flask he carried on the day contained only water and not alcohol.

“The incident that occurred at the local wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport was, to say the least, unfortunate,” he said.

K1 revealed that he suffers from chronic dehydration, a condition that requires him to stay constantly hydrated on the advice of his doctor.

“This is why I always carry a water flask with me,” he explained, adding, “Contrary to the negative narrative being circulated in some quarters, the flask contained only water, not alcohol.”

He further clarified that the flask was empty during two separate security checks and was only filled with water at the airport lounge before he proceeded to the tarmac.

He stressed that he had not boarded the aircraft at the time, “let alone being deboarded,” and said his account could be verified through CCTV footage.

The Fuji maestro apologised to the Presidency, the Ministry of Aviation, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, ValueJet, and Nigerians at large.

“I acknowledge and deeply regret the concerns that arose from the incident. It was never my intention to cause any disruption or violate aviation protocols,” he stated.

Reaffirming his patriotism and long-standing commitment to Nigeria, K1 said, “My unwavering patriotism and loyalty to the Federal Republic of Nigeria have never been in doubt. I would never do anything to tarnish the image I’ve built over the past five decades.”

He appreciate his fans for their support and reiterating his dedication to his role as a cultural ambassador for Nigerian music.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned members endorsing President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid to desist or face disciplinary action.

In a statement on Friday, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) was alarmed by persistent public support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate from some prominent members.

The NWC described such endorsements as “anti-party activities” in breach of Section 10(6) of the PDP Constitution, which prohibits aligning with rival parties to undermine the PDP.

“These activities have caused division, disaffection and the loss of members, with the potential to weaken our electoral chances if unchecked,” the statement read. It added that violators risk sanctions under Section 59(1) of the constitution.

The party urged members to remain loyal ahead of its national convention, scheduled for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Notable PDP figures have recently backed Tinubu, including Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who pledged to deliver Rivers State for the president in 2027, despite the APC securing less than 10 per cent of votes there in 2023.

In Ogun State, PDP chairman Abayomi Tella and 2023 governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu endorsed Tinubu during a by-election rally, while Osun State PDP caucus, led by Governor Ademola Adeleke, adopted him as its preferred candidate on July 22.

The Osun endorsement sparked rumours of Adeleke’s possible defection to the APC ahead of 2026, though he insists he remains committed to the PDP.