Author: Lekan Adeyeye

THE Lagos State Police Command has discovered a baby factory in the Ijegun area of the state and rescued 10 people. Three suspects were also arrested. The spokesperson for the command, Benjamin Hundeyin, shared this with reporters on Monday. Hundeyin said the illegal activity was exposed after the police received a tip-off last Saturday. He said officers quickly went to the location and arrested the main suspect, Mariam Vincent, aged 35, along with two others – Orie Ruth, 23, and Ujunwa Ifeanyi, 18. During the operation, the police found and rescued several victims, including three children aged seven, five, and…

THE African Digital Economy & Inclusivity Conference (AFDEIC 2025) has been announced and is set to be held in Abuja, Nigeria, from August 12 to 14, 2025. The event is expected to bring together government officials, policymakers, business leaders, tech innovators, academics, and development partners to discuss Africa’s digital economy and the role of artificial intelligence in fostering inclusive growth. Organisers, in a statement on Sunday, said the conference, themed: “AI and Africa’s Digital Economy: Leaving No One Behind”, would focus on financial inclusion, digital infrastructure expansion, AI adoption, data governance, and cybersecurity. They said discussions would explore strategies to…

A FORMER Oyo State Governor, Victor Olunloyo, is dead. He died at the age of 90. The family announced the death in a statement on Sunday. According to a message sent by his wife, Mrs Ronke Olunloyo, the former governor died at a private hospital in Ibadan after a brief illness. Before his death, preparations were in top gear for his 90th birthday celebration coming up later in the month of April. Her message reads, “With a heavy heart but gratitude to the Almighty, we announce the passing into glory of Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo, former governor of Oyo State,…

OBA Abimbola Owoade has been crowned the 46th Alaafin of Oyo. Owoade succeeds the 45th Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who died on April 22, 2022, at the age of 83. The staff of office had earlier been presented to the new king by the Oyo state Governor, Seyi Makinde, in January. He completed the compulsory 21-day traditional rites known as Oro Ipebi last Saturday, March 29. The coronation event took place today (Saturday) at Oliveth Baptist High School in Oyo, where Governor Seyi Makinde led a host of dignitaries, including notable Nigerians. Dignitaries present at the coronation included…

FOLLOWING recent launch of former military President, Ibrahim Babangida’s autobiography, the family of Newswatch magazine’s co-founder, Dele Giwa, has urged journalists to tell the right narratives. Recall precisely February 20, 2025, Babangida launched his autobiography in Abuja, titled, ‘A journey in service.’ In chapter 10 of the book, titled, “The challenges of leadership,” Babangida exonerated his administration’s involvement in Giwa’s murder, saying the insinuation that the parcel bomb might have come from the headquarters of the administration was cheap and foolish. He queried, “Why would an officially-planned high-level assassination carry an apparent forwarding address of the killer? Why would a…

A NEW report released by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has revealed inconsistencies in the electoral process during the 2024 governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, with discrepancies in vote counts and data released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The report sighted by News Point Nigeria, revealed discrepancies between the figures recorded on the INEC Election Result Viewing (IReV) portal and those officially declared at the state collation centres, showed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) gained 40,871 more votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost 10,680 votes. During the public presentation of the document titled “Ballot…

A LAGOS-BASED member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ushie Uguamaye, could have her service year extended by 30 days with half pay following her criticism of the administration of President Bola Tinubu. This is according to the NYSC Bye Laws (Revised 2011). Recently, Uguamaye, known on TikTok as @talktoraye, shared a video in which she called out the Tinubu administration over the economic hardship Nigerians have faced since it was sworn in. In another TikTok video, the young lady claimed that she was threatened on the phone by an official of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for…

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the N15.6tn Lagos-Calabar Coastal highway project as wasteful and corrupt. He equally slammed the President Bola Tinubu administration for spending N21bn on a new official residence for Vice President Kashim Shettima, calling it a misplaced priority and conduit designed to embezzle public funds. The ex-leader disclosed this in chapter six of his new book, ‘Nigeria: Past and Future’ where he painted the portrait and characters of chief executives at both the federal and state levels. The book was one of the two new books unveiled to mark Obasanjo’s 88th birthday last week. The Minister…

TWO remains of unidentified persons have been recovered following an explosion on Tuesday night that triggered an inferno on Otedola Bridge, Lagos. Four others sustained varying degrees of injuries, while four buildings and 15 vehicles were destroyed. This newspaper reported that the blast involved a 30-tonne DAF gas truck. Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, made the disclosure at 10:30 p.m. He explained, “The accident was suspected to have occurred when the vehicle was trying to ascend the link road to the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by Otedola Bridge. Consequently, the vehicle somersaulted, spilled its entire contents on…

THE Supreme Court of Nigeria has dismissed the appeal filed by Agboola Ajayi of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State, against the candidacy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of the All Progressive Congress (APC). In the lead Judgement delivered by Justice Lawal Garba, the apex court dismissed Agboola Ajayi’s appeal on the ground that it was filed out of time and that he lacked the right to file the lawsuit being from another party. The court added that the matter is an internal affair of the defendant’s party. The apex court held that the appellants lacked the locus standi…

THE Osun State Government has formally petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the immediate past governor and current Minister of Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, over the alleged misappropriation of a $20m World Bank health grant. The government also accused Oyetola of money laundering, financial misconduct and violations of the Public Procurement Act in the disbursement of the grant meant for health sector improvements in the state. According to an acknowledged copy of the petition dated March 7, 2025, and obtained by our correspondent on Friday, Oyetola, during his tenure as governor, chaired a special Health Intervention Committee…

FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo will make public presentation of his two new books as part of activities to commemorate his 88th birthday celebrations, which hit climax in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital on March 5. The books are: “Lest we forget: Slavery, Slave Trade, Emancipation and Reparation” and “Nigeria: Past and the Future.” A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi on Tuesday, hinted that the ceremony would also include a public lecture on slavery and colonisation. The Director General, Nigerian Institute for International Affairs, Prof. Eghosa Osaghae will deliver the lecture on “Echoes of the Past, Visions of…

JOURNALISTS were denied entry into the Lagos State House of Assembly complex on Monday morning as the House prepared to hold a plenary session. Our correspondent, along with a journalist from The Cable, was stopped by security operatives at the entrance around 11 a.m. When asked why the press was not allowed in, a policeman simply responded, “That’s the instruction. You cannot enter.” Several journalists remained outside the assembly complex, unable to gain access. Meanwhile, a heavy security presence—comprising policemen, civil defense officers, and Lagos State Neighbourhood Security Corps—was observed both inside and around the premises. All access roads to…

OGUN police have arrested an enraged father, Odukaye Kunle, who brutalised his five–year–old son, Boluwatife, in Otta area, Ogun State as the boy was ready to go to school This newspaper reports that a trending video, depicted Odukaye furiously using his right leg to brush the boy off his feet, apparently when the boy approached him in the morning to request money for snacks. The angry father, who was busy with phone, swept the unsuspecting boy’s feet of the ground, causing him to burst into a horrific shriek when he violently fell backward, hitting the back of his head hard…

LUCKY Aiyedatiwa, governor of Ondo, has commuted the sentences of 15 prisoners on death row. Aiyedatiwa, who begins his official tenure as governor on Monday, has been ‘acting governor’ since December 27, 2023, following the demise of Rotimi Akeredolu. A statement on Monday by Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa’s chief press secretary, said the governor also pardoned 43 convicts and ordered the release of eight incarcerated inmates. “As part of this initiative, the Governor has ordered the outright release of 8 individuals who were previously incarcerated,” the statement reads. “Additionally, 15 condemned inmates who were sentenced to death by hanging have had…

VOTING commenced in the Osun State local government election on Saturday morning as scheduled despite prior controversy. The exercise commenced in some local governments as early as 8am, including Ede North Local Government Area where Governor Ademola Adeleke voted. The governor after casting his vote, described the exercise as peaceful, calling on the people of the state to come out and vote peacefully. Voters were seen casting their votes in some of the polling units, as the exercise moved on seamlessly. The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi and the Nigeria Police Force had called for the to suspension…

FRESH tension enveloped Osun State yesterday ahead of the Local Government elections scheduled for today with Police Inspector General Kayode Egbetokun urging Governor Ademola Adeleke to shelve the election to prevent bloodshed. Egbetokun said there was credible intelligence suggesting a high likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the government proceed with the election. The state government rejected the police advice outright last night, citing the “ rule of law and aversion to police partisanship.’ The headquarters of the State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) in Osogbo was under lock and key. No officials were in sight and there was…

GOVERNOR Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State will, on Thursday,  deliver the 6th yearly lecture of Freedom Online newspaper in Lagos. A statement by the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the online newspaper, Gabriel Akinadewo, says while Fubara is the Special Guest Speaker, former Governor of Ogun State and Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is the Keynote Speaker of the lecture with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Socio-Political Challenges: Whose Fault, Leaders or the Led?’ The Chairman of the event is former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party  (PDP), Chief Olabode George. Other personalities billed to grace the  lecture are…

OSUN State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has insisted that the local government elections scheduled for Saturday. The governor made this known in a statement on Friday by his spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, despite an appeal from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, to suspend the polls. According to Adeleke, democracy is guided by the rule of law and that no individual has the authority to override the courts. “As for me and my people, we stand by the rule of law, not illegal self-help. Election is going to hold, and the outcome will be a fast-tracked development…

THE Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, has asked Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State to put the local government election scheduled for Saturday, February 22, 2025, on hold. According to the justice minister, the Court of Appeal, Akure division, on February 10, 2025, nullified the judgement of the Federal High Court, Osogbo, delivered on November 25, 2022. The AGF said the verdict of the appellate court implied that the All Progressives Congress (APC) local council chairmen formerly sacked by the lower court have been restored. At least six persons have been confirmed dead since Monday, when APC…