The Lagos State Environmental and Special Offence Taskforce on Thursday arrested nine persons for illegal street trading in Ikotun.

The Lagos State Commissioner, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab announced their arrest on Friday morning in a post he shared on his official X account.

“The taskforce on Thursday monitored compliance and carried out enforcement at the Ikotun BRT bus station, which has been taken over illegally by street vendors for commercial purposes,” Wahab said.

“Nine suspects were apprehended during the exercise and they will all be charged to court accordingly.”

He explained that all items and wares displayed at the unauthorised location were seized.

Wahab added that the bus station and its surroundings were sanitized of menace caused by the activities of vendors who have converted the bus station and the public road for commercial purposes.

Hafizu Inuwa, Chairman of the Jigawa Tanker Explosion Investigation Panel, has said that 209 lives were lost and 99 others injured in the accident.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on Oct. 14, a fuel tanker exploded in Majiya town killing hundreds and injuring several others.

Sequel to this, Gov. Umar Namadi constituted a 25-member investigative panel to unravel the causes of the accident and recommend measures to avert future occurrences.

Inuwa said this during the presentation of the committee’s report on Wednesday in Dutse.

He said the accident claimed 209 lives, 38 injued persons were still on hospital admission and 61 others discharged while 167 families affected.

“It was further discovered that the inferno resulted in the destruction of properties worth millions of Naira,” he said.

Inuwa attributed the accident to a number of factors, including damaged speed-breaker and potholes located near the scene.

He said the committee also identified night driving and speeding as contributory factors to the inferno.

“The inferno was possibly ignited by combined factors, including but not limited to friction of metallic containers with hard surface or other containers, as victims were scooping the spilled fuel”.

The committee, he said, recommended regular inspection and enforcement of safety protocols by petroleum transporters and other articulated vehicles.

Others include upgrade of emergency response centres, establishment of a trauma and burns units in health facilities, as well as establishment of a road traffic control agency.

“Where the victims or their relatives are seemingly old and vulnerable, government should provide them with social protection and enroll the most vulnerable victims and their relatives into the Danmodi Care Programme,” he said.

The chairman further lauded the state government for its empathy, moral and psychological support to the affected community as well as the timely response to the disaster.

Responding, Namadi promised to implement the recommendations of the committee, to ensure safety and welfare of the citizens.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has uncovered a warehouse in Oke-Afa, Okota, Lagos State, stocked with unregistered and expired supermarket items.

NAFDAC made this disclosure on Wednesday night in a statement it shared on its official X account.

“Acting on intelligence, a NAFDAC team raided the facility, apprehending operators offloading a 20ft container filled with unregistered carbonated drinks,” the statement read.

“A further inspection revealed over 14 rooms packed with unregistered and expired products, some of which were contaminated by rats, indicating poor storage conditions.

“The facility was placed on hold, with all operations suspended pending further investigation.”

The agency said it has invited the management to provide sourcing evidence including the Global Listing for Supermarket Items (GLSI) certificate.

It also warned of the risks posed by unregulated products, particularly as the festive season approaches.

NAFDAC has further urged consumers to remain vigilant by verifying product sources and reporting suspicious activities to its nearest office.

The Akwa Ibom State Executive Council on Wednesday in a meeting presided over by Governor Umo Eno approved a draft budget estimate of N955 billion for the 2025 fiscal year.

A breakdown of the estimate shows that while N300b is for recurrent expenditure, N655 billion is for capital projects.

The recurrent expenditure represented a 14 percent decrease from that of 2024 while the capital expenditure of N655b reflects a 13 percent increase compared to 2024.

The commissioner for Information, Comrade Ini Ememobong, made this known in a statement he signed.

Ememobong said the council also approved a supplementary budget of N89b for 2024 being “an augmentation of the N82.4b incorporated into the 2025 appropriation bill.”

“The meeting, chaired by the Governor, Pastor Umo Eno started with the presentation of the 2024 supplementary estimates and the draft recurrent and capital budgets for 2025 by the Honourable Commissioner for Finance,” Ememobong said.

“The supplementary budget reflects savings of N8,922,513,000 and an augmentation of N82,414,029,890, incorporated into the 2024 Appropriation Bill.

“For the 2025 draft estimates, the proposed recurrent expenditure is N300,000,000,000, representing a 14% decrease from last year, while the capital expenditure is pegged at N655,000,000,000, reflecting a 13% increase compared to 2024.”

According to the commissioner, the projected Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) is N80,000,000,000, a 28% rise over the 2024 figure, adding that the council approved both estimates and directed their submission to the State House of Assembly for legislative review and further action.

He said the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service, Prof. Eno Ibanga, presented a report on pothole assessment and repairs, assuring that the state was on course to achieve a “no pothole” status.

In a major policy review, the council also approved the implementation of a 65-year retirement age for non-academic staff of state-owned tertiary institutions, effective 1st January 2025.

The council also approved the award of road projects across three senatorial districts in the state.

The projects included the construction of a 12.5km road spanning Ibesit-Ikot Oto-Ikot Ekpenyong-Ikot Akama-Itung-Ediene Attai-Ikot Ebak in Oruk Anam and Mkpat Enin LGAs.

Others were the construction of a 2.7km road from Nto Obio Akpan-Ikot Obong-Urua Akpan in Essien Udim LGA, and a 2km road from Ikot Uso-Udo Atan-Nto Obodem Mbiaso in Ikot Ekpene LGA.

Similarly, the construction of a 10.9km road with two 40m-span bridges spanning NSAID’s Use-Use Ikot Amama-Ibiaku Ikot Erica-Itong Nkwot Edem Edet in Ibiono Ibom and Ikono LGAs was also approved.

“Re-award of the 21.5km Ikot Ayan Ediene-Ikot Nita-Urua Naira-Ikot Nseyen-Nkwot-Nnung Ukim road, including a 45m-span bridge, in Ikono LGA,” Ememobong said.

“Construction of a 2km access road to the School of Health Technology in Etinan LGA. Construction of a 7.7km road, including State Housing Road with spur, Ikot Obiokpon/Ibong Road with spur, and Mount Zion Road with spurs in Ikot Ekpene LGA.”

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) neutralised over 50 boko haram members during a cross-fire in Kaduna State.

This is contained in a statement by the NSCDC Spokesperson, Babawale Afolabi.

He said that the incident took place on Monday evening.

Afolabi said that a special monitoring squad comprising of 80 officers and men were deployed to survey and monitor the recently vandalised national grid installation in Shiroro area of Niger state.

He said that the operatives drawn from the Commandant General Special Intelligence Squad (CG SIS) were sent to assess the state of damage, conduct surveillance activities and possibly arrest and bring perpetrators to book.

He said that the team were attacked while crossing from the Shiroro axis after the surveillance and monitoring oversight of the installations.

“ From the top of a hill located at Farin-Kasa, the group opened fire upon sighting the long convoy of the NSCDC monitoring team using different sophisticated weapons.

“The NSCDC operatives in the ambush however not overwhelmed by terrorists, repelled the attack and successfully neutralized over 50 of the terrorists in the crossfire,” he said.

According to him, as at the time of filling this report, about seven operatives of the corps were currently missing.

‘Efforts are currently underway to locate them in the bush. While a few others who sustained various degrees of Injuries are currently undergoing medical treatment in a Medical facility,” he said.

Afolabi added that, the NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, while awaiting the full briefing on the incident from the officers on the field described the attack as callous, unfortunate and an attack too many on security operatives who have sworn to the defence of the country.

Audi commended the courage, resilience and gallantry of the operatives in neutralising over 50 of the bandits despite the attack from the mountain top, affirming that the corps is proud of them and would never forget such unflinching commitment.

He said that the corps being the lead agency in the protection of Critical National Asset and Infrastructure (CNAI) will not be deterred by the attack but will strengthen efforts in actualising President Tinubu’s renewed hope aganda.

“The NSCDC will ensure the revival of the power sector for a stable electricity supply nationwide,” he said.

Many students in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, did not attend their schools as commercial transporters refused to convey them and other residents to their destinations.

The transporters, mostly mini-bus drivers popularly known as Korope, shunned the roads in protest against the shooting and hospitalization of the chairman of the Osun State Park Management System, Nurudeen Iyanda, popularly known as Alowonle.

Alowonle was allegedly shot in the stomach after being arrested over a domestic issue by men of the State Police Command on Tuesday.

He was said to have been rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, for medical attention.

The state government disclosed that Alowonle had been on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

Many commercial transporters have converged on the hospital premises since their chairman was rushed to the hospital and refused to work.

As a result, many school children could not go to school as transporters deserted the roads.

Some schools around Ilesa Garage, Ataoja, and Old Garage areas were shut down as tension enveloped the areas.

The acting Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun Command, Emmanuel Giwa-Alade, claimed that Alowonle was shot while trying to escape from custody.

Giwa-Alade explained that Iyanda had initially been arrested alongside some associates on Monday over allegations of murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, and malicious damage.

The Osun State Government had raised alarm over what it described as “the shooting to near death in police custody” of Alowonle, over “a domestic matter.”

A statement by Kolapo Alimi, Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment in the state, on Tuesday night called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Mr. Moses Lohor, the Head of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, accusing him of a willful act of attempted murder.

“We demand police impartiality and commitment to the rule of law without fixation on partisan considerations,” Alimi had said.

In another statement on Wednesday morning, Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, quoted Governor Ademola Adeleke calling for peace and particularly pleading with transport workers statewide not to take laws into their own hands and allow state and federal authorities to address the issue for justice to prevail.

The governor noted that he had spoken to the Inspector General of Police and that immediate actions had been directed by the police authorities to bring to book those who shot the State Park Management System chairman.

“I call on Osun transport workers to maintain peace and not to take laws into their own hands. I have acted on this sad incident. I spoke with the police chief and I had a closed-door meeting with the Commissioner of Police. Justice will be served.

“We will not allow agents of violence to destroy the peace and stability of our dear state. Do not be provoked to violence. Go about your normal duties while we handle this serious threat to the peace of our state,” the governor was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, following the fatal shooting of Alowonle, the statement noted that the Inspector General of Police has ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the Head of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Squad in Osun State, Moses Lohor, and members of his team for alleged attempted murder.

The statement disclosed that Lohor’s arrest order was confirmed by the Special Adviser to Adeleke on Security, Samuel Ojo, after a closed-door meeting between the governor and the State Commissioner of Police.

“Moses Lohor had shot Mr. Alowonle in the abdomen at the police station after his arrest over a domestic brawl with a neighbor. The park chairman is currently on life support at the Intensive Care Unit of the Osun State Teaching Hospital, Osogbo.

“Mr. Ojo narrated that the police authorities frowned upon Moses’ conduct as unprofessional, illegal, unauthorized, and against the operational code, noting that Moses and his men are about to be moved to Abuja this morning.

“We can confirm that the police authorities at the highest level have acted decisively on this matter. A clear punitive directive was issued by the IG. The governor has directed we follow up to ensure that justice is served,” the statement said.