A former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, has revealed that the people he dislike most while he was an undergraduate student were the police officers. Speaking in an interview with TheSun on Saturday, to mark his 75th birthday, Okiro, who served as the 13th IGP, said that joining the police was a miracle. According to him, his hatred for the police force grew when he became a student activist at the University of Ibadan. He added that his team often had an encounter with the security agency, adding that they were always prevented from doing what they thought was right. Okoro said: “That I grow up to be an IGP is by God’s grace. That I equally joined the police was something out of the ordinary. Because as a young man growing up, I never had an encounter with the police. We saw the police from a distance....Read More

“My father was a civil servant. When I became a student in university, one of the people I hated the most was the police. Why? because I was a student activist. I believed in taking active action in student activities. Often then we had an encounter with the police and I did not like the police at all because they were always preventing us from doing what we thought was right to do. They were always preventing us from protesting against domination and injustice. So, I did not like the police. But here I am now. I joined the police out of curiosity and adventure. I became the IG by God’s providence and blessing. I retired after 60 years of age. It is the mandatory age for retirement. Here I am now at 75.

Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and chairman of Dangote Industries Limited, has disclosed that he will no longer continue with plans to enter Nigeria’s steel industry....Read More

His revelation comes two months after his company said it was making plans to invest in the steel industry.

Addressing journalists at his refinery in Lagos this weekend, Dangote said the organisation’s board decided to avoid the steel industry “to prevent accusations of being branded a monopoly”.

“You know, about doing a new business which we announced, that is, steel. Actually, our board has decided that we shouldn’t do the steel because if we do the steel business, we will be called all sorts of names like monopoly,” he said.

“And then also, imports will be encouraged. So we don’t want to go into that.

“If you look at all our operations at Dangote (Group), we add value; we take local raw materials and turn them into products, and we sell.

“We have never consciously or unconsciously stopped anybody from doing the same business that we are doing.

“When we first came into cement production, it was only Lafarge that was operating here in Nigeria… Nobody ever called Lafarge a monopoly,” he said.

He said labelling his group of companies as monopolistic is disheartening.

“Monopoly is when you stop people, you block them through legal means. No, it is a level playing field whereby whatever Dangote was given in cement, for example, other people were given because some of them even got more than us,” he added.

Dangote encouraged Nigerians to invest in the industry to help boost the country’s economy.

“Let other Nigerians go and do it. We are not the only Nigerians here. There are some Nigerians with more cash than us,” the billionaire said.

“They should bring that money from Dubai and other parts of the world and invest in our fatherland”.

A group, Self Reliance for Physically Challenged Traders of Nigeria, has warned against plunging the country into chaos through violent protest....Read More

A statement issued on Monday by Comrade Munnir Shehu and Alhaji Yakubu Ibrahim, Chairman and Secretary of the group, while reacting to the planned protests by youths against president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led administration on alledged hardship posed on the country through his new policies and reforms in an open letter on “the negative impacts of youth protest against president Bola Ahmed Tinubu”.

In the letter, the group noted that Nigeria is yet to recover from the scars posed on the nation by the 2021 EndSARS protest, stressing that such the government must put up appropriate measures to stop any protest that would lead to the breakdown of laws and order.

The group further disclosed that the disability group would try everything possible to mobilize it’s members both for self defence and for the integrity of Nigeria, adding that embracing constructive dialogue remains panacea to solve Nigeria’s problem and not protest.

“We, the self-reliance for Physically Challenged Traders of Nigeria, are compelled to urgently address the recent calls for youth protests against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. We firmly believe that such actions pose a significant and imminent threat to our nation’s stability, unity, and progress, and could potentially plunge our country into chaos, comparable to the destabilization seen in other nations experiencing similar unrest.

“Let it be known that if these protests proceed, we will mobilize massively across the country to defend our rights and the integrity of Nigeria. Protests of this nature are not only unproductive but also dangerously destabilizing, ” the statement explained.

The group stated that the risk of plunging the nation into chaos, undermining the very fabric of the society, and inflicting harm on all citizens, especially the physically challenged community who are often the most vulnerable during times of unrest, said that they do not want to experience the turmoil and violence that occurred during the EndSARS protests, which left deep scars on the nation.

The statement called on the youth and all concerned citizens to consider the potential consequences of their actions, saying that the government has taken significant steps to address the pressing issues facing the nation with the introduction of student loans, designed to make education more accessible and attainable for all, and the proposed ₦70,000 minimum wage, aimed at improving the standard of living for workers and their families.

It added that the Npower program, which has provided valuable employment and training opportunities for countless Nigerians, will continue to be a cornerstone of the government’s efforts to combat unemployment and enhance skills development, stressing that all outstanding issues related to the program will be resolved, and the stipends will be increased from ₦30,000 to a higher, more sustainable amount, ensuring that participants receive fair compensation for their contributions.

The group appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fill the existing ministerial vacancies promptly by appointing qualified individuals to the crucial positions to enhance the efficiency of the government’s operations and ensure that all sectors are functioning optimally.

Nollywood actor and producer Prince Henry Ode, based in Port Harcourt, has been identified among the nine kidnappers recently killed by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command during a kidnapping attempt in the Ladipo area of Lagos. It has been confirmed by the police that Ode was indeed one of the criminals involved in the heist....Read More

The Lagos State Police Command reported that the nine kidnappers were killed during an operation led by detectives from the Commissioner of Police Special Squad. The operation took place at the Ladipo auto spare parts market, where the kidnappers had attempted to abduct a wealthy businessman. Following the incident, detectives have been working tirelessly to identify the dead kidnappers through both electronic and intelligence investigations. During the investigation, police recovered four mobile phones and other personal items from the dead kidnappers.

Shockingly, it was discovered that the two vehicles used in the kidnapping operation—a Lexus 350 Jeep and a 4 Runner Jeep—were registered in Prince Ode’s name. Additionally, the mobile phones used by the kidnappers were also registered under his name, although they contained pictures of unidentified young men and fake addresses. Further investigation revealed that one of the dead kidnappers was a twin, whose brother fled their shared residence upon learning of his sibling’s death.

The information was corroborated by a WhatsApp user who recognized five of the kidnappers from pictures and videos circulated online. The user identified two of the deceased as frequent patrons of a local bar, where they were known for their lavish spending and flashy appearances. Efforts to trace and arrest the remaining members of the gang are ongoing. One fleeing suspect was tracked to a northern city, and another popular hangout spot in Lagos frequented by the gang is under police surveillance. Ajapareporter.com reports that the owner of a beer parlor associated with the kidnappers has been detained and is cooperating with the investigation.

A Max Airline aircraft lost six tyres while trying to depart Yola Airport in Adamawa state to Abuja on Sunday evening....Read More

This was contained in a statement by the Director of Public and Consumer Protection of the airline, Bimbo Oladeji.

Oladeji said that the aircraft was carrying 119 passengers and six crew members.

“This evening, Max Air’s flight NGL1649, a Boeing 737 with registration 5N-ADB, carrying 119 passengers and six crew members, was cleared for takeoff from Yola Airport en route to Abuja,” she said in a statement late Sunday.

She explained that during the takeoff roll, a loud bang was heard, identified as the bursting of the rear gear tyres, adding that initially, two tyres burst.

According to her, while the plane was trying to taxi off the runway, the remaining two tyres also burst, rendering the aircraft completely disabled.

Oladeji said that fortunately no one was injured in the incident.

“Fortunately, no injuries were reported. A go-team, led by NSIB Director General Captain Alex Badeh Jr., will visit the incident site tomorrow morning to conduct an investigation,” Oladeji said.

After over four years of bitter feud with his ‘father’, like the biblical prodigal son, embattled and recently reinstated deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, on Saturday returned home to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and penitently kowtowed to his estranged political godfather, and former governor of the state, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole. Shaibu had tagged along with Governor Godwin Obaseki to dump the APC for the People’s Democratic Party, PDP which had offered the then embattled governor a second term ticket which was denied him by the APC when he fell out with Oshiomhole, then National Chairman of the ruling party....Read More

All had been well between the duo until sometime last year, when Shaibu’s governorship ambition put spanner in the works, and he got booted out of his exalted office on April 8, 2024, when he was impeached by the state House of Assembly, a process believed to have been oiled by the governor. He however got reinstated on the order of Justice James Kolawole Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division last Thursday, following a suit filed before the court to challenge his impeachment.

It was therefore a happy reunion when Shaibu officially returned to the APC alongside prominent members of the Dan Osi Orbih-led faction of the PDP, known as the Legacy Group with which he had aligned after falling out with Obaseki, promising to add value to the party.

Arriving the venue of the inauguration of the National Campaign Council of the party for the September 21 governorship poll where the defectors were received, Shaibu headed straight to where Oshiomhole was seated and knelt before him, to the cheer of the teeming party faithful at the arena, as the former governor embraced him.

Recall that in the heat of his feud with Obaseki, there were speculations that Shaibu was making moves to jump the PDP ship and return to the APC, a move allegedly resisted by Oshiomhole. When on August 10, last year, journalists sought his comment on the developments in the PDP after Shaibu approached the court with a prayer to restrain the governor and the House of Assembly from impeaching him, and his move to return to his former party when he paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Esongba of Benin Kingdom, Chief David Edebiri, Oshiomhole said dismissively that the APC is not a place where “distressed politicians” were rehabilitated, and advised Shibu to resolve his issues with his principal. He posited that the rate of defection in political parties shows that the only “constant factor is Nigeria”.

The former governor wondered if the court could adjudicate on a purported impeachment. According to him, “All I can say is that regardless of the party divides, it is my wish for Edo to be governed in peace and harmony because of the super party to which we all belong, the Federal Republic of Nigerianite in APC The political parties, even the rates of decamping and ‘recamping’ shows that the only thing that is constant is Nigeria and not the political parties. To that extent, as someone who has had the rare privilege to be the chief steward at the Osadebey Avenue, it is my wish that this government and even future governments regardless of the political parties, govern in peace.

“But what I read, if that is what you are referring to about somebody going to court to complain about suspicion of being impeached. I don’t know how court adjudicates over suspicion; maybe I am a very poor legal student. I don’t know about that. But let me say this; to say that somebody wants to run to APC, APC is not a rehabilitation centre. I can tell you that for free. We, APC, are satisfied the way we are. We are happy in opposition, and we are not about to receive people who are coming because they have lost out. No IDP camp in APC. It was however a different story on Saturday as Shaibu was received with open arms by Oshiomhole and other APC bigwigs. The National Secretary of the party, Tajudeen Ajibola Bashiru, who received them, said confidently that the calibre of the defectors guaranteed the victory of the APC in every ward in the state in the upcoming governorship poll.

On the Federal High Court judgement that reinstated Shaibu as deputy governor of the state, Bashiru asserted that “Anyone saying Shaibu is not the Deputy Governor of Edo State is acting in contempt of court judgement and in due course, will go to jail. Inaugurating the Campaign Council, an elated National Chairman of the party, and former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, said the defection of Philip Shaibu, the deputy governor of Edo State, and others, had already given 50 percent of Edo people and government to the APC, and charged members of the Council to swing into action to ensure that all wards and units in Edo come out to campaign. Disclosing that the party would soon hold a grand rally in Benin to be attended by President Bola Tinubu, Ganduje cheekily said in veiled reference to Governor Obaseki, that Okpebholo, the APC governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, “are not coming with MoUs, but concrete plans to develop Edo State and to connect the state to the centre. According to him, “Okpebholo is a developer who knows the meaning of development, while Idahosa is a projects man. I urge you to vote for them. he appealed to Edo people, adding that they had already developed a blueprint for the development of the state. The former governor thanked the Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Ewuare II, for maintaining peace in his domain, assuring him that the incoming APC government would respect the traditional institution and work with him. In his speech, Oshiomhole, the senator representing Edo North in the National Assembly, opined that the gathering represented the very essence of the broom, a reunion of the people who were deceived in their former party.

He noted that the party’s candidate, Monday Okpebholo, has a huge task ahead of him as governor of Edo State. He tasked Edo people to compare the APC years in government to the PDP administration of almost eight years and see the difference.

According to him, “Edo people have the chance to sit back and ask themselves the differences in the years the APC ruled the state, and the years the PDP ruled. Governance is about having human empathy. Those who do not know your house cannot fix the leakages; only those who know the leakages can help fix them. If they can cheat themselves and go to court, we will not allow them to cheat (at the polls). It will be one-man-one-vote. He regretted the lack of sustenance by Obaseki, of the development legacy of his administration in all sectors, adding that the difference between his government and that of Obaseki was clear. Comparing the APC candidate with that of the PDP, Oshiomhole said governance is about empathy which is one of the strengths of Okpebholo which he said Ighodalo lacks. Buttressing his position with the problem of insecurity in Edo Central senatorial district where Ighodalo hails from, that necessitated fund-raising by the people to tackle the menace, Oshiomhole noted that Ighodalo contributed paltry N100, 000, whereas Okpebholo contributed millions of Naira.

Reacting to the killing of Police Inspector Akoh Onuh, one of the security details of Senator Okpebholo, Oshiomhole vowed to ensure that the National Assembly investigated the death, promising that the investigation would not be messed up the same way investigation into the killing of his former principal private Secretary, (Olaitan Oyerinde) in similar manner was messed-up. “This killing must not be messed-up”, he declared.
While calling on the IGP to disband the ESSN, Oshiomhole gave a similar charge to Okpebholo to dissolve the outfit if he became governor of the state.
Urging the state Commissioner of Police, Funsho Adegboye, “to defend the integrity of his uniform”, Oshiomhole insisted that “The days of oppression are over. They shall know no peace because they have murdered sleep. Addressing the gathering, Okpebholo said Edo State had never been divided like it had now become. Upbraiding Governor Obaseki for allegedly raising the state’s debt from about ₦43 billion at the inception of his administration to over ₦500 billion presently, he said “We are here to change it; we are coming to restore infrastructure, to restore education, and to restore security to the state. We are bringing practical governance into the state.

The State chairman of APC, Emperor Jarret Tenebe, while speaking, urged the national chairman of the party to join them to rescue the state from the grip of the PDP.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the National Campaign Council and Governor of Cross Rivers, Bassey Otu, promised to deliver the state for the APC, come September 21.

Speaking on behalf of scores of defectors, prominent among whom were the former speaker of the House of Assembly, Frank Okiye; Nosa Adams, a lawyer, who served at various times in the PDP as chairman, Egor local government council, and publicity secretary; Martin Osakue, an educationist, and proprietor, Paragon Group of Schools; Prince Austin Eweka, and Felix Okhabue, a former chairman of Esan West local government council, and a governorship aspirant, who served as commissioner for business, wealth creation and cooperatives under Obaseki, Shaibu said, “On behalf of the Legacy Group, I announce our movement to the APC. We have come to add value to the party. It is time to take back our state. We will not talk too much because action will speak for us. We are not afraid; we are ready to move forward.

We, the homebody is ready to take our state back through the APC governorship candidate, Monday Okpebholo and his running mate, Dennis Idahosa. We are not troublemakers, but if it comes, we will use it to rub our body and we move on. Shaibu, who dumped the APC for the PDP with Obaseki June 16, 2020, said “It is a triumphant homecoming for me, as I officially return to the All-Progressives Congress, (APC) the party where I am accepted, valued, and welcomed with open arms. The party holds a special place in my heart, and where I have shared countless memories. I am grateful to be back among the people and community that have always supported me, and to reunite with my political family.

Nigerian activist lawyer, Madubuachi Idam has said President Joe Biden of the United States, US, pulled out of the presidential race due to his poor performance and ailing health....Read More

Idam said Nigerian politicians would never emulate such a move because they downplay competence.

In a chat with DAILY POST, the activist lawyer noted that Nigerians should consider the soundness of mind and body as a factor in electing a leader.

According to Idam: “Joe Biden has stepped aside ( not willingly) from his second presidential bid, chiefly because of his poor performance at the presidential debate and his ailing health. Politicians in Nigeria bluntly snub debate and not even a head roll. In fact, most often than not, those who snubed debates or performed poorly during debates get elected afterwards.

“Competence is not a factor in Nigerian politics, but money is. Yet, we all clamour every day for change but recycle incompetent and unhealthy leaders by our own votes and expect them to effectively pilot the affairs of over 250 million people.

“Leadership is not a gamble, no economy is ever grown without sound policies deliberately and consciously made with an intention to achieve set results.

“The earlier Nigerian people begin to consider the soundness of mind and body as a factor in electing a leader, the sooner we start solving some of our leadership problems.”

Veekee James

Popular Nigerian fashion designer, Veekee James has celebrated her milestone on the photo-sharing app, Instagram as gains1.5 million followers.

Just a few months ago, she celebrated reaching one million followers, and now her followership has soared by an extra 500,000.

The celebrity designer shared her excitement on Instagram, admitting she didn’t know how to react to such a milestone and expressing her gratitude to her fans.

“1.5 Million VJ Army is crazzyyyyyy🤯🤯. I don’t know how to act🙈💃🏻🥰😍💃🏻💃🏻💥. Thank you all so much❤️,” she wrote while sharing stunning photos.

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