Tag: lagos

  • “I have lived every single day a happy man” – Spyro says as he announces engagement to fiancée

    “I have lived every single day a happy man” – Spyro says as he announces engagement to fiancée

    Nigerian Singer, Spyro has announced his engagement to a lady he met at a club in Lagos.

    Spyro wrote on his Instagram page that it was exactly 2:48 when he met the answer to his prayers while at work. 

    “And from then till now I have lived every single day a happy man,” he wrote.

    Adding to his post was a statement of appreciation to the love of his life.

    “Thank you for saying YES, my sweet J. I can’t wait to spend forever with you,” Spyro wrote as he announced his engagement

    The “Who is your Guy” hitmaker’s post was shared with photos of their romantic proposal.

    The news has since been met with an outpouring of congratulatory messages from fans and industry colleagues. 

    A couple of months ago, Ghanaian rapper, Samuel Adu Frimpong, popularly known as Medikal also indicated that his relationship with singer, Eazzy is not an industry-driven-affair but a connection that commenced on Instagram.

    Medikal acknowledged that his connection with another musician in the industry may have created the impression that he is quick to get along with ladies in that circle but that is not the case for him.

    “It’s not like I go in for people I am in the same field with. We met on Instagram. I proposed to her and she accepted,” he clarified.

    A few days ago, Medikal confirmed that he is in a romantic relationship with singer Eazzy.

    His confirmation ended months of swirling rumors and fan speculation following their public appearances at different locations and times, which suggested they are now lovebirds.

    The pair have been spotted enjoying cosy moments together, from club appearances to intimate car rides, to posing for seemingly loved-up couple pictures, sparking rumours of a budding romance.

    Confirming the rumors on Hitz FM, Medikal quizzed Andy Dosty, “Eazzy First Lady?, adding that, “That’s my woman”.

    Andy probed further for explanation as to what Medikal meant by “my woman,” and he responded by singing “My woman, my everything / My woman oh oh, I go fit buy you anything,” a hit song by Patoranking, featuring Wande Coal.

    “She’s my girlfriend now… my babe, my rib,” adding that he is going to marry her a grand wedding soon.

    “Will I marry her? Yes. Hard. Very, very soon. Definitely. I don’t know how to hide things. I’m open with my life… I hope she will be my last stop. I don’t believe in polygamy,” he said.

    Andy Dosty further went on to ask Medikal why he hadn’t collaborated musically with Eazzy, especially since he had done so with his previous partners like Fella Makafui and Sister Deborah.

    He intends to take a different turn with Eazzy unlike he did with his former partners, whom he featured in songs. He explained that, though he loves to involve his partners in his business or what he does, this time around he would like to do things differently.

    He however confirmed they both have projects together but that is not the focus currently, but what matters is how “they feel about each other”. According to the ‘Omo Ada’ hitmaker, he is not one who hides his relationships hence once he starts making romantic post or other things on his social media platforms, people can easily make meanings out of them.

    Recounting how they met, Medikal revealed that, it all started on Instagram. Where he initiated contact, after which she eventually said yes.

    Medikal has since declined to comment on whether his romance with Eazzy began before his marriage with Fella Makafui ended.

    It would be recalled that Medikal tied the knot with Fella in a beautiful and simple ceremony in March 2020. The ceremony held at Odekye Gardens in East Legon saw the friends and family, including celebrities like Ghanaian dancehall artist Shatta Wale and singer Sista Afia in attendance.

    The couple announced the welcome of their daughter, Island Frimpong, and celebrated their one-year anniversary in 2021.

    Before the wedding in 2020, Medikal drove with Shatta Wale to go and plead for a second chance with Fella after a fallout which nearly caused their seperation.

    Shatta Wale after speaking with Fella, went on his knees to drive home his pleas. “I dey beg give Medikal,” the singer was heard saying.

    A supposed fan who was present at the scene also knelt down, saying, if Shatta Wale is kneeling down, then it is prudent that they all have to follow suit. This gesture earned him a $100 note from his idol.

    The dancehall artist apology came days after Medikal went public to apologise to Fella to forgive him and to accept his apology.

    “Somebody tell Fella I’m sorry, I know say people go bore me but I still go fight for love, Chuck Norris I still love you, you’re my baby,” Medikal had said in his new song El Chapo.

    In a previous video that surfaced in an earlier week, the AMG crew visited Fella’s wine shop but were sent away by the Yolo Actress.

    However, barely 5 years into the marriage, they announced their separation in March 2024, revealing that they’d be co-parenting.

    The two had a tumultuos start, as the ex of Medikal, Sister Derby used to throw subtle jabs at Fella suggesting she was a man snatcher.

    Sister Derby did release a song called “Talk to Your Boyfriend” featuring Enam, where she seemingly took shots at Fella Makafui. Some of the lyrics include:

    “Na wo nim s3 he dey plus me / Nanso you want minus me / Then we get plus multiply, But you take adwenfi come divide.”

    “Match wei wo one outcome p3 / Ebi b3 y3 wo ama w’aka how come p33 / Otwea, koo kyea meko / Kakalika love spray, m’ato”.

    Her song suggested that, Fella knew very well Medikal was with her but she mischieviously caused a divide.She then went on to warn her to expect a betrayal from Medikal, just as he had done with her, he will do same with her saying, “the match they are playing has just a single outcome, Fella will be served the same pill she was served and she’d wonder and say how come”? she sang in Twi.

    Fella Makafui also released a song called “Over” where she jabbed Sister Derby, with lyrics like, “If it’s yours, come collect”.

    Meanwhile, Medikal’s recent song ‘Shoulder’ featuring Shatta Wale and Beeztrap is making waves in Ghana and beyond with a catchy dance style.

    It has gained momentum on leading platforms like YouTube Ghana, Audiomack, and Spotify, with fans praising the chemistry and top-shelf visuals by Yaw Skyface.

    However, he was threathened with a lawsuit by DJ Azonto for infriengement after use “Ala Woyo” in his track.

    According to Azonto, he owns the catchphrase and Medikal is supposed to pay him for adopting it.

    He released a statement with a tall list of unrealsitic demands including three Rolls Royce, a diplomatic passport for his mother among other benefits for his three daughters.

    Medikal in reaction to this, took to his social media platform, X and wrote “Killa ntua” a popular phrase which suggests he has nothing to give him.

  • Spyro cries over fans always asking for money; 300k every week

    Spyro cries over fans always asking for money; 300k every week

    Singer Spyro, whose real name is Oludipe Oluwasanmi David, has spoken out about the challenges of being a celebrity in Lagos. He shared that every day, he ends up spending over 100k, highlighting this as one of the downsides of his fame.

    He said some of those who expect celebrities to be kind with cash resort to insults if their expectations are not met.

    He took to Instagram to vent and wrote, “Really hard being a celebrity in this Lagos. I told a guy I don’t have today and that I will see him next day and he rained insults on me.

    “Every day I step out of my house I spend a minimum of 100k on givings, now let’s do the maths..let’s say I go out 3 time a week, that’s 300k per week making 1.2m per month and that’s about 15million a year…KILODE.”

    The 34-year-old “Who Is Your Guy” singer condemned the culture of fans always expecting something from celebrities.

    “If I enter restaurant, BILLINGS go de wait me outside, l enter church, same thing … Enter estate same, carry phone enter online na same same …

    EVERYBODY wants to take but nobody de give you and nobody thinks of how you are fairing & S/O to everyone of my colleagues out there going through this ‚ya’ll are the real MVP’s and I CELEBRATE you.

  • Lagos police arrest doctor over woman’s death during buttock enlargement procedure

    Lagos police arrest doctor over woman’s death during buttock enlargement procedure

    The Lagos State Police Command has detained Dr. Idara Bassey in connection with the death of a 36-year-old woman who died during a buttock enlargement procedure at a clinic in Lekki Phase 1.

    The case emerged last Tuesday when the deceased’s driver reported the incident to the Maroko Police Division at approximately 11:40 a.m.

    The nurse who administered the injection, reportedly following Dr. Bassey’s instructions, was also apprehended soon after.

    Police spokesperson SP Benjamin Hundeyin confirmed that Dr. Bassey has been taken into custody and is currently under investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti.

    Dr. Bassey had previously fled the scene following the procedure on August 26, 2024, which resulted in the woman’s death.

    The victim, identified as Abiola, had left her residence in Diamond Estate, Sangotedo, instructing her driver to take her to the clinic for the procedure. According to the driver, Abiola lost consciousness and began struggling to breathe after receiving the injection.

    Regarding potential charges against Dr. Bassey, Hundeyin mentioned that more information will be released once the investigation concludes.

  • Watch 1972 footage of a mock burial for Kwame Nkrumah held in Lagos

    Watch 1972 footage of a mock burial for Kwame Nkrumah held in Lagos

    In May 1972, a symbolic funeral procession was held in Lagos, Nigeria, for former President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Despite his body still being held by the Government of Guinea at the time, the ceremony served as a tribute to Nkrumah.

    The event featured a large crowd following men carrying the casket through the streets, accompanied by singing and chanting.

    Nkrumah passed away in Romania on April 27.

    His body was flown to Conakry, Guinea, on April 30. Afterward, his remains were transported to Ghana, initially resting in his hometown of Nkroful in the Western Region. Eventually, they were moved to Accra and interred at the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

    Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence from British rule in 1957, is remembered for his significant role in the country’s history.

  • ‘Bury me decently’ – What late Nollywood actress Onyeka Onwenu said in 2021

    ‘Bury me decently’ – What late Nollywood actress Onyeka Onwenu said in 2021

    The late Onyeka Onwenu, renowned Nollywood actress, singer, and activist, expressed her wishes for her own farewell in a 2021 opinion piece published in Premium Times.

    Onwenu, celebrated for her touching ballads and advocacy for women’s rights, passed away on July 30, 2024, at the age of 72, following a sudden collapse at Stella Okoli’s birthday party in Lagos.

    In her 2021 article, Onwenu requested a departure from traditional mourning customs. She asked her loved ones to focus less on grief and more on celebrating her life.

    She suggested that they should remember her with light-heartedness, sharing meals, and laughter rather than indulging in excessive mourning.

    She also expressed her aversion to opulent funeral ceremonies, advocating instead for a more modest and meaningful farewell.

    Onwenu was critical of grand displays of wealth, particularly during times of widespread economic difficulty, underscoring her preference for a more restrained and considerate approach to her passing.

  • Veteran Nigerian musician Onyeka Onwenu passes away

    Veteran Nigerian musician Onyeka Onwenu passes away

    Renowned Nigerian singer, songwriter, and actress Onyeka Onwenu has died at the age of 72.

    On July 30, 2024, Onwenu collapsed shortly after her performance at a birthday celebration for Stella Okoli.

    Despite being promptly transported to Reddington Hospital in Lagos, she could not be saved.

    An eyewitness at the party recounted, “It’s a tragic loss. Onyeka Onwenu had just completed her performance at Mrs. Stella Okoli’s birthday event when she collapsed. She was rushed to Reddington Hospital, but unfortunately, she didn’t survive.”

  • Dangote refinery in Lagos on fire

    Dangote refinery in Lagos on fire

    A fire broke out at the Dangote Refinery in Lagos on Wednesday, according to reports circulating on social media.

    A video depicting the refinery engulfed in flames has gone viral, raising concerns about the safety and potential damage to one of Nigeria‘s key industrial sites.

    The company’s Group Head, Corporate Communications, Anthony Chiejina, said a minor fire occurred at the company’s effluent treatment plant.

    “We have swiftly contained a minor fire incident at our effluent treatment plant (ETP), today Wednesday 26th of June. There is no cause for alarm as the refinery is operating and there is no recorded injury or body harm to all our staff on duty,” he said.

    In January, the Dangote Petroleum Refinery began producing diesel and aviation fuel, following its receipt of one million barrels of bonny light crude from the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC Ltd).

    This milestone came after the refinery’s initial crude delivery on 12 December 2023 and subsequent shipments, marking a significant step towards full-scale production of refined petroleum products.

    By April, the refinery had started supplying these products to the local market.

  • Christ Embassy Headquarters on fire

    Christ Embassy Headquarters on fire

    An intense fire has engulfed the headquarters of the Christ Embassy Church, located in the Oregun area of Ikeja, Lagos State.

    The incident, which occurred earlier today, has drawn significant attention and concern from the public and emergency services alike.

    Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic and alarming. Multiple videos circulating on X (formerly Twitter) depict the massive church edifice being consumed by flames, with thick plumes of smoke rising into the sky.

    The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service promptly responded to the emergency, arriving at the scene to combat the inferno. Firefighters are currently working tirelessly to extinguish the flames and prevent the fire from spreading to adjacent buildings.

    To ensure public safety and maintain order, the area around the church has been cordoned off by the police. This measure is intended to prevent any potential breakdown of law and order and to facilitate the efforts of emergency responders.

    The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and no official statements have been made regarding potential casualties or the extent of the damage. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation once the fire is brought under control.

  • ‘Bobrisky receives no special treatment, wears prisons uniforms’ – Correctional Service

    ‘Bobrisky receives no special treatment, wears prisons uniforms’ – Correctional Service


    The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Lagos State has refuted rumors suggesting that the well-known social media personality, Idris Okuneye, commonly known as Bobrisky, resides in a VIP apartment within the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

    Several online reports alleged that Bobrisky, who is currently serving a six-month prison term for abusing naira notes, has been enjoying special privileges in a newly constructed VIP apartment within the facility.

    However, the NCoS, in its recent press statement signed by spokesperson Rotimi Oladokun, has categorically denied such claims.

    The statement explicitly stated that there are no en-suite cells or one-bedroom flats at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

    It clarified that Bobrisky, like other convicted inmates, is housed in a shared cell within the facility.

    The statement emphasized: “The Nigerian Correctional Service Lagos State Command wishes to address some mischievous and misleading online publications that have come to its attention.”

    “Without prejudice to NCoS right to seek legal redress for the libelous publication, outlined are clarifications on the said issues.

    “The convicted inmate, Okuneye Idris Olanrewaju a.k.a. Bobrisky is currently serving a six-month jail term for abuse and mutilation of the naira note within the custody of the custodial center in the state.

    “The Convict is entitled to the reformative and rehabilitative platforms, either educational and/or vocational training as provided to all inmates in custody.

    “Idris has been allocated a shared cell with other convicted inmates. There are no en-suite or ‘one-bedroom flat’ style cells in our Custodial Centre as the cell blocks infrastructure is built as shared buildings to accommodate multiple inmates.

    “Idris is being treated just as every other inmate without any special amenities or privilege accorded. All inmates are entitled to family and legal visits. These visits are monitored and regulated by NCoS.”

  • Mahama honoured at Africa Heritage Awards in Lagos for stellar leadership

    Mahama honoured at Africa Heritage Awards in Lagos for stellar leadership

    Former President John Dramani Mahama was honoured with the African Advancement Award for Exemplary Leadership at the 2024 African Heritage Awards Ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria.

    The event, organized by the Heritage Times of Nigeria, celebrates influential African innovators, entrepreneurs, and organizations working to propel the continent forward.

    Chaired by former Botswana President Dr. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, the 2024 ceremony marked the second edition of the awards, with the first held in Kigali, Rwanda in 2024.

    In his recognition as an Exemplary African Leader, Mr. Mahama, currently leading the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Ghana’s 2024 elections, was praised for implementing strategic economic initiatives and massive infrastructure projects across critical sectors.

    His efforts aimed to address economic challenges and improve livelihoods, including initiatives to alleviate power shortages and boost job creation through agricultural expansion.

    During his tenure, Mahama’s administration prioritized strategic economic initiatives and implemented large-scale infrastructure projects in transportation, healthcare, education, power, and housing, enhancing the quality of life for Ghanaians.

    Other award recipients at the ceremony included the African Rising Movement, recognised for Social Justice and Advocacy, and Dr Jayne Obioma Onwumere, CEO of the Property World Africa Network, recognised for her work in Women’s Emancipation and Empowerment.

  • Nigerian woman’s London to Lagos car journey disrupted by a road accident in Liberia

    Nigerian woman’s London to Lagos car journey disrupted by a road accident in Liberia

    Pelumi Nubi, a Nigerian travel content creator, encountered a car accident while embarking on her solo road trip from London to Lagos.

    During her journey from London to Lagos, Pelumi Nubi, a Nigerian woman, was involved in a car crash in Liberia.

    Sharing the news on Instagram, Pelumi posted images of her damaged car and requested prayers from her followers. The accident occurred just 24 hours after her arrival in Liberia, marking a significant setback in her journey.

    Pelumi’s original plan was to return to Lagos on March 23, 2024, but due to various challenges encountered during her journey, she rescheduled her return to April 7, 2024.

    Nubi arrived in Liberia on March 24 from Sierra Leone, marking the 11th country on her journey.

    However, she faced a setback when the Liberian immigration service refused entry to her right-hand vehicle, named ‘Lumi,’ forcing her to spend two nights at the Liberian border.

    Despite eventual entry into Liberia, Pelumi’s experience was marred by a serious car accident.

    Her travel ordeal sheds light on the challenges African migrants encounter while moving within the continent, as highlighted by the African Union’s recent release of the second edition of the African migration report, which underscores that migration primarily occurs within Africa rather than outside the continent.

  • Jospong Group to construct waste plants in Nigeria, Lagos

    Jospong Group to construct waste plants in Nigeria, Lagos

    The Jospong Group of Companies (JGC) has signed an agreement with the Lagos State Government’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources to construct waste treatment facilities in Lagos, Nigeria.

    This collaborative effort aims to establish an integrated waste treatment facility that will positively impact the environmental landscape of Africa’s most populous city.

    The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) solidified this landmark agreement, witnessed by the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, and the Honourable Commissioner of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Hon. Tokunbo Wahab, on February 26, 2024, in Lagos.

    Dr. Agyepong emphasized the Jospong Group’s commitment to assisting Lagos State by sharing expertise in waste management and treatment, drawn from lessons learned in Ghana.

    “We have learned a lot of lessons from Ghana and we are here to share our technical and operational expertise to help improve the sanitation landscape of Lagos State,” he emphasized.

    “We are utilizing a PPP arrangement to address our waste management challenges effectively.

    “Our goal is a cleaner, greener and prosperous Lagos. And we are fostering a conducive environment for the private sector to strive,” he stated.

    He also assured collaboration with upstream operators, providing support and equipment to enhance their effectiveness.

    Hon. Tokunbo Wahab highlighted Lagos State’s dedication to addressing waste management challenges through a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

    The agreement aims to explore ways to convert waste into valuable resources, contributing to a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous Lagos.

    The Consul General of the Ghana Consulate in Lagos, H.E Hajia Samata Gifty Bukari, expressed support for the partnership.

    The MoU outlines Jospong Group’s commitment to establishing various facilities, including a Material Recovery Facility, Mobile Transfer loading stations, repurposing the current Olusosun landfill, and initiatives for recyclable activities.

    This collaboration seeks to implement a proven, sustainable solution to environmental sanitation, potentially enhancing Nigeria’s carbon ratings and securing funding for more sustainable infrastructure.

    Lagos State generates approximately 13,000 tons of waste daily, and the partnership aims to mitigate the dire consequences of poor sanitation on public health and the environment.

    The Jospong Group delegation, including advisory board members, and the Nigerian delegation, led by the Honourable Commissioner and other key officials, were present during the signing ceremony.

  • Nigerian travel content creator Pelumi Nubi travels from London to Lagos

    Nigerian travel content creator Pelumi Nubi travels from London to Lagos

    Nigerian travel content creator, Pelumi Nubi, has reached the African continent as she continues her ambitious solo drive from London to Lagos.

    Her itinerary spans 17 countries, covering a distance of over 7,000km (4,340 miles) over a span of two months.

    The 29-year-old has been documenting her journey, sharing updates along the way. In her latest message on Sunday, she wrote:

    “I won’t sugarcoat it – crossing into Morocco from Spain had me on edge initially.”

    Her next plan is to drive through the West Sahara desert, Mauritania, Senegal, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and finally, Nigeria, where she aims to reach Lagos.

    Ms. Nubi believes she is the first black woman to attempt this remarkable journey. While her goal isn’t about breaking records, she aims to show the world that “impossible” is merely a word.

  • Kanye West impresses fans with performances in Lagos

    Kanye West impresses fans with performances in Lagos

    Kanye West is making his fans in Kenya and Nigeria happy by saying he might have concerts there during his new tour.

    West posted on Instagram that he wants to do shows at Eko Energy City in Lagos and Nyayo International Stadium in Nairobi.

    West also wanted to perform at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.

    Even though the rapper hasn’t said anything officially, the list of tour dates has made fans in the two countries really excited. Some fans are sharing jokes about the concert on social media.

    “Kanye wants to go to Kenya. I think he said he wants to visit the country with the same sounds as his name,” one person from Kenya wrote on X.

    Some fans made fun of the rapper and said he should tell them the ticket prices sooner, so they can save money.

    People from places like South Africa are upset that they might not get to see their favorite band on tour, especially because big musicians often skip Africa when planning their tours.

  • Lagos: Student allegedly flogged to death by teacher

    Lagos: Student allegedly flogged to death by teacher

    A tragic incident has been reported at Araromi Ilogbo Secondary School in Oko Afo, Lagos, where a teacher allegedly flogged a student to death.

    The unfortunate event, which took place on Thursday, resulted in the passing of 16-year-old David Babadipo, who had been reportedly unwell for several days.

    Students from Araromi Ilogbo Secondary School organized a protest in response to the news of their peer’s demise, attributing it to excessive flogging by a teacher identified as Mr. Oluwale.

    Following the corporal punishment, Babadipo was urgently taken to a nearby hospital, where he was later declared dead.

    A video circulating on social media depicted the chaotic scenes at the school, capturing students running in disarray within and outside the premises.

    According to a voice in the video, the deceased student was allegedly flogged by Mr. Oluwale when attempting to leave the school premises for a purchase.

    “First and foremost, Mr Oluwale is a Vice Principal and he didn’t beat him for not paying attention in class because he doesn’t teach, he didn’t even beat him at all.

    “That child has (sic) been sick since Tuesday and the parent didn’t take him to the hospital. It got worse yesterday afternoon after the break and they called his parent to come to pick him up,” she wrote.

    Adding to the conflicting accounts, another Facebook user Bangose Jide posted; “Teacher beat David Babadipo, 16-year-old to death at Araromi-Ilogbo Senior Secondary School, Oko-Afo. The teacher is named Mr Olawale, a vice principal.”

    Another social media user, Mama Sassy D, posted; “This is my vicinity. They have started rioting already. The said teacher might not survive this period.”

    However, conflicting reports surfaced, with a Facebook user named Esther Wusu contesting the claim that the student was flogged to death.

    Wusu stated that Mr. Oluwale was the school’s vice principal, did not administer any punishment, and clarified that Babadipo had been unwell since Tuesday. The worsening condition prompted a call to his parents for immediate pick-up.

    Despite these conflicting accounts, another Facebook user, Bangose Jide, asserted that Mr. Olawale, a vice principal, beat David Babadipo to death at Araromi-Ilogbo Senior Secondary School. The situation escalated on social media, with Mama Sassy D reporting ongoing riots in the vicinity and expressing concern for the teacher’s safety during this period.

  • Lagos police arrest man over attempt to sell company car for his family’s relocation to Ghana

    Lagos police arrest man over attempt to sell company car for his family’s relocation to Ghana

    The Lagos State Command has apprehended a Nigerian man who tried to sell his company’s car to fund the relocation of his family to Ghana.

    SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, disclosed this information on Tuesday, Jan. 22.

    Hundeyin explained that on January 16, the State Criminal Investigation Department received information about a suspected stolen Toyota Hilux vehicle.

    Following the tip, police detectives initiated an investigation, leading them to Ilukogun village on the boundary between Lagos State and Ogun, where they recovered the vehicle from a man named Arthur Benjamin.

    The suspect was arrested, and during interrogation, he confessed to stealing the car from his workplace with the intention of selling it to finance his family’s move to Ghana.

    Hundeyin noted that the investigation is still ongoing.

  • Commuters frustrated over multiple checkpoints, delays along the Lagos-Accra corridor

    Commuters frustrated over multiple checkpoints, delays along the Lagos-Accra corridor

    Multiple police checkpoints and demands for bribes by Customs officials are impeding the smooth flow of goods along the Lagos-Accra corridor, a critical trade route between Nigeria and Ghana.

    The challenges along the Lagos-Accra corridor not only disrupt economic activities within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region but also contradict the visa-free travel arrangement for citizens that has been in place for over two decades.

    It also jeopardizes a crucial aspect of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which strives to establish a unified market for goods and services throughout the continent.

    A driver for a transportation company operating along the route disclosed in December 2023, on the condition of anonymity to the B&FT, that he typically receives ₦400,000 (approximately US$510 at the time) from his company for a trip from Lagos to Accra.

    “This is a huge burden for us, and it ultimately translates into higher prices for consumers,” he said – noting that the sum amounted to more than 25 percent of a two-way ticket’s cost for occupants of a 12-seater bus.

    The issue is particularly prevalent on the Nigerian side of the border, he said. This correspondent counted 31 checkpoints on the road from Jibowu in Lagos to the Nigeria-Benin Republic Seme Border, and 23 between the Aflao border and Miotso – a figure that was corroborated by a businesswoman who regularly transports goods between the two countries.

    “Ghana and Nigeria share a historic sibling rivalry, and now it looks like we are competing to see who is the most corrupt,” the businesswoman added.

    The consequences of this entrenched corruption are far-reaching. Delays at checkpoints add hours to travel times, increasing transportation costs and impacting the competitiveness of businesses. This ultimately discourages trade and inhibits economic growth in the region.

  • Renowned transgender personality Fola Francis allegedly drowns at Lagos beach 

    Renowned transgender personality Fola Francis allegedly drowns at Lagos beach 

    A prominent Nigerian transgender model and fashion designer, Fola Francis, has met an untimely and tragic demise.

    Heartbreaking reports reveal the tragic drowning of Fola Francis on December 20, 2023, at Ilashe beach in Lagos, marking a sorrowful end to the life of the prominent Nigerian transgender model and fashion designer.

    On Friday, Vincent Desmond, a freelance journalist, officially confirmed her passing in a released statement, marking the sorrowful end of Fola Francis’s life.

    Desmond expressed the profound impact Fola Francis had as a beacon of hope and inspiration, not only to him but to many others.

    He conveyed the deep sorrow felt by friends and family and announced that details regarding a memorial would be shared at a later date.

    In the meantime, they requested privacy to mourn and remember Fola.

    Notably, Fola Francis made history as the first Nigerian transgender model to grace the runway at Lagos Fashion Week for designers Cute-Saint and Fruché.

  • Nigeria: Police form special team to look into Mohbad’s death

    Nigeria: Police form special team to look into Mohbad’s death

    A 13-person special investigation team has been established by the Lagos State Police Command to look into the untimely passing of Nigerian artist Ilerioluwa Aloba, well known as Mohbad.

    At a press conference on Monday, Lagos Police Commissioner Idowu Owohunwa announced this and promised to utilize all of his authority to track down the murderers.

    “Do not forget, we have unique access with INTERPOL. Everybody linked to it (the death of Mohbad) will be identified and they will be brought to establish their level of involvement,” Owohunwa said.

    Mohbad, formerly signed to Marlian Records under the ownership of Azeez Faashola, widely known as Naira Marley, tragically passed away last Tuesday at the age of 27.

    His burial took place on Wednesday in the Ikorodu region of Lagos, and questions and concerns surrounding his untimely death have arisen.

  • Lagos airport catches fire

    Lagos airport catches fire

    Chaos erupted at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos today, Wednesday, September 6, after a broke out, leaving passengers and airline personnel to run for safety.

    According to information gathered by Vanguard, at approximately 0750 hours this morning, a smoke incident was reported at Terminal 1 of Murtala Muhammed International Airport, situated in Ikeja, Lagos.

    The source of the smoke was traced to the basement of the Terminal building.

    Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection at the FAAN, stated, “In response to the situation, the dedicated firefighters from the Aerodrome Rescue and Fire Fighting Services (ARFFS) of Murtala Muhammed International Airport swiftly initiated action. Their quick response and professional efforts effectively brought the situation under control.

    “To ensure the safety and well-being of passengers, staff, and all airport users, the Terminal building was promptly evacuated due to the smoke that had permeated some areas of the facility.

    “We are pleased to announce that the situation is now under control.

    “FAAN remains steadfast in its commitment to its core values of safety, security, and passenger comfort.”

  • ‘Smoke incident’ forces the evacuation of workers and passengers at Lagos airport

    ‘Smoke incident’ forces the evacuation of workers and passengers at Lagos airport

    Smoke issues arose at the international airport located in Lagos, Nigeria. As a result, people who work at the airport and people traveling had to leave the building. The airport authority said this in a statement.

    Firefighters
    worked hard to control the dark smoke and stop it from moving to different areas of the terminal.

    According
    to the airport authority, the smoke was caused by batteries made of lithium located in the baggage hall of Terminal 1.

    “We
    are happy to inform you that the situation is currently under control and the incident will not impact flight operations,” Yakubu Funtua from the authority said to the BBC.

  • Nigeria: Missing intestines from patient not caused by LASUTH

    Nigeria: Missing intestines from patient not caused by LASUTH

    Management of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, has denied culpability in the alleged disappearance of the intestines of Adebola Akin-Bright, a 12-year-old patient who was treated by the hospital.

    The mother of the patient, Abiodun Deborah, had earlier cried out to the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to probe the mysterious disappearance of her son’s intestines after undergoing corrective surgery for intestinal obstruction in July this year.

    According to Abiodun, her son was referred to LASUTH from Obitoks Medical Centre, Alimosho, where he had previously undergone surgery for a ruptured appendix, and another surgery for intestinal obstruction, but to her shock, after the corrective surgery at LASUTH, she was informed by the Consultant that her son’s small intestine was missing.

    But in a response on its handle on X (formerly Twitter) @LASUTHikeja the LASUTH management said. At the same time, corrective surgery was indeed carried out on the patient in question, it insisted that LASUTH did not willfully remove any organ or structure from the patient who was referred to the tertiary health institution after having two surgeries done in a private hospital.

    In the statement, the hospital management explained that it has a thorough report detailing the conclusions of a high-powered panel that it set up to investigate the potential outcomes of the case, even as it gave assurance that it is cooperating with the state agency which is already investigating the rather unfortunate case.

    The statement reads: “Once again the hospital management needs to clarify issues on the insinuations being made by a mother in a viral video that the alleged loss of her son’s intestines after surgery is a matter between a private hospital and LASUTH.

    “Our hospital is an excellent tertiary institution with highly knowledgeable and skilled medical consultants. We are also equipped with state-of-the-art facilities.

    “The patient in question was referred to our hospital after having two surgeries carried out in a private hospital. He required extensive optimisation in our facility before a corrective surgery could be carried out.

    “At the surgery, which was carried out by an experienced pediatric surgeon and her team, certain strange findings were discovered. There is a video clip of these intraoperative findings. The mother was informed about these findings but she appeared to be in denial.

    “The hospital is in possession of a comprehensive report of the findings by a high-powered panel that it quickly set up to look into all ramifications of this case. Clearly, our hospital carried out a corrective surgery and did not willfully remove
    any organ or structure.

    “We empathize with the family of the patient. We believe that financial assistance from any quarters will be in order but we do not think that a blackmail of the state government via the social media is the best approach.

    ‘The hospital management is cooperating with the state agency which is already investigating this rather unfortunate case,’ the statement noted.

  • Truckers in Lagos ports corridor pay N40m every day

    Truckers in Lagos ports corridor pay N40m every day

    Truck logistics operators at the Lagos seaports have revealed that they incur approximately N40 million in daily expenses on bribes and illegal taxes within the corridor.

    Revealing this information to Vanguard, an official from the Council for Maritime Transport Unions and Associations (COMTUA), who wished to remain anonymous, explained that the entities collecting these funds include both state and non-state actors.

    He further clarified that the average daily expenses per truck amount to around N38,500, and their members oversee the movement of over 1,000 trucks through the ports every day.

    Breaking down the extortions, he mentioned a N3,000 fee paid at the Tin-Can First Gate roundabout, a N2,000 waybill fee allegedly collected by individuals linked to the Apapa Local Government Area (a claim denied by the Council), an additional N5,000 gathered by certain Nigeria Customs Service operatives within the port, and another N1,000 given to different Customs personnel at the Customs exit gate.

    He also alleged that the Police at the Port have two collection points where drivers are expected to pay sums of N2,000 and N1,000.

    Other payments reportedly include a N500 warehouse fee, a N2,000 Cutting of Seal fee, a N4,000 fee allegedly paid to certain National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) operatives, another N4,000 collected by an unidentified local council, a N1,000 fee for ‘small paper’ collected by agents associated with an unnamed Lagos political figure, as well as a N3,000 confirmation fee, a N2,000 gate pass fee, and a N1,000 security fee paid within the port.

    Furthermore, drivers are required to pay a N2,000 scaling fee, a N1,000 security fee, and a N4,000 fee for dropping off containers.

    Some truck owners expressed their frustration, stating that they have made efforts to bring this issue to the government’s attention, but no action has been taken to address it.

    Discussing the situation, Mr. Richard Odoka, a truck owner, emphasized that trucks carrying export cargoes are particularly affected by these extortion practices.

    Mr. Yinka Aroyewun, President of COMTUA, condemned the alarming and reprehensible extent of extortion.

    According to him, “There are 20 extortion points between Tin-Can first gate and the point at which you off-load your empty containers or drop your export cargoes. From N1.000 to N2,000 to N3,000 to N5,000 are collected by agencies of government.”

    Dele Afose, Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman of the Apapa Local Government Area, responded to the claim by denying that anyone had been sent by the Council to collect money on its behalf.

    Afose stated:“I am not aware of this development. In fact, I am shocked that people are collecting money on behalf of the Local Government. The Local Government did not post anybody anywhere”.

    “Looking backwards is retrogressive for any reformer. Looking forward can give you the leaps that will propel you in the right direction. We need think tanks in the agricultural sector. I don’t see why Nigeria will be so blessed with good soil and not have a commodity exchange. I don’t see why we have not been able to interrogate our real estate sector and propel it.

    “I don’t see why we have not used consumer credit to build the purchasing power of our people and the capacity of our very own manufacturing sector,” the President assessed.

    While commending the NESG for believing in the reforms of his administration, the President said the “bitter pill” must be administered to an ailing nation and economy to build a better future for the country.

    “I am here and I believe we can do it together. No single person succeeds alone. The world is dynamic. We are confronted with climate change and other challenges, but somewhere in the eye of the storm, there is a quiet and peaceful corner for those who can toil well. With patience and determination, we will succeed,” the President assured.

  • Low productivity stifles Nigeria’s economic expansion

    Low productivity stifles Nigeria’s economic expansion

    The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry have identified declining productivity as a detrimental factor affecting economic growth within the country.

    Both the economic think-tank and the commerce chamber expressed this concern in response to the National Bureau of Statistics’ Gross Domestic Product report for the second quarter of the year.

    According to a statement provided to The PUNCH, the CPPE noted that the adverse impacts of recent economic reforms were more significant than anticipated. The Chief Executive Officer, in the statement, emphasized that while the current disruptions in the economy are addressed, a resurgence is expected in the medium to long term.

    The statement elaborated, “The existing vulnerabilities in the economy’s structure persist, particularly pertaining to challenges related to productivity and competitiveness within the real economy.”

    “The Q2 GDP growth fell short of the sub-Sahara projected average of 3.1 per cent for 2023; but better than projections for the Euro Zone of 1 per cent and the United States of 1.8 per cent.”

    Yusuf further pointed out that a number of industries, including oil refining, livestock, crude oil and gas, and textiles, are all experiencing a downturn as a result of macroeconomic, structural, or policy concerns.

    He added, “Growth in these sectors continued to be subdued by heightened inflationary pressures, exchange rate volatility, spiking energy cost, insecurity and the political economy of the oil and gas sector.”

    The Deputy-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Gabriel Idahosa, blamed the recent economic changes for the drop in productivity in the nation’s real economy in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH.

    He continued by saying that the circumstance had contributed to the nation’s currency issue, which had made things challenging for the business community.

    Idahosa said, “It’s unsurprising that trade isn’t at the level it should be. These economic reforms have been pushing the economy in one direction. The value of any currency is export minus imports. So, if we manage to push exports up, over time the trend will reverse.”

  • Zipline Ghana wins top logistics innovation award in Lagos

    Zipline Ghana wins top logistics innovation award in Lagos

    Zipline Ghana has received a prestigious recognition as the “Most Digitized Logistics Provider of the Year” at the Africa Procurement and Supply Chain Awards event held in Lagos, Nigeria.

    This esteemed occasion, dedicated to acknowledging remarkable accomplishments within the logistics sector, witnessed Zipline’s remarkable ascent above its contemporaries, securing the highly coveted award in recognition of its unwavering commitment to innovation and operational efficiency.

    Zipline Ghana’s General Manager, Mawuli Atiemo, expressed that this accolade stands as a testament to the relentless determination and collective efforts of the entire Zipline team.

    He highlighted the company’s transformative impact on the logistics landscape through the implementation of digitization and cutting-edge technologies, which have significantly elevated the industry’s standards.

    “At Zipline, we have consistently pushed the boundaries of logistical capabilities, spearheading the utilization of advanced drone technology to facilitate the delivery of essential supplies to communities. Our resolute dedication to embracing innovation and executing ingenious solutions has been pivotal in shaping our success,” Mawuli emphasized.

    He further stated, “Our core belief centers on ensuring that logistics never hinder access to critical medical assistance and essential goods.

    Thus, our services are meticulously crafted to surmount logistical challenges and create a meaningful positive influence in the lives of individuals throughout the nation.”

    Having initiated its operations in Ghana in 2019, Zipline has emerged as a vital collaborator with the Government of Ghana, seamlessly complementing existing logistical pathways for the transportation of medical supplies, vaccines, and essential commodities to remote and underserved communities.

  • Woman busted for using 10-year-old niece as drug courier

    Woman busted for using 10-year-old niece as drug courier

    A woman named Taiye Abbas has been apprehended for allegedly using her 10-year-old niece as a drugs courier in Lagos.

    As per the police, the individual in question, who is the minor’s aunt, concealed drugs in the young girl’s clothing as a strategy to evade security measures.

    During a conversation with journalists, the young girl disclosed that the 44-year-old woman is her maternal aunt, and she had brought her to Lagos after her father’s demise in Kwara State.

    “She brought me to Lagos two months ago from Ilorin, and she has been using me to move drugs from the house to her shop. After taking my bath in the morning, she would load drugs inside my undies, which I would deliver in her shop. Mummy would carefully remove the drugs and sell them to some people who come everyday.

    Mummy told me that she had to conceal the drugs in my undies because of policemen and other security agencies. I would pass the police with the drugs and they would not search me, because they may think that I was innocent.

    I was always sad anytime she planted the drugs on me. I did not complain because she would beat me. My father is dead and my biological mother is in Ilorin. I want the police to take me to my grandfather. My grandfather is in Lagos. I don’t want to stay with my aunt again,” the little girl said.

    After the police questioned the woman, she disclosed that she was introduced into the business by one Azeez about three months and used her niece as courier for drugs two months ago.

    “I sent her to  buy a loaf of bread across the street, and she missed her way. I was looking for her when I got a call to come to the police station to identify a child found roaming the street. I rushed to the station, and discovered that the girl is my niece. I was happy that I found my missing niece, not knowing that danger was lurking around. I was shocked when the policemen in the station started interrogating me about the drugs found in her pants.”

    Speaking about the case, the Lagos state police command, Benjamin Hundeyin, “The discovery prompted further questions which revealed that this has been going on for a long time. So, we had to extend the investigation to her house and we were able to bring her guardian (suspect) to the police station. She did not deny it.”

    “She admitted that this had been her way to courier drugs from her house to the shop, where she would sell them, to beat police checks. That is why we are exposing her and the method drug barons now use to courier drugs within the metropolis. However, the girl will be handed over to her family in Ilorin, while the suspect will be prosecuted accordingly.”

  • Nigeria: mass burial causes outrage in Lagos

    Nigeria: mass burial causes outrage in Lagos

    The Nigerian public is in an uproar following the leak of a memo revealing that the Lagos State government authorized $77,000 (£60,000) for a mass burial of 103 individuals allegedly linked to the historic 2020 #EndSars protest against police brutality.

    Many Nigerians are expressing shock and disbelief, as they believe that the victims set to be buried were demonstrators who were allegedly killed by the army during the Lekki toll gate shooting on 20th October, a tragic event that occurred amidst the protests.

    The exact number of casualties from the incident has been a contentious issue in Nigeria, with the military initially denying any fatalities. However, a Judicial Panel of Inquiry has since reported that nine protesters were killed, and four others were presumed dead.

    Despite the leaked memo, the government refutes the claim that the 103 bodies are all from the Lekki incident, dismissing such interpretations as misleading. According to the permanent secretary to the Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye, the bodies were gathered from various locations across the state, amounting to at least 12 sites. These locations include areas affected by #EndSARS violence and community clashes, as well as the aftermath of a jailbreak at Ikoyi Prison.

    The situation has sparked significant controversy and public outcry, with many demanding transparency and accountability from the government regarding the handling of these casualties related to the #EndSARS protests.

    “Peddlers of the news are deliberately misinterpreting and sensationalizing a letter from the Lagos State Government Public Procurement Agency.”

    He said the government had approved the mass burial after no families claimed the 103 bodies.

    Tens of thousands of Nigerians took to the streets in October 2020 against police brutality and also called for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit to be disbanded.

  • Chinese naval forces seek to guard  hazardous seas off Nigeria

    Chinese naval forces seek to guard hazardous seas off Nigeria

    The visit of a Chinese naval squadron to Lagos, according to China’s envoy to Nigeria, is intended to increase security in the waters off of West Africa and East Africa, which are notorious for piracy and oil theft.

    “Peace is not free, peace should be defended. So I think that we need military security collaboration, so Africa-China, Nigeria-China can do things to not only safeguard the peace, but to protect the vessels in the Gulf of Aden and also here in the Gulf of Guinea,” Cui Jianchun said.

    For a rare four-day visit, three Chinese navy ships docked in Nigeria on Sunday.

    Nigeria is a significant source of oil to China, and in Lagos, China just completed a deep sea port at a cost of $1 billion (£787 million).

    “The Nigerian navy can benefit from the Chinese partners. First they can exchange technology and also experiences,” the ambassador said, adding that they could also build trust between the two sides.

    He said he also believed the two countries could collaborate more when it came to infrastructure, technology and other areas.

    In 2017, China opened its first overseas naval base in Djibouti and there has been speculation it may also want to set up a military base on Africa’s Atlantic coast.

    Last year, US defence officials expressed concern about such ambitions.

    But the Chinese ambassador sought to play down such fears: “We are working not to only serve Chinese nation… we are also working to do something for human progress and also harmony of the world.”

    Before arriving in Nigeria, the Chinese naval fleet made four-day visits to Ivory Coast and Ghana.

    They will be continuing to Gabon and the Democratic Republic of Congo before heading home.

  • Lagos and The Gambia collaborate on community policing

    The Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Agency (LNSA) has announced plans for an international exchange program on community policing with The Gambia.

    General Manager of LNSA, Ifalade Oyekan, revealed this following a meeting with a delegation led by Mr. Omar Jawara, a security consultant and the son of the former President of The Gambia.

    The meeting took place at the agency’s headquarters in Bolade Oshodi, Lagos.

    In a statement released on Tuesday, Jawara expressed his satisfaction with the agency’s pioneering efforts in community policing in Africa.

    He also commended the initiatives of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in enhancing the safety and security of Lagos.

    Jawara highlighted the similarities between The Gambia and Nigeria as West African countries and stressed the importance of fostering a conducive environment for mutually beneficial relations between the two nations.

    “Nigeria and The Gambia will obviously be the better for it, if we collaborate,” Jawara was quoted to have said.

    In his remarks, the GM, LNSA said, “This visit is a sign that our governor is doing something unique and commendable.

    That is why even our brothers across borders can see and want us to exchange ideas and I can assure you that Mr Governor will graciously do anything to make Lagos the cynosure of all eyes as a safe home for residents and a secure haven for business and leisure visitors.”

    Ifalade added that the exchange programme would benefit the two countries as they share experiences while assuring Lagosians of Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to a safer and more secure Lagos State.

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  • Nigeria: Reaction, as Lagos Banana Island building collapse

    Nigeria: Reaction, as Lagos Banana Island building collapse

    A seven-story structure under construction on First Avenue in the Banana Island neighborhood of Ikoyi, Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos, has made headlines once more.

    The latest incident in the exclusive neighbourhood of some of the wealthiest Nigerians brings to fore what seems to have become an incident common in the southwestern state.

    While residents try to figure out why Lagos has continued to be in the news for cases of building collapse, building experts question the role of government agencies in the approval processes for buildings in the state.

    A Former President of Nigerian Institute of Building, Kenneth Nduka says the inability of government to prosecute those responsible for building collapses in the country is a factor fueling reoccurrence.

    ‘Let me integrate backwards, there have been collapses and these collapses have been investigated. I am yet to hear or maybe I am not being so cognizant of what is happening, but I am yet to hear that Mr. X or Mr. Y has been sent to jail because he participated in the development of a building that has collapsed.’ Nduka Said

    Nduka while reacting to the collapse of a seven-storey building under construction in Lagos called on the Lagos state government to ensure buildings in the state are constructed under proper guidelines.

    ‘If you are using material, there is a specification of the type of material you use. If you are going to start a multistorey building, it should be such that there should be geotechnical investigation of the soil.” Nduka says.

    Officials of the state government who visited the site of the incident said rescue efforts were in top gear to find whoever was trapped under the rubble.

    On Thursday, April 13 a team of Lagos state government officials were on the scene of the incident for an on-the-spot assessment.

    Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyitolu, Director General, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency says the rescue team swung into action on getting to the site.

    ‘With our combined effort, we were able to recover seven people alive. Those people that were rescued were treated on the spot and discharged.’ Oke-Osanyitolu said.

    ‘One was transferred to a private hospital where he is receiving adequate treatment.’ He adds.

    Mobolaji Ogunlende, Special Adviser to Lagos Governor on Special Duties and intergovernmental relations gave an update on the rescue effort .

    ‘Lagos State Emergency Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) were already on ground by the time I personally got here, they had treated about 7 to 8 minor injuries on getting to the scene. And a few of them we felt needed to go to the hospital have been taken to the hospital.’ Ogunlende said.

    When asked of the fatality figure, he said ‘In terms of fatalities which you asked, as of this moment we have not recorded any fatalities. We are here, our equipment is here, what we are trying to do now is to see how we can go through the rubble very quickly to say if and indeed any fatality we can recover.’

    According to the Lagos State health authorities, out of the 25 persons rescued by emergency responders, 16 victims who sustained moderate injuries were receiving treatment.

    Africanews Correspondent David Agunlouye Tayor reports that the Building Collapse Prevention Guild in Nigeria says Lagos State has recorded 115 building collapses in the last 10 years.

  • Nigeria senator convicted of smuggling  man to UK for organ harvesting

    Nigeria senator convicted of smuggling man to UK for organ harvesting

    In the first instance of its sort, a Nigerian politician was found guilty of organ trafficking in Britain.

    In an effort to obtain a young man from Lagos’ kidney, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, 60, his wife Beatrice, 56, and “middleman” Dr. Obinna Obeta, 50, formed a plan. All three were found guilty of the crime.

    It is the first time defendants have been found guilty of an organ harvesting conspiracy under the Modern Slavery Act.

    As the jury, which deliberated for over 14 hours, acquitted their daughter Sonia of the same allegation, she sobbed uncontrollably.

    The victim, a 21-year-old street trader from Lagos, was brought to the UK last year to provide a kidney to Sonia in an £80,000 private transplant at the Royal Free Hospital in London.

  • Lagos remains under the grip of Nigeria’s governing party

    Lagos remains under the grip of Nigeria’s governing party

    In state elections with low attendance, Nigeria’s ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) party maintained control of Lagos, the nation’s commercial capital.

    Lagos, which has a population of more than 20 million, is the biggest metropolis in Africa.

    Voters in the state had last month backed opposition candidate Peter Obi in disputed presidential elections that have been challenged in court.

    Incumbent Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu retained his seat with a tally of over 760,000 votes – double the count of his closest rival – in results announced by the electoral commission.

    His opponent rejected the outcome before the final count was announced citing fraud. He vowed to challenge the results.

    Nigerian governors control budgets worth millions of dollars and are in charge of schools, hospitals and infrastructure.

  • Sanwo-Olu declared by INEC as governor of Lagos state

    Sanwo-Olu declared by INEC as governor of Lagos state

    The Lagos State governorship election was won by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, or INEC.

    Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, defeated Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party with a total vote total of 762,134.

    Whereas Abdulazeez Adeniran of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, received 62,449 votes, the LP candidate received 312,329 votes.

    The results were announced by the Returning Officer, Prof Adenike Temifayo-Oladiji, Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA.

    The number of valid votes were 1,155,678; rejected votes – 17,953; total votes cast – 1,173,631; accredited votes – 1,182,620.

    Before the declaration, Rhodes-Vivour called the election a sham, alleging “collusion between the ruling party and electoral officials”.

    The flagbearer said what the people witnessed was “a slap on the face of democracy” and everyone who came out to vote for the LP on Saturday.

    “In the light of this, I am convinced beyond any doubt that the results being released by INEC do not represent the wishes of the majority of peaceful Lagosians.

    “More so the results from our field agents and situation room indicated that we won this election,” Rhodes-Vivour added.

    LP Chairman in Lagos, Mrs. Dayo Ekong had asked INEC to cancel the poll, citing electoral malpractices, intimidation, violence, among others.

  • I became a millionaire in Lagos as an Edo babe- Toyin Abraham

    I became a millionaire in Lagos as an Edo babe- Toyin Abraham

    Producer and actress in Nollywood, Toyin Abraham-Ajeyemi has said that as an Edo babe, she made a million dollars in Lagos State. As a result, she is in favor of Babjide Sanwo- Olu’s reelection as governor of Lagos.

    On Tuesday, March 7, 2023, she made this statement on Twitter, claiming that Lagos State was responsible for her success.

    She said, “Lagos State, where I became a millionaire as an Edo babe. Sanwo Again. Sanwo Eko. Good governor. My choice,”

    However, despite the criticism she has received on her choices of both presidential and governorship candidates, she has once again confirmed that that’s her decision and that she had not been forced to support or vote for any particular party.

    Recall that Toyin Abraham publicly chose Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect, as her presidential candidate.

  • Fire razes Lagos spare parts market, kills one, destroys multi-millions naira worth of goods

    Fire razes Lagos spare parts market, kills one, destroys multi-millions naira worth of goods

    In the early hours of Wednesday, a guy who cannot be named was killed by fire at the Akere Auto Spare Parts Market in the Lagos State neighborhood of Olodi-Apapa.

    The early-morning blaze, which reportedly lasted for hours, also burned numerous shops and commodities worth millions of naira.

    The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the incident and that the cause of the inferno was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filing this report

    The Director ,Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service ,Margaret Adeseue said “At about 03:28 Wednesday wee hours, a Fire outbreak was alerted to Akere Spare Parts Market, Kirikiri Road, Akere Bus Stop, Olodi-Apapa, Ajegunle, Lagos that saw the Ajegunle Fire Station of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service as first respondent.’

    She added that “Upon arrival, it was discovered that rows of shops that traded in auto spare parts was well alight that led to Sari-Iganmu and Ilupeju Fire crews of the Alagency joining up to subdued the raging Fire and salvage a nearby major market Petroleum Filling Station with a fully loaded 33,000 liters PMS tanker amongst other adjoining buildings.

    “However, a male adult was recovered by the Tolu Police Division of the Nigerian Police around the scene while the Lagos Neighborhood and Safety Corps and the Red Cross were also in attendance.” she added

    Adeseye also stated that ” The cause of the Fire will required details investigation to ascertained as well as post incident enumeration to account for the number of lockup shops and wares lost.”

  • ‘I’m bound to accept election outcome’ in Lagos – Tinubu

    ‘I’m bound to accept election outcome’ in Lagos – Tinubu

    As a Democrat, Bola Tinubu, the candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), says he must accept the results of the 2023 election.

    The former governor of Lagos State also stated that democracy’s beauty can be seen in Peter Obi’s triumph over his Labour Party (LP) rival in the state.

    In addition, Tinubu urged his supporters to be calm and uphold peace, saying Obi’s victory in Lagos shouldn’t be a cause for agitation.

    “The APC candidate further said that as a democrat he is bound to accept the outcome of any election whether favourable or not,” said a statement by the Director, Media & Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Bayo Onanuga on Monday.

    Tinubu also expressed serious concern over reports of violence in parts of the state especially reported attacks on some traders of Igbo origin.

    The former Lagos State Governor condemned any form of violence against people of any ethnic group in Lagos.

    “The fact that the APC narrowly lost Lagos State to another party should not be the reason for violence. As a democrat, you win some, you lose some. We must allow the process to continue unhindered across the country while we maintain peace and decorum,” the statement said.

    Obi defeated the former governor of Lagos State, who received 572,606 votes, with a vote total of 582,454.

    From 1999 to 2007, the state’s governor was based in Lagos. Obi also defeated Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (NNPP).

    Atiku received 75,750 votes and Kwankwaso received 8,442.

    Though Tinubu won 11 local government areas in the state Obi won the overall votes in the state, with a landslide victory in nine powerful local governments with numerical strength including Alimosho, Ojo and Oshodi-Isolo, Kosofe, Amuwo Odofin, amongst others.

    The accredited votes in the state are 1,347,452, the total valid votes are 1,271,451, rejected votes 64,278 and the total votes cast 1,335,729.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Peter Obi secures majority votes in 17 Lagos LGAs

    Peter Obi secures majority votes in 17 Lagos LGAs

    In 17 local government areas (LGAs) in Lagos State, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), is ahead of Bola Tinubu, the APC’s nominee, by more than 1,000 votes.

    In 17 local government areas in Lagos, as of the time of posting this report at 7:30 am on Monday, Obi had received 448,878 votes while Tinubu had received 447,187.

    The data are from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) tallies for the Lagos, Nigeria, presidential election held on February 25.

    The state collation center in the Yaba area of the state opened its doors on Sunday, and the collation continued there till midnight on Monday. Olusegun Agbaje, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner.

    The results for 17 of the state’s 20 LGAs presented by 3:40 am on Monday including Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Badagry, Agege, Ikeja, Shomolu, Kosofe, Amuwo Odofin, Eti Osa, Surulere, Apapa, Ifako Ijaiye, Ajeromi, Oshodi Isolo.

    Results presented for Mushin LGA have yet to get cleared by the state collation officer as they are being contested by the Inter-party Advisory Committee (IPAC) and thus had yet to be signed by most party agents.

    INEC asked that they be presented afresh.

    Meanwhile, Ojo and Alimosho are the only two LGAs left to be announced. The REC in the state is expected to reconvene later on Monday for the final collation of results.

    Of the 87, 209,007 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) collected nationwide for the election, 6,214,970 PVCs were collected in Lagos. This is closely followed by Kano with 5,594,193, and Kaduna with 4,164, 473.

    Lagos is the base of who was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007. Aside from Tinubu and Obi, an ex-governor of Anambra State, other presidential candidates in the race include Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

    See results:

    1. Lagos Mainland LGA

    APC – 20,030

    PDP – 3,005

    LP – 18,698

    NNPP – 257

    2. Epe LGA

    APC – 19,867

    LP – 3,497

    NNPP – 76

    PDP – 5221

    3. Lagos Island LGA

    APC – 27,760

    LP – 3,058

    NNPP – 79

    PDP – 2521

    4. Ibeju-Lekki LGA

    APC – 14,685

    LP – 10,410

    NNPP – 104

    PDP – 2,329

    5. Ikorodu LGA

    APC – 50,353

    LP – 28,951

    NNPP – 400

    PDP – 4,508

    6. Ikeja LGA

    APC – 21,276

    LP – 30,004

    NNPP – 337

    PDP – 2,280

    7. Badagry LGA

    APC – 31,908

    LP – 10,956

    NNPP – 153

    PDP – 6,024

    8. Agege LGA

    APC – 29,568

    LP – 13,270

    NNPP – 1,513

    PDP – 4,498

    9. Somolu LGA

    APC – 27,879

    LP – 28,936

    NNPP – 476

    PDP – 3,449

    10. Amuwo Odofin LGA

    APC – 13,318
    LP – 55,547
    NNPP – 330
    PDP – 2,383

    11. Kosofe LGA

    APC – 36,883

    LP – 46,554

    NNPP – 902

    PDP – 4,058

    12. Eti Osa LGA

    APC – 15,317

    LP – 42,388

    NNPP – 381

    PDP- 3,369

    13. Surulere LGA

    APC – 39,002

    LP – 36,923

    NNPP – 442

    PDP – 2,651

    14. Apapa LGA

    APC – 15,471
    LP – 7,566
    NNPP – 338
    PDP – 2,957

    15. Ifako Ijaiye LGA

    APC – 30,756
    LP – 25,437
    NNPP – 232
    PDP – 3,258

    16. Ajeromi Ifeledun LGA

    APC – 25,938
    LP – 35,663
    NNPP – 435
    PDP – 4,680

    17. Oshodi Isolo LGA

    APC – 27,181
    LP – 51,020
    NNPP – 413
    PDP – 3,139

  • Playback: INEC begins collation of election results in Lagos

    Playback: INEC begins collation of election results in Lagos

    Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  has received presidential results from various parts of the country and counting is currently underway in Lagos.

    This is a livestream of the ongoing event.

  • Nigeria Elections 2023 : Thugs snatch election materials, chase away INEC officials in Edo

    Nigeria Elections 2023 : Thugs snatch election materials, chase away INEC officials in Edo

    Suspected political thugs have snatched ballot boxes and voting materials at Oredo Ward 4 unit 42 on Butcher Street in Edo state.

    It was gathered that the hoodlums also chased away the polling officials who took cover in a house on Lagos Street.

    According to one of the security agents attached to the unit,  the attackers came with a gun to cart away voting materials as the officials were settling down for the day’s job.

    The security stated that it was shocking that the police came and arrested two people in the house where they hid from the hoodlums.

    He said, “I am one of the security officials who were at the unit. As the officials were getting ready to commence voting, the boys who were armed stormed the polling unit and made away with voting materials.

    “The officials took to their heels and took cover at the popular Osula house on Lagos Street. Surprisingly, the police came and took away Kelvin Adu and Idogbowa Osula who were protecting us and the polling officials from being attacked,” he added.

    Governor Godwin Obaseki, who spoke on the issue, stated that the issue would be looked into.

    Obaseki said, “We need to reconfirm that story. It doesn’t make sense to snatch a ballot box that doesn’t have ballot papers in it. We will check that and verify. But I am confident because we made adequate preparations to ensure that every polling unit has at least five security personnel.

    “It is too early to make any conclusive statement, two hours into voting. We are going to go round and see what is going on across the state,” he added

    Meanwhile, there was heavy security presence at Third junction and the Upper Sakponba axis of Benin City with security operatives maintaining peace and order during the election.

    The operatives made up of soldiers and police patrolled the area to deter troublemakers. The axis is known for its notoriety.

    One of the security officials said they were not there to intimidate the residents but to maintain peace and deter those who were planning to foment trouble.

    “Our duty here is to maintain law and order and not to intimidate anyone. It is also to make sure that the resident conducts themselves well,” he added.

    One of the resident said that they woke up to the heavy presence of security wondering whether a war had broken out in the area.

    “Are we at war? Why is there so much security presence here? They are treating people in this axis like criminals,” the resident said.

  • Physical attacks on voters in ongoing Nigerian elections

    Physical attacks on voters in ongoing Nigerian elections

    Reports of physical attacks on voters at various polling stations in the ongoing Nigerian elections are emerging.

    Thugs have reportedly disrupted the voting process at Ikota Primary School, Oshodi, Lagos. Although it is unclear what may have triggered the violence, The Independent Ghana has intercepted photos of a man who was allegedly attacked and has sustained cuts on his arms and head following the incident.

    There have also been reports of vandalised ballot boxes.

    Some hoodlums are roaming the streets of Nigeria, destroying ballot boxes at various polling stations in the country.

    According to one Joey Akan, a journalist, these thugs visited Oba Elegushi and turned the place upside down.

    In his attempt to save the situation, he received a number of slaps before being rescued.

    “Thugs have destroyed ballot boxes and threw away the ballot papers at Oba Elegushi. I collected a couple of slaps for fighting back before I got pulled from the melee, into a house for my safety. Now I have to be smuggled out of the voting area because I have been marked,” he tweeted.

  • Nigeria 2023 elections: N32.4m new notes to be used for vote-buying intercepted

    Nigeria 2023 elections: N32.4m new notes to be used for vote-buying intercepted

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has seized N32.4 million in fresh notes that they believe are to be used in Lagos to buy votes.

    The anti-graft organization said in a tweet on Friday that authorities had also detained a suspect and were questioning him.

    “The massive operation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to deter vote trading and other financial malfeasance ahead of tomorrow’s presidential and national assembly elections may have begun paying dividends with the interception in Lagos of the sum of N32,400,000 allegedly suspected to be used for vote buying in Lagos,” the statement read.

    “The recovery was made by operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command of the Commission. The suspect involved has been taken into custody for further questioning.”

    Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairman of the EFCC, urged members of the anti-corruption organization assigned to the task of election monitoring to act courageously.

    Bawa also urged them to avoid creating conditions that would allow dishonest individuals to compromise the integrity of the polls by offering money inducements.

    “Tactical teams of operatives are currently on the ground in all the states of the federation and the FCT. Telephone hotlines have already been circulated through social media for members of the public to share information regarding financial malpractices with agents of the Commission.

    “Members of the public are encouraged to report anyone trying to buy or sell votes by making use of the EFCC financial crimes reporting App, Eagle Eye, which is available for download on the Google Play or Apple store,” the statement added.

    Earlier, security operatives arrested a federal lawmaker, Dr. Chinyere Igwe, with $498,100 on suspicion of attempted vote buying and money laundering.

    The lawmaker who represents Port Harcourt Federal Constituency 2 in the House of Representatives was arrested along Aba Road in the state capital on Thursday.

    These incidents come amid a scarcity of the new naira notes, subjecting millions of Nigerians to hardship. The situation also triggered protests in some states with aggrieved citizens barricading major roads to register their displeasure.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Police sent to Lagos to restore order in Lagos

    Police sent to Lagos to restore order in Lagos

    Police reinforcements have been deployed to parts of Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, in response to unrest thought to be linked a continuing cash shortage.

    Gunfire has been heard and a number of main roads have been blocked, some by burning tyres.

    Police said order had been restored in one district, Mile Twelve.

    They blamed the trouble on hoodlums.

    A local newsppaer has shared a video of the Friday morning protests.

    Frustration over a shortage of newly-designed banknotes caused violent protests earlier this week in other parts of southern Nigeria including Warri, Benin City and Ibadan.

    On Thursday, President Muhammadu Buhari, again extended the deadline for the old notes to be handed in.

    Source: BBC

  • Funke Akindele chased out of Lagos market while campaigning

    Funke Akindele chased out of Lagos market while campaigning

    Nollywood actress and PDP deputy governorship candidate in Lagos State Funke Akindele was, on Tuesday, chased out of the Ikosi fruit market by suspected thugs while campaigning.

    Speaking on the incident, the PDP governorship candidate, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, in an interview with NAN, confirmed that their campaign was cut short following the incident.

    During a meeting with the chief Imam of Ketu Central Mosque, Jandor confirmed that a security team member was stabbed while others, including journalists, were injured.

    However, he confirmed that the actress left the campaign train while the team continued to move around the streets in the council.

    In October 2022, Jandor cried out over similar situations that had happened repeatedly in various local government areas since he kicked off his tour of 245 wards.

    PDP laments

    PDP Lagos spokesperson, Hakeem Amode, in an interview with Premium Times alleged that the local government chairperson sent the hoodlums to disrupt their campaign.

    He said: “Usually when we go to the market, Funke Akindele goes to the market to speak with the Market women, and we know it is our right to be able to talk freely, a campaign to anybody.”

    He alleged that the Ikosi LCDA Chairperson- Abolanle Bada, brought thugs to intimidate them.

    He said: “the local government chairperson came into the market, used her car to block and brought a bunch of thugs to attack us in Kosofe local government, which is very, very sad; it is unbelievable we are not allowed to speak to people freely.”

    “Under the new electoral act, we are free to campaign anywhere; this is Lagos, where we should be able to talk to everybody without intimidation or discrimination. That should not even happen,” he added.

    He also claimed that this was not the first time it has happened.

    More than hoodlums

    Mr Hakeem also revealed that the intimidation has escalated past the point of harassment during the market campaigns.

    “Those we gave our campaign materials to, they have gone to evict them from their house and ask them not to come to the market; they came crying to our campaign offices. These are market women that paid for the stalls they are using in the market.”

    “Why should we come to this level of harassment and intimidation of our members? Even market women.”

    Again, he stated they had been attacked in other markets.

    Mr Hakeem claimed that the team had no choice but to retreat and join Jandor, where he was campaigning, so the situation would not escalate more violently.

    The PRO once again claimed that the Chairperson of the Ikosi LCDA was responsible for the thuggery on Tuesday, and he had videos to show for it.

    APC’s response

    When PREMIUM TIMES called the spokesperson for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos, Seye Oladejo, concerning the allegations, he denied knowledge of the said event.

    He said: “The PDP people are well known for their wild allegations; if people were attacked, I think it is what the security agencies would be interested in; I don’t think the solution is to take it to the media.”

    “As far as we are concerned, we are not in the business of violence; our party is going for victory, so why should we be distracted by people who cannot even put their house in order and want to come into government.”

    Mr Oladejo claimed that APC is not under any pressure for the election and advised any party claiming to be attacked to take the matter to the law.

    The actress, popularly known as Jenifa, was officially unveiled as Jandor’s running mate in her hometown, Ikorodu, in July 2022.

    Jandor chose her among a list of five nominees, which included Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, Kolawole Vaughan, Adenike Shobajo, and Rasheed Teslim-Balogun.

    Source: premiumtimesng.com 

  • Son, shot during EndSARS  protest can’t walk again, uses diapers — Lagos-based widow laments

    Son, shot during EndSARS protest can’t walk again, uses diapers — Lagos-based widow laments

    Lagos State-based widow, Temitope Oshodi, has narrated how her son, Ridwan Oshodi was shot during the #ENDSARS protest in 2020.

    In October 2020, young persons across Nigeria trooped to the streets to demand an end to police brutality and to also demand “good governance”.

    The protesters were dispersed by hoodlums suspected to be sponsored by the Nigerian government and ruling All Progressives Congress after two weeks.

    According to PUNCH, Oshodi said life has been unbearable for her since Ridwan was critically injured after being shot by policemen amid the 2020 #EndSARS crisis.

    She said, “On October 20, 2020, he was at work when I called him to come back home because I heard that there was a crisis at Lekki.  We stay in Ojuelegba Area C Barracks. When I called him, he said he was very busy working on customers’ cloths. He said he had a job that he needed to finish and deliver, as the customer needed it urgently. He told me that if he was able to finish the work early enough he would come home but if not, he would sleep over at the shop. Later at night, he called me to say that he couldn’t finish the work and he would therefore sleep over in his shop. He said he would come home the following morning.

    “In the morning of the following day, after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos declared a curfew, he told me that he was done with the job and he was on his way home. Just some seconds after we spoke on phone, I heard gunshots around Ojuelegba bridge. I started to try to call him, to tell him to watch his steps.

    “Then we heard cries and shouts that Ridwan had been shot by policemen. We rushed out to rescue him. We took him to Havana Hospital nearby where he was given first aid treatment. He was shot on the stomach. The doctor said the bullet had come out of his back and that his backbone was affected. He said the case was more serious than he could handle at the hospital and referred us to LUTH (Lagos University Teaching Hospital).

    “We still go to LUTH for physiotherapy. We pay 25,000 every month. We have started seeing some improvement. He can talk now, but he still cannot walk; he only crawls and uses diapers. Doctors are assuring us that he will walk again but they said they can’t tell how soon it will be.

    “They had earlier said he wouldn’t be able to walk again because his spinal cord was affected. So, I went to price a wheelchair; they said it was N48, 000. A friend borrowed me N20,000 to deposit for the wheelchair, and then somebody helped me to borrow money from a cooperative society. We bought the wheelchair, we buy drugs like seven times per day; we did one X-ray for N70,000, and another one for N80, 000. I have all the receipts here. We did a scan for N55, 000. I can no longer cope; the debts are becoming unbearable.

    “Last week Friday, one doctor at LUTH said we had been spending too much money, so he advised us to go to one hospital on Badagry Expressway to see another expert, so my son can walk again. When we got there, he (Ridwan) was asked to do some exercise, which he did. After the doctor examined him, he said we would have to get 350,000 for the surgery for him to walk again and also get funds to get the drugs for effective recovery. We’ve not been able to get the money; I have sold all my belongings; I have nothing left.

    “I am a widow; my husband died some years back; there is no help from anywhere. Family and friends have tried to support us the little way they could, particularly when we were in LUTH, but right now, it’s been difficult getting support. Life has not been fair, in all honesty. Ridwan is a hard-working young man but since he has been bedridden, he has become helpless and jobless.”

    Source: BBC

  • Fashion: Nigerian teens and conservation group turning trash into treasure

    Rocking the runway with trash and recycled materials on. Young models took part in the 2022 edition of the annual trashion show in Lagos, Nigeria.

    The event celebrates creative fashion design and promotes waste reduction and sustainability.

    Since its inception in 2012, models grace the runway wearing outfits made from items we would normally throw in the garbage.

    Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative, a non-profit conservation group funded by donations, works with young people as an advocate for a better environment.

    “I invest in teenagers and kids because it’s not just about this Trashion Show, it’s not just about now, it’s about the future that these kids and teenagers will live in long after we are gone”, founder Chinedu Mogbo explained.

    “It’s about the advocacies they are raising now, the things they… whatever they are talking about now to prepare that future that will create a sustainable planet for them during their time, we are seeing the damage, we are seeing the problems, we are seeing chaos, they are already worried that they may not have a safe environment to live in, so, they are making the right choices now”

    The environmental activists have been partnering with teenagers in their drive for a better, cleaner environment.

    It organizes regular trash clean-ups across communities, at drainage ditches and beaches. The plastic litter is then used to create fabrics for the fashion show.

    Manage garbage disposal

    Despite several efforts by succeeding governments and commercial organizations in that regard, managing garbage disposal remains a problem in Lagos.

    With an estimated population of 25 million, generates at least 12,000 metric tons of waste daily, authorities say.

    In collaboration with young activists and models, the Greenfingers Wildlife Initiative says it’s out to recycle as many plastics as possible, one community at a time.

    Upcycling some of it could be a solution to managing garbage disposal, according to the designer for this year’s Trashion Show.

    “All the products we’ve used in designing all these trashion dresses, they can be recycled for something else, so that’s the essence of the whole thing”, Joy Udoka-Obi said.

    Together with her team, she designed and created dress pieces out of the mounting plastic pollution they find on the streets, beaches, and waterways of Nigeria’s booming cultural megacity.

    Model Nethaniel Edegwa believes her involvement in the show is about making a difference.

    “I decided to take part in this year’s Trashion Show because I really want to make a change and we can see that we are all being affected by the climate change, so I really want to make a difference,” the 16-year-old said.

    “My advice to people living in Lagos and Nigeria is in treatment of their waste, they shouldn’t treat waste anyhow, reduce, reuse, recycle is the thing they should go for like they should not find a way…they should find a way to reuse what they have like this is a very good way to reuse your trash and you should also discard them properly not on the floor lying around”, Eyeoyibo Joyce, a 15-year-old model pleaded.

    On November 20, one day following the show, the United Nations COP27 climate summit backed the creation of a fund to cover the damages suffered by nations worst affected by the climate crisis.

    In Nigeria, more and more young people are joining the push for change as the effects of climate crisis worsen with each passing year.

     

    Source: African News

     

  • Today in History: Accra ranked second most expensive city in the world for property to income ratio

    According to a 2021 study, Accra, the capital of Ghana, was the second-most costly city in terms of the cost of housing relative to income.

    According to Numbeo’s analysis, Accra outperformed a number of major global cities, including Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Shenzhen (China), Moscow (Russia), and Paris (France).

    “To estimate household income, the average monthly pay is used.
    The price per square meter is assumed to be the average price in the city center and outside of the city center for a 90 square meter home (or apartment) with a 100% mortgage taken out over 20 years “The survey gave details.

    • Accra has the world’s highest Mortgage percentage income ratio

    • A research survey conducted by Numbeo has revealed

    • It is also more costly to access loans in Accra

     

    A research survey has ranked Accra, Ghana’s capital city as the second most expensive with regard to property price to income ratio.

    The research conducted by Numbeo showed Accra was ahead of Hong Kong (Hong Kong), Shenzhen (China), Moscow (Russia), Paris (France) among other cities in the world.

    The survey further revealed that Accra has the world’s highest Mortgage percentage income ratio. This was however followed by Buenos Aires (Argentina) and Tehran (Iran) in second and third place, respectively.

    “Average monthly salary is used to estimate family income. It assumes 100% mortgage is taken on 20 years for the house (or apt) of 90 square meters which price per square meter is the average price in the city centre and outside of city centre,” the survey explained.

    The Numbeo survey also ranked Accra as the city with the lowest loan affordability in the world.

    “Loan Affordability Index is an inverse of mortgage as a percentage of income,” the survey pointed. This however means, access to loans in Accra is much costlier compared to other cities such as Lagos (Nigeria), Kabul (Afghanistan), Sao Paolo (Brazil) and Stockholm (Sweden).

    The Numbeo survey calculated the ratio of median apartment prices to median familial disposable income, expressed as years of income.

    Numbeo is a crowd-sourced global database of reported consumer prices, perceived crime rates, health care quality, and other statistics.

    For 2021, it has thus far collected data from 482 cities across the world.

  • Nigeria election: The perils of being religious in a religious country

    Religious intolerance is one of the problems dominating discourse ahead of next year’s elections in one of the most religious countries in Africa, if not the globe.

    In a country that is basically divided into a Muslim north and a Christian south, it is rare to meet a Nigerian who is not religious.

    The constitution guarantees religious freedom – the country has no official religion and none of its 36 states is allowed to adopt one. It also prohibits religious discrimination.

    Yet many who live in areas where they are in a religious minority do feel discriminated against and live in fear – and with good reason given the history of religious-based violence.

    “We don’t have the freedom to worship. If you dress like a Muslim, you are in trouble. We are just hiding our religion in fear of not being attacked,” Ibrahim Bello, a Muslim living in south-eastern Nigeria, told the BBC.

    Obinna Nnadi, a Christian who once lived in northern Kaduna state felt similarly fearful: “I felt it was not safe to practice my religion there. I had to pack my family and leave.”

    A Muslim man practising quaranic calligraphy on a wooden board in Katsina, northern Nigeria - 2019
    IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Islamic law is in place in much of northern Nigeria, while the south is mostly Christian

    Neither has much confidence in the authorities to clamp down on intolerance – and Mr Bello says attacks do not always make the news, except those involving the Islamist insurgency in the north-east in which both Muslims and Christians are attacked by militants.

    This lack of faith in the political class to deal with such discrimination has become more heated as the governing All Progressive Congress (APC) has upset a cross-party tradition – in practice since the return to democracy in 1999 – of having both a Christian and a Muslim on the presidential ticket.

    The incumbent president is Muhammadu Buhari, a northern Muslim, while his deputy is Yemi Osinbajo, a southern Christian.

    But the APC ticket for 2023 has Bola Tinubu, a southern Muslim, with Kashim Shettima, a northern Muslim, as his running mate.

    Some feel this could inflame tensions. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (Acled) has recorded that the average number of monthly incidents of violence targeting Christians has risen by more than 25% in the last year.

    While Acled has not separately captured religion-linked attacks on Muslims – except for attacks by militant groups like Boko Haram – some told the BBC of their experiences, especially in the south-east, an area largely inhabited by members of the Igbo ethnic group.

    Aisha Obi is an Igbo Muslim – a growing community. Some are converts, although the majority were born into the faith in the predominantly Christian region.

    Aisha Obi

    BBC
    They see you as a saboteur”
    Aisha Obi
    An Igbo Muslim in south-eastern Nigeria
    1px transparent line

    She said women were the prime targets because of their Islamic dress and were subject to a hostility born of the civil war that started in 1967 when Igbo leaders declared independence.

    The secessionist rebellion ended in defeat but some wounds are yet to heal with resentment felt towards the Muslim Hausa-Fulani community from the north, which then dominated the government.

    “They see you as a saboteur,” Ms Obi told the BBC.

    “Even inside a vehicle or on a motorcycle, they call you: ‘Hausa person, who knows what they are carrying. It could be a bomb.’ They feel Igbos are not supposed to be Muslims,” she said.

    There are frequent attacks on individuals and mosques in the region which the authorities do not take seriously, she says.

    “They don’t believe us. When we tell them, they accuse us of us wanting to cause religious war.”

    Rev Caleb Ahima, vice-president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), acknowledges that religious discrimination is a consequence of location.

    “In some states like [north-eastern] Borno, Christian religious knowledge is not allowed to be taught. Christians are not given plots of land to build their churches,” he said.

    Segregation

    Rifkatu Aniya, from Kaduna state which has large Christian and Muslim communities, said she had never felt safe since her Christian husband, a pastor, was killed in religious violence that erupted in 2000.

    Rifkatu Aniya
    Image caption, Rifkatu Aniya, whose husband died in religious violence 22 years ago, said she didn’t feel safe as a Christian in Kaduna city

    The state’s main city, also called Kaduna, has since been divided into Christian and Muslim areas, explains resident Emeka Okeiyi, which impacts on their religious freedom.

    “I can’t say I have any restriction to practising my faith in the southern part of the city,” he said – but he knows of Christians in the Muslim northern suburbs who would not dare set up a church.

    There are followers of African traditional religions who also say they face intolerance – especially from those who follow the dominant faiths.

    Odinani, or Odinala, was the religion of the vast majority of people in eastern Nigeria before the introduction of Christianity – and is making a comeback with younger people.

    Odinani follower Cletus Chukwuemeka Ogbodo says the idea of religious harmony as enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution is in stark contrast to how people are treated.

    An Odinani shrine in south-eastern Nigeria
    Image caption, Shrines from the traditional Odinani religion are sometimes targeted – with the authorities doing little to stop the attacks

    “Pastors burn down shrines. Pastors burn people’s ancestral heritages down during ‘crusades’,” he says about Christian attacks on traditional places of worship.

    If the government adhered to the constitutional provisions, it would come to the aid of the people and prosecute the perpetrators, he said.

    Inter-faith future?

    There has been a long legal battle in Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, which has seen fierce arguments over religious freedom vs secular rights.

    It ended this year when Nigeria’s Supreme Court upheld a ruling that female Muslim students had the right to wear a head scarf to school.

    Malcolm Omirhobo
    Image caption, Lawyer Malcolm Omirhobo maintains if secularism is not the norm, he should be able to turn up to work in court dressed in traditional attire

    For Ishaq Akintola, director of Muslim Rights Concern (Muric), it was a victory for Muslims in the south who regularly feel they are not treated fairly.

    But for others like lawyer Malcolm Omirhobo, it went against the secular spirit of the constitution.

    To make a point he attended court in a traditional outfit – including a beaded gourd necklace and had a white circle drawn in chalk around his right eye like a priest of African religions.

    “My fight is for secularity to be the norm,” he told the BBC.

    When the authorities do intervene tangibly in religious affairs it can also lead to resentment.

    To stop religious incitement in Kaduna state, a ban was imposed on preaching last year – limiting it to those who are licensed by a council made up of members of both faiths.

    This infuriated some Christian religious leaders, who suggested it was an example of government overreach – in particular Pastor Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministry, who accused the governor when it was first proposed of wanting to “Islamise Kaduna” in a sermon that went viral.

    But the inter-faith council may be a way to foster local understanding – and could be a blueprint for other states.

    Some Muslim and traditional leaders in Kaduna are now joining evangelical worshippers on Sundays – as part of efforts to ease tensions before the polls.

     

     

  • Ex-Nigerian footballer arrested for alleged cocaine trafficking

    Erstwhile Nigerian footballer, Okafor Emmanuel Junior, has been arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos for alleged cocaine trafficking upon arrival from Brazil.

    The Guardian Nigeria reported that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested Okafor who arrived in Lagos with 1.40kg of crack cocaine concealed in his bags on October 2, 2022.

    According to NDLEA spokesman, Femi Babafemi, Okafor played for UNTH Enugu FC before departing Nigeria for Sri Lanka and later travelled to Brazil where he could not continue his career due to documentation issues.

     

     

    During the preliminary interview, Okafor disclosed that he was an ex-footballer with the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu FC, where he played for four seasons before leaving for Sri Lanka in 2014. He further stated that he moved to Brazil from Sri Lanka after playing for two seasons but could not advance his football career in Brazil due lack of official documents.

    Babafemi also confirmed another Brazil returnee named Ibeh Chinedu was also arrested for concealing 3.20kg of black cocaine.

    “Another Brazilian returnee, Ibeh Chinedu Damian was arrested the same day upon his arrival at the Lagos airport from Sao Paulo, Brazil via Ethiopian airlines flight. Ibeh who hails from Ahiazu, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, was found to have concealed 3.20kg of black cocaine popularly known as ‘Lucci’ in the false bottoms of his two bags.”

    In his statement, he said he was to be “paid three million, one hundred thousand naira (N3,100,000) on the successful delivery of the drug in Nigeria.”

    Source:Ghanaweb

  • United Nigeria Airlines finalises plans to operate flights to Accra

    Through diplomatic processes, United Nigeria Airlines Limited has been authorized to begin operating flights into Ghana.

    United Nigeria Airlines Limited, with a base at Enugu International Airport and an office in Abuja, is anticipated to finish the necessary procedures and start conducting commercial flights into Ghana.

    “… United Nigeria Airline Company Limited from Nigeria has been designated through the diplomatic channels to commence commercial flight operations into Ghana,” Director-General of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ing. Charles Kraikue, confirmed to AviationGhana.

    AviationGhana sources say the Nigerian carrier, which operates a fleet of four Embraer ERJ-145LR and presently operates domestic flights to Lagos, Abuja, Enugu Owerri, Port Harcourt, Yenagoa, Anambra, Asaba, and Osubi, is also carefully planning its schedule and will announce it in the months ahead.

    United Nigeria Airlines joins the list of Nigerian carriers designated through official channels to operate flights between Ghana and Nigeria such as Air Peace, Arik, Dana Air, and MedView.

    Africa World Airlines (AWA) remains the only Ghanaian registered carrier designated to operate commercial flights into Nigeria.

    AWA currently operates scheduled flights from its base in Accra to Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale. For regional flights, it services the Accra-Lagos-Accra and Accra-Abuja-Accra routes.

     

  • 17 bodies recovered after Lagos boat tragedy

    The emergency services in Nigeria say they have now recovered 17 bodies after a passenger boat capsized on a waterway in the commercial capital, Lagos.

    Four bodies were recovered on Saturday and a further thirteen on Sunday.

    The inland waterways authority said the boat had set sail on Friday later than the rules permitted and that the tide carried the vessel towards a barge, causing it to overturn.

    The accident came only three days after another passenger boat capsized in the same waters, reportedly drowning two people.

    Boat accidents are common on Nigerian waterways mainly because of overcrowding and poor maintenance.

    Source: BBC