News
Police Arrest Four Journalists, 14 Others Over Anti-Fuel, Power Tariff Hike Protest
Policemen of Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, arrested no fewer than 14 protesters and four journalists during an anti-fuel and electricity tariff hike protest and forcefully dispersed the protesters at Ojuelegba area of the state.
The protest was organised by leaders of the Lagos Chapels the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), National Conscience Party of Nigeria (NCP), and Campaign for Workers Democratic Rights (CWDR), to protest the recent hike the in the pump price of petrol, increase in electricity tariff and perceived de-registration of some political parties, including SPN and NCP.
Those arrested were National Youth Leader of SPN, Chinedu Bossah, SPN’s National Executive member, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, Dagga Tolar, Christopher Harry, Abisoye Kosoko, Tunde Yusuf, Akande Abiola, Ayo Ademiluyi, Ifeanyi Onwunalu, Davy Fidel, Adetunji Gbenga, Usman Khadijat, Moshood Oshunfurewa and Taiwo Alao.
The journalists were, Ifeoluwa Adediran of Premium Times, Abiodun Ayeoba of Sahara Reporters, Awoniyi Oluwatosin of Objectv Media and Daniel Tanimu of Galaxy TV.
The peaceful protest which took-off at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), sub-national secretariat, Jejuosho, Yaba, was without incident until the protesters got to Ojuelegba.
At Ojulegba, the policemen, it was gathered, from Area C swooped on the protesters from different directions, including those following them from Tejuosho, and surrounded the protesters.
One of the leaders of the protesters, and Chairman of CWDR, Rufus Olusesan, told newsmen that the leader of the policemen ordered the protesters “to surrender their protest materials including posters, handbills and banners, but we refused and told them that the constitution guarantees us the right to peaceful protest.
“The policemen started cocking their guns, threatening to shoot us and ordered us to seat on the floor. That was how 14 of us and four journalists were arrested, crammed in a police van and taken to Area C. From Area C, our arrested colleagues including the four journalists were taken to Police Headquarters, Ikeja. It was at the police headquarters that the four journalists were released.”
It was gathered that the arrested protesters were accused of breaching the state social distancing protocol of Covid-19 and had been taken to Oshodi office of State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation.
At the time of this report, it was gathered that police officials were preparing to arraign the protesters.
Condemning their arrest, umbrella body for pro-labour civil society organisations, Joint Action Front (JAF), demanded their immediate and unconditional release.
The JAF, in a statement by its Secretary, Abiodun Aremu, among others, said its “attention had been drawn to illegal arrest of comrades from SPN, and others by police and security operatives of the Area C Command.
“Journalists, who were covering the event were also arrested alongside the leaders and members of SPN for protesting this morning against fuel price hike, electricity tariff and the deregistration of SPN.
“JAF hereby demands the immediate and unconditional release of all the arrested comrades and the journalists who did no wrong exercising their legitimate and constitutional rights of expression and protest.”
Similarly, the SPN, in a statement by its National Chairperson, Abiodun Bamigboye, said “SPN condemns the unjust arrest of members and journalists for protesting against anti-poor policies by the Buhari Government.
“We demand for immediate release of all arrested protesters. We demand an end to violation of human rights under Buhari government. The SPN strongly condemns the brutalisation and arrest of members of our party and journalists by officers of the Nigerian Police Force.
“The arrested SPN members and leaders were on a peaceful protest today in Lagos to demand immediate reversal of the obnoxious increase in electricity tariff and fuel price by the Buhari/APC government, and for Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to respect the judgment of the Appeal Court by relisting SPN and other political parties.
“The arrested people include the National Secretary of the SPN, Chinedu Bossah, National Youth Leader of SPN, Hassan Taiwo Soweto, SPN National Executive member, Dagga Tolar, and about 11 others, as well as four journalists with Galaxy TV, Saharatv, Premium Times and Objectv. Cameras and phones of the journalists have been seized and destroyed while all arrested were physically brutalized.
“We demand the immediate release of all arrested, public apology from the police and payment of medical bills and other damages to those arrested. The unjust arrest today again reveals the despotic character of the Buhari/APC government and further betrays its anti-democratic and anti-masses character. While the government is launching attacks on economic rights of the working and poor people, it, at the same time, wants to deny them democratic rights to express their minds.
“It also exposes the desperate attempt of the Nigerian ruling class to ensure Nigerians are short-changed and denied of a genuine political voice like the SPN. Obviously, the Buhari government knows that its rule is no more popular, given serial attacks on the living conditions of the people, mismanagement of the economy, and massive corruption going on in the government”.
Earlier before the kick-off of the protest at NLC office in Yaba, leaders of the protesters had berated the hikes in pump price of petrol and electricity tariff, saying, among others, “We call on the mass of the working people to reject in its entirety the recent increases of fuel price and electricity tariff by the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.
“Despite privatizing the power sector in November, 2013, the government has invested over $20billion and still plans to spend another $6billion while the power companies have failed to invest but continuously steal from the people through outrageous estimated billing, sale of prepaid meters at exorbitant prices, poor electricity supply and incessant tariff hike.
“The full weight of the labour movement is needed to challenge this anti-poor regime and resist these attacks. We call on the leadership of the two labour centres, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to mobilize for a 48-hour general strike as the beginning of a series of sustained mass actions to resist these attacks and neo-liberal policies.
News
Drug Party: NDLEA Arrests Over 100 Suspects At Lagos Night Club
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested over 100 suspects at Proxy Night club located at No. 7, Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island, where a drug party was going on.
Spokesman of the Agency, Femi Babafemi, who disclosed this yesterday, said the suspects arrested include the owner of the club, Mike EzeNwalieNwogu, alias Pretty Mike, who was taken into custody for screening.
“Cartons of illicit substances, including Loud and laughing gas, were recovered from suspects at the party and the club’s store,” Babafemi said.
The raid followed intelligence about the drug party. NDLEA operatives who were embedded in the party between 11 pm on Saturday, 25th October, however, disrupted the gathering at 3 am on Sunday, 26th October, in line with Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
Similarly, NDLEA said a total of 70 parcels of cocaine factory packed in walls of cocoa butter formula body cream containers heading to London, United Kingdom, were uncovered at the export shed of the MurtalaMuhammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja, Lagos, with three suspects arrested in a series of follow-up operations across Lagos.
According to the statement, “The cocaine consignments weighing 3.60 kilograms were discovered on 14th October 2025 during examination of cargoes packaged as personal effects going to London, UK on an Air Peace flight.
“A cargo agent, Lawal Mustapha Olakunle, who presented the consignment for airfreight, was promptly arrested while investigations stretching into two weeks led to the arrest of two principal suspects linked to the attempt to export the concealed Class A drug to the UK.
“In a follow up operation on 18th October, a female healthcare worker OgunmuyideTaiwo Deborah was arrested following which Mutiu Adebayo Adebiyi, the Chief Executive Officer of a travel agency, MutiuAdebiyi& Co, was arrested at his 23 LadokeAkintola Street, Ikeja GRA Lagos office on Monday 20 th October”.
In a similar development, an attempt by a 35-year-old Lesotho national, Lemena Mark, to export 103.59 grams of methamphetamine concealed in a diabeta herbs coffee tea pack to the Philippines on an Ethiopian Airlines flight from the AkanuIbiam International Airport (AIIA) Enugu on Wednesday, 22nd October, was thwarted by NDLEA officers who arrested him and recovered the illicit drug.
No fewer than 21,950 capsules of tramadol 250mg concealed inside a 100-litre water heater were recovered from a suspect, Umar Abubakar, 40, who was arrested by NDLEA operatives at Bode Saadu, Morro local government area of Kwara state, following credible intelligence on Tuesday, 21st October.
In Taraba, the duo of Auwal Musa, 26, and SalihuBala, 22, were arrested on Tuesday, 21st October, with 450,000 pills of tramadol and Exol-5 at Dan-anacha checkpoint while conveying the consignment in a truck loaded with building materials from Onitsha, Anambra state, to Mubi, Adamawa state.
Also, NDLEA officers on patrol along the Okene/Lokoja highway, Kogi state, seized 162.200kg skunk, a strain of cannabis, from a truck on Friday, 24th October. Operatives in Nasarawa state on Wednesday, 22nd October, recovered 128kg of the same psychoactive substance from a suspect, Abubakar Muhammad, 55, in the Keffi area of the state.
A mother of two, Oyonumoh Glory Effiong, who is a major distributor of Canadian and California Loud, both strong strains of cannabis, in Lekki, Ajah, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and VGC areas of Lagos, has been arrested by NDLEA operatives on Friday, 17th October, during a raid at her Lekki home, where 500 grams of the illicit substances were recovered.
In the Ikorodu area of Lagos, NDLEA officers on Thursday, 23rd October, raided the home of a suspect, OgunyaboAdenigbigbe, at Solomade estate, where 275 litres of skuchies, a new psychoactive substance produced with black currant drink, cannabis and opioids, were recovered.
A 75-year-old grandpa, EchenduOnuoka, was arrested on Wednesday, 22nd October, at Ovum village, Obingwa LGA, Abia state, with 4.7kg skunk seized from him, while a 60-year-old grandma, Aukana John, was nabbed with 225 grams of the same substance at Apanta village, in the same LGA.
While a 150kg skunk was recovered during a raid operation at Lot camp, IkunAkoko, Ondo state, two suspects: Bashir Mohammad, 50, and Samini Ahmed Tijjani, 35, were nabbed with 234.5kg of the same substance at Yan aya ,Saminaka in Lere LGA, Kaduna on Friday, 24th October, just as another set of suspects: IsahUsman, 50, and Salvation Okoler, 18, were arrested with 8,600 pills of tramadol 225mg and rohypnol along Abuja/Kaduna highway.
At the Seme border area of Lagos, NDLEA operatives on Wednesday, 22nd October nabbed Jacob Ojugbele with 55kg skunk at Ashipa area of Badagry, while AmusaOluwabukola was arrested with 121.3 litres of skuchies at ItogaBadagry.
In Zamfara state, NDLEA operatives on patrol along Gummi-Anka road on Monday, 20th October arrested a suspect, Abubakar Ibrahim, 30, in possession of an AK-47 rifle and 1,746 assorted calibres of ammunition, for AK-47 and GPMG rifles while moving them from Sokoto to Bagega forest, Anka LGA, Zamfara. Both the suspect and the exhibits have since been handed over to the appropriate security agency for further investigation.
With the same vigour, Commands and formations of the Agency across the country continued their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitization activities in schools, worship centres, workplaces, and communities, among others, in the past week.
These include: WADA sensitization lecture to students and staff of Asabari Grammar School, IluwaIsaleOke, Saki West LGA, Oyo; Government Day Girls Secondary School, BirninKebbi, Kebbi; St. Mark’s College, Nsude, Enugu; Kusaki Secondary School, Gboko North, Benue; Government Day Secondary School, Serti- Baruwa, Gashaka LGA, Taraba; Police Children School 2, Port Harcourt, Rivers and Hajara Ahmad International School, Tudun Wada, Kano state, among others.
While commending the officers and men of MMIA, AIIA, Lagos, Kwara, Abia, Nasarawa, Kogi, Ondo, Anambra, Taraba, Kaduna, Seme and Zamfara Commands for the arrests and seizures, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed BubaMarwa (Rtd) urged them and their colleagues across the country to continue the Agency’s balanced approach to drug control efforts.
News
SERAP Demands NNPCL Account For Oil Revenues, Threatens Legal Action
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), BayoOjulari, to provide a detailed account of oil revenues reportedly flagged by the Auditor-General of the Federation in the 2022 annual report.
The report, published on September 9, 2025, raised questions over the management of multi-billion-naira transactions, including over N22 billion, $49 million, £14 million, and €5 million in oil-related revenue, handled by the national oil company.
In a letter dated October 25, 2025, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, KolawoleOluwadare, the organisation called on Ojulari to ensure transparency by identifying those responsible for any unaccounted funds and forwarding the findings to the appropriate anti-corruption agencies.
“These findings raise serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the management of public resources,” SERAP said.
The group urged the NNPCL to recover any unremitted or misapplied funds and return them to the national treasury, stressing that proper management of oil revenues was crucial for national development.
“The allegations, if not promptly and transparently addressed, could undermine public confidence and economic stability,” SERAP stated.
According to the organisation, the Auditor-General’s report drew attention to issues such as irregular payments, uncompleted projects, and documentation lapses relating to oil sector transactions.
SERAP argued that corruption and financial mismanagement in the oil sector had long hindered Nigeria’s ability to channel its vast petroleum wealth into improved public services.
“Despite the country’s enormous oil resources, citizens continue to face hardship due to a lack of accountability and transparency in revenue management,” the statement noted.
The organisation maintained that if the flagged funds were properly accounted for, more resources could be made available for sectors such as education, healthcare, and social welfare.
It added that the NNPCL must take proactive steps to comply with audit recommendations, including closing identified loopholes and enhancing oversight on contract execution.
SERAP also warned that it would take legal action should the NNPCL fail to respond within seven days.
“We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within seven days of the receipt and publication of this letter.
“If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall consider appropriate legal actions to compel compliance in the public interest,” the organisation said.
The group cited Section 15(5) of the Nigerian Constitution, which mandates public institutions to prevent corrupt practices and abuse of power.
News
N’Assembly Committee Approves New State ForS’East
The Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on Constitution Review has approved the creation of an additional state in the South-East geo-political zone.
According to a statement by the media unit of the committee, the resolution was reached on Saturday at a two-day retreat in Lagos, where it reviewed 55 proposals for state creation across the country.
The session, chaired by the Deputy Senate President, BarauJibrin, and co-chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, resolved that, in the spirit of fairness and equity, the Federal Government should create another state for the region.
Kalu, who joined other lawmakers to champion additional state creation for the region, argued that a new state would give the people a sense of belonging.
When created, the South-East will be at par with the South-South, South-West, North-Central, and North-East zones, each having six states.
The South-East is the only geo-political zone with five states comprising Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
The North-West comprises seven states: Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, and Jigawa.
According to the statement, Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) moved a motion for the creation of the new state, which was seconded by Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/Ewekoro, Ogun State) at the retreat.
“The motion received the unanimous support of committee members and was adopted,” the statement read in part.
Similarly, the committee also established a sub-committee to consider the creation of additional states and local government areas across all six geo-political zones, noting that a total of 278 proposals were submitted for review.
Speaking at the event, Jibrin urged members to rally support among their colleagues at the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly to ensure the resolutions sail through during voting.
“We need to strengthen what we have started so that all parts of the country will key into this process.
“By the time we get to the actual voting, we should already have the buy-in of all stakeholders—from both chambers and the state Houses of Assembly,” the Deputy Senate President was quoted as saying.
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