A former chairman of the Park Management System in Oyo State, Mukaila Lamidi, also known as Auxiliary, has been remanded at the Agodi Correctional Centre by an Iyaganku Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ibadan.

Naija News reports Chief Magistrate Olabisi Ogunkanmi ordered the remand of Lamidi on Thursday due to a lack of jurisdiction.

Recall that Auxiliary was recently arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, months after the police had declared him wanted for allegedly involving in a series of armed robberies, kidnapping, and murder cases.

He was subsequently paraded on Thursday morning by the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola.

While parading the suspect at the state police command, the state Commissioner said a collaborative effort with other security agencies led to the arrest of Auxillary, who would be charged in court.

Adebola also thanked the public for providing credible information to curb the crime in the state.

Magistrate Ogunkanmi, while speaking, said the remand of Auxiliary was pending the issuance of legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecution.

She, thereafter, adjourned the matter till July 11, for mention.

Lamidi, was charged with a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, causing death and stealing.

The Officer-in-Charge of the Legal Department of the Police Command, CSP Funke Fawole, told the court that Lamidi and others, now at large, allegedly conspired to commit the offences.

The Fawole further said that the offences were committed by the suspect and others who are still at large at Baba-Onilu Shopping Complex, Iwo Road, Ibadan.

She said the offence contravened Sections 383 and 316 and is punishable under Sections 319, l1l, 390 (9), 324 and 516 of the Criminal Code Laws of Oyo State 2000.

Fawole said: “On June 16, 2021, at about 3:30 pm, Lamidi and others now at large allegedly caused the death of one Azeez Rahman Abiodun, 36, by stabbing him with a knife in the chest.

“On June 16, 2021, the defendant and others allegedly conspired and stole assorted phones valued at N150 million, property of Azeez Hammed Adebayo.”

The Federal Government on Thursday denied an allegation that it intended to borrow the N20tn pension fund for infrastructure development.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, in a statement in Abuja, said the government would comply with the established rules and regulations governing the pension fund.

The minister was reported to have told journalists, after a two-day Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday, that the government would unveil a plan to harness local funds, including the fund, to finance infrastructure development.

However, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, Edun noted that the pension industry, similar to other sectors in the financial industry, is strictly regulated by specific legal frameworks.


He said the Federal Government did not plan to exceed these legal boundaries, emphasising that the government was committed to protecting workers’ pensions.

“It has come to my notice that stories are making the round that the Federal Government plans to illegally access the hard-earned savings and pension contributions of workers. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Highly regulated

“The pension industry, like most the financial industries, is highly regulated. There are rules. There are limitations about what pension money can be invested in and what it cannot be invested in.

“The Federal Government has no intention whatsoever to go beyond those limitations and go outside those bounds which are there to safeguard the pensions of workers.

“What was announced to the Federal Executive Council was that there was an ongoing initiative drawing in all the major stakeholders in the long-term saving industry, those that handle funds that are available over a long period to see how, within the regulations and the laws; these funds could be used maximally to drive investment in key growth areas,” Edun clarified.

Furthermore, Edun clarified that the government had no intention of increasing the risk associated with the pension funds or allowing their investments to become less secure.

Earlier on Thursday, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria asked the Federal Government to refrain from tampering with the pension fund.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero and the TUC Deputy President, Tommy Okon, in a joint statement on Thursday, advised the government not to risk the future of workers by borrowing the money to fund infrastructure development.

They stated, “Nigerian workers have entrusted their hard-earned savings for retirement security, not as a means for government projects. It is imperative to halt any further plans to tap into these funds, especially given the lack of transparency and accountability in past government borrowing practices.’’


The unions demanded assurances from the government that workers retirement funds [b]“would not fall victim to further Federal Government borrowing, especially when the PENCOM Board has not been constituted as envisaged by the statutes,’’ [/b]arguing further that any plan to borrow the funds is not backed by the Pension Act.

Labour expressed regrets that despite the government’s assurances of widespread consultation with major stakeholders in the pension industry, the NLC and TUC, representing the owners of the entire pension fund contributions, had neither been consulted nor informed about the government’s intentions.

According to the unions, the lack of transparency undermined the sanctity of pension funds, which it said should always be treated with the utmost reverence and protection.

Similarly, the Head of Information, Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Bunmi Ogunkolade, urged the government to find an alternative source to fund its infrastructure development plan, noting that the pension fund did not belong to pensioners but to workers.

He said, “Simply put, we are not in support. We have told the government to go and look for where to get their money. We have appealed to them that they should please look for where to get money to fund infrastructure or whatever.

On its part, the Nigeria Union of Pension in Kaduna State also advised the Federal Government against using the money for infrastructure development.

The state Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Mallam Alhassan Balarabe Musa, who stated this in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The Federal Government under former President Muhammadu Buhari attempted a similar thing but failed.’’

“For us we are not happy about that. As of now, our national headquarters are trying everything to ensure that the fund is not going to be accessible.

“Now, we have so many retirees under contributory pension who are unable to get their gratuities. So, why will the Federal Government take that kind of amount? I think it’s going to be unfortunate and unacceptable.”

The NUP Pensioners, Ogun State Council, gave a similar warning.

The Secretary of the union, Dr Bola Lawal, said “I am sure if you have the opportunity to ask every pensioner none will accept this move of the government. Where is the assurance that this money will be paid back on time?

Osun pensioners

When contacted, the Coordinator, Osun State Contributory Pensioners, Mr Toyin Ayinde, warned the government against tampering with the contributions of retirees.

He said, “The government must not touch our money. What exactly is the matter with them? We don’t want anyone to touch our money under any guise. We are not interested in any proposal from them.”

Six directors and 222 other staff members of the Anambra State Local Government Service Commission have been sacked for possessing fake certificates with which they gained employment into the commission.

In the same vein, two former staff members, one of whom was found to be working with the state owned Nwafor-Orizu College of Education at Nsugbe, and another with Nnamdi Azikiwe University, UNIZIK, Awka, who were said to be collecting salaries for four years have been directed to refund the illegal salaries they received to the commission.

Chairman of the Commission, Mr Vincent Ezeaka disclosed the scandals to newsmen at the Commission’s office in Awka on Thursday.

Ezeaka said that the sad developments were discovered in the ongoing verification and staff biometrics identification exercise being conducted by a four-man committee headed by a retired Permanent Secretary, Dr. (Mrs.) Ndidi Onuigbo.

He added that the exercise is part of Governor Chukwuma Soludo-led administration’s agenda deliberately initiated to sanitise the local government workforce.

Ezeaka further explained that between January and April 2024, a total of 222 ghost workers have been discovered and weeded out of the local government service commission.

He added that the two ex-staff of the commission who collected salaries from the coffers of the commission for four years while at the same time work as staff members of Nsugbe College of Education and the other as an accounting officer with the UNIZIK, Awka whose names he declined to disclose to newsmen would be prosecuted accordingly on the order of the state government.

The local government service boss, however, stated that from the verification exercise the bonafide staff members of the commission currently is about 4, 300, adding that they are the workers in the payroll of the commission pending when the verification committee would conclude it’s assignment.

He stated that the state government is taking serious steps towards ensuring that communities and local government areas are sanitized for things to get better.

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly across the country have endorsed ongoing work by the National Assembly to make provision for state policing in the nation’s constitution.

The speakers made their resolution known at the end of a meeting in Abuja on Thursday night.

Recall that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, had rejected the call for state police.

According to him, Nigeria is not mature for state police.

Egbetokun stated this in April at a national dialogue on state police organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja.

The theme of the dialogue is ‘Pathways to Peace: Reimagining Policing in Nigeria’.

Egbetokun, who was represented by Ben Okolo, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, said Nigeria is not ready for the establishment of state police.

“On the issue of state police, it is the submission of the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that Nigeria is not yet mature and ready for the establishment of state-controlled police,” he said.


The IGP also claimed that state governors were likely to abuse the privilege of state police by using it for political gains, leading to possible abuse of power and abuse of human rights.

“State governors could use the police forces under their control for political or personal gain and undermine human rights and security. There would also be a conflict of jurisdiction,” he noted.

Nigerian singer Peter Okoye, famously known as one half of the dynamic duo PSquare, has recently undergone a hair transplant procedure.

In a candid statement, Okoye revealed that his decision was motivated by a desire to look good for his fans.

Okoye took to his Instagram stories to document the process of undergoing a hair transplant.

In the video, Okoye was depicted with line markings on his bare head, and what appeared to be a bandage or rolls of tissue paper could be seen on his ears and the back of his head.

Despite the procedure, the music star expressed positivity, stating that he felt great about it.

He further explained that he opted for the cosmetic enhancement to enhance his appearance for his fans, emphasizing, “I feel better 100%, so nothing to worry about. Just to look good for you guys.”

"Hey guys, Mr P is here. I’m here in Istanbul with Mr [name] who is here to look after my hair. You guys know I’m been very uncomfortable about it but guess what, you will see the before and after of the magic these guys are about to do,” The extraction part is done, we have about 2400 and it’s time to eat. I feel better 100%, nothing to worry about; just to look good for you guys,” he added -

Emirates will resume services to Nigeria from 1 October 2024, operating a daily service between Lagos and Dubai, and offering customers more choice and connectivity from Nigeria’s largest city to, and through, Dubai.

The service will be operated using a Boeing 777-300ER. EK783 will depart Dubai at 0945hrs, arriving in Lagos at 1520hrs; the return flight EK784 will leave Lagos at 1730hrs and arrives in Dubai at 0510hrs the next day. Tickets can be booked now on http://emirates.com or via travel agents.

Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer said, “We are excited to resume our services to Nigeria. The Lagos-Dubai service has traditionally been popular with customers in Nigeria and we hope to reconnect leisure and business travellers to Dubai and onwards to our network of over 140 destinations. We thank the Nigerian government for their partnership and support in re-establishing this route and we look forward to welcoming passengers back onboard.”

With the resumption of operations to Nigeria, Emirates operates to 19 gateways in Africa with 157 flights per week from Dubai, with further reach to an additional 130 regional points in Africa through its codeshare and interline partnerships with South African Airways, Airlink, Royal Air Maroc, Tunis Air, among others.

As a major economic hub in Africa, Nigeria and the UAE have built strong bilateral trade relations over the years, headlined by Lagos as the nation’s commercial centre. With the resumption of daily passenger flights, the airline’s cargo arm, Emirates SkyCargo, will further bolster the trade relationship by offering more than 300 tonnes of bellyhold cargo capacity, in and out of Lagos every week.

Emirates SkyCargo will support Nigerian businesses by exporting their goods via its state-of-the-art hub in Dubai, into key markets such as the UAE, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Bahrain, among others with key anticipated commodities such as Kola Nuts, food and beverages, and urgent courier material. Emirates SkyCargo will also import vital goods such as pharmaceuticals and electronics as well as general cargo from key markets such as the UAE, India and Hong Kong. Keeping trade flowing seamlessly, these goods will be transported quickly, efficiently, and reliably via the airline’s multi-vertical specialized product portfolio.

The Emirates Boeing 777-300ER serving Lagos will operate with 8 First Class suites, 42 Business Class seats, and 304 seats in Economy Class. Offering the best experience in the sky, passengers can dine on regionally inspired multi-course menus developed by a team of award-winning chefs complemented by a wide selection of premium beverages. Customers can tune in to over 6,500 channels of global entertainment, including 23 Nigerian movies, in addition to series and other content on ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system.

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State, Senator Magnus Abe, on Wednesday, defended his decision to work with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Earlier, Abe, who contested the state governorship election on the platform of the Social Democratic Party in 2023 after losing out to Tony Cole for the party’s ticket, announced his reconciliation with Wike.

He also insisted that anybody he wanted to work with, he must reconcile with the person.

He said, “I’m comfortable working with Wike. I did everything to convince Wike as governor then, to work for Tinubu in Rivers State.

“Wike is my friend. Today, he is working in the APC government as a minister. We must work together.”

Meanwhile, the former lawmaker, speaking on a Channels TV programme, Politics Today on Wednesday night defended his actions.

Asked whether Wike has now become a member of the APC, Abe said, “Wike is a minister in the APC government and not a member of the APC.

“He is a minister in our government and we cannot with all proper sense of responsibility as a party ignore the president’s appointee from our own state, who is a minister in our government. It makes no sense.

“So, he does not have to be a member of the APC, but he is an influential figure in the APC government and it is in the interest of the party to work with him and we will do so in the party and nation’s interest and to be able to give our full support to the president (Bola Tinubu).

“He was not a member of the APC when he led the G-5 to support Tinubu’s presidency bid.

“The president didn’t stop him then that he is not a member of the APC so you cannot support me.

“If the president didn’t say that, we too, will not say that he is not an APC member and so we will not work with him.

“We are following the footsteps of our leader, therefore, we’ll work with him.”

He, earlier, from the same interview also spoke on the APC structure in the state.

“The politics of Rivers State, like we all know, for the past few years have been convoluted within the All Progressives Congress, and we’ve looked at the situation with the recent changes in the party.

“And the appointment of the Chairman caretaker committee in the state is necessary,” Abe said.

The acting Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Chris Maiyaki, said, on Wednesday, that the Federal Government was working to reconstitute the governing councils of universities.

He said the Minister of Education, Prof Tahir Mamman, had put in place a panel to work on the list.

The NUC Executive Secretary said the councils would be inaugurated once the list was consummated.

Maiyaki spoke at a media parley with education reporters in Abuja on Wednesday.

He was responding to the two-week ultimatum issued by the Academic Staff Union of Universities to the government to reconstitute the governing councils of public universities.

ASUU had on Tuesday given the government a two-week ultimatum to reconstitute the governing councils of federal universities.

“To reconstitute the councils of 61 universities is not a small feat. The government is working to ensure that people who are qualified and with the right pedigree are put in those councils so that they can deliver on Mr. President’s Renewed Hope Agenda. We know ASUU is a body of academics and are concerned about the welfare of their members and the activities in universities but we want them to be patient with the government during this period.” 

Speaking on the number of universities in the country, the NUC boss said the commission was committed to expanding access to higher education.

“And for this, the current 272 universities in the NUS are not sufficient to accommodate the ever-growing demand for university education by Nigerian youths. “Each year, Nigerian universities receive close to two million applications, only a small fraction of them are admitted. That is why there is a need for Nigeria to continue to increase access by establishing more universities to meet the demand for quality education in the country,” Maiyaki said

On the initiatives put in place by NUC to boost the nation’s university system, he said the NUC had identified strategic priorities that encompass curriculum development, quality assurance, research and innovation, infrastructure development, and internationalisation, among others.

“To encourage partnerships with industry and promote blended learning, the NUC carried out an extensive review of university curricula from the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standard to the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, which reflect the aspirations of Nigeria to attain a knowledge economy, driven by the 4 Industrial Revolution, known as 4IR, and the 21-century skills.

“The CCMAS features an expansion of academic disciplines from 14 to 17.  The implementation of the new curricula came into effect in September 2023 for the 2023/2024 academic session.

“The implementation framework of the CCMAS makes provision for the training of staff in student-centred tuition-delivery capabilities and development of textual materials to enhance teaching and learning.

“Open and Distance Learning Guidelines In a bid to assure quality in the regulation of the NUS, the Commission developed guidelines to provide a framework for the orderly adoption, integration and mainstreaming of e-learning into the conventional face-to-face modes of teaching and learning in Nigerian Universities, among other objectives. 

“This initiative was needed to assure quality in the delivery of university education, via the Open and Distance Education mode, and keep pace with contemporary global best practices. The Commission produced the following guidelines, as part of the efforts to broaden open and distance learning in the Nigerian University System, “ he said.

The acting Executive Secretary said various guidelines, including  Guidelines on Trans-National Education in Nigeria; Guidelines for e-Learning in Nigerian Universities;Guidelines for the Implementation of the National Policy on Open Educational Resources  in Nigerian Higher Education, and the Guidelines for the Establishment of Private Open Universities in Nigeria, have also been churned out by the commission.

“The Guidelines for Transnational Education allows foreign Universities to collaborate in creating high-quality institutions in Nigeria through six competitive models This effort aims at making Nigerian graduates competitive, globally, so as to reduce the need for the nation’s young men and women going abroad to seek university education.

“The launch of these ODL guidelines marks a significant milestone in the history of the NUC towards its dedication to greater quality, equity and access to university education in Nigeria. It all follows from the recommendations for the establishment and expansion of universities, deeper IT penetration, and enhanced competencies in online delivery,” he added.

The Nigerian government lost billions of Naira annually for not applying airport tolls to Very Important Persons and VIPs.

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Space Development, Festus Keyamo, disclosed this, justifying the inclusion of VIPs in airport toll payments.

Recall that at the end of Tuesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the Minister announced a new rule requiring VIPs, including President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kasim Shettima, to pay airport tolls.

He explained that funds that would have been used for the infrastructural development of Nigerian airports were wasted under the old rule.

According to him, VIPs will be the first to lament poor infrastructure in Nigerian airports, yet they were exempted from paying tolls under the old rule.

“This has led to the annual loss of billions of Naira, not millions, in the past. Yet, our airport infrastructure, you know, is decaying. I am helpless. I’m looking for concessionaires. I’m looking for help with decaying infrastructure.

“They will be the first to cry out, these same VIPs— ‘Why are the toilets like this? Why are your toilets smelling? Why can’t you can’t you do this?’

“They are the same people but don’t pay for the services. So, if we want improved infrastructure at the airport, we must pay for services,” he said.

Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu, aka Burna Boy, has opened up about why he is not ready to be a father yet.

According to the 32-year-old, he is not ready to have kids yet because he can’t give them the attention they deserve.

Burna Boy disclosed this while responding to a curious fan during a recent Instagram live session with fans. 

He explained that he would have children when he was settled or married.

He said, “Why haven’t I had kids yet? Bro, because I don’t want to have kids yet.

“Have you seen my mum the way she loves me? Have you seen my dad the way he loves me?I know I can’t give that to anyone right now with the life I’m living. So until I’m settled and I can be there for my children everyday, I’m not having no kid.

“I feel like my kids deserved better than I got. And I got both my mum and dad so you understand?”

On the allegations that he is impotent, Burna Boy said, “When I see the bants and the things people say [about me not being able to have kids], I said this is unimportant. Let’s assume that it is true that I couldn’t even have kids, you know that there’s something called IVF? But that is not even true.”