The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court on Monday sentenced a 59-year-old artisan, Eze Chukwuma, to double life imprisonment for defiling his two daughters for nine years.

Justice Abiola Soladoye held that the prosecution sufficiently proved the two-count charge bordering on defilement against Mr Chukwuma.

Ms Soladoye said the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses were corroborated.

According to her, valid evidence was laced and documented, and the admission of the convict to have had canal knowledge of his two daughters during cross-examination was crucial.

She said the two daughters told the court their biological father began having sex with them when their mother died during childbirth in 2008.

Ms Soldaoye said: “The defendant’s incestuous relationship with his two daughters, following the death of his wife in 2008, is senseless.

“The children were taken to their village, and even after telling their kinsmen about their father’s acts, nothing was done.

“They returned to Lagos, and the second child reported to the school after her older sister ran away from home as she could no longer endure the assault.”

The judge said the school invited the Lagos State Ministry of Education and social workers, leading to the convict’s arrest, while the survivors were taken to an orphanage.

“He is a dirty father who should be locked up for life as his conduct is disgracing.

“The defendant is found guilty as charged and he is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment on each of the two charges,” she said.

Ms Soladoye also ordered that the convict’s name should be registered in the sexual offences register of Lagos State.

The Lagos State counsel, Olufunke Adegoke, presented five witnesses while the convict testified as a sole witness during the trial.

Ms Adegoke submitted that the convict committed the offences between 2008 and 2017 at No. 2 Agbeke St. by Iyana-Era Bus Stop, Ijanikin, Lagos.Child defilement violates Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

Three people have been killed in a helicopter crash in western Turkey during a firefighting operation to extinguish a forest fire, local media reported on Monday.

According to the report, the helicopter crashed on Saturday while the crew was trying to draw water from a dam in the western city of İzmir.

One of the four occupants was rescued and is being treated in hospital.

The bodies of the three other occupants were recovered in the dam.Divers found a body at a depth of 12 metres in the morning, the report said.

Now, they are trying to bring the bodies to the surface.

Meanwhile, the firefighting operation is ongoing.

The national and state house of assembly election tribunal, on Monday, affirmed the election of Mudassir Zawachiki of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the lawmaker representing Kumbotso Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly.

In their unanimous judgment, the three-man panel, led by Justice L. B. Owolabi, dismissed the petition of Sagir Abdulkadir-Panshekara of the All Progressives Congress (APC), challenging the victory of Mr Zawachiki.

He said the petitioner’s case lacked merit and did not prove the case of overvoting, violence and certificate forgery beyond reasonable doubt.

“The petitioner failed to prove non-compliance with the 2022 electoral act and other irregularities,” Mr Owolabi said.

After his victory, Mr Zawachiki said, “I thank almighty God the truth has prevailed. I will continue to do my best to justify the confidence reposed in me.”

The PPRO said the police on Sunday received information at 8:40 p.m. that hoodlums, armed with dangerous weapons, invaded the Kwanar Garki and kidnapped Isyaku Umar, 37, in Kofar Arewa.

He said the suspects allegedly shot another 30-year-old Ahmad Abdullahi of Babbar Ruga village, in his armpit.

The PPRO added that upon receipt of the report, a team of policemen from Babura Divisional Police Headquarters rushed to the scene and rescued the kidnapped victim unhurt.

“Both the kidnapped victim and the injured one were rushed to the Babura General Hospital for treatment, where the kidnapped victim was treated, discharged and was reunited with his family.

“The shot victim, however, was transferred to Rashid Shekoni Teaching Hospital, Dutse,” the PPRO said.

Mr Shi’isu said following the distress call received from Babura Division that the suspected kidnappers were heading towards the Ringim area, the police, in collaboration with members of the vigilante group, mounted a stop-and-search in Daushe village along Ringim Kanya-Babba highway.

“On sighting the police, the suspects abandoned their car (Opel Vectra) and fled to an unknown destination.

“When the vehicle with reg no. NEN 20 NZ Anambra state was searched, one AK 47 rifle, one magazine, 15 rounds of live ammunition and a cellphone were recovered,” he added.

Mr Shi’isu assured that efforts were being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspects.

He said the Commissioner of Police in the state, Emmanuel Ekot, lauded the efforts of the police officers and directed them to stand firm to ensure that the fleeing suspects are arrested.

Five rescue workers from Greece who were in Libya as part of the flood relief effort were killed in a car accident, Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said on Monday.

Another 14 people were injured in Sunday’s crash, he said.

The confirmation came following conflicting reports about a car accident involving Greek rescue workers on Sunday.

According to Libyan authorities, three members of a Libyan family were also killed in the head-on collision between their car and the Greek volunteers’ bus.

Two others were seriously injured.The five Greek people were three emergency workers and two translators, according to Marinakis.

The bodies and 13 of the injured had already been flown back to Greece onboard military aircraft, while one person remained in hospital in Libya, Marinakis said.

According to local media reports, the accident occurred near the port city of Derna, which was particularly hard hit by the flooding.

Marking the second anniversary of the ban on girls’ education in Afghanistan, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on the ruling Taliban militants to reopen schools for girls.

“Girls belong in school,” Mr Guterres wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Let them back in.”

The UN chief said closing girls’ schools is “an unjustifiable violation of human rights that inflicts long-lasting damage on the entire country.”

Meanwhile, Amnesty International criticised that during the past two years, the situation had not changed.

“The future and dreams of thousands of Afghan girls are at stake,” the London-based rights organisation wrote on X.

Since the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021, Afghanistan has become the only country to deny girls and women access to education beyond primary school.

The Taliban authorities originally said the ban was a “temporary suspension” that would be resolved after establishing a safe environment for girls to attend school, but no changes have been made so far.

The move has drawn condemnation from the international community.No country has recognised the Taliban de-facto government so far.

Taiwan’s defence ministry on Monday said it registered 103 Chinese military aircraft in its airspace in 24 hours, marking a new high in the number of daily sorties.

Taiwan’s ministry of national defence said as of 6:00 a.m. on Monday (2200 GMT Sunday), 40 of the Chinese warplanes had crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan’s south-western and south-eastern air space.

Meanwhile, nine People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels had been spotted around Taiwan.

The ministry said Taiwan had tasked combat air patrol aircraft, navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities.

In a Monday statement, the ministry said the intrusion of Chinese aircraft posed severe challenges to regional security.

The ministry said that all parties are responsible for maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, adding that Beijing’s actions could increase tensions and worsen regional security.

“We call on the Beijing authorities to take responsibility and immediately stop such unilateral destructive actions,” the ministry said.

Taipei last week daily registered dozens of Chinese military aircraft and a handful of vessels around its shores.

Taiwan has had an independent government since 1949, but China considers the self-ruled democracy part of its territory.

President Bola Tinubu’s government has again invited the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for another meeting over its planned indefinite strike.

Labour minister Simon Lalong announced this in a statement.

Mr Lalong had, on September 4, invited NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for a meeting to avert the earlier two-day nationwide warning strike. Only the TUC showed up for the meeting.

Mr Lalong said he had directed the Department of Trade Unions Services and Industrial Relations to convene the meeting with the leadership of the NLC on Monday.

He said it was important for the unions to sit with the government to resolve all pending matters to avert further economic disruption.

“The administration of President Bola Tinubu will always engage the organised labour and respond to its concerns after due consultation and negotiations. This is in order to guarantee industrial harmony, which is critical to the attainment of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” said Mr Lalong.

Also, the NLC National Executive Council had on September 1, in a communique, threatened to embark on an indefinite strike within 21 days of the issuance of the communique.

The NLC and the TUC are demanding wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage.

Though the federal government committed to restructuring the framework for engagement with organised labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe set for the conclusion of the process expired in August with no action whatsoever.

The committees were given eight weeks to conclude their assignment and hasten the implementation of the framework in cushioning the effect of petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians, but weeks after the timeframe expired, the sub-committees had yet to meet or actualise their mandates.

Mr Tinubu had, since June 19, set up the Presidential Steering Committee and various sub-committees to discuss the framework to be adopted on the palliatives.

The sub-committees had been created to implement FG’s palliative package in areas such as Cash Transfers, Social Investment Programme, Cost of Governance, Energy, and Mass Transit and Housing.

This was a fallout of the president’s closed-door session with the leadership of the NLC and the TUC during a nationwide protest by organised labour.

The federal government says it is planning two super highways across the country through a public-private partnership scheme.

Works minister David Umahi disclosed this to State House correspondents on Sunday after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

He said the highways would be from Abuja to Lagos and Port Harcourt to Lagos, with state-of-the-art facilities.

The super highways are designed for travel at high speeds, having more than one lane for each direction of traffic and a safety strip dividing the two directions.

The minister said the government received commitments from stakeholders to make the project successful within a reasonable period.

Mr Umahi also disclosed that the president was briefed on the need to seek better appropriation for the funding of road projects to avoid unnecessary variations in cost and specifications.

The minister said the National Assembly would be carried along to see the necessity of providing enough funds for road projects that benefit the people.

Mr Umahi also said due to inadequate funding, he asked the president to direct the termination of road projects that took more than 10 years without completion.

The minister assured Nigerians that the government would abandon no project initiated by the past administration.

He said the Tinubu administration inherited 2,604 projects worth N14 trillion covering 18,000km of roads.

The minister added that the government was also committed to using reinforced concrete for road pavements across the country.

Mr Umahi said concrete could withstand heavy loads, such as heavy vehicles, with less deformation and serve for years without major repairs.

Several factors affect concrete pavement performance, such as traffic, soil, environmental, economic and stress distribution factors.

Mr Umahi also mentioned that the merit of these would be the use of local materials and the elimination of imported items, which have been the cause of contract variations in the country.

On the structural defects on the Third Mainland bridge, Mr Umahi said work had started, and articulated vehicles had been stopped from plying it for now.

The Rivers State Police Command said it was unaware of any levy imposed on any community in Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state by suspected cultists.

Spokesperson for the state Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said this after a stakeholder in Ahoada West raised the alarm that suspected cultists were demanding N10m security levy in some communities in the area.

Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, however called on stakeholders in the affected communities to make a formal complaint to the police about the incident.

She stated, “For now, the Command is not aware of any levy imposed on any community in Ahoada or any other community in Rivers State.

“If there is such situation, we expect the people or stakeholders in the area to make an official report in the Ahoada Division.

“They can even come to the command headquarters and report the situation because if they don’t report, how will the police know what they claim is happening?”

She said the police were working round the clock to rid communities in the state of criminal elements and ensure that suspected criminal were apprehended.

A stakeholder, while speaking anonymously on Nigeria Info, a Port Harcourt-based radio station monitored by our correspondent, alleged that some communities in the local government area were already contributing N100,000 per household to make up the N10m levy which they termed “survival money”.

The stakeholder said on Friday that the very day the Divisional Police Officer of Ahoada, Bako Angbashim, was killed, cult gangs in Ahoada West LGA sent messages to various communities to pay the said sum or be ready for their actions.

“The very day that they killed the DPO, the gang (of cultists) in Ahoada West started sending messages across to various communities to pay N10m before the end of the month, else they would come and set the entire community ablaze.

“They (communities) are now paying N100,000 for survival, and it is not good. There is even a report that Gift David they are chasing has left Ahoada East and is now in Ahoada West.

“Palliatives that were brought to us were moved and sent to these boys in their various hideouts. When we say we want to fight insecurity the government should be sincere about it.”

He also called on the state government and security agencies to take the fight against insecurity to Ahoada West, where he said the prime suspect may be hiding.

The stakeholder said, “The State Government, Nigeria Police and other relevant security agencies should come to Ahoada West and comb the area. Gift Okpara is in Ahoada West. So, they should stop looking afar, when the man is close.

“He (Gift Okpara) is in Ahoada West; he is no longer in Ahoada East. They should focus their searchlight on Ahoada West and help us. There was a time the late Bako Angbashim came to Ahoada West and raided some communities.”

When contacted, the Supervisor for Information, Media, and Communication, Ahoada West LGA, Madu Madueke, said the allegation that cultists imposed N10m on some community in Ahoada West was false.

He stated, “The local government is not a ward or village where you will say the whole communities in Ahoada West are contributing money to a group of people. The story is not correct.”

However, efforts to reach, Mr Boniface Onyedi, media aide to the State Governor, proved abortive as he did not answer several calls put across to him by our correspondent.

Onyedi also had yet to respond to text and WhatsApp messages sent to him as of the time of filing this report on Sunday evening.

Twenty-Three Nigerian states grew bilateral loans by 64.26 per cent in six months to $462.81m as of the end of June.

Most of the loans were taken from China, India, France and other countries.

This was despite the persistent fall of the naira, making dollar-denominated loans more expensive.

In June 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria directed Deposit Money Banks to remove the rate cap on the naira at the official Investors and Exporters’ Window of the foreign exchange market.

Consequently, the naira fell from 471/$ to 750/$ as of the end of June 2023, and had continued to fall.

The increase in bilateral loans showed a growing appetite for this type of loans by state governors.

According to external debt data from the Debt Management Office, 23 states increased their borrowing from China (Exim Bank of China), India, France (Agence Francaise Development), Japan International Cooperation Agency, and Germany (Kreditanstalt Fur Wiederaufbua).

Most of the bilateral loans were owed to the AFD, with debt to France growing by 21.84 per cent to $306.32m as of the end of June.

Chinese, Indian, and other loans grew by 415.79 per cent to $156.49m as of June 2023.

A breakdown of the states showed that Abia’s bilateral loans grew to $3.82m; Adamawa grew to $4.75m; Akwa Ibom grew to $3.82m; Bauchi grew to $3.82m; Cross River fell to $46.85m; Ebonyi took a first-time bilateral loan of $31.29m; Enugu’s debt fell to $4.75m; Imo’s grew to $26.04m; Jigawa secured a first-time loan of $864,535.16; Kaduna grew its loan to $91.47m; Kano grew to $24.39m.

Kebbi’s bilateral loan profile was $3.82m; Kogi was $3.82m; Kwara was $3.82m; Lagos was $130.67m; Niger was $9.14m; Ogun was $32.29m; Ondo was $8.50m; Osun was $8.95m; Oyo was $3.82m; Plateau was $8.50; and Sokoto was $3.82m.

In 2018, Nigeria secured a loan worth $475m from France for the development of projects in Kano, Lagos, and Ogun states.

The loan deal was signed by the then Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Agence Francaise Development, Mr Rey Rioux.

The breakdown of the loan included a $200m loan facility grant to Lagos for the execution of transport projects by AFD, another $200m loan for land degradation project in Ogun State, and $75m for the execution of water projects in Kano State.

Four people have reportedly died from a cholera outbreak in Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State over the weekend.

Speaking with our Correspondent, a source who pleaded anonymity and resident within the Local Government confirmed this unfortunate incident.

Pressed further to mention the communities affected, the source declined but said “I can tell you that we have four casualties already and efforts are already ongoing to deal with this emergency, that is the much I can say for now”

However, in a statement signed by Dr Tomi Coker, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on health and made available to journalists on Sunday evening, the state government alerted the residents of the state to the outbreak of Cholera in the local government.

The statement says “There is an Outbreak of Cholera (Aarun òní gbá méjì) in the Ijebu North Local Government area of Ogun State. Cholera is known to occur during raining seasons and may also be associated with poor environment and personal hygiene.

“It is commonly present with stooling with or without vomiting leading to dehydration. Cholera can result in death if the severe dehydration is not promtly corrected.We implore all citizens of Ogun state to;

“Please Report all cases of Stooling with or without vomiting to the nearest government health facility and notify the LGA DSNO (08069788449).

“Ensure proper personal and environmental hygiene. Citizens should wash their hand frequently (before and after using the toilet or eating). Use water from clean sources, treat water before use and boil before drinking.

“Wash and cook food thoroughly before eating. Prevent open defecation.

Please be careful of the food and water you take, because cholera is caused by water or food contaminated with faeces. Thank you all for your Support and Cooperation”, the statement concluded.

Asked to confirm the number of casualties, Dr Coker said “Good evening. I am yet to get the full situation report.”

The Lagos Waste Management Authority has called on residents of Lagos State to support its plastic recycling programme, saying it “plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental degradation and contributes to economic growth by creating employment opportunities within the state.”

The agency also urged residents of the state to show commitment toward responsible waste management.

Addressing the media at the 2023 World Clean-Up Day at the weekend in Lagos, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, encouraged residents to actively participate in community clean-up activities, focusing on waterways.

“Residents are encouraged to actively participate in community cleanup activities, focusing on waterways. This collective effort helps in the removal of plastic waste from our vulnerable ecosystems, safeguarding them from further harm. We also advise residents to own a waste bin and patronise only accredited PSP operators.

“One of LAWMA’s most impactful initiatives is the promotion of a plastic recycling programme. This programme plays a crucial role in mitigating environmental degradation and contributes to economic growth by creating employment opportunities within the state. So, we encourage residents to embrace sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics, such as reusable water bottles,” Gbadegesin said.

While stressing the importance of source separation – the practice of separating waste at its point of generation, the LAWMA MD/CEO said the overuse of single-use plastics worsens the pollution problem, advising residents to limit their use and seek sustainable alternatives.

He also urged residents to shun improper disposal of waste on drainages, set-backs, walkways, and other inappropriate locations, adding that littering not only mars the environment but also poses a serious threat to wildlife and aquatic life.

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state and his aides reportedly survived an aircraft crash after the private jet they had boarded, caught fire just before take off.

According to a report by Leadership, by a stroke of luck, on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, a Bombadier Global Express 6000, owned by billionaire businessman, Chief Adedeji Adeleke, caught fire at take-off point at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

Chief Adedeji Adeleke is the father of singer, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido and is also the brother of Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke.

The fire incident reportedly occured at the domestic wing of the Airport at about 9am on the said date when the jet was about to take off from Lagos to Abuja. 

The report stated that the jet with Governor Adeleke and his aides on board, had taxied to the end of the runway shortly before departure when a loud explosion was heard from the engine of the jet, causing it to abort take-off immediately.

Before the planned takeoff, the jet had been parked at the Executive Jet hanger of the Airport, the report added.

Sam Iwuajoku, the chief executive officer (CEO), Executive Jets, owners of the hangar where the private jet was parked, disclosed that the Chief Adeleke’s private jet had Foreign Object Damage (FOD) that made the aircraft experience high temperature, which resulted in the explosion.

“At take-off, the engine had high temperature and it was caused by bird nest in one of the engines of the aircraft.

It happened when an aircraft is parked and not properly covered so, birds will build their nest and anything they bring into the aircraft can spark high temperature.” Sam Iwuajoku told the publication. 

“It happened to one of my aircraft in 2021, we had to remove the engine and the engine was in Germany for 14 months. So, it’s a common thing in Africa because we have birds around,” he added

Nigerian singer Teniola Apata, aka Teni Makaniki, has said the assassination of her father, the late Brig. Gen. Simeon Apata (retd.) in her presence greatly affected her.

Speaking in an interview with media personality Taymesan, Teni disclosed that she was two years old when gunmen stormed their Lagos home and murdered her father in the presence of the family.

The ‘Uyo Meyo’ crooner added that this affected her growing up as she has since developed trust issues.

In the interview, shared Sunday by the host Taymesan on Instagram, Teni said, “Growing up with my father passing at such a young age, the trauma of losing my father at a young age affected me.

“You know, him being assassinated in the presence of all of us and all that stuff. I was 2 at the time.

“Him passing away robbed me of a father figure. It sort of made me have trust issues growing up. Because they [gunmen] came into our house purposely to kill him.

“The late Brig. Gen. Simeon Apata (retd.), was assassinated on January 8, 1995.

The federal government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Cuba on food security and agriculture advancement.

The director of information, office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola, in a statement on Sunday, said the minister of agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, signed the MoU for Nigerian government, in Havana.

The signing of the MoU that was done on the sidelines of the ongoing G77+China Leaders’ Summit took place at the ministry of agriculture of Cuba in the presence of officials from both countries.

Mr Kyari said the Expression of Interest (EOI) was a historic journey to strengthen the ties between Nigeria and Cuba in the field of agriculture.

He commended the willingness of Cuban government to partner with Nigeria, noting that both countries share a common vision for their people.

The minister expressed heartfelt gratitude for the shared insights into Nigeria’s pressing food and agricultural opportunities and challenges.

He also underlined Nigeria’s demographic advantage, vast land resources, immense agricultural potential and President Bola Tinubu’s vision for food and nutrition security.

“It is in this spirit that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development evolved into the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security,” he said.

Mr Kyari also extended a hand of partnership to his Cuban counterparts with a focus on vital areas such as bio-fortification of agricultural produce, improvement of agricultural seeds and seedlings.

He added: “Others were agricultural mechanisation, cutting-edge technologies for increased yields, and the reduction of post-harvest losses.

“Nigeria is keenly interested in collaborating with Cuba in the domains of poultry, livestock, and fisheries.

“Key areas of cooperation include veterinary medicine, vaccine development, artificial insemination, development of pastures and ranching as essential components in curbing the challenges posed by inefficient open grazing of cattle.”

The minister listed other areas to include training, capacity building, and knowledge transfer as the cornerstone of any thriving agricultural economy.

Earlier, Cuba’s minister of agriculture, Ydael Brito, told the Nigerian delegation about the island nation’s agricultural prowess.

He said: “Cuba has over 500,000 hectares under cultivation and remains a global player in the export of tobacco, coffee, honey, and other commodities.”

Mr Brito, who expressed delight at the opportunity to partner with Nigeria, stated that Cuba would provide impactful cooperation in identified areas contained in the MOU.

The host minister also highlighted Cuba’s agricultural human capital and different models of practices which have raised its productivity.

He assured that Cuba would deploy its wealth of experience to help Nigeria achieve its agriculture and food security policies.

Mr Brito said: ” Nigeria will benefit from Cuba’s agriculture capacity in areas such as bilateral relationship encompassing agricultural productivity, sustainability, knowledge sharing and technology transfer.”

Mr Kyari was accompanied to the ceremony by Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, Ben Okoyen and other members of the Nigerian delegation.

The Nigerian delegation to the G77 + China Leaders’ Summit in Cuba was led by Mr Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu.

President Bola Tinubu has officially announced his selection of Jamila Bio Ibrahim as his nominee for the position of minister of youth, putting an issue which has seen speculations and permutations to rest.

Mr Tinubu also appointed Ayodele Olawande as minister of state for youth.

“President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of Dr Jamila Bio Ibrahim to serve as the minister of youth, pending her confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The President has further approved the nomination of Mr Ayodele Olawande to serve as the Minister of State for Youth, pending his confirmation by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed in a State House press release.

The top candidate for the office, Dayo Israel, who serves as the national youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), lost out on the nomination.

Despite his positive outlook in recent months, the defining moment was last month, when a group of influential APC state youth leaders wrote to Mr Tinubu, suggesting that his son, Seyi, be given a say in selecting the country’s youth minister.

It is not immediately clear whether it was the president’s son who nominated Ms Ibrahim and Mr Olawande.

Ms Ibrahim, a prominent medical practitioner, has risen through the ranks. Her recent tenure as the President of the Progressive Young Women Forum (PYWF) showcased her dedication to youth empowerment and advocacy.

Additionally, she has garnered experience in governance as the Senior Special Assistant to the Kwara State Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), demonstrating her commitment to advancing sustainable and inclusive growth.

Alongside her is Mr Olawande who was nominated as the minister of state for youth, subject to Senate approval.

Olawande is a highly regarded community development expert and a prominent youth leader within the All Progressives Congress (APC).

His extensive track record includes a crucial role in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Innovation from 2019 to 2023.

These nominations are now awaiting confirmation by the Senate.

Agboola Dabiri, a former commissioner for youth and social development in Lagos state, has urged residents of the state to embrace urban farming.

Mr Dabiri said this at an agriculture empowerment programme organised by members of Ajuwo Community Development Association in Surulere area of Lagos state, in collaboration with Africanfarmer Mogaji, on Sunday in Lagos.

According to him, embracing urban farming will increase and better their livelihood.

The empowerment programme is titled: “Farm and Profit”.

In his lecture titled, “Global Farming without Boundaries”, Mr Dabiri said that residents must begin to create space for farming in homes, balconies, compounds and garages.

The ex-commissioner noted that he started agribusiness as a young boy in the university because of his passion for food production and business.

He added that agriculture was a huge value chain that included production, processing, marketing, distribution, packaging and many more.

Mr Dabiri urged the residents to develop a passion for any of the value chains to better their lots.

According to him, agriculture has so many areas that they can explore, adding that they can grow vegetables, tubers and also rear animals.

“I don’t know the last time I bought lemon in Abuja. What I did was, I planted seeds in an old sack and that is what I have been using in my home.

“In Masha, here in Surulere, we have the biggest fruit farmers in Lagos. They are very organised and you can also join them by simply identifying where you belong.

“Also, in Surulere, we have one of the largest ram markets and I am a member because I also rear animals.

“You have to look at where you belong and explore all the potential in agriculture. During the last Ileya festival, I sold rams and I made profits, you too can do that. Agric is very profitable.

“I buy my ram myself; rear it myself and give it to my boys to sell during festival. I have already started rearing ram against the next festival.

“Residents of Surulere must come together and see how they can promote urban farming and contribute to the food self-sufficiency of the state,” he said.

Mr Dabiri advised the community development association and the local government council to start a Sunday market in Surulere, for residents to purchase farm produce at cheaper and affordable prices, as well as create a market platform for farmers.

He commended the chairman of Ajuwo CDA, Tunji Adebayo, for organising empowerment programmes for members of his association.

According to him, empowering the community is a lasting legacy that will outlive anybody.

“For you as an individual in the CDA or community, you have to think outside the box on how you can improve your life by leveraging agriculture.

“There is little that government can do, you must look at how to balance it. We all must try and start farming in bags or plastic containers. You can plant yams, vegetables, tomatoes, peppers and plantain.

“As great as America is, a lot of its citizens own private farms and gardens. They do that so that they can also contribute to food production and we can do that here too,” he said.

The air component of Operation Delta Safe has in the last two months, destroyed more than 30 illegal oil refining sites in the strikes around Cawthorne Channel and Bille, in Degema Local Government Area of Rivers.

The director of public relations and information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

Mr Gabkwet said the air strikes ramped up efforts at denying oil thieves and operators of illegal oil refining sites the opportunity to burst pipelines, operate their illegal oil refinery sites while damaging the environment.

He said the air strikes conducted at Cawthorne Channel on Friday, destroyed four active illegal refining sites with dug-out reservoirs and surface storage tanks suspected to be containing illegally refined products.

According to him, similar air strikes were also conducted at Bille on Saturday and early hours of Sunday which destroyed three illegal oil refining sites with storage tanks and reservoirs were destroyed.

“In one of the sites, a Cotonou boat suspected to be siphoning crude oil from a flow station was engaged in several passes and destroyed.

“In the last two months, Cawthorne Channel and Bille have accounted for the majority of oil theft and illegal oil refining activities in Rivers State.

“Within this period, over 30 illegal oil refining sites in these two locations have been destroyed by the Land, Maritime and Air Components of Operation Delta Safe.

“These efforts will be sustained in these locations and others until oil thieves and their accomplices desist from their illegal activities,” the statement added.

No fewer than five people were confirmed dead on Sunday while 12 others sustained injuries in an accident near the Foursquare Camp on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Florence Okpe, the Public Education Officer of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, confirmed the development in an interview with reporters in Abeokuta.

The accident was said to involve a DAF truck marked KMC 810 ZB, a Toyota bus marked TMA-244b XA, and a Mitsubishi pickup van with no registration number.

The FRSC spokeswoman said the accident occurred at about 6:15 a.m. and was caused by excessive speeding, tyre blowout, and a loss of control on the part of the truck driver.

She noted that due to the tyre blowout and loss of control, the truck fell and blocked the road, noting that both the bus and the pickup van rammed into the fallen truck.

Ms Okpe disclosed that 21 people were involved in the multiple crashes, saying that 12 people were injured and five people died.

She said the injured were taken to Victory Hospital in Ogere, near Abeokuta, for medical attention, while the dead were deposited at a morgue in Ipara community, near Abeokuta.

Ms Okpe quoted the Ogun State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Anthony Uga, as advising motorists to desist from using substandard tyres and to also apply common sense while driving during the rainy season.

The sector commander sympathised with the families of the victims, advising them to visit the Ogunmakin Unit of the FRSC for more information on the accident.