The Management of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) on Friday declared the use of its uniforms, kits and other accoutrements by film and skit makers illegal.

The general manager of LASTMA, Bolaji Oreagba, made this known in a statement by LASTMA spokesperson Taofiq Adebayo.

“Film or skit makers who portray LASTMA officers without applying for and being duly issued a permit for such portrayals to desist with immediate effect or face the full wrath of the law,” Mr Oreagba said.

Mr Oreagba said the warning had become necessary after he saw a fully kitted actress with a LASTMA uniform in one of the Yoruba films titled: “Gbogbo Lowo” and in other skits and movies on different media.

He frowned at the demeaning manner in which movie and skit makers portrayed the LASTMA institution in their movies and skits.

The general manager said its management rejected the use of LASTMA uniform without recourse to section 79 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015, which criminalised such unauthorised use.

“I believe that such sanity in movie production, regulation of possession and usage of LASTMA uniform will surely curb the proliferation of LASTMA kits, uniforms and accoutrements in our society.

“We implore the National Association of Nigeria Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTA) and other affiliated bodies to warn their members that anyone caught using the LASTMA Uniform without an approved permit will be prosecuted,” Mr Oreagba said.

The acting Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Folashodun Shonubi has blamed the continuous of fall of Naira against Dollars on unofficial diaspora remittances.

Mr Folashodun Shonubi disclosed this on Thursday, August 10, while presenting a Distinguished Personality lecture titled: “Diaspora Remittances and Nigeria Economic Development” at the National Institute for Security Studies, Abuja, for members of Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 16.

The acting Governor of the apex bank claimed that many diaspora remittances which come in Dollars are not recorded officially before moving to black or parallel markets.

Mr Shonubi said;

“With those remittances, the dollars have come in, we know the dollars have come in but we don’t see them in the official system. So, they must be going somewhere and somewhere.

“And the challenge with the black market, unofficial market or parallel market or whatever name you want to call it, it is as a result that it is not regulated, and it becomes an easy place to have criminal activities.

“We investigate bankers, not just bankers, anybody who has committed an offence, the first thing they want to do is to run to the black markets, change it to the dollars because it is less money to carry around.

“Some of the funding in the black markets are actually from diaspora remittances. That’s why it important we need to know a lot of what’s going on there. We can’t play the sentiment game. If we don’t understand the dynamics, we usually go with the literature which does not necessarily work for us.”

Shonubi who also stated that many countries have remittances as the major source of dollars or income, added that it would be helpful if measures can be put in place to control illegal remittances and identify these channels so as to ensure remittance flows into the proper channels, and harness maximum benefits to grow the economy.

He said;

“We have countries that earn about 1.5 million dollars in remittances. Everywhere, any place you go even in developed countries such as India, China among others.

The latest production data released by the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) has revealed that the country’s oil production fell by 13.6 percent in the month of July 2023, to an average of 1.08 million barrels per day, compared to 1.25mbpd recorded in June.

This is huge setback to the present administration which has a production target of 1.69 million barrels per day in the 2023 budget.

The production data is also significantly lower than the 1.7 million barrels per day quota allocated to Nigeria by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Condensate oil productions are not part of Nigeria’s OPEC production quota. The daily average oil production in July was 1.29 million barrels per day, a 12.8 percent drop when compared to total average daily production of 1.48 million barrels in June.

This is coming after the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited projected oil production to hit 1.8 million barrels per day (mbpd) by the fourth quarter of this year, as measures put in place to boost production begin to yield results.

The immediate past governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, has reportedly withdrawn his interest in being part of President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet.

Premium Times reports that E-Rufai told President Tinubu at a meeting on Tuesday, August 8, that he was no longer interested in becoming a minister but would continue to contribute his quota to the development of Nigeria as a private citizen.

“He also told the president that he needed time to focus on his doctorate programme at a university in The Netherlands,” one of our sources said Another insider was quoted as saying that the former governor suggested a new ministerial nominee, Jafaru Ibrahim Sani, for Kaduna State, saying the President would find him very useful and resourceful.

Sani served as commissioner in three ministries in Kaduna State (Local Government Education and Environment) while Mr El-Rufai was governor.

Recall that El-Rufai visited the President at the presidential villa a day after the Senate confirmed 45 ministerial nominees after a week-long screening of 48 of them.

The lawmakers however withheld his confirmation and those of two others, citing security reports from the State Security Service for the action.

The two others were a former senator from Taraba, Sani Danladi, and a nominee from Delta State, Stella Okotete.

According to the report, El-Rufai, who only returned to Nigeria from London on Monday, sought and got an appointment to meet the president after the Senate’s action.

At the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, President Tinubu, according to the publication, told the former governor he received some petitions critical of his ministerial nomination.

A reckless driver reportedly driving against traffic has killed a family of five and their house help in Owerri, Imo State.

The incident occurred at Umudibia community, maternity junction, close to the Federal Polytechnic Nekede in Owerri on Sunday, August 5, 2023. 

The family head identified as Arthur, alias Agwu Oti Aka, was a disabled Para-Badminton Silver Medalist.

He was scheduled to represent Nigeria in a Disabled Badminton competition in the United States on August 14, 2023. 

Arthur was riding a motorcycle with some of his children, while another two motorcycles carried his wife, house help, and other children when the accident occurred. 

While Arthur, his wife and their 14-month-old child d!ed on the spot, his house help and two sons passed away later in an Owerri hospital. 

A neighbour of the deceased family, Prince Mekoyor, who confirmed the tragic incident on Wednesday, August 9, revealed that the reckless driver believed to be intoxicated, swerved off his lane and struck the family. 

“Arthur as I fondly called the deceased was living in the same house with me at Weathral till this last Sunday when he perished with his family.

He has only one hand and was about to represent the country on Disabled Badminton competition in the USA on the 14th  August 2023. He runs a restaurant at Polynek school junction,” he explained. 

According to Mekoyor, the driver was not the owner of the RX 3:30 Lexus SUV but had borrowed the vehicle to withdraw money for a drink purchase at Holy Family junction Poly Nekede.

He recounted that the driver sped off to an ATM at the Master’s Energy fuel station on Aba Road in Owerri. On his return, the driver lost control of the vehicle’s steering at Maternity Junction Polynek and collided head-on with Arthur’s family. 

“He was on top speed on his way back and he lost control of the steering at Maternity junction, Umuokoto on Polynek-Ihiagwa road.

He ended up knocking down a man and the entire family of Arthur face to face. Arthur and his family were on their way home at 11:05pm whereas the suspect was heading back to the joint.

This was made known in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, today August 10.

Idris quoted the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Sani-Umar, as saying that “the approval is for 2022 to 2024.”

While appreciating the governor for the kind gesture, the permanent secretary also commended him not only for making people’s lives meaningful but also for executing projects that have a direct bearing on the lives of generality.

The actress died on Wednesday, June 28, after a long battle with an undisclosed ailment.

She was 61 years old.

Her remains were laid to rest in Ife, Osun state today August 10.

According to the PPRO, Lawan allegedly hit his father, 65, with a pestle on the head on the allegation of witchcraft.

The spokesperson said he is concerned that cases of murder are being reported and linked to witchcraft, where people alleged seeing others in their dreams and concluded that they were responsible for their plight and subsequently leading to the killing of the suspected witches.

The PRO said there was another case linked to witchcraft involving an old man, who sought the assistance of a young man to help him cross a stream but was equally attacked with a plank by the young man, and his body dumped in a river.

ASP Abubakar said CP Etim and the Police frown on such acts and directed that members of the public should desist from carrying out such acts because the issue of witchcraft is not in the law.

“You cannot do what we call trial by ordeal, bringing somebody, taking him to herbalists that he must confess that he is a wizard. That is trial by ordeal and is not known in the law. In a case when a person confesses by himself that yes, I am this. The law can work on him and we know what to do with him,” ASP Abubakar added.

He called on traditional rulers and religious leaders to preach against trial by ordeal because it was a serious offence, which could land the person that committed it or any party involved in the case in court.

ECOWAS Chairman and Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, says it is crucial to prioritise diplomatic negotiations to resolve the crisis in Niger Republic.

According to Tinubu, the regional bloc must engage the coup leaders in the neighbouring country to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tinubu spoke on Thursday, August 10 in Abuja when he declared open ECOWAS’ second extraordinary session on the situation in Niger Republic.

He said,

“More so, in reaffirming our relentless commitment to democracy, human rights, and the well-being of the people of Niger, it is crucial that we prioritise diplomatic negotiations and dialogue as the bedrock of our approach.

“We must engage all parties involved, including the coup leaders, in earnest discussions to convince them to relinquish power and reinstate President Bazoum. It is our duty to exhaust all avenues of engagement to ensure a swift return to constitutional governance in Niger.”

Tinubu said the coup in neighbouring Niger has far-reaching effects on democratically constituted governments in the sub-region.

“More specifically, as leaders of our respective nations, we must recognize that the political crisis in Niger not only poses a threat to the stability of the nation but also has far-reaching implications for the entire West African region.

“By remaining steadfast in our adherence to the principles of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law, we can restore peace, stability, and prosperity in the Republic of Niger, thereby fostering an environment conducive to growth and development for all,” he said.

Ecowas gave the Nigerien troops who seized power on July 26 until last Sunday to reinstate 63-year-old Bazoum or face the potential use of force but the coup leaders remained defiant and the deadline passed without action.

Nigeria has also cut off electricity supply to Nigeria amid a flurry of economic sanctions including border closure.

The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a man identified as Taiwo Ishola, who allegedly kidnapped and killed two sons of his younger brother, Idowu, at Abata village in Abeokuta.

It was gathered that the suspect committed the dastardly act in a bush in the Mile 6 area of Ajebo, in Abeokuta.

According to Punch, Idowu had raised the alarm after he discovered that his children, nine-year-old Promise, and seven-year-old Testimony, were missing.

A source close to the family who spoke on condition of anonymity told the publication on Tuesday that the children went missing last weekend and they were last seen with Taiwo.

Another resident in the community, who gave her name as Iya Alimat, disclosed that the community found it shocking when the news reached them that the children were killed.

The dispatch rider who jumped into the Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge lagoon on Tuesday, August 8, has been found dead.

A statement released by Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency LASEMA, says the victim’s body which was recovered this morning, has been handed over to family of the deceased.

The Ikeja Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday arraigned a 44-year-old man, Afeez Oriyomi, for the alleged theft of 460 litres of diesel worth N368,000.

Mr Oriyomi, whose address was not provided, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing, to which he pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor, Insp. Funmi Akinleye said the defendant had, on July 28, in the Ikeja area of the state, conspired with others, now at large, to commit the crime.

Ms Akinleye told the court that the defendant stole 460 litres of diesel, worth N368,000, from Cent Door Limited.

She said the offences contravened sections 411, 280, and 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, Nigeria, 2015.

The presiding magistrate, Oyenike Fajana, admitted the defendant to N100,000 bail and two sureties, who must be gainfully employed and have evidence of two years’ tax payment to the Lagos State government.

Ms Fajana adjourned the matter until August 29 for mention.

The police on Wednesday arraigned a 25-year-old man, Akintomiwa Oluwasegun, before a chief magistrates’ court in Ado-Ekiti over the alleged possession of 24 ATM cards.

The defendant, of no fixed address, is standing trial on a charge of possession of ATM cards.

The police prosecutor, Insp Olubu Apata, told the court that the defendant was caught on August 4 at about 11:00 a.m. in Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Apata alleged that 24 Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards were found in the defendant’s possession with the intention of using them to commit a crime.He said the offence contravened section 416(2) of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State 2021.

He urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him to study the file and assemble his witnesses.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against him, while his counsel, Funmilayo Akinwunmi, urged the court to grant her client bail, with a promise that he would not jump bail.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Saka Afunso granted the defendant N50,000 bail with two sureties in like sum.

Mr Afunso said one of the sureties must be a close relation.

He adjourned the case till August 24 for a hearing.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (ESEMA) on Wednesday pledged assistance to some traders at Afor-Opi Market, Nsukka Local Government Area, whose shops were gutted by fire.

Many shops at the market were destroyed by fire on July 27, when a fuel tanker lost control, fell and caught fire in front of the market, destroying goods, shops and buildings worth millions of naira.

Though no life was lost, one trader, John-paul Ugwuanyi, who was caught in the inferno and sustained injuries, is still receiving treatment at Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka.

Speaking, Ngozi Echeazu, the zonal coordinator of NEMA South-East, expressed sadness over the fire incident.

Ms Echeazu, represented by Shantel Chukwu from the NEMA office, said the visit enabled the agency to conduct an on-the-spot assessment of things damaged by the fire incident and commiserate with traders in the market.

“We have visited John-paul Ugwuanyi in Shanahan Hospital, who sustained injuries in some parts of his body; we are happy that he is responding to treatment.

“NEMA will assist all traders affected in that fire incident so that they will go back to their business,” she said.

Chinasa Mbah, head of ESEMA, said it was Pius Ezeugwu, representing Nsukka East Constituency at Enugu State House of Assembly, who informed the agency about the fire incident.

“ESEMA and NEMA are here today to see things by ourselves and conduct on-the-spot assessment of things this unfortunate fire incident destroyed in this market.

“Our amiable governor, Mr Peter Mbah is deeply concerned and touched about this incident, he is waiting for our report, and we are sure that you will hear from him in no distant time,” she said.

In a remark, Linus Eze, chairman of the Afor-Opi Market Traders Association, who conducted ESEMA and NEMA officials around the affected market, said many shops were destroyed in the fire incident.

He lamented that the incident had put the affected traders into untold hardship as most of them had no other livelihood.

Mr Eze appealed to local, state and federal governments to assist affected traders.

A magistrate’s court in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday sentenced a 35-year-old man, George Joseph, to one-month community service for stealing.

The magistrate, Tomiwa Daramola, sentenced Mr Joseph following his guilty plea and the case facts.

Mr Daramola ruled that the convict was sentenced to one-month community service to be supervised by the Nigeria Correctional Centre officer in Ado-Ekiti.

The prosecutor, Insp Elijah Adejare, told the court that Mr Joseph committed the offence on August 6 at Ile Abiye in Ado-Ekiti.

Mr Adejare said the defendant stole one keyboard converter valued at N10,000 and one handkerchief valued at N500 belonging to St. Luke Anglican Church, Ile Abiye, Ado-Ekiti.

He added that the convict confessed to the crime, and the police recovered the stolen items from him.

The prosecutor said the offence contravened section 302 of the Criminal Laws of Ekiti State 2021.

According to the police, the suspect who is an aunt of the minor, stock the little girl’s pants with drugs so as to beat security agencies.

Speaking to newsmen, the minor said the 44-year-old was her mother’s sister, who brought her from Kwara State to Lagos, after the demise of her father.

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.

When interrogated, the suspect said she was introduced into the business by one Azeez about three months ago, adding that she just started using her niece two months ago to courier drugs.

Canadian rapper, Tory Lanez has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting and wounding his ex-lover, hip hop star Megan Thee Stallion.

The 31-year-old begged the judge to not send him to jail in an LA courtroom on Tuesday. He shot Megan in the feet during a drunken argument after a pool party at Kylie Jenner’s house in 2020 – that also involved Megan’s assistant Kelsey Harris.

At his sentencing today, convicted Canadian musician Lanez said that victim Megan is ‘someone I still care for dearly to this day’ despite the outcome.

Lanez, real name Daystar Peterson, said about the shooting that put him behind bars for a decade:

‘I said some very immature things that I shouldn’t have said. ‘I revealed some secrets I shouldn’t have revealed.’ The sentence brings an end to a dramatic trial that created a cultural firestorm in the hip-hop community.

The rapper, wearing a black skull cap, was handcuffed in his orange prison overalls as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence.

The judge denied the probation that Lanez’s defense had been asking for. Before being given 10 years, Lanez begged the judge not to send him to jail. In a 15-minute address, the musician said:

‘Give me some sort of alternative that is not prison. I can be a much better man in my community.

‘I’m not standing before you as a celebrity. I stand her as a genuine person who wants a chance. My child needs me – I want to better myself. I want a chance to show the world that the man you see here today is not the real me.

‘I’m not expecting preferential treatment. But, your honor I’m genuinely asking you with my heart to put me to the test, to give me an opportunity.

‘There have been these misconceptions about me being this monster, of not having remorse. But …

Prince Harry’s His Royal Highness (HRH) title has finally been removed from the Royal Family Website, three years after it was agreed he would lose it in the Megxit agreement.

In 2020 the Sussexes stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family.

The palace then announced that Meghan and Harry would give up their HRH titles.

Back in January 2020, an official statement from the family shared the news regarding the couples’ titles.

“The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family,” the statement said.

However, the HRH title has finally been removed from his profile on the Royal Family website.

Not only has his HRH title been revoked, but his position on the Royal Family landing page has been lowered.

It now sits near the very bottom of the list, followed only by the disgraced Prince Andrew.Above them sits the profiles of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra.

Other amendments have been made to Royal Family’s website, including updates on Clarence House and Kensington Palace to reflect the current titles of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The King and Queen were previously referred to as the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, respectively.

Kate and William’s titles have now been changed to the Prince and Princess of Wales, an update from their former Duke and Duchess of Cambridge title.

Buckingham Palace issued a statement about their website and the updates they were making.

“The Royal Family website contains over five thousand pages of information about the life and work of the Royal Family.

“Following the death of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, content has been revisited and updated periodically. Some content may be out of date until this process is complete.”

The couple still hold their royal titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Civil rights group, Egalitarian Mission for Africa (EMA), has dragged the Economic Community of West African (ECOWAS) to the bloc’s court over the proposed military intervention in Niger Republic.

The group asked the court to invoke ECOWAS protocols to stop the planned military action against Niger.

The suit was instituted by a Nigerian lawyer Kayode Ajulo.

According to the suit marked ECW/CCJ/APP/3/23, ECOWAS treaties prohibit aggression among member states.

The group wants the regional court to invoke relevant ECOWAS treaties and international laws to stop the military invasion of Niger.

It said any military intervention in Niger would be tantamount to aggression between ECOWAS member states, stressing that the planned military invasion would run foul of the obligations in the ECOWAS treaties.

Apart from EMA, other plaintiffs in the suit are a former director-general of the Nigerian Institute of the Internal Affairs (NIIA), Bola Akinterinwa and Hamza Dantani, a lawyer.

Defendants in the matter are the ECOWAS, Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, president of ECOWAS Mission, Federal Republic of Nigeria and Republic of Niger.

He said the military intervention would specifically violate Articles 1, 5, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22 and 24 of the African charter on human and peoples’ rights and others.

According to him, Article 22(2) of the protocol on the community court of justice mandates that when a dispute is brought before the court, member states should refrain from any action likely to militate against its settlement.

No date has been fixed for hearing in the suit.

A military group led by Gen. Abdourhamane Tchiani had on July 26 toppled the civilian and democratic government of President Mohammed Bazoum who has since been clamped into unlawful military detention.

ECOWAS on Tuesday imposed fresh sanctions over the coup in Niger Republic.The regional bloc had given the Niger junta seven days to reinstate Mr Bazoum or risk sanctions, including potential military attack.

But the coupists called the bluff of ECOWAS and vowed to resist any foreign intervention on its soil.It also severed ties with Nigeria, Togo, France and the U.S., and shut down Nigerien airspace indefinitely.

At the end of the ultimatum, the bloc scheduled a meeting for Thursday to review the situation in the West African nation.

President Bola Tinubu, ECOWAS chair has vowed to do everything possible to reinstate the ousted Mr Bazoum.