Author: TheLagosianMagazine

By Peter Omopo The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded major operational successes following the deployment of a renewed intelligence-driven anti-smuggling strategy, intercepting 144 smuggling attempts and making high-value seizures across its area of responsibility. The development was announced in a statement posted on the Service’s official X handle on Friday by the Comptroller of the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Gambo Aliyu. The announcement came shortly after the death of Assistant Superintendent of Customs, Mustapha Akiyode, who was shot during an ambush by suspected smugglers along the Ilara–Ijoun axis in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State in…

By Peter Omopo Troops of the Nigerian Army have killed a notorious armed bandit and arrested six suspected criminals during a series of intelligence-led operations conducted across Benue and Nasarawa states. The operations were carried out by personnel of the Joint Task Force, Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS), as part of ongoing efforts to curb insecurity in the North-Central region. In a statement issued on Friday and signed by Lieutenant Ahmad Zubairu, Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, the first operation took place on February 3, 2026, in Ayamba Village, Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State. According to the statement,…

By Peter Omopo A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no constitutional authority to choose or determine the leadership of the party. The position was stated by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, following INEC’s recent quarterly consultative meeting with political parties. The meeting, which was convened to discuss electoral matters, included representatives of the Abdulrahman Mohammed–led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of the PDP. Reacting to the development, Ememobong said issues relating to the leadership of the PDP are strictly internal affairs guided by the party’s constitution, stressing…

By Peter Omopo The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has said that the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are stabilising Nigeria’s economy, restoring public and investor confidence, and placing the country on a sustainable path to growth after years of economic uncertainty. Idris made the remarks during a virtual interview on ICAN On Air, a live programme of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), streamed on Thursday. According to the Minister, key policy decisions such as the removal of fuel subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange rate were deliberate early…

By Peter Omopo Tension heightened on Thursday as residents of Atijere community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State staged a protest over Ogun State Government’s claim of ownership of the oil-rich Eba Island. The demonstrators, who marched through the community carrying placards with various inscriptions, rejected Ogun State’s claim, insisting that Eba Island is administratively and historically part of Ilaje Local Government Area in Ondo State. According to the protesters, Eba Island has for decades remained under the undisputed governance and control of Ondo State, stressing that the island is inhabited by indigenous Ilaje communities whose ancestral heritage,…

By Peter Omopo An Enugu State High Court has ordered the British Government to pay a total of £420 million in compensation to the families of 21 coal miners killed during the 1949 Iva Valley massacre in Enugu State. Justice Anthony Onovo, delivering judgment on Thursday, directed that each of the affected families be paid £20 million for the unlawful killing of their relatives by British colonial authorities. The massacre occurred on November 18, 1949, at the Iva Valley Coal Mine in Enugu, then the administrative headquarters of the Eastern Region of British-administered Nigeria. The miners had been protesting harsh…

By Peter Omopo Three African countries—Angola, Namibia and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)—have agreed to accept the return of foreign offenders and irregular migrants from the United Kingdom following threats of visa sanctions by the UK government. The agreement comes about a month after the UK Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, warned that countries refusing to cooperate on migrant returns would face penalties, including restrictions on visa issuance. Following the breakthrough, Mahmood said the UK had now secured commitments from all three countries to improve cooperation on removals. “My message is clear: if foreign governments refuse to accept the return…

By Peter Omopo Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to delivering the Lagos International Financial Centre (LIFC), urging public and private sector stakeholders to strengthen collaboration to position Lagos as a leading global financial hub. The governor made the call on Thursday at the unveiling of the Phase One report of the LIFC at the Lagos State House, Marina. Sanwo-Olu, who chairs the Lagos International Financial Centre Council (LIFCC), described the initiative as a far-reaching economic reform aimed at boosting Nigeria’s global competitiveness and elevating Lagos into the league of international financial centres. He explained that…

By Peter Omopo The Federal Government has launched the Nigeria for Women Programme Scale-Up (NFWP-SU), a major national initiative designed to expand women’s economic empowerment and reach more than 25 million Nigerian women across the country. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inaugurated the programme earlier in the week, describing it as a strategic national investment rather than a social intervention. The President was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima. According to a statement released on Friday, President Tinubu said the scale-up signals a decisive shift in Nigeria’s development strategy, placing women’s economic empowerment, family stability and social development…

By Peter Omopo Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has received the management of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO), led by the Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samuel Gbadebo Odewumi, on a courtesy visit at the Government House in Uyo. The visit provided an opportunity for engagement between the state government and the leadership of the federal university, as discussions focused on strengthening cooperation and fostering institutional development. Governor Eno was joined in receiving the delegation by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Eyakenyi; the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Enobong Uwah; the Executive Assistant and Chief Delivery Adviser, Mr Aniefiok Johnson;…