Author: TheLagosianMagazine

LAPO Microfinance Bank has received multiple high-profile awards from key national institutions in recognition of its significant contributions to enterprise development, agricultural finance, gender empowerment, and workforce advancement. At a recent award ceremony hosted by the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN), LAPO Microfinance Bank was named: • Microfinance Bank with the Highest Impact on MSMEs in Nigeria • Microfinance Bank with the Highest Impact on Women-Owned MSMEs • Participating Financial Institution (PFI) with the Highest Impact in the South-South Region of Nigeria These accolades acknowledge LAPO’s leading role in expanding access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises across…

By Our Correspondent Oyo, Nigeria – May 19, 2025 — A storm of controversy has erupted around the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, following serious allegations by an international coalition known as the Justice Group. The group has vowed to pursue legal action over the alleged brutal assault and subsequent death of Chief Lukman Ojora Arounfale, the Baba Ọba (King Father) of Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. According to a press release issued today and signed by Wande Lawrence on behalf of the Justice Group chapters in the USA, Nigeria, South Africa, Europe, and Brazil, the…

By Peter Omopo  The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has dismantled a syndicate masquerading as missionaries and free healthcare providers in the Abuloma area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The agency confirmed the arrest of one suspect, Mrs. Gladys Theophilus, who was allegedly administering fake and unregistered medical products to unsuspecting members of the public. The Director of NAFDAC’s South-South Zone, Chukwuma Oligbu, disclosed this while addressing journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday. He said the raid followed a tip-off from concerned residents about suspicious activities at a local town hall. According to Oligbu, the…

By Peter Omopo  The Osun State Government has announced the near completion of rehabilitation work on 11 out of 22 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) acquired under former Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration. Governor Ademola Adeleke’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, made the disclosure in a statement on Monday, noting that the effort was part of the administration’s renewed focus on security infrastructure. However, the announcement sparked a sharp reaction from Ismail Omipidan, former Chief Press Secretary to ex-Governor Adegboyega Oyetola. In a Facebook post, Omipidan accused the current administration of merely repainting the APCs rather than conducting genuine repairs. “Another fraudulent act loading……

By Peter Omopo  Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has urged African countries to move from rhetoric to action in the implementation of the Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM), calling for greater regional cooperation and open skies across the continent. Speaking at the three-day Plenary Session and Council of Ministers Meeting hosted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) in Abuja on Monday, Keyamo emphasized the need for urgent steps to actualize SAATM, a flagship project of the African Union aimed at liberalizing air transport. “Despite strong political will and repeated declarations, progress has been slow,”…

By Peter Omopo  Adeola, the daughter of popular Nollywood actress Jumoke George, has returned to Nigeria after being trafficked to Mali and spending four years in the West African country. The development was confirmed on Monday by the Chairperson of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa. According to Dabiri-Erewa, the commission facilitated Adeola’s return as part of its ongoing efforts to repatriate and rehabilitate victims of human trafficking abroad. Details surrounding the circumstances of her trafficking and rescue are yet to be fully disclosed.

By Peter Omopo  The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) has issued a formal apology to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) over recent verbal attacks launched by its former presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. In a statement released on Sunday in Lagos, the NNPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Oginni Olaposi, disassociated the party from Kwankwaso’s remarks and emphasised that he no longer represents the NNPP in any capacity. “We hereby tender an unreserved apology to President Tinubu and the entire APC family, led by Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, for the unwarranted insults, abuse, and maligning statements…

By Peter Omopo  Tragedy struck on Sunday afternoon in the Idi Araba area of Mushin, Lagos State, as a one-storey building under construction collapsed, killing one person and injuring three others. The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m., prompting an emergency response from relevant agencies. Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and other first responders were quickly mobilised to the scene. Coordinator of the Lagos Territorial Office of NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed that one of the trapped construction workers was recovered dead, while three others were rescued alive from the debris. “So far,…

By Peter Omopo  The Nigerian military has confirmed the death of Shaudo Alku, a close associate of notorious terrorist leader Bello Turji, in a precision airstrike carried out in Sokoto State. According to a statement by the Armed Forces, the air raid was executed on Sunday by the Air Component of Operation Fagge Yama, targeting a terrorist hideout near Tunfa Primary School in Isa Local Government Area. Alku, described as a key figure in Turji’s network and a central player in cross-border terrorist logistics, was killed alongside several fighters and suspected senior commanders during the strike. Intelligence reports revealed that…

By Peter Omopo  Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Radda, has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Colonel Joseph Akaagerger (retired), the former Military Administrator of Katsina State, who passed away at the age of 69. In a statement issued on Monday by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, Radda described Akaagerger’s tenure from August 1998 to May 1999 as a period of profound impact during Nigeria’s transition to democracy. “In the brief but impactful period he spent steering the affairs of our state, he built bridges that have withstood the test of time,” Radda said. “Today, we don’t…