Have you encountered officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency lately? They appear to have turned a new leaf! Is it a make-believe or is it for real? Is it fleeting or is it what the Lord has done, which that Christian song says shall be permanent? "It shall be permanent/Oh yes/It shall be permanent/What the Lord has done for me? It shall be permanent". In times past you would not find a government agency so uncouth, so rude, so unruly, so insensitive, so corrupt, so uncaring, so unkempt, so audacious, so ill-mannered, so bad tempered, so oppressive - in fact, so anything bad and negative - as LASTMA. It is like they were consciously selected, specially trained, and specifically charged to make life miserable for commuters.

 They had scant regard for anyone and no respect for the law they were supposed to enforce. It was like their assigned duty was to fleece the people at every turn and whosoever felt bold enough to raise an eyebrow was to be inflicted with pains that would last for a lifetime. The “T” in their acronym no longer meant “Traffic” but now stood for “Terror”. Each time I came across them on the road - the way they carried themselves as Lord of the Manor, oblivious to anyone that might see their atrocities, I concluded that these ones, too, have immunity and can do no wrong! But all that appears to have changed now!

LASTMA officials appear to have seen the light and have turned a new leaf. They have repented from their evil ways and are now born-again. Maybe I am wrong! Maybe that is not your own experience! But these days they look better dressed and well behaved. Both male and female. They greet you warmly. They flash a smile. If you are in difficulties and beckon them, they respond promptly. They put you through. In the past, it was their Devil-given opportunity to jump in your car, threaten you, call you names and begin to bargain with you on how much you must part ways with or they confiscate your car and take you to their station. They were quick at bringing out their phones and making make-believe recordings of you and your car before pretending to make calls to tow your vehicle to their station at your own expense. These days, they help and radiate joy as they greet you while you drive past.

Imagine! LASTMA officials now sir you! Good morning sir! Good morning Ma! And with a toothpaste smile that refreshes your day - especially from some of their ladies that are ravishingly beautiful. LASTMA has a lot of them manning the roads these days. Were they carefully selected? They must have learned a lesson or two from the banks where most tellers and customer service staff are pretty ladies. At first, I spurned the LASTMA new face as PR gimmicks that would now last. But it has been on now for months on end. 

Again, I thought it was “fine bara”. But they would not ask you for money - except you, on your own, beckoned them to “come, take”. I hope - and pray - that this good news about LASTMA continues! Times are hard and hapless Nigerians need whatever relief they can get; not the piling of miseries upon miseries. But how am I sure that my own experience is a replica of that of other Lagosians? So, let’s hear from you!

Feedback mechanism is a barometer that helps the media to better gauge the pulse of the people. That is what we call public opinion. It also serves the important purpose of letting the government know how they fare with the people they purport to serve. Most times those in power are “imprisoned” in their cozy offices, totally cut off from reality. “Their feet no touch ground”, as they say. We do our own bit by giving them the opportunity to know what the people say or feel; leaving them to hear and act or turn a deaf ear like the proverbial dog destined to get lost in the forest that would not listen to the hunter’s whistle. 

Often, it is what is bad and negative about the government and its officials that is reported; their good deeds are under-reported or are deliberately swept under the carpet. This is understandable but is not good at all. In journalism parlance, the dog bites a man is not news but a man biting a dog is! Out of their incessant and persistent bad experience, many Nigerians have adopted biblical Nathaniel’s mindset of “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1: 46). Says Mark Anthony, in William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, “The evils that men do live after them, the good is often interred with their bones…” We must begin to move away from that mindset and not let cynicism take over the public space from us.      

Another reason why I am saluting LASTMA today is my wife’s encounter with some (FRSC) Federal Road Safety Commission’s officials last week in Lagos. Their refrain at the Lagos State Television (LTV) where I feature regularly is: "If you see something, say something and do something!" If we do, we shall soon make this country a better place for all of us. The “Japa” ill-wind will cease and, in its place, a “Japada” benevolent wind will blow from all the four corners of the world; and we would care less what a malevolent Donald Trump does in - or with - his America.  

My wife was coming home from work when she was accosted by some FRSC officials at Apapa on account of what they called “faded number plate”, which many usually wrongly call “plate number”. She called me and I forwarded to her a recent Federal High Court judgment that says the FRSC should not accost any motorist on account of faded number plates. When she told them that, they added another “offence” of what they called “Fire Extinguisher violation”. She had recently purchased a new fire extinguisher when she was told the previous one had expired. Both were in the car but her explanations fell on deaf ears as the officers were bent on collecting “something” from her, which she witnessed them do right, left, and centre with other motorists.

When she made efforts to record their nefarious activities, they tried to snatch her phone from her. All the same, she managed to snap the photographs of two of them - L. U. Uka (female and the head of the team) and S. Singdep (male). They issued her a ticket and insisted they had impounded her car. My wife sent this message to me from the scene: “She wanted to snatch my phone as she observed I was going to snap her… He (the man) kept shouting on me and harassing me as I was trying to pack off the road. I was almost run over by a tipper lorry carrying sand. The first thing he said was that I was driving a car with a faded number plate. They checked everything in the car - the brake lights, trafficators, C-caution, jack, extra tyres, fire extinguisher (which were two) and I explained to them that I was told that one had expired; so I recently bought the second one but they complained that they were both bad. I told them I never used them…”

My wife, a Level 17 Lagos State Government official, is civil and courteous to a fault - a child of God, without being immodest. I told her to surrender the car to them and avoid their harassment. I immediately called two of my lawyer-friends. On second thought as a senior citizen and a doyen of the journalism profession, I got the details of the FRSC Lagos State Public Relations Officer from my colleagues at Eko FM 89.7 station where I also feature regularly and reported the matter to her. Her response calmed frayed nerves. Few minutes ago (Friday evening), she still told me she was on the matter. Very well!

 I strongly believe that the issue of so-called faded number plates should stop being a gold mine for corrupt officials, be they FRSC or others, especially in these austere times. My conviction in this regard was further reinforced by a publication in PATHFINDER NEWS of Thursday, January 23, 2025 where a cross-section of Nigerians applauded the Federal High Court judgment earlier mentioned. Mike Ochonma, Chairman of the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) was quoted as wondering why the FRSC should confiscate/impound cars and impose fines on motorists “for the fading of the number plates it (the FRSC) produced (in the first place!)”. That tallies with my own reasoning.

Mr. Forster Obi of DFCNews was also quoted as saying that since motorists were not the ones producing the number plates but “in this case it is the FRSC… it is unjustifiable for the FRSC to arrest drivers or motorists as offenders in this matter… Most people allege that those involved (in the production of the number plates) collect enough money to produce genuine and quality number plates but end up using cheap materials... They now turn round to arrest drivers when the plates fade”. His opinion, again, tallies with mine.

 I don't even think the number plates of the car in question has sufficiently faded to warrant the confiscation of my wife’s car. I can bet it that most right-thinking Nigerians will condemn some FRSC officers’ high-handedness on the matter of faded number plates.

As I conclude, let me give reasons why I chose to come this far. One is that some overzealous law enforcement officers are taking undue advantage of the conflicting court rulings on this matter to feather their corrupt nests. Time to have a final court decision on the matter is now! 

Two: Perhaps, this affords the government another opportunity to take a hard look at the Steve Orosanye report on rationalization of the Federal Government’s sprawling bureaucracy that trumps efficient service delivery, escalates cost of governance, and spews corruption and oppression all over the place. 

Three: This may be a wake-up call on the FRSC to emulate LASTMA. I suspect that it is not spirits or angels that descended from the sky to engineer the remarkable transformation I have witnessed in LASMA. The “S” in FRSC means “Safety”; it should not be Shamelessly and Scandalously reduced to Scavenging for bribes on our highways. Someone in the Commission should stand up, dust up its history and restore its faded glory (of the Wole Soyinka/Maja-Maja Days in old Oyo state), instead of running after so-called faded number plates on Lagos roads.

Scripture says in Songs of Solomon 2: 15: “Take us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines”. The little foxes spoiling the vines of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration are those elements - public servants especially - that, for selfish motives, pollute the system and poison the mind of the generality of the people against the government. In doing that, they make the yeoman’s efforts of those doing the right thing not to count - the likes of the Works Minister, David Umahi; FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike; Solid Minerals Minister, Dele Alake; Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo; Blue Economy Minister, Gboyega Oyetola; Tunji Bello at the FCCPC; not to talk of the heroics of the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede; the NDLEA boss, Mohamed Buba Marwa, and the efforts of the president himself and other silent achievers working hard to make this country a better place for us all.

But we must watch it! Unable to find work and selling fruits at a roadside stand, Mohamed Bouazizi had his wares confiscated in the same manner those FRSC officers confiscated my wife’s car; frustrated and miffed by the oppression, Bouazizi set himself ablaze on 17 December, 2010 in Tunisia, igniting the Arab Spring that spread to Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria and other Middle Eastern countries, toppling regimes and sending presidents packing. 

There is a limit to human endurance!  

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed board chairpersons for 42 federal organisations and a secretary to the board of the Civil Defence, Immigration, and Prisons Services.

The President has also appointed a new managing director for the Nigerian Railway Corporation and a director-general for the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI).

President Tinubu directs the board chairpersons not to interfere with the management of the organisations, emphasising that their positions are non-executive.

All the appointments take immediate effect.

1. NATIONAL YOUTH SERVICE CORPS, MINISTRY OF YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

- Hon. Hillard Eta Chairman (Cross River)

2. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

- Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, Chairman (Lagos)

3. FEDERAL AIRPORT AUTHORITY OF NIGERIA, MINISTRY OF AVIATION

- H. E. Abdullahi U. Ganduje, Chairman (Kano)

4. NATIONAL SUGAR DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

- Sen. Surajudeen Bashiru Ajibola, Chairman (Osun)

5. NIGERIA BULK ELECTRICITY TRADING COMPANY

- H. E. Sulaiman Argungu, Chairman (Kebbi)

6. NATIONAL AGENCY FOR GREAT GREEN WALL

- Sen. Magnus Abe, Chairman (Rivers)

7. NATIONAL TEACHERS INSTITUTE

- Barr. Festus Fuanter, Chairman (Plateau)

8. NATIONAL BOARD FOR TECHNOLOGY INCUBATION (NBTI)

- Raji, Kazeem Kolawole, Director-General (Oyo)

9. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION

- Chief Victor Tombari Giadom, Chairman (Rivers)

10. TEACHERS REGISTRATION COUNCIL OF NIGERIA

- Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Chairman (Adamawa)

11. INDUSTRIAL TRAINING FUND

- Hon. Hamma Adama Ali Kumo, Chairman (Gombe)

12. NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY

- Donatus Enyinnah Nwankpa, Chairman (Abia)

13. SHEDA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMPLEX

- Sen. Abubakar Maikafi, Chairman (Bauchi)

14. FEDERAL MORTGAGE BANK OF NIGERIA

- H. E. Nasiru Gawuna, Chairman (Kano)

15. NATIONAL OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY ACQUISITION AND PROMOTION

- Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, Chairman (Lagos)

16. NIGERIAN POSTAL SERVICE

- Chief D. J. Kekemeke, Chairman (Ondo)

17. NATIONAL INLAND WATERWAYS AUTHORITY

- Hon. Musa Sarkin Adar, Chairman (Sokoto)

18. NATIONAL STEEL COUNCIL

- Prof. Abdulkarim Kana Abubakar, Chairman (Nasarawa)

19. NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS AND REGULATIONS ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

- Hon. Garba Datti Muhammad, Chairman (Kaduna)

20. NATIONAL BIO-SAFETY MANAGEMENT AGENCY

- Mu'azu Bawa Rijau, Chairman (Niger)

21. NIGERIAN BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE

- Hon. Durosimi Meseko, Chairman (Kogi)

22. FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, GOMBE

- Hajia Zainab A. Ibrahim, Chairman (Taraba)

23. NIGERIAN RAILWAY CORPORATION

- Dr.Kayode Isiak Opeifa, Managing Director (Lagos)

24. FEDERAL TEACHING HOSPITAL, IDO-EKITI

- Aare (Hon.) Durotolu Oyebode Bankole, Chairman (Ogun)

25. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ABEOKUTA

- Mr Abdullahi Dayo Israel, Chairman (Lagos)

26. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, ASABA

- Dr. Mrs. Mary Alile Idele, Chairman (Edo)

27. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, LOKOJA

- Nze Chidi Duru (OON), Chairman (Anambra)

28. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, OWERRI

- Hon. Emma Eneukwu, Chairman (Enugu)

29. CIVIL DEFENCE, IMMIGRATION AND PRISONS SERVICES BOARD

- Major Gen. Jubril Abdulmalik Rtd, Secretary (Kano)

30. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, UMUAHIA

- Mr. Uguru Mathew Ofoke, Chairman (Ebonyi)

31. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YENAGOA

- Barr. Felix Chukwumenoye Morka, Chairman (Delta)

32. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE, YOLA

- Alh. Bashir Usman Gumel, Chairman (Jigawa)

33. DAVID UMAHI FEDERAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, UBUHU, EBONYI STATE

- Dr. Ijeoma Arodiogbu, Chairman (Imo)

34. NATIONAL OIL SPILL DETECTION AND RESPONSE AGENCY

- Chief Edward Omo-Erewa, Chairman (Edo)

35. NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA)

- Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar, Chairman (Kaduna)

36. NNAMDI AZIKIWE UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, NNEWI, ANAMBRA STATE

- Hon. Ali Bukar Dalori, Chairman (Borno)

37. AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL, SHIKA, ZARIA, KADUNA STATE

- Hon. Lawal M. Liman (Chairman)

38. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE KATSINA

- Dr. Abubakar Isa Maiha (Chairman)

39. RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL (RMRDC)

- Isa Sadiq Achida, Chairman (Sokoto)

40. FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE BIRNIN KUDU

- Dr. Mohammed Gusau Hassan, Chairman Zamfara

41. NATIONAL BUILDING AND ROAD RESEARCH INSTITUTE

- Hon. Yahuza Ado Inuwa, Chairman (Nasarawa)

42. SOKOTO-RIMA RIVER BASIN DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

- Amb. Abubakar Shehu Wurno, Chairman (Sokoto)

43. AMINU KANO TEACHING HOSPITAL

- Augustine Chukwu Umahi, Chairman (Ebonyi)

44. FEDERAL SCHOLARSHIP BOARD

- Engr. Babatunde Fakoyede, Chairman (Ekiti)

45. NIGERIAN SOCIAL INSURANCE TRUST FUND

- Hon. Shola Olofin, Chairman (Ekiti)

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

Meta Platforms, Inc. has announced plans to invest up to $65 billion in 2025 to expand its artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure.

According to a Reuters report, Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg aims to strengthen the company’s competitive edge against rivals such as OpenAI and Google in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, emphasized the transformative potential of these efforts, stating, “This will be a defining year for AI. This is a massive effort, and over the coming years it will drive our core products and business,” in a Facebook post.

As part of the investment, Meta plans to accelerate hiring for AI-focused roles, construct a data center with over 2-gigawatt capacity capable of powering a significant portion of Manhattan, and expand its fleet of Nvidia’s high-demand AI chips, aiming to exceed 1.3 million graphics processors by year-end. Additionally, the company intends to bring approximately 1 gigawatt of computing power online by 2025.

The $65 billion capital expenditure represents a significant leap from Meta’s estimated $38 billion to $40 billion expenditure in 2024

Workforce optimization measures 

In a related development, Meta is also taking steps to optimize its workforce as part of its strategy to achieve these ambitious goals. The company plans to reduce its workforce by 5%, targeting underperforming employees.

• CEO Mark Zuckerberg outlined this decision in an internal memo and emphasized Meta’s focus on advancing transformative technologies like AI, smart glasses, and social media while ensuring top talent drives the company’s ambitious goals.

Zuckerberg further emphasized the company’s intent to “raise the bar on performance management” and accelerate the process of managing low performers in 2025 with the intention of backfilling the roles.

• The company’s AI assistant, currently available across its services, is expected to serve over 1 billion people by 2025, a sharp increase from the 600 million monthly active users recorded last year.
• Meta’s open-source approach with its Llama AI models has further differentiated it from competitors, allowing consumers and businesses to leverage its technology for free.

AI investment surge 

Meta’s investment comes on the heels of significant developments in the AI sector.

• U.S. President Donald Trump has unveiled the Stargate Project, a landmark $500 billion initiative to bolster AI infrastructure across the United States. Partnering with industry leaders like OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle, the project aims to enhance U.S. AI capabilities, create 100,000 jobs, and secure a competitive edge over rivals like China. The first phase, involving data center construction, is already underway in Texas.
• Microsoft, in a parallel move, has announced an $80 billion investment for fiscal 2025 to expand its data center infrastructure. This initiative seeks to meet surging demand for AI computing power and maintain the company’s momentum in AI innovation.
• Amazon.com is also making a bold statement with plans to surpass $75 billion in AI-related spending by 2025. The investment is focused on enhancing AWS cloud services, optimizing logistics through AI-driven automation, and driving innovation in consumer products.

Meta has emerged as a big player in the AI race with its AI chatbot, Ray-Ban smart glasses and open-source approach.

[Nairametrics]

Naija News understands that the meeting, which involved a delegation from Ogoniland, focused on discussions about the resumption of oil production in the region.

A source at the meeting who spoke with Vanguard, revealed that despite posing for a group photograph with the President, Wike and Fubara avoided exchanging pleasantries or engaging with each other.

“Though both of them posed for a photograph with the President, they did not exchange pleasantries. No hug. No greetings. Everybody went straight for the meeting with the President, and after that, we all left,” the source disclosed.

Wike reportedly left the Villa immediately after the group photo to inspect and commission projects.

According to the source, the meeting was strictly a business parley to address the economic and developmental issues in Ogoniland.

“As a minister from Rivers, Wike must, as a necessity, be present whenever the President is meeting with a delegation from the state. The meeting was not a platform for the discussion of the Rivers political crisis. It was strictly a business parley,” the source clarified.

When asked if President Tinubu attempted to mediate between the two leaders, the source noted that there was no such discussion during the meeting.

“The President only engaged Magnus (Abe). He told Magnus that he had not been seeing him for some time, and Magnus replied that he had been around with the FCT Minister. At that point, Wike confirmed that Magnus had been working with him,” the source added.

Meanwhile, the Pan Niger Delta Elders Forum (PANDEF) has initiated efforts to broker peace between the two political heavyweights.

The group has established a peace committee headed by former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah, to mediate the conflict.

“This is yet another golden opportunity for both of them to end the fight and make up for peace so that Rivers State can move forward. The crisis is not doing the state any good. They must end this fight and utilize the opportunity offered by PANDEF,” a source close to the forum remarked.

[NaijaNews]

The federal government has called for more stringent penalties on airlines to curb frequent flight delays and cancellations, which continue to frustrate passengers across Nigeria.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, made the appeal during a performance review meeting in Abuja. She urged the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace Development, alongside the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), to take tougher actions to ensure passengers are better protected.

This is as the managing director Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, said that 17 of Nigeria’s airports’ runways have exceeded their lifespans and needed urgent reconstruction.

Highlighting inefficiencies in the sector, Bala-Usman criticised the 224-day timeline currently set for resolving passenger complaints, describing it as both impractical and inconsistent with global best practices. She stressed the urgency of revising the system to prioritise quicker dispute resolution, which would significantly enhance passenger confidence.

In response, minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, acknowledged the concerns raised and praised the Consumer Protection Directorate for its commitment to addressing passenger issues.

Keyamo pledged to improve service delivery by enforcing stricter compliance measures and initiating reforms aimed at transforming the aviation sector.

The government’s renewed focus on protecting passengers and holding airlines accountable comes as a result of growing frustration over service failures in Nigeria’s aviation industry.

Kuku, who made these declarations in an interview on Television Continental (TVC) on Thursday, said to forestall unforeseen situations, improve safety and ultimately, passenger experience, the runways must be urgently rehabilitated.

She, however, clarified that the N580 billion earlier mentioned for the reconstruction of the runway also includes perimeter fencing, in-roads, and apron expansion projects of those airports.

”I believe I’ve also just received messages following our outing yesterday at the National Assembly. So I’d like to clarify two things. We have several runways in Nigeria today. So we have mentioned to you that 22 airports are owned by the federal government. We also support some airports that are owned by the state.

“I did make a specific reference to airports which had runways that had exceeded their lifespan. The average lifespan of a runway is about 20 to 25 years. A lot of our runways in Nigeria have exceeded that time, meaning that we’ve had them for 30 plus 35 years. And what it means is that we need to reconstruct those runways.

“The reconstruction of those runways, the N580 billion that I initially mentioned, is actually for over 17 runways. And it’s not just the runways, It includes the runways,  including some perimeter roads. It includes fencing.

“So, I’ve seen some commentary where people are saying, what do they need all of this money for? I encourage you, please just check Google if you’re in the construction business or in the aviation business to try and understand what it means to build runways, taxiway links, apron expansion and of course, to make sure that we put a safe environment together for everything that happens on the air side.

“Now, the reference that the Minister made while we were at the National Assembly yesterday was specific to the second runway project that is happening in Abuja, that project was initially awarded to some consultants and contractors by previous administrations. I believe that from conversations with the ministry, the scope of that project has changed. There’s also been price variations, of course, which is affected by the scope and, of course, FX fluctuations. There’s some additional information that has come on, which the minister has and which, of course, provides him with a lot of discomfort around the numbers that has been provided to him and to that effect, he has largely come out to say, instead of accepting a figure that has been provided to him, he needs to provide more oversight and more scrutiny.  I believe the question is, what is happening with that, who’s handling that project? The project was initially being handled by the ministry, of course, with support from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, which we have had several engagements with, and we will continue to have that in the next coming weeks, so that there’s some clarity around that project,“ she said.

Kuku disclosed that a lot of facelifts had been given to the airports, especially the international airports in the last one year.

“I think the first thing is to block some immediate gaps, and we did that with minor rehabilitation works at a lot of our airports. I’m sure that if you’ve been a travelling passenger over the last 90 days, you will see that the airports are cleaner, they’re friendlier in terms of the atmosphere, we’ve lit up some of those airports a lot more and it’s more spacious in certain areas. That is just the minimum that we can do in terms of interventions, at least, to make sure that while we focus on the larger infrastructure projects and, of course, rehabilitating some of the facilities.

“If you fly through the domestic airport in Abuja, you would notice that there’s a lot that has been done. If you came into that airport about six months to a year ago, it was dark. It was almost like the Hall of Doom. We’ve lit up that airport tremendously, we’ve opened up the space, the seating arrangements, in terms of the facility, and of course, what we hear everyone complain about, which is the conveniences, easy access or better access for people with disability, making sure that some of the elevators and the escalators are functional, making sure that things like the toilets are also functional, and focusing on a lot of expansion works across that airports.

“The same thing goes if you go into the North, if you go into the South or the Southeast, you will see similar projects and similar progress that is being made,“ she added.

On airports’ viability, the FAAN boss noted that the Authority is focusing on four critical areas to boost the economic status of the gateways.

“So, one is to increase economic activity around the airports. Our commercial and business development team, as well as myself, obviously, with the guidance of the Minister, have worked very closely with some of the state governments in terms of what they can do. One is largely around cargo.

“I think cargo is a sweet spot for us in the market. States like Kano, Plateau, and Ogun state, even though it is not our airports, are looking to drive cargo effectively as well, but it’s not just about building the infrastructure or investing more in the infrastructure on the ground, it’s making sure that there’s a feeder system that starts from the bottom of the value chain to drive cargo,” she stated.

[Leadership]

General Christopher Musa, Chief of Defence Staff, has said the Boko Haram war is taking long because it is not a conventional one.

Musa stated this during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday.

He added that it is very difficult to fight people who have nothing to lose.

Musa said, “This Boko Haram thing is a lot and for them to have succeeded for 16 years and still fighting, how are they getting their funding? Who is sustaining them? Because they can’t not just be doing things like that.

“What I tell people is that no country should allow this kind of thing to commence. It is a difficult thing to eradicate. You know why? Before now when we had conventional warfare, you knew you were for territory you wanted to achieve. Now you have to fight with people who have nothing to lose. It is an ideology they have in their mind.

“They believe they are right and you are wrong. He believes that if he kills you, he is getting blessings. If you kill him, he believes he is going to heaven. Absolutely, he has nothing to lose.

“That makes it very difficult and it’s not written on their forehead. So, how do you identify who is who? We obey international laws and they don’t. So, what do they do? They use human shields. And time they go into people because they know you can’t shoot.

“When people say why it’s taking so long, it is a very difficult operation to do. You make mistakes and kill innocent people, the country comes after you. If you don’t kill them, the people will come after you. It’s difficult on both sides.”

He said that the army is working hand-in-hand with the national assembly to supervise arms purchase, thereby tackling corruption.

He said,  “No more corruption in the arms purchase. We are working closely with the National Assembly. There is an oversight function that is being carried out. We have both people that come and check what we are doing. We are very open and I can bet you that we love this country and we want to give the best to the country.

“If you look at the amount we are getting and buying. The sixteen years of fighting Boko Haram has enabled us to build the capacity of our repair team, our engineers and mechanics. Now we can pick a completely burnt down MRAPV, fix it and put it back into work.”

On equipping personnel, the general said that the army would soon start producing its weapons.

“With the signing of the DICON bill by Mr president last, it has afforded us the opportunity to partner with original equipment manufacturers all over the world to come and produce. Because even with our money we can’t produce some of this equipment. Now we are producing our ammunition. We want to start producing our own weapons.”

[DailyTrust]

Residents of Saburi residential district in DeiDei area of Abuja are now living in heightened fear following renewed activities of hoodlums.

According to them, the hoodlums send scavengers to survey the area before striking.

The gunmen have attacked the area about thrice since January 1 and made away with valuables, and money worth millions of Naira, residents say.

DAILY POST gathered that some of the gunmen who were masked first attacked the area during the crossover night on December 31, 2024, while residents were returning from church.

The gunmen specifically attacked houses in Ikejani street, Osumeayi Street, Sani Abacha lane, and Saburi.

During the attack, the hoodlums attempted to destroy the eyes of a security man in a failed move to eliminate him. They also shot at a resident who tried to prevent them from gaining access into his compound.

Residents recount ordeal

A resident, who wished to be anonymous, disclosed that Saburi used to be synonymous with kidnapping.

He said to curb the menace, residents mounted three gates at various locations around the community.

“We had three gates due to rampant kidnappings. Every two or three days they would pick somebody.

“Now, they have resorted to armed robbery.

“Only God can help because when people more than 20 with guns invade a place what can you do? I believe they collaborated with some boys from here and those from Saburi One to carry out the attack,” he told DAILY POST.

How they attempted to slaughter me

The security guard on duty, Sunday Ogbor, recounted how they attempted to kill him by cutting through his face and leaving him for dead.

Ogbor told DAILY POST: “I was at the security house when I heard voices and I thought they were my fellow guards who usually come by 3am to call my attention to ring the security bell.

“When I came out with my gun and knife, they collected them and started hitting me on my head, one jumped on my chest, while another tied me.

“While they were rough-handling me, I was shouting and they kept hitting me, they used the knife to cut me from my ear through my eyes to my other ear.

“After the incident, some people came and rushed me to hospital. Now, I can’t see properly.”

Another resident, Gift Udago of Sani Abacha lane in Saburi recalled how the boys numbering over 30 invaded his house, broke his window protector and used a matchet on his doors in an attempt to rob him and his tenants.

“Early in the morning on Monday, the boys about 30 pushed down my gate and came inside.

“I looked out the window and saw that they were many, I didn’t know what to do, even the tenants were all scared that night because they came with matchets, axes, and guns.

“They were shouting ‘where is the money – your money and your phones’ – they packed a lot of things after scattering my things, including my door.

“That night was so terrible for me because I have never experienced such in my life.

“This is not the first time; on 31 December, 2024, the same boys attacked the other side of Saburi, on 15th of January they also attacked the Four Bedroom area of Saburi, they even shot somebody on his leg.

“These are the issues we are facing and we are praying that the government will address it,” he said.

The Women Leader of Saburi, Princess Amaka Chijioke said the boys had information that she withdrew a large volume of money, which they made away with.

She said: “I have had an experience with these boys three times. The first one was terrible because they just jumped inside my room. I had just lost a son then.

“They threatened to murder my second son the way the first died, after which they carried everything.

“They came informed I had withdrawn money from the bank, which I kept in my room. While I tried to hide the money in the toilet, one of them smartly followed me and carried the bag.

“The moment God removed them from my room, I picked my son and ran to one of my tenants.

“The fact is that when they were robbing me, the tenants were not even aware of it. There were about 20 people that invaded the compound.

“We are asking the government to come to our aid because this is too much, they use machetes and guns, they shot somebody the day before yesterday. It’s not an experience somebody wants to narrate.”

Police failed to respond – Residents alleged

Meanwhile, the residents are worried over the alleged failure of the police to respond to their calls.

One of them said: “Our police here have not really helped. We have a situation where it will take the police close to an hour before they will come and by then the robbers have finished all they want to do and have gone. The police will come to meet residents in agony and pain.

“From January 15, we no longer sleep and have decided to turn ourselves into security men and women. We come out in the night to guard our streets.

“Saburi residential area is under attack and needs the government’s intervention.

“We have a situation where armed robbers will be attacking and when you call the closest police station, they will tell you it’s not within their area of jurisdiction.

“We also have policemen and Army guarding the railway, the distance to where this robbery took place is just like a pole, but you will never see the police or Army at the railway trying to intervene, they simply maintain the railway station.”

The Vice Chairman of Saburi residential district, Engr Gerald Aziegbe lamented that there is no strong police presence in the locality.

He said: “We wouldn’t say that we have a strong police presence here because this is the fifth time we have been robbed here and there is no police presence.

“Nobody was apprehended, they succeeded and left. For the fifth time in more than three years, they succeeded, so I wouldn’t say we have a strong police presence here.”

Similarly, the Chairman of 4Bedroom Area of Saburi, Anyanwu Ugonna lamented the refusal of police officers stationed within Saburi to respond to their distress call.

Ugonna said the police officers claimed that the robbery spot was outside their coverage area.

He told DAILY POST: “I reside here at 4Bedroom in Saburi close to the railway station.

“On January 25, 2025, around 1.55 am, we heard a gunshot at the back of the house and on peeping through the window, I saw about 15 men trying to scale through the fence and enter some of the buildings in the compound.

“I alerted my neighbours. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that they were already approaching our own gate.

“On sighting us, the only thing I heard was ‘shoot’ and they shot. I was trying to retreat when I heard a gunshot and I felt my leg was heavy. The person with me was running and I was telling him that I was wounded but we went through the fence at the back of the building.

“We tried contacting the police, the ones that are very close to us; what we heard was that they are not the ones in charge of this area. At about 3:45 am, the GwaGwa police came but the boys had left.

“The police station in Saburi is closer than GwaGwa yet they refused to come because it’s not their area.”

Involvement of scavengers (Baban Bola)

Ugonna also disclosed that the boys first disguise themselves in the form of scavengers (Baban Bola) to survey the area before coming back in the night to strike.

He added: “Like I said, this place has been robbed like five or six times and in most cases, you will find out that there is always someone who has come to do surveillance and when they come most times, they come in the form of buying or selling something, while others come in the name of scavengers to pick things from the dust bin.

“This was the major reason we stopped residents from dumping refuse within the residence; we have noticed that there is a link between them.”

Efforts by DAILY POST to reach the Police Public Relations of the FCT Command, Josephine Adeh to get her comment proved abortive as she didn’t answer her calls nor respond to message sent to her mobile contact as of the time of filing this report.

[DailyPost]

Senior Pastor of Salvation Ministries, David Ibiyeomie, has claimed that God revealed secrets to him that can lift Nigeria out of its economic challenges within five years. 

However, Ibiyeomie has stated that he will not share these secrets until he is called upon to do so.

In a video circulating online, Ibiyeomie recalled an instance where he partially shared the secrets, only for a top politician repeat them on television. 

He likened his situation to that of Joseph in the Bible, who only shared part of Pharaoh’s dream and kept the implementation details to himself.

Ibiyeomie emphasised that Nigeria is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, and he believes that with the right approach, the country can overcome its economic woes. 

Ibiyeomie said: “I’m standing before the Holy Ghost, I’ve said it before, if I tell you the secrets of what God told me, Nigeria will come out of her economic woes in five years, but I will never share it. 

“Ask me why. Did Joseph just talk anyhow?. I’m not bragging, I’m telling you before God, I know what Nigeria will do, five years Nigeria will never beg.

“I shared part of it one time, and a top politician went on television and repeated exactly what I said.

“Joseph told Pharaoh the dream, he didn’t tell him how to implement it. He put that one in his pocket, so Pharaoh said come, come and implement it.

“When you want to solve a problem, when you give them a part, keep the other part until they call you to speak.

“Nigeria is one of the wealthiest countries in the world.”

[TheNation]

Supporters of the impeached Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, stormed the speaker’s Lodge at Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday morning.

The PUNCH reports that the supporters, wearing several pro-Obasa vests and caps are currently in their scores at the lodge in the area.

Multiple sources told our correspondent that the supporters were planning a “heroic welcome” for the lawmaker who was recently impeached by a majority of lawmakers in the House.

Obasa was replaced by Mojisola Meranda, the former deputy speaker, who has presided over two sittings since Obasa’s removal, with the former speaker absent from the sittings.

The former Speaker was not in the country when he was impeached.

There is controversy over the choice of the Speaker’s Lodge at 47, Joel Ogunnaike Street, GRA Ikeja, as Obasa’s purported arrival point, given that he is no longer officially entitled to the residence.

“I didn’t expect that the lodge would be opened for them”, a resident was heard saying.

Our correspondent who is currently on the ground and monitoring the development reports that armed security personnel, including the police, are presently in the area to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

As of the time of filing this report, Obasa is yet to be sighted.

[Punch]