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We Didn’t Order Lekki Shooting- Sanwo-Olu Cries Out Again
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has, again, spoken on the ugly incident that happened at the Lekki Toll Plaza on Tuesday evening, in which military personnel used live ammunition to disperse EndSARS protesters who camped at the tollgate to demand for the end to police brutality.
Sanwo-Olu maintained that the State Government did not order the military shooting, which left about 11 of the youths severely injured. The Governor also sustained his earlier assertion that, no protester died in the incident, stressing that he and officials of the State Government had gone round private and public health facilities across the State without being able to identify bodies of those allegedly killed in the incident except one that died from blunt force trauma and another corpse that was recovered by the police in the Victoria Island area with bullet wounds.
The Governor appeared on The Morning Show programme aired live on Arise News, said the State was already investigating whether the deceased was a protester.
Sanwo-Olu asked members of the public with credible information on anyone or group of persons killed in the incident to come forward with the claim. He said the social media overblew the proportion of the incident with what he described as “false information” being shared by those who were not at the scene of the incident.
He said: “There have been several false information that we have seen over the incident and we will appeal to people to show more restraint in posting information that cannot be verified.”
The Governor spoke on the alleged removal of Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) security cameras at the Toll Plaza before the shooting started, debunking the claims that he ordered the action. Sanwo-Olu said the cameras that were removed were not security cameras but laser cameras meant to capture vehicles’ electronic tags and number plates. He said the removal of the laser cameras was a decision taken by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) that owns the facility.
He said: “When I spoke to the Managing Director of LCC over the matter, he told me the company took the decision to remove installations critical to their service when the curfew was announced. Those cameras that were displayed in the viral pictures were not security or motion cameras. They are laser cameras for vehicles, specifically designed to pick electronic tags and number plates on cars. Security cameras installed at the Toll Plaza are still there as I speak and the footages from them are the ones that we will be using in probing the Lekki incident. Since Tuesday, the security cameras at the Toll Plaza are still there and nobody can touch them.”
Sanwo-Olu said multi-agency investigation into Lekki incident may begin next Monday when order would have been fully restored across the State, pointing out that the recordings of the CCTV security cameras at the Toll Plaza would be useful in unraveling the circumstance that surrounded the incident.
Members of the public, the Governor said, will be part of the investigation for transparency. He added that security experts would be involved to analyse the recordings of the CCTV security cameras to ensured the footages captured since the time the protesters started camping at the tollgate were not tampered with.
On the allegation that he influenced the switching off of the billboard that illuminated the Toll Plaza area at night, Sanwo-Olu said the concessionaire that operates the billboard took the decision independently after the curfew order was announced.
Speaking on the aftermath of the organised attacks on government properties, iconic buildings and private assets, Sanwo-Olu said the nature of the destruction indicated an attempt by the arsonists to keep the State in limbo. He said the attacks were specifically targeted at emergency response infrastructure of the State to weaken its response in the case of large-scale violence.
The Governor disclosed that the arsonists, in the organised destruction, razed four State-owned fire stations and five fire trucks. He said the reconstruction of the damaged assets would cost billions, but said the State would bounce back after the devastation.
Sanwo-Olu said it would be insensitive for him to buttress the narrative linking the arsonist attacks on public buildings to sectarian elements, saying his immediate priority was to salvage the damaged assets and prevent further attacks. He, however, said all materials suggesting the arson may have been organised by secessionists would be left for security agencies for proper analysis.
Clarifying his statement that forces beyond him were behind the deployment of troops to Lekki axis, the Governor said: “The hierarchy and chains of command in the military are not within my purview. This is not something I have responsibility for. I do not have such power to control or activate the military. That essentially is what I was trying to say in that particular phrase.”
He also explained that he reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari on two occasions to seek for more help as public assets in the State were being destroyed. He said the President responded, directing the Chief of Defence Staff to liaise with him.
He said: “I made phone calls to speak to the President twice yesterday (Wednesday). The first time, he (president) hadn’t come to the office. The second time, he was at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting. Indeed, I haven’t spoken to him directly. He was actually the one who directed the Chief of Defence Staff to call me and I feel that it was when he got my message. Because, when the Chief of Defence Staff called me, he said to me it was the President that asked him to call. But, I haven’t spoken to the President directly; maybe later today, that might happen.”
Aftermath of the destruction, Sanwo-Olu urged the residents of Lagos to come together and heal the wounds inflicted on the State by the arsonists. He said the ugly incident put citizens’ patriotism to test, urging them to unite and re-build the State from the ruins left by the attacks.
He said: “We are at a point where all of us as a people living in the State must come together more than ever before. Our patriotism has been put to test and we need to re-engage ourselves and heal the several wounds that have been inflicted on us. We do not have any other country; this is our country.
“In Lagos, we cannot afford to put to waste what our forefathers and the generation of leaders before us have put in place. We need to preserve our heritage and we need to know that indeed we can build a future for our children. We need to put an end to any form of anger, protest, confrontation and bleeding. Let us come together and start a real healing process.”
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Polaris Bank celebrates 58 New Hires from its flagship PGIT, PTIP as CEO charge them to Keep Learning, Keep Evolving
Polaris Bank has graduated 58 exceptional new hires from its flagship Polaris Graduate Intensive Training (PGIT) and Polaris Tech Ignite Programme (PTIP), reinforcing its commitment to building world-class talent in Nigeria.
The ceremony, attended by senior leadership and invited guests, celebrated a highly selective cohort drawn from over 10,000 applicants – placing them among the top 0.58% who successfully made the cut. The milestone underscores the bank’s rigorous standards in identifying and grooming future leaders.
Addressing the graduates, Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Kayode Lawal, delivered a compelling charge centered on continuous learning and adaptability in a fast-evolving industry. “Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching,” he said. “In today’s technology-driven world, staying relevant requires constantly upgrading your skills. The world has moved from a pre-digital era to one powered by AI – where tasks that once took weeks are now completed in minutes. To thrive, you must learn, adapt, and evolve.”
He also stressed the primacy of character, noting that integrity remains the cornerstone of a successful banking career. “Integrity is the hallmark of a banker – once you lose it, you lose everything. What we truly sell is our reputation,” he stated, urging the graduates to uphold the highest ethical standards.
Mr. Lawal further encouraged disciplined financial habits, humility, and gratitude, reminding them that success goes beyond professional milestones to include lifelong learning, strong values, and respect for those who support one’s journey.
Congratulating the cohort, he urged them to embrace their careers with purpose and responsibility, noting that their contributions will be pivotal to the bank’s growth and the broader financial ecosystem.
The PGIT and PTIP programmes offer intensive training across banking and technology disciplines and have consistently produced high-performing professionals. The new hires will be deployed across key functions, supporting Polaris Bank’s strategic priorities in retail expansion, digital innovation, and superior customer experience.
Polaris Bank remains committed to empowering young Nigerians with opportunities to build impactful careers, as it continues to foster a culture of excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth within the financial services sector.
The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu did not attend the scheduled project commissioning in Lagos on Wednesday, because he was preoccupied with urgent national security matters.
Special Adviser to the President on Public Communications and Orientation, Sunday Dare, also defended President Bola Tinubu’s handling of Nigeria’s security challenges, insisting that ongoing military operations and intelligence efforts demonstrate that the country is gaining the upper hand against terrorism.
Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television, Sunday Dare said the President had remained actively engaged in national security matters, even while away from Abuja.
“The President prioritised national security developments over the event,” he said.
“Yes, the president is in Lagos, and I’m sure beyond the pictures, you know that the president has been busy with state matters.”
He added that recent security concerns across parts of the country required the president’s attention, noting, “You will know the last 10 days, right from the attack in Jos, we’ve seen the developments.”
Dare said Tinubu had been “busy taking constant briefs” and “has to prioritise when it comes to state matters, especially security”.
He further explained that the president remained actively engaged with security agencies, and was “monitoring development, working with the intelligence community, and taking constant security briefs.”
He assured Nigerians that the administration is consistently responding to threats and remains committed to protecting lives and property.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu while inaugurating the newly constructed Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge, a project his administration envisioned in 2002 but now delivered by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the projects reflected Lagos State government’s commitment to development and aligned with his Renewed Hope vision, which, he said, sought to build a modern country that would be fully digitally enabled and economically strong.
The bridge, a 5.04-kilometre transport corridor, is one of the three key Lagos projects inaugurated on Wednesday by Tinubu in the first of his two-day official visit to Lagos for commissioning.
Other projects include five-storey Lagos State Geographic Information Service (LAGIS) Building and Lagos Multi-Agency Building, both in Alausa.
Tinubu, who was represented by the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, congratulated Lagos residents, saying the projects delivered by Sanwo-Olu spoke to the importance of putting people’s wellbeing at the centre of development.
Tinubu said: “The Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge is more than an infrastructure; it is a bridge to opportunities. In a busy city like Lagos, vehicular movement is more than just commuting; it is associated with the city’s economic wellbeing. When traffic flows, productivity improves. When time is saved, businesses grow. When access is made easier, living standards get improved.”
Tinubu thanked Lagos Government for making the new Administrative Complex after him, noting that he accepted the honour with humility.
Lagos State governor, Sanwo-Olu, said the projects were distinct but complementary investments, with each addressing a critical aspect of governance.
The bridge, he said, would address congestion and mobility around Ikeja-Maryland-Ojota corridor, while improving the quality of life for commuters.
He said the Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge would improve efficiency of traffic circulation, with noticeable impact beyond the immediate environs of the bridge. He said the road project was completed with walkways, bicycle lanes, solar-powered street lighting and embedded service ducts.
“We have built, not just for today’s needs, but with a clear eye on the ever-expanding demands of the future. As part of this project, we have integrated a comprehensive stormwater management system to address the long-standing challenge of flooding along the Odo-Iya-Alaro corridor, thereby strengthening environmental resilience,” he said.
The Nigerian Army says its troops conducting Operation Wutan Daji have on Thursday, neutralised no fewer than 10 terrorists during coordinated offensives in Plateau.
An operational report made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the operations were carried out in Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas.
It said the operations targeted identified terrorist corridors around Daba and Seri villages.
It said that troops established blocking positions between Dutsen Zaki and Odare Forest, leading to contact with terrorists moving on motorcycles along the axis.
According to the report, the troops engaged the terrorists in a firefight, resulting in the neutralisation of several of them, while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds.
It added that exploitation of the area led to the recovery of 10 neutralised terrorists as well as combat items.
“Recovered items include two motorcycles, 25-litre jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit, one AK-47 rifle and a magazine loaded with 7.62mm special ammunition.
“The operation is ongoing, with troops maintaining high fighting spirit and sustained offensive posture in the area.
“The Nigerian army reaffirms commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorists and restoring peace in affected communities,” it said.
Polaris Bank celebrates 58 New Hires from its flagship PGIT, PTIP as CEO charge them to Keep Learning, Keep Evolving
Presidency Breaks Silence On Tinubu’s Absence At Lagos Project Commissioning Ceremony
Operation Wutan Daji: Army Neutralises 10 Terrorists In Plateau Offensives
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