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Widower Paralysed After Police Brutality In Lagos
A commercial bus driver, Adewale Oseni, is seeking justice after he was allegedly brutalised by a police officer identified simply as Supol Akeem attached to Makinde Police Station in Oshodi, Lagos.
Oseni told PUNCH Metro on Tuesday that he was returning from the food vendor where he had gone to purchase food for his three children on July 14 at about 10 pm when the officer accosted him.
He said efforts to show him the food he bought and also appeal to him were ignored by the police officer also said to be identified as Spider.
The widower whose wife passed away three months ago claimed that Akeem soon hit him with an iron baseball baton on the spot.
“The bus I drove had a mechanical fault at Iyana-Isolo, so I got a mechanic to fix it. The repairs took my time till past 10 pm. On getting home, my children, aged 14, 10 and six years old, had not slept. They told me the food I left for them before I left home had been eaten in the afternoon and they had nothing to eat in the evening. Meanwhile, their mother passed on about two months ago. So, I left home that night to buy them food at a canteen nearby at Alhaja’s place on Oshodi Road.
“On my way back home, a vehicle parked closely behind me. I noticed he was a police officer attached to the Makinde Police Station at Oshodi known as Supol Akeem aka Spider. I pleaded with him and showed him the food I went to buy for my children but he was heady and tough with me. He knows me very well within the community as a commercial bus driver. I begged him for minutes and he still made up his mind to take me to the station with the food I bought for my children. As I continued begging him, he refused to listen to my plea, he was holding an iron (baseball baton) which he used to hit me hard on my right leg.”
The victim said he was taken to the police station and locked up while he was also feeling an excruciating pain in his leg.
The Oyo State-born transport worker said he was taken to the Lagos State Task Force office the following day from where he ended up in court and later sentenced to prison.
“The next morning, he ordered all of us he picked that night to come out of the cell. We were about six in number. Some called their family members who came to bail them, and those of us who couldn’t reach out to our families were asked to write down our names. He then ordered us to board the minibus known as Korope, and then drove us to the task force office at Oshodi without being caught stealing and not being in conflict with the law.
“I was told to write a statement at the task force office. About 30 minutes later, I was called along with others that the lawyer wanted to see us. I explained everything that happened to the magistrate. With all my plea, I was sentenced to three weeks in Kirikiri correctional centre. I felt so bad and pained because my children didn’t know my whereabouts or what happened to me.”
He said the injury he sustained in his leg due to the assault by Akeem worsened during the time he spent in prison.
Kaduna police probe officers assaulting man in viral video
He also recalled how the police officer used handcuffs to tighten his hand which resulted in injuries on his wrists.
After his release on August 10, he said the injuries on both his hands and legs festered and turned to big sours.
“Since my release on August 10, the pain continued. I couldn’t sleep or eat. I can’t do anything or go to work because of the leg. It’s just dripping water and paining me. When I got to the health centre at Oshodi, they said I would be treated just for today and that if I wanted them to continue treating my leg, I should get a police report. I wondered because I didn’t sustain a gunshot injury. The handcuff Akeem used to tighten my hand inflicted serious injuries on my wrists. The correctional centre at Kirikiri tried for me because they have a health facility within. I was given medications and injections but it doesn’t look like I got real treatment,” he added.
While noting that the injuries had paralysed him, Oseni called for the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Fayoade.
He also demanded compensation for the injury inflicted on him by the officer, while also calling for his prosecution.
According to him, he could no longer work to fend for his family following his ordeal
“I want the police to pay my bills, pay me a compensation and also punish the officer who abused his office despite knowing me as a commercial bus driver, all because I couldn’t reach out to my family as my phone got lost during the arrest and couldn’t call anyone to bail me. So he preferred sending me to jail because of personal interest. My children are also feeling the heat because their mother died two months ago. I couldn’t fend for my children as expected,” he added.
The Coordinator of Advocates for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, Ebenezer Omejalile, condemned the action, describing the officer’s action as inhumane treatment.
He said, ‘’This is the most inhuman treatment meted out to a non-offender citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is simply police brutality, abuse of office, human rights abuse, racketeering, agencies conspiracy theory and miscarriage of the criminal justice system against law-abiding citizens of Nigeria. The alleged perpetrator, Akeem aka Spider, has been on our raider for some time for his abusive behaviour at every given opportunity. What is the correlation between the task office and sentencing?
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, could not be reached as calls made to his telephone were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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