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Sanwo-Olu Vows To Prosecute Attackers Of LASTMA Officials

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, states that attackers of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officers will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Sanwo-Olu, represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, made this known at the second Lagos Traffic Conference in commemoration of LASTMA’s Silver Jubilee celebration on Tuesday.

The anniversary had the theme: ”Enhancing Traffic Efficiency and Safety on Lagos Roads: Challenges, Opportunities and Innovations.

“I want to specially recognise the men and women of LASTMA who have dedicated themselves, often under challenging and sometimes perilous circumstances, to the critical task of keeping Lagos moving.

“Your uniform represents the thin yellow line that stands firmly between order and chaos on our roads.

“Your commitment, resilience, and professionalism have been instrumental in transforming Lagos traffic management and ensuring the safety of millions of commuters every day. Thank you for your unwavering service and dedication,” he said.

Sanwo-Olu also appreciated the many brave officers who had made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty.
He said LASTMA would be a technologically empowered agency, equipped to tackle the complex challenges of 21st-century urban mobility by tomorrow.

He added that the government would invest in intelligent transportation systems powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI), as well as automated number plate recognition and drone surveillance, to enhance traffic management and incident response.

Mr Sridhar Uttara, President, Infotran, a U.S. engineering consulting firm, in his keynote speech urged Lagos to build a Unified Mobility Control Centre and expand its Information Technology System on priority corridors.

“There is also the need to train traffic officers in Al and data tools, invest in smart mobility labs and pilot zones, ensure equity and safety in all projects and invest in research and development,” he said.

The Special Adviser on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, said the celebration was not for lofty literates but for solutions.
Officers of LASTMA are on the streets of the state, not only to clear bottlenecks but also to save lives during accidents, coordinate disaster response, and facilitate the seamless movement of goods and services.

“LASTMA is not bound to all hurdles before them, which include inadequate growth capacity in the face of urban population growth, driver indiscipline, which remains a key trigger of accidents and congestion, and the consistent right of way among commercial transport operators.

“The most concerning is public apathy towards uniform traffic personnel. These are structural, behavioural and systemic challenges.

“While they are not insurmountable, we still have opportunities, and they are also ongoing interventions under the forward looking leadership of Governor Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu we have made significant stride,” he said.

In his goodwill message, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr Kayode Opeifa, said that local solutions to international issues make LASTMA unique.

According to Opeifa, LASTMA remains the masterstroke of public policy in Nigeria; they are designed to balance enforcement with people’s pride.

Opeifa decried the loss of some officers in the line of duty.

“I know some of the dead officers shown, this is when they were trying to make Apapa safe.

“That is the nature of what LASTMA is, you need to see these men work, suffering just to keep Lagos moving, they should be appreciated,” he said.

Earlier, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, while unveiling LASTMA’s 20-year policy compendium, said it would serve as the operational guidelines and mode of operation for the authority.

Bakare-Oki added that the guidelines were seriously scrutinised, worked upon by a committee within and outside the country.

“We carefully picked people that stood out in transportation and traffic management across the globe to work on this book,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the highlight of the celebration was the presentation of monetary gifts to winners of the Lagos State Traffic Safety Advocacy Programme.

The best primary, junior, and secondary school categories, along with the overall best students, each received an iPad.

Sister agencies present at the celebration include the Nigeria Police Force, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Lagos Neighbourhood Security Corp, and the Ogun State Traffic Management, among other dignitaries.

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How 2018 Federal Legal Advice Exonerated Saraki In Offa Robbery Case

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In light of the Kwara State Government’s fresh prosecution of Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki and his successor over the Offa robbery, fresh facts have emerged on why the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. E. U. (Etsu Umar) Mohammed gave the duo a clean bill of health.

The Federal Director of Public Prosecutions cleared former Senate President Bukola Saraki of involvement in the Offa bank robbery in 2018, citing no evidence of a connection.

It was gathered that the DPP reviewed a 16-page police report prepared and signed by Abba Kyari, a Deputy Commissioner of Police and then head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) at Force Headquarters, Abuja. The report detailed investigations into the April 5, 2018, multiple bank robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State.

The DPP in his first report dated June 22, 2018 and signed on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, prepared a five page legal advice in which he noted in paragraph 5 (f) that “for the Senate President (Saraki) and the Kwara State Governor (Ahmed), his office is unable to establish from the evidence in the interim report a nexus between the alleged offence and the suspects. Hence, it is our advice that further and thorough investigation in this regard be carried out”.

Following the submission of a second report by the police investigating team to his office on July 27, 2018, the DPP prepared a second legal advice, which was dated August 23, 2018. The three-page legal advice also has only three paragraphs.

In paragraph 3 (vi), he noted that “with regards to the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, since there is no departure from the earlier findings in the interim report, this office is still unable to establish any prima facie case against him for any offences of criminal conspiracy, armed robbery, and culpable homicide punishable with death”.

Both legal advices had recommended six people for prosecution. They are: Ayoade Akinnibosun, Ibikunle Ogunleye, Adeola Ibrahim, Salawudeen Azeez, Niyi Ogundiran, and Michael Adiukwu.

One of the suspects, Michael Adiukwu, later died in police custody, while the other five had since been tried at the High Court in Ilorin.

During the trial, the suspects revealed how they were coerced into incriminating Senator Bukola Saraki.

They mentioned several inducements dangled before them, including money and the promise of a visa to travel out of the country.

The suspects have since been convicted and their convictions confirmed by the Court of Appeal. The matter is now pending before the apex court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

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₦400m Ransom Demanded As Gunmen Abduct Another Kwara Ruler

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Terrorists have abducted a traditional ruler in Olayinka community, located in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, Oba Salman Olátúnjí Aweda and are demanding a ₦400 million ransom for his release.

The abduction occurred on April 18, 2026, when armed men, suspected to be militia herdsmen, invaded the community and took the monarch, his wife, and another resident into the forest.

According to JomogNews, residents who witnessed the incident said the terrorists, numbering over 10, invaded the monarch’s residence around Saturday midnight, forced the door open, and abducted him alongside another person in the house.

The assailants reportedly led both victims into the bush.

Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government Area, Mr Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, visited the community on Saturday on a sympathy visit and assured residents that efforts were underway to secure the monarch’s release.

“We are deeply concerned about this incident, and we are taking swift and decisive action in collaboration with security agencies,” he said.

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Living Faith Church Founder Declares Week Of Vengeance Against Insecurity Sponsors

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Bishop David Oyedepo, General Overseer of Living Faith Church Worldwide, has declared that bandits and their sponsors will face divine judgment and retribution within seven days.

Speaking on Sunday, April 19, 2026, during a service themed “Covenant Day of Vengeance” at the church’s headquarters in Ota, Ogun State, the cleric stated that those responsible for killings and kidnappings would face imminent consequences.

“I declare judgement on those who caused these tragedies and their supporters in the name of Jesus,” he said.

The cleric further asserted that divine retribution would occur within a short timeframe.

“Unless I am not sent, this will happen in the next seven days,” he added.

Oyedepo also expressed confidence that Nigerians would soon witness outcomes of what he described as divine intervention, noting that the coming days would bring “testimonies of vengeance.”

 

 

 

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