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Oyo ADC Calls On Governor Makinde To Explain N50bn Bodija Intervention Funds

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The Oyo State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded that Governor Seyi Makinde account for the N50 billion intervention funds it claims were received from the Federal Government following the January 2024 Bodija explosion.

 

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by the State Publicity Secretary, Bimpe Adelowo, the party accused the state government of being “unaccountable, deceptive, divisive, and misleading” in its handling of public resources.

 

The controversy was sparked by former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, who revealed that the Oyo State Government had requested N50 billion for reconstruction and victim relief.

 

While Makinde’s media aides have since clarified that only N30 billion was received, the ADC insists the public has been kept in the dark until the whistleblower’s intervention.

 

The ADC statement highlighted discrepancy between the funds received and the amount declared as spent on the victims, noting that while the governor claimed to have disbursed about N4.5 billion directly to the victims, and failed to account for the remaining N25.5 billion.

 

“Oyo state governor claimed he had disbursed about N4.5 Billion directly to the victim of Bódìjà explosion but failed to account for the balance of sum of N25.5 Billion,” Adelowo stated.

 

The party questioned whether the State Assembly was aware of the diverted balance or if it had been appropriated for other projects, adding that “it is safe to say that the entire disbursed N30 Billion was misappropriated and unlawfully diverted to projects which were not the purpose the money was disbursed for in the first place.”

 

The party emphasised that the document relied upon by Fayose only showed a request, not a disbursement, but noted that the governor’s failure to disclose the request for N50 billion until pressured indicates a lack of transparency.

 

The ADC urged him Makinde to release a detailed breakdown of the N30 billion intervention funds for public scrutiny.

 

“He should own up and apologise to the people of Oyo for taking them for a ride. He should release the details of the disbursed N30 Billion intervention funds for public scrutiny; after all, he holds the power in trust for them, and they deserve to know,” Adelowo concluded.

 

The Bodija explosion, which occurred on January 16, 2024, resulted in multiple fatalities and significant property damage, and the ADC insists that the use of federal intervention funds must be held to the highest standard of accountability.

 

The Oyo State Government had clarified that it received N30 billion, not N50 billion, from the Federal Government following the January 2024 Ibadan explosion.

 

The statement was made on Sunday by Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, amid allegations by former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose.

 

Olanrewaju, in an opinion on Oyo affairs, dismissed the claim as misleading.

 

“Recent comments attributed to former Governor Ayodele Fayose, alleging that the Federal Government handed N50 billion to Seyi Makinde and that the governor stayed silent to save it for his presidential ambition, are not only misleading, they are deliberately disingenuous.

 

“The Federal Government did not give Governor Makinde N50 billion. This is why Fayose was unable to provide evidence. In fact, the memo he shared shows what was not disbursed,” he said.

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Panic In Ibadan As Rising Kidnap, Robbery Threats Trigger Official Red Alert

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Residents of Ibadan, specifically in Bodija, Agbowo, Akobo, and the Agodi GRA, are currently on high alert after the Police and the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) issued an urgent warning regarding a recent surge in kidnappings and armed robberies in those areas.

 

According to the DAILY POST, the Bodija Housing Estate Police Division and its community partners have formally expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation in the area.

 

In a statement signed by Bodija Housing Estate Police Division PCRC and Community Policing Unit of the division, they noted that there is an increase in the rate of kidnapping and armed robberies in areas such as Akobo and Bodija.

 

The statement urged residents to take necessary safety measures amidst rising cases of kidnapping and other criminal activities in areas such as Akobo and Bodija.

 

In the statement tagged “Urgent Safety Measures Amid Rising Kidnapping and Armed Robbery Incidents in Areas Including Akobo and Bodija the residents were alerted that the desire for quick wealth has driven some individuals to commit terrible acts.

 

Part of the statement reads, “In light of the recent increase in criminal activities such as kidnapping and armed robbery across our communities, it has become imperative to issue updated safety guidelines. The desire for quick wealth has driven some individuals to commit terrible acts, and we must all be vigilant.

 

“Please adhere strictly to the following precautions, and also note the additional measures outlined below:

 

“Remember: Your safety and that of your loved ones depend greatly on your level of awareness and willingness to take precautionary steps. Security is a collective responsibility.

 

“Report emergencies promptly to: Oyo State Police Command: control room:08081768614, 08081768574

Bodija Division: DPO +2348052046348; PCRC Helpline/ Chairman – 07068874553”.

 

JomogNews reports that some residents have been in a panic mood as a result of the notice.

 

A resident of Bodija Housing Estate, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, explained that the recent happenings necessitated the notice.

 

“The recent happenings necessitated the move. Yes we have to be careful. People now think twice before they go out. We are more security conscious than before,” he said.

 

 

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Rivers Assembly Formally Serves Impeachment Notice To Gov. Fubara

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The Rivers State House of Assembly has formally served an impeachment notice to Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Deputy Governor Ngozi Odu.

 

The move marks the third major attempt to remove the governor since 2023, following his return to office in September 2025 after a six-month state of emergency.

 

Recall that the assembly on Thursday during an emergency plenary, commenced the impeachment of the governor and his deputy.

 

26 members of the House accused the governor of misconduct, capable of undermining democracy in the state.

 

The notice which was addressed to the governor, contained the signature of at least 19 lawmakers.

 

The notice also contained about 8 alleged gross misconducts by the governor and his administration.

 

In a post on its official Facebook page,the assembly said, “The impeachment notice has been successfully served on the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara”.

 

 

 

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NCC, CBN Set To Roll Out Refund Framework For Failed Airtime And Data Transactions

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In line with the consumer-focused objectives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the two regulators have drawn up a framework to address consumer complaints arising from unsuccessful airtime and data transactions during network downtimes, system glitches, or human input errors.

 

The framework is the outcome of several months of engagements involving the NCC, the CBN, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Value Added Service (VAS) providers, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), and other relevant stakeholders. These engagements were prompted by a rising incidence of failed airtime and data purchases, where subscribers were debited without receiving value and experienced delays in resolution.

 

The Framework represents a unified position by both the telecommunications and financial sectors on addressing such complaints. It identifies and tackles the root causes of failed airtime and data transactions, including instances where bank accounts are debited without successful delivery of services. It also prescribes an enforceable Service Level Agreement (SLA) for MNOs and DMBs, clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of each stakeholder in the transaction and resolution process.

 

Under the new framework, where a purchaser is debited but fails to receive value for airtime or data—whether the failure occurs at the bank level or with an NCC licensee—the purchaser is entitled to a refund within 30 seconds, except in circumstances where the transaction remains pending, of which the refund can take up to 24 hours.

 

The framework further mandates operators to notify consumers via SMS of the success or failure of every transaction. It also addresses erroneous recharges to ported lines, incorrect airtime or data purchases, and instances where transactions are made to the wrong phone number.

 

Speaking on the development, the Director of Consumer Affairs at the NCC, Mrs. Freda Bruce-Bennett disclosed that the framework also establishes a Central Monitoring Dashboard to be jointly hosted by the NCC and the CBN. According to her, the dashboard will enable both regulators to monitor failures, the responsible party, refunds, and track SLA breaches in real time.

 

“Failed top-ups rank among the top three consumer complaints, and in line with our commitment to addressing these priority issues, we were determined to resolve it within the shortest possible time,” she said.

 

“We are grateful to all stakeholders—particularly the Central Bank of Nigeria and its leadership—for their tireless commitment to resolving this issue and arriving at this framework, and for ensuring that consumers of telecommunications services receive full value for their purchases.

 

“So far, pending the approval of management of both regulators on the framework, MNOs and banks have collectively made refunds of over N10 billion to customers for failed transactions.”

 

Mrs. Bruce-Bennett further noted that implementation of the framework is expected to commence on March 1, 2026, once the two regulators have made final approvals, and technical integration by all MNOs, VAS providers and DMBs is concluded.

 

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