SA News

CP Bode Ojajuni By Hyacinth Nwafor The Ogun State Police Command has commenced preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni assuring residents of adequate security, professional conduct and strict adherence to the Electoral Act and the Constitution. Ojajuni, the 38th Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, said the preparations were guided by a comprehensive security plan developed by the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, to ensure peaceful elections across the country. In an interview with Hybrid News Editor, Hyacinth Nwafor, the commissioner said the preparations covered training, stakeholder engagement, intelligence gathering, resource mobilisation and operational planning. He explained that the process was also designed to identify and address potential threats before, during and after the elections. According to him, the command had organised a workshop for police officers and relevant stakeholders to clarify their respo...

... Group seeks reopening of probe, lists nine other murdered journalists whose killings remain unresolved The International Press Centre (IPC) has demanded answers, accountability and justice for the assassination of Dele Giwa, founding Editor-in-Chief of Newswatch magazine, 40 years after he was killed by a parcel bomb at his Lagos home. The organisation lamented that no one had been held criminally accountable for Giwa’s murder on October 19, 1986, describing the unresolved case as an indictment of Nigeria’s commitment to justice and the protection of journalists. In a statement issued and signed by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Akinjiyan on Monday to mark the 40th anniversary of the killing, the Safety and Protection of Journalists (SPJ) Hub of the IPC called on the Federal Government, the Nigeria Police Force and relevant investigative and prosecutorial authorities to reopen the investigation and pursue a credible resolution. Giwa, who was 39 at the time of his death, was a pr...

The Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspected cultists allegedly terrorising the Addo Road area of Ajah and recovered a locally made cut-to-size pistol. The suspects, Idris Rasak, 26, alias Aloss, and Ibrahim Kazeem, 25, alias Asunmo Kebe, were arrested by operatives of the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) following intelligence on their alleged involvement in cult-related activities. A statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said the suspects, during interrogation, reportedly confessed to belonging to the Eiye Confraternity and led operatives to the Waterside area of Addo, Ajah, where the firearm was recovered. The suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue to establish the full extent of their alleged activities and identify other persons who may be connected to the crimes. The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Tijani Fatai, reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling cultism and other violent cri...

... Group seeks full ECOWAS court compliance, justice for Pelumi Onifade, compensation for victims Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has demanded an unreserved public apology from the Federal and Lagos State Governments, prosecution of security personnel implicated in the 2020 #EndSARS crackdown, and full reparations for victims, six years after the Lekki Toll Gate shootings. The organisation also called for the complete implementation of a landmark judgment of the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice against Nigeria, the prosecution of officers implicated in the death of journalist Pelumi Onifade, and the designation of the Lekki Toll Gate as a national historic memorial. In a statement issued and signed by its Media and Communications Officer, Robert Egbe, on Monday, October 19, to mark the sixth anniversary of the October 20, 2020, shootings, CAPPA urged political parties and candidates contesting the 2027 general elections to make justice for #EndSARS vi...

Yilwatda, Ojelabi, Obanikoro demand unity, discipline ahead of 2027 elections The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has set a target of five million votes in the 2027 elections, directing party leaders and political officeholders to demonstrate their grassroots strength under a proposed “Operation Deliver Your Polling Unit” initiative. The state APC chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi, announced the target on Monday at a strategic retreat for party leaders and members of the PBAT-KOH Lagos State Campaign Council at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Ojelabi said the party was targeting five million votes from a projected seven million votes in the state, stressing that achieving the objective would require effective grassroots mobilisation, stronger party structures and measurable performance across polling units. He said party chairmen across local governments and Local Council Development Areas had been directed to compile details of polling units ass...

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has urged party leaders in Lagos State to resolve internal disputes, harmonise campaign structures and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections. Yilwatda gave the charge on Monday at the PBAT-KOH Lagos State APC Campaign Council retreat at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos, where he called for a coordinated campaign strategy built on unity, discipline and shared responsibility. Speaking on the theme, “The Road to the Ballot: One Team, One Strength — Building an Effective Campaign for Election Success,” the APC chairman said the party’s strength depended not only on its numbers but also on its organisation, discipline and ability to connect with voters. He warned that duplication of roles, poor communication, conflicting instructions and personal rivalries could undermine the effectiveness of the party’s campaign structures. According to him, the Lagos State Campaign Council must serve ...