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Alake calls for crackdown on political violence, urges parties to focus on issue-based campaigns The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has condemned the disruption of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) town hall meeting in Lagos, calling on security agencies to arrest and prosecute those responsible. The council also condemned reported attacks at political gatherings in Edo, Cross River and Gombe states, as well as violence targeting party supporters and political leaders across party lines. In a statement on Thursday, the council's spokesperson, Dele Alake, described the incidents as condemnable and warned political parties, politicians and their supporters against actions capable of triggering public disorder as campaigns gather momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections. "Our campaign strongly condemns the disruption of today's scheduled town hall meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Lagos," Alake said. He urged polit...

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has denied allegations of sponsoring the disruption of a Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) political gathering in Ikeja, describing the accusation as baseless and an attempt to find convenient scapegoats. The party said its leaders and members were fully mobilised in Epe on the day of the alleged incident for the official flag-off of its 2027 general election campaign, insisting that it had neither sponsored nor participated in any action to disrupt the opposition party's gathering. In a statement on Thursday, Lagos APC spokesman, Mogaji (Hon.) Seye Oladejo, said it was curious that the NDC accused the ruling party without presenting credible evidence linking it to the incident. "While APC was in Epe, NDC was looking for scapegoats in Ikeja," Oladejo declared. He said the party's leaders, elected representatives, executives and campaign officials were committed to the Epe engagement, describing allegations...

By Seye Oladejo There is something profoundly instructive, if not downright tragic, about the unfolding political misadventures of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. After decades of occupying the commanding heights of Nigeria’s political establishment, holding high public office, contesting presidential elections and nursing an apparently inexhaustible appetite for the nation’s highest office, one would have expected a more dignified approach to the twilight of an otherwise remarkable political journey. Unfortunately, what we are witnessing is increasingly looking like a case study in how not to end an illustrious but largely uneventful political career. The unfolding crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the latest political vehicle adopted by Atiku and his coalition of political travellers, has exposed the fundamental contradictions, questionable calculations and institutional deficiencies underpinning what was marketed as a grand opposition rescue mission. The iro...

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has praised its governorship candidate, Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, over his presentation at the Lagos Governorship Debate, highlighting his experience in government and policy proposals for the state. The party's spokesman, Hon. Seye Oladejo, said Hamzat demonstrated preparedness, institutional knowledge and an understanding of the challenges involved in governing Lagos during the debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium and participating media organisations. In a statement dated November 9, 2026, Oladejo said the debate provided an opportunity for candidates to present their policy proposals and explain how they intended to address the state's development challenges. He described Hamzat's performance as evidence of his familiarity with the workings of government, adding that his experience as a former Commissioner for Science and Technology, Commissioner for Works and two-term Deputy Governor had given ...

The unfolding crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is fast becoming a classic case study in political self-destruction, misplaced priorities and the consequences of treating political expediency as a substitute for established rules and democratic procedures. What should ordinarily have been an internal party disagreement has now escalated into a full-blown leadership crisis, judicial confrontation and an embarrassing spectacle of political recriminations. More troubling, however, is the apparent determination of some ADC leaders to externalise responsibility for a crisis substantially rooted in their own internal contradictions. The recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying the Senator David Mark-led interim leadership structure and the consequential decisions taken under its authority has exposed the dangerous legal and political implications of the unresolved leadership tussle within the party. The ruling has also thrown the party’s 2027 electoral preparations, in...

The Lagos State Police Command has detained an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Omotayo Olajide, following a shooting in the Nosamu area of Ajegunle that left a young girl dead and another injured. The incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., when the officer allegedly discharged his firearm during an operation to quell a violent clash between two rival groups. The police identified the deceased as Omole Taiwo, while the injured girl is receiving medical treatment and is said to be in stable condition. In a statement issued and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, on Saturday, the Command said preliminary findings indicated that its personnel had been deployed to the area following a distress call over a clash between the Nosamu Boys and Alayabiagba Boys, reportedly involving a dispute over toll collection. The groups were said to have been armed with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. According to the police, t...

Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO), Oluwabukola Adeyemo A coalition of 25 civil society organisations, community groups and trade unions has threatened coordinated mass action across Lagos State if the government moves to seal domestic boreholes or prosecute residents for extracting groundwater for household use. The coalition, under the Our Water Our Right Africa Coalition (OWORAC), said any attempt by the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) to enforce such measures against residential boreholes would be resisted across all local government areas. The warning follows public concerns over a statement attributed to LASWARCO Executive Secretary, Oluwabukola Adeyemo, that drilling boreholes and extracting groundwater without state authorisation is illegal and could attract property sealing and criminal prosecution. In a press statement issued on Wednesday, November 4, the coalition urged the commission to clarify the scope of its e...

The Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, Lagos, has denied allegations that the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG Olohundare Moshood Jimoh, was involved in the demolition of a property worth over N1 billion in Lekki, Lagos. The Zonal Command described the allegation, contained in a petition reportedly written by Akeem Osuolale Ogunseye to the Inspector-General of Police, as misleading, insisting that neither the AIG nor any police personnel under his authority was deployed to the property to supervise a demolition. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Zone 2 Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afolayan Gbenga, said the AIG did not visit the property or conspire with Skyview Properties Limited or its agents to demolish any structure. “The Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 2 Headquarters did not at any time conspire with Skyview Properties Limited or any of his agents to engage in any demolition of any property in Lekki or any other location in Lagos State,” the stat...

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) has expressed concern over a directive by the Central Bank of The Gambia requiring banks to replace non-Gambian employees with qualified Gambian nationals by December 31, 2026. The Commission said the directive, reportedly issued on September 16, could affect 57 Nigerian professionals working in four Nigerian-origin banks operating in The Gambia. In a statement issued by the commission's Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocols, Abdur-Rahman Balogun on Tuesday, NiDCOM Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, said the affected Nigerians reportedly held valid residency and work permits and had contributed to the Gambian banking sector. While acknowledging The Gambia's right to promote local employment and develop its workforce, Dabiri-Erewa said such policies should respect existing employment arrangements, legitimate work authorisations and the principles of African solidarity and regional integration. NiDC...

Nigeria and The Gambia have reaffirmed their police cooperation, with the Nigeria Police Force participating in the passing-out parade of the first batch of recruits of the Gambia Police Force. The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training, DIG Isyaku Mohammed, represented the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, at the ceremony held on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium. The event, presided over by The Gambia’s Minister of Interior, marked the successful completion of the recruits’ training and their readiness to begin active policing duties. The Nigerian delegation’s participation highlighted the longstanding security relationship between both countries and the importance of collaboration in police training, capacity development and professional exchange. Although IGP Disu could not attend in person due to other pressing policing engagements, the representation by DIG Mohammed underscored the Nigeria Police Force’s commit...

The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered a suspected high-tech indoor cannabis farm at a residential property in Apapa and arrested two suspects, including a 49-year-old Polish national. The suspects were identified as Thomas Razvickas, 49, a Polish national, and James Chisome, 36, a Nigerian. Both reportedly reside at the property where the facility was discovered. The police said the discovery was made at about 8:15 a.m. on November 2, 2026, following credible intelligence received by operatives of the command. A statement issued on Tuesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, said operatives searched the premises and uncovered a sophisticated indoor farming facility allegedly equipped for the cultivation, harvesting and processing of substances suspected to be cannabis. The statement added that the two suspects were arrested in connection with the discovery and were in police custody, where they had made confessional statements and were providing informat...

The Borno State Police Command has arrested a 42-year-old man, Muhammed Bukar, over the alleged theft of a Toyota Corolla containing cash, pharmaceutical products and other valuables worth millions of naira in Maiduguri. The police said the vehicle was stolen on October 16, 2026, after its owner, a pharmacist, Abdulwahab Muhammed, parked it along Muna Road to observe prayers at about 1:25 p.m. According to a statement issued on Monday by the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, the vehicle contained a Redmi tablet, ₦230,000, $200, pharmaceutical products valued at approximately ₦3.3 million and an ATM card. The owner reportedly discovered that the vehicle had been taken away upon returning from prayers and subsequently reported the incident to the police. The statement said the Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, directed operatives of the Violence Crime Response Unit, also known as the Crack Squad, to investigate the theft. It added that the investigation...

At MGDLI’s third anniversary, Islamic leaders and professionals call for proper land documentation, financial accountability, improved hygiene and institutional support to safeguard mosques. Mosques are more than places of worship. They are centres of spiritual development, education, community engagement and social welfare. Yet, their ability to fulfil these responsibilities can be undermined by disputed ownership, poor administration, financial mismanagement and inadequate hygiene. These concerns formed the focus of discussions at the third anniversary of the Mosque Guidance and Development Lagos Initiative (MGDLI), where Islamic leaders, legal practitioners and other professionals called for stronger institutional structures to protect mosque properties and ensure sustainable management. The three-day programme, held from October 30 to November 1, 2026, at the Shamsi Adisa Thomas Central Mosque, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, examined challenges confronting mosque administration and proposed pra...