A Lagos landlady, Mrs. Gloria Unazoi, has stated that the recent fire recorded at a fuel station located on Old Akute Road in the Obawole area of Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government Area of Lagos State did not start from her building.
Unazoi said this in a letter dated June 26, 2025, and made available to PUNCH Online on Monday.
The letter, signed by her lawyers, Bodunde Bankole and Co through Adedapo Adepegba, was reacting to an earlier story that quoted the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Jubril Gawat, as saying that, “Our people are on the ground; it seems the fire started from a building behind the filling station.”
But Unazoi said her building is the one behind the filling station, and the fire did not start from there.
The letter read, “We can categorically state and prove that the fire did not start from the building behind the filling station, which is our client’s building.
“The fire started as a result of the mishandling of the process of discharging premium motor spirit from the tanker into the underground tank at the filling station.
“When a similar incident happened in 2023, on the instruction of our client, we wrote to the owner of the filling station to put in place enough safeguards that would minimise the effects of a possible fire outbreak, if not outright prevention.
“The said owner failed, neglected, and refused to do so. It was his refusal, failure, and neglect that caused the fire incident and not any fault of our client or her tenant in the building, who have suffered extensive damage to their belongings.”
According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at about 4 pm on…, after a sudden blast rocked the facility, attracting passers-by and residents around K Farms Estate in the council area.
Residents alleged that the inferno started from the underground fuel tanks before spreading to other parts of the station, which prompted the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service to barricade the entrance to prevent human interference in the rescue operations.
Spokesperson for the Lagos Fire and Rescue Service, Shakiru Amodu, said that the inferno was immediately curtailed from spreading to adjoining property. (Punch)
The Presidency on Sunday defended President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to Saint Lucia, describing it as a landmark diplomatic and cultural mission.
It said the visit is rekindling Nigeria’s ancestral and strategic ties with the Caribbean nation and the wider CARICOM bloc.
In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said, “In the wake of some Nigerians’ misguided, mischievous, and uninformed comments regarding President Bola Tinubu’s historic state visit to Saint Lucia, it is necessary to clarify the purpose of the visit.”
The statement is titled ‘Why President Tinubu is on a state visit to Saint Lucia.’
It added, “First, from the perspective of the Government of Saint Lucia, the visit by the Nigerian leader paves the way for the rekindling of our ancestral bonds, igniting a new era of diplomatic, cultural, and economic possibilities between our nations.”
Onanuga explained that Saint Lucia, like many Caribbean nations, has deep ancestral roots connected to West Africa, especially Nigeria.
The statement read,” In the mid-19th century, a wave of immigrants from present-day Nigeria arrived in Saint Lucia, bringing cultural and religious practices that persist today.
“Citizens of Saint Lucia are excited that President Tinubu has chosen to visit the island.
“They long to strengthen their bonds with African nations with which they share ancestral links.”
The Presidency described the visit as a major effort within the framework of South-South cooperation and Nigeria’s Four D’s foreign policy strategy- Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography.
It said, “Saint Lucia is the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and the gateway to the 15 CARICOM member states.
“The CARICOM states have a combined GDP of over $130 billion, a significant figure in South-South trade discourse.”
Citing diplomatic and historical bonds, Onanuga recalled key historical ties between Nigeria and Saint Lucia, most notably the life and career of Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian who served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979.
“Sir Darnley Alexander, a Saint Lucian-born jurist who died on February 10, 1989, served as Chief Justice of Nigeria from 1975 to 1979,” it said, adding that, “He first came to Nigeria in 1957, recruited as a legal draftsman by the Western Regional Government of Chief Obafemi Awolowo.”
It explained that Alexander became the acting Director of Public Prosecutions in 1958.
In 1960, he was appointed Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Western Regional Ministry of Justice.
Four years later, he was appointed a judge in the Lagos High Court, and in 1969, the defunct South Eastern State appointed him the chief judge.
He later became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in 1975, succeeding Sir Teslim Olawale Elias.
The presidency also highlighted the contributions of other Saint Lucians, including Neville Skeete, who helped design the Central Bank of Nigeria headquarters, and Sir Darnley’s son Michael, a frontline medical officer during the Nigerian civil war.
On the cultural front, the Presidency stated that Tinubu’s visit aligns with the African Union’s Sixth Region agenda, which recognises the African diaspora as a key development partner.
“Nigeria actively fosters cultural exchange through collaboration in education, culture, and heritage preservation.
“Our cultural exports, including Afrobeats, Nollywood, and literature, are already making a significant impact on Saint Lucia and the wider Caribbean,” it said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s growing cultural footprint, the statement noted, “The Gros Islet Street Party is arguably one of Saint Lucia’s most famous cultural events. It has been held every Friday for over 50 years.
“On the Friday before President Tinubu’s arrival, Afrobeats and Nigerian music dominated the airwaves, a testament to Nigeria’s growing soft power and cultural footprint.”
On democratic values, the Presidency stressed that “Saint Lucia is a stable parliamentary democracy, making it a natural ally for Nigeria, which has enjoyed 26 years of uninterrupted democratic governance.”
During the live coverage of Tinubu’s arrival, a Saint Lucian commentator reportedly described him as a “fighter for democracy.”
Regarding Nigeria’s growing population, the statement said, “Nigeria is projected to become the third most populous country in the world by 2050.
“President Tinubu has consistently emphasised that Nigeria’s youthful population is a driver of economic transformation via education, industrialisation, and innovation.”
As part of his itinerary, President Tinubu is scheduled to visit the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College to deepen educational partnerships.
The delegation also includes members of the Nigerian Technical Aid Corps, who are deployed to ACP countries to provide professional services.
“This assistance is delivered through the deployment of Nigerian professionals to recipient countries to address specific needs,” Onanuga explained. (Punch)
Two members of the opposition parties in the House of Representatives on Tuesday joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The two members are Peter Akpanke representing Obanliku/Obudu/ Beware federal constituency of Cross River State, who is leaving the PDP and Prof Paul Nnamchi representing Enugu East/Isi Uzo federal constituency of Enugu, who is leaving the Labour Party.
While Akpanke said he was dumping the PDP because of protracted crisis, which has defied solution, Nnamchi also hinged his decision on the leadership crisis in the Labour Party.
The letter of defection of the two lawmakers was read at plenary on Tuesday by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
Akpanke however expressed appreciation to the PDP for giving him the opportunity to fly its flag, adding the absence of peace in the party has necessitated his decision to move to another party. (Nation)
A cargo ship, CHANG MIN, reportedly had some sections gutted by fire while anchored at one of the terminals in Apapa Port in Lagos on Friday.
This was contained in a statement on Saturday by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Authority, Dr. Olufemi Damilola Oke-Osanyintolu, and sighted by The PUNCH.
LASEMA explained that the vessel was laden with cargoes including CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products.
It added that the fire was controlled through a combined effort from fire officials from the LASEMA Response Team, Onipanu, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Nigerian Ports Authority Fire Unit.
According to the statement, the fire was observed at the point of unloading, and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of filling in this report.
“Following distress alerts at 17:55, the LASEMA activated the State’s Emergency Response Plans from the Cobra Base in Onipanu. Upon arrival at the scene, a cargo ship CHANG MIN laden with cargo, which included CNG trucks, wooden products, tyres, and other highly combustible products, was observed to have caught fire within section two of the cargo hold,” the statement read in parts.
It highlighted preliminary investigations conducted by emergency responders at the scene revealed that the fire was observed at the point of unloading, and the cause is yet to be ascertained at the time of the report.
The statement emphasised that no life was lost and no injuries were sustained to anyone, as all seafarers on board have been accounted for.
“The Cobra response team, alongside all other responders at the scene, undertook the following actions. Debrief from the crew on board to give more information to emergency response teams as to the instruction that the compartment be totally shut to eliminate oxygen supply, while initial dampening down was being conducted,” it stated.
The statement stressed that a fire response plan was agreed upon by emergency responders on a method to combat the inferno in the safest possible way to eliminate secondary incidents, “and also ensure the safety of all fire fighters, reopening of the cargo hold to enable fire teams engage the inferno, location of fire and the ship floor plan.”
The LASEMA statement also added that the fire has been totally extinguished and the recovery operation concluded.
The Kano State Police Command has arrested 51 suspects and recovered dangerous weapons and illicit drugs during a three-day clearance operation across several volatile communities in the Kano metropolis.
The intelligence-led operation, which took place between Friday, June 13, and Sunday, June 15, targeted known criminal hideouts in Kano Municipal, Dala, Gwale, and Tarauni local government areas. Specifically, the police stormed areas such as Kofar Mata, Zage, Kurna, Rijiyar Lemo, Dorayi, Hotoro, and Sheka Quarters.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Hussaini Abdullahi, the Command said the suspects were arrested with weapons often used to terrorise residents, noting that the clampdown was part of ongoing efforts to rid the state capital of “thuggery and its associated crimes.”
“The Command’s intelligence-led offensives against thuggery in Kano metropolis have yielded tremendous success. A total of fifty-one (51) suspects were arrested, and several dangerous weapons and illicit drugs were recovered. The Command is fully determined to decisively tackle thuggery and its related offences”, the statement partly read.
The police listed the names and aliases of the suspects, many of whom are in their early twenties and hail from neighbourhoods such as Sheka, Hausawa, Bachirawa, and Zango.
Among the arrested were notorious individuals like Ayuba Zakariyya a.k.a Shamakin, 24; Aliyu Usaini a.k.a Aliko, 23; and Abdulsalam Abubakar, 19, all of whom were picked up from different hotspots in Sheka, Kurna, and surrounding areas.
The police warned that brandishing weapons under the guise of traditional performances, such as the controversial Kidan Gangi, would no longer be tolerated.
The practice, which often involves youths parading through neighbourhoods with swords, daggers, and other weapons, has drawn concern from authorities due to its links to rising violence.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, warned that such displays on social media platforms—including TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter)—only serve to encourage and recruit teenagers into criminal gangs.
“Let this serve as a strong warning to individuals who engage in this form of reckless behaviour. The Kano State Police Command will not condone the promotion or normalisation of thuggery, either offline or online,” Bakori declared.
He also urged parents and guardians to take greater responsibility in monitoring their children’s movements and online activities.
“Any parent found conspiring with their wards to conceal weapons or allowing such to be kept at home will be investigated and prosecuted accordingly,” the statement added. “Blacksmiths who manufacture these dangerous weapons for youths will also face the full wrath of the law.”
The police have called on residents to support security efforts by reporting suspicious activities, promising that all reports will be treated with utmost confidentiality. (Punch)
The political storm cloud hanging over Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was swept away yesterday as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu gave him a public endorsement, dispelling lingering speculations of a rift between them.
At a high-stakes reconciliation meeting held at the President’s private residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, Tinubu, long regarded as Sanwo-Olu’s political mentor and benefactor, reportedly declared: “All is over. There is no need to beat around the bush or go into unnecessary talk. Continue with your work.”
The remarks were made before key members of the Lagos State Governance Advisory Council (GAC), the apex decision-making body of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, led by its chairman, Tajudeen Olusi. The council had accompanied Sanwo-Olu to plead for forgiveness and reaffirm political loyalty.
This dramatic intervention followed days of swirling rumours and public tension. Since Tinubu’s arrival in Lagos last week, Sanwo-Olu had been visibly sidelined from major public engagements. The situation reached a climax when Tinubu appeared to snub the governor by refusing a handshake during a public event, an act that set off a firestorm of speculations over a fallout ahead of the 2027 elections.
Sources told The Guardian that the reconciliation meeting was facilitated after behind-the-scenes efforts by influential GAC members, who were alarmed by the escalating political drama. Olusi, in particular, was said to have appealed to Tinubu to forgive the governor, acknowledging that the President had been visibly unhappy with certain developments in Lagos.
Chairman of the GAC, Alhaji Olusi, reportedly told the President: “We know you are not pleased with some of us, especially the governor. We ask for mercy.”
In response, Tinubu, according to multiple sources present at the meeting, said: “It’s all over now. All is forgiven.”
The President also told Sanwo-Olu and the GAC members to go ahead with the planned local government elections scheduled to be held on July 12, saying, “I am too busy for council matters. Go ahead and ensure the right thing is done. Give fair opportunities to everyone.”
At that moment, Sanwo-Olu and members of the council were said to have prostrated before the President in a symbolic gesture of reconciliation and loyalty.
Though neither Sanwo-Olu nor Tinubu publicly confirmed a dispute, APC insiders at national, zonal, and state levels had hinted at growing friction. Sources cited Sanwo-Olu’s alleged attempts to assert greater independence by marginalising Tinubu loyalists within the state’s political structure. (Guardian)
The Operations Manager of Air Peace, Ayodeji Adeyemi, has debunked claims by Senator Adams Oshiomhole that he was unfairly denied boarding on a recent domestic flight, insisting that the former Edo State governor arrived late and attempted to force his way onto the aircraft by climbing a conveyor belt.
Adeyemi, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, stated that contrary to Oshiomhole’s assertions, the senator did not check in online and arrived at the airport after the stipulated check-in deadline for the 6:30am flight.
“He came in late for his flight. That has been established and he did not deny it. Check-in closes 45 minutes before departure, at 5:45am, and he arrived after that,” Adeyemi said.
The Air Peace executive further challenged the senator to produce evidence of his alleged online check-in, saying the airline’s backend system never recorded such an entry.
“I want to right here challenge the senator to produce the boarding pass that was issued to him when he checked in online,” he said.
Adeyemi claimed Oshiomhole jumped onto a baggage conveyor belt in a bid to board the aircraft, a behaviour caught on surveillance video now in the airline’s possession.
He described the act as taking the law into one’s own hands, adding that staff on duty recognised the senator and still made efforts to accommodate him.
“The supervisor picked up his radio and checked if it was still possible. But by that time, the door of the aircraft was shut.
“So now, telling him the door was shut, he decided to take the laws into his own hands and jumped on the conveyor belt. We have the video. It’s not hidden. He said he never, because this is the other video Senator produced,” he said.
On claims that other passengers were similarly treated or extorted, Adeyemi accused the senator of coaching two women who were never booked for the disputed flight.
“The two ladies that Senator interviewed, he interviewed them himself because he was inciting them to talk and to complain about what it is that they are going through. These two ladies were not on the said flight at all. They were booked to travel on the 6.30 flight of the 12th of June 2025. Not on the 11th,” he stated. (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu has rescheduled his official visit to Kaduna State. Instead, he will travel to Benue State on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, as part of renewed efforts to foster peace and address the persistent conflict affecting communities in the state.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, revealed this in a statement he signed Monday.
“The President’s visit aims to assess firsthand the recurring crisis that has claimed numerous lives and caused significant destruction,” Onanuga stated.
According to him, Tinubu was scheduled to visit Kaduna State on Wednesday to commission various state government projects.
However, the official visit will now occur on Thursday, June 19, 2025.
During his stay, Tinubu will meet with all stakeholders, including traditional rulers, political, religious, community leaders, and youth groups, to seek lasting solutions to the hostilities.
“In preparation for the visit, President Tinubu has already dispatched the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, heads of intelligence agencies, the National Security Adviser, and the Chairmen of the Senate and House Defence Committees to Benue State.
“The President is expected to hold a town hall meeting with all stakeholders during the visit,” the statement read.
Tinubu has previously condemned the ongoing violence in Benue State and called on all leaders and residents to embrace peace, love, and mutual understanding.
He extended his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and to all those who have suffered losses as a result of the crisis. (Punch)
President Bola Tinubu on Thursday said his administration will commit more funds to infrastructure development and urged governors to collaborate with the Federal Government to align building approvals.
Tinubu said proper approval alignment between the subnational and Federal Governments will facilitate the construction of major roads and bridges across the country.
“I have directed the Minister of Works, David Umahi, and the Surveyor General of the federation to work more closely with the governors,” Tinubu said when he commissioned the Lekki Deep Sea Port Access Road at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Plant in Lagos.
Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to the President, Bayo Onanuga, revealed excerpts of the engagement in a statement he signed Thursday titled ‘President Tinubu Assures of More Spending on Enduring Infrastructure.’
Tinubu said aligning state approvals with the federal government will reduce the burden of compensation and delays in actualising people-oriented projects.
“Please, my dear governors, let’s work together. Don’t give planning approvals without collaboration with the Surveyor General and the Ministry of Works. I am appealing to you to realise the same development goal.
“Let me emphasise the ban by the Federal Government of Nigeria on any dredging within a 10km radius of all our Bridges nationwide.
“I appeal to all governors, relevant agencies, and security agencies to implement this ban immediately,” Tinubu said.
The ceremony came five days after the President commissioned Phase 1 of Section One of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, also in Lagos.
Tinubu commended the Federal Ministry of Works, Messrs Hitech Construction Company Limited, Messrs Dangote Industries Limited, BUA and all contractors involved in the country’s road development. He said his administration is committed to building enduring infrastructure nationwide.
He dismissed critics of the government’s legacy projects for being ignorant about how the government awarded the legacy roads to contractors.
“It is necessary to note that the Federal Executive Council approved our Legacy Projects to be procured, awarded and constructed in sections.
“The completed 30 km segment of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway is part of the 47.7 km, six-lane Section I contract, not a wholesale 750 km contract, as some have suggested. No contractor has been awarded the entire corridor.
“Our approach has been systematic, transparent, and section-based. The Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway, envisioned 47 years ago under the Shagari administration, is another legacy project we have revived. This corridor – spanning Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos -holds immense potential for agriculture, trade, and industrialization,” said Tinubu.
He explained that it connects over 58 dams, vast arable farmlands, and trade routes to our West African neighbours and offers great promise for windmill energy generation. Construction is well underway.
In Kebbi, he said the administration has completed over 10 km of the 258 km three-lane carriageway, adding “and today we flag off the second carriageway. This section is the longest in all our Legacy Projects.”
He noted that work has begun in Sokoto on the 120 km single-carriageway with three lanes from Illela.
“I understand that over 10km of this project is already completed. Today, we shall be flagging off the second carriageway of 120km with three lanes. Work is also at an advanced stage in this section. More sections are being designed for procurement and award along the whole length of the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.
“On my way here, I witnessed significant progress at Section II of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, with over 10 km of the 55 km stretch already completed.
“I am also pleased to report ongoing works in the Cross River and Akwa Ibom sections and have directed that more segments be designed and procured. The Trans-Sahara Trade Route, another visionary project, is advancing steadily. It will connect Calabar to Abuja via Ebonyi, Benue, Kogi, and Nasarawa,” he said.
Tinubu said he had directed accelerated design on the 4th Legacy Project of the Akwanga-Jos-Bauchi and Gombe corridor to enable procurement to start.
“Let me assure you that with God on our side, we shall complete these projects and deploy them for the economic benefit of our nation,” he emphasised.
Other projects commissioned by the President include Yakasai to Zalli Road, Kano State, Shendam Bridge, Plateau State (Triacta), Kwanar-Hadejia Section II (82km), Kano/Jigawa State, Jimeta Bridge, Adamawa State (Triacta), Ilobu-Erinle Road, Kwara/Osun States and Cham-Numan Bridge, Adamawa State. (Punch)
The Supreme Court on Wednesday nullified the decision of the Kebbi State High Court that reinstated Al-Mustapha Jokolo as the 19th Emir of Gwandu, ruling that the case was filed without first exhausting the mandatory domestic resolution mechanisms prescribed by law.
In a split decision of three to two, the apex court held that the deposed Emir, Jokolo, failed to follow due legal process in instituting the suit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Emmanuel Agim stated that while aggrieved persons may seek judicial intervention, they must first comply with Section 5(4) of the Kebbi State Chiefs (Appointment and Deposition) Law, which requires a formal complaint to be submitted to the governor before litigation can proceed.
Jokolo was deposed in 2005 under controversial circumstances and subsequently approached the Kebbi State High Court seeking reinstatement.
The trial court ruled in his favour in 2014, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeal, Sokoto Division, in 2016. Both courts ordered his reinstatement.
However, the Kebbi State Government and the current Emir, Alhaji Muhammadu Ilyasu-Bashar, challenged these rulings at the Supreme Court.
Originally scheduled for June 6, the Supreme Court brought forward the judgment to 4 June due to the Eid-el-Kabir holidays.
The Supreme Court held that Jokolo did not serve a pre-action notice on the Governor of Kebbi State, a mandatory step before initiating the suit.
Agreeing with the appellants, the Court ruled that failure to seek resolution through administrative channels rendered the suit incompetent.
This procedural lapse deprived the lower courts of jurisdiction, leading to the setting aside of the entire proceedings and judgments of both the trial court and the Court of Appeal.
Justice Agim remarked, “This suit was filed prematurely without first presenting a complaint to the governor as stipulated by law. The trial court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, and its decision is therefore null and void.
“Section 4(3) of the law applies to both appointment and deposition matters. The governor must first be notified.”
He further stated that the High Court judge “deprived the court of jurisdiction” by proceeding without adherence to this requirement.
The Supreme Court set aside the rulings of both lower courts and made no order as to costs.
In a dissenting minority judgment, Justice Ibrahim Salami dismissed the cross-appeals and affirmed the decisions of the lower courts, arguing that the executive governor must act in accordance with the law and due process.
The Supreme Court consolidated four appeals and two cross-appeals into a single judgment, with all parties agreeing that the outcome of the principal appeal would bind the others. (Punch)
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