General
Lagos Unveils Portal to Curb Real Estate Fraud
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Lagos State government has unveiled a portal to register all estate agents in the state in order to curb real estate frauds.
The Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Housing, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka, said the portal, www.lasrera.lagosstate.gov.ng, would be used to register all real estate businesses.
Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said this was with a view to monitoring activities of estate agents and prosecution of the fraudulent ones.
She said that the portal would end the era of fraudulent practices in the real estate sector.
According to her, the state government will no longer tolerate activities of estate agents who defraud Lagos residents on the pretence of securing accommodation or any form of property for prospective buyers or tenants.
”We are well aware of the trend of fraudulent practices of some real estate agents and property developers.
”This is reflected in the complaints received by the agency in recent time of residents who had fallen victims to fake real estate practitioners and property developers, while seeking for accommodation, purchasing and selling of properties.
”As you all know, Lagos State has been the commercial and economic nerve centre of Nigeria and Africa with investment opportunities, hence, the net migration to the state.
”The state government has worked tirelessly over the years to curb the increasing fraudulent practices in this sector, and this explains the need to sanitise the industry,” she said.
The governor’s aide said that the state had been able to prosecute one of such so far and was in court with others.
She said that recently, a lady from the US was duped of N30 million by a particular company with offices in Victoria Island and Magodo.
”We have cases of about 70 people defrauded by some agents. Also, I’m aware of a case of 30 people defrauded by another agent.
”There are instances where agents defrauded prospective clients of agency fees of say, N5000, and showing them properties that are not listed or that they do not even know the owners.
”All these are the narratives we want to change. What we are saying is, if you defraud our people, we will prosecute you.
”In line with the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of Mr Governor on improving Technology Infrastructure, we are today unveiling the website, social media handles and registration portal for effective management and communication amongst the stakeholders.
“The interactive website would enhance post COVID compliance initiatives and promote transparency.
“It would become a one-stop-shop for stakeholders and government,” Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said.
According to her, the new agency’s website is: www.lasrera.com and registrations portal: www.lasrera.lagosstate.gov.ng.
She said that the robust platform contained a brief history of the agency’s initiatives, aims and goal, commitment to the people, a complaint section, a registration portal which allowed one to upload document.
Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said that the agency remained committed to providing an enabling environment and transparent real estate sector that conformed to international best practices, while safeguarding the ultimate interest of all the stakeholders.
According to her, from now, to practice in Lagos as an agent, one must be registered on the website, be at least, a school certificate holder, must have an office as individual, and if an organisation, it must have a board or management team.
”Every agent that is registered will be put on a portal, a compendium which will have all listed agents for easy tracking and follow up. This is part of the purpose of the registration,” she said.
The special adviser, however, said that the state government does not charge any amount to defend Lagosians who felt the need to be defended in the court of law.
She said that there was now a change in the name of a Department under the Ministry of Housing, formerly known as Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department, to Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA).
Mrs Benson-Awoyinka said that the change in the name also upgraded the department to a full agency that would be supervised by the Office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The new chief executive of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, has assumed office with a clear message to advance the country’s upstream oil and gas sector in line with the mandate of the commission as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) 2021.
According to a statement signed by Mr Eniola Akinkuotu, the Head of Media & Strategic Communications at the upstream regulator, the NUPRC boss made this assertation during her first town hall meeting with management and staff on Tuesday December 23, 2025.
She further disclosed plans to make the commission a business enabler and re-ignite investments in the upstream sector.
Recall that President Tinubu nominated Mrs Eyesan to take over the NUPRC after the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Mr Gbenga Komolafe as well as his counterpart in the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr Farouk Ahmed.
In her new capacity, Mrs Eyesan also set a firm production ambition of growing Nigeria’s output and increasing gas production.
“The goal is that we must enable the industry, we are regulators. We must enable the industry from our interactions with the stakeholders, from our interactions with everybody.
“My main objective is to ensure that we make a difference. I believe the NUPRC is at the Center of the industry,” she said.
The commission boss who has served for over three decades in the oil and gas sector, promised to entrench digitisation, transparency and efficiency in operations.
The NUPRC head said with the support of staff and management, the NUPRC will become the gold-standard regulator in Africa. She also promised capacity development, stronger technical depth and sustained engagement with stakeholders, unions and professional teams.
On leadership style, Mrs Eyesan promised an open-door policy and frequent staff engagement, while also soliciting for support and cooperation as the industry embarks on the next phase of transformation.
“If we work together we can unleash opportunities, I don’t see impediments only opportunities,” she added.
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