General
Apapa Gridlock: Ambode Bars Trucks From Entering Lagos
**Orders RRS, LASTMA, LASEMA to enforce directive at state borders
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State has approved the restriction of trucks entering the metropolis as a way of dealing with the incessant traffic logjams experienced at the Apapa axis of the state.
At a press conference jointly addressed on Friday by officials of the state as well as members of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre in Alausa, the state government specifically said owners and operators of articulated vehicles/trailers and petroleum tankers should stay away from Lagos for now.
It regretted that the incessant traffic bottleneck had impacted negatively on the commercial activities of the citizenry, adding that the directive would be enforced to eliminate the current hardship being faced by motorists.
Addressing the briefing, Acting Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Olanrewaju Elegushi, said investigations revealed that the traffic lockdown was a direct result of the challenges being faced by operators of the ports’ which had made it impossible for them to load the articulated vehicles/trailers that has come from the hinterland to evacuate imported items from the ports.
He said the gridlock was worsened by the current rehabilitation of some major roads and other minor roads which necessitated the closure of some roads in Apapa, noting that the situation had led to the traffic bottleneck and backflow of the articulated vehicles to as far as Ojuelegba on the Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere.
Explaining the reason for the directive, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Steve Ayorinde, said the Apapa gridlock had also become a reoccurring problem due to constant breakdown of operations at the Ports.
“Clearly, it is the breakdown of operations at the Port that is the monster causing this reoccurring issue. We keep having this issue of gridlock in Apapa because issues that the Ports Authorities and the concessionaires are dealing with are recurrent and the spill over effect of those issues are causing all these.
“If the Ports can’t determine how many trucks they are able to deal with on a daily basis; how they are informed about coming in and going out, then it will be a problem to deal with.
“What we need to do is to keep on engaging with them, we keep on engaging with other states and so on. I mean people who have trucks in other states and already know that there is a logjam in Lagos, why send other trucks to Lagos? While clearing the mess that the Lagos State Government did not cause, can people not consider it logical to wait for few days for us to clear this and this is the reason why we are saying that trucks should stay away from Lagos in the interim.
“The idea is not to say don’t come into Lagos. It is part of what makes the economy of Lagos what it is but we are saying let us deal with the logjam that we have presently and there is no way we can deal with it, we can only deal with the effect because the causes essentially have to do with the operations at the Ports and that is why we are appealing to them,” Mr Ayorinde explained.
He also said that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had been unable to load product from its Mosimi Depot in Ogun State due to vandalisation, noting that tankers hoping to get fuel across to the South West States are stranded in Lagos.
In the interim, the government, however, urged the operators to utilise the Ogere Trailer Park and other parks outside the state to avoid further hardship for motorists on the road, assuring that all measures would be deployed to ensure quick resolution of the situation.
On his part, General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA0, Mr Adesina Tiamiyu, said the state government has already instructed the agency alongside Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Nigeria Police and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to enforce the order restricting trucks from entering Lagos for now, noting that the enforcement will subsist pending when the spill over of traffic is cleared.
He urged residents not to hesitate to immediately alert State authorities through the 112 and 767 toll free lines in the eventuality of any danger lurking.
Also speaking, President of AMATO, Mr Remi Ogungbemi said the present situation was worrisome as it is a time bomb waiting to explode if unchecked.
He urged the Federal Government to take a cue from the Lagos State government and collaborate to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.
While pledging the readiness of members of his association to support efforts geared to restore sanity, Mr Ogungbemi also called for a regulatory system in place to manage call-up of trucks through technology.
Recall that this week, the Lagos State House of Assembly appealed to the NNPC to relocate tank farms in Apapa to other less populated areas so as to ease hectic traffic situation in the area.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In order to aid alternative and sustainable means of livelihood amid rising food prices and growing concerns over food security in Nigeria, the Ibese Plant of Dangote Cement Plc has handed over a state-of-the-art garri and fufu processing plant to the Kajola host community in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The facility is expected to support cassava farmers and processors by improving efficiency and expanding income-generating opportunities.
According to the organisation, the project, delivered under the Community Development Agreement (CDA) with its host communities signed in 2022, is a strategic intervention aimed at boosting agricultural value addition, reducing post-harvest losses and strengthening livelihoods for rural farmers and women.
The Ibese Plant Director, Mr Ayyagari Subbaraidu, at the commissioning, said, “This project is aimed at improving cassava processing, reducing losses and creating sustainable employment for women and farmers in the community.”
He disclosed that the facility features separate garri and fufu processing units equipped with modern machinery, including a five-tonne-per-day peeling machine, hydraulic presses, frying systems, fermentation basins, solar-powered boreholes and sanitation infrastructure, adding that it will serve as a catalyst for local economic growth by enhancing productivity and supporting small-scale agribusinesses across Kajola and neighbouring communities.
The Plant Director also urged the community and the Project Governance Committee to maintain transparency in the management of the facility to ensure long-term sustainability.
The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Bolu Owotomo, who was at the unveiling of the project, said it aligns with Governor Dapo Abiodun’s vision of making agriculture a key driver of economic growth through value addition and enterprise development.
The Commissioner disclosed that “over 166,000 farmers, including more than 90,000 cassava farmers, have been registered under the Ogun State Farmers Information Management System (OGFIMS) to benefit from government interventions.”
He urged the community to safeguard the facility and assured residents of the continued support of the state government towards agricultural development and food security.
“This processing plant will strengthen the cassava value chain, improve product quality, create jobs and enhance food security while boosting farmers’ incomes,” the Commissioner stated.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has hailed the recent sanctioning of three Nigerian bureau de change (BDC) operators by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged terrorism financing.
“The Nigeria Sanctions Committee welcomes the recent inclusion of Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine BDC, and Generation BDC Limited by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“These designations follow the inclusion of Adamu and his companies as part of a broader update to the Nigeria Sanctions List approved and published on 18th June 2026,” it disclosed in a statement.
It said that the naming of the three companies and six people followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations, and inter-agency assessments, which established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected individuals and entities facilitated, financed, supported, or otherwise contributed to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and associated terrorist networks.
“The individuals and entities added to the Nigeria Sanctions List on 18th June 2026 are Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima (NLISWi.19), Muktar Muhammad Adamu (NLISWi.20), Adamu Chiroma (NLISWi.21), Ibrahim Abubakar (NLISWi.22), Abdullahi Umar Usman (NLISWi.23), Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam (NLISWi.24), Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited (NLISWe.25), Generation Currency BDC Limited (NLISWe.26), Nine to Nine BDC Limited (NLISWe.27),” the statement read in part.
The federal government reiterated its directive to all financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions to continue to comply with all sanctions obligations, including asset-freezing requirements, the filing of suspicious transaction reports, and the reporting of all relevant matches to the appropriate authorities.
The sanctions committee commended the work of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for their actions to ensure that terrorist groups are denied the resources that sustain their activities.
It stated that Nigeria remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that terrorists and their financiers find no safe haven within the country’s financial system.
The committee also said that the Federal Government would continue to work closely with domestic stakeholders and international partners to protect national security, strengthen financial integrity, and contribute to global efforts to combat terrorism and its financing.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A radio station, Wise FM, has been sealed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The premises of the broadcast media platform, located on Ogabi Street, Meiran, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, were shut by the state government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, alongside other establishments across different parts of Lagos State for alleged persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and opportunities provided for compliance.
In a statement by LASEPA, it was disclosed that the enforcement exercise was carried out in response to various environmental infractions, including noise pollution, air pollution, obstruction of official duties, and failure to comply with its directives.
As regards Wise FM, it was said that it was sealed for noise and air pollution as well as non-compliance with the Agency’s directives.
Another organisation affected, Star-View Terrace, located in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was shut down for noise pollution and non-compliance with the agency’s directives, while Premiership Suites, located at Akin Osiyemi Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, was sealed for non-compliance with the agency’s directives.
Speaking on the enforcement operation, the General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment across Lagos State.
He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations, stressing that environmental protection remains a collective duty that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
The LASEPA boss warned that the agency would continue to intensify enforcement actions against violators in order to curb environmental nuisances and protect residents from the harmful effects of pollution.
Mr Ajayi urged residents, business owners, and operators of commercial establishments to adopt environmentally responsible practices and cooperate with regulatory authorities in promoting a healthier, cleaner, and more livable Lagos.
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