General
Lagos Gives 120 5KVA Generating Sets to Police Formations
By Dipo Olowookere
About 120 new 5KVA generating sets were on Monday handed over to all police formations in Lagos State by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
Mr Ambode, while handing over the generating sets to the Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensure the enforcement of rule of law and safety of lives and property in the state, just as he said that his vision was for the state to be among the safest places to live and work in Africa.
He further pledged to continue to support security agencies in the state to ensure optimal performance.
Governor Ambode, who was represented at the brief handing over ceremony by the Chairman of Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Mr Oye-Hassan Odukale, said the security of residents and investors remain one of the cardinal objectives of his administration, and that government would not relent in coming up with initiatives and programmes to guarantee safety of the people.
He said the generating sets were procured by the Fund to ensure that police formations in the State work optimally in their mandate of safeguarding lives and property.
According to him, “Lagos State is the safest State and we hope to make the State to be among the safest States in Africa which is our objective at the Fund. Anything about security is given high priority by our administration. Lagosians are now feeling safe. The safety that we are experiencing doesn’t come cheap but I like to assure that at the Fund, we are always willing to move at any time to ensure that we keep Lagos safe.”
The Governor also congratulated the new Commissioner of Police in the State, Mr Imohimi Edgal, and pledged to work with him to ensure the safety of the people.
He said aside the provision of the generating sets, the LSSTF had also been mandated to carry out the installations of the new equipment in all the Divisions and Area Commands in the State.
Besides, Governor Ambode urged police officers to take good care of the generating sets and use them for the purpose meant for the overall benefit and safety of the people.
Responding, the Commissioner of Police thanked Governor Ambode for the gesture, saying that the generating sets could not have come at a better time.
While assuring that the generating sets would be put to optimal use, Mr Edgal said that the facility would go a long way to ensuring that the divisional and area commands are well lit up to enable them effectively enforce the laws of the land.
“You can imagine the confidence members of the public will have if divisional headquarters and area commands are lit with the confidence that their matters would be earnestly addressed.
“Power is very essential. Our communication gadgets, especially phones need to be charged. You cannot function anywhere, you can’t take complains, you can’t give directives to field officers when there is no power. These generating sets are very valuable to us,” the CP said.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Executive Secretary of LSSTF, Dr Abdulrazak Balogun said the generating sets would be distributed across the 107 Police Divisions and 13 Area Commands in the State.
He said the procurement of the generating sets was in furtherance of the Light Up Lagos Project of the present administration aimed at ensuring that every nook and cranny of the State are well lit.
He said, “The procurement is also in tandem with Governor Ambode’s vision of a secured and investment-friendly Lagos. Police formations are critical to securing lives and property in the State and it is very important that these stations function optimally.
“This is why the Lagos State Security Council recommended the provision of power generating sets for these stations and the State Security Trust Fund expeditiously approved the expenditure.”
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr Onamusi Onadeko, has been sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment with an option of a fine of N50,000.
The former lawmaker, who represented Ogun East Federal Constituency in the National Assembly from 1999 to 2003, was sentenced by Justice Chizoba Oji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Thursday, July 30, 2026.
He was found guilty on count 11 and convicted for making inconsistent statements but discharged and acquitted on counts 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10.
Mr Onadeko’s journey to the court started in 2017, when he was charged by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for his alleged involvement in the award and execution of a N68.7 million contract.
The politician, according to a statement from the ICPC, was accused of using his private companies, Stanton Engineering Limited and Haines and Baines Limited, to execute several constituency projects while working as a Senior Legislative Aide to late Senator Buruji Kashamu, who represented Ogun East Senatorial District between 2015 and 2019.
The commission, had in the course of the eight years trial told the court that several contracts like buying of ambulance vehicles, supply of hospital equipment and drugs for Primary Health Centres, as well as construction of classrooms for some selected schools in six communities of Ogun East Senatorial District, were awarded to both Stanton Engineering Limited and Haines and Baines, where the convict doubles as a Managing Director and nominal Director, respectively, an action that violates Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
ICPC also accused Mr Onadeko of making an inconsistent statement that contradicted the one previously made to the Commissioner for Oaths, where he stated that he is a Director of Haines and Baines Limited in an affidavit dated June 30, 20216, but subsequently wrote another statement while under investigation on May 5, 2017, that he is not a shareholder or Director of Haines and Baines Limited.
This action violates Section 25(1)(b) of the ICPC Act and, upon conviction, is liable to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
However, Mr Onadeko, through his counsel, Mr Wahab Olatoyebi, argued in the course of the trial that his client was not a public officer as his appointment at that material time was on a short-term basis and non-pensionable, hence he, (Onadeko) did not fall within the category of those that could be tried under Sections 12 and 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 which criminalize and punish abuse of office by public officers.
But this argument was rejected by Justice Oji, who stressed that based on the defendant’s letter of appointment as well as the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Federal Government of Nigeria v. Farouk Lawan, legislative aides are public officers and therefore could be prosecuted under the relevant provisions of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of Oyo State, Mr Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate the abduction of students and teachers from Esinele and Yawota communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The governor formally inaugurated the commission at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
Speaking at the event, Governor Makinde said that although the successful rescue of the victims brought relief to the state, it did not provide complete closure.
He explained that the decision to set up an independent commission was not intended to undermine the efforts of security agencies but to ensure that every question surrounding the incident is thoroughly addressed and lessons are learnt to prevent a recurrence.
He charged members of the commission to conduct a thorough, impartial, and evidence-based investigation, assuring them of the state government’s full support. He also called on individuals and relevant institutions to cooperate fully with the panel.
Speaking on behalf of the commission, its chairman, Professor Mojeed Owoade, pledged that members would carry out the assignment with integrity, professionalism, and fairness. He added that the panel would seek an extension if necessary to complete its work.
Governor Makinde gave the commission four weeks to submit its report.
Earlier this month, the pupils and teachers abducted in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State regained their freedom after 56 days in captivity.
According to the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, eight of the kidnappers had been arrested, but the Federal High Court in Abuja on July 23 sentenced three suspects in the abduction to life imprisonment.
According to the court, the sentencing of Mr Abdulrazak Umar, known under the alias Abu Khalifa/Abu Khalid; Mr Yunusa Musa, alias Yunusa Bin Musa; and Mr Shamsu Adamu Sani, alias Abu Itisar, will start from the date of their arrest.
Before their sentencing by Justice Salim Ibrahim, counsel for the defendants pleaded with the court to sentence them on liberal terms, adding that they were first-time offenders and had pleaded guilty.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Two Chinese, Mr Zhang Hong Lin and Mr Gao Pei Hai, have been convicted and sentenced by Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, for conspiracy and the illegal mining of solid minerals.
They were both found guilty on all five counts levelled against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and sentenced each to five years’ imprisonment on each count, with an option of a N50 million fine covering all five counts.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the mineral resources recovered from them to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
The defendants were arraigned on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and the unlawful possession of mineral resources intended for export without lawful authority.
“That you, Zhang Hong Lin, Gao Pei Hai, and Gao Pei Yu (currently at large), sometime in 2025 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this court, conspired among yourselves, with the intent to defraud the Federal Government of Nigeria of revenue accruing therefrom, and without the permission of the appropriate authority, engaged in the exportation of mica products, copper-bearing, and lithium-bearing mineral resources out of Nigeria, thereby committing an offence contrary to Section 1(8)(a) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 1983, and punishable under Section 8 of the same Act,” one of the charges read.
The defendants pleaded guilty when the charges were read to them, with the prosecution counsel, H.U. Kofarnaisa, calling the investigating officer, Matthew Orogwu, who reviewed the facts of the case and tendered documentary evidence before the court.
After presenting the evidence, Kofarnaisa urged the court to convict and sentence the defendants in line with the charges.
