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Senate Grills Minister over N32.4bn Palliative Provisions

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By Adedapo Adesanya

The Senate, through its Committee on Special Duties, has quizzed the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Mrs Sadiya Farouq, over the spending of the N32.4 billion allocated to her office for palliative provisions meant for Nigerians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At an interactive session at the Senate floor on Thursday, Senator Ali Ndume expressed regret that the Ministry was not doing enough.

He pointed out, “You are not doing enough as far as poverty eradication in the country is concerned.”

“The modus operandi being adopted by your Ministry cannot in any way help in fixing the country. Humanitarian intervention should be looked at more holistically,” he further said.

Also speaking, the Vice Chairman of the committee, Mr Biobarakuma Degi Eremionyo said the handouts being doled out to some Nigerians as palliatives by the Ministry, cannot in any way take them out of the poverty line.

“Giving unemployed people N10,000 or even N20,000 for a month or two cannot help them out of the poverty-related problems facing them.

“The handouts should be channelled into the creation of employment for the unemployed,” he said.

Making a clarification, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr Yusuf Yusuf, quickly intervened by telling the members that the interactive session was not on poverty eradication by the Ministry but interventions made by it as palliatives against COVID-19 from the N32.4 billion earmarked for it out of the N500 billion appropriated by the National Assembly last year.

The Minister in her response clarified that only N2.4 billion was released to her Ministry from the N32.4 billion earmarked.

She said the N2.4 billion was expended on the feeding of school pupils and direct monetary interventions made to vulnerable Nigerians across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

When the senators asked her to explain how the school pupils were allegedly fed in their various homes, the Minister said, “We drove to some of their homes based on addresses gathered from their schools and also adopted the template of six-person per family and three children in a home.”

She explained further that aside from feeding school pupils at home, other interventions such as rice distributions totalling about 33,000 tonnes, were made to vulnerable Nigerians across the 36 states of the federations.

“We also got a lot of consignments from the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) for distribution as palliatives during the period under review aside 70,000 metric tonnes of grains, millets, guinea corn and garri released from strategic reserves on the orders of Mr President,” she added.

The Chairman in his closing remarks tasked the minister to ensure the collection of the N30billion balance from the Ministry of Finance and forward to the committee intervention programmes of action it had on the ground for it.

Adedapo Adesanya is a journalist, polymath, and connoisseur of everything art. When he is not writing, he has his nose buried in one of the many books or articles he has bookmarked or simply listening to good music with a bottle of beer or wine. He supports the greatest club in the world, Manchester United F.C.

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Lagos Seals Radio Station, Others for Noise Pollution

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Wise FM Lagos

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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LPPC Temporarily Strips Mike Ozekhome of SAN Title

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mike ozekhome SAN title

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

Renowned legal practitioner, Mr Mike Ozekhome, has been directed to desist from using the prestigious title of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for now pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings against him.

He is being investigated by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), a body which looks into complaints against lawyers in Nigeria.

Announcing the suspension of the prominent lawyer’s SAN rank on Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr Kabir Akanbi, said the disciplinary action was taken at the committee’s 173rd general meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.

Mr Akanbi, who doubles as the Secretary of the LPPC, stated in the statement that the temporary ban is intended to safeguard the integrity, dignity, and prestige of the SAN rank while the matters under review are being considered.

It was explained that the suspension was pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all Matters Pertaining to the Rank, adding that it is tied to disciplinary proceedings currently before the Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee of the LPPC and other related proceedings.

“The LPPC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, and discipline within the legal profession and to ensuring that the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria continues to command public confidence and respect,” a part of the notice disclosed.

It stressed that, “Mike Ozekhome shall refrain from parading himself, presenting himself, or otherwise holding himself out as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings.”

The title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the highest honour bestowed upon legal practitioners in the country, recognising excellence and long-standing contributions to the legal profession. The LPPC is the statutory body empowered to award and withdraw the rank.

Mr Ozekhome is one of Nigeria’s famous constitutional lawyers, human rights activists, and public commentators, but lately, his name was mentioned in an alleged forgery in the United Kingdom.

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Senate Passes State Police Bill

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Senate Petroleum Industry Bill

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The bill seeking to establish state police in Nigeria was on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, passed by the Senate during a plenary presided over by the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio.

The piece of legislation was passed today after more than two-thirds of the lawmakers in the red chamber of the National Assembly voted in support via a manual voting process involving the raising of hands.

Before the passage at the plenary, the chairman of the Senate Committee on the Review of the Constitution, Mr Barau Jibrin, presented the panel’s report to his colleagues.

According to him, the bill will transform policing in the country and boost security, as it allows the sub-nationals to create their own policing system.

The bill provides for the Federal Police Service to be headed by the Inspector-General of Police, while the State Police Service will be led by a Commissioner of Police, who will be appointed by the governor of the state, subject to confirmation by the state’s House of Assembly.

To prevent the misuse of state police against political opponents or critics, ensuring that any action taken against such individuals or groups complies with due process and existing laws, the bill prohibits the Commissioner of Police of a state from arresting, detaining, investigating, or deploying force against any critic of the state governor, except in accordance with the law.

After the clauses of the bill were considered at the Committee of the Whole, the bill was passed and will be transmitted to the President for assent into law.

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