General
Social Media Overblew Lekki Toll Gate Shooting—Sanwo-Olu
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Governor Babajide Sanw0-Olu of Lagos State has blamed the social media for overblowing the proportion of the unfortunate shooting at the Lekki Toll Gate by the military on Tuesday evening with what he described as “false information” being shared by those who were not at the scene of the incident.
According to him, “There have been several false information that we have seen over the incident and we will appeal to people to show more restraint in posting information that cannot be verified.”
One of such “false information” was the accusation that the state government was aware of the use of soldiers to disperse the peaceful and unarmed #EndSARS protesters demanding for a better police in the country.
Speaking on Wednesday on the Morning Show programme on Arise News, the Governor maintained that the state government did not order the military shooting, which left about 11 of the youths severely injured.
He also sustained his earlier assertion that no protester died in the incident, stressing that he and officials of the state government had gone round private and public health facilities across the state without being able to identify bodies of those allegedly killed in the incident except one that died from blunt force trauma and another corpse that was recovered by the police in the Victoria Island area with bullet wounds, noting that his administration was already investigating whether the deceased was a protester.
Mr Sanwo-Olu asked members of the public with credible information on anyone or group of persons killed in the incident to come forward with the claim.
On the alleged removal of Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) security cameras at the Toll Plaza before the shooting started, the Governor debunked the claims that he ordered the action.
He explained that the cameras that were removed were not security cameras but laser cameras meant to capture vehicles’ electronic tags and number plates. He said the removal of the laser cameras was a decision taken by Lekki Concession Company (LCC) that owns the facility.
“When I spoke to the Managing Director of LCC over the matter, he told me the company took the decision to remove installations critical to their service when the curfew was announced.
“Those cameras that were displayed in the viral pictures were not security or motion cameras. They are laser cameras for vehicles, specifically designed to pick electronic tags and number plates on cars.
“Security cameras installed at the Toll Plaza are still there as I speak and the footages from them are the ones that we will be using in probing the Lekki incident. Since Tuesday, the security cameras at the Toll Plaza are still there and nobody can touch them,” he said.
The Governor said the multi-agency investigation into Lekki incident may begin next Monday when the order would have been fully restored across the State, pointing out that the recordings of the CCTV security cameras at the Toll Plaza would be useful in unravelling the circumstance that surrounded the incident.
Members of the public, the Governor said, will be part of the investigation for transparency. He added that security experts would be involved to analyse the recordings of the CCTV security cameras to ensure the footages captured since the time the protesters started camping at the tollgate were not tampered with.
On the allegation that he influenced the switching off of the billboard that illuminated the Toll Plaza area at night, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the concessionaire that operates the billboard took the decision independently after the curfew order was announced.
Speaking on the aftermath of the organised attacks on government properties, iconic buildings and private assets, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the nature of the destruction indicated an attempt by the arsonists to keep the State in limbo. He said the attacks were specifically targeted at emergency response infrastructure of the State to weaken its response in the case of large-scale violence.
The Governor disclosed that the arsonists, in the organised destruction, razed four State-owned fire stations and five fire trucks. He said the reconstruction of the damaged assets would cost billions but said the state would bounce back after the devastation.
Mr Sanwo-Olu said it would be insensitive for him to buttress the narrative linking the arsonist attacks on public buildings to sectarian elements, saying his immediate priority was to salvage the damaged assets and prevent further attacks. He, however, said all materials suggesting the arson may have been organised by secessionists would be left for security agencies for proper analysis.
Clarifying his statement that forces beyond him were behind the deployment of troops to Lekki axis, the Governor said: “The hierarchy and chains of command in the military are not within my purview. This is not something I have responsibility for. I do not have such power to control or activate the military. That essentially is what I was trying to say in that particular phrase.”
He also explained that he reached out to President Muhammadu Buhari on two occasions to seek for more help as public assets in the state were being destroyed. He said the President responded, directing the Chief of Defence Staff to liaise with him.
He said: “I made phone calls to speak to the President twice yesterday (Wednesday). The first time, he (president) hadn’t come to the office. The second time, he was at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.
“Indeed, I haven’t spoken to him directly. He was actually the one who directed the Chief of Defence Staff to call me and I feel that it was when he got my message. Because, when the Chief of Defence Staff called me, he said to me it was the President that asked him to call. But, I haven’t spoken to the President directly; maybe later today, that might happen.”
Aftermath of the destruction, Mr Sanwo-Olu urged the residents of Lagos to come together and heal the wounds inflicted on the state by the arsonists. He said the ugly incident put citizens’ patriotism to test, urging them to unite and re-build the State from the ruins left by the attacks.
He said: “We are at a point where all of us as a people living in the State must come together more than ever before. Our patriotism has been put to test and we need to re-engage ourselves and heal the several wounds that have been inflicted on us. We do not have any other country; this is our country.
“In Lagos, we cannot afford to put to waste what our forefathers and the generation of leaders before us have put in place. We need to preserve our heritage and we need to know that indeed we can build a future for our children. We need to put an end to any form of anger, protest, confrontation and bleeding. Let us come together and start a real healing process.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Navy has launched Operation Delta Sentinel, a new maritime security initiative designed to curb crude oil theft, secure critical oil assets and support the federal government’s ambition to ramp up crude production to 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.
The operation, which replaces Operation Delta Sanity II, was formally unveiled at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Pathfinder Jetty in Port Harcourt, marking a renewed push to stabilise the Niger Delta and protect Nigeria’s oil-dependent economy.
Speaking at the launch, Commander Task Group 26.1, Operation Delta Sentinel, Rear Admiral Suleiman Ibrahim, said the initiative was aligned with the Federal Government’s drive to boost oil exploration and production under the Project 1 Million Barrels Per Day initiative of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
“The transformation from Operation Delta Sanity II to Operation Delta Sentinel is necessitated, among other considerations, by the Federal Government drive to increase oil exploration and production,” he said, adding that, “It is further anticipated that oil production would be about 2.5 million barrels per day by 2027.”
Rear Admiral Ibrahim, who is also the Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, said Operation Delta Sentinel would run for an initial one-year period, subject to 90-day renewable mandates, and would focus on denying criminal networks access to Nigeria’s maritime and oil infrastructure.
“Our objective is clear and unambiguous: to deny criminal elements freedom of action, protect critical national oil assets, support legitimate economic activities and contribute to enduring peace and stability in the Niger Delta,” he stated.
He explained that the operation would rely heavily on intelligence-driven missions, enhanced inter-agency collaboration and advanced surveillance tools, including Maritime Domain Awareness infrastructure, new maritime platforms, and manned and unmanned air assets.
“Our approach will be deliberate, innovative and technology-enabled. These capabilities will enable us to optimise asset utilisation, improve situational awareness and maintain a proactive operational posture,” he added.
The Navy said early indicators already show progress, noting that crude oil losses have dropped by about 90 per cent, from 102,900 barrels per day in 2021 to 9,600 barrels per day as of September 25.
Earlier, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral Chiedozie Okehie, highlighted the achievements of Operation Delta Sanity II, which was launched on December 30, 2024, to combat crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.
“Operation Delta Sanity II lived up to expectations and made measurable contributions to national security and economic stability,” the Naval commander said.
According to him, between January 1 and December 31, 2025, the operation led to the arrest of 203 suspects, the deactivation of 324 illegal refining sites, and the seizure of stolen petroleum products valued at over N3.65 billion.
“An estimated 3.78 million litres of stolen crude oil, over 1.09 million litres of illegally refined AGO, 86,210 litres of PMS and 74,300 litres of kerosene were seized and appropriately handled,” he disclosed.
Rear Admiral Okehie added that the Navy’s operations, supported by collaboration with regulators, security agencies, oil industry stakeholders and host communities, contributed to a significant decline in crude oil losses, with NUPRC reporting the lowest loss levels since 2009 in September 2025.
With Operation Delta Sentinel now in force, the Navy said it is positioning itself as a key enabler of Nigeria’s oil production growth, investor confidence and long-term stability in the Niger Delta.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) have moved to formalise a closer working relationship under the country’s new tax regime to ensure that upstream oil and gas revenues get tighter oversight and improved collection.
The renewed revenue alliance was activated when the chief executive of NUPRC, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, paid a strategic visit to the chairman of NRS, Mr Zacch Adedeji, at the tax agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
The engagement comes less than two weeks after new tax laws took effect on January 1, 2026, mandating deeper collaboration between sector regulators and revenue authorities in the collection of oil and gas proceeds accruing to the Federation.
Speaking during the meeting, Mrs Eyesan said the engagement was part of her post-assumption consultations aimed at aligning the upstream regulator with critical national revenue institutions.
“With the new tax laws now in force, it is important that NUPRC and NRS work in close coordination to ensure that oil and gas revenues due to the Federation are fully captured,” Mrs Eyesan said.
“Our mandate goes beyond regulation. It includes ensuring transparency, efficiency and accountability in revenue flows from upstream petroleum operations.”
She stressed that effective collaboration between both agencies would strengthen compliance, reduce leakages and support government revenue targets at a time of heightened fiscal pressure.
On his part, Mr Adedeji said the tax authority was committed to working with sector regulators to maximise revenue mobilisation under the evolving legal framework.
“The oil and gas sector remains critical to Nigeria’s revenue base, and collaboration with NUPRC is essential to meeting government revenue targets,” Mr Adedeji said.
“With clearer laws and better data-sharing between our institutions, we can significantly improve collection efficiency and enforcement.”
Both agencies agreed to deepen cooperation through information sharing and coordinated operational strategies, in line with the provisions of the new tax laws governing petroleum operations.
The meeting concluded with a shared resolve by NUPRC and NRS to prioritise national interest, tighten revenue assurance mechanisms and ensure that Nigeria derives maximum value from its upstream petroleum resources.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
To double down on Africa’s tech talent pipeline, the continent’s leading digital financial services provider, Moniepoint Incorporated, has opened applications for the second cohort of its flagship transformative programme, DreamDevs initiative.
A statement from the organisation disclosed that entries are expected to close on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, and should be submitted via dreamdevs.moniepoint.com.
Selection will be based on technical aptitude, learning potential, and alignment with Moniepoint’s values of innovation and excellence.
DreamDevs was created to bridge the tech talent gap in Africa by equipping recent graduates with industry-ready skills and real-world experience.
Each year, just 20 high-potential candidates are selected into an intensive bootcamp, with the strongest performers progressing into internship and full-time roles at Moniepoint.
Last year’s cohort delivered four hires – three interns and one full-time engineer – validating the programme’s role as a high-impact talent pipeline.
Targeting graduates from technology, computer science, engineering, and related fields with foundational programming knowledge in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, DreamDevs offers a rigorous nine-week boot camp that immerses participants via hands-on training from leading software engineers. Standout performers will secure six-month internship placements at Moniepoint, with potential progression to full-time employment based on performance.
“The results from our first cohort validated our belief that with the right training and support, Africa’s young tech talent can compete globally.
“This year, we’re doubling down on our commitment by aiming to convert half of our participants into full-time employees. For us, DreamDevs is all about creating sustainable career pathways that drive Africa’s digital economy forward,” the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Moniepont, Mr Felix Ike, said.
“We’re proud to support the government’s vision of building three million technical talents while also creating direct employment opportunities through initiatives like DreamDevs. This multi-faceted approach ensures we’re contributing to national goals while simultaneously addressing our industry’s immediate talent needs.
“By investing in young people and providing them with practical experience, startup incubation support, and product development opportunities, we are not only creating high-impact jobs and driving sustainable economic growth across the continent,” he added.
Sharing his experience, a member of the first cohort and now a Backend Engineer at Moniepoint, Mr Victor Adepoju, said, “The organisation of the programme was top-notch. The training covered a wide range of topics and provided a solid foundation I could continue to build on.
“I learned a great deal about cloud technologies, particularly Google Cloud Platform. The program also emphasised valuable soft skills, including planning, organisation, and prioritisation, which have been very useful in my day-to-day work.”
DreamDevs aligns with Moniepoint’s broader vision of using technology to power the dreams of millions and engineer financial happiness across Africa. It complements the company’s existing talent development programs, including HatchDev – a collaboration with NITHub Unilag that produces 500 specialised developers annually across software engineering, intelligent systems, and IoT/embedded systems as well as its hugely popular, Women-in-Tech which is now in its fifth year. The initiative is also in tandem with the federal government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, for which Moniepoint serves as a key sponsor. While the 3MTT programme focuses on mass technical skills training across Nigeria, DreamDevs provides a specialised pathway that takes graduates from foundational training through to employment, creating a complete talent development ecosystem.
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