Headlines

Alhaji Aliko Dangote has revealed that the Dangote Cement Plant in Itori, Ogun State, was demolished twice under former Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s administration, causing significant setbacks to the project.

Speaking after a meeting with Governor Dapo Abiodun, Dangote stated that the repeated demolitions disrupted progress and deterred investment in the state. However, he credited Governor Abiodun’s intervention and pro-business policies for restoring investor confidence, enabling the revival of the cement plant.

The Itori Cement Plant, now back on track, is set to become Dangote Cement’s fourth greenfield project in Nigeria. It is expected to boost local production, generate employment, and further solidify Ogun State’s position as a leading industrial hub.

A newly surfaced CCTV footage has confirmed the violent attack by uniformed military officers at the Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IE) headquarters in Alausa, Lagos.

The video captures armed officers storming the premises, kicking down doors, and forcefully entering offices. Some officers, fully kitted in military gear and wielding whips, were seen barging in without permission. A female employee was captured on camera fleeing toward the stairs.

The attack, which occurred on March 6, was carried out by personnel from the Sam Ethan Air Force Base in Ikeja following the disconnection of their facility from the power grid over unpaid electricity bills amounting to millions of naira.

An IE staff member, speaking anonymously, recounted the incident: “Military officers from the Air Force Base came to our office and assaulted our staff because power supply to their base was disconnected. They seized employees’ phones and locked some inside. They also blocked the road, preventing access to the office.”

The assault extended beyond the Alausa headquarters to an Ikeja Electric office on Ago Palace Way, Okota, Isolo, where employees were forced to kneel and physically assaulted.

Reports indicate that the Air Force Base had agreed to pay ₦60 million monthly for a daily electricity supply of 10 to 12 hours. However, outstanding debts led to the disconnection.

The Nigerian military has yet to release an official statement on the incident, while Ikeja Electric has also not issued a formal response to the footage.

The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered Oba Otudeko, chairman of Honeywell Group, to appear before it over an alleged ₦30 billion loan fraud.

Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke issued the order on Monday, following Otudeko’s failure to appear in court for over a month.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had filed a 13-count charge against Otudeko and three others in January 2024. However, he failed to appear in court in February.

The Abia State Police Command has killed six suspected kidnappers and rescued four abducted individuals unhurt in Osokwa, Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Maureen Chinaka, the operation followed a report of the victims’ abduction while traveling in a Toyota RAV4 along New Umuahia Road, Obingwa, on March 9, 2025.

Acting on credible intelligence, police operatives traced the kidnappers’ hideout to a three-bedroom bungalow in Osokwa on March 14. Upon arrival, the officers encountered heavy gunfire from the suspects but overpowered them, neutralizing six members of the gang and rescuing the victims unharmed.

The rescued individuals were taken to the police hospital for medical evaluation. Security operatives also recovered two AK-47 rifles, six magazines, and 34 rounds of live ammunition from the scene.

Efforts are underway to apprehend other fleeing members of the gang who escaped with gunshot wounds.

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, Danladi Isa, urged residents to report anyone with gunshot injuries to the nearest police station. He also reassured the public of the command’s commitment to combating crime and bringing perpetrators to justice.