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There was mild drama on Friday when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in a trending video on social media, ordered some Yoruba monarchs to stand up and greet him.

Obasanjo who was in Oyo State on the invitation of the governor Seyi Makinde made the remarks during the commissioning of a 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.

He said in Yoruba, “I greet the kings and chiefs here sitting; I am grateful that you are here. Let me say this: wherever the president or governor is, the kings present must stand up to honour him.

“In Yoruba land, there are two things that are most respected among others: age and position. When a governor is still in power, he’s more powerful than any king.

“Even when I was president, I prostrated for kings outside, and when we went inside, the kings would prostrate for me. So, let’s always celebrate our culture.”

Muhammad Nami, former Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), has spoken about the record he would have set if President Bola Tinubu had not replaced him.

On Thursday, Tinubu had asked Nami to proceed on three months pre-retirement leave, while announcing Zacchaeus Adedeji, his Special Adviser on Revenue, as replacement in acting capacity.

In his farewell statement, Nami expressed appreciation to ex-President, Muhamnmadu Buhari and President Tinubu for allowing him to serve the country for almost four years.

Nami said he was able to collect tax of more than N8 trillion in eight months and would have set a new record of a minimum of N13 trillion at the end of this tax year.

The statement, titled, “My Appreciation To Nigerians’, reads: “With utmost gratitude to the Almighty God, I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to the erstwhile President, His Excellency Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, and the incumbent president, His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for the opportunity given to me to serve the country and humanity as the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for almost four years. I want to extend my deep appreciation to the entire staff of the Service, our esteemed taxpayers, and Nigerians for believing in me, and for the support and cooperation extended to me throughout my tenure.

“I want to put on record that the support and cooperation I received enabled my team to meet our target, and set new records for tax collection in Nigeria. Even as I take my bow, we have so far collected more than N8 Trillion in eight months and would have set a new record of a minimum of N13 trillion at the end of this tax year.

“During the inauguration of the erstwhile Board Members of the Service, I promised to raise the country’s Tax-To-GDP ratio from 6% to 10% in 4-years. We already have achieved a Tax-to-GDP ratio of 10.86% within two years (i.e. as at 31st December 2021.)

“I can, therefore, say that I am leaving as a fulfilled man knowing that I have served diligently. I am equally leaving a Service that is built on world-class best practices. Indeed, it couldn’t have been more fulfilling.

“I implore the staff, taxpayers, and Nigerians to extend the same measure of cooperation to the incoming Executive Chairman, Mr. Zacch Adedeji, to enable him to succeed. Tax collection is a sensitive matter that requires all hands on deck to achieve.”

President Bola Tinubu has nominated Olayemi Cardoso as the new Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Details to come…..

The acting Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, on Friday, said collaborative efforts were ongoing to secure the “swift” release of eight National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) kidnapped in Zamfara State about four weeks ago.

IGP Egbetokun stated this while delivering his remarks at the meeting with strategic police managers and media briefing highlighting policies, breakthroughs, and achievements of the Nigeria Police Force in the last five weeks.

The police boss stated that the safety and well-being of all citizens, particularly young NYSC members, remained of utmost importance to the Force.

“We are firm in our commitment to intensify our efforts at ensuring the safe rescue of these abducted Corp Members and all others still in captivity of criminal gangs in any part of the country,” he said.

“Currently, we are actively engaged in the sharing and analysing intelligence gathered thus far, while also exploring collaborative efforts with security agencies to secure the unconditional release of these individuals as swiftly as possible without harm.

“It is imperative to note that rescue operations generally demand a careful, tactical and deliberate approach, conducted with the utmost caution to avoid unintended harm to the victims.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Thursday, assured that he will work to ensure Nigerians are taken out of poverty.

Ajuri Ngelale, presidential spokesperson, disclosed via a statement that Tinubu spoke while receiving a 62-person delegation from Rivers State, at the State House, Abuja.

The delegation comprised leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of which Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Siminalayi Fubara, Rivers Governor, were part of the delegation.

The President posited that neither Rivers nor Nigeria has any business being associated with poverty, insecurity or under-development.

He assured that under his leadership, the narrative would be “permanently and positively changed.”

“We are not meant to be in a position to be poor. We will turn the tide. Somewhere, somehow in this storm, there’s a quiet and peaceful place for us. We will locate it.

“We are not lazy people. We are richly endowed. We just need to be our brother’s keeper, and good neighbours to one another.

“I am not a President that will give excuses. I will work hard for our nation with purpose, determination and dedication to create wealth for all Nigerians. We have no reason to be poor! We will not look back, we will run aggressively forward.

“Today, we may be swimming against the tide. But the waves will soon propel us forward from behind. We will achieve the goals and dreams of our forefathers. I am inspired by the nation of people I now lead,” the statement quoted Tinubu as saying.

Tinubu further pleaded with the younger generation to be more patient with the processes of government while pledging to work hard for the country.

“I am the captain and chief salesman of the country. We have to reverse the trend and achieve possibilities within a short period of time. Our people have high expectations for us,” he said.

Fubara, on his part, told the President that the people of Rivers voted for him in the last elections based on their belief in fairness, equity and justice.

“This is the first time that Rivers State is truly feeling the impact of the federal government since the inception of democracy in 1999,” he said.

He also commended Tinubu for the appointments of Wike and Ngelale as the FCT minister and presidential spokesperson, respectively, as well as other sons and daughters of Rivers state into the boards and management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other institutions.

Recall that former president, Muhammadu Buhari slammed Nigeria youth as being lazy and uneducated.

The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has slashed school fees by 5 to 20 per cent following protests by students.

In July, the university announced an upward review of its fees effective September 1.

The hike put the sessional mandatory charges for new undergraduate students at ₦‎126,325 for courses without a lab/studio and ₦‎176,325 for one academic session for courses that use a laboratory or studio.

However, the sessional mandatory charges for returning students were put at ₦‎100,750 for courses without labs and studios while courses with access to labs and studios were fixed at ₦‎140,250.

The university said the approved charge for all medical students of the institution was ₦‎190,250.

But following a meeting with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the university management in a statement Thursday said it granted micro fee cuts to the students who have been demanding a reversal of the hike.

Among the resolutions reached at the meeting with the university management is the reinstatement of UNILAG’s student union government, which was dissolved in 2016.

The following are new fees

Obligatory fees

*Utility charges for all students were reduced to ₦15,000 from ₦20,000.
*The obligatory fees for new undergraduate students were reviewed from ₦126,325 to ₦116,325 for courses without *Lab/Studio and ₦176,325 to ₦166,325:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio.
*The obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students were reviewed from ₦100,750 to ₦80,750 for courses without Lab/Studio; ₦140,250 to ₦120,250 for courses with Lab/Studio; and from ₦190,250 to ₦170,250 for medical/pharmacy students and students in health professions.
The convocation fee to be paid by all final-year students was reduced to ₦27,000 from ₦30,000.

Hostel fees

*For undergraduate hostels in Akoka and Yaba campuses, the fees were reduced to ₦43,000 from ₦90,000.
*For hostels in the Idi-Araba campus, the fees were reduced to N65,000 from ₦120,000.
*The fees for Sodeinde Hall were reduced to N135,000 from ₦250,000.

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State is on fire.

The immediate cause of the fire is not known yet. Some residents of the area where TCN is located behind mechanic village in Birnin Kebbi metropolis said they only heard a loud bang followed by thick fire and smoke from a section of the electric installations at about 12: 32 am .

As at 1m when this report was filed, the fire was still raging and extending to other facilities around.

Fire fighters were yet to arrive at the scene.

The development comes hours after fire outbreak on the Kainji/Jebba 330 kilovolt (kV) line triggered the collapse of the national grid and resulting in nationwide power outage.

Adebayo Adelabu, Minister of Power, had said the fire led to about 356.63MW generation loss.

“At 00:35Hrs this morning, Fire outbreak with explosion sound was observed on Kainji/Jebba 330kV line 2 (Cct K2J) blue phase CVT & Blue phase line Isolator of Kainji/Jebba 330kV line1 was observed burning. This led to sharp drops in frequency from 50.29Hz to 49.67 Hz at 0:35:06Hrs with Jebba generation loss of 356.63MW,” he said.

“Kainji started dropping load from 451.45 MW at 00:35:07Hrs to zero. At 00:41Hrs frequency dropped further from 49.37 Hz to 48.41Hz then resulted in system collapse of the grid,” he posted on Twitter.

The Lagos State Government, on Friday, announced palliative works to be carried out by its Public Works Corporation and the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing on failed sections of the ever-busy Third Mainland Bridge.

The state Ministry of Transportation, in a statement by its Permanent Secretary, Abdulhafiz Toriola, explained that the repairs would go on for two consecutive Sundays, September 17 and 24, between 7 am to 7 pm on both days.

Disclosing alternative routes, the statement noted that motorists from the Alapere/Ogudu axis of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway en route to Lagos Island would be diverted towards Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway, linking Ikorodu Road/Funsho Williams Avenue to access Eko Bridge and Lagos Island.

Similarly, motorists travelling from Lagos Mainland through Herbert Macaulay Road (Adekunle axis) towards Lagos Island via Third Mainland Bridge would be diverted towards Murtala Muhammed Way to use Carter Bridge to link Lagos Island.

A man, identified simply as Sadiq, has raised alarm claiming that his manhood disappeared after he had a handshake with a commercial bus driver in Abaji Area Council of the FCT.

A witness, Salihu Ibrahim, who said the incident happened around 4pm at the Sabon-Tasha Garage in Abaji town, explained that a bus driver, identified simply as Godwin, stopped to buy drinks and that before then he exchanged pleasantries with Sadiq through a handshake.

Ibrahim said, “I was seated in front of a shop when the bus driver came out and shook hands with the man and asked him where he could get a shop to buy wine. So, it was immediately after the handshake that the man complained that his body was doing him somehow.”

He said that after Sadiq discovered that his manhood had “disappeared” he raised alarm following which some people went after the driver, manhandled him, adding that some people rescued him and took him to the police command in the area and the “victim” rushed to the hospital in order to ascertain if his manhood was truly missing.

A police officer at the command, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that the suspect, who drove an 18-seater bus with registration number: XH 894 BDG, loaded with passengers from Zuba heading to Auchi, Edo State, confessed to stealing the victim’s manhood, but that he had returned the manhood back to the victim.

He further said, “We went to the hospital to meet with the victim and he said his manhood had been returned, but we will keep the suspect until the victim recovers fully before he will be charged to court.”

Nigeria Police Force has announced that it will carry out diligent investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba , popularly known as Mohbad.

This followed the emergence of a document, wherein the late singer reported a case of alleged threat to life, malicious damage, assault, oppression, among others, against a music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry and others, in a petition to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos State.

According to the June 27, 2023 petition, Mohbad alleged that Sam Larry and 15 others all armed, stormed the venue of a video shoot where the deceased and another artiste, Omoniyi Temidayo aka Zlatan Ibile, were working, and threatened to wreak havoc.

He added that they eventually destroyed equipment worth over N5m at the scene, and assaulted him (Mohbad) before he narrowly escaped after sustaining injuries.

The petition states, “I, of the above name and address, a law abiding citizen and a Musician bring to your notice the assault and threat to my life by the above mentioned persons.

“On 25th June, 2023 while having a video shoot with another artist by name Zlatan (Ibile, the above mentioned persons numbering about fifteen led by Sam Larry Elegushi invaded the premises with dangerous arms such as guns, cutlasses etc where I was shooting video and scattered the whole process of the shooting, damaged the equipment I was using for the shooting valued about Five Million Naira and started threatening my life which in the process they became violent and assaulted me which I sustained injuries but narrowly escaped.

“Attached to this petition is the said pictures. Total amount I paid for the shooting they have destroyed is Eight Million Naira (N8,000,000) which is non-refundable.

“However, during the assault, they were boasting that they work for Oba Elegushi and that they have been asked to deal with me for reasons best known to them which till date they are still threatening to kill me if seen. Sir, I call on your good office to save my life from the above mentioned persons and bring them to book.

“Sir, I call on your good office to save my life from the above mentioned persons and bring them to book,” the petition partly read. Thank you for your timely intervention.”

When contacted earlier by our correspondent over the recent development, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a tacit WhatsApp message said, “Ok. I will find out.”

However, in a follow-up official statement entitled, ‘Mohbad’s Death: We Will Carry Out Diligent Investigation – FPRO,’ he noted that the police were committed to a comprehensive investigation into the matter, adding that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death.

Adejobi said, “Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and fans of the late Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, known as Mohbad, who recently passed away. We understand the concerns regarding his untimely demise.

“The Nigeria Police Force is committed to a comprehensive investigation into this matter, as the Lagos State Commissioner of Police has been tasked to unravel the circumstances surrounding his death. Rest assured, updates will be provided as investigations unfold.

“We encourage family members or close associates with valuable information to approach the Lagos State Commissioner of Police to assist in this process. In the meantime, we kindly request that individuals refrain from making statements or engaging in activities that could jeopardize the ongoing investigation. Your trust and support are deeply valued.”

Leadingreporters earlier reported that Mohbad, a twenty-five years old Nigerian singer died and was buried.