News
12 States Vote N102bn For Official Lodge Upgrade, SUVs

At least 12 states have earmarked about N102bn in their 2025 budgets for upgrading official lodges and offices as well as acquisition of new Sport Utility Vehicles and other automobiles, according to findings by The PUNCH
The funds cover modernisation and tech upgrades of government lodges and VIP suites, alongside acquisition of vehicle fleets dominated by Toyota Prado SUVs, Jeep models, Hilux pickups, Camry, Corolla sedans, and other brands.
These allocations are captured under the capital expenditure details in the first-quarter budget performance reports of the states, accessed via their websites.
The affected states are Lagos, Adamawa, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ekiti, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ondo, Taraba, and Yobe.
Lagos topped the list, setting aside about N33bn for vehicle procurement and lodge upgrades.
Of this, N20.67bn went into acquiring backup vehicles for the state’s lawmakers.
Another N11.04bn was earmarked for rehabilitating the Assembly Complex, N150m for renovating the speaker’s residence and guest house, while N1.15bn covered upgrades of the state’s lodges in Alausa and Abuja.
Delta followed with a total of N14.91bn for vehicles and lodge-related projects.
READ ALSO:Nigeria’s Public Debt Rises To N149trn
A sum of N11.23bn went into procuring 50 Toyota SUVs, and 210 other vehicles for the Government House.
Additional vehicle votes included N451.91m for 10 official cars (assembly staff), N100m for vehicles under the SSG/ad-hoc bodies, N200m for 10 SUVs and five corollas for former governors and a former deputy, and N200m for five Hilux pickups.
The N2.73bn earmarked for lodge-renovation works was distributed across various locations.
In Asaba, N1.5bn was set aside for government quarters, N250m for Government House maintenance, N250m for office rehabilitation, N100m for the deputy governor’s lodge, and N100m for the former Speaker’s quarters.
A total of N205m was allocated for renovating the governor and deputy governor’s lodge and guest houses in Abuja.
This is as N100m was also budgeted for the state’s lodges in Warri and Lagos, while VIP guest house upkeep across unspecified locations received N220.18m.
Taraba allocated N9.57bn for executive lodge upgrade. In Jalingo, N2.4bn went into renovating the Government House and lodges, N700m for Twin Hall Lodge, and N100m for the Presidential Lodge Annex.
The deputy governor’s office and guest house got N1.17bn for construction and furnishing, while N3bn was set aside for the state’s lodges in Kakara, Wukari, Gembu, Serti, Takum, and Donga areas of the state.
READ ALSO:REVEALED: How $6 Billion NNPC Debt Is Causing Petrol Supply Hiccups
Additional provisions included N800m for lodge 77 in Yola, N300m for the Taraba Motel VIP lodge, N400m for general upgrades, and N650m for renovating and furnishing the head of service’s guest house.
Similarly, Borno State budgeted N7.75bn, with N6.92bn going to vehicle procurement in which N5.4bn went to the Ministry of Finance for 50 vehicles, including Volkswagen wagons.
Other allocations included N1bn for two golf cars (Internal Security), N200m for one hilux and two corollas (Local Government), N100m for three hilux (health), N80m for five hilux (community development), N100m for five vans (information), and N35m for five hilux under the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.
Lodge-related works totaled N830.5m: N30.5m for constructing two new lodges, N200m for repairs on 20 office buildings, N100m for the assembly guest house, and N500m for 60 staff quarters within the Government House.
In Ondo State, N7.51bn, including N3.95bn for lawmakers’ vehicles was budgeted. Of this, N245m covered three jeeps for the speaker, deputy speaker, and majority leader; N2.16bn for 27 Toyota Fortuner SUVs; N1.04bn for 13 corollas; N425m for five hilux pickups; and N80m for a Tacoma hilux.
For the executive, N2bn was earmarked for an armoured vehicle, a prado, and a GAC, while a Prado SUV for the commissioner for finance got N230m.
Lodge-related projects took N1.33bn, comprising N480m for lawmakers’ quarters, N600m for office and lodge renovations, and N253m for fumigation and pest control.
READ ALSO:Court Freezes Firm’s Accounts Over N24.9bn Debt
Adamawa State allocated N6.46bn for lodge upgrades and vehicle procurement, with N2.9bn going to procurement of 42 SUVs.
The state also earmarked a total of N3.56bn for the renovations and furnishings of the governor and deputy governor’s lodges, as well as SSG’s guest houses in Yola and Abuja.
Kebbi State allocated N5.66bn, with N2.36bn going to vehicles for the state house of assembly, while liaison office upgrades in Abuja, Lagos, Kaduna, and Sokoto took a total of N3.3bn.
Ekiti State earmarked N5.16bn for vehicles and executive residences with N2.36bn for renovating the government lodges and guest houses in Ado Ekiti, Oke-Ayoba and other areas.
While N25m went for the presidential lodge, N1.8bn was voted for the governor and deputy governor’s lodges in Asokoro, Abuja.
The state also set aside N3bn for vehicle procurement, including N1.5bn for eight Prado Jeeps and 20 JAC SUVs (for political appointees), and a total of N800m for 52 other vehicles for the state assembly and Permanent Secretaries.
Cross River State allocated N4.52bn for lodge projects and vehicles with N1.5bn being voted for renovating and furnishing the Governor and Deputy Governor’s lodges as well as other charlets across the state.
Other allocations include N900m for the state’s Presidential Lodge Annex in Calabar, while N1.05bn was set for upkeep of general lodges and the state liaison offices in Abuja and Lagos.
The state also earmarked N173.5m for legislative housing upgrade, and N1.39bn for procuring 28 Toyota Prado SUVs for its House of Assembly members.
READ ALSO:FULL LIST: 18 Nigerian States US Govt Warned Citizens Against Visiting
Among the low spenders is Jigawa State, which budgeted N3.39bn for vehicles and lodge upgrades. Of this, N300m went for the state guest house renovations, N100m each for furnishing the Governor’s residence and office, N300m for the presidential wing, while N1bn was set aside for four Hilux pickups.
A total of N355m was also voted for renovating the Deputy Governor’s lodge, SSG’s guest house in Dutse and other liaison lodges in Kano and Kaduna.
Vehicles took N1.14bn, including N150m for two Jeeps (Accountant General and Permanent Secretary), N200m for a Prado Jeep and two cars (Speaker and the Deputy), N100m for six vehicles (Assembly leaders), and a total of N689m for other vehicles across the ministries.
Yobe State voted N2.91bn, including N2.18bn for 30 Hilux pickups and two Camry cars for judges and Khadis, and N87.5m for two Hilux vehicles for the Fiscal Responsibility Board.
Lodge upgrades included N500m for renovating the Emir’s Lodge and installing a fuel pump, and N140m for upgrading the State Hotel chalets in Damaturu.
Imo State also earmarked N1.45bn for vehicles and official residence upgrades. Renovation votes included N150m for the Governor’s Lodge (Owerri), N100m for the Deputy Governor’s lodge, N150m for his office, N50m for the Lagos lodge, N80m for Gwarimpa staff quarters, N30m for House 24 in the Government House, N100m for Heroes Square, and N20m for the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s lodges.
Vehicles took N770m, covering N250m for 15 Prado Jeeps for judges, N300m for 43 Hilux pickups for judicial officers, N120m for the Chief Judge’s vehicle, and N100m for a car under Tertiary and Technical Education ministry.
However, the capital expenditure details of the remaining 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory could not be obtained, as they were not disclosed in their respective budget performance reports.
(PUNCH)
News
Lagos Inaugurates 24-hour Traffic Management Operations

The Lagos State Government has launched two transformative initiatives designed to recalibrate traffic governance and restore environmental sanctity across the metropolis.
In a visionary bid to guarantee seamless mobility and safe commuting at all hours, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) has formally instituted a 24-hour operational framework for traffic management and enforcement across Lagos State.
The groundbreaking initiative, officially commissioned by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, constitutes a seminal moment in the evolution of Lagos’s transportation governance.
It manifests Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu’s strategic ambition to ensure the uninterrupted movement of people, goods and services within Nigeria’s economic epicentre—a city that operates continuously, unhindered by congestion or disorder.
According to Giwa, the 24-hour operational regime epitomises the administration’s steadfast dedication to constant vigilance, operational efficiency and disciplined traffic regulation, especially as the metropolis approaches the festive period, traditionally characterised by heightened vehicular and commercial activity.
READ ALSO:‘One-way’ Driver Kills Tricyclist, Flees Scene – LASTMA
This information was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director, Public Affairs and Enlightenment Department of LASTMA, Adebayo Taofiq.
He elaborated that the framework is meticulously designed to facilitate continuous monitoring, rapid emergency response and immediate clearance of traffic obstructions irrespective of time, thereby mitigating congestion and enhancing the commuter experience.
“This initiative exemplifies the Lagos State Government’s resolute commitment to safeguarding mobility, preserving lives and sustaining economic productivity through perpetual traffic oversight,” Giwa stated.
A pivotal component of the initiative is the establishment of the Night Rapid Response Gang, a specialised unit within LASTMA charged with swiftly addressing nocturnal traffic incidents, including vehicular breakdowns, collisions and other obstructions along critical arteries of the metropolis.
In tandem with these traffic management reforms, the Lagos State Government also executed a comprehensive clearance operation along Apapa Road, Costain and the Ijora Under Bridge, eliminating illegal structures, shanties and unregulated trading that had long obstructed free vehicular flow and compromised public safety.
READ ALSO:JUST IN: LASTMA Rescues Two Accident Victims In Lagos, Blames Brake Failure
The far-reaching enforcement exercise, spearheaded by Sola Giwa in coordination with LASTMA, the Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police (MOPOL), the Lagos State Task Force and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), culminated in the removal of unauthorised traders, makeshift structures and multiple environmental infractions.
During the operation, enforcement teams uncovered an illegal diesel dumping site and impounded substantial quantities of expired plantain chips and cheese balls, stored under unsanitary conditions—a testament to the government’s prioritisation of public health and environmental integrity.
The exercise followed persistent warnings and public sensitisation campaigns urging illegal occupants under bridges to vacate. Teams also identified blocked drainage channels choked with metallic debris, contributing to perennial flooding and environmental degradation.
Furthermore, several commercial buses and tricycles operating unlawfully along the newly constructed Costain Bridge and Apapa Road were impounded.
READ ALSO:EFCC Probes Travellers Over Undeclared $6m, £53,000 At Lagos Airport
Shanties adjacent to St. Catholic Church School, Apapa Road, were demolished, reinstating the area to its intended urban and educational purpose, while criminal hideouts beneath the Ijora Bridge were dismantled to enhance public security.
Giwa reaffirmed that the Sanwo-Olu administration will not compromise on public safety, environmental protection or the rule of law, stressing that Lagos must remain a city distinguished by structure, order and discipline.
General Manager of LASTMA, Olalekan Bakare-Oki, appealed to traders, transport operators and commuters to comply with government directives, utilise designated markets and parking facilities, and actively support the administration’s efforts to maintain a safe, efficient and orderly metropolis.
He emphasised that the integration of 24-hour traffic management with environmental enforcement represents the Lagos State Government’s holistic approach to sustainable urban mobility—one that blends innovative regulation, proactive enforcement and civic responsibility.
News
Delta Assembly Suspends Poly Rector, Bursar Over Financial Misconduct

Delta State House of Assembly has imposed a six-month suspension on the Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Ogwashi-Uku, Professor Emmanuel Achuenu, over alleged financial recklessness, misappropriation of funds, and gross administrative misconduct.
Also suspended for six months is the institution’s Bursar, who was found complicit in the financial irregularities uncovered during the Assembly’s investigation.
The resolution followed the consideration and adoption of a report by a parliamentary investigative committee set up by the House to probe the financial and administrative operations of the polytechnic.
READ ALSO:Delta: Police Officer Arrested Over Shooting Incident
Presiding over the plenary, Speaker Hon. Dennis Guwor said the investigation revealed “multiple instances of unauthorized expenditures and administrative lapses” under Professor Achuenu’s leadership.
Lawmakers described his conduct as a “flagrant abuse of office” and a “violation of the statutes governing public tertiary institutions.”
According to the committee’s findings, the Rector allegedly disregarded the directives of the Governing Council and violated established financial procedures in managing the institution’s resources.
READ ALSO:Police Begin Enforcement Of Tinted Glass, Siren Regulations In Edo, Delta
In its resolution, the Assembly upheld the six-month suspension earlier imposed by the Governing Council, noting that the move was necessary to reinforce accountability and discipline within the institution.
The House also directed the Delta State Ministry of Higher Education to supervise the polytechnic’s affairs during the suspension period to ensure transparency, stability, and adherence to due process.
Lawmakers reaffirmed the Assembly’s zero tolerance for financial mismanagement in public institutions, emphasizing that the decision was aimed at restoring integrity and public confidence in the state’s tertiary education system.
News
Nnamdi Kanu: Court Summons Wike, Buratai, T. Y Danjuma, Uzodinma, Others As Witnesses

Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has disclosed that the witness summons requested by Nnamdi Kanu to be issued against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and 22 others to give evidence in his terrorism trial have been signed and are ready for dispatch to the listed witnesses.
Others whose summons have been signed and ready for delivery are Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma, Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwoolu and two former Chiefs of Army Staff, General T. Y Danjuma and Tukur Buratai.
They are part of notable Nigerians listed by Kanu to be compelled by the judge to appear in court to give evidence in the terrorism charges slammed against him by the Federal Government since 2015.
Justice Omotosho announced in the open court on Thursday that he had given effect to Kanu’s request, signed the witness summons and that they are available for him to collect and serve on the said witnesses as required.
Kanu, had in a notice to defend, filed on October 21, listed the names of prominent Nigerians, including former and serving governors, ministers, military and security chiefs as his intended witnesses, who he said should be compelled to attend court.
The judge directed Kanu to pick up the witness summons and serve them individually as required by law to ensure quick response of the witnesses.
At Thursday’s proceedings, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, announced that he had fired all members of his legal team.
READ ALSO:IPOB Faults Soludo For Linking Igbo Youths To Kidnapping
Kanu, who announced the decision himself on Thursday, told the court that he was willing and ready to now conduct his own case by himself.
At the resumed hearing in Kanu’s terrorism trial on Thursday, the prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, announced his team for the prosecution.
When it was time for the defendant’s legal team to announce appearance, the leader of the team, Kanu Agabi, SAN, stood up and told the court they were only present out of the respect for the court.
Kanu said they were in court to formally announce their withdrawal from further participation in the trial.
Agabi explained that the reason for their decision “is because the defendant has taken this case back from us and we respect that”.
He gave the names of the other SANs, who are also withdrawing to include: Onyechi Ikpeazu, Joseph Akubo, Paul Erokoro, Emeka Etiaba and one other.
READ ALSO:IPOB Rejects FG’s Ranching Proposal, Says It’s ‘Land Grabbing’
Following Agabi’s announcement, Justice James Omotosho turned to Kanu, who was in the dock, for his response.
Kanu confirmed sacking all his lawyers and told the court that he was willing and ready to conduct his own case by himself.
Justice Omotosho then ordered other members of the defendant’s legal team, who were in court, except the SANs, to vacate the courtroom immediately, a directive they promptly complied with.
The judge then turned to Kanu and asked him to open his case.
In response, Kanu commenced by indicating his intention to make an oral submission, an indulgence the judge granted him despite opposition from the Federal Government lawyer.
Kanu said he would not open his defence as ordered by the court, because he was questioning the jurisdiction of the court to try him, adding: “This is a jurisdictional issue that goes to the heart of this case.”
READ ALSO:Police Fire Tear Gas At #ReleaseNnamdiKanuNow Protesters In Abuja
He hinged his objection to the court’s jurisdiction on four grounds, the first being his claim that the Federal Government, through the prosecution, was in contempt of a Court of Appeal judgment, which he said ordered his acquittal and release.
Kanu argued that for the court to grant the prosecution audience, it (the prosecution) must first comply with the said Court of Appeal judgment.
He said the second ground was that the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013 and and Customs and Excise Act, under which the charge against him was brought, are repealed laws.
On the third ground, he claimed to have been denied fair hearing. He said his continued detention in the custody of the Department of State Services, DSS, has denied him the opportunity for adequate consultation with his lawyers to enable him prepare for his defence.
He hinged the fourth ground on his claim that the medical report submitted to the court by a medical team empanelled by the President of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, which certified him fit to stand trial, was forged.
READ ALSO:Jonathan To Meet Tinubu Over Nnamdi Kanu’s Detention — Sowore
Kanu denied being examined by any medical team, insisting that his blood and urine samples were never obtained for analyses.
He urged the court to declare the proceedings void and order his immediate release in line with the Court of Appeal judgment.
Reacting, Awomolo said Kanu deserved no formal response from the prosecution because all the allegations he made ought to be put down in the form of a sworn affidavit and effectively demonstrated to enable the other party respond appropriately.
Awomolo faulted Kanu’s claim that a Court of Appeal decision acquitted him, arguing that the said judgment was set aside by the Supreme Court in a judgment delivered on December 15, 2023.
He said: “The judgments of the Supreme Court that was given on December 15, 2023 has set aside the judgment they are claiming discharged him.
READ ALSO:Nnamdi Kanu Slams N50bn Defamation Suit Against Reno Omokri
“If he has a preliminary objection he should file it and demonstrate all his claims,” Awomolo said.
The prosecuting lawyer also faulted Kanu’s claim that his right to fair hearing has been breached.
Awomolo argued that Kanu’s claim that the medical report was forged was an indictment on the senior lawyers.who were in his legal team, who, according to him, saw the report and found no fault in it.
He prayed the judge to determine all the issues that Kanu raised in his Thursday’s submission when delivering the final judgment.
In his intervention, Justice Omotosho noted that when the medical report was bought up in court on October 16, he sought the views of lawyers to both parties, who did not raise any objection to the report.
The judge said since the report has been admitted by the court, which acted on same and made decisions based on it, the court could no longer go back on the issue.
He said all the decisions taken by the court, based on the medical report, stand.
READ ALSO:Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial: Court Okays FG’s Bid To Shield Witness Identities
The judge noted that all the issues raised by Kanu in his Thursday’s submission were substantially raised in the no-case submission which the court overruled in a ruling delivered on September 26.
The judge said: “On the 26th of September 2015, I considered those issues and held that he has a case to answer. This was to enable him exercise his right to fair hearing to make his case.”
Justice Omotosho recalled that in the spirit of fair hearing, he vacated this courtroom on Wednesday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm to enable Kanu and his lawyers have a private consultation session, despite the absence of evidence to support his claim that his conversation was being secretly recorded by the DSS, in whose custody he is being detained.
The judge said although all the issues raised by Kanu in his Thursday’s submission had previously been determined by the court, the defendant is not foreclosed and he can still raise them at the final written address.
READ ALSO:Travelers Stranded In Rivers As Soldiers Block Road After IPOB Clash
He then proceeded to call on Kanu to open his defence and overruled him when the IPOB leader attempted to insist on his objection to the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Omotosho said: “I call upon and appeal to the defendant to open his defence. I beg the defendant, in the name of the Almighty God, to comport himself and conduct his defence.
“This is the opportunity that the Constitution gives him under Section 36. It is a right that he can exercise or waive either expressly or by conduct.
“I beg and I appeal to the defendant to make use of the opportunity, given him by the Constitution to put in his defence, except he choses to waive it either expressly or by conduct.”
At that point, Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, intervened and drew the attention of the court to the fact that Kanu’s lawyers’ withdrawal took effect on the morning of Thursday.
READ ALSO:Ijaw Not Biafra, Count Us Out Of Your Planned Attack Military, INC Warns IPOB
He prayed the court to grant Kanu time to gather his thoughts and compose himself for the task ahead.
Taking a hint from what Ikpeazu said, Kanu said: “In the exercise of my right, I wish to state on record that I have not had the opportunity to prepare for my defence.
“I only had three hours yesterday in this courtroom. Section 36 of the Constitution allows me to be given adequate facilities to defend myself. My lord, I need time,” he said.
The prosecuting lawyer did not object, following which Justice Omotosho adjourned till Friday, October 24 for Kanu to open his defence.
He said the opportunity given the defendant to conduct his defence began to run from Thursday.
- Entertainment4 days ago
Annie Idibia Finds Love Again
- Politics3 days ago
Oshiomhole Criticised For ‘Eating Own Vomit’
- Entertainment4 days ago
Ned Nwoko Breaks Silence, Blames Regina’s Outburst On Drug Abuse
- Politics3 days ago
JUST IN: ADC Suspends South-South Vice Chairman Over Anti-party, Insubordination
- Politics2 days ago
Tenebe Fingers Edo APC Chieftains As Plot To Replace Him As Chair Thickens
- Metro4 days ago
[PHOTOS] #FreeNnamdiKanuNow: Gridlock Hits Abuja Expressway
- News4 days ago
OPINION: Amupitan’s Magical Marriage To A Buffalo
- Headline4 days ago
Pope Leo Creates Seven New Saints In Historic Vatican Ceremony
- News2 days ago
Ededuna Obaseki Descendants Felicitate Benin Monarch On Coronation Anniversary, Birthday
- News3 days ago
BREAKING: PDP Dismisses Anyanwu’s Forgery Claim, Says He Signed Convention Letters