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Wike Orders Demolition Of Popular Abuja Market

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Minister of Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike has ordered the demolition of the popular COVID-19 market in Area 11, Abuja.

Director of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), Osi Braimah, disclosed this while speaking with journalists during the demolition of shanty stores built in the market.

The removal of shanties and illegal settlements in Area 11 and some parts of the city is to curb the incessant insecurity faced by residents.

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READ ALSO: Land Use Abuse: Wike Gives Ultimatum On Revocation Of Properties

“This is an ongoing exercise by various agencies of the FCT; AEPB has been given a marching order by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to scale up demolition of all shanties, illegal settlements, and squatter camps in the FCT.

“We have been doing this for a long time, primarily because this scaling up will improve city sanitation and also cater for the attendant problem of insecurity,” he said.

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Eight Yoruba Republic Agitators Arrested In Ogun

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Police in Ogun State have arrested eight persons for alleged breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers on Christmas Day.

The suspects, under the aegis of the Democratic Republic of Yoruba, were arrested for causing disturbance at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge in the Sango-Ota area of Ogun State.

The suspects are Adewale Sosanya, ‘M’, aged 48; Opeyemi Oladotun, ‘M’, aged 31; Zara Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 22; Ajoke Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 19; Adewale Adebomojo, ‘F’, aged 48; Yusuf Tanimowo, ‘M’, aged 40; Olurotimi Ademola, ‘M’, aged 52; and Toyin Gabriel, ‘F’, aged 40.

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Police Public Relations Officer (PRO) DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi confirmed this to newsmen in a statement in Abeokuta on Friday.

READ ALSO:Ogun To Prosecute DJ Over Multiple Road Crashes

Babaseyi said that upon receiving the information, the police immediately mobilised, moved to the scene and dispersed the group of agitators.

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He said, “The Ogun State Police Command has arrested eight (8) suspects for breach of public peace, unlawful assembly, obstruction of traffic, and serious assault on police officers following a disturbance caused by the group in parts of Sango-Ota, Ogun State.Eight Yoruba Republic agitators arrested in Ogun

“On 25th December 2025, Christmas Day, at Temidire Junction and Under-Bridge, Sango-Ota, a group agitating under the aegis of ‘Democratic Republic of the Yoruba’ unlawfully barricaded roads, set bonfires, disrupted the free flow of traffic, and attacked police officers deployed to maintain law and order,” he added.

Exhibits recovered from the suspects include a Toyota Dyna vehicle used to convey the suspects, two broadcast speakers, a carton containing flags, shirts bearing inscriptions of their agitation, and banners displaying their messages and manifesto.

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READ ALSO:Four Dead, Three Injured As Bus Collides With Truck In Ogun

The Police PRO added that the suspects will be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.
However, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Lanre Ogunlowo, reassured residents of the Command’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding lives and property.

The CP warned that the command will not tolerate any act capable of breaching public peace, emphasising that any assault on police officers will be met with decisive action.

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He urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities promptly through the Ogun State Police Command emergency lines: Gateway Shield (General Complaints Line – Toll Free): 0800 000 9111; Emergency Numbers: 0906 283 7609, 0912 014 1706, 0915 102 7369, and 0708 497 2994.

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Court Jails Two Ex-bankers For Diverting N10.3m Pension Funds In Enugu

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The Enugu Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has secured the conviction and sentencing of Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo, two former bankers, for diverting N10.3 million belonging to bank customers.

According to a post on X by the commission on Wednesday the judgment was delivered by Justice A. O. Onovo of the Enugu State High Court sitting in Independence Layout, Enugu.

The case was handled by the EFCC and relates to offences committed while the convicts were staff of Intercontinental Bank Plc, now Access Bank Plc.

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Aferokhe and Odo were arraigned on January 18, 2016, on a 15-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery, and stealing the fund on a seven count of the charge reads:

READ ALSO:Morocco Jails French Rapper Maes For Kidnapping Bid

Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 21st day of November, 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of the Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Four Million, Four Hundred and Forty-four Thousand Naira (N4, 440, 000. 00) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Udekwu F. A. O with number 00237808311 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence”.

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Count two of the charge reads:
Sani Endurance Aferokhe and Hillary Odo on or about the 12th day of October 2012 at Nsukka within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while as servants of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc), stole the sum of Two Million, One Hundred and Thirteen Thousand, Six Hundred and Ten Naira, forty Kobo (N2, 113, 610. 40) property of Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) from a customer account with account name Onuora George with account number 0023781315 domiciled in Intercontinental Bank Plc (now Access Bank Plc) and thereby committed an offence.

The offences are contrary to Section 459(a) of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 30 of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004. The defendants pleaded not guilty, leading to a full trial.

READ ALSO:Nigerian Jailed Six Years In U.S. For Sextortion

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During the trial, the EFCC, through its counsel, Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE II Michael Ikechukwu Ani, presented five witnesses and tendered several documents as evidence.

In its judgment delivered on Friday, December 22, 2025, the court dismissed counts six and nine.

The second defendant was convicted on counts four and seven, while the first defendant was convicted on counts one, two, three, five, eight, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen.

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The court sentenced the second defendant to five years’ imprisonment on counts four and seven, with an option of a N100,000 fine on each count.

The first defendant was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each of the counts, except count fifteen, for which he received a three-year sentence, all with an option of a N100,000 fine per count.

The convicts, who are former staff of Access Bank, were found guilty after conspiring to reactivate three dormant customer accounts belonging to pensioners without their consent and diverting the funds for personal use.

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Six Lagosians Arraigned Over Attack On LASTMA Officials

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Six suspected miscreants have been arraigned for allegedly masterminding a violent attack on officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and other collaborating agencies during a midnight enforcement operation along Airport Road, Lagos.

The suspects were brought before the Chief Magistrate of the Lagos State Mobile Court on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, on four separate charges linked to the incident.

The court adjourned the case to February 19, 2026, for further hearing.

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While one defendant, who pleaded not guilty, was granted bail, the remaining six suspects were remanded in custody pending the continuation of proceedings.

READ ALSO:Court Remands Four Foreigners Over Alleged Kidnapping, Hostage Taking In Ogun

The enforcement operation, which resulted in the impoundment of 56 vehicles, was carried out to address persistent traffic and environmental violations in the area.
The seized vehicles included 44 commercial buses, five private cars, and seven trucks.

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The late-night exercise was personally supervised by the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr Olalekan Bakare-Oki, and conducted jointly with security operatives, the Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI Corps, the Lagos State Task Force, and LASTMA field officers.

Authorities said the operation followed repeated formal complaints from the Nigerian Airport Authority, NPA, over illegal activities and encroachment on its facilities by criminal groups and non-compliant commercial drivers operating in clear violation of existing regulations.

The NPA reportedly raised concerns that the activities of the illegal operators had become a major nuisance along the airport corridor, citing frequent cases of harassment, intimidation, and dispossession of unsuspecting members of the public.

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READ ALSO:Court Dismisses Ex-Binance Chief’s Claims Of Unlawful Detention Against EFCC

During the enforcement exercise, five officers attached to the joint task force were attacked with dangerous weapons by the suspects.
In an apparent attempt to disrupt the operation, one of LASTMA’s tow trucks was also deliberately set on fire.

Despite the violent resistance and threat to lives and public assets, the enforcement officers were said to have conducted themselves with restraint, professionalism, and courage throughout the operation.

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Reacting to the incident, Mr Bakare-Oki reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s determination to protect critical infrastructure, ensure the safety of road users, and maintain law and order across the state.

He stressed that the government would not yield to intimidation or tolerate violence from criminal elements, warning that acts of lawlessness would be met with decisive legal action.

The LASTMA boss further assured residents that enforcement activities along key and strategic corridors in Lagos would continue unabated, in collaboration with sister agencies, to curb criminal activities, restore order, and safeguard lives and property across the metropolis.

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