News
Why we demolished Alaba International Market — Lagos govt
The demolition, the Lagos govt said, was done to save lives.
Mr. Gbolahan Oki, General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, said this on Saturday during an on-the-spot assessment of the demolition site.
Oki visited the market amid heavy downpours alongside his counterpart in Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority, Mr. Kehinde Osinaike, and the seven-man committee set up by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in the aftermath of the demolition exercise.
They were led on the trip by Mr Oluwole Sotire, Permanent Secretary of their parent parastatal, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that South-East traders in the market, led by Imo Governor, Mr Hope Uzodimma, met with Governor Sanwo-Olu of Lagos to put to rest allegations of tribal bias in the demolition exercise.
During the spot assessment, Oki explained that the demolition was simply to enforce building regulations and laws, to prevent building collapse.
According to him, most of the demolished buildings were without permits, adding that necessary documentation needed by the state government was also ignored.
“All we are after is that the lives of traders and other Nigerians are extremely important to the Lagos State Government.
“I have seen people painting buildings that are dilapidated. That is not good. It is not painting that makes a building new. Our lives are more important,” he said.
Oki urged owners of distressed buildings marked for demolition to remove them within two weeks, to prevent disaster, or else the government would move in to take action.
“My mandate is to remove anything that is dilapidated, that is harmful to the people that even owns it,” he said.
The General Manager said Governor Sanwo-Olu set up the seven-man committee to look into the demolition without causing disaffection among the traders at Alaba International Market.
He stated that the LASBCA officials were usually prevented from enforcing laws by people who failed to get building plan approvals or those who did the illegal conversion of their properties.
He assured protesters carrying placards that the government had their interests covered with the appointment of an additional 17-man sub-committee compromising their market leadership, for quicker resolution of issues.
Oki explained why distressed buildings were being demolished
He said this was because of issues of land grabbers selling one land to several people as well as the need to correct haphazard development.
Earlier, the general manager and his team had a meeting with the leadership of the Alaba International Market traders at LASBCA head office at Ikeja GRA, before they all embarked on the trip to the market.
During the meeting, the market leaders who are members of the seven-man technical committee set up to look into the issues of demolition in Alaba International Market discussed the way forward.
The LASBCA boss explained processes and procedures guiding laws on physical developments and what must be done to comply with the regulation.
He said that there was no ethnic colouration to the decisions of the government, whose only motive was to prevent building collapse and to ensure the safety of lives of the traders and other Nigerians.
Mr. Chris Maduka, Secretary to the seven-man Technical Committee on Alaba International Demolition, commended the action of the government to sanitise the market.
Maduka said it had brought them closer and was in the best interest of everybody, to save traders from touts extorting them with various conflicting taxes and illegal levies.
During the on-the-spot assessment of the market, Maduka appealed for cooperation and understanding of the traders affected by the demolition exercise.
He said that taking to protest or violence would defeat the purpose for which Sanwo-Olu set up the Committee.
Some of the affected traders carrying placards with various inscriptions at the market pleaded with Sanwo-Olu to fast-track the assignment of the committee to restore their means of livelihood.
NAN
By Okey Maduforo Awka
Six members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Police .
The six persons led by Mr Chukwuebuka Ohaechesi, include Emma Okonkwo, Jude Uwa, Gentle Okoro, Uchenna Dike, and Emmanuel Nwankwo who are said to be at large.
The were said to have fled to neighboring states in the South East hence signaling the other four Police Commands in the geopolitical zone to assist in the manhunt for them
The Police accused them of executing protests against the detaintion of the leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently serving jail terms in Sokoto Correction Center.
According to a statement issued by the Abia Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, ASP Eguavon Omokaro, the individuals are suspected members of IPOB who have allegedly participated in protests at various times and locations within the state.
The statement alleged that the protests were organised in connection with the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and demands for justice through the judicial process.
The Police Command further stated that these protests have allegedly resulted in breaches of peace and disruptions to law and order in Abia State. Consequently, the Police Intelligence Department reportedly concluded that the named individuals were among the principal organisers and coordinators of the demonstrations.
The statement further alleged that; ;
“It should be noted that on every 30th day of May, these men and their cohorts convene for the so-called remembrance of Biafra, holding clandestine meetings at various locations in the name of the emancipation of the Biafran Republic and the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
According to the police, the six individuals were invited on several occasions for questioning in relation to the allegations against them.
The statement indicated that the first invitation was issued on 18 December 2025, followed by a second invitation on 7 February 2026, and a third invitation on 3 March 2026.
The police alleged that the individuals failed to honour all three invitations.
The statement further asserted:
“These individuals were invited by the police on several occasions. Firstly, on 18 December 2025, they failed to honour the invitation. Again, they were invited on 7th February 2026 and failed to appear. Finally, they were invited on 3 March 2026, and they also failed to present themselves before the police.” It stated.
As a result, the Abia State Police Command announced that all six individuals had been formally declared wanted.
The police appealed to members of the public to provide any reliable information that could lead to their arrest and prosecution, stating that informants would be suitably rewarded.
The declaration of the six individuals as wanted persons is linked to allegations of their participation in pro-Biafra activities, demonstrations concerning the detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and their alleged association with IPOB, an organisation that has been the subject of extensive scrutiny and security operations by Nigerian authorities.
In a statement shared on social media, VeryDarkMan argued that Wike may not fully understand the pain and trauma experienced by parents of abducted children and affected teachers. He claimed that the minister’s children were educated abroad, away from the security challenges facing many Nigerian families.Nigerian entertainment news
The activist stated that insecurity, kidnapping, and attacks on schools remain serious national concerns and should not be dismissed or reduced to political issues. He stressed that the fears and frustrations of parents whose children face security threats deserve greater attention from public officials.
VeryDarkMan further warned that political power is temporary, urging leaders to remain accountable to the people and sensitive to the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
DSS Detains Novelist Okey Ndibe at Lagos Airport, Awaits Clearance from Abuja
Renowned Nigerian novelist, journalist, and academic, Okey Ndibe, was reportedly detained by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) upon his arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on Monday morning.
Ndibe disclosed his situation in a message sent while in custody, stating: “I’ve been with the SSS now for more than an hour. They’re waiting for clearance from some oga before they let me go.”
According to sources close to the writer, his detention follows a pattern that dates back to previous administrations, including that of former President Goodluck Jonathan, during which he was frequently stopped and questioned over his critical commentaries on Nigerian governance and public affairs.
However, associates noted that Ndibe has largely stepped away from active commentary in Nigerian media over the past two years, focusing instead on writing books and his academic responsibilities at University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he teaches.
A close friend of the author and former Anambra State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C. Don Adinuba, said similar incidents had occurred several times in the past. He explained that airport DSS officials typically contacted their superiors in Abuja before eventually releasing Ndibe.
“It is a pity that this agency doesn’t update its database to enable officers on duty at the airport to know that the agency no longer regards Prof. Ndibe as a security threat to the administration,” Adinuba said.
He added that on previous occasions, the DSS had apologized to the respected author after determining that his detention was unwarranted.
As of the time of filing this report, there was no official statement from the DSS regarding the circumstances surrounding Ndibe’s latest detention. The development has raised renewed concerns about the treatment of government critics and the continued use of security watchlists affecting returning Nigerians.
Hegseth made the disclosure during a press conference at the White House on Wednesday, where he said the directive was issued about a year ago after Trump became aware of attacks against Christians in Nigeria.
He explained that the operation involved behind-the-scenes coordination and deployment of military assets, adding that intelligence gathered during the mission contributed to the killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, identified as ISIS’s second-in-command, during a joint operation involving U.S. and Nigerian forces in the Lake Chad Basin.
“Maybe a year ago, he heard the call of Nigerian Christians who were being targeted and killed by ISIS in Nigeria, and he said, ‘Pete, I want the War Department to focus on ensuring that we do everything we can to protect those Christians,’” Hegseth said.
According to him, the operation yielded significant results in the fight against terrorism in the region.
“And we got the assets there, and over the last month, and there hasn’t been much coverage of this, we killed ISIS number two in Nigeria, who’s most responsible for killing Christians and trying to target the U.S. homeland,” he stated.
Hegseth added that working on the Intel gathered, they have killed hundreds of ISIS members who were targeting and killing Christians in Nigeria.
The U.S. defence chief described the operation as part of the Trump administration’s broader commitment to counterterrorism efforts and the protection of vulnerable communities.
“So there are a lot of things we do that the media pays attention to, and a lot of things that the President empowers the Department to do on behalf of the American people that he deserves great credit for,” Hegseth stated.
ISIS second in command, Abu-Bilal al-Minuki was killed in a coordinated U.S.-Nigeria military operation in northeast Nigeria earlier this month.
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