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Lagos lawmakers will reverse all reversible laws to protect interest of indigenes – Obasa
Lagos lawmakers will reverse all reversible laws to protect interest of indigenes – Obasa
Reactions have continued to trail the proposed legislation by Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, intended to make laws regarding property and the economy to protect indigenes of the state.
Obasa had in his acceptance speech after his re-election for the third time, declared that Lagos is a Yoruba land and that laws passed by the assembly will now be translated to Yoruba language, adding that laws will be made to protect the interests of indigenous people of Lagos while also noting that lawmakers will reverse all that is reversible to protect the interest of the indigenes.
Reacting during an Arise TV programme, Dr Reuben Abati, who condemned Mr Obasa for such divisive statement, noted that the function of the legislature at the level of the house of assembly, according to the constitution, is “to make laws for peace, order, and good governance of Nigeria.”
His words: “That statement made by speaker Obasa, I don’t see how that promotes peace, order, and good governance. His statement is provocative as you’d recall that during the just concluded elections, ethnicity was such a big problem in Lagos state, resulting in conflict in parts of Lagos between indigenes and other persons of other ethnic extraction to the extent that indigenes were carrying rituals and threatening non indigenes to leave Lagos.
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“You can’t have that in a society. Why did Obasa consider it necessary to reopen that matter? He should talk like somebody who is interested in the national interest; public interest and not a provincial person, dredging up antediluvian sentiments, ‘Lagos belongs to the Yorubas, Lagos is a no man’s land’. I thought that argument was part of the politics. He should not use the platform of the house of assembly to play politics. That’s not leadership,” he added.
Dr Abati further advised public office holders to only speak when necessary, saying that, “This is what we say to public officials all the time, if you don’t have something to say that will appeal to reasonable thinking members of the society, can you just shut up. The issues that he raised can cause problem in Lagos state. I hope nobody goes ahead with that because the constitution of Nigeria grants every Nigerian the right to own property; Section 43, movable and immovable, in any part of Nigeria. “Section 42 says you cannot be discriminated against in this country on the basis of your ethnicity, religion or anything. The threat to reverse whatever that is reversible because you are not a Yoruba person or from Lagos state, that is discriminatory. I am surprised because Mr. Obasa is a lawyer, maybe he is just playing to the gallery, but this kind of thing can cause conflict, disorder.”
Also condemning Obasa, Ayo Mairo-Ese said, “We are on the path to healing and restoration. What we saw during the march 11 election in Lagos is what we shouldn’t see again; is what politicians should never play to again”, stressing that “what we should be looking at is how to bring people together.’
She also emphasised that what makes “Lagos a Centre of Excellence is the fact that people from around the world can come here and thrive and excel and contribute to the prosperity of Lagos state.”
It’s a drum of disunity -Olakunle Edun
Former National Publicity Secretary and current National Welfare Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Olakunle Edun said: “Nigeria is a country governed by laws. We have a Constitution which is our grundnorm. It is the fundamental right of every Nigerian to move to anywhere he wants to in Nigeria and acquire property anywhere he likes. That is a right that no law of any State can take away. A State House of Assembly cannot lawfully pass any law that will be discriminatory against other tribes or groups within a State or pass any law that will violate the fundamental rights of other Nigerians. That will be unconstitutional.
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“Lagos State has always been a pacesetter in terms of good governance in Nigeria. It is the only State (Ogun State being the second) that delights in welcoming all Nigerians. I want to believe that the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly was quoted out of context because if not, then he is on a path of disaster. All Nigerians have come to take Lagos as their home and they have also contributed to the development of Lagos State. They pay tax. The State Government should ensure mutual respect, harmony and peaceful co-existence amongst indigenes and non-indigenes. This is what will make Lagos State greater and more attractive for investment. Non-indigenes should also respect the official and traditional institutions of the State where they are resident. We must stop beating the drums of disunity.’
It’s shameful, disgraceful, Ojo
Constitutional lawyer and University don, Gbenga Ojo said: We are thinking of moving the country forward in terms of unity in the Country, a house of Assembly is preaching ethnicity even amongst the Yorubas. The Ijeshas, Ijebus, Egbas, Ekitis, where will they stand in the scheme of things? It is shameful and retrogressive. This modern age? Targeted at who? The Igbos? Our forefathers fought to keep Nigeria as one. Hopefully Ekiti State House of Assembly, Oyo State House of Assembly or even Kaduna State House of Assembly or Enugu State House of Assembly will pass similar laws.. The law will be unconstitutional even if they pass such a ridiculous law.”
No legislation can reverse legal titles- Ufeli
Constitutional Lawyer and Executive Director, Cadrell Advocacy Center, Evans Ufeli said:
“The legislation the Lagos State House of Assembly ought to enact are laws that will protect all owners of properties not just indigenes, people who have acquired properties genuinely in the state should be protected by subsidiary legislations from the Lagos State government since the constitution in chapter 4 already made copious provisions that a citizen can own properties in any part of Nigeria thereof.
“Any law therefore made by the State House of Assembly should complement the federal law – constitution.
The indigenes of Lagos State who sold their properties to non-indigenes in good faith will not be able to reverse such a transaction by any legislation made by the Lagos State House of Assembly.
I must say that Lagos is a Yoruba land, it belongs to its indigenes, it is never a no man’s land and should never be addressed as such, as same is inflammatory and will amount to spitting on the heritage of a people with a collective dynasty.”
Lagos lawmakers will reverse all reversible laws to protect interest of indigenes – Obasa
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How Thugs Killed Islamic Teacher in Bauchi Over Political Posters
How Thugs Killed Islamic Teacher in Bauchi Over Political Posters
Residents of Karofin Madaki quarters in Bauchi metropolis were thrown into shock and mourning following the killing of a renowned Islamiyyah teacher in the area, Rilwanu Dauda . Dauda, 42, was allegedly killed on Sunday by two brothers suspected to be political thugs after a quarrel over political posters . Daily Trust gathered that Dauda was stabbed in the stomach with a knife and died on the way to hospital .
Trouble started around 10am on that day after the deceased asked the thugs to remove political posters pasted on a billboard adjacent to his family house . The thugs refused and engaged him in a fight . According to the deceased’s elder brother, Hamza Dauda, the younger of the two thugs struck Malam with a stick while the elder struck him with a knife on the head. The cleric collapsed, and people around intervened to force the thugs to leave the scene . However, the younger thug crossed the road, entered his family house, and returned minutes later holding a knife. He met the late brother at the main gate and stabbed him in the stomach before fleeing. Some neighbours saw him sneak away, and it was only after he had gone that they realised the cleric was bleeding from the injury . He was rushed to the Bauchi State Specialist Hospital, but he was confirmed dead on arrival, having died on the way .
Hamza, who was at work when the incident happened, received a call from a friend informing him of his brother’s death. He described his late brother as someone who “never quarreled with others,” adding: “Unfortunately, look at how he was brutally murdered for no reason” . He called on the government and the police to arrest the killers and bring them to justice, saying: “I want justice in this matter. Everybody knows Malam was not troublesome and he was killed unjustly. His family wants justice. The killers should be arrested and made to pay for their actions” .
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When our reporter visited the deceased’s family house, sympathisers were still trooping in four days after his murder for condolences . Residents, who spoke to Daily Trust, described the late cleric as humble, kind, humane and a gentleman . One of them, Muhammad Aminu, lamented: “I wonder why people no longer value human life. People can kill over a slight provocation. This is unfortunate and something should be done to prevent its recurrence” . He suggested that the thugs may have had a grudge against the deceased, noting that after the fight had ended following intervention, one of the thugs returned to the scene and stabbed him. He described the late cleric as kind, religious, generous, and someone who related well with people, residing with his family along Ibrahim Bako Road .
One of the deceased’s neighbours, Bello Ibrahim, gave further details, stating that the thugs called a colleague who came to the scene and proceeded to paste the poster, resulting in a heated argument, after which one of the thugs brought out a dagger, stabbed the late Ridwan in the chest and fled . Residents rushed out, picked him up, and took him to hospital, but he died on the way .
Bauchi State Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed visited the deceased’s family to offer condolences . The governor pledged to take responsibility for the education of the deceased’s children from primary school through university . He said perpetrators of violent crimes anywhere in the state would have no hiding place, as the government intensifies efforts to safeguard lives and property . He assured the bereaved family that justice would be pursued without fear or favour, and anyone found culpable would face the full weight of the law . The governor called on citizens to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security agencies by providing credible information to aid investigations .
Confirming the incident, the Bauchi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Nafi’u Habib, said police had commenced investigation . “No stone will be left unturned in the course of our investigation until the killers of the cleric are arrested. We will not relent until we arrest them all,” he said . Asked whether any arrests had been made, the police spokesperson said there had been none but assured that the culprits would surely be arrested and brought to book . He urged the public to always report crimes in their communities, adding that the fight against crime is everybody’s responsibility .
Commenting on the rise in murder cases, a retired Police Commissioner, Muhammad Wakil, attributed the incidents to lack of good moral upbringing, drug abuse, illiteracy, and hatred, among other vices . He said: “It is unfortunate that the majority of our youths are into drug abuse and their level of illiteracy is also a contributing factor. Most of our youths are school dropouts and they also lack Islamic knowledge. They don’t have a sound background. This kind of generation can engage in any crime you can think of. With little money you can persuade them to commit any crime. An empty brain is the devil’s workshop and can engage in all sorts of crimes” . He called for a reflection on how forefathers lived and urged the culture of brotherhood to make these vices disappear .
How Thugs Killed Islamic Teacher in Bauchi Over Political Posters
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DJ Chicken Arrested Over Viral Video Threatening Seyi Tinubu
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Troops intercept foreign courier carrying drugs, alcohol to terrorists in Borno
Troops intercept foreign courier carrying drugs, alcohol to terrorists in Borno
Operation HADIN KAI troops have intercepted a suspected foreign courier allegedly transporting a large consignment of illicit drugs, alcoholic beverages and other prohibited substances believed to be destined for terrorist groups operating in the Lake Chad Islands of Borno State.
The successful operation was carried out by troops of Sector 3, Joint Task Force North East, during a coordinated search mission along the Maiduguri–Monguno highway on Thursday, July 9, 2026. Military authorities said the suspect was intercepted while travelling towards Kwatan Doron Baga in Kukawa Local Government Area, an area close to the Lake Chad Basin that has remained a strategic route used by insurgents and their logistics networks.
According to the Acting Military Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, Captain Mohammed Goni, the suspect was identified as Mrs. Rachael Samuel, a 48-year-old Chadian national from Kelo, Chari-Baguirmi Province, Republic of Chad.
Captain Goni disclosed that preliminary investigations indicate the prohibited items were being transported to locations within the Lake Chad Islands, an area that has long served as a stronghold for Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Items recovered during the operation included seven compressed bundles of suspected cannabis sativa weighing approximately 30 kilogrammes, two 10-litre containers of hydromercuric chloride, popularly known as “Suck and Die,” 48 bottles of dry gin, 61 bottles of herbal alcoholic beverages, one mobile phone, two Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards, cash and other personal belongings.
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Military authorities said the recovered exhibits are valued at millions of naira, adding that the suspect is currently in military custody while the seized items have been secured pending handover to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation and prosecution.
The military described the interception as another major success in ongoing efforts to dismantle the logistics and supply chains that sustain terrorist operations in Nigeria’s North-East.
According to the statement, intelligence gathered over the years has consistently shown that terrorist groups often rely on illicit drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants to stimulate fighters, suppress fear and sustain violent attacks against both civilians and security personnel.
By intercepting the consignment before it reached its intended destination, the troops disrupted what the military described as a critical support network used by terrorist elements operating within the Lake Chad Basin, a region spanning parts of Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon that has witnessed years of insurgency.
The latest operation adds to a series of recent offensives by Operation HADIN KAI targeting terrorist logistics, weapons supplies and cross-border movements. Nigerian troops, supported by the Nigerian Air Force, have intensified coordinated land and air operations across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, leading to the destruction of terrorist enclaves, recovery of weapons, rescue of kidnapped victims and the surrender of several insurgents and their family members.
Security analysts have repeatedly warned that disrupting terrorist logistics remains one of the most effective strategies for weakening insurgent groups. Beyond military offensives, cutting off access to drugs, food supplies, fuel, weapons and financial support significantly reduces the operational capability of armed groups.
The Theatre Command commended the troops for their vigilance, professionalism and commitment to protecting national security. It reaffirmed that operations against terrorists and their collaborators would continue until lasting peace is restored across the North-East.
The military also urged residents to continue providing credible and timely intelligence to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains crucial in identifying suspicious movements, dismantling criminal networks and sustaining the gains recorded in the fight against terrorism.
Troops intercept foreign courier carrying drugs, alcohol to terrorists in Borno
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