Lagosians lament brutality of land grabbers
Human Rights Activists, under the platform of Human Rights Action Watch, have urged governments and security agents to rise in defence of innocent citizens being oppressed by land grabbers across Lagos State.
The activists said that the threats to life and public peace by land grabbers in Ibeju-Lekki, Epe division of Lagos, had become unbearable.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, President of the group, Tunji Balogun, alleged that a notorious land grabber, aka Ibile (real name withheld), had continued to wreak havoc in the area brazenly.
Balogun said that not only did the property owners suffer and were still counting losses, but artisans and others working in some sites also had many pathetic stories to tell of the havoc of this land grabber and his violent gangs.
According to him, the land grabber has continued to act unlawfully above the law of the land under protection by some security agencies to the detriment of the voiceless people.
He called on the federal and state governments, and the security agencies to conduct full criminal investigation on the land grabber and all state actors conniving with them.
Balogun said that the notorious activities of these people on Sunday led to the burning down of property belonging to one Esther Otsabomhe, while her workers were also whisked away.
He said recently, a middle-aged bricklayer, Sodiq Kolapo, was shot dead by the land grabbers and that the wife of the deceased artisan was still in sorrow with three children.
The human rights leader said that if not managed swiftly, the atrocities of land grabbers could snowball into acts similar to terrorism in the near future.
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Also speaking, Joke Kolapo, the widow of the slain bricklayer, said things had been difficult for her and her children since her husband was killed.
Kolapo said her husband was allegedly attacked by land grabbers at a construction site in the community, adding that the assailants also took his body away.
She said her husband was just working as a bricklayer, a labourer for that matter at the site, not even a native of the land.
The widow said she was expecting her husband to come home on that particular day and she waited till midnight but didn’t see him.
Kolapo said that she tried his line several times, but it was not reachable. According to her, she later went to his friend who introduced him to the job and asked for his whereabouts.
She said that his friend told her that they were attacked by the land grabbers and her husband had been shot dead and his body taken away.
Kolapo said that she was shocked hearing that from him and she cried like a baby.
“Up until now, I have not seen my husband’s body or his burial ground. I am a nursing mother with three children.
“I want the government to intervene and come to my aid and the community.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the community had recently sent a Save Our Soul message toGov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the Inspector General of Police to urgently intervene.
Shell Exits Nigeria’s Gas Distribution Business, Sells Stake to Vaaris Energy
Shell Petroleum B.V. has agreed to sell its entire interest in the Shell Nigeria Gas Group to indigenous energy company Vaaris Energy Limited, marking another major shift in the international oil giant’s business portfolio in Nigeria.
The agreement, announced on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, covers Shell’s domestic gas distribution business in the country. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed in the announcement.
The proposed sale will transfer Shell’s interest in the gas distribution group to Vaaris Energy, a Nigerian-owned company seeking to expand its presence in the country’s oil and gas industry.
The transaction represents another adjustment to Shell’s Nigerian operations as the company focuses on selected oil, gas and integrated energy projects.
Shell’s latest move follows its earlier exit from onshore oil production through the sale of its interest in the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (SPDC) to the Renaissance consortium. That transaction was completed in March 2025 after receiving the necessary regulatory approvals.
However, the two transactions involve different parts of Shell’s Nigerian business. The earlier deal covered its onshore oil-producing subsidiary, while the latest agreement concerns its domestic gas distribution operations.
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Following the SPDC sale, Shell retained other interests in Nigeria, including its deepwater oil and gas operations and its participation in Nigeria LNG Limited. The company also continued operating its domestic gas distribution business, which is now expected to come under Vaaris Energy’s ownership once the latest transaction is completed.
Shell said the proposed divestment aligns with its strategy of simplifying its global portfolio and concentrating investment on projects expected to deliver stronger returns.
Elohor Aiboni, Shell’s country chair in Nigeria, said the company would continue to focus on its strategic deepwater and integrated gas positions in the country.
For Vaaris Energy, the proposed acquisition offers an opportunity to strengthen its position in Nigeria’s natural gas market and expand its participation in the domestic energy value chain.
The company is a privately held Nigerian energy business with interests across the oil and gas sector. However, details of its plans for the acquired business, including any operational changes or investment commitments, were not disclosed in the announcement.
The financial value of the transaction and the precise timeline for completion were also not made public in the information available at the time of reporting.
The deal comes as Nigeria seeks to increase domestic gas utilisation, improve energy supply and attract investment into its gas infrastructure. Gas distribution plays an important role in connecting producers with industrial users and other customers that rely on natural gas for their operations.
The implications of the acquisition for Nigeria’s domestic gas market will depend on the completion of the transaction and how Vaaris Energy manages and develops the business under its ownership.
Shell’s agreement with Vaaris therefore marks another change in the ownership of a significant energy asset in Nigeria, while allowing the international company to maintain its focus on other strategic oil and gas interests in the country.
A domestic dispute allegedly involving the sale of landed property and accusations of infidelity has left a couple dead in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, leaving their four children without either parent.
The incident reportedly occurred on Owiri Street in Agbarho, where the man allegedly attacked and killed his wife before later dying by suicide after ingesting a poisonous substance.
According to a report published by Vanguard on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, the tragedy followed a disagreement between the couple over landed property and alleged infidelity. However, the full circumstances surrounding the confrontation have not been independently established.
A source quoted in the report said the man was reportedly angered by allegations concerning his wife’s fidelity and the sale of his landed property. The precise sequence of events leading to the couple’s deaths remains unclear.
A neighbour reportedly said the couple had experienced repeated physical confrontations before the incident, suggesting that tensions within the household may have persisted for some time. However, details of the earlier clashes and whether the authorities had previously been alerted have not been confirmed.
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The deceased man’s elder brother also reportedly expressed shock over the deaths, saying he was not fully aware of what had triggered the fatal confrontation. He confirmed that the couple had four children, with the eldest said to be about 21 years old, but declined to disclose their identities.
A senior police officer at the Agbarho Division reportedly confirmed the incident, saying officers evacuated the bodies to a morgue as investigations began. The officer also indicated that no formal complaint had been lodged by the families as of the time of the report.
Attempts to obtain further comments from the Delta State Police Command’s spokesperson, SP Bright Edafe, were reportedly unsuccessful before the report was published.
The deaths have left the couple’s four children facing the loss of both parents, adding to the devastating consequences of the incident. The circumstances surrounding the reported property dispute, the allegations of infidelity and the events immediately preceding the deaths remain subject to investigation.
The tragedy highlights the potentially devastating consequences of unresolved domestic conflict. Disagreements involving marital relationships, property ownership and land sales should be addressed through peaceful dialogue, appropriate support and lawful channels. Violence is never an acceptable way to resolve such disputes.
Obasanjo Backs Higher Oil Derivation, Says 13% Is Only the Beginning
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has backed calls for an increase in the 13 per cent oil derivation fund allocated to oil-producing states, saying the existing arrangement should be regarded as a starting point rather than a final settlement.
Obasanjo made the position known on Monday during the inauguration of the Crude Distillation Unit (CDU) of the $1 billion Azikel Refinery at Obunagha in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Addressing Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, the former president acknowledged that oil-producing states and communities had yet to receive what he considered a fair share of the benefits from the exploitation of their natural resources.
“You are right that the states and oil-producing communities have not got a fair deal so far. Thirteen per cent is the beginning. You can continue to talk,” Obasanjo said.
His remarks reinforced renewed demands for a review of Nigeria’s revenue-sharing arrangement, particularly from the Niger Delta, where crude oil production has remained central to the national economy.
Under the existing constitutional framework, oil-producing states receive at least 13 per cent of revenue accruing to the Federation Account directly from natural resources, in line with the principle of derivation.
However, the allocation has remained a source of debate, with stakeholders in the oil-producing region arguing that the revenue does not adequately address the environmental damage, infrastructure challenges and economic difficulties associated with petroleum exploration.
Diri also criticised the existing arrangement, insisting that communities where crude oil is extracted should have a greater say in how the resources are managed and how the resulting wealth is distributed.
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The governor argued that the region had endured years of agitation over what residents perceive as an imbalance between the resources extracted from their communities and the benefits they receive.
He also faulted the Land Use Act, arguing that the distinction between state control of surface resources and Federal Government control of resources beneath the ground places oil-producing communities at a disadvantage.
Diri maintained that the Niger Delta was not demanding exclusive ownership of the proceeds from petroleum production but wanted to become a more active participant in decisions affecting the industry.
“We do not want to take all to ourselves. We just want to be co-players in determining how it is done. Thirteen per cent is not enough for the states,” he said.
The governor urged young people in Bayelsa to acquire relevant technical and professional skills to benefit from industrial investments, including the refinery project.
He warned that the presence of major oil and gas facilities would have limited benefits for local communities if residents lacked the expertise needed to secure employment and participate in their operations.
The refinery project, owned by Azikel Petroleum under the Azikel Group, is expected by its promoters to produce about 2.5 million litres of petrol and two million litres of diesel daily, alongside other petroleum products, when completed.
The installation of the crude distillation unit marks a significant stage in the development of the facility, whose foundation was laid by Obasanjo about eight years ago.
The former president commended Azikel Group President, Azibapu Eruani, for sustaining the project and urged him to complete the refinery within the next 12 months.
Obasanjo also acknowledged the contributions of the African Finance Corporation and the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), calling for continued support to bring the investment to completion.
He praised Diri for supporting the project and commended the Bayelsa government for what he described as the productive use of the state’s available revenue.
Eruani said the refinery was conceived to position Bayelsa and the wider Niger Delta as active participants in the petroleum industry rather than merely suppliers of crude oil.
He expressed confidence that the project would support industrialisation, create economic opportunities and strengthen local participation in the oil and gas value chain.
The refinery initiative comes amid continuing debates over resource control, revenue allocation and development in the Niger Delta, with calls for oil-producing communities to receive greater economic benefits from the natural resources extracted from their territories.
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