Three Confirmed Dead, Dozens Injured In Lagos APC LG Election Primaries - Newstrends
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Three Confirmed Dead, Dozens Injured In Lagos APC LG Election Primaries

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Two unidentified young men lifeless bodies on Haastrup Street off Ayilara Ojuelegba Surulere, have been confirmed by residents of the area as remains of people that were killed by thugs that stormed the axis of Surulere in their hundreds to attack any gathering of members of Lagos chapter of All Progressive Congress (APC) assemble to vote during the party’s ongoing council primary elections.

They said that the two young men were killed in the area while they were trying to vote for their preferred aspirants before they met their deaths at hands of thugs who attacked them and cut short their lives.

The members claimed that thugs have been terrorizing areas within Surulere and that their target were people and APC members that go against their principal’s wish and that people have to run for their dear lives.

An eyewitness, who resides in the community, told Guild of how the entire Surulere has been facing series of threats, harassments, and indiscriminate shooting from thugs and that the only thing that hasn’t been done by hoodlums were to rob and rape women broad daylight.

She disclosed that one of APC top leaders should be held accountable for the death of the two young men who had done nothing wrong but only came out to vote for their aspirants before meeting their deaths unprepared.

Another who also spoke to The Guild under anonymous condition due to sensibility of the issue said that the thugs were in possession of various weapons and that vehicles were vandalized by hoodlums.

According to her, the Nigerian Police were yet to visit the crime scene to investigate what transpired before and after the killing of the two young men and move their remains proper place.

Before the act, dozens of cultists and thugs led by Deputy Chairman of Road Transport employee Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) Ojuelegba chapter, Sunday Aransiola, popularly called Baresi, had allegedly ordered that the party members leave the voting premises and not to return, saying, the wish of his boss supersedes others aspirations.

Baresi’s actions and that of his boys was said to have halted the activities within the voting premises with claims that the instructions from their boss were that the party members vote for his anointed chairmanship aspirant, Sulaimon Yusuf, and other councillors aiming to become APC standard-bearers for the exercise scheduled to hold later in the year.

Some of the members that spoke to the medium lamented that they were chased by the thugs that stormed their voting premises with guns and other dangerous weapons to scare members and that they warned them anyone willing to go closer to the polling booth must vote for the speaker’s candidates across the nine wards in Surulere.

They added that the actions have started scaring members away and some had already left to avoid been attacked by the hoodlums who were loyal to the speaker and were battle-ready to ensure that the Gbajabiamila’s candidate assumes office.

After scaring the genuine members away from voting, it was gathered that the speaker has allegedly hired non-members, equipping them with names of the aspirants to cast votes for them during the exercise.

The medium learnt that some of the non-members were intercepted by the returning officers that discovered that they do not know the name of the ward nor other details that could indicate that they were members of the party in the wards.

In an interview with our correspondent, Billy Balogun, a former aspirant who stepped down for Idris Aregbe, alleged that the speaker was behind the crisis that had trailed the APC council primaries, saying do not look too far, the speaker is the one involved.

Balogun added that the speaker has turned down in appeals made not to interfere in the exercise and he had boasted that not even the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, can persuade him not to achieve his aim.

Tinubu, it would be recalled that cautioned the leaders including the speakers not to influence the exercise, rather, to give party members opportunities in determining their preferred candidate for the Lagos council poll.

According to him, all we wanted is a free and fair contest. But what we have experienced across the councils were that the speaker brought in thugs to attack party members in other to achieve his goal of imposing candidates on members in Surulere.

Also, a woman leader from Ward G2, Jamila Mu’azu-Olukosi, narrated that the atmosphere at her ward was tensed and that she and dozens of members were forced to leave in other to avoid sustaining gunshot injuries during the exercise.

Mu’azu-Olukosi added that the exercise was peaceful in her ward before the cultists and hoodlums stormed the premises and disrupted the voting process at the ward, forcing many to abandon their plans to scamper for safety.

She said: “We were at the ward to cast our vote for our candidate, preferably, Idris Aregbe, and suddenly, these dozens of thugs arrived and demanded that we all leave. And when we resisted, they started shooting in the air, not minding that people could sustain injuries from their actions.

“Realising the extent of gunshots with deafening sounds that enveloped the atmosphere, I had to leave to avoid sustaining gunshot injuries at the premises”.

Also, a major frontline aspirant, Aregbe appealed to the speaker to allow a free and fair electoral process, saying we are not here to fight but to have a rancour-free exercise that would be in accordance with democratic norms.

Meanwhile, World Top News Ng gathered that there’s also a case of another casualty in Oshodi/Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos State at the election venue.

It was reported that a fight broke out between two factions of the party disrupting election activities as another person was injured in the process.

APC Chieftain and former Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire has called on the electorate and supporters to shun violence and embrace peaceful conduct.

The Lagos State Government has, however, deployed police and military personnel across the state to ensure law and order during the primaries.

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Senate Passes State Police Bill, Awaits Ratification by State Assemblies

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June 25, 2026

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Senate Passes State Police Bill, Awaits Ratification by State Assemblies

Senate Passes State Police Bill, Awaits Ratification by State Assemblies

Nigeria moved closer to a decentralized policing system on Wednesday as the Senate passed the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Alteration) (State Police) Bill, 2026, a landmark piece of legislation that could transform the country’s security architecture if it receives the required approval from state legislatures. The bill, which establishes a constitutional framework for the creation of State Police Services, is widely regarded as one of the most significant security reforms since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

If eventually endorsed by at least 24 State Houses of Assembly, the legislation will create a dual policing structure comprising a Federal Police Service and State Police Services, ending the long-standing monopoly of a centrally controlled police institution.

Under the proposed constitutional arrangement, states will have the authority to establish, fund and manage their own police organizations through legislation passed by their respective Houses of Assembly. However, no state police service will become operational until it satisfies nationally prescribed standards and receives certification confirming its readiness to function. Supporters of the reform argue that State Police in Nigeria will improve local intelligence gathering, strengthen community policing and enable faster responses to security threats such as kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, communal violence and other crimes that have stretched federal security agencies.

Despite granting states greater control over policing, the bill preserves substantial powers for the Federal Government. One of the most significant provisions allows the Federal Police Service to intervene in state policing operations whenever there is an actual or imminent breakdown of public order, a threat to national security, serious administrative failure or evidence that a state police organization is being used for political, ethnic, religious or sectional persecution. In such situations, the Federal Police Service may temporarily assume operational control of a state police command, subject to presidential authorization, Senate oversight and judicial review. The legislation also reserves exclusive responsibility for terrorism, cybercrime, organized crime, arms trafficking, border security and inter-state crimes for the Federal Police Service.

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A major departure from the existing structure is the appointment process for State Commissioners of Police. Under the bill, governors will appoint commissioners upon the recommendation of the National Police Council and subject to confirmation by their State Houses of Assembly. Removal from office will also require legislative approval. To prevent abuse, the bill expressly prohibits governors from directing police authorities to target political opponents, associations, ethnic groups or individuals for partisan purposes. State police officers are equally barred from enforcing laws in a discriminatory manner based on political, ethnic, religious or sectional considerations.

The legislation establishes State Police Service Commissions that will oversee recruitment, promotion, discipline and personnel management within state police organizations. It also proposes a restructured National Police Council to coordinate national policing policies, set minimum standards and promote cooperation between federal and state policing institutions. Speaking during debate on the bill, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele described the proposal as one of the most consequential constitutional reforms undertaken by the National Assembly in recent years. According to him, the legislation seeks to address the limitations of a highly centralized policing structure in tackling modern security threats.

The Senate’s consideration of the bill attracted high-profile observers, including Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and several state attorneys-general. Their presence generated brief controversy as some senators opposed allowing non-members into the chamber during deliberations. The opposition was eventually resolved after Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Senate Leader Bamidele reminded lawmakers that the amendment would require approval from state legislatures before becoming law. Bamidele told senators that the cooperation of state governments was essential to the success of the constitutional amendment process.

Although electronic voting devices were initially introduced for the exercise, lawmakers eventually adopted manual voting after concerns emerged that malfunctioning devices could disenfranchise some senators. The Senate subsequently conducted clause-by-clause voting through voice votes, standing votes and hand-raising procedures supervised by Senate President Akpabio. He assured lawmakers that a complete record of the proceedings would be preserved and made available for public scrutiny.

In addition to approving the State Police Bill, the Senate also passed the Police Trust Fund Bill, which is designed to strengthen funding mechanisms for policing and security operations across the country. Both bills must now secure concurrence from the House of Representatives before being transmitted to the State Houses of Assembly for ratification. For the constitutional amendment to take effect, at least two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 state legislatures must approve it.

While the proposed reform has received support from many governors, security experts and stakeholders, concerns remain about the possibility of political interference in state-controlled police organizations. Senators Aminu Tambuwal and Enyinnaya Abaribe expressed support for the establishment of state police but emphasized the need for strong oversight mechanisms to prevent abuse. Nevertheless, the Senate’s approval represents the most significant progress in decades toward the creation of State Police in Nigeria, a reform many believe could reshape the country’s approach to security and law enforcement.

Senate Passes State Police Bill, Awaits Ratification by State Assemblies

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Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation of Ex-FUOYE VC as Ambassador

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June 24, 2026

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Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation of Ex-FUOYE VC as Ambassador
Professor Abayomi Sunday-Fashina, immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)

Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation of Ex-FUOYE VC as Ambassador

Former university administrator’s nomination forwarded to Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening within one week

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally requested the Senate to confirm the appointment of Professor Abayomi Sunday-Fashina, immediate past Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) , as a non-career ambassador/high commissioner-designate . The presidential communication was read during Wednesday’s plenary session by Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who subsequently referred the nomination to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for screening and further legislative consideration .

President Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter transmitted to the upper legislative chamber, in which he noted that the nomination was made in line with constitutional provisions governing diplomatic appointments and urged lawmakers to consider the request expeditiously. “In accordance with the provisions of section 121, subsections 2, 3, and 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, I am pleased to present for confirmation by the Senate the nomination of Professor Abayomi Sunday-Fashina as non-career ambassador/high commissioner-designate,” the letter reads. “Attached herewith is the nominee’s curriculum vitae. Whilst I hope that the Senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously, please accept, distinguished Senate President and distinguished senators, the assurances of my highest consideration.”

After reviewing the letter, Akpabio submitted the nominee to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for review and future legislative action. The committee was tasked with conducting the requisite scrutiny of the nominee and submitting its report to the Senate within one week, clearing the way for a final confirmation vote by lawmakers. The nomination comes amid the Tinubu administration’s continuous attempts to expand Nigeria’s diplomatic corps, which includes the appointment of various career and non-career envoys to represent the country in critical overseas embassies.

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Professor Fashina served as Vice Chancellor of FUOYE from February 2021 to February 2026, completing a five-year tenure widely celebrated for its strategic reforms and institutional growth. Under his stewardship, the university expanded its academic footprint significantly, with the number of faculties increasing from eight to 18, while the student population grew from about 20,000 to over 60,000. His administration executed over 160 infrastructure projects, grew the university’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by 310 per cent, and recorded gains in national demand and international visibility. He also documented his stewardship in a book titled ‘Holding the Rudder: My Years Steering FUOYE’, which chronicles his navigation of university administration between 2021 and 2026. Fashina, an erudite scholar and distinguished professor of soil science, previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at Ekiti State University and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Admin) at FUOYE before assuming the VC role.

Under Nigeria’s constitution, ambassadorial nominees must be screened and confirmed by the Senate before taking office. The process usually includes an evaluation of their professional background, public service record, competence, and aptitude for diplomatic posts. Non-career ambassadors are typically chosen from outside the country’s professional foreign service, including academics, politics, public administration, commerce, and other fields where they have exhibited remarkable service and leadership. Fashina, an academic and administrator, is well-known in Nigeria’s higher education industry, and his nomination is expected to draw legislative scrutiny during the screening process, when senators would assess his qualifications and readiness to represent Nigeria’s interests abroad.

If confirmed, Fashina will join a growing number of ambassadorial appointees tasked with advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy goals, strengthening bilateral relations, and promoting the country’s economic and diplomatic interests in the international community. The Senate’s examination of the nomination is likely to be completed after the Foreign Affairs Committee sends its report to the chamber next week. Upon completion of the committee’s scrutiny and submission of its report, the full Senate will hold a confirmation vote on the nomination. If confirmed, Fashina will join Nigeria’s diplomatic corps, representing the country’s interests abroad and advancing Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives.

 

Tinubu Seeks Senate Confirmation of Ex-FUOYE VC as Ambassador

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2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I: NYSC Fixes Date for Passing-Out Nationwide

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2 days ago

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June 24, 2026

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2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I: NYSC Fixes Date for Passing-Out Nationwide

2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I: NYSC Fixes Date for Passing-Out Nationwide

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has officially announced Thursday, July 9, 2026, as the passing-out date for 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I corps members across the country, marking the completion of their mandatory one-year national service.

The announcement was contained in a statement shared on the scheme’s official X platform on Wednesday and signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu.

According to the statement, activities leading to the passing-out ceremony commenced on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, with a series of programmes designed to prepare outgoing corps members for life after national service.

The pre-passing-out activities include Job Advisory and Counselling (JAC) sessions organised by the NYSC in collaboration with relevant government agencies and stakeholders. The initiative is aimed at equipping corps members with entrepreneurial skills, career guidance and employment opportunities as they transition into the labour market.

The scheme also disclosed that corps members are undergoing registration and clearance by Local Government Inspectors (LGIs), while Zonal Inspectors are responsible for signing final clearance documents ahead of the issuance of Certificates of National Service.

According to the NYSC, only corps members who have successfully completed all statutory requirements of the national service programme, including their primary assignments, Community Development Service (CDS) obligations and final clearance procedures, will receive their certificates.

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“The Management of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has approved Thursday, July 9, 2026, as the passing-out date for the 2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream One Corps Members.

“The series of activities heralding the event commenced on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, and include Job Advisory and Counselling (JAC) by the NYSC and other relevant agencies, registration and clearing of corps members by Local Government Inspectors, as well as the signing of final clearance by the Zonal Inspectors,” the statement said.

The scheme added that the passing-out exercise will be conducted on a low-key basis nationwide, with the presentation of Certificates of National Service (CNS) taking place at local government offices across the country rather than through elaborate state-level ceremonies.

“The low-key event will feature the distribution of Certificates of National Service to only the deserving corps members in all the Local Government Areas of the country,” the statement added.

Director-General of the NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, congratulated the outgoing corps members for successfully completing their service year and urged them to remain disciplined, patriotic and committed to national development.

He encouraged them to uphold the ideals of the NYSC by serving as responsible ambassadors of the scheme in their workplaces, communities and future endeavours.

The NYSC’s Job Advisory and Counselling (JAC) programme has become a key component of the winding-up exercise, connecting outgoing corps members with employers, financial institutions and entrepreneurship support agencies to promote self-employment and reduce graduate unemployment.

The July 9 passing-out ceremony will officially bring to an end the service year for thousands of corps members deployed across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, paving the way for them to pursue careers, higher education and entrepreneurial opportunities.

2025 Batch ‘B’ Stream I: NYSC Fixes Date for Passing-Out Nationwide

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