Columns
80% of Lekki buildings have no approval — Lagos State Government

Published
9 months agoon
By
Ekwutos Blog
Lagos State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Oluyinka Olumide, has revealed that 80 per cent of buildings in Ibeju Lekki have no approval, Vanguard Newspaper is reporting.
Olumide recently disclosed this in an interview with newsmen. He said, “Just last week Thursday and Friday, myself and the team were in the Ibeju Lekki and Epe axis and you would agree with me that anybody passing through that corridor would see a lot of estates marked. We went there, and I can tell you that from what we saw, over 80 per cent of them do not have approval.
The procedure to get approval is first to get the planning information, as to what those areas have been zoned for. In this case, what we have is agricultural land, and people now go to their families to buy agricultural land. Of course, those lands would be sold because those families do not know the use such land would be put to.
The next thing to do is the fence permit. If you missed the earlier information on not knowing the area zoning, at the point of getting the fence permit, you would be able to detect what the area is zoned for. After that, the layout permits a large expense of land follows.”
Olumide noted that a layout permit cannot be obtained if it is not zoned for the purpose it was designed for or for the purpose it was being requested.
“So, you can see all these layers, but people still go ahead to start advertising. Some have even gone to the extent of displaying the sizes they want to sell. Imagine someone in the diaspora who wants to send money without any knowledge. Then, no approval is eventually gotten. Even if they pass the assignment and the survey to them, we would not grant the individual permit, because that area is not zoned for that purpose,” he said.
You may like
This Little Girl was K!dnapped But Found with a Woman in Aba
Pope Francis rushed to hospital
Nigeria’s Accoutant-General: 5 candidates make next stage
Energy expert urges Tinubu to end petrol import, prioritise local refining
“They can go to h£ll” Ribadu blasts Canada for denying military chiefs visa.
DG seeks compulsory recruitment of first-class graduates into DSS
Columns
Nigeria’s Accoutant-General: 5 candidates make next stage

Published
8 hours agoon
February 14, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The selection process for the appointment of an Accountant-General of the Federation has progressed to its final stage, with five candidates successfully advancing to the oral interview.
This development follows the conclusion of the ICT proficiency test conducted for the ten candidates who passed the initial stage of the selection process.
A statement signed by Mrs Eno Olotu,
Director, Information and Public Relations of the Head of Service of the Federation, said the oral interview is scheduled to take place today, Friday.
“This stage will serve as a critical evaluation of the candidates’ leadership abilities and strategic vision for managing the office of the Accountant-General,” the statement said.
The Head of Service of the Federation,
Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, commeneed the rigorous and transparent approach adopted throughout the selection process.
She expressed satisfaction with the professionalism demonstrated so far, highlighting that the ICT proficiency test was conducted on a merit-based platform to ensure that only the most qualified candidates advanced.
“This process underscores our commitment to upholding accountability, equity, and excellence in public service appointments.
“I am pleased with the progress we have made and confident that the oral interview will help us identify the best candidate for this critical role,” the Head of Service stated.
Additionally, the oral interview for the seven Permanent Secretaries who previously qualified will also be held on Friday, 14th February 2025.
Columns
DG seeks compulsory recruitment of first-class graduates into DSS

Published
20 hours agoon
February 14, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
The Director-General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Oluwatosin Ajayi, has called for a policy mandating the recruitment of first-class graduates into the intelligence agency to strengthen national security.
Ajayi made this call while delivering the 2025 Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, University of Ilorin, Kwara State.
In his lecture, titled “The Roles of the DSS in Security, Peacekeeping, and National Integration,” Ajayi emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in recruitment and staffing within security agencies to ensure only the best minds are enlisted.
Represented by the DSS Deputy Director, Mr. Patrick Ikenweiwe, the DG argued that recruiting top academic performers into the DSS should be a compulsory national policy, similar to Israel’s selective university admission system.
The DSS DG stressed the need for a shift in public perception, noting that many Nigerians view security agencies as adversaries rather than allies.
He warned that such attitudes negatively impact intelligence gathering, peacebuilding, and national integration.
“Like I know, in Israel, there is one examination that students take to get admitted into the university. The moment you score above 70 marks, you have no option but to be sent to the university there.”
He contended that intelligence work requires exceptional intellect to tackle sophisticated criminal networks.
“Tell me how would a ‘Dundee’ (dullard) be able to keep security in a criminal gang that is constituted of First Class people? You know, it takes intellect to track criminality.”
“So, if I have my way in this country, and we keep praying that we do the right thing, the academia should be able to supply us, sincerely, the details of students who have excelled in their various fields of study so that they would be forced to serve this great nation,” he said.
The lecture further highlighted the critical role of intelligence agencies in safeguarding national security, emphasising that public perception of security organisations as adversaries rather than allies hampers intelligence gathering and peacebuilding.
Addressing Nigeria’s security landscape, Ikenweiwe noted that traditional threats such as sabotage, subversion, and espionage have evolved into more complex challenges, including terrorism, insurgency, separatist agitations, militancy, cybercrime, and economic sabotage.
He reaffirmed the DSS’s commitment to tackling these threats through strategic collaborations with sister agencies and continuous stakeholder engagement.
Speaking on an overview of the mandate of the DSS, he said the service’s internal security responsibilities are accommodated in the NSA Act CAP N74 LFN, 2024 and SSS Instrument No. 1 of 1999.
“The former summarily mandates the Service to prevent and detect any crime against the internal security of Nigeria as well as protect non-military classified national security matters, while the latter, promulgated by Abdulsalami Abubakar, mandates the service to, among others, prevent, detect and investigate the threat of espionage, subversion, sabotage, terrorism, separatist agitation, law and order and economic crimes of national security dimension.
“The instrument also demands that the DSS gives timely advice to the government on all matters of national security interest. Most importantly, the Service is empowered by the aforementioned legal frameworks to execute other functions as may from time to time be assigned by Mr. President, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
“The centre also offers short-time capacity-building training in those areas. Quite a number of officers from the Nigeria Armed Forces, other security agencies as well as officers of other nations have benefitted from the programmes, graduated and are doing well in their callings,” he said.
Meanwhile, in a related development, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on Wednesday received a delegation from the DSS, led by the Deputy Director-General, Mrs. Afolashade Adekayaoja, at the State House, Abuja.
The visit underscored the administration’s commitment to empowering women in leadership roles within the security sector.
Tinubu applauded the DSS for appointing a woman to such a high-ranking position, stating, “Women who have proven themselves in their careers deserve recognition and leadership roles. This is a testament to my husband’s long-standing belief that women are highly responsible and committed.”
She urged female leaders in the DSS to support one another and diligently execute their duties to inspire future generations.
In response, Adekayaoja expressed gratitude for the administration’s commitment to gender inclusivity and reaffirmed the DSS’s dedication to ensuring national security and stability.
With the push for compulsory recruitment of Nigeria’s brightest minds into intelligence services, the DSS aims to bolster its operational effectiveness in addressing evolving security threats and strengthening national peace and integration.
Columns
Seven Convicts Forfeit Hotel, N230.3m, Others in Makurdi

Published
1 day agoon
February 13, 2025By
Ekwutos Blog
Justice M.S.Abubakar of the Federal High Court, sitting in Makurdi, Benue State has ordered the forfeiture to the federal government, the sum of N232,396,714.00 (Two Hundred and Thirty-two Million, Three Hundred and Ninety-six Thousand, Seven Hundred and Fourteen Naira), a hotel as well as the sum of $4,977 (Four Thousand Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven US Dollars) recovered from seven fraudsters.
The forfeiture followed the conviction and sentencing of the fraudsters,
prosecuted on separate one-count charges, bordering on criminal impersonation, money laundering, cybercrime and obtaining by false pretence by the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The convicts are: Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakekebebe, Godday Conference Brakekebebe, Terhemba Josiah Asagh, Nyiter Avalumun Elijah, Ahmed Alabi Akindele, Kennedy Torbem Ayanger and Hwande Aondooungwa James.
The charge against Brakekebebe reads: “That you Tamaraudeinyefa Shedrack Brakebebe “M” ( 24 years old) in Makurdi, Benue State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did retain the sum of N64,762,169.00 ( Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) in your Access Bank Account Number 0106661087 and the sum of N102,750,246.00 ( One Hundred and Two Million,Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Six Naira) in your Zenith Bank Account number 2650121852, which you reasonably knew to be proceeds of unlawful Act, to wit; Cybercrime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering ( prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18(3)of the same Section.
That of Asagh reads: “That you Terhemba Josiah Asagh “M”( 27 years old) sometime between 2021 and 2025 in Makurdi, Benue State with intent to defraud did send electronic messages via Facebook App with fake identity as an Asian soldier, working for United Nations in the United State of America which reliance, unsuspecting foreigners were caused to suffer loss of about $300,0000 ( Three Hundred Thousand USD, which you converted to your Kuda Bank Account Number 2018650772 and use same in building a Century Crip Inn Hotel, Gboko and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 22(2)(b)of the Cybercrime ( Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 and punishable under same Section of the Act.”
They all pleaded “guilty” to their charges when they were read to them, prompting the review of their cases by prosecuting counsel M.Yusuf, A.S.Idris, A.Gazali K.T.Sunday and Imadifon Igbinidu, who urged the court afterwards to convict and sentence them accordingly.
After listening to prosecution and defence counsel, Justice Abubakar convicted and sentenced Tamaraudeinyefa Brakekebebe to one year imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N102,750,246.00 (One Hundred and Two Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty Six Naira), found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 2650121856 and the sum of N64,762,169.00 (Sixty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Sixty Two Thousand, One Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira) to the federal government.
Godday Brakekebebe was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N56, 633,246 (Fifty-six Million, Six Hundred and Thirty-three Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-six Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 4068151050 and another sum of N200,929.00 (Two Hundred Thousand, Nine Hundred and Twenty-nine Naira ), found in his Access Bank account No: 1462517972 to the federal government.
Asagh was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or to pay N1,500,000,00 (One Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited his Century Crip Inn Hotel, situated at No: 41 Adekaa Yaji Street, Gboko North LGA, Benue State and registered as plot 5352 in Gboko Land Registry and a Mercedes-Benz E350 4Matic with Chassis No: WDDHFBQAA121814 and Registration No: ABJ 367 CY to the federal government.
Elijah bagged one year imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N10million to his victim through the EFCC Recovery Account and forfeit a Mercedes-Benz GLE with chassis No:4J6D5H876A44065 and Registration No ABJ 797 AL to the federal government.
Akindele was convicted and sentenced to two years imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00 ( One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N1,645,000.00 (One Million, Six Hundred and Forty-five Thousand Naira) to his victim.
Ayanger was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment or to pay N100,000.00( One Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he is to restitute the sum of N500,000.00 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) to his victim, while James was convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment or to pay N500,000.00 ( Five Hundred Thousand Naira) fine. In addition, he forfeited the sum of N8,050,124.00 (Eight Million and Fifty Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty-four Naira) found in his Zenith Bank Account No: 4256815018 and as well as $4977 ( Four Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy-seven US Dollars) USD in his wallet account to the federal government.
The road to their ill-fate began when operatives of the Special Task Force (STF) of the Makurdi Zonal Directorate of the EFCC followed credible intelligence on their involvements
in fraudulent criminal activities and arrested them in their hideouts.
Visit www.efcc.gov.ng for more stories

This Little Girl was K!dnapped But Found with a Woman in Aba

Pope Francis rushed to hospital

Nigeria’s Accoutant-General: 5 candidates make next stage
Trending
- Politics12 months ago
Nigerian Senate passes Bill seeking the establishment of the South East Development Commission.
- Business1 year ago
Inflation hits record high of 29.90% on naira weakness
- Politics9 months ago
BREAKING: Federal Gov’t Offers To Pay Above N60,000, Reaches Agreement With Labour
- Trending4 months ago
NYA demands release of ‘abducted’ Imo chairman, preaches good governance
- Business4 months ago
US court acquits Air Peace boss, slams Mayfield $4000 fine
- Politics4 months ago
Mexico’s new president causes concern just weeks before the US elections
- Entertainment4 months ago
Bobrisky transferred from Immigration to FCID, spends night behind bars
- Entertainment4 months ago
Bobrisky falls ill in police custody, rushed to hospital