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Emmanuel lkpeama

The Law Officers Association of Nigeria (LOAN), Kogi State Chapter, has commended the State Government under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo for its commitment to the welfare of civil servants and the development of the state.

In a letter jointly signed by the Chairman, S. A. Yusuf, Esq., and the Secretary, Suleiman Yakubu, Esq addressed to the Honourable Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, the Association expressed appreciation for the government’s attention to the welfare and working conditions of public servants, including law officers.

“We reaffirm our dedication to the success of your administration’s programmes and policies for the overall progress and development of our dear State.”

“We look forward to the opportunity to meet with Your Excellency and further appreciate you,” the letter stated.

The Association went further to reaffirm its support for the administration and pledged to collaborate with relevant institutions to strengthen justice delivery and promote good governance in Kogi State.

The body also withdrew an earlier notice that had been issued in error and tendered an unreserved apology to the State Government and all concerned.

LOAN explained that the previous notice resulted from a communication gap, and that the leadership of the Association had since reviewed the matter and taken corrective action.

“We regret any inconvenience caused by the earlier notice and wish to assure the Government of our utmost respect, cooperation, and professionalism in all future engagements,” the letter added.

The Association described Governor Ododo’s administration as responsive, people-focused, and result-oriented, and assured the government of its readiness to provide professional and ethical legal services in line with the administration’s commitment to justice, accountability, and service to the people.

Investigator news reports that copies of the letter were forwarded to top government functionaries including the Honourable Chief Judge of Kogi State, the Secretary to the State Government, the Head of Civil Service, and the Commissioners for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, among others.

It also assured the government of its readiness to continue providing professional and ethical legal services in line with the administration’s commitment to justice, accountability, and service to the people.

 

 

 

 

$4 Billion Refinery Fraud: Protesters Storm ICPC Headquarters, Call for Probe of MSM Group’s Connection to Missing Funds

Hundreds of protesters, led by the Concerned Lawyers and Citizens Network (CLCN), stormed the headquarters of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja on Thursday demanding an immediate investigation into what they described as a massive $4 billion fraud involving the MSM Group and missing funds meant for Nigeria’s refinery rehabilitation.

In a speech delivered by Sambari G. Benjamin, Esq., the CLCN accused the MSM Group, a conglomerate with ties to Engineer Mele Kolo Kyari, former Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), of being a front for laundering stolen public funds.

The group pointed to the mysterious disappearance of $2.896 billion allocated for the rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries, which remain non-functional despite the massive investment.

“We are here because something is deeply wrong,” Benjamin declared to a crowd of supporters and journalists.

“MSM Group is not just a business; it is a vessel of money laundering, a shell of secrecy, and a front for repurposing stolen public funds.”

The CLCN highlighted MSM Group’s recent $2.4 billion deal with the Kebbi State Government to build a cement plant, questioning the source of the funds and the company’s sudden emergence in industries ranging from oil and gas to cement and agriculture.

The protesters raised concerns about a conflict of interest, noting that a former bank account officer of Kyari is now a director at MSM Group, and the conglomerate has refused to disclose its investors or funding sources.

“How did MSM Group secure $2.4 billion with no prior footprint in cement?” Benjamin asked.

“Why do these funds correspond with the missing money meant for our refineries? This is not coincidence. This is corruption with a family name.”

The protesters demanded that the ICPC launch a full-scale investigation into MSM Group’s financial operations, uncover its links to Kyari’s tenure at NNPCL, expose its investors and directors, and recover every kobo diverted from the refinery funds.

They also called for accountability for all individuals involved, regardless of their influence.

“We speak for the mechanic in Kaduna, the mother in Warri, and the youth in Port Harcourt who have been robbed of opportunity, dignity, and truth,” Benjamin said.

“This is about justice and restoring faith in our institutions.”

The CLCN vowed to continue their agitation until the truth is revealed and justice is served, warning that Nigerians will not be silenced or intimidated.

“Let this day be remembered as the moment Nigerians stood up and said: Enough is enough with the theft of our commonwealth,” Benjamin concluded.

Emmanuel Clement 

The Kogi State Ministry of Water Resources has organized a cascaded training on Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) for its staff members.

This initiative aligns with the Advanced New Direction Administration’s goals under Governor Usman Ododo’s leadership.

While addressing the participants yesterday, the Honourable Commissioner, Engr. Yahaya MD Farouk, lauded the efforts of the current administration of Usman Ododo, the Chief Servant, in making life easy for the citizenry.

He acknowledged the significance of the training in improving service delivery and addressing malnutrition challenges in the State.

While appreciating the staffers of the Ministry for their dedication to duty, the Commissioner emphasised the need for the training to be continuous across other departments of the Ministry to reinforce its importance.

The Director of Nutrition of the Ministry, Engr. Peter Arome provided an overview of the training/workshop by introducing the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (IMAM) approach and its relevance to the current public health nutrition challenges in the State.

In his goodwill message, the Director of Planning, Ministry of Finance and Budget who is the State Coordinator for FSTP, Mall. Abubakar Musa, acknowledged the importance of the topic in question and the collective responsibility to implement the initiatives discussed for the benefit of humanity while appreciating the Ministry’s efforts in launching such a timely and impactful event. He also thanked the donors for their support.

Earlier, the lead facilitator, Mrs. Funmilayo Alapo of the Nutrition Department of Kogi State Ministry of Health led the technical session that focused on the definition and measurement of acute malnutrition, correction methods, outpatient programme design and thereafter, gave a practical demonstration on the use of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) for screening. This was followed by a question and answer session and finally, the Cascaded training ended with a charge to ensure that the right thing is done all the time.

The step-down training on the Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition was conducted by the Kogi State Ministry of Water Resources to build the capacity of the staff members and enhance awareness on managing malnutrition effectively.

At the end of the one day training, the participants expressed satisfaction in the timeliness of the training and the method of delivery which they described as very impactful and well received.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emmanuel Clement 

The Executive Chairman of Somolu Local Government, Hon. Lateef Ashimi, has emphasized the need for synergy among security personnel to effectively tackle security challenges in the community.

Ashimi made this call when he hosted the Police Area Commander, Ogudu, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sola Omilade, and other security agencies, including the NSCDC.

He said,”I think the Security challenges facing our communities can easily be curtailed if the Army, Police, DSS, NSCDC,Vigilante groups and other relevant security agencies work closely together ”

“We are in the world of Information Technology,prompt information sharing is key amongst security agencies in this world where criminals use sophisticated weapons and well coordinated”

Ashimi went further to assure the Area Commander of the support of his administration in ensuring that security menace are stamped out of the Local Government area .

“We are ready and willing to support the Police and the Security agencies, it is one of our core responsibilities of our administration,”he said

He gave this advice when the Area Commander,Area “H”Command,OGUDU Assistant Commissioner of Police Sola Omilade paid him a Courtesy visit.

The investigator news reports that,he was accompanied by the Alade Divisional Police Officer CSP Olatunji Oladimeji .

Investigator news gathered that he equally had audience with the Commandant of NSCDC , Somolu Command Superintendent Esther Ibidunni Akoba and their discussions centred on how to improve security architecture in Somolu Local Government and Lagos State in general.

 

Emmanuel Clement 

The Chairman of the vibrant Mile 12 International Market, Alhaji Shehu Usman ‘Sampam’, has set a bold target ahead of the 2027 general elections. With a visionary spirit, he declared that 10,000 traders, artisans, and workers in the market must secure or update their Permanent Voter’s Card.

His inspiring leadership continues to make the Mile 12 community a rallying point for civic participation in Lagos and beyond.

The member of the Lagos State Market Advisory Council, Alhaji Shehu Usman, explained that voter registration is far more than a bureaucratic process. It is the foundation of citizens’ voices in democracy.

He called on every trader and worker to take responsibility by registering, reminding them that their future is shaped not just by their business, but by their votes.

The leader of the Arewa Lagos East Senatorial District, Alhaji Shehu Usman ‘Sampam’, emphasizes that unity in democratic participation is the strength of the market community.

According to him, the target of 10,000 PVCs is not just about numbers but about collective empowerment. His campaign has become a symbol of hope and civic awakening.

He further directed that all traders and their workers should shelve every travel plan during the elections and remain within the Mile 12 community to exercise their civic rights.

This bold call underscores his deep conviction that presence at the ballot box is as important as presence in the marketplace. Civic duty, he insists, cannot be postponed.

In addition, Alhaji Shehu Usman stated that while the government continues to deliver its mandate to the people, Nigerians must also rise to their civic responsibility by ensuring they have their PVCs and by casting their votes.

This dual responsibility, between government and citizens, is what strengthens democracy.

Ultimately, the 2027 vision of 10,000 PVCs is a stirring symbol of unity, responsibility, and democratic pride. Chairman Sampam has shown that leadership, when fused with conviction, can transform a market community into a powerful voice in shaping Nigeria’s political destiny.

Emmanuel Clement 

The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has approved a comprehensive retraining program for the senior command of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA).

The 5-day executive leadership and capacity-development convocation of fifty (50) zonal heads of the Authority, culminating in eighty-two (82) principal officers aims to enhance the managerial sophistication and intellectual armory of LASTMA’s strategic hierarchy.

This initiative builds on the Governor’s earlier directive to retrain over 3,000 frontline personnel across the Agency. The retraining program will focus on doctrines of ethical stewardship, strategic foresight, evidence-based decision-making, and sustainable urban mobility management.

By endowing LASTMA’s strategic hierarchy with enhanced managerial sophistication and broadened intellectual armoury, Governor Sanwo-Olu’s administration aspires to engender an agile, adaptive, and globally consonant traffic governance architecture capable of mastering the ceaseless complexities and protean demands of Lagos’ metropolitan arteries.

This gubernatorial imprimatur epitomises the Governor’s cognizance of the irreplaceable salience of the Agency’s leadership stratum, the very fulcrum upon which operational efficiency and disciplinary cohesion of field officers pivot. The retraining enterprise, therefore, is purposed to inculcate doctrines of ethical stewardship, strategic foresight, evidence-based decision-making, and sustainable urban mobility management thus fortifying LASTMA’s institutional resilience against the vicissitudes of Lagos’ dynamic traffic realities.

Declaring the programme open, the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, extolled the Governor’s perspicacious intervention, portraying it as a deliberate and inestimable investment in the intellectual and professional capital of the Authority. He averred that the exercise would serve as a catalytic crucible for professional refinement, operational concord, and an augmented reservoir of public confidence in the Agency’s statutory mandate.

 

According to Mr. Bakare-Oki, “The training modules encompass Job Description and Performance Management, Effective Leadership in Organisational Development, Incident Management and Conflict Resolution with Emotional Intelligence, Effective Communication and Presentation Skills, Stress and Health Management, as well as Ethical Standards and Discipline.”

Earlier in his remarks, the Director of Training and Human Capacity Development of LASTMA, Mr. Akinpelu Ayuba, lauded the Governor’s indefatigable devotion to unlocking the latent potential embedded within the Agency’s human resources. He asserted that perpetual training and retraining constitute the quintessence of institutional vitality and inevitably contribute to heightened efficiency in service delivery to the motoring citizenry.

Mr. Ayuba further enjoined Lagos motorists to consistently adhere to extant traffic regulations and to demonstrate civility, decorum, and reciprocal respect in their engagements with traffic officers. He underscored that the cultivation of constructive attitudinal comportment is indispensable to the consolidation of a safe, orderly, and progressive motoring environment across the State.

For prompt intervention during emergencies, road mishaps, or traffic-related emergencies, the motoring public is urged to avail themselves of LASTMA’s multilingual toll-free hotline: 080000527862, accessible in Yoruba, English, and Pidgin.

 

 

 

Emmanuel Clement

The Mushin community witnessed a significant milestone on August 23 as the First Lady of the Federation,Her Excellency,Senator Oluremi Tinubu, unveiled the Industrial Leather Hub at Daily Need Road, Matori Industrial Layout.

The hub, built by the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, aims to empower local artisans with essential resources, training, and educational opportunities.

In a notable announcement during the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu renamed the hub the Senator Oluremi Industrial Leather Hub, recognizing the First Lady’s instrumental contributions in bringing this transformative project to fruition and further solidifying her commitment to uplifting local communities.

 

Investigator news reports that the Senator Oluremi Industrial Leather Hub is designed to enhance skill development, product quality, and innovation, serving as a catalyst for local manufacturing and job creation within the community.

Speaking with newsmen,Hon. Seyi Jakande,emphasized the project’s role in bolstering the economy and creating job opportunities for youth and artisans.

“This initiative is pivotal to bolstering our economy and creating job opportunities for our youth and artisans.”

“Together, we can transform our community into a thriving center for creativity and craftsmanship.”he submitted

Investigator news gathered that the unveiling attracted a significant turnout, including the wife of the Vice President, Hajia Nana Shettimah, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, members of the National Assembly, APC chieftains, Lagos State Government officials, business stakeholders, and passionate party faithful.

The event underscored the community’s excitement and commitment to this groundbreaking initiative, promising to enrich the lives of many.

 

 

By Emmanuel Ikpeama 

A non-Governmental Organization (NGO) based in Ioslo, Oliyide Poverty Alleviation Solution (OPAS-Africa),in collaboration with Justice Forum Oshodi Constituency 2, has organised free Computer training programme for over 100 students in Lagos into its 2-month free computer training.

Speaking during the Flag off ceremony of the programme at the OPAS office in Isolo on Thursday 14, August 2025, the founder of OPAS Africa,Hon. Ayodele Oliyide Abdulafez, said the essence of the programme was ‘giving back to the society ‘which is targeted at reducing poverty, making life worth living for humanity through empowerment of the youths.

Investigator news reports that the Computer training programme titled Computer literacy a panacea to good governance in the 21st century was the third in series as over 100 students would be given a free basic computer training.

Hon Oliyide went further to appeal to the children to make good use of the opportunity as the training is not an opportunity for them to indulge into yahoo but rather to make a living out of it.

According to him,the essences is looking at how to push the young ones that possibly don’t have that capacity to push ahead, stating that it is not everybody that see him or herself to be somewhere that has the ability to get there.

Oliyide said ” Two months is not enough for them to be a standard computer literate but they would have the basic foundation. This exercise is not the first one nor the second and it came up as a result of somebody trying to see how to give back to the society from the little he has”

“And the essences is looking at how to push the young ones that possibly don’t have that capacity to push ahead because it is not everybody that see him or herself to be somewhere that has the ability to get there.”

Oliyide who is an architect by profession and soon to be “Barrister ” urge the children not to limit their dreams but see themselves achieving their goal through the help of God and their hard work and determination.

“There is nothing that be can a stumbling block for you to achieve in this world,see anything ahead of you as something that would give you strength,not the one that will weaken you.

“Whatever training you are going to receive,is a stepping stone to wherever you are going to. Don’t limit dream, always dream large because you don’t know where you are going to;if you dream small, you will discover that you will not go beyond the point you are but when you dream large, you will discover that as you are going, your strength will be pushing you “he submitted

While appealing to the parents to always encourage the children so that they can be able to complete the two months training.

Speaking with newsmen,the Chairman Milaco hotel,Alhaji Mukaila Ajao and Apex  leader of Justice forum commended the organiser for such initiative, while urging the children to make good use of the opportunity and develop themselves.

Also speaking, the Councilor representing Okota ward in Isolo LCDA,Hon Ajose Jamiu stated that it is a great opportunity for the children to achieve another phase of edition, while acknowledging Hon Oliyide for putting up such initiative.

Pastor Dele Adeyemo, while admonishing the children added that the knowledge of computer would enable them to understand the dynamics of governance in the 21st century, thereby preparing them for future political challenges such as electronic voting which he believed Nigeria would soon deploy.

Pastor Dawodu urge them not to acquire the knowledge because of yahoo as many has lost their sanity due to internet fraud,admonishing them to be serious with the computer training.

An Islami clergyman, Alhaji Ustaz Abdulsewu advised the students to grap the opportunity with full seriousness, telling them to be of good behavior while learning.

He also told them to make use the knowledge in positive ways for their own development as well as the society as a whole.

Investigator news gathered that the two months training which commenced on the 11th of August would have two sessions (Morning and Afternoon)as they would be trained in desktop publishing and other basic foundation.

The event was attended by leaders of Justice forum of the All Progressive Congress (Ejigbo and Isolo), members of the All Progressive Congress Party including Alhaji Fatai Kasumu (APC Chairman Ejigbo),Hon Adedoyin Pikuda( Apc State Auditor), Alhaji Wahabi Raji,Rtd.Major Adebgesin(Chairman Ejigbo Justice forum), AIhaji Milaco Ajao,Hon Jamiu Ajose(Councilor Okota ward,Isolo LCDA).

Others are Barrister Kayode Ademiluyi (Convener AUG),Mr Sunday Adeyemo,Hon Agbabiaka yussuf ,Hon Rasak Abdusalam, Pastor Dele Adeyemo, Pastor Dawodu,ward chairmen among others.