Category Nigeria News

More than 200 illegal shanties have been destroyed by the Lagos State government, as well as several criminal hideouts beneath Costain, Ijora, and Apapa Road.

Sola Giwa, the Special Adviser to the Governor for Transportation, coordinated the extensive operation with the support of numerous organizations.

The enforcement sought to stop criminal activity along important transportation corridors, restore public spaces, and promote environmental harmony.

A dummy gun and other weapons were discovered hidden under the bridges by Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) employees during the clearance process.

Adebayo Taofiq, the director of public affairs and enlightenment at LASTMA, confirmed the finding in a statement released in Lagos.

He claimed that the items were discovered beneath the Costain Bridge inside impromptu structures used by suspected criminals.

Giwa criticized the state of the affected areas, calling them “a monumental affront to public order and decency.”

He claimed that “no responsive and accountable government would tolerate such blatant lawlessness in vital infrastructure areas.”

READ MORE: One Person Was Killed In A Second Car Accident On the Otedola Bridge Hours After The Accident in Karachi.

He claimed that the operation was a part of an ongoing campaign to stop traffic robberies, drug trafficking, and environmental nuisance.

Giwa also confirmed that the Ijora Bridge area was free of long-abandoned trucks and unlicensed garages that had been turned into criminal dens.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), Lagos Police Force, and others participated in the exercise.

Teams worked together to clean up abandoned cars and wreck abandoned structures in Apapa Road, Ijora, and Costain’s exit from Iponri.

Giwa reaffirmed the state’s commitment to keeping Lagos’ urban renewal pace.

He warned of “swift and decisive sanctions” against any illegal occupants who attempt to travel back to the designated sites.

Giwa continued, “The Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration is committed to a safer, cleaner, and more habitable Lagos.”

Kim Kardashian, a reality TV star, refuted by NASA’s claim that the 1969 Moon landing “didn’t happen,” which has been consistently refuted for decades.

“Yes, we’ve visited the Moon six times,” the statement reads! Sean Duffy, the acting director for NASA, posted a message on X social media.

During the Apollo 11 mission, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin first walked on the surface of the moon.

Also read: Windsor Home, King Charles Strips Andrew Of Royal Titles, and

The most recent comments were made in the most recent episode of the A-list celebrity’s television show “The Kardashians,” which has been circulating for almost 50 years.

Kardashian tells co-star Sarah Paulson, “I’m sending you a million articles with both Buzz Aldrin and the other one.”

In response to a question about the expedition’s scariest moment, Kardashian reads a quote allegedly from Aldrin.

“It didn’t occur, so there wasn’t a scary moment.” She said it could have been frightening, but it wasn’t because it didn’t occur.

It’s not clear which article Kardashian was referring to or whether Aldrin, who was alleged to have punched a man for harassing him about the hoax of Apollo 11, made the comments.

Kardashian once more asserts that the space mission was a fake, citing “a few videos on Buzz Aldrin talking about how it didn’t happen” in an interview with the episode’s producers.

She said, “He says it all the time in interviews now.”

In his X-post, Duffy highlighted NASA’s ongoing moon exploration program known as Artemis, and Kardashian.

By 2026, the Federal Government has made more efforts to put the National Single Window into effect in Nigeria’s ports.

According to Vice President Kashim Shettima, the initiative aims to harmonise port records, lessen human contact, and improve cargo clearance transparency.

He referred to the strategy as a “game changer” for port operations.

Shettima stated that the policy intends to significantly shorten the time to clear cargoes at the Presidential Villa during its second meeting.

We want to cut the average time for cargo clearance in Nigeria from seven days to the end of 2026, he said.

According to him, the goal is to place Nigerian ports among Africa’s top three most effective trade centers.

Read more about Fubara’s pledge to support NDE to promote the creation of jobs in rivers.

He noted that port operations across the nation would be transformed by the introduction of the National Single Window in the first quarter of 2026.

Shettima lamented that Nigeria charges 30% more for goods clearing than many regional competitors, noting that these errors lead to higher consumer prices, lower investment costs, and lower export competitiveness.

Our ports consistently have longer cargo dwell times than the average on the planet. He said, “We cannot afford to go down this path.”

The Vice President ordered the NPA, NCS, NAFDAC, SON, and other organizations to create a roadmap for a robust weights and measures framework.

He added that the framework would verify weighing equipment and protect consumers from fraud to ensure fairness in trade.

He believes that precise measurement is essential for efficiency and international trade standards.

Increasing Efficiency

Shettima expressed hope that the pending President Bola Tinubu’s Executive Order on Joint Physical Inspection would address long-standing bottlenecks.

He said, “This is the start of a new era where systems communicate effectively and agencies collaborate.”

He emphasized that port operations would be speedily, transparent, and predictably governed by the new order.

The Vice President urged agency synergy, claiming that the days of working alone were over.

He remarked that “no reform succeeds without ownership.”

He urged all port-related organizations to operate as a single value chain, including NPA, Customs, NAFDAC, NDLEA, SON, Immigration, and Quarantine Service.

He argued that “inter-agency rivalry must replace collaboration.” Our effectiveness is determined by our cooperativeness.

Zahrah Audu, the director-general of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), made a point about how poor port operations affect the ease of doing business.

She urged stakeholders to increase efficiency and stressed that the committee’s efforts reflect a shared desire to compete with Nigeria’s ports on a global scale.

Mr. Abubakar Dantsoho, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, emphasized that synergy is essential for efficiency.

You can’t work efficiently at ports without collaboration and partnership, he said.

He noted that the relevant agencies’ joint inspection and boarding have led to progress being tracked by the Customs and Ports Efficiency Committee.

To increase port competitiveness, Dantsoho identified technology adoption, infrastructure upgrades, and human capacity development as top priorities.

On Thursday, a collision involving four vehicles and an articulated truck caused significant traffic disruption on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway’s Otedola Bridge axis.

The incident took place shortly after a fatal collision on Kara Bridge, which resulted in gridlock on the expressway and the death of several people.

No fatalities were reported at the time of the accident, despite one occupant getting a minor head injury.

Eyewitnesses reported that the truck reportedly had brake problems, rammed into the front-facing car, and caused a chain-collision involving three other cars.

When the accident occurred, emergency response personnel were stranded, leaving victims to assist them as they arrived at the scene.

Read more about the fatalities of five policemen in a truck collision on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Numerous commuters spent hours in traffic as a result of the collision, which caused severe gridlock on both sides of the bridge.

Officials from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) were scheduled to begin clearing operations.

In the event that the affected vehicles are completely gone, drivers are urged to use caution and take alternative routes.

Accident at Kara Bridge

A fuel tanker and several trucks collided late on Wednesday night in the earlier crash on Kara Bridge.

A police inspector was among the confirmed dead, along with several other people who were hurt, at least six.

One of the trucks, according to witnesses, lost control and struck other vehicles, causing a chain-collision and a fire outbreak.

Eight casualties were reported, according to the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), and rescue and evacuation efforts are still being conducted.

The incident also worsened the situation with a towing van that was brought in to separate the trucks.

Five articulated vehicles were involved, according to the police commissioner, Olorundare Jimoh, who confirmed the incident and attributed the failure of the brakes to the officer.

He claimed that the perpetrators would face charges if three injured people were taken to the hospital.

Siminalayi Fubara, governor of Rhodes, has pledged to support his administration’s full commitment to working with the state’s youth and women to create jobs.

Governor Fubara made the pledge on Thursday when he made the visit to Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, with the delegation led by the NDE Director-General, Silas Agara.

The governor stated that the governor’s administration would work closely with the NDE to increase the number of people who are receiving federal government employment and empowerment programs.

He argued that sub-national governments deserved praise for President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to boost job creation through the agency.

Fubara recalled a personal story that reinforced his faith in the NDE, narrating how his cousin, who had been working for the Directorate without any influence, was hired in Port Harcourt about 30 years ago.

He cited it as proof that transparent processes could transform lives, and he also expressed confidence that the agency would continue to support fairness and merit in its programs.

The governor stressed the need for renewed optimism and determination while recognizing that Rivers State continues to be a strategic hub due to its sea ports, expanding oil companies, and population growth.

He requested more information from the State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Chisom Gbali, in order to inform the government’s follow-up, and expressed particular interest in the three NDE farm centers that the Director-General mentioned.

Gov . Women are a crucial but frequently overlooked component of the migration and development process, according to Fabara, who also praised the Directorate’s commitment to women empowerment.

He urged the NDE to collaborate closely with the Employment Ministry to ensure that the state fully benefits from both the state’s ongoing and upcoming initiatives.

In order to improve coordination and improve the effectiveness of their collaboration, Governor Fubara suggested the creation of a joint state-NDE team.

He cited the state’s broader economic vision and the ongoing infrastructure projects, including the Ngo-Atlantic-Oyorokoto Road in Andoni, which he claimed would unlock the state’s potential for blue economy and tourism.

He believes that opening access to the Ngo beach area and Oyorokoto, rumored to be West Africa’s largest fishing settlement, would result in employment and investment.

He added that the less fortunate can obtain basic necessities like food, education, and shelter, putting the risk of increasing inequality in society at risk.

READ ALSO: Fubara Tells Traditional Rulers That Governance Is Back On Track in Rivers

Agara praised the governor’s open-door policy earlier in his remarks, claiming it had promoted collaboration and progress.

The NDE boss explained that since taking over the presidency in 2024, the organization has implemented a number of youth empowerment initiatives, including the training and engagement of over 90,000 beneficiaries nationwide.

In the upcoming weeks, he announced plans to train 500 more youths in 12 local government areas and give more people with disabilities opportunities.

He claimed that the NDE is also conducting training for rural women in agricultural and technical skills as well as for youth employment in the oil and gas industry.

Agara expressed hope that the agency’s Rivers State skill acquisition and farm centers would be fully operational by 2026, stressing that all of its procedures are ICT-enabled to ensure access to information and transparency.

A source told AFP on Thursday that Real Madrid and the Super League promoters are suing UEFA for more than $4 billion in damages after they falsely accused them of torpedoing the breakaway competition.

A Spanish court on Wednesday rejected UEFA’s contested league appeal.

The Super League project, which was proposed by 12 prestigious European clubs in 2021, quickly fell apart due to fierce opposition from English club supporters and threats from UEFA and FIFA.

The Super League’s ban was deemed unlawful by the European Court of Justice in December 2023.

A Spanish judge ruled that FIFA and UEFA were using their dominant position and engaging in anti-competitive behavior by opposing the Super League last year.

On Wednesday, the Madrid court rejected appeals from La Liga and the Spanish Football Federation.

A22 Sports Management, the project’s promoter, expressed regret over UEFA’s “refused any path of compromise” and “reforms” despite several months of discussions, and that it had “no other choice” but to “initiate proceedings to obtain compensation for the damages suffered.”

A22 CEO Bernd Reichart said, “UEFA can no longer ignore binding court decisions,” after years of legal proceedings.

They have caused significant harm to numerous clubs, players, and other stakeholders in Europe by abusing their monopoly and preventing new initiatives.

READ MORE: Mbappe, Madrid’s transfer from Bellingham to El Clasico

Although the court’s decision addresses regulations that have been completely rewritten, its scope is uncertain.

The governing body of European football said in a statement sent to AFP on Wednesday that this decision does not support the abandoned “super league” project announced in 2021 nor does it violate UEFA’s current authorisation rules, which were updated in 2024 and adopted in 2022, which continue to be in force.

These guidelines establish objective, fair, impartial, non-discriminatory, and proportionate criteria for the evaluation of any cross-border competitions.

Real Madrid claimed that the decision “confirmed that UEFA seriously violated the European Union’s free competition rules” by “abusing its dominant position.”

Real Madrid stated in a statement that the club “agrees that it will continue to work for the good of global football and fans, and that it has received significant damages from UEFA.”