Landmark

The Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, MON, has embarked on a 3-day official working visit to the Czech Republic to strengthen defence industrial cooperation between Nigeria and the Czech Republic. The Minister, who led a delegation comprising senior officials of the Ministry of Defence, the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), attended the Czech Air Force Day/Air Show and Defence Exhibition in Ostrava, where modern and heavy defence equipment produced by the Czech defence industry were on display. On the sidelines of the exhibition, Dr. Matawalle held a strategic bilateral meeting with his counterpart, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the Czech Republic, *Lt. Gen. Jaromír Zuna (Rtd).* Discussions at the meeting centred on strengthening the existing strategic partnership and deepening collaboration and cooperation between the Federal Republic of Nigeri...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has widened its probe into the controversial insurance industry recapitalisation exercise, with invitation letters now being issued to other operators beyond the initial petitioners. A letter dated 3rd September 2026 and addressed to the Managing Director of Linkage Assurance Plc, Mr Daniel Braie, at the company’s Abuja office, 29 Aswan Street, Wuse Zone 3, confirms the expansion. Titled “Investigation activities letter of invitation – Re: capitalisation exercise in the insurance sector,” the correspondence from the EFCC’s Capital Market and Insurance Fraud Section requires Braie to report for an interview on Thursday, 24th September 2026. The development comes amid growing pressure on Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), to step aside.  Industry stakeholders and civil society organisations have intensified calls for his immediate suspension or...

By Thomas Agagu ‎ ‎In the life of any institution, recognition means little when it is detached from results. But when an honour follows measurable achievements, it becomes a useful reminder that hard work is being noticed and that a new direction is beginning to make an impact. ‎ ‎This is the context in which Bashir Bayo Ojulari's emergence as the 2026 Leadership Newspapers CEO of the Year (Public Sector) should be viewed. ‎ ‎The recognition comes at a particularly important moment for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, as the national oil company records stronger financial performance, attracts fresh investment, advances critical oil and gas projects and pursues reforms aimed at making the organisation more efficient, transparent and commercially competitive. ‎ ‎The figures behind the recognition make the story even more compelling. In the first six months of 2026, NNPCL recorded N19.04 trillion in revenue and N2.28 trillion in profit after tax. Between January and ...

The Minister of State for Defence H. E. Dr. Bello Muhammed Matawalle, MON, has called for stronger continental cooperation, intelligence sharing and interoperability among African Armed Forces to defeat terrorism, transnational organized crime and emerging security threats confronting the continent. Dr. Matawalle made the call while delivering Nigeria's address at the *18th Ordinary Session of the Specialised Technical Committee on Defence, Safety and Security (STCDSS) and the 21st Ordinary Meeting of African Chiefs of Defence Staff and Heads of Safety and Security* held in Bujumbura, Burundi. Addressing Honourable Ministers, the AU Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Chiefs of Defence Staff and members of the Diplomatic Corps, the Minister said the relevance of the STCDSS cannot be overstated at a time Africa is confronted by increasingly complex and interconnected security challenges. “Terrorism and violent extremism, transnational organized crime, trafficking...

The Police prosecuting counsel Stanley Nwafoaku from the Directorate of legal services of Federal Criminal Investigation Department of Nigeria Police Force Alagbon Ikoyi Lagos today, arraigned two ladies alleged to have conspired together to cause the transmission of false publication concerning Access bank to the effect that the lender is shutting down its operations. When the three count charge were read to them, the two Defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.  Thereafter Barrister Nwafoaku urged the court to remand them in the custody of Nigerian correctional services and fix a date for trial. However, Cyhtia Nwanpu who stood in for Ifenna Okeke, counsel for both defendants, asked for a short date to file a  formal bail application. The presiding Judge, Akintayo Aluko, while remanding the defendants in custody of the Nigerian correctional services, adjourned till November 25, 2026 for trial pending when the defence counsel should have filed bail application, which wil...

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved the appointment of Mrs Olubunmi Omotayo Oso as Secretary of the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB). The appointment, according to the Head of Service, Mr Iskeel Olanrewaju Saka, is aimed at strengthening leadership continuity and improving operational efficiency in the state’s basic education administration. Saka said the appointment was made in accordance with the Ogun State Universal Basic Education Board Law, 2005, and established procedures for appointing qualified officers to senior positions in the state public service. He charged Oso to deploy her wealth of experience and professional expertise to advance the implementation of the state’s education policies and contribute to the realisation of the “Building Our Future Together” agenda of the Abiodun administration. Oso, born on November 21, 1972, joined the Ogun State Civil Service on June 11, 1999, as an Education Officer II. She holds a Bachelor of Science ...

The Coalition for Good Governance in Nigeria (CGGN) has called for the immediate resignation of Olusegun Ayo Omosehin, Commissioner for Insurance and Chief Executive Officer of the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), over what it described as a deepening regulatory and financial crisis that threatens to destroy public confidence in the nation’s insurance industry. In a statement signed by Salisu Mohammed, the group said Omosehin’s continued stay in office while a formal petition against him and NAICOM sits before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) constitutes a clear and present danger to the sector and an affront to accountability. “The petition before the EFCC is not a minor administrative disagreement. It centres on alleged unlawful demands for a one per cent capital injection fee, forced transfer of entire capital funds into CBN escrow accounts contrary to Section 16(3) of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act 2025, and the collection of about ₦180 million...

The Ogun Youth Vanguard (OYV), a pressure group, has hit back at attempts to question the indigeneship of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, describing the campaign as a desperate political strategy aimed at frustrating the longstanding aspiration of the Yewa people to produce the next governor of Ogun State. In a statement issued in Abeokuta on Friday by its Secretary, Abdulhamid Irewole, OYV challenged those questioning Adeola’s roots to produce their evidence before the appropriate judicial or constitutional authorities rather than resorting to what it described as a campaign of calumny through television appearances and social media. The group alleged that political interests opposed to Adeola’s emergence had deployed individuals to television stations to cast doubts on his ancestry, describing the development as an attempt to “chase shadows” and divert attention from the APC candidate’s record of service....

The Centre for Public Accountability and Social Well-being is declared support for the Lagos State House of Assembly position on the allocation of portions of a disputed parcel of land to the Ojaekomo and Ojomu royal families. Speaking at press briefing on the outcome of the House of Assembly intervention on the land dispute, the Secretary of the Centre, Oluwagbamila Oluwasegun, and counsel to the Ojaekomo family, Olu Akinkuowo, Esq. said the Assembly reached the position at a meeting held on September 10, 2026, following petitions and concerns over the ownership and use of the land. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Ojaekomo and Ojomu families, Bashiru Fakorede and his counsel, the Executive Secretary of the Lands Bureau, the Surveyor-General and other government officials. The meeting was presided over by the Chairman of the relevant House Committee, Hon. Noheem Adams, who represents Eti-Osa Constituency and is the Majority Leader of the Assembly. According to the Ce...

By Sunday Johnson ‎ ‎“The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.” This observation, widely attributed to American basketball coach, John Wooden, captures something important about leadership; that the character of a leader is often revealed not by the speech he makes, but by the things he chooses to do when applause is absent. ‎ ‎In General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede, Nigeria appears to have a military leader whose understanding of service goes beyond rank, uniform and command. Since assuming office as Chief of Defence Staff, he has continued to demonstrate that leadership in the Armed Forces is ultimately about responsibility, sacrifice and the welfare of the men and women entrusted with defending the nation. ‎ ‎Oluyede's journey to the highest professional position in Nigeria's military establishment did not happen overnight. Born in Ikere, Ekiti State, in 1968, he joined the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1987 and was commissioned into the Niger...

L-R: Director General of the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) Campaign Council, Senator Lekan Mustapha; the state party chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi; former Governor of the state, Chief Olusegun Osoba; Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun; governorship candidate of the party, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, and the deputy goverernship candidate, Mrs Kudirat Abiodun Balogun, during the inauguration of the APC Campaign Council at the June 12 Cultural Center, Kuto, Abeokuta on Thursday... Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on Thursday inaugurated the State Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general elections, charging members to immediately commence consultations, grassroots mobilisation and sustained engagement with voters across the state. Abiodun, who is Chairman of the Campaign Council, said the inauguration marked the beginning of a new phase in the party’s preparations for the elections, directing members to translate the coun...

Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has accused the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) of misinterpreting and selectively implementing insurance laws, warning that its actions could weaken the Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation (NAIC), cost jobs and discourage investment in agriculture. Agbese, who is also a member of the House Committee on Insurance and Actuarial Matters, said the matter went beyond a disagreement between a regulator and an institution, arguing that NAIC plays an important role in protecting agricultural investments and providing confidence to farmers, businesses and investors. Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, the Labour Party lawmaker said the regulatory process surrounding NAIC required urgent scrutiny, particularly amid concerns over NAICOM’s implementation of the insurance sector recapitalisation programme. “The issue before us is bigger than a regulatory disagreement. NAIC is a strategic institution with a ...

The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has condemned the reported sporadic shooting involving security personnel attached to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, in Ososa, the hometown of the APC deputy governorship candidate, Mrs. Kudirat Abiodun Adegunwa-Balogun. The party called on the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tunji Disu, to urgently order a thorough and impartial investigation into the incident and ensure that anyone found culpable is held accountable. In a statement issued on Wednesday night by its State Publicity Secretary, Comrade Olufemi Nuberu, the APC said it received the report with alarm and concern, questioning why security operatives attached to a governorship candidate would allegedly discharge firearms in a populated area. According to the party, Adebutu and his campaign team were returning from Ijebu-Ode when they passed through Ososa, where members of the security team allegedly opened fire and sh...

L-R: The Archbishop of the Province of Lagos and the Diocesan Bishop of Remo; The Most Reverend Dr. Michael Olusina Fape,Dean, Church of Nigeria; The Most Rev Dr. Blessing Eyindah,Ogun State Governor; Prince Dapo Abiodun, The Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of Church of Nigeria; The Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba and his wife; Mrs Angela Ndukuba during the opening of the 15th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria( Anglican Communion) held at Our Saviour's Anglican Church, Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State on Wednesday. Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has called on the Church to take a frontline role in the campaign against vote-buying, electoral violence, intimidation and misinformation ahead of the 2027 general elections. Abiodun made the call on Wednesday at the 15th General Synod of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, held at Our Saviour’s Anglican Church, Ikenne, in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. The Governor urged Christian leaders to deploy their influe...

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun State Chapter, will on Thursday, September 17, 2026, inaugurate its newly constituted Campaign Council as the party formally intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections. The inauguration, which will hold at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, is expected to bring together members of the various committees and structures constituted to coordinate the party’s campaign activities across the state. In a statement issued in Abeokuta, the State Chairman of the party, Chief Yemi Sanusi, directed all members of the Campaign Council to arrive at the venue by 8:30 a.m., ahead of the commencement of the programme at 10:00 a.m. prompt. Sanusi described the inauguration as a significant step in the party’s mobilisation and campaign efforts, urging members of the council to approach their responsibilities with commitment, discipline and a clear understanding of the task ahead. He charged members to work collectively, strengthen the party...

The Ogun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has unveiled its 2027 Governorship Campaign Council, bringing together the state’s major political heavyweights in a formidable campaign structure ahead of the election. Former Governor and APC chieftain, Chief Olusegun Osoba, former governors Senator Gbenga Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Governor Dapo Abiodun and the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, are among the prominent political leaders occupying strategic positions in the council. The composition, which cuts across the party’s major political blocs and brings together experienced campaigners, strategists and grassroots mobilisers, signals a concerted effort by the APC to consolidate its ranks and build a coordinated statewide machinery for the 2027 contest. According to the organogram, Osoba is listed as Grand Patron, while Daniel and Amosun are Deputy Grand Patrons. Governor Abiodun serves as Chairman of the Ca...

Fifty years after its establishment, Omoluorogbo Grammar School (OGSA) is set to celebrate its Golden Jubilee with a three-day programme that will bring together generations of old students, serving and former teachers, parents, friends and other stakeholders from Nigeria and the diaspora. The anniversary, scheduled for October 29 to 31, 2026, is expected to combine celebration, reunion, thanksgiving and reflection with a renewed commitment to the development of the institution. Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Implementation Committee, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the Golden Jubilee was an opportunity not only to celebrate OGSA’s achievements but also to draw attention to the need to preserve its legacy and invest in its future. Akinmade said the school had remained resilient and continued to produce graduates who had distinguished themselves in various professions despite infrastructural challenges and limited investment in its physical development over the years. He described the OGSA...