Lagos State Government has sanctioned at least 15 money lending companies for breaching operational regulations and engaging in activities considered harmful to residents.

The Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ibrahim Layode, disclosed this on Friday during the 2026 Ministerial Press Briefing held in Ikeja, stating that the move was part of ongoing efforts to regulate the money lending sector and shield Lagosians from exploitative and fraudulent financial practices.

According to Layode, the state government remains committed to enforcing strict compliance among operators within the industry.

“The firms were sanctioned to ensure strict adherence to guidelines and to protect Lagosians from sharp practices by financial firms,” the commissioner stated.

He noted that money lending plays an important role in supporting the economy by providing accessible loans to petty traders and small business owners who often face difficulties obtaining credit from conventional banks due to rigid requirements.

“Moneylending business is one of the vital parts of the economy which allows people in the small-scale industry and petty traders to have stress-free access to quick loans to finance their businesses,” he said.

Layode explained that the Ministry of Home Affairs oversees the processing of applications, issuance and renewal of operational licences for money lenders in Lagos State, while also monitoring their activities to ensure compliance with regulatory standards.

He added that the ministry regularly organises stakeholder engagements and training sessions aimed at exposing operators to international best practices and improving professionalism in the sector.

“We also conduct stakeholders’ forums for moneylender operators in order to bring them up to speed on the latest world best practices,” he said.

The commissioner further revealed that the ministry collaborates with federal regulatory bodies, including the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, and the Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering, SCUML, to strengthen oversight and ensure compliance with financial regulations.

Layode said the government also profiles and monitors licensed money lending firms to protect residents from fraudulent operators and questionable business activities.

“In addition, the Ministry registers, profiles and monitors the viability of such companies with a view to ensuring that while the money lenders are in business, the general public is also protected from being scammed by fraudulent people of questionable characters,” he added.

He maintained that licensed money lenders have continued to support the growth of micro and small-scale businesses in Lagos by offering alternative sources of funding outside traditional banking institutions.

“This partnership has greatly assisted small-scale business owners in Lagos to keep their petty businesses afloat without having to contend with high interest rates and clauses of the big commercial banks,” Layode said.

The commissioner also disclosed that between 2025 and 2026, the ministry received 112 fresh applications from money lending firms, while 214 existing licences were renewed.

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has approved the appointment of Mr Kayode Oyekanmi as the new General Manager of Lagos State Television following the exit of the station’s former General Manager, Mrs Sola Kosoko.

The appointment letter was presented to Oyekanmi by the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, during a brief ceremony held at the State Secretariat in Alausa, Ikeja.

Speaking at the event, Agoro said the appointment was based on Oyekanmi’s commitment, professionalism, and years of dedicated service within the Lagos State public service system.

He expressed confidence in the new appointee’s ability to reposition the state-owned television station and wished him a productive and successful tenure.

Before his appointment, Oyekanmi served as Director of the Strategy Centre at the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, a role he had occupied since 2022.

A seasoned communications professional, Oyekanmi possesses more than 30 years of experience across both the public and private sectors, with a background in advertising, public relations, media communications, and export services.

He began his career in the Lagos State public service on March 1, 2000, as a Public Affairs Practitioner with the Ministry of Information and Strategy.

An indigene of Isale Eko on Lagos Island, Oyekanmi has received several recognitions for his contributions to journalism and public communication.

Academically, he holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Lagos and a Bachelor’s degree in English Language and Education from Lagos State University.

He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.

Beyond his professional career, Oyekanmi is described as an avid reader and lawn tennis enthusiast.

He currently serves as the Charter President of the Lagos State Ministry of Information Toastmasters Club.

Hon. Mohammed Bello Elrufai, son of the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Elrufai, has demanded that all the constitutional rights of his father, be accorded him.
El-Rufai, who is the member representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, in a press statement pasted on his verified Facebook page, said as a family, they witnessed two distinct yet equally serious attacks on his father’s basic rights.

According to him, their father, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai’s personal Doctor visited the ICPC at about 3pm to discuss the results of medical tests recently conducted, but officials at the agency blocked the doctor from seeing him, claiming that written permission from the ICPC Chairman was required.

According to him, the refusal flouted a clear court order granting his father unrestricted access to his doctors.

“Second, his wife, Aunty Aichatou, brought his evening meal at around 7pm as she normally does. ICPC personnel turned her away, saying they had orders not to permit food deliveries after 6:30pm, ‘ he wrote.

According to him, the arbitrary rules are outright assaults on the rule of law and a clear violation of their father’s constitutional and human rights.

The statement claimed that no lawful detention justifies denying medical access or refusing basic family care based on an arbitrary curfew fixed by the ICPC.

“We demand that all his constitutional rights be fully respected. We will no longer accept this pattern of intimidation dressed up as protocol,” he said.

According to him, the ICPC must abide by the very laws it claims to enforce.

The 2023 governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Jigawa State, Mustapha Sule Lamido, has successfully scaled through the party’s screening process ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Lamido was cleared by the PDP screening committee in Abuja on Thursday ahead of the party’s governorship primary scheduled for May 21.

He emerged as the only aspirant screened for the PDP governorship ticket in Jigawa State, positioning him as the party’s flag bearer to challenge the incumbent governor, Umar Namadi of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the 2027 general election.

Speaking after the screening exercise, Mustapha Lamido said his decision to contest was driven by the desire to bring positive change to the political landscape of the state and address the needs of the people.

He also expressed concern over the increasing wave of defections among politicians across party lines, which he attributed to a lack of ideological commitment among some political actors.

According to him, the younger generation is determined to transform the country’s political system through purposeful leadership and dedication.

Lamido described the PDP as the only opposition party with strong ideologies capable of addressing the aspirations of ordinary Nigerians.

He further stated that the party secured over 400,000 votes in the previous election and expressed confidence that the PDP would record even better results in the 2027 polls.

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma has met with aspirants from the State under All Progressives Congress, APC, seeking the  party’s tickets for different elective positions.

He urged them  to embrace loyalty, discipline and sacrifice ahead of the primaries taking place from today, May 15, 2026.

Speaking during the meeting  attended by the aspirants and stakeholders of the Party at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Owerri, the Governor described politics as not a lottery but a game of courage, stressing that some people will win while others will lose.

Uzodinma, while warning against being  desperate, urged aspirants to remain committed to the Party before, during and after the primaries.

He noted  that political contest could be akin to a game, warning aspirants to weigh all the risks before going into the contest to avoid using  money meant for their children’s school fees to buy forms.

The Governor added that the Party would adopt Option A4 voting system in the primaries to ensure transparency and avoid accusations of favoritism where consensus did not work.

Uzodinma further advised aspirants and stakeholders to respect equity and rotation formula where such exists in their Communities, and assured that the APC Committee for the conduct of Primaries as well as Appeal Committee have also been set up to handle grievances that may arise from the primaries.

He regretted that the number of aspirants to different elective positions were  large, hence the need  in ensuring that the exercise is conducted in a manner that will turn out to be a win win situation for every participant.

In his speech, the State Chairman of the party, Austin Onyedebelu reaffirmed APC’s commitment to unity, reconciliation, and electoral success ahead of 2027 general elections.

He added the State Executive Committee had taken steps to reposition the Party for greater efficiency, unity and progress.

Onyedebelu asserted that he is aware  grievances may arise from the  primaries, maintaining that  reconciliation mechanisms had been put in place to ensure rancor free exercise.

Nigeria Police Force has announced the dismissal, arrest and prosecution of officers allegedly involved in kidnapping, armed robbery, extortion and other criminal activities in Rivers State.

The development was disclosed in a statement posted on the official page of the Nigeria Police Force on May 14, 2026.

According to the statement, the affected officers were linked to cases involving conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and unlawful operations carried out within Rivers State and surrounding areas.

Investigations uncovered a syndicate involving officers attached to Zone 16 Headquarters, Yenagoa, identified as Inspectors Ayanniyi Jelili, Durojaye Francis and Olayemi Titus.

The Force alleged that the officers engaged in illegal stop-and-search operations in Port Harcourt where victims were reportedly abducted and forced to transfer money from their bank and cryptocurrency accounts.

According to the statement, three other officers identified as Inspector Awele Ogbogu, Inspector Prosper Aghotor and Corporal Favour Onwuchekwa are currently at large.

Investigators recovered three Toyota Sienna buses allegedly used for the operations, alongside N7,338,800 allegedly linked to the operations.

In a separate case, the Force also identified another group of officers formerly attached to the Department of Operations, Rivers State Command, over alleged acts of kidnapping, extortion and official corruption.

The officers identified as Inspectors John Okoi, Eyibo Asuquo, Udo Ndipmong, Bright Nwachukwu and Anele Ikechukwu were dismissed after internal disciplinary proceedings, while the matter was forwarded for prosecution.

“The leadership of the Force under the Inspector-General of Police remains resolute in its determination to identify, expose, and remove criminal elements from within the institution,” the statement read.

Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Lagos, has prohibited Point of Sale (PoS) operations within its premises.

The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, in charge of the FCID Annex Lagos, Simeon Akpanudom, announced the directive on Thursday during a general lecture and strategic meeting with sectional heads at the command headquarters.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the FCID Annex spokesperson, ASP Aminat Mayegun, who noted that the directive aligns with instructions from the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu.

According to Akpanudom, PoS activities within police premises are inconsistent with security standards and operational ethics, warning that such practices could create opportunities for corruption and compromise official procedures.

The AIG urged officers to maintain professionalism, discipline and strict compliance with due process while carrying out their duties.

He also directed that all intelligence reports must be properly scrutinised and verified by sectional heads before submission.

Akpanudom further tasked supervisory officers with ensuring effective monitoring of personnel and enforcing adherence to professional standards in order to reduce misconduct within the command.

He warned officers against handling land-related disputes indiscriminately, insisting that all investigations must follow laid-down legal and investigative procedures.

The police chief also cautioned against acts capable of damaging the image of the Nigeria Police Force, stressing the need for officers to project credibility and professionalism in their conduct.

He advised personnel to respect the established chain of command and maintain discipline in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Akpanudom reiterated that acts of unprofessional conduct would not be tolerated and warned that erring officers would face disciplinary action where necessary.

He encouraged officers to remain committed to integrity, accountability and dedicated service to the nation.

Six kingmakers in Ikirun town, Osun State, have declared support for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s directive to the state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, to contain alleged plans to cause mayhem in the town.

The chiefs made their position known in a statement jointly signed by the kingmakers—Chief Diekola Toogun (Odofin), Chief Oluwole Atoyebi (Ojomu), Chief Bamidele Onifade (Elemon), Chief Raheem Okunlola (Jagun), Chief Sulaiman Olaore (Oluawo Onifa), and Chief Azeez Muritala (Obaale) obtained in Osogbo on Thursday.

In the statement, they accused the Eesa of Ikirunland, Chief Abdulkareem Adetoyese, of actions they claimed could undermine peace in the community.

They alleged that Adetoyese had been misleading residents by claiming authority to appoint a monarch for the town, contrary to the official position of the state government.

“It is on record that Chief Abdulkareem Adetoyese, Eesa of Ikirunland, has been engaging in nocturnal moves to violently disrupt the peaceful atmosphere in the town,” the statement read.

They added that such claims were “contrary to the tenor of the government’s gazetted position” regarding the appointment of a monarch.

The kingmakers noted that the state government’s directive issued on May 14, 2026, cautioning residents to shun violence, was a timely intervention.

They declared their alignment with the government’s stance as outlined in the White Paper released on 25 January 2024 concerning the Akinrun stool.

“We abide by the position of the government as contained in the White Paper and appreciate the peace being promoted by all affected persons, except some unscrupulous elements,” the statement added.

The chiefs also commended the police and other law enforcement agencies for what they described as swift action to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the town.

However, when contacted, Adetoyese dismissed the allegations, saying, “I never made any nocturnal move to truncate the peace of Ikirunland. I am the head of the kingmakers and my duty is to ensure peace at every point in time.

“They had earlier made allegations against me at the police station but all I know is that what they are saying is not true. These people are only jittery about the present situation. I am not fighting anybody.”