The Lagos State Police Command has issued an official statement addressing a viral video that sparked concern on social media, showing a large group of young men reportedly arriving in Lagos and gathering near the Dano Company premises in Ibeju-Lekki.

According to the Command, the incident occurred on May 14, 2025, prompting swift deployment of officers to the scene for investigation. The police confirmed that the individuals—eighty-nine in total—had arrived from Katsina State to work as labourers at the Dangote Refinery in Lekki.

A contractor affiliated with the refinery informed the police that he personally recruited the workers for legitimate employment, a statement corroborated by the refinery’s Chief Security Officer (CSO). All individuals were cleared for entry and are expected to reside within the refinery premises.

The police confirmed that thorough checks were conducted, revealing no incriminating materials. The labourers also presented valid National Identification Numbers (NINs), which were successfully verified by the authorities.

Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, urged the public to refrain from spreading unverified information that could incite panic or tension. He assured residents of the Command’s continued commitment to public safety and swift response to potential threats.

Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, signed off on the statement, reaffirming the Command’s dedication to transparency and law enforcement in Lagos State.

Finnish prosecutors on Friday said they had charged a man with inciting terrorism online who a media report identified as Nigerian separatist leader Simon Ekpa.

Finland’s National Prosecution Authority said in a statement that it had charged “a Finnish individual in a case involving suspected public incitement to commit crimes with terrorist intent and participation in the activities of a terrorist group.”

It added that the alleged crimes had been committed in the city of Lahti between 2021 and 2024 and were related to the suspect’s efforts to establish Nigeria’s Biafra region as an independent state.

The prosecution authority did not name the accused but Finnish public broadcaster YLE identified him as separatist leader Simon Ekpa.

Ekpa — who claims to lead the Biafra Republic’s government in exile — was detained in November.

According to the prosecution authority, the accused remained in custody and denied the charges.

Ekpa is known as a self-proclaimed leader of a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), which is pushing for the independence of Nigeria’s southeast, where a bloody civil war was fought in the late 1960s.

The dual Finnish-Nigerian national has also been a local representative for Finland’s conservative National Coalition Party in the city of Lahti, north of Helsinki, where he has served on a public transport committee.

When Ekpa was arrested, Finnish authorities also requested that four other people be remanded in custody on suspicion of financing Ekpa’s activities.

On Friday, the prosecution authority said the prosecutor had decided to drop charges against four others in the case due to a lack of evidence.

Ekpa has been the subject of several of AFP’s fact checks in recent years over false claims and disinformation he has made in independence campaigning.

AFP

In a bid invigorate the gaming industry in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), alongside the Director-General of the newly established FCT Lottery Regulatory Office, Lanre Gbajabiamila, has inaugurated a new office.

At a briefing, Gbajabiamila announced the office’s readiness to begin full regulatory oversight of all lottery and gaming operations within the territory, urging operators to begin submitting applications for new licences.

The FCT-LRO became necessary following the Supreme Court judgment in AG Lagos & Ors vs AG Federation & Anor SC/1/2008, which clarified that the FCT has the constitutional right to regulate gaming and lottery activities within its boundaries.

Gbajabiamila promised a regulatory environment built on clarity, stability, and global best practices.

According to him, the office aims to unlock the economic potential of the gaming sector, while boosting investor confidence and increasing internally generated revenue (IGR) for the FCT.

“Our priorities include collaboration with the Office of the FCT Minister and the FCT Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to ensure proper oversight, fair practices, and prompt revenue remittance,” he said.

He further reassured existing operators that all licenses previously issued by the now-defunct National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC) remain valid until expiration, and renewal fees remain the same under the new FCT Lottery Regulatory Office.

Acting Executive Chairman of the FCT-IRS, Michael Ango, praised the initiative as a strategic tool for economic growth.

He said it aligns with the broader vision of the Wike-led FCT administration to transform Abuja into a world-class capital.

“Abuja is fast emerging as a major tourist and leisure destination. The gaming sector is a vital piece of that puzzle, with huge potential to attract investment, create jobs, and boost economic activity,” Ango said.

He emphasised that the collaboration between the IRS and the FCT Lotteries Office will ensure efficient revenue generation and foster a responsible gaming environment that benefits both operators and residents.

With this development, the FCT is staking its claim as a serious player in Nigeria’s gaming industry, determined to regulate, grow, and profit from a sector long marked by inconsistency and underutilised potential.