News

Soludo defends calls for Nnamdi Kanu’s release

Published

6 hours ago

March 18, 2025

Naijablitznews

*Says, it’s not about South East insecurity

By Francesca Hangeior

The Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo, has said the call for the release of the Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has no connection to insecurity in the South-East.

Speaking on Monday during a media chat to mark his third year in office, Soludo, who has been advocating for Kanu’s release, stated that the issue should be viewed separately from security concerns in the region.

Soludo said, “The release of Nnamdi Kanu for me is different from the issue of security, I separate the two, I don’t link the two.”

According to Soludo, his call for Kanu’s freedom is based on the need for broader discussions about the future of the Igbo people, while insecurity in the region stems from criminal activities.

“Nnamdi Kanu for me is for us to have a conversation of a long-term future for the Igbos and that is a different conversation.

“For the criminals who are kidnappers, we have given them olive branch, come out, we will train you, we will empower you, we will rehabilitate you, if you don’t we take you out,” the governor added.

He also accused Simon Ekpa, a self-proclaimed IPOB leader, of hijacking the situation and turning it into a “killing spree.”

“A whole lot of this Simon Ekpa and some of this his band of criminals took over and turned the things into a killing spree, just killing people with reckless abandon,” he said.

Simon Ekpa, who claimed to have succeeded Nnamdi Kanu as IPOB leader, was arrested in Finland last November by local police on charges of inciting terrorism.

Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services since 2021 following his arrest in Kenya by the Nigerian government.

Many have argued that his release could help curb insecurity in the region.

News

Tax Reform Bills Scale Third Reading

Published

28 minutes ago

March 18, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has passed through third reading the ‘Nigeria Tax Bill’, the ‘Tax Administration Bill’, the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill, and the Nigeria Revenue Service Bill, on Tuesday at plenary.

Naijablitznews.com recalled that on Thursday, March 13, 2025, the House in the Committee of the Whole, considered and adopted the report of the Committee on Finance on the four Tax Reform Bills and subsequently approved the recommendations.

President Bola Tinubu had on October 3, 2024, transmitted the proposed legislation to the national assembly urging lawmakers to pass the tax reform bills.

After scaling first reading, the bills faced opposition from the northern governors, who argued that the proposed laws could harm the region’s interests, requesting the National Assembly to reject the bills and demanding fair and equitable implementation across all regions.

However, in January, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) endorsed the bills after agreeing on an “equitable” VAT-sharing formula.

In November 2024, the senate passed the bills for second reading, and in February, the bills scaled the second reading at the green chamber after an extensive debate.

The parliament subsequently held a public hearing on the four Tax Reform Bills.

News

Reps Order Urgent Technical Audit, Safety Measures for Otedola Bridge

Published

44 minutes ago

March 18, 2025

Gloria Ikibah

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to carry out a comprehensive technical audit of Otedola Bridge within 30 days, focusing on its gradient, descent, and structural integrity. The audit is expected to recommend modifications such as gradient reduction, reinforced safety barriers, and emergency escape lanes, all to be implemented within 12 months.

In an urgent bid to enhance road safety, the House also instructed the Ministry to approve emergency funds for immediate repairs on damaged sections of the bridge within 90 days while a full redesign is underway.

The House further directed the mandatory establishment of weighbridges and vehicle inspection stations along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway within 60 days, ensuring that all tankers meet legal weight limits and braking standards. Defaulters will face vehicle impoundment and prosecution. Additionally, a biannual digital certification system for fuel tankers is to be introduced within six months to eliminate mechanically unsafe vehicles from Nigerian roads.

To curb tanker-related accidents, the House imposed an immediate restriction on fuel tanker movement across Otedola Bridge from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m, with strict enforcement by the Nigeria Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA). Special movement hours will be designated under close monitoring.

Safety enhancements such as speed cameras, rumble strips, and improved signage will be installed within 90 days to alert drivers about the steep descent and enforce compliance.

In a long-term effort to improve safety standards, the Federal Ministry of Transportation has been directed to develop a mandatory training and certification program for tanker drivers within six months. This program will focus on handling heavy-duty vehicles on steep gradients and emergency response procedures.

Additionally, a joint task force comprising the FRSC, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos State emergency agencies, and transport unions has been mandated to conduct a full investigation into the March 11, 2025, tanker explosion and previous incidents on Otedola Bridge.

The findings must be submitted within 21 days, ensuring that all responsible parties—whether drivers, transport owners, or regulators face legal consequences.

These measures come in response to growing concerns over frequent accidents on Otedola Bridge, with lawmakers emphasizing the need for immediate intervention to prevent further loss of lives and property.

These resolutions to the adoption of a matter of urgent public importance on the “URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF FREQUENT ACCIDENTS ON OTEDOLA BRIDGE, LAGOS-IBADAN EXPRESSWAY”, by Rep. Sese Winghan member representing Badagry Federal Constituency of Lagos State on Tuesday at plenary.

In hos lead debate, he said: “On March 11, 2025, at approximately 8:00 p.m., a petrol tanker overturned and exploded on Otedola Bridge along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, resulting in a devastating inferno that destroyed vehicles, properties, and caused severe traffic disruptions on this critical transport corridor, with the full extent of casualties and losses yet to be determined.

“This tragedy is the latest in a series of fatal accidents on Otedola Bridge, including:

– June 28, 2018: A tanker fire killed at least 12 people and incinerated over 50 vehicles.

– November 2019, October 2020, March 2021: Multiple incidents of tanker crashes and explosions have established Otedola Bridge as a recurring danger zone for motorists and commuters.

“Investigations and expert analyses have identified multiple causes of these frequent accidents, including:

Engineering Defects: The steep gradient and sharp descent of Otedola Bridge places excessive strain on the braking systems of heavy-duty vehicles, increasing the risk of brake failure and loss of control.

Mechanical Failures: Recurrent incidents of brake malfunctions, burst tires, and vehicle overloading—as witnessed in the 2018 and 2019 tanker disasters—are linked to poor vehicle maintenance and regulatory failures.

Human Error: Reckless driving, excessive speeding, and inadequate training of tanker operators further exacerbate the risks posed by the bridge’s challenging terrain.

Systemic Neglect: Weak enforcement of vehicle safety regulations, failure to restrict tanker movements despite previous policy commitments, and lack of necessary infrastructure upgrades have allowed these preventable disasters to persist.

“The Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other relevant agencies, bears a constitutional duty to ensure the safety of road users, yet Otedola Bridge remains an example of infrastructural and regulatory failure.

“The economic losses, fatalities, and psychological trauma caused by these recurring accidents demand urgent intervention to prevent further disasters”, the motion reads.

News

Police arrest six suspected kidnappers in Edo, recover arms

Published

1 hour ago

March 18, 2025

Naijablitznews

By Francesca Hangeior

The Edo State Police Command has arrested six suspected kidnappers with cash suspected to be proceeds from kidnapping activities.

The command’s spokesperson, Moses Yamu, in a statement on Tuesday, said arms and ammunition were recovered from the suspects in the last 48 hours.

Yamu disclosed that the arrests and recoveries were made in several places in Edo North which has experienced kidnappings and killings in the last three weeks.

The statement read, “On 16/03/2024 at about 04:30hrs, operatives of the Agbede Police Division alongside vigilante personnel, while on stop and search in Aviele along Abumere by power line, intercepted and arrested three suspects Jamilu Idris (20 years) Usman Shuaibu (24 years) and Yahuza Usman (20 years).

“One English-made Beretta pistol, one dagger, and an Infinix phone were recovered from the suspects after they were searched.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects are part of a syndicate responsible for kidnaping and armed robbery, including snatching of motorcycles in that axis of the state. Investigation continues with a view to arrest other members of the syndicate.

“On 16/03/2025 at about 22:10hrs, operatives of the Auchi Division, in collaboration with the vigilante on routine stop and search at UBA junction Auchi, intercepted two young men. The young men who took to their heels on sighting the police were given a hot chase, and one Adamu Usman of Hausa Quarters was arrested while his accomplice escaped.

“The on-the-spot search led to the recovery of N1,345,100 believed to be proceeds of kidnapping. Also recovered were five micro sim cards, one machete, one dagger, two phones and a pack of cigarettes.

“During preliminary investigation, two additional suspects, Iliyasu Abubakar (19 years) and Safiyanu Mohammed (20 years) were arrested, while one of the sim cards was discovered to belong to one Ajibola Sunday of Igbirra camp in Auchi. When Ajibola Sunday was contacted and invited to the station, he identified the suspect as being part of the eight-man gang that kidnapped him and his mother-in-law on 11/03/2025 and their relations had to part with the sum of N10 million to secure their release.”

Yamu said that the Commissioner of Police, Betty Otimenyin, assured the public of the command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.

He assured all that perpetrators would be brought to justice.