News
BREAKING: Supreme Court Orders Funds be Paid to LGAs Directly (UPDATED)
Nigeria’s Supreme Court has ordered governors of the country’s 36 states to henceforth steer clear of the funds meant for its 774 Local Government Areas.
The Apex Court says the control of funds of the local government councils by the States is unconstitutional.
This judgment is in respect of a lawsuit instituted by the Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation against the 36 state governors in a move to ensure full independence of the local government areas from the control of the state governors who until now controlled the funds and constitute caretaker committees to run the affairs of the local government areas.
In a landmark judgment delivered by a seven-member justice panel headed by Justice Lawal Garba, Nigeria’s Apex Court says the Constitution under Section 162 (4,5 and 6) doesn’t provide for the existence of a joint account for both the States and local government councils.
In the lead judgment prepared and read by Justice Emmanuel Agim the Court orders that, henceforth, funds meant for the Local Government Councils be paid to them directly from the Federation Account and not through the State governors.
The Court holds that the provision of the Constitution that funds meant for the local government councils be sent to the States is for them to act as agents of the Federal government for the onward disbursement of same.
It adds that the States are therefore not required to hold on to the money and use at will.
It holds that the States are exploiting the roles handed to them by the Constitution by holding onto funds meant for local government councils.
The Court also laments this has been on for over two decades, crippling the effective functioning of the third tier of government.On the aspect of the full autonomy of the Local Government Areas, the Apex Court says the state governors have for over 20 years constituted themselves “a species most dangerous” to the democratic structure of the local government councils.
It holds that Caretaker Committees installed by these governors is illegal as they have no powers to do so.
In a unanimous decision, the Apex Court further holds that the leadership of the local government councils must be by democratic means, insisting no state governor has the powers to dissolve democratically elected local government leadership and install their choice officials to run the local government councils.
As such, the Apex Court has also ordered the governors to desist from receiving, spending or tampering with funds released from the federation account for the local governments when no democratically elected local government system is put in place in the states.
It therefore holds that the constitution of Nigeria recognizes federal, states and local governments as three tiers of government and that the three draw funds for their functioning from the federation account created by the constitution.
The Apex Court orders immediate compliance by the state governors to the judgment.
An angry mob has set a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus on fire after it reportedly crushed a commercial motorcyclist to death at Ogolonto Bus Stop along Ikorodu Road in Lagos State.
The incident occurred on Friday, October 16, 2026. Eyewitness accounts and social media reports indicate that the motorcyclist was riding alone along the restricted BRT lane when the collision happened. He died at the scene.
Enraged residents and youths then attacked the bus driver and set the vehicle ablaze. Police officers and officials of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), who were nearby, intervened promptly and rescued the driver unharmed.
The identity of the deceased motorcyclist and the exact circumstances of the crash had not been officially confirmed at the time of filing this report. It was also unclear whether any arrests had been made in connection with the burning of the bus.
News
ARISE News Wins Seven Honours At Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
• ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female)
ARISE News has emerged as one of the major winners at the just ended Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards (NBMA).
ARISE News won seven honours across television broadcasting, news reporting, presentation and production during the ceremony.
The awards recognised the network’s achievements in television journalism and programming, with ARISE News winning the Best TV Channel (Viewer’s Choice) category.
The network’s flagship breakfast programme, The Morning Show, also won the Best TV Talk Show award, further strengthening its recognition in television broadcasting.
ARISE News Anchor and host of What’s Trending Ojy Okpe was named Best Newscaster (TV – Female).
Rufai Oseni was named Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Male), while Vimbai Mutinhiri-Ekpeyong received the Nigerian Broadcaster of the Year (Female) award.
The recognition extended to the network’s newsroom, with Ovieteme George winning Best TV News Reporter (Male) for his contributions to television news reporting.
Behind the camera, Sam Adeyemi received the Best Camera Operator/Cinematographer award, recognising his work in television production and visual storytelling.
News
Meta removes 3.7 million accounts in West Africa scam crackdown
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has removed more than 3.7 million Facebook and Instagram accounts, pages and groups linked to suspected scam networks operating in West Africa.
The joint operation led to 28 arrests, identified more than 30 suspected scam centres and rescued 117 people allegedly trafficked and forced to work in scam compounds in Ghana.
The company announced the crackdown in a statement on Tuesday, October 13, 2026. It involved 14 technology companies and law enforcement agencies from 10 countries.
The United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency coordinated the operation with the US Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other agencies. Nigerian authorities were involved.
Other countries included Ghana, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and India.Tech companies that took part included Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Coinbase, Starlink and Adobe.
Meta said the partnership let participants share intelligence across digital platforms, countries and financial systems to identify criminal networks.
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