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Election petition: Sanwo-Olu opens, closes defence against LP, Rhodes-Vivour

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Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, on Monday, opened and closed defence in an election petition brought against them by the Labour Party, LP, and its Governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

The LP and Rhodes-Vivour are challenging the victory of Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in the March 18 governorship poll.

They are also challenging the eligibility of Hamzat to contest the election.

They claimed he renounced his Nigerian citizenship and pledged allegiance to the U.S.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, is joined in the petition as a respondent.

A defence witness and the APC Chairman for Lagos State, Fuad Ade-Oki, testified before the tribunal.

He tendered before the tribunal some documents, including Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Form EC9 containing Hamzat’s full personal information and the oath he signed on his nomination form.

The forms include “Summary of Result from Registration Areas, “Summary of Results from Local Government Areas,” and” Declaration of Result”.

Led in evidence by APC’s lead counsel, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Ade-Oki told the tribunal that he witnessed when Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat were filling the INEC Form EC9 containing their personal information as well as oaths they took on their nomination forms.

He said that the oaths were taken at the Ikeja High Court Registry.

He also testified that Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat paid the prescribed fee for the nomination forms and signed their oaths.

“The two documents with no 003960120 and 00408841 contained the same facts and reflected the same receipt number,” he said.

The witness, after that, tendered in evidence through APC’s counsel the oath declaration page of Form EC9 and the receipts.

However, LP counsel, Mr Idowu Benson, objected to their admissibility.

Benson said he would reserve his reasons until his final address to the tribunal.

The tribunal led by Justice Arum Ashom admitted the documents provisionally pending when it would hear objections.

After Ade-Oki’s testimony, the tribunal discharged him.

Banire then announced that Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat would be closing their case.

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US military strikes in Nigeria killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists -Report

Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.

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Military strikes conducted by the US in December 2025 killed 155 Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoro, a report by The New Humanitarian has claimed.

The US focus was Lakurawa though the strikes didn’t touch other jihadist groups including Boko Haram, as well as the al-Qaeda-linked Ansaru.

The publication also claimed that the attacks left 200 additional Lakurawa fighters missing in the week following the operation.

The strikes, carried out in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, were believed to have involved Tomahawk missiles launched from a US destroyer positioned in the Gulf of Guinea.

The missiles targeted three districts in Sokoto State: Isa, Tangaza, and Tambuwal, though only Tangaza is widely recognised as a core area of Lakurawa.

It is believed that Tambuwal is not generally associated with organised armed violence; while Isa is a bandit stronghold largely controlled by Bello Turji.

Although details of the strike on Isa remain unclear, Turji is widely believed to have survived the attack.

A Lakurawa camp in Tangaza, however, reportedly suffered significant losses.

The New Humanitarian reports that there were two missile hits.

The first reportedly killed around 30 fighters. As surviving members converged to assess the damage and assist the wounded, a second missile struck, killing those who had gathered.

In total, an estimated 155 Lakurawa were killed, including 19 who were initially injured but later succumbed to their wounds.

Dando Sibu, a key Lakurawa commander, is reported to have survived the attack because he left the location less than five minutes before the second missile was fired.

However, in the week following the strikes, about 200 Lakurawa fighters were reported missing. The group was also said to have lost nearly half of its cattle, which is a major source of its revenue.

(The Sun)

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Curfew, restriction for Akran of Badagry’s burial rites

Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.

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Following the death of the 89-year-old monarch, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi I, the Akran of Badagry., restrictions have been imposed on vehicular movements around the palace vicinity with some sections of the road leading to the place barricaded.

Commuters were said to be directed to take alternative routes.

Sources said the traditional worshippers have started observing rites necessitated by the demise of the monarch.

Security and palace officials were seen restricting movement in the immediate vicinity.

Residents said the rites would affect social and commercial activities around the palace and may force many residents especially those working outside Badagry to return home early.

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Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89

The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.

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Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi

The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.

The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.

According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.

Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.

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