| • IGP, Tunji Disu

Benue State Police Command said that they have so far apprehended 46 suspects in connection with the obstruction of the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) Peter Obi’s convoy during his visit to the state on Tuesday.

“Key arrests have been made, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend all other persons connected with the incident,” said Commissioner of Police, Cletus Nwadiogbu.

He stressed that the command remains a neutral institution, noting that every citizen possesses the constitutional right to freedom of movement regardless of political affiliation.He warned that with the 2027 general elections approaching, security agencies will not tolerate actions capable of escalating political tensions.

He warned that with the 2027 general elections approaching, security agencies will not tolerate actions capable of escalating political tensions.

Nwadiogbu also clarified that Obi’s representatives had initially described the trip as a non-campaign visit to families affected by the Yelwata crisis, promising that only a small entourage would accompany him.

He confirmed that the command was notified of Obi’s visit at approximately 5:30 p.m. on Monday.

The police deployed adequate security, including three police escort vehicles and personnel led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to safeguard the former Anambra State governor.

However, a group of persons subsequently blocked Obi’s movement, creating a tense environment that threatened to escalate into violence.

Nwadiogbu said the police made a tactical and professional decision not to use force immediately, aiming to prevent loss of life and destruction of property.

Obi was eventually escorted safely back to the airport and departed the state without further incident.

Motorists endured hours of gridlock on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday after the Federal Government began two-week repairs on damaged expansion joints at the Kara Bridge.

The rehabilitation, which started on September 8 and is scheduled to run until September 22, involves replacing worn-out expansion joints that had exceeded their service life and posed safety risks. Work is being done in phases: one half of the affected section is closed at a time while traffic is controlled on the remaining lanes.

Traffic built up in the afternoon and stretched from the Kara Bridge in Ogun State to the 7Up Junction and beyond into Lagos, including areas around Secretariat, Ojota, Ikeja and the Otedola underpass. Security and traffic officials from the police, military, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, Federal Road Safety Corps and Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps were deployed to manage the flow.

The Federal Ministry of Works said the intervention, directed by the Minister of Works, aims to improve road safety and preserve the bridge’s structural integrity. Authorities have advised motorists to plan journeys carefully, consider alternative routes where possible, and cooperate with traffic managers during the repair period.

• Governor Otti

Abia state has emerged among the top-performing states in the 2026 BudgIT Report, covering 2017-2025.

The Abia State Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, who made the disclosure in Umuahia during a chat with newsmen, noted that the BudgIT 2026 Report ranked Abia second in aggregate revenue growth, third in Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) growth, first in total expenditure growth, capital expenditure growth, and personnel expenditure growth.

The commissioner said the performance reflected the administration’s prudent and strategic management of public resources.

“Abia State’s combination of revenue mobilisation, capital investment expansion, and administrative cost restraint points to a story of adroit and prudent management of resources,” said Kanu .