News
State Governments Can Offset, Waive Minor Fines Owed By Inmates – Aregbesola
The Federal Government has revealed that state governors can offset or grant waivers to inmates with fines less than N1 million.
This is according to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, during the commissioning of a 20-bed space medical facility at Port Harcourt maximum security custodial centre.
Aregbesola said while the Federal Government is finding long time solutions to the challenge of prison decongestion, the State Government can in the meantime provide basic supports, like offsetting the meager fines and debts, building court houses at the correctional services premises or try the defendants virtually from the Correctional Centres for speedy determination of cases.
He held that some of the inmates are held behind bars for minor offences that can be easily waved by the states.
The Minister further stated that he recently asked the comptroller of Correctional centres to compile the list of inmates whose reason for incarceration is a fine or a debt not more than one million naira that are meant to be paid to the state governments.
According to him, about 5,000 inmates where shortlisted under this category and most of them have stayed long enough in the care of the Federal Government to consume foods worth more than they are supposed to pay as fines and debt to the states.
According to him, in Rivers State, there are about 22 of such inmates and the 22 of them are collectively owing a little above 3million naira, an amount he thinks the State Government can offset or wave for the inmates to be freed.
The minister noted that apart from reducing the financial burden on the Federal Government, such decisions by the state will also help in decongesting the correctional centres.
He said for instance, the Maximum facility in Port Harcourt was built 1,800 inmates, but as of May 12, 2023 the centre was holding 3,100 inmates.
While emphasizing that the situation in Port Harcourt is a reflection of the cases in most of the facilities across the country, the minister said Additionally, the Federal Government is building 6 mega facilities with at least 3,000 capacity in the six geopolitical zones to further decongest the existing facilities.
The one for the South-South is located in Bori in Khana Local Government Area of the Ogoni ethnic group in Rivers State.
News
Nigeria Police Unveils New IGP Portrait
The Nigeria Police Force has recently unveiled the official portrait of the new Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Olatunji Rilwan Disu (also referred to as Tunji Disu).
This follows his appointment as Acting IGP on February 24, 2026, after the resignation of the previous IGP, Kayode Egbetokun (who cited family reasons).
The Nigeria Police Council unanimously confirmed and endorsed Disu as the substantive IGP on March 2, 2026, during a meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu. His formal swearing-in is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, 2026.
The portrait was released on March 3, 2026, by the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, via official channels (including X/Twitter and the Nigeria Police Force’s social media).
It depicts Disu in full police uniform and is set to be displayed at key police formations nationwide as part of the formal recognition of his leadership role as the 23rd indigenous IGP.
Disu, born April 13, 1966 (age 59), hails from Lagos Island and joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1992. He has a background in public administration, forensic investigation, criminology, security studies, and more.
Prior roles include heading the Special Protection Unit and Force CID Annex in Lagos, and he previously served as Aide-de-Camp to then-Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu (during which time Egbetokun was also in the governor’s security detail).
This marks a leadership transition amid ongoing security challenges in Nigeria, with congratulations and discussions already circulating on social media and news outlets.
News
BRT Bursts into Flame on Mile-12 Bridge in Lagos
Passengers quickly evacuated the vehicle and moved to safety following the outbreak of the fire.
Passengers narrowly escaped death on Tuesday when a moving Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) bus caught fire on the Mile-12 Bridge along Ikorodu Road, Lagos.
Eyewitnesses reported that the high-capacity bus burst into flames mid-morning while in transit.
Passengers quickly evacuated the vehicle and moved to safety following the outbreak of the fire.
The Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, working alongside other emergency responders, promptly extinguished the blaze.
The burnt bus was later removed from the bridge to prevent disruption to traffic flow.
The burnt bus was later removed from the bridge to prevent disruption to traffic flow.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported from the incident.
News
President Tinubu nominates Oyedele as Minister of State for Finance
Before President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Oyedele(from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State), was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.
Taiwo Oyedele and President Tinubu. Credit: State House Photo
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated Mr Taiwo Oyedele as the minister of state for finance, replacing Dr Doris Anite-Uzoka.
Anite-Uzoka will now move to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning, as the Minister of State, her third portfolio in the administration. President Tinubu has today conveyed the nomination of Oyedele to the Senate for confirmation in a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.
Before President Tinubu nominated him as a minister, Oyedele(from Ikaram, Akoko, Ondo State), was the chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system.
Oyedele, 50, is an economist, accountant and public policy expert.
He attended Yaba College of Technology, where he obtained a Higher National Diploma (HND) in accountancy and finance.
He attended Oxford Brookes University and earned a BSc in applied accounting.
He also completed executive education programmes at the London School of Economics, Yale University, the Gordon Institute of Business Science, and the Harvard Kennedy School.
Oyedele spent 22 years of his working career at PwC, joined in 2001 and rose to become the Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader.
Oyedele is also a professor at Babcock University in Ogun State and a visiting scholar at the Lagos Business School.
-
Business3 days agoGlobal Links and Services Ltd adds Namibia to its Tourism Packages
-
News3 days agoGovernor Nwifuru Suspends Commissioners of Work and Infrastructure
-
News2 days agoA Lagos Drug Kingpin Ends Up in NDLEA Net After 13 Years in Hiding
-
News2 days ago
Police hunt for abductors of Ebonyi ex-deputy Governor’s Father
-
News1 day agoNational Police Council Ratifies Disu’s Appointment
-
News1 day agoChaos at Lagos Airport tollgate as cashless policy commences
-
News1 day agoDSS Arrests Suspect Over Edo Attack on Peter Obi, Others
-
Business24 hours agoIran-US-Israel war Drives Dangote Refinery’s PMS to N874
