Over 400 Exhibitors Storm Lagos For Beauty West Africa Show

More than 400 exhibitors and 7,000 beauty professionals from across the world are expected in Lagos for the 2026 Beauty West Africa exhibition.

The three-day trade exhibition will take place from November 24 to 26 at the Landmark Centre, Lagos.

The organisers disclosed this in a statement on Friday that the event would occupy six exhibition halls for the first time, following growing international interest in Nigeria’s beauty industry.

According to them, the exhibition will feature about 60,000 products, more than 380 hosted buyers and participants from over 60 countries.

The expansion comes amid increased interest from international manufacturers and beauty brands seeking access to Nigeria and other African markets.

Nigeria’s beauty and cosmetics import market is estimated at more than $1.1bn, according to data provided by the organisers.

They explained that the exhibition would connect manufacturers with importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and other industry decision-makers.

 

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More than 380 pre-qualified buyers are expected from Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin Republic, Togo, Kenya, Rwanda and South Africa.

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The organisers said the platform would help international manufacturers find distributors capable of taking their products into different African markets.

Nigerian businesses will also have direct access to global manufacturers without travelling abroad to source products or negotiate supply agreements.

The exhibition will feature cosmetics, skincare products, haircare solutions, fragrances, packaging materials and beauty technology.

Korean skincare brands will have a dedicated section supported by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency.

The section will allow African buyers to meet Korean manufacturers and discuss distribution opportunities.

“More than 200 luxury and niche fragrance brands are also expected to participate as demand for Middle Eastern and other international fragrances grows across Africa.
“African companies producing products for the skin, hair and beauty needs of local consumers will also showcase their brands,” the statement read in part.

International pavilions representing China, Turkey, Pakistan, South Korea and Taiwan are expected at the exhibition.

The organisers said about 70 per cent of the hosted buyers were involved in product importation and distribution.

Other expected participants include retailers, salon and spa operators, manufacturers, make-up artists and senior business executives.

A previous exhibitor and representative of Kegosh Limited, Tobi Jonathan, said the exhibition helped the company connect with distributors from Nigeria and other West African countries.
The organisers added that the move to six halls would create more space for exhibitors, buyers and business meetings.

They said the exhibition would also give Nigerian beauty companies an opportunity to present locally developed products to international buyers.

  

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Dating And Relationships: Why Younger Men Are Better Than Their Older Counterparts - 39-Year Old Reality TV Star Venita Akpofure

Reality TV star and actress Venita Akpofure has revealed that younger men are often the ones who approach her, saying they compensate for what they may lack financially with bravery and audacity.

39-year old Akpofure made this known while speaking on the Tee with Tay podcast, where she discussed her experiences with dating, the qualities she looks for in men and her approach to relationships.

“People are always shocked at my age. The small boys are the only ones that come around actually. The small boys have bigger balls than the older guys. What they don’t have in their bank account, they make up for it with their size of bravery and audacity,” she said.

On modern dating, the actress said she believes there is considerable superficiality in relationships, adding that she prefers being described as beautiful rather than simply “fine.”

 

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“There is a lot of superficial dating out there. I prefer the term beautiful used to describe me. Fine is a bit common,” she said.

Akpofure also disclosed that she pays attention to how a man treats people he does not need, particularly the women in his family.

“How you treat people you don’t need. How you treat the women in your family, these are things I take note of. If you have a strange relationship with your mother and sister, my darling, who am I?” she said.

Speaking about her personality, Akpofure said her friends know her as someone who embraces love, although she suggested that she has become more guarded.

“My friends know I am a lover girl. Right now I am mean and they are begging me to relax,” she said.

Venita Akpofure is a British-Nigerian actress, model, and reality TV star who built a prominent multi-decade career in entertainment spanning modeling, music videos, and Nollywood film.

  

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I Used To Go For Auditions With Puff-puff, Chicken To Sell — Nollywood Star Actress Patience Ozokwo

Who would have thought that there was a time in her acting career when Nollywood star actress, Patience Ozokwo, popularly known as Mama G, was so broke that she sold small chops at movie auditions just to eke out transport fare to the location of the auditions. Mama G recently opened up about the difficult experiences and sacrifices that shaped her life, revealing that there was a time she sold puff-puff and prepared chicken to make ends meet.

Ozokwo made the revelation in an interview with Femi Babs TV, published on YouTube Wednesday, while reflecting on how she struggled to build the life she has today, stressing that her journey was far from easy.

“When I came into the industry, there was a time that I was selling buns and puff-puff. I was frying it. I would prepare chicken, dress it well — anyone you want to buy,” she said.

 

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“I saw people going out to buy things. I would go to audition places; people would buy from me. I would see money for transport tomorrow. That is how I grew up.”

According to Ozokwo, her willingness to work and fend for herself was part of the resilience she developed from a young age.

“I really struggled to get to where I am today. It wasn’t flowery; it wasn’t an easy thing. My life is full of spirituality, deep prayer. When others are sleeping, I am praying,” she said.

The actress also spoke about the sacrifices she made during her marriage, explaining that she never pressured her husband to provide the kind of lifestyle she saw other women enjoying.

“Some women, when they get married, they tell their husbands, ‘This one bought a car for his wife, this one bought a house for his wife. What are you not doing?’” she said.

Ozokwo said she understood her husband and chose to work with what they had rather than compare him with other men.

“I didn’t wait for my husband. I knew the kind of person he was. I studied my husband. I buttoned up and tightened my belt, and I struggled,” she said.

The movie star revealed that the situation became even more challenging when her husband battled serious health problems for several years.

“Incidentally, he was sick for so many years. It was a horrible sickness — diabetes and hypertension together — and it was a struggle,” she said.

The veteran actress added that her children also witnessed the family’s difficult period and eventually grew old enough to contribute to the running of the household.

“At a time, my children also grew up and they were helping me, so I also moved. They took care of the house. They too went through that,” she said.

She believes those experiences helped shape her children into the people they are today.

“That is why they are doing well now,” she said.

Ozokwo’s story highlights the struggles, sacrifice, hard work and resilience behind her success, showing that her journey extended beyond her career in Nollywood.

  

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"I’ll Rather Chew Grass", Okocha Denies Biting Portable, Says He Cannot Risk Contracting Rabies

Nollywood actor Charles Okocha has denied biting singer Habeeb Okikiola, popularly known as Portable, during their celebrity boxing rematch, insisting he would rather chew grass than bite his opponent, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.

Okocha addressed the allegation during an appearance at AY and Akpororo’s comedy night, dismissing as false Portable’s claim that he bit him on the back and locked his neck during the contest, tagged “Unfinished Business,” at the Balmoral Convention Centre, Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

He explained that he wore a mouth guard throughout the fight, which he said made it impossible for him to bite Portable.

 

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“Portable has been going around telling people I bit him on the back. I was wearing a mouth guard; how is that even possible? He was just lying,” Okocha said.

“I would rather chew grass than bite him. I do not want to catch rabies. Have you seen how Portable’s skin looks? Hell no, I would not do that. He should just accept defeat.”

Okocha also made the defence during an appearance on TVC Entertainment.

The bout had descended into a wrestling-like scuffle that the referee struggled to break up, prompting security to step in.

Portable then walked out of the ring before the contest could be properly ruled on, drawing boos from fans, and was subsequently brought back and disqualified, handing Okocha victory.

Days after the disqualification, Portable responded with a diss track aimed at the officiating and the chaotic finish, in which he mocked the referee for turning away during the scuffle, accused Okocha of trying to choke and bite him, and threatened to settle scores through local wrestling if provoked again.

It was a second reversal in the ring for the singer, having previously lost to Carter Efe by unanimous decision on May 1 at the same venue, in a bout televised on DAZN. Following that defeat, Portable had disclosed he was paid ₦50m for lasting one round, insisting organisers had agreed to pay ₦100m had he completed two rounds.

  

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Celebration Galore As WAPA Empowers Over 6000 Lagos Trainees

THE Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to economic inclusion and human capital development as 6,190 trainees from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) Free Skills Acquisition Centres officially passed out.

The graduation ceremony for the 2025 cohort, which held on Tuesday at De Blue Roof, Lagos Television (LTV), Agidingbi, Ikeja, brought together state executives, legislative leaders, community stakeholders and families to celebrate the beneficiaries’ transition into self-reliance.

Delivering his goodwill message, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, emphasized that technical and vocational training under his administration’s THEMES+ agenda is designed to move beyond mere certification to creating sustainable enterprise and wealth creation.

“Today, we celebrate 6,190 Lagosians who have acquired more than vocational skills, they have acquired the capacity to create value, earn a living, and build a future,” Sanwo-Olu stated. “Training alone is not enough. If you learn tailoring but have no sewing machine, or acquire baking skills without the equipment to start production, the journey remains incomplete.”

 

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The Governor explained that the state has established a structured pipeline connecting skill acquisition directly with enterprise support.

He cited the recent 2026 Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI), which empowered over 3,800 residents, including top-performing WAPA graduates, with functional tools, startup kits and industrial equipment.

He urged the newly trained artisans to deploy digital tools to expand their market reach, maintain professional integrity and mentor others within their local communities.

Speaking earlier, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Bolaji Cecilia Dada, stated that the tuition-free centres strategically serve the five IBILE divisions of the state, with particular focus on women, unemployed youths and residents in riverine communities.

“Our vision is to build a society where women, young people and vulnerable members of our communities have access to practical skills and support that enable them to become active contributors to the economy,” Dada said.

In her vote of thanks, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Rianat Ajibike Onigbanjo, commended the Governor for prioritizing grassroots empowerment. She also recognized the legislative support of the Chairman, House Committee on WAPA, Omolara Oyekan, and lauded the efforts of the Head of the Skills Acquisition Development Unit, Mrs. Olajumoke Yusuf, along with the instructional staff across the state’s centres.

Key Highlights of the WAPA Initiative are, tuition-free training across fashion design, catering, photography, beauty therapy, agricultural processing and technical crafts across the state. Direct integration of top-performing trainees into the state’s Micro Enterprise Support Initiative (MESI) for equipment distribution. Strategic outreach targeting women, youth, and vulnerable groups across Lagos State’s 20 Local Governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas.

  

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Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA Chairman Seeks Stronger Community Policing As Wazobia Market Violence Claims Lives And Properties

The Executive Chairman of Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Abiodun Jimoh Isola, has condemned the violent incident that occurred at the WaZoBia Market, Ikola, Lagos, which resulted in loss of lives, injuries and destruction of property.

Isola, in a statement, expressed sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives, the injured, as well as residents, traders and business owners affected by the crisis.

According to him, the incident occurred on Thursday, August 27, 2026, while he was attending the council’s monthly stakeholders’ meeting in Ikeja.

He stated that he received information at about 10:00 a.m. about a clash involving two factional groups of hoodlums in the Ikola axis and immediately left the meeting for the scene.

Isola said he simultaneously contacted relevant security authorities, including the Meiran Divisional Police Officer, Joint Task Force and Nigeria Forest Security Service, but received further reports that the situation had escalated.

 

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“Not long afterwards, I got another distressing update that the situation had escalated, resulting in loss of lives, injuries and the destruction of houses and other properties,” he said.

The chairman said he subsequently intensified contact with the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Area P Commander, the three divisional police officers covering Agbado/Oke-Odo LCDA, the Fire Brigade Service and other relevant authorities.

He commended the security agencies for their prompt response, noting that their deployment of personnel to the affected area helped contain the crisis, prevent further escalation and restore calm.

Isola said a preliminary assessment indicated that a densely populated slum, largely comprising shanties and makeshift structures, had allegedly become a hideout for suspected criminals and a source of insecurity and nuisance to residents.

He added that reports indicated that the area had allegedly been associated with activities including drug dealing and consumption, open clubbing and other forms of community disturbance.

The council chairman, however, clarified that the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) only demolished shanties and illegal structures erected under the powerline.

He said structures built under powerlines posed serious risks to lives and public safety by exposing occupants to electrical hazards, obstructing emergency access and complicating rescue operations during fires and other emergencies.

“The unfortunate casualties and loss of lives witnessed during this crisis further reinforce the need to prevent people from living or operating businesses in unsafe and prohibited locations.

“Government has a responsibility to protect lives, and dangerous illegal structures must be removed in accordance with the law and public-safety requirements,” he said.

Isola specifically commended the Commissioner of Police for the prompt intervention and deployment of the Lagos Tactical Team, Rapid Response Squad and other security formations to the area.

He also acknowledged the efforts of the Area P Commander, Divisional Police Officers of Meiran, Oke-Odo and Alagbado divisions, Lagos State Task Force, Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps, LASEMA and the Nigerian Army Dog Centre.

He also commended local vigilante groups, Community Development Committees, Christian Association of Nigeria, the Council of League of Imams, traditional institutions and community leaders for their role in calming tensions and restoring peace.

The chairman said he personally addressed residents during the security operation, assuring them that the council would continue to work with security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure lasting peace in the area.

  

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Police Restore Calm After Clash Leaves Three Dead, Houses Burnt In Alimosho

The Lagos State Police Command has restored calm in the Ikola community, located in the Alimosho axis of the state following a violent confrontation that left three people dead and two others injured on Thursday.

According to a statement issued by the Lagos State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, the command deployed personnel from various tactical and specialised units to the area to maintain law and order and prevent further escalation of the violence.

The clash, which also led to some buildings being set ablaze, broke out after some suspected area boys allegedly stopped a tricycle rider and demanded ₦200 from him.

The rider reportedly refused to pay, prompting the group to allegedly seize his tricycle. He later returned with some persons, leading to a violent confrontation between the two groups.

The deceased and injured persons were subsequently taken to the Military Hospital, Yaba, for necessary medical attention and other procedures, according to the police.

“Preliminary information indicates that trouble started when some suspected area boys allegedly stopped a tricycle rider and demanded the sum of ₦200. The rider reportedly refused to pay, following which the tricycle was allegedly seized by the group.

“The rider subsequently returned with some persons, leading to a violent confrontation between the two groups. Sadly, three (3) persons were reportedly killed, while two (2) others sustained injuries. Some buildings were also reportedly set ablaze during the ensuing violence”, the statement partly read.

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The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, CP Tijani Fatai, accompanied by the Commander, 9 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Brig. Gen. Afolabi Owolabi, visited the scene to assess the situation and coordinate the security response.

The police said operatives from the Rapid Response Squad, Task Force, Tactical Squad, Police Mobile Force, Eko Strike Force and the Violence and Cultism Response Unit had been deployed to the area.

“Operatives of the Command comprising personnel of the RRS, Taskforce, Tactical Squad, PMF, Eko Strike Force, and VCRU have been deployed to the area and are currently maintaining law and order. The situation is firmly under control, and efforts are ongoing to prevent any further escalation”, the statement continued.

The command said it had commenced an investigation into the incident and would ensure that anyone found culpable faced the full weight of the law.

“The Command has commenced an investigation into the incident and will ensure that anyone found culpable is made to face the full weight of the law”, it added.

The police urged residents to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information and avoid actions capable of further escalating the situation. It also appealed to residents to provide credible information that could assist the ongoing investigation.

“The Command urges members of the public to remain calm, refrain from spreading unverified information, and avoid actions capable of further escalating the situation. Residents are also encouraged to provide the Police with credible information that may assist the ongoing investigation”, the statement concluded.

  

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Lagos To Deploy 220 Trucks For Waste Evacuation — Hamzat

The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, has said the state would increase its waste evacuation capacity with an additional 220 trucks.

This comes barely two months after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced that the state would soon take delivery of 150 compactor trucks to tackle waste evacuation.

Hamzat said this while addressing journalists during the monthly environmental sanitation exercise held in Festac, Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area of the state today.

He noted that the new trucks would supplement the existing Private Sector Participation waste collection system.

He said the trucks would help the government respond to the growing volume of waste generated across the state as a result of population growth.

“The state government will be bringing in another 220 trucks to make sure that we supplement our PSP. What we need our people to also do is to make sure that they patronise their PSP, not the cart pushers, because they are not organised. You don’t know where the waste is ending up,” he said.

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Reacting to a question on the waste situation in Lagos, Hamzat said the increasing number of people living and working in the state meant more waste was generated daily, making residents’ cooperation essential to effective waste management.

“A lot of people are coming to Lagos, and therefore they generate waste. So part of what you can see that we are doing is that we are getting many more trucks to actually go and evacuate,” he said.

He said residents had a responsibility to ensure that waste was properly disposed of, stressing that refuse dumped in canals could obstruct water flow and worsen flooding.

The deputy governor said the state government was encouraging communities across Lagos to organise regular environmental sanitation exercises, with the target of having residents clean their surroundings at least once a month.

“We cannot be a people without a healthy environment. It doesn’t matter what we do, a cleaner environment is what makes a city or a state sustainable,” he said.

Hamzat also urged residents to take personal responsibility for maintaining clean surroundings and use approved waste collection channels.

He said the government’s community engagement was aimed at encouraging residents to develop a culture of maintaining clean surroundings and creating a healthier environment for children and other residents.

Addressing environmental management in the Festac area, Hamzat noted that the Federal Housing Authority had responsibilities in the district but said residents and property managers were still required to comply with Lagos State environmental regulations.

He, however, stressed that the state government remained committed to ensuring that the environment was sustainable and conducive for residents.

Hamzat commended the local government chairman and residents for their participation in the sanitation exercise, saying community involvement was essential to sustaining environmental cleanliness across Lagos.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said waste management in the state was improving, attributing the progress to the deployment of 24-hour emergency response teams and measures to address challenges at landfills and dumpsites.

Wahab said the state government had also intensified engagement with PSP operators to improve waste collection across the state, noting that the government had intervened in areas where the Lagos State Waste Management Authority would ordinarily not operate.

He said the government had assured PSP operators of its support to enable them to improve waste collection, adding that residents were expected to pay for services rendered in line with the polluter-pays principle.

The commissioner said the arrangement would ensure that PSP operators were adequately supported while residents received the services for which they paid.

According to him, the government was also transitioning from the traditional linear waste management system, where waste is collected and dumped, to a circular system in which waste is recovered and converted into useful resources.

Wahab said the transition had led to the development of material recovery facilities in Badagry and Epe, as well as transfer stations at Soluyi and Olusosun.

On the activities of cart pushers, the commissioner said the government was engaging them but would not adopt measures that could create greater environmental and security challenges in the future.

He said investigations had shown that waste collected by some cart pushers was often dumped in drainage channels and road medians, contributing to environmental problems and flooding.

Wahab also expressed concern over reports linking some cart pushers to criminal activities, including the cutting and theft of metals, saying the government could not adopt a policy that would worsen security challenges in the state.

  

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Police Rescue Two Colombian Women Held Captive By Chinese Traffickers In Lagos

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attached to the National Central Bureau of INTERPOL, Lagos Annex, have rescued two Colombian nationals allegedly lured to Nigeria and held captive by a human trafficking syndicate.

The victims, identified as Maria Camila Rodas Ortiz and Yuliet Fernanda Rios Mesa, were rescued following actionable intelligence received from INTERPOL-NCB, Bogotá, on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Ani Iniedu, disclosed this in a statement released on Saturday.

According to the statement, the two women were “fraudulently lured to Nigeria, held against their will, and had their travel documents confiscated” by some Chinese nationals, who are currently at large.

The statement said the police launched a covert tracking operation immediately after receiving the intelligence.

It added that the operatives located the hideout in Lagos and rescued the victims “on the same day.”

The statement read in part, “Upon receipt of the intelligence, police operatives promptly launched a covert tracking operation, locating the hideout in Lagos where both victims were safely rescued on the same day.”

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According to the police, the suspects fled the location when they noticed the approaching operatives.

“The fleeing suspects abandoned the location upon sighting the approaching team, and efforts have been intensified to track down and arrest all members of the syndicate,” the statement said.

The police said the rescued Colombian nationals were currently in safe custody and receiving necessary support.

“The rescued victims are currently in safe custody and receiving necessary support,” the statement added.

The statement further disclosed that the Colombian Embassy in Accra was collaborating with the National Central Bureau to facilitate the victims’ return to their country.

“The Colombian Embassy in Accra is working in close collaboration with the Bureau to secure hotel accommodations for the victims and arrange emergency travel documents to ensure their safe return to Bogotá,” it said.

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, reaffirmed the commitment of the police to protecting residents and strengthening international cooperation against transnational crimes.

The statement said Disu “reaffirms the unwavering commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to safeguarding the lives and property of all residents within the country, while deepening collaboration with i

  

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Machete-Wielding Man Attacks Security Guards At Lekki Cinema, Kills Two

Two people have reportedly been killed following an attack at the a cinema in Lekki, Lagos State, after a machete-wielding man allegedly stormed the facility.

The incident occurred on Friday night, causing panic among cinema patrons and workers at the entertainment facility.

The suspect, who was reportedly armed with a machete and a knife, allegedly attempted to gain access to the cinema but was stopped by security personnel.

Eyewitnesses said the man became violent after he was prevented from entering the premises and allegedly attacked the security guards.

The spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, SP Adebisi Abimbola, confirmed the incident.

She said the suspect allegedly stabbed one of the security guards to death and injured another security personnel.

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Adebisi said the suspect was subsequently mobbed and died in the process.

“Two people have been confirmed dead,” the police spokesperson said.

She added that the identities of the deceased and the circumstances surrounding the incident were being investigated.

According to her, the suspect appeared to be destitute and was also suspected to have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the incident.

The police spokesperson said the Chief Security Officer of the cinema had been taken into custody as part of the investigation.

She added that the command was working to obtain and review the closed-circuit television footage from the cinema to establish the sequence of events.

Adebisi said the CCTV footage would also help investigators determine whether other people were involved in the incident.

The police have commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack and the deaths.

As of the time of filing this report, the police had yet to release the identities of the two deceased persons or provide further details on the condition of the injured security personnel.

  

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