Adekunle Gold And Simi Welcome A Set Of Twins

Nigerian stars couple, Adekunle Gold and Simi, have welcomed a set of twins. Adekunle Gold announced the news via his Snapchat story on Wednesday where he wrote, “Asked God for another child and He blessed me double.”

The announcement follows weeks of speculation after Simi shared a post in December 2025 featuring a clip from Adekunle Gold’s music video, My Love Is the Same.

She captioned the video, “From my baby, for my babies.”

In the clip, Simi appeared with a visible baby

bump, sparking reports that the couple was expecting another child.

The couple got married in a private ceremony in January 2019 after years of friendship and musical collaboration.

They welcomed their first child, a daughter, Adejare Kosoko, fondly called Deja, in May 2020.

 

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TECNO Enhances Grassroots Football With A New Football Pitch In Alimosho

Nigeria’s mobile phone brand, TECNO, has reinforced its commitment to grassroots football and youth development with the completion of a new 5-a-side football pitch at the Alade Sports Complex in Command, Alimosho Local Government Area.

According to a statement from TECNO on Monday, the facility, officially opened on 24 December 2025, is the latest in a series of initiatives by the company aimed at supporting underserved communities and fostering local football talent.

The pitch was developed in partnership with Prince Babatunde Alade, Proprietor of the Alade Sports Complex, who has independently managed the facility for nearly 25 years, nurturing young players and discovering notable talents, including two former Nigerian Golden Eaglets, Mr Basit Ojediran and Mr Tijani Samson, who represented Nigeria at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.

The new astro-turf pitch was commissioned in a ceremony attended by community leaders, TECNO representatives and local residents.

Mr Olumide Yomi-Omolayo, TECNO Marketing Manager, and Elder Philip Ajayi, Community Leader from Amikanle, highlighted the significance of the project for local youth development and inclusive access to quality sports infrastructure.

“This project is a source of pride and collective joy for our community,” Elder Philip Ajayi said. “TECNO’s intervention validates decades of hard work by Prince Babatunde Alade and provides young footballers with opportunities that were previously unavailable in this part of Lagos.”

The 5-a-side pitch at Ajasa Ikola is part of TECNO’s broader grassroots football development strategy, which began with the Sura Mini Stadium on Lagos Island, delivered in collaboration with the Lagos State Government. Both facilities mark the first phase of a wider programme across Lagos State and Nigeria, designed to create pathways for young players to progress from grassroots football to professional careers.

Speaking on the initiative, Founder and CEO of Mono, Mr Abdulhamid Hassan, said, “This partnership enables young Africans to access world-class infrastructure and opportunities, bridging the gap between raw talent and professional football. We are proud to support communities where the potential of youth is often overlooked.”

Beyond Lagos, TECNO’s efforts are aligned with its continental sponsorship of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, reinforcing its commitment to football development across Nigeria and Africa. Through these projects, TECNO aims to combine corporate social responsibility with long-term investments in youth empowerment and sports excellence.

The Alade Sports Complex project demonstrates TECNO’s dedication to sustainable community development, providing young footballers with modern facilities, structured coaching environments, and access to competitive opportunities, while ensuring the legacy of privately run grassroots initiatives continues.

 

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16 Ships Laden With Petrol, Diesel And Aviation Fuel Arrive Lagos Port

No fewer than 16 ships have arrived at Lekki, Tincan, and Apapa ports in Lagos, waiting to discharge petrol, diesel, and bulk gas.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stated this in its publication ‘Shipping Position’ on Thursday in Lagos.

The document noted that 40 ships laden with petroleum products, food items, and other goods were expected to arrive at Apapa, Lekki, and Tin-Can Island Ports from January 8 to January 16.

NPA explained that the expected ships contained buck wheat, bulk diesel, petrol, crude oil, fresh fish, condensate, raw oil, bulk urea, bulk gas, and containers of different goods.

NAN reports that eight other ships are at the ports discharging containers, diesel, bulk urea, and crude oil.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it generated a total revenue of N2.93 trillion from import and export facilitation at Apapa port in 2025, representing a 24.32 per cent growth of N573.2 billion over the N2.35 trillion collected in 2024.

The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Port Command, Emmanuel Oshoba, who disclosed this on Wednesday, in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Isah Sulaiman, attributed the achievement to the strategic deployment of technology, effective leadership, and disciplined manpower.

Oshoba added that a major contributor to the success was the deployment of the Unified Customs Management System (UCMS), also known as B’Odogwu, which enhanced transparency, efficiency, and accountability in cargo clearance processes.

According to him, regular performance reviews and timely revenue recovery measures further strengthened collections.

He also commended compliant stakeholders whose lawful trade practices contributed significantly to the revenue growth.

The Controller said the Command intensified stakeholder sensitisation following the rollout of the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Programme and expanded the One-Stop Shop (OSS) initiative to ensure faster processing and release of compliant cargoes.

He said efforts are also at an advanced stage to deploy the FS6000 cargo scanning system, a non-intrusive technology capable of scanning up to 200 containers per hour.

Oshoba disclosed that the Command also recorded enforcement successes, intercepting 53 containers laden with illicit drugs and prohibited items, including cocaine, Canadian Loud, tramadol, and expired pharmaceuticals with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N12.6 billion.

He said some of the interceptions in the year 2025 were handed over to relevant agencies such as NDLEA and NAFDAC for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Looking ahead, Oshoba expressed optimism that the Command would achieve a greater revenue milestone in 2026, driven by deeper implementation of B’Odogwu, AEO, OSS, stronger intelligence-led enforcement, and expanded collaboration with sister agencies.

 

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Lagos Assembly Passes N4.4 Trillion 2026 'Budget Of Shared Prosperity'

    

    The Lagos State House of Assembly has passed a ₦4.4 trillion budget for the 2026 fiscal year following the adoption of the report of the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budget.

Chairman of the committee, Sa’ad Olumoh, presented the report during plenary on Thursday, outlining the assumptions, projections, and structure of the 2026 Appropriation Bill, tagged the “Budget of Shared Prosperity.”

According to the report, the 2026 budget is the third budget cycle of the current administration and the final new-cycle budget of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term.

It is aligned with the administration’s development agenda, anchored on four strategic pillars: human-centric development, modern and adaptive infrastructure, a thriving 21st-century megacity economy, and effective governance that exceeds citizens’ expectations.

Olumoh said the budget framework was informed by key macroeconomic indices, including an exchange rate benchmark of ₦1,512 to the dollar, an inflation rate of 14.7 per cent, oil production of 2.06 million barrels per day, and a benchmark oil price of $64 per barrel.

The committee also reviewed the 2025 budget performance, reporting a cumulative performance of 79 per cent as of November 2025. Capital expenditure performance stood at 75 per cent, recurrent expenditure at 87 per cent, while overall revenue performance was put at 79 per cent.

For the 2026 fiscal year, the approved budget size stands at about ₦4.4 trillion, comprising proposed recurrent expenditure of ₦2.052 trillion and capital expenditure of ₦2.185 trillion. The capital component represents a significant share of the budget, underscoring the state government’s commitment to infrastructure development.

The budget makes provisions for personnel costs, overheads, debt servicing and debt repayment, with a projected deficit of about ₦243 billion to be financed through approved deficit financing options.

During deliberations, lawmakers commended the budget, describing it as realistic and growth-oriented.

Aro Moshood disclosed that an additional ₦171 billion was added to the budget during the review process.

Femi Saheed said the size and structure of the budget showed that Lagos State remained on a strong economic footing, provided all stakeholders played their roles.

Similarly, Gbolahan Yishawu, representing Eti-Osa Constituency II, emphasised the importance of revenue reforms and prudent loan repayment structures, noting that effective implementation would further strengthen the state’s fiscal position.

The Assembly also received assurances from relevant officials that revenue-generating agencies would collaborate to ensure that projected revenues are met and possibly exceeded.

Following deliberations, the House adopted the committee’s report, took the third reading and passed the 2026 Appropriation Bill into law.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu had earlier presented a ₦4.237 trillion spending proposal to the House on November 25, 2025, stating that the budget was designed to accelerate economic growth, deepen infrastructure development and maintain fiscal responsibility.

He disclosed that the budget projected total revenue of about ₦3.99 trillion, with ₦3.12 trillion expected from internally generated revenue and ₦874 billion from federal transfers, while the deficit financing plan stood at approximately ₦243.3 billion.

 

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How A 52-Year Old Lagos Bricklayer Disappeared Without A Trace

The family of 52-year-old bricklayer Abidemi Alao is appealing for help following his disappearance while returning from a family event in Ogbomosho, Oyo State, last Saturday.

Alao, popularly known as “Daddy,” was last seen boarding a commercial bus around 4 pm, heading toward Ibadan.

He was expected to arrive home that same evening, but has neither been seen nor heard from since.

His brother, John Kolawole, who spoke with newsmen , narrated the circumstances surrounding the disappearance.

“He travelled for our sister’s introduction ceremony. On his way back, one of our brothers dropped him off at the bus stop.

“He boarded the bus around 4 pm, and later, someone who sat beside him called to say he had reached Ibadan around 7 pm and was about to continue from there.”

The brother added that subsequent efforts to reach Alao failed.

The brother continued, “On Sunday morning, when we called his number, a stranger picked up and said he found the phone inside the bus.

“The person said his phone was found in the bus and promised to call back around 10 am, but didn’t. When we called again by 2 pm, the phone was already switched off.”

Worried by the development, another member of his family, Mutiu Ayanwale, told newsmen on Sunday that the matter was reported at different police stations in Lagos.

He also revealed that the family received a suspicious call from an unknown person claiming to be holding Alao and demanding N50,000 ransom.

“That’s the only step we’ve taken so far, apart from posting his picture on Facebook and Instagram.

“One of his daughters called to say someone contacted them, claiming they were holding him and asking for N50,000.

“The caller even said they saw him from the bus, but when asked to let us speak with him, they refused.

“We believe it’s a 419 scam because we had just posted his picture online. We didn’t send any money,” he recounted.

The family expressed deep concern over the continued silence, saying no credible information has come in despite the social media alerts.

 

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Airport Police Arrest 20-Year Old Romance Fraudster For Defrauding Unsuspecting Women Of Over N1 Billion

The Airport Police Command, Lagos, has arrested a 20-year-old man, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, accused of defrauding multiple victims in the United States of over N1 billion (more than $1 million) through a celebrity romance and fraud scheme.

In a statement signed by ASP Mohammed Adeola, Police Public Relations Officer of the Airport Police Command, the force said the arrest followed months of intelligence-led surveillance.

“The Nigeria Police Force, Airport Police Command, in its sustained efforts to combat transnational crimes and prevent the use of Nigerian airports as escape routes for criminal elements, has arrested a notorious celebrity scam and romance fraud suspect,” the statement read.

“The suspect, Essien Emmanuel Akpama, was arrested on 5th January, 2026, by operatives of the Anti-Fraud Unit of the Airport Police Command while attempting to board a flight out of Lagos State.”

Investigations revealed that Akpama relocated from Calabar, Cross River State, to Lagos on February 23, 2024, from where he coordinated several fraudulent schemes.

One of the scams involved a 47-year-old woman in the US, who was deceived into transferring $1 million under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage.

“The suspect, through a celebrity scam modus operandi, deceived a 47-year-old female victim in the United States into transferring one million US dollars under the pretext of purchasing property in Florida for an orphanage,” the statement said.

The funds were solicited via a cryptocurrency scheme called “BullRun 2.0,” formerly known as “4 Way Mirror Money.”

It was also revealed that Akpama also defrauded a 70-year-old US woman of N25,709,400 (about $18,000) through purchases of gift cards, high-end mobile phones, and computer equipment shipped to Nigeria under his direction.

“Further investigations revealed that the suspect also defrauded another 70-year-old female victim in the United States of a total sum of N25,709,400, equivalent to $18,000.

“The fraud was perpetrated through the purchase of gift cards, high-end mobile devices, and computer equipment, which were shipped to Nigeria at the suspect’s direction,” the statement added.

Recovered items include a MacBook Pro 14-inch, an iPhone 17 Pro Max, two Google Pixel 10 Pro XL devices, and one Google Pixel 10 Pro, collectively valued at N8,141,367.

The statement further added that, “The suspect reportedly posed as a 60-year-old orthopaedic surgeon working with the United Nations in Nigeria to convince victims that the devices were needed for secure communications.”

Commissioner of Police, Airport Police Command, CP Ogunbode Olufunke, Mnips, PhD, reiterated the importance of intelligence-driven operations in curbing crime.

“The Command will continue to deploy intelligence-driven operations to detect, disrupt, and dismantle criminal networks operating within and around Nigeria’s aviation ecosystem,” she said.

The case has been transferred to the Nigeria Police Force Special Fraud Unit for further investigation, and the suspect will be arraigned in court upon completion of the inquiry.

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Residents Of Meiran Run Helter-skelter As Hoodlums Chase One Another With Axes

    

Residents of Meiran were thrown into panic on Wednesday after hoodlums reportedly chased one another with axes along parts of the area.

It was gathered from multiple eyewitnesses that no life was lost during the fracas, which occurred at Kabowei Bus Stop in Meiran at about 1pm on Wednesday.

However, the incident caused panic among motorists, with several drivers abandoning their vehicles along the axis to seek safety.

As the violence unfolded, residents and commuters reportedly scampered for cover while groups of young men, some armed with axes, ran through the road.

A resident who identified himself only as Segun told newsmen that he was forced to abandon his vehicle and take refuge in a nearby house until the situation calmed.

“The issue started right in front of Amala at Meiran Bus Stop. I had to get out of my car and seek shelter when I saw a group of men wielding axes and chasing another group of young men.

“I didn’t know what could happen if I tried to drive through the chaos. Other drivers also parked their vehicles by the roadside to allow the violence to die down. I returned to pick up my car a few minutes later when everywhere became calm,” he said.

Explaining what allegedly triggered the incident, another resident, who identified himself only as Moses, said the fight started after some youths bought ice cream and refused to pay the seller.

Moses narrated, “After they collected the ice cream, the seller demanded his money, but instead of paying, they refused and began threatening him.

“He then contacted some of his friends, who came to confront the boys. Suddenly, about five of them brought out axes, and that was how the chaos started.”

Although it remains unclear whether the incident was cult-related, similar cases of youths chasing one another with dangerous weapons such as guns and cutlasses have been reported in other parts of Lagos.

Last year, youths suspected to be cultists reportedly infiltrated a masquerader festival in the Orile Iganmu area of the state, shooting at least three people dead.

 

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Akpabio Cares Initiative Impacts 700 Surulere Residents With Medical Outreach

Residents of Surulere turned out in large numbers to benefit from a free medical outreach organised under the Akpabio Cares Initiative, a philanthropic programme driven by the office of the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The medical exercise, which provided free consultations and prescribed drugs and eyeglasses, marked the third edition of the initiative in two years. Previous outreaches were held in Osogbo, Osun State, and Yankaba in Kano State.

A significant number of vulnerable residents accessed essential healthcare services at no cost during the programme, which targeted those who could not afford basic medical care.

Speaking with journalists at the venue, the convener of the initiative and Senior Legislative Aide to the President of the Senate, Mr Ahmed Tijani Mustapha, said the outreach was part of efforts to give back to society, emphasising the importance of good health.

“We are doing this as a way of giving back to society, and we believe that the best gift is that of good health,” Mustapha said.

He disclosed that the Lagos edition of the outreach was designed to reach about 700 beneficiaries, who would receive free medical consultations, drugs and eyeglasses.

Responding to questions on why the programme was held in Lagos instead of Senator Akpabio’s home state of Akwa Ibom, Mustapha explained that the office of the Senate President operates with a national perspective.

“Senator Godswill Akpabio is the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and his impact must be felt across the country,” he stated.

Beneficiaries of the outreach expressed gratitude to Senator Akpabio and the organisers, describing the intervention as timely and impactful.

One of the beneficiaries thanked the Senate President for remembering the community, noting that the initiative had brought relief to many residents who could not afford basic healthcare services.

Another beneficiary praised Mustapha’s appointment as an aide to the Senate President, saying his connection to the community had helped attract what he described as dividends of democracy to the area.

At the conclusion of the exercise, Mustapha revealed that the next phase of the Akpabio Cares Initiative would move to the North Central geopolitical zone, as the programme continues its humanitarian outreach across the country

 

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Lagos To Kick Off Measles Rubella Campaign January 20th

The Lagos State government will kick off Measles Rubella vaccination campaign on January 20 for ten days and additional two days for mop up with the goal of reaching 10.5 million children and reduce the burden of vaccines preventable diseases.

The Immunisation Officer of the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Oluwakemi Oshodi, who revealed this during a media orientation programme on Measles Rubella vaccine, tasked the media and critical stakeholders on helping to curb misinformation about vaccines.

According to her, the state is committed to tackling wrong messaging about vaccines with the right information and campaign so that the people can get better educated about the importance and the impact of vaccines.

The Immunisation Programme Coordinator, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, Dr Adetola Akinpelu, said that the goal within the 12 days of the immunisation exercise is to achieve nothing less than 95 per cent coverage for the about 10.5 million children of ages nine months and 14 years living in Lagos State.

He noted that one of the major threats to receiving immunisation vaccines is misinformation despite the huge advantages it offers, imploring the media to educate residents about the importance of vaccines.

He added that 90 per cent of persons who come in contact with anyone with Measles Rubella will likely be infected, but with vaccines the negative impact will be likely neutralised

He also said that it is usually mild in children but can have severe consequences during pregnancy, leading to congenital rubella syndrome in newborns with lifelong disabilities such as heart disease.

According to him, each year, an estimate of 10,000 children are born with congenital rubella syndrome in Nigeria representing one third of global incidents.

Speaking on the impact of vaccines, he said that over the last 50 years, safe vaccine use worldwide has averted about 94 million deaths, while measles rubella immunisation has the potential to avert 2.8 million deaths in Nigeria and contribute to global shift in immunisation coverage.

“Nigeria contributes significantly to the burden of measles and rubella globally as Nigeria is second to DR Congo.

Many under 14 in Nigeria has not received the Rubella Measles vaccine.”

On her part, the Director, Health Education and Promotion Services, Lagos State Primary Healthcare Board, Adesola Grace-Honfor, tasked the media about letting the people know the importance of measles rubella vaccine for ages nine months and 14 and that the state government has the interest of the citizens because when the children are healthy that the parents can be healthy.

The UNICEF representative, Seyi Nubi, enjoined journalists to identify, counter and correct misinformation about Measles Rubella vaccine in order to strengthen public confidence in the safety, effectiveness and quality of the measles rubella vaccine.

 

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BRT Bus Burst Into Flame On Third Mainland Bridge, Causing Traffic Gridlock

A Lagos State BRT bus was engulfed in flames on the Third Mainland Bridge on Tuesday afternoon, disrupting traffic movement around the Adekunle axis inward Iyana Oworo.

The incident was confirmed by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority on its official X account.

According to Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the fire incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. and immediately affected vehicular movement on the busy corridor, which serves as a major link between Lagos Mainland and other parts of the city.

LASTMA noted that emergency response efforts were already underway at the time of the update.

“Efforts are ongoing to put out the fire, and our officers are on scene managing the traffic situation,” they said.

Traffic officers were deployed to control the flow of vehicles and reduce gridlock while fire suppression efforts continued.

The Third Mainland Bridge is one of Lagos’ busiest transport routes, carrying thousands of vehicles daily. Because so many commuters depend on it to move between Lagos Mainland and Lagos Island, even a brief disruption can quickly cascade into heavy congestion.

Any disruption along the corridor often leads to significant delays, spillover congestion, and longer travel times for commuters heading toward Iyana Oworo, Yaba, and surrounding areas.

There have been several recorded cases over the past few years where BRT buses in Lagos caught fire or were burnt under different circumstances. These incidents call for regular vehicle maintenance and stricter safety inspections to ensure passenger safety and prevent prolonged traffic congestion.

 

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