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Outdated, embarrassing, group knocks NCAA over ban on airplane mode

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The Network for the Actualisation of Social Growth and Viable Development has faulted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority over its recent directive mandating passengers to switch off their mobile phones completely during take-off and landing, instead of using “airplane mode.”

The Director-General of NCAA, Capt. Chris Najomo, had on Tuesday, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, announced that electronic devices must now be turned off entirely during flights, a move that effectively ends the long-standing practice of using “flight mode.”

Reacting in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Country Head of Office, Akingunola Omoniyi, NEFGAD described the directive as “a source of serious international embarrassment to Nigeria.”

The organisation said the move by the NCAA is an attempt to cover up “its regulatory ineptitude, which have created multiple embarrassments for the country in recent times.”

It said, “The NCAA’s recent directive mandating all air passengers to completely switch off their mobile phones during flight take-off and landing is outdated and out of fashion.”

The group argued that the aviation sector has advanced far beyond the NCAA’s position, noting that modern aircraft are built to withstand interference from personal devices and even provide in-flight Wi-Fi.

“The NCAA seems to have forgotten that the aviation sector has advanced far beyond its current operational scope.

“Modern aircraft in today’s world, including Emirates, Lufthansa, Air France, Delta, British Airways, and Qatar Airways, all offer free Wi-Fi services for passengers in the air and during all stages of flight operations,” Akingunola said.

NEFGAD further warned that the directive portrays Nigeria’s airspace as being dominated by outdated aircraft.

“The NCAA directive has clearly shown the outside world that Nigeria’s airspace is dominated by obsolete planes manufactured before the year 2000 — aircraft over 25 years old. It is doubtful if any serious-minded investor will risk his life flying in a country whose airspace is largely dominated by such outdated aircraft,” the statement read.

The group also accused the NCAA of neglecting more pressing issues in the sector, including reforms on aircraft technology standards, passenger codes of conduct, consumer protection guidelines, and aviation security management.

“This is not the era of regulatory grandstanding, but technological innovation and competitiveness. NCAA has no excuse other than to wake up from its regulatory trance and bring real innovation to our airspace by benchmarking Nigerian airlines’ technology against ICAO-compliant international standards, and make Nigerians more comfortable with full in-flight experiences as obtainable anywhere else in the world,” Akingunola stressed.

NEFGAD disclosed it has petitioned the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion to verify the technology status of Nigerian airlines, warning that the NCAA’s stance could send “dangerous signals to the international community about the state of Nigeria’s airspace.”

It also lamented that Nigerians pay some of the highest airfares for both domestic and international flights, yet continue to endure poor in-flight experiences due to outdated aircraft.

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Man Escapes Death After Truck Crashes From Oshodi Bridge

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A severely injured male victim yet to be fully identified escaped death by the whiskers after a fully loaded truck fell from Oshodi Bridge in Lagos State.

He was rescued by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) officials after the ghastly accident involving a fully loaded six-tyre truck.

The truck with registration number AKD 135 YK, suffered a brake failure and plunged off the Oshodi Bridge into the terminal ditch while descending from Oshodi-Oke inward Mile 2.

Preliminary information gathered from the scene indicated that the truck, reportedly laden with tonner printing materials, experienced a mechanical failure while descending the bridge, thereby losing control before skidding off the carriageway and tumbling into the terminal below.

The general manager of LASTMA, Mr Bakare Oki, lauded his men for their response.

He reiterated the agency’s unrelenting vigilance in ensuring the protection of lives and property on Lagos roads, particularly during the ember months, when traffic density and accident risks are significantly heightened.

Oki emphasised that the agency’s ongoing 24-hour traffic management operations were instituted to guarantee seamless vehicular movement across the State before, during, and after the festive season.

He disclosed that heavy-duty recovery vehicles and mini trucks have been strategically deployed across the five administrative divisions of Lagos, supported by over 2,700 personnel stationed at critical traffic nodes and corridors for optimal coverage and swift emergency response.

The general manager reaffirmed LASTMA’s unyielding commitment to proactive traffic regulation, timely rescue operations, and the continuous enlightenment of motorists on the imperatives of mechanical maintenance, safety discipline, and compliance with traffic laws across the metropolis.

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The true life story Of The N0torious Shina Rambo And How He Met Christ and Became a Pastor

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Once upon a time, the mention of the name Shina Rambo sent sh|vers down the spines of many Nigerians. Rambo was a n0torious arm£d r0bber who t£rrorized people, that even police officers were were afra|d of him. He was said to have murd£red, robb£d and left behind a history of t£rror that will take years to erase.

For history sake, the life of the not0rious armèd r0bber who later became a pastor has been brought back for all to read and learn.

Shina Rambo is a former ßandit who terr0rised South-West Nigeria in the 1990s. After serving ja|l-time for his cr|mes, he was converted by an evangelist and became a Christian evangelical pastor. Shina Rambo now Mathew Oluwanifemi was a name that sent shivers down the spine of people who lived in the South West of Nigeria and even outside Nigeria, like Benin Republic and neighborhood, in the 1990s.

He was a hard£ned cr|minal, a t£rror and kill£r, one whom men of the security agencies will never forget in a haste.

A man mountain, towering about 6 ft 5inch, well built, dark skinned and sweltering eyes, he carried out his operati0ns, like a movie, in the broad day light, with sophisticat£d w£apons, and bull£t belts and explosives strapped roundabout him. He specialized in r0bbing exotic cars on highways and r0bbing banks. Nothing could stop him, not even security operatives, he was totally invinc|ble. He was Shina Rambo!

He was born in the year 1958 to a military man who was a ßad egg in the service. His father was from Abeokuta in Ogun state, but his mother was a native of Sabongida–Ora in Edo state. His father had over 18 wives, as was the norm for soldiers to impr£gnate virtually every woman they met where they were posted to. His father used his m|litary influence to r0b innocent citizens, and always brought huge amount of money home. This used to entice little Shina according to him.

This writeup(Caption) is from Ayeni Abayomi page

He recalls, “I remembered when I was about 7 years old, my father came home with a lot of money, foreign currencies, with bl00d on it, and they were using something like a woman’s scarf to wipe it, then I asked him, is this an animal’s ßlood, or human ßlood? But he wouldn’t answer me, they were just drinking, smoking, and merry making.”

Shina was already ind0ctrinated into the underworld by his father at a tender age of 7 without him knowing it, as he would sit in front of his son, to d|smantle and assemble all sorts of w£apons and then p0lishing them in preparation for an operation. This went on for so long till one day, little Shina, entered into his father’s room while he had stepped into the toilet, and saw a dism£mbered gùn on the floor. He sat down in front of it, and bit by bit, he had assembled it eff0rtlessly in no time at all. His father came out of the toilet, and saw his son, with a l0aded gun in his hands.

Shina flashed back and said, “That day my father was so disapp0inted, that he wanted to k|ll me, he grabbed the gùn from my hand and sh0t straight at me, but I miraculously escaped out of the room. Then he waited for me to be less alert at night he came to my room with a màchete and tried to ßehead me, but once again, I escaped, but the màchete caught my left leg (he rolled up his trouser to show us the large scàr, that made everyone sighed in pity). It cùt me so deep I thought I was never going to walk again.

“That day I knew I had graduated, all that was left was to pull the trigg£r, and I was so eager.”

ShinaRambo became so n0torious in no time, and was h£llbent on succeeding in his career as an arm£d robber, that he went through any length to secure sp|ritual powers for fortificati0n.

To the extent of pounding over 27 live new born babies in the mortar with a pestle, cùtting off about 100 human tongues and cooking them to eat, visiting the sp|ritual river called river of life in Ogoja, Cross Rivers State, living in an Iroko tree for days, and sleeping in the c£metery
This writeup(Caption) is from Ayeni Abayomi page

He was given a sp|ritual wife who always followed him for ànshe dressed like an Alhaja, people thought she was human, but she was a sp|rit, that was why they never saw her face. He said she was his personal driver, that she could drive from Nigeria to Cotonou, in the speed of light.

Hear him. ”I was involved in so many r|tuals, that I can’t start naming them now, I was so p0werful, I went underground, inside trees that looked like a city, a lot of beautiful houses inside the tree, I had my own too. I went into a river called River of life in Ogoja, where a lot of p0liticians and wealthy men used to come. I had several personalities, I could change my form whenever I wanted to, that’s why the police were busy k|lling innocent people, and thought they were k|lling Shina Rambo.

“The 9 h£rbalists that gave me that power, I became str0nger than them, one day I went to their shrines, and kill£d all of them, so that they don’t reveal my s£crets. I had too many p0wers; my sp|ritual wife could drive any car in this world or out of it, no police vehicle, or anyone for that matter, could ever chase and catch me during an 0peration. She was out of this world, and when she had completed her 0peration, they took her away from me. I could give anything to get p0wers, and the elders knew, so they also gave me anything I wanted. I once b£headed hundred men, and gave them the heads fresh, they were so happy with me that they made me |nvincible.

“No matter the kind of ßullet you sh0t at me, it was just like pure water on my body. I could give anything to get p0wer, but of all the things I did to get p0wer, the one that still ßreaks my heart the most, is sleeping with my mother

This writeup(Caption) is from Ayeni Abayomi page

My father is d£ad now, but my mother is still alive, and she lives with me she is 85 years old. Whenever I set my eyes on her, I just start cry|ng. I can’t bear it. ”

Shina Rambo was a rag|ng t£rror, he was infa|libly dang£rous, the police dr£aded him, both in Nigeria, and Benin Republic, his place of interest for business. He would go to police stations, in broad daylight and k|ll every policeman there, drive to check p0ints and open f|re on every p0liceman on duty, he didn’t like the p0lice at all, and was never afra|d of them, he 0perated in broad day light arm£d to the teeth looking like Johny Rambo, in the popular Sylvester Stalone movie, “First Bl00d”.

He once r0bbed 40 exotic cars in one day and drove all of them in a conv0y, from Lagos to Cotonou, unstopped. He was p0werful; he was w£althy, and imp£netrable. He was a tin g0d, apparently b£lched from the very arroyo h£ll, we all dr£aded him. He had a wife and three children, but he l0st all of them in one day during a bl00dy police ra|d whilst he was away on 0peration. His wife was his stabilizing factor his life changed afterwards.

He says “my wife was everything to me, I was f0rbidden by the elders to sleep with any other woman apart from her. I could gather about 50 women around me in a hotel, and they will just be playing with me. We would sm0ke, drink, and sniff c0caine, I will give them money but I will never sleep with them. I will go back home to my wife and sleep with her. That was why the p0lice never caught me. She knew my job, she knew what I was and I never left them alone at night, I 0perated in the day time and go back home to my family at night.

“I had everything, I was very wealthy, I sometimes spent 50 million naira in a day, I did that a lot. There was one day that we were coming from an operati0n and it seemed as if my p0wers were going to fa|l me, the police and the army were almost closing in on us, so we had to drive into a crowd and threw millions of naira in the air, there was comm0tion, everybody was busy picking naira notes even the police, until we escaped. I was too rich, but anything the d£vil gives you never lasts, he will collect more from you, it’s only the d£vil that will give you Fila, (cap) and ask for Iro and Buba (wrapper and top). I l0st everything, all the money, my family; I was so p0werful the police couldn’t catch me but I L0st it all. I had to surrender myself to the police and I was arr£sted and jail£d for 11 years.

“While I was serving my ja|l term in Agodi prisons, Ibadan, Prophet T.O Obadare came visiting, and having been encouraged several times by the Christian brothers and sisters in the pris0n to give my life to Christ, he prayed for me and converted me, and changed my name to Oluwanifemi, and it was so miraculous, the next day I woke up and started speaking in tongues. It was during the time of President Olusegun Obasanjo, that we were granted freedom.

Shina Rambo gave this exclusive c0nfession on an open ground revival in the ancient city of Ibadan.

G0d is indeed wonderful. Shina rambo has sent many people to their early grav£ without repentant of their s|ns. They may go to h£ll and him having given his life to Christ may end up in heaven.

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Nigeria exits global money-laundering watchlist

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President Bola Tinubu has hailed Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) “grey list” as a major milestone for the country’s economy and financial integrity, describing it as “a strategic victory for our economy and a renewed vote of confidence in Nigeria’s financial governance.”

The FATF, which serves as the global watchdog on money laundering and terrorist financing, announced Nigeria’s delisting at its October 2025 plenary session held in Paris, France. The decision came after Nigeria fully implemented a 19-point action plan aimed at strengthening its Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) framework.

In a statement released by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu said the achievement reflected his administration’s determination to restore credibility and transparency to Nigeria’s financial system.

“Nigeria’s removal from the grey list is not just a technical accomplishment but a strategic victory,” Tinubu said. “It reaffirms our position as a trusted player in the global financial community.”

Nigeria was placed on the FATF grey list in February 2023 due to weak enforcement mechanisms, poor inter-agency coordination, and opaque financial practices. Tinubu said his administration treated the designation as a challenge to drive reforms, directing key agencies to introduce sweeping structural and legal changes.

Under his directive, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), in collaboration with the Ministries of Finance, Justice, and Interior, as well as the Office of the Attorney-General, led a coordinated national effort to meet FATF standards.

Tinubu praised NFIU Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hafsat Bakari, for leading the process. “Her team’s diligent and timely implementation of Nigeria’s commitments earned the country international recognition for tackling serious financial crimes,” he said.

Bakari confirmed the FATF decision in a statement, calling it “a true test of the country’s resilience, coordination, and unwavering commitment to reform.”

“The FATF has officially removed Nigeria from the list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring, commonly known as the grey list,” she said. “This milestone marks a historic moment in Nigeria’s fight against serious financial crimes and underscores our commitment to global standards.”

She highlighted key reforms that contributed to the delisting, including the enforcement of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, as well as the operationalisation of the Beneficial Ownership Register. The reforms also strengthened oversight of designated non-financial businesses and enhanced the ability of intelligence and law enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.

Bakari commended President Tinubu’s leadership, the National Assembly, the judiciary, and private sector partners, urging all stakeholders to maintain the reform momentum to preserve global compliance.

At the same plenary, the FATF also removed South Africa, Mozambique, and Burkina Faso from the grey list, citing major improvements in their financial integrity systems.

Analysts said Nigeria’s exit from the watchlist is expected to ease cross-border transactions, attract foreign investment, and boost confidence in the country’s financial sector.

Tinubu said the decision marked “the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s financial reform agenda,” pledging that his administration would “sustain institutional reforms, deepen collaboration, and continue to build a financial system that Nigerians and the world can trust.”

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