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Local Residents beg FG as Osun, Ondo federal roads crumble

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Commuters and residents of Osun and Ondo states have decried the deplorable state of federal roads in the two states, calling for urgent government intervention.

In Osun, users of the Ilesa–Akure Expressway particularly lamented the Osu/Iwaraja corridor, describing it as a nightmare for motorists.

Speaking at Iloko Junction—one of the worst-hit portions of the road—a resident, Tomisin Olatunde, said the Federal Road Maintenance Agency had at different times patched bad spots, but such interventions provided only temporary relief.

“With what we are experiencing now, only complete removal and replacement of the asphalt can solve the problem. The road stretches from Ile-Ife to Osu, Ilesa and Iwaraja, linking Osun and Ondo states. Between March and June this year, several serious accidents were recorded between Iloko Junction and the Road Safety office along the expressway,” Olatunde said.

A driver, Razaq Akinleye, who has plied the road for 15 years, said the last major reconstruction was done before the 2015 elections. He described the ongoing expansion works from Ilekki, Ilesa, as “too little compared to the magnitude of the challenge.”

“FRSC officers even filled some bad portions earlier this year to prevent accidents, but that can’t solve the problem. Beyond mere clearing, we need a total overhaul of the road. The patching by FERMA only lasts about three months before the spots go bad again.

The bad portions also give robbers and kidnappers an advantage since vehicles must slow down there,” Akinleye lamented.

Osun State Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, said the state was already assisting in repairing some federal roads but urged Abuja to take full responsibility.

“We are involved in the repair of some FG roads in Osun. On that particular road, I want to urge the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility and fix it,” Alimi said.

Similarly, residents of communities along the Akure–Ado Ekiti Expressway in Ondo State appealed to both federal and state governments to expedite the ongoing reconstruction of the road.

The project, which commenced towards the end of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, has dragged on for years, worsening traffic congestion and making life difficult for residents. Before the project started, the road had become a death trap, with criminals exploiting its poor state to kidnap travellers for ransom.

During a recent inspection, Minister of Works, David Umahi, announced that the Akure–Ita-Ogbolu–Iju–Ado road would be redesigned and rebuilt with concrete.

But residents say the delay is unbearable. A native of the Iju community, Olamide Babalayo, urged the government to hasten the project.

“The last time I drove home was terrible. We commend the FG for taking action, but they should expedite the work. People in the community are suffering, especially during this rainy season,” he said.

A commercial driver, Kunle, stressed the road’s economic importance, saying transporters were spending excessively on vehicle repairs.

“The road is vital for business between Ondo and Ekiti states. The government should complete it on time so economic activities can flow better,” he said.

When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary to Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ebenezer Adeniyan, acknowledged that the road is a federal responsibility but expressed optimism that the situation would soon improve.

“I think the situation will improve now that the rains have ceased,” he said.

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‘If You’re Here Illegally, You’ll Be Deported’ – Kemi Badenoch Declares In Fresh UK Border Plan

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Leader of the UK Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch, has announced what she called the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen in immigration policy, unveiling a sweeping border strategy designed to detain and deport 150,000 illegal migrants every year.

In a video message posted on her 𝕏 handle on Sunday, Badenoch said the new Radical Borders Plan would create a Removals Force modelled after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to strengthen Britain’s border enforcement system.

“My message is clear: if you’re here illegally, you will be detained and deported,” Badenoch declared in the caption accompanying her announcement video.

Positioning herself as a hardliner on immigration, Badenoch sharply criticised both Conservative and Labour governments for what she described as years of failure to tackle illegal migration effectively.

“Today, I’m launching our Radical Borders Plan, the toughest reforms Britain has ever seen to border laws and operations.

“Successive governments have failed on immigration. Labour promised to smash the gangs. Instead, in just a year, they delivered record small boat crossings, over 50,000 illegal arrivals, 32,000 people in asylum hotels, and billions wasted. It’s pure weakness. Britain needs a serious, credible plan and the backbone to deliver it,” she added.

Key Provisions of the Plan

According to Badenoch, the Radical Borders Plan would ban asylum claims from illegal entrants, repeal the Human Rights Act, and withdraw the UK from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), moves that would represent a seismic shift in Britain’s immigration framework.

She said all illegal arrivals would be deported within seven days, with legal barriers to mass deportations removed.

Under the new policy, countries refusing to repatriate their citizens could face visa sanctions, while the new Removals Force would “shut down the asylum hotel racket,” saving taxpayers billions of pounds and restoring public trust in the UK’s borders.

“Only the Conservatives have a serious, credible plan to deliver stronger borders. If you come here illegally, you will be deported,” Badenoch said emphatically.

Reports by Sky News indicate that the new Removals Force will replace the existing Home Office Immigration Enforcement unit.

It will be granted sweeping powers, including the use of facial recognition technology without prior warning, to identify and remove undocumented migrants.

If implemented, the plan would mark one of the most radical overhauls of UK immigration policy in decades, setting the stage for fierce political and legal debates over border control and human rights.

It was  reports that Badenoch’s announcement quickly drew backlash after her tense exchange on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, where she dismissed questions about where deported migrants would be sent.

“I’m tired of all of these irrelevant questions about where they should go,” she said.

“They will go back to where they should be or another country, but they should not be here.”

When pressed further, she replied curtly: “They will go back to where they came from.”

Her remarks sparked criticism from human rights advocates and opposition figures, who accused her of oversimplifying complex asylum issues and disregarding international law.

Despite the backlash, Badenoch doubled down on her stance, arguing that firm action was the only way to restore credibility to Britain’s immigration system.

“This plan will end the chaos, remove incentives for illegal entry, and ensure that our borders are respected again,” she said.

She added that the new policy would send a “clear signal to the world” that Britain was serious about law enforcement and border sovereignty.

While right-leaning members of the Conservative Party hailed it as “decisive and long overdue”, opposition figures and civil rights groups branded it “inhumane and legally reckless.”

It was reports that if approved, the plan would require Parliament to revoke existing human rights protections and rewrite sections of immigration law, a move that could face legal challenges domestically and in European courts.

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Lagos Trade Fair demolition: 2,753 lgbo property demolished since 2019 – Ohanaeze alleges

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The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has alleged that over 2753 Igbo property have been demolished in Lagos since 2019.

The organization made the assertion while reacting to the recent Lagos Trade Fair Complex demolition.

Ohanaeze said it is imperative to address these insidious actions perpetrated by the Lagos State Government under the stewardship of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The pan lgbo group therefore demanded an immediate cessation of all demolition activities specifically targeted at Igbo investments within Lagos State, saying that such measures are not merely administrative actions but perceived as a calculated political vendetta designed to systematically dismantle the economic contributions of the Igbo residents in the state.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the factional Deputy- President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Chief Chinemeze Ohia, factional national spokesperson, Ohanaeze condemned the recent demolitions of shops and structures at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos.

The statement read: “The recent demolitions blatantly contravene the protections afforded to individuals by the 1999 Nigerian Constitution, particularly Section 40, alongside the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, the UN Convention on Human Rights, and the foundational provisions of the 1978 Land Use Act, which unequivocally requires lawful revocation of Rights of Occupancy, advance notice, and just compensation for affected property owners.

“Independent investigations commissioned by Ohanaeze Ndigbo have revealed alarming violations of the Urban and Regional Development Law of Lagos State. Notably, there was a conspicuous absence of environmental impact assessments or consultations with stakeholders prior to these demolitions.

“Insights obtained from interviews with Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, underscore that the Trade Fair Complex is under the jurisdiction of the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment, thus inherently questioning the legality of state-led demolition actions.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo resolutely calls on Governor Sanwo-Olu to halt these assaults on Igbo properties and investments in Lagos State. We remind the Governor that he was overwhelmingly supported by the Igbo community during his 2019 electoral campaign.

“Since his administration’s commencement, our records reveal that over 2,753 properties—houses, shops, and their valuable contents—have been callously demolished without due recourse to the owners, representing colossal losses amounting to approximately 23 trillion Naira in investments. It is incumbent upon us to confront these issues forthrightly, irrespective of any political sensitivities.

“Our assessments evince a concerning pattern; it appears that the Lagos State Government may be engaging in acts of political retribution against Ndigbo in Lagos, particularly in the wake of the electoral dynamics observed in the aftermath of the 2023 elections.

“The prevailing inflation rate of 23.9% only exacerbates the economic harm inflicted upon Igbo traders, and indications suggest that further demolitions will occur as a means to diminish the Igbo presence prior to the 2027 elections.

“In a passionate plea, we urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene directly in this matter. The President must order an immediate cessation of further demolitions and compel the Lagos State Government to deliver adequate compensation to those affected. Additionally, we advocate for the reopening of the Calabar Seaport, which has languished in disuse for 59 years, and call for the establishment of a new Southeast Seaport at the Azumiri Blue River, in Ukwa East LGA Of Abia State,located a mere 34 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean.

“Furthermore, it is imperative that we alert the Igbo community residing in Lagos State to the troubling prospects ahead. Information at our disposal indicates that additional demolitions targeting Igbo properties may occur as early as 2026.

“It is high time for Igbo business owners to evaluate the sustainability of their investments in Lagos and consider reestablishing their enterprises in the Old Eastern Region, particularly the Southeast. The ‘Think Home’ philosophy (Akụ Ruo Ulo) is increasingly seen as the most viable strategy in response to the ongoing demolitions.”

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Full list of 29 Schengen countries offering 5-Year Multiple-Entry Visas to Nigerians

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A five-year multiple-entry Schengen visa allows travellers to visit any of the 29 Schengen countries repeatedly over five years, as long as each stay does not exceed 90 days within any 180-day period.

Designed for frequent travellers, businesspersons, and those with a strong travel history, the visa offers notable benefits — reducing the need for repeated applications, cutting processing time and costs, and simplifying documentation and interview requirements.

However, approval is entirely at the discretion of the issuing embassy or consulate. Applicants with higher approval chances are usually those who have held multiple-entry Schengen visas for at least two consecutive years within the last three, travel frequently (two or more times a year), and have a clean immigration record with valid documents and no overstays.

Applicants are also required to submit a detailed cover letter justifying their need for long-term travel, provide proof of financial stability, and maintain valid long-term Schengen travel insurance.

Below is the list of 29 Schengen countries currently offering 5-year multiple-entry visas to Nigerian applicants.

1. Austria
2. Belgium
3. Bulgaria
4. Croatia
5. Czech Republic
6. Denmark
7. Estonia
8. Finland
9. France
10. Germany
11. Greece
12. Hungary
13. Iceland
14. Italy
15. Latvia
16. Liechtenstein
17. Lithuania
18. Luxembourg
19. Malta
20. Netherlands
21. Norway
22. Poland
23. Portugal
24. Romania
25. Slovakia
26. Slovenia
27. Spain
28. Sweden
29. Switzerland

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