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Lagos begins crackdown on illegal land reclamation Wednesday

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The Lagos State Government has announced plans to begin full enforcement actions against individuals and organisations involved in illegal land reclamation and waterfront encroachment across the state.

This was contained in a statement signed and released by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on Monday.

According to the statement, the enforcement will commence on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, following the expiration of a seven-day ultimatum earlier issued through public notices published in The PUNCH and The Nation newspapers on September 18 and 19 respectively.

Wahab noted that the grace period for compliance and cessation of all illegal reclamation activities expired 5 September 25, 2025, adding that the government would now proceed with the strict implementation of environmental laws.

“It has become imperative to notify the general public, particularly individuals, developers, and corporate bodies engaging in unauthorised land reclamation and waterfront encroachment, that the grace period of seven days for compliance and cessation of illegal reclamation activities has since expired,” the statement read.

The commissioner stated that, in line with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017 and other extant regulations, the following measures would be implemented without further notice.

“Removal of all illegal reclamation structures and fillings without statutory Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Drainage Clearance Certificates.

“Seizure of all reclamation equipment and materials found on prohibited sites.

“Prosecution of offenders in accordance with environmental and urban development laws of the state,” Wahab noted.

Wahab emphasised that the measures were necessary to protect the environment, prevent flooding, and ensure public safety.

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He also warned residents against patronising or purchasing land from illegal reclamation operators to avoid falling victim to government sanctions.

“Enough is enough,” Wahab declared, reaffirming the government’s resolve to restore order and safeguard the state’s coastal and waterfront areas.

PUNCH Online had reported that the Lagos Government ordered the immediate suspension of all reclamation projects across the state, citing grave environmental and social risks posed by ongoing activities in wetlands, floodplains, and lagoon areas.

Tokunbo warned of strict enforcement measures against violators, including site decommissioning, prosecution, and the arrest of culprits.

The commissioner said failure to comply with this directive within the next seven days after this publication shall leave the Ministry with no other option than to deploy appropriate machinery to decommission the reclaimed sites.

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Something Is Buried There – Doris Ogala Urges DSS To Probe Pastor Okafor’s Altar

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Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala has taken her dispute with Pastor Chris Okafor, founder of the Mountain of Liberation and Miracle Ministry, to a new level by calling on Nigeria’s Department of State Services to step in.

It was reports that the actress made the call during an appearance on the KAA Truths podcast, where she spoke about the church altar and said security authorities should examine what is beneath it.

Her comments comes on the heels of a long-running fallout between her and the pastor, which began over a marriage promise she claimed was made but never kept.

Ogala alleged that a tragic incident happened while the church altar was being built, claiming that the structure collapsed at a point and led to a death.

She also stated that a blogger later noticed something unusual at the site, which allegedly caused concern.

According to her account, the discovery pushed Pastor Okafor to reach out to her privately to ask how the situation could be handled and how the blogger could be silenced.

She insisted that the DSS should visit the church, dig up the altar area, and carry out a proper investigation to clear the air.

The actress has had several public clashes with the pastor in recent times, including sharing personal videos online.

She said: “DSS should go to that church and open his altar. I wouldn’t say further than that. When they were building that place, that place collapsed, somebody died. Apart from somebody dying, there is a blogger that found something on the ground. This man was begging, he called me and asked me what he could do to let the blogger close his mouth. DSS should go and open that altar. The church altar where he used to stand, they should dig it up and open it.”

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US Suspends Legal Immigration Applications, Citizenship For Nigerians, Others

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The United States Government has temporarily halted legal immigration applications filed by Nigerians and nationals of other countries newly added to the US “travel ban” proclamation this week, CBC News reports.

The suspension primarily impacts immigrants from certain African and Asian countries, marking a further escalation of a broad crackdown on legal immigration initiated by the Trump administration this month.

Many of those affected by the pause are believed to be legal immigrants already in the United States who are seeking to change their immigration status or become US citizens.

Earlier in December, the Trump administration directed US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to freeze all immigration petitions, including requests for American citizenship and permanent residency, made by individuals in the US who are nationals of the 19 countries originally banned or restricted under the travel ban imposed in June.

That order, commonly referred to as the “travel ban” was one of several immigration restrictions announced in the aftermath of the Thanksgiving week shooting of two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., an attack reportedly carried out by an Afghan national.

The administration also suspended decisions on asylum cases handled by USCIS and the processing of all immigration and visa requests by Afghans.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Trump expanded the travel ban proclamation to include 20 more nations, fully barring immigrants and travellers from five new countries and partly restricting entry from 15 others.

Speaking with CBS News on Friday, a US official, who requested anonymity due to the internal nature of the changes — said USCIS has broadened its suspension of immigration cases to include the new nationalities added to the proclamation.

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The pause will now affect nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, the new countries facing full travel bans.

It will also impact those from Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominica, Gabon, Gambia, Malawi, Mauritania, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, Tonga, Zambia and Zimbabwe, who face partial restrictions under the latest directive.

Previously, the suspension applied to nationals of Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Cuba, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Laos, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, Togo, Turkmenistan, Yemen and Venezuela.

In his latest proclamation, Trump imposed a full entry ban on citizens of Laos and Sierra Leone, which previously faced only partial restrictions.

In a statement posted on social media late Thursday, USCIS Director Joseph Edlow appeared to allude to the expanded travel ban.

“USCIS is conducting a comprehensive review of anyone from anywhere who poses a threat to the US, including those identified in the President’s latest proclamation to restore law and order in our nation’s immigration system,” Edlow wrote.

Taken together, Trump’s latest travel ban affects nationals of over 60 per cent of countries in Africa and roughly 20 per cent of all nations worldwide.

Trump has defended the sweeping restrictions as necessary to safeguard national security and address concerns about the ability to vet people from the affected countries.

However, the decision has sparked reactions among Nigerians, with many denouncing the move as unfair and exaggerated, dismissing the security and religious freedom concerns cited by Washington.

Commentators highlighted potential diplomatic embarrassment and economic harm, while disputing or downplaying the rationale given by US officials.

See also  Motorists stranded as Oyo residents protest road extension

Former senator Shehu Sani described the ban as “a clear signal that migrants from developing countries are no longer welcome.”

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Yuletide: FRSC intensifies patrols, public awareness to curb road crashes

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The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has inaugurated a nationwide high-impact operation aimed at reducing road crashes and enforcing strict compliance with traffic laws during the end-of-year travel season.

The Corps Marshal of the FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, has ordered the total deployment of personnel and operational assets across the country under the 2025 Operation Zero Tolerance Exercise.

The directive mandates commanding officers in all formations to ensure full-scale enforcement, traffic control, and emergency response on major highways and critical corridors.

According to a statement signed by the corps spokesperson, Olusegun Ogungbemide, on Saturday, the operation commenced on 15 December 15, 2025 and will run until January 15, 2026.

It is designed as an intelligence-driven initiative focused on round-the-clock patrols, rapid rescue services, and aggressive enforcement of traffic regulations to curb reckless driving and prevent avoidable crashes.

Describing the objective of the operation, the corps said it is determined to dominate the roads and protect lives during the peak travel period. The directive emphasised “zero tolerance for negligence, compromise or operational slack.”

Commanding officers have been instructed to lead from the front and ensure the optimal use of patrol vehicles, ambulances, speed-limiting devices, and other safety equipment.

The corps marshal warned that professionalism and integrity must guide all interactions with road users, adding that “any form of dereliction of duty or compromise will attract severe sanctions.”

The operation also placed a strong focus on eliminating traffic violations that commonly lead to fatal crashes.

Mohammed declared “zero tolerance for mixed loading and distracted driving,” warning that vehicles conveying passengers alongside goods or animals, as well as drivers using phones or engaging in other distractions, will face decisive sanctions.

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In a related move, construction and road maintenance companies working on major highways have been urged to open up carriageways and clear avoidable bottlenecks during the festive period.

The FRSC noted that easing congestion around construction zones would reduce travel hardship and improve road safety for motorists.

Beyond enforcement, the operation includes massive public enlightenment campaigns. FRSC personnel have been directed to intensify safety advocacy at motor parks, markets, religious centres, and other public spaces.

Motorists are being reminded that speeding, drunk driving, dangerous overtaking, overloading, and disregard for road signs remain major causes of fatal crashes and will be firmly addressed.

The corps marshal also called for enhanced collaboration with sister security agencies, emergency responders, transport unions, and community leaders to ensure effective traffic control and swift response to crashes and obstructions.

He noted that the success of the exercise would be measured by “reduced road traffic crashes, fewer injuries and fatalities, improved travel time and increased public confidence in road safety management.”

Reaffirming the agency’s mandate, the FRSC urged road users to take responsibility for their safety and cooperate with enforcement officers.

The corps assured Nigerians of its commitment to delivering safer roads throughout the festive season, in line with its vision of “zero crashes, zero injuries and zero deaths on Nigerian roads.”

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