The Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has declared that his administration would no longer tolerate the acts of banditry in any part of the state, saying criminals would be flushed out of the state.

Aiyedatiwa noted that although insecurity was a nationwide concern, his administration remained committed to protecting its citizens.

He stated this on Tuesday during a familiarisation visit to the monarch of Imafon in Akure North Local l Government of the state, Oba Samuel Aliu.

No fewer than three persons were killed last week by some gunmen in the community. Two of the victims were a mother and her daughter, who worked at a poultry farm, and another resident was popular.

Irked by the development, hundreds of residents of the three local government communities of Imafon, Igushin and Ilado last Saturday took to the streets of Akure, the state capital, to protest the spate of insecurity in their communities.

The protesters who barricaded the popular ShopRite junction, a few metres away from the governor’s office, Akure, were chanting various solidarity songs, with leaves in their hands. There was a traffic logjam for several hours on the roads.

Aiyedatiwa, who also condoled the traditional ruler and residents of the community over the loss of the deceased, pledged decisive action against criminal elements operating in the axis, assuring the people that measures were already being intensified to restore calm and safeguard lives and property.

The governor disclosed, ”Security agencies, including the police, Civil Defence Corps and the military, are working in collaboration with local hunters and vigilantes to secure forests and adjoining communities.”

Acknowledging progress in tackling kidnapping for ransom, Aiyedatiwa noted that the recent spate of killings indicated a troubling shift that must be urgently addressed.

“More than 100 suspected kidnappers have been arrested, detained and charged in court, while operations are ongoing to flush out criminal elements hiding in forest enclaves.

“Amotekun posts would be established within the troubled communities to enhance surveillance and improve response time,” Aiyedatiwa disclosed.

In his remarks, the Olumafon of Imafon, Oba Samuel Aliu, commended the governor’s intervention, particularly the ongoing road construction, which he said would help address security challenges.

However, he lamented the lack of firearms for vigilantes, noting that it had hampered their effectiveness in combating crimes in the state.

The monarch also complained about the delayed response of some security operatives, alleging that certain personnel operate without adequate weapons.

The Iranian government on Tuesday estimated the cost of the war launched by the United States and Israel since February at $270 billion.

Government spokeswoman, Fatemeh Mohajerani, told the Russian state news agency RIA Novosti that the figure was a preliminary estimate.

According to Mohajerani, the first step in arriving at a more complete figure for reparations would be to evaluate damage to buildings.

She said the economic losses and lost tax revenues would also be analysed.

Mohajerani added that the Iranian government would seek compensation from the United States and Israel.

She added that the issue had been part of discussions with the United States during recent direct talks in Islamabad at the weekend.

(dpa/NAN)

President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday officially commissioned the new Corporate Headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service in Abuja.

The event marked the transition from the Federal Inland Revenue Service to the newly restructured Nigeria Revenue Service.

Tinubu, while addressing guests in a video of the unveiling shared by his Special Assistant on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, hailed the agency’s performance and formally declared the building open.

Another video shows the president cutting the ribbon, flanked by the Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, among other government officials.

Tinubu then moved to read the commemorative plaque.

He said, “The corporate headquarters of the Nigeria Revenue Service was commissioned on the 14th day of April 2026 by His Excellency, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This edifice stands as a lasting symbol of integrity.”

According to Olusegun, the NRS headquarters has sixteen floors, three towers, and can accommodate about 3,000 employees.

The transition is part of the Tinubu administration’s strategic restructuring of Nigeria’s tax system, designed to enhance efficiency.

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