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Natasha sympathises with Anthony Joshua, demands highway reforms

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The lawmaker representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, on Tuesday sympathised with world-renowned boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, following a tragic road accident that claimed the lives of two of his friends who travelled to Nigeria with him.

The fatal crash, which occurred around midday on Monday along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway, involved a Toyota Lexus jeep conveying Joshua and three other passengers.

The two occupants of the vehicle who died in the crash were later identified as Ayodele Kelvin Olu, a 36-year-old Nigerian-British citizen, and Gami Sina, a 36-year-old British citizen.

In a condolence message released on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan described the incident as “heart-wrenching and unacceptable,” lamenting the continued loss of lives on Nigerian highways due to poor safety enforcement and weak emergency response systems.

She said, “My heart goes out to Anthony Joshua at this very painful time.

“Losing two close friends in such a tragic manner is devastating. I pray that God grants him strength and comfort, and that the souls of the departed rest in perfect peace.”

Beyond expressing sympathy, the senator used the incident to renew her call for decisive national action on road safety, stressing that preventable accidents continue to claim lives across the country.

“Nigerian highways have become corridors of sorrow. This tragedy once again reminds us that road safety in Nigeria is not optional; it is a matter of life and death,” she said.

Akpoti-Uduaghan urged the Federal Road Safety Corps to intensify enforcement of existing traffic and safety regulations, warning that weak compliance and lax monitoring have contributed significantly to fatal crashes nationwide.

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“Rules without enforcement are meaningless. The Federal Road Safety Corps must be empowered and compelled to fully enforce road safety regulations across all highways in Nigeria, without fear or favour,” she said.

The lawmaker also called on the Federal Government to establish properly equipped vehicle rest-in stations and lay-bys along major highways to reduce fatigue-related accidents, particularly among long-distance drivers.

“No driver should be forced to drive endlessly without a safe place to rest. Well-equipped vehicle rest stations must be deliberately created across our highways to reduce exhaustion-induced crashes,” Akpoti-Uduaghan noted.

In addition, she advocated for the creation of a dedicated Highway Emergency Rescue Team, equipped with ambulances, trauma care units, and rapid-response personnel to attend to accident victims in real-time.

“Many lives are lost not only because of accidents but because help does not arrive on time.

“Nigeria urgently needs a functional highway emergency rescue system that can respond within minutes, not hours,” she said.

The senator urged policymakers to treat road safety as a national emergency, stressing that sustained reforms would save thousands of lives annually.

“This tragedy should not be another headline we forget tomorrow. It must be a turning point for serious highway safety reforms in Nigeria,” she added.

Akpoti-Uduaghan’s condolence message came barely 24 hours after a senior British diplomat visited Joshua at the Lagos hospital where he was receiving treatment.

The Deputy Head of Mission of the British High Commission, Simon Field, paid a visit following the fatal accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

Following the accident, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun and his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also visited the hospital in Lagos where Joshua was receiving medical attention.

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Both governors were said to have remained at the facility for several hours to monitor the situation and ensure that the boxer received appropriate care.

President Bola Tinubu was also briefed on the accident.

According to the Ogun State Government, the President spoke separately with Joshua, his mother and Abiodun, during which he conveyed his sympathies and condolences.

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died

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Veteran Yoruba broadcaster and comic actor, Timothy Agboola, widely known as Ereke Ni Shop, has died after battling an illness.

It was reports that the entertainer passed away on Wednesday at a private hospital in Lagos after reportedly being sick for a long time.

Agboola built a strong reputation in Yoruba broadcasting and comedy.

Over the years, he became popular for programmes that mixed humour with storytelling while also promoting Yoruba culture and traditions.

Many listeners saw him as someone who loved his heritage and proudly represented Ijesa culture through his work.

Following the announcement of his death, many colleagues, friends and fans began sharing messages of condolence on social media.

One of his associates, Idris Shogbola, was among those who first shared the sad news online while mourning the loss of the veteran broadcaster.

“May the soul of our boss rest in peace. Pa Timothy Agboola ‘Ereke ni Shop’. Baba Oloye Repete… A broadcaster, actor, comedian. May God Almighty give you eternal rest in peace. Amen. Ereke ni Shop sun re o,” he wrote.

Agboola gained wide attention through his unique storytelling style and lively comedy.

His radio shows often combined humour with social observations about daily life, which made him popular among many Yoruba listeners.

During his long career in the entertainment industry, he worked with several well-known entertainers, including Baba Alajeju.

Some of his comedy performances date back to the 1970s when he was already becoming known for his lively stage presence.

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I Don’t Leave My House Without Going Through Newspapers – Tinubu

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President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that he is always concerned about the welfare of the masses.

He disclosed that he reads about happenings in the country every morning before leaving home.

Tinubu stated this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

He said that he was a little bit stubborn at the beginning of his administration.

The president also stated that his administration has opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.

He said, “There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.

“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.

“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.”

Meanwhile, Tinubu has stated that improving Nigeria is a collective responsibility.

He asserted that the country’s development cannot be the sole responsibility of the federal government and urged the media to hold states and local governments accountable.

The President stated this on Friday when he hosted media executives and proprietors at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Tinubu cited increased financial autonomy for the lower tiers of government and urged the media to extend the same level of scrutiny they apply to his government to the local and state administrations.

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“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money. But how they use it is in your hands,” Tinubu said.

“So don’t bombard me alone; look at the local government too. Yes, we can complain it’s not enough; we can complain we are not where we should be. But we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress.

“Today, there is no state that is borrowing to pay the salaries of employees,” he told the gathering.

“Yes, we can complain that it’s not enough. We can complain we are not where we should be, but we have to manage what we have to sustain today, survive tomorrow, and make progress,” he added.

The ex-Lagos State governor reiterated his commitment to doing the job with dedication.

“And I promise you, the job that I continue to do is dedication, patriotic dedication to improve Nigeria. It’s all in our hands; it’s a collective responsibility,” he said.

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US Lawmaker, Moore Alleges American University Shooter Met ISIL In Nigeria

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United States lawmaker, Riley Moore, has alleged that a shooter who attacked Old Dominion University in Virginia met with members of the extremist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Nigeria before carrying out the incident.

Moore made the allegation on his 𝕏 account on Saturday, in response to the attack.

It was understands that the attacker, Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guard member and convicted supporter of ISIS, entered a classroom filled with Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) students and opened fire.

According to the FBI, the gunman shouted “Allahu Akbar”, Arabic for “God is greater”, before shooting at students inside Constant Hall.

The classroom quickly descended into chaos as terrified students scrambled for safety.

However, several ROTC students bravely confronted the gunman and ultimately subdued him, preventing what authorities believe could have been a far deadlier massacre.

Reacting to the development, the lawmaker claimed that the suspect was earlier imprisoned but was released before the attack despite alleged ties to the terrorist group.

“The radical Islamic terrorist who attacked Old Dominion yesterday was let out of prison early despite meeting with ISIL in Nigeria and seeking to aide and abet ISIL in carrying out an attack on our homeland,” Moore said.

The congressman criticised the circumstances surrounding the suspect’s release, describing the development as alarming and unacceptable.

“This is insane, and it MUST END! That’s why I’m introducing a bill to denaturalize and deport any naturalized citizen who seeks to commit a terrorist attack or aids and abets terrorism against the American people,” he said.

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