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OSSAP-SDGs Denies Paying N141.1m To Restaurant
.. Insists projects were duly executed by certified contractor
The Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs) has denied the report that it paid the sum of N141.1m to an Abuja based restaurant two weeks before the expiration of the Buhari administration.
The Office described the report by an online media as not only misleading but false and a calculated attempt to smear the good image of the Office.
A statement issued by the Head of Communications in OSSAP-SDGs, Rotimi Ajayi stated that the office wouldn’t have dignified the piece with a reply, but for the innocent readers who might not actually understand the crux of the matter, there is a need to set the records straight.
“This is to state clearly that the reports carried a distorted account of the procedure and shows the ignorance of the writer on how things operate in government institutions.
We wish to state categorically that the information contained in the said publication are inaccurate and very likely a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the issues with the intent to embarrass the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on SDGs, as there was no issue of fraud or abuse of process in the execution of the said project.”
OSSAP-SDGs categorically refutes the allegations and insists that it has been transparent in the construction of the Skills Acquisition Centre and a Block of Classrooms in Lagos State, as well as many similar projects across the country.
The statement noted that according to records provided by the company during the bid process, the company in question is duly registered with valid incorporation and tax documents with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC.
The allegation of it being a mere restaurant is equally from the figment of the imagination of the author, as the project was executed by a team of professionals with the necessary qualifications and expertise in construction and engineering. The structures were built in accordance with specifications and industry standards, as confirmed by photographic evidence with GPS coordinates provided.
The Office noted that the decision to relocate the project from its original site in Ajeromi was necessitated by the insufficient space at the original location, to ensure the successful completion of the project.
Contrary to the claims in the report, the project was executed as specified, and the block of classrooms and skills acquisition centre were completed and commissioned for use.
Photographic evidence with GPS coordinates are available to substantiate this fact.
“In conclusion, we assert that the report is marred by inaccuracies, as
the award of the contract followed due process and was not arbitrary”‘. The statement said.
Says ‘POLICE MUST PAY N100 MILLION AS COMPENSATION’
The magistrate court in Apapa, Lagos, has freed Alabi Quadri, the teenager who went viral in the buildup to the 2023 presidential election.
The photograph of Quadri making an appearance before Peter Obi’s campaign motorcade had gained traction online at the time.
On Thursday, Adetola Olorunfemi, the magistrate, ordered the release of Quadri following legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The DPP had averred that there is no evidence to substantiate the armed robbery allegation against the minor.
In a recent social media post, an activist had shared that Quadri has been in Kirikiri prison since January 2025 “for an offence he did not commit”.
The teenager was said to have been returning home from work when he was forcefully taken to the police station by some young men over claims that he was among a group of robbers in the community.
The teenager’s mother attributed Quadri’s ordeal to the entitlement of some street urchins to the largesse he reportedly received after making the headlines in 2023.
The post had caught the attention of many Nigerians, including Obi and Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer.
Commenting on the court judgment, Effiong, the teenager’s lawyer, said the police must pay N100 million to Quadri as compensation and tender a public apology.
The human rights lawyer demanded that the Lagos police command must remove the divisional police officers of Amukoko for participating in the alleged framing of the teenager for armed robbery.
“We commend the DPP for standing by the truth in this matter,” Effiong said.
“We demand that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, and the Inspector General of Police, should as a matter of urgency, remove the DPO of Amukoko Divisional Headquarters and subject him to orderly room trial along with the IPO, one Inspector Odigbe Samuel, and other officers who participated in this evil, sinister, oppressive, and corrupt scheme of framing-up a teenager for armed robbery at the behest of rogue ‘Area Boys’.
“We demand that the Nigeria Police Force should pay the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000.00) to our client as compensation.
“Also, we also demand a public apology from the police. If the above three remedial demands are not fully complied with immediately, we shall initiate legal actions to seek redress.
“Quadri’s case is a painful example of the putrefying corruption, monstrous impunity, and pervasive injustice in the Nigeria Police Force.”
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to immediately remove the Rivers State Sole Administrator, Retired Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, citing a breach of constitutional procedure and defiance of President Bola Tinubu’s directives.
In a statement provided to Elanza News on Thursday, Falana referenced the official Federal Government Gazette, which outlined the terms governing the Sole Administrator’s operations.
According to the document, “the Sole Administrator shall operate on the basis of such Regulations that may, from time to time, be issued by me,” President Bola Tinubu stated.
However, Falana noted that “it is common knowledge that President Bola Tinubu has not issued any Regulation for the operation of the Sole Administrator.”
Despite this, the appointed Sole Administrator has proceeded to make appointments and remove officials who were earlier appointed by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
Describing the development as unlawful, Falana said: “By treating the orders of President Bola Tinubu with contempt, the Sole Administrator has compounded the illegality of his appointment.
The Sole Administrator ought to be removed without any further delay.”
The legal luminary’s position comes amid a broader political crisis in Rivers State, where the legitimacy of key appointments and the balance of powers between the state and federal government continue to generate intense debate.
By Abubakar Yunusa
Dr Yusuf John Suberu, founder of the Dr Yusuf John Suberu Foundation, has congratulated Nigeria on being honoured with the prestigious Kofi Annan Road Safety Award at a ceremony in Eswatini.
The award recognises the country’s significant progress in reducing road crashes and improving safety..
The accolade, celebrated by stakeholders across the continent, highlights Nigeria’s dedication to improving road safety standards.
Dr. Yusuf John Suberu, founder of the Dr. Yusuf John Suberu Foundation, attended the event and engaged with prominent figures, including the Ministers of Transportation from Cameroon and Eswatini, as well as Mr. John Todd, the United Nations Envoy on Road Safety.
The foundation, which focuses on poverty alleviation, education, and health, praised the Federal Government’s achievement as a milestone in fostering safer communities.
“This award reflects Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to road safety, a cause that resonates deeply with our mission to empower and uplift communities,” Dr. Suberu said in a statement.
“We commend the government and reaffirm our support for initiatives promoting sustainable development and safety.”
The Dr. Yusuf John Suberu Foundation has impacted over 5,000 individuals in the past year through its programmes and aims to train 500 youths in the Federal Capital Territory with skills for financial independence and self-employment.
The organisation views the award as a testament to the power of collective action in driving meaningful change.
The foundation expressed its eagerness to deepen collaboration with government bodies, international organisations, and local stakeholders to advance road safety and community development across Nigeria.