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COVID-19: Lagos gives families permission to bury corpses

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It said the permission was because mortuaries are getting congested and government may be compelled to carry out mass burial if there is no decongestion in the next two weeks.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the go- ahead on Saturday at a press conference in Lagos House Marina.

The Governor said the directive became inevitable because mortuaries in Lagos were getting to their peak because of corpses awaiting funeral before the outbreak of coronavirus and others that have passed on in the last two months of outbreak and restrictions.

Sanwo-Olu, however, made it clear that the corpses are not as result of death from coronavirus, adding that the state has only recorded 18 cases of death from COVID-19.

“These are not COVID-19 deaths in any form, funerals have not been held in the last two months or so, so congestion is not as a result of death from covid-19 which is only 18 recorded so far in the state,” he clariefied.

The Governor therefore appealed to Lagosians who have corpses in the mortuaries to go ahead and schedule the funerals, adding that funerals are on the list of exemption from the lockdown restrictions.

These requirements, the Governor said, are: funerals must exceed 20 persons, including the officiating ministers, physical distancing must be maintained at all funeral ceremonies, all attendees or mourners must wear face masks as well as wash their hands before and after the ceremony and there must not be any form of parties or reception that would accompany the funeral ceremonies.

“As long as you keep these directives and you fully comply with them, funerals would be allowed and encouraged to take place immediately.

“If we are unable to see a decongestion of the mortuaries across the state within the next two weeks, Lagos state government will now be compelled to seek to have mass burial and we don’t want to force this on anybody, that is why we are asking for the cooperation of all of us”, Sanwo-Olu said.

The governor also disclosed that he has signed the release of 209 inmates remanded in various correctional centres in Lagos.

“In exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 212 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, I have this afternoon, following the recommendation of the advisory council on prerogative of mercy signed a release order for 209 inmates remanded in our various correctional centres in Lagos.

“This was done in part to decongest the correctional centers in view of the covid-19 pandemic and it is also part of a larger effort to bring lasting reform to the administration of criminal justice in our country,” he said.

 

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JUST IN: Court Rejects “Terrorists’ Negotiator” Tukur Mamu’s Third Bail Application

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected a fresh application for bail filed by detained alleged terrorists negotiator, Tukur Mohammed Mamu.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on Wednesday, noted the health complaint by Mamu and held that the detaining authority, the Department of State Services (DSS) should not release him but take him to an appropriate health facility where he would be adequately attended to.

Justice Umar noted that, by the history of the case so far, the prosecution has exhibited diligence in it handling of the case and exhibited diligence in prosecuting the case.

The judge said one of the reasons for granting bail is where the prosecution is not diligent, noting that since the prosecution in this case is diligent, the application for bail cannot be granted.

He subsequently ordered that the defence lawyer should choose the health facility comfortable to the defendant, to which he should be promptly taken.

He also asked the DSS to allow the defendant access to members of his family.

The ruling on Wednesday is the third time the court will reject his application for bail since his was arraigned on March 21, 2023 by the Federal Government on a 10-count charge bordering on terrorism financing, among others.

Mamu was arrested on September 7, 2022 by Egyptian security officials at the Cairo International Airport, on reasonable suspicion of financing Boko Haram terrorism activities.

He was alleged to have convinced the terrorists to discuss ransom payments with individual families of the hostages of the train attack instead of the Chief of Defense Staff Committee set up by the Federal Government for his personal financial gain.

He was said to have been nominated by the terrorists that attacked the Abuja-Kaduna bound train sometime in March 2022 which took scores of persons hostage.

Mamu was alleged to have collected ransoms on behalf of the Boko Haram terrorists from families of hostages, confirmed the amount and facilitated the delivery of same to the terrorists.

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BREAKING: ASUU suspends two-week warning strike

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The Academic Staff Union of Universities has announced the suspension of its ongoing two-week warning strike.

The National President of ASUU, Prof. Chris Piwuna, made this known in an ongoing press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Piwuna, the decision stemmed from the meeting of the National Executive Council meeting which was held overnight and ended by 4:00 am on Wednesday.

Piwuna noted that the union decided to embark on the strike due to the failure of the government to meet its demands on time.

“We’ve had useful engagements with representatives of the government to consider the response to the draft renegotiation of the 2009 agreements. However, we are definitely not where we were prior to the commencement of the strike.

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Update : police tracks down mastermind of railway vandalism, recovers load of stolen Materials in Plateau, Says Opeifa

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The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) had a major breakthrough recently it its efforts to apprehend the vandals of its critical assets across the country.
Towards this end, the Corporation’s police Command has arrested one Musa Abdullahi, aka Major aged 32, a notorious receiver and kingpin of vandalized railway materials, in Kaduna.
The arrest was a major success recorded by the Corporation in its campaign against the vandalisation and theft of railway materials, just as it intercepted a trailer loaded with railway components In plateau State.
In Kaduna, operatives of the Nigerian Police, Railway Command, arrested the suspect around the Rigasa area.
His arrest followed intelligence reports on the vandalism of electrical installations along the Mando–Rigasa corridor on Tuesday,14th October 2025.
Investigation is ongoing, and the case will be charged to court on conclusion.
In Plateau State, operatives of the Nigeria Police, Railway Command, intercepted trailer conveying large quantities of railway materials along KM 822–823, Foromaxis, in the early hours of Tuesday, 14th October 2025.
The truck, which was abandoned by its driver who fled the scene, was successfully towed to the Jos Railway Police Station on Wednesday, 15th October 2025.
Investigation is on going to uncover and apprehend all individuals connected to the theft.
The Managing Director of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, commended the Nigeria Police for their professionalism, intelligence-led operation, and swift action in handling both incidents.
He described the arrests and recovery as clear evidence of the renewed synergy between the Corporation and security agencies in protecting critical railway infrastructure across the country.
Dr. Opeifa reaffirmed the Corporation’s resolve to strengthen collaboration with the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and other security formations to ensure that vandals, receivers, and collaborators are brought to justice.
He emphasized that such criminal acts amount to economic sabotage, warning that the NRC Management will continue to pursue zero tolerance for vandalism through enhanced surveillance, community engagement,and intelligence sharing.
Opeifa further appealed to residents of communities hosting railway facilities to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspicious movement around rail installations.
He noted that the railway system remains a major driver of national development and urged the public to view its protection as a shared responsibility.

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