Brig.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, Commander of the 81 Division, Military Intelligence Brigade, Victoria Island has said that he was unaware that the Nigerian Army Headquarters had described the shootings at the Lekki Tollgate as “fake news” on Twitter.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Taiwo made the disclosure on Saturday while being cross-examined at the Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry for Restitution for Victims of SARS Related Abuses and Other Matters.
Responding to questions from Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika (SAN), the counsel for some of the #EndSARS protesters, Taiwo said he was unaware of the denial by the headquarters of the Nigerian Army because he did not own a Twitter account.
“Why did you tell lies, why did the army deny being at the scene?” Olumide-Fusika queried.
Taiwo denied telling lies and said that the Nigerian Army made the first statements because they did not have the full facts and the army was not sent to Lekki to break up the protest.
“I have not seen the denial that the Nigerian Army on Twitter called their presence at the tollgate as fake news,” he said.
Following the General’s denial, Olumide-Fusika questioned him further about the Army’s denials.
“There is a controversy between you and our Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu when you (Army) denied saying that it was fake news and the governor came out to say he saw some footage.
“Based on the Army’s tweets, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN), the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) said the people that went to the tollgate must be hoodlums in army uniforms.
“Are you aware of the Army HQ handle on Twitter? If you go to your HQ’s verified Twitter account right now, the denial is still there. I challenge you to go online now to see it.
“Are you not aware that information posted on the Nigerian Army Twitter handle on October 21 still exists till this day, aren’t you an intelligence officer?” the SAN queried.
Responding, Taiwo said Sanwo-Olu had made the assertion about seeing some footage before the army made any verification.
“I’m not aware of what the AGF said, I’m not on Twitter. I’m speaking here as the most senior Army officer on the ground and on behalf of the 81 Division.
“I’m not aware of the Nigerian Army HQ Twitter handle, I do not follow it because I’m not on Twitter,” he said.
The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency has confirmed the arrest of a teacher following a viral video showing the suspect allegedly physically abusing a three-year-old boy at a school in Ikorodu.
The announcement was made in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
The video, shared by Oyindamola, who identifies as #dammiedammie35, captured a female teacher slapping the child’s face.
The video was captioned, “Footage from Christ-Mitots School in Ikorodu, a teacher named Stella Nwadigo was witnessed mistreating and physically abusing a three-year-old boy, Abayomi Micheal.”
The footage has raised serious concerns about the safety and well-being of our little ones in school.”
Reacting to the incident, the Lagos DSVA issued a statement expressing gratitude to those who brought the video to their attention
The statement reads, “We appreciate everyone who brought the disturbing incident of a teacher who was recorded physically abusing a 3-year-old boy to our attention.
We are pleased to inform the public that the teacher in question has been arrested by Owutu FSU, and an investigation has commenced in earnest.
The agency reiterated the state government’s commitment to protecting children, emphasizing that schools must be safe and nurturing spaces.
The statement added, “Indeed, institutions of learning should be safe, warm, and protective environments for all children in their care.
The State Government remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of every child by enforcing strict regulations, holding offenders accountable, and working with stakeholders to promote a zero-tolerance policy for abuse in any form.”
The China Development Bank (CDB) has provided a loan of $254.76 million for the construction of the Kano-Kaduna railway project in Nigeria.
In a statement on Tuesday, the bank stated that the funding aims to support the smooth advancement of the infrastructure project.
The CDB highlighted that the construction is being undertaken by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), with financial support from the bank.
“The Kano-Kaduna railway, with a total length of 203 kilometers, is a standard-gauge railway,” the statement reads.
“Once completed, it will provide direct rail connectivity between Kano, an important northern city in Nigeria, and the country’s capital Abuja, offering local residents a safe, efficient, and convenient mode of transportation.”
In addition to enhancing mobility, the bank mentioned that the project is expected to stimulate economic growth along the railway corridor, generating job opportunities and promoting related industries.
“The Kano-Kaduna railway project has been included in the list of practical cooperation projects for the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation,” the CDB added.
The bank stated that the construction is progressing smoothly and reiterated its commitment to collaborating closely with the Nigerian government to ensure the disbursement of funds and effective management of the next phases of the project.
On July 15, 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari launched the construction of the Kano-Kaduna railway project.
The rail project is the third phase of the Lagos-Kano standard gauge railway modernization project.
The first phase (Abuja-Kaduna) and the second phase (Lagos-Ibadan) were inaugurated for commercial operations in July 2016 and June 2021, respectively.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged Muhammad Sa’idu, a former commissioner during the administration of Nasir el-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna, to court over alleged “money laundering.”
The Kaduna police command arrested Sa’idu over a petition for alleged diversion of public funds.
Osuobeni Akponimisingha, the ICPC’s assistant legal officer, filed the case against the former commissioner on Tuesday at the federal high court in Kaduna.
Sa’idu served as the commissioner of local government affairs, chief of staff, and commissioner of finance during the administration of el-Rufai.
The ICPC dismissed an earlier claim that Sa’idu had been exonerated of all charges after 10 months of investigation.
The former commissioner is charged alongside Ibrahim Muktar, a staff in the ministry of finance.
According to the suit No. FHC/KD/IC/2025, the defendants are charged on a two-count charge of “money laundering.”
“Sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, who at that time commissioner of finance, did accept cash payment of the sum of N155m from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the “Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” the charge sheet reads.
The ICPC also alleged that within the same period, Sa’idu “indirectly took control of the sum of N155m received in cash for and on behalf of you by one Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which he reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and you hereby committed an offence contrary to section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the “Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The anti-graft agency noted that section 18(3) of the “Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022” states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of subsection(2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both.”