The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has detained 10 officers over the alleged theft of operational items they could not account for.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated that the arrests were made following directives from the Executive Chairman, Ola Olukoyede.

Although the statement did not specify what the officers allegedly stole, sources revealed that the officers are accused of breaking into the EFCC’s exhibit room, taking foreign currency and gold items.

A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said, “The operatives broke into the exhibit room and stole foreign currency, gold, and other exhibits.”

This incident follows shortly after the EFCC announced the dismissal of 27 personnel for involvement in fraudulent activities.

In Wednesday’s statement, EFCC’s spokesman, Oyewale, mentioned that the detention of the 10 officers was “part of ongoing efforts to rid the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of corrupt practices.”

“Ten officers of the Lagos Zonal Command of the EFCC are currently being detained in connection with the investigation of some missing operational items involving them. These officers, who were arrested last week on the directives of the Executive Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, are being questioned over the theft of items they could not account for.”

“Investigators are making significant progress, and those found guilty will be subjected to internal disciplinary processes,” Oyewale added.

In the meantime, a non-governmental organization, Journalists Against Corruption, commended the EFCC for the dismissal of 27 of its officers for fraudulent activities and misconduct.

In a statement on Wednesday, JAC’s Project Coordinator, Kehinde Osifisan, noted that this marked the first time since the EFCC’s establishment that such decisive action had been taken against erring officers.

He said, “Since its inception in 2002, this is the first time that the commission will sack 27 members of staff in one fell swoop for fraudulent activities and misconduct.”

“It speaks to the commitment of the Ola Olukoyede-led management to rid the commission of bad eggs. Indeed, a classic case of matching words with actions,” Osifisan said.

The group praised the leadership of the EFCC and urged it to continue its efforts to ensure that both the commission and its staff uphold integrity in the fight against corruption.

“We do hope that this singular action will serve as a check on other staff of the commission and make them eschew any form of fraudulent act or misconduct.”

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.