Concerns are growing across Ijebu land following what community stakeholders describe as a calculated campaign of persecution against Omo Oba Abimbola Onabanjo, a prince widely regarded as one of the leading aspirants to the throne of the Awujale of Ijebu Land.

Investigations by Ogun Corner reveal that the situation escalated after false claims began circulating that Omo Oba Onabanjo was involved in an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case. However, after careful checks and inquiries by Ogun Corner, it was discovered that the allegation is entirely untrue, as no such case exists against him with the anti-graft agency.

Despite the lack of evidence, sources say the unfounded claim was aggressively amplified, fueling a wider smear campaign. Observers note that the attacks soon extended beyond rumor-mongering to what has been described as a deliberate digital assault on the prince’s personal presence online.

According to reliable information available to Ogun Corner, all of Omo Oba Abimbola Onabanjo’s social media platforms came under coordinated attacks, a move seen by many as another leg of the broader effort to malign his person and diminish his public standing. The attacks reportedly succeeded in bringing down his social media pages. However, sources confirm that recovery efforts are currently underway to restore the accounts, which are believed to have been compromised by hackers.

Beyond the digital space, concern has also been raised over alleged attempts to intimidate traditional kingmakers. Community leaders allege that some interests, driven by political considerations, are exerting pressure on the custodians of tradition to prematurely announce a preferred candidate, a move widely criticized as an affront to established customs.

Reacting to the unfolding situation, prominent voices within Ijebu land have condemned the alleged actions, stressing that such conduct does not reflect the values or history of the Ijebu people.

“This is not our way,” said Chief Adekunle Adebayo, a respected elder in the community. “The Awujale stool is sacred. You do not desecrate it with falsehoods, intimidation, or desperation. Every qualified prince has the right to aspire.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Mrs. Funke Sodiya, a civic leader in Ijebu-Ode, urged restraint and patience.
“The process must be allowed to run its full course,” she said. “The kingmakers should not be intimidated under any circumstance.”

Traditional historians have also reminded the public of the established succession order. Alhaji Tunde Lawal, a cultural commentator, noted that tradition clearly points to the Fushegunwa Family as next in line to produce the Awujale, urging all parties to respect due process and avoid actions capable of destabilizing the community.

On his part, sources close to Omo Oba Abimbola Onabanjo told Ogun Corner that it has consistently been his position that no individual should be torn down in the name of ambition. The sources maintained that he firmly believes the collective interest of Ijebu land, Ogun State, and Nigeria must always take precedence over personal or political gains.

As tensions linger, calls are growing for calm, truthfulness, and strict adherence to tradition. Stakeholders warn that dragging the revered Awujale institution into controversy could have long-term consequences if care is not taken.

The Lagos State Government has issued a warning to residents following reports of fuel scooping from a fallen tanker at the Tincan–Liverpool Bridge area of Apapa.

The warning came after a diesel tanker overturned on the bridge, inward Mile 2, causing fuel to spill and blocking traffic along the busy corridor.

In an urgent situation report on Monday, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, in a statement signed by the Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, confirmed that the tanker was leaking fuel and that emergency responders had been deployed to the scene.

“Our attention has been brought to a fallen tanker at the above location, which is leaking fuel. All emergency responders have been activated and are en route to the location,” the statement read.

LASEMA cautioned members of the public against dangerous behaviour around the incident scene.

“Members of the public are urged to exercise EXTREME CAUTION to avoid any secondary incident from scooping product or lighting any flame near the area,” the agency warned.

Motorists were also advised to avoid the axis.

“Motorists are advised to take alternative routes. The disaster management plan has been activated. Updates to follow,” the statement added.

Videos circulating on social media showed residents scooping diesel from the fallen tanker despite the obvious risk.

Also reacting, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority confirmed that the tanker was loaded with diesel and that the spill was spreading on the bridge due to damage to the tank.

“There’s a fallen tanker loaded with diesel on top of Liverpool Bridge inward Mile 2. The diesel is spreading on the bridge as a result of the damaged tank,” LASTMA said in a statement on its official X handle.

The authority said security agencies had been alerted and traffic diverted to reduce the risk to commuters.

“Men of the Nigerian Police Force from Area B and other safety agencies have been swiftly notified. Traffic has been diverted to that other side of the bridge for safety measures,” the statement said.

LASTMA urged motorists to comply with traffic officials on ground.

“Please adhere strictly to all instructions from the traffic managers,” it added.

Authorities have continued to warn that scooping fuel from accident scenes poses serious risks, including fire outbreaks and loss of lives, as emergency agencies work to contain the situation at the bridge.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration has removed 607 beggars and persons with mental challenges from the streets of Abuja from July 2025 to date.

The Head of Enforcement at the FCT Social Development Secretariat, Mrs Ukachi Adebayo, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Monday.

Adebayo stated that the exercise was conducted by the Operation Sweep Abuja Clean team.

She explained that “out of the 607 persons evacuated, 583 were beggars while 23 were mentally challenged individuals.”

She added that the beggars and mentally challenged persons had been counselled, profiled and returned to their various states in collaboration with state governments through their liaison offices.

“What we do when we apprehend the beggars and mentally challenged individuals is to counsel them so as to profile them.

“After that, we take them to their various liaison offices to be returned to their respective states, where they are expected to undergo rehabilitation,” she said.

Noting that the beggars and mentally challenged persons often return to the streets after evacuation, Adebayo said the operation was ongoing and would continue.

She said, “The more you take them out, the more they resurface.

“Some of them were driven by insecurity in their states and ran to Abuja to take refuge, but we will continue to apprehend them and take them back.”

Similarly, Acting Director of Social Welfare at the SDS, Mrs Gloria Onwuka, said some of the children begging on the streets were brought in from other states by unidentified individuals to beg and hand over the proceeds to them.

Onwuka added that some of the women caught begging with children were not the children’s biological mothers.

“Begging is now run like a business. People will go and hire people’s children from other states, put them in vehicles very early in the morning, come to Abuja, and start begging.

“The families they are hiring these children from don’t even know that this is what their children are being used for.

“We have caught so many of them like that,” she said.

Also, the Secretary of the FCTA Command and Control Centre, Dr Peter Olumuji, explained that Operation Sweep was a joint security operation involving all relevant security agencies and FCT secretariats, departments and agencies.

Olumuji told NAN that the operation was instituted by the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to rid Abuja of miscreants, street beggars, scavengers and other criminal elements.

He pointed out that beggars pose security threats and constitute a nuisance in the city, adding that some of them serve as informants to criminals.

“Not only that, the beggars and mentally challenged individuals also deface the beauty of the capital city, while some of them become victims of kidnapping for rituals and other negative purposes,” he said.

He added that the operation was ongoing and would continue to crack down on beggars, miscreants and other criminal elements wherever they resurfaced.

NAN recalls that Wike, in October 2024, declared war on beggars defacing Abuja and posing security risks.

The minister explained that the move was necessary over concerns that Abuja was turning into a beggars’ city.

“Let me say clearly now, we have declared war on beggars because Abuja is returning to a beggars’ city.

“If you know you have a sister or a brother who is a beggar on the road, do something, because from next week, we will carry them; we will take them out of the city.

“It is embarrassing that people who come into Abuja, the first thing they see are just beggars on the road,” he said.

Wike further said that some supposed beggars might not be beggars but criminals pretending to be beggars.

“We will not allow that,” he said.

He explained that the move was to ensure maximum security so that residents could sleep with their two eyes closed.

(NAN)