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Government Intensifies Advocacy Against Noise Pollution In Lagos

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Lagos Government Seals 11 Facilities Over Noise Pollution

Government Intensifies Advocacy Against Noise Pollution In Lagos

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has intensified its advocacy against noise pollution.

The agency held its 11th annual Noiseless Lagos Campaign on Tuesday, with the theme, “Advancing Sound Control and Technology in an Emerging Smart City.”

The event focused on developing sustainable strategies to address rising noise pollution, particularly from religious centres.

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Princess Oyekan Ismaila, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, urged residents to be responsible and considerate in managing noise in shared spaces.

“Our aim is to have a noiseless smart Lagos. We are conscious of our health, hearing and other vital organs. Our health and environment are essential to the developmental strides of Lagos State.

“We implore residents to be mindful of their neighbours and avoid polluting the environment with noise. That is why the governor and the Lagos State Government are advocating a noiseless city,” she said.

Dr Gaji Tajudeen, permanent secretary of the Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, commended LASEPA for sustaining the annual summit.

Mr Tajudeen, represented by Dr Olasunkanmi Sojinu, head of environmental assessment in the ministry, described noise pollution as a serious public health concern.

“Environmental nuisance has severe public health consequences, and pretending all is well in a noisy environment is to sign up for sudden death.

“We are pleased that LASEPA has continued to sustain this summit and its fight against noise pollution and other environmental nuisances.

“We must recognise that noise is not just a nuisance; it is a public health issue,” he said.

Adeyinka Sorongbe, permanent secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, represented by Mrs Remi George-Ashiru, said technology offers tools such as real-time monitoring and artificial intelligence-driven sound management solutions to tackle noise pollution.

He said innovation must be matched with responsibility to build healthier and more liveable cities.

“Excessive noise affects public health, productivity and overall quality of life. Advancing sound control is not just a technical goal; it is a social and environmental imperative,” he said.

Mr Sorongbe said the ministry would continue to support research, innovation and partnerships aimed at promoting sustainable, people-centred technological solutions.

In his opening remarks, LASEPA General Manager, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to reducing noise pollution.

Mr Ajayi stressed that religious worship, school activities and business operations must be conducted within permissible noise limits.

He said the agency would continue to sanction religious bodies, schools and businesses that violate state noise regulations.

Reverend Dr Dele Ajayi, presiding chaplain of the Chapel of Christ the Light, Alausa, Ikeja, urged religious organisations to show empathy and moderation.

According to him, worship should be conducted in ways that do not disturb surrounding communities.

Chief Imam of Deji Oworu Mosque, Alapere, Imam Badmus Suleiman, also called for greater responsibility in managing noise pollution.

Lagos Government Seals 11 Facilities Over Noise Pollution

Noise Pollution

“Noise pollution is a menace, especially in schools and places of worship, and should be curbed,” he said.

The event featured a debate titled “Technology and Noise: Who Bears the Responsibility and Consequences?” involving students from Lagos State’s six education districts.

Modele David Olufemi of Alimosho Senior Grammar School emerged overall winner with 373 points.

Bello Awwal of Obele Community Senior High School, Education District IV, came second with 368 points, while Onaolapo Olabiyi of Lagos State Senior Model College, Kankon, Education District V, placed third with 339 points.

Free hearing tests were also conducted for some participants to assess possible hearing challenges.

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ADC React To Diverting FAAC Allocation To Fund Tinubu’s Re-election

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ADC National Executive Council

ADC React To Diverting FAAC Allocation To Fund Tinubu’s Re-election

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reacted to reports alleging that governors elected on the platform of the APC diverted funds from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) to finance President Bola Tinubu’s re-election campaign, describing the action as shameless, cruel, and criminal, especially as millions of Nigerians are sinking deeper into poverty, hunger, and hopelessness due to the bad policies of the ruling party.

The party said the report alleging that over N800 billion was raised through deductions from FAAC allocations for political purposes confirms what Nigerians have long suspected: that while the administration continues to tell the people to endure the pains of its ill-fated economic reforms, the APC has been converting public resources into a war chest for 2027 politics.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the ADC said it is morally indefensible that state governments receiving record-breaking allocations are unable to improve the lives of the people, yet could divert money to fund the President’s re-election ambitions.

The full statement read:

Under this APC government, states are receiving more money than at any other period in Nigeria’s history, yet Nigerians are poorer, hungrier, and more desperate than ever before. Roads are still collapsing. Hospitals are still empty. Schools are still underfunded. Workers are underpaid. Communities remain unsafe. The only thing growing is the political appetite of the ruling party.

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The ADC said that if the allegations published by THEWILL are true, then what has occurred is not just political corruption, but a direct theft of resources belonging to the Nigerian people. “FAAC allocations are meant for development, salaries, healthcare, education, infrastructure, security, and the welfare of citizens, not for financing the re-election plans of one man. To divert public allocations into political accounts while citizens cannot afford food is wickedness on an industrial scale.”

These revelations explain why many APC governors appear more interested in political calculations than governance, despite unprecedented inflows into state coffers following subsidy removal and currency devaluation policies that have inflicted severe hardship on Nigerians.

The same government that told Nigerians there is no money to reduce suffering somehow found a way to allegedly mobilise over N800 billion for politics. The same government asking citizens to endure sacrifice is allegedly supervising one of the largest political funding operations in Nigeria’s democratic history. This is not leadership. This is exploitation. The APC government has effectively turned governance into a fundraising machine for 2027 while Nigerians battle inflation, unemployment, insecurity, collapsing purchasing power, and rising poverty.

ADC National Executive Council

ADC

We call for an immediate independent investigation into the allegations, including the reported use of FAAC deductions and any related accounts or structures allegedly linked to the operation.

Nigerians deserve to know whether money belonging to states and local governments was diverted for partisan political purposes. If these allegations are true, then this represents a dangerous abuse of public trust and a scandal of enormous national consequence. No amount of political spending can save a government that has lost the confidence of the people.

You cannot impoverish the people to fund your own re-election. Nigerians are not blind. Nigerians are not fools. And Nigerians will remember.

Signed:

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi
National Publicity Secretary
African Democratic Congress (ADC)

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Why EFCC Operatives Visited UUTH Akwa Ibom

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EFCC Operatives Visited UUTH

Why EFCC Operatives Visited UUTH Akwa Ibom

The Tuesday, May 12, 2026, visit of operatives of the Uyo Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State was informed by the need to authenticate a medical report presented by a suspect under remand by Justice M.A Onyetunu of the Federal High Court, Uyo, for allegedly defrauding multiple micro finance banks, including University of Uyo Micro Finance Bank.

The suspect had presented a medical report which required authentication by the UUTH management. The Commission wrote two different letters, dated March 11, 2026 and April 20, 2026, to the hospital management to this effect without receiving any response. The Investigating Officer handling the matter took the further step of visiting the hospital to enquire about the status of the request. Still, no response.

As a last resort, operatives of the Commission visited the Chief Medical Director of the hospital on Tuesday to make further enquiries, only to be locked in with a false alarm and subjected to unprovoked attack by misguided staff of the facility who pelted them with stones and other dangerous objects.

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While within the hospital, the CMD reportedly directed that gates of the facility be shut, making it impossible for any lawful enquiry to be made. Police authorities in Akwa Ibom State advised the CMD to open the hospital gates to enable the operatives exit the premises peacefully but the entreaties were turned down.

EFCC Operatives Visited UUTH

EFCC Operatives Visited UUTH

In spite of the hostility and provocation, there was no breakdown of law and order as the operatives exercised restraint and professionally made their ways out of the hospital premises without disrupting its activities.

Enquiries bordering on operational engagements of the Commission are lawful. It is therefore necessary to remind the public and corporate bodies that they are obligated to cooperate with the agency in such circumstances.

Contrary action could be deemed as obstruction, which is criminal with attendant legal consequences.

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Alleged N1.6b Money Laundering: Court Rejects Bauchi Accountant General’s Application To Travel For Hajj

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Alleged N1.6b Money Laundering: Court Rejects Bauchi Accountant General’s Application To Travel For Hajj

Justice O.A. Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, rejected the application filed by Bauchi State Accountant General, Sirajo Muhammad Jaja for permission to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Muslim pilgrimage, hajj and medical check-up.

Jaja is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC alongside the first defendant Aliyu Abubakar, an unlicensed bureau de change operator on amended five-count charge, bordering on conversion of funds, belonging to the Bauchi State Government, and money laundering to the tune of N1,635,270,350.9k (One Billion, Six Hundred and Thirty-five million, Two hundred and seventy thousand, Three hundred and fifty Naira, Nine kobo).

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On conclusion of the cross-examination of the first Prosecution Witness, PW1, Abimbola Williams, a compliance officer with the United Bank for Africa, UBA at the Tuesday’s sitting by Jaja’s counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, the counsel informed the court of his client’s application for leave of the court to enable him travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for two weeks to perform the Muslim pilgrimage and for medical check- up.

Court

Court

“Before adjourning, there is an application. The second defendant wants to travel outside for two weeks. It is a temporary application for the release of his passport,” adding that the defence was already in receipt of the prosecution’s response, which he said, he was yet to respond to.

In his response, prosecution counsel, Abba Muhammed, SAN, informed the court that the prosecution was in receipt of the application and has responded in objection to the application for him to travel out for any reason, stating that the defendant is a flight risk, with other parties in the charge being at-large.

“The prosecution opposed the application of the second defendant with a 10 paragraph affidavit filed on 13 March, 2026. We rely on all the deposition and annexures. We provided cogent reasons, the facts are there. We rely on them and we urge the court to reject the application.

In his ruling on the application, Justice Egwuatu struck out the application and adjourned the matter till June 30, 2026 for continuation of trial.

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