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Imo Senator Tells Keyamo To Stop Airport Officials From Begging Travellers For Money

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Festus Keyamo

Imo Senator Tells Keyamo To Stop Airport Officials From Begging Travellers For Money

Imo Senator tells Keyamo to stop airport officials from begging travellers for money. The Senator representing Imo West in the Senate, Osita Izunaso, has urged the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, to caution airport officials against begging air travellers for money, a behaviour he described as a “national embarrassment.”

Izunaso made the call at an event themed “Responsible Communication: The Voice of the World”, where Nigeria’s preparations to host the 2026 World Public Relations Forum were unveiled. The event drew participants from across 126 countries.

Commending Keyamo’s ongoing reforms at Nigeria’s airports, the lawmaker said that despite visible improvements, some personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, and other uniformed agencies continued to engage in unprofessional conduct.

“Honourable Minister, a lot has been said about what you are doing at the airport. When you arrive at the airport now, you just carry your bag and you move in. Good work! That is fantastic,” Izunaso said.

“But you also have to look at the personnel, customs, immigration, and all those that work at the airports. You will always hear screams of ‘Your boys are here, Sir!’ or ‘We are greeting you, Sir!’ You know, this does not depict a very good image of our country.”

The lawmaker warned that such behaviour, including excessive greetings and subtle demands for tips, paints a poor image of Nigeria before visiting foreigners.

“For us in Nigeria, we know the meaning of ‘Your boys are here.’ Please tell them there will be no ‘Your boys or girls are here.’

“There is a way they will be looking at you that makes you know they are asking for something more than their work,” he said, adding that the practice must stop ahead of Nigeria’s hosting of the global event.

However, the President of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Dr. Ike Neliaku, countered the senator’s remarks, insisting that the aviation sector had witnessed significant improvements under Keyamo’s leadership.

“I want to confirm that I returned from South Africa and came back through the international airport. There is a lot of improvement. Nobody said ‘Your boys are here’ to me. So, I think Nigeria is changing,” Neliaku said, assuring foreign delegates that the country’s image was improving.
Backing him, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, praised the reforms at Nigeria’s entry and exit points.

“I want to appreciate the Minister of Aviation, the man under whose tenure the entry and exit point of our airports have really transformed. What we are seeing in the Ministry of Aviation is truly unprecedented. Thank you for making us proud, Mr. Festus Keyamo,” Idris stated.
Also speaking, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, highlighted how technology was reducing human contact and curbing extortion at airports.

“We’ve taken judicial notice of the remarkable transformation that has happened in our airports. When you get to any of our points of entry now, all you need to do is scan your passport, open your eyes to the sunglasses and it captures your details.

Festus Keyamo

Festus Keyamo

“If you have some problem, they will ask you to come behind and sort yourself out. This is what happens everywhere in the world,” Adeniyi explained.

In his closing remarks, Keyamo assured the audience that Nigeria’s airports would be fully ready to host global visitors for the 2026 World Public Relations Forum.

“We are going to be ready at our entry points, which are actually the image of the country,” Keyamo said.

“We are setting up a VVIP department at all our international airports for very important guests coming into the country. Public relations professionals coming for the forum will enjoy this fully.”

Economy

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

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Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly Strongly Seeks Suspension Of Makoko Demolition

Lagos assembly strongly seeks suspension of Makoko demolition. The Lagos state house of assembly has called for the suspension of demolition activities in Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro waterfront communities following protests by displaced residents and growing public concern over the exercise.

The call was announced on Tuesday by Noheem Adams, chairman of an ad hoc committee set up by Mudashiru Obasa, speaker of the house, during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the Lateef Jakande auditorium.

Adams called on all state ministries to cease demolition work and promised compensation to the affected residents.
“On behalf of the speaker and all 40 members of the house, we are directing that all demolitions in Makoko, Oko-Agbon, and Shogunro communities should stop from today until further notice,” New Telegraph quoted Adams as saying.

He called for transparency by demanding the full list of taskforce members and the criteria used for engagement, insisting that residents must be actively involved in the process.

“That the taskforce that was constituted, we want to see the list of the taskforce because we want the residents to be duly involved and to be carried along. So we want to have the schedule of those task forces and the criteria for those that we are inviting,” Adams added.

Lagos Assembly

Lagos Assembly

“To the residents of Makoko, Oko-Agbon and Shogunro communities, as your representatives, we are giving you all assurances that they will stop demolitions henceforth and there will be compensations for all those whose properties have been demolished.”

Stephen Ogundipe, member of the ad-hoc, said there is need for clear communication, adding that residents targeted for relocation or redevelopment must be informed of the government’s plans in advance.

Babatunde Olajide, special adviser to governor of Lagos on E-GIS and urban renewal, confirmed that $2 million had been earmarked since 2021 to transform Makoko into a modern, internationally compliant water city.

He said enumeration of affected properties is underway and reiterated the administration’s commitment to handling the situation with a human face, prioritizing resident safety and fair compensation.

Yusuf Sagra, baale of Makoko, described the assembly’s decision as a “word of peace,” while Orioye Ogungbure, another leader of the community, praised the “democratic responsiveness” of the government.

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Crime

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

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EFCC Probes Man

EFCC Arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for Alleged Naira Mutilation In Viral Video

EFCC arrests Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa for alleged naira mutilation in viral video. The Kano Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC,   on Tuesday, February 3, 2026  arrested a Kannywood Star, Samha Inuwa over alleged Naira mutilation.

Inuwa was arrested following a viral video circulated on social media platforms where she was seen conspicuously cleaning mucus from her nose using Naira notes.

EFCC Probes Man

EFCC

Following the release of the viral video, the Commission swung into action by tracing and subsequently arrested her to answer questions.
She is currently being held at the Commission’s detention facility while investigation is ongoing.

The suspect will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

Dele Oyewale
Head,  Media & Publicity
February 3, 2026

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Economy

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

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National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Access Bank gets new board chair Ifeyinwa Osime. Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29.

Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of the board of directors, following the retirement of Paul Usoro, on January 29, according to a statement to the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. on Monday.

Ms Osime, a legal practitioner, joined Access Bank’s board in November 2019 as an independent non-executive director and had chaired its Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination, and Remuneration Committee. This role made her contribute significantly to the bank’s corporate governance, leadership development, and sustainability initiatives.

Additionally, Ms Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Ltd. and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial matters and contributes to strategic leadership.

She is also a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, the Women Corporate Directors, Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors, Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

National Bank Of Kenya

Access Bank Gets New Board Chair Ifeyinwa Osime

Beyond her professional responsibilities, Ms Osime is committed to mentoring youths and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Speaking on her appointment, the group chairman, Aigboje Aig-lmoukhuede, said, “Mrs Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”

Mr Aig-lmoukhuede also congratulated Mr Usoro on the completion of his tenure and on his exemplary leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to the group, saying he remains a valued member of the Access family.

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