- Lagos to close Marine bridge for 15 days for urgent repairs
- Tinubu grants posthumous pardons to Herbert Macaulay, Mamman Vatsa and 173 others
- Court admits new evidence in Emefiele’s $4.5bn fraud trial
- FG ends revenue deductions by agencies to boost fiscal transparency
- SSANU and NASU protest the federal government’s neglect of non-teaching staff
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the top five Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss.
Lagos to close Marine bridge for 15 days for urgent repairs
The Lagos State Government will close the Marine Bridge in Ijora, Apapa, for 15 days for maintenance, in two phases, confirmed by Transportation Commissioner Oluwaseun Osiyemi.
The first phase runs from October 11 to 18, covering the section from Marine Bridge (Lawani Oguntayo Road by UBA, inbound Apapa/Costain). Ijora Olopa motorists heading to Apapa will be diverted to the Ijora Causeway Access Ramp near Omni Retail, connecting through Ijora 7up and Lilypond.
Phase two runs from October 19-25 between Ijora Badia and Lilypond Access Ramp, with some motorists diverted into a 500-metre contraflow during repairs on the bridge’s bearings by the Federal Ministry of Works. Mr Osiyemi urges patience.
Tinubu grants posthumous pardons to Herbert Macaulay, Mamman Vatsa and 173 others
President Bola Tinubu approved posthumous pardons for Nigerian nationalist Herbert Macaulay, former Minister Major General Mamman Vatsa, and 15 others. The move was part of broader clemency measures endorsed by the National Council of State during its meeting at the State House in Abuja on Thursday.
The President granted clemency to 82 inmates, commuted seven death sentences to life, and reduced prison terms for 65 others, based on recommendations from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, led by the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi.
Vatsa, executed in 1986 for treason in an alleged coup, has long attracted public sympathy and calls for exoneration. Macaulay, regarded as the father of Nigerian nationalism, was honoured for his role in the independence movement. Tinubu also posthumously pardoned the Ogoni Nine, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, and awarded national honours to the Ogoni Four for their contributions to justice and human rights.
Court admits new evidence in Emefiele’s $4.5bn fraud trial
The Lagos State Special Offences Court in Ikeja accepted additional evidence in the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele over alleged fraud involving $4.5 billion and ₦2.8 billion. Justice Rahman Oshodi admitted the documents as Exhibit G after dismissing the defence’s objections.
Emefiele and co-defendant Henry Omoile face 19 charges by EFCC, including breach of trust, forgery, and money laundering. During the hearing, EFCC’s lead counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), examined witness Alvan Gurumnaan, who shared investigation findings.
Gurumnaan testified that WhatsApp messages recovered from Exhibit G showed Omoile instructing one John Adetola to deliver $400,000 to “Oga,” referring to Emefiele. He said Adetola confirmed collecting the money from John Ikechukwu-Ayoh, Emefiele’s personal assistant, and later handed it directly to the former CBN Governor at the Lagos office.
FG ends revenue deductions by agencies to boost fiscal transparency
The Federal Government halted revenue agencies from retaining collected funds, ending long-standing deductions. Announced in Abuja, this move aims to boost budgetary transparency and increase funds for government levels.
Minister of Finance Wale Edun announced at the National Development Update launch that, despite Nigeria’s growing gross revenues, agencies like FIRS, NCS, and NUPRC deduct substantial collection costs.
Edun stressed that these deductions have not resulted in meaningful improvements to national development. He added that the review forms part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader fiscal reform agenda aimed at strengthening accountability and maximising government revenue.
SSANU and NASU protest the federal government’s neglect of non-teaching staff
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and NASU protested peacefully in Lagos, demanding better welfare and funding, as part of a nationwide action. They carried placards calling for fair treatment of non-teaching university staff.
NASU Chairman at the University of Lagos, Ayantoye Bukayo, criticised the government’s unfair treatment of non-teaching staff, especially paid allowances and unpaid salaries. He said unions protested the allocation of ₦50 billion in allowances, with 80% going to ASUU and 20% to SSANU, NASU, and others.
Bukayo listed unresolved issues: delays in renegotiating 2009 agreements, unpaid two months’ salaries, and arrears of 25-35% salary adjustments. He noted unions’ ultimatums to the government, the latest expiring on October 6, with no response.
