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‘I won’t chase street hawkers because I once sold bread’- Makinde
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has said that he would not be a party to chasing street traders off the streets without providing them with alternatives, as according to him, he once sold bread at Yemetu area of Ibadan.
Governor Makinde, who joined the congregation at the Oja’ba Central Mosque for a special prayer to commemorate his 52nd birthday also said that he would not be too proud to reverse himself anytime he found it necessary, saying that only God is infallible.
He added that his government would always be open to corrections.
The governor said, “Somebody said that I was quoted as saying that I would not chase away street traders without providing them with alternatives. Yes, that is true because I know the mentality of street trading. I once sold bread by the roadside in Yemetu Area.
“I said so because we cannot send them away until we provide an alternative for them. And we have started enforcing that. We did that at Ojoo where we asked people not to trade at the point where we want to situate our modern terminus.
“Recently, I went there in the midnight to make sure that where they will relocate the traders to must be a comfortable place, equipped with necessary infrastructure so that when they make their sales, they may not feel like going back to the road-side.
“I actually understand the situation because I once sold bread in front of Adeoyo Hospital in Yemetu. And I know that the money that I used to assist my mother from bread-selling was expended on my education.
“So, I beg of you, do the right thing. We will do all that is needful to ensure the development of Oyo State. If we fail to do the right thing, don’t hesitate to tell us.
“We don’t know it all. If people tell us what we need to do, we will act. I am not proud to the extent that I can’t reverse myself because I know that pride comes before a fall,” he added.
The Governor thanked the faithful for joining the prayers at short notice.
“Your prayers are important to me. It doesn’t matter if we have a multitude. What we have here is quality crowd”, he said adding that he will always love to work for the people because he is out to provide service”.
He said that his government would be fair and just to all religious organizations in the State, noting that the prayers of Muslim clerics contributed immensely to his victory at the polls.
“I assured the people of the State that I will serve them with the fear of God. I have made a promise to serve the good people of Oyo State with the fear of God and not to favour of any religious organisation above the other,” he said.
He stated that all the religions will be treated equally, as according to him, homes in the State have members spread across the religions.
“In my administration, whatever is due to Muslims, Christians and traditional worshipers will be given to them equally without any bias or favour,” the Governor said.
Governor Makinde also took time to x-ray the key achievements of his administration in the first six months, adding which he said include regular payment of the workers on 25th of every month; provision of security vehicles for the Security Agencies in the state; free education from primary level to secondary level; light-up of Ibadan and cities among many others.
He added: “Also, there is an improvement in our health care system. When we came in, they were saying members of the NURTW was causing trouble. But now, this has stopped. I can assure you that where we have noticed some pockets of challenges will be addressed.
“We have also started the lighting up places in Ibadan so that you can be all safe to go to wherever you want to go. And this is the first phase, we will light up all our major cities.
“With this, the criminal elements to know they cannot perform any evil act successfully. So, I have come to serve the people and I believe that if we can all work together, what is not enough for us today will be abundant tomorrow.”
He, therefore, appealed to religious leaders in the State to continue to pray for the success of the present administration and not to allow the religious fanatics to cause crisis among the religious organizations in the State.
According to him, “Concerning what Imam said about Alfa Oloore, there is no rancour between us. Sincerely, with what I saw at the mosque that first day, I would have ordered that it be demolished with immediate effect and the surrounding houses. But three days after, people told me that it was not only Oloore mosque we have such facilities and that some parents do take their children there. I interviewed some parents at Sanyo Area, where we took them and they said they actually took their children there. I have to listen to what people were saying.
“So, when they talked to me, I asked them not to demolish the mosque again and informed the Police too to leave Alfa alone. I also told social workers to go and inspect it because we need to modernise anything we do. The way they do things yesterday is not the way we will do them today. We need to see how we can modernise the way we can discipline troublesome children in such a way that when they grow up, they won’t be a burden to anyone or for the country.
“Since that is the situation we have found ourselves, there should be regulations for those who have these kinds of facilities. Also, social workers need to always assign some people to take charge of activities there. That is the way it should be done.
The Governor, therefore, called on all the religious leaders to always advise him as he is ready to welcome corrections when necessary.
According to him, nobody is above mistakes, only God cannot make mistakes.
“What we are facing now is how we can make life comfortable for everyone and to develop Oyo State. We cannot do it alone. As residents and citizens of Oyo State, you cannot also do it alone. We have to come together, put hands on deck to achieve this.
“They will twist many things but I am here today to tell you that I will be truthful to you, no matter the situation. Because I am not also above mistake, I need to make the engagements to continue.
As a human being, I can make mistakes but it is only God who cannot. But we can correct ourselves if we get response on what is going on in the street.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Alhaji Abubakr Agbootomokekere showered encomiums on Governor Makinde for his enormous achievements within 200 days in office.
He urged the Governor to continue with his good policies for the overall development of Oyo State.
He, therefore, prayed for the success of the Makinde-led administration in the State and promised that the League of Imams would continue to support the Government.
The Kwara State Police Command has confirmed the death of a 35-year-old man, Jimoh Abdulquadri, who passed away in police custody in the early hours of Friday.
Abdulquadri, who was arrested on December 19, 2024, reportedly died under controversial circumstances, with his family accusing police operatives of subjecting him to brutal treatment during his detention. Reports indicate that the deceased had been detained over an alleged debt of N220,000 owed to an individual identified as Peter.
In response to the incident, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has directed the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) to immediately take over the case. A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed that the IGP also visited Kwara State to meet with the bereaved family.
During the visit, the IGP was received by the Balogun Fulani of Ilorin, Alhaji Sadiq Atiku Fulani, who represented the family. The IGP expressed his condolences and assured them of a thorough investigation.
“The IGP expressed his profound condolences and assured the family that no stone would be left unturned in uncovering the circumstances that led to the tragic incident. He has ordered the FCID to handle the case with utmost diligence and ensure a conclusive and impartial investigation,” the statement read.
The IGP reiterated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to upholding accountability, professionalism, and respect for human rights. He further called on all stakeholders to remain calm and allow the due process of law to take its course.
The Federal Government has officially lifted the five-year ban on mining activities in Zamfara State, citing improved security and the potential for economic growth in the mineral-rich region.
The announcement was made on Sunday by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, through his representative, Segun Tomori, during a press briefing in Abuja.
“The Federal Government has lifted the ban on mining exploration activities in Zamfara State, citing significant improvements in the security situation across the state,” the minister said in a statement.
Security Gains and Economic Promise
The ban, imposed in 2019 due to escalating insecurity and illegal mining, was described by Alake as a necessary but temporary measure to protect lives and resources. However, he noted that the ban inadvertently created a vacuum exploited by illegal miners, leading to resource plundering.
Alake praised recent security advancements under the Tinubu administration, highlighting the neutralization of notorious bandit commanders and other strategic wins, including the capture of Halilu Sububu, one of the state’s most wanted criminals.
“The existential threat to lives and properties that led to the 2019 ban has abated. The security operatives’ giant strides have led to a notable reduction in the level of insecurity,” Alake said.
He added that with the restoration of mining activities, Zamfara’s mineral wealth—ranging from gold and lithium to copper—could now be harnessed under strict regulation to contribute significantly to national revenue.
Boosting Regulation and Combating Illegal Mining
The minister emphasized that lifting the ban would pave the way for better regulation and monitoring of mining activities. This, he said, would enable authorities to tackle illegal mining more effectively and ensure Nigeria benefits fully from Zamfara’s mineral resources.
“By reopening this sector, we are prioritizing not only revenue generation but also intelligence gathering to curb illegal mining,” he said.
Addressing Controversies
Alake also addressed concerns surrounding Nigeria’s recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with France, which had sparked controversy. He clarified that the agreement focused solely on capacity building and technical support for the mining sector.
“The high point of the MOU is on training and capacity building for our mining professionals. Similar agreements have been signed with Germany and Australia. Misinformation about ceding control over our mineral resources is uncalled for,” Alake said.
Press as Partners in Progress
Commending the media for their role in promoting reforms in the mining sector, Alake urged continued collaboration to drive transparency and attract foreign investments.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has dismissed media reports suggesting that the recently resuscitated old Port Harcourt refinery has been shut down, labeling such claims as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL, Olufemi Soneye, clarified that the refinery, with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, is “fully operational.”
The facility resumed operations two months ago after years of inactivity.
“We wish to clarify that such reports are totally false, as the refinery is fully operational, as verified a few days ago by former Group Managing Directors of NNPC,” Soneye said.
He added that preparations for the day’s loading operation are currently underway, emphasizing that the public should disregard the claims.
“Members of the public are advised to discountenance such reports as they are the figments of the imagination of those who want to create artificial scarcity and rip off Nigerians,” Soneye stated.
The old Port Harcourt refinery is part of the country’s efforts to revive its local refining capacity. Three years ago, the Federal Government approved $1.5 billion to rehabilitate the plant, which was initially shut down in 2019 due to operational challenges.
Despite being one of the largest oil producers globally, Nigeria has long relied on fuel imports to meet its domestic needs, swapping crude oil for petrol and other refined products. This dependency, coupled with government subsidies, has strained the nation’s foreign exchange reserves.
The recent return of the Port Harcourt refinery to operation follows the commissioning of the Dangote refinery, which began petrol production in September 2024. These developments are expected to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports and address long-standing issues in the petroleum sector.
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