News
Makinde swears-in five new permanent secretaries {See Names}

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, on Tuesday swore-in another set of five Permanent Secretaries in the Civil Service of Oyo State, taking to 19 the number of Permanent Secretaries appointed since he assumed office in May 2019.
The Governor, who called on the new permanent secretaries to see their appointments as a call to service, maintained that the appointments were based on merit and qualification.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the swearing-in ceremony was held at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, quoting that Governor as urging the new permanent secretaries not to relent in their efforts to take the civil service to a greater level.
The new permanent secretaries sworn-in by the Governor were: Mrs. Atere Aminat Bamidele, Ministry of Education; Dr. Adeyanju Olusoji Alaruru, Hospital Management Board; Mrs. Fasina Adenike Ayobami, Ministry of Finance; Mr. Segun Ajekiigbe, Ministry of Energy and Mrs. Grace Olabisi Oderinde, Teaching Service Commission.
Speaking during the event, Governor Makinde said: “You have been appointed into this position based on merit and based on the fact that you are eminently qualified to occupy this position.
“Don’t relent. Double your efforts, because this administration is interested in making the civil service the engine room to drive our development. Yes, we do have options. Past governments have taken those options where they brought in consultants all over the place to do the works which civil servants were being paid for. It is double jeopardy, because the government is losing money by paying twice for the same services. And we are also losing out from the fact that people whose job, from the beginning, is to look after our public institutions were being excluded.”
While congratulating the new appointees, the Governor charged them see their appointments as a call to service and to become more dedicated in the service of the State, noting that their appointments were done after necessary scrutiny and documentation.
“I congratulate you and want you to see this appointment as a call to further service. I want to see more dedication in the service of the government and the people of Oyo State.
“After the appointments were announced, I read a few comments from people. Some said we have thrown away seniority in the civil service of Oyo State and we just appoint people as we wish. Out of the five of you, I only know one person very well and the rest is just about the documentation I received.
“I asked the Head of Service to bring the list of people that are qualified and I asked some questions as well.
He said his administration would continue to give promotion to whoever is qualified and not discriminate against anyone on the basis of party affiliation or personal relationship.
He said: “We have people who can justify it because they will say there is usually a disconnect between government and the civil servants. Some have even come to me and said we should get rid of top people in the civil service because they are pro-APC. When I asked if they are Oyo Sate indigenes, they told me yes. I also asked that if they are for APC today, can they be of the PDP tomorrow, they said it is possible. So, nobody and, I repeat, nobody will be discriminated against under this administration, irrespective of your political leaning.”
The Governor also hinted that no geopolitical zone in the State was marginalised in the promotion exercise and that the era of promoting only what they called mainstream civil servants to permanent secretary cadres has gone.
According to him, “whoever is qualified from Local Government and Teaching Service would be promoted to the exalted position.”
News
Alleged KGB Infiltration: Police in Dilemma as Senator Natasha Abandons Petition, Snubs Summons

The Nigeria Police Force appears to be in a quandary over its investigation into the alleged infiltration of the National Assembly by Russia’s KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti), the former Soviet security agency.
Checks revealed that the police had invited the Senator representing Kogi West, Sunday Karimi, for interrogation following a petition filed by his colleague, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan of Kogi Central.
In the petition dated March 5, 2025, Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently serving a six-month suspension from the Senate, urged the police to investigate Karimi’s claim that the KGB had infiltrated the National Assembly, posing a serious threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
She specifically alleged that Senator Karimi had circulated a report titled “KGB Agent Group Warns Senate: A Call for Vigilance Amidst Threats to Democracy” on the official WhatsApp group of the 10th Senate on February 23, 2025.
Describing the claim as a matter of national security, Akpoti-Uduaghan insisted that the alarm raised by Karimi should not be taken lightly. “No nation can afford to ignore the presence of such a group within its legislative body,” she emphasized in her petition.
Karimi Appears Before Police, Natasha Recoils
Further investigations revealed that Senator Karimi honored the police invitation on Monday, appearing at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to clarify his position.
Sources within the police described his session as “positive and insightful,” revealing that he admitted to sharing the report in question. However, the police were reportedly taken aback when Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan distanced herself from the petition and ignored requests to appear for questioning.
“We reached out to her after our session with Senator Karimi, expecting her to provide further clarification, but she has continuously ignored our invitation,” a senior police source disclosed.
“What is disturbing is how she suddenly abandoned such a serious petition against her colleague. First, she claimed to be outside the country, but a viral video has since surfaced showing her in her constituency. It is difficult to reconcile her claims with the information available to us,” the source added.
The police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, further hinted at possible political undertones behind the petition.
“We do not want to meddle in the ongoing power play within the Senate. However, it would be scandalous if she attempted to use the police as a tool in her political battles.”
When asked about the possible next steps, the source stated that his superiors would determine the fate of the petition, which he described as “frivolous.”
News
Twelve Inmates Escape in Kotonkarfe Jailbreak

Twelve inmates have escaped from the Federal Correctional Centre in Kotonkarfe, Kogi State, following an early morning jailbreak on Monday.
Confirming the incident, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, described it as “unfortunate” and assured the public that the government, in collaboration with security agencies, was taking measures to prevent a recurrence.
According to Fanwo, law enforcement officers have already re-arrested one of the escapees.
“The theory that the inmates escaped through the tower without causing any structural damage raises serious concerns. This calls for a thorough investigation to determine the exact circumstances of the escape, arrest the fleeing inmates, and identify possible saboteurs within the system,” he stated.
The commissioner further disclosed that Governor Usman Ododo has directed security agencies to ensure that such breaches do not happen again.
“We call on the public to report any suspicious individuals in their communities. Anyone found harbouring an escaped inmate will be held accountable,” Fanwo warned.
Reassuring residents, he added: “There is no cause for panic. We encourage citizens to go about their daily activities as normal, knowing that the security of lives and property remains our top priority.”
Authorities have yet to disclose further details about the escapees or ongoing efforts to apprehend them.
News
Trump Ends Legal Status for Over 500,000 Immigrants, Orders Mass Expulsions

The United States has announced the termination of legal status for over 500,000 immigrants, ordering them to leave the country within weeks, as President Donald Trump pushes forward with what he calls the largest deportation campaign in American history.
The sweeping directive, issued on Friday, affects approximately 532,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans who arrived under a programme launched by Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, in October 2022 and later expanded in January 2023.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the affected immigrants will lose their legal protections 30 days after the order is published in the Federal Register on Tuesday. This means they must leave the United States by 24 April, unless they secure another immigration status permitting them to stay.
Welcome.US, an organisation that supports asylum seekers, has urged those impacted to “immediately” seek legal counsel regarding their options.
A Reversal of Biden’s Immigration Policy
The Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans (CHNV) programme, introduced in January 2023, allowed up to 30,000 migrants per month from these nations to enter the United States for two years. The initiative was designed to offer a “safe and humane” alternative to the dangerous crossings at the US-Mexico border, which had seen a surge in arrivals.
However, the DHS reiterated on Friday that the programme was never meant to provide permanent residency.
“Parole is inherently temporary, and parole alone is not an underlying basis for obtaining any immigration status, nor does it constitute an admission to the United States,” the agency stated.
Mass Deportations Under Trump
Trump, who has made immigration control a cornerstone of his presidency, has vowed to crack down on migrants—particularly those from Latin America.
Last week, he invoked rare wartime legislation to deport more than 200 alleged members of a Venezuelan gang to El Salvador, a country that has controversially offered to imprison both migrants and U.S. citizens at a discounted rate.
The latest order signals Trump’s intent to follow through on his hardline immigration policies, raising concerns among human rights advocates about the humanitarian impact of such mass deportations.
-
News1 week ago
Ido LG APC Hails Oseni on FNSE Conferment
-
Education1 week ago
Emmanuel Alayande University Holds 2024/2025 Matriculation March 27
-
Politics1 week ago
Fresh N200bn Loan: Oyo APC Accuses Makinde of Pushing State Into Financial Ruin
-
News1 week ago
Tinubu Swears in Ibas as Rivers Sole Administrator