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Protesters shut down Ibadan as govt demolishes Ayefele’s radio station
A mammoth crowed abandoned church services to sympathize with the popular gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele over part demolition of his radio station building, Fresh FM, situated along Lagos-Ibadan by-pass.
The demolition team which arrived the office complex around 5 am on Sunday, according to an eyewitness started its operations, with gunshot to scare the residents away from coming out of their respective houses.
Oyo state Government had last week issued a three-day ultimatum to Ayefele, claiming the construction of the station contravened town planning laws.
Ayefele went to court to stop the demolition.
At the expressway, trucks and small vehicles heading towards Lagos and coming into the city of Ibadan were held up in traffic that lasted for over eight hours on Sunday while many going to their respective places of worship were making u-turn.
Many youth ceased the opportunities to destroy some posters and bill boards belonging to a certain political party as part of the grievances against the demolition of the station.
Though, Dr. Yinka Ayefele declined interview with press men but lamented on his Facebook account in a very short but terse statement: “Oyo state government did it at last… My pains, my sweat… So help me God,” he said.
Director of Yinka Ayefele Nigeria Limited, David Ajiboye who told reporters that the edifice has all the documents obtained from the state government for the establishment of business organization at that spot said the station had lost a new equipment worth N28million in the demolition.
Ajiboye said the Challenge-Lagos-Ibadan axis was approved by government as a business premises but was surprised that government could say it was not meant for radio station.
He said the government in its claims said the canteen and spiral staircase in the building were not in the building plan.
The director of the organisation further identified a commissioner in the current dispensation in the state as behind the crisis saying the commissioner had approached the station to stop certain programmes on the station.
He noted that the station was forced to reply him that it was only Nigeria Broadcasting corporation (NBC) that has the right to sanction a radio programme on air or close the station in totality.
He believed that the station was fair to all the political parties in the state as against the believe of the government that fresh FM was working for a certain political party in the state.
Ajiboye said court notice was received by attorney-general and Commissioner for justice on Friday on behalf of the State government which the first hearing was expected to come up on Monday the state government embarked on demolition on Sunday without waiting for the outcome of the court proceedings.
When our correspondent arrived the station around 7:30am, the protesters were raining curses on the people behind the demolition, while many others were crying as sign of sympathy.
Some side-talk showed that many of the protesters travelled from neighbouring states to witness the actions taken by the state government.
A state-owned commercial bus popularly called Ajumose bus was parked at the front of the radio station which people said was deliberately parked at the spot as trap sympathizers.
One of the protesters, also resident in the area, Akeem Jabaru said the government of the day proved that it has no respect for the rule of law with its actions.
He noted that the demolition was inhumane because he knew that over 200 widows are on pay roll of the station while 150 workers are receiving salaries from Ayefele monthly.
“They thought we are going to vandalise the bus so that they can begin to say Ayefele had destroyed the state property, but we have told our people never to do that. We knew it was a trap, but we will play maturely,” he said.
Another sympathiser, Lanre Babatunde said going by his profession as a surveyor, he had observed that there are plots of land that was supposed to be demolished without getting to the station if truly it’s affecting the road.
Politicians in the state also visited the office complex and condemn the development.
A stalwarts of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Barrister Sarafadeen Alli, Femi Lanleyin, Hon. Dapo Lam-Adesina, Hon. Segun Olaleye, former governor Taofeek Arapaja, that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Engr Seyi Makinde.
They all described it as anti human and undemocratic, saying the crowd at the spot showed that the multitude are happy with Ayefele as against that of the government.
As at the time of this report, commissioner for information, Toye Arulogun, could not be reached.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
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