NEWS
One year without a monarch, Kwara community cries out to Abdulrahman
Eunice Oluwafunmilayo
The Idofian community in Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area has been without a traditional leader for more than a year.
After Oba Subair Agboola Oyesoro II, the Oludofian of Idofian, passed away in July 2021, this development took place.
There are just two royal families in Idofian, the Agbalaya and Oloyi ruling houses, according to information gathered.
The late monarch came from the Oloyi royal family and assumed the throne in 1965.
The Agbalaya Royal family who are next in line to produce the next king alleged that there is a plot by some people to impose a candidate from the Oloyi ruling house through the backdoor.
The Chairman of Agbalaya Royal Family, Alhaji Mukaila Agbalaya warned the state government not to set the community on fire over the plan to install the “wrong candidate”.
The ruling house accused some people of trying to impose a candidate for the town.
According to them, ‘someone powerful’ is instigating the kingmakers, townsmen and the youths against the candidacy of Rasheed Agbalaya.
“This person is not from here. He is quoted to have said ‘I would use power except for if I don’t have power’. Man can be greater than man, but God is supreme to us all.”
In the same vein, a kingmaker, the Aare of Idofian, Chief Ibrahim Akolade Abioye stated that it is the turn of the Agbalaya Royal Family.
Chief Abioye who is one of the kingmakers of Idofian said, “there are only two royal families in Idofian: Agbalaya and the Oloyi. The last Onidofian of Idofian, Alhaji Zubair Agboola Oyesoro was from the Oloyi ruling house, so it is the turn of Agbalaya to produce the next Oba.
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“Those people just want to install their candidate through the backdoor. Nobody knows him in this town, they however in the depth of their minds know it is Agbalaya’s turn. We must not back the wrong tree. They are mentioning Baale House, there is no such thing. There is no record of a third party or ruling house.”
“I call on fellow kingmakers to do the rightful thing. The Agbalaya Royal Family has given us Rasheed Alabi Agbalaya,” Cheif Abioye said.
Agboola, an Idofian young leader, claimed that since Oba Zubair’s passing, the town has been reflective.
He rejected the idea that some members of the Oloyi royal family are planning to have an Idofian king as their next monarch.
Anger-filled locals rushed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftain Affairs in Ilorin earlier on Friday, accusing the commissioner, Architect Aliyu Saifudeen, of collaborating with spies to impose a new chieftain on the town.
The commissioner’s response was to deny any role in the selection procedure and to call for restraint in the situation.
He believed that certain factors were attempting to damage his reputation with the development.
He said, “One thing I can assure you here is that all the people that were presented to us have the endorsement of the kingmakers.
“But if the kingmakers present somebody who is not a prince, that is left for them to resolve with the community.”
NEWS
FCT Police Warn Motorists Against One-Way Driving, Reject Calls From VIPs
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has warned motorists against driving against traffic, popularly known as one-way, cautioning that influential connections or calls from senior police officers and government officials will not shield offenders from prosecution.
The Command said the practice, particularly around road construction sites, diversion points and restricted routes, poses serious risks to lives and property.
SEE ALSO: Ogun Police Win Public Safety Award as Ojajuni Emerges NUJ Golden Jubilee Ambassador
In a press statement issued on Monday, November 9, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the Command was concerned about the increasing disregard for traffic regulations by motorists who deliberately drive against traffic, ignore road signs and bypass designated diversions to avoid congestion.
Adeh stressed that no individual, regardless of status, position or connections, would be exempted from the consequences of violating traffic regulations.
She disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ahmed Muhammad Sanusi, had directed the Command’s Motor Traffic Department (MOTOPOL) and all Divisional Traffic Officers (DTOs) to collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and other relevant agencies to intensify enforcement operations.
According to the statement, the directive includes the arrest and immediate prosecution of motorists caught driving against traffic or disobeying lawful traffic instructions.
The Commissioner also warned police officers involved in the enforcement exercise against exploiting the operation to extort motorists, stressing that any officer found engaging in such misconduct would face disciplinary action in line with existing police rules and regulations.
The Command urged motorists to exercise patience, obey traffic signs and follow instructions from authorised traffic officers, noting that saving a few minutes through reckless driving was not worth the risk of losing lives or damaging property.
It also called on residents to remain security-conscious and report suspicious persons or activities to the nearest police station.
The Command provided the following emergency contact numbers for security-related reports: 08032003913 and 08061581938.
NEWS
FCT Police Chief Inspects Worship Centres, Commends Residents for Peaceful Conduct
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, CP Ahmed Muhammad Sanusi, has inspected security deployments at churches across the territory, urging officers to maintain professionalism and vigilance during religious activities.
The inspection was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh.
Sanusi conducted the inspection on November 8, 2026, to assess the operational readiness of personnel deployed to worship centres and evaluate security arrangements for residents and worshippers.
SEE ALSO: October 1 Protests: FCT Police Call For Increased Vigilance Among Residents
The exercise followed a similar inspection of mosques across the FCT on Friday, November 6, as the Command sustained efforts to strengthen security around religious centres.
During the visits, the police commissioner charged officers to remain professional and responsive in the discharge of their duties.
He also commended residents for their peaceful and orderly conduct following mosque and church services, noting that public cooperation remained essential to maintaining security and public order across the territory.
The commissioner urged residents to continue cooperating with the police and other law enforcement agencies, remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious persons, movements or activities to the nearest police station.
He further encouraged residents to utilise the Command’s emergency lines, 08032003913 and 08061581938, to report security concerns.
Adeh said the Command’s Public Relations Office remained open and accessible to members of the public for enquiries, complaints, information and other security-related matters.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting residents and worshippers and maintaining security across the Federal Capital Territory.
NEWS
2027: Shettima Arrives in Uyo for APC Presidential Campaign Rally
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development was disclosed on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
Akwa Ibom occupies a strategic position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with major federal investments expected to strengthen infrastructure and economic activities across the state.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Shettima Arrives in Lafia to Rally Support for Tinubu’s Re-election
One of the major projects is the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which has an approximately 82.8-kilometre stretch passing through Akwa Ibom.
The project, according to the statement, “promises improved connectivity, expanded trade, greater investment and new economic opportunities for communities across the region.”
Beyond infrastructure, the administration’s interventions in education, agriculture, healthcare, youth empowerment and social protection are also designed to improve livelihoods and broaden economic participation.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) is among the initiatives highlighted, complementing Governor Umo Eno’s investments in roads, aviation, tourism and human capital development.
The statement noted that the Uyo rally provides “another opportunity to strengthen the APC’s growing political presence in the South-South and make the case for continuity in 2027.”





