Today’s Headlines: Why Nigerians’ Data Finishes Fast — MTN; Senate Vows State Police Law by Year-End

The Senate has pledged to pass legislation establishing state police before the end of 2026, following the approval of the proposed constitutional amendment by the required number of state Houses of Assembly. Senate spokesperson Yemi Adaramodu said the National Assembly intended to complete the process before its Christmas break, while Ondo State became the latest state to approve the bill, bringing the number of approving assemblies to 25. The proposed amendment seeks to replace the existing Nigeria Police Force with a Federal Police Service and State Police Services.

The commitment comes as the Presidential Working Group on the National Policing Bill submitted the draft legislation and related constitutional amendment bills to the Ministry of Justice for review, with plans to forward the validated documents to President Bola Tinubu. Senator Victor Umeh said the approval by 24 state assemblies had met the constitutional threshold, adding that decentralised policing would improve intelligence gathering and enable faster responses to security threats. Lawmakers maintain that state police could strengthen efforts to tackle killings, kidnappings, banditry and terrorism by bringing security operations closer to local communities.

Heavy rainfall caused severe traffic congestion around the junction linking Ogba, Agege and Wempco roads in Lagos on Monday, leaving motorists stranded for hours. The gridlock extended to Wempco Road, Oba Ogunji Road and the Ogba axis, with some vehicles breaking down after navigating flooded sections. Motorists, including Sodiq Afolabi, who spent nearly two hours in traffic, lamented the time lost and the difficulties caused by the flooding.

Residents said the problem had persisted for years despite previous road repairs, warning that floodwater could damage vehicles and weaken the roads. They urged the Lagos State Government to provide a lasting solution by addressing the drainage problem rather than focusing solely on road repairs. The state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, could not be reached for comment as calls to his telephone lines went unanswered, while a text message had not received a response at the time of publication.

Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, has rejected allegations of ethnic discrimination and deliberate manipulation of its admission process for the 2025/2026 academic session. The university’s spokesperson, Abiodun Olarewaju, said the institution follows Federal Government policies and approved admission guidelines, dismissing claims that it deliberately marginalises Yoruba students or sacrifices academic standards. The allegations followed a petition signed by Akin Okunowo that circulated on social media.

The university explained that admissions depend on candidates’ performance, available spaces, programme-specific requirements and applicable admission criteria. It also cautioned against judging admission decisions based on selected scores without considering the full regulatory framework and relevant admission categories. OAU urged candidates and parents who suspect irregularities to submit formal complaints through its established channels for verification and review.

NewsJunkky feedback-opera-news-app@opera.com