The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has ordered an immediate and thorough investigation into allegations of criminal activities within the Okere Correctional Centre in Warri, Delta State.

A recent armed robbery incident in Delta State was allegedly traced to inmates of the correctional centre.

Tunji-Ojo’s directive was contained in a statement issued by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media and Publicity, Babatunde Alao, on Tuesday in Abuja.

The minister strongly condemned the alleged reprehensible behaviour, stressing that any form of indiscipline or misconduct would be met with severe consequences.

He reiterated his commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the administration of justice within the correctional service system.

“I will not allow indiscipline to fester under my watch. Any officer found wanting will face the full weight of the law. The leadership of the Nigerian Correctional Service must provide explanations.

“We take these allegations seriously and will not tolerate any form of misconduct within our correctional facilities,” he stated.

The minister urged the general public to provide any relevant information that may aid the investigation.

The immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has criticised his successor, Governor Uba Sani, for supporting President Bola Tinubu, alleging that it is for personal gain.

In a post on X, El-Rufai claimed that Sani’s unwavering support for Tinubu was linked to over N150 billion in federal reimbursements received by Kaduna State in the past 18 months.

“Every day I see this governor embarrassingly and sycophantically rambling, I used to wonder why. However, confirming that Federal Government ‘reimbursements, interventions, and grants’ in excess of N150bn have been given selectively to Kaduna by Tinubu in the last 18 months now explains everything.

“By all means, defend Asiwaju for the conditional cash transfer. Asiwaju has earned it, coming from you. The people of Kaduna State will judge at the right time and place. Have a nice day,” El-Rufai wrote.

The former governor’s criticism comes in the wake of Sani’s remarks during a news interview on Monday, where he expressed surprise at the growing criticism of Tinubu’s administration from some founding members of the All Progressives Congress.

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has explained why she visited Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd) today, at their Minna, Niger State residences.

Accompanied by wife of Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, the First Lady and her entourage were received at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport by the state Governor, Muhammed Umar Bago, his wife and other top government officials from where they drove to General Babangida’s residence and later Abdulsalami’s house.

At General Babangida’s uphill residence, the visitors met with Babangida for more than one hour behind closed doors. They they proceeded to the residence of the former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar and were received by former first lady Justice Fati Lami Abubakar.

The delegation went into another closed door meeting with the former Nigerian leader and his wife for about 90 minutes before going to the government house for a visit with Governor Muhammed Bago.

She’s Nigeria’s No1 ambassador – Abdulsalami Abubakar
Details of the private talks were not made public, but former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, told journalists after the closed-door meeting described the first lady of Nigeria Senator Oluremi Tinubu as Nigeria’s No1 ambassador.

“She has done very well during her 1st and 2nd years. She has done a lot of things in order to bring Nigeria to greatness.

“You have been carrying the governor’s wives along in all you have been doing, especially what you are doing for young children,” the former head of state remarked.

They’re father of the nation – Tinubu
Senator Tinubu had also described both General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as ‘father’s of the nation’.

“I, however, have to say that my visits to the former Nigerian leaders are private visits without any political undertone, because I had always tried to visit them but for exigencies of duties.

“The Nigerian leaders have been very supportive of government of President Bola Tinubu and they have always encouraged Mr. President,” she declared.

At government house, the First Lady donated N100 million to victims of the recent disasters in communities in Niger state, which included the tanker explosion in Dikko, Gurara local government; Sabon Pegi in Mashegu local government, and Allawa in Munya local government.

The first lady said each of the affected families should get N1 million from the total amount, while the governor’s wife, Hajia Fatima Bago, should disburse the balance of N30 million to the victims for food and other items.

Senator Tinubu pleaded with the people to always remain vigilant and refrain from scooping fuel in the event of fuel-laden tanker overturning.

On his part, Governor Mohammed Bago appreciated the gesture of the First Lady and assured her that the donation will be judiciously used.

According to him, “We thank you that you have come to share in our pains over the tanker explosion in Dikko, the dynamite explosion in Sabon-Pegi and the collapsed mine in Munya.”

VANGUARD