GRBusiness
Council officials allegedly raid Igbos’ shops in Lagos over election fallout
BY: Justice Godfry
There have been widespread reports about raids carried out on shops owned by non-indigenes in some parts of Lagos State, especially those of Igbo extraction.
The most recent of such raids, News Express gathered, were the ones carried out during the week, purportedly by officials of the Task Force Unit of Ojodu Local Council Area (LCDA) under Ikeja Local Government Council, Lagos State.
It is alleged that the attacks on Igbos are as a result of the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections which saw the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) narrowly defeating the major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the state.
Victims of the incessant raids are pointing accusing fingers at a former chairman of Ojodu LCDA and APC’s candidate for Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives as the sponsor of the raids.
“We are told that he instructed the (Ojodu) Council Task Force to descend on us after the Presidential/NASS elections held last Sunday.
“They say he is claiming that he gave money to Igbos to vote for APC in the elections but the Igbos turned around to vote for PDP,” Mr Jude Ezeh who runs a beer parlour in Ojodu area said when our Correspondent visited his shop, a sit-out popular for cow tail pepper soup, “nkwobi” and goat head delicacies in the area.
Jude, as he is popularly known, an indigene of Anambra State, said he was just coming back from the Council office where he parted with N20,000 before his 30 plastic chairs and tables, forcefully carted away by the Council officials on Monday, were released to him.
“I have been running this business for almost 30 years now, nothing like this has ever happened. They said we Igbos voted for PDP instead of APC, what is my business there? I didn’t collect money from any politician. I have my PVC and I voted according to my conscience. Let them go to whoever collected their money and leave my business alone,” said Jude.
Another sit-out in the area, Charly’s Place, owned by Mr Charles Udeh, also from Anambra State, had about 20 of their plastic chairs taken away by the rampaging Council officials on Tuesday.
Joy, an employee with the outfit also known for cow tail pepper soup and other native delicacies peculiar to the Igbos, told News Express: “They (Task Force) came here on Tuesday at about 6pm. They forcefully took our chairs and tables away and loaded them in their van. They accused us of arranging the chairs on the street for our customers. And that is not true because we only arranged the chairs within the shop space, not outside.
“My boss (Charly) has gone to their office to see how he can get the impounded items released.”
The light-skinned lady corroborated Jude’s narrative when she said: “We heard they are raiding us because they claim Igbos in Lagos voted for PDP instead of APC. But APC won in Lagos State, so I don’t know why they are attacking us. This shop has been here for more than 15 years now, though I came two years ago. All tribes – Yorubas, Igbos, Hausas – and even foreigners come here to enjoy themselves, I don’t know why they are bringing in tribalism just because of elections.”
At Chaka’s Place on the adjoining street, it was the same story. According to Mama Faith who runs her late husband’s business, the same Task Force stormed her shop on Wednesday evening and took away 10 of her plastic chairs. She said they accused her of blocking the street.
Said she: “They came here in their trucks and Task Force uniform. The way they jumped down from their trucks and kicked everything in sight made our customers to scamper for safety. All my pleas as a struggling widow fell on deaf ears. They loaded the chairs and tables in their waiting trucks and sped off.”
Continuing, the Edo State-born mother of three said: “My late husband established this place as a family business. The shop is as old as Ojodu, so I don’t know why all this is happening now.”
Mama Faith disclosed that, as at the time she was narrating her ordeal, her two sons had gone to the Council’s office to negotiate for the release of the seized items.
Shop owners are not the only ones suffering from the raids.
According to a report by News Express, sources revealed that the attacks are also meted out on commercial motorcycle operators in the area, popularly known as okada men.
One of the okada operators, told News Express that though his bike was not impounded, many of his colleagues have had their bikes forcefully taken away by the Council officials.
According to him, to get one’s motorcycle back, one must be ready to cough out the sum of N2,600.
“They (Task Force) would just arrive abruptly. They would ask us to identify our state of origin. If you say you are Igbo, Calabar or Akwa Ibom, they would pounce on your bike and demand that you pay N2,600 instantly,” he lamented.
When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ojodu, Mr Odion Okosuns, a Superintendent of Police, said he was not aware of the raids and so could not be true.
When informed that this reporter had met individually with the various victims whose shops are located at different places and they all complained about the same thing, the newly posted police boss insisted: “I have said that I am not aware. It is not true.”
At Ojodu LCDA office located at Okeira, Ogba, the Council Chairman, Hon. Julius Oloro, was not on seat as at 11:30 a.m. on Friday when News Express visited.
A member of staff in the office of the Council’s Head of Administration/Human Resources by name Mr Mike Agoso, directed our Correspondent to the Public Relations Officer who, incidentally, was also not available to comment on the issue.
But an official in the Revenue Section of the Council who pleaded anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the press said: “I’m just hearing of this (raid on Igbos in the area). Although we do send out a lot of tenement and other rates, we don’t collect cash here, people go to the bank to pay and bring their tellers here. This is a regular occurrence. So I wouldn’t know what payment is for what offence.”
When reminded that most of the payments might not have gone into the Council’s treasury, the official said: “Well, if anybody feels he or she has been made to part with money or property arbitrarily, I’d advise such a person to write to the Council and complain.”
Source: NewsExpress
Improved efforts at collaboration among financial service providers, telecommunication operators, and tech Startups, with conscious effort geared at consumer awareness, have been proffered as key remedies to the challenge of financial inclusion in the country.
This is the viewpoint of stakeholders that gathered for the second edition of Payment Forum Nigeria (PAFON 2.0) held recently in Lagos.
Delivering a keynote address on the theme, “Bridging the Customer Experience Gap for Financial Inclusion Using AI”, Ebehijie Momoh (Mrs.), the managing director and chief executive officer of AfriGoPay Financial Services Limited, said that with 64% of Nigerian adults being financial included the country has made immense progress in that regards.
She said that between 2012 till date, the country has recorded robust regulatory reforms, especially the launch of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) in 2014 making it easier to identify and track customers across different banks.
“This initiative enhanced the credibility of the financial sector and increased confidence in formal banking systems.
The growth in adoption of smartphones has also helped the financial sector to leapfrog financial inclusion. Nigeria has 142.16 mobile internet subscriptions with an average consumption of ~7.04GB / month as of January 2025. If you juxtapose it to the 15.9% decline in shipments of feature phones to 18.8 million units in Africa as at Q1 2024, you will understand that the uptake in smartphones has helped us a great deal.
Mrs. Momoh who spoke through Mr. Munachi Duru, the head of Innovation and Strategic Partnership at AfriGoPay, said the adoption of artificial intelligence banking gave birth to solutions like smile identity, a leading KYC verification provider launches facial recognition capabilities in Nigeria as neobanks and commercial banks are deploying AI-based KYC verification tools, enabling cheaper and efficient customer acquisition and servicing.
In her goodwill message, Mrs. Uche Uzoebo, MD/CEO, Shared Agent Network Expansion Facilities Limited (SANEF) Limited said that with progress made in accelerating financial inclusion to unbanked and underbanked communities in Nigeria, SANEF has leveraged Artificial Intelligence (AI) as the next step to advancement in financial services in the country.
She noted that as technology evolves rapidly within the financial ecosystem, Financial Inclusion must continue to be at the center of the nation’s progress.
According to her, agent banking has been a game-changer in expanding financial inclusion across Nigeria. “By deploying agents in underserved areas, we have brought financial services and banking products such as account opening, cash in, cash out, bill payment, transfers and other services closer to the unbanked and underserved.”
Speaking during a panel session, Mr. Ibirogba Oluwagunwa, chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the Association of Mobile Money & Bank Agents in Nigeria (AMMBAN), spoke of lack of collaboration and slow institutional drive towards AI as key barriers hindering digital inclusion.
He harped on the need for information sharing among fintech operators, and improved free flow of information to consumers. “The human barrier angle needs to be addressed. Fintechs need to be pushed to move forward, AI cannot operate itself.”
In his contribution, Mr. Chika Nwosu, managing director of PalmPay, reiterated the need to reach the consumers with simple format communication and education style.
He said operators should create awareness and design consumer-centric approach in developing any products. This will not only draw the consumers towards the product, but also generate trust and ease the use of such products.
Focusing on the use of AI to ensure reach, inclusion and security, Azure Application and AI Specialist at Microsoft UK, Olusoji Solomon Adeyemo, spoke on the need for AI and Blockchain in the bid to extend services to rural communities and the unbanked.
According to him, “AI, Blockchain and CBDs are shaping the future of payment, and there is a serious need for education. We need to align with global trends in new tech adoption.”
While noting that AI can ensure reach, Adeyomo said blockchain will also create digital identity that is exclusive and will promote digital financial inclusion.
In her position, Oluwabunmi Ogunyemi, the customer support lead at Moniepoint MFB, proffered physical and digital meet with customers, even in rural areas, as a viable means of inclusivity.
Also speaking, Olusegun Afolabi, the co-founder of Face Technologies UK Ltd., called for improved collaborations among stakeholders in the financial sector.
According to him, the fintech companies must also embrace effective identification solutions, focusing on biometrics and card technologies to ensure topnotch security for users.
Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr. Peter Oluka, co-Convener of the Forum, noted that the financial inclusion journey in the country has come to a crucial juncture where over 30 million adults are still financially excluded, many of whom reside in rural areas or belong to vulnerable demographics.
He noted that despite 12% growth in access to formal financial services between 2020 and 2023, as recorded by the EFInA Access to Financial Services Survey 2023, challenges still exist that hinders the unlocking of the potentials of digital payments to drive inclusive growth in Nigeria.
He further posited: “As digital infrastructure grows and fintech innovation accelerates, we must channel these advancements toward building a more inclusive, secure, and trusted financial ecosystem. This is not just about transactions — it’s about empowerment, opportunity, and economic participation for all.
Nodding in agreement, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-Convener, PAFON, reiterated the need for all stakeholders in the financial payment industry, including regulators, to participate in forums as PAFON, to map out, growth strategies with consumers and other strata of the ecosystem.
He promised to invite security stakeholders, such as the EFCC and others in subsequent editions of the event. This will help give insight into security concerns in deployment of products and services in rural and unbanked communities.
Payments Forum Nigeria (PAFON) is a platform dedicated to shaping the future of digital payments and financial services in our country.
Energy
AVEVA is providing data management support for renewable natural gas projects
Reporter: Godwin Ezeh
Key Highlights
● AVEVA’s industrial information infrastructure has been selected by Archaea Energy to provide key data management support
● AVEVA’s industrial software to optimize performance across Archaea’s RNG plants
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software driving digital transformation and sustainability, has been selected by Archaea Energy, the largest renewable natural gas (RNG) producer in the US, to build a comprehensive operations data management infrastructure.
Using AVEVA’s software, Archaea Energy can collect, enrich and visualize its real-time operations data, enabling performance analysis across its growing network of plants.
Using AVEVA PI Data Infrastructure, a hybrid solution with cloud data services, the plants will be able to share data to highlight operational opportunities and optimize efficiency.
Caspar Herzberg, CEO, AVEVA, stated,
“Through this collaboration and the use of AVEVA PI Data Infrastructure, Archaea’s growing network of plants will have streamlined operations with accurate performance analysis throughout the expansion. AVEVA’s CONNECT software platform leverages industrial intelligence from a central location, making it easier to deploy additional digital solutions in the future.”
“As the largest RNG producer in the United States, we are dedicated to delivering reliable, clean energy,” said Starlee Sykes, chief executive officer of Archaea Energy. “This relationship will allow us to optimize operations and offer detailed performance analysis as we continue to expand across the country.”
Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises(SMBs) are the backbone of most economies accounting for 90% of businesses, over 70% of employment, and 50% of global GDP, according to the United Nations. They drive growth, innovation, and job creation worldwide.
In Nigeria, they play a crucial role in stimulating local economies and contributing to the country’s GDP.
Recognising their impact, WhatsApp is committed to empowering SMBs with the tools to succeed through the WhatsApp Business App, by reaching their customers where they already are.
WhatsApp continues to be the best way for people and businesses to get business done in Nigeria. With its efficient features, the WhatsApp Business App has become an indispensable tool for small businesses, helping them streamline communication, enhance customer engagement and drive sales. And we know customers love communicating with businesses over WhatsApp too, as nearly 80% of people globally message with a business at least once a week.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to optimise your business operations, here are five essential WhatsApp Business features that can elevate your efficiency and customer interactions.
1. Catalog – Showcase Your Products and Services
Gone are the days of sending multiple images and descriptions individually to customers. With the Catalog feature, you can create a digital storefront where customers can browse your offerings within WhatsApp. This is just like a mini-website which makes it easier to showcase your products, prices and descriptions in an organised way.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Catalog. Add product images, videos, names, descriptions and pricing.
2. Quick Replies – Save Time on Repetitive Questions
Answering the same customer questions repeatedly? Quick Replies let you create preset responses for frequently asked questions, saving you time and ensuring fast customer service.
How to Use It:Go to Settings > Business Tools > Quick Replies. Create and save responses such as a greeting message or order confirmation. Use the shortcut “/” to insert a quick reply in any chat
3. Labels – Stay Organised and Track Conversations
Managing multiple customer interactions can be overwhelming, but the Labels feature helps by categorising chats in different ways, such as order status or customer type. You can create labels with different colors or names and add the conversations to an entire chat. This keeps your inbox organised and ensures no customer is left waiting.
How to Use It: Open a chat, tap on the three-dot menu > Label Chat. Assign relevant labels like New Customer, Order Placed, Pending Payment.
4. Away Messages – Engage Customers Even When You’re Away
Never miss a customer inquiry again. Away Messages allow you to set up a greeting or away message, ensuring customers receive timely responses even outside business hours.
How to Use It: Go to Business Tools > Away Message / Greeting Message. Set up a custom message and schedule when it should be sent.
5. Meta Verified – For Enhanced Protection and Account Support
A paid subscription that helps your business build credibility with new audiences, Meta Verified can help drive more engagement and grow your brand. With Meta Verified, you’ll receive enhanced account support, can use WhatsApp across multiple devices and easily create a professional WhatsApp web page that’s tailored to you.
How to Use It: Go to Settings or Business Tools > tap Meta Verified.
WhatsApp Business is packed with features designed to help small businesses grow, stay organised, and engage with customers effortlessly. By leveraging these features, you can enhance your customer experience, increase efficiency and ultimately drive more sales. Start your own journey with the WhatsApp Business app here.
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