A petrol tanker exploded at the Tollgate end of the Lagos/Ibadan Expressway of the state capital today April 12, destroying properties worth millions of naira.  This sad incident comes barely 24 hours after a market fire destroyed goods and property worth millions of naira in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital. The explosion reportedly started around 3 pm along Lead City University Road with business owners and car owners within the vicinity suffering huge losses. The Manager of Oyo State Fire Service, Akinyinka Akinyemi, who confirmed the incident, mentioned that the combined efforts of the state and federal fire service have helped to curtail the fire but not before properties were destroyed in the process. Thankfully, no casualty was recorded in the unfortunate incident. Some of the cars and motorcycles parked along the road were also razed during the incident.  The post Properties destroyed as fuel tanker explodes in Ibadan appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.

The Federal Government has introduced new immigration measures to crack down on those who overstay their visas, proposing penalties, which include daily fines and potential bans from returning to the country.

Interior Minister, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, announced the new policy initiative during a stakeholders’ meeting at NECA House in Lagos on Friday, April 11, 2025.

The event examined the progress of the ongoing immigration reforms and provided updates on the expatriate quota system and the Nigeria Visa Policy (NVP) 2025.

According to Tunji-Ojo, the government will implement a daily fine of $15 for foreign nationals who overstay their visas starting in August.

In the same vein, the minister disclosed that foreigners who overstay for three months will receive a five-year re-entry ban, while those who overstay for a year or more will be banned from returning to Nigeria.

ALSO READ: Visa-on-arrival policy stays – FG moves to enhance process, not scrap it

He said that although penalties will apply from May 20205, the government has provided a three-month grace period until August before implementation begins.

He explained that the grace window is intended to give visa holders time to regularise their status or make necessary travel arrangements without penalty.

“From first of August, anybody that does not take advantage of the amnesty period of three months, penalty will come,” Tunji-Ojo said.

“But if you take advantage of that window to regularise, we will not charge you. Because the whole idea is not to punish you, the whole idea is for us to regularise. Let’s know the people who are actually in Nigeria.

“From the first of August, if you (-) it’s 15 dollars per day, and if you have stayed more than three months, five years, please, we don’t need violators in Nigeria.

“And if you have stayed more than one year without coming forward during the amnesty period, abeg don’t come to Nigeria again for life.”

FG to fully digitalise the resident permit

The Minister also disclosed plans by the government to fully digitalise the process of obtaining the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) to simplify the application process for foreign nationals residing and working in Nigeria.

He noted that the digitalised process will allow foreign nationals to fill out and submit CERPAC applications online, eliminating the need for manual forms. To streamline the entire process, an online payment option will also be made available.

Tunji-Ojo added that the digital platform for CERPAC will be activated on May 1, 2025, with a link on the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) website.

“On issue of the CERPAC. Do not be scared. We are not increasing your CERPAC fee. To me, let us sanitise the system. That’s the first thing,” he said.

“We are automating it end-to-end. Because, as it is today, the procedure is that you have to go buy a form. When you buy a form, you pay at the bank and take the form to the CERPAC centre. There’s no country in the world that does that.

ALSO READ: Court summons Tunji-Ojo, AGF over proposed expatriates’ tax regime

“Your CERPAC will be filled online. Payments will be done online. Immigration will review at the bank end.

“And if you know you have criminal issues, do not apply for CERPAC. Because we are integrating the CERPAC solution with Interpol 24/7 and all other criminal systems. So that Nigeria will not be a safe haven for somebody that they are looking for all over the world. This place is not safe for you. Go back.

“So, everything, you can do it with the comfort of your office. And by our laws, we are going to be holding employers responsible from the foundations. It’s the way it’s done all over the world. It is the employers that will hold employees. My business is with you, business owners.

“We’ve been working on this for months, if not over a year, looking at the way it’s done all over the world, best practices, and everything.”

READ ALSO: UK tightens financial requirements for 2025 visa applicants

The Police Command in Ondo State has initiated an investigation into allegations of extortion against Ganiyu Dauda, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Igbara-Oke in the Ifedore Local Government Area. The investigation follows a protest by residents of the community on Friday, April 11, who accused the DPO and his operatives of extorting money from locals. The protesters, who were seen carrying leaves, blocked the main road leading into the community as a show of their dissatisfaction with the alleged extortion. The protest has drawn attention to the activities of the local police officers, sparking concerns among residents. Speaking on the matter, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, DSP Olushola Ayanlade, confirmed that an investigation had been launched into the allegations. He urged anyone with relevant information about the extortion claims to come forward and assist the investigation. Ayanlade stated, The command has launched an investigation into the details of the event and the alleged extortion. Although nobody has come forward to lay any report concerning the allegation against the DPO, anybody that has concrete evidence against the DPO or any of our men should please come forward with the facts. He further assured the public that the outcome of the investigation would be made known and appealed for law-abiding behavior from the people of the state. The protest was reportedly triggered by a misunderstanding between some members of a drivers union and police officers over the towing of an accident vehicle into the Igbara-Oke Divisional Police station. Ayanlade explained that the issue had been resolved with the intervention of the local government chairman.The post Police probe DPO accused of extortion appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.