Mojisola Meranda, representing Apapa 1 State Constituency, has become the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly. She assumed office on Monday after the impeachment of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa during plenary.

Security personnel arrested individuals attempting to invade the Assembly complex, with charms and amulets recovered from those believed to be supporters of the former Speaker.

While taking her oath of office, Meranda pledged to be faithful and to perform her duties honestly, in alignment with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

READ ALSO: Lagos Assembly Impeaches Speaker Mudashiru Obasa

The Lagos State House of Assembly has impeached its speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, citing multiple statutory and financial irregularities.

Obasa has been replaced by his deputy, Mojisola Meranda, who represents Apapa Constituency 1 and previously served as the house's chief whip. Mojeed Fatai has now assumed the position of Deputy Speaker.

The impeachment follows a series of controversy surrounding Obasa’s financial dealings. Notably, his removal comes just weeks after allegations surfaced claiming he spent N17 billion to repair a gate leading to the assembly.

The Federal Government has officially approved four airlines as the designated carriers for Nigerian pilgrims participating in the 2025 Hajj.

This announcement was made on Sunday by the Executive Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Prof. Abdullahi Usman. According to him, the selected airlines—Air Peace Ltd., Fly-Nas (a Saudi Arabia-designated airline), Max Air, and UMZA Aviation Services Ltd.—were chosen from 11 companies that applied to transport Nigerian pilgrims to Saudi Arabia.

The selection process was overseen by a 32-member Aviation Screening Committee inaugurated by NAHCON on November 26, 2024. The committee included representatives from the State Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET), Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

Additional members included NAHCON board representatives from all geopolitical zones, as well as heads from the commission's Aviation, Procurement, Legal, Internal Audit, and Special Duties departments.

Prof. Usman also announced that three excess cargo carriers were selected to support the Hajj operations: Aglow Aviation Support Services Ltd., Cargozeal Technology Ltd., and Qualla Investment Ltd.

While congratulating the approved companies, Prof. Usman emphasized the need for them to deliver on their commitments made during the screening process.

In a related development, Prof. Usman signed the 2025 Hajj Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah on behalf of the Nigerian Government. The signing ceremony, held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was attended by Dr. Abdulfatah Masahat, the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah, representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

This formal agreement cements the partnership and sets the stage for a successful Hajj operation in 2025.

The Nigerian government has officially received $52.88 million in recovered Galactica assets, linked to former Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke, from the United States.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made the announcement at a formal signing ceremony of the asset agreement between Nigeria and the USA in Abuja on Friday.

Fagbemi explained that $50 million of the recovered funds will be allocated through the World Bank to support a rural electrification project, while the remaining $2 million will be used to bolster the International Institute of Justice's efforts to expand the justice system and combat corruption.

Fagbemi emphasized that the return of these assets represents a key milestone in the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and the United States in the fight against corruption and the promotion of the rule of law. He also highlighted that this development aligns with President Bola Tinubu's efforts to address corruption in the country.

In his remarks, the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, stressed the importance of monitoring and ensuring that the recovered assets are used effectively for the benefit of the Nigerian people.

READ ALSO: Diezani Alison-Madueke Charged With Bribery Offences In UK