Ogun State government has promised to strengthen its Safe System approach through stricter oversight and increased personnel as part of the measures to reduce road crashes in the State.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Mr Gbenga Dairo gave the assurance in Abeokuta while reacting to the road traffic incidents that claimed two lives along the Lagos-Sagamu Expressway.

Mr Dairo said the state government would ensure strict regulation, certification, and continuous monitoring of drivers and vehicles operating within Ogun State to ensure compliance with safety standards.

He announced that plans had been concluded towards achieving a sustained enforcement against reckless driving, speeding, indiscriminate parking, roadside trading, and unauthorised stopping on highways and expressways.

Mr Dairo noted that the ministry of transportation in partnership with the Federal Government would work towards the redevelopment of the Ogere Trailer Parks to properly accommodate articulated vehicles and eliminate unsafe roadside parking.

He also listed the construction of off-highway bus parks at Mowe and Ibafo, alongside the planned interchange on the Lagos–Sagamu Expressway, to enhance passenger safety and traffic efficiency.

He reaffirmed the Ministry’s resolve to work closely with emergency response agencies to ensure rapid intervention in distress situations adding that the safety agencies would be deployed across the State, with emergency response systems strengthened to minimise response times and mitigate the impact of incidents when they occur.

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has urged the people of Remoland to strengthen unity and cooperation with their Ijebu kinsmen in pursuit of the proposed Ijebu-Remo State, describing harmony as essential to the realisation of the collective aspiration.

Senator Akpabio made the call at the 2025 Remo Day celebration held at the Akarigbo Pavilion in Sagamu, themed “One People, Diverse Cultures, One Identity.” He praised the Remo people as industrious, enterprising and astute industrialists, noting that their spirit of cooperation would be pivotal to the creation of the new state.

“I want to urge the Remo people to continue to live in peace. Remo is blessed with hardworking industrialists, which explains the concentration of industries in this area,” the Senate President said.

“I want you to work closely with the Ijebu people towards the creation of Ijebu State. We at the National Assembly will support you. I will not speak about where the capital will be located, but you already know. However, the capital must be in a peaceful environment.”

Beyond cultural celebration, Akpabio said Remo Day serves as an opportunity for collective reflection and strategic thinking about the development of the homeland. He added that his presence at the event symbolised Nigeria’s unity across ethnic boundaries, stressing that diversity should be embraced as a strength rather than a weakness in nation-building.

The Senate President further assured Nigerians that insecurity across the country would soon become a thing of the past, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is working assiduously to address the nation’s security challenges. He commended the President for courageously charting a new course for national development despite prevailing difficulties and pledged the Senate’s continued collaboration with other arms of government.

Akpabio also lauded Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for his infrastructural strides across the state, singling out the Gateway International Airport, which he described as the best airport in the country.

In his remarks, Governor Abiodun described Remoland as a land blessed with illustrious sons and daughters who have contributed immensely to the development of Ogun State and Nigeria. He said the massive turnout at the event underscored the unifying power of culture, warning that societies that lose touch with their roots risk losing their identity.

“Remo is far more than a geographical expression; it is a people defined by a rich and enduring history,” the governor said. “Festivals such as Remo Day provide a pathway to reconnect with our ancestral roots, invest in our homeland and transmit our identity to future generations.”

Governor Abiodun highlighted key infrastructural projects executed by his administration in Remoland, including the Sagamu–Iperu–Ode–Sapaade Road. He also announced that international cargo operations would commence at the Gateway International Airport next month, describing the development as a major milestone that would transform logistics, generate thousands of jobs and position Remo as a leading agro-processing and export hub in West Africa.

Earlier, the Akarigbo and Paramount Ruler of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, said the vision behind instituting Remo Day was to celebrate, preserve and project Remo culture to the global stage. He noted that Remo sons and daughters have distinguished themselves in all spheres of human endeavour, stressing that the Remo identity remains resilient and enduring.

While reaffirming Remo’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage, Oba Ajayi said the people would continue to work with other stakeholders towards the actualisation of the proposed Ijebu-Remo State. He expressed appreciation to Governor Abiodun for partnering with Remo indigenes to construct the palace pavilion, which will serve as a venue for major cultural and civic events.

The second edition of Remo Day attracted dignitaries from across the country and featured colourful masquerade displays from different parts of Remoland, homage-paying to the Akarigbo by age grades, clubs and associations, as well as the ceremonial cutting of the tape to officially open the palace pavilion

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in Ogun State says it has uncovered a warehouse used for the storage of illicit drugs and intercepted a Honda Ridgeline pickup van loaded with Cannabis Sativa in the Rounder area of Abeokuta.

The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Haris Musa, in Abeokuta said the discovery followed actionable intelligence, leading to the arrest of a 49-year-old suspect, Fatokun Rahmon.

Mr Musa stressed that a total of 347 kilograms of Cannabis Sativa was recovered during the operation carried out by operatives of the command.

The Ndlea PRO explained that the successful interception highlighted the operational alertness, intelligence-driven approach and enforcement capacity of the agency in tackling drug-related crimes across the state.

He reaffirmed the command’s resolve to sustain the tempo of operations in line with its mandate to curb drug abuse and illicit trafficking in Ogun State