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The Minister’s men: How Oyetola ‘recommended’ appointments of his political allies into strategic maritime agencies

Investigation by Eyewitness roving reporters 

An investigation has shown that Adegboyega Isiaka Oyetola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, utilised his maximum power as the supervising Minister in the maritime sector to recommend, albeit influenced, the appointments of his political allies to strategic positions in some of the critical agencies in the industry.

Some of the agencies in the sector which the Minister superintendent over include the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Shippers’Council(NSC), National Inland Waterways Authority(NIWA), and Maritime Academy of Nigeria(MAN), Oron.

Oyetola, the pioneer Minister of the newly created ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, under the civil service rules and guidelines on appointments, has the power, just like all Ministers, to recommend to the President, appointees into these agencies under his ministry.

He was first appointed Minister of Transportation by President Bola Ahmeed Tinubu on 16th, August 2023, but was redeployed four days later to the newly created Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

However, using his power of “recommendation”, Adegboyega brought his political allies of Osun state politics into strategic positions in NIMASA, NPA and NIWA.

As the immediate past Governor of Osun State from 2018 to 2022, the Minister recommended a few trusted allies who have either worked with him as the governor or affiliates of his political godfathers.

Our roving reporter gathered that Dr Dayo Mobereola, the Director General of NIMASA, Engr. Fatai Taye Adeyemi, Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA, Engr. Olalekan Badmus, Executive Director, Marine and Operations, NPA, and Alhaji Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, Managing Director of NIWA,  were a few of the political affiliates of Oyetola who were appointed on the ” strong recommendation” of the Minister.

Bola Munitudeen Oyebamiji, MD NIWA: He is an experienced banker of more than 28 years.
Oyebamiji served as a two-term commissioner for Finance during the tenure of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Adegboyega Oyetola as former governors of Osun State.


According to the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, the appointment of Alhaji Oyebamiji was on the recommendation of Marine and Blue Economy Minister, Gboyega Oyetola.It could be recalled that the appointments of both Alhaji Oyebamiji as the MD of NIWA and Barrister Akutah Ukeyima, the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers’Council, were announced in October 2023 on the recommendation of the Minister.
Chief Ngelale said of the two appointments “Both appointments, which domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, were on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola”
All other appointments in the agencies followed a similar pattern of recommendation by the Minister.
Engr. Olalekan Badmus, the Executive Director, Marine and Operations,  NPA: He was appointed as Executive Director, Marine and Operations, NPA by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the recommendation of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola in January 2024 alongside five other Executive Directors in NPA and NIMASA.

He was the immediate past commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties in Osun state between 2019 and 2022 during the tenure of Adegboyega Oyetola as governor.

His efforts also gave him further responsibilities like the Honourable Commissioner supervising the ministries of Culture and Tourism as well as the Ministry of Home Affairs between June 2022 and November 2022.Engr.Fatai Taiye Adeyemi, Executive Director, Operations, NIMASA: The NIMASA Executive Director, Operations had managed the mechanical departments of both Osun and Oyo State water Corporations at different times.
He was the Engineer in charge of Ede Water Works, Osun State Water Corporation from 1991-1992, and area Mechanical Engineer, Oyo State Water Corporation from 1989-1991.

He was also a former Local government chairman under Oyetola’s administration as former Osun state governor.Dr. Dayo Mobereola, NIMASA DG: The political affliction of Dr. Mobereola to the Minister is far-fetched because he had his public service appointments in Lagos state before his current appointment.

However, he was said to be an Osun state indigene with alleged strong political affiliation to Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Governor of Osun state, under whom Adegboyega Oyetola served as Chief of Staff.Insider sources told our roving reporter that there may still be more of such “recommendations” when appointments into the boards of these agencies; NPA, NIMASA, NIWA, Shippers’ Council and MAN, Oron are made in the nearest future.

It could be recalled that, on June 19th, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the immediate dissolution of the Governing Boards of all Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies in the exercise of its Constitutional Powers and the Public interest.
Curiously however, it was only the NPA that has a Chairman of the Board, without board members, among all the agencies and government parastatals whose boards were dissolved in June 2023.
 It could be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on July 12th, 2024, approved the appointment of Senator Adedayo Adeyeye as the Board Chairman of the NPA, the same day Dr. Abubarkar Dantsoho was appointed the new Managing Director of the agency.
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Sallah celebration: Osun govt offers free train ride to indigenes as NRC increases Lagos–Ibadan Train Trips for Sallah

Gloria Odion, maritime reporter 
The Osun State government has made full payment to the Nigerian Railway Corporation( NRC) for the use of its narrow gauge rail services to transport the indigenes of the state free of charge for the Sallah celebration.
The annual gesture was confirmed by the management of the Corporation while announcing a temporary increase  in train services on the Lagos–Ibadan Train Service (LITS) corridor for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, ahead of the Sallah celebration.
The NRC revealed that the Osun government free train ride will be on its narrow gauge corridor.
The special train will depart from Iddo Station, Lagos, on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, while the return trip from Osogbo to Lagos will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
The service, which is usually operated during festive periods, is being sponsored by the Osun State Government through a paid arrangement with the Nigerian Railway Corporation to convey Osun indigenes free of charge for the Sallah celebration.
Meanwhile, the Corporation has announced an adjustment to its schedule on its Lagos–Ibadan Train Service (LITS) corridor for Tuesday, May 26, 2026, ahead of the Sallah
The temporary adjustment is aimed at accommodating the expected increase in passenger movement as many Nigerians travel to celebrate the festive season with their families and loved ones.
Under the special arrangement, the Corporation will operate six train trips on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, instead of the usual four trips currently operated on the corridor.
For the day, train departures from the Lagos end will be at 7:45am, 1:40pm and 4:00pm, while departures from the Ibadan end will be at 8:00am, 10:50am and 4:30pm.
The Management clarified that this arrangement is strictly temporary and applies only to the Sallah travel period.
 Immediately after the celebration, the normal Tuesday timetable of four trips will resume.
Similarly, the recently introduced Thursday six-trip operations will be temporarily adjusted next week, as only four trips will operate on Thursday May,  28th during the period under review.
The regular six-trip Thursday schedule will however resume the following week.
The NRC reassured passengers of its commitment to providing safe, efficient and reliable rail transportation services across the country and wishes all Nigerians a peaceful and memorable Sallah celebration.
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NRC expresses fresh concerns over consistent railway vandalism in the North 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 
The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has raised serious concern over renewed and coordinated attacks on railway infrastructure in parts of the country.
This followed fresh incidents of vandalism recorded in Plateau and Bauchi States.
The Corporation described the disturbing development as a direct attack on critical national infrastructure and an affront on public safety, economic growth and national security.
In one of the latest incidents recorded on May 21, 2026, a truck reportedly loaded with vandalized railway materials became stuck between Kuru and Science School, Kuru in Plateau State, exposing the dangerous activities of criminal elements involved in the destruction and illegal movement of railway materials.
Similarly, along Zango, in Bauchi State, between Kilometer 878 and 889, railway slippers were completely removed on both sides of a level crossing, leaving behind few disjointed rail pieces.
The Corporation warned that such acts could result in catastrophic train accidents, disruption of rail services, loss of lives and destruction of government investments worth billions of naira.
The NRC emphasized that railway tracks, slippers, clips, fastenings and signaling materials are critical national assets built with taxpayers’ money to facilitate transportation, trade, economic activities and national development, and should never be treated as scraps for illegal business.
The Managing Director/CEO of the NRC, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, strongly condemned the persistent attacks on railway facilities, describing the trend as sabotage against national progress and a serious threat to the safety of passengers and railway personnel.
According to him, the increasing incidents of vandalism in the North Central and North East corridors indicate a dangerous pattern that requires urgent collective action from security agencies, state governments, traditional rulers, community leaders and residents living along railway lines.
Dr. Opeifa appealed to Nigerians to see railway infrastructure as a national symbol and strategic economic asset that must be protected at all times.
He warned vandals, scrap dealers and individuals involved in the illegal purchase, movement or destruction of railway materials to desist immediately, stressing that anyone caught would face the full weight of the law.
The Corporation also called on security agencies to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations around railway corridors nationwide, while urging members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities around railway facilities.
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NIMASA opens investigation into vessels collision accident at Bonny anchorage as five crew members sustain injuries 

Funso OLOJO,  Editor 

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Administration(NIMASA) has opened a full scale investigation into the accident which occurred as a result of a collision between a container vessel, MV MAERSK VALPARAISO, and an oil tanker, MT LADY MARTINA, at the Bonny Inner Anchorage.

The accident which occurred on May 20th, 2026, has triggered a flurry of activities,  has resulted in an oil spill in the affected area.

The Deep Blue Operating Base (FOB) in Bonny received a distress call at approximately 1130 hours regarding the collision involving MV Valparaiso, a Singapore-flagged container vessel with IMO No. 9433054, and MT Lady Martina, a Nigerian-flagged oil products tanker with IMO No. 5104033.
In response, the Base immediately deployed 10 armed personnel onboard DB 214, one of the interceptor boats under the Deep Blue Project, to the scene of the incident.
Five crew members onboard MT Lady Martina sustained varying degrees of injuries and were promptly evacuated to the FOB Bonny sickbay for medical attention.

Following the collision, MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel, while MV Valparaiso remains grounded at the Bonny Inner Anchorage pending damage assessment and further investigation.

The management of MAERSK has officially reported the incident to the Agency.

Consequently, the Director General of NIMASA, Dayo Mobereola, has ordered a full investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the collision.

In addition, NIMASA has established a Situation Monitoring Room to coordinate response efforts and monitor developments arising from the incident.

Dr. Mobereola, who was personally on ground in Rivers State to inaugurate the situation room,  also directed the Agency’s Marine Environment Management Department to immediately commence an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the affected area, while taking necessary steps to mitigate the impact of the Tier 1 oil sheen and protect the marine environment.

NIMASA promised to  update the public with the outcome of the investigation into the incident.

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