The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Oyo impounds 400 vehicles

    Four hundred vehicles and 60 motorcycles have been impounded by the Oyo State Government in the last eight months for traffic laws violation.

    The Director of Administration and Supply, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), Mr. Tunde Aiki, who spoke on Wednesday in Ibadan, said it was worrisome that some commercial vehicle drivers did not follow laid-down traffic laws.

    He added that the agency would not tolerate such unwholesome practice of picking and dropping passengers indiscriminately on the roads, mostly by commercial drivers.

    The operation, which took place around Agodi-Gate area, Ibadan, saw the agency’s officials arresting traffic law offenders even when it rained.

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    Aiki noted that the agency was not established to generate revenue for the government through collection of fines from traffic law offenders as most people believed, but to increase the compliance level of road users to traffic laws.

    He said: “We have discovered that more commercial road users violate basic traffic laws, especially those who do not make use of the designated bus stops as their pick up or drop off points for passengers, and offences committed by private motorists are more grievous, which include leaving one’s lane to face an oncoming vehicle and parking inappropriately on the road.

    “We appeal to pedestrians and motorists to always consider the safety of other road users as well as acquaint themselves with the traffic laws of the state.”

    Some road users, who spoke with our correspondent, hailed the agency for its efforts in ensuring a traffic friendly environment.

    They, however, called on the government to create more motor parks for commercial and private users.

    A private motorist, Mr. Obinna Chukwu, said: “We know that what OYRTMA is doing is for the good and safety of everyone, but most times the unavailability of motor parks, especially for private motorists, causes a lot of issues. So if the government can build motor parks at designated and busy places in the state, it will reduce the clumsiness on our roads.”

  • Attack: ‘Deputy governor not target’

    Nasarawa State Police Commissioner Bola Longe has said Deputy Governor Emmanuel Akabe, was not the target in Tuesday’s attack on his convoy.

    Three police officers and a civilian driver died in the incident.

    Longe, who briefed reporters on Wednesday after an emergency security meeting at the request of Governor Abdullahi Sule, held at the Government House in Lafia, said the government was disturbed by the incident and had mapped out strategies to avoid recurrence and apprehend the suspects.

    Read Also: Four killed in deputy governor’s convoy

    He said: “The deputy governor was not the target. There was a robbery and the deputy governor’s convoy ran into the scene. That was what led to the death of five persons, including four in the deputy governor’s security vehicle.”

    The police boss said officers and men of the command have been mobilised to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to book.

    He urged people to go about their lawful business.

    “We want to emphasise that the elements that carried out that attack will be fished out. We have started already and we will get there. We will deal with them so that they will know that Nasarawa State is not a place for them to operate,” Longe said.

  • Navy transfers suspected oil thieves to EFCC

    The Central Naval Command (CNC) of the Nigerian Navy on Wednesday transferred three suspected oil thieves, a tugboat and a barge laden with 600,000 litres of illegally-refined diesel, seized from them, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for prosecution.

    The suspects, arrested from a vessel by naval operatives, were identified as Kehinde Babade, Agbo Emmanuel and Uchechukwu Ndadim.

    The Navy handed over the suspects to the EFCC for further investigations and possible prosecution at the Forward Operating Base (FOB) FORMOSO in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

    FOB Commander Capt. Ibrahim Suleiman said the Navy was determined to tackle illegal activities, especially oil theft, within its Area of Responsibilities (AoR).

    Read Also: Navy seizes 46,000 litres of illegally refined petrol

    He said the barge, which was impounded within the Brass waters, was laden with 600, 000 litres of illegally-refined diesel valued at N150million.

    Suleiman said: “Wherever these products are taken to, we shall find them, arrest whoever is involved and hand them over to the EFCC, which will ensure the offenders are prosecuted.

    “They are hurting the Nigerian economy. They are killing jobs because the international oil companies, whose pipelines they continue to break, will be forced to close down and disengage Nigerians, who are working for them.

    “There is no way they will continue paying so much money and they are not getting value for their money. So, they will be forced to disengage people who ordinarily should be working.”

    He said illegal oil refining was not only targeted at the economy, but also destroying the environment, adding that the Navy would stop the illegal practice.

    Receiving the suspects, EFCC Principal Detective Superintendent Shehu Jibrilla assured the Navy of diligent investigation and possible prosecution.

  • Man accused of stabbing neighbour to death

    An Ebute Meta Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, on Wedneday ordered that a 54-year-old man, Tahir Jubril, who allegedly stabbed his neighbour to death with a knife, be remanded at Ikoyi Prison, pending legal advice.

    Chief Magistrate O. Kusanu, who did not take the defendant’s plea, remanded him, pending legal advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    She adjourned the matter till September 23.

    Read Also: ‘Jealous’ woman stabs husband over suspicious affair

    Prosecuting Inspector Cousin Adams had told the court that the defendant committed the offence on June 17, about 7:30pm, at his home.

    He said the defendant stabbed his neighbour, Mr. Abubakar Asale, 37, with a knife on the left side of his neck during a fight.

    A fight, he said, broke out between the deceased and the defendant.

    Adams said the offence contravened Section 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

  • Four policemen arrested for alleged murder

    The police in Lagos have arrested four officers for alleged extrajudicial killing of two suspected robbers in their custody.

    The suspects, identified as Inspector Fabiyi Omomayara, Sergeant Olaniyi Solomon, Sergeant Solomon Sunday and Corporal Aliyu Mukaila, the command alleged, would be charged with murder because they breached the code of professional conduct and use of firearms.

    The suspected killer cops were seen in a video that surfaced on the social media shooting the suspects alleged to belong to a notorious armed robbery gang terrorising Iba residents.

    It was gathered that the policemen had responded to a distress call around 3pm on August 19, from Valentine Anugu, who was robbed of his phone worth N450,000 by four armed robbers on two motorcycles.

    While two of the suspected robbers fled, the others were held, disarmed of the two local pistols, six live and five expended cartridges they had before shooting them inside the commercial bus they (police) used for the operation.

    Read Also: Army hands over killer soldier to police for prosecution

    Condemning the action of the policemen, spokesman Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said they went to the extreme and violated the rules on the treatment of suspects in custody.

    Although the gang was said to be notorious in the area, the police team took their celebration of the arrest to the extreme by killing the suspects, Elkana alleged.

    “The team went to the extreme by killing the suspects, who were already in their custody, instead of taking them to the police station and allowing the normal process of investigation and prosecution to be initiated, as stipulated under procedural laws.

    “That act of extrajudicial killing falls short of police professional standards and cannot be condoned by the command. Police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has ordered investigation into the incident.

    “The police officers are subjected to internal disciplinary proceedings called Orderly Room trial and if found culpable, will be dismissed from the Force and handed over to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), Yaba for prosecution in a conventional court.

    “The public will be updated on the outcome of the investigation and trial,” said Elkana in a statement yesterday.

  • Manager charged with stealing N378m equipment

    A Project Manager, Joseph Olowe, accused of stealing his employer’s equipment valued at N378million, on Wednesday appeared at an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

    Olowe, 42, was arraigned by the police on a two-count charge of conspiracy and theft, before Mrs. K. K. Awoyinka.

    Prosecution counsel Mr. Moruf Animashaun alleged that the defendant and others at large committed the offence in 2015, at the Lagos State Housing Project, Ilubinrin, Ikoyi, Lagos.

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    The court heard that the defendant stole equipment, which included a Banut hydraulic rig, 600 pile driver Banut and six tonner hammer, all valued at N378million, property of Howard Roark Construction Company Ltd.

    Animashaun alleged that the defendant sold the equipment and converted the money realised to his use.

    The offence, he added, contravened sections 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Olowe pleaded not guilty.

    Defence counsel Ms D.A. Oyekun applied for Olowe’s bail “in the most liberal terms.”

    Ruling, Magistrate Awoyinka granted the defendant N500,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum, among other conditions.

    The case continues on September 2.

  • Two friends ‘assault’ Navy personnel

    Two friends, Izuchukwu Nnadozie and Izuchukwu Okorie, on Wednesday appeared at an Ajegunle Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for alleged assault on a Navy personnel.

    Nnadozie, 29, and Okorie, 20, both loaders  at the Maza-Maza motor park on Old Ojo Road, Lagos, are facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, assault and stealing.

    They pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Inspector Ben Aigbokhan said the defendants committed the offences on July 14 at Maza-Maza bus stop.

    He alleged that the defendants were among a mob that attacked a Navy personnel, Umar Mohammed, attached to Western Naval Command, Marine Beach, Apapa, Lagos.

    He said the mob attacked Mohammed with a jackknife, bottle and plank while he was passing by.

    Read Also: Govt arrests woman for allegedly assaulting housemaid

    The prosecutor alleged that the defendants inflicted injuries on the head of the navy personnel and stole his belongings.

    Aigbokhan alleged that the defendants stole an Infinix Hot 6 worth N46, 000, a Texhno TC 66 phone valued at N9,000, the complainant’s identity card and Peugeot 407 saloon car.

    “They also stole his automated teller machine (ATM) cards, his official jackknife and N10, 000.

    “Efforts to recover the items proved abortive,” he added .

    The alleged offences contravene sections 173, 287 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    Chief Magistrate Olorunfemi granted the defendants N100, 000 bail each, with two sureties each in the like sum.

    She adjourned the case till August 26.

  • Man arraigned for alleged theft of motorcycle

    A 24-year-old man, Nojeem Azeez, was on Wednesday arraigned at a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for alleged theft of a Bajaj motorcycle worth N230,000.

    Azeez, of no fixed address, is facing a one-count charge of stealing.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Clement Okuiomose said the defendant committed the offence on August 13 at about 10:30pm at First Bank bus stop in Ajangbadi, Lagos.

    Read Also: Manager charged with $1m equipment theft

    He alleged that the defendant stole a Bajaj motorcycle with registration number KJA 369 QL, which belonged to Mr. Erhabor Isoken.

    “The offence contravenes Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015,” the prosecutor said.

    The defendant pleaded not guilty and was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Lazarus Hotepo in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in the like sum.

    The case was adjourned till September 25.

  • Guard charged with defiling girl, 10

    A 33-year-old guard, Suleiman Mohammed, on Wednesday appeared at a Badagry Chief Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl.

    Mohammed, whose address was not provided, is charged with two counts of rape and threat to life.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Akpan Nkem alleged that the defendant committed the offence on April 27 and August 11, at Awolola Street, Adele Era, Ijanikin, Lagos.

    Read Also: Police arrest three students over alleged rape in Ondo

    He alleged that the defendant defiled the minor and threatened to kill her.

    The offence, Nkem said, contravened sections 168 and 56 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

    Chief Magistrate Patrick Adekomiya admitted the defendant to N300, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    He adjourned the case till September 16.

  • Police arraign hotelier for ‘killing’ motorcyclist

    The police on Wednesday arraigned a 29-year-old hotelier, Damilola Bamiduro, at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly driving recklessly and killing a motorcyclist.

    The defendant, who lives at Alagbado, Lagos, is charged with reckless driving and causing death.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ezekiel Ayorinde said the defendant committed the offence on August 11 on Raypower Road, Alagbado, Lagos.

    He alleged that the defendant drove his Pathfinder Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) in a reckless manner and crushed a 35-year-old motorcyclist, Mr. Joel Bamigbola, to death.

    Read Also: Police nab six vigilantes for ‘killing suspected kidnappers’

    Ayorinde alleged that Bamiduro drove his car in a reckless manner, having no regards for other road users.

    The victim, he said, was declared dead in hospital.

    The offence, the prosecutor said, contravened Section 20(1) of Road Traffic Law, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2012.

    Bamiduro pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate B. O. Osunsanmi admitted the defendant to N200,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    She said the sureties must be employed and show evidence of two years tax payment to the Lagos State Government.

    The case continues on September 30.