The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • Twin building razed in Anambra explosion

    A section of a twin three-story building was on Wednesday gutted by fire at Emenike/Ezeugo road junction in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    The inferno allegedly started about 8pm from a gas cooker in one of the flats on the last floor.

    Though no death was recorded, it was gathered that property worth millions of naira was lost in the inferno.

    Officials of the Okpoko fire station also prevented the fire from getting to other floors.

    Read Also: Fire razes 90 shops at Edo market

    An eyewitness said the fire advanced to the second floor as the water from the fire fighters got exhausted midway.

    He said: “On arrival to the scene, the fire men tried to prevent the fire from extending to the second floor but their water finished. It was smoke which enveloped the entire place that forced residents and sympathisers to assist in pouring sand and water before the fire died.” Acting Okpoko Divisional Police Officer George Okoro said no life was lost.

    He said: “They said it was caused by gas explosion but we are still investigating to ascertain the exact cause of the inferno.”

    In a related development, another three-storey building was also gutted by fire same day on Limca old road, Obosi.

    The cause of the inferno, it was gathered, may not be unconnected with a gas depot close to the house as one of the cylinders reportedly exploded, setting fire to the roof.

    No life was reportedly lost as people rallied to quell the fire.

  • Court officials raid Bet9ja over ‘name, seal infringement’

    Sheriffs of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Thursday raided a Lagos office of online bookmaker Bet9ja and recovered a seal suspected of infringing the copyright of Lotto9ja Ltd, owned by rival bookmaker, Western Lotto Nigeria Ltd.

    The raid followed an Anton Piller injunction granted by Justice Taiwo Taiwo of a Federal High Court in Abuja on August 8 in favour of Western Lotto.

    An Anton Piller order authorises an applicant to search premises and seize evidence without prior warning.

    The sheriffs and Western Lotto officials, protected by policemen, executed the order at a Bet9ja premises at 9, Funsho Williams Avenue, Surulere, Lagos.

    Justice Taiwo granted the order in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/925/2019, following an ex parte application by Western Lotto through its counsel, Mr. John Baiyeshea, SAN, for Chief Oluwole Olanipekun, SAN.

    The first and second applicants in the suit are: Western Lotto Nig. Ltd and Lotto9ja Ltd, while the first to third respondents are: Registrar of Trademarks, K.C. Gaming Networks Ltd (owners of Bet9ja) and K.C. Lottery Company Ltd.

    Read Also: Senate threatens to order shutdown of Bet9ja over refusal to honour its invitation

    The applicants told the judge that Western Lotto launched a new company in July called “Lotto9ja” after registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the office of Trademark at the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment.

    It averred that in the course of preparing for the launch, it discovered that K.C. Gaming Networks Ltd was also planning to use the same name that it registered with the CAC.

    It further averred that through its lawyers, it warned K .C. Gaming Networks to desist, but the company allegedly continued to brand its POS terminals, T-shirts and other souvenir with the Lotto9ja trademark.

    The applicants sought an Anton Piller order and prayed the court to, among others, restrain the defendants.

    Upholding their application, Justice Taiwo held: “An order of Anton Piller injunction is hereby made directing the 2nd and 3rd defendants, to forthwith permit the Sherriff to enter and search the 2nd and 3rd defendants’ premises located at 9, Funsho Williams Avenue, by Fire Service Station, Ojuelegba bus stop, Lagos.

    The order also authorised the Sherriff to search “any other premises and sales/storage outlets anywhere in Nigeria belonging to the 2nd and 3rd defendants or any of their agents operating under the name “Bet9ja” or “Lotto9ja” for the purpose of taking possession of all products, equipment and products branded and/or sold in the name/brand “Lotto9ja” (or its variants “9jalotto”, lottonaija”, “naijalotto”) and removing them therefrom into the custody and possession of this honourable court pending the hearing and determination of this action.”

    The judge also restrained the Registrar of Trademarks from “accepting, publishing or approving any other application for the registration of the trade/business name “Lotto9ja” or it variants “9ja lotto” “Lottonaija” as trademarks or part of any trademarks, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

    The judge fixed August 22 for hearing of the substantive suit.

  • Boat accident: Agency recovers remaining missing bodies

    The Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) said on Thursday that the bodies of the remaining two victims of the Tuesday boat accident had been recovered.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the unfortunate incident that involved two passenger speed-boats occurred at Irewe community in Ojo, near Lagos late on Tuesday.

    Thirteen of the 18 passengers involved in the accident were rescued alive, while three were confirmed dead and two declared missing.

    LASWA General Manager Mr. Oluwadamilola Emmanuel told NAN yesterday in Lagos that the bodies of the last two victims, a young adult and a youth, were recovered at 8:30am yesterday.

    He condemned the reckless disregard for safety regulations by some boat operators.

    Read Also: 13 rescued, two missing in boat accident

    Emmanuel said the authority would not relent in its efforts to ensure full compliance with safety regulations by boat operators to make the waterways safe.

    The LASWA boss in a statement on Tuesday, said 13 people were rescued alive in the accident, three others were confirmed dead, while rescue operation for the remaining two victims had continued.

    He said the head-on collition, which occurred at about 6:10 pm, involved two passenger speed-boats along the creek in Ojo Local Government.

    Emmanuel said there were 10 passengers in the boat from Ojo jetty and eight passengers in the other from Irewe community when the accident occurred.

    He said the search and rescue operation was by relevant state agencies and the local community, who were the first responders.

    The general manager said preliminary investigations by LASWA and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) showed that the accident was caused by reckless driving and over-speeding on the part of the boat captains.

    He said further investigations would be carried out by the authority and those found wanting would be sanctioned.

    Boat accidents have become rampant on sea routes in Lagos, Nigeria’s crowded economic hub, with the June 29 incident claiming 17 lives.

    The 20-passenger capacity unmarked boat with a 60? Hp engine capsized after being hit by severe waves mid-sea en route to Egbin Jetty in Ijede, Ikorodu at about 11:00pm, with only three survivors.

    Investigations by LASWA on the tragedy revealed that the accident was caused by poor visibility and the fact that the passengers had no life jackets.

    Also, on February 2, three people died and 17 others were rescued, as a passenger boat capsized at Bayeku area of Ikorodu.

  • Command nabs 43 ‘no salary’ gang members

    The Operation Crush of the Lagos State Police Command has arrested 43 suspected members of a notorious ‘no salary’ gang terrorising Ikotun residents.

    Spokesman Bala Elkana said on Thursday that nine locally- made pistols were recovered from the suspects.

    He said the raid would continue until the hoodlums were dislodged from the area.

    “Operation Crush has arrested 43 ‘no salary boys’ over the last few days and has recovered nine locally-made pistols.

    “The operation will continue until they are totally uprooted,” Elkana said.

    The ‘no salary gang’ is a group of young men and women who usually gather at Council bus stop, Ikotun where they terrorise pedestrians and motorists.

    Mr. Olufemi Akinwale, a resident, who witnessed one of their raids, said: “These guys are called, ‘Kesari’, ‘No Salary boys’ and council bus stop is their meeting point.

    Read Also: Man loses wife in gamble, asks friends to gang rape her

    “They come from Ikotun, Egbe, Idimu, Egbeda and other places around council bus stop.

    “One morning, I was going to work and they were attacking people at council bus stop, dangling sticks, machetes, bottles and other weapons.

    “They were at the roundabout, which became a no-go area. So, the bus turned back and took an alternative route.

    “I got down, took a commercial motorcycle and I saw them looting shops and harassing passers-by.

    “They were male and female, from cults, as they had different tattoos on their bodies.

    “They are between the ages of 15 and 25. I heard they were on the rampage because one of them was killed.”

    Another eyewitness, Mr. Henry Osuji, said he would have fallen a victim of their operation a week ago if he had not aborted his journey to the council bus stop.

    “I saw them brandishing dangerous weapons at Idimu roundabout at about 9:30pm.

    “I had to retreat immediately before they caught up with me. I narrowly escaped that day,” he said.

  • Police arraign three suspected cultists

    The police in Lagos on Thursday arraigned three suspected members of a cult, the Klensman confraternity, at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    Rasheed Jamiu, 29, Nsikan Ekong, 25, and Olaitan Ismail, 25, were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy and membership of an unlawful society.

    Prosecuting Sergeant Ishola Samuel alleged that the defendants committed the offences on August 3, 2018, at Agric, Ikorodu, Lagos.

    Read Also: Police arrest five ‘armed robbers’, 72 ‘cultists

    The defendants, Samuel said, were nabbed by policemen while fighting.

    He said the offences contravened sections 42 and 411 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty.

    Magistrate A. I. Abina granted each defendant N200,000 bail with one surety each in the like sum.

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

    The case continues on September 4.

  • Keffi Emirate registers 13,000 Almajiris, 8,000 out-of-school kids

    The Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, has said that over 13,000 Almajiri children have been registered in Keffi Local Government Area, Nasarawa State. Also, 8, 000 out-of-school children have been identified and returned to schools in the area.

    The Emir gave the figures on Thursday when reporters visited him in his palace.

    According to the monarch, the decision by the emirate council to embark on the headcount of the Almajiri children and the out-of-school children was to reduce the increasing number of the children being brought in and dumped in the state.

    Read Also: Almajiri education: Govt begins fresh pilot test in Kano, Oyo, seven others

    According to him, the situation is fast becoming worrisome to the wellbeing and security of the children and the state.

    He added that the committee set up to handle the enumeration has taken inventory of Islamic schools and the total number of Almajiris in the local government to ascertain the accurate figures so as to plan better on how to reform the system and stem any unwanted outcome.

    He explained that to stem the trend, traditional institutions in the 13 local government areas have been admonished to key into the initiative being undertaken by the emirate council.

    The royal father stated that the local government has also undertaken to provide school materials for the reintegrated 8,000 out-of-school children.

  • AbdulRazaq donates 400 mattresses to Kwara NYSC orientation camp

    Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Thursday made good his administration’s promise to the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC).

    Accordingly, the state government delivered 400 new mattresses, 200 trunk beds, 90 wooden benches and several consumable drugs to the Yikpata, Edu Local Government Area NYSC Orientation Camp.

    The gesture was aimed at making the camp livable for the graduates deployed for the national service.

    This comes just a few weeks after AbdulRazaq paid an unscheduled visit to the camp, calling it a “penitentiary that is not fit for human living”.

    He pledged to urgently rehabilitate the camp to make the users more comfortable.

    Read Also: AbdulRazaq urges support for reforms, paradigm shift in Kwara

    The governor, who visited the camp on June 19, had also apologised to the NYSC members and said the condition at the camp represented the general breakdown of basic infrastructure in the state.

    He said the visit to the camp was a challenge for him to make things better.

    Permanent Secretary Ministry of Sports and Youths Development Akanbi Shuaib, who represented the governor at the official handing over of the materials, said the development underscored the governor’s commitment to the welfare of people.

    Shuaib explained that the provision of the items will make the camp more comfortable for the occupants, calling on the NYSC members to consider the gesture as an incentive to be more patriotic.

    “Our amiable governor is a man of his words. What we are seeing here today is a fulfilment of pledges made just over a month ago. We are, therefore, celebrating a harvest from the governor that has the concern of the people in his heart,” Akanbi said.

    Kwara State NYSC Coordinator Mrs. Esther Kupolati hailed the governor for the gesture, which, she said, portrayed the governor as a responsive and reliable leader, who care for basic needs of the people.

    “This gesture will go a long way to make camping more comfortable for the Corps members and we promise to ensure that they are properly utilised and maintained,” Kupolati said.

  • Army appoints commander for Operation Lafiya Dole

    The Army has announced the appointment of a new acting General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 7 Division in Maiduguri in an effort to add impetus to the ongoing military campaigns in the Northeast.

    He is Brig-Gen A.K. Ibrahim and by the appointment, he becomes the new theatre commander for Sector 1 Operation Lafia Dole.

    According to a letter from the Office of the Army Secretary, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim will take over from Maj.-Gen. Bulama Biu, who has been appointed acting commander, Sector 3 Operation Lafiya Dole and Sector 3 Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).

    Read Also: Taraba killings: Leaked memo deepens rift between Army, Police

    The redeployment takes effect from August 14.

    The letter also announced that Major-Generals CG Musa and BA Akinroluyo has been redeployed to the Training And Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Minna. Maj.-Gen. O. Adeniyi is to remain as theatre commander.

    Others include Colonels I.A. Ajose, who has also been redeployed from 5 Brigade to TRADOC. O.A. Awolo is now Commander, 707 Special Forces Brigade.

  • How Kogi APC can be victorious in Nov 16 poll, by Audu’s son

    A Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant, Prince Mohammed Abubakar Audu, has said that allowing the will of the people to prevail at the August 29 primary of the party will save it from defeat at the November 16 governorships election.

    Mohammed, who is the third member of the Abubakar Audu family to pick nomination form to contest the APC governorship ticket, also said the fact that three of them were in the race will not be a problem as they were all exercising their constitutional right.

    Speaking with reporters after obtaining his nomination form at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, Mohammed lamented the current situation in the state, adding that the dividends of democracy promised by the party has eluded the people.

    He said he decided to offer himself to help salvage the state from the grip of under development and poverty.

    Read Also: More troubles in Kogi APC

    The aspirant said: “There is a great deal of dissatisfaction in the state and this is threatening the victory of the party. That is why we offer ourselves to serve. A lot has been said in the media because so much has been happening in the state we fought so hard to rescue from the PDP in 2015.

    “Today, the people of the state are yearning for a change because the dividends of democracy we fought for in 2015 has not been delivered. Our unemployment rate is highest in the country today. Workers are owed salaries for several months and there are no infrastructure. Security is a big problem because kidnapping in the state has become rampant.

    “This is the most favoured administration in the state. Those who built existing infrastructure did not receive 30 percent of the resources available to this government. All the resources extended to the state by the President fell in the wrong hands and that is why the people are crying for change.

    “We offer ourselves to save the party from defeat by the PDP. Behind us are the people and if their will is allowed to prevail on the day of primary, that is the only thing that can save our party from defeat in the general election.  So, the right thing has to be done. We are in the race to save the state and party from the jaws of defeat.”

  • Police foil jailbreak in Nasarawa prison

    Policemen were on Thursday mobilised to foil an attempted jailbreak by inmates at the Keffi minimum security prison, Keffi Local Government Area, Nasarawa State.

    The inmates were protesting over poor feeding and lack of facilities.

    It was gathered that the situation was brought under control by the prompt intervention of the police and prison officials.

    It was gathered that apart from poor hygienic conditions in Keffi prison, the inmates lacked access to proper medical attention. The situation prompted the prisoners to attempt to escape when they were only given a sachet of “pure water” and watery pap each morning.

    There was also an acute shortage of potable water and sewage disposal system in the prison.

    Read Also: Nasarawa seeks more indigenes in federal service

    The prison was said to be overcrowded “with hardly elbow space to spare”, a source said on Thursday.

    “Life in Keffi prison is harrowing and the inmates could not bear the hardship, even as the government had made provision for their feeding, hence the need to attempt the jailbreak,” another source added.

    The Public Relations Officer of the state command of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Mr. Abene Stephen, said it was a normal agitation in the prison, but the situation was brought under control.

    Before the arrival of the comptroller, Mr. Emmanuel Okoro, prison officials refused to entertain reporters’ enquiries about the incident, keeping them for over four hours.

    The waiting game continued even when the comptroller visited until the rains dispersed them.

    When the reporters visited the Emir of Keffi, Dr. Shehu Chindo Yamusa III, whose palace is closed by, he shared his knowledge about the development.

    He confirmed that there was an attempted jailbreak and it took the intervention of police and Inspector General of Police Special Technical Team to save the situation.