The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Bristow chopper crash survivors in ‘onshore installation’

    Bristow chopper crash survivors in ‘onshore installation’

    The 11 survivors of the Bristow chopper which “landed on water” on Wednesday are on an “onshore installation”, the charter airline operator said last night.

    Bristow Helicopters did not name the “onshore installation” nor how the survivors are faring.

    A statement issued on the company’s behalf merely said the nine passengers and two crew arrives at the unnamed location “with only minor injuries.

    Before the statement, there were fears over the survivors’ whereabouts.

    The survivors, who were rescued around the ERHA oil field in the Gulf of Guinea, about 85 nautical miles South East of Lagos Port and 40 nautical miles off Igbokoda, were said to have been taken to the nearest hospital ashore by a speedboat, SURFER P2621.

    But yesterday, The Nation learnt that another Bristow helicopter airlifted the nine passengers and two crew members on Wednesday evening.

    The “ditched” helicopter, it was learnt, was also recovered and loaded on a barge with a crane.

    The Nation gathered that among the survivors is one Nicholas Oten. The pilot’s name was given as Captain Obinna.

    Marked N5BQJ, the helicopter, according to sources, fell into the sea around 10:20am on its way to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos, from Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    All the passengers were rescued by a Merchant Vessel, MV DIJAMA, which launched two of its small boats and live rafts, upon sighting them.

    Nigeria Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) spokespersons told The Nation that the airline and the oil firm whose, workers were on board the chopper have taken charge of the situation.

    NEMA’s spokesman for Southwest Ibrahim Farinloye said since no life was lost, the agency did not ask for the manifest.

    “It is a private matter really. The oil company and the airline have taken charge. We cannot be asking for manifest since there was no casualty. I do not know where they took them to.

    “But the accident occurred around ERHA oil field and the helicopter has been recovered,” he said.

  • NCAA suspends Bristow’s Sikorsky helicopters for audit

    NCAA suspends Bristow’s Sikorsky helicopters for audit

    UE to their frequent crashes, all Sikorsky S-76++ aircraft in Bristow Helicopter’s fleet have been suspended from flying until further notice by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

    The suspension is to enable NCAA audit on Bristow’s operations, with emphasis on its Sikorsky S-76C++ aircraft.

    One of such aircraft landed on water on Wednesday, with all those aboard rescued.

    Another crashed in Lagos last August 12, killing the pilot, co-pilot and four passengers on board.

    At a briefing in Lagos yesterday, NCAA Director-General, Muhtar Usman said it had become important to stem the frequent occurrences and ensure the airline carries out safe operations.

    The suspension, he said, would not affect investigations into Wednesday’s crash by the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB).

    Usman said the recurring Bristow Helicopters accidents would also not affect next month’s safety audit to be done on Nigeria by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

    He said: “I must mention that this suspension of the operations for the impending wholesale audit is not a vote of no confidence on the airline. It is to ascertain the adequacy and the propriety of the operating aircraft.”

    This action, he added, is not new to the industry, but one of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) all over the world.

    NCAA, Usman said, would continue to carry out safe and secure operations, adding: “These decisions are without prejudice to the investigations being conducted by AIB. As a matter of fact, it will serve to assist in the entire process. The Authority will fully support AIB in the investigation. Therefore, the regulatory authority views with utmost seriousness the successive mishaps of Bristow Helicopters operating aircraft SikorskyS-76C++ on the coastal waters of Lagos.

    “If you may recall, in August, 2015, a Bristow Helicopter operated Sikorsky S-76 series crashed around Oworonsoki axis in Lagos.

    “What this means is that yesterday’s (Wednesday’s) incident is occurring a little over six months after the preceding one.

    “Therefore as a responsible regulatory authority, it is important to stem the rapidity of occurrence and ensure the airline carry out safe operations.

    Also in a statement yesterday, Bristow confirmed that NCAA has advised it to temporarily stop operation of the Sikorsky S-76++ aircraft.

    The statement reads:” We are continuing to cooperate fully with NCAA and AIB in its investigation concerning the Bristow helicopter that was involved in the controlled water landing near Lagos on Wednesday.”

  • Lawyer held for alleged N4.5m fraud

    The Federal Criminal Intelligence Investigation Department (FCIID) at Alagbon, Lagos, has arrested a 50-year-old Lagos-based lawyer, Chidi Uzoije Amadi, over an alleged N4.5 million fraud.

    Amadi, who claims to be from Abia State and living in Amuwo in Lagos on his Facebook page, is said to be a graduate of Law from Abia State University, Uturu.

    It was alleged that sometime in 2013 Amadi promised a businessman, Augustine Chigbo Okoro, that he could secure him 20 plots of land at the Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos State, for N200, 000 per plot.

    He allegedly collected N4.5m from Okoro for the deal but failed to deliver the property.

    Amadi was arrested by the police and arraigned yesterday before an Igbosere Magistrates’ Court in Lagos on a single count charge of fraud.

    Prosecuting Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ezekiel Upah from the Legal Office of FCIID, informed the court in charge No. I/0716 that the defendant, with intent to defraud, obtained N4.5m from Okoro “by falsely representing yourself to him that you were capable of providing 20 plots of land for him at the cost of the said amount of N4.5m only in Ibeju Lekki area of Lagos.”

    The prosecutor added that the offence is punishable under Section 312(3) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State. The offence carries a penalty years in jail.

    Amadi pleaded not guilty.

    Senior Magistrate H. O. Amos granted him N500,000 bail, with two sureties in the like sum. He remanded the defendant in prison custody pending the fulfilment of the bail terms and adjourned till March 3.

  • Govt seeks dismissal of Synagogue’s motion on coroner’s verdict

    Govt seeks dismissal of Synagogue’s motion on coroner’s verdict

    Lagos State government has urged an Ikeja High Court to dismiss Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) trustees’ application seeking to quash the coroner’s verdict inquest into the church’s collapsed guest houseý.

    The coroner indicted the church and its engineers for the incident which claimed the lives of 116 persons and ordered that they be tried for criminal negligence.

    The trustees are seeking an order quashing the verdict of the coroner court presided over by Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe because the court allegedly exceeded its statutory jurisdiction.

    Chief Magistrate Komolafe and Lagos State Attorney-General are respondents in the suit.

    Urging Justice Kazeem Alogba to dismiss the motion, the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Adeniji Kazeem said it was dead on arrival as it did not meet Order 40 of the Lagos State Coroner Law.

     ”The law is succinctly spelt out. The verdict of the coroner was delivered on the 8th of July 2015, and they brought their application challenging jurisdiction six months after the coroner’s verdict. All they sought for in their application is an extension of time,” the Attorney-General said.

    Kazeem described the inclusion of Alimosho in all the processes filed as a “judicial slip” adding that the issue of wrong heading of the nomenclature of the coroner was a mere irregularity which could not render the coroner’s proceedings invalid.

    Questioning the court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit, Kazeem argued that the trustees were clearly out of time as mandated by Order 40, Rule 4 of the court rules within which to file the suit.

    He said under the rules, such application should have been brought within three months of the coroner’s decision, but it was filed on January 13, 2016, almost six months after the verdict.

    The attorney-general also faulted the verifying affidavit in support of the motion deposed to by one Sunday Okoroji, an assistant to Prophet T.B Joshua, saying the deponent lacked the power to replace the trustees, who are legally empowered to do so.

    He added: “My Lord, we submit that there is no proper verifying affidavit before this court because the said Okoroji cannot replace the trustees of the church who are still alive and kicking and as such the application is incompetent.”

    But the church’s counsel, ýE.L Akpofure (SAN), insisted that the coroner court which looked into the collapsed of six-storey building does not exist in law.

    ý “The Coroner’s Court of Lagos State, Alimosho District, which presided over and delivered the verdict, is unknown to Coroner’s Court of Lagos State, 2007 and Coroner’s System Law (Subsidiary Legislation) which established Coroner’s Court in Lagos State.

    “The Lagos Coroner’s System Law, 2007 only established Lagos, Ikeja, Yaba and Apapa districts and that Alimosho Coroner’s district which presided over the Synagogue building collapse inquest was not a creation of the law.”

    He submitted that the coroner acted in excess of its jurisdiction, adding that the coroner succinctly carried out his office in all his capacity, arrogating jurisdiction to himself, despite an appeal challenging his jurisdiction.

    “There is nothing like Alimosho Coroner district. It does not exist in the law; and neither is Ikotun-Egbe tied to any of the districts,” Akpofure said.

    Justice Alogba reserved ruling till February 19.

  • Lagos ready to host international marathon

    Lagos ready to host international marathon

    The Lagos State Government said yesterday it is ready to host tomorrow’s international marathon race.

    No fewer than 20,000 local and International marathoners are expected to participate in the Access Lagos City Marathon race.

    Commissioner for Information and Strategy Steve Ayorinde in a statement yesterday said all logistics have been put in place.

    According to him, renowned marathoners from Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and other countries are in town for the event.

     He said the government has put in place water-tight security measures to protect athletes and other participants

     We have put in place a team of fully-trained and well-equipped medical team that will accompany all the participants from the kick-off of the race to the end”, Ayorinde said.

     He said a combined team of traffic managers will also be on ground to control traffic along the designated routes, while alternate routes have also been provided for motorists during the seven-hour event.

     ”The Lagos State Government is therefore appealing to Lagosians to come out en masse and cheer these athletes and to encourage them during the course of the race,” he said, expressing regret about the inconvenience that will accompany the road restriction.

  • Navy nabs three suspected stowaways in Lagos

    Navy nabs three suspected stowaways in Lagos

    Three Nigerians who attempted to stowaway in a Europe-bound Merchant Vessel have been arrested by the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) BEECROFT operatives.

    Okechukwu Obi, 17, Joseph Tunji, 29, and Ismaila Olaniyi, 28, who were caught onboard MT TORM MARINS, were yesterday handed over to the police.

    They were said to have boarded the vessel through the rudder trunk and accessed the manhole when the ship berthed at the National Oil Jetty (NOJ), Apapa, to discharge petroleum products.

    Handing them over to the police, Commander, NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Abraham Adaji said investigation revealed that the suspects illegally boarded the vessel, with intent to travel abroad.

    He said they were discovered by the ship company during the merchant vessel’s routine maintenance.

    Adaji, who decried the spate of Nigerians travelling abroad illegally, said the suspects might have been thrown overboard if the vessel had left Nigerian waters.

    He warned Nigerians to desist from the act, noting that it was the third time Obi was being arrested for the same offence.

    Adaji said: “This would be the third time Obi would be arrested by naval operatives from BEECROFT. He was arrested in December but because the ship he illegally boarded had concluded her transaction in Nigeria and was about leaving, there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prosecute him and so, he was warned and released.

    “Surprisingly, two weeks after that incident he was arrested again. During our investigation, it was discovered that this would be the third time he has been arrested while trying to travel onboard a ship illegally.

    “We are appealing to the police to diligently prosecute the suspects as their actions show that they would do all within their means to board another ship illegally.

    “They may not be so lucky next time  as the ship’s crew might throw them overboard for fishes to eat while at sea”.

    But the suspects seemed undeterred in their quest to travel abroad as they told The Nation that they must leave Nigeria.

    Obi, who was paraded last year by the Navy and handed over to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) with seven others, said he would rather die trying than continue to suffer in Nigeria.

    “If God says I should die, then I die. All those people that were arrested with me last year have all travelled. All of them are in Brazil and they are always calling me.

    “I must make it because I am tired of this life. Anytime you go out to look for job, they will ask you to go and bring surety. Where will I get surety? I only have my grandmother who is in the village in Imo State.

    “I went to learn how to repair generator and I was told to bring surety. I don’t have a house. I sleep inside bus where I work as conductor and get N500 or N700 daily. How will I survive?

    “I have made up my mind that I must go to Brazil like my friends. We bought two bags of pure water, Gala and garri that were supposed to last us 20 days on the journey. But we have finished them here. I will keep trying until I succeed,” he said.

    Olaniyi who claimed his father is a retired soldier, said he was fed up with the hardship in Nigeria, adding that police usually clamped down on them because they have nothing doing.

    “I used to work as a labourer at Ogombo in Ajah, but now, there is no job. I am from Ondo state. I am a street boy, but I am not a criminal. And it is because I do not want to become a criminal that I want to go out there and hustle,” he said.

  • Fashola’s ex-aide in road crash

    Fashola’s ex-aide in road crash

    An aide of former Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, Alhaji Ahmed Jebe, has recalled how he almost lost his life in an accident.

    Jebe posted the accident scene on Facebook, with pictures of his damaged car, thanking Allah for his safety.

    Contacted, he told The Nation that the accident occurred last Monday in Mile 2 on, Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

    According to him, the accident, which happened at 11:50am, involved a lorry and six other vehicles.

    The former special assistant to Fashola said he was going to Lagos State University (LASU) when the lorry hit him from behind, while he hit the car in his front.

    He said: “I was on my way to LASU, about getting to Mile 2 bus stop. We were all lined up in the traffic when the lorry behind me that carried blocks from one construction company rammed into my car. It hit me from the back and I hit the vehicle in front of me. In the process of reversing, he rammed into another vehicle by my side. We later learnt that about five other vehicles were involved.”

    Jebe said he didn’t know something had hit his car until he rammed into the car in front.

    “It was like a movie; very shocking. When he hit me, I didn’t know it was my car until I hit the vehicle in front of me and I said: ‘Who hit my car this way?’ I couldn’t come out immediately as I was waiting to see if I was free to come out from the side. When I alighted, I asked the lorry driver why he hit my car and that was when I discovered that he had hit other cars also. So, I waited till the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) officials came with the traffic police officers,” he said.

    He said the lorry had been overspeeding and could not control his brake when he ran into the traffic.

    All the vehicles involved in the accident were taken to Orile Police Station where their owners’ statements were taken.

    Many commuters and passersby, he said, didn’t know he was the one inside the car “because they had concluded that the person inside the car couldn’t come out alive due to the wreckage.”

    Jebe said he was grateful to God for sparing his life.

    He said: “I appreciate God’s favour on me so much because immediately that thing happened, people around were saying the lorry driver had killed me until they saw me step out, then they said ‘God has really saved you otherwise we would just have been looking at you and forgotten about the car.’ Others who later came to the spot were saying that the owner of the car must have died unknowing that I’m the victim. But Alhamdulillah, God saved my life. I give thanks to Him and I will always adore him.”

    “The accident has changed my perception about driving on the road. I believe that everyone driving on the road should not trust the next driver. They should just drive carefully and pray to God for protection,” he added.

  • Auto battery sellers count losses in fire

    AUTO battery sellers are lamenting their losses in the fire which gutted their shops and a warehouse three days ago.

    The fire also affected the Ikeja Post Office fence.

    An eyewitness, Ayo, said the fire fighters got to the scene on time, adding that they prevented it from spreading to other buildings.

    “The fire fighters tried. To avoid shortage of water, they passed their hose to the borehole in the Post Office premises. Shop owners and sympathisers also salvaged valuables,” he said.

    “I couldn’t take anything,” said Yusuf Shittu, trader, who lost everything in his shop.

    He said: “I lost 36 car batteries and N10, 000 to the fire. I slept in front of my burnt shop because I couldn’t afford to cry in the presence of his wife. I have been searching the debris for my National Identity Card and the money but I haven’t found them. So many things went with the fire. It is my own I know. The tyre warehouse was burnt completely. Where will they start from? This has made people to lock their shops. I just hinted my wife on phone that my shop was burnt. Even the mobile phone I seized from someone who owed me got burnt. I am now the debtor. I think I prefer robbery to fire.”

    A trader, Chinedu, who sells radiator, said they were all outside their shops when the incident happened, adding: “I couldn’t go home. I watched my shop burn. It is very painful. We were in front of our shops ready to go home until we saw smoke from our direction. We thought it was a small thing until we moved closer. Everywhere was smoke logged. Something else would have happened if we entered. I pray God help us because no human can at this moment when everyone is broke.”

    A printer, Larry, said he couldn’t pick anything from his store.

    “The way things happen in life. All my customers’ job is gone. I don’t know how to tell them. I don’t know if I have to bring all of them to see my burnt shop. If we weren’t there, it is one thing but we were outside. I can’t think straight,” he said.

  • Lions Clubs launches Measles eradication campaign

    Lions Club District 404B2 Nigeria, has said it is partnering with the Federal Government to eradicate measles.

    Its District governor, Dr Funke Adebajo, told reporters at a briefing to launch its week-long yearly immunisation campaign that the partnership would be carried out through social mobilisation and advocacy.

    “We have being going round to educate people on measles and give gifts to the children that are immunised. Lions Club International also supplies medical personnel with immunisation aprons, among other activities which include road shows, public campaigns and broadcast,” she said, adding that the club will continue to serve communities.

    Measles Campaign coordinator, Lion Club District 404B2 Nigeria 2015/2016 Mr Oladipo Olanekun urged families, communities and parents to allow their children between ages of nine months and five years to be immunised during the exercise.

  • 155 ‘miscreants’ held, 150 motorcycles seized in task force raid

    LAGOS State Environmental and Special Offences Task Force yesterday arrested 155 suspected miscreants and impounded 150 motorcycles.

    Also, two locally made pistols, one English pump action gun and seven rounds of ammunition were recovered.

    The suspects were alleged to have been terrorising the Oyingbo and Ebute-Meta areas of the state.

    Some of the suspects were fingered in robbery and rape cases, others were nabbed for alleged Indian hemp smoking and public disorder.

    The agency debunked claims that some people drowned in the lagoon, insisting that no gunshot was fired by its officials during the raid.

    Their arrests, The Nation gathered, did not come easy as pebbles and petrol bombs were thrown at the officials.

    An official, Samuel Ogunjimi, was said to have been shot during the operation.

    The task force’s Public Affairs Officer, Adebayo Taofeeq said the miscreants who lived under the bridge have turned the Iddo and Idumota riverside areas to a den of armed robbers.

    “Those miscreants arrested not only rob under Iddo bridges but constitute other environmental nuisance such as smoking India hemp and raping of their female victims.”