The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Four charged with ‘illegal’ fuel supply

    The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) yesterday in Lagos arraigned four men for alleged illegal distribution of petroleum products.

    Owobobola Damilola, Roju Gbokan, Akinyemi Michael and Ogbolo Godwin are standing trial on a two-count charge of conspiracy and unlawful dealing in petroleum products at the Federal High Court.

    Prosecuting police Inspector Alimat Owomunigbo, said the accused committed the offence on May 8 at 1pm at Majidun near Ikorodu, Lagos.

    She said the accused were arrested by NSCDC while distributing petroleum products, adding that the offence contravened Sections 1 (17) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Laws of the Federation 2004.

    Mrs Owomunigbo urged the court to remand the accused in prison pending trial.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    The defence counsel, Mr Ebunola Ogungbamila,  urged the court to grant the accused bail on liberal terms.

    Justice Mohammed Idris granted them N500, 000 bail with one surety each in the like sum.

    He adjourned the case till September 24.

  • Sanitation holds tomorrow

    The monthly environmental sanitation will hold tomorrow in Lagos State  between 7am and 10am.  There will be restriction of movement during the exercise, the government said yesterday.

    Ministry of Environment Permanent Secretary Hakeem Ogunbambi, an engineer, urged Lagosians to tidy their surroundings including drain and canals.

    He said the cleaning and maintenance of drainage channels were part of government’s strategy to reduce flood.

    Ogunbambi advised Lagosians to desist from indiscriminate dumping of refuse on drainage channels , adding that they should not also compromise drainage alignment, such as building and erection of structures on drainage setbacks, among others.

    A statement quoted him as saying:”It is important to have a clean and hygienic environment to prevent germs and diseases to encourage investment opportunities.

    “Residents should desist from patronising cart pushers and other acts which violate the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) policy.

    He assured residents that law enforcement agencies including the Police, LAWMA,  Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) officials have been mobilised to enforce the sanitation Laws.

  • ‘Employ youths as change agents’

    A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Exponent of Change, has called on the government to pay more attention to youths for national development.

    At a press briefing in Lagos on the group’s building of the largest greeting card in Africa; its Leader, Oladunjoye Azeez, described youths as sharp minded and creative, adding that they need the government to channel their energy to the right way.

    He urged the government to create platforms where youths can aid the country’s development.

    “There was room for expression in the past compared to what we have now. Let the youths express their creativity and if everybody becomes productive, Nigeria will be a better place. Economy of the West is being run by Small Scale Enterprises (SMEs) today; let try to invest in the youths for them to create their own business and with time, our economy will grow beyond expectation.” he said.

    Azeez said the group would build the largest greeting card in Africa to mark Nigeria’s 55th Independence Anniversary.

    The card is said to be 10 feet tall made and made with paper. It will be unveiled on independent day in Abuja.

    Azeez said: “Exponents of Change is an NGO which serves as a platform for highly talented Nigerian youths to contribute talents, skills and energy toward peace, progress and development in Nigeria. The future of a great Nigeria is now in our hands. We have a great country, but it is a country that is in serious trouble. We have lost the respect of the world. We must now come together to make Nigeria great again.

    “Change of leadership is not a one-size-fits-all solution that will transform Nigeria into a better and desirable place as we all desire. We too, the followers, must arise with vision to contribute to the much-needed progress and development in Nigeria. We must be part of the change we want to see.”

    He added: “If we all sweep the front of our houses the entire city will be clean; this is a mandate for us at Exponents of Change. We are not out just for event but we rose with a vision to be a major contributor in building Nigeria into a better and desirable place.

    “We observed that there is no record of the largest greeting card in history of Africa. So, with this project we hope to mark Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary, and also set Nigeria on the world map and re-brand how the world perceives Nigerian youths.

    “We are not just particular about building the largest greeting card in Africa but to also showcase the Nigerian ‘can do spirit’ inherent in every Nigerian youth such that we will inspire and motivate many other youths toward positive and entrepreneurial activities.”

  • Carpenter held for ‘stealing’ customer’s N46, 000

    A 24-year-old carpenter, Jude Isaac, has been arraigned at an Ikorodu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly entering into the apartment of his customer to steal N46, 000.

    Prosecuting police Inspector Kemi Adeniran, said the accused committed the offence on June 20 at his customer’s residence at Agric Street in Agbowa, Ikorodu.

    Adeniran said the accused had earlier helped the complainant, one Mr Pascal Okeh, to repair his broken ceiling.

    “The carpenter purposely left one side of the ceiling uncovered with intent to come back to carry out his evil intentions.

    “The complainant observed that whenever he left some money in his apartment, he usually finds out that part of it is missing, but he did not know who was taking it.

    “So, one day, he pretended as if he had gone out, only to find out that the carpenter usually gained entrance into the apartment through the ceiling he left uncovered,’’ the prosecutor said.

    Adeniran said the accused stole N46, 000 on the day he was nabbed and handed over to the police.

    “The offence contravenes Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011,’’ he said.

    The accuse pleaded not guilty and was granted N20, 000 bail with one surety in the like sum.

    Magistrate Makanju Oshodi, adjourned the case till August 13.

  • Applicants protest JAMB’s cut off marks at UNILAG

    Applicants protest JAMB’s cut off marks at UNILAG

    Prospective University of Lagos (UNILAG) students protested yesterday during their screening for admission for 2015/2016 session.

    UNILAG’s Registrar Dr Taiwo Ipaye said only 9,000 of the 32,000 applicants were eligible for screening.

    Ipaye said the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) considered a lot of options at its 2015 Combined Policy Meeting held on July 4, as a way out for the candidates.

    “JAMB had during that meeting adopted a policy whereby candidates of universities with surplus applicants for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) are reassigned to other universities with lower number of candidates, than their capacities.

    “This will be beneficial to needy universities; as this will ensure that they will have more candidates to admit.

    “This policy has been implemented with immediate effect and consequently, the eligibility for post- UTME screening in the University of Lagos like other universities in country, has been determined by JAMB.

    “In effect, only candidates, whose names were forwarded to the University of Lagos by JAMB, are eligible for the 2015/2016 post-UTME,’’ she said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some of parents, who brought their children for the exercise, expressed disappointments over the applicants’ exclusion from the JAMB’s list of shortlisted candidates.

    A parent, Dr Ben Emone,  told NAN that his son made UNILAG his first choice, and scored 260 marks in the UTME.

    According to him, it has been the tradition of the university to peg its cut-off mark, at least, at 200 for the post-UTME.

    Emone criticised the university and JAMB for the sudden change in procedure, saying:

    “I will not take this whole thing they are trying to explain because my son passed the UTME convincingly. If there was to be any change, we should have been sensitised well ahead of time and not just waking-up one morning to change the rule of the game.All I am saying is that my son must write this post-UTME or nobody will.

    Association of Tutorial School Operators (ATSO) National President Mr Oludotun Sodunke blamed the crisis on the JAMB Registrar, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde.

    He said Ojerinde was insensitive to parents’ plights, adding that the JAMB registrar was wrong to have introduced such last minute decision after pegging the cut-off mark at 180.

    “I think Prof. Ojerinde has some questions to answer on this whole issue. There must be something he is not telling the public. Ojerinde must stop running JAMB as if it is his personal business empire.

    “How can Ojerinde impose such high and unacceptable cutoff marks for five notable public universities in Nigeria under the guise of catchment, to qualify for post-UTME, and you expect us not to protest.

    “The worst case scenario at least ought to have been the normal 200 marks and above, which universities like UNILAG and others were known for.

    “If there must be anything new, it should be introduced next year after due consultations with all critical stakeholders, and the public adequately sensitised.

    “For now, all we want is for all the candidates to be allowed to sit for the post-UTME or we go to court,’’ he said.

    Former Chairman, Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), UNILAG Chapter, Mr Joseph Adefolalu said JAMB’s action was meant to destabilise the present administration.

    JAMB’s spokesman Fabian Benjamin, described the parents’ agitation was uncalled for.

    According to him, universities are at liberty to go higher than 180, as cut off marks, based on their peculiarities.

    He said, whatever cut-off points they were adopting must be uniformly applied to all candidates.

    “I do not see anything wrong with what UNILAG has done.

    “This is because a time will come when some universities may have to peg their cut-off points at 300 marks, based on performance.

    “Before we send candidates to the universities, we normally ensure that we know their carrying capacities; because we do not want a situation, whereby, they will present more than they can admit.

    “There are private universities and other tertiary institutions that also need candidates, so, we try to distribute evenly,’’ he said.

    Benjamin said JAMB, in its magnanimity, posted students that scored 200 and above to private universities, to prevent them from staying at home for another year.

  • Synagogue: Engineers urge court to quash coroner’s report

    Synagogue: Engineers urge court to quash coroner’s report

    Two engineers have gone to court to quash the coroner’s report which ‘indicted them for the September 12, 2014 collapse of the Synagogue Church of All Nation (SCOAN) guest house in Ikotun, Lagos.

    The plaintiffs, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, filed two suits numbered FHC/L/CS/1095/15 and FHC/L/CS/1096/15 against Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice and the coroner, Chief Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe.

    Yesterday, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, told Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos that he filed ex-parte applications seeking to restrain the police from inviting his clients for questioning in order to prosecute them.

    The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that “the findings and recommendations of the 4th respondent (Komolafe) as contained in his verdict dated 8th July, 2015 as they relate to the applicants’ indictment for prosecution for criminal negligence and recommendation for prosecution for criminal negligence by the 1st to 3rd respondents are invalid, null and void and of no effect, whatsoever.”

    They are also urging the court to declare that the police lacked the power to act on the coroner’s verdict to prosecute them.

    Among others, they want the court to perpertually restrain the Attorney-General or any officer under his authority from initiating criminal proceedings against them on the basis of the coroner’s report.

    Ojo urged the court to protect his clients, claiming that the police had been after them since the verdict was delivered.

    He said their constitutional rights to dignity and personal liberty enshrined in Sections 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution were being violated as they can no longer move about freely.

    The lawyer said the police went to Ogundeji’s home, but when they could not find him, they arrested his brother-in-law.

    Ojo said the police were also at Fatiregun’s office in Ikeja on July 16 to arrest, adding that he voluntarily reported at the police station and was asked to write a statement on the role of his company, Hardrock Engineering Construction Limited, in the building collapse.

    According to the lawyer, the move to arrest the engineers on July 16 came a day after they filed fundamental rights enforcement action against the respondents on July 15 challenging the coroner’s verdict.

    Ojo argued that arresting them in the face of the pending suits would not be just because they raised serious issues for the court to determine.

    Judge Idrus directed parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the applicants’ motions on notice.

    No fewer than 116 persons, including 85 South Africans, 22 Nigerians, two Beninoise, one Togolese and six unidentified persons died in the building collapse.

    Justice Idris adjourned the case till August 3.

  • Lawyers hail Ambode

    Lawyers hail Ambode

    Lawyers have hailed Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his decision to implement the Coroner’s report on the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) building collapse.

    They urged him to back his statement with action in order to deter those who flout the laws.

    Constitutional lawyer Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) believes the church and its contractors flouted the law by not getting approval for the building.

    “The statement from the Lagos State Government is commendable. This is because the whole tragedy not only involves human lives; it also involves the lives of non-Nigerians creating what I will call a diplomatic incidence between Nigeria and South Africa.

    “It is a major tragic development and it has become clear from the findings of the coroner that the building was not professionally constructed and they did not receive the imprimatur of the Ministry of Physical Planning before constructing it.

    “The engineers who took part in the exercise ought to have demanded approval before commencing construction based on the plan given to them. It is a criminal offence and they should be punished and investigated.

    “Also, the church authority, who actually engaged them to do the work without first obtaining physical plan permit should also be prosecuted for breaching the physical planning laws of Lagos State,” Sagay said.

    A former Ikeja Branch chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Monday Ubani said it was heartwarming when a government official promises to execute a court judgment.

    “Nigerians will be happy to see government follow up on their vow and promise to do the right thing. If the coroner has made a recommendation and the government has vowed to implement it,  that is a healthy development because most times, judgement of the court are usually not being followed up by government officials.

    “Let us begin to follow our law. And the change we have voted for, let it now start from every angle. Those who have been implicated by the coroner should be prosecuted in accordance with the law,” Ubani said.

    Activist-lawyer Jiti Ogunye believes Ambode deserves praise for insisting on diligent prosecution of those who handled the failed project.

    “We do not expect anything less. After the incident, especially during the coroner inquest, we said that the Synagogue church of All Nations didn’t exhibit the expected response.

    “We are saying this not because we are jumpy about condemning a place of worship but because of the monumental disaster, one incident in which 116 persons perished.

    “We certainly did not expect the church to be instigating laughable protests, people carrying placards, insinuating or suggesting that the coroner was partial and exhibiting a conduct that shows that they are not sorry about the accident.

    “Now that the coroner has recommended that the civil engineers who handled the construction and the church to be prosecuted for criminal negligence and refusal to obtain building permit, I believe the Lagos State Government is right in insisting that there should be diligent prosecution,” he said.

  • Police arrest 22 in Bariga raid

    The police arrested 22 persons and recovered some dangerous weapons from them during a raid of a dark spot in Somolu, Bariga, Lagos.

    The raid followed complaints by residents that the Bollar area of Oke-Alo in Gbagada “is a notorious spot for robbery, rape and bandits hide-out”

    Six of the suspects have been arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates court in Lagos. The police alleged in charge A/27/2015 that Solomon David Okon and five others conspired with others at large to steal N65, 000 from a woman and also assaulted her.

    The defendants were said to have unlawfully assembled to carry out criminal activities, offences punishable with terms of imprisonment under contrary to Sections 409 of Lagos State Criminal Law.

    The traditional ruler of Gbagada, Oba Gbolahan Timson and residents commended the police for flushing out the suspected criminals and for bringing sanity and security back to the area.

    He confirmed that the bollar dumping site had been taken over by “Armed Robbers, cultists and rapists’’ and named some of the alleged criminals are souk, Babsilgonia, Hammed of Idi-aba and among others.

    He called on police to intensity their raid on the dump site and other notorious dark spots in the area.

  • Hoodlums snatch judge’s briefcase

    Hoodlums snatch judge’s briefcase

    No case has been heard in Court 1 of the Ikorodu Division of the Lagos State High Court since Friday last week. Reason: Justice Olayinka Gbajabiamila was attacked after work last Thursday evening by two assailants. They took away his briefcase containing court documents.

    Sources told The Nation that Justice Gbajabiamila had closed for the day when the incident occurred.

    He was said to have been attacked as he parked his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) at the venue of an event.

    “They attacked him just as he got out of the car and was closing the door,” the source told The Nation.”They must have been hanging around.”

    The source continued: “They were two armed men. They threatened him and took his briefcase from the car. It contained several things including files and other court documents. I don’t know if they took other things as well.”

    On the whereabouts of the judge’s orderly at the time of the attack, the source said: “Not all judges have personal orderlies that accompany them everywhere.”

    The judge was not “physically injured” but he was shaken by the experience, the source added.

    The Nation learnt further that since Friday and Monday were public holidays, all his cases since Tuesday were rescheduled by officials at Court 1of his court.

    The cause list for Tuesday showed that there were nine matters before the court: two for judgment, two for ruling, and three for mention. Two were for argument. The court does not sit on Wednesdays.

    It was not known whether the attack was connected to a judgment the honourable justice he was scheduled to give

    The judge may come today to make his quarterly returns even though the courts are on vacation.

  • Man in court over rights activist’s death

    The Lagos State Government yesterday arraigned Seun Oladapo in court for the alleged murder of a rights activist and community leader, Kunle Fadipe.

    Oladapo was arraigned before Justice Atinuke Ipaye of the Ikeja High Court in Lagos.

    He is standing trial on a five-count charge bordering on murder, robbery and assault occasioning harm.

    Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mrs Idowu Alakija said the offence contravened Sections 221, 295 (2)(a) and 171 of the Criminal Law.

    The charge reads: “That you Oluwaseun Oladapo on the 4th day of July 2014 at about  0300hr at 1, Harmony Estate, Ifako-Ijaiye, Iju Lagos in the Ikeja Judicial Division whilst armed with an offensive weapon to wit a knife did rob one Kunle Fadipe of a large sum of money and murdered him by stabbing him severally on numerous parts of the body”.

    The defendant was also charged with the murder of one Cecilia Owolabi; the assault of one Abiola Owolabi and Folahanmi Fadipe.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    The defence counsel, Worer Obuagbaka, informed the court that he got the file not too long ago and pleaded with the court to allow him to go through it.

    ”The proof of evidence was served on me this morning less than an hour ago. My perusal of the proof of evidence showed that there was an autopsy report attached. This is a serious offence and the defendant needs adequate time to prepare for the trial.”

    Mrs Alakija said the prosecution was prepared to go on with the case adding that two of its witnesses were in court.

    Ruling, Justice Ipaye said the defence should be given ample time to prepare for the trial.

    She adjourned the case till August 17 and 18.

    Fadipe was stabbed to death on July 4 last year.