The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Another tanker falls in Lagos

    Another tanker falls in Lagos

    Another tanker laden with petrol fell in front of a filling station at Oribawa bus stop on Lekki-Epe Expressway yesterday.

    It spilled its cintent all over the road. No life was lost.

    Immediately, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) cordonned off the area, warning residents, commuters and others to keep away from the scene to avoid fire outbreak.

    Victims of last Saturday’s petrol tanker explosion, which razed 34 houses and 70 shops at Idimu, Lagos State, remained in shock yesterday.

    A tanker, loaded with 33,000 litres of petrol fell, spilling its contents and wreaking havoc on the neighbourhood.

    Grief-stricken, most of them stood in groups discussing their ill fate as they beheld the charred remains of their valuables.

    They, however, rested their hope on the promise by the state governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to assuage their agony when he visited the scene last Saturday.

    Ambode, during the visit, promised to meet with tanker drivers today in his bid to stem petrol tanker explosion.

    After the visit, Ambode said: “We don’t want this to repeat itself. We have said it before; we need to address our tanker drivers and start to enforce our traffic laws. I have directed that the union of tanker drivers and the government meet on Monday (today) morning and we must make pronouncement relating to the usage of our roads.”

    The governor promised: “I commiserate with all the people here. I appeal for calm. We would do immediate relief; we would take enumeration and see in what ways we can address your pain. We would do everything in our power to do everything to help them get back to their normal lives.”

    Ambode, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Dr Idiat Adebule, expressed concerns over the spate of fallen petrol tankers in the state, noting that Saturday’s incident came a few days after that of Iyana Ipaja in which several shops and vehicles destroyed.

    “This is another unfortunate incident happening within one week. It is unfortunate in the sense that we are beginning to lose a lot of our assets and property to fire,” he said.

    Meanwhile, another tanker fell in front of a filling station at Lakowe on Lekki-Epe Expressway yesterday.

    It spilled its cintent all over the road. No life was lost.

  • Keep campaign promises, public officers advised

    Keep campaign promises, public officers advised

    Public office holders have been urged to keep their promises and recognise their office as public trust.

    A Professor of Law at Bayero University in Kano Tabiu Mohammed, and a cleric, Sheik AbdulMajeed Imran Eleha, enjoined elected officials to keep their campaign promises to avoid the wrath of God.

    They spoke yesterday at the Pre-Ramadan lecture of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA) at UNILAG main auditorium, Akoka.

    Speaking on Public Trust: An obligation for credible leadership, Prof Muhammad said governance is about trust and accountability, adding that negative political culture caused the nation woes in the last political dispensation.

    He advised that the fight against bad leadership and governance should not be left for office holders, noting that the citizenry should engage in effective monitoring.

    Muhammad asked the governed to adhere to the laws and be effective in ensuring that public officials kept their mandate.

    Anyone who fails to uphold public trust, whether as leaders or the led, should be punished for it, he said, asking Nigerians not to be complacent because President Buhari had a good track record.

    “The leaders should recognise and popularise trustworthiness as a social value. Government should condemn betrayal of public trust and see public office as a trust. They should ensure that they set clear standards and established strong democratic institutions. The leadership must be careful of what is coming into the coffers of the state and where public fund is to be expended. Accountability and personal probity should be guaranteed. There should be no legal immunity,” he said.

    Sheik Imran admonished leaders to ensure that justice and rule of law thrive at all levels of government.

    The cleric, who urged Nigerians to cooperate with the Buhari administration to ensure its success.

    Earlier, UMA President Akeeb Oladokun said the lecture’s theme was carefully chosen to contribute to the national discourse on setting agenda for the federal ans state governments.

    In attendance were UNILAG Vice-Chancellor Prof Rahamon Bello; Emeritus Professor Laide Abbas; Alhaji Adetola Kazeem (SAN); All Progressives Congress (APC) National Legal Adviser, Dr Muiz Banire; a former Lagos State Independent Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Musibau Oyefeso; wife of the late Justice Muri Okunola, Alhaja Ramdat Okunola; former UMA President Alhaji Lere Alimi; representative of Olorogun Sunny Kuku, Alhaji Lai Alabi; Prof Fatimat AbdulKareem; Complete Sports Managing Director Alhaji Mumuni Alao; former Lagos State Commissioner for Education, Alhaja Sekinat Yusuf, and Dr Khalid Adekoya; Dr Ahmad Rufai among others.

  • Gowon Estate CDA sues Lagos council over election

    The Gowon North Community Development Association (CDA) in Mosan-Okunola Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has instituted a suit against the council to stop it from conducting election into the association’s executive committee.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suit was filed on behalf of the community by their counsel, Mr Ogidiagba Muobosa, at an Ikeja High Court.

    No date has been fixed for hearing.

    Joined in the suit are the council’s Executive Secretary, Head of Agriculture Department and the State Commissioner for Rural Development.

    The claimants are praying the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants and their agents from conducting or supervising any election into the CDA’s executive committee scheduled for June 6.

    They want the status quo to be maintained pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

    In a 40-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Mr Dauda Oyebanji, the CDA’s Public Relations Officer, the claimants insisted that the CDA was a creation of the Lagos State Community Development Law 2008.

    Oyebanji averred that claimants had embarked on various self-help projects which included rehabilitation and maintaining of access roads within Gowon Estate in Egbeda.

    According to him, the only body empowered to conduct elections into the CDA is the Community Development Council.

    He said election into the executive committee was a biennial event (once in two years), adding that the tenure of the last executive expired in 2013.

    Oyebanji said there was no election into the offices because it was found out that most of the executive members were not eligible to run for elective positions, but only the current chairman was eligible.

    “A resolution was, therefore, passed on February 1, 2014 at the claimants’ monthly meeting that executive positions should be thrown open to all members, who indicated interest to run.

    “The election into the executive positions of the claimants was held on March 1, 2014 and officials were duly elected to fill the positions as advertised,” he averred.

    Oyebanji said it was, therefore, surprising that the second and third defendants issued a notice to the new executive indicating interest to conduct fresh elections on June 6.

    According to him, the defendants do not have the power or right to conduct the elections or dissolve the already elected executive.

    Oyebanji urged the court to grant the application in the interest of justice to avoid a possible breakdown of law and order within the community.

  • Man docked for Coke ‘theft’

    A 22-year-old unemployed, Stanley Amoebi, has been charged before a Badagry Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State for allegedly stealing a pack of coke valued at N1,000.

    The accused is facing a charge of stealing.

    Prosecuting  Inspector Innocent Uko told the court that the accused committed the offence on June 1 at about 6.00 p.m. at Ajara Shopping Complex in Badagry.

    Uko noted that the accused stole a pack of coke from the complainant, Mrs Senami Hungbo, at her shop.

    “He went to the woman’s shop to buy a pack of coke, but while the woman was looking for change for him, he disappeared with another pack. The woman pursued him and he was apprehended.’’

    Uko noted that the offence contravened Section 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

    Counsel to the accused, Mr Yemi Fowler, pleaded with the court to grant him bail on liberal terms.

    Magistrate Abiodun Etti, granted the accused N20,000 bail.

    He adjourned the case till  July 3.

  • NGO seeks healthy living, good governance

    NGO seeks healthy living, good governance

    A non-governmental organisation, Human Concern Foundation International (HCFI) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to run a service-oriented administration.

    The group made the call in Lagos last Saturday when it held a street walk tagged: “Walk for Life, Peace and Good Governance,” in conjunction with the Centre for Global Peace Initiative (CGPI) and Globacom Communications.

    The walk, which covered about 10 kilometres, took off from Jibowu, Yaba on Lagos Mainland, through Maryland and back to Jibowu.

    HCFI Executive Director, Dr Ibrahim Oreagba said researches had shown that when you walk on a regular basis, it reduces the incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and hypertension.

    “Walking should be on a daily basis; sometimes you can walk from a particular point to the other rather than taking public transport or taking our vehicles. We should be familiar with it on a daily basis. We are also doing this to encourage the present government to practise good governance,” Oreagba of the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, said.

    According to him, the walk is one of the annual programmes of the foundation meant to ensure that Nigerians are fit – physically, mentally and emotionally.

    Oreagba, also a Senior Research Fellow/Consultant and Coordinator, Pharmaco-vigilance in South West, said his group had been providing limited services in the area of health enlightenment campaign and medical counselling at the grassroots where medical facilities are grossly absent or inadequate.

    He said: “Our main objectives of HCFI are to improve the health status of Nigerians and equally to positively change the attitudes and practices of community residents with respect to sound health and hygiene.

    “HCFI has, through the support of Nigerian pharmaceutical companies and corporate organisations, organised health programmes in Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Niger and Kwara states. We have also been to Abuja and the Republic of Benin.”

    He added that if people could be doing that on their own twice or thrice a week, they would be fit physically and emotionally and guard against heart-related diseases.

    He said: “If you look at the world today, many people are suffering from heart-related diseases, and obesity among others, which are actually avoidable. One of the ways we can avoid heart-related diseases is to cultivate the culture of walking; not really jogging at this stage of our life. When we must walk, we will sweat and burn energies that are not useful, by so doing we will be physically and mentally fit.”

    A senior lecturer at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr Luqman AbdurRaheem, enjoined President Buhari to learn from the past mistakes and appoint like-minded Nigerians who are ready to work for development of the country. He hailed HCFI for trying to keep Nigerians fit.

    The Executive Director, Zakat and Sadakat Foundation, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, urged Nigerians to be patient and support the present administration for good governance.

    Imam Abdullahi said Nigerians look forward to enjoying good dividends of democracy.

    “There are a lot of leakages in Nigeria’s democratic experience in the last sixteen years and we are hoping that with this new dawn that we have witnessed last Friday, a new chapter would be opened in the Nigerian democratic experience for us as Nigerians to benefit from them,” he said.

  • Blacksmith held for selling gun to robbers

    Blacksmith held for selling gun to robbers

    A 65-year-old blacksmith, Najimu Bakare, has been arrested by the police for selling a gun to armed robbers. But the suspect said he thought the buyers were either hunters or members of a vigilance group.

    The suspect is being detained by the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    Others also being held are: Dare Ayetoba, 22; Adewale Odusote, 22, and Idris Tairu, 25.

    According to police, the suspects were arrested on May 15 by the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) and handed over to the Area J Command in Ajah. They were subsequently handed over to SARS. In his defence, Bakare said he sold the gun to the men believing that they were wither hunters or vigilante.

    He said: “I joined Aye Fraternity in March, 2012.  They gave me a nylon bag to take to our man, Dare, but the police stopped me, searched the bag and arrested me.

    Idris said it was Kelly that introduced him to the deal, while Bakare said: “I sold gun to them for N30, 000.  I did not know that they were armed robbers.  I thought that they were either vigilance men or hunters.”

  • Houseboy ‘steals’ ex-Minister Akinyemi’s N11m watch

    Houseboy ‘steals’ ex-Minister Akinyemi’s N11m watch

    For allegedly stealing an N11 million wristwatch from former Minister of External Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a 29-year-old man Paul Agbota, has been charged to court.

    He also allegedly stole other watches and luxury accessories worth N9 million from Akinyemi.

    Agbota, a domestic staff of the former minister, is facing a two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Eranus Nnamonu told the court that the accused committed the offence on April 23 at 5.30pm at his employer’s residence on Femi Deru Close, Opebi, Lagos.

    He said Agbota conspired with others still at large to steal from his employer, a Rolex watch valued at N11million.

    According to him, the accused also stole other watches and luxury accessories valued at N9 million.

    Nnamonu said the offences contravened Sections 285 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe granted the accused N1million bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    She ordered that the sum of N50,000 be deposited with the court’s deputy registrar as part of the bail conditions and adjourned the case to July 9.

  • Auto parts dealer ‘inserts’ cocaine in anus

    Auto parts dealer ‘inserts’ cocaine in anus

    The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) yesterday arrested Tochukwu Nzom, 46, for allegedly inserting 225 grammes of cocaine in his anus.

    He was about boarding an Air France flight to Paris, France at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) in Ikeja, Lagos when he was arrested. He tested positive for narcotics on being screened.

    NDLEA airport commander Hamza Umar said two others – Henry Idehen and Peter Ilemena – were caught with 915 grammes and 1.225 kilogrammes of cocaine while returning from Brazil on an Emirates flight.

    Idehen ingested 56 wraps weighing 915 grammes; Ilemena concealed 1.225 kilogrammes of cocaine. The total weight of the drugs seized from the suspects is 2.365 kilogrammes”.

    Nzom, an auto parts dealer, who hails from Anambra State is married and has two children.

    He said he would have been paid $1,500.

    “I was drinking with friends when I heard them talking about drugs. I actually volunteered to smuggle drugs because of my financial situation. They agreed to pay me $1,500 because it was only three wraps weighing 225 grammes. I am from a poor home,” Nzom said.

    Ilemena said he too requested to smuggle drugs because of financial hardship.

    “I am from Enugu State. I am married to a Brazilian woman and we have a child. I work as a salesboy in a supermarket. I overheard some of my friends discussing about drugs and I indicated interest. That was how it started. The drug was packed in a bag for me and they promised to pay me $2,500. I am so sad, disappointed and ashamed of myself,” he said.

    Idehen, who lived in Brazil for about a decade, admitted making “a costly mistake.” “I did not know what came over me. I have been a hard-working person since my childhood. My wife and three children are in Benin while I struggle in Brazil as the bread winner. My son gained admission into the university and he is very brilliant. I needed to pay for his tuition and other expenses. I would have made $12,000 from the drug deal,” he said.

    NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Ahmadu Giade said: “It is worrisome for the suspects to voluntarily smuggle drugs. This shows that they are morally bankrupt. The agency will not relent in the fight against drug trafficking,” Giade said.

  • Father sells son for N650,000

    Father sells son for N650,000

    A father has sold his two-year-old son for N650,000 to a woman in desperate need of a male child.

    Kanayo Awurum; the woman, Cecilia Nwatu and two others are being held by the Lagos State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over the sale of Chukwunonyelum.

    Nwatu said she changed the boy’s name to Tochukwu after buying him.

    The others are  Nkechi Obi, 45, and Gladys Nwobodo, 38. Two others Emmanuel Obi and Emmanuel Ibe are at large.

    Awurum was said to have deceived his wife, Kelechi, that he was taking their son to his sister in Owerri, their home town, when they were having issues with their landlord.

    Kenechi said she found that her husband was up to mischief and reported him to the police.

    She said: “My husband had demanded a refund of the N140,000 he paid for self-contain apartment because the toilet system was not functioning. I discovered that my husband was playing games. I informed Kanayo’s friend, Coach Jerry, who uncovered the plot and advised me to report him at the Ikotun Police Station and I did.”

    The police asked the woman to call her husband on phone and tell him that the landlord was ready to refund the money. Awurum showed up and was arrested. His arrest led to the arrest of others.

    Initially, he said he gave out his son as collateral for borrowing N300, 000, but confessed that he sold the boy when the buyer was arrested.

    Nwatu said she wanted to adopt a male child to save her husband’s family name “because a male child is important to them.”

    She said she was deceived into buying the boy for N650, 000 by Awurum father and others.

    Nwobodo, who said Cecilia’s husband is her elder brother, added:: “She (Cecilia) asked me to accompany him to where she wanted to collect an adopted child.  I did not know that the people wanted to sell the child until I got to Owerri.”

  • Choirmaster arraigned for ‘raping’ female chorister

    A choirmaster, Adewale Babalola, was yesterday arraigned before a Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly raping a 16-year-old chorister.

    Babalola, 36, who lives on Maxwell Ijeh Street in Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, is being tried for alleged unlawful sexual intercourse.

    Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Godwin Anyanwu said the accused committed the offence on December 2, 2014 in his apartment.

    He said the accused took undue advantage of his relationship with the teenager as her choirmaster at the Christ Our Light Glory Church, Sanya in Surulere, to commit the crime.

    “The girl told her father, who is also an evangelist in the church that the accused lured her into his room and forcefully raped her.

    “The father reported the matter to the General Overseer of the church, but no action was taken which compelled the victim’s father to report the matter at the police station,” Anyanwu said.

    The offence, Anyanwu noted, violated Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Babalola pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate A.O. Soladoye directed that the case file be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice.

    The magistrate granted the accused N200, 000 bail with two sureties in the like sum. Chief Soladoye adjourned the case till June 29.