The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • UNILAG alumni hold Pre-Ramadan Lecture

    The 21st Pre-Ramadan Lecture of the University of Lagos, Muslim Alumni (UMA) will hold on Sunday at the University of Lagos Main Auditorium, Akoka.

    A statement by UMA President, Alhaji Akeeb Oladokun said the topic of the lecture is Public Trust: An Obligation for credible Leadership.

    According to Oladokun, the topic was carefully chosen to set the agenda for the country’s political class so as to lead with the fear of God.

    He said Prof Tabiu Mohammed of the Faculty of Law, Bayero University, Kano (BUK) and Chief Imam, Daaru Naim Central Mosque Sheikh AbdulMajeed Imran Eleha, are the guest speakers.

    The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Rahaman Bello is the Chief host

     

  • Petrol stations shun pump price directive

    Most Lagos filling stations have yet to sell petrol at N87 per litre, more than one week after marketers  returned to lifting products.

    A News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) investigation showed that most stations are exploiting consumers, despite the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) warning against such acts.

    The stations were selling petrol at between N100 and N150 per litre despite displaying N87 per litre on their dispensing pumps.

    Attendants use calculators to determine the price.

    While some motorists declined to buy, those who bought, accused the stations of sabotaging the government’s efforts to make fuel affordable and available.

    Mr Segun Aribisala urged the DPR to ensure erring stations complied.

    “Some filling stations in Ikorodu are capitalising on the location of the town on the outskirts of Lagos to sell at unofficial prices.

    “During the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) strike, some of these petrol stations sold fuel as high as N400 per litre, exploiting motorists and residents who had no alternative.

    “Now that the strike is over and with directive to revert to the N87 pump price, they have remained adamant,” Aribisala said.

    Mr Fatai Ajetunmobi, a commercial bus driver, said: “The petrol scarcity has eased off as many petrol stations now have stock and are selling it.

    “That is the reason why we have long queues at those stations that are complying with the official N87 pump price.”

    He blamed the hike in transport fares on the inflated petrol price.

    NAN reports that stations owned by the independent marketers and some major marketers, are also involved in the sharp practice.

    An attendant at a station at Kasolori, on the Ikorodu-Ijebu Ode road, told NAN that they were selling at N125 per litre based on management’s instructions.

    “There is still scarcity of petrol and the product we have is old stock. Maybe the management might revert to the N87 pump price by next week, when fuel would have circulated fully,” he said.

    In a statement by its Head, Public Affairs, Mrs Dorothy Bassey, DPR on May 25 warned operators against selling petrol above the official pump price of N87 per litre.

    “While the DPR is making every effort to ensure that fuel is available and reaches every part of the nation, it is hereby emphasised that the Federal Government has not increased the price of fuel.

    “The price remains at N87. Any station caught selling above the stipulated price, will have its licence revoked.

    “No station should sell in jerry cans as there is enough fuel and for safety reasons. Any station caught dispensing into jerry cans will be sealed off  .

    “We ask the public to exercise caution and cooperate with all guidelines and processes, for the safety of all,” the statement said.

     

  • Robbers injured in attack on two banks

    Robbers struck in Ikorodu yesterday on the outskirt of Lagos, attacking two first generation banks on Ijede Road.

    The early morning attack took place at a bank in Omitoro Town, few minutes after the bank opened for business.

    Eye witnesses said the robbers, who were carrying heavy machine guns, took many customers on queue at the Automated Teller Machine (ATM) by surprise as they made for the main door without anybody suspecting them.

    It was gathered that they succeeded in over-powering the plain clothes men and corporate security guards.

    Witnesses said the robbers blasted the security door with dynamites and made away with several millions of Naira.

    It was gathered that they scared the people away by firing into the air before escaping in a Lexus Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) snatched from its owner, towards Ijede before the arrival of the police.

    Several customers ran for safety and some were injured in the process. Others had to climb a diesel tank and jumping over a barbed wire fence.

    The robbers thereafter attacked another bank, but met a stiff resistance from the police, who had stationed themselves in readiness for them.

    The police, it was said, exchanged heavy gun shots with them and prevented them from entering the bank.

    Having been frustrated by the superior firing power of the police, the robbers drove to the nearby Area ‘N’ Police Command but again met with resistance from the police who had placed themselves on alert in readiness for attack.

    The robbers, according to Police spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), lost two of their operation vehicles, which went up in flames during the exchange of gun fire. Some of them were injured before escaping through the lagoon with their loot in a speed boat.

    Nwosu also confirmed that the robbery incident at the first bank was successful; the second was foiled.

    He, however, could not give the figure of the amount lost to the robbers, saying investigation was still on-going.

    According to him, no arrest was made so far and that there was no casualty recorded.

    “Several customers ran for safety and some were injured in the process. Others had to climb a diesel tank and jumping over a barbed wire fence”

     

     

  • Why I took to robbery, by suspect

    Why I took to robbery, by suspect

    A 25-years-old man yesterday said he was forced into robbery after his two tricycles popularly known as keke marwa were confiscated by the Task Force.

    Emmanuel Godwin was paraded in Lagos yesterday by the Lagos for tricycle theft.

    He said, he decided to rob to meet his financial demands.

    “What made me to go into snatching Keke Marwa was my losing two Keke Marwa to Task Force from Alausa. I was doing barbing work before I joined the gang. If I am released, I will not steal again,” Godwin, 28, from Ekpoma in Edo State, said.

    According to police, the suspect usually poses as a passenger and hires tricycle and on getting to a convenient place, he would push the owner out and zoom off with the tricycle, especially in black spots.

    In a police parlance, “black spots” are areas of high crime rate.

    The suspect steals tricycles parked on the street, in front of a compound or near a restaurant.

    He was first arrested by the Zonal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (ZSARS) on January 1.

    Luck ran out against him when he stole another tricycle last week and the owner reported to the police.

    The police tracked Godwin down to Ijora where he planned to sell the tricycle. He was arrested when he returned to collect money from a SARS official, who posed as the buyer.

    The suspect said: “I am a tricycle snatcher not an armed robber because I don’t use gun. I steal from parks and when I ask a tricycle rider for a test drive and he allows me I run away with the tricycle.

    “I used to sell each tricycle I snatched or stole for N60,000. I stole five tricycles and sold them to one man known as Aye at Ijora. I also sold two to one Liwan but the market price of a tricycle is N400, 000. Aye still owes me for the two tricycles sold to him while Liwan owes me for one tricycle.

    “I was following one gang before I decided to be a one-man squad. I was taken to the gang by one of my friends called Babatunde now late. He died of taking hard drugs like cocaine, heroin and Indian hemp. I also smoke Indian hemp four times a day. Each wrap is N50.

    “I did not know that they were tricycle snatchers until they used me five times to go and deliver to a buyer at Ijora. They used to give me N5,000 after each delivery. When I felt that they were cheating me, I decided to go solo. The first tricycle I sold I got N60, 000. I gave N25, 000 to my late colleague for helping me to get a buyer.

    “I am married with two children. Till now my wife is not aware that I am arrested and I don’t want her to know because she is hypertensive. Even my mother is hypertensive and I don’t want her to know also.

     

  • Landlord arraigned for forceful ejection of tenant

    A 43-year-old landlord, Dayo Ajayi, appeared before a Surulere Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, charged with assault on a couple while they were sleeping.

    The accused, who lives at Kelani Street, Surulere, Lagos state, is facing a two-count charge of burglary and assault.

    Prosecuting Police Corporal Gbenga Salami, told the court that the accused committed the offence on March 13.

    He said the accused forcefully broke the door and entered into the couple’s apartment because they owed him house rent.

    The prosecutor added that, “After breaking into the apartment, the accused hit the couple’ back and fingers with broken bottles when they were sleeping and ordered them to pack out of his house that night.

    “Neighbours begged the accused but he refused; and an eyewitness had to alert the police who then came and arrested him.’’

    Salami said the offences contravened Sections 171 and 404 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State.

    Ajayi pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate M.O. Olajuwon granted him N100,000 bail with two sureties in the like sum.

    She ordered that the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government and must be residents of Lagos and have genuine means of livelihood.

    She adjourned the case till June 24.

     

  • 10 nursing students slump from inhaling stench

    10 nursing students slump from inhaling stench

    No fewer than 10  students of the Lagos State School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health at Igando General Hospital, have allegedly slumped from inhaling the stench from a dumpsite behind the hospital.

    Many of them slumped from the smell.

    They reportedly slumped last week, raising the students’ fear that their health is at risk.

    An eyewitness said: “Last Wednesday’s incident was the third this year. There had been cases of students becoming unconscious as a result of the smell they inhaled from the dump site beside the school. They were, however, revived with oxygen and immuniser. Some were taken to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja. Where they were attended to and we suspect they might have ended up with asthma.”

    A source said: ‘It is alarming to have parents send their children and wards to school only to end up being exposed to an hazardous environment that could lead to asthma. My child was among the victims and she was asked to buy Augmentin tablets, Inhaler and Salburtamol tablets by LASUTH where they were taken to. I refused to take any action since the school has promised to look into it.”

    A victim told The Nation: “We were receiving Anatomy and Physiology lecture that Wednesday between 9am and 10am. When we ended the lecture, we just observed that some of our colleagues were collapsing; they were taken to the Igando Hospital and were attended to. But as we got to our hostel, more people slumped. That was when the alarm was raised.

    “I did not know when I slumped too. I found myself at LASUTH. More than 10 of us were involved. Three were older students. At LASUTH, we were treated for asthma-related complications. The first batch was attended to at Igando while I was among the second batch treated at LASUTH.”

    The management, it was learnt, is working to get the waste managers to clear the site. “This is why we resumed lectures as early as 9am,” the student said.

    An official of the Ministry of Health said the ministry was aware of the matter adding that it is the present government that would address it.

    When The Nation sought to know what was being done by the school,  its coordinator, Mrs Orenuga Oyefunso said: “I am a civil servant. If you need any information on the matter, go and speak to the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health. I am not going to answer your questions.”

    A resident, Mr David Odeh, said the smell from the dump site is terrible, adding that it is capable of causing serious health hazard. He said: “But what can we do than wait for the government to look into the issue. Health is wealth. So, they need to look into the issue and not sweep it under the carpet.”

    Odeh described the problem a recurrent, urging the government to do something fast about it.

    A bus driver, Mr Lukman Rasheed said: “Most passengers often urge me to drive fast anytime I am plying the route. The kind of odour oozing out from there is very bad.

  • ‘Better times here for the masses’

    Nigerians have been asked support President Muhammadu Buhari to improve the people’s welfare.

    All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Mushin, Lagos Alhaji Taoreed Farombi, made the call at a get-together organised by the party to mark the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Akinwumi Ambode.

    Farombi, who is also the Babaloja of Aswani Market, urged the president to tackle insecurity, electricity problems and improve the roads.

    He praised APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Nigerians for supporting the party in the last elections.

    Faronbi said: “We thank Asiwaju Bola Tinubu for his love for the masses, his sacrifice to make democracy work and the people’s effort to make change possible through their votes.”

    The APC stalwart sought the cooperation of all in making the party fulfill its campaign promises.

    The youth vanguard of the party in Mushin praised Farombi for assisting everyone that comes his way and being an agent of peace in the area. They, therefore, appealed to elders in the party to emulate his philanthropic gestures.

    Farombi, who charged Nigerians to promote peace and hard work, urged every citizen to be an agent of change.

    The event was graced by dignitaries including captains of industry, politicians, traditional and religious leaders, market men and women, and transporters.

    The Chairman, Ladipo/Mushin Unit A Branch of the Tricycles’ Association in the state, Comrade Sola Adekunle expressed assurance that the APC administration would deliver dividends of democracy.

  • Philanthropist to transform Oshodi youths

    A philanthropist and safety management trainer, Mr Oluwole Ben Eweoya, has expressed optimism over the prospect of improving the lives of young people in Oshodi Local Government area of Lagos State.

    This, he said, is achievable through The Forwarders, a non-governmental foundation committed to developing the community by stirring the interest of youths in education and personal development.

    Eweoya, who holds an LLB (Law) and MBA (International Business) from the University of Westminster, England, told reporters that he was inspired to come up with the initiative as a result of his dissatisfaction with the turn of events in the community.

    “I am concerned because I was born and bred in Oshodi. I attended Mafoluku Grammar School and there is nowhere people will see me as an illiterate. I am not blowing my own trumpet, but mention the same Oshodi anywhere today, people will run away because they see it as a haven of touts. Those are the kinds of impressions people have about Oshodi that we want to change.”

    Disclosing the strategy for realising the vision, the grassroots politician fondly called Imole by his admirers, is starting from the grassroots by reaching out to youths in public primary and secondary schools with various activities.

    Already, the group has provided laboratory equipment to schools and organised seminars on safety and the environment, not leaving out inter-house sporting activities and book reading to encourage reading culture among primary schools’ pupils.

    Schools which have benefited from these activities are: Mafoluku Grammar School; Ikeja Grammar School and St. Paul Anglican Primary School, Mafoluku.

    Lamenting that some children in the community now see warlords as heroes, Eweoya said he embarked on the book reading project to broaden the minds of the pupils.

    “I personally do one hour every week in some of the schools at the moment. I believe in reading because it helped me while I was growing up. Oftentimes when I go to their schools and discuss their future ambitions with them, I get shocked. This is a function of lack of role models in the community,” he said.

  • Suspected robber held

    Suspected robber held

    The police have arrested a member of four-man gang which robs cars, dismantles and sells them as spares.

    A source said Donatus Okike, 29, and his gang snatched Toyota Camry on December 16, last year, at Igando, Lagos.

    The suspect gave the names of his colleagues as Nonso, Consider and Segun.

    An AK47 rifle and 73 rounds of live ammunition loaded with six magazines,  were recovered from him.

    “They specialise in snatching vehicles from owners at gun point. One Toyota Camry and a Sienna space bus were also recovered; both vehicles were unregistered. The Camry was sold to one Lucky Oboh, a danfo bus driver at Igando through a member of the gang called Nonso for N700,000. Lucky only paid N300,000. They usually remove the number-plates when they want to sell them to make people believe they were imported cars” the source said.

    Okike, who described himself as a truck driver on Mile II-Seme border and Ogba-Idiroko routes, said: “I live at 12, Ashorobi Street, Ogba.  I came to Lagos in 2005 and was staying with my uncle at Maryland. In 2009, I became a truck driver. I was driving for one Ogbonna Okorie that is working where they load rice in Seme.

    “It was my friend known as Consider that asked me to help him to drive his vehicle; that was how I became an armed car snatcher. The first Toyota Camry he asked me to drive to Benin was sold for N600,000; he gave me N50,000. The second car, Sienna which I took to Port Harcourt was sold for N700,000. The third one was Toyota Camry which I drove to Badagry. It was also sold, but we did not collect anything because of a misunderstanding they had with my gang leader, Segun. The fourth vehicle is a Sienna car. It caught fire on the road as we were going to Port Harcourt to deliver it to a buyer. My role is to drive any snatched car to the buyer. It is our gang leader that carried and operated our AK47 rifle.”

    Claiming that he became a Muslim in the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) cell, the suspect said: “I love the way Muslims pray five times a day. Our Chief Imam in the cell advised us to have faith in Allah, assuring that He would set us free one day to give testimony and stop snatching vehicles. I am expecting the miracle; I want Allah to rescue me. Staying in SARS’ cell also helped me to stop smoking Indian hemp.”

    On how he spent his loot, Okike said: “I used the money I got from robbery for my mother’s treatment. I don’t have a girlfriend. When I am stressed up, I go to New Generation Hotel, Ogba, to reduce tension by carrying prostitutes at N2,000 for short time, including rent for the room. I see the prostitute once in a month but I used to wear condom.”

  • Nigeria ‘ll be great under Buhari, says cleric

    •UNILAG Alumni rally support for President

    Markaz Institute of Islamic and Arabic Studies Proprietor Sheik Habeebullahi Adam Al-llory has said President Muhammed Buhari’s inauguration speech has given Nigerians hope of better days.

    In a statement in Lagos, he said: “under your leadership Nigeria would soon be among the enviable politically and socio-economically developed nations in the world.”

    Al-llory said Buhari’s victory could not have come at a better time than now when many Nigerians are yearning for better leadership.

    He saluted the President’s courage, resilience, consistency, seriousness of purpose and tenacity.

    “We are aware of the enormous responsibility on your shoulders and the expectations of Nigerians are high as they expect you to hit the ground running immediately.  We believe as a former military Head of State, you would excel. All these have given us the hope that you would meet the expectations of Nigerians. We assure you of our total support through fervent prayers since prayer is the sword of believers,” he said.

    University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA) President Alhaji Akeeb Oladokun urged Muslims to pray for Buhari’s success.

    Meanwhile, the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit has called on Buhari to “make our refineries work and build new ones.”

    According to MSSN, if the refineries are functional, the nation will not import what it has in abundance or be talking about subsidy.

    A statement by its Amir (President) Alhaji Kaamil Kalejaiye said: “‘Our government ought to have ensured that Nigeria becomes self-sufficient in local refinery of all petroleum products since 1999, all loopholes and drain pipes in the oil industry should be blocked. The Nigerian masses should not be made to suffer for the crime of few individuals.”

    Kalejaiye urged the new administration to swing into action by delivering its promises to ameliorate the sufferings in the polity.