Category: City Beats

Armed robbers, street urchins and rogues at Iloro in Agege, a Lagos suburb, have been warned to change or face the music.

The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Dopemu Police Station, Agege, Aliyu Lukman, a Chief Superintendent (CSP), who was represented by its Divisional Crime Officer (DCO), Mrs Catherine Ugorji, gave the warning.

It was at the inauguration of community policing by the Iloro Voluntary Policing Sector (VPS) under the station.

He said, anybody who did not steal or support crime is a friend of the police.

He added: “But those who engage in armed robbery and other nefarious activities will always continue to be in trouble with the law, especially the police.”

Lukman said there was a gap between residents and the police, adding that the inauguration of the programme had bridged it, “as the police and residents now have a common understanding.”

He said: “Now, we work as brothers and sisters. From now, you will have our telephone numbers and you can call us anytime there is a problem.”

The police chief said the number of police officers posted to the area, he said was not enough for effective policing, thus community policing would ease the pressure.

He said inadequate manpower was the main reason the police brought the people closer, adding: “If we are not doing enough, residents have the right to tell us.”

Lukman said crime would reduce if there is cooperation between the people and the police.

“When you give the police tip-offs about the hideout of criminals, you make our job a lot easier. Since voluntary police sector began in other areas of the state, crime has reduced greatly,” she said.

He urged residents who might have been maltreated by any officer to file an official report, saying justice would be done.

The Chairman, VPS Agege, Mr Morufu Omodele, said there was need for the police and residents to work together to ensure the security of lives and property in the area.

The Baale of Iloro, Tajudeen Adebari, who praised the idea behind the VPS, said since he became the ruler of the community, there had been cooperation between the police and residents.

“I can recount that on two occasions, they have cooperated with us. Before then, there was nothing of such,” he said.

He said the community had been having regular meetings with the police to fashion out a way forward for security in the area.

The community’s leader, Hussaini Mukhtar, said community policing had gone a long way in addressing security concerns in the area.

A 34-year-old mechanic, Razaq Yusuf, has prayed the Customary Court at Alagbado, a Lagos suburb, to dissolve his four-year-old marriage to Shade.

Yusuf of 26, Oyeniyi Street, Alagbado, alleged that his wife is footloose and obstinate.

He told the court: “My wife was well-mannered when we got married but I have no idea what went wrong. Two years after a pair of my slippers got missing, I began to experience a lull in my business. I was surprised to find my chewing stick and the lantern my mother gave us during our first child’s dedication wrapped and buried in the ground. Sadly, my wife didn’t show concern when I told her. My wife persuaded me to visit her church and I did, but since I had a spiritual bath, my problem worsened.”

He said his wife usually ran away whenever he wanted to sleep with her, adding: “I slept with my wife four times during pregnancy. Since she converted to Christianity, her attitude changed towards me. My wife’s food is always salty. She doesn’t wash my underwear. I don’t enjoy her anymore,” he added.

Shade, denied the allegations, saying: “I don’t know anything about his missing items. Since we got married, I converted because he doesn’t practice his religion. I cook for him. My husband claims not to enjoy himself each time he sleeps with me because I am fat but we have children. Since the birth of our second child, I have not known peace. My mother-in-law sent me out of my husband’s house 19 days after I had the second child. I don’t love him anymore. I also want the marriage dissolved.”

The marriage is blessed with two children: Aliyah (3) and Shukra (One month).

The court’s President, Mr. Olubode Sekoni, fixed a chambers discussion and ordered Yusuf to be giving his children N10, 000 monthly for their upkeep. He adjourned the matter till December 15.

The Rotary Club of Igando-Egan, District 9110, Lagos, has donated 5000 copies of exercise books to 23 schools in the community.

It also offered six traders interest-free soft loans of N20, 000 each under its service project for the year.

The club, in conjunction with other rotary clubs in Nigeria and abroad, intends to renovate schools in the community, provide boreholes, a modern incubator and an ambulance to the Alimosho General Hospital in Lagos.

Speaking during an event organised by the club, its president, Adebayo Akin-Omotunde, said the donation was one of the ways through which the club supports education and helps the needy in the society.

“If our youths are educated and empowered, it will go a long way in reducing the rate of social vices in the country,’’ he said.

He, however, called on individuals and organisations to support the club towards the realisation of its objectives that were designed to add values to the lives of the residents of the community.

The District Governor, Aloysius Bamidele Balogun, said one of the club’s objectives was to help students to achieve their set goals in life.

Balogun, therefore, urged Rotarians to create a mutual relationship with members of its community and work hand-in-hand with other clubs to enhance the growth of the district.

The Onigando of Igando, Oba Lasisi Gbadamosi, thanked the club for the initiative and advised the students to take their studies seriously.

The schools’ vice-principals and head teachers commended the club for the donations, adding that the materials would go a long way in helping the students in their studies.

The old students’ association of one the leading post-primary schools in Nigeria, Lumen Christi High School, Uromi (LUCOSA) in Edo State, will host its annual reunion on December 6. The prestigious event will hold at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja in Lagos.

The event, which will attract dignitaries from all walks of life will witness the presence of Mr. Ignatius Ayewoh, Director, Post-Privatization Monitoring, Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE). Mr. Ayewoh will also give a lecture titled: Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Contemporary Nigeria.

The association’s National President, Dr Michael Ezeanochie, ýsaid: “All preparations have been made to ensure a hitch-free and successful event. The event will witness the association’s appreciation of the distinguished alumni as well as patrons, teachers and mentors who have contributed no small measure to the development of the school.”

Its Deputy President Paul Usenbo, a lawyer, said “The association will also use this opportunity to discuss myriads of issues especially those affecting members our association and how we can help our school to continue to achieve stellar performances”

The Lagos State Government yesterday said it is not owing its doctors.

It said it had always promptly paid the salaries of its employees, including doctors.

Some doctors working in  government hospitals, early last week, staged a protest, alleging that the government was owing them their July and August salaries.

Debunking the allegation, the government said the doctors’ complaint referred to July and August when the doctors went on strike, adding that their salaries were not paid in accordance with the government’s policy of “No Work, No Pay”.

The government also recalled that the doctors’ strike coincided with the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in the state, pointing out that all entreaties to the striking doctors to call off the strike were ignored.

In a statement jointly signed by Chairman, Health Service Commission, Dr. M.O. Salako and Chairman, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Dr. O. Williams, the government said it promptly resumed payment of the doctors’ salaries when they resumed work.

The statement, which reiterated the government’s stand on “No Work, No Pay”, said the policy was upheld because it was unjustifiable for any worker to be paid for work not done.

It said any of its employees that embarked on strike in contravention of the laid-down procedures governing such actions would be so treated for the period.

Assuring all citizens of the administration’s commitment to its responsibilities of protecting lives and property at all times, the statement said: “Government’s policy of “No work, No pay” remains in force, meaning that you cannot be paid for work not done.”