The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • ‘My wife always threatens me with knife’

    A clearing and forwarding agent, Salihu Hadi, has prayed the Alakuko Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his marriage to Blessing.

    He alleged that Blessing leaves the house without his consent and has no respect for his family.

    Hadi said: “I usually have a hectic day at work. But I am never happy going back home after work because my wife always welcomes me with a knife, with the intent to harm me. She would always make a fuss that I come home late. I am tired of telling her the nature of my job. She nags a lot and calls my family names. Now, my parents no longer visit us because of her attitude. She doesn’t tell me about any social event she is invited to. Oh, I am really frustrated! I am no more interested in her. I am tired of this unrequited love. In fact, I don’t want any settlement because she can never change. I want to marry someone from my tribe who will treat me as a king.”

    Blessing, however, denied the allegations saying: “Though I have a child for him, they still refer to me as “Ibo” because of my tribe. His family is too strict. They don’t love me at all. All this is happening because he wants to marry from his tribe. I sincerely don’t want a divorce.”

    The three-year-old marriage is blessed with a child, Faridat.

    The court President, Mr. Olubode Sekoni, ordered the parties to maintain peace and adjourned the matter till September 22.

  • Soldiers vandalised, burnt BRT buses, says witness

    Soldiers vandalised, burnt BRT buses, says witness

    Soldiers destroyed some Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicles in Palmgrove, Lagos, last July 4, the tribunal probing the mayhem heard yesterday.

    A worker with Mutual Model Transport Limited, a franchise operator of LAGBUS, Mr Razak Mustapha, told the Justice Ebenezer Adebajo-led tribunal that he saw soldiers destroying the buses when he went to tow a broken down bus.

    The witness said he got to Palmgrove about 5.30 am and was joined by a mechanic, Mr Ikechukwu Umeaku, to return the vehicle to their depot.

    He said while attempting to start the bus, he saw a body inside it and immediately informed his colleague.

    Mustapha said they alighted and he called his boss,  to inform him of the development.

    The witness said while waiting for further directive, a man came about 7.30 am and saw the body inside the bus.

    He claimed that the man, wearing a Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) uniform, stopped a passing military vehicle and informed those inside it of the body of the dead soldier in the bus.

    “They came out and entered the bus. They saw the body and checked his identity card. They now placed two soldiers to guard the bus and left.

    “It was when they came back that they started shouting and destroying the bus. Then some started stopping other BRT buses, smashed their windscreens, side mirrors and windows.

    “There was confusion and people started gathering. Then a female soldier came and she started pouring fuel inside the bus.

    “After that I saw three buses – one blue and two red – on fire,” Mustapha said.

    Also testifying, Umeaku said he was assigned to repair the bus and two others which were faulty on July 3 about 9pm.

    He said after fixing the other two vehicles which broke down at New Garage, Ojota and Orile, he could not fix the one at Palmgrove because it was surrounded by area boys.

    According to him, the next morning he went there and saw Mustapha waiting for him.

    “It was when we were inside the bus trying to repair it that Mustapha told me that there was a dead man inside the bus and that we should come down.

    “I did not see the body. It was Mustapha who told me. So I ran away and went to report the matter to my boss in the depot,” Umeaku said.

    At the tribunal’s inaugural public sitting on Tuesday, the bus pilot, Folorunso Zachaeus, denied killing the soldier.

    Zachaeus said his bus broke down the previous day, around Palmgrove.

    He told the tribunal that he was coming from Lagos in the evening of July 3, but could not join the BRT dedicated corridor at Fadeyi because of on-going work on the lane.

    According to him, he drove forward until he got to Palmgrove where his bus stopped as he made to join the BRT corridor.

    He claimed that when all attempts to start the bus failed, he put on the bus’ hazard lights and C-Caution sign behind the bus.

    The pilot said he left the place for their depot at Ojota to lodge a report of the broken down vehicle as he had no phone on him.

    At the depot, he said he was told to go back and stay with the bus until a maintenance vehicle would join him.

    He claimed to be waiting for the maintenance crew inside the bus when suddenly he heard a big bang from the back of the bus.

    The pilot said when he looked through the side-mirror, he saw a man walking by.

    Zachaeus claimed that before he could get down to check what caused the noise, he saw people running towards the bus.

    He said he pulled off his uniform, alighted and quickly moved away, having been accosted earlier on by area boys who asked him for money.

    The maintenance vehicle that came thereafter also could not wait, seeing the crowd behind the bus, he said.

    On getting back to the depot, he met nobody and he slept there.

    He said when the Fleet Officer, Mr. Bunmi Akinwande, returned to the depot at night, he informed him of what happened at Palmgrove but that he could not wait because of the presence of the crowd.

    Zachaeus said he learnt the next day that the bus had been taken over by soldiers.

    The hearing continues today.

  • Residents cry out over broken culvert

    Residents cry out over broken culvert

    Some residents of Agege in Lagos have cried out to the state government to come to their aid in fixing the broken culvert linking their streets to avert disaster.

    The residents of Sebiotimo, Mayaka and Alimi streets in Agege Local Government said their lives are in danger because of the damaged culvert.

    They said the fence of Ifeoluwa Primary School risk being destroyed by flood and erotion, warning that is that happens, pupils’ lives will be endangered.

    The problem, they said, is causing a traffic jam in the neighbourhood which spills to the old Agege Motor Road, Sule Street, Capitol Road/Agege Bye Pass, Ashade/Akanni Doherty and Oba Akran Road daily.

    The Community Development Association (CDA) leaders said they have written to the Agege Local Government Chairman Jubreel Abdulkareem, since the culvert collapsed about four months ago.

    “We even attached the pictures of the collapsed culvert; with the hope that it would be repaired before schools resume, but up till now nothing has been done.

    “Already the fences of Ifeoluwa Primary School and  52, Sebiotimo Street are showing signs of crack. If nothing is done quickly, and the fences collapse, the pupils won’t be spared from flood whenever it rains,  and miscreants and kidnappers may enter the school to cause havoc unhindered. By night, the residents of  52, Sebiotiomo will be exposed to armed robbers, because of its strategic proximity to the roads. Not only that, the traffic snarl that would be caused will affect other schools within the neighbourhood,” a resident said.

    Contacted, Abdulkareem said: “I am aware of the problem. The challenge is that paying salary takes a larger chunk of the councils’ money. We don’t have money for new projects”.

  • My husband is violent, miserly, says divorce-seeking wife

    “Each time my husband makes love to me, I always conceive.  I have also realised that family planning is not working for me. I don’t want to undergo abortion anymore because he shirks his responsibilities as the head of the family.  I am even tired of his rascally attitude. Besides, he is greedy for money and unwilling to spend it. “

    These were the words of a middle-aged trader, Adijat Adisa, as she sought the dissolution of her 17-year-old marriage to Najimu Adisa at the Alakuko Customary Court, a Lagos suburb.

    She said her husband was fond of beating her and destroying her goods.

     Mrs Adisa said:”My husband is not caring and doesn’t respect my relations either. On different occasions when I went into labour, he didn’t defray the medical bills.  The beating started when I gave birth to our first child, but I endured it, thinking he would turn a new leaf. He once threw a lit lamp on my face, after destroying my wares. There was a time he threatened that I won’t prosper better than him in life. Surprisingly, soon after he made that swear word, my business literally crumbled.  He is too violent. My husband doesn’t know the schools our children attend because I provide their needs. My father had to give me a room in his house when he learnt of my husband’s reckless lifestyle. I’m tired of being given N200 weekly for the upkeep of my children. I am also tired of moving around with swollen face.  So, all I want is for us to go our separate ways.”

    The union, which was contracted under Native and Customary Law, produced four children.

    Mr Adisa, who is against the divorce, said: “I actually wanted to send her out of my home when she lost her first pregnancy. I understand her father was strict and usually took sides with his daughters even when they were wrong. I however, jettisoned the idea because I loved her. I have always been responsible for the payment of my children’s school fees because I want them to be better educated than we are.”

    To the dismay, Adisa court’s presented a copy of the landlords’ association receipt in place of the receipts for the children’s school fees.

    The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, said:” Do you think we are a bunch of uneducated people here?”

    He ordered Mrs Adisa to bring the children to court on September 23.

  • Ndlea arrests man with 1.535kg of drugs

    Ndlea arrests man with 1.535kg of drugs

    Officers of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have prevented a 38-year-old man from smuggling drugs to South Africa.

    The arrest and drug seizure took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during the outward screening of Arik Air passengers to South Africa. The drug was concealed in a false compartment of the suspect’s luggage.

    The airport’s NDLEA commander, Hamza Umar, gave the suspect’s name as Darlugar Ufondu Steven.

    He said: “A 38-year-old man, Dalugar Ufondu Steven, was apprehended on his way to South Africa. He was found in possession of 1.535kg of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine”.

    The suspect, who claims to be an assistant coach in an amateur football club in South Africa, said he was under immense financial pressure. “I am married with a child and have lived in South Africa for about a decade.

    “I have worked very hard to attain financial freedom but have nothing in return. This is my first time of smuggling drugs. I was under financial pressure to cope with peers.

    “A friend introduced me to drug trafficking as a way of making quick money. They promised to pay me 6,000 dollars to take the bag containing the drugs to South Africa”.

    NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive, Ahmadu Giade urged the public to support drug control efforts.

    “We have made remarkable improvement in our counter-narcotic efforts. The Agency is prepared to detect hidden drugs and prosecute the drug barons.

    “Members of the public should avoid drug trafficking and report suspected cases to the Agency,” he said.

    The suspect will soon be charged to court.

  • Don’t dissolve my parents’ marriage, 10-year-old son pleads

    Don’t dissolve my parents’ marriage, 10-year-old son pleads

    Micheal Ajibulu, 10, cut a pitiable picture yesterday when he pleaded with the Alakuko Customary Court, Lagos not to dissolve his parents’ marriage of 12 years. He believes the situation could still be salvaged.

    He said:”My parents are my best friends. We have always lived happily. How and where things went wrong is what I do not know. My father and I have a secret that my mum is not aware of. My mum was not at home when my father brought a cleric to our house. He slaughtered an ostrich and poured the blood in a bucket. I was later asked to bathe with the blood. He even made some marks with coloured candles on a wall behind our house.  I did all I was ordered to do, but I never knew what my father was up to. My mum eventually saw the ostrich that my father buried behind our house. However, I don’t want to believe the incident caused the tribulations in our home. If my father insists on the dissolution of the marriage, he should give us the house we live in because he has two houses.”

    When 45-year-old Sunday Ajibulu was asked if he wanted to use his son for rituals, he said:”Why would I attempt to use my only child for rituals, even if my wife killed our first child. All I did was for his protection. My wife has been after my life for a while. I can’t give them the house and I can’t stay in a marriage that lacks peace either.”

    His wife, Bukola, said she still loved her husband and didn’t want any dissolution.

    The court’s President, Chief Awos Awosola, ordered the court’s persecutor to accompany Micheal to choose the house he wants between his father’s houses.

    The case was adjourned till September 23, for judgment.

     

  • Rotary donates ICT centre to community school

    Rotary donates ICT centre to community school

    The Rotary Club of Omole Golden has donated a fully equipped Information Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory centre to Oke-Ira Senior Secondary School, Ogba, Lagos State.

    The project was commissioned by the Deputy Director of Basic Studies in the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr Abiodun Oni, who represented the Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye.

    Oni said:” I want to thank all members of this great club not only for the gesture but for being good partners in the development of education in Lagos State.I also want to urge the school management not to disallow students from making use of the facilities provided in the ICT centre, but instead ensure proper monitoring of how it would be put to use.”

    President of the club, Mr. Chris Alabi, explained that the club would sustain the facility for one year before handing it over to the state government.

    “We have spent part of our limited resources to set up this facility and we believe that it will be put to proper use in empowering students and even teachers with ICT skills. In addition, we will maintain the center for one year including the internet facility after which it would be handed over to the Lagos State Ministry of Education for its further sustenance.”

    Earlier, an induction exercise for new members of the club was performed by the The District Governor of Rotary District 9110, Dr. Dele Balogun, lauded members of the club for donating the ICT centre and urged new members of the club to imbibe the four-way test of Rotary Club in the development of the larger society.

    Certificates were later presented to some teachers in Lagos public schools who were recently sponsored to a training programme by the club while some members were also honoured with awards for their financial assistance to the club in carrying out some of its charity projects.

    The chairman of the Parents’ Forum, Prince Adebola Adeniji-Adele, promised “to work in concert with the authorities of the school to protect the facility and ensure proper utilization of equipment toward promotion of skills development of students.”

  • Two arrested for ‘damaging’ police station’s fence

    Two arrested for ‘damaging’ police station’s fence

    Two men, Christian Eze and Oluwatobi Ayangbemi have been arraigned at the Surulere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, for allegedly damaging the fence of a police station in Orile.

    The damaged fence is valued at over N1million.

    Thirty-seven-year-old Eze, who works at Dillys Investment Limited, Apapa, and Ayangbemi of 21, Yeguneowdi Street, Apapa, were said to have “unlawfully and willfully” damaged the wall.

    They were alleged to have brought down the wall with a Mack trailer with registration number AKD-751-XA.

    The alleged offence is punishable under Section 349(1)(a)of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

    Eze and Ayangbemi pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    They were granted N100,000 bail with two sureties each in like sum.

    The sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and a court official must verify their address.

    The magistrate, Mrs Remi Olajuwon, adjourned till September 27 for trial.

    The police also arraigned a woman, Maria Erebo, at the court for alleged stealing.

    She allegedly stole N592,280 between March 17 and May at 5, Olufemi Street, while working as the manager of Afis and Afis Restaurant.

    The police said the money is the property of Mr Effiong Okpo.

    The alleged offence is punishable under Section 285(7) the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

    Olajuwon pleaded not guilty and was granted N250,000 bail with two sureties.

    The magistrate, Mr R. B. Lawal, adjourned till October 2 for trial.

     

  • ‘Fix our broken culvet’, residents cry

    The residents of three major streets, Sebiotimo, Mayaka and Alimi in Agege Local Government Area (LGA), have appealled to the state government and the council chairman, Jubree Abdulkareem to rebuild the collapsed culvet linking the streets to forestall disaster.

    Ifeoluwa Primary School and residents of 52, Sebiotimo street may be the worse hit if nothing is done to fix the broken culvet. The fence of the school is been threatened by flood and erosion and if it eventually gives way, the lives of the students would be at risk.

    Already, the damaged is causing traffic build up which has spiled to old Agege Motor road, Sule street, Capitol Road/Agege Bye pass; Ashade/Akanni Doherty and Oba Akran.

    The Local Council Development Association (LCDA) and community leaders say they have written several letters to the council Chairman, Hon Abdulkareem, since the culvet collapsed about four months ago.

    “We even attached the pictures of the scenes of the collapsed culvet; with the hope that it would have been repaired before schools resume, but up till now nothing have been done.

    “Already the fences of Ifeoluwa Primary School and  52, Sebiotimo Street are showing signs of crack. If nothing is done quickly, and the fences collapse, the pupils won’t be spared from flood whenever it rains,  and miscreants and kidnappers may enter the school to cause havoc unhindered. By night, the residents of  52, Sebiotiomo will be exposed to night armed robbers, because of its strategic proximity to the roads. Not only that, the traffic snarl that would be caused will affect other schools within the neighbourhood,” a resident said.

    When contacted, , Hon Abdulkareem said: “I am aware of the problem. The challenge is that paying salary takes a larger chunk of the Councils’ money. We don’t have money for new projects”.

  • Residents advised on security

    Residents advised on security

    The Neighbourhood Watch Lagos Central, Area C Command, has stressed the need for the public to be vigilant.

    Area Commander, Neighbourhood Watch, Area C Command, Bashiru Giwa-Bioku made the call at an investiture and awards dinner in Lagos.

    In a paper titled: See Something , Say Something’’, he said people should be extra vigilant especially now that the country is battling with insurgency, noting that every body must be involved in the security of the community.

    Giwa-Biobaku said:”The Neighborhood Watch in your community must be recognized, spiritually, morally and financially in collaboration with the state government”.

    He expressed optimism that the country will overcome the challenge of insecurity if all hands are on deck to nip the menace in the bud.

    Senator Oluremi  Tinubu,  representing Lagos Central was honoured as the command’s grand patron in recognition of her selfless service to the community at the event.