The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Lagos, local govts empower 3000 residents

    Lagos, local govts empower 3000 residents

    Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and council chairmen have empowered thousands of Lagosians in a bid to tackle unemployment.

    Last Saturday, the council chiefs held a grassroots empowerment programme at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, where over 3000 residents went home with equipment to support their ventures.

    Fashola, represented by the Commissioner for Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, lamented the country’s failure to achieve socio-economic and political growth after over 15 years of democratic governance.

    He explained that the vision of state and local government areas is to work together to make the state the pride of the country.

    ”We do not do poverty alleviation but grassroots empowerment. The council chairmen have done well in providing infrastructure for the citizens. They have built roads, schools, hospitals, constructed drainages and empowered the people among other things. I must thank the council chairman for taking care of the grassroots. The councils’ bosses have come together to do the biggest empowerment programme in the country,” he said.

    Fashola expressed the need for the residents to be vigilant in the face of security challenges rocking the country, urging them to continue to be security-conscious to keep the state safe.

    “I want to tell the residents of Lagos that the security of this great state is also their responsibility. We should not leave it for the government alone. We need to support the council chairmen in their programmes so that they can provide the dividends of democracy. We need to be steadfast and do not accept expired rice from some people who claim to love you. These are tactics from the opposition. And I do not want them to scare you with their strategies,” the governor added.

    He explained that Lagos is the only state in the country that did not ban the activities of commercial motorcycle operators, saying it was outright ban in other states controlled by the opposition parties.

    The Chairman of Conference 57, a body of the councils’ bosses, Hon Akeem Sulaiman, explained that the gesture to empower over 3000 grassroots people became necessary because, “poverty seems to have become a natural phenomenon in Nigeria. Successive administrations in Nigeria have made efforts towards poverty alleviation in Nigeria.”

    “It is obvious that most poor people in this country cannot provide for themselves the basic needs of life. The persistence of poverty in the world and indeed in Nigeria has made it imperative for us to embark on some developmental programmes to ensure improved standards of living for the poor masses.

    “As part of measures to empower our people, we will give out fridges, deep freezers, boat engines, generating sets, food stuffs like rice and garri; pop corn machines, mobile phones, spray painters, machine boxes, soft drinks, sewing machine and hair-dressing machines, among others. I urge you to make good use of the goods. Please do not sell them,” he said.

  • Honour for lawmaker

    Honour for lawmaker

    A member of the House of Representatives, who represents Emure/Gbonyin/Ekiti East Constituency, Hon Bamidele Faparusi, has bagged a honourary doctorate degree at the Commonwealth University, United Kingdom (UK).

    A source told The Nation yesterday that the lawmaker traveled out of the country to the UK through Dubai about 4pm yesterday.

    The award, the source said, is not unconnected with the “impressive” representation that the lawmaker has given his constituency, coupled with his people-oriented empowerment initiatives that have lifted many indigenes of Ekiti State.

    Confirming the story, Faparusi said the award came to him as a surprise, adding: “I appreciate the honour, but I must say that serving my constituency has remained part of my natural self; it is something that I see as an avowed commitment. The award, to me, is a further impetus to drive me to do more for my people and fatherland.”

  • Council lifts indigent pupils

    Council lifts indigent pupils

    To rescue indigent youths and improve the standard education in his domain, the Chairman, Apapa Local Government, Hon. Ayodeji Joseph, has donated 100 General Certificate of Education (GCE) forms to beneficiaries in the area.

    At the presentation, Joseph, who distributed the forms to beneficiaries from the five wards in the council area, urged them to make use of the opportunity.

    He also admonished the pupils to concentrate on their academic pursuits, stressing that “the only anti-dote to poverty is education.”

    The council boss added: “A good name is better than silver and gold. Nothing can be achieved without education. Illegal acts such as cultism, absenteeism, truancy and lack of concentration are factors hampering the educational development in our nation.”

    Urging the beneficiaries to attend the tutorial classes organised by the council, Joseph expressed optimism that the effort would yield good results in their academic endeavours.

    The council chairman also warned them to eschew acts that are inimical to their personal living and the advancement of a sane society, noting that they have roles to play in ensuring a healthy environment.

  • Electric cable kills mechanic in Lagos

    Electric cable kills mechanic in Lagos

    A middle-aged auto-mechanic, Lukman Ayinla, has been electrocuted at his workshop at Iyana-Era in Ijanikin on the outskirts of Lagos.

    The incident, The Nation learnt, occurred last Thursday about 2.55pm, causing pandemonium in the workshop and its neighbourhood.

    It was gathered that a high-voltage wire fell on a bus while the victim was working under it to do some repairs.

    The late Ayinla was electrocuted in the process, while other workers in the workshop could not rescue him as they scampered for safety. However, they later alerted electricity officials who came and disconnected the wire.

    The victim’s remains were removed from under the bus and deposited at the Badagry General Hospital’s mortuary for autopsy.

    Spokesperson to the state police command, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) confirmed the incident.

    She said the matter was being investigated by detectives at the Ijanikin Police Station.

  • Police arrest robbery suspects

    Police operatives have arrested four suspected armed robbers in separate locations in the Lagos metropolis. They were arrested by policemen attached to Aguda and Surulere Police stations.

    Confirming it yesterday, police command spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP), said: “On Tuesday at about 1am, policemen attached to Aguda Division were assisted by a security guard at Kilo Bus Stop Surulere to arrest three armed robbers.”

    She gave the names of the suspects as: Opeyemi Awelewa of 3A, Karomi Street, off Adedeji Street, Itire; Ogunsani Abeeb of 31, Owoseni Street, off Kilo Aguda and Gbenga Ikujorimi of 1, Odunsi Street, Lawanson in Surulere.

    They were arrested for allegedly robbing Jude Adewo, who resides at 49, Adetola Street, Aguda, Surulere of N6,000, one dollar and two handsets at Kilo Bus Stop, Surulere.

    Braide said efforts were being intensified to arrest other fleeing members of the gang, adding that the case was under investigation at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba.

    She akso said that “a robbery suspect, Rasheed Adeshina of 13, Taiwo Street Idi-Araba, was arrested on Itire Road, Surulere, with a knife by neighbours and handed over to the police.

    “The suspect with three others at large, armed themselves with guns and knives allegedly robbed residents of 21, Itire Road in Surulere of their money and phones. The case is under investigation at the Surulere Division”.

  • Alleged lover’s killer held two weeks after

    Alleged lover’s killer held two weeks after

    Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old man who was earlier declared wanted for allegedly strangling his lover to death.

    The suspect, Kelechi Williams, was said to have killed Njideka Lizzy Nzewe (39), a mother of four and Executive Officer/Managing Director of Edmark International at her Green Estate, Amuwo Odofin, Festac, Lagos home, on July 22.

    Williams allegedly made away with the deceased’s $50,000, phones, laptops, N8 million and her Range Rover, a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV).

    Williams is believed to have fled to Ghana with the loot after allegedly committing the act.

    He was arrested last Sunday in Cote d’Ivoire by crack detectives attached to the Area ‘E’ Command. Police said he would be paraded by the police in Ikeja today.

    It was gathered that Area Commander Dan Okoro, an Assistant Commissioner (ACP), used a tracking device to locate the suspect in his hideout in Cote d’Ivoire while he was preparing to flee to Europe.

    The deceased, whom many described as a multi-millionaire, was found on the floor of her apartment with the twine allegedly used to strangle her hanging on her neck. It was also discovered that in the course of struggling with her assailant, she urinated and defecated on her body with white foam in her mouth.

    The suspect’s hideout was said to have been discovered by the police through their ‘forensic auditing investigation of his social media networks and assistance of Interpol.”

    Preliminary investigations revealed that Williams and the victim had been having affairs for years, to the extent that the suspect who is one of her staff, proposed marriage, which the late Lizzy turned down.

    Police spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, who confirmed the incident, said that the deceased was a single mother, who had since separated from her husband.

    The late Lizzy was supposed to travel to USA on July 24 on vacation with her kids; she also planned to move into her just-completed building at Satellite Town before embarking on the journey, a source said.

    “She had already made these plans, when Williams came in from Ghana to visit her. Nobody thought his visit was unusual. He used to come and go in her home the way he likes. Everyone knew them,” said a source.

    Braide said the strangulation of the late Lizzy occurred at about 2.30am, adding: “He strangled the woman with a rope inside her apartment. He locked up the place, packed her money, phones, international passports and about N8 million she meant to leave for him for the running of the business while in USA and ran away. We believe he ran to Ghana.”

    A police detective said: “We believe he is a serial killer. Most of them who kill without qualms are usually within that age bracket of Williams’. This is why the police have always advocated for youths to be involved in community policing. We should educate the youth in a way that they would be able to report their friends without fear or favour in case of commission of crime.”

  • Group urges new police chief

    Group urges new police chief

    The new Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has been urged to be a team player by carrying along all stakeholders to tackle security challenges in the country.

    The Police Assistance Committee (PAC), which gave the advice while hailing the emergence of the police chief, also assured him of its total support.

    The committee’s Director General, Dr. Martins Oni, said the Abba is a tested officer who has distinguished himself in various capacities in the force, adding: “We are confident that Abba will bring to the fore, the wealth of experience he has garnered over the years, to build on the achievements of his predecessor and thus improve the fortunes of the force by injecting new ideas at confronting the plethora of security challenges threatening the corporate existence of the nation”

    The group expressed the hope that his tenure would ensure robust relationship with the members of other security agencies, the public and the corporate bodies to fight the festering insurgency in the country.

  • Helpless breast cancer patient dies weeping

    Helpless breast cancer patient dies weeping

    ours after this paper carried her story, cancer patient Mrs Oluwabunmi Olabiyi died yesterday before help could reach her.

    She required N7million for a surgery to remove her right breast which got infected after the removal of her left breast.

    Thenews of her death reached our reporter about 4.10 pm through a call from a woman, who simply gave her name as Bukola, a sympathiser of the late Mrs Olabiyi.

    The late Mrs Olabiyi battled breast cancer for three years.

    The caller wept profusely for about two minute, before saying: “That woman, Mrs Olabiyi, whose … whose story was published in your newspaper today (yesterday), has died; she gave up at 3.30 pm. She died weeping!”

    In our story, the late Mrs Olabiyi pleaded: “… Every second now, I pray to invite death to come quickly and take me away. God will take care of my children should I die. Death must come now, if help refuses to come my way.”

    The late Mrs Olabiyi, who is survived by three children a widower, hailed from Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

    Her poor widower could not help her thriving provision business collapsed while she was ill.

    Relations and sympathisers took her to various hospitals when her left breast became infected.

    When our reporter visited her in hospital in Bariga a Lagos suburb, she pleaded: “This pain is too much for me to bear any longer; please, help me beg death to come now!”

    Her remains have been deposited at a mortuary in Lagos.

  • My father has failed me, boy tells court

    My father has failed me, boy tells court

    I love my parents, but my father has failed me.” These were the words of 10-year-old Michael, whose father, Sunday Ajibulu, yesterday, prayed the Customary Court at Alakuko, a Lagos suburb, to dissolve his 12-year-old marriage told the child’s mother, Bukola.

    Michael was the sole witness in the divorce case between hi parents.

    Ajibulu, 45, an employee of Berger Paints, accused his wife of being troublesome, adding that she lacks respect for his family and neighbours.

    “Since we got married, I have not enjoyed peace. Each time she realises that I don’t greet a neighbour, she easily presumes that I am having an affair with her. She wasn’t like this when I met her. I left our home because she rain curses on me whenever we have an argument. She has succeeded in turning my son against me. I have not made love to her this year because I am fed up. I don’t want to die; please, separate us,” he explained.

    But, Bukola, 32, a teacher, denied her husband’s allegations, saying she has been a supportive and caring wife.

    “Through thick and thin, I have stood by him. Words of encouragement toward him turned a rhythm for me. I have always been a humble wife and mother. We dined together and wore the same outfit.

    “My husband left home four months ago under the pretence that he was transferred to another branch. He said it was not possible to come home daily except weekends and I believed him. On seeing a court summons, I was shocked because he still made love to me before he left home and we talk almost every day,” she said.

    She prayed the court not to dissolve the marriage because  she still loves her husband.

    The court President, Chief Godwin Awosola, ordered Ajibulu to pay N15,000 to the registrar for the child’s upkeep. He also advised the couple to maintain peace and adjourned the case till August 28 for further hearing.

  • Seminar for school bus drivers

    Seminar for school bus drivers

    An association, Automobiles and Road Safety Initiative, will on Monday hold a workshop for school bus drivers.

    The four-day event tagged, “School Bus Drivers’ Safety Training Workshop,” is designed to equip the drivers with broad knowledge and skills to drive safely, save lives, time, money and the bus.

    The President of the body, Mr Samuel Oriowo, said the courses would be handled by experts who are passionate about the competence of drivers conveying pupils/students to and from their schools.

    Saying that certificates would be awarded to participants, Oriowo added: “On the completion of the workshop, the drivers should be able to imbibe the culture of safe driving; mastered the Collision Prevention Formula and employ techniques to manage their emotions and behaviour while driving. Also, they must have been exposed to factors that they can control before driving; understand factors capable of challenging safe driving and master the habit of vehicle inspection before embarking on driving on daily basis, among others.”